Rei's footsteps echoed in the stillness of the early morning as he walked home. Snow crunched beneath his feet, each step stirring up tiny clouds of cold air. The streets were empty, save for the occasional flurry drifting down from the sky. It felt almost surreal, like the world was holding its breath in the quiet of the morning.
Rei couldn't shake the feeling of uncertainty swirling in his chest. He was replaying everything from last night—Sera's confession, the warmth of her words, and the way everything had felt so perfect in that moment.
But now what? he thought. He felt a rush of joy remembering Sera's confession, but doubt crept in right after.
"If I confess or do something… the warmth of the moment will go away, won't it?"
he thought, frowning slightly as he kicked a small patch of snow. The words from last night echoed in his head—those lingering doubts, the hesitation.
The quietness of the world around him contrasted with the chaos inside his mind, but Rei kept walking, lost in his thoughts.
---
On the other side, Sera stretched lazily in her bed, a grin tugging at her lips as she thought back to the night before. She had knowingly slept on Rei's thighs. The memory made her smile, and she couldn't help but laugh softly.
"His thighs must've ascended to another realm..." she murmured to herself, shaking her head with a quiet chuckle.
She was fully aware of how she'd spent the night on his lap, how warm and comfortable it had been. It wasn't like she accidentally dozed off—no, she'd chosen to rest there, and the comfort of it all had felt so right. She had no shame in it, and it kind of amused her to think about how he might have felt.
The thought made her grin even more. "Rei's probably dying on the inside, isn't he?" she mused, rolling over to stare at the ceiling.
The day passed quietly. The sun slept and now the moon was out to keep an eye on the world…
That night, Sera and Rei both slept with the joy of the confession still warm in their hearts.
Morning came. Sera woke up and got ready for school.
---
She stepped out of the house, the cold breeze stinging her skin. "It's cold," she muttered.
Suddenly, a familiar whisper came from behind her.
"Want me to hug you?"
Sera whipped around, startled. "Rei!?"
Rei was standing right beside her main door, casually leaning, like he'd been there for a while.
"Uh, I didn't know I was that scary-looking that you got scared just by looking at me," he said, scratching the back of his head.
Sera took a breath, calming herself. "Anyone would get scared if out of nowhere someone pops up and says, 'Want me to hug you?'"
Rei smirked and stepped a little closer.
"But I'm not anyone... Did you forget we were dating? Or—don't tell me you said that in the heat of the moment?"
Sera's cheeks flushed slightly. She looked away and mumbled, "Nah… I didn't."
Rei grinned. "Then I've got every right to hug you," he said, gently pulling her into a warm embrace.
Sera, caught in his arms, felt her heart racing. Her face turned a deep shade of red, while Rei somehow played it cool. The familiar scent of mint from his uniform filled the air.
"You eat peppermint a lot, don't you?" she murmured.
"Heh, habits," Rei said with a quiet chuckle.
"And you, Sera… you always smell like fresh roses," he added softly, leaning in just a little too close.
Sera's eyes widened. Her heart skipped a beat. But before she could react, she scooped up a snowball and tossed it at him.
"You really move at a speed, don't you?" she teased with a playful grin.
Rei ducked, laughing as the snowball hit the ground beside him. "Sorry," he chuckled. "Guess I got caught off guard."
Sera smiled softly. Despite the chill in the air, there was something about this moment that felt… perfect.
---
To be continued
-~Rei