You sprinted through the school hallway, hand tightly gripped in Megumi’s as your laughter echoed behind you—chased not just by your guilt, but by Ms. Yutoshi herself, the most feared head teacher in the entire school.

“Stop running this instant!” her voice boomed from around the corner.

“Crap, crap, crap—!” Megumi yelped, nearly crashing into a bulletin board before you tugged him just in time. “We need to hide. Now!”

Your heart raced as the two of you turned the next corner, feet pounding against the floor. Megumi’s eyes scanned the hallway like a hawk until they landed on the old storage closet at the end. Without a word, he yanked the door open and pulled you in with him, slamming it shut behind you with a soft click.

It was pitch dark.

Dusty. Cramped.

And suddenly, you became very aware of how closely you were pressed against him—chests brushing, his breath fanning softly against your lips. His hands had instinctively found your waist, while yours clutched at his shoulders for balance.

“Where are those little gremlins?!” Ms. Yutoshi growled from just outside the door, her footsteps echoing as she stormed past.

You held your breath, your lips practically inches from his. You could feel the tension in his fingertips as they gently curled at your sides. You swallowed, whispering so quietly he had to lean in just a bit more to hear you.

“Is… is she gone?”

Megumi didn’t answer right away. His gaze flicked down to your lips, then back to your eyes. “I—I think so… but you need to stay quiet.”

You nodded, but your heart wasn’t listening. It was thudding against your ribs like a warning bell. Or maybe… an invitation.