Unknowingly, both carrying the same thought, they unconsciously slowed their pace.
In truth, both of them knew.
Right now, they were just walking home, not embarking on the long journey of their future lives.
The destination of life's path was still far away for youths like them.
But the walk home was right there, just steps away.
No matter how reluctant Utaha was to part with him.
No matter how much Miyahito wanted to linger in her company.
The journey home had to end eventually.
"You go up first, Utaha."
Standing at the entrance of the apartment lobby, Miyahito, who was just carrying his schoolbag today, smiled.
"Mhm... then I'll head up."
Facing him with her back to the door, Utaha gave a slight nod.
However, today, she didn't just turn and walk into the lobby like usual.
Her teeth lightly bit her lower lip, her fingers gripping the schoolbag strap tightening unconsciously. The next second, she suddenly turned back.
Her voice slightly hesitant as she addressed the boy watching her.
"Miyahito-kun, do you... want to come up and sit for a bit?"
Hearing this, Miyahito paused for a moment.
Then, suppressing the impulse to say yes, he calmly shook his head, declining with a smile.
"I'll pass, Utaha."
The moment the words left his mouth, he caught the fleeting disappointment on her face. His lips curving upward, he instinctively took a small step forward.
Raising his hand, his fingertips gently brushed aside a slightly messy strand of hair by her ear and tucked it behind it softly.
Meeting the surprise and fluster in her wine-red eyes, Miyahito spoke softly.
"It's getting late today. How about next time, yeah?"
".....Yeah."
After being stunned for several seconds, Utaha quietly replied, quickly lowering her burning cheeks. Feeling her response wasn't quite right, she added in a voice barely above a whisper.
"I-I understand."
Yeah, it definitely sounded guilty and flustered.
Add to that her restless toe-tapping against the floor.
The more he watched Utaha like this, the harder it became for Miyahito to suppress the affection in his gentle smile.
How can you be this cute? If this keeps up, I'm just going to fall deeper and deeper for you...
Standing incredibly close, the two remained silent by the door for a long while.
In the end, Utaha was the first to yield.
No other way around it. Ever since she'd been the proactive one lately... she'd completely overlooked the fact that her own defenses were paper-thin.
"High attack, paper-thin defense."
The phrase perfectly described Utaha standing before Miyahito at this moment.
"It's getting late." Gritting her teeth slightly, Utaha flusteredly averted her gaze from her toes.
As she spoke, she raised her hands slightly, palms pressing lightly against his chest, giving him a push as gentle as a tickle.
"You should head back too, Miyahito."
".....Yeah."
Sensing her flustered state, Miyahito, whose fingers habitually scratched his cheek, didn't say more. He simply nodded obediently and carefully took a small step back in the direction she was pushing.
Which made sense. He wasn't the type of guy who couldn't read the room. In most situations, or special cases like now, his "read the room" skill was pretty reliable.
However, he didn't just turn and leave.
Instead.
"I'll watch you go up."
Miyahito said with a smile.
"Otherwise, I won't feel at ease."
Hearing this, Utaha stayed silent for a few seconds before nodding slightly.
"Yeah."
Then, she turned and hurried into the building, head down.
Only after watching her step into the elevator and safely go upstairs did Miyahito slowly lift his head.
Gazing at the apartment building reflecting the sunset glow, he suddenly lowered his head and murmured to himself.
"I really like you."
Utaha.
...
Hugging her schoolbag tightly, Utaha stepped out of the elevator with hurried steps, head down, and walked silently to her apartment door.
Open. Enter. Close.
After doing all that, Utaha stood in the genkan with her back against the door. After a moment of silence, as if losing all strength, she slowly slid down until she was sitting on the floor.
She curled her long legs, hugging her schoolbag tightly to her chest, head bowed, forehead resting lightly against her knees wrapped in smooth black tights.
Completely silent.
A while later, a shy, maiden-like whisper suddenly echoed in the empty room.
"That's a foul! That's way too unfair!"
What guy just pulls a move like that, leaving a girl completely defenseless?
Foul! Foul! Referee! Miyahito committed a foul!
"Uuuu..." Amidst these meaningless mutterings, Utaha noticed her heartbeat accelerating and her body temperature rising.
She felt like her entire blood was boiling.
To keep herself from losing her mind, she forcibly stopped herself from replaying what just happened.
After quite a while.
Only when she'd successfully cleared her mind did she feel her heartbeat finally slow down.
"Hoo... ah... hoo..."
After taking several deep breaths, feeling much better, Utaha pushed herself off the door and shakily stood up on unsteady legs.
However, just when she thought she had calmed down from the overstimulation and wouldn't blush or have her heart race over it again...
Utaha couldn't help but replay the scene in her mind.
The next second.
"Uuu... No way, my heart's beating so fast... my face is so hot..."
...
Meanwhile.
Walking home in a great mood, Miyahito quietly hummed a tune.
"More than friends, less than lovers.
What do you really think of me?
Only I am left alone,
Suppressing these feelings of affection.
Every time your kindness makes me happy, it also brings a little heartache..."
He didn't know why he suddenly started singing "More Than Friends, Less Than Lovers."
Maybe because seeing Utaha so cute today made it impossible to keep his feelings bottled up?
Or maybe, the more time he spent with the girl he liked, the more he realized he loved her far more than he'd imagined?
Hard to explain.
But even so, Miyahito had to suppress the urge to confess once again.
Once again reminding himself.
Wait. Don't rush.
Confessing to the girl you like isn't like answering a test question.
If you get a test question wrong, you can fix it.
But if the confession fails, or the timing is off, it's basically a point of no return. Especially confessing to a proud girl like Utaha.
Miyahito had to be extra careful.
Without a high chance of success, he'd rather keep things as they were.
However.
From how she didn't resist his touch earlier, and their interactions lately...
It seemed.
"Almost there."
Slowly lifting his face, Miyahito looked up at the bright moon hanging in the starless night sky.
Just a little more.
Just a bit longer.
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