CHAPTER 1 — PART 11: YUNA'S MIND.

Day 16, January 29th, 2070.

I had another dream about him.

I was able to remember it clearly; it was that time we had that sparring bout.

Every touch, every blow on my body, I felt it. I remembered it.

Yami's hand on my body left a burning sensation, and it was intoxicating, but what truly enamored me was his smell... I only got a whiff of it that day, and now I want more.

His scent was sweet and strong, enough to overstimulate my senses... I wanted to catch another whiff, but I was so embarrassed to approach Yami-san...

It's been a week since I last sniffed him, and I can't hold back any longer.

Today, I will trail him. I want another whiff of that succulent musk of his. And I won't stop until I get my fill!

The day had started early in the morning. I waited by the cafeteria, which was the main area that connected all classrooms.

There he is... Yami-san...

I spotted him; he was walking to class with... Teruko-san? Crap baskets...

My plan might not go as planned... But I won't give up! I'll build the courage to approach Yami-san one day! But for now... I want to smell him...

I was a bit fidgety in class, rubbing my thighs together, almost as if I wanted to go to the restroom...

How could I control my... wants and needs? Yami has done something to me... and I kinda liked it... hehehehehehehe...

Oops... I'm drooling a bit...

I spent grueling hours waiting; lunchtime has started, and I will corner Yami!

I walked to the cafeteria and looked for him, flicked my eyes all around, and saw him... not?

Where are you!?

Where's that handsome hikiNEET!?

I had researched Yami-san after meeting him, and I found out he's the Minister's son, a hikikomori, and a NEET, just like the protagonist from a manga I was reading.

A spicy manga that my mother forbade me from reading, and taking a look at it was the best decision of my life!

I found things about myself that I frankly didn't know, and my curiosity piqued when Yami-kun enrolled.

Yami-kun!! Where are you!? Kiyaah—!?

It was a loud thud.

I had been sprinting across the hall and stepped on my own foot like the clutz that I am; how embarrassing...

"Yuna-san? Are you okay?"

I gazed up, my heart drumming as I heard his voice.

"EEEEEK!? Ya—Yami-kun!? Wh—What are you d—doing here!???"

I saw his hand extended for me, and in a split second, I got up and took some steps away from him.

Dang it... Too far to smell him...

"Well, I was going to the restroom for... ah, um... You know."

"O—Oh, I see... wait, but there aren't any male restrooms..."

"I'm going to the forest..."

My ears perked up at his words, like little cat ears. Maybe this is my chance! I can take a peek... heheheheheheh.

"Umm... Yuna-san, you're drooling..."

"O—OH MY GOSH! I'm so sorry... I must be daydreaming a lot... You go ahead and take care of your business, Ya—Yami-kun..."

"O—kay? I'll be seeing you, then."

There he goes... my dreamy NEET...

As I see him walk away, a devilish grin escapes my lips, and a few students walk by, looking terrified by my grin.

I trailed him, being very sneaky.

At least, I thought I was being sneaky.

The problem was, Yami kept walking like he could feel my eyes on his back. Every time he turned a corner, my heart jumped. Every time I thought I was finally close enough, he somehow got farther away.

"Where is he going...?"

He walked past the old wing, then the courtyard, then a side hall I had never seen before.

Wait... why is he going that way?

That path led to the back stairs.

The back stairs led to the storage wing.

The storage wing led to the old training rooms.

Why was he going there?

My curiosity got so strong that my feet moved on their own.

Then—

"Yuna-san."

I froze.

Slowly, I looked up.

Yami was standing there with his arms crossed, staring right at me.

I felt my soul leave my body.

"E-EH!? Y-Yami-kun!? I—I was just—"

"Following me."

"Wha—no! I mean—yes, but not in a bad way!!"

He tilted his head.

That made it worse.

My face burned so hard I thought I might melt.

"I thought you were going to the restroom."

"I was!"

"Then... why did you... go the wrong way?"

"I felt someone following me. Were you?"

"No... I... took a wrong turn."

He blinked.

I blinked.

This was the worst lie I had ever told in my life.

Then he sighed.

"Yuna-san, are you lost?"

I almost died on the spot.

"No! I'm not lost! I just... wanted to walk... and maybe... see where you were going... for... totally normal reasons..."

He gave me the kind of look that said he did not believe a single word I said.

I want to disappear!!!

But then, like a miracle, another voice echoed down the hall.

"Yami!! There you are!"

Teruko-san came running around the corner, holding a stack of papers.

"There you are! Oh? Yuna-san is here too?" Teruko walked up to us.

Her eyes suddenly stared bullets at me...

Then it hit me.

She can read my mind!!!

My face heated up, and my hands began to clench and unclench.

Teruko's lips curved up slowly.

She knows!!

Then her expression slowly went from amusement to utter shock.

Yami-kun saw the change in expression; he knew something was wrong.

"I... didn't know Yuna-san was like this..." Teruko whispered as if she saw a ghost.

I then saw the curiosity in Yami-kun's face.

"No wonder you're always stalking him..." Teruko-san was holding back laughter.

"AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" I immediately made noise so Yami-kun couldn't hear Teruko-san.

"STOP! STOOOP TERUKO-SAN!!"

"I had a feeling..." Yami-kun said under his breath.

"I... I can explain..."

"No, no, let her speak," Teruko-san said, laughing. "This is getting good."

I could feel my entire face turning into a tomato.

"I just wanted to make sure you were safe!!"

That was not a complete lie.

It was only half the truth.

Yami stared at me for a second, then scratched the side of his cheek.

"...You were really worried about me?"

"Yes!"

"...Okay."

That answer was too calm.

Too kind.

It made my heart pound even more.

Then he stepped closer.

Only one step, but it was enough.

I could smell him.

My brain melted instantly.

My knees nearly gave out.

"Y-Yami-kun..."

He noticed me freezing up and quickly stepped back.

"Yuna-san!? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!! I'm very fine!!"

No, I was not fine.

I was dying.

Teruko-san covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.

"Wow. She really is gone."

"Gone where?" Yami asked.

"Don't worry about it," Teruko-san said.

I bowed my head so hard I nearly hit the floor.

This was terrible.

This was embarrassing.

This was perfect.

Because now I knew one thing for sure.

I was going to keep following him.

Even if I had to die of shame every time.

Day 17, January 30th, 2070.

I woke up with the same thought in my head.

Yami.

Again.

His face, his voice, that succulent smell...

No, no, no. Focus, Yuna. Be normal. Be calm. Be a proper young lady.

I sat up in bed, hugged my pillow, and stared at the ceiling.

Then I remembered yesterday.

The way I nearly got caught following him.

The way I lied so badly that even I wanted to cry.

The way he came close enough for me to smell him.

My face heated up.

I buried my face in the pillow and made a quiet squeak.

"Mmgh..."

No good.

I was already broken again.

Still... today would be different.

Today, I would be brave.

Today, I would speak to Yami-san like a normal girl.

A very normal girl.

A normal girl who just happened to know his schedule.

And his favorite hallway.

And the best places to stand if I wanted to catch a tiny bit of his scent.

Okay, maybe not that last part.

By noon, I was already at the cafeteria.

I stood near the wall, pretending to read a menu board that I had already memorized.

My hands were folded in front of me.

My back was straight.

My face was calm.

I was the picture of elegance.

Then I saw him.

Yami-san walked in with his usual tired face, carrying his tray like the whole world weighed on his shoulders.

My heart jumped so hard I almost dropped the menu board.

There he is...

He was alone.

Perfect.

No Teruko-san this time.

No excuses.

No distractions.

This was my chance.

I took one step forward.

Then another.

Then I stopped.

What do I say?

Hello?

Good afternoon?

I like your face?

No, no, no, that last one is insane.

I needed something safer.

Something simple.

Something normal.

Something that did not sound like I had spent all night thinking about him.

"Y-Yami-san..."

He turned toward me.

I froze.

He blinked.

"Yuna-san?"

My brain stopped working.

I had practiced this.

I had planned this.

And now that he was looking at me, all my words had turned into soup.

"I... um... I just..."

He waited.

That made it worse.

I could feel my ears burning.

Finally, I blurted out, "Have you eaten yet!?"

Silence.

That was the best thing I could come up with?

Yami stared at me for a second, then at my tray, then back at me.

"No. I just got here."

"O-oh! Good! I mean— not good, because you haven't eaten, but good that I asked... I mean..."

I wanted to crawl under the floor.

Yami scratched his cheek.

"Are you okay? You're acting weird again, Yuna-san..."

"I am not!"

He gave me the look again—almost a frown.

The look that said I was clearly lying.

I could feel my soul shrinking into a tiny dot.

Then, in my panic, I did the worst possible thing.

I leaned in too close.

Way too close.

Not enough to be obvious.

Just enough to be a disaster.

I was trying to smell him again without making it weird.

It was already weird.

Why was I like this?

Yami took one slow step back.

Then another.

His eyes narrowed.

"...Yuna-san."

I smiled nervously.

"Yes?"

"Why are you sniffing the air like that?"

I stopped breathing.

My whole body turned to stone.

A few students nearby had already started staring.

One of them whispered, "Is she doing what I think she's doing?"

Another one went, "No way..."

I wanted to die.

I straightened up so fast my shoulders cracked.

"I WAS NOT SNIFFING YOU!!"

The cafeteria went quiet.

Even the people eating stopped.

I heard a tray fall somewhere in the back.

Yami's face went blank.

Then it turned red.

That made it worse.

So much worse.

A student at the next table nearly choked on his drink.

Teruko-san, who had apparently appeared out of nowhere, slapped both hands on the table and nearly folded over from laughing.

"Oh my god, she said it out loud!"

"TERUKO-SAN!!"

I covered my face with both hands.

My entire body was shaking.

Yami looked like he wanted to disappear, too.

We were both suffering.

I could tell.

And somehow that made me feel a tiny bit better.

Then Teruko-san leaned in with the biggest grin I had ever seen.

"So, Yuna-san. You were trying to smell Yami?"

"NO!!"

"Then why were you leaning in?"

"I... I was... checking the weather!!"

"Inside?"

I made a sound that was somewhere between a whimper and a scream.

Yami put a hand over his face.

"I can't believe I'm hearing this at lunch... so, Yuna-san, you like certain scents or something? Or... is it just... mine?"

I peeked through my fingers.

"Just... yours."

He was embarrassed.

That should have made me stop.

It did not.

It made my heart beat faster.

He was so easy to fluster.

And I had done that.

Me.

Yuna.

The quiet girl who was supposed to be dignified and proper.

I was standing in the middle of the cafeteria, getting roasted by my own heart.

And still...

I wanted to be closer to him.

Even now.

Especially now.

Because Yami-san had this strange effect on me.

He made me act crazy.

He made me forget how to speak.

He made me want to chase him like a lost puppy.

I lowered my hands and looked at him with watery eyes.

"...Can we still eat together?"

Yami stared at me.

Teruko-san made a strange choking sound, like she was trying not to laugh herself to death.

Then Yami gave in, not looking at me, yet looking as dashing as ever, with a little bit of shyness.

"...Sure."

My heart exploded.

I almost fainted right there.

Teruko-san pointed at me as if she had just witnessed a miracle.

"She's insane."

"Maybe, but Yuna-san is still Yuna-san," Yami muttered.

I sat down too fast and nearly hit my knee on the chair.

This was a disaster.

This was shame.

This was humiliation.

This was the happiest I had felt all week.