When the body remains untouched,
but the mind… is never free from what was left behind.
The night was dark.
Rain whispered softly against the windows.
The boys' dorm should've been empty—
everyone had gone downstairs to watch the weekly school movie screening.
Everyone… except Acxell.
He never cared for school films.
And maybe—
just maybe—
he knew tonight wasn't just any night.
10:07 PM
Three soft knocks.
Acxell opened the door.
Yuriko stood in the hallway.
Soaked.
Hair clinging to her forehead.
Eyes lowered.
Hands clutching the edge of her own sleeves.
She didn't say a word.
Acxell stepped to the side—
quietly, naturally.
He made space.
[SYSTEM NOTICE: EVENT TRIGGERED – UNPROMPTED PROXIMITY INITIATION]
SUBJECT HAS ENTERED YOUR SPACE VOLUNTARILY.
BONDING PATH ACTIVATED: EMOTIONAL SHELTER ROUTE
Yuriko walked in.
Slowly.
Her gaze never lifted from the floor.
Acxell closed the door behind her—
still silent.
He walked over to the towel rack, pulled one free, and extended it to her.
She accepted it.
Their hands didn't touch—
but the air between their fingers felt warmer than it should have.
She sat at the edge of his bed.
Didn't look at him.
But after a moment, she spoke.
Soft.
Clipped.
Defensive.
"…My room blacked out."
Acxell nodded.
"This one didn't."
"Can I… stay here? Just for a bit?"
"Stay."
No question.
No condition.
It wasn't permission.
It was confirmation.
Like the room had always been waiting for her.
20 minutes later.
Yuriko now lay on a spare futon beside Acxell's bed.
Both of them stared at the ceiling.
The lights were off.
Only the faint glow of rain-muted windowlight lit the room.
Neither spoke.
But both hearts…
were loud.
[EMOTIONAL SYNC DETECTED – LYING WITHIN PROXIMITY < 1M]
HEARTBEAT RHYTHM: STABILIZED
SYSTEM RECOMMENDS: NON-INITIATED CONTACT ONLY
NEW PASSIVE SKILL: BREATH LINK – SHARED SILENCE ENHANCES INTIMACY
Suddenly—
Yuriko broke the quiet.
Her voice barely audible over the rain.
A murmur.
"…If I fall asleep… what will you do?"
Acxell didn't turn.
"I'll sleep."
A beat of silence.
Then—
"…If I cry in my sleep?"
His answer came quicker.
"I'll listen until the end."
Silence returned.
But it felt… softer.
Then—
Yuriko's fingers moved.
She didn't reach for him.
Didn't grab his hand.
Didn't touch his face.
She simply placed the tip of her finger on the futon—
just inches from where his hand lay.
Acxell responded—
not by touching,
but by extending a single finger in her direction.
Not touching.
Just… facing her.
[SYSTEM TRIGGER: NON-CONTACT TRUST EVENT]
SUBJECT HAS EXPRESSED VULNERABILITY WITHOUT FEAR.
SEDUCTION PROGRESS: 49.5% – PHYSICAL UNTOUCHED, EMOTIONAL CLAIMED.
NEW TRAIT UNLOCKED: SLEEPER BOND – NIGHT PROXIMITY LEAVES LINGERING EMOTIONAL RESIDUE
Eventually—
Yuriko's eyes closed.
Sleep crept in, gently.
And Acxell just stared at the ceiling.
No smile.
Just… calm.
His thoughts whispered silently:
"Tonight, I won't touch you…"
"…because I want you to come back next time—
not out of fear… but out of longing."
Outside, the rain continued to fall.
Inside that quiet room—
two bodies lay apart.
But two hearts…
had just shared their first night together.
Without ever touching skin.