Ayaka's hands fidgeted on her lap, her eyes sneaking glances at his expression.
Watching him read something they'd created together, something that once bound them... it stirred too much.
Too many emotions she had buried.
Suddenly, Akihiko's voice broke through the quiet again.
"You held on to this all this time?"
She hesitated, then nodded once, barely audible. "It was the only thing I had left of us..."
Akihiko slowly closed the book and placed it on the coffee table.
Then he turned toward her fully, his gaze more intense now.
"Do you still think about us, Ayaka?" His voice was low and steady.
But there was an edge to it—a hunger for truth, for something real.
Ayaka's lips parted, but no words came out.
Her heart pounded so hard she swore he could hear it.
All she could do was stare at him—those eyes, that expression—like he was seeing right through her.
And maybe he was.
Akihiko pulled Ayaka into a desperate, trembling embrace, as if he were afraid she might vanish if he let go.
His voice broke the silence, low and raw against her ear.
"For three years... I've longed for this warmth..." he whispered, his breath warm against her skin, his arms tightening around her like he was trying to make up for all the lost time in a single heartbeat.
Ayaka stood still, stunned.
Her hands remained at her sides, her mind racing yet frozen.
She didn't return the hug—but she didn't pull away either.
Her heart pounded violently, echoing in her ears, drowning out everything but the sound of his voice, the feel of his arms, the truth behind those words.
The moment was fragile—achingly so.
And then—
*Click*
The front door swung open with a cheery creak.
"Ayaka! We're home! We brought dinner!" Kai's voice rang out as he kicked off his shoes, completely unaware of the tension simmering just a few steps away.
From behind him, Kei's calm voice followed.
"There's a typhoon warning tonight, so we thought of sle—"
He didn't get to finish.
Both brothers froze mid-step.
The coat Kei was about to hang slipped from his hands, landing on the floor unnoticed.
Their eyes widened as they took in the scene—Ayaka standing stiffly, Akihiko's arms still around her, the space between them charged and unmistakably intimate.
Ayaka jerked back, flustered.
Akihiko stepped away just as quickly, his expression unreadable.
"I—I can explain!" Ayaka blurted, her voice cracking as she held her hands up defensively.
-----
Minutes later, the tension had shifted into a quieter kind of storm.
Kai leaned against the armrest of the couch, arms crossed, brows furrowed in thought. "So... that's what happened."
His voice held no anger—just quiet contemplation as he pieced things together.
"And that's why you asked Dr. Sato not to tell me." Kei added, arms crossed, his gaze fixed on Akihiko.
Akihiko didn't speak at first.
He knelt before the two brothers, his pride set aside, head bowed.
"I'm deeply sorry... for everything." he said, voice hoarse.
"I thought leaving was the only way to avoid hurting anyone. You treated me so kindly, like family, and when I learned the truth... I didn't know how to face you."
The words hung in the air, heavy and sincere.
Kai's expression softened.
He stood up and extended a hand, pulling Akihiko to his feet.
"The accident wasn't your fault. None of us wanted that to happen. Sometimes... life throws us a plot twist we never saw coming, right, Ayaka?" He turned his head and smiled at her.
Ayaka's lips parted slightly as their eyes met.
She gave a small nod, her emotions a tangled mess inside her chest.
Akihiko looked at Kai again, guilt written in every line of his face. "I'm especially sorry for what I put Ayaka through. I swear—I'll make it up to her, no matter how long it takes."
Kai chuckled softly and gave him a gentle nudge. "Then why are you saying that to me? Shouldn't you be telling her?"
Akihiko turned to Ayaka, their eyes locking for a split second that felt like an eternity.
Ayaka's breath hitched.
Her chest clenched so tightly it hurt.
She quickly turned her back to them, fleeing to the kitchen like a startled deer.
"I-I'll go get the plates..." she murmured, disappearing into the safety of routine.
Kei let out a sigh and turned his attention to Akihiko. "So... what's your plan now? Are you coming back to Tokyo Medical Center?"
Akihiko looked down at the floor, his voice subdued. "If I'll be accepted again..."
Kei raised an eyebrow. "Well then, I'll look forward to working with you again."
------
As the evening wore on, the sky grew darker and the wind howled louder.
Rain began to hammer against the windows in thick sheets, each droplet tapping like the ticking of time.
The four of them gathered at the table, sharing the meal that Kai and Kei had brought.
Conversations were quieter than usual, but warmer.
There were glimmers of laughter—hesitant, yet sincere.
As the last of the dishes were cleared, a sudden clap of thunder echoed through the room, followed by a rush of wind.
Ayaka stood up and carried the plates to the sink, trying to steady her nerves by focusing on the clink of ceramic and the warmth of running water.
Her thoughts were a whirlpool, swirling with fragments of what just happened.
She didn't hear Akihiko approaching—but before he could take a step closer, Kai slung a casual arm around his shoulders.
"Akihiko." Kei called from the couch, his tone suddenly lighter.
Akihiko glanced between the brothers.
"Is it alright if we start calling you by your first name now?" Kei asked with a grin.
Akihiko blinked in surprise, then let out a soft chuckle. "I don't mind."
Kai glanced at the rain now roaring outside. "Man, it's pouring hard... there's no way you're driving in this weather. You should stay the night."
Ayaka stiffened, spinning around, water dripping from her fingertips. "W-What do you mean sleep here?!"
"Come on, are you seriously going to let him drive through a typhoon?" Kei replied, his expression deliberately innocent.
Ayaka's shoulders slumped. "I-I... I suppose he can stay... just for the night..." she muttered, eyes avoiding everyone's.
"Perfect!" Kai clapped his hands.
"Kei and I will share a room. Akihiko, you can take mine."
"Thank you." Akihiko replied, bowing slightly before turning to Ayaka.
She avoided his gaze once more, cheeks flushed, and resumed scrubbing the dishes like her life depended on it.
The rain thundered outside, the lights flickered once—then steadied.
Somewhere in the storm, a different kind of turbulence brewed.
Not of wind or rain, but of emotions too long buried, now clawing their way back to the surface.
And the night had only just begun.
------
The storm outside hadn't calmed.
It was already past midnight, but sleep remained a distant luxury.
Ayaka lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her blanket pushed down to her waist, tangled from restless tossing.
The faint rumble of thunder in the distance mimicked the turmoil in her chest.
"I can't sleep..."
With a sigh, she finally slipped out of bed.
Her throat felt dry, and maybe—just maybe—a glass of cold water would help settle the whirlwind inside her.
Tiptoeing down the hallway in her oversized shirt, she descended the stairs, careful not to wake anyone.
But as she turned the corner toward the kitchen—
*Clink.*
She froze.
There he was—Akihiko, standing by the sink, the faint moonlight pouring through the window behind him.
He had just set a glass down, the sleeves of his black shirt rolled up to his forearms.
Their eyes met.
Neither of them said anything.
The silence was deafening, awkward, and strangely electric.
The only sounds were the low rumble of the storm outside and the hum of the refrigerator.
Ayaka felt her pulse spike.
The kitchen suddenly felt too small...
Too cold...
Without a word, she moved toward the cabinet and poured herself some water, pretending not to feel his eyes on her.
But she could.
Every inch of her skin tingled from the weight of his gaze.
She took a sip, but before she could retreat to the safety of her room—
"Why haven't you taken it off?"
His voice was low—quiet, but laced with something deeper.
A question he wasn't asking for the first time.
Ayaka's hand instinctively went to the necklace resting against her collarbone.
The delicate chain shimmered faintly in the dim light, a piece of the past she'd never managed to let go of.
She didn't answer.
Instead, she put her glass down quickly, as if drinking the water had been her only mission.
Turning on her heel, walking towards the stairs.
But she didn't make it far.
A hand caught her wrist—gentle but firm.
Ayaka gasped softly, turning back just as Akihiko stepped in close, his presence overwhelming, his scent far too familiar.
He didn't let go.
He cornered her, one hand resting on the wall beside her head, his body just inches away, trapping her in place.
"Ayaka." he said again, more quietly this time, his voice dipping low. "Why haven't you taken it off?"
Her eyes darted everywhere but him.
The tension between them was palpable—hot, suffocating.
Her fingers curled into her shirt as her breath quickened.
"It's not a big deal..." she finally mumbled. "I just... got used to it, that's all."
But even she didn't believe her own excuse.
Ayaka moved to slip away, but the moment she turned—
He pulled her back.
His arms wrapped around her waist from behind, slow but sure, his body pressed lightly to hers.
Her breath hitched.
She could feel the heat of him through the thin fabric of her shirt.
His hands were warm, steady—one resting just above her hip.
Her heart slammed into her ribcage.
"Then why does it still look so new?" he whispered against her ear, voice barely audible above the storm outside. "Like you've taken care of it all this time."
"Let go..." she said, but it lacked conviction.
Her voice was breathless, trembling.
Then—
*CRACK*
A bolt of thunder shattered the silence, the windows vibrating from the impact.
Startled, Ayaka gasped and flinched. In that split second, she managed to slip from his arms and bolted up the stairs, heart pounding like a war drum.
She slammed the door to her room shut and leaned back against it, breathless, her legs threatening to give way beneath her.
The rain battered the windows.
Her fingers touched the necklace still resting against her chest.
"Why haven't I taken it off?..."
Her heart refused to answer.
All she knew was that it was beating too fast—and Akihiko's warmth still lingered on her skin like a flame she couldn't put out.