Chapter 14 – After the Kiss

The sound of the rain was deafening—or maybe it was just her pulse roaring in her ears.

Haru couldn’t move. Couldn’t think. Could only feel the lingering heat on her lips, the ghost of Aya’s mouth against hers, burning like a brand.

Aya’s hands slid from her cheeks, slow and trembling. For a fraction of a second, Haru thought she saw something fragile in those sharp, fearless eyes.

Then Aya spoke, voice low and ragged, each word cracking the world beneath Haru’s feet.

“I tried to ignore it.” A shuddering breath. “I can’t anymore.”

She leaned in just enough for Haru to feel the brush of her breath.

“I want you, Haru.”

Time stopped. Haru’s lungs forgot how to work.

Want me?

The words sank like stones into her chest, heavy and thrilling all at once. Her mind was a storm—fragments of logic and panic and something so much bigger, something that scared her more than anything.

This was Aya. Aya, who teased her, guided her, made her laugh until her cheeks ached. Aya, who had been her anchor since day one. Aya, who had just kissed her like the world was ending.

Her throat closed up around a thousand answers that refused to come out.

“I…” Haru croaked, then swallowed hard. “I can’t—”

Aya’s expression flickered—pain, then calm, then something unreadable as she stepped back, hands falling to her sides.

Rain dripped from her lashes like silver threads.

“Go inside,” she said softly. “You’ll get sick.”

Her voice was gentle, but it felt like a door closing between them.

Haru’s heart twisted painfully. She wanted to speak, to say wait, I’m not rejecting you, I just—

But fear clamped her tongue like iron.

So she ran.

---

Inside the Apartment

The door slid shut with a finality that made Haru flinch. She pressed her back against it, chest heaving.

The apartment was dim and quiet, but her world was anything but. Every corner seemed to hum with Aya’s presence—the faint scent of her citrus shampoo, the echo of her laughter from nights spent watching dumb movies.

Haru stumbled into her room and collapsed onto the futon, her fingers trembling as they brushed against her lips.

Warm. Soft. Fierce.

Her face burned as the memory of that kiss surged again, vivid as lightning.

Aya’s grip on her shoulders. The way her mouth claimed hers without hesitation. The desperate heat, the raw honesty in every motion.

And then—those words.

I want you, Haru.

Her stomach twisted painfully, a cocktail of longing and terror.

What was she supposed to do? She had never—never—felt this way about anyone before, let alone a woman. Let alone her best friend.

Her heart screamed one truth over and over, drowning out the rational voice in her head:

You didn’t hate it. You wanted more.

Haru buried her face in her hands with a strangled groan.

---

Outside – Aya in the Rain

Unseen by Haru, Aya stood at the bottom of the steps, rain soaking through her jacket, her hair plastered to her cheeks.

She tipped her head back, letting the cold bite into her skin, anything to dull the fire in her chest.

Idiot, she thought bitterly. You scared her. You always said you’d never do this—and then you kissed her like some reckless teenager.

But the moment replayed in her mind, relentless—the taste of Haru’s lips, the softness of her gasp, the way her body trembled against hers.

Aya clenched her fists, jaw tight.

She didn’t regret the kiss. Not for a second.

What she regretted… was the look in Haru’s eyes after.

---

Hours Later

The apartment was silent except for the soft patter of rain against the balcony glass. Haru lay curled on her futon, wide awake, heart thrashing like it wanted to break free.

She tried counting sheep. She tried reading lesson plans. Nothing worked. Every time she closed her eyes, Aya’s face flashed behind her lids, close enough to kiss.

Her fingers ghosted over her lips again, and a shiver ran down her spine.

“Why… does it feel like this?” she whispered into the dark, voice shaking.

There was no answer—only the echo of Aya’s voice in her head.

I want you, Haru.

Haru pressed her fist to her chest, as if she could quiet the storm inside her.

But no matter how hard she tried, sleep refused to come.

---

When dawn finally broke, Haru was still awake—staring at the ceiling, Aya’s name a silent prayer on her trembling lips.

And for the first time, she wasn’t sure if she wanted this chaos to stop… or consume her completely.