Chapter : 20 : She Is Scared of Everyone!

The cafeteria was filled with the usual lunchtime noise—students chatting, the clatter of trays, and the occasional laughter echoing across the hall.

Balancing the trays in my hands, I reached out with my free hand to grab the last item—

—only for my fingers to brush against someone else's.

A sudden jolt ran through my body, like a spark of electricity.

I blinked and looked up.

Our eyes met.

For a moment, everything else faded away. The noise, the crowd, the rush—it all became nothing but background static.

The girl standing before me had short, messy black hair that framed her delicate face. Dark circles sat under her tired, melancholic eyes, yet despite her exhaustion, a deep blush was forming on her cheeks, quickly spreading across her entire face.

Her head barely reached my shoulder. She was petite, fragile-looking—almost as if a strong breeze could knock her over.

The cafeteria lady suddenly called out, "Oh! Ayase-chan, do you want something?"

Ayase?

That's her name?

At the sound of her name, the girl flinched violently as if she'd been struck. Without a word, she turned away, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Then—

She ran.

In her panic, she collided with a random girl.

"A-Ah! I'm so sorry!" Ayase cried out, bowing repeatedly in fear, her whole body trembling.

The random girl barely even reacted, looking confused, but Ayase still looked terrified.

Then, without waiting for a response, she bolted again, disappearing out the cafeteria door.

I stood frozen, my heart squeezing at the fear in her expression.

The kind, elderly cafeteria lady sighed, watching Ayase go. She placed a wrinkled hand on her cheek and murmured worriedly, "Oh, poor girl… She's getting scared again."

Scared…?

Something about those words struck me hard.

I slammed my hand on the counter, making the trays rattle. "Please," I said, my voice urgent, "tell me about her."

The old lady flinched slightly, startled by my sudden desperation.

Meanwhile, outside on a quiet bench, Ayase sat curled up, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as silent tears fell from her eyes.

That was so scary… she thought, her breathing shaky. Why did I have to bump into her like that?

She closed her eyes, trying to will away the panic.

But then—

Despite that… I wasn't scared of him…

Her hand subconsciously moved to her chest, where her heart was still racing from earlier.

Why is my heart beating so fast?

And why… why does it feel so warm when I think about him?

Her fingers tightened over her uniform.

Why did I run away from him?

"You idiot…" she whispered to herself before weakly punching her own forehead.

Suddenly, a voice called out from behind her.

"Hello?"

She gasped, flinching as she turned around.

When she saw me standing there, holding a packet, her breath hitched.

Her already flushed face grew even redder. Her tears slowed, her body tensed.

I bowed slightly. "Sorry if I scared you," I apologized softly.

Ayase stared, completely caught off guard.

Huh?

Why is he here?

Why is he… bowing?

I raised my head, stepping closer. "I thought you wanted this." I held out a small, neatly wrapped cream bun.

Her lips parted slightly in surprise.

She hesitated.

But then—

Gurgle—

Her stomach betrayed her.

She turned impossibly red, even the tips of her ears burning.

I chuckled, my smile widening. "Here you go."

Ayase stared at me, then at the cream bun. Slowly, carefully, as if she were handling something precious, she took it from my hand and held it close to her chest.

"…T-Tha…" she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Hm?" I tilted my head.

She lowered her gaze, gripping the bun tightly.

"Thank you," she whispered, finally looking at me.

For the first time, I saw it—

Her dark, scared eyes had softened.

A single tear rested at the corner of her lashes, but now, there was a hint of warmth in them.

My heart skipped a beat.

She's… so cute.

She slowly took a bite of the cream bun. The moment the sweetness melted on her tongue, her eyes widened slightly in delight.

Why is he so kind…? she thought. No one has ever been this kind to me before…

I watched her eat, completely captivated by the way her lips curved ever so slightly in appreciation.

She kept glancing at me, her expression uncertain, her heart hammering in her chest.

I-Is this… love?

No… it can't be. But… maybe…

She quickly looked away, her face burning again.

I scratched the back of my head, feeling a little nervous myself. "Um… Can I ask for your name?"

She blinked, peeking at me from behind her bangs before shyly nodding.

"…My name is…" Her voice was so quiet, I had to lean in to hear it.

"…Aoi… Ayase Aoi."

The way she said it—soft, hesitant, fragile—made something tighten in my chest.

I smiled. "And I'm Ito. Kage Ito. Nice to meet you, Ayase Aoi-san."

The moment her name left my lips, she clutched the cream bun even tighter, as if she wanted to hold onto this moment forever.

Then—

Ding-dong! Ding-dong!

The bell rang, signaling the end of recess.

I froze.

Oh crap.

My lovely, wonderful girlfriends were waiting for their food.

And I had been too caught up in Ayase to remember.

They're going to kill me.

"I-I gotta go!" I blurted out, scrambling to grab the remaining food packets.

Before running off, I turned back to Ayase and grinned.

"Let's meet again, Ayase Aoi-san."

And then I dashed away.

Ayase remained seated, her fingers trembling slightly as she touched her lips.

Her heart pounded wildly in her chest.

She had no idea what was happening—

But for the first time in her life…

She wasn't scared of someone.

I pushed open the rooftop door, stepping onto the open terrace with the lunch packet still in my hands. The recess was already over, but I couldn't let them go hungry.

Panting heavily, I clutched my knees, trying to catch my breath. My legs burned from running up the stairs, my lungs begged for air, but when I lifted my gaze—

I saw them.

The three of them—Aisha, Mei, and Hana—standing together, laughing.

The way their eyes sparkled with joy, the way their voices blended in harmony—it was mesmerizing.

My heart skipped a beat.

It worked.

They were bonding.

Even after everything—my confessions, my selfish desires, the complicated feelings between them—they were still here, smiling together.

My chest filled with warmth.

At that moment, they turned toward me.

"Darling!" Aisha called out with a bright smile, her eyes lighting up like stars.

"Took you long enough," Mei said, crossing her arms with an amused smirk.

"Ito…" Hana murmured, shifting on her feet.

Aisha's smile softened as she stepped forward.

"Hey… Don't scold my Ito," she chided Mei gently. "Look at him—he's exhausted."

Before I could react, Aisha closed the distance between us.

She reached up, cradling the back of my neck with both hands, and pulled me down.

Pressing my face against her chest.

"Oh my Ito," she murmured, her voice filled with tenderness, "it's alright… your Aisha is here. I'll protect you from that mean Mei-chan."

I melted into her warmth, my arms falling limp at my sides.

The scent of her shampoo filled my nose, a sweet, floral fragrance that reminded me of last night—of the way she held me, of the way she whispered my name with love.

Mei flinched. "Huh…?" She blinked, her mouth parting slightly.

"Mei-chan is always bullying my Ito," Aisha pouted, tightening her hold on me.

Mei's cheeks puffed slightly, as if she wanted to argue, but she simply clicked her tongue and looked away.

Hana, on the other hand, was hiding behind her hands, peeking at us through the gaps between her fingers.

A soft chuckle escaped my lips as I lifted my head.

And then—

My eyes locked with Aisha's.

The laughter in her eyes had softened into something deeper. Something more intimate.

Slowly, I leaned in.

She didn't pull away.

Our lips met in a kiss—sweet and slow, yet filled with an undeniable hunger.

Aisha made a soft noise against my lips, her fingers tightening around the back of my neck as she melted into me.

I tilted my head, deepening the kiss, tasting the warmth of her lips, savoring the softness of her breath.

It was intoxicating.

Behind us, Mei let out a loud, exaggerated groan.

"Ugh! Could you two not do that right in front of us?" she complained.

I barely registered her words.

All I could feel was Aisha—the way her lips trembled slightly under mine, the way her body pressed against me as if she wanted to be closer, the way her love for me poured into the kiss.

Hana, still covering her eyes, peeked through her fingers.

"M-Mei-chan…" she whispered. "They're so… passionate…"

"I know," Mei muttered, clicking her tongue.

Reluctantly, I pulled away just enough to whisper against Aisha's lips.

"Aisha… I love you," I murmured, my voice rough with emotion.

Her breath hitched.

Her eyes—filled with warmth and longing—searched mine for a moment before she whispered back, "I love you too, Ito."

Her voice was just as desperate as mine.

And in that moment, I knew—

No matter what happened, no matter how complicated things got—

She was mine.

And I was hers.

END OF CHAPTER 20: SHE IS SCARED OF EVERYONE!