Hana got to work earlier than usual, hoping for a quiet moment to clear her head. Ever since that night at the ramen shop with Sohei, something had changed—subtle, but real.
Every time she saw him now, her heart jumped before she could stop it. He acted normal, like nothing was different, but she couldn't ignore how flustered she felt around him.
With a sigh, she dropped her bag on her desk, her mind spinning. Was she imagining it? Overthinking his words, his looks? Or was there really something more between them?
"Morning, Hana," a voice said suddenly, pulling her out of her thoughts. She turned to see Shun standing beside her desk, his hands stuffed into his pockets and a nervous smile on his face.
"Oh! Shun, good morning. You're early too," she replied with a polite smile, though her stomach twisted slightly at the serious expression on his face. Shun, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, hesitated before saying, "Actually, I was hoping to talk to you." His tone was earnest, his eyes searching hers in a way that made her heart skip a beat—but not with excitement. Instead, she felt a pang of conflict. She had always liked Shun—he was kind, dependable, and someone she had trusted in the work environment—but her feelings for him didn't compare to the way her heart fluttered whenever she was with Sohei.
Before she could respond, a familiar low voice interrupted, "Hana." She looked up, startled, and saw Sohei standing just a few feet away, his expression unreadable but his presence commanding as always. He had been on his way to the office when he caught sight of them—Hana and Shun, standing too close, speaking too quietly.
As Shun's confession echoed in her ears, Sohei's face tightened, his jaw clenching almost imperceptibly as he glanced between them. "Hayato wants us in the meeting room," he said flatly, his tone clipped as he barely glanced at Shun. Hana stuttered, "Right. I—I'll be there in a second," before Sohei walked away, his footsteps echoing in the quiet office as he left her with a mixture of guilt and uncertainty.
By lunchtime, Sohei's mood had only worsened, the weight of the morning pressing down on him like a storm cloud. When he stepped out to grab coffee, hoping the caffeine might clear his head, someone called his name—"Sohei"—and his body tensed.
He slowly turned to see Mika, his ex-girlfriend, standing there with an unfazed smile, her presence like a ghost from a past he had tried to forget. "I just came back to Japan," she said lightly, her tone casual but her eyes sharp as she studied him. "Thought I'd come say hi."
Sohei's jaw clenched, his grip tightening on the coffee cup in his hand. He wasn't in the mood for old wounds. "Mika," he said, his voice curt but his expression guarded. She tilted her head, her smile widening as she stepped closer, her presence as confident and unshakable as he remembered.
"It's been a while," she said, her tone light but carrying a hint of something that made his stomach twist. Sohei exhaled sharply, his patience wearing thin as he glanced at his watch.
"I'm busy," he said, his tone final as he turned to leave. But Mika's voice stopped him in his tracks. "Still the same old Sohei," she said, her words laced with a teasing edge that made his chest tighten. He didn't respond, his mind already racing as he walked away.
Hana was stepping out of the office for a quick snack when she saw Sohei talking with a beautiful woman. She recalled his mention of past relationships, but never had she seen him standing next to a beautiful woman. A surge of jealousy, both unwelcome and unfamiliar, churned within her, her stomach twisting as she tried to push the image from her mind.
That evening, when Hana entered the pantry room, she found Sohei there—alone. Taking a deep breath, she stepped closer, her heart pounding as she tried to steady her nerves.
"Sohei," she began softly, her voice trembling slightly, "I saw you talking to a woman outside the office building just now, who was she?" He paused, his expression unreadable for a moment before he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "My ex," he admitted, his tone heavy with frustration. "She just showed up out of nowhere. I wasn't exactly thrilled about it." Hana searched his face, her heart racing as she tried to gauge his emotions. Before she could stop herself, she blurted, "So… do you still have feelings for her?"
Sohei's head snapped up, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her breath catch. For a moment, the air between them shifted, charged with something unspoken. "No," he said steadily, his gaze unwavering.
"But that's not the question you really want to ask, is it?" His words sent a shiver down her spine, her cheeks flushing as she realized he was right. "What do you mean?" Hana whispered, her voice trembling as she tried to steady her racing heart.
Taking a slow step closer until they were almost touching, Sohei continued, his voice low but firm. "You're not asking if I still like her. You're asking if I like someone else." Hana froze, her eyes widening as a blush slowly crept over her cheeks. The sudden heat of his proximity made her heart flutter uncontrollably, her mind racing as she tried to process his words. In that charged moment, with the hum of the breakroom fading into silence, she felt both vulnerable and alive—aware that the question was more than just about his ex; it was about them.
Unsure if she was ready to face the truth, Hana could only muster a quiet, "So… what do you really feel?" Her voice, barely audible, mirrored the uncertainty in her eyes. Sohei's expression softened, and for the first time, his usual guarded look melted into something tender. As the unspoken words hung between them, Hana's blush deepened, her heart pounding as she waited for his response.
Sohei held her gaze, his usual easygoing demeanor stripped away, leaving only raw honesty between them. Hana felt her pulse quicken as he took another step closer, his presence overwhelming yet steady, grounding her in the moment. "You really want to know what I feel?" he murmured, his voice quieter now, more deliberate. Hana swallowed, her breath caught in her throat. "I—I do," she admitted, barely above a whisper.
Sohei studied her, his dark eyes flickering with something unreadable. Then, with a slow exhale, he leaned in slightly, close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating off him. "I don't care about Mika," he said, his voice low but firm. "She's my past." His gaze softened as he reached up, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The touch was fleeting but enough to send a shiver down Hana's spine. "But you, Hana…" He paused, his thumb grazing the side of her face so lightly it made her skin tingle. "You're different."
Hana's breath hitched, her mind racing as she tried to process the weight of his words. All she could focus on was how close he was—how his scent, his warmth, everything about him felt almost intoxicating. "Sohei…" she started, but he wasn't finished. "I don't know when it started, but I can't stop noticing you," he admitted, his voice rough with something unspoken. "You get under my skin, Hana. And when I see you with someone else…" He let out a sharp breath, jaw tightening. "It drives me insane."
Hana's face burned as her heart pounded wildly in her chest. She had teased him about being jealous before, but now… Now, he was saying it outright. Admitting it, with no playful smirk or half-hearted deflection. "You—" She bit her lip, flustered. "You mean—?"
Sohei's lips twitched, his fingers barely grazing her wrist, sending a jolt of warmth through her. "I mean I like you, Hana." The words landed softly but carried a weight that made her stomach flip.
Hana's cheeks turned a deeper shade of red, her entire body heating up at the sheer intensity of his confession. She wanted to say something—anything—but her brain had completely short-circuited. Sohei chuckled, clearly amused by her stunned reaction. "You're blushing," he teased, his tone light but his gaze still holding that serious edge.
Hana groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Of course I am! You can't just say things like that!" He laughed, the sound rich and unguarded, making her stomach twist in an entirely new way. "Why not? It's the truth."
Peeking at him between her fingers, Hana found herself caught in the warmth of his smile—the same Sohei who could tease her endlessly, but this time, there was something softer beneath it. Her heart clenched. Maybe she wasn't ready to fall completely… but if Sohei kept looking at her like this, she wouldn't be able to stop herself. Taking a shaky breath, she lowered her hands and met his gaze, this time without running. "Then… what happens now?"
Sohei's smirk softened into something more sincere as he brushed his fingers against hers, the touch light, unspoken but full of meaning. "Guess that depends on you," he murmured. And just like that, Hana knew—there was no going back.