My panic reflected back to Akira's eyes. His face turned ashen. His jaw clenched, and his shoulders tightened as well. My heart sank further. Sleeping together fully clothed was plenty enough bad image. Mina would be outraged. My father too.
"It's my fault. I was careless," I said.
"Don't go back to Tokyo." His voice was a plea. "It won't happen again. I promise you that."
I blew out a breath and leaned into his hands, inching closer to the gap between his legs. "I'm not going back. I'm sorry I panicked."
His body loosened, and he grabbed me forward, wrapping his arms around me. "My parents might be as old fashion as yours but they're not going to hate you just because we're…"
"Fornicating?" I asked.
"See." He nuzzled his nose to my hair. "You use difficult words. You'll definitely amaze them. My mother likes smart girls. It's impossible not to like you."
"You're that confident?"
"You think my brother and sister-in-law did nothing when they lived together for three years." He snorted. "They're as bad as us, and my parents knew. It'll be okay."
I leaned into him more until half of my weight was on him. "I sure hope so."
Akira kissed my head. "We do have one problem though."
I looked up at him, willing the panic to stay down.
"It's my brother." He grimaced. "Mayuki-neesan will surely tell him. It'd be best if we avoid him."
"Oh no." I groaned, burying my face to his chest. My stomach became heavy as a lead. "Can't we stay inside and hideaway?"
"You want to hide? Are you scared of my brother?" He asked and stroked my head. "Don't be. Just think of him as a private school graduate with rich parents. Aren't you good at handling those type?"
"You do know that applies to you as well, right?" Getting out of the embrace, I stared at him.
"I'm an exception." Akira grinned. "There's no denying my brother is a pompous…"
"Ass?" I laughed and shook my head. "And how do you know? Did Tachibana-senpai tell you stories?"
"It's just a hunch from what I've seen before with your friend's boyfriend," he said, picking up the chopsticks, handing it to me. "How many blind dates did you exactly attend?"
"Suffer," I corrected, taking the bowl of rice.
"Right, suffer." He chuckled. "Was it that bad? Tell me all about it."
I proceeded to tell him every date I had before him. By the time I finished, my confidence was back, and we were done eating. I didn't realize Akira was this good at handling me. He even managed to coax me to take another dip in the private bath.
At first, I didn't want to because I wasn't paying for it. I said I wouldn't mind using the communal hot spring.
Akira cupped my cheeks. "We'll take a quick bath for the last time. I'm not going to make you beg again, Reiko-senpai. I only want to see you naked and hug you."
"Someone might hear you," I hissed, glancing around.
"They already know we're doing it. We might as well own it." He smirked and dragged me inside.
After the bath, Akira showed me around the inn. We went to the public bath and the open-air one located outside the inn. Doing so, we bumped into several guests and staff who recognized him as the owner's son.
Some he just politely nodded to while others stopped to chat for a bit in which I felt he was somehow compelled to introduce me. He only mentioned my name, but I got this feeling that everyone knew exactly who I was.
After we had circled the entire first floor, we sauntered back to that long hallway as Akira animatedly told me about the history of their inn. At the end of the hall, I saw a person's silhouette and halted.
I braced myself but the moment Akahito-san's wide grin became more visible, I cringed. He definitely heard. I averted my eyes and rubbed my arms as he neared. Akira whispered me something, but I was too caught up in my own dread.
Akahito-san slung his arm across his brother's shoulder and sang, "It's so nice to be young and in love." He then turned to me, beaming. "Right, Reiko?"
My cheeks flushed as I lowered my head.
"Stop it, aniki, you're embarrassing her," Akira said, taking my hand.
"Our futons are nice, huh? It kept you two warm?" Akahito-san wiggled his eyebrows.
"Ignore him. He's a child," Akira whispered to me but loud enough that his brother could hear.
"Was it that good, Aki?" Akahito-san's voice turned tight even though there was still lightness into it. "You let it get to your head."
Akira started forward, glaring. "How would you know? You get everything handed to you."
"What did you say?" His older brother growled. "You little spoile—"
"It was good." I pulled back Akira and put myself in between them. "It was definitely more than that."
I curled my lips into my best smile, the one I used to get my father to agree. "The futons and the private bath were splendid. I'm sorry I over enjoyed my stay here. I couldn't help myself."
Akahito-san backed away, his brows straightening. He grinned, studied me and Akira, and then tapped his brother on the shoulder. He opened his mouth.
"One more," Akira said, cutting him off, leaning closer to Akahito-san. "I'll tell Mayuki-neesan all about your ex-girlfriends and where you take them."
Akahito-san stared at Akira before he laughed, turning to me. "Would you like to go to the market with me? Akira can show you around. We have enough time before Okaa-san and the others arrive."
I looked at Akira, and he nodded.
"We'll go change," Akira said, pulling me closer to him.
"Don't do anything else, alright?" Akahito-san called. "I'll wait for you two in the car."
"My brother's the worst, huh?" Akira whispered to me when we rounded the corner, and then he kissed my temple. "But you're the best."