Visiting His Home

In the shadowy alleyway, Akari stared at Ayano, his arms wrapped tightly around her. As a sudden jolt of clarity shattered the haze, he finally realized the position the two of them were in.

“Sorry!” Akari released his hold, allowing Ayano to find her balance. As she took a step back, Ayano's eyes darted downward, unable to meet Akari's gaze. The intensity of the moment overwhelmed her, leaving her feeling vulnerable and exposed.

Akari had retreated, his back slamming against the rough texture of the nearby wall. It was as if the impact mirrored the collision of their emotions, the force of it all driving him to seek solace in the solidity of the surface behind him.

“I think the coast is clear,” Akari peeked out from behind the corner. While his eyes were on the lookout, his mind was lost elsewhere.

“W-What was I doing?!” Akari flushed red as he tried to hide his face from Ayano.

As Akari was assessing their embrace, Yuuta appeared, much to his relief. Akari's face brightened upon seeing his friend.

"Yuuta!" Akari was glad to see him. Yuuta held a finger against his lips with a solemn expression. He glanced out at the street.

"I’m glad I found you two. Ryoichi notified me of the situation," Yuuta shook his head, frustration evident on his face. "That stupid idiot… Why can't Naoki ever play nice?"

“Come on, we’re heading back to base. You’d better come as well.” Yuuta motioned for Ayano to join them, his tone firm and decisive. She felt torn but recognizing the indirect malice, she reluctantly agreed with a nod. The class president understood that her well-being was still at stake.

"Do you know where Naoki is?" Akari couldn't help but inquire about Naoki's whereabouts.

"He made it back in one piece. But I don't know how long that will last." Yuuta clicked his tongue sadly. "He's with the boss right now."

♦_______✭❀✭_______♦

Naoki's legs trembled with fear as he was forcefully dragged out of the room. His face was frozen in shock as he allowed them to pull him through the doorway and down the hall.

Ayano watched in horror as the disheveled gangster was dragged past her, his soul seemingly absent from his body. She didn’t recognize him at all from first meeting him in Ryoichi’s store.

"Who's next?" A menacing voice growled from inside the chamber. Akari took a deep breath, preparing himself for what awaited before entering. Ayano clung desperately to the doorframe while Yuuta tried to pull her into the room. He eventually managed to pry her hand loose and guided her inside after Akari.

Ayano stared at the slowly closing door, her last drops of hope fading as the hallway vanished from her view.

Akari swallowed hard as he found himself face-to-face with their boss, a grizzled man peering down at them from his wooden throne. The old man narrowed his eyes at the two youngsters while Ayano cowered behind Akari, her eyes welling with tears.

Upon recognizing Akari, the old man's expression suddenly softened and his frown turned into a grin.

"Akari-channnn, how have you been? Have you been eating well? I heard you went on a date! How was it? Is this fine lady here the one?" The man began spewing words with the tenderness of a doting grandpa.

Akari let out a sigh as he knelt on the floor in silence. This was precisely what he had not been looking forward to. Unlike the other gang members, the boss always treated Akari as if he were his own grandchild, showering him with affection and rarely raising his voice against him. However, his love for the boy was overwhelming, making the old man officious of Akari’s every move.

"I'm sure none of this was your fault. That foolish Naoki... he never does anything right!" The boss huffed, slamming a fist against the arm of his chair.

"Boss, please wait—" Akari attempted to interject. The boss's demeanor suddenly shifted, and he glared sharply at Akari.

"Boss?" The old man loomed over him.

"G-gramps..." Akari corrected himself. The boss's countenance immediately transformed back to one of warmth and affection.

"Yes! My sweet little Akari! Such an adorable kid!" the boss exclaimed.

"It's been a long day, Gramps. Is it alright if I get some rest?" Akari whispered, attempting to sneak out of the room with Ayano clinging onto him.

"Of course! I’m sorry for holding you up. I'll have Misha-san bring over the snacks soon, okay?!" Boss waved behind him.

♦_______✭❀✭_______♦

Seated on his knees in his bedroom, Akari faced Ayano directly across from him, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he struggled to find the right words. Ayano was the first to break the silence.

"So the apparent rumors are true after all," Ayano's suspicions had been confirmed, and she couldn't help but acknowledge the truth of the rumors surrounding her classmate. "Akari Inmura is a troublesome gangster."

"Please don't tell anyone!" Akari slammed his head against the floor.

"W-what are you doing?!" Ayano exclaimed, her voice filled with a mix of concern and confusion.

"I beg of you, please keep it a secret! I would be expelled from school if word really got out!"

Ayano paused for a moment, considering the situation. Despite the trouble Akari had caused, he had protected her during their escape from the Viper gang. She let out a sigh and relented, albeit with a warning.

"Since you did help me pick up the papers, I'll let you off just this once. But you better start coming to class on time!" Ayano scolded, pointing her finger at him for emphasis.

Akari couldn't believe his luck. He glanced up at Ayano with unintentional puppy-dog eyes, catching her off guard.

"Really?" he asked, his voice filled with both hope and disbelief.

"R-really!" Ayano stuttered, feeling a bit flustered by his gaze. "So stop begging in front of me already!" she exclaimed, trying to regain her composure.

"This boy... He doesn't seem like a gangster at all..." Ayano contemplated Akari's true nature in her head.

“Thank goodness…” As Akari rose to his feet, weariness from sleep deprivation and relentless pursuit took its toll, throwing him off balance. He found himself collapsing forward with Ayano beneath him. Both of them froze at that moment, their faces turning red with embarrassment.

The sound of a door opening caught their attention, and they turned to see a young woman in a black suit sliding open the door.

“M-Misha,” Akari muttered. Misha immediately noticed the precarious position they were in but remained collected. Setting down a tray with tea and cookies, Misha paused to brush a tuft of hair behind her ear before discreetly closing the bedroom door.

"Please be careful. The walls aren't soundproof," Misha said, mistakenly assuming the awkward pose was a result of something else entirely. The realization of the misunderstanding caused both Ayano and Akari to blush even deeper. As Ayano swiveled her head back at Akari, she hastily shoved him off her, creating some much-needed distance between them.

"Akari-san! I fixed your phone!" The door slid open once again, revealing Ryoichi. His expression froze into a startled smile as he spotted Ayano, and he couldn't help but notice that both of the younger ones were blushing intensely.

"So that’s what Misha meant… Sorry for disturbing you," Ryoichi said politely as he slid the door shut with both hands.

"S-stop right there! You're not interrupting anything!" Akari quickly called out, pulling the door back open. “What do you want?”

Ryoichi plopped a cat-ear headband over Akari’s head, a mischievous grin forming on his face as he did so. Akari's eyes widened in realization, knowing exactly what Ryoichi was hinting at.

"This is not the appropriate time or place!" Akari argued, his voice tinged with a mix of embarrassment and defiance. Akari took a step back, holding his arms up defensively. "Besides, there are others here!"

"You know the deal. I fixed your phone, and now it's time for payment." The repairman reached behind and pulled out a fancy camera. Determined to capture the moment, the repairman approached Akari, who, in protest, retreated back into his room, forcefully shoving Ryoichi as he attempted to get a good shot.

As the room turned into a whirlwind of movement, resembling a game of cat and mouse, Ryoichi and Akari continued their comical chase, encircling Ayano.

Despite her best efforts to conceal it, Ayano couldn't help but let a smile escape as she watched the amusing scene unfold before her. However, her amusement only grew as she observed the ongoing chaos, leading her to burst into wholehearted laughter.

The infectious sound filled the air, capturing Akari's attention completely. His gaze became fixed on Ayano, momentarily forgetting about the ongoing struggle with Ryoichi.

Little did Akari know, as his gaze remained fixed on Ayano, his heart began to flutter in a way he couldn't quite comprehend.