Staying Overnight

“W-welcome to my home…” Ayano said as she closed the door behind the two of them.

Akari's eyes scanned the room, taking in the simple yet functional setup of Ayano's apartment. It was a far cry from what he had expected for a girl's room, but he found its simplicity quite matching Ayano's personality.

In the left corner of the room was a neatly made comfortable bed, adorned with a cozy blanket and a couple of fluffy pillows. A nightstand stood by its side, holding a small alarm clock and a few personal trinkets. At the foot of the bed, a bookshelf stood proudly, displaying a varied collection of books that spanned various genres and subjects.

Positioned against the opposite wall, a small study table adorned with a table lamp. Ayano's textbooks were neatly organized alongside writing utensils, showcasing her dedication to her studies. A chair was pulled up to the table indicating a space where Ayano would spend hours studying.

In the center of the room, a small oval white table that Akari assumed served multiple purposes, from dining to relaxation. A pastel pink carpet was laid underneath it.

Akari could feel Ayano's eyes on him, her gaze following his every move. With her arms crossed, she attempted to mask her discomfort with forced hospitality.

"Make yourself comfortable," she uttered, her words accompanied by an underlying unease contradicting her outward demeanor. Ayano's watchful eyes remained fixed on Akari as he cautiously approached the white table and settled down on the carpet.

"Can I get you something to drink? Water, tea?" Ayano offered, her strained smile revealing her effort to maintain a sense of normalcy in the peculiar situation they found themselves in. Akari appreciated her attempt at being accommodating, even if a subtle grimace accompanied it.

"I truly am sorry about this," Akari apologized, aware of the situation he had found himself in. "I want to make it clear that I have no involvement in this whatsoever."

"Saying that only makes you sound more suspicious," Ayano retorted.

"Am I suspicious then?" He questioned, meeting her eyes. Ayano let out a sigh and averted her gaze for a moment.

"No, you're not," she admitted, her voice softening. "I'll let you stay because Nanami-san seems to trust you, for some reason." A faint blush crept onto Ayano's cheeks as she quickly added, "Don't get any wrong ideas! I still don’t trust you!"

Akari couldn't help but give Ayano a warm, relieved smile upon hearing those words. “Thank you, class prez.”

Ayano's face flushed a deeper shade of pink upon remembering how cute the gangster in her room could be. Her heart skipped a beat as she stared at him. Pouting slightly, Ayano made her way to the kitchen, trying to compose herself and suppress the growing warmth in her cheeks.

"Just call me Ayano here, okay? Ayano!" She stated firmly, making it clear that she preferred this informal address outside of school. With a loud huff, she whipped her hair behind her as she left the room.

♦_______✭❀✭_______♦

The atmosphere between them felt oddly tense as they sat across from each other at the white table on the pink carpet. Ayano had insisted on bringing out some small snacks, consisting of cookies and two glasses of water, despite Akari's initial refusal.

The silence hung heavily in the air, broken only by the sound of their hesitant munching and occasional sips of water. It was clear that both of them were trying to find something to say, but the awkwardness lingered, making conversation difficult.

“I’d never have thought in my life that I would have a gangster staying over at my place,” Ayano said as she nervously eyed Akari.

“Please don’t think of me like that,” Akari replied, disheartened. “I’m also just a regular high school boy.”

"A regular high school boy staying over at my place also doesn't sit well with me," Ayano added, her voice tinged with unease.

The tension in the room seemed to tighten, casting a shadow over their budding interaction. Ayano fidgeted with her fingers, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for an escape. Akari could sense her discomfort, and the realization weighed heavily on his heart.

"I understand, and I truly am sorry for this," Akari said, lowering his head in a gesture of apology and respect, a customary action in his gangster upbringing

"It's not entirely your fault," Ayano admitted, her voice softening slightly. "I just... I'm not used to having someone here, especially someone I barely know.”

The room fell quiet once again, the tension still lingering between Ayano and Akari.

The sudden sound of a soft "meow" broke the silence, drawing both their attention to the kitchen door. Standing there was a small calico cat, her eyes curious and cautious.

"It's a cat!" Akari's eyes lit up with excitement, his troubles momentarily forgotten.

"Mitsu?" Ayano called out in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

The cat approached the table slowly, her tail flickering back and forth. Akari cautiously extended his hand towards her, stopping just inches away from her head. The cat studied his hand for a moment before nudging it with her head as if giving him permission to pet her. Akari's face lit up with delight as he gently stroked the cat's fur.

"She's so cute!" Akari exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine joy. He held the cat in his hands, admiring her with a wide smile. Mitsu responded with a contented meow, seemingly enjoying the attention.

"I'm surprised Mitsu’s letting you pet her," Ayano remarked, her eyes softening as she watched the interaction. "Mitsu usually keeps to herself and stays hidden in the kitchen when there are strangers around."

Akari, completely absorbed in playing with Mitsu, barely registered Ayano's words. He mimicked a meow, his playful nature shining through. The sight brought a smile to Ayano's face, warming the atmosphere between them.

"If it's alright with you, may I ask how you became a gangster?" Ayano asked. Akari glanced up at her. Startled, Ayano backtracked.

"Ah- it's just that… you don't exactly seem to behave like one…" She tried to salvage her words. Akari gently lowered Mitsu back to the ground before directing his attention at Ayano.

“To be honest, I’d never thought I would be a gangster either,” Akari began to explain with a nostalgic expression on his face.

"My parents often traveled overseas for business. They were always busy, leaving me at home with a babysitter most of the time. One day, two people in suits came to our house. They told me that my parents had been involved in a terrible accident. There had been an explosion on the ship they were returning on, and… they didn't survive."

"I was only seven years old at the time," Akari continued with a calm smile, "I was taken to an orphanage, where I spent the next few years of my life.”

"While I was outside one morning, the gang’s boss saw me at the orphanage. He took pity on me and, without hesitation, he decided to adopt me and raise me as his own child.”

"I may be part of a gang, but they have become my family, my home," Akari concluded with a warm adorable smile.

“I see…” Ayano mumbled.

The room fell quiet once again as neither of them knew what to say or do. The tension seemed to dissipate slightly as they sat there, lost in their own thoughts. Then, unexpectedly, Akari spoke up, breaking the silence.

"Cherries," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Ayano raised an eyebrow, perplexed by the seemingly random word.

“I like cherries,” Akari confessed. “I also like to go swimming a lot and…” Akari’s voice trailed off as he began to fill with embarrassment. “Plushies… I like them too.”

“Pfft,” Ayano cracked a smile upon hearing Akari share some things about himself, even what he deemed as embarrassing.

"It's getting quite late. If you don't mind, I'm going to get ready for bed," she declared, standing up from the table. She glanced back at Akari before continuing, "I take it that you still can't go back home tonight?"

“Unfortunately not,” Akari replied. There had been no additional messages from Yuuta telling him that the coast was clear.

Ayano took a deep breath before gesturing to her fold-in closet. “There's a futon, a spare pillow, and a blanket in there. You can use those for the night.”

“I’m going to take a shower.” Ayano made her way toward the bathroom. She shot a finger at Akari. “Absolutely no peeking, understand?!”

“I won’t!” Akari reassured her.

♦_______✭❀✭_______♦

As the night progressed, Ayano's mention of taking a shower before bed left Akari feeling slightly uneasy. With Ayano in the bathroom, the room fell into an awkward silence. Akari fidgeted uncomfortably, glancing around the unfamiliar space, his ears attuned to the sound of running water seeping through the closed bathroom door. He wondered what he should do during this time, feeling somewhat lost in the situation.

After what felt like an eternity, the bathroom door finally opened, and Ayano emerged, her light-brown hair still damp as she dried it with a towel. She had changed into a set of white and light blue pajamas. As Akari's eyes unintentionally lingered on her, Ayano caught him staring and scolded him, her own cheeks tinted with a faint blush.

"Hey, stop staring, you pervert!" Ayano exclaimed, her voice both scolding and flustered.

Akari quickly averted his gaze, his face turning beet red. "S-sorry! I didn't mean to..."

With a huff, Ayano shook her head, attempting to regain her composure. "Just... behave yourself, okay?"

As they prepared for bed, the tension between them lingered. Ayano, slightly on edge from Akari's unintentional glances, decided to set up a rolled-up blanket as a boundary between their sleeping areas.

"Don't you dare cross that line," Ayano pointed at the makeshift barrier. "If you do, I'll kill you!"

"I promise, I won't," Akari assured. Though the idea of her attempting to confront a gangster brought a chuckle to his mind.

“I’m turning off the lights now…”