The Nervous Walk (102)

The evening air carried a soft chill, the kind that wasn't biting but just enough to make someone seek warmth. The quiet streets were bathed in the fading hues of the setting sun, blending oranges, pinks, and purples into a breathtaking sky. The golden glow of streetlights flickered to life one by one, casting long, stretching shadows across the pavement.

Haruto and Aiko walked side by side, their footsteps echoing in the calm of the evening. They had been walking home together for years, but tonight, everything felt different. Maybe it was because this was their first walk as an official couple. Maybe it was because, despite their closeness, a new kind of nervousness had settled between them.

Haruto shoved his hands into his pockets, gripping the fabric inside to steady himself. His heartbeat drummed faster than it should have. They had just spent the evening together at a small café, their first official date. It had been simple—warm drinks, soft conversations, shared smiles—but it felt special in a way he couldn't quite put into words.

He glanced at Aiko from the corner of his eye. She was walking a little closer to him than usual, her gaze fixed on the sky. The soft glow of the streetlights illuminated her face, highlighting the gentle curve of her smile. A few strands of her hair swayed with the light breeze, and she tucked them behind her ear absentmindedly.

Haruto's fingers twitched inside his pockets. He wanted to hold her hand.

It wasn't like they had never touched before. There had been casual brushes of fingers, moments when he had grabbed her wrist to pull her along, or when she had playfully smacked his shoulder in laughter. But this was different. This was intentional.

His mind raced with questions. What if she thinks it's weird? What if she's not ready? What if I ruin this moment?

Before he could make up his mind, their hands brushed lightly. Aiko didn't pull away.

Haruto sucked in a breath, suddenly hyper-aware of how close their hands were. His heart pounded in his chest. He could just… reach out. It was such a simple thing. And yet, why did it feel so monumental?

The silence stretched between them, comfortable yet charged. The rhythmic sound of their footsteps filled the air, but to Haruto, it was drowned out by the racing thoughts in his head.

Then, Aiko spoke.

"The sky is so pretty tonight."

Haruto blinked, pulling himself out of his thoughts. "Yeah," he murmured, glancing up. The stars had started to peek through the deepening blue, tiny specks of light twinkling softly. "It really is."

Aiko smiled. "It reminds me of that night we watched the meteor shower."

Haruto chuckled, feeling some of his nervousness ease. "That was when you tricked me into staying out past curfew."

She giggled. "I didn't trick you! I just didn't remind you of the time."

He rolled his eyes, amused. "Yeah, yeah."

Another gentle breeze passed by, and once again, their hands grazed each other. This time, Haruto didn't let the moment slip away.

Taking a quiet but deep breath, he slowly, hesitantly, reached out and wrapped his fingers around hers.

Aiko's steps faltered for a brief second, her breath hitching softly. Haruto panicked internally. Was that too sudden?

But then, she did something that made his entire world tilt.

She squeezed his hand.

Haruto swallowed, his grip instinctively tightening as warmth spread from their joined hands, seeping into his very core. Aiko turned her head slightly to look at him, her eyes reflecting the streetlights, shimmering with something he couldn't quite decipher.

Then, she smiled. A small, knowing smile.

"Took you long enough," she teased, her voice light but gentle.

Haruto exhaled a laugh, his nervousness melting into something more… content. "I was overthinking it," he admitted.

Aiko hummed, swinging their hands slightly as they continued walking. "You always do."

He shook his head with a chuckle. "And you always call me out on it."

They continued walking, their hands intertwined, neither of them speaking for a while. The warmth of her hand in his was comforting, grounding, and Haruto never wanted to let go.

Aiko suddenly leaned into his side, just a little, barely pressing against him, but he felt it all the same. "You don't have to be so nervous around me, you know," she murmured, her voice softer now, more intimate. "It's just me."

Haruto turned his head, his eyes lingering on her. The way the light framed her face, the way her fingers fit so naturally between his—it was all so simple, yet so profound.

"Yeah," he whispered, squeezing her hand a little tighter. "It's just you."

But in his heart, he knew the truth.

She wasn't just anyone.

She was Aiko.

And she was everything.