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“……Minamoto Teru.”Aoi Akane tried to call out Teru's name calmly.
Teru’s hand paused; the red camellia slipped from his grasp and fell onto the tea table, a few petals scattering onto the tatami mat. He sighed regretfully.“This one’s no good now. What a pity—I was planning to use it as Lateral branch.”
“Teru!”
“What’s wrong, Aoi? Are you cold?”
Aoi shook his head stiffly.
“Then are your legs numb? Feel unwell?”
“No.”
“Then what is it…?”Minamoto Teru—whether he genuinely didn’t understand or was deliberately teasing Aoi—stared at his in puzzlement from across the four-mat distance.
“Untie me,”Aoi said dryly.
“A deal is a deal, Aoi. It’s not time yet.”
Aoi shouldn’t have agreed to Teru’s so-called“experiment”in the first place, though he realized this too late now.
Teru was the one to blame. Despite his attempts at restraint, he made no effort to hide enthusiasm for“tying Aoi up.”Aoi had tried every possible method to correct him. A docile, obedient demeanor did nothing to help; Teru admitted outright that tying him up wasn’t about making him obey, and Aoi’s pride wouldn’t allow him to remain submissive indefinitely. Resistance only served to further pique Teru's interest—once Aoi accidentally managed to break free from the bracelet's restraints, the outcome was nothing short of disastrous. For half a month, Aoi was forced to wear long-sleeved shirts just like Teru, and even couldn't roll up his sleeves. Aoi had also considered scientific approaches; he bought a book on psychoanalysis but managed to get only halfway through it before Minamoto Teru’s remark—“Freud’s theories have long been outdated in academic circles; you should at least keep up with current trends, Aoi”. His words infuriated Aoi so much that he used the book to prop up a table leg.
This guy’s kinks were truly awful, and he didn’t seem to have a clue about it himself. After one lovemaking session, Aoi rubbed the bruise on his arms and complained angrily,“When are you ever going to kick this nasty habit? If you like tying things up so much, why don’t you go wrap Sasa dango to get your fix?”
Minamoto Teru rubbed against his back, looking all pouty and said,““But I don’t like tying up other things. Besides, I don’t do this that often, do I?”
“How could you have the nerve to say that! Seven times out of ten, you use those crappy beads to tie me up. Why can't normal sex satisfy you?”
“How rude. Those are carnelian and amber beads—every single one is top-quality. Aoi, your vision is miserably poor.”
“You missing the point entirely!”
“Hmm…As long as Aoi just stays tied up obediently, my mood will improve. The pressure from next quarter’s business plans and cash flow settlements will ease up quite a bit.”
Teru was playing dumb again. Aoi ruffled his blonde hair in annoyance:“Stop trying to fool me with that line of reasoning. I’m not a kid. If you really wanted to get those things done, you could finish them in less than a day. Why not face reality? You’re just a pervert with weird kinks!”
Minamoto Teru fell silent for a moment, resting his forehead against Aoi's back. Just as Aoi began to wonder if he’d been too harsh, Teru rested chin on his shoulder and whispered,“Well…maybe. I really do like the way you struggle to break free but can’t. Pretty cute.”
Aoi pushed Teru away in a huff, flinging a pillow at his face.“I knew it! You’re such a control freak!”
“Hey, don’t be mad. You were having fun too, Aoi. weren’t you?”
“What? I wasn’t—”He lunged at Teru in a fit of anger, grabbing his collar.“When did I ever say I was having fun? I kept telling you to stop!”
Teru said with a earnest expression,“But you were clearly incredibly excited, clinging to me passionately. And your whole body was so responsive—the slightest touch would make you—”
“STOP talking! Don’t you have any sense of shame!”Flushed red, Aoi covered Teru’s mouth with his hands.
Aoi Akane considered himself the type who was honest about desires; he wasn’t exactly inhibited during sex, and even when Teru teased him with words, he didn’t mind. Pretending to be reserved was pointless—pleasure was pleasure, and no matter how much he tried to hide it, his body’s reactions were the most honest.
But at other times, he had absolutely no resistance to this kind of talk. He thought it must be because his relationship with Teru was more than just partners. When Teru said things like that in other scenes, it always gave Aoi a surreal sense of role reversal, and the shame felt particularly intense.
“Your ears are all red, Aoi. And I haven’t even done anything yet.”Minamoto Teru reached out and gently traced the outline of his ear.
“It’s your fault for saying things like that. Your mouth is absolutely terrible.”Aoi said, pinching Teru’s cheek in a huff.
“What an inconsistent man. You clearly loved my mouth just a moment ago—didn’t I make you feel good?”
“Hey! Why are you still—”
The argument fizzled out. Teru carried on as usual, and Aoi couldn’t stop him. The real trigger for today’s events was something else entirely.
Aoi still kept the hairstyle he’d had since school days, visiting the barber twice a quarter. But for some reason, this summer had been particularly busy; orders came one after another, and neither of them had a moment to catch their breath during the Obon holiday. Once they finally had some free time, Teru closed the office without a second thought and took Aoi on a trip to Nagano for over half a month. Upon returning to Tokyo, Aoi looked in the mirror and saw that his hair had grown all the way to shoulders.
“Why didn’t you remind me to get a haircut?”He grumbled softly.
“Long hair looks pretty good on you, doesn’t it? It really suits you. Don’t cut it.”Minamoto Teru played with the ends of Aoi's hair enthusiastically, like a cat toying with a ball of yarn.
Aoi snatched his hair back from Teru's hands and frowned.“Stop joking around. What will the customers think when they see me like this?”
“They won’t think anything. You dress and carry yourself so professionally; you come across as very reliable. Take Mr. Saburo Sato over in Akihabara—he’s covered in tattoos and has piercings all over, but it doesn’t affect his business.”
“Anyway…just no.”
“Give it a try, Aoi.”Minamoto Teru placed his hand on Aoi’s shoulder and looked at him in the mirror with an expectant expression.“Just do it for me—is that too much to ask?”
And so, as if by some mysterious force, Aoi really did grow his hair long. Every time he combed it, Aoi Akane couldn’t help but wonder if Minamoto Teru had secretly cast some kind of spell on him, making it impossible for him to resist Teru's will. The figure in the mirror was indistinguishable from the high school student who was half the supernatural, except that Aoi's features had matured, and his expression held less weariness and restraint.
Soon after, Teru went on a business trip to Kyoto and brought back two gifts for Aoi when he returned.
The first gift was a pair of white gloves made of silk. Aoi held them up to weigh; they were quite light and thin, with a smooth texture. Such gloves were clearly not meant to keep out the cold, and if used for flipping through ancient books or handling antiques, they seemed more for show than practical use.
“These gloves are far too delicate—they’re purely decorative. I have no use for something like this.”He looked at Teru, puzzled.
Minamoto Teru neither confirmed nor denied it, merely saying,“Take this—It’s for you, too.”He handed Aoi a small wooden box.
Aoi shrugged and opened the box. A small tortoiseshell trinket was nestled on black velvet cushion, crafted with remarkable finesse. He didn’t know what it was for, but the shape looked familiar.
“……A brooch?”
“It’s a hair clap,”Teru corrected.“I saw it in the window of a vintage shop. It would suit you perfectly.”
“Only girls wear stuff like that. I don’t need it. Give it to Tiara chan.”
“Aoi, you really don’t understand girls. Tiara would never wear something so mature. I bought her a seasonal hydrangea hairpin and mailed it home before coming back. Don’t you like it? I remember you used to wear similar accessories.”
“That was something I came with after turning into a supernatural—you think I actually wanted it?”Aoi shuddered as the realization hit him.“Hey, are you trying to dress me up like the Clock Guardian? That’s way too creepy!”
“No, I just thought these two items would suit you well. If you don’t like them, Aoi, it’s fine not to use them—but you’re not allowed to give them to anyone else, okay?”
Teru rarely bought things for himself, but he did love giving Aoi gifts, regardless of whether he’d actually use them. Knitted tote shaped like garden eel, tea pot figurine shaped like a raccoon(yes, just a figurine), and handmade ceramic owls were all considered normal. Last year, Aoi Akane had grown so tired of trying to organize all the things that he simply bought a large cabinet dedicated solely to storing the random odds Teru had given him.
Aoi carried the two boxes into the bedroom, opened the cabinet door, thought for a moment, then closed it again.
“Does seeing me dressed like this turn you on? Tell me the truth—I won’t get mad.”He held out the two items and asked Teru.
Teru closed his book, thought for a moment, and said,“A little, I suppose. It brings back memories.”
“I’m afraid what you’re nostalgic for isn’t just the me from back then, is it?”Aoi placed his hand on Teru’s wrist, gently fingering the red beads.
“Is that an invitation, Aoi? That’s pretty bold of you.”Teru rested his chin in his hand, a half-smile playing on his lips.
“No, don’t get the wrong idea.”Aoi stood up.“I just want to figure out exactly what turns you on.”
“Then let’s conduct an experiment.”Teru reluctantly grabbed his arm, pulling him closer.
“As if it could be a proper experiment.”Aoi grudgingly let Teru wrap his arms around his waist.
“Akane, just let me tie you up for two hours. I promise I won’t touch you. What do you think?”
Aoi immediately objected,“That’s an unequal contract. If you really wanted to do something to me, I wouldn’t be able to resist.”
“I wouldn’t do that.”Teru held his hand and said solemnly,“I promise that while you’re tied up, I won’t have any direct physical contact with you. Is it fair enough?”
“What’s the point of this experiment?”
“Think of it as desensitization treatment. Aoi, to be honest, I don’t think I can completely give up my interest in tying you up, but maybe I can control it a little. Not touching you is a good starting point, isn’t it?”
Aoi Akane opened his palm, letting Teru hold his hand as he gently brushed his fingertips against the center of Aoi's palm. After a long silence, Aoi said,“Where do you plan to conduct this experiment? In the bedroom?”
If it were in the bedroom, there was a high probability that things would eventually escalate into sex.
“No, let’s go to the tea room. There’s enough space there.”
“Are you sure you need two hours?”
“Yeah, it wouldn’t make sense if it were too short. I won’t choose uncomfortable position to tie you up. If you really feel like your body can’t take it, just tell me, and I’ll untie you.”
“Whatever you say, you capricious brat.”Aoi muttered under his breath.
Teru spent three days preparing. He went to a BDSM shop specifically to pick out hemp rope, then carefully treated it at home. Aoi was a little surprised; he’d assumed Teru would definitely use bracelet to tie him up.
“It’s going to take a while, so specialized rope is better—it’ll be more comfortable for you,”Teru explained as he applied wax oil to the rope.
Why weren’t you this gentle back in high school? Aoi silently complained.
“Oh, I forgot to ask you—would you mind wearing a kimono?”Teru suddenly asked Aoi.
“A kimono?”That was a bit unexpected. Aoi hadn’t realized Teru had specific preferences regarding his attire.
“Yeah. If you wear a shirt and pants, they’ll get wrinkled after being tied up for a long time, and those wrinkles are a pain to iron out.”
“Silk shouldn’t be any different, right? We still have to iron it anyway.”
“It’s still better than cotton clothes. Besides, Aoi, think about it—a kimono should be a bit looser, shouldn’t it?”
Aoi recalled how it felt to be tied up in school uniform before and had to agree:“Kimono is fine.”
As always, Teru helped Aoi put on the kimono. Having worn kimonos since childhood, Teru was quite skilled at everything from tying the obi to adjusting the fit, and he had an excellent eye for selecting and coordinating outfits. Every kimono, haori, obi, and even the Haori cord and Shingen-bukuro in Aoi’s wardrobe had been chosen by Teru—if it weren’t for being with Teru, Aoi felt he would never have worn a kimono at all; he had little interest in traditional things.
Today’s outfit had also been put together by Teru:a pale apricot-colored inner kimono paired with a red-based gentian-patterned haori, which the two had bought while they strolled through Nippori a few years ago.
Was Teru dressing him according to his own tastes?
The sensation of restraint around Aoi's waist grew stronger. Teru asked,“How does it feel, Is it too tight?”
“What does it matter if it’s tight? I'm going to be tied up anyway.”
“Aoi.”
“…It’s fine. Just leave it like this.”
After draping the haori over him, Teru said,“Don’t move yet, Aoi. Your hair isn’t tied properly.”
The braid was undone. Teru held the hair tie between his teeth, one hand gripping Aoi’s hair while the other gently combed through the strands with a comb, then carefully tied it into a braid. Once the braid was secured, Aoi felt Teru slip something into the hair tie.
“Aoi, you never really comb your hair properly. The ends are all tangled up,”Teru scolded him.
“I’ve never had the time for that. You, on the other hand, are pretty good at combing people’s hair. Have you combed Tiara’s hair before?”
“Yeah. But I’m not that skilled—I can only do simple braids. Unlike Kou, who can do those complicated hairstyles from magazines for her.”
Aoi pictured Kou kun following a magazine to style his little sister’s hair and couldn’t help but laugh out loud. After stifling his laughter, he held out his hand to Teru:“Take it out, President.”
“Huh? What do you want?”
“What else could it be but the gloves? Didn’t you just pin that hair clip to my hair a moment ago?”
Teru paused for a moment, then handed him the gloves with a faint smile. Aoi took them and put them on; they were slightly big, with a tiny gap between his fingertips and the fabric.
“They’re too big. This size would fit you better,”Aoi said critically.
“Just make do with them. This is the only pair left.”
The tea room opened onto the garden, but the surrounding walls were extremely high, so there was no risk of being seen. Teru deftly tossed the rope onto the roof beam, then turned to Aoi Akane and asked,“Is this spot okay?”
“It doesn’t matter. Anywhere is fine.”
“Alright, then.”
Teru tugged on Aoi's sleeve, guiding him over to the hanging rope, then said,“Get down on your knees, Aoi.”
“What?”Aoi thought he’d misheard him.
“Huh? Kneeling is actually the most comfortable position, relatively speaking. Do you want to be suspended, Aoi? I could tie you up that way, but at your age, your ligaments probably wouldn’t hold up.””
“Stop, stop, stop. I’ll just kneel then.”Aoi said as he bent down. The moment his knees touched the tatami, he couldn’t help but recall the old high school days. Back then, Teru had to use the blade and bracelet just to force him to kneel; now, he’d willingly kneel at Teru’s feet on his own.
How the world changes.
Teru knelt beside him, gently adjusting Aoi's posture by pulling on his shoulders and waist:“Such an one-tracked mind, Aoi. Your posture is too stiff; you won’t be able to handle it for long.”
“No one could handle being tied up for two hours, President.”
“Stop whining. You were tied up for even longer back in high school.”
“...Don’t remind me of that.”Aoi pressed his lips together, letting Teru guide his hands behind his back.
The rope wasn’t as easy to handle as bracelet. Teru tied him up with great patience, tying the knots slowly and methodically. The restraints didn’t deliberately stimulate any sensitive areas—Aoi knew there were specific tying techniques designed to arouse desire, but the way Teru tied him up felt more like a simple restriction of movement.
It wasn’t hard to understand. If Teru'd wanted to leave him frustrated, Teru could easily have slipped a sex toy onto him before dressing him; they’d tried that before. But Teru hadn’t done anything; he was really just tying Aoi up with the utmost care.
After tying the final knot, Teru asked,“How does it feel?”
“It’s fine, not too tight.”
“Of course. I didn’t choose a style that’s very restrictive.”
“Should I thank you for that?”
“You’re welcome, Aoi.”Teru stood up and unlocked his phone.“I set an alarm. Of course, if you’re uncomfortable, you can call it off anytime—we agreed on that earlier.”
Then Aoi watched as Teru walked out into the garden. For a moment, Aoi felt like he’d been played for a fool; Teru might actually have planned to leave him out here for a full two hours. But a few minutes later, Teru returned, holding a bunch of flowers and branches.
So he was planning to arrange flowers, quite reasonable.
“Aoi, you really should see the look on your face—you look as pitiful as an abandoned puppy. What did you think I was going to do?”Teru said with a mischievous smile.
Fuming with embarrassment, Aoi snapped back,“What kind of analogy is that! Besides, how was I supposed to know what you were going to do?”
“Don’t be so boring. A decline in imagination is a sign of aging.”
“Shut up. You’re a whole year older than me.”
Teru actually stopped talking and focused solely on arranging the flowers. The sound of the scissors snipping and snipping echoed distinctly in the silent tea room.
Once the initial flutter of excitement had passed, Aoi began to feel a bit bored. Teru truly treated him like nothing more than a piece of decoration; he barely glanced his way. As for himself, he could only remain motionless, his hands bound behind his back, just like a criminal awaiting execution.
Huh…?
Wasn’t this scene a carbon copy of The Trial? Only now, he and Teru had switched places.
Could it be that Teru was doing this out of revenge? Aoi looked at Teru in disbelief, but the blonde kept his head down, focused on trimming the stems, completely oblivious to Aoi's bewildered gaze.
No, that couldn’t be it. It wasn’t that Teru was particularly magnanimous; based on Aoi’s years of knowing him, Teru was the type to settle scores immediately, never letting a grudge linger overnight. Suddenly dredging up old grievances after all these years simply wasn’t his style.
After finishing trimming the flowers and brunches, Teru put down his shears and asked,“Are you thirsty, Aoi? Want some water?”
Aoi swallowed hard and nodded silently.
Teru brought the tray over to Aoi, knelt down, and poured a cup of tea. He raised the cup to Aoi’s lips and said,“Drink up.”
Even though Teru was careful with the cup’s position, some tea still trickled down the corner of Aoi’s mouth. Teru glanced at the stain, hesitated for a moment, then picked up the tray and started to stand.
Aoi called out to him in exasperation,“Hey, aren’t you even going to help me wipe it off?”
“According to our agreement, I’m not supposed to touch you, am I?”
“Don’t be silly. Tea stains clothes. Hurry up!”
“It’s no big deal.”With that, Teru pulled a handkerchief from his kimono sleeve. He first wiped the corner of Aoi’s mouth, then followed the trail of liquid down to his neck. A few seconds later, he withdrew the handkerchief and said,“There. All done.”
“...Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“How long has it been since we started?”
“Thirty-two minutes. What, can’t you take it anymore?”
“No.”
“Are you okay, Aoi?”
“What do you think?”
“You look a little anxious.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’m just tied up by some jerk and can’t move—that’s all.”Aoi replied irritably.
“You seem to be in good spirits.”Teru stood up.“If you can’t take it anymore, just call out to me.”
Teru returned to the tea table and resumed the work he’d set aside earlier. He selected a wide-mouthed, narrow-bodied vase in a pale blue-green hue. Aoi examined the floral materials and guessed that Teru would be arranging Rikka today. Teru had taught him the basics of flower arranging step by step and even taken him to lectures by ikebana masters. But Aoi was so-called"too fixated on the rules", and his arrangements were always criticized by Teru for being rigid.
Of course, I’m not like you. He watched as Teru picked up a branch of lespedeza and casually stuck it into the kenzan.
What’s this? It’s so unfair. He was the one tied up, unable to move a muscle, forced to focus all his attention on Teru. And Teru? He didn’t even glance his way. It was better back in high school—at least the president never missed a chance to banter with him.
…Could it be that I actually want him to look at me?
Realizing this, Aoi’s face flushed, and he instinctively shut his eyes tight. He’d never thought there was anything wrong with his kinks; he was merely swallowing his pride to satisfy Teru’s capricious demands. Yet now, separated by four tatami mats, he found himself yearning from the bottom of his heart for Teru’s gaze, hoping those icy-blue, rarely wavering eyes would rest upon him.
…Perhaps it wasn’t just Teru's gaze; even his body was waiting to be touched by those slightly cool, rough hands. Teru always managed to find the cracks in him, then seize the moment to strike at his vulnerabilities—it was a hunter’s instinct.
His knees ached a little. Aoi Akane leaned back slightly, shifting his weight backward—Teru had specifically told him this would make it more comfortable. His calves felt a bit sore, but it was bearable. Even through two layers of fabric, the ropes would surely leave marks, wouldn’t they? For the next few days, the traces of bondage would remain on his body, telling the truth about exactly how he had been treated.
Other than that, Aoi got nothing. Teru always kept his word; since he’d promised, he certainly wouldn’t do anything to Aoi while he was bound. Even if Aoi were to beg him now, Teru couldn’t possibly grant his request—rules were rules. Aoi felt a burning sensation in lower abdomen, and an intense sense of emptiness flooded his mouth and nose like water. This unfamiliar sensation filled him with fear. It had never been like this before—even though he’d been tortured with toys front and back, he’d always gritted his teeth and refused to beg for mercy; to him, it had been nothing more than a tolerable form of stimulation.
That day, Aoi had climaxed until his lower abdomen ached, yet he still had the strength to mock Teru for underestimating him. But now…
What was Teru waiting for? What was he playing at?
Aoi Akane opened his eyes, his gaze unfocused. His vision was blurry from having kept his eyes shut for so long. Teru’s gaze was still not on him; the arrangement of flowers before him was now taking shape.
“...Teru.”He had never found it so difficult to call the other man’s name.“Untie me.”
“It’s not time yet.””Teru placed the camellia branch on the tray.“Can’t you really hold on a little longer, Aoi?”
“You promised me I could stop it.”Aoi accused him weakly.
“But you said yourself you weren’t feeling any discomfort.”Teru stood up, walked over to Aoi, and leaned down to look at him.“If your body is suffering, don’t push yourself.”
“……You.”Aoi muttered.
“What?”Teru knelt down in front of him.
“Let me…touch you. Now.”Aoi was startled by his own words; his voice had taken on a trembling edge.
Teru paused, then sighed helplessly.“Aoi, this isn’t what we agreed on.”
Aoi shouted in despair,“I don’t care about any of that! You don’t care either, do you? This wasn’t an experiment from the start—you just tied me up and left me here to toy with me, just like before! I must have been completely stupid to agree to do this with you. You’re just—”
Teru covered Aoi's mouth and said calmly,“Calm down a little, Aoi. You’re getting too worked up.”
Aoi stared at Teru through his glasses for a long moment, tears welling up in his eyes, but in the end, he managed to hold them back.
“Good boy,”Teru said, releasing him.“How about it? Have you calmed down?”
“It’s all your fault,”Aoi grumbled sullenly.“Besides, you touched me just now, didn’t you? You’re the one who broke the rules.”
Teru looked at his hand and smiled as if apologetically.“It seems so.”
“So can you untie me now?”
“Yeah, just give me a moment.”
Teru didn’t untie the knots. He took the pruning shears and moved behind Aoi Akane, deftly slipping the blade into the gap between the ropes.
After a few sharp snaps, the sensation of being bound suddenly eased. Once Aoi could feel his arms again, he grabbed Teru’s sleeve and leaned his entire weight against him.
“...Help me up,”he whispered.
“Don’t rush to stand up yet, Aoi. Let me tend to you first; otherwise, you’ll be in pain tomorrow.”Teru said, removing his gentian-patterned haori.
Aoi collapsed limply onto the floor. He didn’t want to move at all right now, simply letting Teru untie his kimono sash and open his undergarments.
The rope marks weren’t very visible yet; the bruises and swelling wouldn’t surface on his skin for a few hours. Teru opened a small box, dipped a cotton swab in some white ointment, and applied it to Aoi's body.
“What is that? It’s not perfume, is it?”
“Arnica cream. It helps reduce bruising. Don’t worry, I bought the unscented version.”Teru held his hand up to Aoi’s nose for him to smell, then lifted Aoi's arm and applied the cream to his waist and abdomen, gently massaging the skin.
“I thought you’d prefer me to keep these marks.”Aoi tilted his head to look at Teru.
“That’s a tempting suggestion. I admit I did think about it.”Teru said without batting an eye.
Aoi shot him a withering glare.
When Teru reached Aoi's wrist, his movements slowed. Teru gently stroked the small patch of skin between the glove and sleeve.
“…Stop touching me. You didn’t even tie that part up, did you?”
“But you’re really feeling it.”
“Nonsense.”Aoi tilted his head back to look at Teru, whose amused expression made him feel uneasy.
Teru encircled his wrist and said gently,“Your body is trembling. Aoi, can’t you feel it?”
“I…”
“It’s okay. You don’t have to admit it if you don’t want to.”Teru’s fingers slipped inside the glove, gently poking Aoi Akane’s palm.
“You’re going to ruin the glove, President.”
“It’s fine. I’ll buy you a new one later.”
Aoi sighed, wriggled free, sat up, smoothed his collar, and said,“What’s the point of this experiment other than to annoy me?”
“You should just lie down again. I’ll massage your arm a bit; there are quite a few wraps tied there.”
Aoi had no choice but to lie obediently across Teru’s lap.
Teru’s hands kept moving, a pensive look on his face.
“What are you thinking about now?”
“Nothing. I broke the rules, didn’t I? I don’t know how to make it up to Aoi. How about this:as punishment, you can make me do one thing. It can be anything—taking inventory or balancing the books.”He looked straight at Aoi, his expression very serious.
“Then…”
“No need to rush, Aoi. Take your time and think it over before deciding.”
“No. I’ve already decided.”Aoi grabbed his wrist.“There’s something I’ve always wanted to ask you.”
Teru looked at him in confusion.
“That year in Utsunomiya, what exactly did you see? You were acting really strange that night—it was almost as if you’d lost control.”
Teru paused for a moment, then smiled softly.
“I’m serious, you know. Not joking.”Aoi Akane sounded a little annoyed.
“I know you’re serious, Aoi. I just didn’t realize you’d been thinking about it for so long.”
“Of course I have.”
“It’s really nothing,”Teru said casually.“That thing wasn’t all that powerful; it just showed me a world that shouldn’t exist.”
Aoi held Teru’s hand and listened quietly.
“In that world, there are no supernaturals. I’m just the eldest son in an ordinary family. Mom is still alive, and Father is just a nine-to-five office worker who comes home on time every day. Aoi is in that world too—you’re still my vice president. We get along really well…I guess you could call us friends. You still really liked Akane sama, and you’d go on and on about how much you wanted to be with her. And as for me…”
Aoi sat up and gently squeezed his hand.
“In that world, I sincerely wished for you to succeed in confessing your feelings.”Teru’s expression twisted slightly.“It seems to think that’s what I consider a perfect world. It’s utterly ridiculous.”
“...After all, you weren’t the type to be swayed by illusions back even when you were younger.”
“Don’t you understand yet?”Teru’s expression was both gentle and sorrowful.“Only in a world where the supernatural exist can I possibly keep you by my side, Akane. That thing is mocking me—mocking the fact that neither you nor I can find true happiness.”
Aoi was silent for a moment, then reached out to touch Teru’s face and said,“But reality is what matters most, isn’t it?”
Teru didn’t answer; he simply took Aoi's hand and pressed a kiss to the palm.