Chapter 55. The Moment that Lingers

As the evening deepened, Ayaka lounged on her couch, the soft glow of the lamp casting warm shadows across her apartment.

The novel she held lay forgotten in her lap, her thoughts persistently drifting back to the accidental kiss with Akihiko.

The mere recollection sent a shiver down her spine, her cheeks flushing with warmth.

The room was silent, save for the rhythmic ticking of the wall clock, each second amplifying her restless heartbeat.

The sudden chime of the doorbell shattered the stillness, jolting Ayaka from her reverie.

Her heart leaped into her throat as she glanced toward the door, apprehension coiling in her stomach.

Rising cautiously, she padded to the entrance, her bare feet whispering against the cool wooden floor.

With a deep breath to steady herself, she unlocked and opened the door.

There stood Akihiko, his tall frame leaning casually against the doorframe. His blue eyes held a smoldering intensity that made Ayaka's pulse quicken.

He was dressed in a crisp white shirt, the top button undone, revealing a hint of his collarbone.

The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, exposing his strong forearms. His presence was both commanding and intoxicating.

"I seem to have left my laptop in your guest room." he said, his voice a rich baritone that sent a tremor through her.

Ayaka's breath hitched, memories of their previous encounter flooding back. Her face heated as she stammered, "Oh, let me... I'll get it for you."

Before he could respond, she stepped back and hastily closed the door, leaning against it as she tried to calm her racing heart.

"What's wrong with me?!" she whispered to herself, pressing her palms to her flushed cheeks.

Gathering her composure, she hurried to the guest room, her mind a whirlwind of emotions.

Spotting the laptop bag resting on the bed, she grabbed it and returned to the door.

Taking a deep breath, she opened it once more, avoiding Akihiko's penetrating gaze as she extended the bag toward him.

"H-here." she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Akihiko didn't immediately take the bag. Instead, he reached out, his fingers brushing against her cheek as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

The gentle touch sent a jolt of electricity through her, her skin tingling in its wake.

His hand then tilted her chin upward, compelling her to meet his gaze.

The air between them grew thick with unspoken tension.

"You're not avoiding me again, are you?" he asked, a teasing grin playing on his lips.

Ayaka's eyes widened, her pulse racing. "I'm not!" she protested, though the quiver in her voice betrayed her nervousness.

"Then why did you close the door on me?" Akihiko pressed, stepping forward and guiding her backward into the apartment.

The door clicked shut behind him, enclosing them in a cocoon of charged silence.

He set the laptop bag aside, his hands finding their way to her waist, pulling her closer until their bodies were mere inches apart.

"I-I didn't mean to! I swear, I'm sorry!" Ayaka's words tumbled out in a frantic rush, her hands resting lightly against his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath her fingertips.

"Then tell me what's bothering you?" Akihiko urged, his voice low and husky, sending shivers down her spine.

His thumb traced soothing circles on her hip, the intimate gesture igniting a fire within her.

"Nothing's bothering me, okay?!" she exclaimed, frustration lacing her tone as she tried to suppress the whirlwind of emotions threatening to consume her.

"Is it about the kiss?" Akihiko's directness caught her off guard, her breath hitching as she averted her gaze, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"N-no! I-I mean..." Ayaka's voice faltered, her resolve crumbling under his intense scrutiny.

"You mean what?" he prompted, his fingers gently tipping her chin up, forcing her to look into his eyes.

"T-that's my first kiss... And i-it was by accident... I just wanted my first kiss to be special... I-I know it's not your fault..." she confessed, her voice trembling as the vulnerability washed over her.

A flicker of surprise crossed Akihiko's features before being replaced by something deeper, more primal. "Then would you prefer it if it wasn't by accident?" he murmured, his lips curving into a seductive smile.

"Wha—?" Ayaka's question was cut off as Akihiko closed the remaining distance between them, his lips capturing hers in a searing kiss.

His arms encircled her waist, pulling her flush against him, the heat of his body seeping into her own.

The world around them faded, leaving only the intoxicating sensation of his mouth moving against hers.

Ayaka's initial shock melted away as the kiss deepened, dancing in a sensual rhythm, each stroke igniting sparks that coursed through her veins.

After what felt like an eternity, Akihiko reluctantly broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers.

A mischievous glint shone in his eyes as he whispered, "Sorry, I lost my patience. And I can't promise I won't do it again."

Ayaka's knees threatened to give out, her mind reeling from the intensity of their exchange.

Before she could gather her thoughts, Akihiko retrieved his laptop bag and moved toward the door.

Pausing, he turned to her, his gaze smoldering. "Good night, Ayaka."

With that, he stepped out into the night, leaving Ayaka standing in the center of her apartment, her fingers touching her lips.

Her heart thundered in her chest, the taste of him still lingering.

"H-he kissed me... It wasn't by accident... He kissed me on the lips..." she murmured, her voice barely audible over the pounding of her heart.

------

That night, as Ayaka lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, her thoughts spiraled in endless circles.

The soft glow of the bedside lamp cast long shadows across the room, but her mind was too restless to appreciate the comfort of the dim light.

Her fingers brushed over her lips, the lingering warmth of a memory still fresh.

"Akihiko... kissed me."

The words echoed in her mind, sending a shiver down her spine.

'Did it really happen?' The moment replayed like a scene in a dream—his piercing blue eyes locked onto hers, his steady breath mixing with hers, the way the world had seemed to still in that instant.

The press of his lips, firm yet hesitant, as if he was holding something back.

She sat up abruptly, gripping the blanket around her as though it could shield her from the storm raging in her chest.

"Does this mean he has feelings for me...?"

Slowly, she raised her hand and pointed at herself, as if confirming the question to the empty room. "Me?"

Her heart pounded against her ribs, her emotions tangled in a confusing knot. Akihiko wasn't the type to act impulsively.

He was careful, calculated, and unreadable. And yet, he had kissed her. 'He wouldn't have done that for no reason. Would he?'

She needed answers.

Her hands trembled as she reached for her phone on the nightstand. Her fingers hovered over the screen, hesitating. Should she call him? Text him? Would he even respond?

A deep breath. "Calm down, Ayaka..."

Before she could make a decision, her phone vibrated against her palm. The sudden buzz sent a jolt through her body, making her heart leap into her throat.

A message.

From him.

She swallowed hard before tapping the screen.

Akihiko: "I'm revising our contract. From now on, I'll be handling this."

Her brows furrowed.

"Revising?"

She blinked, reading the message again to make sure she hadn't misread it.

"What does he mean by that?"

Not a word about the kiss. Not even a hint of acknowledgment. Just something about the contract.

Why did he always do this? Every time she thought she was getting close to understanding him, he threw her off-balance.

Her fingers moved swiftly across the screen.

Ayaka: "What do you mean?"

The reply came almost immediately.

Akihiko: "I'll take you out tomorrow."

Her breath hitched.

"Take me out...?

Her heart pounded harder. The phrasing was vague, yet it sent a rush of heat to her face.

Was he asking her on a date? No—Akihiko wouldn't call it that. He was too composed, too controlled.

But then again, he had kissed her.

Was this his way of explaining himself? Did he want to talk about what happened?

The uncertainty was suffocating.

Her fingers trembled as she typed another message.

Ayaka: "Akihiko, what is this about? Just tell me properly."

But no reply came.

She stared at her screen, waiting. The three little dots indicating he was typing flickered for a moment—then disappeared.

Her frustration bubbled over.

She groaned, throwing her phone onto the mattress. "Akihiko! You're confusing me!" she yelled into the empty room, her voice filled with a mix of anger and desperation.

Why couldn't he just say what he meant?

She buried her face in her hands, her mind racing.

She had never been the type to obsess over someone's words, to agonize over the meaning behind a simple message. But Akihiko wasn't just anyone.

He was the man who had turned her world upside down, the man who kept pushing and pulling at her emotions until she didn't know which way was up anymore.

The silence from her phone was deafening.

She laid back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling. The steady rhythm of her breathing did little to calm the turmoil inside her.

For a brief moment, she considered calling Kei—her brother who always had ways of seeing through things—but no. This wasn't something she could talk about with him .

Kai?

No. He would only tease her about it, and she wasn't ready for that either.

Yuki or Keiko?

How would they know either?

The only person who could give her the answers she needed was the very person keeping them from her.

Ayaka clenched her fists. Fine. If he wanted to play this game, she'd go along with it. But tomorrow, she won't let him avoid the topic.

She wouldn't let him sidestep her questions or hide behind his usual cryptic responses.

Tomorrow, she would make him tell her what that kiss meant.

'And if he refused?'

Her chest tightened at the thought.

Then she would have to face the possibility she wasn't ready to admit—

That maybe, just maybe, she was the only one who thought it had meant something.

The night stretched on, long and restless.

She turned onto her side, staring at her phone on the nightstand, as if willing it to light up again.

It didn't.

Letting out a slow breath, Ayaka closed her eyes, though sleep felt impossible.

Tomorrow.

She will get her answers tomorrow.