Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was right next to her at that moment, maybe it would've been the last moment and the last chance for them to be so close,but this beautiful raven-haired girl who was drinking her cup of coffee next to him was not minimally aware of what was about to happen.

Everything was going according to his plan,Sakayanagi Arisu would've soon leave school following her expulsion,which occurred at his hands.

He couldn't let Ryuen get expelled and Sakayanagi Arisu would've become a problem in the future that wasn't that distant,he knew she would thwart his plans and the best solution to the problem was to expel her from school.

However,he knew that she had no grudge against him,indeed Sakayanagi Arisu had almost certainly understood the reason behind the choice he had made and that is why she had accepted her expulsion without any hesitation.

He would've come by to say goodbye to her before she left school for good.

From what he had heard,she was going to a school that was exactly fifteen minutes away from the ANHS with her best friend Kamuro Masumi,who had also been expelled a short time ago for completely different reasons.

As for him,he would've joined Sakayanagi Arisu's class and take full control of it.

He already had the twenty million points required to make the class change or almost,the rest of the missing private points would have been credited to him by Arisu herself before she left. There was only one last thing left to do:tell Horikita.

He didn't understand why,but lately his firm decision to change class to ensure that Horikita could knock him down so he could prove to his father that the White Room methods were not what he called "the ultimate education",was faltering every single time he was near her or found himself thinking about her.

He found himself wanting to spend a lot more time in her company.

It had been a long time since she had entered his dorm and since she had prepared food for him using her "food traps" to ask him for favors.

Ever since she had learned about the relationship between him and Karuizawa.

He misses those moments.
He missed her.

And to think that they would spend their last year in that school separately in different classes,they would face each other during the special exams and he hoped with all his being that at the end of this third and last year she would be able to bring him down.

But was this really how things were supposed to go?

Maybe...

~
- KEYAKI MALL -

AYANOKOUJI KIYOTAKA'S POV

I saw her smile with pure amusement and look at me for a few moments while I was drinking my cup of coffee,then I gave her a curious look,wondering why she was doing that.

"What is it?"

She lowered her head towards her cup of coffee and her expression changed as if she was carefully considering her next words,her smile remained fixed on her face but seemed to take on an entirely different meaning,as if now instead of the pure amusement of before there was a sort of...compassion.

"It's nothing,it's just...you're smiling"

Had I really just smiled?
Had someone like me who had been unable to express their emotions for a long time really just smiled?

Because of that place,I didn't even know if I could still feel any kind of emotion anymore.

It felt like a drop of color had been added to a blank sketchbook...not in front of Kei,nor in front of a friend like Yōsuke,I didn't know why that expression appeared in front of Horikita.

"Thank you Horikita"

I whispered softly to myself so she couldn't hear me,and it was the truth:
I was deeply grateful for these two years we spent together.
~

Maybe...there could have been some small possibility he could have considered,it could have been a middle ground between what he should do and the beautiful raven haired girl he realized he didn't want to walk away from...at least not voluntarily.

He was torn between duty and feelings.
He was torn between his father and the girl he realized he had feelings for,something he couldn't yet identify but he was certain that he cared about her more than anything else.

Was this what it felt like to be in love?
If that were the case,then it was something he wouldn't want to give up...after all,this was Ayanokouji Kiyotaka and he would definitely be able to handle both situations.

Making at least one attempt would cost him nothing,if only in case it went badly and Horikita Suzune had hated him,they would undoubtedly distance themselves from each other and this would serve as fuel for her during their third year when they would have faced each other.

He would have lost against her and his father would have had to resign himself.

In case there had been an affirmative response to his proposal from Horikita,he already had a strategy in mind to use,he certainly didn't want to lie to her,he wouldn't have done it at all,especially not to her but a small lie was necessary so that he could reconcile both matters.

AYANOKOUJI KIYOTAKA'S POV

Love?
What does it really feel like to love someone?

I still didn't have full knowledge in this matter even though I had used Karuizawa Kei as a "textbook" from which I thought I could learn something about it but it turned out to be a complete failure.

My relationship with Karuizawa Kei proved unsuccessful.

I've never been the type of person to rely on instinct:animals are creatures that act instinctively.

The main difference besides the use of the word that distinguishes animals from human beings is that the latter can act instinctively but are also equipped with reason,which is what I have used for almost eighteen years of my life,but for the first time in seventeen years I was trusting my instinct.

My instinct told me that she was the only person I should focus my attention on.

I moved closer to her making sure that she turned her face towards me.

Our faces were now a few centimeters apart and I saw her blush immediately when she noticed this detail before she moved back to the same position in which she was previously.

Her cup of coffee still in her hands.

"Are you volunteer to be a candidate for my next girlfriend?"

I had never been more sure of my intentions than I was that time, yet I used a joking tone to mask my real intention towards her.

If she had refused at least I would have avoided an embarrassing situation.

She put down her cup of coffee and turned towards me again,this time however with her whole body and with a rather serious expression on her face leading me to do the same.

Now we were facing each other face to face.

"I would appreciate it if you wouldn't joke with me about this kind of topic Ayanokouji"

A light blush decorated her face.
It didn't seem like she was completely against the topic.

In this case,I wouldn't have held back.
I would have gone all the way with her.

"I'm not joking at all.I've never been more serious in my life"

She raised an eyebrow as if to underline the bullshit I'd just said.

In fact, this sentence coming from me didn't make much sense considering that I had almost never shown her an expression different from the usual one.

"I see you're enjoying teasing me a lot more than usual today, Ayanokouji"

She crossed her arms under her breast.
She was quite skeptical of me.

"Believe me, I'm not kidding you at all,I would never do it, especially when it comes to this type of topic."

She looked straight ahead.

In front of us, our...-her classmates were celebrating the promotion to the coveted class A which had taken place with a lot of effort on everyone's part,in particular Horikita Suzune who, thanks to my help,had managed to reach that goal.

At that moment I could even forget about everything I had done to help her reach class A.
Seeing her so happy with that beautiful smile on her face was all that mattered to me.

I had taught her everything I could and made sure we achieved both of our goals.
Of course our reasons were different but we had done it.

As I was pondering this,I felt her grab my hand and I realized she was dragging me out of class.

In an instant I knew she was nervous:her hands were sweaty,she was shaking slightly and her movements were hurried as I assumed she was leading me into the student council room.

The corridors of the school were not very crowded allowing us to make our way easily,the only noises coming from the students inside the classrooms.

My intentions with her were clear,they had been ever since I asked to have conversations with her that were free of school topics, ever since I smiled at her without even realizing it at Keyaki Mall, she smiled back at me and God I loved her smile.

I had never been a believer.
It was not in my nature to rely on this type of belief,I rather preferred for obvious reasons to rely on science,but I thanked whatever could exist up there for this angel who came down to earth.

An angel came to earth to save a demon like me.

I was the masterpiece of the White Room.

I was a soulless,immaterial body born and raised in a white abyss, the same one that shaped me for fourteen years of my life and made me just like those cold,white walls.

White.

Exactly like a canvas,which needed to be painted so that it took on a shape through various types of colors.

I was that blank canvas.
Horikita Suzune was the artist.
And those colors...those colors were feelings.

Horikita Suzune was the only woman who could trigger those feelings in me.
Every one of them.

Last but not least,that moment...her face in tears after losing to Ichinose Honami.
I couldn't bear to see her in that state:humiliated and hurt.

In seventeen years of my life I had always been immune to mental and physical pain due to the rigid and perseverant training the White Room subjected me to but nothing had yet prepared me for the pain that came with feelings.

I hugged her as tight as I could without letting go.
I didn't want to even though she tried to free herself.

"Ayanokouji-kun..." she said in a small voice and in a surprised tone.

Maybe she couldn't believe I was actually doing something like that.

At that moment it was just the two of us:no special exams,no school matters and Ichinose Honami could have just disappeared as far as I was concerned.

I wanted to show her how important she was to me.
I wanted her to understand that.

After a few seconds of resistance,I finally felt her relax in my arms and return my embrace.

Undoubtedly the feeling of having her in my arms was wonderful, there was nothing I could want more in that moment than to make her happy.

How could Karuizawa Kei compete with all this?

"Ayanokouji?"

Clearly I was lost in thought and didn't even notice that we had arrived in front of the student council room.

"Have you by any chance thought about this yet?" she asked as she opened the door with a mocking tone but beyond that she could also detect a hint of fear.

"Not at all,I'm quite determined to take this through with you"
I gestured for her to go in first like a gentleman and once we were both inside the door closed slightly behind us.

She walked over to the window with her back still facing me and let out a sigh as she brought her thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose.

I was right behind her waiting for her to say something.
I knew her well enough to know she would.

"Are you..." in love? Yes,I've realized this for a while now but I've refused to admit it to myself and to you until today.

“Are you even aware of what you are asking me??”

She turned to me,her voice rising slightly.

My face showed no signs of regret nor was I teasing her,nothing was going to stop me from making her my girlfriend.

"Fully aware Horikita,I am absolutely determined to be with you and no matter how many more times I have to tell you before you understand that I am serious about this."

She let out a mocking laugh.

"About us"

"If you hadn't already been engaged to Karuizawa I would have a hard time believing you"

I couldn't blame her,if I had been in the same situation as her right now I would have had trouble believing myself too.

"I would like to kindly remind you that you left Karuizawa not even 24 hours ago, I can't say that she and I are on great terms but I can clearly see that she is suffering from your separation and now you are here asking me to be your girlfriend?"

She certainly wasn't wrong but lately when it came to this gorgeous woman in front of me I tended to be selfish.

"Do you think I want to end up like Karuizawa by any chance?
We both know I would end up the same way"

I would never let her think that again.
Those words hurt me.

"You haven't even stopped to wonder why I'm here even 24 hours after I left her?
You haven't given any thought to why I left her in the first place."

I took a few steps closer to her,now we were much closer than we were before but unlike before she wasn't blushing,on the contrary she had a determined look and was slightly irritated.

For some reason unknown to me I found her even more beautiful.
The tension between us was palpable.

“Now are you going to tell me you did this for me?”

Because you are the only woman I will ever have feelings for and who can in turn make me feel feelings.

"Obviously, you too will have noticed the change that has occurred in our relationship lately...a significant change for both of us Horikita and although you don't want to admit it now due to your pride,I know that you have felt it too"

She looked away,blushing slightly.

"That wouldn't change anything"
She closed her eyes and let out a sigh.
She looked like she was holding herself back from bursting into tears.
I worried.

"Horikita...-"

She cut me off before I could say anything else.

"I noticed it too...of course I did,I wouldn't have any reason to hide it from you,also because we came here to clarify our situation,so what would be the point if we both weren't sincere?"

I remained silent and listened as she turned back to the window to wipe away the small tears that had formed.
Right now she wouldn't want me to see her vulnerable.

"Honestly, the feeling I've had watching our relationship change day by day lately has been...unpleasant."

I was surprised by those words.
Unpleasant?

"What do you mean?"

After a few seconds' pause she spoke again.

"I was scared...we were getting closer and closer in this last period and I found myself thinking a lot more about the two of us together...as a couple.
It was difficult to be by your side knowing that I wanted something more from you than friendship and especially with the knowledge that you already had a girl by your side. It hurted incredibly to know this.
I even found myself thinking that you were playing with both of our feelings."

Hearing those words coming from her mouth...from the one person I would never want to hurt created an emptiness in my stomach.

I would have preferred Housen's knife stuck in my hand again.
It would have hurt less.

She had felt this way all this time and I hadn't even realized it and as a result I couldn't do anything to help it.

She continued, her voice cracking.

"And now you're here asking me to be your girlfriend and...I...I would really like to accept but I can't...I can't because I would be doing Karuizawa an injustice even though his presence irritates me more than anything else,I would feel horrible towards her...and...and the class...the unity of the class would be compromised by this....I-"

I refused to listen any longer to whatever nonsense she was talking at that moment.
I refused to see her suffer like that again.
It hurts us both.
I would have put a stop to this horrendous situation here and now.

I took her arm and made her turn towards me,our faces were a few centimeters apart.
Her face was red,this time from crying,her breathing had accelerated.
It broke my heart to see her like that.
I tried to calm her down.

The hand holding her arm moved delicately to her face caressing her cheek,she didn't pull away but actually moved closer to me.

I took it as a good sign.

"Suzune" mine was a clear invitation to abandon the use of our surnames.
It no longer made sense when our relationship was getting closer and closer in the hoped-for direction.

She wasn't surprised either.
Her breathing had calmed and she held me close.

I had Horikita Suzune in my arms again and I was invaded by that wonderful feeling from the last time.
A sense of peace enveloped us.
It was just the two of us in the quiet student council room huddled together.

I gave her a kiss on the head.

"It's okay, you're not alone,I'm here by your side...whatever we have to face,we'll do it together,don't worry"

Even if I was going to spend my third year in a different class than hers,whatever she needed,she would've just called me and I would've come to her without any hesitation.
My class change was something we would definitely discuss later, now I just wanted to enjoy this moment.
Enjoy her.

“...Kiyotaka” I smiled hearing her finally say my name for the first time. "About Karuiza...-"

"You shouldn't feel guilty,that's something I'm responsible for.
I was the one who left her because I didn't feel anything for her, she couldn't,being with me,make me feel what you made me feel without us even having a relationship,my only mistake was realizing it late"

We were still hugging each other.
She smiled.
She had managed to calm down and was slowly coming back to her senses.
I would always recognize that wry smile.

"Oh yes? And what would I have made you feel?"

This was a question that could have been asked countless times and yet I would always have the same answer.
She looked up at me waiting for my response.

"Something I've been looking for for a long time but never thought possible until recently"

She looked at me with a questioning look.

"Unconditional Love"

My hands moved from her waist to her now red cheeks and I smiled at how adorable she looked in that moment.

"Kiyotaka...." she said softly and I gently caressed her cheeks as she pressed herself further into me.

Our faces were closer and closer until I felt our lips coming together in a kiss.

An intense heat enveloped me and I felt a strange sensation in my stomach,it was pleasant.

Were these what were called "butterflies in the stomach"?
It had never happened to me with Karuizawa.
I should have imagined that with Suzune it would be different.

That kiss made me feel alive for the first time in my entire life.

Reluctantly I pulled away from her to let her catch her breath,if it had been up to me we could have continued for hours.

"I love you Kiyotaka"

I smiled and leaned close to her ear,biting her earlobe which caused her to moan a little.

Then I finally whispered to her the words I wanted to say to her and she wanted to hear these last few weeks.

"I love you too Suzune,more than anything in the world"

I rested my forehead on hers and we stared at each other for a few seconds,touching our noses and then continuing to kiss for a few more minutes.

Too bad our happiness was numbered.

Chapter Text

HORIKITA SUZUNE'S POV

It had only been two days since Ayano-...Kiyotaka and I had started dating and of course we had mutually decided to keep it a secret for the time being.
Nobody, not even Ibuki and Kushida who are my "closest friends" (our relationship is strange most of the time but for me,who had never had friends and consequently didn't know how relationships between friends worked,it's considerable friendship) knew nothing.

Right now Kiyotaka and I are in his dorm,more precisely on his bed with him gently stroking my hair and my head resting on his chest.

It's so relaxing to be here with him in his bed.
For the first time in two years I found myself envying Karuizawa Kei,who had enjoyed this relationship for an entire year.
She had hugged him,she had tasted his soft lips,she had cuddled him, they had studied together and most likely they had even had sex.

I tried to get that image out of my head as quickly as I could.
It was unpleasant.

I had seen them go out together very often during their relationship whether it was on dates or during lunch.
Lunch that I sometimes offered him,whether it was in the canteen or prepared by me in my dormitory.
He loves the dishes I prepare for him.
I highly doubt that Karuizawa was capable of cooking something good for him.
I also gave him cooking lessons.

Had this man really made me jealous of Karuizawa Kei?
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka,as I had imagined you are capable of making even the impossible happen.

This man made me fall in love.

"Is everything okay love?"
He whispered looking at me as he continued to stroke my hair.

I looked up at him who was looking back at me worriedly and I smiled sweetly at him.

At the same time I saw him bring his face closer to mine intent on giving me a kiss.
A kiss that at first appeared sweet and innocent until I felt his warm tongue intertwining with mine.

God,what a wonderful feeling,a warmth invaded my whole body and my heart began to beat faster,almost as if it wanted to escape from my chest.

When we pulled apart I realized he had positioned me beneath him,a string of saliva still connecting our lips as we both breathed heavily.

His hands were tight on my hips and my hands were hooked around his neck.

Our faces were very close.
I felt my face become terribly red,which he confirmed when he moved one of his hands from my hips to my cheek,caressing me gently.
His mocking smile was the definitive proof.

"You are very beautiful"
I appreciated the compliment from him,but as if I wasn't already red enough from his actions,he had added something extra.

His hands were both on my hips again and my legs wrapped around his waist.

His lips lowered to my neck,his delicate kisses turning into little bites that caused me to moan as I grabbed his soft hair and at that exact moment I felt him smile against my neck.

I wanted him,there was no way I was going to let him stop now, not while he was undoing the buttons on my shirt and his kisses were leaving a fiery trail down my body egged on by my sighs and moans.

He looked back at my face with a look full of lust and desire that I returned instantly.

Our lips collided again in a passionate kiss,filled with all the pent-up feelings of the last two years.

We wanted each other for so long without even realizing it.

Our tongues fought for dominance over each other.

It was amazing how competitive we were even in bed.

Kiyotaka obviously had the upper hand as always.

After a few minutes we reluctantly separated our lips to catch our breath.

"Sorry, I got carried away by the moment,I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable"
He said looking at me with a hint of guilt.

Uncomfortable?
I didn't want an apology.
I wanted him to continue.
I wanted...

"I want to make love with you.
Now"
I said more decisively than ever.
I wanted him to be my first and only.

"Suzune,are you sure?
This would be your first time,wouldn't you like it to be a little more special?"
I appreciated his concern for me,but if there was one thing he didn't know,it was that every moment spent with him was special to me.

"You know me,if I wasn't completely sure I wouldn't have told you at all"
Even in moments like this I enjoyed teasing him,as he used to do with me.

It was one of the things about our relationship that I liked best.

Ever since we met,this had always been our way of communicating.
Only ours.

We weren't like this with anyone else but the two of us.

“Using my own words against me.
Horikita Suzune,I taught you too much"

He let out a smile as he leaned down towards me again,rubbing our noses together, which made me smile back.

My hands moved from his soft hair to his face,caressing him gently.

How much could I love this man?
I never imagined you could love someone so much.

I got up from his bed a little to allow his hands to remove my shirt, my bow was on his desk along with his tie with our jackets placed on the chair.

My shirt ended up on the floor,joined shortly afterwards by his which I quickly unbuttoned while leaving kisses and bites on his neck which made him moan in return.

His movements were more hasty and decisive than they had been before as I watched him remove my skirt and therefore leave me in my underwear.

His kisses now left a fiery trail all over my body:my lips,my neck, my breast,my stomach and finally my legs.
There wasn't a single place on my body that those lips hadn't touched.

Except for that place.
I was embarrassed at the thought.

The touch of his lips on my body made me feel like I was in heaven.

A hint of jealousy enveloped me when I remembered where he might have learned and above all with whom.

I was distracted by my own moans when I realized that he had removed my panties and placed his lips on my intimate area, applying pressure with his tongue.

I grabbed his hair again to try to contain the pleasure I was feeling as a result of his actions.

I felt him smile on my private area.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, you are a bastard.

His tongue entered my intimate area after he gave a few more kisses.
It was hard to contain all the pleasure that came from it and holding on to his hair for support wasn't enough given how good he was.
I tried to contain my moans and screams as much as possible, biting my lip almost until it bled.
Despite this,his name escaped my lips in a high-pitched moan.

"Kiyotaka...mhh~"
Even though it slipped past my lips,I didn't want to give him that satisfaction and as a result a pout appeared on my face.

He removed his lips from there,much to my disappointment.

"I find it surprising how you are extremely proud even in bed"

He paused briefly with a mock-hurt expression.

"You're making me work hard"

Those words spoken by him made me feel internally satisfied.
I imagine with Karuizawa it was extremely easy given this man's abilities.

Before I could answer he brought his lips back to my intimate area...oh from there I immediately understood that previously he had only held back,perhaps to tease me (he would be perfectly capable of it) or he was trying to test my resistance but I would never have imagined that it could reach these levels.

As he continued to move his tongue deep inside me,I wrapped my legs around his head and gripped the sheets beneath me.

I felt a strong pressure in my lower abdomen as I continued to bite my lip,it was as if a knot had formed there and was about to untie, it was a wonderful sensation.

He was the one and only I would ever let give me these feelings.

At this point I didn't care about being proud,nor about hiding from him how much I liked the sensations he was giving me.

"Kiyotaka...I'm going to-"
I gripped the sheets tighter.

The pleasure was too much and my vision went blurry.

I couldn't even finish the sentence as I felt that knot untie and a feeling of release throughout my body.

It was an absolutely divine sensation,I had never experienced it before and I don't think I would have never been able to live without it.

Kiyotaka gently freed himself from the grip of my legs,I saw him get up towards me and look at me intently while he cleaned his lips from my liquids.

It was an incredibly attractive sight.

After a few seconds he was on top of me again,with his forehead resting on mine and I swear on the one I hold dearest, that I loved the way we got lost in each other's eyes.

"I love you so much"
He told me before gently placing his lips on mine.

Every time Kiyotaka and I kissed,it was as if the rest of the world didn't exist,there was just the two of us.

And to think that until recently I had tried with all my might to repress my feelings for him.
At least it was for a good reason.
He was with another woman.

Kiyotaka slowly pulled away from my lips making me open my eyes and I realized it was finally about to happen when I saw him take off his pants.

We would have become one.
That thought embarrassed me quite a bit.
I was starting to realize what was going to happen between us soon.

I noticed that during the intense kiss just now,Kiyotaka had removed the last piece of clothing left on me.

I was completely naked.

I sat up in bed in confusion when I saw him get up and reach into his desk drawer.
I frowned as I wasn't aware of what he wanted to do.
Maybe he was regretting it?
Didn't he want to get to that point with me?
Had I done something to irritate him?

"Don't worry, I'm not leaving or regretting what we're doing.
I want to make love with you as much as you want to do with me."

He had always been able to read me as if I were an open book for him,this was another characteristic that I liked about us but at the same time it was a double-edged sword,because there was absolutely nothing about me that he escaped to him.

Positive and negative.

"Do you happen to have eyes also in the back of your head?"
I asked sarcastically.

He had pulled a condom out of the drawer and answered me as he climbed back onto the bed next to me.

"When it comes to you I have eyes everywhere"
I smiled as he gently laid me down on his bed,not taking his eyes off me for even a single moment.

I made myself comfortable,wrapping my arms around his neck as his soft lips returned to mine.

I felt his hands roam all over my body before feeling him slide two fingers inside me.

I gasped and moaned into his mouth as my hands began to roam his broad back.

His body was well trained and defined,this is something I noticed already from the first year during swimming lessons,and during these two years it had only improved.

Who would have imagined that today I would be here in his bed, underneath him moaning and screaming his name,scratching his back as he is about to make me his for the first time.

Kiyotaka was reacting to my scratches on his back,I could hear him moaning into my mouth.

I felt proud of myself.

If he wanted to give me a hard time then I would too.

I felt him insert another finger inside me and I was almost tempted to give in but I wouldn't.

The sensation was wonderful,my thoughts began to get confused, I couldn't understand anything anymore and the same heavenly feeling as before returned like a wave crashing onto a rock.

I wanted that knot formed in my lower abdomen to dissolve but at the same time I wanted that sensation to last longer.

Kiyotaka was continuing with the assault of his fingers in my intimate area as if he was playing.

He would speed up when I was about to get my release and slow down when I was one step away from achieving it.

"Even in bed you're a bastard"
I said with difficulty between moans and gasps.

Our sweaty foreheads on each other didn't help,nor did our provocative glances at each other.

He too was breathing heavily.
He was in no better condition than me.

“Who started this?
Even in bed you are too proud"

His fingers stopped moving inside me,was he challenging me?

So is this what he was trying to achieve?

"I'm not going to waste my time begging you to make me come."
At a certain point I could have done it but I would have made sure he was the first to give up.

His fingers inside me started moving again and it took all my willpower not to beg him to make me come,especially because he set a pace that was way too fast and in addition this time his lips were biting and licking my earlobe.

It was all too much for me to bear,especially since I was still sensitive from the previous climax.

I was left with no choice but to surrender to him.

As long as it was for him I would always surrender because I had had confirmation in that precise moment that he would never hurt me,that he would always protect me and that we would support each other whatever happened.

"K-Kiyotaka...I'm about to come..."

I was overcome by him and got my release a few seconds later.

I would never get tired of him.
Of his smell on me.
Of his lips.
The way he held me close to him.
To make love with him.

He removed his lips from my now completely scarred neck and gave me a worried look.
The time had come.

"Are you sure you want to go further?
The first time will be painful and the last thing I want is to hurt you, I want you to be aware of what we are about to do so this will be your last chance to back out.
It won't be a problem for me."

Seeing him so worried that he might hurt me moved me more than I imagined.
If we weren't only seventeen and already graduated high school I would have married him.

"Suzune...are you okay love?"

Small tears formed in my eyes but he promptly wiped them away by gently caressing my face.

“I want to go all the way with you Kiyotaka.
I'm ready,I've been ready for a long time."

He took the condom left on the sheets without ever taking his eyes off me.

He wanted to make sure I was ready to welcome him inside me for the first time.
And I was.

I was damn ready to welcome inside me the first and only man I had ever loved in my entire life.

I couldn't wait for it to happen.

I watched as he stood on top of me and spread my legs to position himself as comfortably as possible while still keeping his gaze fixed on me.

I continued to hold on to him with my arms hooked around his neck.

I couldn't take my eyes off him either.

His hair was a mess because of me,he was very sweaty and covered in multiple scratches from me on his back and arms,he still had the residue of my liquids on his lips allowing me to taste myself when he kissed me a few minutes ago and he was breathing heavily.

That sight excited me,he was perfect even in these conditions.

My gaze moved further down,below his sculpted abs.

He was wearing black boxers which at the moment seemed to highlight his condition perfectly considering how tight they were on him.

I was happy to know that he was as excited as I was about what was coming next.

This time,to his surprise,it was me who connected my lips to his, once again starting a fight between our tongues.

My hands moved to his soft hair once again,messing it up even more.

Meanwhile his hands,which were previously opening the condom, were now removing the last piece of clothing on his body.

We separated for a few moments to catch our breath from our frantic kisses and I saw him putting on the condom.

I suddenly realized that the rumors circulating in the school environment regarding Kiyotaka's size were not entirely unfounded.
In fact they weren't at all.

It was a rumor that had started circulating near the end of our first year,ever since we returned from training camp.

I had heard around school from some students who were probably in the same group as Kiyotaka during that week something about associating Kiyotaka with a T-rex.

Not that I cared to delve into the matter at that time since I wasn't interested in him nor was it in my nature to be interested in rumors.

Little did I know that one day I would find myself seeing it personally.

The rumors weren't wrong at all.

Kiyotaka's size was no small thing at all,I was afraid he wouldn't even be able to fit in all the way if he had to go where he needed to go.

Despite this,I wasn't going to back down, not now that we were just one step away from becoming one.

I was distracted from my thoughts when I felt his member brush against my intimate area.

It was like receiving a shock of electricity that spread throughout my body.

I let out a moan.
He runs a hand through my hair,stroking it gently as if he wanted to reassure me.
The other hand was placed on my hip.

"Are you ready Suzune?
I'm about to get inside you"

My hands gripped his hair tightly and I nodded confidently,looking deeply into his eyes.

He rests his forehead against mine,our lips were so close I thought he was going to kiss me, but instead he whispered gently against my lips.

Feeling his breath against my lips drove me crazy.

At that moment I depended only on him,he could have asked me anything.

"If it hurts too much please let me know and I will withdraw immediately,is that understood?
Don't be stubborn,when it comes to you I want to make sure I do everything right."

My heart melted hearing those words.

"I promise you,if it hurts me too much I will tell you,I also want to make sure that everything goes well between us because I love you more than my own life Kiyotaka"

He also brought his other hand to my hair,stroking it gently.

"The same goes for me,my love"

He said before pounced on my lips in a wild kiss,his tongue showing me no mercy as with a single thrust he pushed himself inside me breaking the barrier that protected my virginity.

My hands gripped his hair as tightly as I could as he gripped mine.

I panted into his mouth due to the sudden feeling of fullness his cock gave me.

He did the same.
We were both feeling the effects of our union.

Me because I felt it looming inside me.
Him because he was tight deep inside me.

We separated our lips due to the lack of oxygen,he leaned into the crook of my neck,kissing it slowly.

"How do you feel?
Does it hurt too much?"

I finally felt complete,as if the two halves of a broken heart coincided perfectly again.

"The pain is bearable...I'm fine,don't worry love"

I raised myself a little,feeling him move a little inside me due to the movement,to approach his earlobe,biting and licking it, noting his appreciation when I heard him sigh.

"On the other hand,the wonderful feeling and thought of having you inside me far outweighs the pain."

I returned my head to the pillow and stared into his eyes again, both of our eyes filled with love and desire.

Kiyotaka began to move slowly inside me and I gradually began to get used to his movements.

My hands continued to grip his soft hair while he seemed to adapt the rhythm of his thrusts to that of his kisses.

His kisses were slow and sweet as were his thrusts.

His hands moved from my hair and grabbed my hips in a firm grip.

I didn't expect him to be so delicate towards me while we were making love.

After all,as much as he loved me,the person in question was still Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.

I had a strong feeling that he had never acted this way with Karuizawa.

Although I appreciated his thoughtfulness towards me,I wanted more.

I wanted him to move inside me without any reservations.
I didn't care at all if I had pain all over my body after making love to him.

I would have gladly accepted it.

"Mhh...Kiyotaka...-"
I said between kisses.
His constant kisses barely let me breathe but it didn't matter, after all I loved the taste of his soft lips on mine.

"I-I need you to...go...as hard as you can..."

As soon as I finished the sentence,he broke away from my lips as if he had suddenly been burned.

"Suzune...-"

I didn't need him to be so gentle with me at that moment,I wasn't a fragile doll that could break at any moment.

I am Horikita Suzune,a seventeen year old girl who is having sex for the first time with the man she has always wanted and loved.

And I was terribly excited.

"I can handle it,I'm the one who's asked you and I'm completely sure of it,because I trust you more than anyone else and I know that you would never hurt me...now I'm asking you to trust me"

I told him softly and without even giving him time to give me an answer I quickly brought his face closer to mine and kissed him passionately.

During our passionate kiss,his response was not long in coming.

His hands first on my hips in a firm grip,then hooked onto my legs,bringing them around his waist allowing me to feel his member inside me even more.

I smiled satisfied on his soft lips as I felt his member deeper inside me and his thrusts speed up.

It was quite difficult to keep up with his thrusts,especially because it was my first time so I let myself be completely guided by him.

I didn't regret my proposal for even a single moment because all the pain I would have later would definitely be worth it. He was damn too good as he was taking me here in his bed,between his sheets.

I abandoned myself totally to him as his soft lips roamed all over my body with kisses and bites.

The combination of his wet kisses that left traces of his saliva on my body and his powerful thrusts inside me made me come for the third time that night between sighs,moans and screams.

I heard him sigh and moan louder and realized that we had reached climax at the same time.

"K-Kiyotaka...." I said with the little voice I had left because of him.

"Mhh...S-Suzune..." His face was flushed,he was breathing heavily and his low,hoarse voice didn't help my out-of-control hormones at all.

My hands that were gripping his hair tightly loosened their grip.
I was exhausted.
But I was also extremely satisfied.

I felt him gently place my legs on the bed and then slowly pull himself out of my body.

He lay down next to me a few seconds later,pulling me into a warm embrace which I returned by hugging him as tight as I could.

We covered ourselves with the blankets and remained tight in that embrace which coincidentally represented the same position we were in before making love.

"How do you feel love?"
He asked softly as he moved one of his hands from my waist to a lock of my hair placing it behind my ear.

His other hand continued to wrap around my waist as I rested on his chest.

I looked up at him,madly in love as he now tenderly caressed my cheek.

“Exhausted but I can certainly say without any hesitation that this was the best night of my life”

He brought his face closer to mine,kissing me in the sweetest way possible while he held me even closer to him,continuing to caress my cheek and I felt his other hand that was enveloping me slowly begin to caress my back.

I continued to keep my hands on his chest and began to caress him back.

If we hadn't separated immediately I doubt we would have been able to wake up early tomorrow and my body definitely wouldn't have been able to handle another round,that was for sure.

Reluctantly I decided to separate our lips and then after a few seconds of looking at him tenderly I caressed his face gently.

He put his hand that was previously on my face,on mine caressing it and then he brought it to his lips kissing it.

For the second time that evening,his actions melted my heart.
The more I spent my time with him,the more I realized how much I loved him.

"Stay here with me tonight,I want to fall asleep holding you in my arms,I want to feel your smell and your presence in my bed and realize that this is not a dream at all,that the woman I love more than anything else in the world is truly by my side"

Those words made me forget how to breathe for a few moments.

My expression,initially surprised for a few seconds,softened instantly.

Damn,was I really on the verge of crying from emotion?

I blinked back the tears that were threatening to spill and decided to tease him a little.

"Wasn't making love with me enough to make you understand that this isn't a dream at all?"

He smiled sweetly at me just like that time at Keyaki Mall.
That gorgeous smile that I loved like crazy since the first time I saw it.

"On the contrary,my sweetheart,making love with you was the most beautiful and most significant experience of my life...it's as if it were my first time too"

I couldn't understand what he meant but every single word he said threatened to make my heart explode from my chest considering how fast I felt it beating.

"What do you mean?
This wasn't your first time"
I said with a disappointed tone.

Of course I was extremely happy both with the fact that we had made love and with the words he was saying to me now,but being aware of the fact that I wasn't his first time was a blow to my heart.

"The first time I had sex was with Karuizawa Kei.
The first time I made love was just now with you."

I remained silent listening to him,encouraging him to continue his speech,while an immense happiness was unleashed inside me that I had never felt during the course of my life.

I could very well forget the disappointment I had felt in knowing that I hadn't been his first time.

On the other hand,I was his first and only love and this was worth more than anything else.

"I had never understood very well why people needed to distinguish having sex from making love considering that the act is the same"

"I can therefore deduce that you have now finally given an answer to that doubt that tormented you"

I said smiling genuinely as we were locked in a tight hug with him playing with my hair and me giving him a sweet kiss on his chest making him smile back.

Ohh...how I would have loved to stay like this forever.

"And it was all thanks to you,my love"

I looked up at him and saw him looking at me with a look full of love,the same one I was giving him too.

“You know when Karuizawa and I were having sex during our relationship,I was really hoping that I would be able to feel something towards her.
Many times I deluded myself that we were making love but despite this I always had the constant feeling that something was missing and although I tried many times to look for that missing piece,I never succeeded.
I even came to think that it had to be like this,that having sex and making love were exactly the same thing but that people decided to call them different names depending on the situation or the interlocutor they were interacting with whether they were familiar with it or not.
For me it came to mean only one thing:the satisfaction of one's physical needs that manifests itself through the sexual attraction one feels towards one's partner.
This isn't completely wrong because sexual attraction towards your partner is obviously one of the requirements,but it's not just about that and I finally understood it tonight thanks to you.
I understood what the missing piece was:
it's always been you"

"Me?"

"As much as I could have continued to have sex with Karuizawa I would never have felt anything remotely similar to the sensations I felt with you this night while we were making love,the problem was never the act itself but the fact that the person I was doing it with was never the right one,and as much as it costs me I have to admit that I was stupid not to realize it earlier"

It was the first time I had heard him speak in this vulnerable tone of voice.

His expression showed hints of sadness and regret.

It hurt to see him like that,especially because I wasn't used to it.

I had to get used to this new version of Ayanokouji Kiyotaka and I wasn't against it at all because I love him too much and whatever version of him he chose to show me,I would have welcomed it more than willingly.

“Could you forgive me?”
Those hints of sadness and regret still hadn't left his face.

Forgive him?
As far as I knew,he had nothing to make me forgive him for.
All I knew is that I love him more than my own life.

I took him by surprise by grabbing his face and bringing it close to mine to give him a passionate kiss.

I bit his lower lip to gain access to his warm tongue which he didn't hesitate to give me.

As soon as our tongues made contact I let him have control over me even though his tongue wasn't giving me any respite in my mouth.

He was even more aggressive than before and I was shamelessly ashamed that I liked this.

I gasped into his mouth as I felt him inside me again.

This time I felt no pain, just pure bliss as my hands wrapped around his neck to pull him further towards me.

I spread my legs and positioned them on his waist to provide him with as much access as possible to facilitate his strong thrusts and feel him deeper inside me.

My hands grabbed his hair again in a vain attempt to relieve all that pleasure.

His grip on my legs was firm.

"I will never get enough of you my love"
He said breathlessly once he left my lips.

"I'll never get enough of you either"
I pronounced those words with great difficulty between gasps and moans.

"Mhh...Kiyo...Kiyotaka"
I called out to him as he was busy leaving some hickeys on my neck.

We weren't using a condom and that worried me quite a bit.
I would have liked to have children with him,but for the moment it was too early.

He returned his excited gaze to me,moving a hand from my leg to my worried face,stroking it gently with the back of his hand.

“Do you want me to get out?”

As always,Kiyotaka and I managed to understand each other with a single look without necessarily resorting to words.

Without the use of a condom,I felt him inside me even better than our first time.

My body had been overstimulated and shortly thereafter I would've come with him.

Our breaths were ragged.
His thrusts were shorter and faster.
I felt that strong pressure in my lower abdomen.
We were close to reaching our climax.

"I-I'll take the...pill...d-don't worry."

My hands moved to his back scratching it again as my vision went completely blurry.

"Ki...Kiyotaka...Kiyo...taka~"
I had come.
I had come screaming and moaning his name.

"Suzu...Suzune....~"
A few seconds later I felt his warm liquids flooding my intimate area.

And to think that one day those same liquids that would've merged with mine would give life to our baby.

He was on top of me breathing heavily but just as satisfied as I was at that moment.
I brought both my hands to his cheeks,bringing our faces together almost to the point of kissing like he had done with me before,and I whispered on his lips.

"You have absolutely nothing to make me forgive you for because I am here now,in your bed,happier than ever after having made love with you for the second time...there is nothing I could want more from life"
He smiled against my lips before giving me a kiss that left me dumbfounded for a few seconds.

“Have I already told you how much I love you and how much you mean to me?”
At his question,I smiled and assumed a mock thoughtful expression.

"Yes,but I wouldn't mind at all if you told me more often."

"I'll think about it"
He said teasingly before pouncing on my lips again.

I would never forget that wonderful night.

~THE NEXT MORNING~

SAKAYANAGI ARISU'S POV

An hour.

In an hour I would be leaving Advanced Nurturing High School for good.

I had packed my bags the night before and now I'm lingering just a stone's throw from my dorm door.
Dormitory that no longer belongs to me.

That night,before the last special end-of-year exam took place,I contacted Ayanokouji without even realizing why I had done it or at least not yet then.

I think deep down a part of me knew this well.

I should have expected it sooner or later from someone like Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.

He chose to let Ryuen stay in this school rather than me because he knew too well that by not agreeing with the decision he made,I would hinder him and I paid the price,a rather high price.

He will also have considered the fact that Ryuen would be more useful to him in the future and although I don't like to admit it, Ryuen was more of a challenge for Ayanokouji than I had been in these two years.

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is a born genius.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is a calculator.

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka would never make such drastic decisions if he didn't feel threatened.

It was humiliating for me to know that in a way,I was suffering the same fate as Maezono,a former student from his previous class.

However,I hold no ill will towards him because I understand the meaning of his actions all too well.

I would have acted the same way too so why would I hold a grudge against him?

As irrefutable proof of this,I had left him all my private points, every last one.

I looked down and saw the screen of my phone that I would soon return to the office.

Sakayanagi Arisu.
Private points:Zero.

I smiled resignedly.

I put my cell phone in the pocket of my black cardigan.

"At least I'll see you again Kamuro Masumi'
I said as I opened the door to my former dorm and stepped out onto the landing that would lead me to the elevator and then to school for the last time.

I took a moment to look up at the clear sky.
There isn't even a cloud today.

I start walking towards the dormitories realizing that I was alone,after all it is still early at this time,especially since the holidays have started and few would have gotten up at the usual time.

Not that I cared much.
I celebrated my farewell party yesterday in class with all my classmates and Professor Mashima who wished me good luck in everything I would do from that moment on,then I also said goodbye definitively to Hashimoto who proved to be rather against my expulsion.

After the farewell party,we both decided to talk about it privately in the schoolyard.

~
"It's not fair at all...you didn't deserve to be expelled from this school"

He told me,clenching his fists.
Fair?
Oh Hashimoto,nothing is "fair" when it comes to this school.

"First it was Masumi's turn and now it's your turn...I...how should I...-"
He took a deep breath to calm himself.
I couldn't help but look at him helplessly.

“How could I go on without you two by my side?”

I never wanted to leave Hashimoto here alone.
If I had a choice during the last special exam I would have definitely stayed here with him.
But Ayanokouji had already decided for both of us.

"You'll make it Hashimoto.
I know perfectly well that you will make it.
You owe this to both me and Masumi because in exactly one year we will be here for you to celebrate our high school graduation all three together."

I moved closer to him,taking his hands and clasping them in mine.

I felt my eyes start to sting.
I shouldn't have cried in front of him.
I had to be strong so I tried with all of myself to fight back those tears.
There would be time to cry later in my dorm,alone.

He looked down at our intertwined hands for a few seconds,then looked up at me again in confusion.

“So make sure you don’t get kicked out okay?
We want to hear all your adventures during third year.
Give your best in your special exams.
Give your best in all tests.
Make sure your class can count on you for everything.
Hashimoto,I leave you my place as leader of this class along with Ayanokouji,please both of you take care of it...and above all take care of yourself"

"Don't worry,you can rely on both me and Ayanokouji to take care of our class,we won't let you down"

I had already explained to Hashimoto everything that had happened between me and Ayanokouji during the last special exam as soon as it ended.

I could have lied to him and told him that I simply didn't try hard enough during the special exam and was overwhelmed by Ryuen, but I already knew that he knew me too well to believe such a thing.

So I told him the truth.

Although he had initially taken it badly towards Ayanokouji,I had clearly explained his motives to him and told him that I would have done the same if I were in his place.

I knew that in a certain way Hashimoto and Ayanokouji had bonded over these two years thanks to the special exams and this pleased me.

I knew I could count on them to take care of the C class.

"I will never understand what goes through the minds of you geniuses"
He said sighing resignedly.

In part he had accepted it also because there would now be nothing left to do.

I was expelled and I accepted it.
Reluctantly but I accepted it.

I leave everything in their hands.
In the hands of the two people I trust most at this school.

"I know for a fact that you won't disappoint me,I trust you two"

Besides Kamuro Masumi,Hashimoto and Ayanokouji were the two people I trusted the most.

He released his hands from my grip and unexpectedly I felt him hug me tightly.
After a few seconds I returned his hug.

"Thank you so much for everything Sakayanagi Arisu"
He said,breaking our tight embrace.

I gave him a kind and grateful smile.

"You're welcome Hashimoto"

I needed to get back to my dorm as soon as possible or there was a real risk that I would cry in front of him.

"Thank you so much for everything you have done for me these two years.
See you soon"

I said as I started to walk towards the girls' dorms where I would spend my last night.
Tomorrow I would leave this school permanently as a student and one day I would return as principal in place of my father who had inherited it from my grandfather.

"Wait"
It seemed that Hashimoto had more to say to me, so I stopped a few steps away from him but didn't turn to look at him.

"Could you say hello to Masumi for me when you see her and...and tell her that I love her and miss her very much?"

I smiled genuinely.
I figured he wanted to tell me this when he stopped me from getting to the girls' dormitory as quickly as possible.

Hashimoto and Masumi had become a couple during the beginning of the second year but no one other than me knew it.

When they finally decided to reveal that they were together, Masumi was expelled from school and Hashimoto didn't stop thinking about her for even a moment after that.

They are so in love.
Sometimes I felt like the third wheel with them but they are my best friends and as long as they are happy,I am too.

"Are you sure you don't want to be the one telling her in a year?"
I said turning to him.

“I don't want to wait a whole year for her to know,I want her to know as soon as possible how much I love her and how much I miss having her here with me,you are the only person who knows about us and you are our best friend.
Under the circumstances I can't tell her but promise me you will tell her."

Was he afraid that she might get engaged to someone else?
No,it wasn't that.
Hashimoto had always regretted never having told Masumi that he loved her,not even on the day of her expulsion because of his insecurities.
I would have been more than happy to comply with his request.

"Then I'll make sure to get your words back to her,I promise."
He nodded,smiling at me as he scratched his neck in embarrassment.
I smiled back at him and headed back to the girls' dorms.
~

I arrived at the office accompanied by Professor Mashima who had met me at the entrance of the school building helping me with my suitcase.

"Thank you very much for accompanying me Professor Mashima"
There is much more in those words than mere thanks for accompanying me and the professor understood this very well, but preferred not to say anything about it.

It would have been too much and Professor Mashima knew me well enough to know that I wouldn't want to pursue the matter further.

I saw him hesitate before confirming my expulsion while I looked at him impassively.

"You're welcome Sakayanagi,are you ready?"
Professor Mashima, who was previously looking straight ahead, turned his gaze towards me.

"I was born ready, Professor Mashima"
I said determined.

This conversation would not have been between principal and student.
This conversation would have been between a father and his daughter.

Professor Mashima looked away as he knocked on my father's door.

A few seconds later the door opened and I saw the figure of my father standing in front of the door and turned his gaze from the professor to me and then once again to the professor.

I feel a lot of tension.

"Professor Mashima,can I ask you to leave us alone?"
In the meantime,I took my suitcase from the professor and entered in my father's office,sitting on the chair in front of his desk.

"Of course Principal Sakayanagi"
I heard him say as I placed my suitcase next to me and tightened my grip on my cane.

Even though I told Professor Mashima I was ready,in reality I wasn't ready at all.
Not when it come to having to face my father.
Not when I had disappointed him so much.

I heard the door close and my father's footsteps reach his desk, only to see him sitting in front of me with a serious look.
I look down,ashamed of myself for the first time in my life.

"Arisu"
After a few seconds of silence I heard him say my name softly as he always did.
I looked up at him in surprise and disbelief.

"Dad I...I'm sorry...I'm sorry for what happened...really...I disappointed you very much...I'm mortified...-"
I said expressing my shame at being expelled and disappointing him but I heard him interrupt me laughing.

"Dad?"
I'm confused right now and it can be felt in my tone.
What's happening?
Why are you laughing dad?

"My sweet little girl Arisu"
He said,stopping laughing and looking at me tenderly,placing his hand on mine which was on the desk,and taking it in his hands.

"You didn't disappoint me at all Arisu,how do you come up with something like that?"
I'm on the verge of crying right now.

"I disappointed you by being expelled from this school and even before that I did it by allowing class A to regress.
I was not a good leader for my class nor was I a good daughter for you"
My father was looking at me like I was an alien from another planet.

"Arisu...-"
I prevented him from continuing his speech by getting up from the chair supported by my cane.

I'm quite nervous.
I cried all night before I got to this moment.
I thought I had mentally prepared myself properly to face my father today.
Everything fell apart when I looked into his eyes.

“The daughter of the principal Sakayanagi of the renowned Advanced Nurturing High School Sakayanagi Arisu was expelled from the school at the end of her second year…how could you not be disappointed in me?”

He got up from his chair sighing and as soon as he reached me he hugged me tightly.
I was surprised by that gesture,hugging him as tight as I could too.

"I repeat to you my sweet little girl:
you have not disappointed me at all,on the contrary my little one.
I am proud of you.
I am extremely proud of all the results you have achieved throughout your life,of your experiences,of all the teachings that you are managed to draw from each of them...this is no less darling.
This school works like this and you know it well.
I don't care what anyone else says,let them talk if that's what you meant before.
I care that my little girl is well and happy.
That's all that matters to me Arisu."

"D-Dad"
I burst into tears in my father's arms.
I didn't expect such a reaction from him.

I'm so happy that he isn't disappointed or angry with me.
I was worried so much without any reason.

I have always had a very close relationship with my father since I was a child,I love him very much as much as he loves me.

My father has always done a lot for me and always doing my best in everything is my way of thanking him and repaying him by making him proud of me.

The expulsion from school was a hard blow for me,especially thinking that I had disappointed the most important person in my life.

Until recently I felt as if there was a weight on my chest that prevented me from breathing but now after hearing those words it has completely disappeared and I feel as if I had just emerged from the water and was breathing again.

Relief.
Here's what I feel.

"I love you so much my sweet little girl"
My father broke our embrace after saying those words and looked at me lovingly,caressing my face and wiping away my tears.
I smiled sweetly before my expression turned serious and I looked him straight in the eyes.

"I promise I will continue to make you proud of me dad"
He nodded,smiling at me with a proud look.

"I know you will my child"
After hearing those words,I took the phone that I had placed in my black cardigan and placed it on the desk and then took my suitcase under the gaze of my father who didn't take his eyes off me.

"Do you want me to walk you out of school,Arisu?"
After that confrontation,I could leave school without any hesitation.
Without regrets.
Without grudges.

Although I was happy that my father wanted to accompany me out of school,I feel like it's something I have to do alone.

"Don't worry dad,from here on I'll go alone...I'll send your regards to mum,you take care of yourself please...see you soon"

He came closer to me again,hugging me tighter and then giving me a kiss on the forehead.

"See you soon my sweet little girl,
Take care of yourself too, okay?”

I nodded and walked towards the door,closing it behind me.

I left the presidency behind me.
I was about to leave this school behind.

You are free Sakayanagi Arisu.

AYANOKOUJI KIYOTAKA'S POV

I woke up feeling a weight on my chest.

My vision is a little blurry but I would always recognize this lovely face,this beautiful raven hair and her magnificent body which is currently full of the marks I left on her last night.

We spent the whole night making love,no wonder she is still sleeping peacefully on me,it would be a shame to wake her up now.

"Good morning my love"
I whispered softly trying not to wake her as I caressed her face with the back of my hand.

After giving her a kiss on the forehead,I slowly moved away from her so that she wouldn't wake up and positioned her slightly more in the center of the bed so that she had more space.

I picked up my boxers on the floor and put them on and then walked over to the desk to check the time on my phone.

7.25am

I turned back to the bed to check on Suzune.
My love was still sleeping peacefully in what had now become our bed.

We had both phones on silent since last night.
We wanted to spend yesterday's evening just the two of us, without any distractions.

There were about seven missed calls and a few messages from Ichinose Honami on my phone.
It wasn't a priority even though I had sex with her.
It seemed that Karuizawa Kei had come to terms with our breakup.
I'm relieved about it.

And then...there are also some missing calls from Kanzaki Ryuji.
He probably learned about what happened between me and Ichinose Honami that night from Ichinose herself and wants to talk to me.
I'll deal with him later.

I didn't care about either of them.
My only priority lies right now in my bed and she's sleeping peacefully.

I couldn't be happier about it.

I went to the closet,grabbed some clean clothes and new boxers, then headed to the bathroom to take a shower.

Removing the only piece of clothing that covered my body full of scratches, bites and hickeys made from Suzune,I get into the shower.

The warm water relaxed my muscles,which were a little sore from last night's events,but despite everything I would relive it countless times.

I smiled slightly.
I had made love with Horikita Suzune.

My slight smile disappeared when I realized that I should have told her about the class change I had made yesterday also using the private points that Sakayanagi Arisu left me.

It troubles me not to know what kind of reaction Suzune might have to this news.
I should have already lied to her looking into her eyes about why I did such a thing.

A half truth.
My love I hope you can forgive me.

I hear the bathroom door open and footsteps approach me.
Shortly after I saw the love of my life naked enter the shower with me.

I can't deny that I'm pleasantly surprised.

Now she's all wet too:
drops of water running down her perfect body,her face red and her short hair stuck to her forehead.

Beautiful as always.

She came closer to me,kissing me delicately,wrapping her arms around my neck while I ran my hands over her smooth,soft body.

I grabbed her hips and placed her on the shower tiles behind her causing her to wince slightly from the cold.

Our kiss in the meantime deepened even more.
My tongue made its way into her mouth prevailing over her warm tongue.

Her bare breast against my chest is having an effect on me down there that I've come to recognize very well.

Her hands in my hair are driving me crazy.

I reluctantly separated from her.

We are both panting with a string of saliva connecting our lips.

"I want you too much"
She said breathlessly because of the kiss,I also wanted her with all my being but it wasn't the right time to make love.

"Good morning to you too my love"
I said breathlessly using a teasing tone caressing her face.

I saw her come closer to me for another kiss but I stopped her by placing a finger on her soft lips looking at her confused expression.

"I have to go and say goodbye to Sakayanagi Arisu before she leaves school for good,then I'll come back here to you,we'll have breakfast,you'll take the birth control pill and then we'll make love as many times as you want,do you agree?"
During my speech I saw her with an adorable pout on her face.

She seemed to think about it for a moment and then I saw her with that gorgeous smile on her face.

"I agree"
She said kissing me.
I kissed her back.

"See you later my love"
I said softly and she nodded.

I got out of the shower,taking my bathrobe and drying myself and then starting to dress, with a white shirt and light gray trousers.

Suzune is still in the shower.

I fixed my now dry hair,I put on the shoes,grabbed my phone and left my dorm.

HORIKITA SUZUNE'S POV

As soon as I got out of the shower with a towel wrapped around my body,I heard my phone ring from the desk and saw that it was Kanzaki Ryuji.

How was it possible that Kanzaki Ryuji had my contact?

Why would he call me?
We never interacted much and definitely had no reason to talk to each other.

What urgent matter required that I speak on the phone with Kanzaki Ryuji who belongs to Honami Ichinose's class who humiliated me during the last special exam?

However,out of curiosity I answered the call.

"Good morning Horikita"
As soon as I answered,Kanzaki's deep,hoarse voice reached my ears.

They had humiliated me and now he even had the courage to call me.
What a cheeky guy.

“How did you get my contact?”
Had someone arranged for my contact to reach Kanzaki?
Maybe Kiyotaka?
No,I don't think he would have had any reason to.
There is no one who is in close relationship with both me and Kanzaki.
Unless...

"I got your contact by checking through the 'OAA' application"
In the end,the last of my hypotheses turned out to be the right one.
It was neither Kiyotaka nor any other student among those who had my contact who gave it to him.
But why so much trouble on his part?

"You rather Horikita Suzune,how did you recognize my contact?
I don't remember giving it to you before calling you today,most likely because I wouldn't have had any reason to."

“And now you suddenly found a reason to contact me?
It must be an important issue for you to bother yourself enough to look for my contact on the 'OAA' application."
I couldn't tell him that I recognized his contact through Kiyotaka because Kanzaki had spent two hours yesterday afternoon trying to contact him.

"You ignored my previous question Horikita Suzune,but don't worry about that,I'm not interested in why you know my contact, you were free to answer or not,rather I'm contacting you for an important reason"
This all seems very strange to me.
Kanzaki who tried to contact Kiyotaka for two hours yesterday afternoon.
Kiyotaka refused to answer,saying it was nothing important and that he only wanted to focus on me and it was the same for me towards him.
So,we put our phones on silent and left them on his desk all night.

Now Kanzaki called me instead,saying he wanted to talk about an important matter.
I have a bad feeling about this.

"And what would this "important reason" be?"
I asked trying to hide my anxiety.

The uncertainty of what he wanted to tell me,the bad feeling that lingered in me and the connection of the call yesterday that Kanzaki made to Kiyotaka and the one he made to me now make me nervous.

"Is something wrong?"
I asked in a fearful voice without even realizing I had said those words.
I thought they remained in my head but instead they escaped my lips without my having any control over them.

"Horikita..."
I heard Kanzaki suddenly stop as if he was carefully considering his next words.
His cold tone has softened.
He's hesitating.

“Can we meet at Keyaki Mall in half an hour if that's not a problem for you?”
Meet Kanzaki Ryuji of class 2-D at Keyaki Mall in half an hour for what appears to be an important reason?
What if I'm thinking about it too much?
What if it was really an important issue?
For some reason I feel like Kiyotaka has something to do with this.
Kanzaki called me because I'm the closest person to him?
Nobody knows about our relationship yet.

I want everything to be clearer to me.
Besides,not that I have much to do before Kiyotaka goes back to the dorm.

"Does this matter concern only me?"
Whether or not he confirmed my suspicions that Kiyotaka was involved,I already agreed to meet him at Keyaki Mall to talk about it.

"This matter concerns both you and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka but since he doesn't seem to be reachable at the moment,I will only talk about it with you,do you agree?"
Exactly as I imagined.
Kiyotaka is involved.

His tone sounded apologetic.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

~'Relax Suzune,it might not be as bad as you think'~
One of the many things that Ayanokouji Kiyotaka taught me is to best evaluate all possible options and then choose the best attack strategy.

“See you in half an hour at Keyaki Mall,you better make this meeting worth my time.”
I said starting to grab my school uniform.
Unfortunately,not knowing that I would have the best night of my life here with Kiyotaka,I hadn't brought a change of clothes.

"Thank you so much Horikita Suzune"
I heard him say it before he hung up.

I went back to the bathroom to prepare to meet Kanzaki at Keyaki Mall.
I have so many doubts and uncertainties running through my head right now.
What if I'm not ready to hear about this?
I don't want to think that there are problems between Kiyotaka and me.
I don't want to think that he's hiding something from me.
How could and should I react if something like this happened?

I guess there's no point thinking about it right now.
Once this whole strange situation becomes clear to me,I will act accordingly.

KANZAKI RYUJI'S POV

In half an hour I would meet Horikita Suzune at Keyaki Mall to talk to her about this whole situation.
I know very well about the relationship between Ayanokouji Kiyotaka and Horikita Suzune since I had seen them three days ago leaving the student council room together,and then giving each other a kiss.

Honami told me everything about what had happened between the two of them the night before.

I couldn't explain then,why Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was kissing the student council president if he had had sex with Honami the night before?
Honami would have had no reason to lie to me.
On the other hand,Ayanokouji is exactly the kind of person who would do something like that.

Horikita Suzune probably doesn't know about it,otherwise, although I didn't know her very well,I doubt she would have been with him now.

I tried several times yesterday afternoon to contact Ayanokouji Kiyotaka to ask him but he purposely ignored me.

Chapter Text

HORIKITA SUZUNE'S POV

As soon as I set foot in Keyaki Mall, where Kanzaki had asked me to meet, I saw him leaning against the counter, so I approached him maintaining a neutral expression despite the fact that a bad feeling continued to persist inside me since our call. Kanzaki had been enigmatic on the phone a few minutes ago, and from what he had mentioned to me, the situation also concerned Kiyotaka, my boyfriend, the love of my life.

~Please make sure that it is nothing that will put my relationship with Kiyotaka in difficulty or even worse, that will cause a breakup.~

I didn't even know who I was praying to, who I was entrusting myself to, the fact is that I strongly hoped so.

Kanzaki also maintained a neutral expression, just as his tone was neutral shortly before while we were talking on the phone. I was very upset not to be able to read him, it would have been useful to me in a situation like this.

"Horikita, I knew I could rely on your sense of responsibility."

~Cut it short, I want to know the truth.~ I thought.

"Kanzaki, I'm here because you can explain to me in detail what you mentioned to me on the phone a few minutes ago and above all the reason, why you are so eager to talk to Ayanokouji and, the reason why I am involved in this."

~Won't he have some suspicions about Kiyotaka and me since we are the only ones involved in anything Kanzaki has to say?~

I saw him frown and tilt his head slightly. "Mhh?"

I raised an eyebrow. It almost seemed as if he was teasing me with that moan.

~We haven't revealed this to anyone yet, we've been careful to limit any kind of interaction that might suggest we were in a relationship. Is it possible that, we were not careful enough?~

"Come with me, let's take a seat at one of the tables."
He said turning to the tables of the Keyaki Mall and holding out his hand forward, motioning me to pass first.

Kanzaki Ryuji has always been a gentleman after all.

As I approached the table with the obvious presence of Kanzaki Ryuji in tow, the bad feeling inside me only intensified.

~You're just overthinking Suzune, it's okay.~ I thought trying to reassure myself, but deep down I knew I was lying to myself.

AYANOKOUJI KIYOTAKA'S POV

I received Sakayanagi's message two days ago.

I had already thought on my own to say goodbye to her definitively, it seems that she had the same thought as me but apparently there is an additional meaning behind her desire to say goodbye to me.

I wouldn't have expected otherwise from someone like her.

I know perfectly well that Sakayanagi does not feel the slightest hint of resentment against me, in fact, she certainly understands the reasons why I acted in this way against her.

Sakayanagi Arisu would have acted in the same way towards me.

"Ryuen has given me permission to stay at school for a while, we have a lot to talk about, but I plan to do it on March 31st, in front of the main entrance, the day I leave school." This is the message left to me by Sakayanagi and so here I am, on March 31st in front of the main entrance of the school.

She stands in front of me, with her back to me, as she looks through the exit of the school.

"You came."