The classroom was a storm of paper, paint, and cardboard. Students rushed about preparing stalls and decorations for the school festival.
Kenji was shouting orders no one listened to, Aoi was threatening to staple his mouth shut, and glitter somehow coated half the desks already.
Suki was balancing on a chair, trying to tape up a banner. "A little higher—no, wait, too high—ahh!"
The chair wobbled.
"Idiot."
Strong hands gripped his waist from behind, steadying him. Ryuzí's voice was calm, but his heart thumped against Suki's back. "You'll fall like that."
Suki grinned down at him. "Then catch me if I do."
Ryuzí scowled, holding him firmly until the tape was secure. "You're hopeless."
From across the room, Kenji smirked. "Oi, careful! Looks like Ice Prince is a little too eager to hold his girlfriend steady."
Laughter erupted.
Suki nearly dropped the tape. "I'M NOT HIS GIRLFRIEND!" he yelped, face blazing.
Aoi snorted. "Could've fooled us."
Ryuzí's glare swept the room, freezing the laughter instantly. "He's not a girl."
The silence that followed was heavy, shocked. Even Suki blinked, stunned.
Ryuzí cleared his throat, looking away. "...And he's not my girlfriend."
The room buzzed with whispers, but no one dared push further.
Suki hopped down from the chair, still blushing. "You didn't have to—"
"Yes, I did," Ryuzí muttered.
Later, when the room cleared for cleanup duty, Suki and Ryuzí stayed behind to finish the decorations.
"Thanks for defending me," Suki said softly, hanging the last strip of paper.
Ryuzí shrugged. "They're annoying. Don't listen to them."
Suki smiled, his eyes warm. "Still... it meant a lot."
He reached up again to adjust the banner, but Ryuzí moved at the same time. Their shoulders bumped—then their foreheads—
And before either could react, their lips brushed.
Time stopped.
The touch was feather-light, clumsy, but electric. Both froze, eyes wide.
Suki stumbled back, nearly tripping over the chair. "I—I—! That was—!" His face burned crimson.
Ryuzí's ears flamed red as he turned sharply away. "...Accident."
"Yes! Accident! Totally!" Suki babbled, pressing his hands to his face. His heart was beating so fast it felt like it might burst.
Silence stretched, awkward and hot, broken only by the faint rustle of paper above them.
Finally, Suki peeked through his fingers. "...You're blushing too."
"Shut up," Ryuzí muttered, but his voice was tight, strained.
Suki laughed nervously, his cheeks still pink. "Guess even Ice Princes get flustered."
Ryuzí groaned, dragging a hand through his hair. "...You're impossible."
But as Suki looked away, biting his lip to hide his smile, Ryuzí couldn't stop his own lips from twitching into the faintest curve.
That night, the Aoyama sisters noticed immediately.
"You're red," Hana accused.
"I-it's hot in here!" Suki stammered.
Emi smirked. "Or you kissed someone."
Rika gasped. "Wait—you DID?!"
Suki shrieked, diving under a pillow. "It was an ACCIDENT!"
The sisters exchanged knowing looks.
Meanwhile, across town, Ryuzí sat at his desk, fingers pressed to his lips. His heart still wouldn't slow down.
"...Idiot," he muttered, but this time the word was shaky, his mouth curved in the smallest, secret smile.