"..." – Ren stared at Saki, who was sleeping quietly on the low table, her blonde hair spilling carelessly over the open books, her breaths flowing softly as if they were part of the night's stillness itself.
He smiled faintly and muttered,
"Hah… after all that chatter, you end up collapsing before me."
Quietly, he pulled a light blanket that had been left on the side of the small sofa, stepped closer, and draped it gently over her shoulders, careful not to wake her. He watched for a few seconds as her nose twitched slightly from the chill before settling again.
"At least you're not writing haiku about tea this time…" he murmured with a soft, teasing smile.
He opened the door quietly and left the room without a sound, closing it gently behind him. Stretching his arms up, he exhaled deeply as he made his way toward the small kitchen adjacent to the living room.
—
In the kitchen, everything was neatly arranged with Akiko's touch—gleaming utensils, small incense sticks by the window, and even the coffee cup clearly set out for him.
He poured himself some cold water from the pitcher and leaned back against the wall, his gaze wandering up to the wooden ceiling.
"Were you waiting for me?" Ren asked, lips curling into a gentle smile as he looked toward the kitchen door.
There stood Akiko, with her golden hair and striking violet eyes. She looked as though she had just stepped out of the bath, wearing a revealing nightgown.
She stood in the doorway, her damp golden hair dripping water down her bare shoulders. The dim kitchen light played across the curves of her body beneath the silky, nearly transparent nightdress.
"Sort of… we need to talk," she replied softly, her tone serious as she took a step closer.
Ren's smile grew slow, his eyes wandering boldly over her body before finally meeting her violet gaze.
"Talk? In that outfit?" he said, setting the water glass aside. "Are you sure talking is all you want to do?"
Akiko closed the distance, her fragrant shampoo filling the narrow space. Slowly, she raised her hand, her fingers brushing his rough chin.
"What if I intended more than just talking?" she whispered, her warm breath brushing his lips.
Ren caught her wrist gently, though his grip was firm.
"Then…"—he leaned in until his lips were mere centimeters from her ear—"we'll just need to make sure Saki doesn't suddenly wake up… and ruin our fun."
"You're still the pervert you've always been," Akiko muttered, pinching Ren's waist, though her face held a happy smile—she knew she was still attractive to a handsome young man like him.
"But… we need to talk first and settle some things," Akiko said seriously, pulling Ren to sit down with her.
"Of course," Ren nodded. He had been in a relationship of mutual benefit with Akiko for almost a year—giving her companionship and easing her frustrations, while he found comfort in the warmth of a mature woman, a feeling he had been searching for.
"The truth is… some time ago, I went on a blind date, planning to remarry and end this… wrong relationship," Akiko said quietly, her eyes on him, though her hand unconsciously moved to her flat belly, caressing it lightly. "But the next day, I discovered I was pregnant. That's why I canceled everything with Asamura-san and his family."
The ticking of the wall clock filled the heavy silence in the kitchen. Ren suddenly sat upright, his crystalline blue eyes widening slightly as he stared at Akiko—then at her hand resting instinctively on her stomach.
"Is it… my child?" Though he already knew the answer, he asked anyway, his mind stalling at the thought that a part of his bloodline might already be living, yet unborn.
"Who else could it be?" Akiko rolled her eyes, smiling faintly at his foolish reaction, though guilt flickered in her gaze. "Ren, I'll be honest. I don't plan on getting rid of the child, nor holding you responsible. I intend to raise it myself. Whether you want it or not, I'll never tell anyone you're the father."
Akiko was a grown woman, feeling both guilt and responsibility for what had happened. Ren was still just a first-year high schooler—his age group known for recklessness. But it wasn't just that—she had allowed herself to be swept too far in their affair, leading to this.
A heavy silence fell again, broken only by droplets of water dripping from Akiko's damp hair onto the wooden floor. Ren sat frozen, pale blue eyes following her hand still resting on her belly, as though trying to imagine the life growing within.
"You… really plan to keep it?" he asked at last, his voice hoarse, as if waking from a strange dream.
Akiko nodded firmly, her violet eyes never leaving his face. "Yes. My decision is final."
"And… what about me?" he raised an eyebrow, "What's my role in this?"
"There isn't one," she said quietly. "I won't ask anything of you. I won't tell anyone you're the father. You can live your life as if this never happened."
But instead of relief, those words sparked something in Ren. "Oh, how ridiculous!" he laughed darkly. "Do you think I'll just accept that? To disappear and let you carry the consequences alone?"
Akiko stared at him, confused. "What do you mean?"
Ren suddenly stood, his palms pressing hard against the table. "I don't run from my responsibilities," he said, his tone carrying an underlying threat. "If this child is mine, then it's a part of me. I won't allow you—or anyone—to decide its fate without me."
"But you're… still a minor," Akiko whispered. "If this gets out, it will ruin your life. Both our lives."
"Then it won't get out." Ren smiled the smile she knew well—the one that always preceded his most dangerous ideas. "But I'll make sure that by the time our child is born, there won't be any need to hide."
"From what I see, your pregnancy is still in its early stages—we still have plenty of time before it shows." Ren lifted his blindfold slightly, gazing at Akiko with his Six Eyes.
"By then, it won't matter if anyone finds out. No one will dare judge us or speak against us." His blue eyes locked onto hers, warm yet resolute—he clearly had no intention of abandoning his responsibility.
"Ren…" Akiko whispered, tears welling in her bright violet eyes. She hadn't expected him to accept responsibility—she had been ready to let him go or even be forced to end the pregnancy. Yet it seemed she had underestimated him.
"Don't cry. I'll always be by your side," he said softly. Their relationship may have begun as mere consolation and mutual need, but it had evolved into something neither had expected—something they weren't running from anymore.
Ren lowered his head slightly and pressed a tender kiss to Akiko's cherry-colored lips.
"…" Akiko closed her eyes, savoring the warmth and affection that spread from his lips, embracing him as she sank into the kiss.
The gentle, affectionate kiss soon deepened, turning heated and hungry as Ren's hands slipped beneath her sheer nightgown.
"Wait…" Akiko tried to stop him, worried about waking Saki in the next room. But Ren ignored her, lifting her into his arms as he carried her to her bedroom to continue their actions.
...
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