Let's Take Things Slow

The next morning…

Once we packed everything up, we headed out of the onsen area to continue onward with our journey, uncertain about what the future have in store.

“…”

“…”

Both of us are holding each other’s hands as we walk side-by-side, quietly walking along as our feet make heavy thumps on the concrete ground.

“…”

“…”

Why the hell is it so awkward now?!

Is this the side-effect of a relationship change?!

Hell, it’s hard for me to even look at her face!

“…”

“…”

Goddammit, I need to say something!

“…”

“…Hnghh…” Alice looks away.

“Why are you looking away from me?!” My neck flicks towards her.

“I can’t help it!” Alice looks back, her face completely red. “It’s really… embarrassing…” Her voice trails off, her gaze facing downward.

“I-I’m also embarrassed, okay?!” I put some strength into my hand, gripping Alice’s hand tightly.

“Well… It’s my first time dating someone…” Alice trails off, scratching her cheek. “So… I don’t really know what I should do…

“…It’s also my first time, you know?” I look towards the ground, curling my hair with my left hand.

“T-That so?” Alice placed her right hand in front of her mouth. “Hehehehe…”

“Why would you laugh like that?!” I blurted.

“I’m too happy, okay?! It can’t be helped!” Alice looks away again, her ears are completely red.

“Why are you so freaking cute?!” I put my arms around Alice’s waist, hugging her from the side.

“Y-Yuiko!”

“Hehehe!”

I’m so happy…

When was the last time I felt this fulfilled?

It feels like even if the world were to end, I wouldn’t even mind it at all…

So, this is what it’s like to have a romantic partner, huh…

I hear a lot of stories from my “friends” that it’s either having great nights or constant arguments with one another.

But neither of them mentioned that it could feel this fulfilling!

‘Use that brain of yours to figure out why you want to have sex outside of staying alive.’

“…”

“…Yuiko?” Alice’s left hand stretches towards my face.

Only for it to be stopped midway.

“…”

“…!”

However, she continues to stretch it, eventually touching my face.

“…”

“Why did you go quiet? Are you okay?” Alice asks, a worried look dawns on her expression.

“…I know it’s a bit awkward to say this now, but is it okay if I say something that happened back at the village?” I ask, looking up towards Alice.

“Sure… what is it…?” Alice asks.

“Well…” I ungrasp my grip from Alice, looking straight towards her, “I… tried sleeping with Yuusuke…”

“…Huh?” Alice’s color quickly drains, her jaw wide open.

“We didn’t do it by the way!” I quickly raised my hands, waving them side to side. “My phobia got the best of me, so I ended up rejecting him…”

“Ahhh… I see…” Alice’s shoulder slumped, an exhausted relief painted her expression, “I would’ve been pretty depressed if you did it with him…”

“…” My face heats up.

“Did he hurt you, though?” Alice closes in on me, touching all over my body to make sure.

“He didn’t do anything, so don’t worry about me…” I said, waving my hand around.

“Then… is there something else you want to say about it?” Alice tilts her head.

“…Yeah…” I lightly nod, then I look straight towards Alice, “He asked me why I’m desperate to lose my virginity…”

“…”

“But right now…” My voice trails off for a brief moment. “I’m not interested in losing it anymore…”

“…”

“Of course, I want to do it with you eventually!” I puff my chest as I get close to Alice. “It’s just that… I don’t want the same mess to happen again…” I look away from Alice, fixing my glasses and toying my hair.

“Yuiko…” Alice suddenly grasped onto my hand, prompting me to look in her direction, “The truth is that… I… really wanted to do it with you last night…”

“…”

“It honestly made me really annoyed that I couldn’t hug you, or touch you, or even kiss you that much!” Alice passionately looks towards me, feeling my body engulfed in her fiery gaze.

“…”

“But… what I want the most is to protect you no matter what…” Alice brought our hands upwards, “That’s why, I think it’s important to take things slow for now…”

“…”

“Of course, if you think you’re prepared, we can immediately do it, but I want both of us to feel good when doing it…” Alice adds.

“…If that’s the case…” I pulled my hands away from Alice, placing my right hand below her chin.

“…Eh?” Alice looks at me dumbfoundedly.

“I also want to do it as soon as possible…” My face closes in towards Alice’s, to the point that we could feel our breaths, “That’s why… I will slowly get over my fear…”

“…Haah… haah…” Alice nods, her face growing redder.

“We know that I can handle a kiss, so…” I close my eyes, slowly closing in on Alice.

“Mhnn…”

Until our lips come into contact.

The kiss isn’t anything intense.

It’s nothing more than a quick peck.

Yet for some reason, my heart beat can’t seem to slow down.

“Haahh… haah…”

“Haah… haah…”

I slowly open my eyes, where I’m greeted with Alice’s face that is flushed beyond belief, her expression looking like someone who is drowning in pure ecstasy.

Her breath intertwines with mine, with each breath that it produces sending my head into overdrive.

Yet despite that, there’s still a chain that tightens in my chest the moment a single thought crosses my mind that we might be going further.

Preventing me from taking that final step…

“Crap… It’s really hard to keep hold of myself…” Alice says, breaking the silence.

“…Yeah… It’s hard for me too…” I reply, taking a step back with my body trembling.

“…Seems like you’re not ready yet…” Alice replied, looking up and down my exterior.

“I’m sorry…” I meekly reply, lowering my head.

“Nah… this makes things more exciting…” Alice takes a few steps ahead, her gaze looking straight forward.

“…Alice?”

“Now I know that the moment we do it, it’ll be an incredible experience!” Alice exclaims, a wide smile plastered on her face.

“…You pervert…” I smirk.

“I don’t want to hear that from you!” Alice pokes her tongue out.

“Hehehe…”

I take a few steps forward, keeping up with Alice’s back.

“We still have a long way to go, so prepare yourself!” Alice shouts out, stretching her left hand towards me.

“Yeah!” I clasp onto it with my right.

Walking side-by-side towards our uncertain destination.

…

….

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