The paper window had been pierced; the truth was out.Their mutual feelings, once hidden, now lay bare.Restraint and hesitation melted away in an instant.
The boy and girl clung to one another, entwined like screw and bolt, tightly locked together.
Their first kiss—Minamoto Senya's lips carried only a tentative, fleeting touch, never lingering long, never daring to take a step further.
But even so, it was enough to set Saeko's heart racing.When they parted for that brief moment, a breathless, intoxicated sigh slipped uncontrollably from her lips.
"Senya…"
"Saeko…"
At that impossibly close distance, they whispered each other's names, noses brushing together, breaths mingling hot and unrestrained.
Cheek to cheek, ear to ear, Senya wanted to take in every detail of her.
He propped himself up, looking down on her.
Her eyes were dazzling, glittering like stars across the night sky.Her face, flushed bright red, was unbearably cute.
The poised elegance of a Yamato Nadeshiko had fallen away, replaced by the bashful charm of a girl in love.
His hand traced along the curve of her heated ear, then slid gently down her cheek, before finally—so carefully—coming to rest above her brows.
Every small movement of his fingers seemed enchanted, sending tremors of delight rippling through Saeko's body.
She was willing—more than willing—to become clay in his hands, to be molded into whatever shape he desired.
When his fingers brushed the edge of her lips, she parted them without hesitation, softly biting down on him.
"I like you so much…"
"I like you too… so much…"
"I want to know…"
"What?"
"When did you start feeling this way about me, Senya?"
"…Probably back during that incident with you, Saeko."
"That incident?"
"When you beat those two bastards so badly they couldn't even function afterward."
"…But wasn't that the first time we met?"
"Yeah. The very first time."
"Then doesn't that mean…"
"Mm. I think that must've been love at first sight."
Burying his face close again, Senya gazed into her eyes and whispered.
This time, Saeko couldn't hold back.His words—so tender, so bewitching—made her heart overflow, her feelings swelling uncontrollably.
Humans are creatures of emotion. When it comes to yearning for and relying on the opposite sex, there's no real difference between men and women. It's just that society's customs demand women suppress their desires.
Saeko had always been good at concealing hers. But now that everything was out in the open, there was no need to hold back anymore.
Senya marveled at her boldness.
Perhaps her feelings had been bottled up for too long, the build-up so great that once released, it surged out with unstoppable force.
When she suddenly rolled him over and took the lead, Senya realized—if things kept going tonight, it wouldn't end at just this.
But he had no intention of stopping. The feelings Saeko brought him were intoxicating, long overdue, irresistible.
His body—mature for his age, almost comparable to an adult man's—craved this moment as much as his heart did. He didn't want to resist. He couldn't resist.
For Saeko, this was a discovery of a new world.
Before, she could only find herself in moments of violence—inflicting pain on others, or enduring pain herself, that strange rush bubbling up from deep inside.
But here, now, as she bared her heart and body to Senya, that feeling returned a thousandfold, flooding her entire being.
Ah—?
So wet!!!
My head's going to break apart—!
"—!"
Senya suddenly felt something, his hand shooting down to grab hers, stopping her from moving further. His tone was urgent but restrained.
"Wait, Saeko!"
In Japan, sex education begins early—even from kindergarten, with simple illustrated lessons about the differences between boys and girls.
By elementary school, children learn about menstruation, pregnancy, nocturnal emissions, the basics.By middle school, they're taught simple contraceptive methods, the proper mindset in relationships, and more.
So Saeko's probing touch wasn't entirely unexpected. They'd both learned the same things in class.
But his sudden words pulled her out of her feverish state, her startled expression giving way to guilt.
"…Sorry, Senya."
Senya opened his mouth to reassure her, but before he could speak, Saeko had already pulled a small square packet from the pocket of her yukata.
Clearly, she had come prepared, only too lost in the moment earlier to remember.
Senya froze as she tore it open with a rustle.
But instead of what he feared—
It was just a white, moist disinfectant wipe.
And Saeko was now carefully wiping her hands.
Between her fingers, across her palms—meticulous, thorough, serious.
Senya was stunned.
Wait! That's not what I meant!
Sure, I'm clean, but I'm not some kind of hygiene maniac to this extent!
He quickly caught her hand, hushing her with a finger to his lips, and pointed toward the door.
There was someone outside.
In truth, it wasn't instinct. From his "god's-eye" vantage, he'd already noticed earlier—he just hadn't had the chance to react in the heat of the moment.
Now, during that short pause, he'd seen her.
Eriri.
Standing just outside his door, pressed close, ears straining against the wood.
Her whole body was tense, clearly nervous—she'd definitely heard something.
Understanding his gesture, Saeko stayed perfectly still, her face crimson, clothes disheveled, lying against his chest and holding her breath.
Then Senya calmly spoke, voice firm and unflustered:
"Eriri. Is that you outside?"
Saeko gazed up at him in awe. For some reason, instead of being angry at having their moment interrupted, she was thrilled by the danger of discovery, her pulse quickening.
They'd stolen private moments before, always in secret. But compared to now, those little escapades were child's play.
Out in the quiet of the night, his sudden voice nearly made Eriri jump out of her skin.
She'd been so focused that she almost yelped.
Luckily, her hands clapped over her mouth just in time.
Still, she had to answer—though she couldn't imagine how he'd noticed her.
"Y-Yeah, it's me. Senya, you're still awake this late?" she whispered, trying her best to sound casual. She kept her voice soft so as not to disturb anyone else, but just loud enough for him to hear.
"Mmph—!"
Saeko, what are you doing?!
"…?"
From the other side of the door, Eriri frowned at the strange muffled sound.
Senya quickly covered it up, stretching out with a feigned yawn. "Nnnhhh—ahhh. Just yawning."
That seemed to ease her suspicion, though her brow was still furrowed.
"What about you, Eriri? Why aren't you asleep yet?"
You're not asleep either, she thought.
"…I drank too much water, just needed the bathroom. But Senya, I thought I heard you talking to someone…"
"I was watching a movie. Probably had the volume up too high. You must've misheard."
"…I see."
"Get some rest, okay? We've got a whole day out tomorrow. Good night."
"…Mm. Good night."
Even with her doubts, Eriri couldn't press further. She walked away, heading toward the bathroom.
Inside, Senya exhaled in relief.
Saeko… seriously? You dive under my clothes at a time like this?
Though… I guess it does feel kind of nice…
When Saeko finally pulled back, her lips parted, breath quick and shallow, her eyes gleaming with sly mischief.
Gone was any trace of her composed, elegant façade. She looked like a cat who'd just stolen cream—wicked, wild, satisfied.
Once she had tasted something so sweet, how could she possibly go back to restraint?
"…Eriri didn't notice, right?" she asked.
"If you were that worried, you shouldn't have done it."
"I couldn't help it… and you couldn't hold back either."
She meant his voice.
"I wasn't blaming you." Senya pinched her lips softly, the affection in his gesture outweighing the reproach.
"…Sorry." Saeko pressed close again, burying her cheek against his neck. "I don't want to go back yet."
"We'll wait until Eriri's back in her room."
"…Okay."
But as Eriri sat on the toilet, her thoughts churned.
The muffled sounds, the strange rustling—like plastic crinkling. That wasn't any movie she knew.
As his childhood friend, she was sure.
That was Senya's voice.
And it hadn't been alone.
Pulling her underwear back up, she flushed, the rushing water masking her whispered resolve.
When she stepped back out, she saw Senya's room was dark, the light beneath his door gone.
He was asleep already. Going in now would only be an intrusion.
Yet she lingered, frozen in hesitation.
If she left it alone, she'd never sleep tonight.
And then—an idea.
She didn't need to check Senya's room directly.
There was another way.
If the girl she suspected wasn't in her own room… then the truth would be clear.
Eriri swallowed nervously, her eyes drifting toward the nearby doors.
Saeko and Utaha's room.
If she opened it just a crack, she'd know.
Her excuses stacked up—We're all girls anyway. I'm not trying to do anything bad. This is just for peace of mind…
Steeling herself, she crept closer, hand reaching for the doorknob—
"Click."
The sound of a door opening behind her.
Not the one she was touching.
"Eriri?"
Senya's voice rang out as his own door opened. "You're still not asleep?"
"…Eh?!"
Eriri froze, completely flustered at being caught twice in such a short time. She whipped her hand back and turned around in panic.
The faint amber glow of the small night-lamp in the living room spilled across Minamoto Senya's handsome face, making his expression seem softer, warmer.
"A-Ah… I… I was just about to head back to bed!"
"Is that so." He smiled, his usual calm and gentle expression, which eased some of Eriri's panic.
But instinctively, her gaze darted past him, toward his room. The dim light made it impossible to see clearly what might be going on inside.
Because her attention was drawn there, she failed to notice that Senya's posture was… odd. His upper body hunched forward slightly, almost like an old man—no, more like one of those shambling zombies from a horror film.
"I was just feeling thirsty. Came out to grab a bottle of water."
Still leaning forward in that strange posture, Senya stepped out of his room and headed toward the small refrigerator in the living room. The moment his back was to her, he straightened, standing tall again, his usual confident bearing restored.
"O-Oh…"
"By the way," he turned back, bottle of water in hand, "since I can't really sleep, and you're awake too… how about we talk for a bit? Feels like it's been forever since the two of us had a proper one-on-one conversation."
The sudden suggestion hit Eriri like a brick.
"Y-Yeah! Sure!"
"Then let's talk in my room. If we chat out here, we might disturb the others."
"Mhm!"
Eriri quickly stepped away from the doorway of Saeko and Utaha's room.
Behind her, someone else quietly exhaled in relief.
The door shut behind them.
Following Senya's light pat on the bed, Eriri obediently sat down beside him.
Using a little head-scratch as a cover, she quickly scanned the room with wary eyes.
No one else. No strange sounds. Nothing suspicious.
So… it really was just me overthinking things earlier, huh…
The sense of crisis dissolving at last, she let out a soft sigh. And with that release came…
Hhhh—
Exhale—
A deep breath in, and then out, savoring the air.
Senya's room… it smells so nice…
As always, Eriri's tsundere pride kept her from daring any openly flirtatious moves or lines, no matter how obvious her feelings for her childhood friend were.
But this? Quiet little indulgences, invisible to anyone else? That, she had the courage for.
Maybe a little embarrassing… but as long as no one ever found out, what's the harm?
"This trip—everyone being able to come together—it's really thanks to you, Eriri. You did all the organizing, you covered the details… honestly, thank you." Senya spoke first.
Eriri shook her head quickly. "Don't say that. I wanted to do it, and honestly it didn't cost that much."
"After dinner I looked up the price of this suite. Two hundred thousand yen a night isn't exactly cheap."
"Well, I had… outside support. You don't need to worry about it."
"Outside support?"
"Mm. Mom gave me Dad's credit card."
Senya chuckled. "Uncle Spencer really does spoil you."
"That's no different from you, is it? Doesn't Uncle Minamoto slip Rokka pocket money all the time when no one's looking?"
The atmosphere was light and cheerful now.
"Wait. He does?" Senya frowned, feigning suspicion.
Realizing her slip, Eriri panicked. "Ah—no, no, I didn't say anything! And you didn't hear anything!"
But she couldn't hold it in—meeting Senya's eyes, the two of them burst out laughing.
Eriri felt her heart float. This was rare. This was precious.
Ever since middle school, Senya had thrown himself not just into academics, but into so many other pursuits, constantly sharpening himself.
That was good, of course—but it left her feeling lonely.
Moments like this, where they could just laugh together without walls between them, had become all too rare.
Eriri was basking in it. But Senya, while smiling, was quietly anxious.
Saeko was crammed inside the wardrobe. It wasn't airtight, so she wouldn't suffocate, but it couldn't be comfortable.
And as for himself—well, after everything that had just happened between him and Saeko, his body was still… standing at attention. The longer this dragged on, the more unbearable it became.
He needed to get Eriri to leave soon.
"…Senya, my mom's been saying lately that you don't come over to our house like you used to."
"I just didn't want to bother you too often."
"That's not true at all! Mom talks about you every day—how amazing you are, how I should learn from you, how she wishes I could spend more time with you. She'd be thrilled if you came over all the time… ah! Of course, she means academically! She wants me to be influenced by your study habits!" Eriri waved her hands in flustered explanation.
Senya wasn't really paying attention. His mind was on how to end this smoothly. He just replied casually: "Studying's just one of a thousand paths in life. Your drawing talent is incredible, Eriri. I honestly think you shouldn't feel pressured about it."
"If only Mom could think like you…" Eriri sighed, but then froze.
Because Senya was staring right at her.
His gaze was sharp, focused, yet also playful—charged with a kind of pressure that made her chest tighten.
"Hey, Eriri. Do you still remember the first time we met?"
Her heart clenched. How could she forget? That day had changed her life. It shaped her love for the 2D world, it was the page in her memory album marked with countless bookmarks, a treasure she replayed over and over.
Of course she remembered.
With a shy nod, she whispered, "Of course. That day I was… going through something bad. And you appeared in front of me."
Like a prince. You comforted me. You saved me.
"At the time," Senya continued, "you were a crybaby. A little bundle of nerves. But now, when I look at you properly… I see a girl who's grown into a beautiful, charming young woman."
The praise was effortless, sincere.
If Yukinoshita had been there, she would've immediately raised an eyebrow, suspicious of his motives.
But Eriri was alone. And being praised by the boy she adored, having her femininity affirmed—her thoughts short-circuited. Her heart raced, happiness flooding her so strongly it drowned out all reason.
"D-Don't say stuff like that…" she stammered, hands flying up to cover her flushed face, eyes shimmering. Her voice came out soft, almost trembling.
Senya shook his head. "It's not random. It's true. Strange, isn't it? I guess because we're together so often, I hadn't noticed before. But now I see it. Eriri, you've grown into a gorgeous girl. Your skin's flawless, your aura's striking. Honestly, if you didn't stick with illustration, you could probably do modeling."
"…!"
Pffft!
It was too much. Her brain overheated like a balloon popping with steam.
Still ducking her head, she pushed herself to her feet, voice trembling. "Senya… I-I'm going back to bed."
"Alright. Good night, then."
"Mhm… good night."
Clinging to the doorframe, fighting to stay upright against the dizziness of pure happiness, Eriri stumbled out.
The moment the door clicked shut, Senya's wardrobe burst open. A gust of fragrance rushed over him, and Saeko threw her arms around him from behind.
"Saeko, wait—I can explain! Just now, with Eriri, I only said all that because—"
But his words cut short.
Her yukata had come undone, revealing elegant violet lingerie beneath.
Her eyes locked on his with a sultry intensity. A pull like gravity dragged them together. Their lips met again.
…Yeah. On second thought, explanations could wait.
Meanwhile, Eriri was stumbling back to her own room, her face blazing hot, her heart hammering out of her chest.
She dove under her covers, muffling her squeals of giddy laughter.
She didn't notice that the spot where she'd sat earlier on Senya's bed was still damp—soaked with the traces left behind by Saeko's disheveled yukata.
That night, everyone slept soundly.
Well… everyone except Minamoto Senya and Busujima Saeko.
They explored each other.
Claimed each other's bodies as their territory.
Like wild creatures, they left their marks and scents—proof that this place, this person, now belonged to them.