Chapter 7

Hanamori’s face slowly drew closer to mine.

Her eyes gazed into mine. Her lips were right in front of me.

Close. So very close. And then, our lips brushed lightly together.

A soft, warm sensation.

Hanamori’s lips pressed against mine.

Slowly, gently. Then deeper still, our tongues intertwining.

Our sweet breath mingled together.

I could feel Hanamori’s heat radiating into me.

My fingertips gently caressed her body.

From the nape of her neck, to her shoulders, her chest... and further down.

Hanamori’s sweet moans were irresistibly precious.

I want to touch her more.

I want her to come even closer.

“Asami-san...”

Hanamori whispered softly.

Her voice resonated in my ear, melting into me.

“Hanamori-san...”

I heard myself saying her name in return.

I held her tight. Closer. Even more—

Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep! Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep!

“Gahhhhhh!?!?!?!?”

I shot upright in bed.

My phone’s alarm was blaring incessantly.

Before my eyes was the familiar sight of my own bedroom.

I sat there on top of my bed, drenched in sweat. It was morning. That whole thing had just been a dream.

“Haah... haah...”

My breath was ragged, and my heart pounded violently. My face burned, and my hands trembled slightly.

Wait, hold on. No, no, no—what kind of dream was I just having?! I clutched my head, turning pale.

A dream where I was having s-sex—doing that with just some junior... with Hanamori Chisa?!

“This is bad... This is really bad...!!”

My voice trembled, and my heart refused to slow down.

What... what is wrong with me?

＊＊＊

Ever since the business trip, my daily life had completely changed. What changed, you ask? I was way too conscious of Hanamori to get any work done.

“Asami-san, regarding these documents...”

Sasaki-kun spoke to me, but my eyes kept darting over to Hanamori on the other side of the desks. She was facing her computer, working on documents with a dead-serious expression.

“Asami-san?”

“Ah, sorry. What is it?”

Snapping back to reality, I looked at Sasaki-kun.

“Well, about these documents...”

“Ah, right. Gotcha.”

Focus, me.

With the decision to present our new service at a major exhibition, the sales department had turned into a battlefield. We needed to boost awareness all at once. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say the company’s fate hung in the balance.

On top of our regular sales duties, we had to prepare promotional materials, design the booth layout, and arrange live demonstrations. With a mountain of tasks on our plates, working late overtime had become the norm.

As busy as I was supposed to be, I kept finding myself tracking Hanamori with my eyes. I stared intently at her back as she stood up from her desk and headed to the break room.

“Asami-san, so about this part right here... Asami-san?”

“Huh!? ...A-Ah, right! This section, yeah? Well, let’s see...”

Ugh, I’m totally spacing out. Pull yourself together, me. Once I finished explaining, Sasaki-kun returned to his desk. Right around then, Hanamori returned from the break room carrying a coffee mug.

And then, our eyes met.

Thump.

My heart leaped into my throat.

Hastily averting my eyes, I turned back to my computer and stared frantically at the screen. But nothing registered in my brain.

“Asami. Have you finalized the content for the trade show brochure?”

The sales manager’s voice boomed across the office.

“Ah, yes! I’ll finish it by today.”

“Please do. We’re cutting it down to the wire for the printing deadline.”

“Understood. I’ll push it through right away.”

I need to work.

I have to do my job properly. This is no time to be worrying about Hanamori. Reminding myself of that, I faced my computer screen.

＊＊＊

“Asami-san.”

A voice called out from behind me, making me jump. When I turned around, Hanamori was standing there.

“H-Hanamori-san. Morning.”

My voice came out embarrassingly squeaky.

Calm down, me.

“Heh, you jumped so high just now. Anyway, here’s the booth layout map for the exhibition. Does this work?”

Hanamori held out a tablet right beside me.

Close. Her face was way too close. I caught Hanamori’s scent. A sweet, peachy aroma.

“Ah, yeah. Looks good to me.”

“Are you sure? I felt like the foot traffic flow right here was a bit awkward.”

Hanamori pointed at the screen.

Those fingers. So slender and pretty... Wait, what on earth am I staring at?!

“Asami-san?”

She was gazing at me from right beside my face.

My body felt scorching hot.

“Ah, sorry. Where were you pointing?”

“Right here. Please get it on the first try.”

Hanamori pointed again while spouting her usual cheekiness.

Focus. Look at it properly.

“Ah, true. In that case, maybe this arrangement over here works better.”

“Right? I thought so too.”

Hanamori nodded with a look of satisfaction.

That expression... What’s with that?

...So cute.

Ugh, damn it. Why does she look cute to me?!

“Thank you. I’ll make the adjustments.”

Hanamori headed back to her seat. I let out a long breath. My heart wouldn’t stop pounding. We had only talked about work, for goodness' sake.

＊＊＊

When afternoon rolled around, Hanamori came over to talk to me again.

“Asami-san, thanks for your hard work. I finished revising those documents from earlier.”

“T-T-Thanks for your hard work. Yeah, thank you.”

Why am I being so ridiculously awkward?!

“Asami-san, you’re acting kind of weird, you know?”

Hanamori looked at me quizzically.

“N-No I’m not!”

“Isn’t your face red? Do you have a fever or something?”

“Not at all.”

“Then were you thinking about weird things again?”

“Huh!? I-I-I was not!”

Hanamori teased playfully before giggling. That smile. That soft laughter.

...It felt so fun.

As infuriating as it was, I couldn’t help feeling that talking to Hanamori was unbelievably fun.

“I knew it, you’ve been acting weird ever since the business trip.”

“T-T-That’s totally not true!”

“No, you’re definitely being awkward.”

“Y-Y-You’re just imagining things!”

Hanamori narrowed her eyes and tilted her head. That gesture sent another sweet pang through my chest.

I found myself tracking her back with my eyes again as she walked back to her desk. It was baffling even to me.

—Hanamori likes Tamura-san. Yeah. Not me.

I desperately hammered that into my own head. Getting all worked up just from a simple conversation made me look like an idiot. What was I even expecting? My chest throbbed with a dull, painful ache.

＊＊＊

The office at night. Only Tamura-san, Hanamori, and I remained on the sales floor.

An exquisitely awkward trio.

While preparing documents at my desk, I stole a glance at Hanamori. She was sitting next to Tamura-san, chatting happily.

Hanamori spoke in a sweet, cooing voice with a beaming smile, and Tamura-san smiled back as he answered her. A painful sting throbbed in my chest.

This was just the same old scene I’d been watching forever, wasn’t it? Hanamori loved talking to Tamura-san. She had feelings for Tamura-san.

Not someone like me.

Their cheerful conversation, their shared laughter, Hanamori touching his arm. Every detail sent a wave of anxiety through my heart.

I desperately forced my eyes back to my computer. Don’t look. You shouldn’t look. But my gaze unconsciously drifted back toward Hanamori. Don’t ruin their time together.

I stood up with a loud scrape of my chair.

“I’m gonna step out to the convenience store real quick.”

Tamura-san and Hanamori looked up.

“Ah, then I’ll go with—”

“Ah, no, no, it’s fine! I’ll pick up stuff for you two as well.”

I forced the brightest smile I could manage.

“But...”

“It’s totally fine, keep working. Ah, Tamura-san, black coffee good for you?”

For a split second, Hanamori looked hurt... or so it felt.

No, definitely just my imagination. What am I expecting, idiot?

She was probably thinking, “Score!” or “Guess Asami-san can actually be thoughtful for once.” She was definitely thrilled to finally get some alone time with Tamura-san. And that ticked me off to no end.

“Well, I’m off.”

I hurriedly stepped out of the office. My chest felt raw and heavy all over again.

Right now, Hanamori was probably thrilled. Finally alone with Tamura-san. Now that the nuisance—me—was out of the way. I was such an idiot, unable to focus on work while dwelling on things like this. Frustrating. Pathetic.

And yet, I couldn’t help caring, couldn’t stop overthinking it.

I bought a few drinks at the convenience store and took my sweet time strolling back to the office. Taking as long as I could—just to let them have a little extra time alone together.

＊＊＊

On the afternoon three days before the exhibition, the atmosphere in the sales department was thick with tension. Everyone was on edge from the relentless workload. On top of a mountain of tasks, inquiry emails regarding our new service kept pouring in.

The exhibition materials were still only half-finished. Despite coming in early and pulling endless overtime, the work just kept bubbling up. We were way past full capacity.

—And yet.

And yet, my eyes were drawn toward Hanamori, sitting diagonally across from me.

No. I get it.

I knew wasting time looking over was stupid. If I pointed my eyes at my screen, I could clear out at least two inquiry emails.

But I couldn’t help looking anyway. Automatically. Hanamori was hard at work, typing feverishly, a serious frown creasing her brow. Every so often, she puffed out her cheeks. What is she agonizing over...? Cute. Wait, am I an idiot?! This is really not the time to be thinking about that!

“Hah...”

A heavy sigh escaped my lips involuntarily. Come to think of it, I hadn’t even taken a lunch break today. Pretty sure Hanamori hadn’t gone either.

We’ve been so slammed today that the only thing we’ve said to each other was a quick “Good morning.” I feel so lonely... Wait, hold on. Lonely?! You’re a working adult! We’re in the middle of a pre-exhibition crunch! You have romance on the brain way too much, Nagi Asami.

Even so, I want to talk to her.

I want to exchange jokes like we always do. Another quick glance. My eyes drifted over again despite myself.

Hanamori flipped a page of her documents. Her slender fingers gripped the edge of the paper. Her hand jotted down a quick note with her pen. She tilted her head, exposing her fair nape—

At that exact moment, our eyes locked.

(Ugh, crap!)

I frantically averted my eyes.

Trying frantically to hide that I’d been staring, I scanned the papers on my desk to play it off.

What was a working adult in her mid-twenties doing? Acting like a middle schooler. Pathetic. Embarrassing. Mortifyingly embarrassing.

My heart hammered in my chest. Gently bringing my gaze back, I checked on Hanamori once more.

—Hanamori was staring straight at me.

She tilted her head, wearing a suspicious expression. A sharp look, as if suspecting me of being an underwear thief. Oh crap. Right now, I was being treated as a total creep.

I offered a strained smile to play it off.

I tried my best to sport a cool expression that said, “Oh? Is something wrong, Hanamori-san?” Well, in reality, I was probably just grinning like a fool.

That was when Hanamori suddenly lowered her eyes and offered a soft smile. A gentle grin surfaced on her cheeks. And just like that, she returned her eyes to her computer with a serious look, as if nothing had happened.

...What was that about?

That smile is totally foul play.

I turned back to my monitor and replied to the email with a straight face, though Hanamori’s smile kept replaying over and over in my head.

＊＊＊

Once the customer inquiries settled down, I was finally able to take a break.

Stepping into the kitchenette, the cool air felt wonderful. I took a sip of the black coffee brewed by the coffee maker. Bitter. But the crisp sensation of that bitterness sharpening my senses felt nice.

Just as I took another sip and let out a long sigh—

The clacking of heels echoed from the hallway. My heart gave a sudden thud.

Turning around, I saw Hanamori step into the kitchenette.

"Ah—"

The sound escaped my mouth before I could stop it. Spotting me, Hanamori’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second.

I should talk to her. Anything—anything at all. We haven't talked at all today. I could almost laugh at myself for getting so foolishly excited despite my age.

"Hanamori-sa—"

"Asami-sa—"

Our voices overlapped.

"Oh, please go ahead, Asami-san."

"No, after you, Hanamori-san—"

"...Well, then—"

"Ah, Nagi-san!"

A sweet voice called out from behind me.

When I turned, Asakura-san was standing there. A black pencil skirt, loosely curled chestnut hair styled up, and a faint waft of soapy perfume.

"Thanks for your hard work, Asakura-san."

"Good work. Were you two talking? Sorry to interrupt, but I had a quick question about the proposal materials from earlier."

Ah, work stuff. Better handle this. Asakura-san began talking about the pamphlet design, and I nodded along. But my gaze was inexorably drawn toward the back of the kitchenette.

Glance.

Hanamori was making a café au lait with an expressionless face. Profile-wise, she was gorgeous. Her eyes cast slightly downward, emphasizing the length of her eyelashes. ...Hey, pull it together, Asami. Focus on Asakura-san right now.

"So about next week's meeting..."

"Ah, right."

Even while responding, my eyes kept drifting back to Hanamori.

My conversation with Asakura-san shifted from work to personal matters.

"Oh, right! That restaurant we reserved for next week was apparently featured on TV recently."

"Oh, really...?"

As I offered half-hearted responses, my eyes continued following Hanamori.

Hanamori was stirring her café au lait unusually meticulously. It felt like she was taking much longer than normal. Was she listening to us? Was she aware of me or not? Her expression gave nothing away. Then, just as she picked up her paper cup to leave the kitchenette, Hanamori glanced back at me for a split second. Her eyes looked tinged with sadness... or at least, that was how it seemed to me.

"Good work."

With a quiet word of departure, Hanamori walked away.

Ah, she's leaving... And I really wanted to talk to her.

After finally bumping into each other on a break, no less.

I tried my best to listen to Asakura-san after that, but I couldn't stop thinking about Hanamori's retreating back.

"And anyway, about the movie I watched last week—"

"Ah, Asakura-san...! I-I'm so sorry!"

The loud voice that burst out of me made Asakura-san flinch.

"I just remembered an urgent matter I need to handle...! I'm truly sorry, please excuse me...!"

"Oh, I see. Good luck with that."

Leaving Asakura-san's voice behind me, I sprinted down the hallway.

Chasing after her. After Hanamori's back.

"Hanamori-san!"

My voice came out louder than expected.

Hanamori jumped in surprise and spun around.

"Um, well..."

I was out of breath. Calling out to her was all well and good, but... what on earth should I say? What was I supposed to talk about?

I couldn't think of a single conversation starter.

"...I ate the super-spicy mapo tofu at the cafeteria."

What kind of topic is that? That's such an utterly pointless update.

Hanamori narrowed her eyes.

"...Huh?"

"No, well... the stuff you mentioned the other day. It was pretty spicy, but I took a chance and tried it."

"Is that..."

Hanamori took a step closer.

"...really something worth chasing me down and shouting at the top of your lungs to report?"

She gave a dry chuckle with an expression of utter exasperation.

"Asami-san, are you just bored?"

"I'm not bored! I'm busy! Super busy!"

"If you were busy, you wouldn't have time to be thinking about mapo tofu."

Hanamori tilted her head slightly, the right corner of her mouth curling upward.

"Hmm, or could it be... you were so worried about me that you chased after me?"

"N-No!"

"If you say so. Your flirt-fest with Asakura-san ended surprisingly fast, though."

"Uh, no, well, that's..."

"Just kidding. If you're so free, Asami-san, help me prepare the materials for the exhibition."

Giggling, she continued to tease me in her usual cheeky tone.

It was infuriating. Infuriating, but undeniably adorable.

Hanamori continued.

"Asami-san, you've really been acting strange lately."

"Uh, well..."

"...So, was it good? The super-spicy mapo tofu."

Hanamori's expression softened slightly as she stared intently at my face.

"Ah, yeah. It was good. Super spicy, though."

"Hmm. Did you really eat it? I thought you couldn't handle spicy food, Asami-san."

"Huh?"

"Are you lying to me?"

"I'm not lying! I really ate it!"

"Where's your proof?"

Hanamori was smirking. She was completely playing with me.

"P-Proof...? I threw the receipt away."

"Then I don't believe you."

"No, I'm telling the truth!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure. See ya."

Giggling, Hanamori turned to start walking again.

Ah, wait a second.

"L-Let's go eat it together next time! The super-spicy mapo tofu!"

The instant the words left my mouth, I regretted them.

Why am I still dragging out this mapo tofu topic?!

"...Pfft, what kind of invite is that? I don't even like spicy food."

"Ugh... Right. Sorry."

Hanamori looked exasperated, though a small smile lingered on her face. Then, after a brief pause—

"...Well, then."

She wore a slightly bashful expression.

"Once the exhibition is over and things settle down... I wouldn't mind letting you take me somewhere for sweets."

That expression, those words—my heart ached.

"Huh? Y-Yeah..."

"On your dime, of course."

"H-Huh!?"

Hanamori turned on her heel and headed back toward the Sales Department floor.

Even though she was condescending and gave me the cold shoulder as usual, why was I so happy? I caught myself practically doing a little happy dance. All we did was chat standing around about the cafeteria food.

I understood it intellectually.

Hanamori liked Tamura-san, and Asakura-san might like me. So if Hanamori ended up with Tamura-san and I ended up with Asakura-san, everything would work out neatly.

So why?

Why did my body move on its own?

Why did I constantly find myself looking in Hanamori's direction?

Why did I keep listening for Hanamori's voice?

—My romance-addled brain was probably beyond saving at this point.

＊＊＊

Two days before the exhibition.

I parked the car in the parking lot and turned off the engine. We still had a little time before our next client visit. Sitting in the passenger seat, Hanamori was reviewing documents on her tablet.

"By the way, regarding that business meeting from the other day..."

Hanamori spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. Replying with a quiet "Yeah," I stole a glance at her profile.

"The client sent follow-up questions, so I went ahead and updated the materials."

Hanamori stared serious-faced at the screen. My gaze was drawn irresistibly to her eyes, where her long eyelashes fluttered slowly up and down.

With every blink, my heart gave a loud thud.

"...Asami-san, are you listening?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm listening."

Our eyes met, and I hastily looked away.

"So about these figures here, since they pointed them out in the last meeting—"

As Hanamori continued her explanation, my eyes drifted down to her mouth. Her softly moist pink lips shifted shape every time she spoke.

Opening, closing, then opening again. It felt tantalizingly attractive—even though she was just talking about work.

"Also, I wanted to double-check the delivery deadline—"

When Hanamori tilted her head slightly, it exposed the fair nape of her neck.

Calm down. This is work. Listen seriously.

But it was hopeless. Hanamori's voice barely registered in my ears. Whether I looked at her eyes, her lips, or anywhere else, my heart beat deafeningly loud.

"...Asami-san, you've been spaced out for a while now."

Hanamori fixed me with a skeptical glare. Transfixed by her gaze, my heart leapt once more.

"Stop daydreaming and pay attention."

Looking mildly exasperated, Hanamori let out a soft sigh. Her lips relaxed slightly.

It was utterly frustrating how even that struck me as cute.

"...I am listening, really."

I managed to squeeze out an answer. Hanamori muttered a doubtful, "Really?" before returning her gaze to the documents.

An enclosed space inside a car.

Until recently, I wouldn't have thought twice about it.

Now, her presence right next to me was overwhelmingly intense. The scent of her shampoo, the sweet peachy perfume—they mingled together, assaulting my sanity.

I'm so stupid. Getting fluttery and worked up all by myself over every little thing.

I was truly, hopelessly stupid.

＊＊＊

That day was a No-Overtime Day. The only ones left in the office were Hanamori and me.

Truthfully, I wanted to head home on time, but I wanted to make progress on the exhibition prep.

"Hanamori-san, today's a No-Overtime Day, so you can go home first. I'll wrap things up." I offered.

"No, I still have other things to do. I'll stay a bit longer." Hanamori replied dryly.

"Aren't you the one who's tired, Asami-san? You've been yawning non-stop for a while now."

"...You noticed?"

"Your mouth was wide open. It didn't look like you were trying to hide it at all."

Hanamori stated bluntly. Her salt-treatment attitude was as present as ever.

After that, the two of us continued working in silence.

In the quiet office where only the sound of typing echoed, I found myself glancing over at Hanamori from time to time.

Her serious profile, her focused expression... I couldn't help thinking how cute she was.

"I'm going to step out to the convenience store for a bit."

About an hour later, Hanamori stood up.

"Ah, c-can I come with you?"

I had stood up and asked before I even realized it.

Hanamori turned around.

After a look of slight surprise, her expression shifted to annoyance as she gave me a light glare.

"...Eww? I mean, fine, I guess."

"T-Then let's go together."

"Sigh."

Hanamori let out an exaggerated sigh, but just as she turned forward, I thought I caught the corners of her mouth curling up slightly.

It was probably just my imagination.

＊＊＊

After paying at the register, we walked back toward the office. The night breeze was picking up slightly.

Carrying her convenience store bag, Hanamori poked a straw into her café au lait and took a sip.

"What did you buy, Asami-san?"

"Um, coffee... and some gummies."

"You like gummies?"

"Yeah. What about you, Hanamori-san?"

"I got café au lait and gummies too."

"So you like gummies too."

"I prefer the hard, chewy kind over soft ones."

"Huh, hard ones? I'm definitely on team soft."

"Hard ones are so much more satisfying to chew on."

"But soft ones feel juicier, and the flavor is gentler."

"Hard ones last longer though?"

"Soft ones spread flavor instantly..."

"Sigh. Asami-san, our tastes really don't match."

Pouting, Hanamori glared at me, then looked back ahead and giggled softly.

Casual conversation. Our usual, silly banter. Hanamori's effortless smile. Even simple moments like this are so much fun.

It makes me mad how happy I get over learning even the smallest thing about Hanamori. It's so frustrating.

"...Oh, this café au lait is super good. Want a sip, Asami-san?"

"Huh?"

Startled, I look at her. Hanamori holds out the drink with an expressionless face.

Alarm bells blare inside my head. God, am I an idiot?

What am I, a middle school boy? Don't overthink this. Just act natural.

"A-Ah, sure..."

Saying that, I take a sip of Hanamori's café au lait. It has just the right amount of sweetness, and it really is delicious.

"...Ah, you were totally thinking, 'Ehehe, an indirect kiss~' just now, weren't you?"

Hanamori smirked, teasingly calling me out.

"I-I-I was not thinking anything like that!"

"Really? Because it was written all over your face."

Hanamori giggled and went to drink from the café au lait. But the hand holding the straw—and her lips—seemed to hesitate for just a split second. And her ears were bright red.

...Am I just imagining things? Yeah, I must be.

No, but...

They definitely look red.

Right before my eyes, Hanamori's ears turned bright red.

"...There's no way. It's just because it's cold, right?"

I muttered under my breath.

"Hmm? Did you say something?"

"Nope, nothing."

Hanamori tilted her head in confusion and started walking again.

Staring at her back, a deep ache throbbed in my chest. I took a deep breath to brush off the weird expectation.

"Are things going well with Asakura-san?"

Hanamori suddenly asked, her voice cold.

"Huh?"

My heart leaped into my throat.

"N-No, I mean... Yeah, I guess..."

I mumbled evasively. What am I even saying?

"What's with that response? That's so vague."

Hanamori gave a half-hearted laugh.

That sharp, chilly glare of hers. Frustratingly enough, even that was cute.

"Speaking of which, you and Tamura-san seem to be doing pretty great yourselves."

"Yup. We're doing super great, actually."

Hanamori smirked mischievously.

"Maybe I'll invite him out for dinner again sometime~"

"Ah, yeah. Why not?"

"Where do you think we should go? Somewhere with drinks would be best, right? Tamura-san mentioned he likes wine, so maybe a wine bar~ Hey, what do you think, Asami-san?"

"Ah, yeah. Why not?"

Hanamori asked me so deliberately. What is her deal?

I had to try with all my might to stay calm while answering "Ah, yeah. Why not?" like a robot programmed with only one line.

A dull ache throbbed deep in my chest.

What is this feeling? I hate it.

"...Hey."

Before I realized it, the words were slipping out of my mouth.

"Hmm?"

"Um, on the day of the end-of-year party... why did you go home alone?"

"What do you mean why..."

"Well, Tamura-san was trying to walk you home. I just thought it was a great chance."

Hanamori stopped dead in her tracks. Then, she averted her eyes.

"...Not really? It's not like I had a reason."

The tone of her voice dropped slightly.

"Besides, how do you even know about that?"

"Ah... sorry. Tamura-san told me."

"...Why did you ask him?"

Hanamori stared intently at me. Her gaze was sharper than usual.

"Uh, ah, well... that's..."

Lost for words, I fumbled incoherently.

Hanamori let out a quiet sigh and resumed walking.

＊＊＊

A short while after we returned to the office, a pitter-patter sound echoed from outside.

"Ah, it started raining."

"You're right. We might be in trouble if we don't head home soon."

Hanamori looked out the window. What started as small raindrops gradually turned into a downpour.

Rumble, rumble, rumble...

The sound of thunder. Hanamori flinched slightly.

Right then, I suddenly remembered Hanamori mentioning she wasn't good with thunder.

The rain grew stronger and stronger.

Hanamori and I wrestled with our respective computer screens.

Revising documents. Adjusting charts. Checking wording.

Checking the clock, it was already past eight in the evening. It was right then.

Rumble, rumble, rumble...

The sound of thunder echoed again, louder than before.

"...The thunder's really rumbling."

Hanamori remarked, her voice a bit lower than usual. It almost sounded like she was trembling.

"Hanamori-san, you aren't good with thunder, right?"

"Not really. It's only a little bit."

She's totally putting on a tough front.

"Really?"

"...I told you, it's only a little bit. More importantly, let's hurry and wrap this up so we can leave."

When I playfully teased her, Hanamori pouted slightly—proof she was getting defensive. Cute.

Wait, what am I thinking again?

Just as I was about to get back to work—

KABOOM!!!!!!

An ear-splitting crack of thunder. At the exact same time, the office lights shut off. Complete darkness.

"Eek!"

"A blackout...?"

The computer screens died too, plunging us into total darkness where I couldn't see a thing.

"Asami-san!? Where!? Where are youuu?!"

Hanamori's voice was sheer panic. Where had all her previous bravado gone?

"It's okay, I'm right here."

"W-Where are you?! I can't do the dark—"

Clatter! Something knocked over. She must have scrambled up in the dark.

"Hanamori-san, calm down."

"How am I supposed to calm down?!"

Rumble, rumble, rumble... KABOOM!!

Another violent crash of thunder.

"Ugh, no no no no!"

Thud!

"Ouch..."

The sound of something colliding, followed by Hanamori's voice.

"Are you okay?"

"My leg... against the desk..."

Hanamori was in total panic.

Just then, something touched me. Soft. Warm. It was Hanamori's hand.

"Eeeek!? What is this?!" Hanamori shrieked.

"It's okay, that's my hand."

"Ah..."

Hanamori's hand squeezed mine tightly with surprising strength.

"That's a bit too tight, ouch."

"I'm sorry! ...But I really can't handle this."

Her voice was desperate. Where had the cheeky Hanamori from earlier gone?

Rumble... KABOOM!!

Yet another intense burst of thunder.

"Eek!"

The grip on my hand tightened even more.

Hanamori screamed. And in the next instant—

Something collided right into me.

A soft sensation pressed against my body all at once. In the pitch black, Hanamori had clung to me for dear life.

"I can't, I really can't..."

Hanamori's voice sounded on the verge of tears. I could feel her whole body trembling.

And then—in the darkness, my senses began to heighten.

Robbed completely of my sight, all my other senses became unnaturally sharp.

The subtly sweet scent of shampoo wafting from Hanamori's hair.

Her body heat radiating through her clothes. Much warmer than I expected.

Hanamori's ragged breathing right beside my ear.

Her trembling body. Small shoulders. Slender arms.

She's so delicate, I realized only now. With her usual feisty attitude, I had never noticed before.

Hanamori's fingers clutched my blouse tightly. I could feel every detail of her touch with vivid clarity.

The rain beating against the window.

The distant rumbling of thunder.

But the loudest sound of all was—the pounding of my own heart.

Thump, thump, thump.

My heart was racing wildly. Deep in my chest burned with heat. A warm glow gradually spread through my core.

Hanamori's trembling fingertips.

Her breath against my neck.

The sound of our heartbeats.

So cute. So precious.

Swept up in those feelings, before I knew it, I was—pulling Hanamori into my arms.

"Huh? Asami-san...? Um, w-what are you doing...?"

With a bewildered voice, Hanamori's body stiffened slightly. Still, I couldn't let go. If anything, I wrapped my arms tighter around her. I didn't want to let go. I wanted to keep feeling this warmth, this sensation, just a little longer. In the dark, Hanamori's body heat reached me with overwhelming clarity.

"...Sorry. J-Just a little longer."

"Huh..."

"Can we... stay like this just a little longer?"

I could tell my own voice was trembling.

"It's... fine. But w-why...?"

Hanamori's voice was trembling, too.

Why...? Deep down, I already knew the reason. But I was terrified of telling her the truth. Terrified that she would hate me if I did. Desperately, I scrambled in my head for a plausible excuse.

"Um... Because... the thunder is scary."

I lied on impulse. I lied to Hanamori again. Thunder didn't bother me at all. The truth was completely different. The truth was, I just—

"U-Um... Asami-san..."

Hanamori's voice quivered softly. I felt the tension gradually leave her body. Without resisting, she simply leaned her weight against me. Her hesitant hands reached around my back and clutched tightly at my blouse. Her weight, those hands gripping me tight—it was all so painfully endearing.

Thump, thump, thump.

My heart pounded even more violently.

Held this close, Hanamori must surely be able to hear my heartbeat.

I could hear Hanamori's heartbeat too. It vibrated right against my own body.

I pulled Hanamori even tighter into my arms. When I did, she hugged me back just as tightly. Her hair brushed my cheek. So soft. Her breath tickled my neck. Every single detail was unbearably precious.

But more than that—my chest throbbed with pain.

No. This is really bad.

Hanamori likes someone else. Her feelings belong to another person.

Even though it isn't me.

Taking advantage of her fear of thunder.

Taking advantage of the blackout hiding our faces.

Doing something like this... It was so cowardly of me. Guilt washed over me.

But I couldn't let go.

Time alone together in the dark. I wished this moment could last forever. I could feel her breath right beside me. Her lips felt inches away. In the dim darkness, I could vaguely make out the outline of Hanamori's face, her eyes moist with tears.

As I stared intently at her in the dark—

Flick!

Suddenly, the lights snapped back on, instantly flooding the office with brightness.

My eyes locked with Hanamori's. We were at point-blank range. Our lips were... only inches apart. Hanamori's face was beet red. My own face and body burned so hot I felt like I was bursting into flames.

"Ah..."

Hanamori opened and closed her mouth, trying to speak, but no words came out. Blinking rapidly, her eyes darted everywhere. Even her ears were bright red. We hastily scrambled apart.

"S-Sorry..."

"No, I..."

Hanamori timidly returned to her seat.

"L-Let's finish up work."

Hanamori tried to act like her usual self. But her voice was shaking, and her ears were still bright red.

"Y-Yeah... T-That thunder sure was scary~"

I blurted that out as if suddenly remembering. My voice pitched up pathetically high. It probably sounded way too forced.

I turned back to my computer screen as if nothing had happened.

But my heart kept pounding loudly. My chest throbbed with a tightening pain.

Silence stretched between us for a while.

I stared at the computer screen, but the words wouldn't register in my brain at all.

—Then, a soft voice murmured from across the desk.