Every child in an orphanage shares a common fantasy—what it would be like to be born into an ordinary, happy family.
Tetsuya and Ai were no exception.
Even though they had each other to rely on, they had still spoken of this topic on countless sleepless nights.
"To not worry about being abandoned, to no longer feel lonely, to not have to fret over tomorrow's food... To simply, happily, and peacefully enjoy each ordinary, warm day..."
Tetsuya said as he stroked Ai's hair.
"That's the kind of future we hoped for, isn't it?"
"The future..."
Memories from seven years ago flooded Ai's mind, causing her once-impatient movements to come to a halt.
Noticing this change, Tetsuya continued:
"Think about it, Ai. If we really gave up everything, even if we ended up together as you wish, how would we face each other?"
"Wouldn't you feel guilty towards me? And wouldn't I come to resent you?"
"Are there not other... better choices for us?"
Tetsuya pressed his cheek against Ai's hair.
"Don't do anything foolish, Ai. The only reason we struggled so hard to survive was so we could find happiness, right? So, just calm down a little, okay?"
"..."
Ai fell into silence.
Because of the excellent soundproofing, the recording studio was so quiet that the only sounds were the rustle of clothes and their own heartbeats.
And the gentle embrace that held her body so tightly was just as comforting as the nights they had spent at the orphanage seven years ago.
Of course, she hadn't forgotten their dream, nor had she forgotten how desirable the future they had painted back then was.
But by the same token, she also hadn't forgotten why she had chosen to be so completely open with Tetsuya today—
"...That's not right, Tetsu."
Before Tetsuya could process it, Ai's hands suddenly tightened their grip, pressing him firmly against the wall. Then, before he could react, Ai pressed her body against his again.
"Seven years ago, the future we dreamed of was indeed the same... but what about now?"
She tilted her head up, and while looking at his stunned expression, she whispered in his ear with a voice full of anxiety and confusion:
"You became a fashion designer as you wished, you have a happy family that you're satisfied with, you have a junior you can trust... but what about me? My happiness and my wish haven't changed at all in these seven years! As long as I can be with Tetsu, as long as I have only Tetsu, that is my only happiness, and my only wish! If I just let you go like this, how can I guarantee my happiness? If you're really stolen away by Chihaya Anon and Togawa Sakiko, what am I supposed to do?!"
Tetsuya quickly retorted:
"I already told you... my relationship with them isn't like that, and they don't have those kinds of feelings for me—"
"That's just what you think! Have you asked them their true feelings? Can you really be one hundred percent certain they have no improper thoughts about you?!"
As Ai spoke, she placed a hand directly on his inner thigh.
"Or can you, who doesn't even know what like and love are, promise me right here that you will choose me in the future and be with me forever?"
"I..."
Tetsuya's mouth opened, but no sound would come out.
Even though a simple "yes" would make Ai let him go immediately, he just couldn't bring himself to make that promise.
"I... can't..."
Tetsuya said, his voice strained.
"I promised you, between the two of us... there would be absolutely no lies."
"Mhm, I knew it."
A complex smile, mixed with loneliness and relief, appeared on Ai's face.
"After all, Tetsu has always hated lies the most. A promise that even a child wouldn't make so easily is something you could never bring yourself to say... But, I'm no longer the little girl from seven years ago who could only be taken care of by you. In order to ensure I have you, even if it means sacrificing both of our possibilities, I must leave a 'guarantee' that you can't escape from."
"Wait... Ai..."
Feeling the sensation crawling up to a dangerous area, Tetsuya's breathing quickened.
Although he didn't understand love, he still had the most basic biological knowledge. He knew very well what Ai's "guarantee" referred to.
"Even if you don't do this... I won't disappear from your life again! So don't be in a hurry, just give me a little more time. There must be a better way—"
"Are you asking me to just watch as you get into bed with another girl next time, and then miraculously have nothing happen again?"
Ai pressed her lips to Tetsuya's ear and said:
"Don't be a fool. Just like me, they won't always be little girls who you take care of... One day, they will also be driven by their own desires and do the same things as me. Rather than letting them get to you first, you might as well leave everything to me..."
"Don't worry, Tetsu. Even after we run away together, we can still find a way to pursue happiness... What do you think about going abroad? I know, you know. Chihaya Anon posted a picture of your bookshelf on SNS. You've studied foreign languages, haven't you? With your talent and skill, you could definitely continue to be active as a designer even in a foreign country. And I could continue my activities as a video blogger or a virtual streamer..."
"So... stop resisting, Tetsu. Just leave everything to me..."
The fragrance from Ai's body and her bewitching voice brought Tetsuya's thoughts to a standstill. Even more fatally, he distinctly felt a paralyzing tingle that made his entire body go weak, originating from his ear along with a soft, smooth, and moist sensation—
"I know, you know. Your ears are your weak spot, right? I blew on your ear once before at the orphanage, and your face turned completely red..."
With an infatuated giggle, Ai continued to lick Tetsuya's ear.
"You don't have to worry about anything now. Just leave it all to me. For this day, I've already studied all the useful knowledge I could find on the internet."
The next second, in the instant before Tetsuya's crumbling defenses were on the verge of collapse, just a moment before the slowly ascending hand was about to reach its final destination, a series of knocks, loud enough to make time stand still, suddenly came from the door—
Knock, knock, knock!
Before the red line of no return could be crossed, someone had finally sounded the first warning bell on this dangerous and sweet night.
(T/N: Tsk.)