Chapter 32: Family Ties

Monday night draped the Sato household in a quiet that felt almost too peaceful after the weekend's chaos. Riku sprawled on the living room floor, a math textbook open but unread, his mind drifting to Aiko's forehead kiss on the roof—the way her blush had betrayed her smirk. It was real now, this thing between them, and every moment carried a weight he wasn't used to. He liked it. He also had no idea what to do with it.

The stairs creaked, and Aiko padded down, her hair loose and damp from a shower, her pajamas a mismatched set of a tank top and shorts that hugged her legs. She flopped onto the couch behind him, kicking her feet up on the armrest. "Homework?" she asked, peering over his shoulder.

"Trying," he said, tapping his pencil against the page. "Not happening."

She smirked, leaning closer, her damp hair brushing his neck. "Need a tutor, knight? I'm a genius at math."

"You're terrible at math," he shot back, turning to glare, but her proximity—her breath warm on his ear—made his face heat. "Back off."

"Make me," she teased, nudging his shoulder with her foot. Her shorts rode up slightly, flashing a glimpse of thigh, and Riku's pencil slipped, scribbling a jagged line across his notebook.

"Stop that," he muttered, shoving her foot away, but she laughed, swinging her legs down to sit beside him, her arm brushing his.

"Touchy," she said, smirking. "What's got you so jumpy?"

"You," he said, half-serious, and her grin widened, but before she could retort, his mom's voice cut through from the kitchen.

"Riku! Aiko! Dinner's ready!"

They scrambled up, the moment broken, and shuffled to the table where Hana had laid out a spread—grilled mackerel, miso soup, and rice steaming in bowls. His dad was already seated, newspaper in hand, grunting as they sat.

"You two are loud tonight," Hana said, ladling soup into their bowls. "What's all the giggling about?"

"We weren't giggling," Riku said, too fast, his face warm as he grabbed his chopsticks. Aiko smirked beside him, her knee bumping his under the table—a deliberate echo of their roof truce.

"Sure sounded like it," Hana said, her eyes narrowing with a playful glint. "You've been extra chummy lately. Something up?"

"Nope," Aiko said, sipping her soup with exaggerated calm. "Just cousin bonding, Aunt Hana."

"Bonding," his dad echoed, lowering his paper to peer at them. "You've been attached at the hip since the festival. People talking at school?"

Riku nearly choked on his rice. "No—I mean, not anymore. It's fine."

Hana tilted her head, studying them. "Hmm. You're both acting weird. Riku, you're red as a tomato."

"Am not," he muttered, shoving more rice into his mouth, but Aiko's smirk grew, her foot nudging his shin again.

"He's just shy," she teased, leaning closer to stage-whisper, "Can't handle me being so charming."

"Shut up," he hissed, elbowing her, and she laughed—a bright, real sound that made his chest flutter despite his embarrassment.

Hana watched the exchange, her smile turning sly. "You two are adorable. Reminds me of me and your uncle when we were young, Aiko."

Aiko's laugh cut off, her spoon pausing midair. "What?"

"Oh, we were thick as thieves," Hana said, waving a hand. "Always teasing, always close. People thought we were dating half the time."

Riku's dad grunted, not looking up. "They did. Annoying as hell."

Riku and Aiko exchanged a glance—hers wide, his panicked—and the table went silent for a beat too long. "We're not—" Riku started, but Hana laughed, cutting him off.

"Relax, I'm not saying you're dating," she said, though her eyes twinkled with something knowing. "Just funny how family ties work."

"Yeah," Aiko said, her voice tight, forcing a smirk. "Funny."

Dinner lurched on, the air thick with unspoken questions. Riku kept his eyes on his plate, Aiko's knee still against his, a quiet anchor in the storm of his thoughts.

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The ripple effects hit school harder on Tuesday. Word of their park outing had spread—thanks, Yuna—and the whispers were back, softer but sharper: *"They're too close for cousins."* Riku walked into Class 2-B, Aiko beside him, her shoulder brushing his as they split to their seats. No big gestures, just that subtle closeness, but it was enough to draw eyes.

Haruka greeted him with a smile, handing him a pencil she'd found under his desk. "Dropped this yesterday," she said, her tone easy. "You okay?"

"Yeah," he said, taking it. "You?"

"Better every day," she replied, her smile softening, and he nodded, grateful for the truce.

Mika slipped in next, her glasses catching the light as she set a book on his desk. "Thought you'd like this," she said, her voice shy. "It's about knights."

"Thanks," he said, flipping it open, and she blushed, retreating with a quiet smile. Aiko's foot tapped his under the desk—a silent *"I see you"*—but she didn't comment.

Yuna was the chaos factor, bursting in with a grin. "Morning, lovebirds!" she sang, dropping a candy wrapper onto Riku's desk. "Heard your mom's onto you. Family drama yet?"

"Shut up," Riku muttered, shoving the wrapper back, but Aiko smirked, leaning forward.

"Jealous, senpai?" she teased. "Want in on the family fun?"

"Only if I get Riku," Yuna shot back, winking. The class snickered, and Riku sank lower, his face red.

Lunch was their escape. They hit the roof again, the sky overcast but dry, and sprawled on the concrete with their bentos. Aiko kicked off her shoes, stretching out, her blouse untucking to flash a sliver of her stomach. "Mom's suspicious," she said, popping a rice ball into her mouth.

"Yeah," Riku agreed, his eyes flicking to her midriff before snapping back to his food. "Dad too. Think they know?"

"Nah," she said, smirking at his blush. "They're just fishing. We're fine if we keep it chill."

"Chill," he echoed, smirking. "Like you kicking me all night?"

"Exactly," she teased, nudging his leg with her bare foot. He grabbed it, tickling her sole, and she yelped, yanking back with a laugh. "Jerk!"

"Payback," he said, grinning, and she lunged, tackling him onto the concrete. They wrestled, her hair falling loose, his hands grazing her waist as she pinned him, her blouse slipping further up.

"Gotcha," she panted, smirking down at him, her face close, her breath warm. His heart thudded, caught in her gaze, and he pushed up, flipping her onto her back with a triumphant grin.

"Not anymore," he said, hovering over her, their noses almost touching. Her smirk faltered, her blush deepening, and the air crackled.

The door banged open, and Yuna's voice cut through. "Well, damn, get a room!"

They sprang apart, Riku scrambling to his feet as Aiko tugged her blouse down, glaring. "Buzz off, senpai!" she snapped, but Yuna just laughed, tossing them a soda.

"Keep it PG, kids," she said, winking as she left.

Riku groaned, flopping back onto the concrete. "She's gonna kill me."

"Nah," Aiko said, smirking as she sat beside him, her shoulder brushing his. "That's my job."

He laughed, the tension easing, but the ripples—family, school, them—kept spreading, and he knew they weren't done navigating yet.

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