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Jiji, for the past several days, had found himself preoccupied with one singular thought: The flush that had spread across Okarun's face.
It was subtle thing, hardly noticeable, but for some reason, it refused to leave Jiji's mind. He kept replaying that moment in his head, again and again. The way Okarun's cheeks had tinted to a soft pink hue was burned into his brain...
And he couldn't figure out why. He had seen people getting flustered before, had seen Okarun in particular get flustered, but something about this time was different.
Jiji found himself at a loss, his thoughts consumed by the memory.
It was an image that haunted him, popping up unexpectedly in his mind, disrupting his concentration. Every time it surfaced, Jiji would try to shake it off, but the memory persisted, leaving him baffled with his own fascination.
He tried to shake the thought away, but it lingered, tugging at the edge of his consciousness. Was it the way the light had hit Okarun's face? The shy smile that had briefly crossed his face before embarrassment settled in?
He couldn't pin point why the image was so vivid in his mind. Perhaps it was the way his dark hair had been messy, not quite framing his face properly.
Perhaps it was something else.
Jiji didn't know, and it bothered him.
He wanted to chalk it up to nothing, but he couldn't. The memory refused to go away. It had become an obsession that he couldn't understand and yet, couldn't get rid of.
He found himself stealing glances at Okarun, searching for that same flush on his face. Each time Jiji looked, he was met with the usual stoic expression, as if the memory of that flush had been nothing more than a fever dream.
He'd shake his head, trying to clear away the intrusive thoughts, but they would quickly return. Like a ghost, they would linger in his mind, plaguing him with their persistence. Jiji tried to push the thoughts aside, to focus on the conversations he and Okarun were having, but his eyes kept wandering back to his face, searching for that same hint of a flush, that subtle hint of embarrassment.
"Earth to Jiji!"
Jiji jolted out of his thoughts, realizing that he had been spacing out.
"Huh? What?" he said, quickly trying to regain his composure.
Okarun gave him a quizzical look, raising an eyebrow.
"Were you listening to me at all?" he asked.
Jiji shook his head, trying to appear nonchalant.
"Yeah, yeah, I was listening," he lied, averting his gaze.
"Really? What was I saying then?"
Jiji panicked internally, realizing that he had not been paying attention.
"You were... um..." He racked his brain, trying to come up with something believable. "You were talking about... uh..."
Okarun's unimpressed expression told him that his efforts were falling flat.
"Uh... something about...." he trailed off, searching for a believable response.
"...aliens?" He offered lamely. Okarun liked alien right?
Okarun rolled his eyes, clearly not convinced.
"No, I was not talking about aliens," he said, crossing his arms.
Jiji fumbled for another topic, any topic to distract from the fact that he had been daydreaming about Okarun's flush.
"Oh, right...then you were talking about...uh...the weather?" He blurted out, wincing at how lame that sounded.
Okarun gave him a skeptical look.
"No, I wasn't discussing the weather either," he said, voice flat. "I was telling you about the new exhibit at the museum, the one about traditional..."
But Jiji's mind had wandered once again. He stole a glance at Okarun's face, searching for any hint of pink, but it remained stoic as ever.
The conversation continued, but Jiji found himself only partially engaged. His thoughts kept drifting back to that one moment, the image of Okarun flushed engraved in his mind.
He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to that expression, but he couldn't quite figure out what it was. He knew he should be paying attention to what he was saying, but he couldn't help it.
It was as if that moment had cast a spell over him, and he couldn't break free.
He realized that Okarun had stopped talking mid-sentence, and was now staring at Jiji expectantly.
"Sorry, sorry," Jiji said, quickly snapping back to attention. "What was that about the exhibit?"
Okarun sighed.
"I was saying that the new exhibit at the museum is about traditional Japanese weaponry," he said, his tone now edged with irritation. "It's actually quite fascinating, and I thought you might find it interesting, but clearly, you've been preoccupied with something else."
Jiji winced, knowing that he had been busted.
"Sorry, I was just..." He struggled to find an excuse, knowing that he couldn't reveal thetruth. "I was just thinking about something, that's all."
Okarun raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.
"Yeah, I can see that," he said, his tone dry. "You've been spacing out for days, ever since..."
Jiji's heart skipped a beat, his eyes widening. Had he been that obvious?
"Ever since what?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant, but there was a slight tremble in his voice. This was the question he had been dreading, the moment when Okarun would figure out his secret.
Okarun studied him for a moment, his gaze intense.
"You've been acting strange lately," he said, his voice quiet. "Since that day."
Jiji tried to feign ignorance.
"What day?" He asked, pretending not to know what
Okarun was referring to.
Okarun's eyes narrowed, seeing right through him.
"You know what day I'm talking about," he said, his tone firm. "The day we were talking about embarrassing moments, and I—"
He cut himself off, his face suddenly flushing pink, just like that moment from before.
Jiji's heart raced as he watched the familiar sight.
So it hadn't been a dream, that blush had been real. And now, it was happening again.
He found himself unable to look away, the sight captivating him.
He couldn't help it.
He was transfixed by the way the color spread across Okarun's cheeks, the way it made him look so cute.
Jiji wanted to reach out and touch that flush, feel if it was as warm as it looked.
Okarun's cheeks were tinted a soft pink now, the color slowly spreading across his face. It was a delicate, subtle change, but to Jiji, it was mesmerizing.
Okarun's cheeks reddened further under Jiji's gaze, and he averted his eyes, clearly embarrassed.
"Don't stare at me like that." He muttered, his voice quiet.
Jiji couldn't help it. The sight of that flush brought up a whirlwind of emotions inside him
"Im not staring."
Yes, he was.
"You're obviously staring. You've been staring at me for days now."
Jiji tried to deny it, but he couldn't tear his eyes away.
"No I haven't," he said, his voice sounding unconvincing even to his own ears.
Okarun huffed, not buying it for a second.
"Yes, you have," he said, his cheeks still tinged pink. "You've been spacing out all week, and now you're staring at me like...like..."
He trailed off, unable to find the words.
Jiji felt a sudden heat rise to his face, realizing that he had been caught.
"I'm not staring," he protested, but the lie was obvious.
Okarun's gaze met his, their eyes locking for a moment that seemed to stretch on forever. Jiji's heart raced, his mind a whirlwind of unspoken thoughts and emotions.
The room seemed to shrink, the air thick with tension. Jiji found himself unable to look away, Okarun's gaze holding him captive.
He was hyper-aware of every detail—the slight blush spreading across Okarun's cheeks, the way his hands fidgeted nervously in his lap, the way his eyes darted away, only to quickly flick back.
In that moment, Jiji wondered what it would be like to reach out and touch Okarun's face, to feel the warmth of his blushing cheeks beneath his fingertips.
Without thinking, Jiji gently cupped Okarun's face in his hands. His touch was tender, his fingers lightly tracing the curve of his cheek, feeling the warmth of his blush beneath his fingertips.
"..."
What the fuck was he doing?
Okarun's gaze locked with his, surprise written across his face. He didn't pull away, but his cheeks reddened further under Jiji's touch.
Jiji's heart raced as he continued caressing Okarun's face, his thumb gently grazing over the flushed skin.
For Jiji, it was a gesture of comfort, a way to soothe the emotions that had been swirling within him ever since that day. But as he touched Okarun's skin, he couldn't deny the feelings that it stirred inside him.
"You're blushing again," he murmured, his voice low and tinged with a hint of awe.
Okarun's eyes widened, his cheeks reddening even further under Jiji's gaze. He tried to look away, but Jiji's hands held his face steady.
"N-no, I'm not," he protested weakly, his usually confident mask faltering.
Jiji smiled softly, gently tracing his fingers over Okarun's burning cheeks.
"You are," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "And it's beautiful."
He gently cupped Okarun's cheeks, relishing in the heat of the flush under his touch. He studied the way the subtle pink hue played across his features; it was mesmerizing, like watching a sunset.
His fingertips lingered, unable to pull away from the sensation. Jiji felt a strange mix of emotions stirring within him - a blend of comfort and a strange urge to kiss him.
The thought made his heart race.
It was a dangerous thought, one that he should have discarded instantly.
Yet, it refused to leave. It stayed planted, persistent and demanding attention.
His eyes remained glued onto Okarun's lips, wondering how it would feel to press his own against them.
Okarun's voice broke through Jiji's thoughts, jolting him back to reality.
"Jiji..." he began, voice quiet.
Jiji hastily removed his hands, the sudden absence of Okarun's skin against his fingers leaving him strangely cold.
He mentally berated himself, hoping that his inner thoughts hadn't been betrayed by his flushed cheeks.
"Sorry," he muttered, averting his gaze from Okarun's face.
His heart thundered in his chest, the thought of what he'd just been imagining lingering precariously close to the surface.
Okarun's gaze was intense, his eyes searching Jiji's face as if trying to decipher his thoughts. Jiji felt the weight of that gaze, wishing for the ground to open up and swallow him whole, or better yet, for a meteor to strike the building and put an end to this awkward moment.
But the meteor didn't come, and the ground remained stubbornly intact. All Jiji could do was pray that Okarun hadn't caught on to his treacherous thoughts.
The silence hung between them, awkward and heavy.
Jiji dared to look up, meeting Okarun's gaze for a brief moment. The intensity in his eyes made Jiji's heart stutter again. He couldn't hold that gaze for long, looking away quickly, his mind racing. He racked his brain for something to say, anything to break the tension. But words eluded him, his mind filled only with the image of Okarun's flushed skin beneath his fingertips, and the thought of his lips against his own.
He bit back a curse, chiding himself for the direction of his thoughts. This was his friend, not some love interest in a romance novel. He needed to stop these ridiculous fantasies immediately.
His hands fidgeted in his lap, the feeling of Okarun's skin still burning in his fingertips. He yearned to touch him again, to feel the warmth of his face, to see the way the blush would darken under his touch–
No. No don't think about that. Stop. Stop.
He shook his head hard.
"Jiji."
Jiji's attention snapped back to Okarun, his name drawing him back from his tangled thoughts.
He lifted his gaze, meeting Okarun's eyes, hoping that his tumultuous inner turmoil wasn't etched onto his face.
And suddenly Okarun's face was close to his.
His heart skipped a beat.
He was close. Too close.
The proximity was overwhelming.
Jiji could feel Okarun's breath gently brushing against his skin.
Strawberry?
Right, the strawberry milkshake. He had brought it for Okarun–
Focus Jiji. Focus.
He tried to form words, but could only focus on those eyes that were boring into his.
He could count his eyelashes.
They were so long and–
Soft lips brushed against his own and his brain short circuited.
Time seemed to slow as he processed the situation. Okarun's lips were on his, soft and hesitant, as if testing the waters.
For a brief moment, every coherent thought left him, replaced by the feel of Okarun's lips on his.
It was unexpected, thrilling, and utterly confusing, all at once.
As the initial surprise wore off, Jiji found himself melting into the kiss.
Jiji's thoughts spiraled, his mind torn between the surprise of the kiss and the intoxicating feeling of Okarun's lips against his.
His body reacted without permission, his hands automatically reaching up to cup Okarun's face, needing the grounding touch.
He leaned into the kiss, his hand finding its way to Okarun's neck, drawing him closer.
His entire world seemed to have narrowed down to the sensation of Okarun's mouth, soft and warm against his own.
He couldn't think, couldn't process what was happening.
All he could do was feel.
The moment their lips parted, Jiji's mind was flooded with emotions.
He opened his mouth to speak, but the words stuck in his throat. He swallowed hard, trying to find his voice.
"Why...why did you kiss me?"
His voice was hoarse, betraying the maelstrom of feelings churning inside him.
Okarun's cheeks reddened again, his gaze darting away.
He looked almost guilty, like he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't. Jiji's heart thudded in his chest, his anxiety spiking at the possibility of what that look might mean.
He finally lifted his gaze, meeting Jiji's eyes with a mixture of nervousness and determination.
"I kissed you..."
His voice trailed off for a moment, his cheeks reddening even further.
"I kissed you because I wanted to."
The words were simple, but the weight behind them was immense.
Jiji's heart skipped a beat at the admission.
"You...wanted to?"
Jiji's voice was barely above a whisper, disbelief evident in his tone.
Okarun's gaze held his, unflinching.
He nodded, his cheeks still tinged pink.
"Yes"
The affirmation was short, yet it sent a thrill coursing through Jiji's veins.
"Why...?"
The question hung between them like a tangible thing.
Okarun shifted, his expression nervous yet resolute.
"I..." he struggled to find the words, his cheeks reddening with each passing second. "I just...I've been having these...thoughts...about you...for a while now."
Jiji felt like he'd been sucker-punched, his heart thudding painfully in his chest.
"Thoughts?" he echoed, his mind struggling to comprehend the implications of Okarun's words.
Okarun nodded, his gaze dropping to his lap.
"Yeah, just... thoughts."
His voice had taken on a more bashful tone, his fingers fidgeting in his lap.
"Thoughts about...us..."
Jiji's breath hitched at the words.
"Us?"
Jiji echoed the word, the syllable feeling foreign on his tongue.
His heart was pounding wildly in his chest, emotions warring within him.
The reality of the situation was sinking in, the knowledge that this was real, not some fantasy in his head.
"About us...?"
He repeated in a daze, the words sinking in slowly.
Okarun nodded again, looking back up at Jiji with a mixture of uncertainty and determination in his eyes.
"Yes...about what it could be like...if we were more than just friends"
Jiji's heart pounded in his ears, the words sinking in, each syllable creating a ripple of excitement and fear within him.
He had been harboring similar thoughts for months now, but to hear Okarun speak them aloud was both exhilarating and terrifying.
"More than friends..." he repeated dumbly, his brain struggling to catch up with the turn this day had taken.
In a sudden rush of emotion, Jiji didn't think, he simply acted.
He surged forward, closing the distance between them, and pressed his lips against Okarun's.
The kiss was a release, a way to express the confusion and desire that had been consuming him. It was as if all the questions, all the doubts, faded into the background, leaving only the sweet touch of Okarun's lips against his.
Okarun responded immediately, his hands grasping at the fabric of Jiji's shirt, pulling him closer.
Jiji's hands found their way to Okarun's face, cradling it gently as he deepened the kiss. He could feel Okarun's breath hitch.
The world around them faded away, reduced to a fuzzy blur of sensations. All that mattered was the taste of Okarun's lips, the heat of his skin, and the way his fingers clutched at his shirt desperately.
As their lips parted, only for a moment, they remained pressed against each other, their foreheads touching, their breaths mingling.
Jiji couldn't help but notice the flush still present on Okarun's cheeks.
It was fainter now, but still there, a soft pink hue staining his skin.
Jiji reached up, gently brushing his fingertips against the heated flesh.
The touch made Okarun shiver. Jiji watched as the pink deepened, fascinated by the reaction.
"You're blushing again," he murmured, his voice slightly hoarse.
Watching Okarun's features shift, noticing the way his lips parted slightly, Jiji realized with a jolt that he was the one causing this reaction.
The vivid image of the flush spreading down beyond Okarun's face, cascading down his neck and pooling upon his chest, filled Jiji's mind.
The image was vivid and jarring, causing Jiji to freeze in place. What-
"Jiji..."
Okarun's voice was a soft whisper, filled with a myriad of emotions that mirrored Jiji's own.
He couldn't find the words to respond, his mind and heart still reeling from the intensity of the kiss and his own thoughts.
So, he did the only thing he could think of in that moment - He kissed Okarun again, pouring all the unsaid words into that single gesture.
As they kissed, all he could think of was Okarun, the feel of Okarun's lips, the taste of his tongue, and the pounding of his own heart.
It really was strawberry.
When they finally pulled apart, both were panting slightly, their breaths ragged.
"That was..."
Jiji began, his voice hoarse.
"Yeah," Okarun agreed, his eyes sparkling with a mixture of disbelief and elation.
They were still wrapped in each other's arms, the reality of the situation sinking in.
Then, without warning, Okarun began laughing, the sound catching Jiji off guard.
He followed suit, the tension of the moment dissolving into fits of laughter that were filled with both relief and residual excitement.
As their laughter subsided, they were left standing there, still intertwined, their faces flushed and their lips tingling from the intensity of their kiss.
"So, what now?" Jiji asked, his voice soft in the aftermath.
Okarun shrugged, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"I don't know. But I'm..." he paused, searching for the right words, "...I'm just happy."
Jiji's heart swelled with affection, his own smile widening.
"Me too."