Mia Yunasa

The campus was bustling as students were conversing while they walked around aimlessly. The sky was clear with a few clouds making an appearance. The trees scattered around the campus, swaying with the light breeze from the ocean, which also brought in the salty, yet fresh ocean scent. 

I took a bite out of the breakfast sandwich I picked up on the walk here. It was nice and salty, but was easily balanced out with the sweet coffee I drank alongside it. As I sat there in silence, I thought back to my date with Yume, the sight of her and the stars in the backdrop filled my mind.

"Oh? What's got you smirking like that? Was it possibly the date we had last night? Can't forget the feeling of your first kiss?" A voice teased, interrupting my moment of bliss.

"Yeah, and for the girl who made me this way, why are you interrupting my blissful thoughts?" I responded playfully.

Yume walked over and sat next to me on the bench. "Oh, I've had that breakfast sandwich before! It's so good!"

"Yeah, it's one of the only things I'm willing to get at the convenience store." I reached into the plastic bag I had set to my side and pulled out another sandwich. "You want it? I was gonna save it for lunch, but you can have it if you want."

Yume happily accepted it. "Thank you, I actually didn't make myself breakfast this morning. I ran out of time figuring out my outfit and putting on make up." She peels off the wrapper and takes a bite.

As we sit and enjoy our food, we get joined by another familiar face. "Top of the morning Lads!" Jay calls out to us, Noeri at his side.

"Good morning to you guys as well," I greet. Yume just nods her head and continues munching on the sandwich.

Jay paying no mind to anyone, walks over to stand in front of Yume. "Are you the girl Kousei went on a date with yesterday?"

She freezes and slowly looks up at him. She must have just realized she never actually introduced herself to any of them, so she quickly finished chewing her food and fixed her posture. "I'm Yume Miko by the way, sorry for the late introduction."

Jay smiles, then smirks in my direction. "So you got yourself an underclassman too? Seems like you've got quite the variety to choose from. A classmate, an underclassman, and a teacher." He takes a seat on my other side, picking up the now empty bag, and wraps his arm around my shoulder. "Y'know, there are a lot of guys on this planet who'd kill to be put in the situation you are in."

I notice a slight displeasure on Yume's face. "Well luckily for him, he doesn't need the other two girls because we already promised to be together by the end of this anyways."

Why do you insist on saying unnecessary things? Especially in front of the guy who feeds off of this type of gossip!

I looked down in an attempt to keep the attention away from me. However, that did nothing as I felt Jay's grip get tighter on my shoulder. "Oh really? She already convinced you to pick her before even meeting Yunasa? I will say, she does seem to have a pretty fun and outgoing personality, but I couldn't say her figure has the same appeal, especially compared to the girl standing next to her." I assumed he was talking about Noeri who was currently standing next to Yume on the other side of the bench. If there was a way to describe the difference in figure, it was like a small hill standing next to a mountain.

I could feel an intent to kill to my right and did my best to not look at her.

This is a matter that will be solved between the two parties in question. I have no reason to be in this discussion.

I attempted to quickly get up and take my leave, but once I stood up, two thin arms came from the cute girl on my right, holding me down with the force of a thousand soldiers.

Please save me, anybody!

"Alright, please hold the fighting until after school. I don't wanna be breaking up a brawl this early," a bell-like voice rang out from behind us. "Jay, it's not very polite to make fun of a girl because she didn't get the good genes from the family pool."

"Wait, are you standing up for me or making fun of me too?" Yume questioned as she looked behind her and saw Yunasa standing behind all of us. "Oh... uhh... good morning Ms. Yunasa." she greeted politely, realizing who it was.

Yunasa responded with a smile that was pure, but had a very dark aura behind it. "Good morning Yume, and good morning to the rest of you." She walked directly behind me and put a hand on my shoulder.

Yume saw this and her face was immediately covered in shock. "Hold on, what do you think you're doing?! Kousei is a student and you are a teacher! You can't touch him like that!" she shouted as she stood up, pointing at Yunasa like she's some villain.

Yunasa smirked and ran her hand lower onto my chest. "Oh? And what if I do this?"

Yume yanked Yunasa's hand off of me. "That's something only I'm allowed to do!" Yume then put her small hand on my chest and began gently rubbing it.

I never thought women were this competitive when it came to fighting over men, but the fact that they were fighting over me put my heart in cloud nine.

I suddenly felt the rubbing stop and saw a somewhat satisfied expression on Yume's face. "See? Look at how happy he is from me doing it instead of you."

"I see, well maybe it's time I kick it up a notch..." Yunasa bent down and wrapped both of her arms around me from behind. From this distance, I could clearly feel something soft around my neck and shoulder area and I couldn't help but smile. "What do you think about that?"

I was too lost in the softness to turn and look at Yume, but I could hear a faint whimpering. I could tell without looking she was looking at her own chest and knows she couldn't compete in that department. Jay wasn't wrong when he was complimenting her personality, but he also wasn't wrong when he was saying she didn't have that curvy of a figure that left a bit to be desired. Oh the downside of being cute instead of hot.

"Yeah, well... I can... I..." Yume's voice trailed off, aware this was losing battle. "Well at least you can't take away his first kiss!"

Yup, there it was. The bomb I was waiting to drop in this discussion. But wait, if this was a competition, then maybe Yunasa would...

Yunasa released me and stood back up. "You got me there Yume. I won't say that I am disappointed you took that chance away from me. From what I saw of you on the test day, you didn't strike me as a girl to make bold moves like that. I may have to change my approach to our date tonight to account for your aggressiveness," she announced as she reset her silky green hair.

"Wait, no, no, no! I only did it because the mood felt right! I'm not the type to just go and kiss any guy!" Yume responded, realizing she may have just awoken the dragon in the battle.

Yunasa put a finger on her lips and winked at Yume. "It's too late now." She turned around and began walking back to the classroom. "The bell's gonna ring soon guys, don't be late for class." She turned and looked back at us one last time. "Except you Kousei, come in late so I can keep you after class and give you some disciplinary actions."

Out of a last ditch effort, of what I assume was defense, Yume tightly clung onto my arm as we all watched her make her way inside. There was just something about Yunasa that made me want to follow her and become her pet. And I know I'm not the only one thinking that because the guy to my left is drooling and panting like an actual dog. Seriously, what kind of guy is he?

Yume pinched my cheek, bringing me back to my senses. "Hey, don't fall for her seduction tactics! I know I don't have that kind of curvy body or any mature features for that matter, but I surely love you way more than her!" She tightened her grip on my arm, to the point where it felt like it was going to break.

"I can't say I won't give in to her because I want to give all three of you a fair chance. I don't want to keep anything off the table." The image of Yunasa filled my head, but I couldn't help but notice that she looked a bit different from how I usually see her in school. Maybe she wasn't wearing make-up today? "Besides, I feel like the only reason she was that aggressive was because of your own doing."

All of us got up, and began making our way to our classes. Noeri followed behind us, but she's a bit further back than someone would walk in a normal group. I noticed this and slowed my pace until she caught up to me.

"You alright?" I thought about Jay's drooling face. It would make sense if she's upset or annoyed at him because of that.

To my surprise, she looked extremely calm, as if nothing beforehand had transpired. "Huh? Yeah, I'm okay. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, well, y'know... the stuff with Ms. Yunasa and how he was practically drooling over her when you're technically his soul mate." I don't quite know much about Noeri, but I felt like any girl would get jealous and annoyed if they saw their partner gawking at another woman.

She tilted her head as if she didn't understand what I was getting at. "Yeah, but isn't that just how Jay is?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but immediately closed it. I know that no matter what point I brought up, I'd probably never understand her thought process. "I guess you're not wrong. At least for as long as I've known him, he's been like that. But I did expect him to act a little different after getting a partner."

Noeri wasn't someone who showed her emotions that much. I could still count the amount of time I've seen her smile on one hand, but I understood why guys called her one of the most beautiful girls on campus. Many people described her smile as something that soothed and cleansed the mind and heart. It was so innocent and pure that anyone who managed to catch sight of it immediately melted into a puddle of pure happiness and bliss.

She laughed and smiled as she looked toward Jay. "I never expected myself to be matched up with a guy like him. I don't know why I don't feel jealous when he talks about and stares at other girls. Even when I try to think of a reason why, I can't come up with anything logical." She sighed and I could see her eyes were engulfed with only Jay in them. "Perhaps this is just how finding your soulmate is. You just know its them and that no matter what, they will prioritize you over anything else."

As she explained her reasoning the best she could, I could summarize it in one word, trust. She knew that no matter what Jay did and how he acted, she was still number one in his life and no one could take that away. She subconsciously trusted Jay's devotion to her without a hint of doubt.

I looked ahead at Yume and Jay who were bickering back and forth. They looked like an older brother and a little sister arguing with each other. Despite me knowing that Yume only had her eyes set on me, I couldn't help but feel a small tinge in my heart as I watched them. Maybe it was my own insecurity, but I hope I could put my full faith into someone as much as Noeri did with Jay.

* * *

The school day went without a hitch, and as we were nearing Summer vacation, we got our finals on the horizon. It was still about a month away, but it was time to crack down in the eyes of the professors. We were given a worksheet in every class that reviewed everything we had gone over during the past school year. It was meant to be used as a review so it's technically not homework, but we were heavily encouraged to do it.

"So, when are you coming over to help me out with the worksheet?" Jay asked me. The classroom was practically empty except for the few students who were waiting for their friends or just relaxing for a little bit before heading home or to work. "Do you wanna do it like we did last year? I do half of it and you do the other half?"

"Considering that you barely passed last year, I think it would be more beneficial for you to do all of it rather than half," I suggested. I packed my belongings into my bag and waited for Jay to finish packing his stuff up. "We can still work on it together though if you want. I know how bad you are at studying by yourself."

Jay was the type to get distracted very easily and if someone didn't keep him in check, he'd lose focus and do other things. He could stay focused if it's things he's interested in, but that's far and few in between. All he liked was sports and relaxing, two things that weren't considered academic needs.

"Yeah, you're not wrong. But studying is so boring!" he shouted as he threw his head back. "Wait, why don't we bring the girls with us this time? I'm sure they can probably help us study too."

I nodded in assurance. "Yeah, that's not a bad idea. We can ask them tomorrow before class. I don't think any of them would have a reason to say no, unless they prefer studying by themselves." Noticing that Jay had finished packing his bag up, we set our course for home.

As we walked home, the sky was fading from blue into a shade of a creamy orange and purple. The transparent Sprites were floating around the island, keeping the temperature nice and cool.

"So, are you nervous about hanging out with Yunasa tonight?" Jay asked, resting his arms behind his head.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't but for some reason, I feel less nervous than I did when I met Ai and Yume the first time."

"We do see her pretty much every day we go to school, so maybe you're just more comfortable around her than the other girls," Jay pointed out. "You think she'll make any moves like this morning? I don't know how you kept a straight face, I would've been melting."

I recalled his drooling face. "What do you mean 'would've been?' You were drooling uncontrollably when she was walking away."

"Yeah, you may be right. I kinda blacked out and don't remember what happened after my eyes locked on," he chuckled. "But she seemed pretty comfortable around you. Wrapping herself around you and stuff."

I couldn't disagree with him. The only other time a girl would put her hands on me was if she was absolutely plastered from alcohol. "True, but I don't know if she'll be anything like that tonight. She did look pretty tired this morning. Was it just me or did she not wear make-up this morning?" I asked, hoping Jay noticed as well.

Alas, my hope was for naught. "What? You noticed that much? How hard were you looking at her for that short moment? I don't think anyone else noticed at all."

"You don't even think the girls noticed?" I asked, trying to help justify myself so I don't sound like a creep.

"I don't think so, it was probably just you," Jay responded, shaking his head. "If that's the case, you might be more drawn to her than the other two."

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at my happiest after seeing Yunasa's name in the text messages. But that's just every student's dream. At one point or another, there was always a hot teacher that you couldn't help but fantasize about being with, it's a normal thing, especially for boys. And for the chance to actually hook up and possibly marry said teacher was ridiculously lucky.

"You want me to come over and try to set things up for you? I can help clean up your living space if you want," Jay offered.

"I consider myself a pretty clean person, and I can say the same for my living space." I didn't really have much in my apartment. I am what people would call, a minimalist. I didn't have a lot of things, just the bare minimum to make myself comfortable. "I do have to have to grab some groceries at the market though."

Jay smirked and nudged me with his elbow. "Are you planning on cooking tonight? You never cook for anyone unless you're in a good mood or if I force you to make me something when we hang out. And even then, you only make something in your air fryer like chicken nuggets or pizza rolls."

"That's because that's all you ask me to make." If you couldn't guess it, Jay had the same food palette as a child. "The only two vegetables you'll eat are broccoli and green beans for crying out loud."

Jay scoffed, acting as if he was offended. "That's only because I want food quickly. I don't wanna have to sit around and wait for you to prep, then cook the food. Chicken nuggets and pizza rolls are just efficient."

 "Yeah, I'm sure that's the only reason," I smiled as I shook my head.

We made our way to the market and browsed through the food they had. I honestly had no clue what Yunasa liked or disliked. I wasn't very good at deciding things either, which was the secret reason I wanted Jay to come along.

"I was thinking of something with chicken, or maybe some beef dish. I'm not very confident in my cooking even if I do follow a recipe." I'd rather go with a safe and easy dish than something more complex.

Jay nodded in agreement as he looked at the frozen chicken options in front of us. "Yeah, I do think that's a good option to start off on. You don't want something too safe and easy though. You've gotta show that you've put some effort into this meal."

While I did agree with him, I didn't want to make something that would set her expectations too high for every time I cooked after that. I also wasn't very confident in my cooking abilities in general. However, there were times when you had to step up, and now it is one of those times. After some careful consideration and a lot of going back and forth, we decided I would make seared steaks, mashed potatoes, and broccoli. 

I bought everything I needed and we made our way back to my dorm room. Jay sat the bags he was carrying on the counter and pulled out everything I needed for tonight. "Alright, everything is ready to go, now it's just up to you and your cooking abilities," he said cheerfully. "You sure you don't want me to help cook though? I really don't mind."

I shook my head. "Nah, I think I'll be alright with the recipe. You've helped me plenty today. Thanks for offering, I do appreciate it." I said with a sincere smile. There were not many people in the world that I thought deserved everything, but Jay was definitely one of those people. 

Jay walked to the front door and put on his shoes. "I hope everything goes smoothly tonight. Make sure you leave a good first impression and I wanna hear all about it first thing tomorrow!" He left with a wave and an encouraging smile.

I looked around the counter tops and double checked to make sure I had everything I needed. "I got a couple of hours before she's supposed to arrive." I took a deep breath and looked at the recipe on my phone. "Just do your best Kousei, believe in yourself..."

I followed the recipe the best I could and once everything was said and done, the food did look really good. The steak didn't look like it was overcooked and felt pretty tender. I did cut a piece off of mine to taste test it and it was plenty juicy as well. The mashed potatoes came out at the perfect consistency and the broccoli was nice and soft from being boiled.

"I'm pretty proud of myself," I praised myself as I wiped some sweat from my forehead. I had set up the table while I waited for the broccoli to cook. "Everything is perfect, now I just have to wait." I took a seat on my couch and turned on the TV. A few minutes later, there was a knock on my door. "Coming!" I yelled as I walked over to open it up.

I opened the door and behind it was Yunasa in a white, silky, long sleeve shirt and tight black dress pants. "Hi Kousei, I didn't keep you waiting long, did I?" she greeted with a smile that could've brightened up the darkest depths of the world. Her light green wavy hair gently swayed as a gentle breeze came through. She looked so young and sophisticated, but she gave off a mature atmosphere that blended perfectly together.

I stood there, absolutely stunned by the beauty in front of me. After staring for a few moments, I came back to my senses. "Oh, no I had just finished getting things set myself," I responded in a panic. "Would you like to come in? You can treat this place as if it were your own home."

Yunasa stepped inside. "Thank you." She took her shoes off and set them off to the side. She walked around, checking out my living space. "You keep this place a lot more clean than I thought you would. I was convinced you'd have clothes and trash laying around like a normal boy your age."

"I used to be like that until I started living by myself. If you want to see a room like that, go visit Jay," I jokingly responded. "Hopefully Noeri will be able to fix that up."

"Most men's rooms are pretty dirty until they have a woman in their life. At least from what I've read online or seen on TV." Yunasa sat on the couch in a refined manner. "So, how many girls have been in here?"

I looked over at her, surprised by the question. "How many girls? Honestly besides my mom and sister, you're the only other one." My heart tore a little bit from that realization. The truth really does hurt sometimes.

"Really?" Yunasa responded, sounding in disbelief slightly. "I may have said this before, but you do strike me as a guy who is popular with women. A handsome, cute, and timid guy who rarely lies and is always sincere is a rare find nowadays. There is no way there haven't been any women making moves on you."

I laughed as I double checked everything on the table again. "Ms. Yunasa, you don't have any kind of romantic experience, do you?"

Yunasa's eyes immediately widened as she coughed. It seemed like my question wasn't something she was prepared for.

"What?! What makes you think that?!" she responded in a panic. "I have definitely had some romantic experiences in my life!" Her eyes were darting all over the place as she messed with her hair. She looked so cute when she was flustered.

"I'm gonna be honest Ms. Yunasa, the kind of guys you just described are the ones that stay single the longest. Women don't seek out guys who are quiet and timid. A majority of the time, they are waiting for the guy to approach them, however guys like me are way too shy and lack the confidence to take that step. So we just let the chance go by before it even starts and then reminisce about it later in life."

As much as it pained me to say it, that was just how it goes for some guys. There's a cute girl maybe sitting next to us on a bus or on a park bench. All we have to do is say "hi," but just doing that is enough to spike our anxiety to the point where we overthink everything in that moment. So instead of making the effort of attempting to talk to the girl, we'd rather stay in our comfort zone.

"Seriously?! In all the books I've read, that seems to be the most popular character type though! Even on TV, the guys with that kind of personality always win!" she yelled, attempting to justify herself.

"That's just happens in stories," I laughed. "But anyways, I made some food for tonight and it would definitely taste better hot than cold," I called out to her.

It may have just been my imagination, but I thought I just saw a pair of cat ears perk up from on top of Yunasa's head.

"Is that what I smelt when I first walked in?" She immediately made her way to the table and looked over all the food on the table. "It looks and smells so good! Did you make all of this Kousei?" 

"I did the cooking," I answered bashfully. "Jay did help me with getting the ingredients though."

Yunasa's face was brimming with excitement as she sat down in the chair she was standing next to. Her eyes glimmered beautifully from the light above us. Her eyes were so focused on the food, I could easily see it in the reflection of her eyes. She looked like a cat who had their favorite treat right in front of them.

I sat down in the chair sitting across from her. "You can grab whatever you'd like."

I didn't think she was aware, but her mouth was wide open as the food she's clearly thinking about is causing her to start drooling. She quickly, but gracefully filled up her plate. "The steak smells so good! Do you cook often?" She cut a piece of the steak off to inspect it. "Oh, and you even made them medium, exactly the way I like it!"

Hearing her praise me for my cooking like this was something that I thought I'd only get to experience in a dream. "I cook a little bit, but I've never cooked anything like this before..." my voice trailed off in embarrassment. I couldn't even look her in the eyes.

Yunasa took a bite of the steak, and her eyes sparkled in delight. "There's no way I can believe that you don't cook that often after tasting something like this. I've been cooking for years and I don't think I can even compare mine to anything like this." She wore a big and bright smile, you could easily tell how much she was enjoying it.

As I took a few bites from my plate, my eyes couldn't help but be drawn to the women sitting in front of me. Her soft green hair swayed ever so slightly with each bite she took. The mature atmosphere she always has at school was almost completely gone and it had become more of a childish and fun one. She was a little older than me, but seeing her act my age or even slightly younger was something I didn't think I needed.

"So, what do you usually cook at your house Ms. Yunasa?" I asked curiously. "I imagine you have a pretty nutritious diet considering how healthy you look."

As Yunasa took a bite, she paused for a couple of seconds after hearing my question. "Uh... Yeah! I cook a lot of nutritious meals! Lots of vegetables balanced with meat and other stuff!" she nervously laughed.

I narrowed my eyes, piercing right through her false words. "Do you do the cooking or does Chef Mike do all of the cooking for you?"

A little sweat built up on Yunasa's forehead. "I don't know what you mean? Of course a woman my age knows how to properly cook for themselves. Relying on frozen meals or ones pre-made at markets and convenience stores is irresponsible," she said, practically admitting to her eating habits.

 I'd never gotten the chance to tease her, so there was no way I was going to let this opportunity pass me by. "I would say that's true. It could lead to some health issues down the road, but I'm happy I can rely on you to cook. I don't want my partner to solely depend on me cooking everything."

"Yeah..." Her eyes were spinning as switched her focus back on the plate in front of her. As her one escape, she could've avoiding further questioning if she was eating, however her plate was empty.

"So, what dish is your favorite to cook?" I continued to press.

"Uh, I like having simple chicken dishes with rice and vegetables on the side! I'm not very confident in my seasoning skills, so most of my meals are pretty plain," she answered.

"Assuming you use an oven to cook your chicken, what temperature do you cook it at and for how long?" I continued to interrogate. I could tell what her favorite convenience store item was just from what she was explaining, but I wanted to see how much longer she could go.

"Um, I just follow whatever the recipe tells me to do..." She was running out of answers to give on the spot.

I'll finish this off with one last question, I was starting to feel bad, seeing her try so hard to keep her pride going. "Can you tell me the recipe for the dish? Considering it's your favorite, I imagine you've made it enough times to not have to look at the recipe to make it." 

Pure panic filled Yunasa's eyes. "Uh... Um... The recipe..." Her eyes began to dart, looking for anything to look at besides me. After a few moments of trying to think of any response, she rested her head on the table. "I give..." she surrendered, steam rising from her head.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Sorry, I don't mean to laugh, but you could've just said you don't know how to cook from the beginning."

"Yeah, but who would be into a girl who can't cook? A girl who's lived by themselves for as long as I have should be able to cook, even just a little bit," she squeaked out, her head still face down on the table. "I didn't want you to think I'm not as good as Ai or Yume..."

"I don't think you have to worry about that right now. I don't really know anything about you three." I finished up the food on my plate and sat my plate to the side. "Honestly, I feel like I know more about you than Ai and Yume just because I've been around you a lot more."

Compared to Ai and Yume, Yunasa truly did have an advantage when it came to who I've been around more. I just met Yume a few weeks ago, and I've known both Ai and Yunasa since I enrolled. However, I had rarely ever talked to Ai since she was more on the quiet side. I'd talked to Yunasa almost every day I go to school. Jay always hit on her and I was always around him so I got to talk to her a lot more because of him.

I got up and put my dishes in the sink. "So don't worry about anything right now..."

Yunasa quietly chuckled and set her dishes next to mine. "I might not be able to cook, but I can do any other household chores with my eyes closed," she boasted pridefully.

For the next few minutes, Yunasa and I cleaned off the table. I told her to go relax in the living room but she insisted on helping, so I washed everything while she dried them off.

I wish I could see what we look like to an outsider...

My mind wandered as we stood side be side. It may be pretty cliche to think, but it truly did feel like we are already a couple. There was no sense of awkwardness and everything felt so normal that its pleasantly comforting.

As we finished up, I got a glance of her wearing an apron. The white color of it really made her soft green hair stand out. Her body was slim, but curvy in all of the right spots. My eyes couldn't help but gravitate toward them.

"I'll give it to you, you're a lot more discrete about sneaking glances than Jay will ever be."

"Wha-" I started coughing, being completely caught off guard. "What do you mean?" I asked innocently.

I noticed a sly smirk from her side profile. "You have to understand that women pick up on everything Kousei," she teased. "Most of us have great peripheral vision," her eyes slowly slid over in my direction. "As you can see."

I averted my gaze as my face and ears burned red. "Sorry..."

She moved over and leaned on me. "You don't have to apologize. I don't mind if it's you..." she whispered in my ear seductively.

A shiver ran up my spine, but it wasn't out of fear. Being this close, I got a whiff of her sweet, floral perfume as her soft, silky hair grazed against my face. My eyes immediately darted side to side as I tried to distract myself from the overwhelming feminine appeal leaning on me.

Down my little soldier!

She continued to lean more and more on me, but as I tried to maintain my balance, my foot slipped on some water that had fallen on the floor.

"Woah!" I yelled as I began to fall. Yunasa looked just as surprised as I was as she tried to adjust herself to the fall. I hit the floor with my back and my vision was immediately darkened by the body hovering above me. "Um..."

Yunasa's arms were fully stretched out, preventing her from being on the floor, holding her up. One of her knees was set in between my legs, helping to support her as well. She looked a bit worried as she looked at me from above. "Are you okay? You didn't hit your head, did you?"

"Ye-yeah, I'm okay," I stammered. "Are you alright?" I asked in response. I looked up and down her body to double check.

"Yeah, I'm alright..." her voice got soft and trailed off. Noticing this, I looked at her face and saw her staring directly at me.

She leaned in, slowly bringing her face closer to mine. Her hair fell next to my head as it hung from above me. I wanted to avert my gaze like I always did, but the more I looked into Yunasa's amber eyes, the more I didn't want to look away. My palms began sweating as I finally grabbed control of myself and turned my head to the side.

"Aww, getting a little shy now are we?" she whispered in my ear. She moved her leg up as it rubbed against my inner thigh. "Or is this the kind of stuff you're into?" She gently blew in my ear causing me to twitch slightly. "Don't be afraid. Look at me..." she said softly.

My heart was racing, being fueled by my anxiety and excitement. I slowly turned my head and saw her face only inches from mine. I could see my own eye's reflection in hers. Her long eyelashes fluttered as she blinked. Her cheeks slightly flushed red showing her slight embarrassment. Her smooth, pink lips were slightly pursed. The sweet aroma of flowers enveloped me. My sense of control was very quickly leaving the station as I fought my inner demons to keep the last little bit of control I had left.

"You don't have to worry Kousei, if I didn't want this from you, I would've gotten up earlier." She closed her eyes and slowly closed the last remaining distance between us.

The last passenger of my self control got off the train and headed for the countryside. I closed my eyes in response and kissed her. I instinctively put my hands on her waist and pulled her in closer to me. After a few seconds, we took a breather and looked into each others eyes, taking in the moment.

Yunasa smirked, then got up and lead me to the couch. "Now let's continue what we were doing before." She guided me on the couch and sat on my lap. We continued kissing each other for a few minutes, both of us gasping for air at certain points.

For each girl, there were certain charms about each one. Ai was cute and innocent. Yume was also cute but she wasn't afraid to make the first move if the time was right. Then here we have Yunasa who was taking full control and it's not something I'd ever see myself being into, but look at me now.

My brain was entirely mush and I couldn't even think of anything besides Yunasa. The way she was taking the lead and dragging me by the nose was kind of worrying, but I didn't dislike it. For a quiet guy like me, having a girl take the lead like this was something I could only dream of. I didn't have to overthink anything, I just followed the flow and did as I was told.

As the kissing got more intense, she slowly backed off. "How was that?" she asked, running her finger over her lips.

"That was good..." was all that I could muster to out. I was still in a state where I could barely move. It was as if I got defiled, in a good way, and got the life sucked out of me.

Yunasa got off me and sat beside me. After a moment, it was as if everything she had done up to that point hit her all at once. Her face flushed red all the way to her ears and she hid her face. She started squirming side to side and eventually fell back on me. Upon noticing who she was leaning on, she quickly stood up. "Um, may I ask where your bathroom is?"

"Yeah... It's down the hallway, then it's the door on the left..." my voice trailed off as I watched her walk down the hallway. I heard the door close and my body fell limp on the couch, as if I was being eaten by it. My body wouldn't move, hardly any words would come out of my mouth. All I could do was sit here and try to wrap my brain around what just happened.

* * *

I sat on the toilet and covered my face in my hands.

What was that?! Why did I do that?! He's gonna hate me forever now!

I squirmed around without trying to make too much noise so Kousei couldn't hear me. I couldn't help but think back to what transpired only a few moments ago. 

What was that? I only planned on teasing him a little bit...

The image of him laying on the floor in front of me popped up.

He looked so... innocent... and vulnerable.

I sense a smirk being formed and immediately covered it with my hands.

Wait, was I always into stuff like this?

A lot of men had hit on me, from high school to now. I never thought I was that pretty, but considering all of the attention I received, I started to believe that maybe I was. I focused a lot more on fashion and my looks after I graduated from high school, and it was around that time that I experienced the biggest personal confidence boost. I got scouted to be a model while I was in college, but I was so focused on my academics that I turned down the offer.

I had always wanted to be a teacher because I wanted to make school as fun for students as my past teachers did for me. Seeing them try their best to entertain us in the simplest ways whether it was movie days or small pizza parties with pizza slices that were way too small for one person, it was enough for us to enjoy ourselves. When I looked back on those days, I wanted to do stuff like that for other students, but my one fault was that I couldn't handle kids. They were too hyperactive and random, I could never get a grasp on them. I got that that's how kids were, but I'd rather deal with people a little more mature.

Hence why I cracked down hard on my academics and went ahead and got my 4-year degree. I was going to go for a 6-year degree, but I saw a job posting for teachers here on this island for a private university and they only required a 4-year degree to teach, so I hopped on the opportunity. Not only was this a way for me to get out of my hometown and away from my parents, but also to go somewhere no one knew me. I could start fresh and be independent on this new artificial island.

When I got here, I learned about the soulmate matching they do, but I honestly wasn't that interested. I didn't believe that science could be a solution to finding your special someone. After all, love is something you just come across. This whole soulmate matching process was just to help the people who were introverted and didn't go out much. I had set my goal to find a guy to date on the island without using the soulmate matching service, however it was a lot more difficult than I had thought.

With my high level of confidence, I tried to talk to guys and get to know them, but almost all of them were in the soulmate matching service and once they met their "soulmate," it was as if I didn't exist to them anymore. So for a little bit, I gave up on my goal and decided to use the soulmate matching service to see if it was real. And lone behold, I didn't match with anyone the first time. In other words, there was no one on Eden that was made for me, but even then I had my doubts.

After teaching at this University, there were honestly a few people who caught my attention. Sadly, the one I keened in on was a student of mine, which was pretty frowned upon in society. However, only people over the age of 18 were allowed to enroll here, so technically they were adults. But even I couldn't look past a student and teacher relationship.

Relationships between a student and teacher are just weird... but if that's the case, why does my heart keep racing when I think of it a possibility?

There was one student who piqued my interest in the past year or so. He was always hanging out with his friend who would constantly hit on me, but I saw the friend more as a friendly pet than anything. The other guy was a much more quiet guy who would joke around with him, but he was a lot more shy. It might've been because of that shyness that drew me more to him, but I couldn't help but want to mess with him. No matter how much I resisted, when we all talked, I got comfortable around him. It just became natural and before I knew it, it was as if our teacher and student titles were completely gone outside of the classroom.

When I got matched up with Kousei, I couldn't believe it. I'd never heard of a teacher and a student getting matched in my time here, so obviously I was skeptical at first. I reread the message multiple times and even called the soulmate matching facility to double check... All was clear and confirmed. Even the fact that I had to compete against two other women for his heart.

I didn't sleep that night. I couldn't stop thinking about it. I finally found the person who was meant to be mine. One that I could hold and call my own. I couldn't let this chance escape, I've got to win his heart!

Kousei Shimazaki, I will make you fall for me, and make you mine...

* * *

I just sat on my couch, flabbergasted. My mind was still filled with the sights, touch, and smell of Yunasa. I tried to think of anything else, but nothing worked.

Ah! I can't just sit here and think about it!

I ruffled my hair as if I was physically attempting to gather my thoughts.

Yunasa was a teacher, a mature woman, someone with a good sense of morals. The image I had of her was slowly changing form. Instead of this responsible and gentle woman, I now saw this proactive and dominating woman. Despite the shift, I found myself being more excited thinking about this different side.

I looked down at my hands.

Am I a submissive type?! Is this really what I was into this whole time?! 

I shook my head, refusing to accept it.

I really hope I didn't awaken to something. Wait, how am I even going to talk to her now?! 

I tried to focus on the TV playing a game show.

Oh the answer to that is lips... and the answer to the next one is thigh... and... then its... chest... Wait, why is a random quiz show about body parts on right now?!

I immediately switched to a sports channel.

After a few minutes, I heard the bathroom door open, and Yunasa slowly walked back to the couch. We didn't make any kind of eye contact as we sat there in a complete awkward silence. I clenched my fists and opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. All I could do was awkwardly look at the ground.

Come on Kousei! Just say something! Anything! 

"Hey-" Yunasa said in a louder, flustered tone. "Oh, sorry, um..." She looked at me for a brief moment but quickly looked back at her feet. "Sorry, for doing all that earlier," she took a brief pause. "I don't really know what happened, I just lost control of myself a little bit there..." her voice trailed off as she lightly kicked her feet like a kid on a swing. "I hope I didn't scare you or intimidate you... I didn't want to come on this strong..."

I looked up at her, "No, it- it's okay," I stammered. "I was just caught a little bit off guard was all..."

Silence then filled the room once again. 

"But listen-" I spoke up. "It's not like I didn't like it... but don't get the wrong idea, I've never had a woman come onto me like you did, so I just kind of panicked and didn't know what to do. You know, it was just something I wasn't expecting to happen, but I'm not saying what you did was a bad thing."

Yunasa let out a deep sigh of relief. "Oh thank goodness. I had gotten a bit worried that I did too much and scared you off."

Quite the opposite in fact. I didn't want her to be scared of taking the initiative because truthfully, I really liked that part. I was scared to make any move, but if she made the move first, then there was nothing for me to worry about. I wished more women were more assertive about their feelings and desires like Yunasa was.

"No, seeing a woman make advances on me is something I only thought happened in dreams. It's a nice shift," I assured her. "Just next time, gimme a heads up so I can mentally prepare myself."

Yunasa smiled and we laughed the awkwardness away. We made small talk for a little bit as we watched the sports channel together, and before long, it was time for her to head home.

"You got everything?" I asked her as she put her shoes on at the entrance. "If you do end up forgetting something, just text me and I'll bring it to class."

"I think I have everything," she replied, checking her bag and pockets. "Well, thanks for the dinner Kousei, and again, I'm sorry for what happened earlier despite you liking it," she apologized and teased. 

I couldn't help but smile from the walkway behind her. "Yeah, I'm happy the food turned out good, and you don't have to apologize, it was fun and definitely memorable."

"Is that so," Yunasa laughed. Her soft green hair swayed as she opened the door. The lights from outside outlined her, making her look like an angel. "I'll see you back in the classroom tomorrow morning. Be sure to go to sleep right after this! Just because we had this date doesn't mean you're allowed to be late for class."

"Okay," I responded in a sarcastic tone. "Be sure to have a safe walk home, and text me when you get back so I know you got there safely."

Yunasa chuckled, "Don't worry, I planned on messaging you when I got back anyways." She beamed me a lovely smile and waved bye with her free hand. "Goodnight Kousei."

"Goodnight Yunasa," I responded in turn. Right before the door closed, I thought I could see her cheeks turn red and her smile getting even bigger.

The door closed on this date and with that, I had officially been on a date with all three of my potential soulmates. I dropped to the ground and heaved a heavy sigh. My mind was still being flooded with what happened with Yunasa, however moments I had with Ai and Yume were also flooding that same mind.

As I sat on the ground, I leaned back and laid down, staring at the ceiling.

How in the world am I supposed to pick one of these three girls?

I went into this thinking it would be tough, but it seemed even more farfetched after going on a date with all of them.

How am I even supposed to decide?

After a brief moment, I shook my head and stood up.

There's no use worrying about it now. I still have a whole year before one of them has to leave my side, so until then I have to spend as much time as I can with them because any of them could be the one that gets eliminated first. 

I clenched my fist as I sharpened my resolve. I walked to my bedroom and threw myself on the bed. "Let's make the most of what I can and make as many memories as I can with the three of them with no regrets!"