the air in the room hung thick with unspoken words, a residue of your earlier turmoil. maybe, if you had been careful enough. maybe, if you hadn't brought it up to akito, laid bare that knot of insecurity twisting in your gut. just maybe, if your eyes hadn't betrayed you, hadn't caught that fleeting image of him walking with that unknown girl. doubt had been a bitter taste on your tongue all day.

but now... this... this felt too good. the warmth radiating from him, the possessive pull of his hands settling on your hips, each small affection a balm to your frayed nerves. it was a potent antidote, melting away the icy grip of your worries like frost under the morning sun.

"...she was one of my senior's friends," he murmured, his voice a low rumble that vibrated against your skin. his hands, strong and sure, found purchase on your hips, a greedy attempt to bridge the remaining space, to pull you closer until there was no room left for doubt.

you didn't answer, couldn't. the memory of your whispered confession to akito, the admission of your selfish jealousy, still burned on your cheeks. it felt foolish now, this frantic clutching at shadows when the reality of his touch was so undeniably present.

akito sighed, a soft puff of air against your forehead. his hands, moments ago possessive, now softened, cupping both your cheeks with a gentle reverence. he tilted your face upwards, his gaze locking onto yours, an intense connection that seemed to still the very air around you. in the depths of his eyes, you saw not irritation or dismissal, but a tender understanding that eased the last vestiges of your embarrassment.

the silence stretched, thick with unspoken reassurances. then, with a slow, deliberate movement, he pulled your face closer, the anticipation building in the space between you. and then, finally, his lips crashed onto yours, a kiss that was both an apology and a fervent declaration. in that moment, all the "what ifs" and anxieties dissolved, leaving only the undeniable truth of his affection.