x
The room fell silent for a few seconds.
Suzuran bit her lip.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhpbVcXGqQ
She knew she shouldn’t say it.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa3kzH8YZTs
But still, in a voice barely above a whisper, she asked:
“Then… can I touch your arm muscles?”
She said it quietly, not quite a joke, not quite a confession—14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3ch3sCaDQ
just a small nudge to see how close she was allowed to get.
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Kouichi turned slightly, his gaze landing on her.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2IzDBqvoHz
For just a moment, something flickered in his eyes—14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3g7nXRavpX
but he didn’t reply right away.
Seeing his silence, she hurried on, her voice picking up speed and pitch like she was afraid he’d misunderstand… or worse, say no.
“It’s for the exam! Really! Everyone’s practicing palpation in class—biceps, deltoids, triceps… I have to pass too!”
Her face was already red, but she held her ground,14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00I0DlKuix
trying her best to look confident.
Kouichi stared at her—stubborn, flustered, determined.
Finally, his gaze softened.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4SFHmbijc
A breath escaped his lips, almost a sigh.
“…Fine. Left arm.”
The words were quiet, calm. But they were permission.
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He rolled up his left sleeve, exposing the clean lines of his forearm and biceps—14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGB9mdhouxa
firm, defined, composed—just like him.
“Ten minutes. Palpation only.”
His tone was as cool as ever, as he added:
“No laughing. No daydreaming. No weird thoughts.”
Suzuran's eyes lit up.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMEZ8z62NVW
She nodded furiously, like a kid who just got permission to pet a very fancy dog.
“I swear—study mode only!”
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She carefully reached out, her fingertips brushing his arm.
The moment her fingers touched skin, she froze.
“…Ugh.”
A breathy, involuntary sound escaped her.
This wasn’t like anything in the textbook!
No one ever said muscles could feel like this—so springy, so firm, so…14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxIsQ3gZej
temptingly real.
She had expected something hard and static.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYk3jRAKvRC
But instead—there was warmth. Depth.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡokwrZ41w1u
A weight that made her want to touch again.
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Her eyes focused, hands trembling slightly,14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4BiCD1PEj
trying desperately to maintain her “I’m being professional” façade.
Kouichi said nothing.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZb2oYqdxjc
He just lowered his gaze and watched—without pulling away.
He let her touch him.
But it was as if he were silently saying—
You can touch me like this.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlMuQxdAya
But only like this.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gQ7MbUoVP
Only from this distance.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwcSOBVNGm
She glanced at him again.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVCH7ldhMM
Still calmly seated beside her, editing her report without so much as a blink.
As if nothing had happened.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabXf2jnCzF
As if her little emotional derailment was part of the routine.
He didn’t scold her.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGBBhunOuK
Didn’t dodge her.
He simply… carried on.
And somehow, that made her feel—
Maybe it was because he was always so steady…14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnnUHcwhyBx
that she could inch a little closer each time.
She took a breath.
Then, carefully, she cradled his hand in both of hers.
That hand.
The one that had shot across her chest that day when he hit the brakes.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSbTaSxviFk
The one that had thrown her whole heart into chaos.
Her fingers trembled slightly as they slid slowly over each of his knuckles—14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8WZBaiAZY
like she was holding something precious, too fragile to grip tightly.
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It was a very quiet hand.
The joints defined, calluses soft at the creases,14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFvYEy1f8m
fingertips warm and calm.
As her fingertips brushed his index finger,14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKkyGdvqV1
she felt the veins beneath his skin—subtle, winding, like strands of strength coiled under a surface of warmth.
So cool…14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5gFOEX7gKf
She thought, and immediately her cheeks flushed hotter.
Her heart stumbled up into her throat.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpylzC865f
Her gaze followed the path of her own fingers—14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcrfQxkUU4
from the web between thumb and forefinger,14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYa3Xpkrumq
to the back of his hand,14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfo86O75vl
down to the long, slender bones of his wrist.
There was something addictive in the quiet complexity of it all.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡccS2Nkp9q6
Something that pulled at her, soft and slow and impossible to stop.
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And then—14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpiglbDW5N
her fingers moved again.
Not consciously.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsk5R5gwpV
As if her body had decided on its own.
She slowly, almost soundlessly—
interlaced her fingers with his.
One finger.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzq7do49tuB
Then another.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjk5IiVB9lx
And another.
Until their hands fit together—perfectly.
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Ten fingers. Intertwined.
She froze.
She hadn’t said a word.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzayJopPJt8
But her body had confessed everything.
There was no way to explain this as "studying."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNFubSGSoI
This wasn’t about anatomy.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBG3fBMrAM
This was… the way lovers hold hands.
She stared down at their joined fingers,14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKTKyRjmZH
her palm burning from his warmth.
And somewhere in her heart, a soft voice whispered:
If only I could stay like this.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeOerRjnbT
Not just for palpation.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNnoT5fRf0
Not just for ten minutes.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVxvVyTm0X
But forever.
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She bit her lower lip.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuWCVxdP4wK
Too afraid to look up.
Because what she feared most…14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6Jsh2iU61
wasn’t rejection.
It was the possibility—
that in his eyes,14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6KFa2PAIwq
she might see a tiny flicker of indulgent gentleness.
The kind of look that would make her14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbgMqjqXGc3
lose all ability to pull away.
The kind of look14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qynQW5h4z
that would make her fall even deeper.
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“…My lady,”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPzwzl1EsN
His voice was low, the calm she always knew.
But this time—14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sS2zmpeTR
there was a faint huskiness to it, like he’d just pushed something down.
“Are you sure this part… is covered in the textbook?”
Suzuran snapped back to reality.
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She looked down—
Her right hand, still holding his left.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7m5DE4zlUl
Their fingers laced tight.
Like lovers.
Like a secret promise in the middle of an ordinary afternoon.
Her heart dropped.
“I—I…”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNntogjwXI7
She couldn’t even finish.
Her face had turned red to the roots of her hair.
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What. Just. Happened?!
She meant to feel his tendons. Just the hand. Just for class!
But somehow—her fingers had just slipped into his without her noticing?!
She yanked her hand back in a panic—14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtlCd9N1v9
but fumbled halfway, making it seem more like she didn’t want to let go.
Kouichi didn’t release her immediately.
He simply watched her.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDM0DNJXO1R
Quietly.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdMRtNl5bC
As she panicked like a kid caught sneaking cookies before dinner.
Her lips moved, but no words came out.
And then—finally, he spoke.
“…Time’s up.”
His voice was calm as ever. Composed.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZICxLKlo7a
As if absolutely nothing had happened.
But only he knew—
That for one second,14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpYHZtcP28
his fingers had gently squeezed back.
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“I-I was just checking your muscle tone! That’s all!”
“Mm. Got it.”
He calmly pulled his hand away—unhurried, smooth.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIez5X7NoJQ
But there was still a faint warmth left behind in her palm.
He paused for a second.
Then added, as if it were a matter-of-fact follow-up:
“So… would you like to check any other muscle groups?”
“…What?”
“For example—pectoralis major, biceps brachii, wrist flexors…”
“Wait a second.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlCb7frhIi
Her eyes suddenly lit up.
Her brain raced through the names he just listed:14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDMWMXNCa0
Pectoralis major, biceps, wrist flexors…
Every one of them…
were the muscles you use when you hold someone close.
“Wait—are you saying… I should test them by having you hug me? For accuracy?”
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Kouichi didn’t reply.
He just turned and gave her a look—expression neutral, eyes steady.
Suzuran, meanwhile, lit up like a Christmas tree.
“Yes! Yes yes yes!! Obviously!!”
“….”
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Without a word, he slowly raised a hand…14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0YbbOVymAj
and pressed it flat against her face.
“Idiot.”
Tone completely deadpan.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15g4p7uFB4
As if stating “Your book is upside down.”
Suzuran’s face exploded red.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXiJHgXft6Z
“Wh—Hey!!”
“I was kidding,”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFgLg7uQ2l
Kouichi muttered, calmly returning to her report.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CGdDzBTxQ
His voice dry as ever.
“I didn’t think you’d actually take it seriously.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtuuoKwwfD
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“No wonder your etiquette grades are so borderline…14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESrAa8VAwR
You’ve probably been reading shoujo manga under the desk instead.”
“Hey—!”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VpelTrgXH
She exploded, grabbing a pillow and rolling back and forth in outrage.
“You can’t say stuff like that in that tone!!14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgfwRt8rG0
Don’t forget who your master is!”
Kouichi shot her a glance and deadpanned:14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjam2EqYCDx
“You were the one who took it the wrong way.”
“I did not! It’s called hands-on learning, thank you very much.”
“Mm. Real dedication. I’m impressed.”
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He nodded with mock sincerity, then looked back down to continue writing comments, like he was grading some kind of midterm paper.
But in that moment—
facing away from her—
his lips twitched14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkC6cXaLZRz
into a small, unmistakable smile.
