I kept glancing toward the kitchen, stealing quick looks every chance I got like some suspicious thief with a guilty conscience.
It wasn’t like I was that obvious… or at least I hoped so. But how could I not? It was break time, and Keiko was over there talking to Ruka. I didn’t know what they were talking about — maybe about work, or maybe about the double date plan we’d cooked up for Junpei and Ruka.
Honestly, it was driving me nuts.
“What are you glancing at for the hundredth time now?”
The sudden voice made me jolt so hard I nearly dropped the spoon in my hand. “Waaah!!”
It was none other than Aki — the workplace’s resident gossip girl and chaos spirit incarnate. She grinned at me like a cat that found a mouse cornered with nowhere to run.
“Are you jealous of Ruka now? I mean, it’s just a harmless chat over there. What’s with those daggers in your eyes?”
I groaned internally. Not today, Aki. “Shut up,” was all I managed to say, knowing full well any resistance only fueled her chaotic energy.
Aki gave me a long, dramatic look like she was a concerned mother catching her kid sneaking out of the house. “Ryuko… I never thought you’d be the possessive type. Did I make a mistake helping you get together with Keiko?”
Before she could let another word spill out, I reached over and pinched both her cheeks.
“Oi, enough. Surrender!” She yelled at me.
“Waaah! I surrender! I surrender!” she cried, flailing her arms like a noodle. I finally let go, and she pouted, rubbing her now tomato-red cheeks.
“That hurt, meanie!”
“I didn’t mean to pinch that hard… sorry.” Ugh. Why was I even apologizing to her?
But of course, Aki never missed a beat. “Geez, stop being so possessive over Keiko! It’s not like she’s being seduced by Ruka or something.”
I just stared at her, mentally regretting that earlier apology. She made an ‘oops’ face and flashed me a peace sign. “Okay, okay! Peace. I’ll stop.”
She finally scampered away, leaving me alone with my paranoia once more. When I glanced back at the kitchen, Keiko was no longer there — only Ruka, busy with the dishes.
Was everything okay? Did they talk about the double date? Did Ruka agree? My brain was going in loops.
Finally, it was closing time. I waited at our usual secret meeting spot — about 200 meters away from the restaurant. We always did this so the others wouldn’t notice we always went home together.
Honestly, I was kind of excited. Not just because I wanted to know about the double date situation, but because it had been a while since I’d properly had a ‘date’ with Keiko too.
And then there she was — running toward me in that slightly clumsy, adorable way of hers, scarf bouncing, cheeks flushed pink from the cold.
God, she was cute. I must’ve looked like an idiot standing there smiling like a lovestruck fool.
“Let’s go,” I said, and she nodded with a small grin.
We started walking side by side through the quiet, snowy street. The snow was falling a little heavier tonight, and our breaths puffed out in visible clouds. We were both a little tired from work, so we just walked in comfortable silence for a while.
But my curiosity was eating me alive.
I needed to ask about the date. Needed to know if everything went smoothly. But the air felt thick, the tension awkward, and even the snowflakes seemed to whisper don’t ruin this peace, dummy.
Then — woah.
Keiko slipped on the icy sidewalk, arms flailing as she let out a soft, startled squeak. Reflexively, I grabbed her and pulled her into my arms before she could fall.
“Careful,” I said, looking down at her.
She nodded, cheeks pink — though whether from the cold or embarrassment, I wasn’t sure.
It felt weirdly… tender. Like a cliché scene from a romance movie. But we weren’t teenagers anymore, even if I looked like one these days. Our relationship wasn’t new or uncertain, yet moments like this still made my heart race.
I was overthinking again. Damn it, Ryusei, get it together.
We continued walking, but this time, Keiko clung to my arm, her small hands wrapping around me, still afraid of slipping again.
She was freaking adorable. I was this close to biting her cheek from the cuteness overload.
And then my brain betrayed me.
Can I eat her tonight? It’s been a while anyway.
My face burned. Not literally, right?
Wait… why did my head feel hot?
“Uhmm… Keiko… ah…” I finally managed to break the silence, panting a little.
“Hm?” she responded, not looking up.
“I… I…” what was I even trying to ask? My brain was a soup of anxiety, affection, and way too many dumb thoughts about her.
Keiko finally looked at me and gasped. “Omg! Ryusei! Are you okay?!”
Huh?
“You’re so red you look like a tomato!” she cried and pressed a cold hand to my forehead. It felt nice, honestly. I was probably overheating from a mix of stress, love, and residual Aki-related frustration.
“I… I’m okay…” I mumbled, my voice practically a croak.
Still worried, she tugged off her scarf and wrapped it around my neck, bundling me up like a clumsy snowman.
And then, maybe because the warmth from her hand lingered, or maybe because my heart was already running a marathon, I leaned in.
I kissed her.
A deep, desperate kiss like I’d been holding it in for weeks. Pulled her hard against me, to the point we both tumbled into a snowbank by the side of the road.
I landed flat on my back, Keiko on top of me, her surprised eyes wide and staring down at me. I kept one hand at the back of her head so she couldn’t escape my lips, not yet.
The snow was cold, the world silent, and all I could hear was the pounding of my heartbeat and the little gasp she made when our lips met.
After a long moment, she finally pulled back, panting lightly, snowflakes clinging to her hair.
We just stared at each other.
And I blurted, “Can we…?”
I didn’t even finish the question, but she knew.
Keiko’s face turned bright pink, her lips trembling for a moment. Then, with the softest, tiniest nod, she leaned down and kissed me again.
The snow kept falling, cold against our skin, but neither of us cared anymore.
God, I love this girl.
And somewhere in the back of my mind, I imagined Aki popping out of a bush with her phone, taking pictures and shrieking, “I KNEW IT! CANDID GOLD!”
I snorted into the kiss.
Keiko pulled back, confused. “What?”
“Nothing,” I grinned. “Just thinking about how lucky I am.”
She rolled her eyes, embarrassed, and buried her face in my scarf.
I swear, even with snow sticking to her hair and her face half-hidden, she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.