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[cutehoons02]

Camp love

*pairing: popular pervy-boy Niki x animator Girl

*trope: bad boy x good girl-roommates

*synopsis: Montana is the state where the most beautiful summer camps of all are held, every year hundreds of children couldn't wait to spend three months away from their families to stay at a summer camp cooking marshmallows, hiking the various nature trails, and swimming in the campus's natural pools. You too had been through all these experiences from your 10s until you were 15 and now that you were of age you would have become an entertainer but you hadn't counted on something that would be on summer campus too Niki, Niki was the classic “bad boy” of the town with all the girls at his feet and with petty crimes caused as a ‘joke’. But what if Niki had to be sent to work as an entertainer on summer campus for “punishment” and you, the classic good girl with zero experience in boys, had to share a room with him? A disaster from day one you can't get along with him but between bonfires with marshmallows, dives in ice water and confessions under the stars maybe the idea of spending 3 months on summer campus with Niki wasn't so bad

*word count: 34k

*tags: At first Y/n and Niki can't stand each other, they love teasing each other, first kiss (many kisses) fluffy, Niki may seem a little bit of an asshole but then becomes obsessed but in a good way with Y/n, masturbation, discovery of spicy books, loss of virginity (protected sex) there will be misunderstandings, jealousy, +18, tattoo kisses, love statement, pet names (good girl, wren)

The sky above Camp Montana was a blue so deep it almost looked unreal, the mountains in the distance veiled by a soft haze. The chirping of birds lulled you into relaxation, while the gentle lapping of waves against the shore in front of the common room’s porch gave the place an air of tranquility, though in just a few hours, it would transform into a bustling summer camp, teeming with kids eager to find their cabins and meet the friends who would share the secrets of a summer unlike any other.

Camp Montana was one of the most famous summer camps in the stat and beyond with hundreds of kids signing up months in advance for an unforgettable experience. As a child, you were one of them: not just another little girl with dirt-streaked braids and scraped knees, but now, an animator. You wore the iconic red Camp Montana hoodie, the eagle emblem emblazoned on the chest, your name stitched beside it. Your jeans bore the camp’s logo, and you carried all the gear and perks that came with the role, everything you’d dreamed of as a kid.

Back then, this place was pure magic. You’d spend nights by the campfire under a sky full of stars, sticky fingers wrapped around half-burnt marshmallows. You’d race through the woods with your friends, laughter echoing across the lake as you leaped from inflatables into the water. It was the place where you dreamed of growing up, of wearing that hoodie, of being loved by the kids just like your favorite animators—women you still remembered fondly.

But now? Now, Camp Montana was different. Now, there were responsibilities of every kind: comforting homesick children, reassuring worried parents over the phone, pulling night shifts to make sure no one snuck out of the cabins. There were judgmental glances from the other animators, whispers, and gossip slithering between the bungalows. You’d expected a peaceful summer, but life had other plans. Maybe fate was playing a cruel trick on you—or perhaps, the most beautiful one of your life.

The common room at Camp Montana was a massive wooden space, its walls covered in faded photos of summers past, some of them featuring you, with your childhood braids and braces. Colorful flags hung from the ceiling, each one signed with the names of past animators. The air was thick with the scent of coffee, freshly baked butter cookies, and burning wood. On one side, there were industrial kitchens and long tables where chaotic, noisy meals were served every day. On the other hand, a small loft where the camp president a man in his sixties with a stern, gray-bearded face was outlining the rules on a flip chart, rules that would govern the next three months, especially the ones animators were forbidden to break.

Lia, one of your closest friends: someone you’d spent countless summers with at camp, sat beside you, legs crossed, a mischievous smile playing on her lips as she read aloud the "Forbidden Things for Camp Animators" written in bold red on the board:

FORBIDDEN THINGS FOR CAMP ANIMATORS:

Swimming in the lake after 10:00 PM (seriously dangerous without a lifeguard on duty).

Alcohol or drugs (zero tolerance anyone caught using drugs will be expelled immediately).

Outside guests (no bringing in boyfriends/girlfriends).

Smoking in common areas (there are two designated smoking zones—check the camp maps).

Public arguments (keep your drama private, not in front of the kids).

Abandoning your shift (if you’re on duty, you stay on duty until your shift ends).

Bringing weapons (this is a summer camp—parents expect their kids to be safe).

Damaging nature (we’re here to teach kids to respect the environment—no cutting trees, littering, etc.).

You studied the rules carefully. Most of them were reasonable, but Lia didn’t seem to agree.

"Listen to this, Y/n," she whispered, pointing at the first rule. "‘No swimming in the lake after 10:00 PM.’ Pfft! We all did it! Remember when we used to sneak out at night and dive in, then run back screaming like maniacs?" She giggled, and you bit your lip to keep from laughing. Yes, even though you’d always been seen as the "good girl," the studious one, you’d had your share of rebellious moments at 16 or 17—moments you now carried in your heart.

"Yeah, but we’re animators now, Lia," you reminded her, nudging her gently. "We’re here to work, have fun, and most importantly set a good example for the kids."

Lia rolled her eyes. "Oh, please! Give it a week, and 99% of us will have broken every single rule. Look around, half these people are just here to escape their parents, hook up in the bungalows, and have a summer they’ll tell their future kids about in a few years."

Before you could respond, the door to the common room swung open. It couldn’t be the kids, they weren’t arriving yet. Instead, what you saw—what everyone saw—was a head of bleached-blond hair with dark roots, broad shoulders, and a towering height of at least 1.95 meters. His expressive eyes and lips were the kind every girl in the room would dream of kissing. Niki because that’s who it was ducked slightly to fit through the doorway, as if even the entrance had to adjust for him. He walked toward the group of animators with an arrogant confidence that sent shivers down spines, and every girl in the room gasped:

"Oh my God..." 

"Is that....?" 

"It can’t be him."

You turned away sharply, trying not to look, but Lia’s eyes widened, and she elbowed you. "What the hell is Niki doing here?!" she hissed, her voice a mix of shock and excitement. "Wasn’t he supposed to be doing community service for that mess with the stolen cars? Everyone knows he organized those illegal races during the Cowboy Festival!"

You shrugged, feigning indifference, even though your heart was pounding. Unfortunately, you knew Niki. You’d grown up in the same small town, gone to the same university, you studied child psychology while he leaned into the arts, photography, and drawing.

I have no idea," you muttered, biting your nail. "But one thing’s for sure: that guy is a walking disaster. He can’t be an animator here with all these kid —he’s a ticking time bomb."

Niki sat down two rows ahead of you, crossing his long legs with effortless nonchalance. You clenched your fists as he tilted his head slightly, his signature cowboy hat—now in a "baggy style"—shadowing his face. The president glared at him with open disdain, clearly afraid Niki would bring trouble to this little slice of paradise.

The president clapped his hands loudly and cleared his throat into the microphone. "Alright, now that all our camp animators have graced us with their presence, we can begin!" His voice was sharp, dripping with sarcasm. "As you know, every year, we pair you up for teams and bungalows. Each bungalow has two single beds, a small reading area, a mini kitchen, a bathroom, and a porch with a hammock. Some overlook the lake, others the mountains, and some are near the kids’ cabins. The pairs are mixed—it’s been a tradition for years, and we’ve never had issues with boys and girls sharing. You’re all adults and responsible, so I trust you’ll have a great time with your new roommate. Now, let’s announce the pairs!"

You glanced at Lia, who rested her head on your shoulder and smirked. "I’d bet anything we’re rooming together, but we both know that’s not happening." You nodded, already resigned. A murmur spread through the room.

"I’d pay gold to be paired with Niki!" a red-haired girl shrieked. "I want Keeho!" another yelled, eyeing the guy sitting next to Niki. "Joshua’s mine!" another chimed in, her English flawless.

You took a deep breath, bracing yourself for whatever chaos was about to unfold.

The camp president scrolled through countless slides on the interactive whiteboard, and with each new slide, your stomach twisted tighter. For what felt like an eternity, your name and photo refused to appear. As anxiety clawed at you—like it always did—you started gnawing at the nail of your index finger, eyes locked on the screen. It was as if the blank slide delighted in torturing you, flashing one animator pairing after another, but never yours.

Then, your name blared through the speakers, just a little too loud.

"Y/n will be paired with Niki for the next three months in Bungalow 20," the president announced, his gaze almost pitying as it landed on you.

You couldn’t believe what you were seeing. There, on the screen, was your photo—smiling, the picture of the "girl next door"—paired with Niki’s. If you’d had a permanent marker, you would’ve drawn giant horns on his head and a ridiculous mustache over that smirking mouth of his. It was a low blow, no, a cruel joke from fate. The president must’ve had a twisted sense of humor, or maybe he was just a sadist, delighted at the thought of turning your summer into the worst one of your life.

Lia, your so-called best friend 'the traitor' started patting your head sympathetically, but it didn’t take long for her to dissolve into giggles.

"Well, look on the bright side," she whispered, her shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. "If you survive three months living with him, your psychology thesis will write itself. Either that, or you’ll end up in the news as an accomplice in some illegal drift racing scandal. Either way, Y/n, you’ll be legendary."

You shot her a glare and buried your face in your hands, feeling your ears burn. "I hate you," you mumbled. "This is a nightmare. He’s literally the one person in all of Montana I wouldn’t even want to share an elevator with, let alone a bungalow for three months."

With that, you bolted up, grabbed your things, and stormed out, avoiding everyone’s eyes—especially his. You could feelNiki two rows ahead, smirking, that infuriating grin plastered on his face. You lugged your bags with a strength you didn’t know you had, marching toward the upper part of the camp until you reached Bungalow 19… and then, Bungalow 20.

And Bungalow 20 was objectively perfect.

If it weren’t for your soon-to-be roommate, you might’ve cried with joy. The bungalow sat on a small hill, its wooden porch complete with a hammock big enough for more than two people. The view of the lake was straight out of a National Geographic postcard, and the mountain ridges stretched across the horizon. You pouted at how beautiful Montana could be, then dragged your suitcase—heavy as if you’d packed a corpse inside up the steps and threw open the door to your new home.

The interior was cozy, with a scent of vanilla. On the table, two shiny new badges gleamed in the afternoon light, beside a basket of warm butter-vanilla cookies a welcome gift from the camp kitchen. Next to it, a letter with the camp’s official stamp and the president’s signature. You skimmed it:

The animator pairs hadn’t been chosen at random. No, the president had studied each of you carefully, spending days crafting the "perfect" pairings. You were cautious, level-headed, someone who hated lying and taking risks. Niki, on the other hand, was cunning, self-serving, and always looking for a challenge. "You’re the sun, and he’s the storm," the letter read. "You’ll balance each other out."

You couldn’t believe what you’d just read. You wanted to crumple the paper into a ball and hurl it into the lake, but you knew Niki would have to read it too. So, like the good girl you were, you slapped it back onto the table and shoved a cookie into your mouth, chewing angrily as you stormed into the bedroom.

The beds were too close: both queen-sized, separated only by a flimsy nightstand. You claimed the one by the window, thinking that if either of you stretched out an arm in the night, you’d probably touch. You shook your head, muttering to yourself as you unzipped your suitcase and started unpacking. For twenty minutes, the world almost felt normal. You could hear the distant sounds of other animators unpacking, laughter echoing from nearby bungalows, the gentle lapping of waves against the lake’s rocky shore, and the chirping of birds. Normally, these sounds would’ve soothed you.

But peace wasn’t going to last.

The bungalow door creaked open, and the thud of Niki’s leather duffel bag hitting the floor told you one thing: your peace was officially over. The longest three months of your life were about to begin.

He strode toward Bungalow 20, his duffel bag slung over his shoulder, his cowboy hat pulled low over his eyes in that defiant, street-meets-prairie style of his. He still couldn’t wrap his head around how his life had turned into some cheesy teen movie. He and his friends had planned to leave Montana for a couple of months a road trip through California, Oregon, all the way up to Canada. But then, surprise, he’d been caught behind the wheel of a stolen, tricked-out car, drifting like an idiot after watching one of his best friends win the world rodeo championship. It had been a stupid move, and his parents had bailed him out—literally—paying his bond for the joyride with stolen cars. He’d expected to end up picking up trash on the side of the road or serving meals at a soup kitchen. Instead, fate had other plans.

And now here he was, strolling through a summer camp, sentenced to three months of untouched nature, suffocating rules, and an endless horde of screaming kids as a counselor. When the town—and his parents—had first suggested it, he’d laughed in their faces. Him, babysitting a bunch of rule-breaking brats (just like he’d been)? No thanks. But here he was, and the cherry on top of this absurd sundae? You.

You were the classic good girl of the town: mayor’s daughter, straight-A student, the kind of girl every mom dreamed of for their wayward sons. The thought of spending three goddamn months with you made him want to punch something. But at the same time, it intrigued him. Because even good girls had secrets, and he was dying to uncover yours.

When he pushed open the bungalow door, the contrast hit him like a slap. The air smelled of vanilla, butter, and cherry—sickeningly sweet, almost too clean, the exact opposite of his own scent of mint and spice, the kind that lingered even from a mile away. He dropped his duffel with a heavy thud onto the wooden floor. His eyes landed on the vanilla-butter cookies left by the kitchen staff, the note reading, "Made with all the love for our favorite new counselors." He rolled his eyes, then spotted the president’s letter. As he read it aloud, his expression shifted from shock to amusement. The letter praised you like some saint, while it described him as if he were a seven-headed monster. He shook his head, laughing at how surreal this whole situation was.

With half a cookie still in his mouth, he walked into the bedroom. You were bent over, meticulously arranging your tank tops with a precision that both irritated and fascinated him. He watched your wispy braids sway with every movement, and admitting it only to himself your body wasn’t half bad for someone who spent their life buried in books. The way your jeans hugged your hips, the way your tank top accentuated your chest—damn. He cleared his throat, unable to resist.

"Well, well, well," he drawled, his smirk promising nothing but trouble. "If it isn’t Miss Braids herself...my roommate for the next three months."

You whipped around, glaring at him with a look that could’ve incinerated anyone else on the spot.

"Oh, joy," you snapped, your voice sharp as a blade. "I’m thrilled to share a room with a two-bit delinquent."

Niki chuckled, reaching out to brush his fingers over the cover of one of your classic novels Wuthering Heights, some psychological thriller he’d never even heard of. "Looks like even the library mouse knows all about my life."

You crossed your arms, lifting your chin in defiance. "I couldn’t care less about your life. In fact, the less I hear about it, the better. But we do live in a small town where gossip spreads, and unfortunately, my dad’s the mayor, so I’ve had to listen to more about your stupid antics than I’d like."

You took him in, your lips curling into a slight pout. Niki had an undeniable aura intimidating, yet magnetic. He was the kind of guy you didn’t forget easily, and that annoyed you even more.

Niki sighed, ignoring your jab, and flopped onto his bed. The wooden frame groaned under his weight—all 6’5” of muscle and arrogance seemed almost too much for the half-queen mattress. He stretched lazily, the movement hitching his oversized hoodie up just enough to reveal a sliver of golden skin and the waistband of his Playboy boxers peeking out from his low-slung jeans. You knew Niki had his own style, and you couldn’t deny even to yourself—that it wasn’t entirely unappealing. Your eyes flickered there for just a millisecond, and he caught it. A victorious smirk spread across his lips.

"Your parents are gonna lose it when they find out their sweet little angel has to share a room with a ‘criminal’ for three months," he mused, touching his lips thoughtfully, shattering the brief peace.

You rolled your eyes, trying to ignore the way your heart raced. "They trust me and I won’t do anything reckless...or wrong in your presence."

You crossed your arms tighter beneath your chest, a defensive gesture that only drew Niki’s attention. In two quick strides, he closed the distance between you, towering over you with his imposing frame. The scent of spiced mint filled the air, thick and intoxicating.

"Mmm, we’ll see," he murmured, lowering his head near your ear. "If I were a parent, I wouldn’t be too comfortable knowing my daughter had to spend countless nights in my company, wren."

Your face flushed with anger and something else, something forbidden. You slapped his arm, feeling the solid muscle beneath the fabric. "You’re just a lost cause, Niki and stop calling me wren!"

He let out a low, rough laugh as he headed toward the bathroom to unpack. "Never. We both know you’ll never outgrow me."

And there you stood, frozen in the middle of the room as the bathroom door clicked shut, your heart pounding, anger battling with an annoying, unwelcome rush of adrenaline.

A week had passed since the summer camp started, and if there were an award for patience, they should name a town square after you or better yet, erect an entire statue in your honor right in front of your hometown’s city hall. Sharing Bungalow 20 with Niki wasn’t just a challenge, it was a refined form of psychological torture. And for someone as naturally calm and patient as you, he made every day harder than the last.

Problem number one? Sleep. You loved slipping between the sheets at a decent hour—okay, maybe you were a little too fond of going to bed early. By 9 PM, you could already be drifting off to sleep, lulled by the sound of the stream outside. But Niki had other plans. Let’s just say he forgot to mention one tiny detail: he suffered from insomnia. Watching you fall asleep in five minutes flat had thrown him off because he was a night owl. He’d stay awake until 2 AM, whistling, spinning his phone between his fingers, or sketching with the music blasting. You’d politely suggested he could stay outside there were comfy puff chairs or even a hammock but he’d just smirked and said, "No thanks, I’d rather not get eaten by a bear."

And then there was the issue of tidiness. The word "order" didn’t exist in Niki’s vocabulary or maybe it did, but he took great pleasure in driving you insane. You weren’t a neat freak, but you at least tried not to turn the room into a refugee camp. The bungalow wasn’t huge just a wooden entrance table, a cushioned bench with big windows overlooking the clearing, a tiny sitting area, and an open space with your two beds and a bathroom (which, admittedly, was bigger than necessary, and you weren’t complaining about that).

Niki, on the other hand, scattered his oversized hoodies everywhere like he was marking his territory. And don’t even get started on his razors left on the sink. "For the two stray hairs on your face, you could at least put them away!" you’d yelled one morning, but he’d just flashed that infuriating smirk while shaving his cheek.

But the final straw was the ID card prank. Every counselor had to carry theirs to access camp areas, and one morning, yours had vanished—poof, like magic. You were in full-blown panic, tearing the place apart: under the bed, between books, in the bathroom, under the bench. Then Niki leaned against the doorframe, watching you huff and mutter, that annoying smile playing on his lips.

"Looking for this, Princess?" he asked, dangling the ID card from his index finger.

You lunged to grab it, but he lifted his arm, using all of his 195 centimeters to keep it out of reach. You glared as you hopped uselessly, trying to snatch it.

"You know," he murmured, letting you nearly collide with his chest as you jumped, "you should keep it somewhere safer… maybe pinned right here…" He tapped the neckline of your tank top with the edge of the card, watching your cheeks flush pink. He’d discovered he loved seeing your round cheeks turn every shade of red, and without another word, he draped it around your neck, letting it fall against your chest. Then he winked and disappeared into the kitchen.

But the incident that truly made you snap happened one late afternoon. You’d just returned to the bungalow after an exhausting day of supervising dozens of kids screaming on the lake’s inflatables, your hair a disaster and your legs shaking with fatigue. Without a care in the world, you flung the door open, only to freeze.

Sitting on Niki’s bed was a girl, one of the sports group counselors, laughing hysterically at something he’d said. She was practically straddling him. You rolled your eyes so hard they nearly popped out, your face turning as red as a bell pepper—not from embarrassment, but from pure, unadulterated rage. You shot the girl a look that could’ve killed a grizzly bear.

When Niki gestured for her to leave like she’d never been there, you pointed a finger at him and snapped:

"It’s incredibly disrespectful to bring random people into our bungalow, especially at this hour when you know I come back exhausted! I’m seriously tired, I just want to shower and sleep, and instead, I walk in to find you doing… who knows what with that girl!" You crossed your arms, glaring, and Niki pressed his lips together to keep from laughing at how furious you were. He sat up, running a hand through his blond hair, and looked at you with an amused grin.

"What’s wrong, Shorty? You’re not… jealous, are you? I didn’t know the mayor’s daughter cared so much about my free time."

You shot him your worst glare. "Jealous? Of you?!" you scoffed, pointing at him. "Right now, I’m furious, not jealous! If you’re going to bring girls in here whenever you feel like it, then starting tomorrow, I’ll bring a guy in too, no, I’ll bring a different one every night!" You gestured to the bungalow, and Niki stiffened instantly. His jaw clenched so hard you could see the muscles in his neck tighten, and his gaze darkened, almost dangerous but only for a second. The next moment, he burst into laughter, flopping backward onto the bed.

"Why the hell are you laughing?!" you demanded, even angrier, but he just stretched out, taking up the entire bed with his endless legs, and looked at you with tears in his eyes from laughing so hard.

"Oh, this is rich! The girl with the braids—who I’m pretty sure has never been kissed in her life—wants to bring some random guy into our room! Go ahead, Y/n, you wouldn’t even know where to start."

Your cheeks burned a shade of red you’d never experienced before. Jabbing a finger at him, you hissed, "You don’t know the first thing about me, Niki!" Your voice trembled with indignation. You grabbed your robe and toiletries and stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door so hard the wooden walls of the bungalow shook.

Under the shower’s spray, you cursed him in every language you knew. But deep in your chest, your heart refused to calm down and you weren’t sure if it was from the insult or the way he’d looked at you when you’d mentioned bringing another guy in.

That morning, the soft Montana dawn light filtered through the curtains, bringing with it the usual chorus of birds and the steady murmur of the stream just a few meters from your bungalow. You would have given half your counselor’s salary to stay under the blankets for another ten minutes or maybe the whole morning because as a kid, you never truly realized how much work animators had behind the scenes. But duty called, and that week, you’d been assigned to fabric painting at 9:15 AM. So, with a lazy groan, you sat up, and just like every single morning since this nightmare began the first thing your eyes focused on was the occupant of the bed beside you.

Your gaze landed on Niki, a tangle of icy blond hair and heavy sighs. You noticed how his hair was slowly growing out, the dark roots of his natural color peeking through. His lips were slightly pouty in sleep, and he clutched the pillow beneath him like he was afraid someone might steal it. His thick eyebrows, usually furrowed in annoyance, were finally relaxed, making him look almost… innocent. Just a boy too big for a bed too small.

You knew he also had fishing duty at 9:15 AM, but after a week of stolen ID cards and jokes about how you embodied the "good girl" ideal, you decided your "act of kindness" would be letting him sleep. A wicked little smirk tugged at your lips as you thought, I could let him sleep… so he doesn’t wake up in time for the start of activities. You reached out to shake his shoulder but then stopped yourself. With a quiet chuckle, you muttered under your breath as you closed yourself in the bathroom, "Let him be late."

And so, you began your skincare ritual: slathering on pounds of sunscreen (because your skin had to stay flawless, even if you were going to sweat or get thrown into the water), adding a touch of self-tanner (since you still hadn’t achieved the exact shade of tan you wanted), and then pulling on your swimsuit, a T-shirt, athletic shorts, and braiding your hair as you finished, you noticed a stack of Post-its leaning against the mirror. You grabbed the pad and started decorating the bathroom mirror like it was a Christmas tree of warnings.

Green Post-it: I DON’T KNOW WHAT WORLD YOU LIVE IN, NIKI, BUT THERE’S SOMETHING CALLED A CLOSET FOR A REASON -> PUT YOUR HOODES IN THERE (Otherwise, the one on my chair is about to become a mop for the floor, and I don’t think you’d like that—especially since I know some of your hoodies cost as much as two months of our salary).

Blue Post-it: STOP PLAYING THOSE WAR GAMES AT 2 AM. Some people need to dream about things other than explosions and actually sleep peacefully. Try unplugging from those electronic gadgets and falling asleep to the sound of the stream and night crickets.

Yellow Post-it: TRY NOT TO USE MY SAKURA BODY WASH! I don’t think the scent of cherry blossoms helps your bad-boy reputation. What will the other girls think when they smell you reeking of girliness? They’ll just get even more jealous of me…

Orange Post-it: RAZORS HAVE A HOME. IT’S CALLED A ‘PERSONAL CABINET,’ NOT A ‘BATHROOM SINK DECORATION. Also, you’ve got, like, two stray hairs max, stop acting like you’re grooming a lion’s mane."

Pink Post-it: If you feel like breaking the next girl’s heart, don’t bring her into our room. I’d rather not see another girl leaving in tears because of you!

You checked the time: 8:15 AM. Niki hadn’t moved a millimeter, lost in a deep sleep that made him look almost… innocent. Almost, obviously. You grabbed the last Post-it before heading to breakfast and stuck it on the exit door. In your neat but determined handwriting, you wrote:

Oops, looks like your human alarm clock had a technical malfunction this morning or maybe just ‘forgot’ to share her air with you. Hope those five hours of sleep (well, six now) were enough, since you spend your nights doing everything but sleeping. I let you sleep, obviously, because I care’ and not at all because I wanted you to be late… (nope, not at all). Consider this my ‘welcome gift’… or maybe just proof that I can play dirty too, Niki. See you at the lake—if you can keep your eyes open and make it to roll call on time:)

Your favorite roommate:)

Niki was about to explode. He’d grown up with two other girls his age, and sure, there had been disagreements and fights, but you? You outdid them both. When his eyes finally opened and focused on the clock, his first thought wasn’t panic over being late it was a name spat like a curse between his teeth: "Y/n."

When he turned to see if you were still there, he found your bed perfectly made and rolled his eyes. He dragged himself out of bed, cursing you in every language he knew, because you two had an agreement or rather, you had established the rules, and he had grunted in assent, that you’d wake each other up but no, today you’d had the brilliant idea of leaving without calling him. And now, with twenty minutes until activities started, he was still in his boxers, his hair a wild mess.

He stumbled into the bathroom, tripping over one of his own hoodies left on the floor, only to find himself facing an explosion of colorful Post-its on the mirror. He grumbled under his breath as he splashed water on his face.

"She seriously took the time to write out all these stupid rules instead of waking me up?" he muttered through a mouthful of toothpaste foam, glaring at the green Post-it.

"Put away your hoodies… use my body wash… but look at this one..." he said, mimicking your voice and grabbing a cookie from the table while frantically searching for his ID card. The taste of chocolate clashed violently with the minty toothpaste, creating a disgusting mix, and he wondered how Sunoo, one of his best friends could stand that contrast.

Just as he was about to leave, he spotted the last Post-it on the door and read it twice, the cookie still between his teeth: "Because I ‘care’ and not at all because I wanted you to be late… (nope, not at all)."

Niki blinked, then let out a strangled noise, somewhere between a growl and an incredulous laugh.

"‘I care,’ huh?" he muttered to himself, glaring at the yellow paper. "You’re such a little liar, Shorty. You left me to rot in bed so that you could enjoy the show of me running around like an idiot."

He grabbed his ID card, adjusting his cowboy hat with a sharp motion, but his movements were less furious than before. There was a strange electricity humming under his skin. Obviously, that Post-it was a provocation of course it was but it was also glaring proof that the mayor’s daughter, the so-called "untouchable" girl, wasn’t just putting up with his presence. She was studying him. She knew how many hours he slept, that he played video games until 2 AM, and even that he used your body wash. She was paying way too much attention to him.

With a small smirk lighting up his gaze, he tucked the Post-it behind his phone case. He wasn’t entirely sure why he was doing it, but the idea of carrying a little piece of your neat handwriting with him appealed to him more than he wanted to admit.

And with that, he rushed off to the little ones’ fishing activity, fully intending to drive you just as crazy that day.

The weekend had finally arrived, and the atmosphere at Camp Montana had shifted. While most of the counselors were loading up their cars to escape to the nearest town, searching for parties, cocktails, or luxury hotel retreats to unwind, you had very different plans. The wildlife trail started just a 10-minute walk from the camp’s parking lot, and you were looking forward to two hours of hiking, surrounded by the scent of hay, sun-warmed trees, and the sun beating down on your skin. But what you were really looking forward to was a hearty plate of melted cheese with sausage and mushrooms, topped off with a wild berry panna cotta the meal you’d been dreaming about for days.

That night, you’d gone to bed more excited than usual, simply because you couldn’t wait to spend a day completely free of Niki. When you woke at dawn, the sky was still painted in soft violet hues, and the first birds were beginning to chirp. You stretched, instinctively turning toward Niki’s bed, expecting to see the usual tangle of blond hair and blankets strewn in every direction. But to your surprise, the bed was empty. Your heart gave a little leap, it was the first time you didn’t have to deal with his impossible schedule. That is, until you heard the water running.

You made a slightly confused face and thought to yourself, It’s seven in the morning, and he’s already up? Where is that guy even going? I hope he’s not up to something stupid.

With those questions swirling in your mind, you headed to the kitchen to make coffee, watching as the first rays of sunlight set the mountain peaks ablaze. A few moments later, Niki emerged from the bathroom, his hair still damp and tousled. He was wearing a faded ‘80s band T-shirt that clung to his broad shoulders, baggy jeans, and sturdy hiking boots. He pulled his New Yorker cap on backward, and you had to admit, reluctantly that his style was growing on you. Maybe even a little too much. You quickly looked away.

"Where are you going?" you asked, clutching your coffee mug like a shield. Niki reached out, snatching a cookie from the table, and took a bite with casual indifference.

"Hiking with you and your little friends," he said, his voice still rough with sleep. You closed your eyes, certain he was joking. When you opened them again, you nearly spilled your coffee into the sink, coughing in surprise.

"Wait, what? You...you’re coming with us? Into the woods? For hours?" You tried to talk him out of it. "I don’t think that’s your ideal habitat."

Niki shrugged, shooting you an amused glance from under the brim of his cap. "What? Surprised? I can walk like a normal person, Shorty. And I can adapt to any natural habitat..especially when you’re there." He winked at you, and you opened your mouth to retort, but no words came out.

"So… you’re telling me you’re coming with us? You’re actually waiting for me?"

He nodded, picking up the mug you’d only taken a sip from and downing the rest of your coffee. "Yeah, just don’t take an hour to get ready." He stepped outside onto the porch, and the word "ready" made your cheeks burn. You didn’t need to be told twice. You rushed to the bathroom, washing your face at lightning speed and braiding your hair into your usual neat plaits. You threw on a ribbed tank top with faded rainbow stripes that gave you a fresh, lively look, a pair of comfortable jeans that ended just above your knees, your hiking boots, and your New Yorker cap. When you stepped outside, grab your backpack and camera, you found Niki lounging on the porch hammock. The moment you appeared, he lifted his gaze and looked you up and down. For a second, his usual smirk faded, replaced by an unreadable expression. Without meaning to, he inhaled, catching the faint scent of your sakura-scented body wash, your signature fragrance in the bungalow and, apparently, his favorite in just a few weeks. With a fluid motion, he hopped off the hammock, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and gestured toward the trail.

You walked in silence to the meeting point, but it was a different kind of silence. Neither of you teased or provoked the other. For once, there was no war between you...

When Lia saw you both approaching, her eyes widened. Okay, sure, you’d told the whole camp that anyone who wanted to join the hike was welcome, but she hadn’t expected to see you arrive with Niki. She rushed over, linking her arm through yours and pulling you a step forward to whisper in your ear:

"And what is he doing here? He’s complained every day about not being able to sleep, and now that he has two whole days to catch up, he’s coming on a hike?"

"He decided to come hiking with us," you replied with a shrug, trying to sound indifferent while feeling Niki’s gaze burning into the back of your neck.

Lia turned to study him properly. Niki was leaning against a tree with effortless ease, observing the forest as if he’d known it his whole life. She was skeptical, she knew a guy like him wouldn’t choose a flat trail and a refuge lunch unless there was a more... personal reason. She looked at you, then at him, and a small, knowing smile spread across her face. Deep down, she already understood what was brewing between you, though she decided not to say anything, she didn’t want to make your cheeks burn any brighter. She couldn’t wait to see how your days together would unfold.

The crisp Montana air was like a jolt of pure energy, invigorating you with every breath. You took long, deep inhales, savoring the sweet sensation of fresh, clean air filling your lungs. You loved walking along the flat trail, surrounded by greenery, the sound of babbling brooks, and the occasional sight of cows grazing in the distance. Every few minutes, people would wave and wish you a good day, making you feel right at home, because deep down, you’d always loved spending time outdoors, and your years at summer camp had only deepened that love for nature.

You and Lia led the group with confidence, knowing every rock and turn of the path by heart after years of hiking it together. Each time, you’d discover something new, something you’d missed the year before. But every time you raised your camera to capture a snow-capped peak, a wildflower, or one of Lia’s funny faces, the lens somehow ended up framing Niki instead. He walked with an effortless swagger, earbuds in, his gaze shifting between the mountain peaks and your figure just a few meters ahead.

It was odd to wear earbuds when you could hear the birds, the cows, the rushing water but by now, you’d grown used to Niki’s quirks. If it made him comfortable, you weren’t about to say anything.

Niki took in the landscape, and it wasn’t half bad—though he’d never admit it out loud. He was a Chicago guy, used to 2 a.m. outings because he couldn’t sleep, extreme sports, and pure adrenaline. The quiet of nature usually bored him to death, but the thought of staying in the empty bungalow without your indignant glares and quick comebacks had convinced him that maybe a hike wasn’t so terrible. He liked watching you—how you were kind to everyone, sunny, the way people gravitated toward you because you gave off the vibe of someone everyone wanted to be around. But with him, you were the exact opposite, fiery, ready to snap the second he opened his mouth to tease you. That contrast was getting under his skin, and it annoyed him more than he cared to admit. It hadn’t even been a month since you’d started sharing your lives, and yet his eyes sought you out everywhere. He hated the effect you had on him.

At one point, the group stopped because a small stream had flooded the trail, creating a muddy, slippery passage. The guys in the group started playing the chivalrous heroes, helping the others cross. Niki quickened his pace until he was right behind you, his warm breath brushing against your earlobe, carrying the scent of mint and something spicy.

"Wren, let me go first," he murmured in that rough voice that sent a shiver down your spine. "Halfway through, I’ll grab your hand and pull you across." He smirked, and when he saw you startle at his sudden closeness, he chuckled. You whipped around, and your faces were inches apart, your cheeks flaming at the unexpected proximity.

"Thanks, but I can manage on my own," you said, proud. "Do you know how many times I’ve hiked this trail? A little water isn’t going to stop me."

He stepped aside with a dramatic flourish, gesturing for you to go ahead. You tried to proceed with dignity, and for a while, it went fine—until you reached a slippery, unstable rock. Panic set in. You hadn’t brought extra clothes or spare shoes, and the thought of ending up soaked in front of everyone—especially him—was a humiliation you couldn’t afford. You heard the others urging you to hurry, a small crowd forming behind you. You closed your eyes, swallowed your pride, and said:

"Niki… could you come to the middle and then go ahead? That way, you can grab my hand and pull me across?"

His smirk widened, lighting up his blond features—he had bet on you needing his help eventually. "Oh, so now you really get that you need me, wren?"

"Please, spare me the Montana hero speech and move that giant body of yours before I throw a rock at your head!" you snapped, trying to hide your embarrassment. You were stuck in the middle of the stream, and everyone was watching but you only cared about the gaze of one person in particular. He didn’t need to be told twice. With an effortless leap, he landed on the stable rock beside you, gesturing for you to hand over your backpack. Then, with infuriating ease, he launched himself toward the grassy bank, landing perfectly dry.

A moment later, he turned and reached his arm out to you. It was long, solid, veins standing out on the back of his hand, adorned with small silver rings. You wobbled slightly toward the water, and he stepped forward to catch you.

"Jump, Y/N. I’ve got you, you won’t fall," he said, rising onto his toes to get closer. You took a deep breath and leaped without thinking. His large, warm hands instantly closed around your waist, lifting you as if you weighed nothing. For an endless moment, you were pressed against his chest, feeling the heat of his body against yours. His minty, musky scent overwhelmed your senses, making you forget where you were. Without meaning to, you nestled closer to him. After a moment, you looked up and found his face just centimeters from yours, that victorious smirk still playing on his lips as he enjoyed the fact that everyone was staring.

"Thanks," you whispered, your cheeks burning as he set you down with maddening slowness. You tucked some loose strands of hair behind your ears, and Niki saw how utterly flustered you were. He found it ridiculously cute but didn’t say a word. Instead, he watched as you grabbed your backpack and hurried to catch up with Lia, who was barely containing a sarcastic comment about what had just happened. You shot her such a fierce look that she immediately raised her hands in surrender.

"Okay, okay, I’ll keep my mouth shut!" she said, laughing.

The trail leading to the refuge was a relentless uphill climb that seemed to never end, but the view waiting at the top made every drop of sweat worth it. Every time you hiked that path and reached the summit, the scenery was breathtaking. When you finally caught sight of the wooden cabin with its umbrellas and lounge chairs neatly lined up along the meadow, a chorus of relieved sighs rose from the group everyone was utterly exhausted.

You and Lia, without needing to say a word, quickened your pace—though maybe that wasn’t the best idea, since it left the others behind and your legs started aching but the moment you stepped inside the refuge, the smell of freshly cooked food wrapped around you, and your stomachs growled in response.

In front of the entrance, a menu written on a chalkboard made your mouths water: melted cheese with sausage and mushrooms, beef stew with potatoes, hot sausage sandwiches with various sides but it was the dessert list that made you both grin: panna cotta with berries, Sacher cake, strudel. You and Lia exchanged a look of pure complicity—you couldn’t wait to dig into those homemade sweets.

"Oh my God, I’m about to die from happiness," you said at the sight of so many treats, and Lia sighed at the sight of a waitress carrying a perfect slice of Sacher cake, already imagining the first bite of that heavenly dessert.

You dropped your backpacks onto a long wooden table, and while the others settled in, you couldn’t resist unbuttoning the first two buttons of your blouse, you wanted to soak up as much sun as possible and relax. You put on your sunglasses and stretched out on a lounge chair like a cat basking in the sun. Lia did the same, but unlike you, Lia was a first-class chatterbox and didn’t stop talking for a second:

"Damn, Y/n, look at Niki," she said, nodding toward the shade of the refuge. "He seriously hates the sun. How can he just sit there in the shade, sulking with that little notebook of his, drawing or writing who knows what, when he could be out here soaking up some sun and relaxing by the stream like normal people?"

You turned slightly and, sure enough, saw Niki leaning against the refuge wall, legs crossed, notebook on his knees, and a scowl that, for some reason, made a stupid little smile tug at your lips. You quickly shook your head.

Since when did you find him cute? you thought. He was everything you shouldn’t want in your life....especially that annoying pout of his, the way he ignored the world around him.

"Good thing he’s over there by himself instead of coming to ruin my free day too," you replied, trying to sound indifferent. Lia chuckled, noticing how you’d glanced at him.

"You know, it’s weird that, purely by coincidence, he ended up coming on this hike with us too. I think he came because…"

You pushed your sunglasses up and shot her a glare. She immediately clamped her mouth shut and raised her hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, we won’t talk about you and him...well, we won’t talk about him at all, Y/n. Just today. I’ll put my headphones in and listen to a podcast or some music for an hour while we enjoy the fresh air and sunshine."

You nodded, but before sliding your sunglasses back down, you couldn’t resist sneaking another look at Niki. He was completely absorbed in sketching, his pencil moving swiftly across the page, his brow slightly furrowed. As if sensing the weight of your gaze, he looked up, and your eyes met. You immediately lowered your sunglasses and pretended to look around before lying back down on the lounge chair, but you could feel your cheeks burning.

Damn it… He always caught you looking at him. Every single time.

On the other side, Niki lowered his gaze back to his notebook, a small, almost imperceptible smirk tugging at his lips. For the first time in a long while, there was a real person in his sketches, he’d been drawing the mountains, quick strokes and shading, but there was also the profile of a girl with braids taking photos by a stream and he wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

Lunch at the refuge had been devoured in the blink of an eye—everyone had grabbed food and shared it among laughter and old mountain stories meant to scare the group. But the peace lasted only until dessert arrived. When the waitress placed that slice of warm strudel in front of you, crispy pastry, vanilla ice cream already melting into a delicious cream, you thought you’d died and gone to heaven. You’d been dreaming of that slice for ages, but you hadn’t accounted for Niki’s presence. Without a word, he stretched his fork toward your dessert and, with zero hesitation, broke off half your slice.

"Hey! That’s my cake!" you exclaimed, eyes wide, as Niki didn’t even bother looking at you. With a little smirk, he broke off another piece, and you, furious, jammed your fork between the tines of his to block him. He finally lifted his gaze, those expressive eyes locking onto yours.

"This is my cake, Niki. You have your yogurt, which is probably just as sour as you are," you hissed, aware that half the table was snickering at your little scene.

"Everyone said we should share," he countered, "and I’ll share mine with your dessert." He gestured to your strudel, and you snapped:

"Well, I’d never trade my cake for yogurt I could get in the camp cafeteria!"

Before you could finish, he swooped in with lightning speed, bringing a piece of strudel to his mouth. You opened your lips to protest, but the sound died in your throat as Niki closed his eyes and let out a low, guttural moan, almost like a purr of satisfaction, that made your stomach flutter. He brought a finger to his lips to wipe away a trail of vanilla ice cream, and in that moment, you felt your ears burning.

"Mmm… I get why you don’t want to share," he said, his gaze lingering on your lips a second too long. "It’s delicious. I’ll have another bite." He leaned even closer to your plate, and you snapped:

"Forget it!" You clutched the plate to your chest like it was your most precious treasure, and he kept talking:

"Come on, Y/n, share a little. Don’t be a baby," he teased, and Lia, beside you, burst out laughing.

"You two are like an old married couple fighting over the remote. Y/N, just give him a piece—you know he’ll win anyway."

You shot her a glare. "You’re supposed to be on my side, Lia!" you grumbled, finishing your slice in quick bites while glaring daggers at Niki, who returned to his "boring" yogurt with berries. Halfway through, he held out the spoon with some fruit, but you shook your head proudly. Niki thought you were seriously acting like a child—a little pouty, a little stubborn—but that angry pout of yours made him feel things he shouldn’t, and he noticed how your eyes never left him, even if your glare was murderous.

After eating, the group split up, some hiked higher, while Niki, against all expectations, flopped onto a lounge chair in the sun. By 5 PM, when the air started cooling, Lia and the others approached you.

"We’re heading back, Y/n. Coming?" she asked.

You glanced at Niki, fast asleep, his chest rising and falling steadily. It was strange: back at the bungalow, he fought insomnia until 2 AM, but here, on an uncomfortable wooden lounge chair, he looked like an angel (maybe a fallen one), wrestling with his demons. Without realizing it, you said:

"I’ll stay another half hour. We share the bungalow—I’ll make this sacrifice and head down with him."

Lia looked slightly surprised and glanced at the dark clouds gathering over the peaks. "Okay, but don’t take too long, the weather here changes in a heartbeat. Text me when you get back to camp."

You nodded and sat beside him, trying to focus on The Mistake by Elle Kennedy, but the words danced on the page. You’d been stuck on the same page for 10 minutes. When only a few people remained, you stood up and poked his back with a finger.

"Niki, stop sleeping. We need to go down," you said, but there was no response, you realized he had headphones in. You yanked them out with a sharp motion, cutting off the music.

"Niki Nishimura! We have to go back! You can sleep at the bungalow!"

He opened his eyes slowly and saw your braids swaying inches from his face. He let out a lazy, warm chuckle, and you huffed.

"What’s so funny? It’s past five, and it’s about to rain!"

Instead of answering, Niki reached out and tugged lightly on one of your braids, twirling it around his fingers with a familiarity that stole your breath...only your family ever played with your hair like that. You slapped his hand away.

"Are you crazy? Don’t touch my hair again, and let’s go—look what’s coming over the mountains!" You pointed to the dark clouds forming, and he sighed, stretching like a cat. In the movement, his ’80s band T-shirt rode up, and your eyes widened, right there, on his V-line, was a tattoo… red lips? They looked perfect, inked in such a scandalous spot that it made your head spin. Whose lips were those?

You shook your head, heat flooding your face. Grabbing your backpack, you spun around and jabbed a finger at him. "I’m not waiting for you anymore! Everyone else left an hour ago, and if you want to stay here and get struck by lightning, be my guest—because I’ve already been too nice waiting for you, and I don’t even know why!"

You stormed off, heart pounding at the memory of that tattooed skin shaped like lips, but after a few minutes, a familiar shadow fell over you. You turned and saw Niki, less than two steps behind, hair tousled, backpack slung over his shoulder, and that usual scowl etched on his face. You rolled your eyes, but deep down, the fact that he hadn’t left you alone sent a strange, annoying twist in your stomach. You nearly stopped in your tracks, and he said:

"Walk, wren," he murmured, brushing past you, leaving the scent of mint in the air. "Or I’ll have to fish you out of the mud when it starts raining!"

You hated Niki Nishimura with every fiber of your being, or at least, that’s what you kept telling yourself as the rain poured down, turning the Montana trail into a slippery, muddy mess. And for once, Niki had been right. Just minutes earlier, he’d said, "I’ll have to fish you out of the mud,"—and now, his words had become reality. You wanted to scream and kill him at the same time. The storm had only been raging for five minutes, but the water was already cascading down in sheets, and you clutched your backpack over your head in a desperate, useless attempt to stay dry. Meanwhile, you were seething—at yourself for not leaving with the others, at Niki for walking with an infuriating calm, as if he actually enjoyed this situation.

You shot him glowering looks until a deafening crack split the sky, thunder roaring through the mountains. You froze, paralyzed by the ominous sound. Everyone—your father, every camp instructor—had always drilled into you: "Never stay near trees during a mountain storm." And here you were, smack in the middle of a giant forest, your heart pounding with fear—for yourself, for Niki, for the fact that something terrible could happen to either of you.

Niki, realizing you’d stopped, whirled around. His usual bored expression vanished in an instant when he saw you—motionless, eyes squeezed shut, shoulders trembling. In three long strides, he was at your side.

"Why did you stop? We need to move!" he shouted over the rain, but you just stared at him, wide-eyed, hair plastered to your face.

"We’re going to get struck by lightning, Niki! It’s your fault! We’re still over an hour from camp, and we’re in the middle of nowhere!" you panicked. Another thunderclap, even closer, made the ground tremble. Before you could say another word, you felt Niki’s large, warm hand grab yours, and there was no time to protest—he started running, dragging you along in a frantic sprint through the downpour. You had to match his pace, even though you weren’t used to it.

"Do you even know where the hell you’re going?!" you yelled, but Niki didn’t answer. At the fork that led back to the summer camp, you watched in horror as he suddenly veered left.

"Are you SERIOUSLY going left?! The camp is to the RIGHT! Niki, I swear if I die because of you, my ghost will haunt you for the rest of your EXISTENCE—no, for ETERNITY!" you screamed. But instead of panicking, Niki burst out laughing a liberating, wild laugh, the kind of someone who hadn’t felt this alive and free in years, far from Chicago’s underground races and his parents’ problems. When he finally spotted an old abandoned barn between the trees, he pointed at it with a sharp gesture. As you stumbled inside, you were furious and immediately yanked your hand away as if it burned.

"I can’t believe this… How unlucky can I be? Why didn’t I just go down with Lia and the others? Why did I have the brilliant idea of waiting for you?!" you ranted, shivering from the cold. Niki shook the water from his hair like a wet dog and looked down at you—you seemed even smaller and more vulnerable, soaked and trembling.

"You should be thanking me, actually," he said with a vague gesture. "We’re safe, under a roof that’s protecting us from killer lightning and the storm."

You raised an eyebrow. "Thank you? For what, exactly?"

He huffed, stepping dangerously close to you. "Because you didn’t even know this shack existed. If it weren’t for me, you’d still be out there, frozen like a statue in the dark, drenched, and panicking in the storm. But hey, no problem, Y/n." He smirked, and you opened your mouth to retort but another flash of lightning lit up the sky outside, followed by thunder that seemed to shake the barn’s foundations. You shuddered violently, and before you even realized it, you stepped closer to him, seeking protection—though you were still seething.

"It’s all my fault…" you murmured, voice trembling. "I should’ve gone down with the others and left you there sleeping on the lounge chair. Now we’re stuck here all night? No, I’m NOT spending the night in here! What if a wolf comes in? Or a bear and eats us both? Or the roof collapses...."

But before you could finish, your words were cut off by Niki’s lips crashing against yours. You froze, stunned by the unexpected softness of his mouth. Your thoughts spiraled:

What is he doing? Is he actually kissing me? Should I pull away? Will it be awkward? Will he realize it’s my first kiss?

But every doubt vanished when you felt his lips part slightly, inviting you to respond. This kiss was nothing like you’d imagined—not the rough, aggressive kind you’d expect from a guy like him, always surrounded by girls. Instead, there was an unexpected sweetness that stole your breath as his lips gently coaxed yours open. Your hands acted on their own—one fisted his soaked T-shirt, feeling the heat of his chest, while the other rested on his solid shoulder. You parted your lips further, letting him deepen the kiss, and you sighed into it, tasting the lingering vanilla ice cream mixed with the mint of his breath. Niki let out a low, satisfied hum against your mouth, his lips lightly sucking your lower lip, a barely-there smirk forming between you—as if he knew he’d finally shut you up.

But then reality hit like a slap. You jerked back, pressing a trembling hand to your mouth, your heart pounding in your throat.

Niki had just stolen your first kiss...your very first kiss.

He stood still, towering over you with wet hair falling onto his forehead, watching you with a small smirk—finally, he’d managed to shut you up.

"You…" you whispered, pointing at him with a trembling finger. "Why did you kiss me?" you shrieked, shocked. Niki just shrugged with an infuriating nonchalance.

"I wanted to shut you up somehow, and I figured kissing you was the quickest way. That’s all… You were rambling too much, Y/n, and I hate people who talk too much."

Your cheeks burned, and you didn’t know whether to slap him or kiss him again. You opened your mouth to unleash a string of insults, to tell him how arrogant and presumptuous he was, but the words died in your throat. With a smooth, unembarrassed motion, Niki pulled off his soaked shirt, leaving you frozen, your eyes glued to his body—sculpted like marble, dark lines of tattoos snaking across his skin in designs you couldn’t quite decipher. But your gaze inevitably dropped lower, to that defined V-line disappearing into his wet jeans, to that lip-shaped tattoo that seemed both scandalous and sexy. Your cheeks flared with heat, and you snapped your eyes downward, pretending sudden interest in the muddy tips of your shoes.

Meanwhile, Niki pulled out a gray long-sleeved shirt from his backpack too thin for the dropping temperature—then a thick, carefully folded gray hoodie. You assumed it was for him, but instead, he stepped closer. Seeing you speechless for once, he teased with a chuckle:

"Damn, if kissing you or showing off my tattoos is what it takes to shut you up, I should’ve done it ages ago back at the bungalow. You never stop talking from morning to night!" he said with an annoying smirk.

"You’re an idiot!" you snapped, giving him a little shove, but he didn’t budge an inch. Instead, he draped his hoodie over your shoulders.

"Take off that blouse and put this on," he ordered, his gaze suddenly serious as he watched you shiver. "At least you’ll stay warm and won’t freeze to death before we get back to camp, otherwise, you’ll have a fever of 40 tomorrow."His eyes lingered on you, and you wanted to strangle him, but your chattering teeth wouldn’t let you play tough. The hoodie was soft, plush inside, and you nodded, but first, you muttered:

"Turn around. I need to change."

Niki shot you a challenging look that lasted a couple of seconds, then sighed and turned his back.

"Don’t you dare turn around, Niki, seriously, or..."

He burst out laughing, a low chuckle echoing against the wooden walls. "Or what, wren? You’ll kiss me this time?"

You wanted to scream, but while he kept teasing you, you moved fast as lightning, peeling off your soaked blouse that clung to your skin like ice. You slipped into his hoodie....massive, the sleeves swallowing your hands completely, the hem falling to mid-thigh but the worst… or best part? The smell. It was intensely him: peppermint and something spicy, and without thinking, you buried your face in the high collar, inhaling his scent.

Niki turned slowly, expecting you to be done but when he saw you drowned in his clothes, your nose pressed into the fabric as you sought his scent, he froze. His mind raced: You looked so small in his hoodie, like it was made for you. And he hated how good you looked in his clothes, it drove him crazy. You were the classic "good girl" who should’ve stayed far away from someone like him… and yet, at the same time, he wanted to break you, make you his, just to prove to the world that even good girls needed a guy like him.

You realized he was staring at you longer than usual, and you whispered, "Thanks."

Niki raised an eyebrow, surprised by your response. "Whoa, I should mark this day on the calendar! The Princess actually said thank you without a judge forcing her!" he teased, chuckling. You rolled your eyes, trying to reclaim some dignity.

"You should thank me," you said, puffing up slightly as you clutched the long sleeves against your chest. He crossed his arms, amused by your answer.

"Oh? And what exactly should I thank you for?"

"For waiting for you!" you replied proudly. "Otherwise, you’d still be here asleep on that lounge chair in the middle of the storm." You shot him a glare, and Niki smirked, running a hand through his damp, icy-blond hair. He didn’t thank you with words, but his gaze softened for a moment before he turned toward a wooden ladder leading to the upper level of the barn, where dry hay awaited.

You walked to the heavy door, slamming it shut to block out the howling wind. Meanwhile, Niki tested the sturdiness of the ladder rungs with a sharp tug. The old wood groaned slightly, but he figured it could hold your combined weight. He climbed first, and when he reached the top, he found a small loft filled with the sweet scent of freshly gathered hay—soft enough to lie down on. There were even old burlap sacks stuffed with raw wool serving as makeshift pillows. It wasn’t luxury, but compared to the mud and rain outside, it felt like paradise.

"Wren, we can stretch out up here until the storm passes," he called, leaning over the edge as he watched you climb. Niki unconsciously bit his lower lip, his hoodie nearly swallowed you whole, your usually neat braids half-undone and messy, your lips still slightly swollen and trembling from the earlier kiss. For a microsecond, he thought you looked cute before shaking his head to banish the dangerous thought.

The space up there was cramped, so you kicked off your shoes, mimicking his movement, and knelt on the hay, trying to ignore how your legs brushed against his. You looked around, careful not to let your eyes linger too often on his face or his body.

"They’re definitely looking for us," you murmured, trying to reassure yourself as the wind howled through the cracks in the roof. "The camp director and all the counselors must have already sent out search parties. They’ll find us soon." You watched the sky grow darker, lit only by the flashes of thunder that made the entire structure tremble. Without thinking, you scooted closer to Niki, who was already half-reclined, a strand of hay caught between his lips, lazily shifting it with his tongue.

"I bet they’re worried about you, wren, not me," he said with a hint of cynicism, his intense gaze fixed on you. "You’re everyone’s favorite at camp—the perfect girl who never breaks the rules and I’m just… me." His eyes drifted to a fixed point in the barn.

"That’s not true," you countered, pulling your legs against your chest and burying your chin in the collar of his hoodie. "I bet all the girls who flock around you, the ones who sigh when you walk by and gossip about you—they’re all worried about you!"

Niki propped himself up on an elbow, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he detected the sarcastic edge—and maybe a hint of irritation—in your voice.

"Mmm, someone’s jealous, or maybe..."

You didn’t let him finish, swatting his arm playfully. "Stop it!" you snapped, glaring at him. He chuckled at your flushed cheeks, and another thunderclap tore through the sky, so loud it felt like it exploded right above you. You visibly shuddered, inching even closer to him.

"Are you scared of thunder, or are you just cold, Shorty?" he asked, looking at you almost protectively. You sighed, feeling a little pressured by his gaze.

"Don’t make fun of me, but… both. I was stupid not to bring a change of clothes like you did, and thank God you gave me your hoodie even if I know you’re cold too right now."

Niki murmured that you were perceptive, and you closed your eyes, feeling exhaustion and the chill in your bones as you tried to relax a little.

"Look, I know you don’t like physical contact, and you can’t stand me and trust me, the feeling is mutual but we’re human, right? Maybe we could… I don’t know, keep each other warm." You blurted out what you were thinking, though you might have phrased it poorly, because Niki’s eyes shot open, almost shocked. He nearly choked on his own saliva at what you’d just said.

"You know what you just said sounds really bad, right, Y/n? When a girl asks a guy to ‘keep her warm’… we tend to think of things that are a little more intimate than just sharing a blanket." He laughed, teasing you, and you immediately covered your face with your hands, feeling your cheeks burn.

"Oh my God, no! That’s not what I meant! This is so embarrassing! I gave my first kiss to a guy I can’t stand, I’m trapped in a falling-apart barn, I’m freezing to death, and..."

Before you could finish, Niki’s strong arms wrapped around you with a determination that brooked no argument, pulling you against his chest. Without meaning to, you nestled against him, hiding your face in the crook of his neck, your hands instinctively resting over his heart. For a moment, you froze, feeling it beating fast—too fast for someone who pretended to be so calm.

Niki stayed still for a few seconds, his breath catching in his throat. He was the guy everyone had warned you to stay away from—the one who had been the first to brush against those lips that tasted of vanilla and far too much innocence. He could imagine it, really, how it had been your first kiss, from the way you’d hesitated, from the sweet, uncertain tension in your movements. But hearing you say it out loud while trembling in his arms made him feel something he’d never experienced before. He closed his eyes, feeling the weight of your head against his chest, and for the first time, his usual arrogance gave way to a strange, unfamiliar curiosity.

"Wren… I never would’ve guessed I’d be your first kiss," he said quietly. "Between summer camp and university, half the guys are crazy about you. I just assumed at least one of them would’ve had the guts to kiss you by now."

You stiffened instantly, burying your face deeper into his hoodie. "Let’s not get into that chapter of my life. It’s embarrassing…" you mumbled, trying to turn away to hide the blush now creeping down your neck. But Niki didn’t let you. He held you close, forcing you to stay put until you both settled more comfortably in the hay. He stretched out fully while you propped yourself up on one elbow, trapped between his body and the slow, lazy circles his finger began tracing through the damp ends of your hair.

"Undo your braids, Y/N, or tomorrow you’ll have impossible knots, and it’ll all be my fault for dragging you through the storm," he teased, trying to lighten the tension between you. He twirled a strand around his finger, watching the way the dim lightning reflected in your hair. You pouted.

"You undo them, since you like playing with my hair so much!”

Niki didn’t need to be told twice. He looked at you intently, his fingers deftly unraveling the braids. When your hair tumbled loose over your shoulders and into his hand, he ran his fingers through it, almost enchanted by its softness. The scent of cherry filled the air, overwhelming the usual mint and rain, and for a moment, he thought he’d want to bury his face in your hair every damn morning, not just when you invaded the bungalow bathroom with that fragrance. But he quickly pushed the thought away when he saw you nervously tucking the strands behind your ears.

"I’m sorry I stole your first kiss," he started, but he didn’t look at you. "I bet you wanted to give it to some perfect, upper-class guy—you know, the kind with a perfectly ironed shirt and his whole future already mapped out."

You rolled your eyes and sighed deeply at the sudden chill in his tone. "Well, I can’t go back now, and my dream of giving my first kiss to someone I actually like—someone who actually likes me—is officially gone."

Niki was staring at you too intensely, his face too close, and said:

"Well, since we’re stuck here… why don’t you kiss me this time? You know, just for practice… Think of it as training for your future ‘perfect guy.’ At least you’ll know what to do when you meet him."

Your eyes widened, your cheeks burning. "What? No! Are you crazy?" you stammered, trying not to look at him, but he kept teasing you.

"Don’t tell me you’re scared to kiss me," he smirked, closing the distance between you by another centimeter. "Because if you’re scared, it means you’re scared to admit you actually like me." He was showing off, and you seriously wanted to slap him.

"I don’t like you, Niki, and I never will. Get that through your head," you shot back with all the confidence you could muster, even though your heart was pounding wildly against your ribs. You refused to meet his gaze, but he just grinned.

"Good. Then kiss me, Shorty. If you don’t like me, there’s no risk, right? You can just use me as your guinea pig for practice," he continued, amused by your flustered state. He leaned in even closer, his mouth a breath away from yours.

"Unless… you’re not doing it because you think that if you kiss me again, you won’t be able to stop."

But you didn’t let him finish. Just like he had done to you earlier, you slammed your lips against his to shut him up once and for all.

Niki smiled immediately against your mouth, his hands sliding up your back, pulling you hard against him.

Your lips were still uncertain, guided by a shyness that Niki seemed eager to devour with every touch but he also found it sweet. When you felt his tongue brush against your lower lip, he began to suck on those lips no one had ever dared kiss before, and a stifled moan escaped your throat. Niki thought he might just be the luckiest guy in the world, finding himself in this barn with you nearly in his arms, kissing like this.

The hand that had been resting over his heart slid lower, tracing the taut planes of his stomach, while Niki buried his fingers in your loose hair, pressing his palm against the back of your neck to keep you from pulling away—to pull you even closer, because he didn’t want this moment to end. He wanted you to feel just how much you were driving him crazy, and you sighed against his mouth, dazed by the sensations he was giving you with just kisses.

Then, driven by an instinct you didn’t even know you had, you leaned forward and imitated his gesture, timidly sucking on his lower lip. Niki let out a low growl, shifting slightly beneath you as he felt how you were trying—so shyly, so clumsily to drive him wild. But you’d been driving him wild since the first time he’d seen you in the bungalow. He craved more friction, more contact, as if even the smallest space between your bodies was still too much—though there was none at all. Without warning, he pushed his tongue past your lips, and when your tongues met for the first time, you both moaned.

Niki lowered you completely onto the hay, his weight hovering over you not crushing you, but making you feel protected by his warmth, by him. His arm tightened around your waist, pulling you so close you could feel every muscle in his body pressed against yours. You kissed for minutes that felt like hours, not just fleeting kisses, but a mix of shy discovery, playful dominance, and restraint, your lips wandering to his jaw, the corner of his mouth. Both of you were drowning in a whirlwind of sensations and emotions you’d never felt before, and neither wanted to stop.

You pulled away just long enough to catch your breath, your chest rising and falling rapidly. You felt his fingers trace the skin at your side, slipping beneath the hem of the hoodie as he held you possessively against him.

"Niki…" you breathed, but he didn’t stop looking at you. Instead, he pressed a finger to your swollen, glossy lips and whispered:

"Don’t think, Wren. Just kiss me."

You didn’t need to be told twice. Wrapping your arms around his neck, you pulled him back to you with a force that surprised him, playing with the icy-blond strands at his nape, tugging lightly. Niki groaned against your lips, sending a shiver through you, and you continued to alternate between deep kisses and playful nips, exploring each other in that makeshift refuge while the Montana cold stayed locked outside those walls. For the first time, you felt truly warm but also protected by someone everyone had warned you to stay away from.

Eventually, exhaustion claimed one of you first, and soon, the only sounds in the barn were the drizzling rain and your steady breaths as you fell asleep, entangled in each other’s arms.

After that weekend trapped in the barn, reality hit hard again, because even though you’d kissed and fallen asleep together, you’d hoped those kisses might have changed something in Niki, made him softer or more "human." But you’d made the biggest mistake of your life thinking that, because Niki had gone back to being his usual self or maybe even worse.

His cynicism had doubled, his taunts had become more relentless, driving you crazy and making you curse him 24h-24h. He teased you endlessly but at the same time made it clear that nothing had happened between you, that those kisses had meant nothing. It was frustrating because you had to see him all the time, and you would’ve changed bungalows every day if you could. But when you finally decided you’d had enough, you found yourself walking near the rec area to make sure the kids didn’t wander off and then you saw something surreal, yet sweet enough to warm your heart.

Niki was sitting on the grass with his legs crossed, his back against an oak tree. In front of him was Nina, one of the liveliest little girls in the group, who never left him alone. As usual, Nina was chattering away, telling him how much she adored you and how badly she wanted braids just like yours because her little hands couldn’t manage to gather all her hair. You hid behind a tree, your heart beating strangely.

You saw that Niki wasn’t ignoring her like he usually did. Instead, he ran a hand through Nina’s hair to smooth it, then began braiding it with millimeter precision, his tongue slightly peeking out between his lips in pure concentration a gesture you knew well, one he always made when he was deeply focused on something. As he braided, Nina started talking again:

"I didn’t think someone like you would know how to braid!" Nina exclaimed with the blunt honesty of a child who wanted all his attention. "I bet you only know how because you can’t stop watching Y/N do hers in front of the mirror or when it’s too hot." She giggled, and you saw Niki freeze for a split second before chuckling and shaking his head.

"Oops, you caught me, Nina," he said, and you felt your cheeks warm slightly because you’d never noticed him watching you braid your hair.

"I bet you and Y/n will end up together someday, and you’ll invite me to your wedding in a few years!" Nina said, tilting her head. "Even though I’m just a little kid, I can see how you look at each other, and you should be nicer to her, like you are to me right now." You nodded in agreement and wanted to rush over to high-five Nina and hug her, but you saw Niki give her hair a playful tug when those words left her mouth.

"Ahia!" she protested, swatting his arm, and Niki’s expression suddenly turned melancholic. He grew serious, and you heard him say:

"Y/n deserves a prince charming like in the fairy tales you read, Nina. She doesn’t deserve someone like me… I’m not what she deserves, and I never will be." He tied off the braids, and those words hit you hard because everyone had warned you to stay away from him, and now even he was saying he wasn’t the guy you deserved. You stood frozen as Nina hugged him, barely reaching his waist, and told him to stop being "the bad guy" just because he had tattoos and a scowl. Niki hugged her back tightly, then took out his phone to show her the braids in the camera.

"They’re beautiful, Niki! Thank you! When I see Y/n, I’ll tell her you did them!" Nina said, giggling as she ran off to find you. Niki shot her a look, calling after her:

"Nina! Don’t you dare tell her I did them!" he yelled as she scampered away laughing, and an involuntary smile tugged at your lips. But that sweet moment was wiped away just hours later.

You were near the showers by the lake when you heard a group of counselors giggling. At the center was Chloe, a head counselor like you, but oozing confidence from every pore. She was touching her lips with a dreamy, almost theatrical air as she told her friends what had happened between her and Niki the night before.

"Girls, I swear, Niki is… unreal," Chloe said, adjusting her low-cut tank top with a practiced gesture to draw the attention of the guys fixing the boats. "Last night, behind the tool shed… we kissed for who knows how long, and girls, I’ve never had a kiss like that. Niki’s rough, and let’s be honest, he always wants to be in control, but he knows exactly what he’s doing with those lips of his, they were practically on my..." She giggled. "I’ve never felt so… dominated before, and you all know I’m usually the one calling the shots with guys!"

You rolled your eyes, trying to push back the sudden sting in your eyelids at the thought of Niki kissing someone else as you walked back to the bungalow, you wondered:

Why do my eyes feel like this?

You were furious with yourself because you knew who Niki was a heartbreaker, a guy who lived for moments, not promises. You didn’t want to fall for him like everyone else… but maybe you already had. And you still had another month and a half of sharing a bungalow with him before returning to Chicago.

A month and a half had passed since the start of summer camp, and some of the kids, along with a few counselors had already headed back to Chicago. Thankfully, Lia had stayed with you for the entire summer. You’d said goodbye to all the kids and some of the counselors, and that very evening, fifteen new kids and four new counselors two guys and two girls had arrived.

Two weeks had passed since John’s arrival, and for Niki, every single second he saw or heard him was a struggle not to roll his eyes. John was the exact type of guy Niki despised: a campus swimmer with a blinding smile straight out of a YouTube ad preview, the kind that made you want to skip the video in the first five seconds. He studied English literature and flaunted quotes from authors who had been dead and buried for centuries. It was infuriating.

As you leaned over to tighten the kids’ life jackets, John hovered around you like always—ever since he’d arrived at camp, he’d had the brilliant idea of positioning himself as the prince charming you supposedly needed.

"Be careful, Y/n, don’t strain your back too much. Let me pull these canoe ropes—I wouldn’t want you to overdo it," John said, resting his hand on your shoulder for a second too long for Niki’s liking. Niki watched with a groan of despair as John flirted like an idiot something he’d been witnessing for days now: John sitting next to you at meals, John constantly finding excuses to touch you (though you were reluctant to his advances). One morning, Niki had even found him standing outside your bungalow at 7:30 AM, flashing that smug smile of his. Niki had wanted to make him disappear in zero seconds.

Let’s just say Niki didn’t like John, and the feeling was mutual. So when John found out you were one of the few girls sharing a room with a guy, he’d insisted on asking for explanations. But you’d told him there was nothing to be done, the pairs were set for the summer, and deep down, you didn’t mind staying with Niki. John, however, wasn’t thrilled with your arrangement, especially since everyone could see—and hear that there was still something unresolved between you two.

On the dock, while Niki waited his turn to get into the canoe with Nina, Lia approached him, thoroughly enjoying the show of his irritation toward you and John, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Mmm, someone here doesn’t seem to tolerate another alpha male in his territory," Lia murmured, crossing her arms as Niki snapped his head toward her, eyes narrowed.

"Mind your own business, Lia. That guy’s just… a loser."

Lia chuckled, watching as Niki couldn’t stop glancing at you for even a second.

"A loser, huh? Well, that ‘loser’ is getting all the attention you used to have just a few weeks ago! When are you going to stop acting like a jerk and show her who you really are? She won’t wait forever, Niki. It’s obvious from a mile away that you feel something for Y/n and it’s definitely not hate… Let’s just say ever since you kissed in that barn, the tension between you two could power the entire camp."

Niki froze for a second at Lia’s words, his expression confused. "How do you know that..." He cut himself off, realizing of course you and Lia were best friends and best friends told each other everything. Niki closed his eyes for a moment, and against his will, his mind played tricks on him, memories flooded back: the feel of your fingers in his hair, the way you’d responded to his kiss with that shy hesitation that had made his heart race, the way you’d clung to himl ike you were afraid he’d disappear from that barn.

When he opened his eyes again and saw how you smiled at that guy, he thought: John doesn’t know and never will what it’s like to feel you tremble when someone kisses you, how good it feels to be touched by you, how beautiful you look beneath him with swollen lips, neither of you able to stop kissing…

"I don’t feel anything for her, Lia. She could start dating that John kid tomorrow, and I wouldn’t care," Niki said, looking down for the first time in minutes and deep down, he didn’t even believe himself. Lia shook her head, looking at him with a pity that made him furious.

"You know, you’re not very good at lying, Niki. I thought you were smarter than this, but you’re just like every other guy in the world: the second you realize you feel something, you refuse to face the consequences. What’s the matter? Afraid that admitting even a scrap of emotion will make your ‘bad boy from Chicago’ aura vanish into thin air?" she taunted.

"You don’t know shit about me, Lia, and it’s better if your best friend stays as far away from me as possible… I’m not the happy-ending type, and she doesn’t need someone like me ruining her life," Niki hissed. Lia started walking toward her canoe but paused to land one last jab.

"Cut the tough-guy act, Niki, because if you keep this up, you’ll end up alone forever and trust me, a life with no one brave enough to love you, and no one you’re brave enough to love, isn’t much of a life. I’ll say it one more time: she won’t wait for you forever, Niki. So make a move, because honestly? I don’t like John either." She gave him a little smirk before walking off, leaving Niki standing there, motionless, as you climbed into the canoe with John’s help—and Niki watched as John’s hand brushed your waist to steady you.

In that moment, Niki didn’t just feel jealousy. He felt something else maybe the realization that he could lose you soon. And Niki wasn’t the type to lose something he wanted.

That evening, Niki was sprawled on his bed which was slightly too small for his height, relaxing and playing on his Nintendo Switch. He tried to focus on the game, but it was getting harder and harder not to steal glances at the creaky bathroom door you both shared. From the other side, your slightly off-key voice drifted out as you sang Legendary Lovers by Katy Perry, laughing between verses. You’d been in there way too long, usually, it took you ten minutes to throw on one of your matching, childish pajama sets after slathering on some weird aloe vera mask from too much sun. But when the door finally swung open, Niki expected to see you in your usual sleepwear.

Instead, you stood there in a short, black, slightly glittery top and a denim skirt that left your tanned legs bare. Your hair wasn’t in its usual braids—it was loose and wild, a mess of curls and waves tumbling over your shoulders. The scent of sakura hit him immediately, now so familiar it felt like home. Without realizing it, he let his Switch slide onto the comforter and propped himself up on his elbows, his gaze locking onto you as you adjusted yourself in front of the mirror.

"Where are you going, Y/n?" Niki asked, already dreading your answer. "As far as I know, there’s no bonfire tonight, and we’ve got to be up at seven tomorrow. Every human on this planet needs at least seven or eight hours of sleep." He mentally cursed himself, him, the guy who spent nights staring at the ceiling because of insomnia, was lecturing you about sleep.

"I’m going out," you said, checking your reflection in the mirror. Niki huffed, sitting up sharply. "I see your observational skills are still top-notch, Shorty. Obviously, you’re going out but where and with who? Not that it takes a genius to figure it out."

You didn’t answer. You were too focused on applying a bit of lip gloss that made your lips look even more tempting than they had that night in the barn. The memory alone made Niki’s fists clench.

"I bet you’re going out with John, huh?" he asked, almost laughing. "What’s the plan tonight? Is he gonna gift you a fairy-tale book or recite some famous 19th-century author to flirt with you?"

You whipped around. "Yes, I’m going out with him, and stop making fun of him. At least he’s kind a concept you struggle to understand, especially when it comes to me." You jabbed a finger at him, and right then, your phone buzzed on the table. A message from John: "I’m here."

When you looked up, Niki’s eyes were still locked on you and you on him. The tension in the room was electric, thick enough to cut with a knife. Neither of you wanted to make the first move. You were both too stubborn, too proud, neither breaking eye contact for even a second until Niki finally spoke:

"Go on, Y/n. Wouldn’t want to keep your dear John waiting. Just remember...midnight curfew, or this bungalow might turn into a pumpkin… and I might turn into something dark." He smirked, and you looked at him with a small smile before heading for the door.

"Don’t worry, Niki. I’ll be back by midnight. And don’t stay up waiting for me."

The door clicked shut behind you, and Niki stayed frozen, listening to the sound of your voice greeting John outside. He dragged a hand down his face, groaning as he flopped back onto the bed, running his fingers through his hair.

Like hell I’m not staying up waiting for you, Wren.

Your date with John was going perfectly...too perfectly, perhaps and that was the main problem. John seemed like the prince charming every mother would dream of for her daughter.

You were sitting on the dock, wrapped in a blanket he had spread out with maniacal precision, surrounded by snacks and drinks arranged like a scene from a 2000s romantic movie. Everything was perfect: fireflies dancing over the water, stars twinkling in the sky, the moon casting a silver glow on the lake, creating an almost fairy-tale atmosphere. John was attentive, kind, funny, and you laughed a lot, he was the kind of guy who could put anyone at ease. For any other girl, this would have been the perfect date. But there was one problem for you: you felt nothing.

There was no tension, no attraction, no shiver running down your spine when someone looked at you in a certain way. John was perfect, yes but too perfect, like a character straight out of a book, one of those flawless ones, without the fire that made you feel alive. You couldn’t stand those kinds of characters because everyone had their demons, and it was beautiful to see people’s vulnerabilities and flaws. But John seemed to have none or he was just really good at hiding them.

"When we get back to Chicago, I’d love for you to come see me compete in the regional swimming championships. And who knows, if I win, I might even get you to wear a hoodie with my name on it," he said, smiling at you. You nodded, smiling back.

"It would be nice to come watch you. I’ve never been to a swimming meet only football or basketball games," you replied, looking around. He nodded.

"Then it’ll be an honor to be the first swimmer you come see at the campus," he said, preening slightly. A moment later, a light breeze picked up, tousling your hair. A few strands fell against your lips, still glossy, and you laughed but at the same time, you looked up, annoyed, because you hated when your hair stuck to your lips. You tried to brush it away, but John was faster. Gently, he leaned in and tucked the strands behind your ear.

"There you go, Y/n," he said, his hands lingering near your face for a second too long. Your eyes met, and in that moment, you thought only one thing:

Don’t kiss me. Don’t kiss me. Don’t kiss me.

But John couldn’t hear your thoughts. For him, this was the climactic moment, like in a romance novel or movie where the two protagonists finally kiss and confess their feelings. He saw you there, cheeks flushed from the wind, hair tousled, illuminated by the moon’s silver reflection on the water and he thought there was no better moment to lean in and kiss you. Without thinking, he slowly leaned toward you, closing his eyes and tilting his face, ready to claim what he thought was a silent invitation but deep down, it wasn’t. You immediately caught the scent of his expensive, good cologne, so different from Niki’s that sharp, spicy peppermint that only he could pull off.

Before John’s lips could brush yours, your body reacted on its own a survival reflex. You jerked upright, the wooden planks creaking under your shoes. When John opened his eyes, he found himself staring at the empty space where your face had been a second before. You stood a step back from him, arms crossed over your chest as if protecting yourself from a closeness you didn’t want. He remained half-reclined on the blanket, wearing the most humiliated, confused expression you’d ever seen on a guy.

"I… I’m sorry, John," you whispered, feeling just as embarrassed. You seriously wished you could vanish right then. "I can’t… I can’t return the kiss or anything else." You took another step back.

"Y/n, wait...did I do something wrong?" he asked, trying to get up, but his voice was thick with the awkwardness of someone who’d just been brutally friend-zoned.

"No, you were perfect," you answered sincerely and it was true. John had been sweet to you from the start, and for any other girl, this date would have been perfect. "I’m the problem, not you. This whole date you planned was magical… but not for that’s the point. I’m sorry, again."

And without giving him a chance to respond, you turned and walked quickly toward the bungalows, not stopping even when you heard your name called faintly in the distance. You kept your head down, your cheeks burning with embarrassment, your heart pounding almost relieved that you hadn’t kissed John back and you realized it was pounding because you didn’t want a perfect prince, you wanted a guy with a thousand flaws, a thousand fears of admitting what he truly felt for you.

You tiptoed in, your heart still pounding from your hasty escape from the dock, hoping against hope that Niki had somehow fallen into one of his rare deep sleeps, though you knew there was a 99% chance he was awake (that guy barely slept at all). Your hope died the moment your eyes landed on the fully lit room and his hulking figure.

Niki wasn’t asleep. He was lying on his side, his feet hanging off the edge of the mattress, one hand propping up his blond head, and the other clutching your copy of The Mistake by Elle Kennedy, the cover already creased. Your eyes widened in horror at the sight.

"What the hell are you doing, Niki? Put that book down right now!" you shrieked, your voice shattering the silence as your cheeks burned.

He jolted at the sound of your voice clearly not expecting you back so soon but recovered his usual arrogance in a heartbeat. As you lunged for the book, Niki sat up and lifted his arm toward the ceiling. At over 185 cm tall, reaching it was like trying to scale a skyscraper.

"Damn, it’s not even 11:30, and you’re already back? That date must’ve been a disaster, Shorty!" he chuckled, flashing that infuriating smirk. You wanted to slap him.

"My date is none of your business! Give me back my book, now!" you huffed, rising onto your toes and uselessly trying to climb his solid chest to reclaim your precious paperback—especially since you hoped he hadn’t gotten far enough to read the slightly "spicy" scenes in the early chapters.

"Who would’ve guessed?" he continued, ignoring your desperate attempts. "Y/n, the girl with the perfect braids and the 'good girl' soul that everyone adores, reads what’s basically porn disguised as literature! Does John know? Or does he still think you’re completely innocent?"

You froze, hands pressed to your face to hide your mortification, not just because Niki had discovered your romance novels, but because they weren’t normal romances. No, these had full-on steamy chapters. You were too tired, too confused, too embarrassed by everything that had happened that night, so you snapped:

"Keep the damn book, Niki. Do whatever you want with it. I’m going to change." You threw your hands up in defeat, and Niki’s eyes widened, his eyebrows shooting up in shock.

Is she seriously letting me win? Just like that?

But he didn’t let you be. As you stepped into the bathroom to remove your makeup, you heard his footsteps follow you. He leaned against the doorframe, crossing his muscular arms over his chest, watching you through the mirror as you nervously wiped away your mascara.

"It must’ve gone really badly if you don’t even have the energy to fight with me, Y/N. Come on, Shorty, tell me. What did that loser do?"

You stayed silent, but he kept teasing you, stepping closer and lowering his head to enter your line of sight. "Come on, Y/N, what did he do to make you come back so early? It hasn’t even been two hours since you left… Honestly, if I had a date with a girl I liked, I’d stay with her all night." He watched you, and you sighed, exhausted by his questions and the whole situation.

"He tried to kiss me, Niki!" you blurted out, spinning around so fast you nearly threw the cotton pad in your hand at him.

For the first time in a long while, the room fell into a deafening silence. Niki’s jaw clenched so hard you saw the muscles in his neck tighten like ropes. His mocking gaze darkened, and he lowered his face slightly, avoiding your eyes for a moment.

"Did you… I mean… did you kiss him back?" he asked quietly. You stayed silent for a few seconds, watching him, and saw a shadow of sadness, something you’d never seen on his face before—cross his features. Niki took your silence as confirmation.

"No, Niki. I didn’t kiss him. In fact, one of the most embarrassing things of my life happened. While he leaned in, thinking he had me, I moved away, and he just sat there with his mouth open like a goldfish, staring at space for what felt like forever until he realized I wasn’t there anymore." You said it all in one breath, and for a full minute, neither of you spoke. Niki brought a hand to his lips, trying to stifle a sound that was half sigh of relief, half hysterical laugh, and tried to speak—but you shot him a glare.

"Now get out of here because I need to change, and I just want to go to sleep. Please don’t ask any more questions, Niki." You pushed him out with all your strength, slamming the door shut and leaning against it.

"Y/n?" he called softly, his tone suddenly serious.

"Go to bed, Niki. Please."

For the first time in weeks, Niki listened. He got into bed and waited for you. When the bathroom door finally reopened, he watched you walk slowly and turn off the small light, letting only the moonlight filtering through the curtains illuminate the room. You slipped under the covers and, for the first time in hours, felt safe maybe even at peace with yourself because Niki was just a few feet away.

"Sweet dreams, Wren," he murmured into the darkness, his voice completely sincere for once.

"Goodnight, Niki," you replied, your mind already sinking into the pillow. Niki waited until he heard your breathing slow and steady, and only then did he close his eyes. And for the first time since he’d arrived in Montana, he fell asleep too maybe because, deep down, he knew you hadn’t kissed that guy back because there was someone else in your heart, and that someone was him.

The wind howled outside the window, and the rain pounded relentlessly against the bungalow’s glass, the distant rumble of thunder stirring a mix of anxiety and drowsy comfort in you. You burrowed deeper under the covers, savoring that moment of peace before reality hit but it didn’t last long—the walkie-talkie every counselor kept on their nightstand screeched to life, and you groaned, stretching out a sleep-heavy arm to grab it, still half-asleep.

As you blinked your eyes open to keep from dropping the device, you saw that Niki was still fast asleep, blissfully unaware of the apocalyptic weather outside. One arm dangled off the bed, and his face was twisted into an adorably childish pout—nothing like the arrogant, athletic guy he pretended to be during activities. The camp director’s voice came through clear and lively, snapping you back to reality, and you tore your gaze away from the guy snoring softly with his mouth open.

"Good morning, everyone," the director’s voice boomed from the walkie-talkie, followed by a chorus of groggy "good mornings" from the other counselors. You mumbled yours, too.

"I think you’ve all heard and seen what’s happening outside your cabins, trees down, the path to the main lodge is completely flooded. Strong wind gusts are expected today and tomorrow, rain for the next three days straight, and a violent thunderstorm with lightning is forecast for late afternoon." As the director spoke, you heard Niki let out a sleepy groan as he began stretching like a cat, his too-long, too-bulky body barely fitting on his bed.

"The kids are safe in the main building with us," the director continued. "Those of you in the bungalows will have to stay inside for at least two days. You’ve all got kitchens and enough food to survive. Stay safe, and please… don’tkill each other if you don’t get along. I know some pairs have… history, but behave, you’re not kids anymore! The radios stay on for emergencies. Have a good day."

Niki opened one eye, then the other, and looked at you, his voice still thick with sleep. "What’d he say?" he mumbled, sinking back into his pillow.

"He said we’re officially prisoners," you replied, staring at the low, gray clouds beyond the window. "Every time it rains, you and I end up stuck sharing the same space. It’s a curse." You pouted slightly, and Niki chuckled, watching you.

"Come on, wren, don’t tell me you’re complaining. Think about it—you could’ve been stuck with John. Having him around 24/7, knowing you’d friend-zone him after two..."

Before he could finish, you grabbed your pillow and hurled it at his face with all your strength. He burst into loud laughter, effortlessly catching it with his annoyingly quick reflexes, the pillow never even grazing his face.

"Please, Niki! Let’s not talk about John or yesterday’s disaster date," you groaned, sinking back into bed and pulling the covers up to your nose. You just wanted to disappear and forget the embarrassment of last night.

Niki stayed quiet for a moment, watching you hiding under the covers, and something in him swelled at how cute you looked. Without thinking, he said:

"What do you say we watch a movie or a show these next few days? We can push the beds together to make one big bed and watch it side by side?" He watched you, clutching the blankets tightly, waiting for an answer.

Your eyes widened from under the covers, a ping of anxiety shooting through you.

What did he mean by this? Did he want to be close to me? Did he want to sleep with me? Or was this just another way to tease me like usual? You wondered, pushing the warm blankets off your body. You saw him watching you and nodded.

"No problem for me. Let’s move them...at least your giant body that’s more like a pole will be more comfortable, and you’ll stop kicking at nothing."

He rolled his eyes at your joke but couldn’t hide a small smile. He got up while you were still sitting on your bed, and with ease, he started shifting the nightstand between you. In just a few minutes, his bed was aligned perfectly with yours, the two now connected with a mountain of shared blankets in the middle.

"First, though, I need to eat," you said, your stomach growling. "Otherwise, the next thunder you hear might be my stomach." You patted your belly, and Niki laughed, taking in the sight of you—hair tousled, way too cute for his own good.

The kitchen was tiny, and every time one of you moved, you bumped elbows or backs into the other. It looked like one of those cute couples from ads, feeding each other—except you two weren’t a couple.

Niki handled the moka pot, while you started slicing strawberries and bananas with surgical precision. He popped bread into the toaster until it was perfectly crisp, then began spreading on a generous layer of Nutella, so much that the edges were already oozing over as you watched him get his fingers messy, you laughed.

"That’s bread with Nutella, Niki, not Nutella with a little bread," you teased, sitting on the counter and swinging your legs.

"Life’s too short to skimp on chocolate, wren!" he shot back, stepping closer to add your strawberries on top of the dark spread.

You and Niki continued eating in an unusual silence for the two of you, broken only by the rumble of thunder and the sound of rain pounding on the tent. Every now and then, your eyes met, only to quickly slide away toward the window, where the clouds were so low it felt like you were in a place that wasn’t quite real a world where it was just the two of you.

As you took the last bite of your second slice of bread and Nutella, you felt his eyes on you. It wasn’t the look of someone who wanted to argue or tease you—there was something almost thoughtful in the way he watched you.

"Wait, you’re messy. Again," he said, his tone a mix of amusement and provocation, pointing to his own lip as a reference for where you should clean. "You really don’t know how to eat like a normal person, do you, Shorty?"

You rolled your eyes, trying to wipe your mouth. "If I’m messy, it means I enjoyed it. Or maybe someone here went way overboard with the Nutella, and that’s why I’m covered in it!" you shot back, trying to clean your lips with your index finger, but all you managed to do was smear the sticky mess even more. Niki let out a sound that was half sigh, half laugh. Without a word, he took two steps forward, then leaned in between your legs, forcing you to tilt your chin up to maintain eye contact. His hair was still a little tousled from the pillow, falling over his forehead in a soft fringe that gave him an almost "good boy" vibe.

Your heart pounded against your chest at his closeness. Niki hadn’t been this close to you since… well, that kiss in the barn.

He raised his hand slowly, as if giving you time to pull away but you stayed still, and you felt the pad of his thumb press against the corner of your mouth. A violent shiver ran down your spine as he traced the entire outline of your lower lip with maddening slowness. Your cheeks burned, but you couldn’t look away. A moment later, he pressed his thumb gently against the Nutella smear on your lip, collecting the last trace of chocolate.

"There. All clean, Shorty," he murmured in a husky voice. Then, with a boldness only Niki could pull off, he brought his chocolate-stained finger to his lips and slowly licked it, never breaking eye contact. The intimacy of the gesture so forbidden, so raw—left you stunned, your lips parting slightly in shock.

You and Niki were centimeters apart, and if he had leaned in even a millimeter, your lips would have met again. You swallowed hard, and for a second… you wanted it. You wanted him to do it again but then, like a sudden flash, you remembered all the campus rumors—all the girls he’d looked at with those same eyes, all the girls he’d kissed so you took control of the situation.

"Well… thanks for cleaning me up," you said, your voice trembling slightly. You placed your hands on his chest and gently pushed him away, sliding off the counter in one swift motion.

"I… I’m going to the bathroom for a second, and then yes, we can watch a show. You can even pick it. Happy?" you said, rushing toward the bathroom and shutting the door behind you, pressing your back against it.

Montana had decided to play cruel tricks or maybe it was just trying to force you and Niki together as much as possible. What was supposed to be a brief storm had turned into an endless weather alert: the two days of forced isolation had stretched into four, turning your bungalow into a temporary refuge where you had to coexist with Niki for four straight days without stepping outside.

Incredibly, for forty-eight hours straight, you hadn’t killed each other. In fact, you’d even established a routine, though, of course, the jabs and teasing never stopped. They were what kept the electricity in the bungalow alive. Niki had teased you all through the first night after you, terrified by the thunder and jump scares from the horror movie he had insisted on watching (you cursed yourself for letting him pick), had spent the night wide-eyed until 3 AM until Niki, in the dark, had reached out and let you grip his strong fingers until you finally fell asleep. The next morning, his hand was still entwined with yours, and both of you had shifted closer in the bed.

You, of course, hadn’t let up on how useless he was in the kitchen, the man would’ve survived on instant ramen for all four days if you hadn’t been there. He had the uncanny ability to make even the water in the kettle disappear if you weren’t careful. But thanks to you, you ate normally. By the third day, you were exhausted from being so close to him, so you decided to hide in the bathroom for a regenerating shower, and honestly, you got lost in your thoughts, taking advantage of a lull in the lightning to truly relax—maybe even staying under the water a little too long.

When you finally stepped out, wrapped in steam, your eyes widened in horror when you saw that where you swore you’dleft your change of clothes for the night, there were only your panties. No shirt, no pants...nothing.

You swallowed hard, realizing you had to get out somehow, and you definitely weren’t calling Niki, he’d never let you live it down. So, carefully, you opened the door to Niki’s closet, which was right there within reach. It was filled with his "organized chaos" a system only he understood. Without overthinking it, you grabbed a deep burgundy T-shirt of his that smelled like him and tried on his pants but they were comically huge. The shirt, however, reached mid-thigh, and you thought:

Whatever. It’s only five steps to my closet. He won’t even notice I’m wearing his shirt.

You dried your hair, applied your sakura-scented cream, smelling of spring and cherry blossoms and opened the door. A wave of that fragrance immediately filled the bungalow, but your heart stopped when you saw Niki. He wasn’t at his PC, wasn’t playing his Switch, he was lying on the bed, his back against the wall, and in his hands was your Elle Kennedy book… that book… the one with the colorful Post-its marking the spiciest scenes.

"Niki, put that book down!" you squealed, your voice cracking with embarrassment. He burst out laughingm but when he looked up, his eyes weren’t on the pages anymore. They were locked on you on his burgundy shirt clinging to your body, on your bare legs, still warm from the shower, radiating heat and scent. You tried to lunge for the book, but with his lightning reflexes, he lifted his arms above his head. So you stood on your toes, pressing your body against his in an attempt to reach it but you heard Niki swallow loudly. You were so close you could feel the heat radiating off him, and you realized the shirt was riding up dangerously as you stretched.

"Niki, stop reading that thing! Give it back!"

"And why should I? It’s a good book," he said, his voice rough. "Every time I read further, I find scenes that are… decidedly spicy… scenes that you, the good girl you pretend to be, act like you don’t understand, right, Wren?"

You kept struggling until, with a sharp motion, he tossed the book onto the floor. You glared at him with pure hatred.

"Oh my God, I can’t stand you, Niki! You always have to snoop, you always have to touch my things! I don’t touch yours! I never touch the stupid drawings that you guard like a relic! And I don’t know how we’ve gone two days without fighting, you’re insufferable!" you shouted, turning your back on him to rush and pick up the book from the floor. But he moved faster, blocking you before you could bend down and this time, he wasn’t laughing.

"You’re insufferable too, Y/N!" he shouted back. "I can’t stand the way you look at me. I can’t stand when you pretend not to realize how damn hard it is for me to be locked in here with you 24/h, I can’t stand my own head, always bringing me back to you, making me imagine what you’d be like if you were really mine and I can’t stand that you play innocent and then read these stories where the characters do everything because it’s driving me crazy!"

He took a step forward, looming over you, and you stayed frozen, staring at him.

"I can’t stand seeing you in my clothes because I want to see you in them all the time, to mark you as mine but at the same time, I want to rip them off you and I hate....I hate with every part of me seeing you with other guys, especially that loser John. I can’t stand you because from the first moment I saw you in this damn summer camp, the only thing I wanted was for you to be mine and the worst punishment they could’ve given me was making me live with you, Y/n."

He said it all in one breath, and the silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the sound of the rain. Niki shot you one last burning glance, then turned toward the kitchen, heading straight for the exit door. He wanted to leave, to run out into the storm rather than face what he’d just confessed and you hated his completely bipolar personality.

But you couldn’t let him go, not after that. You were tired of this situation, and before his hand could grab the doorknob, you reached him and grabbed his wrist tightly.

"Don’t you dare walk away from me, Niki," you whispered, your voice low. "Don’t you dare leave me here after saying all that."

Without hesitation, you rose onto your toes, your fingers gripping the fabric of his burgundy shirt at his chest, and timidly pulled him toward you, pressing your lips against his. For a moment, Niki stayed frozen, surprised by your boldness so far outside your comfort zone but then, as if an electric shock had jolted him awake, he took control, not wasting a second to claim what he’d wanted for so long.

His hand slid possessively over your side, his long, warm fingers pressing into your skin through the thin fabric, pulling you closer until your bodies were flush against each other. With his other hand, he cupped your cheek, his thumb gently tracing your soft skin in a way that stole your breath. The kiss shifted instantly, no longer the awkward, hesitant one from the barn. Now, it was passionate, desperate, as if both of you had been craving this for far too long. You wrapped your arms around his neck, your fingers burying into his still-damp hair, while he leaned down slightly, erasing every last centimeter of distance between you.

His tongue insistently traced the outline of your lips, teasing, asking for access and you granted it with a deep sigh that sent shivers through Niki. When his tongue finally slid against yours, the kiss deepened, and the only sounds in the bungalow were the patter of rain, the howl of the wind, and your ragged breaths.

Niki let out a low, rough chuckle against your lips at the sound of your sigh, and he couldn’t wait to hear you moan in pleasure, to see you vulnerable and responsive under his touch.

"God, you drive me crazy, wren…" he murmured between kisses, before playfully nipping at your lower lip.

"Niki…" you moaned softly, almost worried someone might hear. His name slipped from your lips in a way that was so sweet, yet so sexy, it made him shiver for a moment. Usually, when you said his name, it was to tease or scold him, but now… now, you were saying it because yes, he was teasing you but in a way he wanted to do every day, to kiss you, to drive you wild with his touch.

Niki pulled back slightly, your faces just centimeters apart, and sighed near your lips:

"Tell me it’s the same for you, Y/n. Tell me," he demanded, slowly pushing you backward toward the sleeping area. A few moments later, your knees hit the edge of the "super-bed", and you tumbled onto the mattress, pulling him down with you. Niki positioned himself above you, supporting himself on his forearms so as not to crush you, while you kept your arms locked around his neck.

You tried to kiss him again, but he pulled back with a challenging smirk.

"No, no. I’ve laid my cards on the table, wren… now it’s your turn. Otherwise, we’ll stay like this all night… or all day tomorrow until you talk." He grinned, and the silence grew heavy again until Niki decided to torture you further, lowering himself slowly and pressing his lips against the warm, sensitive skin of your neck.

"N-Niki… please…" You whispered, tilting your head to give him more space.

"You speak just fine when you want to, Y/n, too well, in fact," he murmured against your skin, alternating wet kisses with playful nips of his teeth. "So tell me what’s going on in that head of yours, or we’re not going anywhere."

You clung to his biceps, feeling the strength of his muscles under your fingers, and tugged lightly at his hair to get his attention.

"Fine! Fine, you win!" you blurted out in one breath. "I can’t stand you either, Niki. Everyone, every single person told me to stay away from you, that you were trouble, and maybe you still are. But fate decided to be ironic and stuck us in this bungalow for the whole summer… At first, I really couldn’t stand you: you were grumpy, arrogant, you teased me every second, and you were way too bipolar for my taste!" You said it all in one rush, and he chuckled against your skin, his lips placing light kisses as they traveled up toward your jaw while his hand slid under the hem of your shirt, stopping at the bare curve of your waist. You bit your lip to hide how much you liked his touch—too much for your own good.

"Keep going, Y/n. Don’t stop now," he murmured against your ear, and you lifted your eyes, feeling vulnerable but determined to say what you felt.

"You win, Niki. Ever since you kissed me in that barn, everything changed… My feelings went out of control for you. And just like you hate John… I… I hated hearing the other counselors talk about you, hated hearing how good you were at kissing, or how they wanted to get your attention or end up in your bed. And yes, I’ll admit it, it drove me crazy with jealousy. So yes… what do you feel? That’s exactly what I feel."

You lowered your gaze, unable to hold his, afraid for a second that he might laugh at you or go back to being his usual cynical self. But instead, you felt his fingers gently lift your chin, and when you met his eyes again, you saw something different in his gaze. He leaned toward you, stopping a breath away from your lips.

"We’ve been two stubborn fools for not realizing this sooner, Y/n," he murmured, his breath mingling with yours. "And I don’t intend to waste any more time. We’ve figured out we like each other, and that’s all that matters in this damn bungalow but don’t think I’ll stop giving you a hard time," he added, pinching your side lightly to make you flinch. "We’ll never stop cursing each other out, right?"

You laughed and pulled him closer, nodding fiercely. "Never, Niki. I’ll never stop teasing you or busting your balls."You caressed his cheek, and he smiled against your lips a real, bright smile you’d never seen on him before and kissed you again, but this time more gently, as if he wanted to seal every word you’d just said into his memory.

That evening, you were tangled in the blankets of your "super-bed," kissing until your lips were tender, alternating between kisses and long moments of silent gazes while a K-drama played on the screen. Niki, who had initially pretended to watch it just to humor you, ended up being the most invested in the plot, commenting on every twist and teasing how obvious it was which of the two protagonists would fall in love first. He mocked how cliché and over-the-top it all was just to make any girl dream but even he couldn’t hide his interest.

But after a couple of episodes, you yawned for the tenth time in half an hour, rubbing your eyes with the back of your hand.

"What a lightweight you are, Wren," Niki muttered, rolling his eyes with an amused smirk. "It’s barely 10 PM, and you’re already crashing. Are you really just a little girl who needs her beauty sleep, or do you turn into a grump without it?" He watched as you snuggled deeper into the warm blankets and muggled into them.

"A lightweight? Please. It’s a talent not everyone has, to fall asleep in a minute and sleep more than eight hours,"you replied, your voice already thick with sleep as you settled more comfortably against the pillow. "I love sleeping, and I love going to bed early. It’s a natural gift." You closed your eyes slightly but could still feel his gaze on you, almost like a physical sensation.

"Stop staring at me, Niki," you mumbled, keeping your eyes shut.

"And how do you know I’m staring at you if your eyes are closed? Do you have psychic powers, Wren?" he shot back, amused.

At that, you suddenly opened your eyes wide and caught him red-handed. Niki, with his lightning reflexes, quickly shifted his gaze to the wooden wall as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world, but a guilty little smirk gave him away.

"Busted!" you exclaimed in a whisper, stretching a hand under the blankets. Your fingers searched for his, and almost playfully, you brushed the back of his hand. He stayed still for a second, didn’t fully intertwine his fingers with yours, but he didn’t pull away either. You felt his warmth blend with yours, and then he squeezed your hand.

"Mmm… I was thinking about that night you held my hand because you 'knew I was scared of horror movies'…"you started, teasing him with a sly expression. "Admit it, it was just a pathetic excuse to get a little physical contact with me. The camp’s bad boy needed to hold my hand?" You laughed, feeling his grip tighten slightly. He huffed, trying to pull away, but you were faster. You grabbed his hand firmly and pressed it against your chest, holding it tight over your irregularly beating heart.

"Shut that mouth of yours, wren, and go to sleep, or I’ll throw you out of bed," he grumbled, but he made no move to take his hand back. Instead, you felt his thumb gently trace the warm skin of the back of your hand, and you chuckled softly, savoring that moment of pure sweetness.

"Goodnight, Ki," you said but before drifting off completely, you did something you would’ve never dared just a few days ago—maybe it was the coziness of the bungalow that gave you courage. With a quick movement, you propped yourself up slightly on your elbows and, in a move that would’ve shocked your past self, you leaned toward him and planted a quick kiss just under his chin, right where a new mole was. Then, as if nothing had happened, you burrowed back under the covers, pulling them up over your nose to hide the triumphant smile lighting up your face.

From your privileged position, you caught a glimpse of his face through a gap in the blankets. Niki was literally stunned, his usually teasing eyes wide as they stared at you, his jaw slightly slack, and a faint, almost invisible blush tinting his cheekbones. You heard him sigh as he, too, closed his eyes, continuing to gently stroke the palm of your hand until you both sank into a deep sleep almost completely tangled together, hands still intertwined.

The fourth day of isolation began with the same terrible weather as the day before, and Montana showed no signs of letting up. The sky was still heavy with rain, and every so often, thunder rumbled, and lightning flashed through the windows.

After a lazy breakfast filled with whispered laughter and lingering glances, you finished the TV series marathon you’d both enjoyed. Niki, using the excuse that he hadn’t slept well all summer, finally gave in to exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep that afternoon.

He’d dozed off with one arm possessively wrapped around your waist, pulling you close, and you’d never have guessed, seeing him up close like this how much he looked like a puppy while he slept. At the same time, you couldn’t help but notice how much he needed to touch you. You’d already realized back in the barn that Niki loved physical contact with you, but after yesterday, he hadn’t stopped resting a hand on your waist while you cooked, playing with your loose hair, tracing circles on your palm, or kissing you casually. And deep down, you loved this side of him that he only showed to you.

You stayed awake, your heart still beating a little faster from his closeness, and finally picked up The Mistake by Elle Kennedy again. For over an hour, the only sounds in the bungalow were the rustle of pages and Niki’s steady breathing against your shoulder as he napped. You were completely absorbed in Logan and Grace’s story, chuckling to yourself at Logan’s ridiculous lines and underlining the most iconic scenes the book was now covered in colorful Post-its peeking out from the edges.

"I’m going back to sleep for a bit, and of course, you’ve used that as an excuse to get further into this porn disguised as romance!"

Niki’s sleep-thickened voice made you jump, and you instinctively pressed the book to your face to hide your guilty expression. He unwound his arm from around you, stretching lazily, his hair falling over his forehead. When his eyes landed on the book, a crooked smirk tugged at his lips as he took in the avalanche of new Post-its you’d added since the last time he’d seen it.

"Come on, Wren, don’t play innocent," he said, rolling onto his side to get a better look at you. "Admit you like it and admit you don’t just like it because it’s a 'romance,' but because of those spicy scenes you’d love to try for the first time in your life." He chuckled, and you let the book slide just enough for him to see your eyes a mix of embarrassment and something else.

Your cheeks were a soft pink, a stark contrast to the burgundy of his shirt, which you were still wearing. Niki thought you looked beautiful, but most of all, he thought your little pout was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.

"Niki, spicy scenes are in every book these days," you shot back, trying to sound confident. "You shouldn’t be surprised. I’m not as innocent as you think. Okay, fine, I haven’t had… direct experience… but I know what happens between a man and a woman when they like each other. So…"

Before you could finish, Niki lunged at you with feline speed, closing the distance between you. His face was a breath away from yours, but instead of kissing your lips, he diverted to your earlobe, brushing it lightly with his lips.

"And what do you know, Wren?" he whispered. "Come on, tell me what you’d want the guy you like… who happens to be me… to do." He added that last part with the arrogance that usually made you furious but now, it just made you shiver.

You rolled your eyes, muttering that he was getting too full of himself, but your knuckles were white from how tightly you were gripping the book’s cover.

"Come on, Y/n," he insisted, his voice rough. "Tell me what those two protagonists do… what you’d want you and me to… replicate?"

You swallowed hard, feeling how much Niki was teasing you, pushing you. "I… I’d like to be kissed in other places… not just on the mouth," you confessed, closing your eyes.

Niki smiled against your skin, and you felt the warm, wet pressure of his lips just below your jaw, a slow kiss that traveled up toward your ear. "Keep going," he urged, still teasing.

"I’d like… yes, for your hands to touch me in places no one ever has… and at the same time…" You paused, feeling your cheeks burn. "I’d like to kiss you in a very specific spot."

Niki froze for a second at your words, his mind racing through all the possible scenarios of where you might want to kiss him. You heard him swallow hard, one eyebrow arching in an expression somewhere between disbelief and ecstasy.

"And where would you like to kiss me?"

You lifted a trembling finger and pressed it just below his waist, on the left side right where the lip-shaped tattoo marked his skin, just above the waistband of his pants. "Here."

Niki stared at you in silence for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. You looked at him with a slightly offended pout, but he never took his eyes off you. Still watching you, he grabbed the hem of his shirt and, in one fluid motion, pulled it off, tossing it somewhere onto the bed. You were left breathless at the sight of his defined biceps, sculpted chest dusted with ink, and that perfectly chiseled V-line that looked like it had been drawn by an artist obsessed with his muse and then there was the lip tattoo, now fully exposed in front of you. Niki sat properly in front of you, legs spread apart, hands resting on his thighs as he tapped his fingers lightly, fixing you with a small smirk.

"Come here, wren," he murmured.

You shifted cautiously, feeling a mix of vulnerability and nervousness, but deep down, you trusted Niki. You positioned yourself straddling him, and the physical contact was immediate, your bare thighs against the fabric of his pants, his large hands gripping your hips to pull you even closer between you.

Niki tilted his head back, watching you, and found you adorable in your hesitation, unable to meet his gaze.

"Come on, Wren… don’t be afraid. Show me what you want to do," he murmured, his voice rough. You wrapped your arms around his neck, burying your fingers in his messy hair, and leaned down slowly. You caught the scent of your sakura-scented body wash on his skin and chuckled before beginning to place small, chaste kisses, almost shyly, starting from the base of his jaw and working your way down to his prominent collarbone. But when you felt Niki’s hands tighten on your hips, almost begging for more pressure, your courage grew. Driven by newfound confidence, you began to suck lightly on his fair skin, alternating kisses with playful nips. Niki let out a stifled moan as his head fell back further against the headboard, his skin already flushing redder than usual. You smirked to yourself, thinking that maybe tomorrow, the other girls would notice that this guy was secretly yours.

"Fuck, Wren…" he breathed, his voice ragged. You found a sensitive spot just below his earlobe, and when you nipped at it, you felt him shiver beneath you. You smiled against his skin because you’d discovered his secret, you’d found a spot where he was weak, and you couldn’t wait to uncover what other places would make him beg and lose control.

You leaned down further, exploring his sculpted, ink-stained chest. The yellow light in the room made every muscle, every defined line from his summer of hard work stand out, and when your kisses reached his nipples, your curiosity took over. You licked one with the tip of your tongue, and Niki jolted because damn, he hadn’t expected that from you… No one had, honestly, given how "pure" you seemed in everyone’s eyes. He gently grabbed your hair, pulling just enough to force you to lift your gaze and meet his desire-clouded eyes.

"Don’t stop… please, keep going," he begged, and that plea in his usually gruff voice made you feel incredibly powerful. So you continued to tease him, alternating your tongue with deep kisses, until your hands slid down his tight abs, feeling how hard they were, like marble, under your fingertips. You paused for a moment, biting your lower lip as you admired the masterpiece of a body that looked like it had been drawn by an obsessed artist.

"You’re really beautiful, Niki," you whispered, slightly embarrassed but also aware of what you were saying to the guy in front of you. Niki’s breath caught in his throat because he was used to the easy compliments from campus girls, the empty words whispered in hallways. But hearing it from you—while you looked at him like he was the most beautiful thing in the world—had a devastating effect on him. For the first time, he felt something unravel inside him, and he didn’t know if it was desire, love, or what he felt for you in that moment. But he didn’t mock you. Instead, he gently caressed your cheek with his thumb, looking at you softly and it was a new feeling for both of you.

"Y-You… you shouldn’t say things like that to me, Wren," he said, playing with your hair.

"Could you… lie down a little, Ki?" you asked, using the nickname that made him smile. He slid down the bed, propping himself up on his elbows to stay partially raised, desperate not to miss a single moment of what you were about to do because he was genuinely curious to see what you’d come up with. You tucked your hair behind your ears, and such a simple gesture made him swallow hard. With slightly trembling fingers, you hooked the waistband of his sweatpants and pulled them down a few centimeters, revealing the elastic waistband of his boxers—and right next to it, the red lip tattoo that had haunted your forbidden dreams for weeks. Niki let out a low whistle, trying to regain his usual cockiness.

"Well, well… the good girl’s aiming straight for the forbidden zone. Are you sure you can handle what you’ll find down there, Wren?"

You shot him one last challenging look before pressing your lips right over that tattoo, and the contact of your mouth with the warm skin of his lower abdomen silenced him instantly.

Niki clenched his jaw, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the sheets, overwhelmed by the sight of you curled between his legs, kissing that intimate mark with devotion. Small shivers ran through his entire body.

You began to trace its outline with the tip of your tongue, lingering on the warm skin that pulsed with every touch, and Niki let out a beautiful moan as his back arched slightly off the mattress. You smiled against his skin because the camp’s "bad boy" was melting under your simple touch.

You moved lower, placing small, wet kisses just below his navel, brushing against the gray cotton edge of his boxers. Every movement you made, innocent on the surface but designed to drive him wild—and every time your body pressed against his thighs as you straddled him, you felt his erection grow harder, more insistent, pulsing against you.

"Fuck, Wren… you’re killing me," he cursed, his voice rough. Every time you placed small kisses right below the edge of his boxers, he couldn’t stay still because your lips always sought out his most sensitive spots, and he was reaching his limit.

"I don’t think you’re ready for a blowjob, Y/n… and if you keep this up, I’ll lose control. How about you stop teasing me and let… let me take charge? You’ve provoked me enough, little one. Earlier, you said you wanted to be kissed elsewhere… where?" he almost stammered, his voice shaking from how close he was to coming like a teenager if you kept teasing him with your movements and kisses. His hands slid down your thighs, squeezing them lightly in a possessive gesture that stole your breath.

"Look how you’re trembling… does it turn you on to know I’m the one affecting you like this? The guy you’re supposed to hate, the one you’re supposed to stay away from?"

You nodded as you sucked on the fair skin of his lower abdomen, instinctively tightening your thighs around his hips. Niki cursed again, his hand sliding up your thigh and squeezing the flesh with just enough pressure.

He gently rolled you onto your back, stretching you out on the "super-bed," and took a second to adjust his boxers before positioning himself above you, looming over you with his muscular frame. But he kept himself propped up on his forearms, careful not to crush you, and traced the edge of your lips with his thumb, his expression suddenly serious and protective.

"First of all… are you sure you want this? Sure you want me to touch you?"

"Yes," you answered, and he smiled—but it was a different kind of smile. There was no trace of teasing, no hint of the guy who loved to rile you up. Just a softness you’d never have associated with the Niki everyone described.

"I know no one’s ever touched you before, Wren. And I don’t want to scare you. I don’t want you to feel like you have to do anything. We’ll use three colors, okay? Like a traffic light. Green if you’re good, yellow if you’re embarrassed or want to slow down, and red if you want me to stop immediately. No pressure, got it?" He caressed your cheek as he spoke, and you were struck by how this rebel without rules was now the guy trying to make you feel safe and comfortable.

"It’s perfect," you whispered. Niki leaned down and stole a soft, chaste kiss before his hands slid under the burgundy shirt you were wearing. You felt his large, rough hands against your smooth, warm skin, and it was as if they were made to fit perfectly around your hips. He began lifting the fabric centimeter by centimeter, revealing your sun-kissed stomach, and murmured:

"You’re so soft…" He leaned down to kiss your skin, alternating gentle kisses with light sucks that made you gasp, and used the tip of his tongue to tease your ribs, making you let out small, muffled moans—part pleasure, part tickle.

"Color, Y/N?" he asked against your skin.

"Green…" you stammered, burying your fingers in his blond hair and pulling him closer.

"Can I play with your breasts?" he asked hopefully, his hand already toying with the hem of your shirt. The embarrassment was off the charts, but the way he looked at you, as if you were the most precious, desirable thing in the world gave you the courage to nod.

"Green," you answered, and he chuckled. "That’s my good girl."

You pushed the shirt up over your collarbones, letting the fabric bunch under your chin. When your breasts were finally free, the dim light accentuated every curve of your beautiful body. Niki’s breath caught in his throat at the sight of the contrast between your Montana-tanned skin and the pale, almost crescent-moon shape where your bikini had protected you all summer.

Niki had always thought you had a gorgeous body, but he hadn’t realized how much and he ran a hand through his hair.

"Fuck, Wren…" he cursed under his breath, his eyes devouring every inch of you. "You’re… you’re stunning."

He didn’t waste time. Like a man devoted to you, he cupped your breasts with his large hands. The contrast between the softness of your skin and the roughness of his calloused palms marked from summer work and weights made you let out a deep sigh. With one hand, he began torturing your right breast, using his thumb to press and roll your hardened nipple, while his mouth descended on the left one. The heat of his tongue enveloping the sensitive tip made you arch your back, and Niki sucked hard, sending electric shocks straight to your core for the first time. Without meaning to, you pushed your hips upward, unconsciously seeking contact with his hard, pulsing length pressing against his boxers, right against your thin lace panties.

"Ah… Niki…" you panted, digging your fingers into his blond hair and pulling him closer. He responded with a moan, loving how close you were.

"Christ, how the hell did I go all summer without putting my hands on you?" he muttered as his left hand squeezed your breast a little too eagerly, his possessive grip making you gasp.

"K-Keep going… but gentler on the left, Ki… I’m really sensitive there… my period’s coming soon." You stammered, and Niki lifted his gaze, his lips glistening, as he continued teasing your clit through your panties and squeezing your breast. A playful grin spread across his face.

"Fuck, that’s why they’re so full and hard…" he murmured, then began tracing slow circles with his tongue around your areola, blowing on it between kisses, savoring your endless shivers. After what felt like forever, he moved lower, licking the underside of your breast with long, deliberate strokes of his tongue, then climbing back up to nip at the pink bud with extreme care.

While his mouth made you feel so good, his hand slid down your smooth thigh. You felt his fingers creep up centimeter by centimeter, tickling the inside of your thigh and making your legs tremble, almost closing on instinct because no one had ever touched you there before.

"Color, Wren?" he whispered against your skin.

"Green…" you managed to gasp as he chuckled softly, his fingers not stopping, they slid under the elastic edge of your panties, finding you already wet and warm. Niki let out a sound of pure approval at how excited you already were, knowing it was all because of him, and that no one else would ever have this privilege in his life.

"Fuck, Shorty… you’re already ready for me," he murmured as his middle finger began rubbing your clit through your damp panties.

Your body arched with a jolt, overwhelmed by a pleasure so intense it was almost too much to handle. To increase the pressure, Niki pushed his hips forward, grinding his hard length against your still-covered core, and you let out a loud moan that filled the room. Embarrassed, you immediately clapped your hands over your mouth to stifle the sound, but Niki stopped, grabbing your wrists and pulling them away from your face, fixing you with an almost fierce intensity.

"No, no, little one… be a good girl and let me hear everything," he said, his voice rough. "I want to hear you moan, I want to hear you scream if that’s what you need. No one can hear us, remember? There’s only the storm outside… it’s just you and me here. So please, don’t feel embarrassed if you want to moan my name...it’s beautiful."

He returned his focus to your breasts, alternating hungry licks with gentle sucks on the lower curve. When he pulled away for a second, he noticed a small purple mark beginning to form on your fair skin. He thought about how he’d love to cover you in these marks, but he knew that soon you’d be back in your swimsuit or canoeing, so he’d save that for later.

His hands slid back to your hips, gripping them tightly, while his fingers inside your panties increased their rhythm.

"Green or yellow, Wren?" he asked.

"Green… please, green," you whispered, feeling him tease the edge of your panties. Niki pulled the thin lace asidewith a slowness that drove you wild, letting the cool air of the bungalow brush against your exposed, aroused skin. When his thumb made direct contact with your clit, the world around you seemed to dissolve—you’d never felt anything like this before, and it was so good.

"Tongue or fingers, Wren?" he whispered, and your eyes widened in surprise at his bluntness.

"I… I trust you. You choose," you said, embarrassed by his question. Niki lifted himself slightly on his arms, studying your expression as he saw how you couldn’t bring yourself to look at him at first.

"Green or yellow, Y/N?" he asked, stroking your cheek. You bit your lower lip, feeling the heat spread all the way to your ears from embarrassment.

"Green… it’s just that I’ve never done anything like this before."

He nodded, and with a gentle motion, he leaned down to place a chaste, reassuring kiss on your forehead, and that touch made you melt.

"Relax. I’ll make you feel good, Wren. Whatever you say, I’ll stop instantly, okay?"

With a fluid motion, he pulled your panties off completely, tossing them somewhere unknown. When his eyes fell on your swollen, glistening intimacy, he let out a deep breath and leaned down, blowing lightly on your clit, making you jolt from the contrast. Then, he gently spread your legs, draping them over his shoulders. For the first time in your life, you were completely exposed, vulnerable under his gaze. Without another word, his warm tongue dove into your clit, and you moaned instantly—it was a strange, wet, completely new sensation, and you finally understood why all the girls said they loved foreplay with guys.

"Fuck, you taste so good…" he cursed against your skin, continuing to tease you with small, circular licks in figure-eights, alternating pressure until you arched your back against the mattress. Feeling you were ready, Niki slid a finger between your folds, and you tensed instinctively, clenching your muscles. He stopped immediately, feeling his finger fully inside you.

"Relax, little one. It’ll be okay. Let me take care of you," he murmured.

You nodded, trying to regulate your breathing, and when his finger slowly slid in centimeter by centimeter, a sense of fullness you’d never felt before flooded you.

"Fuck, you’re so tight… you’re swallowing my finger, Wren," he said as he began to move it in a rhythm that made you tremble, sliding in and out with a patience that was driving you mad—because you wanted more, but you were too shy to ask for it. But Niki understood instantly.

"Can I slide another one in?" he asked, his eyes fixed on yours as they rolled back. You nodded frenetically, unable to speak.

"Good girl… I knew deep down you were this good, that you’d like these slightly dirty things," he teased, and when his middle finger, marked by small calluses from summer work, slid in beside the other, you screamed his name.

"Niki!" Your hands flew to his hair, pulling at it for support as he began to pump with more vigor.

"Damn, Y/n… you’re taking me so well…" he cursed, savoring the sound of your moans, which grew sharper and sharper. He began to coordinate his movements: while his fingers worked inside you with decisive thrusts, his mouth returned to your clit, sucking and licking in sync with his fingers to give you even more pleasure. That double stimulation made you lose all contact with reality, and you screamed even louder, your legs trembling on his shoulders

Niki manipulated you, both mentally and physically with expert precision, slowing down just as you were about to shatter, only to watch you beg for him. His fingers pumped deeper inside you, his thumb circling your clit with maddening precision, and his voice was a dark, velvety whisper against your skin.

"Look at you, Shorty. Look how well you take me… were you born to be like this under me, huh?"

Shivers raced up your spine, and an unbearable heat spread through your body. You gasped, tears pricking at your eyes from the frustration of pleasure as he continued to tease you, his fingers pumping harder inside you while his teeth grazed your clit just enough to drive you wild.

"Ki… please… I… I need to come!" you cried, your voice breaking.

But instead of giving you what you craved, he smirked that infuriating, arrogant smirk—the one you usually hated but now loved—and rather than letting you climax, he used his teeth to tease your clit while his fingers pumped even deeper, searching for that most sensitive spot inside you.

"You want to come, little one? Then take it."

He thrust his fingers harder, now that your body had adjusted to their size, with a frenetic rhythm that gave you no escape. And then—you came, screaming his name, your body shuddering as waves of pleasure crashed over you. Niki loved how his name sounded on your lips, how one hand was fisted in his hair while the other clawed at the sheets, nearly tearing them. Your body convulsed in endless spasms, your arousal dripping down his fingers and thighs but he didn’t stop.

While you were still riding the high of your orgasm, he leaned down and licked away every trace of your pleasure, the intensity making you whimper.

"It’s too much… Niki, stop, it’s too much!" you sobbed, but he lifted his head just enough to lick you again, murmuring:

"It’s never too much for you, Wren. Look how you’re trembling… you’re pathetic and beautiful at the same time."His hand gripped you possessively, pulling you flush against him. "Do you really think I’d let you rest now, after showing you how good your body can feel?"

And that night, with only the storm’s roar breaking the silence, Niki kept his promise: he gave you no mercy, pushing you to the edge two more times until you were nothing but a trembling, whimpering mess, obsessed with his touch, your body singing his name like a prayer.

When everyone woke up at dawn on the fifth day, the Montana sky was finally a brilliant, cloudless blue, streaked only by the chirping of birds. As the bungalow doors swung open, everyone breathed in that crisp air and the scent of wet pine and fresh grass the kind everyone loved.

The general gathering in the sports pavilion was a chaos of voices and laughter from the kids, who had been cooped up in the dorms with emergency activities. They were all excited to run and bicker with each other again. You smiled as Nina came sprinting toward you and Niki, hugging you both and complaining about how boring it had been to be stuck inside 24/7 with the other kids.

Thankfully, the damage had been minimal: a few broken branches had fallen, there were piles of pine needles and dead leaves forming slippery carpets, and a couple of clotheslines had blown away.

But the real surprise, the one everyone was whispering about and that had shocked even the counselors and camp directors was Niki. He was no longer the sullen guy who ignored everyone, shooting hateful glares at anyone who dared breathe in his direction. He was… softer? He’d always been good with the kids, but now, with the other counselors, you noticed he talked, helped, even smiled without grumbling. Sure, he wasn’t suddenly a ray of sunshine, but most of all, he seemed to have a magnet pulling him constantly into your orbit.

He teased you endlessly: if you were carrying a bucket, he’d tap the back of your knee to throw you off balance, and the kids would giggle every time they saw you two bickering from morning to night. If you were talking to another counselor, he’d insert himself into the conversation even if it had nothing to do with him. Sometimes, you’d even steal the sticks he’d just picked up, only to drop them again while he gathered more from another spot. When he’d look up, you’d just shrug, but every time your eyes met, there was a secret in his gaze—the memory of those nights in the bungalow, getting to know each other, teasing, touching.

In the afternoon, while you were setting up for the bonfire you’d all agreed to have that evening—a way to finally reunite everyone—you were arranging chairs in a circle. The heat was starting to build, so you stepped behind the tool shed to find some shade and water. But before you could take three steps, a strong hand grabbed your arm, pulling you behind the shed, into the shadows of the wood and foliage. Niki leaned over you, his hands settling on your hips.

"Hey, wren," he murmured with a smug grin. You looked around in terror, afraid a kid or worse, the camp director might appear around the corner.

"Niki! What are you doing? If someone sees us...."

"I’ve been trying to get you alone all day. I’m tired of pretending I don’t want this," he said, reaching out to gently tug one of your braids, watching as your face flushed a deep pink but suddenly, you felt bold. You rolled your eyes, placing your hands on his bare chest under his open shirt.

"Mmm, so the big bad boy of summer camp misses his… girlfriend?" you teased, and the words "his girlfriend"hung between you, heavy and new. Niki flinched, he’d never thought you’d actually become his girl, and he your boy. He didn’t answer right away, but his eyes lit up with a new light, and with a fluid, decisive motion, he pushed you back against the rough wooden planks of the shed, pinning you with his body.

"Shut up, Wren," he murmured, his lips a millimeter from yours.

"Who would’ve thought," you chuckled, rising onto your toes to bury your fingers in his wind-tousled blond hair. "The guy who loved keeping to himself, who was grumpy all the time… needs attention?" You teased him, and before you could finish, he leaned in and kissed you possessively.

Your arms wrapped around his neck as if it were the most natural thing in the world. And Niki wasn’t shy: as his tongue slid between your lips, claiming you, his right hand slid down, slipping into the back pocket of your jeans with a possessive grip, squeezing your flesh and lifting you slightly against him so you could feel just how reactive he was to your touch. His other hand pressed into your side.

"Fuck, I’ve missed you… you have no idea," he growled against your mouth. You smiled against his lips, nipping lightly at his lower lip, enjoying the small shudder it pulled from him. But just as the atmosphere was about to get too heated, the sharp sound of breaking branches and the laughter of approaching kids reached you from just a few meters away. With a jolt of panic, you pushed him away, trying to compose yourself as your heart pounded too hard. Niki took a step back, chuckling as he watched you reclaim your "good girl" aura.

"We… we should go help the others," you murmured, trying to regain a professional tone. "Otherwise, they’ll get suspicious… The director already has her eye on you for how much you’ve changed these past few days."

He nodded but didn’t take his eyes off you until you glanced back at him one last time before disappearing around the corner. Niki ran a hand through his messy blond hair, making it even wilder, and stayed there for a second in the shed’s shadow.

"Fuck…" he muttered to himself, shaking his head with an incredulous smile on his face. "That girl’s gonna kill me before the end of summer."

The atmosphere at camp had become electric a mix of childlike excitement and the bittersweet melancholy of feeling autumn knocking at the door. The end-of-summer dance wasn’t just an event; it was the culmination of all those months spent under the sun—laughing, joking, playing cards, but also fighting, teasing, discovering crushes, and forging friendships under Montana’s scorching heat.

While the kitchen crew churned out endless trays of snacks and finger sandwiches, the outdoor activities team had set up chairs, tables, and colored lights woven through the willow branches by the lake, turning the gazebo into a kind of crystal chandelier with golden threads. The kids couldn’t wait to see all those lights lit up.

The weeks spent in the decoupage group had been exhilarating, you’d watched piles of card stock transform into messages of love or simple friendship, meant for their dance partners. Your heart tightened every time a child asked for your help to glue something, to draw, or to write the name of the person they liked.

That afternoon, you were leaning against the metal slide, watching the scene unfold a few meters away: Nina had asked you to go with her to Thomas, and with her perfect braids bouncing on her shoulders, she was facing her biggest challenge yet, Thomas, a perpetually grumpy-looking kid with his arms almost always crossed and his gaze usually directed elsewhere, as if a thousand thoughts were swirling in his head. For some strange reason, he reminded you terribly of Niki at the start of the summer.

You watched as Nina handed him the invitation—the one she’d worked on for hours, drawing a Formula 1 single-seaterwith the numbers of Thomas’s favorite drivers on the side. And when Thomas lowered his guard, you saw the tiniest lift at the corner of his mouth. It was a silent victory for both you and Nina. You heard Thomas ask, "Why me?"

Nina was quiet for a moment, then said, "Well, you’re the only one who doesn’t talk much but says everything with his eyes or his face… And it was nice when I scraped my knee and you took me to the infirmary, and how every day, without anyone seeing, you changed my bandages especially the pink ones with princesses. So that’s why I want you to come find me at the dance for a little while."

Nina didn’t wait for an answer. She planted a small kiss on his cheek and ran toward you, her big eyes shining.

"He’ll definitely come find me," she declared, tucking a braid behind her ear. "Wow, Nina, you really have a lot of self-confidence. Never let anyone take that away from you when you grow up, okay? Promise?" you said, squeezing her small hand in yours.

But as you started walking toward the lake, the conversation took a turn you never expected.

"Who are you going to the dance with? I hope Niki asked you to go with him," she whispered, as if revealing a state secret, skipping along beside you. Your heart pounded at her words.

"Why… why would Niki ask me to the dance, Nina?" you asked, trying to sound indifferent, but the little girl just smiled knowingly.

"Well, because he likes you, Y/n. He’s been talking about you to me all summer. And I’ll tell you a secret...these braids?" She giggled, covering her mouth as if she’d just shared something she wasn’t supposed to. "He does them for me every morning because he learned how by watching you do yours in the mirror."

You were stunned by the image of Niki: his big, calloused hands, his famous rings carefully braiding a little girl’s hair, trying to mimic your movements. Your eyes almost welled up as you thought back to all those mornings in the bungalow, when you’d felt his burning gaze on the back of your neck through the mirror as you separated the strands. You’d thought… well, you’d thought he was judging you or just waiting his turn for the bathroom. But instead, he’d been memorizing every movement so he could replicate it on Nina’s hair.

"Nina, I… I and Niki, we’re just… I mean, he always teases me, it’s not possible that...."

But Nina wasn’t done demolishing your defenses. She added, with a touch of cheeky confidence:

"And besides, he should ask you because a couple of weeks ago, I saw you kissing near the tool shed. You’re not very discreet, you know? We kids saw you holding hands, or Niki pulling you away out of nowhere… or him coming to get you every time survival class in the woods ended. Those are things boys in love do… like my dad with my mom."

Your world tilted. The phrase "We kids saw you" echoed in your head like a gong. If seven- or eight-year-olds had figured it all out if they’d seen you pressed against that shed with Niki’s lips on yours then the entire camp knew. The other counselors, the director, maybe even the kitchen staff.

You brought a hand to your face and laughed nervously as Nina pulled you along, but before you went in, she said:

"I’m glad you’re Niki’s princess and not me… I’m too little for him but if I were his age, he’d already be mine!" She burst out laughing and ran off, leaving you alone on the path, your mind spinning.

The day of the dance had finally arrived, Niki had been asking you for days now and yet, you almost wished it never would. It was the last evening you’d spend together. Tomorrow, everyone would return to Chicago, and life would go back to normal, as if nothing had changed. Sure, you and Niki both attended the same university, but what would really change between you? You shook your head. Those questions would have answers in the coming days, not tonight. Tonight was meant to be perfect.

You gave yourself one last look in the mirror: the white and red top stood out against your sun-kissed, golden skin, the result of months under the open sky. The jeans with red stars hugged your curves as if they’d been tailored for you, and the soft, deliberately messy French braid gave you a playful yet polished look. When the sakura-scented perfumefilled the air, you felt ready.

As you stepped outside, you saw Niki leaning against the table, wearing his gray and red hoodie—the one he’d given you that night—unzipped, revealing his bare chest. When his eyes landed on you, you watched him swallow hard, and you smiled at the effect you had on him.

"Fuck, Wren… you look stunning," he murmured, his voice rough, and pulled you close, burying his nose in the crook of your neck as if he wanted to memorize your scent for the months to come.

"You don’t look so bad yourself, Niki," you replied with a sly smile, playing with the strings of his hoodie. "Though a shirt would...."

"Dream on, Wren. I’ll wear a shirt only at my graduation, my wedding, or a job interview not for a dance where there’ll be more brats stuffing their faces with snacks than people actually dancing to TikTok songs." He chuckled, pulling you even closer, and you played with his hair.

"You’ll have to cut this hair when we get back to Chicago," you said.

He rolled his eyes. "Mmm, why? I like it this length. Otherwise, when your hands go through it, you won’t be able to play with it or pull it." He grinned, and your cheeks flushed red. You gave him a light swat on the chest and muttered, "Pervert." His hand tried to slip into your back pocket, but you shook your head.

"Come on, Niki, we’re already late." He sighed, but when he placed his cowboy hat on your head, his expression changed.

It wasn’t just an accessory, it was a camp tradition, a cowboy ritual. He didn’t consider himself a cowboy by any means, but seeing you in his hat, the brim casting a slight shadow over your eyes, triggered a sense of possessivenesshe’d never felt with anyone before. In that moment, Niki realized you weren’t just his date for the night—you were his girl, symbolically claimed in front of everyone. The thought that in a few hours you’d both be on the train back to the city made him want to claim every second of the evening, as if to tell the whole world that you’d still be his in Chicago, too.

"Let me see…" he murmured, adjusting the brim with his fingers, which brushed your forehead. "Now no one will have any doubts about who your 'escort' is tonight." He smirked, and you dragged him in front of the bungalow’s mirror to capture the moment.

Niki huffed, pretending to be annoyed by your need for photos, but as soon as you positioned yourself, he stepped behind you. You felt his heat at your back, and with one hand, he gently lifted your chin, forcing you to look up, while with the other, he tilted the hat to create a small, private shadow between you, partially obscuring the phone’s frame. Then, just as the flash went off, he kissed your cheek and he knew one of those photos would end up as his phone’s wallpaper.

The warm lights danced on the dark surface of the lake, creating a magical atmosphere, and the air was thick with the familiar scent of campfires burnt wood, caramel popcorn, and cotton candy sticking to the kids’ fingers as they ran around, laughing and playing.

You and Lia had taken dozens of photos that looked like they’d come straight from a 2016 Tumblr feed: posing on a hay bale, holding a slice of pizza so big it covered half your torso, laughing with your teeth clamped around the rim of a red plastic cup, always looking back at the camera with flushed cheeks. At one point, you’d even herded a group of kids into the photo booth, helping them put on giant star-shaped glasses or fake mustaches until the line was empty and just as you stepped out of the booth, still giggling from your last "diva pose" with Lia, you saw Niki’s massive figure standing in front of you, arms crossed, that crooked half-smile that annoyed you but also sent a thrill through you.

"Have you two finished monopolizing the photo booth? There are other people who’d like to take some memories home, you know," he said, looking between you and Lia. Lia, never one to back down, pulled you closer.

"Oh yeah, Niki? And who exactly would you want to take pictures with? It’s not like you’ve become best friends with anyone here in the last three months!" she teased. He rolled his eyes, but his gaze never left your flushed face.

"Lia, there’s only one person in this entire camp I’d want a photo with, and that’s your best friend. So scram, please."

Lia grinned knowingly when she heard that, throwing her hands up in mock surrender. "Damn, this guy finally marked his territory. Thank God for that storm… you two were exhausting to watch—24/7 of teasing with zero payoff! Even the best K-dramas don’t have that much slow burn!" But before she disappeared into the crowd, she winked at you and mimed a "go for it" gesture with her fingers, reminding you of the pact you’d made: no thoughts for tomorrow just live in the present.

Niki took your hand, his warm fingers intertwining perfectly with yours, and nodded toward the photo booth entrance. The tiny plastic cubicle was clearly designed for kids, not a guy who was nearly six-foot-three. Niki went in first, muttering under his breath as his head nearly hit the ceiling. He sat on the swivel stool, leaving barely any room for you. As you hesitantly tried to perch on the edge of the seat, he grabbed your hips and pulled you onto his lap.

"Sit here," he ordered, patting his thighs. You hesitated, and he huffed against your skin.

"Come on, Shorty, stop pretending to be some innocent girl. You’ve sat on these legs in way less chaste ways than this, and we both know it." He chuckled, and your cheeks burned as he settled you sideways on his knees. One hand slid up your bare leg, squeezing lightly, while the other rested on your exposed side, his thumb tracing hypnotic circleson your skin.

"Pick the filter, Shorty, but do it for two strips

one’s mine, and the other’s yours," he said. You nodded, not realizing that even choosing a filter would turn into a playful fight.

"Let’s do the one with the little stars! It’s cute!" you suggested, pressing the option.

"Stars? Wren, I have a reputation to uphold. We’re not middle schoolers—go with the black minimalist one," he argued, trying to nudge your finger away from the screen.

"Your reputation died the day you learned how to braid Nina’s hair. Deal with it!" you teased, and after two minutes of bickering and playful shoves, you settled on the most basic option: a vertical filmstrip border with four shots, ten seconds apart.

First photo: The countdown started, and you exchanged an amused glance, bursting into spontaneous, slightly shy laughter as you looked at each other, Niki holding you tight, you trying not to fall off the stool.

Second photo: You turned and kissed his cheek, and Niki rolled his eyes with a fake indifferent expression as if your kiss on his face(not even his lips!) didn’t affect him. But the way his hand tightened on your side told a different story.

Third photo: The mood had shifted. Niki gently moved your French braid aside, exposing your neck, and you locked eyes intensely. There was nothing shy about your faces now—close, hungry, his gaze full of possession, as if he wanted to make it clear that he was all you’d ever need.

Fourth photo: Just as the flash went off for the last time, Niki closed the distance, capturing your lips in a real, deep, possessive kiss just like him. He loved making it clear to everyone that you were his, and the photo captured it perfectly: you with your eyes closed, his hands pulling you even closer, his cowboy hat tilted slightly backward.

Your arms wrapped around his neck, now knowing he was your safe harbor, your fingers sinking into his messy blond hair at the nape of his neck. The photo booth felt even smaller with how close you were, and Niki didn’t waste a second. His hands settled firmly on your hips, his thumbs tracing small designs on the bare skin exposed by the cut of your top.

When your lips parted in a soft moan, he took it as an invitation, and his tongue slid into your mouth, claiming you. You let out a vibrant sound, and if anyone had been outside, they would’ve heard it but honestly, you didn’t care anymore. In that moment, there was only you two, lost in a mix of submission and longing that made Niki’s muscles tense as he felt you so close. You tried to shift, seeking even more intimate contact between your bodies, but he held you firmly in place, his grip on your hips pinning you to his lap, as if to say he was the one setting the pace—even in there.

When the photo strip finally slid out, the mechanical sound of the machine seemed to bring you back to reality. Niki snatched it quickly, almost fearful that someone else might see it. You both fell silent, staring at that last shot, the kiss captured by the flash was real, unfiltered. It looked so authentic that maybe, in that moment, Niki realized he’d found his person and he’d never expected it to be you.

"Fuck," he whispered against your lips, and you caressed the slightly rough skin of his jaw, where the stubble was just starting to grow. You bit your lip, still tasting him, and felt a flicker of anxiety creeping in because in a few hours, everything might change.

"Do… do you want to stay at the party, or go back to the bungalow?" you murmured, lowering your gaze and starting to nervously twist the end of your braid between your fingers. Niki watched you in silence. He knew, he could read every tic, every hesitation in you. He knew you were feeling uncertain, and he lifted your chin between his thumb and index finger, forcing you to look into his eyes darker than ever under the neon lights of the booth.

"Why do you want to go back to the bungalow? Aren’t you having fun out here, wren? You’ve been excited about this party for weeks, and now you want to leave already?"

"Everything’s perfect out here," you started, trying to find the right words, not wanting to seem embarrassed by what you were about to say. "But I… I’d like to spend the last night alone. I mean… completely alone. In our bungalow and we could… I don’t know…" You gestured between the two of you, and Niki lifted your chin with his finger, forcing you to meet his gaze, a small smirk playing on his lips. He silenced you, pressing a finger to your lips.

"You’re overthinking, Wren. Tell me what you really want… no beating around the bush." He watched you with eyes that were almost glossy with a new determination, mixed with shyness? But Niki wanted to hear you say it.

"I want you to be mine tonight… and me to be yours," you said, starting to nervously fidget with one of the silver rings on his finger. After dropping that bomb, you couldn’t bring yourself to look at him, afraid he might push you awayor mock you but Niki visibly swallowed, not expecting such a blunt answer from you, it wasn’t like you at all. For a moment, the Niki from the start of summer disappeared, replaced by a guy who looked almost dazed by the luck of having met you.

"Are… are you sure, Y/n?" he asked, his voice almost timid, which made you slightly doubt the guy in front of you. "You know that if we cross that threshold tonight… there’s no going back."

You nodded firmly, intertwining your hand with his, taking the initiative to stand up. Niki sighed deeply, running his other hand through his hair in a gesture of pure agitation because in that moment, he didn’t know if he should feel like the luckiest guy on the planet or the most terrified at the idea of not being worthy of your first time, of not being gentle enough or unforgettable enough for you. He was afraid of ruining everything you’d built over those summer months.

"Are you 100% sure, Wren?" His voice was rough as he hovered over you, his forearm muscles tense from the effort of not pressing too hard against your body.

You rolled your eyes with fake exasperation at his question. "Green, lime green, eater green…" you listed, naming every shade you could think of, and Niki shook his head with a crooked smile.

"You’re such a little brat, you know that?" he murmured, pulling you in for a quick kiss before his hands slid decisively toward your hips. When the button of your jeans popped open and the zipper slid down, the atmosphere in the room shifted drastically.

Niki pulled off your jeans, never taking his eyes off you. And when his gaze fell on the red lace of your semi-thong, his breath caught in his throat. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out, he was completely thrown off by your lingerie. He ran a hand through his blond hair, messing it up even more, thinking about how innocent you must’ve seemed to everyone at camp… but not to him. Not after discovering what you read, what you wore to drive him wild. When he heard your voice, he snapped back to reality.

"Do you like it?" you whispered, enjoying his shock with a fake innocent look. Niki let out a sound that was half groan, half choked laugh.

"I didn’t think the 'good girl' of summer camp was hiding these kinds of secrets under her clothes. I knew about all those romance books you try to hide from me… but this, Y/N!"

His hand slid down your inner thigh, and the cold silver of his ring against your burning skin made you jolt violently. You wanted to tease him, drive him crazy.

"There’s a lot you still don’t know about me, Niki…" you stammered, trying to keep a shred of composure. He closed his eyes for a second he’d figured out the game you were playing.

"And what would those be?" he challenged.

"Let’s find out together, shall we?" you replied.

Niki shifted, kneeling between your legs with a slowness that was pure torture. He grabbed your ankle and brought it almost to his face, then began kissing your skin, starting from your ankle, moving up your calf to the curve of your knee. Every kiss was almost torture for you because he was doing it on purpose, going so slow. Each touch was like a brand, alternating kisses with light sucks, and when he reached your thigh, his kisses became deeper, more insistent, leaving a tingling sensation that spread through your entire body.

When he buried his face in the inside of your thigh, the heat of his hot breath made you arch your back.

"Niki… stop teasing me," you pleaded.

But he didn’t listen. His kisses alternated with playful nips on the tenderest part of your thigh, followed by slow licksthat made you lose all sense of direction.

"Higher…" you whispered without thinking, and Niki froze, lifting his gaze to you with a serious look.

"Since when do you get to give me orders, Wren?" he asked, kissing you just one centimeter higher, driving you mad because that was his intent. From the first moment he’d seen you, he’d wanted to get inside your head, and he was succeeding.

"Please… Niki, don’t make me wait like this, you’re driving me crazy…" you stammered, your hands clawing at the sheets to keep from grabbing him directly. He chuckled, satisfied with his effect on you, and lifted your leg even higher. Then, without warning, he leaned in and kissed your clit hard through the thin veil of black lace, laughing softly.

"Damn it…" you cursed through your teeth, arching your back and digging your fingers into his hair, not knowing if you wanted to pull him deeper or push him away because you didn’t even know yourself. It was definitely calculated torture, what he was doing to you, and you responded by squirming beneath him.

"You’re a bastard, take this off and touch me for real!"

But Niki didn’t care about your urgency. He wanted to hear you beg, wanted to see how far your resistance would go before he made you completely his. So he let go of your leg but didn’t return to loom over you with his full weight. Instead, he crawled up your body with the same slowness as a predator, leaving a trail of fire with his kisses. He started at the elastic edge of your lace, then your navel, moving up your stomach where your muscles twitched involuntarily at every touch of his tongue. When he reached your breasts, he paused to admire them in the dim light, as if he hadn’t already memorized every inch of you, while your uneven, pleading breaths lift

He leaned down with surgical precision, capturing your hardened nipple between his lips. The contrast was delicious and intoxicating you’d never felt anything like it before. The wet heat of his mouth against your skin, and his cold, silver-ringed hand sliding up to squeeze and tease your other breast, made you even more pliable under his touch. You moaned his name a sound Niki loved hearing from your lips as your fingers tightened in his blond hair, pulling him deeper.

He sensed your impatience and chuckled right against your sensitive skin, making your chest vibrate. Then he dragged his teeth over the tip of your nipple before blowing a cool breath over it, making you jolt violently. But you had no intention of just lying there. You wanted him to feel the same burning need you were feeling. So you hooked your legs around his hips, pulling him into your personal space, and began moving your hips instinctively, grinding your lace-covered intimacy against the hard, unmistakable bulge of his jeans.

Niki froze for a second, caught off guard. But when he realized your movements weren’t accidental, that you were deliberately seeking friction against his length, trying to drive him wild, he stiffened.

"Fuck, Wren… stop moving like that if you don’t want me to lose control before I even take my clothes off," he growled, his voice low. But you didn’t stop. If anything, you pushed harder, chasing that heat that seemed like the only thing capable of extinguishing the fire inside you. And when he finally matched your rhythm, pushing back against you in a synchronized motion, a simultaneous moan escaped both your lips.

"Please…" you whispered, almost without realizing it. Niki lifted himself a few centimeters, surprised to hear you begging him for something.

"What are you begging for, Wren? A month ago, you couldn’t even stand to breathe the same air as me in this room. And now? What are you begging for?" he asked, challenging you with his gaze. But you looked back at him, unafraid to show just how much you wanted him.

"You couldn’t stand me as a roommate either, and yet here you are, worshipping my body like it’s your only religion. So stop talking, Niki, because we’ve teased each other all summer, and I think it’s time to let all this electricity explode—the kind everyone saw except us."

After your answer, Niki didn’t waste another second. With a fluid motion, he grabbed the edges of your thong, his patience was completely gone. He pulled your panties off in one sharp motion, letting them slide down your legs and leaving you completely bare beneath him. When his gaze fell on your glistening, swollen intimacy, a victorious grinspread across his face. He felt like a king—the first to see you like this, the first to possess your vulnerability. And he knew the mark he’d leave on you tonight would be indelible, because only he would have you like this.

"Where’s the girl who was talking too much a minute ago?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he watched you look away in embarrassment.

"She’s still here, Niki… don’t count your chickens just yet," you shot back, trying to reclaim a shred of dignity as you spread your legs for him. That gesture drove him wild with desire. He grabbed your thighs and hoisted them onto his shoulders, leaving you completely exposed and at his mercy. Then he leaned in, and his hot tongue flicked against your clit in one swift motion. You moaned at the sensation of his tongue against your core.

"God, Wren… are you still this sensitive?" he chuckled against your skin, feeling how you trembled. "It’s not the first time tonight—you should be used to my mouth by now."

"Just… just shut up!" you cursed, but his only response was to intertwine his hand with yours, pressing it firmly against the mattress. That gesture...so intimate and protective in the middle of all this lust made your heart beat harder than anything else, because Niki could act like a jerk, but when it came to you, he became almost someone else.

His other hand held your hip in place while his tongue began to work in perfect figure-eights, pressing insistently on the tip of your clit.

"I need to prepare you, Wren," he murmured between kisses against your folds. "If you want me to slide my cock inside you without hurting you, you need to be ready to take me."

You nodded frantically, unable to form coherent sentences. And when you felt his index finger tease your entrance, coating itself in your arousal before pushing in slowly, you felt so good, yet so protected by him because in that moment, you were trusting each other completely.

"Look how well you take this… and it’s just one finger. Yet here you are, already begging for more with those moans of yours, huh? You’re just a spoiled little girl who’s discovered how good it feels to be ruined by me." He smirked, and you moaned loudly as he began pumping his finger inside you, filling you in a way that made you feel complete yet starving for more and when he decided you could handle it, he slid his middle finger in as well.

The impact was shocking, you felt the cold edge of his silver ring against the hot, sensitive flesh of your lips, and you screamed, arching your back and clenching your legs around his face, swallowing his fingers up to the knuckle. The contrast between the icy metal and the fire inside you made you lose your mind.

"Niki… oh God, the ring… it’s… it’s too much," you stammered but Niki looked up at you from below, his lips glistening with your arousal, and pushed harder, coordinating the movement of his fingers with his tongue, which continued to torment your clit. When you started to cry from the intensity of pleasure, he froze for a second, doubting if he’d hurt you but then he heard your words.

"I’m… I’m about to come… Niki, please, don’t stop!"

He relaxed, and a predatory smile lit up his face. "Fuck, it’s so hot watching you cry while you beg me to make you come." He curved his fingers inside you, and you, overwhelmed by the double stimulation, pulled his hair with desperate force, clawing at the sheets with your other hand as the climax swept over you. The final contrast, his tongue, his fingers, and that cold metal made you explode against his mouth in a violent orgasm that left you trembling and spent, coming against both his mouth and his fingers.

"Fuck… that’s my good girl," Niki murmured.

When Niki pulled away from you, you swallowed hard. He leaned in again to give you a soft, lingering kiss, charged with the weight of what you were about to do, and asked:

"Are you 100% sure about this?" His voice was low, his fingers stroking your hair. You stayed silent for a moment, and those few seconds of hesitation felt like an eternity to Niki. But then you found the words, and he relaxed.

"Right now, there are no red lights, Niki. No orange warnings either," you whispered, echoing what he had taught you the first time he’d seen you naked and touched you.

"For me, everything is completely green right now… I… I want… I want to be yours." Your voice trembled, tears pricking at your eyes. Niki reached out, caressing your cheek with his thumb. His eyes were glistening too, and a crooked, moved smile lit up his face.

"I want to be yours too, Wren. Today, tomorrow, for the weeks to come, for the next months… and who knows how much longer."

With fingers still slightly trembling, you brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. "Niki… are you, by any chance, declaring yourself?"

He huffed with a half-embarrassed smile that tinted his cheeks a soft pink. "Fuck, you… you’ve made me soft too many times these past weeks, especially right now," he admitted, shaking his head, almost incredulous at the power you had over him.

"So… is it green for you too?" you asked, watching him closely. Niki’s eyes widened, he hadn’t expected you to ask for his confirmation too, but it was a mutual respect you’d found in each other. Then he smiled softly.

"Lime green, Tiffany green… I don’t even remember how many other kinds of green there are… but yes, it’s super green right now."

Your hands slid downward, meeting the buckle of his belt. With a determined but clumsy motion, you unclasped it, letting it fall somewhere on the floor. Niki didn’t waste time, he shimmied out of his jeans in quick movements, tossing them aside. When he leaned over you again, the contact between his erection, still covered by the thin fabric of his boxers, and your already sensitive, pulsing intimacy wrung a muffled moan from both of you.

"Take them off yourself, Y/N," he murmured. With fingers that refused to stay still, you played with the waistband of his boxers, sliding your hands up his hips before pulling them down. And when your eyes finally met his full nudity, his rosy, tense shaft already glistening with pre-cum, your pupils dilated with a mix of shock and desire at how big and thick he was. Niki closed his eyes, groaning.

"This… well, this is what you do to me, Y/N."

"Is that… a good thing?" you asked in a whisper, almost seeking confirmation of the power you felt over him. He buried his face in the crook of your neck, chuckling softly.

"Yeah, it’s a great thing, Wren. Except when we’re in public and I can’t do anything about it."

Without asking for permission, you reached out and touched him, wrapping your hand around his hot, taut skin. You felt his breath catch instantly.

"I… there’ll be other opportunities where you can tease me like this… or where you can be on top of me," he stammered, trying to keep control as his muscles tensed under your touch. "But fuck, Y/N, if I’m not inside you in the next few minutes, I’m gonna come like some inexperienced kid. And I want your first time to be perfect." He almost laughed, and you nodded.

You watched as he reached toward the nightstand and grabbed a silver square a condom. "Don’t think the worst, it’s not mine," he said immediately, as if he needed to justify himself to avoid seeming presumptuous. "I asked someone I trust for it earlier and don’t think I planned this, or that I took you for granted...."

But you gently placed a hand over his lips, silencing him. You wanted him to know that his thoughtfulness meant more than he realized.

"Shut up, Niki. You’ve never pressured me into anything. In fact, I appreciate that you thought about protection. I’m not on the pill, and I want to do this safely."

He nodded, visibly relieved, and with expert but quick fingers, he tore open the condom. You, driven by curiosity, tried to help, but he gently shook his head, stopping your hands.

"Next time, I’ll teach you how, I promise… but we only have one, and I need to feel you as mine so badly that I can’t risk messing this up." His voice was urgent as he positioned himself above you.

Niki positioned himself with painstaking slowness between your legs, lifting your hips slightly with a pillow to ease the union. His eyes never left yours, searching for that final silent "yes." When you nodded, he leaned down to capture your lips in a deep kiss as his hips pushed gently against your entrance.

Feeling the tip of his cock tease your sensitivity wrung a moan of pure desire from you.

"I’ll stop immediately if it hurts, Y/N. Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to tell me, okay?" he whispered, his concern melting your heart, you’d never have imagined the guy you met over three months ago could be this tender with you.

"Please… I want to be yours," you breathed, your voice ragged. Niki didn’t need to be told twice. With a slow, controlled thrust, he slid inside you, and you both moaned in unison him from the heat enveloping him, you from the unfamiliar fullness you’d never felt before.

"Fuck… you’re so tight, it’s driving me crazy," he groaned through clenched teeth, feeling how snugly you clenched around him.

"It’s… it’s so big, Niki," you whispered, eyes wide. He looked at you with a mix of pride and worry, kissing the tip of your nose.

"I’m sorry, baby… I’ll try to be gentle. I don’t want to hurt you, but you’re gripping me so tight it’s hard to stay still."

He paused for a few moments inside you, letting your body adjust to his size. You could feel every millimeter of him, and soon, driven by an irresistible instinct, you wrapped your legs around his hips, pulling him even closer. Niki cursed again:

"God, Y/N… you’re making it impossible to keep any self-control." He tried not to hurt you, but you begged:

"You can move… please, move."

Niki pulled back slightly, then, without warning, pushed in almost fully, and you clung to his shoulder as you felt the walls of your vagina stretch to accommodate him completely. It burned—it was an intense stretch but the sensation of finally being "filled" by him overpowered any pain your body had ever felt.

When he felt you slowly relax, he began to move, first with caution, then with growing fervor. His shaft slid perfectly inside you, lubricated by your own desire, and with every deep thrust, the sound of your bodies colliding and your moans filled the room.

Your hands sought his hair, pulling him closer as your nails left red marks on his bare back every time he took you harder. Niki nipped at your neck a possessive gesture that made you lose your mind.

"Please, Niki! Don’t… don’t stop," you pleaded, now lost in pleasure, feeling how warmly you welcomed him, how your legs clenched around him. Niki decided to change the angle and shifted slightly on the bed, rolling you onto your side.

"Niki, where are you going? What are you doing?" you stammered, eyes glazed, your breath ragged with a mix of lust and panic.

"Trust me, Wren… I’ll make you feel good," he replied with a knowing smile. Niki slid one arm under your back, pulling you even closer, while his other hand grabbed your thigh, lifting it decisively over his hip. In that position, the angle changed drastically, his cock slid even deeper, reaching spots you didn’t even know were so sensitive. You felt his shaft press with surgical precision against your G-spot, and the pleasure was so sharp that you buried your face against his neck, biting his hot skin to keep from screaming too loudly—afraid someone might hear.

"More, Niki… more, please!" you begged between moans, your nails digging into his shoulders. He didn’t need to be asked twice. Feeling how completely at his mercy you were, he intensified his thrusts: he began alternating short strokes, making you feel only the tip entering and exiting, tormenting your pussy, before plunging deep and powerful, stealing your breath. He felt like he was in heaven as your vagina clenched around him divinely, as if it had been made just for him. But it wasn’t enough, while he continued to claim you, he slid his free hand between your bodies and began stimulating your clit with his thumb.

"Niki… fuck, it’s too much! I’m gonna come, I’m gonna come!" you cried, arching your back as the pleasure became almost unbearable from how divinely his cock slid inside you. He began whispering dirty, sweet words to make you lose all control.

"It’s not too much, Wren. It’s exactly what you deserve. Look at me while you come for me… look how beautiful you are while I take you like this." He lifted your chin, and you wrapped your other leg around his hip, erasing every millimeter of space between you.

"You’re so good, my little Wren… look how well you take all of me, look how you tremble for me."

You nodded, completely overwhelmed, until a second violent orgasm swept over you for the second time that night. The muscles of your vagina contracted rhythmically around him, milking him, and Niki groaned loudly, thrusting even deeper.

"That’s my good girl," he whispered, kissing you fiercely. You thought he was done, that your climax marked the end, but Niki hadn’t released his tension yet. With renewed fervor, he began fucking you again in that position, and the sound of his cock slamming into your pussy was the only thing filling the room, along with your breaths and moans. Then, suddenly, Niki’s muscles tensed he was coming too.

"Fuck, Y/N… I’m about to… I’m coming too," he stammered, eyes wide. You burst into tears at how stimulating it was to see him come, and as you felt Niki unload all his cum in hot spurts inside the condom, he stayed inside you for minutes, still, his chest rising and falling frantically. It was beautiful to still feel him inside, to feel his heat slowly calming, and he began stroking your entire body with infinite tenderness as you snuggled against his chest as if it were your only refuge.

"It was… it was beautiful," you whispered softly. Niki lowered his head and placed a gentle kiss on your sweat-dampened forehead. "Was it too much? Did I hurt you?" he asked, a hint of concern in his eyes. But you shook your head.

"It was unreal," you replied, making him smile in relief.

"I’m glad your first time was with me, Wren. And that you trusted me… even though I know I don’t exactly have a spotless reputation," he admitted, with a touch of melancholy that vanished as soon as you pulled him into a tighter embrace. With extreme slowness, he pulled out of you with a sigh, and you watched as he got up gracefully, removing the condom and tossing it in the trash before lying back down beside you, pulling you back into his arms.

The only sounds in the room were the rhythm of your breaths slowly returning to normal and, in the background, the muffled beat of the music still playing outside the summer camp. Niki lay beside you, his arm pressed against yours, and you could feel the cold metal of his rings absentmindedly playing with your fingers a nervous gesture that betrayed how shaken he still was.

When you lifted your gaze, you realized he hadn’t stopped staring at you, his expression unreadable. Curious as you were, you wanted to know what was going through his mind.

"Do… do I have something on my face?" you asked softly, suddenly feeling naked under his intense gaze. Niki shook his head slowly, his eyes never leaving yours.

"What’s on your mind?" you asked, stroking his cheek with your thumb. He closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the touch he loved so much, and said:

"I have so many things running through my head right now that I don’t even know how to act with you in this moment… I feel… strange, but in a good way."

You nodded and whispered, trying to reassure him: "You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to, Niki."

"What we just did was beautiful… I hope you know how much I trust you… and I hope that, despite my lack of experience, it was special for you too." You said it, fearing for a second that you might have been "not enough" for him because you knew he’d had more experience. At those words, Niki seemed to snap out of it and turned fully toward you, hovering over your body without crushing you, and wrapped you in a protective embrace, burying his face against your neck as if afraid of being discovered or maybe just afraid of the new reality you both found yourselves in for the first time.

"Don’t joke around, fuck… it was amazing from start to finish. I’d do it with you forever… don’t think or compare yourself to anyone else," he murmured, and you felt the heat of his breath on your skin.

"Wren, I can’t keep pretending to be detached anymore… I… I… I like you so damn much." He said it against your neck, but he was seriously afraid of sounding like a fool in that moment. You chuckled softly, stroking his sweaty hair.

"I like you too, Niki. I think even the walls of this bungalow have figured it out by now." You said, and he lifted himself onto his arms, looking at you with almost frustration.

"No, fuck, that’s not what I wanted to say! It’s not just 'I like you.' It’s just that I… I…"

Seeing his struggle, you gently placed a hand over his lips, stopping the internal conflict you could read on his face, and said naturally: "I love you, Niki."

Niki’s eyes widened, and he froze, as if you’d just thrown down a challenge with those words. The silence lasted a second too long, and you seriously feared he wouldn’t say it back or would pull away from you. But then he scoffed loudly, letting his head fall back.

"Damn it! I was supposed to say it first, Y/N! You beat me to it!" he exclaimed, visibly annoyed with himself. You shrugged with a sly little smile.

"Well, you could’ve been faster." You teased, laughing, and he replied:

"I love you too, Wren. In case it wasn’t obvious from the way I look at you or from how I’m currently trying not to look like an idiot." He said it as he couldn’t stop touching you, a new light shining in his eyes. You pulled him back to you, enjoying the warmth of his chest against yours.

"I’m happy to hear you say it. It was a little embarrassing watching you suffer so much trying to spit out those two words!"

He rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t stop smiling. "Oh yeah, very funny. I’ll get my revenge, just you wait."

And he started kissing you everywhere—your chin, your cheeks, the tip of your nose—whispering "I love you" every time his lips touched your skin, as if it were now easier to say it spontaneously.

"I’m really glad they put us in the same room together," he finally said, tangling his fingers in your hair and pulling you in for a serious kiss. "It was the best thing that could’ve happened to us."

"Definitely," you replied, laughing in his arms, finally feeling completely at home.

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[kikidoul-deactivated20260312]

WHERE OUR WORLDS MEET.

At Hogwarts, Nishimura Riki is everything people notice and envy—a charming and attractive Slytherin student with a highly well-respected reptuation. Whispers and eyes follow his footsteps everywhere he go. He was always in the spotlight, whether he likes it or not.

You, on the other hand, preferred to watch from the sidelines. A quiet Ravenclaw who preffered books over crowds. You exist in the background, unseen and unbothered. Just the way you like it.

However, when you were paired with Riki for a project, things start to change. No matter how hard you kept pushing him away, he stood his ground, refusing to budge an inch. And for the first time, you’re forced to step out of the shadows, questioning whether some connections are worth the risk.

Because when two worlds meet, they don don’t always collide—sometimes, they intertwine.

CONTENT: hogwarts au, slytherin! riki x fem! ravenclaw reader, popular guy x quiet girl trope, mentions of insecurities, light mature content at the end, strangers to lovers, tooth-rotting fluff, angst, hurt with comfort and happy ending.

NOTE: yes this is an reupload because i like this fic, even though it's hella short heh. i forgot what was my old synposis so i had to write a new one fuck.

It was another regular day at Hogwarts. The corridors are filled with students dressed in their respective robes. Some mingled among their friend groups, chattering and laughing at an inside jokes. Some were rushing to their next class, having to shove their way through the crowd.

But if there was one thing in common, it's about how a certain Slytherin student who managed to gather everyone's attention. He's tall and the way the green robes clung onto his frame only further accentuate his features—something that the guys are secretly jealous of.

"There he is!"

"Merlin, he's even taller up close."

"Did you see his eyes? I swear he looked at me—"

"In your dreams, maybe. He doesn't even look at anyone."

Nishimura Riki, a Slytherin student and one of the famous students too—for both his impressive academics and dashing good looks. His expression remained unreadable, calm in that infuriatingly cool Slytherin way that only made him more alluring than he already is. The faint echo of his footsteps lingered even after he made a turn on his right, leaving nothing but lovesick sighs and fluttering hearts behind.

Among the large group of students whose hearts he had captured, you too, were one of them. But unlike those girls who had the courage to confess to him, you chose to remain in the shadows.

To you, the lesser attention, the better.

You don't do well in being the center of attention. Besides, you have seen your fair share of girls getting rejected from Riki, who refused to accept their handwritten letters or the gifts they carelessly splurge their money on.

As a Ravenclaw student, you chose to throw yourself into your studies, wanting to make your parents proud. Being a Muggle-born comes with many disadvantages. One of those disadvantages includes you being constantly looked down on by your pureblood classmates.

You weren't sure why they kept focusing on you, not when you had done nothing to them and pointedly stayed out of their way too. Thankfully, you weren't alone as you had managed to make some friends—Iroha and Minju.

Despite the two girls coming from pureblood families, their personalities were pure, kind-hearted and friendly. You met them via your shared classes and in a blink of an eye, the three of you are practically glued to the hips. Up to today, you had doubts on why they would choose to befriend you, out of everyone else.

Right now, you had arrived at your Transfiguration class—a class where you are taking alone. You always sat at the second last row located near the backdoor so you can leave once class was dismissed. Things were supposed to be normal. Normal for a normal girl like you, who has a normal dream and wants to live a normal life.

However, your normal, peaceful life was interrupted in the form of someone sitting beside you. You looked up, pausing mid-reading and your entire body went as still as a statue to see it was none other than your crush—Nishimura Riki.

He didn't spared you a single glance—something you weren't sure to feel offended or grateful. You stared at him in disbelief, eyes widening with your lips slightly parted. Now that he's beside you, you were granted the privilege of admiring him.

Up close, he was even more breathtaking than you had imagined. The late afternoon sunlight filtering through the windows was caught in his pitch-black hair, turning the dark strands into threads of soft gold. The small, silver ring earrings hanging on his earlobes swayed with every head movement. His expression was calm, focused—carrying the same quiet confidence he always wore on the Quidditch pitch. Only difference is that it felt more gentle and more human here.

You watched as he ran a hand through his hair before pulling out the textbook from his bag, his movements smooth and deliberate. The faint scent of parchment and mint drifted in the air. It must have been his cologne, subtle but impossible to ignore.

Your heart thudded in your chest, the sound loud enough you were sure he will be able to hear it. You quickly dropped your gaze back to your book, pretending to read despite how the words had already turned blurred.

Why is he sitting here? There's other empty seats to choose from…

You stole one more glance, only to find him already resting his left cheek on the palm of his left hand. Your eyes trailed down, noting how he was absentmindedly spinning his Quill pen with his long, slender right fingers. Your eyes moved upwards and to your utter horror, you made direct eye contact with Riki.

Riki, who had been silently observing you. The way you examined him, like he was some kind of display framed up. He remained silent, lips pressed in a line as he continued to spin his pen about. The two of you maintained eye contact—your face gradually turning as red as a tomato while he, on the other hand, finally moved by arching an eyebrow.

And that was enough for you to face the front again, just in time for Professor McGonagall to enter the classroom.

"Good morning, everyone. Before we begin today's class, I have something important to discuss with you," she started off, stepping forward with her hands resting in front of her. The class went silent as the students gave her their fullest attention, not wanting to miss a single word.

"As you all know, your finals are approaching. And I trust you've all been keeping up with your studies or attempting to," she continued, her sharp gaze sweeping across the room. Her words elicited a round of nervous chuckles as the students looked everywhere else but at her.

"For your next assignment, you will be working in pairs on a practical Transfiguration project. Each pair will select an object and demonstrate its full transformation—not just the physical change, but the precision, control and stability of the spell."

Quills scratched against parchment as students begin jotting down notes, you included.

"You will also be required to submit a written report explaining your process, challenges you've faced and the reason behind your choice," she paused, letting her words sink in before continuing, "I expect quality work. This will account for thirty percent of your term grade."

A collection groan rippled through the classroom.

"And before any of you ask," she added crisply, "I will be assigning the pairs myself. I find it… enlightening to see how well students adapt when placed outside their comfort zones."

The murmurs started again. This time, it's a mixture of both curiosity and dread. Professor McGonagall raised a hand, instantly silencing them.

"I will announce the pairings at the end of class. Until then, I suggest you pay close attention to today's lesson. I'm sure you may need it."

Her wand flicked toward the blackboard behind her, and elegant golden letters appeared across it: Lesson: Advanced Inanimate-To-Animate Transfiguration. Your stomach curled into itself as you dipped your quill into ink. A paired project meant partnership. Partnership meant having to work with someone.

And knowing your luck, it probably wouldn't be with anyone who you were comfortable with. But then again, you weren't comfortable with almost everyone here in this class, except for your friends.

~

The final notes of Professor McGonagall's lecture faded as she set her wand down and clasped her hands together. "Now, let's proceed with the partner assignments."

The room shifted with anticipation—chairs creaked, students exchanged anxious whispers and one even muttered a prayer under their breath. The professor began reading from her parchment, her voice clear and steady. The names she read out flew in and out of your ears.

Despite how you had shared other classes with them, you were never able to match their names to their respective faces. You fiddled with your fingers or the hem of your robes until you heard your name mentioned, causing you to straighten yourself.

"…and lastly, (Name) and Nishimura."

Your head snapped up, eyes widening as a wave of murmurs ripped through the classroom. Your eyes did a quick scan to see most of the girls were glaring at you, seething with rage and jealousy. You swore you saw some sending you sympathetic looks as well. Beside you, your seatmate who is also your assigned partner for the project, was minding his own business.

"Pairings are final," Professor McGonagall declared firmly, cutting through the whispers, "You may begin planning your projects outside of class. I expect to see the drafted proposal by next week. Class dismissed."

As students began packing their things, you sank back in your seat, blankly staring at your notes. Out of everyone in the class, it had to be him.

You were now at the dining hall as it was lunchtime and to your relief, your friends will be joining you for the next few classes. You weren't paying attention to what Iroha and Minju were saying, choosing to play with your food.

At first, your friends assumed you were being your quiet, introvert self but when they heard you sighed again, they knew that wasn't the case. Iroha pointedly cleared her throat, gaining your attention as you looked up.

"Alright, you have been sighing for the past ten minutes, playing with your food and acting like you've gone through a break-up. What's wrong?" Iroha asked, furrowing her eyebrows in concern.

Your hand paused mid-motion. "During my Transfiguration class, Professor McGonagall had given us a project to do, which makes up most of our term grade."

The two shared a quick glance, already knowing where this was going. This time, Minju was the one who spoke up. "And who's your partner?"

"…Nishimura Riki."

Hearing his name, Iroha choked on her food, repeatedly whacking her own chest as she wheezed her lungs out. Minju, on the other hand, slapped a hand over her mouth and stared at you, like you had spoken in a different language.

"Really!? Well, isn't that great for you? You can finally spend some quality time with your crush!" Minju exclaimed.

Your face flushed red as you hurried to shush her, not wanting her to let the nearby students hear. "Minju, please! You know that I have no chance."

Iroha sighed, having calmed down after her mini choking episode. "(Name), you need to be more positive. There's nothing wrong about you. You're a great person. Anyone with eyes can see that and if they can't, then they must be stupid. So cheer up, (Name)! Who knows, maybe this project will make him fall for you instead," she paused to let out a dreamy sigh, "wouldn't that be romantic? The thought of Riki treating you like his girlfriend sounds like a dream come true."

Minju delivered a light, fleeting whack to her shoulders, drawing a pained yelp from Iroha. "Stop, you're gonna make her uncomfortable."

You let out a chuckle, amused with your friends' antics and finally dug into your food, now having the appetite and feeling the weight of your shoulders loosening. You were almost done with your food when a pair of calm, firm footsteps was approaching you.

Some of the nearby students were turning to your direction, watching as a certain figure stood by your table. The way your friends went silent, smiles dropping made you raised your head, only to see Riki staring down at you with him hovering over you.

You opened and closed your mouth, unable to utter a single word. You were acting like a complete idiot, with how you were already flustered despite how he hadn't said anything. And the fact that nearly everyone in the dining hall had their eyes set on you weren't helping either.

"Do you want to meet in the library after class?" He asked, jumping straight to the point, not bothering to greet or address you by your name.

A series of whispers echoed among the hall.

"What? Why are they meeting there? Do you think…?"

"Get your head out of the gutter, you freak."

"F-For what?" You stuttered, ears turning red at how your voice sounded like a squeak. The way Riki's lips threatened to tug upward went unnoticed by you, as you were too busy staring at him.

"For our project, remember? Professor McGonagall mentioned she's expecting us to submit our proposal by next week. I'll be busy with Quidditch practice for the next few days so I thought it'll be great for us to get started on it today," he replied, cocking his head to the side.

"Oh.. yea sure, I'll meet you at the library," you mumbled, voice soft but somehow, Riki was able to hear it. He hummed, turned and walked away, returning to where his group of friends were, who had been watching the entire thing from the sidelines. Minju and Iroha turned to you, giggling at how your face was already red and how you were on the verge of exploding.

"Well done, (Name). You've survived your first conversation with your crush. How do you feel?" Minju asked, holding an invisible mic as she pointed it towards you.

You groaned, knocking your head against the table. "I think I'll rather get annoyed by Peeves than to do this project…"

While you were busy drowning in your misery as your friends attempted to cheer you up, you were oblivious to the secretive, quick glances Riki threw your way. Half of him was listening to what Jungwon was ranting—something along the lines of how he had to sit for detention later. The other half, however, was looking at you.

From where he sat, cheek resting against the palm of his left hand, he was able to see you giggling at a joke your friends had said. He's not the type to care about people outside of his friend group. To him, the lesser people he cared about, the more peaceful and drama-free his life would be.

"..llo? Riki, you still there?"

The Slytherin snapped out of his trance when Jungwon waved his hand in front of his face. Riki scowled, slapping Sunoo's hand away when he tried to steal some of his food.

"What?" Riki sighed, "I swear, if you're still ranting about how you're getting detention, I'm leaving."

"Hey, that's not nice of you! You're supposed to be on my side," the older Hufflepuff protested, flashing Riki his signature cute, boba-like eyes with his dimples peeking out from his cheeks.

Riki rolled his eyes. "Sometimes I wonder who's the real Slytherin here."

"Never mind that, more importantly, what was that move you pulled earlier? This is the first time I've seen you talked to people other than us," Jungwon paused, letting out a dramatic gasp as he leaned forward, resting one hand on the younger's shoulder, "don't tell me you li—ow!"

The poor boy didn't get to finish his sentence as Riki had elbowed him right in his stomach, causing him to let out a choked wheeze, releasing his grip on Riki while clutching his stomach for dear life.

"You brat, show some respect to your elders!" Jungwon scolded while Sunoo was having the time of his life laughing until he started tearing up.

"Please, you don't even act like my senior with the way you're behaving," the Slytherin retorted and the way Jungwon's mouth fell opened made Sunoo wheezed until he was already crying.

"Nishimura Riki, you're so fucking dead!"

"You can't even reach me with your tiny hands."

~

The rest of the day passed with you half-focused in your classes and half-dreaming about meeting Riki later. A part of you was excited and if you were in your room, you would be rolling about on the bed and kicking youe feet. Another part of you however, was dreading it. One would have thought you were about to get sent off to fight some goblins or even worse, war.

When your final class of the day finally ended, you were practically vibrating with nothing but sheer nervousness. You clutched onto your textbooks for dear life, like they are your second lifeline.

You felt your lifespan shortening with every step you took towards the library. When you arrived, there were students scattered about. Some were reading while basking in the silence of the surroundings. Some were slaving away at the tables, quills moving at breakneck speed as they jot down notes for their upcoming exams.

Your eyes did a quick sweep, easily locating Riki who was seated at the back—somewhere secluded and far from any curious, prying eyes.

The boy was reading what seemed to be a guidebook, his eyes moving from left to right as he takes in the multiple lines of sentences imprinted on the two pages before him.

You didn't dared to call out to him, not wanting to get shushed by the librarian and to disrupt his focus, which was why you chose to approach him instead, fingers digging into your textbooks to ground yourself.

As you drew closer, it became clear that he was deeply immersed in the guidebook. His posture was relaxed yet focused, his chin propped up by one hand while the other turned to the next page.

His eyebrows were slightly furrowed in concentration, and the faint crease between only made him looked even more effortlessly handsome—the kind of unintentional perfection that made your chest tightened a little.

And then, he looked up.

Your breath hitched, grip loosening slightly on your textbooks.

Resting on the bridge of his nose was a pair of black-framed glasses. It was simple, understated and yet, it was absolutely devastating. You were sure if your friends were here, they will be having the time of their lives laughing to their heart's content at how you malfunctioned right there and then. Riki blinked once, eyes meeting yours and you swore even time itself came to a stop.

You must have looked ridiculous, standing there frozen with your textbooks clutched to your chest, like a pathetic excuse of a shield.

"…You're early," he said quietly, voice low and even, like your sudden appearance doesn't faze him at all.

"Y-Yeah, um—hi," you stammered, your voice a little too high-pitched for your liking. You forced what you hoped was a normal smile as you made your way to the empty seat opposite him.

Your textbooks nearly slipped from your grasp as you set them down, the sound echoing louder than it should have in the quiet library. Great. Exactly the kind of entrance you didn't want to make. Riki didn't seemed to mind, though.

He simply pushed his glasses up with one finger—a simple action that shouldn't be attractive. But it is, when it comes from Riki. He turned the guidebook towards you once you have sat down.

"I found something," he started, as if your flustered and awkward mess of an introduction didn't happened, "an intermediate-level spell that might work for our project."

You blinked, leaning forward a little, unable to help yourself. "Oh, really? What kind of spell?"

"A Conjuration-to-Transformation hybrid," he explained, eyes flicking to yours briefly before returning to the page. "It allows us to transfigure an inanimate object into a living creature and the back again, but with its characteristics temporarily transferred into the original object. It's complicated, but if we can pull it off, Professor McGonagall will be impressed."

You tried to focus on his words but your brain refused to cooperate. The way his voice softened whenever he explained something, the faint crease between his eyebrows as he read and the subtle movement of his fingers as they traced a line of text—all of it was unfairly distracting. For a brief moment, you wondered whether he knew what he was doing or was he simply oblivious.

"That… sounds really advanced," you managed to say when his eyes landed on you expectantly, waiting for your input.

"You're a Ravenclaw. You'll manage," he said simply, like it was a statement of fact or a quiet voice of confidence.

You weren't sure what it was but those few, simple words and the tone he used was enough to ease both your mind and soul, leaving you to wonder if he had casted a spell on you without you knowing. But, it's not like you needed a spell to listen to him.

The two of you begin discussing about the details of your project—you diligently taking down notes while Riki flipped through the guidebook. his focus unwavering. He explained each step of the spell's process with quiet precision, his voice smooth and steady as his fingers trailed along the lines of text.

"So," he began, briefly glancing at your notes, "we'll need to start by choosing an object with a simple form—something stable enough to hold a transformation. I was thinking we can start with either a quill or a teacup."

You nodded quickly, scribbling down his words in point-form. "Right, something easy to reverse too. In case we, uh, accidentally blow it up or something."

Your response earned the faintest curve of his lips. It wasn't exactly a smile but it was close enough to make your stomach flutter. "Let's try to avoid that," he murmured, "after that, we need to prepare the incantation sequence. It's layered—three parts in total. The first to conjure the living essence, the second to merge it and the third to revert it."

You wrote down every word, trying to keep up though your dominant hand trembled slightly. You weren't nervous about the assignment. No, it was being this close to him, hearing that low voice breaking the usual silence between you. To your utter surprise and horror, you saw him pulling his chair closer to you.

Not close enough for your elbows to touch but close enough for your heart to skip a beat. After what felt like forever when only two hours had passed, Riki closed the guidebook with a soft 'thud' that echoed throughout the library.

"We'll stop here for today. I'll let you know when our next session will be," he said, already rising to his feet while shoving his things into his bag.

You remained seated, quill still held in your hand while watching him. "Alright, I'll start practicing the spell to get a feel of it."

Hearing this, Riki paused and looked at you. You had to force yourself to not flinch at how intense his gaze was. It was times like these where you get reminded of how he strikingly looks similar to a puma, especially with how he narrowed his eyes.

"It'll be best if you practice it when I'm around, as a safety precaution," he pointed out.

It wasn't for you to take his words into heart but with the way he phrased himself, your left eyebrow twitched and the words rolled off your tongue before you could stopped yourself. "Are you looking down at me?"

Merlin's beard, did I really just said that out loud?

You froze, quill hovering in midair as you replayed the tone of your own voice—sharper than you meant, laced with something that sounded almost like attitude. You could feel your soul leaving your body with how Riki's eyes remained on your face. He didn't moved an inch and you were starting to panic.

"I—I didn't mean it like that," you stammered, "I just—I meant—"

Instead of looking offended or calling you out, he merely smirked, eyes twinkling with quiet amusement and something else that was impressed.

"Looking down on you?" He repeated your words, "not exactly. But I have to admit, this is the first time I've heard you talk back."

You blinked, caught off-guard. "W-What?"

His smirk deepened a little. "You're usually so quiet. It's… unexpected. Impressive, even. I didn't know you have it in you."

Your whole body felt warm at his words—his praise. Your earlier embarrassment was now replaced with confusion and a flutter of pride you didn't want to acknowledge. You dug your nails into the flesh of your palms to ground yourself.

"No, you got the wrong idea. I wasn't—" You started weakly but Riki had already finished packing, slinging his bag over his left shoulder. His shoulders shook slightly—the smallest sign of a laugh he was tyring to hold back.

"Relax, I don't mind. I like this side of you, see you around, partner," he bid you farewell and left without waiting for your response, leaving you seated by the table.

Your quill slipped from your fingers, landing with a soft 'clink' on the table. And just like that, Nishimura Riki had stolen your heart for the unknown time. You weren't sure how you're supposed to face him if this was how the rest of your sessions together will be.

~

The next time you interacted with him was in the corridors, when you were returning to your room after a long day of class. You had spent too much time studying in the library, only to get chased out when it was time for the librarian to close.

It was getting late and there were only ten minutes left before curfew and if you're not back in room before curfew, the chances of you getting caught by prefects doing patrolling duty increases.

Just the thought of someone catching you was enough to make you nervous. Hence, you quicken your pace as you brisk-walked down the empty, quiet corridors. However, the more you walked, the longer the corridors seemed to get.

Didn't I already passed that suit of armor?

Your grip on your books tightened, left hand moving to the pocket of your robe—ready to pull out your wand if there was any intruder lurking in the shadows. The corridor stretched endlessly before you, twisting in ways that it had never done before. You were able to visualize Professor McGongall's voice, scolding you for wandering the halls after hours.

"Great, the castle's playing tricks again," you muttered under your breath, annoyance mixing with fear.

And then you heard it—the faint echo of two voices coming from the next corner.

Prefects and out of all times…

You cursed, eyes widening as you scanned left and right, up and down to search for a place to hide. But there was nowhere—just a long corridor with no doorways and no chance to escape. The light of a Lumos charm flickered just around the bend.

You were about to lose all hope when a firm hand grabbed your wrist and yanked you sideways. You barely had time to gasp before something soft and weightless fell over the both of you, the world around you blurring and disappearing.

You blinked, frozen in place, breath caught in your throat. You could still see the corridor but your body, your presence, had vanished. All of your senses were directed to the feeling of a pair of strong arms wrapped around your waist along with a firm chest pressed against your back. You didn't dared to turn around, not having the courage to look at him.

"Shhh," he whispered beside you, low enough to send shivers down your spine and close enough for you to feel his hot breath grazing against your skin, "don't move or make a sound."

You turned your head slightly until you could see him. It takes all of you to not jerk your head back at how close he was. So close that you could see his eyelashes and his signature, firm and unwavering gaze. His grip on your waist tightened when you squirmed about and he narrowed his eyes in a silent warning, pressing a finger to his lips.

You turned, flinching at the sight of the prefects who had just turned the corner. You swore you forgot how to breathe as they walked past, oblivious to the very fact that there are two students still wandering around after hours.

Only when their footsteps had completely disappeared did Riki pulled back, releasing his grip on your waist. You chose to ignore how your heart was yearning for him to come back. This time, you fully turned to face him, eyebrows furrowed and lips pressed in a thin line. "What are you doing here?"

Riki shrugged his shoulders as he removed the invisible cloak. "I was heading back to my room after practice and heard your footsteps. Thought I could do you a favor by saving you."

You stared at him, your words tangled somewhere between embarrassment and gratitude, like you didn't know if you should thank him or not. "…Thank you," you ended up saying after staring at him, like the complete whipped idiot you are.

The boy met your gaze, and for a split second, his usual cold demeanor softened. "Don't mention it. Next time, try not to get lost. I'm not always around to save you."

Your heart did a somersault at that, though you couldn't tell whether was it from his words or the way he was standing quite close to you, to the point you could feel the warmth emitted from his body. Whatever it was, you didn't sleep well that night, mind plagued with Riki.

~

"…all for today. Class is dismissed and I expect all of you to be preparing for your finals," Professor Snape announced, dismissing the class. Students begin leaving as they whispered and chatted among themselves.

You had finished packing, ready to return to your room as you didn't have anymore classes for the rest of the day when a familiar, heart-fluttering voice called out to you. You stopped in the rather crowded corridor, turning around to see Riki approaching you.

As always, his figure drew attention from the students around him and yet, he ignored them as his eyes was fixated on you and only you. Knowing that you have his attention does something to your heart and mind but you steeled yourself, watching as he stopped before you.

"Hey, done with your classes already?" He asked, greeting you like you were longtime friends when in actual fact, you're nothing more than two students who got paired together for a project.

You meekly nodded, unable to find it in yourself to use your voice. Riki chuckled, hands shoved into the pockets of his robes as he rocked back and forth on his heels.

"Great, I was wondering if you'd like to watch me practice for Quidditch today."

Your eyes widened momentarily as you stared at him, like he had grew another head. "W-What?" You stuttered but he didn't point it out.

He arched an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side. "You're interesting and I want to get to know you, which is why I'm inviting you to practice."

You tightened your grip on the strap of your bag, fully aware of how everyone's eyes were on the two of you now. This was your biggest nightmare. The feeling of them watching you, observing from the sidelines while waiting for your next move.

Your eyes darted left and right and you see it—the way some students turned to whisper to their friends, hands shielding their mouths as they whispered something about you. You didn't know what it was but you knew it will be something bad.

Something about your quiet, introvert personality. Something about your looks. Something about you spending most of your time in studies and nothing else. Whatever it was, the seeds of insecurity you had locked up and discarded aside was starting to creep back in.

Your prolonged silence made the Slytherin student frowned. He took a small step forward, concerned with your behavior but with the way you stepped back, it made him halt in his tracks.

Riki knew you weren't feeling your best but he wasn't sure why. Which was why he could only stood there, watching with a bemused and worried expression as you turned and fled down the corridor like your life depended on it.

Thankfully, Iroha and Minju weren't around, giving you the much-needed privacy to sob to your hearts' content. Your books were carelessly tossed aside as you sat on the edge of the bed, knees brought up to your chest and rested your head on your arms.

You hated how those insecurities came haunting back, clawing at the corners of your mind no matter how hard you tried to ignore them. It was exhausting—constantly pretending to be fine, constantly convincing yourself that you were good enough.

Tears rolled down your cheeks before you even realized it, falling onto the sleeves of your robe. You pressed your face deeper into your arms, hoping the room's silence could swallow the muffled sound of your sobs. But the more you tried to suppress them, the harder it was to breathe.

You hated it—the way your thoughts always spiraled back to the same place. How you compared yourself to everyone else in your class, to the people who seemed effortlessly confident, effortlessly seen. How they looked better than you. How they were able to excel in their studies without sweating buckets or pulling countless all-nighters.

But most importantly, how you told yourself not to care and yet, you still cared too much.

And maybe, just maybe, it became worse because of him.

Because no matter how hard you tried to focus on your studies, your mind would always drift back to Nishimura Riki—perfect, composed Riki, who never seemed to falter or doubt himself.

He was everything you weren't and that simple truth stung more than you wanted to admit. You didn't understood why he was looking for you earlier. Why he wanted you, out of all people, to be there watching his practice.

For a moment, there was a small twinge of hope. That maybe he was telling the truth. That his words were a continuation of how you had retorted back in the library. But the voices lingering in the back of your mind said otherwise.

"Did you really think he'll pay attention to someone like you? You can't be this dumb."

"Get a grip, he doesn't want you. And he never will."

"You're not worth his time or attention. The only reason why he even put up with you in the first place is because of the project. Once it's over, he won't find you anymore."

"Get a grip," you muttered weakly to yourself, wiping your tears with the back of your sleeve. But even as you said it, your voice cracked—and another sob escaped before you could stopped it.

You wished you could silence the doubts, wished you could be stronger, braver. But for now, all you could do was to sit there—small, tear-stained and painfully human—as the weight of your own insecurities pressed down on you, like a curse you couldn't break.

~

During your next project discussion with Riki, you grew more quieter—something that most people will think you were just being your usual self. But, Riki wasn't like most people. He knew something was wrong when you didn't say much, other than greeting him upon your arrival at the open-aired courtyard, answering his questions but limiting your responses to as short as possible while you practice the spell.

An hour had passed since you begin practicing and for the past said hour, you didn't glanced or speak to him, unless it was absolutely necessary.

Your sudden change of behavior made him both curious and worried but there was a problem. Riki doesn't know if he had the right to confront you about it, face-to-face. He knew you have a crush on him, judging from the way you act around him and sometimes, he managed to catch you sneaking shy, fleeting glances at him when you think he wasn't watching.

But right now, as he sat on the bench with his legs stretched out, one arm draped lazily over the backrest while the other rested on his knee.

From where he sat, he had the perfect view of you standing a few meters away, completely absorbed in your practice. The late afternoon sun filtered through the leaves above, scattering golden patches of light across the courtyard and you.

You were focused, lips moving silently as you muttered the incantation under your breath. Your eyebrows furrowed each time the spell flickered out too soon but you never gave up. There was a quiet determination in the way you moved, in the way your fingers traced through the air, confident but subtle.

Riki's gaze lingered longer than he meant to. There was something oddly captivating about you. You didn't have the kind of beauty that demanded attention. But the kind that crept up on him when he least expected it. It wasn't the sharp, dazzling kind that blinded people. This was softer, quieter and the kind that drew you in before you realized you were already looking.

Your hair swayed slightly as the breeze passed. And for a moment, you smiled—small, fleeting but real, when the spell finally worked. The faint shimmer of magic reflected in your eyes made his chest tighten in a way he couldn't quite explained or understand.

He exhaled slowly, dragging his gaze away before he was caught red-handed. Maybe he shouldn't have been staring at you like that. Maybe he didn't have the right to.

But even when he looked away, the image of you—the sunlight kissing your skin and the quiet pride in your eyes had already been imprinted in his mind.

"Ow!"

Your sudden pained outburst snapped the Slytherin student out of his trance. The moment he saw you cradling your wrist, your wand dropped to the floor with a pained expression on your face, Riki was immediately by your side.

"(Name)!" He looked down at your wrist and was greeted with the sight of a thin, red and ferocious burn already forming across your skin.

"You idiot, were you even paying attention to what you were doing?" He muttered, his voice trembling slightly despite the faint bite in his words.

You were stunned by his immediate reaction, not expecting him to be right beside you in a blink of an eye. Your eyes flicked down to the way he held your wrist, treating you with such gentleness and care that it made your heart ached.

"I—I'm fine, it's just a small scratch—" You protested, attempting to free yourself but his grip on you merely tightened.

Riki flashed you a mild incredulous look, as if you had said something ridiculous. "It's not just a small scratch! The wound could get infected and something serious might happen to you," he clicked his tongue and the next thing you knew, you were being dragged by him.

You tripped over your own feet, not expecting him to do that out of nowhere. Once again, you attempted to free yourself but it was futile. His strength easily overwhelmed yours but that doesn't mean you will give up and obediently follow him.

Your current predicament gained double-takes and whispers as the two of you walked past students who were minding their own business. That was enough for your ears to turn red, ducking your head while shielding your flushed face with your free hand.

As always, Riki ignored them as he marched his way to the Hospital Wing. However, Madam Pomfrey was not around and there were only the two of you.

The boy muttered something that suspiciously sounded like a string of curses under his breath as he dragged you to one of the nearest beds, forcing you to sit on the edge.

"Wait here," he instructed and you could only nod your head, cradling your wrist near to your chest like you were holding a newborn baby.

He disappeared into the small storage corner, rummaging through the shelves until he returned with a small jar of salve and a roll of bandages. Setting them on the bedside table, he sat on your left, your knees knocking into one another.

"Give me your hand," he said softly.

The burn throbbed with each heartbeat and you didn't want him to see how bad it looked—but the look in his eyes told you that you shouldn't disobey him. You surrendered and extended your hand toward him. His touch was surprisingly gentle as he examined your wrist, fingers brushing lightly over the reddened skin. You flinched at the contact, a sharp hiss slipping past your lips.

"Sorry," he apologized, tone quiet and careful.

He unscrewed the jar and dipped his fingers into the cooling salve before applying it onto the burn with smooth, precise movements. The faint chill of the ointment soothed the sting and you could finally breathe again.

You risked a glance at him—his usual composed face softened by concentration, his eyebrows knitted slightly as if your pain somehow annoyed him. Not in a cold way but it felt like he hated the fact that you had gotten hurt in the first place. You hated how your first instinct was to pray that he felt that way.

"Honestly," he muttered, breaking the silence, "you need to be more focus when you're casting your spells. I noticed that you weren't in your right mind. A knut for your thoughts?"

You chewed on your bottom lip, looking everywhere else but him. "..I'm fine, you don't have to worry about someone like me."

Whoops. You didn't meant to phrase it in such a pitiful way.

The words had slipped from your lips naturally, like you had said it before. Riki's movements went still, frozen mid-air. You dared to look at him and was taken aback with the mixture of emotions in his eyes—concern, disbelief and something else.

Something that was far more deeper and you couldn't quite explained what it was.

"What do you mean by 'someone like you'?" He asked as he screwed the lid back onto the jar and begin unrolling the roll of bandages he had grabbed earlier.

Your body went as still as a statue, the words dying in your throat. You didn't know how to reply to him, not when he was looking at you with burning pain in his eyes. To you, the now faint but lingering pain from your wound was nothing as compared to what you were looking at. Invisible bells rang off in your mind, your shoulders and muscles now tensed. The moment Riki was done, you shot up from your seat.

"(Name)—" He called out but you were quick to flee, unable to tolerate being in the same space as him for another second. You didn't want him to see you cry or pity you. You didn't want to burden him with your never-ending insecurities that had been gnawing at you for a long, long time.

~

The very next day at one of the empty classrooms, you had finally mastered casting the spell and moved on to the next step—using it on an inanimate object. The object you had selected was none other than your own quill. You weren't sure how much time had passed. It could be minutes or hours.

What you were sure however, was that you didn't want to see Riki. At least, not after what happened yesterday. The bandages on your wrist covering the wound acts as a reminder of your moment of weakness, how you had accidentally blurted out the long-hidden truth.

You could still see the pained expression in your mind, even when your eyes were closed. You made a soft cheering noise when you were successful, watching as the quill transformed into a bird. Even though the effects doesn't last long, it was still progress.

Cough, cough.

You turned to see a group of girls standing by the doorway of the classroom, blocking off your only exit. You immediately knew what this was about as you had seen them before. You didn't know their names but you knew they were always hanging out with Riki, standing too close to him, laughing at his jokes and the list goes on.

The girl at the front—you assumed it must be the so-called leader stepped forward, a nasty smirk on her lips, her arms folded as she gave you a once-over that caused goosebumps to form.

"Well, if it isn't her," she drawled, voice dripping with sweet, faux venom. "We were wondering when we'd finally be able to meet you properly."

You stiffened, clutching onto your wand. "What… What do you want?"

The girl's smirk widened, her friends giggling behind her like a well-rehearsed chorus. She took a step closer, her eyes sharp and cruel. "It's simple, really. We just wanted to give you a little reminder of your place. You should stay away from Riki."

Before you could even open your mouth, she continued, her tone turning sharper than a blade. "You do realize how ridiculous it looks, right? A Muggle-born Ravenclaw trying to get close to him? You don't belong anywhere near Nishimura Riki."

Her friends snickered at that, one of them whispering something you couldn't hear—probably another jab at your background.

You swallowed hard, your throat tightening as the leader stepped even closer, her voice lowering to a venomous whisper. "You're lucky Professor McGongall paired the two of you for the project. That's the only reason he talks to you. Once it's over, he won't even remember your name."

You wanted to say something—anything to defend yourself, to tell her she was wrong. But the words wouldn't come. Every sharp syllable she spat at you sank deeper, twisting around thoughts you already had late at night, when the insecurities wouldn't just leave you alone.

Maybe she was right.

Maybe Riki only cared because he had to. Maybe all those little moments—his kindness, his small smiles and the way he said your name—were nothing more than polite gestures.

You looked down, your wand trembling in your grip. "…I know," you whispered weakly, your voice breaking just enough to make the group of girls smirked in satisfaction.

The leader gave a soft, triumphant laugh. "Good. Then do yourself and everyone a favor and keep your distance. It's embarrassing, really—watching someone like you think they ahve a chance."

Her words hung in the air like poison as she turned on her heel, her friends following behind with their laughter echoing until they were gone. And just like that, the silence that followed after felt deafening—heavy and suffocating.

You stood there, staring at the floor. Your chest felt heavy and tight, as those cruel words replayed in your head, on an endless loop, each one sharper than the last.

Maybe they weren't wrong. Maybe Riki really was too far out of reach. Maybe you don't even deserve someone like him, someone who shines effortlessly.

~

Four days had passed since Riki last saw you and to say he was worried would be an understatement. He searched everywhere of the large Hogwarts campus for signs of you. He even asked your friends—the two girls he always see sticking with you but they too, were just as clueless as he was.

Both Jungwon and Sunoo noticed the gradual changes of his behavior—how he was growing more restless, more impatient and cranky, always snapping at someone for unknown reasons.

Until one day, Sunoo has had enough and decided to step in, steering the youngest away before he could do further verbal damage to the poor girl.

Sunoo ended up dragging Riki somewhere secluded where they could avoid both prying ears and eyes.

"Alright, speak. What's gotten into you? You're acting like a different person now," the eldest among the trio demanded, arms crossed and lips pressed in a thin line. Jungwon stood beside Sunoo, waiting for Riki's response.

The Slytherin lets out an exasperated sigh, "I told you I'm—"

This time, Jungwon jumped in. "You're what? You're fine? No, you're not. You've been acting all moody and glum. Can you please tell us what happened? We're worried about you, Riki-ah."

The youngest sighed, running a hand through his hair as he fidgeted with the hem of his sleeves. "I haven't seen (Name) for the past four days. I searched everywhere for her and asked her friends, but no one knows where she went. It's like she had vanished into thin air."

The two shared a glance and Sunoo spoke up. "Wait, (Name)? As in your partner for the project you told us previously? The Ravenclaw shy girl?"

Riki nodded. "Yeah, her. I'm really worried and I don't know if something had happened to her. Like what if she got kidnapped or something? Or she went out or—"

"Woah, calm down, lover boy. Just take some deep breathes now," Jungwon stopped him, hands firmly grabbing onto his shoulders, "I need you to think carefully about the places you and her had been to. Maybe she's there."

Riki frowned, biting on his lip as he ran through a list in his mind. And then—

"..Wait, I didn't check the library."

Jungwon released his grip, stepping back and flashed him a teasing grin. "Then, what are you waiting for? Go and find her."

Riki nodded and wasted no time in dashing to the library, leaving his two friends behind.

"Ah, young love."

"Hyung, you're not even that old."

"Shut up."

Riki achieved a new record of sprinting from one end to the other end in the span of fifteen minutes. By the time he arrived at the library, he was panting and sweating like a mad dog, with his robes sticking to his skin. He ignored the mild disgusted look the librarian sent him at his current state as he ventured to a certain table.

The table where he had spend time with you. The table where to him, it had started to hold a special place in his heart. He could only prayed that you were there.

True enough, there you were. Your back was facing him as you were nose-deep in your current task, your qill moving as you diligently went through your notes. Never in his entire life did he felt this relieved to see you.

Riki quickened his pace, sliding into the seat opposite of yours and the way you froze up didn't went unnoticed by him. Still, you didn't dared to look at him as you kept your head down—making him frowned.

"Hey, I haven't seen you a while. Did something happen?" He asked softly, hands resting on the table while his eyes traced your features.

You shook your head. "It's nothing, I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me."

He blinked, leaning forward slightly. "You're lying. Something did happen but you're not telling me. Why? Did I do something wrong? Did I made you feel uncomfortable."

Yes, why would you want to talk to me outside of the project? Why do you keep finding me and acting like we're friends?

You swallowed the words, biting on your lips as you stared at a random spot of your notes. You were already halfway through with the report for the project but now that Riki was here, you couldn't find it in yourself to concentrate. But if there was anything about him, it was that he's a persistent guy.

"Look, I was worried when you were missing for four days. You didn't say a word to anyone, not even your friends and you came back like nothing happened. So please, tell me what's going on with you? Why are you avoiding everyone? Avoiding me too? He pleaded, desperation seeping into his voice.

And that was the final straw. The words broke free before you could stopped them, tumbling out of your mouth faster than your mind could processed.

"I'm not avoiding you!" You blurted out, your voice cracking in the still air of the library. A few students sitting nearby looked up, startled but you didn't cared anymore. "I just—I don't know what to say to you anymore, Riki!"

He blinked, taken aback by your sudden outburst but you were already spiraling. Years of self-doubt and the four days of isolating yourself, hiding your presence from the entire world spilled out like an overflowing cauldron.

"I can't keep pretending everything's fine when it's not," you said, your words and lips trembling, "you keep showing up, helping me, talking to me like I actually matter and I don't understand why! You could have anyone else by your side—those girls who like you or those girls who you hang out with once in a while. And yet, you kept choosing me."

Riki opened his mouth, ready to speak but you were faster, cutting him off.

"You don't get it. Do you know what it's like to walk through the halls and hear people whispering that I don't deserve to even look at you! That a Muggle-born like me shouldn't even be here? That a nobody like me shouldn't even be assigned as your partner for this stupid project."

Your throat tightened as you forced yourself to look at him, eyes watering with tears already trickling down your cheeks.

"You're you, Nishimura Riki. A Slytherin Seeker who's practically Hogwarts golden boy. Everyone likes you. Everyone notices you, always complimenting and praising you. You're good at everything you do. You're confident and you're—" Your voice cracked as you sniffled, "—you're the kind of person people looked up to."

You let out a choked, humorless and bitter laugh. "And there's me. I'm just… ordinary. I'm not special. I didn't even think I'd fit in here. And now you're here, acting like you actually see me. But I know better than to believe that."

"..What are you talking about?" Riki asked, his eyes narrowing with something unreadable in his eyes. If you were to look closer, you would see the way his fists are clenched, shaking until his knuckles were turning white and how his jaw tightened and most importantly, the flames of anger burning in his eyes.

"Isn't it obvious? You're only talking to me because of the project. You probably think I'll mess up if you don't watch over me. Don't want me to ruin your reputation. Once it's over, you won't have to deal with me anymore. That's all that is, isn't it?"

"Wha—"

"I can't do this anymore. I can't keep pretending that I'm okay with just being your partner project when it hurts this much. I hate this. I hate that I care. I hate that I—" you paused, heart hammering in your chest as you clutched onto the front of your robes, right over where your heart was, "—that I like you, Riki. I like you and I wish I didn't."

The silence that followed afterwards was beyond deafening. You were panting, wheezing to catch your breath and Riki was silent the entire time, except for that one moment where he tried to speak, only to get interrupted by you.

He rose from his seat, approaching you with frighteningly calmness, grabbed your wrist and with a flick of his wand, the two of you were no longer in the library. Instead, you were in a room. His room, to be exact.

"Did you just teleport us to your room?" You gasped out, eyes taking in the sudden change of surroundings with wide eyes.

He didn't answered, tucking his wand away as he fully turned to face you. "I had to do it. You weren't going to listen if we stayed there. And I couldn't let you walked away after saying all that, not without letting me speak."

You opened your mouth to protest but the intensity in his gaze silenced you. He took a slow step forward, then another until he was directly in front of you, the tips of your shoes touching. Your body tensed up, jerking backwards but Riki didn't moved, eyes focused on your red, swollen and puffy eyes.

"Do you really think so little of me" He asked, "that I'd only talk to you just because of the project? That I'd stop once it's over?"

"I—" You faltered, throat drying up, "I just thought—"

"That you're not worth my time?" His tone sharpened, not with anger but with frustration and annoyance. "You think I care about blood status? About what people say?"

He let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "You really don't get it, do you?"

You blinked, furrowing your eyebrows. "What?"

Riki exhaled, running a hand through his hair as it flopped back down on his head. "That I like you."

The words hit harder than any spell could. You froze, staring at him as if your brain refused to process what he said. "..What? No, you're lying. Did you even heard what I said just now? I'm a nobody. People like me are supposed to blend in the shadows and remain unnoticed—?"

You didn't get to finish your sentence. Riki's hands shot out, grabbing you by your wrists and harshly tugged you towards him. You weren't given the chance to utter another word. One of his hands grabbed your chin while the other held your waist.

Your chin was tilted up and then, he kissed you. Your eyes widened, body turning still at the feeling of his soft, pillowy lips pressed against yours. The kiss was simple, slow and loving. Like he was pouring his feelings through the kiss, like he was confessing without speaking a word.

When he pulled away, he rested his head against yours and reopened his eyes.

"..Do you get it now? You said you hated that you care, but I don't. I want to care. About you. Even if you don't believe you deserve it. So let me. Let me show you that you deserve all the good things—love, happiness and every other things out there. Let me prove it to you that you're not what you think you are."

Your heart raced, mind spinning but when he looked at you like that—sincere, adoration and utterly real, the doubt that had been consuming you was gradually fading away.

~

It had been two weeks since the confession happened and of course, your sudden disappearance in front of the students caused rumors to spread. Riki was also reprimanded by the discipline master for the inappropriate usage of magic.

His punishment was the deduction of Slytherin points and he had to do some community work for three weeks. But Riki wasn't really bothered by it, merely obediently nodding his head and even had the audacity to smile once he was dismissed.

Your friends: Iroha and Minju had the shock of their lives when they saw you and Riki entering the dining hall, hand-in-hand. They were quick to jump on you, shaking you back and forth while bombarding you with question after question, not giving you time to breathe or reply.

Riki had to break the three of you apart before you fainted with how dizzy you felt.

"So, how good is his bedroom skills?" Iroha whispered one day, out of nowhere without warning you.

The three of you were heading to your next class for the day and as always, the halls were packed with students. Among the crowd, you were able to easily spot Riki.

Your boyfriend.

Calling him your boyfriend felt like a surreal dream and sometimes, you had to pinch yourself to realize that this is the reality. The reality of dating Nishimura Riki.

Dating someone as popular as Riki means there will be…certain rumors being spread about in Hogwarts. The types of rumors ranged from him having pulled some strings in the shadows for him to get top scores to his skills in the bedroom. You didn't have it in you to answer the questions.

Whenever you looked at him in the corridors—watching him talking to his friends or listening to what they were saying, your eyes unconsciously traced down his face until they landed on his mouth. Brief images of what happened the previous night played in your mind and within the span of five seconds, your face had turned as red as a tomato.

As if he knows you're looking at him, Riki glanced in your direction and smirked. You snapped your head away, ignoring the familiar, throbbing ache between your legs.

~

"W-Wait, no more-ngh!" You cried out as his tongue dragged through your folds.

Your back arched off his bed, your robes pathetically hanging off of one shoulder with the rest being pushed up. Riki didn't bothered tugging your panties off your legs, choosing to left it hanging around your left ankle that had slid off the bed.

He groaned—the vibration sending ripples through your body, leaving your mind spinning as you trembled underneath him.

If there's anything about him, it's the fact that he can be relentless when the times called for it. Right now, Riki wanted nothing more than to bury himself deep in your dripping pussy, tongue lapping up every slick, not wanting it to go to waste.

He tightened his grip on your thighs when he felt you attempting to close it and forced you to spread them further, until your thighs muscles were screaming at the faint, burning pain.

You let out a high-pitched, pornographic moan when Riki latched his lips onto the hood of your clit, causing your body to twitch. A mixture of breathless moans, whimpers and chanting of his name spilling from your lips like flowing water.

"Gonna cum for me, princess?" He murmured, voice muffled as he slid two long, thick and warm fingers into your gaping pussy, moving them in scissors-like motion.

You nodded, eyes squeezed shut—not having the courage to look at him. No matter how many times you've done this, you couldn't help but still feel painfully shy. "P-Please, Riki."

"Please what? Use your words," he drawled, teasing you as he slowed down, drawing a disappointed whine from you.

"Wanna cum, please," you sobbed, tears prickling your eyes, unaware of how your boyfriend's eyes darkened, cock twitching against the restraints of his pants.

"Fuck, you're driving me insane," he swore, diving back in with new found vigor. Your mouth dropped open in a silent 'O' shape at the sensation of him swirling his tongue along your folds, drawing his name on your pussy.

Your breathing grows ragged, head spinning. Riki knew you're rapidly reaching your climax with how you tightened around both his tongue and fingers.

"Cum for me," he demanded and your body obeyed faster than your mind could processed his words. Your legs trembled as he held you down, tongue sliding in as he guided you through your climax.

You felt light-headed and gooey, limbs turning heavy but he wasn't done with you yet. You looked at Riki with half-lidded eyes, lips parted as you struggle to catch your breath as he moved away, pushing himself up onto his elbows.

You clenched down on nothing but thin air at the sight of the bottom half of his face covered in your slick, making his chin and thick, puffy lips glisten underneath the lights.

Well, if someone were to ask you about his bedroom skills, that's only for you to know. Besides, no one else will have the privilege of dating someone as cool as Riki.

tags: @rikisoup, @lolliloopsy, @v4mpriki, @nishimurmur, @yvampyr.

[chccnne]

I LIKE ME BETTER

❛ 𝘧𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘣𝘧!nishimurariki 𝑥 𝑓!reader ❜ heavily inspired by tatbilb, fluff, slow burn, cursing, fake dating

synopsis: after your best friend mailed all of your love letters out, you had no choice but to help a specific someone so he could get back at his ex.

part1 - part2 - part3

high school was something that every preteen had fantasized about growing up — from musicals, movies, books, everything made high school during this era of your life romantic and fun.

not for you, though.

you were somewhat of a loser; one friend, isolated focus on classes, rarely any extra curiculars, the works. the most interesting trait of yours was writing, but not any sort of creative writing like poetry or stories. not even academic writing, like essays or articles.

you wrote letters, letters to the boys you have fallen for or have had some sort of connection with in the past.

not every crush of yours had a letter, only the ones whose memories have truly stuck with you.

the first boy, sunghoon park.

he was super cute, a few years older, the type of boy who was shy and quiet, which girls immediately fell for — which was also exactly your type at the time. 

you met him in some summer camp your mother enrolled you in the summer of 7th grade, while he was in the summer of his 9th. the two of you sat next to each other during campfire hour, touching knees and exchanging shy grins with each other, everything that was considered ‘romantic’ to the younger crowd.

when the end of summer camp came, it was as if little 13 year old you was experiencing the end of the world — which was an obvious over exaggeration on your part.

the two of you bid your goodbyes and promised to see each other again at some point, and you did! you went to the same high school together — but, you two hung out with completely different groups of people and he was a couple years older, which automatically blocked you two from even interacting further than a smile and wave in the hallways.

the second boy, jaeyun sim.

ironically, he was sunghoon’s best friend — but it didn’t bother sunghoon at the slightest. he was your crush in 8th grade — sure, he was already in high school, but it was strictly just a crush to you. 

what caught your eye was how attractive and how secure he was with himself, but regardless of those traits, he still treated others with basic respect and never let the cockiness get to his head.

you met him while spending time with your best friend, sunoo, who knew him first and decided to introduce the two of you while hanging out one day.

the first time you two spoke to each other, he had already introduced himself as jake to you, and told you that close friends were allowed to call him that.

sunoo’s reasoning for introducing you was because he thought there would be something after admitting to him that you thought jaeyun was attractive, but no spark was felt or seen.

the third boy, jungwon yang.

funny guy, definitely one of the sweeter ones you had met. 

you two were both the only two in your respective grades (freshman and sophomore) to not have dates to the homecoming dance — which was considered a crime when it came to being a teenager. when meeting for the first time, you were immediately stunned with how attractive he truly was. it bothered you, really, how did a guy that good looking not have a date to the dance?

throughout the dance, someone somehow spiked the punch at the snack table, which got you drunk pretty much. you were freaking out, you were wiped and worried about what your parents were going to think when they see their daughter come home intoxicated and constantly on the verge of throwing up. but jungwon stood by your side the entire time — he searched every convenience store for pastries and water after searching all over the internet on how to get somebody to sober up. the two of you were inexperienced with this type of thing, which gave him the motivation to try and solve your case of intoxication.

he took you to the park that evening, just to allow the time to pass and let the effects of alcohol fade away, even if it was just a little. 

it was hard to tell with the alcohol in your system, but you wanted to use your first kiss ticket on him. but no matter how many times you’ve leaned in and gave him a hint, he would politely decline your attempt to kiss him and simply tell you that you were drunk. it was sweet, it was obvious his feelings were reciprocating, but he couldn’t take advantage of a girl, especially one who was younger than him.

the next day, you avoided him — but for good reason. what happened homecoming night was completely embarrassing.

he didn’t bother to reach out after that night either, he figured you would come around eventually — which you never did.

then there was the fourth boy, nishimura riki.

a boy in your grade, total eye candy — definitely your type.

you two have practically grew up with each other but never really acknowledged each other’s existence up until the spring break of your freshman year, which was the week your family (and coincidentally riki’s) had spent break at some getaway by a lake.

since the two of you were the same age, your parents were practically forcing the two of you to spend time together away from the adults.

it started at the ‘kids club’ the area hosted. it didn’t end very well due to how young said club hosted. sunoo accompanied your family for said trip, and he absolutely loved working with children, so he wasn’t complaining at the slightest.

“did you wanna get out of here..?” riki asked, whispering before lightly nudging his head towards the exit of the building. you eagerly nodded, not wanting to spend another minute hearing screams of either joy or sadness from the children that raided said area.

the two of you snuck out and ended up sitting by the lake, admiring the view of the multicolored sky and the clear water of the river.

it was the end of the trip at this point, and you didn’t want to spend the last day there with a bunch of kids who couldn’t even tell you what 34 + 33 was.

“we’ve never really talked before this, right?” riki asked, turning his head away from the view and towards you.

“not really, but i do remember a lot of stuff from elementary you’ve done.”

“really? like what..?”

“when you wanted to confess to melanie but ended up confessing to stephanie since you never realized that they were twins.” you teased, earning a quiet gasp from the boy.

“i didn’t think anyone remembered that!”

“well, i remember almost everything.”

the conversation went on like this for awhile, where the two of you would bring up different points of your life when it came to school. it was nice — it was quiet, there wasn’t anybody around, the view was beautiful, it almost felt romantic to you.

when the sun officially set, the fairy lights finally lit, and that truly set the scene.

riki looked at you as if you were the only girl in his world, cupping your face for a moment and placed the softest kiss on your lips. of course, you had a small crush on him, which brought you to kiss him back.

the next day, the two of you couldn’t even look at each other, and it didn’t help that you two were still going to the same school.

it was now present day, you were sitting on your bed with the box of letters in front of you, rereading them and smiling to yourself over how infatuated you were with every boy that you’ve written to. 

“are you ever going to mail those out? or at least you know, confess to any of them?” sunoo asked, laying on the carpeted floor as he stared at the ceiling. 

he knew about the letters, he was actually one of the first boys you’ve written a letter for — but it got weird, he reciprocated and the two of you held hands once, but it didn’t feel right. so, with his letter, the both of you ripped it up and threw it in a random dumpster the both of you passed by. there was never and will never be any awkward tension between the two of you, since the bond was strong enough to be compared to gorilla glue.

“no, sunoo, can’t. a lot of them graduated already or they probably have girlfriends. it’ll either be illegal or a home wrecking moment from my end.” you explained, tucking the box under your bed in its designated spot.

“we’re seniors, you’re literally turning 18 after spring break.” sunoo reasoned, resting his face on his hand as he sat up.

“easy for you to say, you’re supposed to be graduated.”

“hey! it’s not my fault the school system messed with me, they thought i was your age and enrolled me in the wrong year.” he grumbled.

you laughed as you tossed a pillow at him, which he caught and threw back. “let’s just go, my dad will kill me if he finds out i’m late for school again.”

“yeah, yeah.”

luckily for you, sunoo has his license and is able to drive, which was the solution to your not-so-perfect attendance.

this was your routine every morning; allow sunoo in at exactly 7:00 in the morning, get ready for the day, spend some time together before the both of you had to force yourselves to get up and bring yourselves to the hell they call school. once you get to school, the two of you grab your belongings from your lockers and roam the hallways until the bell rings.

as always, you’d find your ex friend and riki arguing in the hallways, which was an immediate turn off to both you and sunoo’s peaceful morning. was it mentioned that riki now had a girlfriend?

“fine. then we’re done, i’m so sick of you, riki.”

“someone angered the wicked witch.” sunoo whispered, causing you to giggle as you leaned against the wall. “she shall not be named, we might get hexed.”

you and said ex friend haven't interacted since her and riki got together, which coincidentally was a month after the two of you kissed. you never held it against her, she wasn't aware of that first kiss and will never know now that the two of you weren't friends anymore.

you and sunoo watched the situation unfold from the corner of your eyes — from riki attempting to calm her down and express his embarrassment, to his now ex girlfriend storming away after dropping the ‘i’m breaking up with you’ bomb. the both of you raised your eyebrows, not necessarily shocked, but slightly surprised at how it happened that quickly.

riki and his girlfriend had been off and on for awhile, since the end of sophomore year. it was quite obvious to other people that they were the cutest but also the most toxic couple to step foot into this school, but from the looks of it, it seemed that they were finally done for sure.

the rest of the day went by like a breeze.

a few of your classes were internal hell for you, due to quick glances you and riki shared from across the room. it wasn't your fault that you kept looking, he was handsome and you were nosey about the situation between him and his ex girlfriend.

after school, you and sunoo decided to spend some time in your room, gossiping and working on your own assignments for that day. there had been a couple of times where the both of you had gotten distracted from the assignments themselves and you would walk in and out of the room, but eventually your father started asking both of you about the work.

sunoo had been close to your family for as long as you could remember, your friendship started in elementary school and brought you guys to where you were today, with endless sleepovers, spending dinners at each other's homes, etc.

nothing could separate the two.

"i should start going, my mom told me that if i want to spend summer with you again this year, i'll have to start going home earlier on weekdays." sunoo rolled his eyes, packing his things into his bag before pausing. "shoot, i left my lunchbox in your kitchen, would it be okay if you went down to grab it for me? i'll meet you down there."

"as you wish, your highness." you joked, leaving your room to bring yourself to the kitchen.

sunoo watched as you slowly disappeared going down the steps, before continuing to pack.

until his eyes landed on the box of letters under your bed.

that following week, you had been woken up to the sound of your doorbell ringing, which was something that normally didn’t happen at this time of the day.

it was almost 12 in the morning, the neighborhood should’ve been asleep by now..?

you quietly tip toed towards the front, opening the door gently in order to not wake up your father. the moment the door opened, you saw a familiar face standing on your porch.

“hey, y/n..”

your stomach dropped, it dropped so far that it felt like it dropped down to your feet.

“sunghoon! what are you doing here..?” you blinked, tilting your head in confusion. “especially at this time of night.. it’s a school night, for me at least.”

“listen, uh.. i’m very flattered, really. your words really made me out to be like some sort of angel or something, but everything that happened — happened almost a decade ago.” sunghoon sighed, “plus, we were young, it would’ve never worked out between us especially since.. you know.. i’m graduated and a bit too old for you..”

your eyebrows furrowed with confusion, it sounded as if he had rehearsed a riddle and was asking you to solve it. “i’m confused.. what exactly are you talking about?”

sunghoon held up a light pink envelope with his name and address in the middle with a few tiny stickers surrounding it. and right in the corner of that envelope was your name and address with a stamp.

oh fuck!

how did his letter get sent out?! who sent it out?!

shit, were the other ones sent out..?!?

“sunghoon, that’s not what it looks like, i swear.” you assured, a hint of panic in your voice making it difficult for him to believe you. “i wrote that super long ago and had no idea who sent it..”

the panic began to really settle in now, causing you to tap your foot covered with fuzzy socks against the cold wooden floors.

“okay! now that that’s over with, forget the letter happened and forget about this.. okaythanksbye.” you rambled, immediately snatching the letter from his hand and shutting the door on him.

there was no way this was happening.

you looked down at the envelope with the folded letter stuffed inside, before scramming up to your bedroom and search for the box where the letters were once held.

the box was empty.

“fuck! i’m so dead. i am soooo dead.” you whispered to yourself.

a wave of embarrassment washed over you, already mentally preparing yourself for what this next week was going to look like.

who sent out the letters?! how did they get found out?!

nobody except you, your older brother heeseung, and sunoo knew those letters even existed.

heeseung never goes into your room unless you were home and he always knocked, there was no way he went out of his way to mail them out. sunoo on the other hand, he knew where those letters were and knew how miserably single you were.

would he really go out of his way to send them out..?

“i’m going to kill those guys.” you sighed with frustration.

the next night, a bit earlier than when sunghoon showed up, jaeyun showed up with another letter — a light yellow envelope engulfed the small letter inside with yours and his address written on the front of the envelope.

you sighed, already preparing for what’s coming. “listen, jake..”

“y/n. dalia’s not too happy about this.” jaeyun sighed as he lightly shook his head. you peeked over his shoulder and saw his angry girlfriend in the car, staring daggers right at you.

“i’m so sorry, i swear i didn’t mean for it to get to you. i wrote this years ago when i was 13 and-“

“it’s fine.. really, it is.. but now i have to deal with my girlfriend who thinks you’re madly in love with me.” jaeyun spoke, shoving the letter into your hands lightly. “your words were definitely sweet, but, be careful next time.”

his words weren’t angry, just confused and frustrated at the fact that some girl he knew back in his early years of high school wrote a love letter for him and had it sent out after he graduated.

“i don’t like you anymore, jake. but still, i’m sorry for causing problems with you and dalia. i’ll explain it to her when i can, i swear. i’m sorry — again.” you apologized, hoping that your words were sincere enough. “see you around.. i think..?”

after you shut the door, you ran up to your room and screamed into one of your pillows, feeling that same wave of embarrassment crash over you.

this is never going to end.. will it?

unfortunately, no! it wasn’t going to end.

because that very next night, jungwon showed up at your doorstep with a beige colored envelope with his love letter tucked into it.

“hi, y/n..” he smiled sweetly.

“hey, jungwon.. i unfortunately already know why you’re here.” you sighed, leaning against the doorframe, “before things escalate, i wanna just say that i wrote that when i was a freshman and i had no idea who sent it.”

“oh.. yeah.. that’s the reason i’m here.” jungwon chuckled lightly. “i’m flattered, thank you for your words and everything. if i got this sooner i do wonder what could’ve been..”

“heard the flattering part a couple of times already.” you tsked, turning it into a quiet laugh. “i’m sorry for this, jungwon. you’re a sweet guy and i’m glad i did get to know you at a point. i meant everything in that letter but i also just.. don’t have feelings for you anymore.”

jungwon nodded, handing the letter back to you before slipping his hands into his pockets. “i figured, it was written a long time ago so it would be a bit weird if you confessed now.”

“yeah..” you breathed.

the two of you stood on your porch in awkward silence for a few minutes. it felt as if jungwon had more to say, but you weren’t sure as to what.

“i’ll see you around, y/n.” jungwon smiled once again, giving you a small nod before turning to leave.

“bye, jungwon.” you greeted, before shutting the door.

now, time to face riki.

during your lunch period the next day, you sat alone, avoiding sunoo since you were still upset at him over the letters.

those letters were your biggest secret ever, why would he do that to you?!

as much as you didn’t wanna stay mad at him, he went against your boundary and revealed one of your biggest secrets. there was no way you couldn’t be mad at him.

you sat in an isolated hallway and ate your lunch as you scrolled on your phone, seeing a notification from sunoo pop up every few minutes. you sadly sighed at this, wanting to hear him out and question why he did it, but you couldn’t bring yourself to.

you heard footsteps approach you, causing you to internally scream.

please don’t be sunoo. please don’t be sunoo. please-

“flattering. but it’s never going to happen.” a voice spoke. you looked up from your phone to see a pair of feet standing in front of you, which caused you to look up. “from what i remember, the kiss was impulsive. we were isolated from other teenagers for what — a week, maybe?”

well at least it’s not sunoo, it’s worse!

you squinted at him, “excuse me?”

“listen, i think it’s cool that you think i was carved by angels themselves and think that we had a connection during spring break that year. but there’s nothing between us.” riki continued.

“okay. just so we’re clear, riki, i-“

“y/n!” a voice called, immediately grabbing both yours and riki’s attention.

no, sunoo, not now.

“i am going to go vomit!” you nervously laughed. “okay, bye!”

you quickly scrambled to gather your stuff and rip the letter from riki’s hands before bolting towards the exit of the hallway, finding the closest women’s restroom to hide in until classes were to start again.

this was going to be a long week.

on friday after school, you found yourself at your favorite diner in the corner of town. it had been your go to place since the letters started, and going for that long resulted in the staff knowing you and the story about every boy — obviously, not as far as knowing what the letters were.

you sat at the bar of the diner, sipping on a cold and crisp cherry cola and snacking on a small basket of fries while working on the last of your homework for the week.

“anything else for you, my dearie?” rose, one of the main waiters asked you. you looked up at her with a smile as you shook your head, tucking all of your homework away into your backpack that sat on the stool next to you. “what about your friend?”

you furrowed your eyebrows in confusion before turning to where rose was looking, falling into direct eye contact with the boy you dreaded on seeing. you isolated your focus back onto your food, eyes widened and body stiff. “nope! not with me!”

“i’ll take some coffee, please. just sugar, no cream.”

“sure. be right back with that.” rose smiled sweetly, before disappearing into the kitchen.

“so, y/n-“

“what are you doing here, riki..?” you sighed, resting your cheek on your hand, avoiding eye contact with him as you sipped on the now slightly watered down cola in front of you.

“what? can’t a guy just enjoy some coffee?” riki asked, his tone sounding defensive as if she had just accused him of something.

you quietly scoffed, putting your attention on the coffee machines that blew steam every few minutes. “yeah, right. i’ve never even seen you in here, let alone even around this area.”

“woah, easy there. i was just trying to enjoy my evening and get a coffee, i’m not trying to cause any problems, y/n.” riki explained, causing you to nod and respond with ‘cool’, before going back to minding your own business.

riki got served his coffee not long after, tilting his head as he looked at you and watched as you intensely watched the staff use the coffee makers. “i actually went to your house and uh.. your brother said you’d be here.”

“i should’ve never given him my location.” you mumbled to yourself, squinting your eyes shut with the slight feeling of regret setting in. shortly after, you opened your eyes before turning and blinking at riki, realizing the random piece of information he decided to drop onto you. “wait, you went to my house..?”

“not the point,”

“okay..?”

“listen, i just want to make this.. entire situation clear — closure, if you will.” he started, earning a confused look from you. “i think that the whole letter thing was cute, you know? it was flattering and you’re a nice girl, but you know, the whole thing between me and-“

“okay, riki, if you’re trying to come off as rejecting me or something, just save it. i’m not into you anymore, at least not as much as i was during that year.” you explained, cutting him off before he went further. “and for the record, i’m not trying to date you, riki nishimura, if anything, i’m trying to forget any of those letters even happened.”

“wait letters? as in.. multiple?”

“we’re gonna forget this entire thing happened.. okay? i’m going to put this on the table right now and tell you that you aren’t the only guy who got a letter and i already got rejected by all of them. but you, riki, can’t reject me because i simply do not like you — anymore.” you rambled, feeling riki’s eyes burning holes on the side of your face.

riki blinked, his eyes widened at the sudden outburst from you. “wow, uh, okay.. so are you going to tell me who these lucky guys were or what?”

“so nosy all of a sudden, i’d rather die than tell you anything.”

“sure, you can do that and stuff.. or i can tell the entire school about your desperate love letters and how you wrote them to multiple guys.”

“trying to make me seem like the school slut won’t do anything, riki. i’m already embarrassed as it is.”

“i have photos.”

your eyes widened, if those photos of the letters were to ever get out, you were completely done for. “okay, okay! i’ll tell you right now, but i need you to delete that off of your phone.”

“how about each time you tell me about a boy, i delete a picture?”

you rolled your eyes and let out a groan, finishing the last of your fries and cola before completely turning your body towards him. “fine. the first boy was sunghoon park, a boy i met at this.. summer camp in middle school.”

“isn’t he a bit too old?”

“moving on, nishimura.” you breathed, “jaeyun sim, just.. a boy i met because of sunoo.”

“isn’t he also older? damn, y/n, i didn’t know you liked that crowd.” riki joked lightly, causing you to punch his shoulder — not hard, but not soft either.

“if you keep joking like this, i’m leaving.” you gritted your teeth, earning nothing but a teasing smirk from riki.

“don’t forget that i’m the one with the photos, y/n. your choice.” riki teased, turning his smirk into a grin.

you crossed your arms as you looked away, rolling your eyes once again. “the last boy before you was jungwon yang. happy now?”

“very much so.” riki said, showing you his phone screen, giving you proof that he deleted every photo of the letter. “so, jungwon, huh?”

“didn’t work out. he was really cute though..” you spoke, your words trailing off, grabbing a crumpled up ten dollar bill from your pocket before placing it next to your empty dishes, “okay, i’m done here, are you done here?”

“yeah.. uh.. we’re done here.”

you stood after hearing the last of his words, taking a deep breath before attempting to leave. “okay, great. bye, riki-“

“wait a minute, did you walk here?”

“perhaps..?”

after so much convincing, riki ended up driving you home from the diner as his form of an apology for being so pushy with the letters and who they were being sent to. you told him it was fine, it really was, but he just did not believe you.

the ride was quiet, not awkward, but definitely pretty quiet. all you could really think about was that you had a your first kiss driving you home.

“thanks for the ride home, riki. you really didn’t have to-“

“and for the sixth time this hour, y/n, it’s really no problem.” riki reassured, bringing a soft smile to your face. “it was nice seeing you and talking to you, really, i forgot how cool you were.”

“wow, okay, that’s when i know you’re lying.” you chuckled. “thanks again, riki. i’ll see you at school.”

riki looked as if he wanted to reach out and ask you something, but he was hesitating, it was obvious he was. you noticed this, but you wanted to brush it off and not push anything.

you opened the car door and was already making your way towards the front door of your home, before feeling a light grip on your wrist, making you stop.

riki had held your wrist, in attempt to stop you from walking forward. “i- y/n- sorry..” he stuttered, releasing your wrist from his grip as he stared at you.

“is something wrong, riki?” you blinked, seeing a shade of pink appear on the tip of his ears.

“this is a favor, a huge one at that..”

“okay?”

“you know that me and.. you know.. we’ve been together since..”

“almost forever, yeah, i gathered that.. what exactly does that have to do with this favor?”

“when she found out we kissed and found that letter in my backpack, she was going absolutely crazy. i miss her and she keeps going to these guys trying to make me jealous and everything so-“

“so what you’re saying is that you want to use me as some sort of.. bait?”

“no, not like that. i was just thinking if we tricked people into thinking we’re together, i mean-“

“riki, you’re nice and definitely really cool, but.. i don’t think that’s right. i mean, if you guys keep doing this it’s going to be a mess and i’m already dealing with a bunch of messes on my own so..”

“sleep on it then, okay? i don’t need an answer right now.. just.. something soon.” he nodded, slipping his hands into his pockets.

you took a deep breath, as you allowed your eyes to shut for a moment, “fine. i’ll get back to you, okay?”

“okay,” riki spoke, almost coming out as a whisper. “i’ll see you, y/n.”

you had spent days, maybe even almost weeks thinking about riki’s proposal. what was even in it for you? why did he want to do this? was his ex girlfriend really worth going through all of this trouble?

as for sunoo, you haven’t reached out to him either. you were starting to feel bad for the boy as he kept finding the time and places to speak to you, but you would always run away.

you found yourself walking towards riki in the hallway one morning, who was leaning against the wall and talking to his friends. his gaze fell onto you, making immediate eye contact with him.

“we need to talk, riki.” you spoke, completely avoiding eye contact with the friends that surrounded him.

“yeah, uh, sure.” he nodded, turning to his friends to greet them goodbye before trailing behind you down the busy hallway.

your stomach was doing backflips, you didn’t know what you were getting yourself into. hearing his footsteps behind you only made you feel more nervous about the situation, which made the feeling in your stomach more intense.

after finally reaching a more isolated spot in the school building, you turned to him and let out a small sigh. riki looked at you with some sort of hope in his eyes, waiting eagerly for your answer as he tapped his foot onto the ground.

“let’s do this, nishimura.”

“yeah?”

“yeah..”

riki grinned before cupping your face with both of his hands and pulling you into a kiss, softly connecting his lips with yours to finally seal the deal.

you stood there completely dumbfounded, as you weren’t expecting him to just kiss you so suddenly.

well, you weren’t necessarily complaining.

once the both of you broke the kiss, you stood there blinking at him with your jaw hanging slightly, still confused and in shock with what he did just now.

“right!- okay.. i’ll get going now.. cool, awesome, radical.. okaybyeriki!”

n ⋮⟢ so basically..!

🏷️ @ickbite

[r1kixss-deactivated20250825]

cold touch

summary: losing your virginity to a vampire seemed like an erotic wattpad story to you. when it actually came to the act and your boyfriend poured out all his feelings and fears that he held inside for so long, your view on him completely changed.

genre: smut, slight angst, the twilight saga inspired

recommended song: Rosyln by Bon Iver, St. Vincent

The air was crispy cold, fog thickly covered the entire village. The moon was peeking over the huge trees of the forest, it looked so beautiful.

Like him.

Your boyfriend was dragging you through the forest, holding your hand gently as he took you somewhere.

You didn't protest, just breathing in the fresh air and looking around. Finally, you saw a pretty cottage house that he was taking you to.

"Whose house is that?" You broke the comfortable silence finally. "Mine." He said softly, taking out a key and opening the front door. He let you in first and you looked around with a smile. It was so homey.

"Why did you bring me here though?" You looked up at him, his golden eyes gazing into yours.

"I thought you'll like it. You always said you want to live in a house like that." A smile formed on your lips.

He showed you around, then he took you to the bedroom. A big, wooden-four poster bed was in the middle of the room, right in front of a big window.

The thick, dark green forest bathing in fog, droplets of rain falling on the window. You stared in awe, admiring the absolutely gorgeous view.

"Is it pretty?" He asked softly and you nodded.

"Really pretty." You murmured, turning to him and wrapping your arms around his waist for a hug.

You looked at the bed again. "What do you need a bed for? Vampires don't sleep..." You murmured, looking up at him.

He smiled a little and looked away. "It's not for sleeping, Y/N." You processed it for a second before your cheeks flushed pink and you looked down in embarrassment. He chuckled, patting your head affectionately.

You partly knew why he brought you here, you just weren't fully sure.

His family house was filled with people and there was absolutely zero privacy there, given that his vampire family members have absolutely insane hearing.

He heard your heart pounding a bit faster and smirked. His strong arms picked you up slowly, gently as if you were made of porcelain.

Your back hit the plush sheets slowly and he got on top of you. He was shaking.

Even though he wanted it so bad, the fear still lingered in the back of his head and never wanted to go. His own strength scared him. Really scared him.

He wanted to touch you without worrying, without being absolutely terrified of giving you bruises or breaking something in you.

You knew he was hesitating. You could feel it, see it. He was hesitating for 8 months already.

"I'll be okay, i promise." you whispered softly, looking into his pretty golden eyes. He looked away, licking his lips nervously.

"It's still... scary, you know?" he murmured, looking down at your lips then back up in your eyes.

"I know but i trust you. I know you won't hurt me."

He sighed, swallowing thickly as if he had something stuck in his throat. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to your neck, then another and another.

His hands rested on your waist, lingering for a moment before trailing under your shirt to your breasts and squeezing them. You shivered as his cold fingers brushed against your skin, and a quiet gasp escaped you. He flinched, pulling back slightly as though he had forgotten how cold he was. His eyes searched yours, filled with a mixture of guilt and yearning.

"I'm sorry for how cold I am," he whispered, his voice unsteady. "But you still hold me... as if your warmth could chase it all away." his words hung in the air, raw and vulnerable, as tears welled in his eyes.

"Because i love you. No matter how cold you are I'll always be close to you." you whispered, pressing a soft kiss to his big, rosy lips. He smiled, looking away as a tear rolled down his cheek. His cold touch never pushed you away.

He buried his face in your neck to kiss you there before you could catch him being emotional and vulnerable. It was so embarrassing to him.

Clothes started falling one by one somewhere on the bed, gasps and soft moans filling the room. He kissed down your torso until he reached your panties and he stopped, looking up at you.

"Can i?" he whispered and you immediately nodded.

His shaky fingers hooked over your panties and he pulled them down swiftly. He spread your legs, leaning down to kiss your inner thighs, then finally after teasing you and getting you soaking wet, he went for your clit.

You moan quietly, back arching as your hands held his hair firmly in a fist. "Oh my god..." You whispered, your thighs slightly closing over his head. It felt so good, his tongue absolutely abusing the small bundle of nerves.

He pulled away before you could cum and a disapproving whimper left your lips.

"Be patient." he said softly as he took off his shirt slowly, letting you admire his body.

God he was so beautiful. His pale skin, his muscular arms, his pretty sharp eyes... and he was all yours.

He took a condom out of his pocket and put it on the bed next to you, then took off his pants.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his fingers hooked on the elastic of his boxers "Yes..." you swallowed nervously. "please..."

He took off his boxers, his hard dick smacking softly against his abdomen. You looked down and gulped in surprise at how big it was.

You were nervous, but he was so gentle with you that it was hard to overthink it. He slipped the condom on and got between your legs, his hands were shaking so bad.

"Are you sure?" He asked once again, his eyes looked into yours, searching for the slightest bit of change in your demeanor.

"Yes, i promise." You said softly, cupping his face and kissing him.

He kissed you back and pulled away, slowly, so slowly sliding inside you. He sighed against your lips as his dick entered you, it was so warm and wet.

He wished he could be warm again.

A soft whimper left your mouth, brows scrunching up in a furrow at the slight sting you felt as he stretched you "Hurts?" he whispered.

"A little..." You whispered back, noticing how huge his pupils were, blown wide like he was on drugs. You were his drug.

He was taking his time, trying to be as gentle as possible, to not hurt you and paint your body with bruises on accident.

When he finally bottomed out, you nodded and he started thrusting. A moan left your lips and he moaned back, his abs clenching at the pleasure.

"You feel so good..." He whispered into your ear, his hands digging into the pillows as he held himself up on top of you. Butterflies pooled in your tummy at his words.

When he knew you weren't hurting anymore, he started to speed up the pace. Gradually going faster, until you were a moaning mess. He tried so hard to not lose control and hurt you.

He grabbed the bed frame hard, so hard the wood crumbled in his palm and the beams of the canopy bed broke, falling.

He froze, looking at you with widened eyes as if he expected you to realize the monster he was. "It's okay." you whispered, wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling him into a hug.

His jaw clenched hard and he continued, but more timidly now. He felt hot tears in his eyes.

He wished he could be normal again.

"I love you..." You said softly into his eyes and a tear rolled down his cheek, landing on your neck.

He sighed shakily "I love you too" he murmured, squeezing a pillow so hard it ripped, but he didn't pay attention to it.

You moaned when he hit that spot inside you, your nails dragging down his back as pleasure consumed you.

It didn't take long for you to cum, whimpering and clinging to him desperately as he fucked you through your orgasm, and he was cumming right after you.

He ripped another pillow he was aggressively crumbling in his fist, feathers dancing around you both.

Both of you stayed like this for a while, him still inside you. He didn't want to leave your warmth. It felt like home; you were his only comfort, only warmth he had left.

After a few minutes of just calming down, trying to breathe normally again, he pulled out. He threw the condom away and pulled you under the covers, cuddling to you. It didn't take long for you to fall asleep.

He wished he could sleep. To wake up next to you, to feel tired after a long night with you.

They didn't kill for having dreams fortunately.

He looked around the room. Broken headboard, ripped pillows, feathers everywhere, the beams of the canopy barely hanging on the last pieces of wood.

God, he was breaking everything. He didn't break you though, and now you were his mate. The thought pushed a small smile on his lips.

You accepted him as he is, no matter how much of a monster he thought he was.

[enhaflixer]

hogwarts time travel au! traveling to the future and waking up MARRIED PART 1

slytherin!riki x gryffindor!reader PART 2 HERE

warnings: time travel, sex, kissing, lots of kissing, kinda angsty, they have two kids, there are pranks and rivalry and its just real cute im ngl

-

The library had been blissfully quiet for exactly forty-three minutes. You'd counted. Forty-three minutes of peaceful study, undisturbed concentration, and actual progress on your Transfiguration essay. Which meant you were overdue for—

A paper crane swooped down from nowhere, circling your head three times before unfolding itself atop your carefully organized notes. The parchment fluttered open to reveal a doodle of what appeared to be you with steam coming out of your ears and your hair standing on end. Beneath it, elegant script that you unfortunately recognized immediately:

Looking a bit tense today, Gryffindork. Did someone hide your color-coded study schedule again?

You closed your eyes and counted to ten, but only made it to four before the sound of poorly suppressed laughter broke your concentration. Across the library, lounging in a chair as though he owned the place, sat Nishimura Riki. The bane of your existence for seven consecutive years.

"Real mature," you muttered, crumpling the parchment and tossing it over your shoulder.

The paper froze mid-air, reversed direction, and neatly unfolded itself before landing back on your textbook.

"That's littering, you know," Riki called, just loud enough to make Madam Pince shoot you both a warning glare. "Not very environmentally conscious of you."

You stabbed your quill into your inkpot with unnecessary force. "Some of us are trying to study for our N.E.W.T.s like responsible seventh-years."

Riki stretched, his Slytherin tie deliberately loosened, black hair artfully tousled in that way that made half the school swoon and made you want to hex him bald. "Ah yes, another thrilling evening of revising information you memorized three months ago. Living the dream."

"Not everyone coasts by on natural talent and family connections," you shot back.

Something flashed in his dark eyes – irritation, perhaps – but his smirk never faltered. "Is that what you think? That I don't work for my grades?"

"I think," you said, gathering your belongings with precise movements, "that you spend more time planning elaborate pranks than studying, yet somehow maintain your position as second in our class."

"Second only to you," he said with an exaggerated bow. "Though not for lack of trying."

Your academic rivalry was legendary – seven years of trading the top spot back and forth, never more than a few points separating you. It would have been admirable if he wasn't so insufferable about it.

"Well, some of us can't afford to waste time," you said, shoving your books into your bag.

Riki pushed off his chair and sauntered over, dropping into the seat across from you without invitation. "You know what your problem is?"

"Currently? You're sitting at my table."

He leaned forward, undeterred. "You've forgotten how to have fun. When was the last time you did something just because it made you laugh?"

"I laugh plenty," you insisted, though the defensive tone in your voice betrayed you.

"At jokes in textbooks, maybe." He twirled his wand between his fingers – a nervous habit he'd had since first year. "You're seventeen going on seventy."

"And you're seventeen going on seven," you countered. "Wasn't it your enchanted water balloons that flooded the third floor yesterday?"

His grin widened. "Can't prove it was me."

"Professor Flitwick literally said, 'Impressive charm work, Mr. Nishimura, but please reserve it for your classwork.'"

"He appreciates creativity," Riki shrugged, then lowered his voice conspiratorially. "But that was nothing. Tomorrow's prank will be legendary."

Despite yourself, curiosity piqued. "What are you planning now?"

"Concerned for my academic future?" he teased. "Worried I might finally surpass you if I get expelled?"

"Worried about innocent bystanders," you corrected. "Your last 'legendary' prank turned the entire Ravenclaw Quidditch team purple for a week."

"That was an accident," he protested, though his smile suggested otherwise. "The color was supposed to fade after twenty-four hours."

You rolled your eyes and stood up. "Well, whatever you're planning, leave me out of it. Some of us have actual goals beyond being remembered as Hogwarts' most annoying student."

His laugh followed you as you headed for the exit. "Come on! You know you'd be much happier if you loosened up a little!"

You resolutely ignored him, which was your standard approach to Nishimura Riki. Seven years of practice had proven it was the only way to maintain your sanity.

You should have known ignoring him wouldn't work. It never did.

The next morning, you woke to find every single one of your quills had been enchanted to write nothing but love poems. About him.

Eyes dark as midnight, smile sharp as wit, Nishimura Riki, quite the perfect fit...

"That's IT!" You stormed into the Great Hall, marching directly to the Slytherin table where Riki sat surrounded by his usual admirers. You slammed the offending quill down in front of him.

He looked up with infuriating innocence. "Problem?"

"Fix. My. Quills." Each word came through gritted teeth.

He inspected the quill with exaggerated care. "I'm flattered, truly, but I don't think I inspired this passionate declaration. Perhaps you've been harboring secret feelings?"

Several of his friends snickered. Your cheeks burned, but whether from anger or embarrassment, you refused to analyze.

"This isn't funny," you hissed. "I have a Charms practical in twenty minutes."

"Hmm." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "That is a problem."

"A problem you created!"

"I suppose I could fix it..." he mused, "for a price."

You crossed your arms. "What price?"

His smile turned mischievous. "Admit that I'm the better duelist."

This was an ongoing point of contention. You'd been evenly matched in Defense Against the Dark Arts since third year, much to both your frustrations.

"Never," you declared. "I beat you fair and square last week."

"You caught me off-guard with that modified Impediment Jinx."

"Which is called strategy," you countered. "Something you might understand if you spent more time studying and less time being an insufferable prat."

He clutched his heart dramatically. "You wound me. And here I thought we were friends."

"We are not friends," you said firmly. "We have never been friends."

Something shifted in his expression – so briefly you might have imagined it – before his usual smirk returned. "Fine. I'll fix your quills because I'm magnanimous and mature."

You snorted.

He flicked his wand, muttering an incantation under his breath. "There. Crisis averted. Though I was looking forward to Professor Flitwick reading poetry about my 'raven locks' and 'quicksilver reflexes.'"

"You're impossible," you said, snatching back your quill.

He winked. "Yet somehow you put up with me."

"Not by choice," you grumbled, turning to leave.

"Oh, by the way," he called after you, "pink is definitely your color!"

You frowned, then caught your reflection in a silver platter. Your hair had turned bright, bubblegum pink.

"NISHIMURA!"

-

It took three counter-charms to fix your hair, making you late for Charms and costing Gryffindor five points. Which was exactly what Riki had intended, no doubt. Your houses were neck-and-neck for the cup, and every point mattered in these final weeks.

Retaliation was necessary. And for once, you decided to beat him at his own game.

It took careful planning, timed precisely to the Slytherin Quidditch practice. A specialized color-changing potion in his shampoo (courtesy of a reluctant Slughorn, who thought you were doing "extra credit research"). By dinner, every Slytherin at the table was staring at Riki's violently pink hair and robes.

The best part? The potion was keyed to only activate for clothing in Slytherin colors and hair of his exact shade. No innocent bystanders.

His expression when he realized what had happened was worth the three nights of sleep you'd sacrificed to perfect the potion.

"Well played," he conceded when he cornered you after dinner, his robes still resolutely pink despite numerous attempts to change them back.

You allowed yourself a satisfied smile. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"This means war, you know." But he didn't sound angry – if anything, he seemed impressed.

"We've been at war since you turned my cauldron into a toad in first year," you reminded him.

"Good times," he sighed nostalgically. "Though I think you're forgetting that I never leave a prank unanswered."

You shrugged. "Do your worst, Nishimura. I'll be ready."

-

You were not, in fact, ready.

Three days later, whispers followed you through the corridors. Students giggled behind their hands as you passed. Even the professors were giving you strange looks.

It wasn't until Luna Lovegood approached you at lunch with her dreamy expression that you discovered why.

"I think it's very brave of you to be so public with your feelings," she said, patting your hand. "Though the singing Valentine might have been a bit much."

"What singing Valentine?" you asked, a sense of dread building.

She blinked owlishly. "The one you sent to Riki Nishimura this morning. With the cherubs and rose petals? It performed in the middle of the entrance hall."

Your blood ran cold. "I didn't send—"

But Luna had already drifted away, leaving you to face the horrified realization that Riki had successfully framed you for sending him the most over-the-top, public declaration of love in Hogwarts history.

The smug look on his face when you found him confirmed everything.

"That was LOW," you growled, jabbing a finger into his chest. "Even for you."

He captured your finger, gently pushing it away. "Just giving the people what they want. Half the school already thinks we're secretly in love, given how obsessed we are with each other."

"We are NOT—" you spluttered, then lowered your voice when you realized people were watching. "We are not obsessed with each other."

"Seven years of elaborate pranks suggests otherwise," he pointed out.

"Seven years of you being an absolute menace," you corrected.

He leaned against the wall, studying you with unexpected seriousness. "You know, anyone else would have reported me to McGonagall years ago. Yet you always retaliate instead. Why is that?"

The question caught you off guard. Why hadn't you ever reported him? It would have been the sensible thing to do.

"Because," you said finally, "that would be admitting you've won."

His slow smile was different from his usual smirk – smaller, more genuine. "And we can't have that, can we?"

"Never," you agreed, finding yourself smiling back despite everything.

The moment stretched, something unspoken passing between you before you broke the spell. "This isn't over, Nishimura. I'm going to make you regret that Valentine stunt."

"Looking forward to it," he called as you walked away.

-

Your opportunity came sooner than expected. You discovered quite by accident that Riki had been working on a modified time-distortion spell – not an actual Time-Turner, but a charm that created the illusion of time passing. His plan, according to the notes you'd "borrowed" from his bag during Potions, was to make you think you'd slept through your Arithmancy N.E.W.T.

Clever, but not clever enough.

You spent a week developing a counter-charm, designed to reflect the spell back on its caster. It was advanced magic, beyond N.E.W.T. level really, but the thought of beating Riki at his own game was too tempting to resist.

The night before the Arithmancy exam, you stayed up late in the library, knowing he'd make his move when you were exhausted and vulnerable. Sure enough, just after midnight, you detected the subtle shimmer of disillusionment as he crept toward your table.

You pretended to be dozing on your textbook, wand concealed but ready beneath the pages.

You felt rather than saw the moment he cast the spell – a strange ripple in the air, the whispered Latin incantation. In one fluid motion, you raised your wand and cast your counter-charm.

"Tempus Reflectum!"

Your spells collided in midair with a sound like shattering glass. Golden light erupted between you, blinding in its intensity. You felt a strange pulling sensation behind your navel, similar to a Portkey but stronger, as if something was yanking you through dimensions rather than mere space.

The last thing you saw was Riki's shocked face, his hand reaching toward you as the magic engulfed you both.

Then darkness.

You woke to sunlight on your face and the unfamiliar sensation of high-thread-count sheets against your skin. Your head pounded viciously, like the aftermath of a poorly brewed Wit-Sharpening Potion. Groggily, you rolled over, burying your face in a pillow that smelled of lavender and something else – a woody, spicy scent that was strangely familiar.

"Five more minutes," you mumbled, pulling blankets over your head.

Wait. These weren't your Gryffindor dormitory blankets.

Your eyes snapped open, heart racing. This wasn't your bed in Gryffindor Tower. The room was unfamiliar - spacious with burgundy accents and photographs you didn't recognize.

Worse, you weren't alone.

A warm weight pressed against your side. You turned your head slowly and froze. Nishimura Riki - your sworn enemy - was asleep next to you, his dark hair tousled, face relaxed in sleep, looking several years older than he should.

"What the—" you started, voice dying as your brain struggled to process the impossible sight before you. This wasn't right. This couldn't be happening.

Riki stirred beside you, mumbling something incoherent. His eyes fluttered open, unfocused at first. Then he blinked rapidly, confusion washing over his features as he registered the unfamiliar surroundings. When his gaze finally landed on you, he froze.

"Wait..." he said groggily, rubbing his eyes like he might be dreaming. "What's going on?"

You scrambled backward, nearly falling off the bed in your haste. "Why are you— Where are we—" The questions tumbled over each other, none completing themselves.

Riki seemed equally disoriented, looking down at his own body, touching his face. "I feel... different. Older?" His voice was deeper, his shoulders broader. This wasn't the lanky seventeen-year-old who'd been tormenting you yesterday.

"This isn't Hogwarts," you whispered, taking in the room. "This isn't my dormitory. Why are we in a bed? Together?" Your voice rose with each question.

Realization dawned on his face, horror quickly replacing confusion. "No. No way. Tell me this isn't..."

The fog of sleep dissipated completely, replaced by rising panic. "You!" he finally accused, pointing a shaking finger. "What did you do? Where did you bring us?"

"ME?" Indignation cut through your shock. "You think I did this?" You grabbed a pillow and threw it at his head with all your strength. "This is clearly one of your stupid pranks gone wrong!"

"My pranks are never stupid," he shot back automatically, then looked wildly around the room at the photographs, at the clothing visible in the open wardrobe, at the obvious signs of a shared life. "And I definitely wouldn't prank myself into... whatever this nightmare is."

You noticed a wand on the nightstand - your wand, but somehow more worn - and lunged for it. As you did, something gold caught the light. A wedding ring on your finger.

"No," you whispered, staring at your hand. "No, no, no."

Riki noticed his own matching band and went pale. "This isn't possible."

You rushed to the mirror and gasped. Your reflection was you, but older - mid-twenties at least, with different hair and a confidence in your eyes your seventeen-year-old self had never possessed.

"If this is your idea of funny, Nishimura—" you began, whirling back toward him.

"For the last time, this isn't me!" he snapped, running a hand through his hair. "I was trying to prank you with a time-distortion spell, not..." he gestured between you wildly, "whatever nightmare this is!"

"Time-distortion?" Your eyes narrowed. "That spell you were working on in the library! The one I countered with—"

"You countered it?" Riki jumped to his feet. "What did you use? What exactly did you cast?"

"A reflection charm. It was supposed to bounce your stupid prank back at you!"

"You interfered with experimental magic?" He looked genuinely appalled. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?"

"Oh, that's rich coming from you! The walking disaster who once turned the entire Great Hall ceiling into a swamp!"

"That was brilliant spellwork and you know it!"

Your shouting match escalated until you barely noticed the small figure appearing in the doorway. It wasn't until you heard a heartbroken sob that you both fell silent and turned.

A little girl stood there, maybe three years old, with tears streaming down her chubby cheeks. She had Riki's deep, dark eyes—so dark they were almost black—but your nose and mouth. Her black hair fell in messy waves to her shoulders, with a stubborn cowlick at the crown that somehow looked familiar. She wore mismatched pajamas—a Holyhead Harpies top and bottoms covered in tiny golden snitches. She was clutching a well-loved stuffed dragon, its once-vibrant green scales faded from countless hugs.

"Mama, Dada, no fight," she hiccupped, her lower lip trembling so dramatically that your heart clenched in response. "No fight, please."

The raw distress in her voice hit you like a physical blow. This child—your child, somehow—was devastated by your argument. And though your rational mind insisted she was a stranger, something deeper, more instinctive, recognized her as yours.

You caught Riki's expression changing from confusion to concern, his usual smirk melting away completely. His entire body language transformed in an instant—shoulders relaxing, voice softening to a tone you'd never heard him use before.

"Hey, it's okay," he said gently, approaching her with cautious steps and kneeling down to her level. "We're not fighting. We're just... talking loud."

His hand reached out to smooth her hair in a gesture that seemed so natural it startled you. The tenderness in his touch was nothing like the Riki you knew—the prankster, the rival, the perpetual thorn in your side.

"Loud scary," she whimpered, clutching her dragon tighter. Its head was tucked under her chin in a practiced motion of self-comfort. "Suki no like." Her voice broke on the last word, fresh tears spilling down her already damp cheeks.

Something powerful and overwhelming surged through you—a fierce, protective instinct you'd never felt before. Without thinking, you moved toward her, your body acting before your mind could catch up. It felt like gravity—like you physically couldn't stay across the room while she was crying.

You knelt beside Riki, your shoulders almost touching as you both hunched down to her height. "We're sorry we scared you, Suki," you said, your voice coming out gentle and soothing, as if you'd comforted this child a thousand times before.

She looked up at you with those big, tear-filled eyes—Riki's eyes, unmistakably—and something twisted in your chest. Recognition flashed between you, soul-deep, impossible to explain. You'd never met this child before today, but your heart knew her.

Your hand reached out of its own volition to wipe a tear from her soft cheek. The moment your skin touched hers, a rush of emotion flooded through you—love, protectiveness, and a bone-deep certainty that whatever else was happening, this connection was real.

"Dragon scared too," she said solemnly, holding up the stuffed toy. Now that you looked more closely, you noticed the dragon had a tiny Gryffindor scarf around its neck, clearly handknitted. "Puff needs hugs when scared."

"Puff?" you asked softly.

"Short for Puffskein," Riki explained automatically, then looked surprised at his own knowledge. "I think... I gave it to her on her second birthday."

Suki nodded vigorously. "Daddy said... said Puff keeps bad dreams away."

Your eyes met Riki's over her head, a moment of mutual bewilderment passing between you. How could he know that? How could either of you feel such instant recognition of a child you'd just met?

"Well," you said, finding your voice again. "Puff is right. Hugs do help when you're scared."

Suki looked at you hopefully, arms lifting in an unmistakable request. The gesture was so innocent, so trusting, that you couldn't refuse. You gathered her small body against yours, surprised by how naturally she fit in your arms, how right her weight felt. She smelled of baby shampoo and that indefinable sweet scent that seemed to belong only to children.

When she reached one arm out to include Riki in the hug, you watched his face cycle through confusion, hesitation, and then surrender. He moved closer, completing the circle, his arm brushing yours as he embraced both you and Suki.

For one strange, suspended moment, the three of you stayed like that—a tableau of family comfort that felt both foreign and achingly familiar. You caught Riki's eyes over Suki's head, and the confusion in them mirrored your own, but there was something else there too—a vulnerability you'd never seen before.

Suki's small hand patted your cheek. "Better now?" she asked, her tears already drying as children's often do, her resilience astonishing. She looked between you with such hope, such complete faith that her parents could fix anything, that you felt a lump form in your throat.

"Yes," you managed, though nothing was better, nothing made sense. "Much better."

Riki nodded, his voice slightly hoarse when he added, "All better, Suki."

She beamed then, her whole face lighting up with such joy that it physically hurt to look at. Her smile—your smile, undeniably—transformed her tear-stained face. "Suki fixed it," she declared proudly, patting her own chest. "Suki good helper."

"The best helper," Riki agreed, with a sincerity that sounded strange coming from him.

She wiggled out of the embrace, suddenly energized now that the crisis had passed. "Hungry now," she announced, as if the emotional storm had never happened. "Pancakes? With chocolate?"

"And berries," you found yourself adding, the words coming from nowhere. "You need something healthy with all that chocolate."

"Always saying that," Suki said with a dramatic sigh that was so reminiscent of Riki's that you almost laughed despite everything. "Boring."

Riki smothered what might have been a chuckle. "Some things never change," he murmured, so quietly only you could hear.

Suki grabbed both your hands in her small ones, tugging with surprising strength. "Come on! Sara waiting!"

As she mentioned the other child, another voice called out from somewhere down the hall—a younger, less articulate voice that nevertheless commanded attention.

"MAMA! DADA! UP!"

Riki's eyes met yours again, a silent question passing between you. Neither of you had to say it aloud: how could something feel so wrong and so right at the same time? How could these children be strangers and yet feel like they were pieces of your own heart?

Suki tugged more insistently. "Sara awake. She hungry too."

You allowed yourself to be pulled to your feet, noticing as you rose that Riki's hand lingered near your elbow, steadying you as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He snatched it back when he realized what he was doing, but not before you felt the warmth of his touch—so different from the antagonistic shoves and playful jabs you were used to exchanging.

"We should..." he began awkwardly.

"Yeah," you agreed, equally uncomfortable. "The other one—Sara—she sounds..."

"Impatient," Riki finished, a hint of his usual wry humor returning. "Wonder where she gets that from."

"Certainly not from me," you retorted automatically, falling into your familiar pattern of banter before you could stop yourself.

Suki looked up at you both, her dark eyes narrowing with that uncanny perceptiveness again. "No more fighting," she warned, squeezing your hands. "Promise?"

The way she said it—like she was the parent and you were the children—made something catch in your throat. This tiny person somehow had the power to make you feel both chastised and protected.

"Promise," you said softly, and meant it.

"For now," Riki added with a ghost of his usual mischief, but when Suki's eyes narrowed further, he quickly amended, "I mean, yes, I promise too."

Suki nodded, satisfied with your compliance. "Good," she declared. "Now pancakes."

She pulled you both toward the door with the confidence of someone who knew exactly where she was going and expected the rest of the world to follow. And somehow, despite everything—the confusion, the impossibility of the situation, the fact that you were in a strange house with the person you'd spent seven years despising—you found yourself following her lead.

As you passed through the doorway, your arm brushed against Riki's, and instead of flinching away as you normally would, you felt an odd sense of reassurance from the contact. You were both lost here, both confused, but at least you were lost together.

"Temporary truce?" you whispered to him, just low enough that Suki couldn't hear.

"Absolutely," he agreed, his voice equally soft. "But for the record, I still think this is somehow your fault."

"And I'm certain it's yours," you countered, but there was no real heat in it.

Suki glanced back, caught you whispering, and gave you both a look of such knowing approval that you wondered if she'd somehow orchestrated this whole bizarre situation. For a three-year-old, she seemed remarkably in control.

"Come on, slow pokes!" she called, tugging you forward. "Sara waiting!"

The voice from down the hall called again, more insistently this time:

"DADA! UP NOW!"

You followed in stunned silence, wondering what cosmic joke had landed you in a future where you and Nishimura Riki had not only married but created this earnest little peacemaker and her baby sister.

-

After a chaotic breakfast involving Sara wearing more pancake than she ate and Suki demonstrating her surprisingly advanced levitation skills ("No, Suki, we don't float the syrup to the ceiling"), you finally managed to settle the children with enchanted coloring books in the living room.

"We have approximately seven minutes before disaster strikes again," Riki muttered, watching Sara scribble with determined focus. "Let's use them wisely."

"We need to search the house," you whispered. "Find anything that might explain what happened or how to reverse it."

You split up, Riki taking the study while you explored the sitting room. The cottage was larger than it appeared from outside—clearly magically extended—with comfortable, lived-in furnishings that blended wizarding and Muggle styles seamlessly.

The walls were covered with photographs—magical ones that moved and Muggle ones that didn't. They told the story of a life you couldn't remember living: graduation from Hogwarts (standing suspiciously close to Riki), your wedding (looking disgustingly happy), Riki in formal Auror robes receiving some kind of commendation, you in professor's robes surrounded by students.

You paused at a series of photos displaying Suki's early days. There was one of you in a hospital bed, looking exhausted but radiant, cradling a newborn bundle while Riki sat beside you, one arm around your shoulders. The look on his face—pure wonder mixed with what could only be described as adoration—was so unlike any expression you'd ever seen him wear that you had to look away.

"Found something," Riki called softly from the study. "Photo albums. Lots of them."

You joined him, settling on the floor as he spread several leather-bound albums before you. Each was meticulously labeled in what appeared to be your handwriting: "Wedding," "Suki's First Year," "Sara's Birth," "Family Holidays."

"This is surreal," you muttered, opening the one labeled "Sara's Birth."

The images inside showed a progression: you with a rounded belly, Riki's hand resting on it with a proud smile; you in labor, gripping Riki's hand so tightly his fingers were white (that one gave you a small satisfaction); and finally, Riki holding newborn Sara, tears streaming unashamedly down his face while Suki peered curiously at her new sister.

"I look...happy," Riki said quietly, touching the edge of the photo.

"We both do," you admitted reluctantly.

You flipped through more pages, watching your impossible family life unfold. Holidays at what appeared to be his parents' home in Japan. Suki's first steps. Sara's naming ceremony.

"Look at this one," Riki said, pointing to a photo of both of you asleep on a couch, Suki as a baby nestled between you. The image captured pure exhaustion, but also undeniable contentment.

"This can't be real," you whispered, but the evidence was overwhelming. "How did we go from hexing each other to...this?"

Riki closed the album carefully. "More importantly, how do we get back to our time?"

You stood abruptly, pacing the study. "There must be something in this house—your research notes, my lesson plans, anything that might explain the magic that sent us here."

"Or how to reverse it," Riki added, rising to his feet.

"Exactly," you agreed, turning too quickly and colliding with him. His hands automatically steadied you, fingers wrapping around your upper arms.

You jerked away. "Don't touch me, Nishimura," you hissed. "Get your filthy fingers off me. God knows where they've been."

Something flickered in his eyes—hurt, perhaps?—before his usual smirk reappeared. He leaned closer, voice dropping to a whisper. "I don't know about God, but judging by these photos, I think I know where you'd like them to be."

Your face burned. "You're disgusting."

"And yet, apparently, you married me," he countered, gesturing to the ring on your finger. "Enthusiastically, from the looks of these albums."

You were about to deliver a scathing retort when a small sniffle from the doorway froze you both. Suki stood there, clutching Puff, her bottom lip wobbling dangerously.

"Mama and Dada fighting again?" she asked, voice trembling.

Pure panic flashed across Riki's face—the same feeling coursing through you. You had exactly two seconds to prevent another meltdown.

Without thinking, you stepped forward and wrapped your arms around Riki's waist, plastering what you hoped was a convincing smile on your face.

"Not fighting, sweetheart," you said quickly. "Dada and I were just...playing."

Riki, to his credit, recovered quickly. His arm slid around your shoulders, pulling you close against his side.

"That's right," he agreed, smiling down at Suki. "Mama and I were just being silly."

Suki didn't look entirely convinced. "No more loud voices?"

"No more loud voices," you promised.

She studied you both with those unnervingly perceptive eyes, then nodded slowly. "Okay. Sara made mess. Big mess."

You exchanged an alarmed glance with Riki before hurrying to the living room, where you discovered Sara had somehow gotten hold of a pot of Everlasting Ink. The black liquid covered the toddler, the carpet, and most of a nearby armchair.

"How—" you began.

"I left for one minute!" Suki defended herself. "One minute!"

You bit back a laugh at her indignant tone—so reminiscent of your own when dealing with Riki's pranks—and turned to assess the damage.

"I'll take Sara for a bath," Riki offered, gingerly lifting the ink-covered toddler. "You tackle the furniture?"

You nodded, surprised by how easily you both fell into problem-solving mode. "Suki, can you show me where we keep the cleaning supplies?"

The crisis was half-managed when a bright silver light burst through the window. A tabby cat Patronus landed gracefully on the coffee table, fixing you both with a stern, familiar gaze.

"Mr. Nishimura. Miss L/N ]," came Professor McGonagall's voice from the ethereal cat. "Or should I say, Professor and Auror Nishimura? I am aware of your...temporal predicament. Report to my office at Hogwarts immediately. Without the children, if you please. Eight o'clock this evening. Do try not to destroy anything else in the meantime."

The Patronus dissolved, leaving a stunned silence in its wake.

"She knows," you whispered.

"Of course she does," Riki said, Sara squirming in his arms, leaving ink stains on his shirt. "She's McGonagall."

"But how? And what did she mean 'destroy anything else'?" A thought struck you. "Merlin's beard—what if our spell did more than just send us through time? What if we changed something important?"

Riki frowned. "Or broke something magical."

"The timeline itself, perhaps," you suggested, feeling sick.

"Well," he said, shifting Sara to his other hip, "at least we don't have to figure this out alone now."

You looked around at the chaotic scene—the ink-stained room, the confused children, the evidence of a life neither of you remembered building—and felt a wave of hysterical laughter bubble up.

"What's so funny?" Riki asked, eyebrows raised.

"Just picturing McGonagall's face when we have to explain that this all started because you tried to make me miss an exam."

He opened his mouth to argue, then shook his head with a rueful smile. "We are so getting detention. For a month. Possibly the rest of our lives."

Suki tugged at your hand. "Who was the cat lady?"

You knelt down to her level. "That was Headmistress McGonagall. She's...an old friend."

"The scary one from your stories?" Suki asked, eyes wide. "The one who can turn into a cat?"

"Exactly that one," Riki confirmed.

Suki considered this information solemnly. "She mad at you?"

You exchanged a look with Riki. "Probably," you admitted.

"Definitely," he corrected.

"You need timeout?" Suki asked seriously.

This time, when your eyes met Riki's, you couldn't help it—you both burst out laughing, the tension of the morning finally breaking. Suki looked between you, confused but pleased that her parents were laughing instead of fighting.

"Yes, Suki," you managed when you could speak again. "I think Dada and I are in a very long timeout."

"The longest," Riki agreed, his smile—his real smile, not the smirk you were used to—making something flutter strangely in your chest.

You quickly looked away, focusing on the ink stain. Whatever was happening, whatever McGonagall knew, one thing was certain—you needed to fix this mess and get back where you belonged. Before you started getting used to Riki's genuine smile, or the way Suki's hand felt in yours, or the strange sense of rightness that kept creeping in despite your best efforts to ignore it.

Because this wasn't your life. It couldn't be. No matter what the photographs showed or how natural it sometimes felt.

...Could it?

Meeting with McGonagall had been exactly as intimidating as expected. Even as adults—or at least, in adult bodies—you both found yourselves fidgeting under her stern gaze like first-years caught out after curfew.

"Of all the reckless, irresponsible applications of magic," she'd said, pacing her office while portraits of former headmasters watched with varying degrees of amusement. "A temporal displacement caused by a schoolyard rivalry. Albus would have found this terribly entertaining." Her tone made it clear she did not share this sentiment.

McGonagall had explained, with remarkable patience, that your spell collision had created a rare but not unprecedented magical phenomenon. You had essentially switched places with your future selves—who were now presumably navigating your teenage lives at Hogwarts.

"So does that mean we can go back?" you'd asked hopefully.

Her answer had crushed that hope. "The magic will resolve itself naturally in approximately four weeks. Any attempt to force a reversal could cause irreparable damage to both timelines."

"Four WEEKS?" Riki had choked out.

"Consider it an educational opportunity, Mr. Nishimura," McGonagall had replied, the ghost of a smile playing at her lips. "A chance to see where your choices lead. Perhaps it will inspire better decision-making in your youth."

And with that decidedly unhelpful advice, she'd sent you both back to your cottage and your borrowed life, with instructions to maintain your professional obligations and "try not to destroy the timeline."

Which was how you found yourself standing in front of a classroom of third-year students the next morning, trying to remember anything useful about shield charms beyond the basics you'd learned in fifth year.

"Professor?" A Ravenclaw girl in the front row raised her hand. "You said last week we'd be practicing against minor hexes today."

"Right," you said, stalling. "But first, let's review. Can anyone tell me the three key principles of effective shielding?"

Thank Merlin for eager students. As they rattled off answers, you discreetly consulted the lesson plans you'd found in your desk drawer. Apparently, your future self was exceptionally organized—each lesson meticulously planned with notes on individual students' progress.

Meanwhile, Riki had reluctantly departed for the Ministry, armed with a crash course in current Auror protocols courtesy of a surprisingly helpful portrait of a former Head of Magical Law Enforcement hanging in McGonagall's office.

"Just act important and delegate everything," the portrait had advised with a wink. "Standard procedure for department heads after a vacation."

Department head. Apparently, Riki had risen quickly through Auror ranks to lead a specialized unit focused on magical smuggling and illegal enchantments. Your respect for your future husband's abilities had increased considerably—not that you'd admit it aloud.

The day passed in a blur of classes, staff meetings, and trying not to reveal your temporal displacement to colleagues who clearly knew you well. By evening, you were mentally exhausted but strangely exhilarated. You'd always secretly considered teaching, and discovering that you'd achieved that ambition was oddly satisfying.

Riki returned home via Floo just before dinner, looking shell-shocked but intact. The children greeted him with enthusiasm, Suki launching herself at his legs while Sara babbled excitedly from her high chair.

"How was it?" you asked once the initial chaos subsided.

"Terrifying," he admitted quietly, accepting the cup of tea you offered. "I'm apparently in charge of seventeen Aurors and coordinating with magical law enforcement across Europe. Me. The guy who once transfigured all the Slytherin common room furniture into rubber ducks."

"Well, you always were good at transfiguration," you pointed out, surprising yourself with the compliment.

He looked equally surprised. "Did you just acknowledge one of my skills without adding an insult?"

"Don't get used to it." But you found yourself smiling anyway.

Suki, ever watchful, observed this exchange with obvious approval. "Dada catch bad wizards today?" she asked, climbing onto his lap.

"Sort of," Riki answered, automatically adjusting to accommodate her. "Dada mostly signed papers and pretended to know what he was doing."

"That's what you always say," Suki giggled, clearly accustomed to this joke.

You watched them together, struck again by how naturally Riki had adapted to fatherhood. The boy who'd once charmed your quills to write nothing but love poems about himself was now patiently listening to a toddler's detailed description of her day at magical daycare.

"Miss Penny let me feed the pygmy puffs," Suki was explaining earnestly. "And I didn't even squeeze them too hard this time."

"That's my girl," Riki said, genuine pride in his voice. "Always improving."

Later, after you'd managed bathtime (Sara could apparently generate tsunamis with minimal water) and bedtime stories (Suki insisted on three, with different voices for each character), you and Riki faced the awkward reality of sleeping arrangements.

"I'll take the sofa," he offered, hovering in the bedroom doorway.

"Don't be ridiculous," you said practically. "That sofa is barely long enough for Suki. We're adults. We can share a bed without it being... weird."

Both of you knew this was a lie, but neither acknowledged it.

You established firm boundaries—a pillow wall down the center of the mattress and strict adherence to respective sides. You changed in the bathroom, emerging in pajamas you'd found in a drawer (thankfully modest), while Riki wore sweatpants and a t-shirt that he'd clearly transfigured to be baggier than its original fit.

"Goodnight," you said stiffly, turning your back to the pillow barrier.

"Goodnight," he replied from his side. "Try not to snore."

"I do not snore!"

"How would you know? You're asleep when it happens."

Just like that, you were arguing again—the familiar pattern a strange comfort in this unfamiliar situation.

You must have eventually fallen asleep, because the next thing you knew, you were waking to a small voice and the mattress dipping slightly.

"Mama? Dada? Bad dream."

Suki stood beside the bed in her Holyhead Harpies pajamas, Puff clutched tightly to her chest, eyes wide and frightened in the dim wandlight that automatically illuminated at her distress.

Riki sat up immediately, all traces of sleep vanishing. "What kind of bad dream, Suki-bean?"

The casual endearment slipped out so naturally that neither of you remarked on it.

"Monsters," she whispered dramatically. "In the closet. And under bed. And in curtains."

"That's a lot of monsters," you said, sitting up as well.

"So many," she agreed solemnly. "Need both Mama and Dada."

She was already climbing onto the bed, worming her way directly into the center—right over your carefully constructed pillow barrier. She settled between you, looking from one to the other expectantly.

"Both stay," she insisted. "Both keep monsters away."

Riki met your eyes over her head, silently communicating in that strange way you'd developed over the past few days. You nodded slightly.

"We'll both stay," he promised. "No monsters allowed."

"That's right," you agreed. "Mama and Dada are scarier than any monsters."

Suki considered this, then nodded decisively. "Mama has scary voice when Sara draws on walls."

Riki bit back a laugh. "She certainly does."

You elbowed him lightly, but couldn't help smiling. Suki snuggled down between you, one small hand gripping your pajama top, the other clutching Riki's shirt.

"Night-night," she murmured, already drifting back to sleep, secure in the knowledge that her parents would keep her safe.

You lay awake long after her breathing deepened, acutely aware of Riki doing the same on the other side of your daughter. Your daughter. The thought still sent a jolt through you.

"This is strange, isn't it?" he whispered finally. "How quickly this starts feeling..."

"Normal," you finished when he trailed off. "I know."

"I'm not as terrible at this as I would have expected," he admitted.

"And I'm not hexing you every five minutes, which shows remarkable restraint on my part."

His low chuckle vibrated through the mattress. "Perhaps we've matured. A little."

"Apparently enough to create this," you said softly, gently brushing a strand of hair from Suki's forehead.

"She's pretty amazing, isn't she?" The naked pride in his voice made your throat tighten.

"Both of them are."

Silence fell again, but it was different now—contemplative rather than awkward. Eventually, you drifted off to sleep, the last sensation being Suki's warm weight against your side and, just beyond her, the steady rhythm of Riki's breathing.

-

The next few days established a strange new routine. You taught Defense Against the Dark Arts by day, gradually growing more comfortable as muscle memory and your future self's excellent notes guided you. Your colleagues clearly respected you—Professor Flitwick even mentioned your recent paper on practical defensive applications of Charms work published in Transfiguration Today.

Riki adapted to Auror work with surprising skill, his natural talent for thinking outside conventional boundaries apparently serving him well in investigating magical smuggling operations. He returned home each evening with increasingly fewer looks of panic and more stories of actual accomplishment.

The children attended Little Sorcerers, a magical daycare in Hogsmeade run by a cheerful witch named Penny Clearwater who had apparently been a few years ahead of you at Hogwarts. Suki was in the "Developing Wands" group for magical children showing early signs of ability, while Sara stayed in the "Baby Beasts" room.

Domestic life fell into place with unexpected ease. You discovered household charms you'd never known, apparently perfected by your future self. Riki, much to your surprise, was an excellent cook—another skill his future self had developed.

"My mother always said cooking is just like potions, but with less chance of explosion," he explained one evening as he expertly charmed knives to chop vegetables. "Usually less chance, anyway."

One week into your strange displacement, you were sitting at the kitchen table grading essays while Riki played with the girls in the living room. His patient voice floated through the doorway as he explained, for what must have been the thousandth time, why Sara couldn't ride the toy broomstick Suki had received for her birthday.

"Because she's too little, Suki. Remember when you were her age and tried to ride Uncle Jake's broom? What happened?"

"I falled in rosebushes," Suki recited reluctantly. "And needed ouchie potion."

"Exactly. So Sara needs to wait until she's bigger, just like you did."

You found yourself smiling at the exchange. The Riki you knew from Hogwarts had never shown this kind of patience. But then, you'd never really looked for it either, had you? You'd been so busy competing, bickering, retaliating for pranks, that you'd never considered there might be more to him.

Later that night, after the children were asleep, you found yourself lingering in the study, examining framed certificates and photographs. Your teaching credentials from a specialized Defense mastery program. Riki's Auror certification, with honors. A joint commendation from the Ministry for some collaborative project.

Riki found you there, two mugs of tea in hand. He offered one silently, and you accepted with a nod of thanks.

"Strange to see what we become," he said finally, examining a photo of you both at what appeared to be a Ministry function.

"Not what I expected," you admitted.

"No?"

You gestured around the study. "Look at all this. Professional success. Academic recognition. A home, a family..." You trailed off, not quite able to complete the thought.

Riki did it for you. "Everything we secretly wanted but were too proud to admit?"

You looked at him sharply. "What do you mean?"

He shrugged, suddenly looking vulnerable in a way the seventeen-year-old Riki never would have allowed. "I never hated you, you know. I was just..."

"Competitive?" you supplied.

"Immature," he corrected with a rueful smile. "And maybe a little intimidated. You always knew exactly what you wanted and how to get it. I just knew what I didn't want—to follow my father into the diplomatic service, to be serious all the time."

"So you became the class clown instead?"

"I became whatever would get a reaction." His honesty surprised you. "Especially from you."

You weren't ready for this conversation—this glimpse beneath the surface of your carefully maintained animosity. So you deflected.

"Well, apparently it worked out for both of us." You gestured to the evidence of your successful careers. "Though I still can't believe I married someone who once enchanted my hair to glow in the dark during exams."

"In my defense, you looked incredible. Like a vengeful goddess."

Despite yourself, you laughed. "I was so furious. I couldn't figure out how to counter it for three days."

"I know." His smile turned reminiscent. "McGonagall finally took pity on you. But not before I got to admire my handiwork for half a week."

The ease between you was new and unsettling. It felt like a betrayal of your properly antagonistic relationship, yet it also felt... right. As if your bodies remembered a friendship—and more—that your minds hadn't yet experienced.

"We should sleep," you said abruptly, uncomfortable with the direction of your thoughts. "Early classes tomorrow."

Riki nodded, the moment broken. "Right. Of course."

You both headed to the bedroom, maintaining the pretense of the pillow barrier even though Suki had demolished it the past three nights in a row, inevitably climbing into your bed with complaints of monsters, bad dreams, or simply "missing Mama and Dada."

But as you lay in the darkness, listening to Riki's breathing slow on the other side of the useless barrier, you couldn't help wondering: If this was your future—a respected career, beautiful children, and an unexpectedly supportive partner—was it really something you wanted to undo?

The thought followed you into dreams where seventeen-year-old Riki laughed as he turned your hair pink, but adult Riki smiled as he helped you wash it out, his fingers gentle against your scalp and his eyes holding something you weren't ready to name.

-

Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains as you carefully extracted yourself from the bed, trying not to disturb Riki. Over the past ten days, you'd fallen into an uneasy routine—you rose early to prepare for your classes while he handled the nighttime wake-ups with Sara, who still wasn't sleeping through the night.

Today you had a particularly early staff meeting to review the upcoming O.W.L. practical examinations. You gathered your teaching robes and had just started toward the bathroom when a loud chiming sound filled the room.

A glowing orb materialized above the dresser—something like a remembrall but larger and pulsing with magical energy. You approached it cautiously, poking it with your wand.

The orb expanded, revealing the face of a woman you didn't recognize—though she clearly knew you, judging by her broad smile.

"Fucking finally! I've been trying to reach you since yesterday!" the woman exclaimed. Her curly hair was piled haphazardly atop her head, and she appeared to be wearing pajamas. "Did you get my message about Friday? Because Marcus is taking the kids to his mother's, and I'm desperate for a girls' night."

You froze, desperately trying to place her. This must be a friend of your future self—possibly your best friend, given her casual manner.

"I, um—" you stammered.

"Oh shit, did I wake you? What time is it there?" She squinted, then gasped dramatically. "Is that Riki in bed behind you? Sorry! Although..." her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, "since I've got you both, I might as well ask. That thing you mentioned last month? The tongue thing?"

Your face burned as you realized what kind of "thing" she was referring to.

"I tried it with Marcus but I must be doing something wrong because he just looked confused, and honestly, after three kids you'd think I'd have figured out how to keep things interesting," she continued, seemingly oblivious to your discomfort. "But you always seem to have Riki thoroughly fucked—he practically glows every time I see him—so clearly you're doing something right."

You heard a muffled sound from the bed and glanced back to see Riki stirring, his eyes opening with confusion that quickly transformed to interest as he caught snippets of the conversation.

"I mean," your friend continued, lowering her voice even more, "last time we talked, you said it was all about the pattern you use with your tongue and how you have to maintain eye contact the whole time? And something about using a specific angle? I tried but Marcus kept laughing and saying it tickled."

Riki's eyebrows shot up, and he propped himself on his elbows, now fully awake and listening intently.

"And then you mentioned that thing with the ice cube beforehand? Did you mean like directly on his—"

"I REALLY need to go," you interrupted desperately, but your friend was on a roll.

"—because that seemed extreme, but then again, your sex life is legendary. Remember at New Year's when you two disappeared for an hour and came back looking like you'd been mauled by something? And Riki couldn't stop smirking for the rest of the night? Merlin's balls, whatever you did to him must have been spectacular."

At this point, Riki had both hands clamped over his mouth, his entire body shaking with barely contained laughter.

"Anyway," your friend continued, blissfully unaware of the chaos she was causing, "I just need a refresher. When you grip his thighs, is it more about the pressure or the—"

"FOR FUCK'S SAKE!" you finally shouted, frantically tapping the orb, trying to end the call. "I'M ABOUT TO BE LATE FOR A MEETING!"

"Oh! Sorry!" she said, finally noticing your distress. "But just quickly—that position you mentioned, the one where you—"

"SILENCIO!" you bellowed, finally succeeding in muting her. But the call continued, her lips moving silently as she enthusiastically mimed what appeared to be a particularly athletic maneuver.

Behind you, Riki had lost his battle with composure. He was now howling with laughter, rolling on the bed and clutching his stomach.

"Holy shit," he gasped between fits of hysterical laughter. "Eye contact the whole time? Ice cubes? What the fuck do our future selves get up to?"

You finally located the deactivation rune and jabbed it violently. The orb vanished with a small pop, leaving mortified silence in its wake.

Well, silence except for Riki's continued uncontrollable laughter.

"I will hex you into next week," you threatened, your face burning hot enough to fry an egg.

"The fucking tongue thing!" he wheezed, tears streaming down his face. "And apparently I get 'thoroughly mauled' at New Year's? No wonder future-me always looks so damn pleased with himself!"

"Would you SHUT UP?" you hissed, grabbing a pillow and launching it at his head.

He caught it mid-air, his Quidditch reflexes intact even as he gasped for breath between laughs. "I can't—I can't breathe—"

"Good! Die, then!"

"Aww, don't be embarrassed," he teased, finally regaining some control. "Obviously our future selves enjoy fucking each other. We have two tiny munchkins as proof of that." He gestured toward the nursery with a grin. "Concrete evidence of at least two very successful encounters."

"This isn't funny, you absolute ass!" But your embarrassment was being overtaken by reluctant amusement at the absurdity of the situation.

"It's extremely funny," he countered, sitting up and wiping tears from his eyes. "Your face when she started mimicking that position—"

You launched yourself across the bed, determined to silence him before he could continue. Your hand clamped over his mouth as you landed half on top of him, using your body weight to pin him down.

"Not. Another. Goddamn. Word." You glared down at him, trying to look intimidating despite your undoubtedly bright red face.

His eyes crinkled at the corners, amusement evident even with his mouth covered. But then something shifted in his gaze—the laughter fading into something warmer, more intense. You suddenly became acutely aware of your position: straddling his lap, one hand over his mouth, your faces inches apart.

His breath was warm against your palm. You should move. You should definitely move. But your body seemed frozen, caught in the magnetic pull of his gaze.

Slowly, deliberately, he reached up and wrapped his fingers around your wrist, gently pulling your hand away from his mouth. The casual strength in his grip sent an unexpected shiver down your spine.

"Is this how you keep me thoroughly fucked and satisfied?" he murmured, voice pitched low in a way you'd never heard from seventeen-year-old Riki. "Pinning me down until I submit?"

Your breath caught. The air between you felt charged, crackling with a tension that had nothing to do with your usual animosity.

"I—" Whatever you might have said was lost as a piercing wail erupted from the nursery monitor on the nightstand.

"DAAAAADAAAA!" Sara's voice shattered the moment. "UP! UP NOW!"

Riki closed his eyes briefly, a mixture of frustration and resignation crossing his features. "Fuck. Perfect timing, as always," he muttered.

You scrambled off him, nearly falling in your haste to put distance between your bodies. "I should—shower. Meeting. Early."

Eloquence had apparently abandoned you entirely.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed, running a hand through his already disheveled hair. "I'll check on Sara."

"Right. Good. Yes." You edged toward the bathroom, clutching your teaching robes like a shield.

At the door, he paused, throwing you a look over his shoulder. "You know we're going to have to continue this conversation eventually."

"What conversation?" you asked, aiming for innocent and missing by several miles.

His smile was slow and knowing. "The one about all the ways our future selves apparently enjoy fucking each other. And maybe that tongue thing. Seems like valuable information we shouldn't waste."

With that parting shot, he left to tend to Sara, leaving you leaning weakly against the bathroom door, your heart racing and your mind filled with images you had no business imagining.

-

You'd just finished putting Sara down for her nap when the distinct crack of apparition sounded from the front garden. Wand instantly in hand—a reflex from your Defense teaching—you moved cautiously toward the window.

A petite Japanese woman in elegant midnight-blue robes stood at your gate, a large ornate box floating beside her. Her hair was pulled into a sleek knot at the nape of her neck, and though she must have been in her fifties, she had the posture of someone half her age.

"Riki!" you called, recognizing her from the family photos. "Your mother's here!"

There was a crash from the kitchen, followed by a string of muffled curses.

"My WHAT?" he hissed, appearing in the doorway with a look of undisguised panic. "Why? Did you know she was coming?"

"How would I know that?" you whispered back frantically.

"You're the one who's apparently been married to me for years! Don't you have a schedule or something?"

Before you could argue further, an imperious knock sounded at the door. You both froze like guilty first-years caught out after curfew.

Suki, oblivious to your distress, came barreling down the hall. "GRANDMA!" she squealed, reaching for the doorknob before either of you could stop her.

The door swung open to reveal Riki's mother, her stern expression instantly transforming into a warm smile at the sight of her granddaughter.

"Suki!" she exclaimed, setting down her floating package to sweep the child into her arms. "Have you been practicing your Japanese?"

"Hai, Grandma!" Suki replied proudly.

"Good girl." She kissed Suki's forehead before setting her down, then turned her attention to you and Riki, who was hovering awkwardly behind you.

"Darling," she greeted you with unexpected warmth, moving forward to embrace you. "You look tired. Is my son helping enough with the children?" She didn't wait for an answer before turning to Riki. "Riki! Your hair is a mess. Are you still sleeping until noon? You have responsibilities now!"

Without warning, she reached up and slapped the back of his head—a feat requiring her to almost stand on tiptoe, given the height difference.

"Mom!" Riki protested, rubbing his head. "It's good to see you too."

"Is it? When was the last time you visited?" She grabbed his ear and tugged, pulling his head down to her level. "Do I need to remind you of the importance of family?"

You bit your lip, trying desperately not to laugh at the sight of fully-grown Auror Riki being treated like a naughty schoolboy. The look of helpless resignation on his face suggested this was a regular occurrence.

"We've been busy with work, Mom," you intervened, taking pity on him. "Please, come in. Would you like some tea?"

She released Riki's ear and beamed at you. "Always so polite. This one knows how to show respect, Riki. You should learn from your wife."

"Yes, Mom," Riki muttered, rubbing his ear.

"Grandma bring presents?" Suki asked hopefully, eyeing the box that had resumed floating beside her grandmother.

"Just one special delivery today," Hana replied, guiding the box into the living room with a flick of her wand. "For your parents."

You led everyone into the kitchen, where you busied yourself preparing tea. Riki, clearly trying to behave, pulled out a chair for his mother.

"Such good manners," Hana observed with mock surprise. "Did your wife teach you that, too?"

"Mom..." Riki began with a long-suffering sigh.

"I'm teasing, Riki," she said, but slapped his arm anyway. "Mostly."

You placed a teacup in front of her, grateful that your future self apparently knew how she took her tea.

"Now," Hana said after taking a delicate sip, "about the item you asked me to find."

You exchanged a quick glance with Riki, neither of you having any idea what she was referring to.

"I've brought it, just as promised," she continued. "Though why you couldn't have asked for it during your visit last month instead of by owl, I don't understand."

"Work has been... unpredictable," you improvised, hoping it was a plausible excuse.

Hana made a dismissive gesture. "Always work with you two. But I suppose that's why you're both so successful." There was genuine pride in her voice, despite her criticisms.

"Suki," she said, turning to her granddaughter who was attempting to climb onto Riki's lap, "would you show me your new drawings? The ones you told Grandma about in your message?"

Suki nodded eagerly. "In my room! I drawed a dragon eating ice cream!"

"Drew, Baby," Riki corrected automatically.

"That's what I said, Daddy," Suki replied with the confidence of a child who could never be wrong. She took her grandmother's hand and began tugging her toward the stairs.

"I'll just be a few minutes," Hana said, allowing herself to be led away. "Riki, make yourself useful and start dinner. Your wife works all day teaching those hopeless children to defend themselves. The least you can do is feed her properly."

"Yes, Mom," Riki replied with practiced patience.

The moment they disappeared upstairs, he turned to you. "What the hell is going on? What did you apparently ask her for?"

"How should I know?" you whispered back. "Maybe it's in that box she brought?"

You both turned to look at the ornate package still floating in the living room. It was wrapped in deep blue silk with silver constellations that actually twinkled and shifted across the fabric.

"Whatever it is, it's fancy," Riki observed. "And apparently important."

"We can't open it until we know what it is," you said reasonably. "Your mother might expect a specific reaction."

"I haven't seen her this... pleasant... in years," Riki admitted. "Usually there's at least twenty minutes of criticism before she even considers smiling."

"She seems quite fond of me," you couldn't help noting with a slight smirk.

"Of course she is," Riki grumbled. "You're exactly the type of person she wanted me to be—studious, responsible, organized. You probably color-code your lesson plans."

"I do not!" you protested, then caught yourself. "Well, future-me might, but that's beside the point."

Before you could continue, Hana reappeared, sans Suki. "She's showing Sara her drawings now," she explained. "That child could talk for England in the Olympics."

"Wonder where she gets that from," you said, giving Riki a pointed look.

Hana laughed. "Exactly what I was thinking." She moved to the box and gestured for you to join her. "Come, I'll show you what I found. Riki, start the rice. The women are talking."

Riki rolled his eyes but obediently moved to the kitchen, muttering something about "impossible women ganging up on him."

Hana drew you to the far side of the living room, lowering her voice. "I wanted to give this to you privately first," she said, untying the silk wrapping. "So you can decide how to present it to him for your anniversary."

Anniversary? Your heart rate picked up. Exactly how close was this supposedly important date?

The silk fell away, revealing a carved wooden box with the Nishimura family crest inlaid in mother-of-pearl. Hana opened it carefully to reveal a stunning platinum pocket watch nestled in velvet.

"It belonged to his grandfather," she explained, lifting it gently. "Riki adored it as a child. Used to beg to hold it, would sit for hours watching the constellation dial shift with the seasons."

She opened the watch's case, revealing an exquisitely detailed night sky in miniature, with tiny stars that glittered and moved in real-time. The craftsmanship was breathtaking.

"His grandfather promised it to him when he became a man worthy of it," Hana continued, a soft smile playing at her lips. "But he passed before Riki finished Hogwarts."

She pressed the watch into your hands. "When you wrote asking if I still had it—if I would consider letting you give it to him for your fifth anniversary—I admit I cried. You understand my son in ways I never could."

Fifth anniversary. The words echoed in your mind. You and Riki had been married for five years in this timeline.

"I..." you began, genuinely moved by both the gift and the sentiment behind it.

"No need for words," Hana said, patting your hand. "I know you'll present it perfectly. Just promise me you'll take a photograph of his face when he sees it."

"I promise," you said sincerely, carefully returning the watch to its case.

"Good. Now hide it away before he—"

"Before I what?" Riki asked, returning from the kitchen with a dish towel over his shoulder.

Hana moved with surprising speed, snatching the box and thrusting it behind you. "Before you stick your nose where it doesn't belong!" she scolded, reaching up to tug his ear again. "Honestly, Riki, eavesdropping at your age!"

"I wasn't—" he protested, bending awkwardly to accommodate her grip on his ear. "Mom, please!"

"Go back to the kitchen," she commanded. "The rice will burn."

"It's in a spelled pot, it can't burn," he argued.

She released his ear only to slap the back of his head again. "Don't contradict your mother. Go. Shoo."

Riki shot you a pleading look, but you merely shrugged, hiding your amusement poorly. He slouched back to the kitchen, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like "traitor."

Once he was out of earshot, Hana handed you the box again. "Hide this somewhere he won't look. Do you have such a place?"

You thought quickly. "My lesson plan cabinet. He'd rather face a Hungarian Horntail than look through teaching materials."

Hana nodded approvingly. "Smart girl. This is why I always said you were too good for him."

"I don't know about that," you said, surprising yourself with the sincerity in your voice.

Hana's expression softened. "Neither does he. That's what makes you perfect together." She straightened her robes briskly. "Now, I should supervise his cooking before he ruins dinner. His father was the same way—brilliant man, hopeless with domestic spells."

As she marched toward the kitchen, you heard her exclaim, "Riki! What are you doing to those poor vegetables? Here, let me show you again..."

You slipped the box into your teaching bag, mind reeling. Five years of marriage. A thoughtful anniversary gift that Riki would apparently treasure. A mother-in-law who clearly adored you and whom you called "Mom" with ease.

This life—this future—kept revealing layers that made it harder and harder to dismiss as a nightmare or a prank gone wrong. Because parts of it, if you were being honest with yourself, didn't feel wrong at all.

They felt alarmingly, confusingly right.

From the kitchen came the sound of Riki's protests, followed by his mother's firm instructions and what sounded like another light slap. Despite everything—your displacement in time, your confusion about your feelings, the lingering embarrassment from this morning's call—you found yourself smiling.

Some things, apparently, never changed. Even in a future where everything else had.

-

Two days after Hana's visit, you were grading essays in the study when the fireplace flared green. Instinctively, you reached for your wand, still not entirely comfortable with the casual magical security of your future home.A man's head appeared in the flames—mid-thirties, with an easy smile and close-cropped hair. "Riki! You home, mate?" he called.

You hesitated, unsure how to respond. Thankfully, Riki appeared from the kitchen, and you were surprised to see genuine delight spreading across his face.

"Jake!" He rushed to the fireplace, the dish towel in his hands forgotten. "Merlin, it's good to see you."

The relief in his voice was palpable—this wasn't just recognition of someone from this future timeline, but someone he genuinely knew.

"Good to see me? You saw me three days ago at the office," Jake's floating head laughed. "Listen, just checking about tomorrow night. Seera's been on my case all week about what time you two are arriving."

Riki blinked, momentarily thrown. "Tomorrow night?"

Jake's expression turned exasperated. "The department dinner? Don't tell me you forgot. You RSVPed weeks ago."

"Right. The department dinner," Riki repeated, shooting you a panicked glance.

"Unbelievable," Jake said, but his tone was affectionate rather than annoyed. "I've been reminding you about deadlines since you were nine, and you still forget. Good thing I called. Seera would hex me into next week if you two didn't show—she's been looking forward to catching up with the professor here." He nodded in your direction.

You gave a small wave, noting how Riki seemed to relax into the familiar dynamic with Jake.

"It's just..." Riki began, running a hand through his hair, "with the children and everything—"

"Don't even start," Jake cut him off. "You already arranged for Molly Weasley to watch the girls. You told me yourself last week. Said it was your anniversary gift to yourselves—an evening without sticky fingers and bedtime tantrums."

Your eyes met Riki's, a silent message passing between you. He looked both relieved to be talking to someone from his past and confused by the new information.

"Right," Riki said, recovering his composure. "Sorry, just a long week. What time is it again?"

"Seven for drinks, dinner at eight," Jake replied. "At Theodesia's in Diagon Alley. The private room upstairs." He paused, then added with a knowing smirk, "Formal dress. You know how the boss loves any excuse for everyone to get fancy."

"Great," Riki said with more genuine enthusiasm now. "Looking forward to it."

"You'd better be. Seera's been practicing her speech all week." Jake winked. "She's determined to toast the department's most disgustingly perfect couple on their anniversary milestone."

"Our... right." Riki's hand went back to his hair—a nervous tell you'd noticed over the past weeks. "Wouldn't miss it."

"Excellent! See you both tomorrow, then," Jake said. His head started to withdraw, then popped back. "Oh, and Riki? Wear the blue dress robes. Your wife once told Seera they make your ass look fantastic."

With that parting shot and a laugh, he disappeared, leaving the fireplace ordinary once more.

Riki stared at the empty fireplace for a moment, a complicated mix of emotions crossing his face.

"You know him," you said, not a question but an observation. "From before all this."

"Jake Sim," Riki nodded, sinking onto the sofa beside you. "He lived down the street from us when I was a kid. Seven years older than me, but he always let me tag along when his friends played Quidditch. Taught me how to fly, actually." His voice softened with fondness. "Kind of the big brother I never had."

"That must be nice," you said carefully. "Having someone familiar in all this strangeness."

"It is," he admitted. "Weird to see him so much older, though." He glanced at you. "Apparently he works in the Auror department with me. That explains a lot—he always said he wanted to be an Auror."

"So," you said, returning to practicalities, "department dinner tomorrow."

"Apparently." Riki looked less panicked now, almost reassured by the connection to his past. "Formal. With at least one person I actually know."

"And a toast to our anniversary." You groaned. "Perfect."

"Let me check the details," Riki said, summoning his work organizer from his bag and flipping through to tomorrow's date. "Here it is. 'Annual Auror Division Recognition Dinner. Special achievement acknowledgments.' And in smaller writing: 'Jake and Seera Sim confirmed, Table 3.'"

"Recognition dinner? Is your future self getting an award or something?"

"I have no idea." Riki looked genuinely alarmed by the possibility. "I'm still trying to figure out where to find case files in my office."

You rubbed your temples, feeling a headache forming. "So now we have to attend a formal dinner with people who know us—our future selves—well enough to comment on how your ass looks in dress robes, make anniversary toasts, and possibly present you with some kind of award."

"Don't forget we apparently arranged childcare with Molly Weasley," Riki added. "Whom neither of us has spoken to in this timeline."

"Shit." You dropped your head into your hands. "This is getting more complicated by the day."

Riki was quiet for a moment, then said thoughtfully, "Maybe we should look at this as an opportunity."

You raised your head. "An opportunity for what? Public humiliation?"

"Information gathering," he corrected, looking more confident than he had in days. "Jake knows me—the real me. And he obviously knows our future selves well too. He might be able to help us understand how we ended up... here." He gestured vaguely between you. "Plus, if this is some kind of work event, I might learn more about what my job actually entails."

He had a point. And if you were honest with yourself, you were a bit curious about your social circle in this future life—especially this childhood friend who had clearly remained important to Riki into adulthood.

"Fine," you conceded. "But we need a strategy. Signals if one of us is getting into conversational quicksand."

"I'll step on your foot if you start heading into dangerous territory," Riki suggested.

"And I'll spill my drink on you if you do the same."

"Seems fair," he agreed, then glanced at the clock. "Should we... call Molly? Confirm the childcare arrangement?"

"As much as I'm dreading it, probably," you admitted. "We also need to figure out what to wear to this thing."

Riki stood up. "I'll check the wardrobe for the allegedly ass-flattering blue robes. You handle Molly."

"Why do I get the hard job?" you protested.

"Because she already loves you, Professor," he said with a grin. "Everyone does, apparently."

You threw a quill at him, which he dodged easily as he headed upstairs.

After an awkward but ultimately successful Floo call to Molly Weasley—who indeed seemed already aware of your childcare needs and waved off your attempts to confirm details with a cheerful "Of course, dear, just bring them over before six like usual"—you headed upstairs to assess your own formal wear options.

The master bedroom closet revealed an impressive collection of teaching robes interspersed with more formal attire. Near the back, you found several elegant dress robes and gowns that your seventeen-year-old self would never have imagined owning.

You were examining a particularly stunning deep green gown when Riki emerged from the bathroom, holding up a set of formal midnight-blue dress robes with silver embroidery along the cuffs and collar.

"Found them," he announced. "Think these are the ones that make my ass look fantastic?"

"I wouldn't know," you said primly. "I've never made a habit of assessing that particular feature."

"Liar," he said with a smirk. "I've caught you looking."

"I have not—" you began, then stopped at his triumphant expression. "You're just trying to get a rise out of me!"

"And succeeding." He grinned, then nodded at the green gown in your hands. "That one. It's phenomenal."

You glanced down at the gown, surprised by his comment. "You think?"

"I know." His voice had lost its teasing edge. "You wore something similar to the Yule Ball in fourth year. I remembered thinking..." He trailed off, suddenly looking uncomfortable.

"Thinking what?" you prompted, curious despite yourself.

"Nothing important." He focused intently on his dress robes, inspecting them for non-existent lint. "Just that you looked... nice."

The admission hung in the air between you, unexpectedly weighty. You'd gone to the Yule Ball with a Ravenclaw boy whose name you barely remembered now. You hadn't even realized Riki had noticed you that night.

"Well," you said, trying to sound casual, "I suppose this will do, then."

"We should probably practice," Riki said abruptly.

"Practice what?"

"Acting like... you know. A couple." His cheeks had colored slightly. "If these people know us well, they'll expect certain behaviors. Interactions."

"Like what?" You weren't sure if the flutter in your stomach was anxiety or something else.

"I don't know, exactly. But probably more than the awkward distance we've been maintaining." He gestured between you. "People who've been married for five years don't flinch when they accidentally brush hands passing the salt."

He had a point, loath as you were to admit it. Your attempts at playing happy couple in front of the children were unconvincing enough; fooling adults who knew you well would be even harder.

"What did you have in mind?" you asked cautiously.

"Just... getting more comfortable. Small things." He stepped closer, tentatively reaching for your hand. "May I?"

Your heart stuttered as you nodded, allowing him to take your hand in his. His fingers were warm, slightly calloused—Auror training, perhaps, or years of Quidditch.

"See? Not so terrible." His voice had dropped to a lower register that sent an unexpected shiver through you.

"I suppose not," you managed.

He took another half step closer. "At an event like this, I might... put my arm around you." Slowly, telegraphing his movements, he released your hand and slid his arm around your waist.

You tensed briefly, then made yourself relax into the contact. It felt strange—Nishimura Riki touching you without it being part of some prank or competition—but not unpleasant.

"And you might lean into me a little," he suggested. "Like it's natural."

Hesitantly, you shifted your weight, allowing your body to rest slightly against his. He was solid, warm, his familiar scent—sandalwood and something uniquely him—enveloping you.

"Better," he murmured. "Almost convincing."

You looked up, intending to make some sarcastic remark, but the words died in your throat. His face was much closer than you'd realized, his dark eyes studying you with an intensity that made your pulse quicken.

"People might expect us to..." he began, then paused. "That is, married couples usually..."

"Usually what?" you whispered, though you knew perfectly well what he meant.

His gaze dropped briefly to your lips, then back to your eyes. "Dance," he finished, stepping back abruptly and breaking the moment. "We should practice dancing. For tomorrow."

"Right," you said, ignoring the confusing pang of disappointment. "Dancing. Good idea."

"I'll, um, let you finish looking through your options," he said, backing toward the door with his blue robes still clutched in one hand. "Need to check on the girls anyway."

He disappeared down the hall, leaving you alone with a racing heart and the lingering sensation of his arm around your waist.

You turned back to the closet, fingers brushing against the green fabric of the gown. A formal dinner with colleagues who knew your future selves intimately. An anniversary toast. And Riki in robes specifically noted for how well they fit him.

Tomorrow night promised to be interesting, to say the least.

part 2

TL: @ziiao @seonhoon @beariegyu @somuchdard @ddolleri @zzhengyu @annybah @elairah @dreamy-carat @geniejunn @kristynaaah @zoemeltigloos @mellowgalaxystrawberry @inlovewithningning @vveebee @m3wkledreamy @lovelycassy @highway-143 @koizekomi @tiny-shiny @simbabyikeu @cristy-101 @bloomiize @dearestdreamies @enhaverse713586 @cybe4ss @starniras @wonuziex @sol3chu @simj4k3 @jakewonist @azzy02 @addictedtohobi @cherrybeomm @urmomdotcom5678 @jaeyunsbimbo @yongbokified @changbinniescurlyhair @en-whims

[unhakverse]

THIS IS AMAZING

[bonnszz]

Love Box

➸ Pairing: Nishimura Riki x Student! Reader (ft.Jungwon of Enhypen)

➸ Word Count: 21k. (removed some parts)

➸ Synopsis: The Love Box was a sacred treasure to the students of Decelis Academy where students pour their heart to people they admire anonymously. One of your responsibilities as the Radio Club president was to read the letters from the miraculous box. You previously hoped to have the ideal high school romance, as you were one of the victims of the aforementioned Love Box. Things don't work out as planned, though, and you find yourself in a romantic turmoil again when the recipient of your letter returns from their abrupt absence. 

➸ Themes: Higschool lovers to strangers, to lovers again. Fic is set in Japan (though Enhypen members are included and have Korean names lol), heavily inspired from the anime Ao Haru ride, and that one romance J-drama I saw a few years back, and another fanfic of Riki that I got inspired from.

➸ Warnings: Reader gives in quite often, Riki is very much a tease but a shy boy at the same time, a sliver of that love triangle, tooth-rotting fluff, a lot of cursing, it has that field trip and jealousy trope thats so typical lol.

➸ Author's Note: its finally here! thank you so much guys for waiting and supporting my first ever full on fic! i hope you enjoy reading this as much as i enjoyed writing it!! its such a cute romance story!

➸ Taglist: @rikidaze @yangjungwonnie @iboughtnjz @murazbae @shi-toshi @tasnemluvs @btsreadss @katslv0nyu @wondash @honey-bunnysweet @opheliaas-stuff @sadgirlluvsmoney @saeeeee5 @sol3chu @jisel8 (i cant seem to find this user?? im sorry!!)

THE START OF APRIL SYMBOLIZED NEW BEGINNINGS—Something new, something marking the cherry blossoms that effortlessly tumble across your hometown's pavement. Spring, as though you'd call it. And in a country like Japan, evidently, such a season is highly acknowledged

Which, ultimately, led to the idea of dreading school.

During summer break, refusing to go home was in every teenager's nature.

During school, however, going home seemed like comfort more than it should be.

And so, the hustle and bustle of the city did not aid your restlessness, constantly fidgeting and tapping your foot against the concrete's sidewalk as you wait for the red light to turn green.

Once it does, you strap your bag just a tad bid closer and begin to walk.

Dreading school has rarely ran through your mind. Rather, you found it enjoyable, memorable, even. However, whenever it does, the cause of such is because of one thing only— your school's club.

Taking the role and responsibility of being an officer in your school's Radio Club does wonders. Your tasks were simple: aid the Journalism club and announce the daily announcements to the whole facility. The latter, included playing music recommendations from students via CDs that they'd send, and most of all, reading random love confessions from the club's confession box.

It was a sporadic idea that started a couple of years back, by the previous president of the club. The reason being was the Radio Club's diminishing presence. With but a few members, and on the verge of of, "extinction" by the school, the club had to do something.

Which led to the confession box— the Love Box. The tactic had been effective, as during your freshman year, you went as far as tiptoeing to the club's room, slotting your heart-filled letter to the confession box to— someone unbeknownst to you now— and scurrying like you'd committed the biggest crime.

Something differed now, though.

And then, something inspired you to join the club the following year. It had already garnered a couple of members prior to you joining, but eventually, with your perhaps unknowing charm and slight knowledge in radio broadcasting (given your interest in them), you were soon given the position of vice president during your junior year.

You step into the asphalt building of your high school, it's gate accumulating a ridiculous amount of baby pink blossoms— one cascaded down your fingertips. You touch it gently. Something's different, because now, by all technicality, you are the president of the Radio club.

Which meant twice the responsibility, and twice the stress from wholeheartedly reading the letters from the Love Box.

As the president of the club, and taking it upon yourself to announce for the first day of school you arrived a couple of minutes earlier to prepare and rehearse the script at hand.

You made your way into the facility, to the room you've come to frequent during your free time. With the key— having been given to you by the previous president— you haphazardly and excitedly open the door.

It had been a little over two months since you'd step foot here, yet it feels indifferent as ever. You settled your bag somewhere, nearing the radio system, preparing, checking the sound, and testing it to ensure a smooth flow.

Then you go over your script, a couple of minutes pass.

fom behind the door, you hear the aimless chatter of the students. How their summer had progressed, little escapades and adventures, various topics that you could fathom.

Then, you tap the mic and finally spoke,

"The song for today is titled Cherry Blossom by Dept and Ashley Alisha."

Oh, I feel spring is coming And if you could be mine for the season I could show you why you need me, baby

"Happy first day of school, students of Decelis Academy! We're kicking it off with an upbeat song."

So if you're feeling lonely, dear Then throw away all other reasons You can blossom like the trees do, baby

"How is everyone's summer break? The Radio club wishes it was prosperous and enjoyable to everyone."

No, don't you know, like the flowers grow You can grow to have commitment, baby

"Now, we turn to a new page and chapter in our academic life. Leave the troubles and problems behind, and face today with a smile."

So trust me only if you're really okay to give me your love This might never come back again

"The assembly will begin in ten minutes, all students please proceed to the gymnasium."

And when the flowers bloom I hope that we can, too

" Let's all make this year a good one, everyone!"

And we'll blossom in love Cherry blossoms and us

"I seriously cannot believe you right now!"

"Hey— Ow! Stop I said I was being serious!"

When school rolls around, it is practically inevitable for random bruises to appear in your arm.

"I missed you too, Rei." You wince in pain, rubbing your arm. Following your radio announcement, the assembly, and the students settling down their perspective seats, you find yourself, well... In the very same classroom and section as your best friend, Rei.

Short and stubborn, an individual who has terrible eyesight but great knack in discriminating others— Rei was the perfect salt to your sugar, Clyde to your Bonny, hate to your love— she was anything and everything alike; your complete opposite.

If you do so much as take a liking to someone, her immediate response would be— he's short, he's weird, he's rowdy, why are his grades low?

And it didn't matter, for whenever you do end up taking an infatuation to someone, say that senior the previous year, who was practically the epitome of perfect, Rei would have nothing to say. So, in short, her radar is never cut short. She's strict, but protective in a way. And when she finds out no flaws, she's all ears and no mouth. She was practically like the little eyes to your blind body.

"As if!" Rei scoffs, she's stubborn, too. "I can't believe you didn't tell me you got a cat. I could've come over and we could have cuddled!"

You rolled your eyes, "As if, you'd pretend I didn't even exist and all you'd care about is the cat!" Rei snickers, "Totally."

You laugh, looking at the window. Despite the totally overbearing pressure on your shoulders as a senior, on the bright side, your classroom was located at the third floor. And by some random luck, your seat was right beside the window, making it easy for you to feel the breeze and comfort of the air.

Perhaps with such a view, you'd think way less of your future, your college, the career you aren't even sure of pursuing, your life and—

"You have to stop with that look." Rei cuts off with a scoff, "What look?" you practically shot back.

"Like the world is practically against you, like you're in a war or something." You look over her direction, she rolls her eyes, "Come on, let's go get something to eat to distract you."

And as always, somehow, she was always just aware of whatever the hell runs through your mind.

Melon bread, a milk bread, and a carton of banana milk were all you took from the school cafeteria. You and Rei head over to pay for your food when your eyes suddenly scan over a piece of fish shaped bread; bunggeopang. What once used to be your favorite— now, it had only reminded you a bit of something— an empty, hollow, hole. Once, it was filled to the brim with stars and colors.

You shoved the incredulous thoughts away. You're crazy. You immediately thought. Pondering over something that once lingered in the past. It was stupid, it was ridiculous, it was—

"It was him, I really swear it was!"

"Are you sure? You're probably just hallucinating."

"No, he's like, back or something, I heard."

A student abruptly bumps into you, causing you to stumble and lose your footing. Luckily, Rei grabs hold of your arm and stabilizes you, "You good?" She asks, turning her heel to curse at the said students, but you stop and reassure her otherwise.

"I'm good, it was no big deal." You laugh, brushing it off. Rei rolls her eyes, "I swear, students don't know how to watch where they're going these days." She says. You only laugh, paying for your snacks over the counter, "They really don't."

You leave the cafeteria, walking with Rei side by side. Not far away from it, you hear an assembly of boisterous screams and squeals on the way to your classroom. It hadn't perked of much importance, until a student who'd absent-mindedly walked beside you with a friend spoke,

"Who's back?"

"I heard Nishimura Riki's back."

You try your hardest not to puke, you really do. But the name that lolls of the tongue of the person has your mind running and circles, your stomach doing flips, and your mind tumbling in a jumble.

Who, exactly, was back?

"Nishimura Riki's back?!"

It was as if they could hear you.

You felt your soul parting from your physical body, it's remnants floating in the air to be taken for the gods as they laughed below, at your horrendous, terrified, alarmed face.

It was laughable, really. How you remained frozen, still, unnerved. It was impossible to move your feet, they weren't budging. The food you carried had felt twice its size— you really could not move.

"Hey, hey, are you okay? Why're you just—"

"Rei, did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

Rei was confused. But before she could do so much as to get a word out, you drag her arm across the hallway and lead her towards the other end with hurried steps.

"Hey— what are you doing! Our classroom's—"

And you lead her to somewhere a little more desert where the squeals and screams were still in line with your ears, but not enough to garner attention. You spoke, "I heard from them that Nishimura Riki is back."

"He's— What?!"

You nod, repeatedly. Twisting, turning, shaking your whole entire existence. "I just felt my body freeze up there, oh my gosh."

"What do you mean, he's back?" Rei repeats and you confirm her question. Nishimura Riki is back.

The Nishimura Riki— the person you dedicated your letter inside that Love Box during your freshman year.

Nishimura Riki— the person who was a friend, but more than a friend.

Nishimura Riki— the person who was less than a boyfriend.

That was, until he left to god knows where without a trace.

And now, he's suddenly back?

"Oh, the nerve he has to—"

"Don't." You interject. Rei's reaction was exactly what you'd imagine, and as much as it poses as a problem in your already anxious brain, you didn't want to make the problem bigger than it ought to be.

"It's... Fine." You say to Rei with a weak smile. It wasn't.

"Is it really, though? That bastard left without a trace, not even a single clue! And he has the nerve to come back."

You feel Rei's anger bubble up, though you couldn't fight back. You felt the exact same, a burning sensation coiling in the pits of your stomach. In the back of your mind, ran a million questions.

What is he doing back here?

Why did he leave with no so much as a trace?

What could he be doing that led him to disappear like a ghost?

Most importantly— how was he doing?

You hated yourself for even thinking of the latter part, yet much was true. As much as you ached to slap him in his face due to anger, part of you couldn't help but think how he's doing now. Is he doing good? Eating good? Taking care of himself?

But you keep it as a thought, partly because you know Rei would kill you if you do so much as voice it out, and also because why would you dare say something like that to the man who broke your heart?

"I know, but I've let it go, I promise." You muster up another smile. You haven't.

Rei looks at you, and despite already knowing the answer, she lets it go. "Are you sure?"

You nod, and she intertwines her arms with yours, "Don't worry, I won't let him get to you, I really swear."

Good, because if she doesn't, you feared you might be the one to come to him instead.

"Yeah, thank you."

Arm in arm you began to resurface and walk with Rei towards your classroom. The squealing had died down a bit, indicating that perhaps his obnoxiously still present fan base had gone off.

You heaved a sigh of relief, and headed towards your classroom, you could only hope you wouldn't bump into him. For today, tomorrow, and the rest of the year as well.

The bell finally rings, the teacher having had enough of their lecture.

It was lunch time now.

Today was like any other, despite it being the first day of school. Rei would go and eat with her club members, as you would head to the Radio club room and read some anonymous confessions placed inside the Love Box. It was a specific highlight of your day.

Some of the letters would contain random confession you had an inkling idea on who the writer would be, some would contain little notes for advice and you'd wholeheartedly offer it.

You liked to consider yourself a pretty good consultant when it came to relationships.

Of course, when it came to yours— that was a different question, and a different point altogether.

You make your way towards the room after waving a short goodbye to your friend, immediately putting the box inside and unlocking it with your magical keys.

As it had been the first day of school, you half-expected a bundle of letters to come pouring out. It was usually like this, a sudden burst of love confessions once the first day of school began, receding to occasional ones as the weeks pass by.

You were right, though, as your fingertips come into contact with one of the letters in a soft baby pink envelope, its color closely resembling cherry blossoms. A stupid, lovesick grin makes its way into your features. There were a couple more, some just plain white envelopes, some embedded with kiss marks and cute designs that you couldn't help but coo.

Over the course of lunch, you'd read over these letters, sometimes going through half, sometimes accomplishing the tasks of finishing them.

However, with today's bunch, it seems it would take you until tomorrow. You really had to call a meeting with your members for a rotation for the readings of these letters.

You make your way towards the radio system, setting it up once more and preparing the baby pink letter, its contents, delicate and fragile against your fingertips.

"Good afternoon, this is the Radio Club, we've finally arrived for the most awaited part of the day."

You smile,

"But first, let's play a song that was requested to me by a student."

You grab the CD, tuning it in and playing the song.

"Everything Has Changed but Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran."

As you read, you lower down the volume.

All I knew This morning when I woke Is I know something now Know something now I didn't before

"To the person I really love the most,"

And all I've seen Since eighteen hours ago Is green eyes and freckles and your smile In the back of my mind making me feel like

"It's a little bit stupid not admitting my feelings out loud and putting up a facade in order to confess, but this was the best I could muster, really."

I just wanna know you better, know you better, know you better now I just wanna know you, know you, know you

"But we've been avoiding like crazy each other these past few days, what could I possibly do? I'm scared of your response, scared of what you'll say to me. I've never felt anything like this before."

Cause all I know is we said, "Hello" And your eyes look like comin' home All I know is a simple name And everything has changed

"We aren't like this before, it's driving me insane, you know? I hinted all of a sudden that I liked you, and then you're in complete avoidance right after! It's scary..."

All I know is you held the door You'll be mine and I'll be yours All I know since yesterday

"Falling in love is scary... I do know of one thing though— I really like you, so, so, so much. I hope... This letter reaches you well, somehow."

Is everything has changed

You read a few more letters, playing along some of the recommended and handed CDs to you by your peers and schoolmates, ultimately reading enough as the bell rang once more and you had to wrap up and broadcast your final announcements.

You fixed your stuff, engulfing your thoughts in the letter you'd just read, feeling a familiar pit bubble up. The person the writer reached out to was in complete avoidance, in denial of their feelings. What a shame. You thought. You hoped, though, they are able to solve that problem sooner or later.

Lack of communication is hell, even worse than breaking up itself. You have no closure, have nothing at all. A sudden knock came upon your door, assuming it had been Rei, you mumble a short ‘come in.’ You hear the door creak, your back faced the person as you continued arranging your things,

"I'm almost done with this!"

"Hey, the teacher's looking for you."

A deep voice chimed in, one that’ defintely did not belong to Rei.

Rei's voice isn't that deep, that low, and raspy either. What? Has she caught a cold or something?

You turn around, only to be proven wrong. And then, the sudden urge to barf and flee returned within an instant.

Indeed, what was in front of you right now was not Rei.

It was Nishimura Riki, in the flesh.

"Ah... I see..." You mumble more so to yourself, panic rushing all over your body as you hurriedly put your notebooks in your bag. One came falling down, the rest following suit. You curse beneath your breath, kneeling down and picking it up.

You hadn't felt him come near, only taking sensation of it once of his hands aided you in grabbing the notebook, fingertips brushing against yours. A short electric jolt was sent through your spine, from your vision, all you could see were his veiny and long hands, stacking your notebooks and handing them to you.

Nothing else, not even his arms, his head, his eyes, nothing.

"Do you always bring this much stuff?" He chuckles. It was the first time you hear him chuckle in a year. The mysterious feeling appeared, the urge to puke having been long gone. Yet you don't answer, your own mouth betraying you and lacking to give some sort of answer.

Instead, you fixate yourself on your bag.

"Thank you." Was all you mumble, standing up once you were done and Riki follows suit. Finally, you gained the courage to take a peek at his features.

Not much has changed, really.

Except... His voice was way deeper, he was way taller, features more sharper than before.

Gosh. Is it really possible to change this much in just a year?

Perhaps it was just you thinking of such. After all, you have Riki memorized like the back of your hand. It didn't matter where he was, in a large and rollicking crowd, you'd be able to tell him apart.

Now, you weren't so sure.

A smug grin makes its way to his features. "You done staring?"

Well, he's still as cocky as ever, that feature of his remained.

You scoff, rolling your eyes, "As if." and brushing past him like air. You had to make him believe you were unfazed with his presence suddenly appearing with the snap of a finger. You had to make him think, "Oh, I wasn't such a big deal to her? That hurts."

As much as he was a bigger problem than anything else, you refused to back down.

After what he's done? Over your dead body.

"Why was she looking for me, by the way?"

You say, as your back faces Riki. You don't turn around, so you don't acknowledge the fact that he's already besides you, hands in his pocket, shrugging his shoulders. Stupid ass long legs.

"Something about me, I guess. Maybe she wants to reunite us?" The latter part of his sentence had a hint of mischief in it, but you were not having it. "That would be the president's job, not mine."

"And could you move out? I need to lock and close the doors."

"Woah, you've got a bit of a bite now, I like it." He laughs, following your instructions anyways and exiting the room.

“Anyways, thanks for that. You can go now, if you need to catch up on some things, please do so by approaching the class president.”

You walk away after locking the door, hurried and brief, fully intent on brushing him off. But Nishimura Riki stays grounded, walking alongside you, even having the nerve to place his unimaginably long hands atop your head and ruffling your hair.

It’s what he’s always done before, a habit of his which was dangerous. It didn’t help that there were students around, gaining you some questionable looks. “Stop that.”

“The teacher told me to bring you along. Not call you.”

Great. As if this was making the circumstance any better.

“I see, fantastic.” Sarcastic.

Riki pretended to feign hurt, teasingly poking his heart with a finger, “Ouch. I missed you too.”

“And I—“ you look at him straight in the eye, and he does the same. You frown, “Don’t. So stop acting so chummy with me.”

Behind Riki’s playful words, his eyes painted itself with something like… Hurt. But you must’ve been mistaken, because a second after, he was teasing you again. “You’re reaalllyyyy stubborn now. It’s cute.”

“Stop.” You say, distancing yourself from him just a bit as you make your way towards the teacher’s office. Riki doesn’t pry any further, opting to give you a playful laugh as he inserts his hands in his school pants.

God, if you hear him laugh again, you would go insane. As in— I miss your laugh, I wanna kiss you type of insane.

Which is not even good.

The two of you finally reached the office, knocking gentle and entering after hearing a come in from your teacher. Contrary to what you had been hoping, Niki was right. The teacher truly believing that you had now reconnected like old pals (deeming it as a situation which you are aware Riki left) and ultimately, putting you up against a situation you know you would regret in the long run— to help him catch up with tasks and work.

Which, how did that even make sense?

It’s the first day of school! He quite literally has nothing to catch up on. According to your teacher, however, most of the subjects would base and stem from your previous subjects during your junior year, which of course would naturally make it hard for Riki to catch up. That’s where you come in, apparently. The task was simple: tutor Nishimura Riki until he gets his ass settled down.

What, did he not do school in whenever the hell he disappeared to?

He doesn’t even need to settle down, its his old school! He knows every nook and cranny.

“It’s just going to be beneficial for the three of us, you two are already close so it won’t be much of a hassle to navigate through and help Riki.”

“Not clo—“

“Thank you, Mrs Koichi-san.” Riki smugly grins at the teacher, “I’ll make sure to listen well to Y/N.” Then he looks at you, smiling faintly. Though from the back of your head, it felt sarcastic and forced.

“She’s a great mentor, after all.”

Mrs-Koichi smiled. “Thank you, Y/N. I expect nothing less of you.”

There it was again. The overbearing expectance of something. Of course, there had to be something. You offered her a tight-lipped smile back. You couldn’t refuse, you couldn’t dare to do so now.

“Sure, Mrs-Koichi. I’ll make sure to fill Riki in on the missing tasks.”

As forced as it may sound, it didn’t feel too bad in the back of your head.

Perhaps it was just the little voices screaming inside your head, the little demon and angel bearing upon your shoulders. This wasn’t good. But at the same time, this was what you’ve been waiting for the whole time. It didn’t feel too good, though.

Riki and you turn to leave the office after a short bow, the awkward silence hanging in the air. Maybe it was only you that felt that way. Riki breaks the silence, “So… When are you available?”

“What?”

“I said when are you available, I actually do need catching up.”

You see his sheepish gaze, the way he reluctantly scratches the nape of his neck with his hand.

“You’re actually serious?”

He looks at you like some sort if joke. “Why would I not be?”

“Well…”

You ponder, but opted close your mouth. Riki is not the type to care about such stuff. Though you said you’d fill the words of expectations of your teacher, regardless of what you do, you’ve always pegged and known him the type to just not care at all. Countless have you tried to get him to care a little bit more about his studies, given the fact that he was part of the basketball team and being a fragment of that team meant having somewhat considerable grades.

He did, but he only ever does so much. Bare minimum, per se. Enough to have his spot kept at the basketball team, and enough to earn him a scolding from his mother the moment she sees his grade.

So, this was rather a surprise to you. “Um… When do you want to start?”

He grins, a glint of surprise feigning his eyes, “Are you free later after class?”

You think about it. Rei wouldn’t be too pleased about the situation at hand, but you are only helping Riki with his grades. After this, everything will completely dissipate.

Right?

“Yeah, sure. At the library it is, then.” You nod towards him, Riki smiles softly, suddenly ruffling your hair once more. “See ‘ya then.”

Then before you could even do or say something, he was walking off like the most nonchalant person ever. Like he didn’t just make your stomach tumble in agony, like he didn’t just capture a thousand, million butterflies and stuffed them inside your mouth and mouth saying— It doesn’t matter it feels like you’re pushing me aside, I still got to you anyways! Hah!’

“You’re stupid.”

“I know.”

“Knowing doesn’t count, I have to drill that into you— youre oblivious and stupid.”

“I’m not oblivious! Just stupid and— ugh. You know what? I don’t see the point in defending myself.”

“Good, because you don’t have much of a fight anyways.”

Rei scolds you.

As she always does when you end up making some sort of stupid decision. And by all decisions and every decision ever— This was your stupidest one by far. It had dawn upon you, how ridiculous the situation really is. You couldn’t justify yourself, what is there to justify? Your lingering feelings?

“I’m just helping him, okay? The teacher wanted me to do it.”

“And? Why couldn’t Mrs-Koichi ask like, I don’t know, someone from his class, like— the class president. I know she must have a major crush on him or something.”

You remove your hands from your tangled hair, the words picking at you. “What?”

“You know? Naomi. She’s always the class president in whatever class she’s in.”

“She’s the class president?"

“I mean, there’s no technical election yet from what I heard but it’s practically obvious. It’s like, a tradition at this point.”

Kazu Naomi.

You had no particular beef or dispute with her, except for maybe the fact that she was too perfect for your liking. Always at the top of her class, prim and proper— she was as pristine as a diamond could possibly be. Teachers rarely reprimanded her, students coo at the mention of her name. She was as ideal as ideal could possibly be.

During your freshman year, she’d taken a particular liking to Nishimura Riki, unbeknownst to you. She hadn’t done so much as to voice it out, but girl to girl, you fervently felt it. Felt the way she scooted a tad bit closer to Riki whenever she talked to him, felt the way she scooped a strand of her hair behind her ear in an attempt to make it look cute, the way she delicately spoke like a fragile little flower in front of him, attempting the most obvious things to try and get his attention.

And you couldn’t blame her, because she always had the means to do so. She was pretty, kind, outgoing, and confident too. Someone who’d perfectly balance Nishimura Riki’s stoic, stern, and ridiculously cocky demeanour. But, well, life takes surprising terms at times and by the end of it, the thoughts of them together were but a lingering fantasy for majority of the students' mind. Wondering, why you out of Naomi? Wondering, what exactly made you different?

She only do so much as let her admiration linger.

And you feel this very moment right now that it still lingers. But it shouldn’t matter, it was really none of your business. It really shouldn't matter, you think to yourself as you scribble down the possibilities of the two getting together given they are in the same class. It really, really shouldn't matter.

"I hope you know you're stupid and you know what you're getting yourself into."

Last period, you had yourself in a little frenzy. Minutes had felt like hours, and once the clock had finally ticked and it was time to go, you bolted as fast as you possibly could and fixed your things.

Rei sensed your hurriedness, and in no particular attempt to try and stop you, she just sighs and ought to give a warning. Which, ultimately surprised you as you halted to look at her, "You're not pulling me away or something like that?"

As what she'd always do when a guy doesn't pass her radar.

She just shrugs, "I don't really want you miserable and coming to me after. Or, have you miserable because you were too much of a wuss."

You just snort, "I suppose it wouldn't help if I tell you that— no, I don't really know what in the world I'm getting myself into."

"I know that."

"How?"

"I just do. Now go and help that guy get his shit together."

You smile, and with the heels of your feet, the tight clasp of your hands against each other, and a loudly beating heart— you just ran.

"What subjects in particular do you need help with?" You scan a particular textbook, a couple of books splayed across the table in front of you.

Beside, was Nishimura Riki who mindlessly rolled his pen around his fingertips. It was 3PM, a couple of hours before the library closes. Tutoring him for perhaps a single subject would suffice, two if you were lucky.

Riki hums to ponder, then he speaks, "Chemistry. I suck at it."

You nod, "I checked the curriculum, if it's right, I suppose we'll be tackling Intermolecular forces first." Riki nods along as you skim through the contexts of the chemistry book and handout for your grade level. It was not a particularly hard topic but succeeding these would mean to a new topic filled with computation.

You know it was Riki's waterloo, so you proceeded to explain such concepts in the most basic manner. You sat beside him, pencil in hand as you wave your hands around in an attempt to discuss the topic at hand. From your peripheral vision, Riki listens.

Albeit slouching, laying his head atop his hand and his arm resting lazily on the table, Riki listens. Silent, unnerved... Just attentive. Attentive of the way you mumble 'hmm' every time you messed a word up, the way you furrow your brows when thinking, the way you click your pen around.

He doesn't listen to whatever the hell that Intermolecular force is— he listens to you.

Unmindful of his actions, Riki's hands come to lose being astray as his left makes its way towards a strand of your hair— your bangs. His fingertips unconsciously move a strand of hair away from your features, an occurrence that makes you halt and freeze.

Riki soon realizes that he's done because he pulls back the second after, choking on his own words as he apologizes. "There was... There was something in your face." He defends.

You nod slowly, feeling the tinge of heat creep up your cheeks. "I see." Were all the words you can muster.

"I swear it—" Riki pulls back, "Don't bark up another snarky response, please god, no."

A sudden chuckle leaves your mouth, "What? Are you afraid of it or something." it was a rhetorical question, one that he answers, "Yes."

You eye him seriously for a second, then you scoff, mumbling beneath your breath, "Serves you right."

Riki gasps exasperatedly, "What?"

"I said, serves you right." You repeat this time, with a bit more force and weight as you dared to look at him, Riki looks at you with, surprised, but intrigued. "Are you... Mad at me right now?"

"I'm not. Why would I be? I have no reason to be."

Riki just snorts, poking your cheek ever so gently, "Why're you acting like that then?"

"Like what?"

"Like your boyfriend just left you or something."

Does Riki even know? It did indeed feel like that. It had felt like a thousand crumbling worlds was lunged at you, Riki doesn't know that. It did indeed felt like you lost a boyfriend— hell, you weren't even in a relationship.

You stay silent, choosing not to respond as you choke back your tumbling words that threatened to escape. Riki must've sensed this, because the very next minute, he was apologizing again. "Ah— No, I didn't mean it that way. Hey, are you crying? I'm sorry. Shit— fuck, I'm sorry."

It seems there must be some things that you cannot choke back. One of this, was your bulging urge to break down. Tears unknowingly flow from your eyes, Riki panics and takes out his handkerchief, closing the distance between you and him. He holds your chin gently, tilting it upwards and dabbing away your tears delicately. His face remained concern, apologetic, and stained with worry.

But he doesn't let you go, doesn't trouble with the way you gush your whole entire pent up, builded tears. Instead, he scoots just a tad bit closer, letting go of his hold on your chin and rubbing your neck with his left hand. He feels warm and indifferent.

And when you finally stopped crying, sniffling away the remaining snobs, did you finally look at him.

"Sorry, forget that happened."

Riki shakes his head, "It's okay... It's my fault, really."

You nod, agreeing with what he'd just said. "Can I— Can I maybe explain this whole entire thing to you?"

"After a year of leaving me out the dark? I don't really think so."

Riki looks at you, soft and tender, "I swear I have a reason and I don't want to get you involved. It's difficult, it's just—"

"And you know whatever it was I'd understand that."

Riki pauses, then he nods, "I'm sorry it's just... Everything at home makes it difficult for me to explain."

"Is it..." You tread carefully, "Is it something about your father again?"

Riki hesitantly nods. "It is, and we had to move to cities because of him being an ass."

You understood that part, "What about the sudden disappearance?"

At this point, Riki had not really let you go, still clasping your neck with his left hand and the other somehow intertwining with your hands. He rubs it with his thumb as he speaks, "I wanted to forget everything here, I thought I could. But I couldn't, I really couldn't. Especially not this and... Not you."

Something about his words felt oddly comforting, despite the fact that his initial intention was to eradicate perhaps even the smallest, fleeting moments with you. But you couldn’t blame him, not when his eyes this very moment lacked the particular mischief he always carried.

He looked at you with such softness, and it didn’t help that you were looking at him with those eyes.

Riki groans, tilting his head back and closing his eyes. “What’s wrong?” You ask him.

“Stop looking at me like that.” He lets go of his grip on your neck, rubbing his eyes, “Looking at you like what?”

“Like that.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

“I might just kiss you if you don’t stop.”

His words made you choke, turning your head around to avoid his gaze. “What the heck are you talking about…”

Riki chuckles, still caressing your hand with his thumb, “Sorry, might have gone too far there.”

Flustered, you turn your head around to smack him in the chest. Riki allows you once, the second time, he grabs hold of your wrist and drives it towards his face. Unconsciously, you open your palms and allow him to place it beneath his cheeks.

His cheekbones, sharp and defined. Riki was no longer a silly little boy who was the very epitome of the devil itself. Aside from his very notable physical changes in his features, Riki felt… More relaxed, composed, and less rowdy. Despite the fact that he’s always kept to himself even now, something about him, though not significant to some, something about him really shifted.

You couldn’t deny the fact that he is attractive. That was a given, a fact that was not only shared by you, but also perhaps anyone who saw him at a first glance.

It was stupid, stupid really. How you let him linger his fingertips within your proximity, how you let him let his gaze last a little bit longer because you liked it too. You liked it when he stared at you like that and nobody else.

Was that too selfish?

Riki hums, nuzzling his head further into your warm palm and closing his eyes. He looks at you, grinning, “You good?”

But he knew you weren’t. You know you aren’t. You were gonna explode.

Riki laughs, pulling your hand back and kissing the back of it, “Mmm…”

“Riki…”

He hums.

“What are you thinking of right now?”

“Me?”

You nod. “You’re doing all this to me and yet— I still can’t read your mind. I don’t know what you’re thinking of, it’s driving me insane.”

Sighing, you pull your hands back away from his grip and let it settle upon your lap, fumbling with the hem if your uniform. Riki raises his brow, shoulders relaxing as he leans back on his chair.

The words that came out of his mouth felt like the easiest thing ever,

“You. I’m thinking of you.”

“The limit of this functions is that as X approaches to—”

God, you couldn’t focus. This was your limit. Not the whole entire maths thing the teacher was gnawing away at right now.

“But well, this function here can never approach X. It’s a little funny, right? Imagine it as a situation of wanting to reach something, but you couldn’t because there’s an obstacle of some sort. That right there is the asymptote, and—”

You’re the function. Riki’s the X.

“And this function here goes on and on and on. It’s infinite, it always comes back, per se.”

You’re definetely the function.

“Pst, hey—“

Someone pokes you from beside, pulling you out of your ridiculous trance. It was Rei. “You good?” She whispers, concern tainting her features.

After telling her everything that happened yesterday during your little study session with Riki, needless to say, Rei was beyond baffled. Not so at the fact that you poured your whole heart and soul in front of the man she’d willingly curse at, but more so at the fact that Riki, according to your description… Differed.

Of course, she was rather upset at you for breaking your walls down that easily in front of him, but nothing really ever happened except for some explaining from his side.

At least, that’s what you told her anyways.

The fact that he held your hand, your cheeks, pulled you a little bit closer to him— All you deemed insignificant for Rei’s knowledge. And, well, she could partly see why you’re so absent-minded right now, though, not really understanding the complete reason as to why.

“I’m fine.” You muster a small smile towards her, giving her a thumbs up.

“That’s it for the lesson today, make sure your notes are all arranged, including today’s lesson. I’ll be collecting them later.”

Oh shit. You looked down your notebook. You weren’t able to write anything at all, just scribbles of random stuff, mind too preoccupied with everything all at once. You internally groaned, grabbing Rei’s notebook out of the blue and copying her notes as fast as lightning.

“It’s a little bit early to be announcing this right now, but I thought it’ll benefit you all.”

You pay no attention, continuing to hammer down your notes.

“In honor of the school’s parting gift for the seniors, the graduating batch, staff, and teachers of Decelis Academy will have a little field trip the following week.”

With that, students beamed at the teacher’s sudden announcement. Your ears perked up at what you’d heard, looking at Rei with a short grin along your face. She smiled back, “Are you coming?”

“Of course I am!”

Despite it being a little too early for a field trip for your academy, you weren’t really one to complain. That meant having two trips all in the same year, which is not bad at all. It had been weird for your school to consider a trip so early, but well, early vacation it is, you suppose.

After being given more details about the trip at hand, and finally stuffing in Rei’s notes in your notebook, lunch finally rolled around once more. All mentions of your absent-mindedness having gone down the drain as the two of you talk about the trip,

“You think we’re going swimming or something?”

“Knowing the school? We’ll probably do some history museum or—“

“Boring!”

You laugh, sharing the same sentiment with Rei. After a few more words, you say goodbye to each other and headed towards your usual— the Radio club room. Last night, you’d call a small meeting before school had started with the rest of your members. Starting tomorrow, there will be a random rotation when it came to the announcements.

Today, however, was your task. You did as you would during your usual days, organizing, reading some particular letters from the Love Box, and playing random music recommendations from the students.

After an hour of doing so, you checked the time: around ten more minutes before lunch was over. Taking this as an opportunity to buy something from the cafeteria, you scurried to fix your things and headed out from the room. Maybe you’ll get some milk bread again today, or whatever the cafeteria had available.

However, upon reaching the cafeteria, you saw there was no more milk available which meant having to go and buy from the vending machine just outside. It was a bit of a hassle, but with the urge and determination to buy milk, you headed out.

The vending machine was near the gymnasium, and it had been no surprise to hear sneakers and footsteps once you entered. Usually, during lunch, students would rather find time to play than to actually eat. Thus, you ignored the ruckus and proceeded to buy yourself some milk.

Then you heard it— the loud thudding and laughter.

“That was my point!”

Someone shouts, laughing along the people he was playing with. A ball bounces, you pretended not to care, slotting some coins to get your milk. Then the noise stops for a complete second. You supposed they were taking a break, you shrugged and placed the straw inside your drink.

As the straw neared your lips, something or rather— someone, took a sip of your drink first. It was swift, and two second later, your drink was no longer within your grasp!

Frustrated, and ready to curse at whoever the hell took your drink, you twitched your head to the side to capture the culprit.

Sweat beading from his forehead, his hair wet and disheveled. His cheeks are a bit red from all the running, clothes soaked in perspiration. He smiled towards you, sipping your banana milk dry.

You didn’t move, staring at him with a — are you serious?— type of face. He throws the banana milk to the trash, patting your head and ruffling your hair. The slight height difference was visible, you smacked his hand away in annoyance. Or maybe you were flustered.

“And that, was mine.” You argued, sighing and taking out a few more coins to get some more milk.

Riki's teammates all yelled something about playing one more round, to which he shouts, "Coming!"

He then turns towards you, "Are you coming to the field trip?" He says, you think about it for a moment. "Why are you asking?"

"I just want to know." Riki says.

You shrug, "Yeah, I guess." Then he grins, ruffling your hair once more and turning back to his teammates. "I'll just play again, see you later at the library?"

You nod, half-expecting him to not come at all. "See you."

Nonetheless, you head to class with a huge, stupid, lovesick grin plastered on your face that you tried your hardest to bury away, yet to no avail.

And from the corner of your eyes, you see her — Kazu Naomi.

"Riki! I was looking for you everywhere!"

Then everything washed down upon you, the grin dissipating, as fast as day.

Over the span of one week, you learned a few of the following:

1. Nishimura Riki hates anything literature more than he does math.

2. Nishimura Riki, once he’s up to it, is actually a rather fast and efficient learner. (though the situation is seldom)

3. Nishimura Riki told you your voice sounded nice every time you announced and that, according to him— he loves it when your voice is put up the speaker.

4. Nishimura Riki apparently is the eye-candy for many girls and guys alike. (not that it was anything new.)

5. The previous statement connects with the fourth— with one of those people being none other than Kazu Naomi.

6. Nishimura Riki and Kazu Naomi are close.

Regardless of the fact that all of these learnings centered around Riki, perhaps hinting you are a bit too observant when it came to him, out of all these, nothing pisses you off more than the last stament mentioned.

Well, it didn’t really matter whether or not hundreds of girls flocked over to his side, because he always did give off the plain, uninterested, boring response. It did however matter though when the person who flocked around is Kazu Naomi.

You see it.

You see the way she galloped around, attempting to join in conversations between Riki and his friend and the way she’d delicately. Delicately laugh and giggle like a sealion in front of him. And Riki would laugh, geniunely laugh, and put inputs of his own with keen interest.

Of course, you only ever saw during lunch. But if that’s what happens during lunch, then what more could happen inside the classroom? A classroom which, they sit next to each other.

Makes stuff ten times more troubling.

“Why are you so spaced out, chum? Help me with this question,” Riki abruptly says. You’ve earned the title of chum now, rooting from your words a few days prior— ‘quit acting chummy with me.’

You shake your head, “What was it again?”

Riki chuckles, pointing his pencil towards a problem. He was still sitting as lazily as ever, slouching and putting his arm on the table. “What’s the problem?”

“It’s this. I don’t get this.” You glance at the problem, before solving it on your own and—

Does Kazu Naomi still like her?

Or even worse, what if he likes her? He laughs without much of a care in the world whenever—

“Chum, what are you bringing for the trip tomorrow?”

“Hm? Oh um probably just some essentials. I won’t be bringing much, why?”

“I think you’re carrying the whole weight on your shoulder.”

“What?”

“I dunno,” Riki shrugs, swiftly taking your shoulders upon his palms and massaging it. “You look like you’re thinking of a lot right now.”

Tense at first, it doesn’t take you long to ease up into his palms. Riki had heavy hands, he massaged your shoulders with ease. “I’m not, it’s just, you know…”

You sigh, feeling to embarrassed to even think about such stuff.

“Mmm?” He tilts his head. “Know what?”

“It’s nothing.” You muster a small smile. “Really?” He was not having it.

“Don’t tell me you’re thinking of me chum, you don’t have to, y’know.”

Riki offers you a smug grin. You scoff, slapping his hand away. “I’m right here in front of you. All yours, too.”

“As if. You’re getting too ahead of yourself.” You slap him in the arm, Riki dodges with ease. “You’re cute.”

“What?”

“I said you’re cute.” Riki repeats. This is what you absolutely hated about him. His absolute lack of being dishonest, his effortless ability of being straightforward, and deeming it as a harmless joke afterwards. Although it was a light joke, it never really is for your beating heart.

It didn’t help that his remarks of honesty is no light feat, either. Who even says stuff like that randomly?

Over the past few days you’ve been tutoring him in the library, you find that his words are either the most dumbest thing, or the most unbelievable thing to leave his mouth. This, being being the latter.

“If you’re trying to smooth talk your way out of physics, nice try.” You counter quickly, rolling your eyes.

“It was worth a shot.”

He shrugs, laughing along your seemingly disgusted face.

Unbeknownst to you, though is that Riki had actually meant every word.

You are cute.

If there is one thing you swore on earth during your freshman year, and ultimately the year after— was to never ever go back or to recall fleeting moments of you and Riki ever again.

Sure, it had been hard to ignore. It was everywhere, traces of where Riki had left off. Your old notebook, the school itself, your phone— most especially your phone.

You hadn’t much of the guts to recall particular moments in life where all you did together with him was chat until the sun rose, at ridiculous topics memes you’d come across. It was a fleeting moment altogether, more than enough to make butterflies float and panic in your stomach.

But a few months after, it was more than enough to make your stomach churn in pain.

So, ultimately, when you lost all contact with Riki, flooding his email and your chat with him had been your only options. Your conversation with him had been filled with messages upon message, some making you look outright desperate in hopes of reaching him and contacting him.

Halfway through your junior year, you stopped sending anything at all entirely. After being given an ultimatum from your best friend, and an abundance of scolding from your parents— chasing after a person who vanished into thin air really was not worth the time.

So you stopped, and you swore to never go back to it again.

Packing your things inside your bag as you played music, you felt your phone ping from your bed. You grabbed your phone, half expecting the notification to be from Rei, only to see the familiar name that pinged upon.

Riki.

His name was still the same as you’d left it, being too shy and embarrassed to change it into something more intimate once your relationship had gotten a tad bit deeper before.

You stare at his name for a minute, contemplating.

You opened the message anyways, excusing the chat for some sort of emergency.

Riki: hey

You: ??

Riki: what else are you bringing lol I feel like I underpacked

You: Why do you keep asking me this, I told you like a million times already

Riki: really? sorry, just wanted a reason to chat you then i guess

Your hear your heart thump against your chest. But your eyes scroll a little upwards, towards the thousand of missed calls and messages you’d left to him a few months prior. They all looked pitiful to even look at.

At this point, you should be mad at Riki for leaving them unopened. Texting you like nothing happened, like you weren’t practically begging to hear from him back before. It should be infuriating, but instead, it only leaves a bitter taste down your throat.

You hated yourself for being this understanding, for caring too much— for being too much.

You: Go to sleep.

Riki: wowwww i’m rather hurt! :(( be a little nicer pls

You: Stop teasing me, it’s annoying

Riki: and you like it, chum

You: I do not.

Riki: you do

You: No.

Riki: yes, i can see u blush whenever i get close to you its adorable

You: Stop being annoying.

Riki: annoying is my middle name

You: what

Riki: lol jus kidding

Riki sends you a meme of a cat that oddly looks like him, jumping around with a silly goofy cafe. His favorite little meme. Odd, it sends a little smile down your face, momentarily forgetting anything else. For once, you let him chat and annoy you to his heart’s content, hoping, wishing, and seeing the old memories pile behind the new ones.

After a night filled with countless memes and gifs with Nishimura Riki, the day of the trip finally came to roll around. Arriving to school early before the sun showed up, and finding it you are just as excited as others are.

Well, that was a couple minutes before.

But now, you’re not so sure anymore as you boarded your bus with Rei.

It wasn’t really such a big deal, given the fact that him and Naomi were classmates, and the bus occupied two sections and you were paired with a section you could care less about.

And, Riki, well… Their section was in a separate bus. It shouldn’t matter, it really didn’t. Not until, from across, you saw their bus. Then, you see him. You see her, too.

Kazu Naomi, sitting down the window seat with Riki beside him.

All color, excitement, and joy faded within your features. Suddenly, all you wanted to do was go home and wrap yourself with your blanket and talk to absolutely no one.

You had the free will to choose your seatmate, Rei was beside you scrolling through her phone. She sensed your dejectedness, and immediately asked whats wrong.

“I don’t know…”

You grumble, fumbling with your colored wristband. But Rei knows full well. Rei knows everything despite you not uttering a word. “This is about Riki again?” You nod, not even feigning innocence anymore.

She sighs, “it’s just for a few gut-wrenching hours, if that makes it any better.”

“You saw?”

“How couldn’t I? She had that stupid little creepy grin on her face,” Rei looked at you, pretending she was shivering. You laughed, “It’s impossible not to notice.”

“Right? And now people will notice, too.”

You groan dramatically, Rei laughs as she pats your back. “I can give him a beating later if you want me to, oh, and her too.”

“Please do the honor.”

She rolls her eyes, not prying into your antics any further.

Your phone pings, you pick it up.

Riki: you alright?

You stare at the text message of the boy, opting to respond:

You: I’m fine.

Then you look outside, towards his bus. Riki coincidentally does the same.

But you left it at that, a simple stolen glance, choosing not to say anything more.

The whole ride on the way to some Mt.Takao (why the school chose some random ass mountain to have the trip on, you could not understand), albeit having your entire existence soaked in worried, you tried your best to push the thoughts aside.

Upon arriving at the top of the mountain, topics of discussion of the activities were all you heard from the people around. Their chatters, even as you unboarded from the bus remained.

Something like team building activities the student council had planned out.

Upon placing some of your stuff in your assigned cabins, it didn’t take long before all the students were gathered once more around the area for some activities. It had been cold and chilly, enough for you to wrap some layers around your body, not too thick, yet not too thin.

Students gathered at the center of the cabins, you walked alongside Rei who was perhaps saying something about her newfound hobby a few days prior.

The student council led by their president— Yang Jungwon, had been in charge of the preparations for the activities and game. Teachers are left for their own entertainment around the mountain, though occasionally, some would check around and make sure all the students are safe.

You knew some of the members of the student council. Aside from the aforementioned president, their vice president, Park Sunghoon. A rather distant man, and someone who often kept to himself. You got to talk to him before after being assigned by the same teacher with a specific task.

Their secretary— Kazu Naomi. Enough information has been said about her. Needless to say, she’s not one to be painting a pleasant taste upon your tastebuds.

Their treasurer— Park Jongseong. A very particular but friendly man. He talked and greeted, and did not really keep much to his shell. You got to talk to him before, during a previous meeting of all the vice presidents the clubs in your school who are next in line for the president position.

Speaking of presidents, Yang Jungwon is a man you could rather say you are close to. As not only is he the president of the student council, he is also a part of the journalism club, one which your club assisted in broadcasting. Meetings and gatherings often led the two of you to communicate and eventually, a budding friendship had grown between.

“Everyone, gather round!” Yang Jungwon spoke, his members beside him as he calls the attention of the students. The two of you make eye contact, you give him a small smile, and he offers one back. You saw him often around school, but you don’t really have much of a real reason to talk to him that much yet given there was no collaborative works between the two of you.

“I hope the presidents of each class has done a solid headcount,” Junwon confirms with the rest of the presidents, proceeding once he got the affirmation.

“We got a couple of activities planned for the day before we all take time to rest.” He announces, “Your wristbands given to you are the assigned groups you’ll be working with for today’s activity. You can proceed to team up with them, and each group will be given an assigned facilitator from the student council.”

Your wristband was blue, Rei’s was yellow.

You parted from your best friend, looking around for possible teammates as the students clamoured and shouted, in search of theirs too. Eventually, you spot a group of people in blue wristbands gathering up, you hurried to join up with them.

With a gentle smile, you come and greet them politely. “Hi.”

They say hello back, you settle in a small chatter with your teammates as you wait for the others. After a few minutes, soon enough, your group had finally been complete. You scanned around, looking for Rei… And maybe Riki as well.

“Y/N, I’m here! Goodluck!” Rei shouts from your peripheral vision, you wish her goodluck. Red team… Blue… Green… Black—

Oh.

Your throat felt dry immediately. As if the occurrence at the bus hadn’t been enough, Riki really just had to be at the team where the facilitator is Naomi.

It isn’t a big deal, it really isn’t.

But it had been a sentence that ultimately, had no effect upon your already jealousy filled heart. And much like the gloomy weather that sounded of rain, the same feeling remained.

You make eye contact with Riki, he smiles, holding his thumbs up— asking with his eyes if you are okay. You are about to respond when, “Y/N! You’re in this team?”

You turn around to look at the person, it was Yang Jungwon. With a friendly smile, you nod. “I am! Are you the facilitator?”

Jungwon nods, making small talk that rendered you unable to respond to Riki’s little sign if concern. And eventually, you’d forgotten all about it.

The first team building was simple. Upon receiving enough information from the student council, you found that they had went here a day prior in order to prepare for the activities. The task was straightforward: complete each checkpoint assigned as a team, with the said checkpoint containing a map leading you to your final goal.

Albeit not having the most extroverted personality, you find yourself getting along with your teammates just fine. And, after a few more chatters, a horn finally blew indicating the task had begun.

It was a bit of a chaos, students roaming and shouting around in excitement as you got lost in the depths of their conversation.

It didn’t bother you much, really. Your teammates are a nice bunch, making small talk and jokes. It seemed all of you shared one thing in particular— in no specific mood of being competitive and just enjoying the entire trip. But that hadn’t meant you wouldn’t complete the task, given that Jungwon was your facilitator and he was encouraging everyone like crazy.

“Jungwon are you sure you don’t want to tell us where the checkpoint is?” You ask him, breatheless sighs came upon your lips as you took another step. God, this mountain was hefty.

Jungwon laughs, shaking his head. “No, then that would be no fun, would it?”

A teammate of yours, Kim Sunoo, joins in the conversation. “You’re always no fun! Come on tell us so our team can win.”

It doesn’t take you long before your group began persuading Jungwon into divulging some hints on the whereabouts, but to no avail. He was as sturdy as a rock.

You sigh, taking another step towards the soil, completely unaware of your feet getting stuck on some thorned plant. One foot in, the other falls backward and trips on the soft, mushy soil immediately. Suddenly, you feel a jolting pain pulsing on your ankle and you could not move.

Jungwon was the first to rush to your side, “Hey! Are you alright—”

“Ow.” You groaned.

Your teammates gathered round upon hearing the sudden fall, concerns written among their faces as they fumble and ask if you’re okay. Jungwon holds them back a bit, “Guys, she might need a bit of space right now. Can you stand?” You attempt to, raising your right foot but ultimately failing to do so with the left as the same pain comes crashing through. “Fuck.”

Luckily, Jungwon immediately catches your slightly falling figure within his arms, settling you down a large boulder instead. “Easy there, did you feel something break?” He asks with concern, you shake your head.

“I don’t think so…” The blood that trickled down your calf was evident enough. “I got my pants wrapped around the thorn, it hurts.”

You try not to look like a wuss but the pain that wraps around your calf was immense. It was taking all your power not to cry in front of these people, let alone talk. Jungwon pauses for a minute, contemplating. Then he spoke,

“We’re not that far off from the first checkpoint, you see that light over there—” He points towards a visible light not too far off, “That’s the first checkpoint, you guys continue to go North and we’ll follow after.”

Looks of hesitancy and questioning bubbled around. Sunoo spoke, “We can’t just leave you here, it’s hard to split up in such a place.”

But them staying here would absolutely be useless. You wouldn’t want to jeopardize the team’s chance behind. “I’m okay, we can’t all stay here. You guys go and get our first checkpoint and we’ll meet up soon after.”

“But—”

“I’m fine. I’m sorry, it’s just a small wound, go.” You cover up the bloddong with your right hand, Jungwon comes to your aid, kneeling down and inspecting the wound.

“Sunoo, you go lead the team up, then come back here after.”

Sunoo, looks around, then eventually nods. “Let’s go.”

He leads the team around, the rest of them following him in search of the first checkpoint. Meanwhile, you finally wince and groan meekly in pain. “Can you lift your pants up?”

You nod, lifting part of your calf and showing him the bloodied part. The thorn that you came across upon, was pointed and tall, making it easy to skim through the insides easily. Jungwon nears the wound, touching it ever so slightly. You wince, “That hurts.”

“Sorry,” He says without looking up, grabbing something from his pocket. “I didn’t think an accident would happen here, I forgot my first aid down the cabins…” He mumbles, patting your wound with his handkerchief very delicately.

You protest, “Don’t use your handkerchief.”

He looks at you, “Why?”

“It’ll get dirty and bloodied, I don’t want that.” You mumble, Jungwon merely smiles, “It’s fine.”

“But—”

“I have plenty more, besides, we need to somehow clean up the bleeding.”

Nodding, you argue no further and let him clean up the wound. It wasn’t such a big mark, but it was enough to have Jungwon off the edge and tainted with worry. “You seriously have to be more careful…”

He says, taking something from his pocket once more. A small ointment for wounds. “I thought you didn’t carry your first aid kit?”

“I got a little restless and brought a little something from the first aid kit.”

You chuckle. Always so meticulous and prepared. “I see…” Jungwon folded a piece of his handkerchief, using the other side to dab some of the ointment on.

You suddelt felt something cold fall atop your head, continuous droplets of water cascading down. You reached your hand out— it was raining. What perfect timing. The light droplets soon began to turn into a heavy onset of rain. Jungwon looked up, “I also totally felt it would rain today but I completely disregarded bringing an umbrella.”

He sighs, you stand up slightly, thanking him. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

With a nod, “It’ll heal itself.” You smile towards him. The rain wasn’t letting up anytime soon, soaking your bodies with water as it grew heavier each passing second. The fog and the bluriness suddenly came into light, and the spark that Jungwon once pointed out towards to be the checkpoint, was gone.

“Fuck.” He curses, “I didn’t think the rain would be this heavy.”

“We need to get under a roof or something first.” You hurriedly say, adrenaline rushing in as you took his hand and led him somewhere, “What about the others? They might be looking for us.”

“They have to manage, we might slip or something in this steep place if we don’t get ourselves under something.”

Jungwon eventually agrees, allowing you to take control of his hand and leading him somewhere. Albeit having the placed familiarized with at the back of his mind, he chose not to spoke, chose not to tell you that the others are probably not looking for the two of you and opting to find shelter instead.

He stays quiet and just lets you.

Soon enough, you see a small pile of boulders and rocks not too far off, forming a rather gigantic cave with nothing inside. Deeming it as safe, you entered and checked the surroundings. “Are there like, bears here or something?”

Jungwon laughs, shaking his head. “Nah, at least not that I know of.”

He shakes his hair around like a puppy drying itself, the water hitting your face as you chuckle and smack him, “Careful!”

He laughs along, raking a hand through his hair and sighing. The two of you were soaked beyond belief, your clothes sticking upon your bodies like candy. And well, from your peripheral vision, Jungwon’s shirt clung to his particularly molded abs.

You tried not to take a peek, you really did. You always knew Jungwon was a rather active person, but you never knew he was this active.

“What?”

“Oh? Um—” Your eyes stray upwards, only to find him tilting his head at you innocently. “It’s… Nothing.”

You had to stop thinking like a complete pervert.

“Hey, are you sure you’re okay? Your leg…”

“It hurts but hey, it happens.” You smile at him gently, squeezing the bottom of your shirt to drain some of the water out. Jungwon removes his flannel, putting it down and patting it, “You can sit down if you want.”

You thank him, sitting down and sharing a flannel with Jungwon as you patiently waited for the rain to let up. It had been a comfortable silence, one that was neither heavy nor awkward as the only ruckus the two of you heard was from the pattering rain outside.

Gently heaving a sigh, you hug your knees close to your chest, feeling apologetic. “I’m sorry, Jungwon.”

“Why’re you saying sorry again?”

“Our team got disrupted because of me and now got stuck in this place together because—”

“Hey, don’t say that.”

But you continue, “Because I was careless as hell and it’s—”

“Y/N.” Jungwon says sternly, gaze locking onto yours. His eyes held sincerety and firmness, “Stop saying that, accidents are bound to happen and it’s not a big deal.”

His words doesn’t let you up. A wave of comfort washed over you as pondered over what he said. It hasn’t sinked onto you yet, the subtle glances and hint he shared and offered.

“Thank you then.” You smile at him, Jungwon smiles back.

You hadn’t noticed an hour had passed, aimlessly chatting with him on topics that regarded school and anything casual, really. Jungwon is a nice guy, flowing along a conversation with him and sharing a good laugh wasn’t difficult. He understood too, listening earnestly at your little stories and concerns.

The rain had finally let up, you offer Jungwon to leave the cave and go find the others to which he agrees. He gets his flannel back, and the two of you leave the cave as the the sun rose back in its full glory.

You were laughing about something he said when— “Look, it’s a rainbow.”

You turn to look at the sky. Its colorful hues paunting a beautiful curve, the bright colors of a rainbow coming about. Smiling gently, you walked alongside Jungwon as you looked out the rainbow. “I swear, I thought your team wasn’t gonna make it to the next round.”

Pertaining to one of the sports club matches in taekwondo, you turn to look at Jungwon. It was a few months prior, with their competition being held at your academy and seeing the sparring in full play. Jungwon was one of the players, and that was the first time you ever saw him kick and discover a side out of student council.

Jungwon chuckles, a sheepish grin on his face. “I had like a huge bruise on my cheek after that spar, though. The opponent violated some rules.”

You nod, “I saw that too, good thing you didn’t let him get the best of you.”

Jungwon leads you through a forest of trees, after a few minutes of walking, you finally reached the cabin your school settled upon. The different colored teams were there, some had been soaked just as the two of you were, some held little flags, indicating they reached a particular checkpoint before turning back because of the rain.

Your appearance with Jungwon was no shocking thing, but you feel a presence inching closer towards you as you neared the rest of you group.

“Hey, Y/N.”

You turn to look at the voice, Riki was right in front of you, with eyes you’ve never seen him in before. Was he… concerned?

“What happened to you? Are you okay?”

His gaze fell upon your legs, the calf that had been riddled with ointment and once had blood dripping down. “Chum, let’s take you to the clinic, your wound—”

He kneels, reachinng towards your injury. But you stop him, “Riki, I’m fine, it’s no big wound, just a little scratch.”

“Just a little scratch? You weren’t answering your phone, did something happen?”

You remembered leaving your phone at the cabin, opting not to bring it with you as you might lose it. “I didn’t bring my phone with me…”

“Oh.”

Riki nods, standing up. Once more, you were reminded of just how much his figure towered upon you, and it made you feel a little small. Jungwon remained by your side, casually conversing with some of your group and ensuring the students. The student council worked on crowd control, deciding soon enough to halt the activity first and get the students to freshen up so no such accidents will occur.

Side by side, you walk with Riki on the way to the cabin in silence.

“Y/N!” Jungwon calls from behind you, “I can’t go back with you, is it okay if—”

“It’s okay Jungwon! Thank you for helping me this much, I’ll get myself cleaned up.”

He smiles, nodding along and proceeding to his own things to tend to. Meanwhile, Riki listened to your conversation, his interest piqued. ”Jungwon helped you?”

You nod, grinning. This doesn’t escape him, “We got stuck in some cave during the rain, if it wasn’t for him, I would’ve been badly hurt by now.”

Riki just hums, voice deep and low. The sun was finally beginning to set by now, and the students are heading towards their perspective cabins to freshen up. Thankfully and oddly enough, you shared a cabin with Riki.

“Are you alright now?”

He looks at you, you only nod.

“That’s good, there’s no need for concern then. Looks like already had you under his care.”

You sensed a bit of tension beneath his gaze, the way he let it fall to your sides, to your bruised ankle, and eventually to your face. Riki spoke bitterly, “I’m going.”

Leaving you lost and dumbfounded, Riki leaves and walks on over to his room with no so much as another word. It fazes you, disappointment panging your heart as his broad back faced your eyes.

What was wrong with him?

For the rest of the budding night, you tended to your wounds more carefully with the help of very worried Rei who scolded you on safety and watching your own step. The breeze was already chilly, you had freshened up for the remaining time, so had Rei after the two of you chatted aimlessly. Riki pierced the back of your mind, like a little monster encaged and desperate to be unleashed. He was acting like nothing, like thin air. Concern was evident in his tone, then suddenly it all dissipates and he suddenly doesn’t care?

Eventually, it was time to gather outside for a little bonfire and meal prepared by some of the staffs and teachers. With layers of clothing wrapped around your body, you headed out with Rei.

By the time the two of you are out, Jungwon was already making rounds of each class with the assistance of the teachers to make sure of the headcount of each class. For the night was still early, only announcements were made, the bonfire would begin around midnight when the sky’s hues are completely washed out.

You didn’t seem to take hold of Riki’s eyes though, eventually landing on Jungwon and him giving you a thumbs up. You put your thumbs up too, initiating a little smile.

For the rest of the evening, albeit trying, attempting, to capture Riki’s eyes with yours, nothing seemed to work. He was ignoring you, that much was obvious. The reason why, too. But you know you couldn’t jump to conclusions, knowing full well you had nothing well going on with Riki, much less— Jungwon.

It was a risk of an assumption you weren’t willing to take just yet. It is, of course, just an assumption after all.

10PM hits, and all students were once more called to start the bonfire. It had already been set, with logs circled around the piles of woods to be set on fire. You sat down on one of them, watching as a teacher lights the wood and other materials on fire. A small explosion, one that causes a few of your peers to jitter ever so slightly, but you just stare at the fire, absent-minded.

It didn’t blind your vision when its orange, yellow, and red colors are a lot more closer to your eyes. You just gaped at it like some sort of fish.

“What are you thinking of again?”

Rei asks, picking something from her bag; A little smores kit she’d packed for the two of you. You sighed, “Have you noticed? Riki’s been ignoring me.”

“He has,” Rei picks a stick up, stabbing a marshmallow. “I thought you were fine just a moment ago?”

Shrugging, you took a stick and made one yourself. “Yeah and all of a sudden he just started… Ignoring me.”

Rei picks up and pieces the situation together, from earlier this morning to the present. Then she said, “Oh my gosh.”

“What?”

Rei covers her mouth. shock beyond belief. “The two of you are so stupid.”

You feigned offence, “Okay, now you’re just being rude.”

“No, I mean did you ever notice?”

Rei waits for your statement. Even if you know, you share none and kept your mouth shut. “I know you know, so go talk to hin right now.” Rei knows, as usual.

The beating of your heart goes a little louder at her statement as you consider it, as you consider him.

And when Rei pokes her smores near the campfire as students do the same, she knows you’re no longer beside her in search for the man.

It doesn’t take a genius to wonder where Riki was. He wasn’t inside the cabin, neither was he out enjoying the camp fire. Which meant he probably roamed around a little somewhere, though not too far.

The light on some parts of the mountain was dim, but enough to provide you with sight as you willingly searched for him, a marshmallow and a stick still intact in your hand. What would you begin to even tell Riki? To stop being such an idiot and notice you again? To tell him that, no, whatever he was thinking of was wrong and you wouldn’t dare to think of him that way.

To tell him you absolutely adore the smitten looks on his face whenever—

Crack.

It happened all at once, something exploding and something like an explosion of one’s emotion—

“I like you, Riki.”

Then it showed up, the fireworks, obnioxiously coming into place like you were in some sort of cinematic film.

“I know we haven’t been on such good terms before, but we can continue where we left off and—”

And— nothing at all. Because the next moment, you were no longer eavesdropping. You were stumbling, choking back your tears as you stood on heavy ground with a heavy heart. Your footsteps felt like tumbling and stepping on tons of weight as it plodded through the thick grass and soil. You didn’t care that they’d possibly heard you.

There was nothing mistaking it. That was definitely Kazu Naomi. It was definitely her, Naomi’s soft, gentle, heart in her sleeve— confessing to Nishimura Riki. Nothing else mattered anymore, you weren’t going around to stick to whatever it is he had to say anymore. What else was there to see?

At the ripe age of fifteen, everyone deemed it to be the perfect little time to be loved and to love.

Blossoming through the ripe seasons of spring when everything began anew, for some odd reason, you never find yourself aching for that same desire at the age of fifteen.

Until you met him, of course.

It was just a short-lived moment, one that could pass as forever.

The gym was noisy with the dribbles of heavy ball and the scraping of the shoes. You were not inside, rather, outside of the gym chatting away with Rei and striding alone.

And just like any other typical highschool romance, his ball had to come in play.

Nearly hitting you, Rei once turned around to scream go to hell to whoever threw it. Out came Nishimura Riki, a fellow schoolmate. He was the same level, same grade, and year as you.

His apology barely scraped as a whisper, a short, “Sorry.” Before heading back in with the ball in his hand.

Such a petty though, he was cute.

Though during the course of a strange destined interactions, you find him to be quite the opposite. He wasn’t avoiding saying sorry, simply just thinking the barely audible sorry would be enough. That was his trait, his feature which made him had this mysterious aura around him.

Nishimura Riki was no stranger to attention. He always did well in his sports, had the face to pass as a model, and the unique, mischevious vibe around him which made people adore and become curious of his nature. He shared what was necessary, choosing to respond with, “Cool, mmhm, yeah, s’good.” every single time, in situations where he had to agree.

It bundled all together, the bitterness for refusing to be in love at such a young age, and budding into something of a hopeless romantic.

And really, that was where it all began.

You were thinking now, though, that this right here might be the moment where everything actually ends. It felt way worse than when Riki left without a word and explanation, it felt way worse because the situation in the end made you realise that every twist and turn would progress to absolutey nowhere because Nishimura Riki is already here.

Right now, though, the two of you are blatantly ignoring each other.

It all started all the way home upon witnessing their scene, from then on, everything dismaying thing soon followed. You ignored him, he ignored you. As petty as it sounds, that was how the situation came to be. Your tutor sessions? Bullshit. He doesn’t come anymore, you don’t ask about it, either.

Everything was back to where it used to be, where Riki used to be out of the picture.

One moment, as you were doing your daily tasks in your club room and reading some love letters from the box, a certain bright red envelope piqued your interest. It had that certain allure and brightness that made it stand out amongst other letters, it was scented too.

Curious, you open the envelope and read it.

“A situational problem goes like this—”

What an interesting way to begin a love letter.

“Being interested in someone, but you have not yet pursued the idea of a serious relationship. Then all of a sudden, everything bursts and you go jealous over another and ignore them becauss of your petty emotions. What do you do?”

That was the end of the letter. No confession, no emotions pouring out. Just… A problem waiting to be solved.

“Well, this was a pretty short letter,” You say into the speaker as you analyze the content, “Hmm. Let’s say you were ignoring that person because of jealousy, does a person know you are jealous in the first place?”

You continue, “The first thing I thought of is to immediately make sure there is no misunderstanding involved in any sort of situation possible. So, you can ask them if there’s a problem, and if there is, you explain as best as you can. Jealousy is inevitable and ensuring that maybe your future partner does not overthink, then you explain regardless of your status in the relationship. We don’t want to break the trust now, do we?”

You ended the problem with a bit more solutions, stating some unlabeled personal problems of your own. And after reading a few more letters, you finally got ready to pack up and leave for class.

“Would you get mad at me if I said I was jealous?”

Fucking— Wha—

“Oh my gosh! You scared me!”

It hadn’t occur to you that somehow, Riki sneaked his way inside the room. He was standing in plain sight, in front of you. Uniform unbuttoned, hair disheveled and wet as if he’d just gotten out of a game. His breath shook a bit, but his presence toward you remained unnerved.

He repeats his question, “Would you get mad at me if I said I was jealous?”

“Riki what’s this all about, I need to go to class—hey!” You attempt to bypass him, but he holds your wrist before you had the chance to do so, his figure leaning downward and you visibly panicked.

He was eye to eye now, holding both your wrists with one hand as he waited for your answer. God, the distance was insufferable, it wasn’t too close but it was close enough to have his breath fanning over your face. Not to mention, his glossed eyes which awaited for an answer.

“Let go of me, I need to get to class.” You protest.

“So? We’ll both be late together.”

You gasped and attempted to smack him with your constrained wrist, his laughter bubbling and reaching your ears like melody. “You’re not answering my question.”

“Ah…”

You think about it for a moment, piecing the puzzle piece by piece. Was he the one who wrote the letter?

“Are you… jealous though?”

“I am. I really am.”

What?

“Was that your letter?”

Riki deadpans, then laughs, shaking his head. “My letter? No, I wouldn’t do something like that it’s—”

He sighs, “It’s stupid. Yes it was mine.”

“Huh?!”

Slowly, Riki comes closer. Closer, closer, closer, until his head rests atop your shoulders and his nose nuzzled upon your neck. The action made shivers run down your spine, a gesture that was too close for comfort and had your fingers hesitating and your body on edge.

Riki gently places your hands down, taking one in each of his hand and caressing it gently as the sweet scent of your neck comes rushing down upon him.

“God, you drive me crazy, you know that?”

“How…”

“I haven’t stopped liking you since I disappeared, I just couldn’t forget you and—”

He sighs, “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“Riki what do you mean…?”

“I get jealous so easily it’s driving me insane.”

Something about his words knocked something within you, his fingers deattached from your wrist down to your waist where he hesitantly wrapped his arms around, only to pull back. “It’s okay.”

You reassure him, he places his grip back on your waist, yet leaving a safe distance. “Do you like Jungwon?”

What?!

“What do you mean? What does Jungwon have to do with this…”

“Do you like him?”

You answer immediately, “Romantically? No. He’s Just a friend, Riki.”

You feel Riki’s constrained breath sigh ever so carefully, as if that weight was upon his shoulders for a little while now, as if he’d been thinking of asking that for years, just waiting for the perfecr opportunity.

“Then it’s okay if I’m doing this, right?”

Riki tightens his group around your waist, pulling you dangerously closer. Riki’s scent engulfed your nose, he was all you felt, all you smelled.

“That I’m holding you like this…”

His fingers then came upon your cheeks, caressing it, “Touching you like this…”

He pulls his head back, looking into your eyes with a glossed gaze, “Looking at you like this…”

“Keeping you close like this?”

He rubs the small of your back with his thumb, the way he moves make everything so electric. You know it was second nature to him to speak this way, to act this way. It wasn’t anything new, but it still sent shivers down your spine.

“I don’t know Riki… What are you doing..?”

Riki finally lets go, you fought the urge to frown at the loss of his touch. He stuffs his hands into his pants pockets, “That time at the trip, I saw the way Jungwon looks at you, the way he cares for you, chum.”

His nickname for you was finally back. You internally squealed, you might have pounced upon him if not for your self control. “And it’s stupid but it made me terribly upset.”

You half expected this much, but to hear him actually say it outloud was different. Nishimura Riki was no vocal man, and if this was all it took to get him to act, honestly, it made you a little bit pleased.

Scratch that, it made you very pleased.

“It did?”

Riki nods, “It really did.”

And when his fingers held loose from his pockets, shifting from his head to your cheeks, Riki squeezed your cheeks the the point where it hurt and you had to slap his hand away to stop.

“I guess I’ll see you later at the library again?”

Three months since school started, and no one else has been the apple of your eye.

It was an endless little routine that garnered— You tutored Riki at the library every other day now, given that he had to prioritize his game at basketball and training too.

Something changed between the two of you, though.

It was subtle, unnoticeable by those who rarely observed. Yet people saw it, the way Riki pats your head whenever you pass by him in the hallway, the way he would so very obviously sneak out during lunch time to have shared moments with you at the radio club room whenever you were there, the way he would call you chum in front of a large crowd.

It was going slow, maybe too slow for the likes of others. But Riki never strayed too far in terms of actions, keeping his boundaries present and built up. Still thinking of you, always thinking of you. In words though, his flirting was way too evident.

And when it came to messaging? You couldn’t let go of your phone. Besides class, whenever you had the time, the two of you would message one another and send random memes and bring up random topics to talk about. He called once, when he needed help with a problem and that ended up in a call that lasted for hours. Though there was no more incident following that.

This, perhaps however may be one of the moments where the unlabeled something between the two of you where it will be obvious.

You think, as you sit atop your bed and message the person who’s been occupying your mind:

Riki: chum what time are you coming to my game?

You: I’m all ready, maybe once the game starts? So it’s not too noticeable.

Riki: silly its about to start in a few minutes

You jumped from your bed, quickly putting on your shoes.

Riki: and also, melon or pineapple?

You: What’s this about? Definitely melon.

Riki’s icon pops up at your screen, a picture of him when he was a cute little child. Surprised, you click to answer his call.

“Yes?”

You hear shuffling, Riki’s screen was black, then it shifted and his face was now showing. He was wearing his jersey, the muscles of his arms peeked just a little as he held the phone up to his face. “Hi Chum.”

“Hey, don’t you have a game in a few? I’m on the way out now.” You held your phone to your face as well as you exit your house. “I just missed you, is all.”

His words made you shift your phone from your face to some random pavement. Riki chuckles, “Where are you chum? I’m just kidding.”

“You have to stop saying jokes like that…” You mumble as you refocus the phone back to your face, “Why? Cause it gets you, no?”

“Riki! Stop it!” You want to slap him so bad right now.

“Okay, okay I’ll stop!” Riki snorts, someone shouting could be heard from behind him, Riki responds before turning back to you, “I’m just making sure you’re coming to my game pretty girl.”

Pretty girl, chum— god, you’ll explode if he calls you that one more time. When Riki starts using something, he never lets go of it. Which in this case, was his too strong of a nickname for you.

“Why wouldn’t I be? It’s your game, of course I would.”

You see him pause for a moment before he grins, “I’ll see you here then, yeah?”

You nod, “I’ll see you.”

“I have to go chum! I’ll wait for you here.”

You bid goodbye to him. Riki thought he pressed the end call, putting his phone down on his bag. Confused, you peek a little closer at the screen only to hear someone speak from the other end.

“Who was that?”

“Just my pretty girl, she’s coming to my game.”

Oh and fuck, you never ended the call so quickly in your life.

“Y/N! Wow I never imagined to see you at a basketball game.”

It was pretty noisy, the large bustling and hustling of the crowd. The game had already started, you were a little late. Rei isn’t one to be interested in such crowds, but for the sake of you, she went and tagged along.

Someone’s voice chimed from behind, it was Jungwon, along with Sunoo, Sunghoon, Naomi, and Jongseong. You smiled sheepishly, greeting them. “It’s my first time actually!”

“You’ve never watched a match of Decelis Academy basketball team before?” Sunoo asks, plopping a popcorn down his mouth as all of you settle on some bleachers not too far away. “No, it’s not really much of an interest of mine.”

Jongseong spoke, “What made you want to watch it then?”

“Oh, it’s—” You hesitated to say it outloud. Riki? Should you tell them it was Riki?

“Chum, I’m glad you made it.”

All of you turn to look around the owner of his voice, it was Nishimura Riki. Was it even possible to say that he looked more delicious up close? Someone of his nature, looking all sweaty from all the warm ups, his cheeks flushed a bit of red, his jersey labeled number ten. And gosh, his biceps— his biceps!

“Riki!” Naomi beams, something within you tingles in alert. They all greet him, Sunghoon, Jungwon, Sunoo, and Jay bumping their bodies with Riki as a friendly bro thing.

The whole entire thing with Naomi confessing months before, you only treated as some sort of fever dream for the sake of your sanity. It happened, but you pretended it hadn’t. You’ve not been feeling much of her for the past two months around Riki, it was better that way.

Every moment she does though, it’s like your system is on high alert.

Riki gives a little acknowledgment to Rei and Naomi, but his focus and eyes remained at you as he neared with an exciting grin. “Hi.” He says once he was face to face and once again, towering over you.

“Hi, I thought you were starting already?” Came your breathless response,

“I just wanted you to come a little faster.” Riki grins at his cheekiness. “Here,” He was already holding something as he got to the bleachers, he hands it to you. It was two pieces of melon bread, along with some milk you always got at the vending machine and a small, singular rose that was crocheted and wrapped ever so beautifully.

You beamed, feeling flustered all of a suden at the eyes of your friends which kept its attention on you and Riki. You were speechless, simply taking the items from his hands.

Riki had always been really sweet over his actions whenever the two of you alone, but to to be this bold was much of a surprise. “T-thanks…”

To your surprise, Sunghoon squeals a little, “Damn! You’re actually like, not afraid anymore.”

Riki gives him a glare, Jongseong chuckles, “Tough kid all grown up.” He ruffles Riki’s hair. Over the course of a few weeks, these boys have come to grown closer and more intact with their friendship. Prior to Riki leaving, he wasn’t really intent on making much friends.

“He’s actually trying to be a gentleman now.” Rei teases.

Riki grumbles, rolling his eyes at how they treat him like a kid. Jungwon simply just smiles and agrees to the context of whatever the text was. He never responds when something like this happens, he never teases nor does he join in either. Likewise with Naomi, content with short laughs and smiles.

“Ugh, whatever. I have to go, see you guys after my game?” Riki bids farewell, he then pats your head. “See ya, chum.”

And he smiles, leaving once more to go to the field where his teammates were all preparing for the game.

“You know…” Naomi suddenly starts, her tone unusually quite just for you to hear. She looks at you, a glossy tint on her eyes. She looked like she was about to cry. “That time at the field trip, I think you know what happened—”

You quickly cut her off, “Oh, no, no. I happened to stumble upon it but I didn’t eavesdrop into the conversation, don’t worry.”

“I know, I think it’s right if tell you anyways.”

You furrow your brows, why now of all times? Besides, you’d already let that part go and choose not to dwell on something so insignificant any longer.

“That time I confessed to him at the trip,” Naomi’s voice got impossibly smaller, she fumbles with her shirt. “I told him I really liked him. You know what he told me?”

From your peripheral vision, you see a sliver of Jungwon listening in cautiously.

“What?”

She looks at you and chuckles, “That he doesn’t see something happening between us and he was just focused on getting your heart back.”

You no longer had time to response as a loud whistle and horn erupted from the crowd signalling the game was about to begin.

“Decelis Academy vs The Tigers!”

The athletes of Decelis Academy enters, it wasn’t a home court for either athletes, but the cheers for Decelis Academy was loud and booming. Some even held their banners of the team proudly. From the corner of your eye and ear someone screams— Nishimura Riki go! So delicious and so good!

Weird ass much?

You opted to ignore some of the cheers, keeping your eye on one number and one number only— ten.

If Naomi’s words held some truth in them, Nishimura Riki definitely succeeded in getting your heart back and this time, you’ll definitely let him know.

The game eventually started with Decelis Academy claiming the ball and bouncing it to their side of the court. One of the students— 01. Lee Heeseung was it? He passes the ball to another you don’t know who student, but being barricaded by two students from the oposing team. The student eventually passes the ball to Riki knowing he was trapped, Riki catches the ball with ease and shoots a three point.

All of you screamed and shouted, jumping around so excitedly for the point. It’s not like it was his first point ever, but something about seeing it so close up for the first time— Riki playing and all, ignited something within you. You grinned, finding yourself too giddy whenever he scored a point, and pouting whenever he got knocked over and blocked by the opposing team.

It wasn’t even a matter of you supporting the team anymore.

“Unfair much?” Rei teases, observing your very tense posture as you wait for Riki to catch another three pointer. Riki shoots it with such a precision, his hand must have a ruler or something like that.

“Whoooo!!!” You screamed and jumped and jumped, your excitement being the center of attention to your group of friends. You see Riki looking around a bit, eventually catching your eye. He runs to the opposite side of the court in a silly way, giving you a little grin.

Sunoo smiles, “I think you’ll be coming to more basketball games more often.” He attempts to scream through the noise, Sunghoon chuckles. “She’s definitely got the spirit.”

The match eventually ends with Decelis Academy leading a few points more than those tigers, and when it was time to gather up, all of you collectively agreed to congratulate Riki and Heeseung (he was apparently a friend of Jungwon.)

“Congratulations!” All of you beam at the same time, Heeseung and Riki were drained in sweat, barely even having the time to muster before the boys came in and engulfed them in a warm hug. Through protests and groans, the two eventually gave in to the embrace. The three of you just stand back, chatting along some other topics as you waited for them to finish their conversation.

Falling into a conversation with Naomi wasn’t hard, you’ve always been friendly and close with her even before. But maybe, the views have changed a little bit.

After few topics and sharing laughs with the group, the two eventually had to part and go their separate ways. Jungwon, Jongseong, Sunoo, and Sunghoon bid their farewells, you had a very positive feeling this wouldn’t be the last time you’ll see nor technically hang out with them.

Naomi too, had to go and leave. Eventually, it was just you and Riki left as Rei had went to the bathroom for a little while. Riki insisted on walking you over to the bus stop while his team got ready on their own bus. So, it was just you beside him, shoulder to shoulder.

The silence was deafening, Riki wasn’t really speaking much at all. “I hope Rei comes soon, the bus might come over any moment.” You try and fill in the void.

Riki simply nods. The unnerving quiteness lasts for a few seconds before he says, “Hey um, chum— would you mind if we go out a bit later at night?”

You paused in your tracks, “Go out? Where?”

“I kind of want to—” Riki scratches the back of his head sheepishly, “treat you to a little something as a thank you for watching my match.”

“As a thank you? It’s okay, you don’t—”

“What I’m trying to say here is I’m asking you out tonight if that’s okay.” Riki finally goes straight to the point, twisting his body so now, he faced you. Suddenly, you feel your heart pumping louder and louder, stumbling out, “You’re— um— what? Asking me out?”

Riki nods. “If that’s okay chum? I mean it’s fine if—”

“No! No, I would love to. Where do you want to go?”

“There’s a cute coffee shop around your neighborhood nearby, let’s go there?”

“S-sure, what time do you want to go?”

“Is six pm okay?” You nod, looking into his eyes shyly. Riki smiles, you see the way his face lights up as his fingers squeezed your cheeks, “Great. I’ll come pick you up?”

“Okay.”

”Okay.” He pats your head, “See you later pretty girl?”

“Mmh. See you later.”

Riki eventually leaves once Rei comes back, she sees your flustered face, “I’m hoping he hasn’t kissed you out here in broad daylight.”

You smacked her arm, hiding away your tomato cheeks, “Stop! It wasn’t he just— asked me out.”

“Finally!” Rei beams surprisingly, the bus arrives shortly after and you continue your conversation as you go inside. There’s one thing you’ve been curious of with Rei ever since this whole thing happened.

“Rei can I ask you something?”

She hums, “You know Riki is a bit more of a trouble maker and all that. You find him rowdy right?” She nods at your statement, “I find it that you don’t harbor any certain ill feelings towards Riki, why’s that?”

Rei deadpans, looking at you with her face flat. “Are you kidding me?” She asks, as if the question was too ridiculous to even answer. “I have hundreds of ill feelings towards that boy! Look at how he ghosted you all of a sudden, and how he doesn’t care about his grades and how—”

You immediately cut her off, “I’m sorry! Nevermind! The question was too ridiculous to ask.”

If you’d pressed on further and maybe attempted to defend Riki, in the end, it would end up with Rei being on the winning end. Rei was naggy, but she was right most of the time. Rei sighs, leaning back into the bus chair.

“I talked to him one time after your entire argument and ignoring each other stage.” She says, pertaining to where you and Riki had blatantly ignored each other after the field trip.

You gasped, “You what?”

“I talked to him.” She repeats, matter-of-factly.

“Why?”

“You guys were dragging it more than it needed to be, I tried and talk to you but you wouldn’t budge. So naturally, Riki wouldn’t budge either.” You stay silent, Rei continues, “You looked so miserable you know? And every time I see Riki pass by, he always had this frown on his face and I could more or less guess why.”

“So I talked to him about it, and I told him what he really thinks of you.”

You hesitated before asking, “…. What does he really think of me?”

“He said he doesn’t want to lash out his jealousy on you so he chooses to stay silent for a little while during the trip. Then, you started completely ignoring him on the way home. Which is, the two of you are completely stupid, I can see that from this standpoint.” Rei rolls her eyes, “But— Riki had always really been the nonchalant person, so to see him say something like that was new for me too.”

“Riki said he didn’t know what to do because he doesn’t want to lose you but he doesn’t want to feel like controlling you either knowing how much he’d hurt you in the past. So, I gave him a little push to give you that letter in the Love Box. I never imagined he would actually do it, but the way he did it was really childish and not even secretive in any way.”

You chuckle, remembering the moments a few months back. It was, indeed childish, very Riki. “I guess that’s part of his charms, though. Very straightforward and monotonous. Regardless, that time when I talked to him, it didn’t seem like he was lying with his intentions with you so I’ll give him the free pass— for now.”

The last part felt more like a threat than comfort on your end, but your heart swooned anyways, placing the pieces of puzzle together inside your head. One piece, being from Rei’s personality of keeping you safe and well attended to in any matter, the other, finally clearing up the misunderstanding that had jumbled and racked your mind. And finally, the last piece being Nishimura Riki.

You had a clear vision of what you want to say to him now, what to tell him.

It was stupid, as Rei would always tell you. Regardless of it being stupid, dumb, chaotic or what not, one thing remained certain in a sea full of doubts— you like Riki and he likes you back.

Your parents would always tell you to absolutely, no matter what, one hundred percent— not have a boy over at home whenever no one was around.

But the sudden disappearance of your parents, only leaving you with a sudden chat of, ‘your grandma is sick, we’ll come back tomorrow!’ tells you it wasn’t really your fault.

Well, it partly is.

And it was partly Riki’s too.

You were just nervous, is all. Plus, Riki wasn’t even going to your house, he was just there to literally pick you up. What was there to worry about?

Everything.

It was currently 5:50 PM, ten minutes before Riki arrives. It felt like your skirt was a bit too tight around your waist (it was not), your necklace felt like it was choking you to death (it was just you), your top felt like it was too… little? You were just anxious at this point.

Your cat comes around, perhaps sensing your distressed state. She rubs her face around your leg, an action you find absolutely adorable as worried dissipated momentarily.

Then, you feel your phone ping, you quickly opened to see and check the message.

Riki: pretty girl are you all ready?

You: Yes!

Riki: oki im almost near ur house

You: Okay, I’m not sure if I dressed up enough…

Riki: you’re pretty either way, doesn’t matter

You: Girl.

Gosh, you’d punch Riki in the gut if you had the chance. The way he states something so easily like that is what surprises you every time, now you were even more conscious with your attire! What you wore wasn’t even bad, a cargo skirt paired with a similar jacket and a tube top. Your shoes were just loafers, comfortable enough for the walking.

Maybe you were just overstimulated considering this was technically the first date.

Ding.

Speaking of the first date, you hear the doorbell chime in and you hurriedly came down from your bedroom, nearly tumbling upon your own two feet as you did so. You opened the door, you honestly wish you hadn’t and just kept it closed.

“Hi chum.”

Riki’s dressed in all black. He wore tattered denim pants and white shoes, it was paired with a graphic tee and denim jacket. His hair was tousled slightly, indicating it had been a bit styled, lips parted to greet you in a gentle manner. It seemed he was into accessories too, with the way it adorned his neck and waist, dangling about.

You definitely should have kept the door closed.

“Hi.” Came your breathless response.

Though, the better response would be— how in the world did you go from dressing like an emoji to a literal fashion icon?

Weird, something’s beating and it’s definetely your heart.

“Ready to go?” Riki asks, you nod and exit your house. “Oh, I haven’t introduced myself to your parents yet.”

You shrug, “They’re not really around today, they’re at my grandmas… Maybe tomorrow?” You turn and lock the door. With the way you had suggested it, it seemed like you were suggesting him to come back tomorrow and visit you. Regardless, Riki does not bring it up and only smirks in response.

“I’ll greet them tomorrow, then. And see? I was right, you look pretty whatever you wear.”

“Can I punch you.”

Riki chuckles. “I’m not teasing you.”

The sun had already began to set as you walk side by side with Riki, there was a deafening silence in the air following his flirty responses, similar to when he walked with you at the bus stop a couple hours prior. It was killing you, what was he thinking of?

“So… Where’s the coffee shop you wanted us to try?” You couldn’t bear the stillness any longer. Riki only grins, patting your head. “Just a few minutes walk away, do you trust me?”

You nod slowly, but there was mischief in his eye. Riki smiles, unconsciously or perhaps willingly— he took your fingers within his grasp and started walking a little faster.

Warm. That was what his hand felt like. Slightly calloused from all the basketball he’s been playing, but it was gentle and calm with the way he held your hand. Perhaps willingly once more, he intertwined your fingers with his and walked along as if it was nothing. His back was facing you, and once again, you couldn’t see what he his expression was.

Yet, the subtle twitch of his touch proved a little something, and the redness of the tip of his ears was more than enough to let you know Riki was nervous.

You didn’t let go of his hand, albeit it feeling like your whole body was about to explode. Often times, it felt like you were outright tiptoeing with Riki, reaching the verge of acting like a couple yet you were not. It was risky and dangerous, something you hoped would end by the end of the night.

You hoped he felt the same too.

After a few minutes of walking, the two of you eventually reach a lit up cafe. Riki enters, you follow suite, given he did not let go of his grasp on you. The outside felt a little small, but the inside was definitely different.

It was a grassy little field, with an abundance of trees surrounding the counter where you are made to order. What makes it different is the fact that the trees were large and sturdy, each tree having two to three treehouses built upon them. The inside of the treehouse looked spacious too, lit up with some LED lights on the inside.

The entire placed looked like a fairy garden, in all honesty.

Something that came out of a fairytale, like a place for little elves for there were so many trees. Some trees had lights hanging upon their leaves, a few seats were seated at the shade of those trees too. Quiet a few people occupied the seats, and it made you wonder how he came to know of this place.

“I didn’t know something like this existed near our neighborhood?!” You gaped like a little kid buying a doll for the first time, Riki chukles at your reaction. “You never go out save for when there’s school.”

Pouting, you nod along. Riki wasn’t lying, outsides perhaps just wasn’t really your thing.

“It’s— it’s beautiful, wow!”

You were too busy admiring to notice that you were right in fromt of the counter, a nice lady who had piercings, colored hair, and similar clothes to Riki took your order. There were quite a few baristas, each one having a different style than the next as if their avatars were that customizable. Probably college students who took arts and design.

“What do you want to get pretty girl?” Riki urges you as she smiles as the staff who swoon over his face. You ignore it, shrugging, “Anything is fine for me.”

“Hmm, is a latte fine?” Riki suggest, you agree and he orders ahead. Completely ignoring what he was even ordering, you kind of just admired such ethereal place that existed right before your eyes. You definitely had to come to this place more often, and you had to come out for more in general, really.

Once Riki finished his order, he asked if there was a treehouse available. The staff nodded, pointing to quite a few. He thanks the staff and held your hand once more to guide you to one of them. “This is so magical, Riki, wow! It’s—”

“Pretty isn’t it?” Riki looks at you with a smug grin, as if he’d plan the mos top notch date of your life. And he has, he probably will continue to do so. “I can’t believe I don’t even know this was just around our neighborhood.

“I like to explore places, I happen to have found this place while—” Riki stops middway, “Nevermind.”

While he contemplated visiting you on the way home from one of his games.

“What is it?” You urge him, “It’s nothing.” He says back. You choose not to pry, eventually reaching one of the treehouses and entering it. The space was lole any childhood dream, tapestries of random posters, board games, a mini record player, a small table and color mats decorated the treehouse. It was bright too, with the way the LED lights hang dimly. You sat on the mat, crossing your legs. Riki, somehow manages to do the same given his height. He was cramped though.

“You’re too tall.” You giggle.

“Yeah?” He just chuckles, trying to fit is oddly long legs. Riki sits beside you, rather than across you, a gesture you appreciated a little more than you’d like. “Wanna play some card games?” He offers, you agree with excitement and watch as he pulls out an uno.

“Uno? I’ll have you know, I’m pretty good at that game.” You boast.

“Really? So am I.”

Riki’s competitiveness allowed him to win a single match, you challenged him for another because you know he’ll tease you relentlessly and put his victory over your head for a while. You were on the verge to winning, when the food came in and Riki used the excuse of— needing to eat— because he was hungry.

You grumble. “That’s so unfair.” Riki pokes your cheek, laughing at he put a piece of fry in his mouth. “I won! Ha!”

But all disappointment faded away when he feeds you a piece of fry. Riki ordered quite a bunch, a couple of meals and sides as well as your drinks. “Riki, I’ll pay half of the food. How much—”

“Wow this chicken is delicious, try it.” He feeds you a piece of the chicken, you hesitantly chew on it.

“How much do I—”

“Ooh! My latte is pretty good too, want a sip?” Riki quickly places the straw to your mouth, waiting for you to sip but you don’t. It was clear what he’s trying to do here. “I swear, Nishimura Riki—”

“Are these cheese on the fries? They’re so cheesy! Geez, have another one.”

You didn’t even have time to speak when he was already plopping the fry on your mouth and you had no other choice but to chew on it. “I seriously can’t believe you.”

At this point, he was just being a dork. Riki snorts, taking your hand in his once again and kissing the back of it with ease. A gentleman, tempting, dork, that is.

Riki smiles, caressing your hand with his thumb as he shrugs. “It’s always on me, pretty girl.”

“But I can’t—”

“Just this once? Please?” Riki turns on that puppy eyes, a capability of his you never knew he could do. Adorable. With a sigh, you agree, “I’ll pay for it next time, okay?”

He grins, “There’s no guarantee in that, chum.”

For a few more hours, you spent your time, heart and stomach full from the stories and the food you and Riki shared.

“I’m stuffed, my gosh.” A little rub of your belly was all it took for Riki to chuckle. Chatting away mindlessly paired with food was not really such a good combo. “Me too, how was the food?”

“Are you seriously asking me that right now?” Riki tilts his head, you roll your eyes. “After I just ate my ass off here! But thank you, Riki.” You grin at him, thankful for him being ever so generous. This was, beytechnicality, your first date after all.

“I’m glad, pretty girl.” Is all Riki says before the two of you turn to leave the treehouse and the cafe all at once after parting with sad goodbyes. You’d have to come here more often, and with Riki as your accompanin for the next few times.

The sun had already been long gone the moment you left the cafe, with nothing but the street lights decorating the pavements. It was unfortunately, very cold. Cold enough to have your legs shivering and your thin cargo jacket aim uneffective. Riki noticed this, taking off his own thick jacket and wrapping it around your shoulders. It was twice your size.

“Oh, no, Riki it’s okay—”

“Keep it, chum.” Riki cuts you off, you simply nod to his statement, not refusing the warmth his jacket provided. Oh, and the scent of his perfume too. The two of you walk around aimlessly side by side, fingers and shoulders brushing past each other dangerously. No one spoke, until you broke the silence,

“Riki, I—”

“Y/N, I—”

“Ah, you go first.”

“Alright well um, thank you for today Riki. I really appreciated the treat, and—”

It seemed the universe worked in your favor, as the moment you spoke, the park you walked over to lit up with bright lights. It was cold, but the warmth of Riki’s shoulders provided shelter to your shivering body. You stood below a tree— a cherry blossom tree — where it’s pink hues fell with such certainty. A pile of the petals had collected below your feet, with the way the light shown, it honestly felt like you were the main character of a romance drama.

“For this, for everything, the past few months you’ve been treating me so well and kind.”

“It’s because I want to make up for the time I’ve lost.” This time, Riki faced you. He met your sincere face confessing to your heart’s content. “For the time I just disappeared without a trace, I want to make up for that, pretty girl.”

You chuckle, “You already have.”

It was but a subtle movement, Riki moves a tad bit closer. “But that’s besides the point. Thing is, I really— I like you Riki. It’s hard when my feelings are all jumbled and I’m still scared to fall in love, but I won’t deny the fact that I really like you.”

And he moves closer, “And?”

“And I know I may not be the most perfect person, I’m a bit of a mess at times and you—” Riki gently places his hand on your cheeks, shushing you. “Don’t say that.”

“But it’s true, people admire you a lot while I—”

“And I admire you a million times more than those people, Y/N.”

Riki sees you as a whole, the bigger picture to his puzzle pieces. Someone who, despite tumbling across the world’s inevitable problems, manages to stand her ground and keep her stance. Someone who never ran away from the things people throw at you, someone who despite being wronged for hundreds of times, you always find the forgiveness in the depths of your heart.

If not for that, Riki wouldn’t be standing here right now in front of you, with the same look of pure admiration in his eyes. If not for that, Riki wouldn’t even had the chance to get back on his own two feet to keep you close to him, to hold you.

“Really?”

“Really.”

You ease into his touch, Riki moves impossibly closer.

“Can I say something?”

“Yeah?”

“I like you too, pretty girl.”

Closer, closer, until— “Can I kiss you?”

But it was more of a statement than a question because the moment you finish mumbling a breathless yes, his lips were already on yours.

It came in so suddenly, one minute you can feel the fanning of his breath, the next, all you can feel was the plump lips of his pushing against yours. The kiss was shy, hesitant even. Riki held firm, pressing just a tad bit more as his fingers caressed your supple cheeks. It was like electricity with maximum voltage, his touch kept you intact and addicted. The way he held you like you were a fragile, porcelain doll made you feel like jelly in his touch. One of hands snaked around your waist, pulling you closer if that was even possible.

Your mind was in a daze, too lost on reciprocating his feather lips and too hung up on the fact that Riki was actually kissing you. Like silly little highschoolers, like silly little kids— he kissed you just like that.

It wasn’t heated, nor was it filled with desire. It was just— breath taking in a way that your lips molded together and was filled with nothing but love and unspoken emotions for the past few years. Sweet his lips were, firm were his hands upon you. When the two of you eventually ran out of breath, he parts his lip from yours ever so slightly and connects his forehead with yours.

You did not believe that just happened.

“Was that— was that okay?”

Riki asks, but with the way he was clutching you close made you get the feeling that it was more than just okay on his end. You nod shyly, cowering away. But Riki laughs, gripping your fingertips which attempted to cover your flushed cheeks,

“Pretty girl…”

He kisses your forehead, “Is it safe to assume I’ve won your heart again?”

*:·ﾟ✧*:·ﾟ✧ END *:·ﾟ✧*:·ﾟ✧

Extras!

The start of April symbolized new beginnings, the end of March wraps every chapter up.

“For the last song recommendation, I’ll be playing fifteen by Taylor Swift.”

Fingers grasp the rough CD, perhaps the last one you’ll ever touch in such a place— your school for four years. It leaves a bittersweet feeling down your stomach, but you clutch the pain and let the music roll in.

You take a deep breath And you walk through the doors It's the morning of your very first day

“Today is the last day of the Seniors in Decelis Academy, and this day marks their graduation.”

You say hi to your friends you ain't seen in awhile Try and stay out of everybody's way

“As we seniors part way to head towards a brighter future, may all learnings imparted upon us be used in the near future.”

It's your freshman year And you're gonna be here for the next four years In this town

“For all students of this Academy, thank you for sticking by and supporting the Love Box, future officers will hold the name of this box and continue our practice.”

Hoping one of those senior boys Will wink at you and say "You know I haven't seen you around, before"

“And this is the President of the Radio Club, signing off.”

'Cause when you're fifteen And somebody tells you they love you You're gonna believe them

“May all your dreams and aspirations come true, students of Decelis Academy!”

You lower the volume of your mic down and let the music play. Fifteen when you first entered highschool, fifteen when you fell in love for the first time. You look around the Radio Club room, feeling pride and sadness swell in your stomach.

Then the bell rang. It was time to part and finally graduate.

“Let’s go chum?”

Someone knocks from the door.

It was time to graduate with him alongside you.

You turn to him, a somber expression on your face. Riki nears you, he holds his diploma tube in one hand. This was the first time you’ve seen him in prim and proper uniform, it suited him way more than his disheveled, improper look. He looked handsome, and you could tell he thought you were pretty too, with the way his eyes sparkled.

And when you're fifteen Feeling like there's nothing to figure out

“You done with the announcements?” He asks, gently moving a stray of hair away from your face. “I’ll miss this place.”

“I know you will, chum.” He grins, fishing something out from his pocket. It was a brown paper, perhaps coffee-coated to achieve the vintage look. Its edges were also burnt, “What’s this?”

Riki urges you to read it, you open the paper.

It read:

“I’m not good with letters, I’m not good with words, so excuse this silly excuse of a letter. But this is for you, chum. The person I admire most since I was fifteen, the person I’m glad I got to meet. As we enter a new path together, we don’t really know what will come ahead of us and what challenges we have to face. But I know one thing— that we’re certain. I’m not scared, I’m excited even. I’m excited to be going through life with you, I’m excited to be with you. And I’m glad I got to spend my highschool life together with you despite it not going in such a smooth way.

I love you, pretty girl. Always.”

Tears stained the brown-colored paper, all you felt was the prickling of your eyes. You were crying.

You read the paper over and over and over. Riki was looking someplace else, embarassed to have you reading the letter outloud despite having suggested to do so. But upon hearing your sniffles, a worried response immediately came from him.

“Are you okay? Hey—” His fingers brushed away the tears from your eyes, “Is my handwriting or grammar that bad?”

You shook your head, “It’s beautiful Riki, it’s—”

Something washes over you and you immediately held him tight in your embrace. Riki was surprised, but he hugs you regardless, patting your head and tightening his hold around your shoulder. You sniffled in his arms.

“Don’t cry, I thought I did something wrong, hey—” He pulls your shoulder back, “You’re crying even more!”

“I can’t help it I—” You wipe your tears, “I love receiving things like this.”

Riki sighs in adoration, nearing your head and wiping away the tears that adorned your face. If he knew you loved receiving such things, he would’ve done so long ago. He didn’t want to see you crying, especially if he was the reason despite it being for such a good cause.

“Pinky promise me something, chum.” His hands continue to cascade away your tears, cooing at your adorableness.

“Yeah?”

He holds his pinky finger out, “That you’ll spend your forever with me no matter the season. I won’t leave you again, not this time.”

You laugh, “Is that even a question that needs asking?” Intertwining your pinky finger with his and enclosing the promise— together and forever. No matter the season, even if the cherry blossoms no longer fall, even when winter feels too cold and summer feels too hot.

Riki smiles ever so gently— kissing you cheekily.

The mic of control system buffers, and something rings.

It was an indicator that the mic had gone silent, just this very moment.

And then you hear it, the screams and cheers of the students around.

Well, count to ten Take it in This is life before you know who you're gonna be At fifteen.