Midnight.
The faint ding-dong of the doorbell echoed through the hallway, breaking the stillness of the dark apartment.
Shion rubbed his heavy eyes, his footsteps dragging softly against the wooden floor as he walked to the door. He pulled it open slowly, a dull expression still lingering on his face.
"…Kasumi? At this hour?"
There she stood—her hair damp from the night air, her hands tucked into the sleeves of her sweater. Her eyes flickered nervously, avoiding his.
"Uh… the power went out at my place," she said hesitantly, voice almost a whisper. "C-Can I stay here… just for a little while?"
Shion glanced behind him. On the table, a half-filled wine bottle gleamed faintly under the light. A quiet thought stirred in his mind.
What if she misunderstands…?
Kasumi caught the hesitation in his face. She stepped back quickly.
"I-I'm sorry. If it's a problem, I'll just go—"
Shion's voice softened, cutting her off.
"No… it's fine. Come in."
Kasumi stepped inside carefully. Her eyes lingered on the table, where the wine bottle stood like silent evidence. A small crease formed between her brows.
"…Were you drinking?"
Shion didn't bother lying. His tone was flat, tired.
"Yeah. I couldn't sleep. My mind… it just won't stop."
Her expression softened. Slowly, she pulled her hands out of her sleeves.
"…Next time, tell me. I might have a better solution than this."
For the first time in hours, a faint smile brushed Shion's lips.
"…Alright."
Kasumi tilted her head toward the bottle, a teasing curve on her lips.
"Looks expensive. Can I try some?"
Shion blinked once, his expression unreadable his thoughts in mind echo.
She tells me not to… then asks to try it herself. Typical.
Without a word, he poured her a glass.
The warm orange glow of the lamp filled the small room.
Two glasses sat on the table, the occasional clink of glass breaking the stillness as they sipped in silence.
Kasumi's cheeks flushed pink after a few drinks, her hair sticking slightly to her face. A small strand clung to her cheek, catching the lamplight. Across from her, Shion drank quietly, his expression unchanged—calm, detached.
By the another few glass, Kasumi's eyelids fluttered. Her breathing turned uneven, her words spilling out in fragments.
"Shion…" Her voice trembled. "I… I don't like it."
Shion raised a brow faintly.
"…What don't you like?"
Her eyes glistened, the alcohol loosening her restraint.
"That day… when I hugged you… you didn't feel anything. Not even a little…"
Shion's lips parted slightly, but no words came out. His eyes lingered on her tears, the sound of the buzzing lamp filling.
Kasumi's hands tightened around her glass. Her words cracked, breaking into sobs.
"I'm such an idiot… such a fool."
Shion's tone softened, lower than usual.
"…Kasumi. Why are you crying?"
She leaned forward, burying her face into her sleeves, voice muffled and slurry.
"Because of you… because of you, Shion…"
Her mumbles blurred into nonsense, fragments of his name spilling out again and again.
"Shion… Shion… huhuhu…"
For the first time, a faint, almost goofy smile touched Shion's lips.
"You're not even making sense."
A second later, Kasumi lost her balance completely, collapsing sideways onto the sofa. Her quiet mumbling continued, like a child caught in a half-dream.
Shion stared at her for a long moment, then sighed. He stood, fetched a blanket from the corner, and carefully draped it over her small frame.
"…Honestly." His voice was quiet, but the words carried an unusual warmth.
Next Morning sunlight slipped through the curtains, casting soft patterns across the room.
Kasumi stirred beneath the blanket, her eyelids heavy. A dull ache throbbed at her temples, the faint taste of wine still lingering on her lips.
She blinked, realizing where she was—the sofa in Shion's home. Her cheeks heated instantly.
I… I really fell asleep here? And I… what did I even say…?
Her gaze shifted to the blanket wrapped neatly around her. For a second, her heart softened.
"…Shion."
Across the room, Shion was still asleep, slumped on the other end of the sofa. His face, usually so guarded, looked tired… almost peaceful.
Kasumi quietly stood, careful not to wake him. She searched the table for paper, then scribbled a quick note, her handwriting a little shaky.
"Sorry, Shion. Please forgive me… I drank too much last night. You were sleeping so deeply, I didn't wake you. Thank you for everything."
She placed the note gently beside his glass.
Before leaving, she hesitated. Stepping closer, she brushed her hand lightly through his hair. A soft, almost invisible smile tugged at her lips.
"…Idiot."
With that, she slipped quietly out the door.
---
A few minutes later, Shion's eyes fluttered open. His first instinct was to look toward the sofa. Empty.
"…Kasumi?" His voice was hoarse, confused.
Then he noticed the folded note on the table. He picked it up, reading silently.
As his eyes moved across the words, a small, genuine smile broke across his face—quiet, warm, unlike any he had shown before.
This girl… she notices everything. She's closer to me than anyone else has ever been.
For the first time in a long while, his chest felt a little lighter.
He glanced at the clock. Already late.
"…Guess I'm not going to school today."
---Chapter 13 end---