You didn’t notice it at first—the way his gaze lingered longer than usual, the slight tension in his jaw, the way his grip tightened around the porcelain teacup he held.

You were laughing with Tamaki, who, in true Host Club fashion, was dramatically retelling a story involving a near wardrobe disaster before an important school event. His energy was infectious, his charm always turned up to ten. It was easy to laugh with him—easy to forget everything else for a second.

Across the room, Takashi watched in silence.

He wasn’t one for loud declarations or possessive outbursts. But something inside him twisted at the way Tamaki leaned in just a little too close. How your eyes sparkled when you smiled at someone else like that.

Jealousy wasn’t something he was used to. He didn’t like it. But he felt it now—low and heavy in his chest.

You looked up and saw him then, standing near the tall windows, hands tucked into his pockets. His expression was unreadable to anyone else, but you knew him well enough to see the shift.

You gently excused yourself from Tamaki’s enthusiastic story, weaving your way through the bustle of the music room toward him.

“Mori?” you asked softly. “You okay?”

He didn’t meet your eyes right away. “You were smiling a lot… with him.”

You blinked, surprised. “Tamaki? He was just being Tamaki. You know he flirts with anything that breathes, right?”

Mori didn’t answer. He just looked down at you, eyes darker than usual—not angry, but uncertain. Vulnerable, in a way that made your heart ache.

You reached out and took his hand, fingers slipping between his with ease. “Hey,” you whispered, tugging gently until he looked at you. “You don’t have to say anything. But… it’s you. Okay? Always you.”

He exhaled slowly, the tension leaving his shoulders.

And then, without a word, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to your forehead—simple, steady, grounding. His way of saying he believed you. His way of asking you to stay close.

And you would.

Because no one made silence feel like safety the way he did.