Satoru loves to annoy his students and colleagues. If annoying others were a hobby, it would surely be one of his favorites.

But he especially enjoyed teasing Aiya. The pout on her face when he replaced the sugar in her coffee with salt was worth every scolding that followed. What he liked the most was simply hugging her.

He did it constantly, everywhere, and all the time. God, he loved how confused she looked whenever he wrapped his arms around her again. But she never pushed him away, so she must like it too, right?

Today was one of those rare days when Satoru truly felt lonely. He got up in the morning and just felt alone.

His day only brightened a little when he found Aiya in the teachers' lounge of the academy. Immediately, his long arms wrapped around her, pulling her tightly against him.

Her scent and proximity were enough to make him feel better. When he finally let go after what felt like an eternity, he whispered softly in her ear,

"Sweetie, you have no idea how much I needed that."

He didn't wait for a response and quickly slipped out of the teacher's lounge with a big smile on his lips.

That evening, lying alone in his bed, he longed so much for physical closeness that his brain switched to autopilot. He teleported himself into Aiya's apartment.

He knew it was so wrong, but the searing loneliness in his heart just wouldn't go away today. And this morning, a brief hug from Aiya was enough to make him feel better. She would never find out; he would be gone before she woke up.

So, he quietly sneaked into her bedroom. Aiya was lying peacefully asleep in her bed, hugging an Agumon plush toy. Satoru's heart skipped a beat, he had brought her that plush toy as a souvenir from one of his trips.

After regaining his composure, he slowly approached the bed. Gently and carefully, he took the Agumon plush toy from her arms and slipped into its place. Instantly, the searing loneliness was replaced by warmth and contentment.