Hana woke up too early, the remnants of last night's kiss still lingered on her lips, making her heart race the moment she opened her eyes. She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind replaying every second of the evening—how warm Sohei's hands had been on her waist, the way his breath had felt against her skin, the way he had kissed her like she was something he had been waiting for. It had been so natural, so effortless in the moment. Just then, her phone buzzed on her nightstand. She reached for it and unlocked the screen.
Sohei: You alive?
Hana blinked, still groggy, as she stared at the message. Before she could even think of a response, another buzz came through.
Sohei: Or did last night short-circuit your brain?
She groaned into her pillow, her face burning as she buried it in the soft fabric. Of course he was going to act like nothing had happened. Of course he was going to tease her, his usual smug self completely unfazed. She quickly typed back, her fingers flying across the screen.
Hana: I hate you.
Almost immediately, her phone vibrated again.
Sohei: No, you don't. See you at work, girlfriend
.
Her stomach flipped, her heart pounding as she stared at the screen. Girlfriend. The word felt foreign, surreal, like it belonged to someone else's life, not hers. She was so doomed.
Hana arrived at the office, but the moment she set her bag down, a shadow loomed over her, and she froze.
"Morning, girlfriend."
Hana nearly jumped out of her skin, her heart hammering as she spun around—and there he was. Sohei, standing way too close, his hands tucked into his pockets and that infuriating smirk plastered across his face like he knew exactly what he was doing to her. Her face instantly burned, her cheeks flushing as she glanced around in a panic.
"Sohei," she hissed, her voice low but laced with desperation. "Someone might hear you!"
"So?" He tilted his head, looking calm. "It's not like we're hiding anything."
Hana's stomach tightened, her mind spinning.Sohei seemed to sense her hesitation. His smirk softened into something gentler as he stepped closer. His voice dropped to a quiet murmur as he nudged her lightly. "Relax," he said. "I'm not rushing you."
Hana swallowed, her fingers tightening around the strap of her bag as she looked up at him. "I just—"
"I know," he interrupted, his voice calm but firm. "I'll wait."
She took a deep breath, her shoulders finally easing. "Okay," she whispered, soft but sure.
Sohei stepped back, giving her space but keeping his gaze on her, his expression softer now, more genuine. "Good," he said, his voice low but warm. "Now, let's get to work before Chiaki starts asking questions."
Hana couldn't help but laugh, as she followed him to their desks. And for the first time, she felt like maybe, just maybe, she could handle whatever came next.
*****
The company cafeteria buzzed with the usual lunchtime chatter, trays clattering and voices blending into a familiar hum. Hana, Sohei, Chiaki, and Hayato walked in together. They grabbed a table by the window, a quiet corner that still couldn't keep them from catching the attention of several curious glances. Whispers started almost immediately—some subtle, some not.
Sohei sat beside Hana without hesitation, placing his drink down and casually nudging her tray closer to her with a quiet, "You always forget to take chopsticks." He handed her a pair before she could respond, and Hana gave him a look, half amused, half flustered.
"I wasn't going to forget this time," she mumbled, cheeks already warming.
Sohei only grinned. "You always say that."
Across from them, Chiaki raised a brow, a sly smile tugging at her lips as she watched the exchange. "Well, well," she said, sipping her soup with exaggerated interest. "Is this what I think it is?"
Hana paused, mid-bite, her chopsticks freezing in the air. "W-What?"
Hayato glanced up from his tray, looking between the two of them with mild curiosity.
Chiaki leaned forward, eyes sparkling. "You two are together, aren't you?"
Sohei didn't even flinch. "Yeah," he said simply, picking up a piece of grilled fish.
Hana choked on her rice.
Chiaki burst into laughter. "Oh my god, Sohei! At least give her a warning!"
Hana coughed, covering her mouth. "I—I wasn't ready!"
Sohei handed her a napkin with a calm expression, but his eyes gleamed with amusement. "You've got to get used to this sooner or later."
Hayato chuckled under his breath. "Well, that answers a lot."
Hana groaned, burying her face in her hands while Chiaki reached over to gently pat her shoulder. "Relax, it's cute. You guys are the worst-kept secret in the office right now anyway."
"You think people know?" Hana peeked between her fingers, mortified.
"Sweetheart," Chiaki said with a wink, "you two were practically making heart eyes during the morning meeting each day."
Sohei looked unbothered as ever, casually taking a sip of his tea. "I was being subtle."
"Sure you were," Hayato said dryly, but there was a smile tugging at his lips too.
Chiaki leaned in, grinning as she poked at her salad with her chopsticks. "Okay, spill. Who confessed first? I have my guesses."
Hana's eyes widened. "Chiaki!"
Sohei chuckled, totally relaxed. "I did," he said simply, glancing at Hana with a soft look.
Chiaki blinked in surprise. "Seriously? I was betting on Hana."
"I would've, if he hadn't beat me to it," Hana mumbled, cheeks flushing.
Sohei smirked. "You were avoiding me. I had to make a move before you ran off again."
"I was not avoiding you," Hana huffed.
"You bolted from the pantry like I had a contagious disease," he said, amused.
Chiaki burst out laughing. "Okay, that does sound like you, Hana."
Across the table, Hayato chuckled, his hand reaching over to steal a bite of Chiaki's food without looking. "Told you he was getting bold lately."
Chiaki slapped his hand away playfully. "And here I thought you were the unpredictable one in this relationship."
Hana blinked. "Wait—relationship?"
Chiaki smirked and leaned in against Hayato's shoulder. "Surprise. We've been quietly dating for a while. You two were just too wrapped up in each other to notice."
Sohei raised an eyebrow, clearly not surprised. "I figured," he said casually, taking a sip of his drink.
Chiaki narrowed her eyes at him. "You figured?"
He nodded. "Hayato never shares his food. Except with you."
Hayato didn't even deny it. "She's the only one who earns it."
Hana's mouth fell open. "Wait, how did I not notice this?!"
Chiaki grinned. "Because someone was too busy getting flustered every time he looked at you."
Sohei leaned closer to Hana, voice low and teasing. "Can't blame you. I am hard to ignore."
Chiaki smiled warmly at Hana. "Honestly? I'm happy for you. You look… brighter lately."
Hana's blush deepened, but she smiled. "Thanks. I'm still getting used to all of this."
Sohei nudged her knee under the table, his voice low. "You're doing fine."
As the lunch neared its end, the group started clearing their trays. Chiaki leaned over to Hana with a wink. "Next time, we're doing a double date. And you better not bail."
Hana nodded, cheeks still warm. "I won't."
Hayato stood, adjusting his jacket, then looked at Sohei with a knowing smirk. "Walk her back."
Sohei didn't need to be told twice. "Already planned to."
As Chiaki and Hayato headed off, Sohei gently took Hana's tray, carrying both to the return counter before returning to her side.
"You okay?" he asked as they strolled down the quieter hallway toward the elevators.
Hana glanced up at him, her expression soft. "Yeah. Just… surprised. About everything. But in a good way."
Sohei reached for her hand, interlacing their fingers as they walked. "You're not the only one."
She looked down at their joined hands and smiled. "I used to watch couples like this and think, 'That'll never be me.'"
He glanced at her, his thumb gently brushing against hers. "And now?"
"Now I'm starting to believe I was wrong," she said, her voice quiet but full of emotion.
Sohei stopped just outside the elevator, turning to face her. "Good. Because I'm not going anywhere."
Hana looked up at him, her heart full. "Me neither."
The elevator chimed, but neither of them moved to step in. Instead, Sohei leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, lingering for just a second longer than necessary.
"Let's survive the afternoon," he said with a grin.
"With you around?" Hana smiled. "I think I'll be just fine."
The elevator doors slid open, but Sohei didn't move right away. His eyes stayed on Hana, like she was the only thing that mattered at that moment. She could feel her heart beating a little too fast, the echo of his forehead kiss still warming her skin.
Then, with a small tug of her hand, he gently led her into the elevator. They stood side by side, fingers still interlaced. The doors closed with a soft chime, enclosing them in a quiet space that felt strangely peaceful.
Sohei smirked, eyes fixed on the glowing floor numbers. "A while," he said casually. "I've known the two of them practically my whole life—I could see it coming before they did."
Hana raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"
He nodded. "Hayato acts all serious, but he's softer around her. And Hayato has this tone he only uses with her. Still gruff, but quieter. Softer. You'd miss it if you didn't know him."
Hana laughed, her voice bouncing softly off the elevator walls. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"I figured it was their story to tell," he replied. "Just like ours."
She looked down at their joined hands, her thumb brushing lightly over his. "Is this really… our story now?"
Sohei turned to her, his expression suddenly serious but gentle. "It's always been our story. You just didn't realize it yet."
Her breath caught in her throat again, but this time it didn't feel scary. It felt safe and right.
*****
On the way home after work, Hana sat quietly in the passenger seat. When they reached her apartment, Sohei put the car in park but didn't turn it off.
Then, Sohei spoke.
"Hana."
She turned to him, her breath catching as she met his gaze. Slowly, deliberately, he reached out, his fingers brushing along her jaw, his touch warm and steady. Hana's breath hitched, her pulse quickening as she leaned into his hand, her eyes never leaving his.
And then—Sohei leaned in.
This kiss was deep and unhurried. His hand slid to the back of her neck, pulling her closer, his fingers tangling into her hair as his lips moved against hers, coaxing, claiming. Hana melted into him, her fingers clutching the front of his jacket as she anchored herself.
By the time they pulled apart, Hana was completely breathless, her chest rising and falling as she tried to catch her breath. Sohei pressed his forehead against hers, his smirk faint but unmistakable as he looked down at her. "I like to see you blushing," he murmured, his voice low and rough, sending a shiver down her spine.
Hana gasped, shoving him away lightly, her face burning as she tried to hide her embarrassment. "You are—" she started, but the words caught in her throat as Sohei laughed, the sound warm and rich as he caught her hand before she could escape.
"Goodnight, Hana," he said, his voice softer now, more sincere, as he brushed his thumb over her knuckles.
Hana rolled her eyes, but this time, she smiled, her heart swelling with a warmth she couldn't quite put into words. "Goodnight, Sohei," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly but her smile genuine.
As she stepped out of the car and made her way to her apartment, she couldn't help but glance back at him, her heart racing as she watched him drive away.