Chapter 2: Close Quarters

Riku barely survived the morning. After Aiko's teasing ambush at the door, he'd retreated to the kitchen, gulping down a glass of orange juice like it was a lifeline. His mom bustled around, humming as she prepped breakfast, oblivious to the storm brewing in his head. Aiko living here. Aiko in the room next to his. Aiko walking to school with him every day. It was too much for his shy, fragile soul to process.

"Riku, honey, help Aiko unpack after breakfast, okay?" his mom chirped, sliding a plate of toast and scrambled eggs in front of him. "She's got a lot to settle in."

"Uh, sure," he mumbled, shoving a piece of toast into his mouth to avoid further conversation. His dad rustled his newspaper, muttering something about stock prices, while upstairs, he could hear Aiko's footsteps thudding lightly as she moved around her new room. Each sound made his stomach twist tighter.

Breakfast ended too soon. Riku trudged up the stairs, hands stuffed in his pockets, dreading what came next. He knocked on Aiko's door—three quick taps, polite and cautious.

"Come in!" she called, her voice bright and suspiciously cheerful.

He pushed the door open and froze. Aiko stood in the middle of the room, surrounded by half-opened suitcases and scattered clothes. She'd swapped her school uniform for a loose tank top and shorts—casual, comfortable, and way too distracting for Riku's poor brain. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, a few strands framing her face, and she grinned at him like a cat eying a cornered mouse.

"Took you long enough," she said, hands on her hips. "Ready to be my assistant?"

"Assistant?" Riku echoed, his voice squeaking. He cleared his throat, trying to sound normal. "I mean, yeah, I guess. What do you need?"

She pointed to a heavy-looking cardboard box by the bed. "Start with that. It's got my books and stuff. Don't drop it, okay? I'd hate to lose anything important."

Riku nodded, eager to focus on a task—anything to keep his eyes off her bare shoulders. He hefted the box, grunting at the weight. "What's in here, encyclopedias?"

"Maybe," she said with a sly smile, turning to sort through a pile of clothes. "Or maybe it's my secret diary collection. You'll never know."

"Don't tease me like that," he muttered, staggering toward the desk she'd pointed out. His arms wobbled, and just as he reached the edge, his foot caught on a stray sock. The box slipped from his hands, crashing to the floor with a thud. The top flap burst open, and a cascade of items spilled out—textbooks, a manga volume, and… oh no.

A pile of pastel-colored fabric tumbled into view. Riku's eyes widened as he realized what he was staring at—Aiko's underwear. A lacy pink pair sat proudly atop the mess, taunting him with its frilly edges. His face ignited, a blush spreading from his cheeks to his ears.

"Aiko, I—I didn't mean—" he stammered, dropping to his knees to scoop everything back into the box. His hands shook as he grabbed the offending garment, only to fumble and drop it again.

Aiko whirled around, her eyes narrowing. For a split second, Riku braced for a scream—or worse, a slap. But then she burst out laughing, clutching her stomach as she doubled over.

"Oh my god, Riku!" she gasped between giggles. "Look at you! You're such a pervert!"

"I'm not!" he yelped, shoving the underwear into the box and slamming the lid shut. "It was an accident! I didn't mean to—argh, just forget it!"

"Forget it?" She straightened up, wiping a tear from her eye. "No way. This is gold. I'm holding this over you forever." She stepped closer, bending down so her face was level with his. "What's wrong, Riku-kun? Never seen a girl's stuff before?"

He scrambled backward, hitting the bedframe with a thud. "S-stop it! You're making it worse!"

"Am I?" She tilted her head, her grin wicked. "You're so easy to mess with. Living with you is gonna be *fun*."

Riku buried his face in his hands, praying for the floor to swallow him whole. This was bad. Really bad. How was he supposed to survive a year of this?

Before he could recover, the doorbell rang downstairs. Aiko perked up. "Oh, that's probably Aunt Hana with my last bag. I'll get it. You… try not to die of embarrassment while I'm gone."

She sauntered out, leaving Riku alone with the box and his racing heart. He stared at the mess, then at the wall separating their rooms. Thin. Too thin. He could still hear her laughing as she skipped down the stairs.

Dinner that night was torture. His mom had insisted on a "welcome meal" for Aiko, complete with teriyaki chicken and rice. Riku sat across from his cousin, avoiding her gaze as she chatted with his parents about her old house and her parents' trip. Every so often, she'd glance at him, her lips twitching like she was holding back another jab about the underwear incident.

"So, Riku," his dad said, finally lowering his newspaper. "You'll look out for Aiko at school, right? Make sure she settles in?"

"Yeah, of course," Riku mumbled, poking at his rice.

"He's already doing a great job," Aiko cut in, her tone syrupy sweet. "Helped me unpack and everything. Really… hands-on."

Riku choked, spitting a grain of rice onto his plate. His mom laughed, oblivious, while his dad just grunted and went back to his paper. Aiko smirked across the table, her eyes glinting with mischief.

After dinner, Riku retreated to the living room, flopping onto the couch with a groan. He needed a plan. A survival strategy. Step one: avoid Aiko as much as possible. Step two: don't touch her stuff ever again. Step three—

"Hey, Riku?" Aiko's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. She leaned over the back of the couch, her hair brushing his shoulder. "You're walking me to school tomorrow, right? Don't ditch me."

"I—I wasn't gonna ditch you," he said, scooting away. "I promised, didn't I?"

"Good." She straightened up, stretching with a yawn that showed off her figure just enough to make him avert his eyes. "Night, then. Don't stay up too late dreaming about my laundry."

She winked and disappeared upstairs, leaving Riku red-faced and muttering curses under his breath. Day one of living with Aiko, and he was already a wreck. How was he supposed to handle 364 more?