"The protagonist gently embraces her, gazes at her with longing, and whispers to her…"
Utaha's cheeks were flushed, her crimson eyes gleaming with excitement as she looked at Sui.
"senpai, you're acting possessed. Please snap out of it," Sui cautioned, concerned that things might escalate beyond control.
"I love you," Utaha whispered, her voice soft and tender. Standing on her tiptoes, she leaned closer and pressed her warm lips against Sui's, her entire body following suit, pinning him down.
For a brief moment, Sui's mind went blank.
'What just happened? Did this girl really kiss me?' he wondered in disbelief as he lay on the floor, pinned under her.
Utaha's face was flushed, her eyes hazy and full of affection as she kissed him—awkwardly, but with an undeniable sincerity. She had completely immersed herself in the character she had written.
"Tonight… tonight, I'm yours. Please come back to me safely," she murmured between kisses, her hand sliding down Sui's side.
Sui's eyes widened in shock. 'Is she really planning to go that far?'
"Hey, Utaha, aren't you going home tonight?"
At that moment, the door swung open, revealing Eriri. "Don't you usually play the good girl act in front of your parents and avoid staying out overnight?" she asked casually before her eyes fell on the scene before her.
Utaha was still on top of Sui, kissing him.
A brief silence followed, and then—
"AHHHHHH! You two... so shameless!" Eriri let out a piercing scream.
Utaha snapped out of her trance at the sound of Eriri's voice. Realizing the situation, her face flushed bright red as she scrambled to stand up, her composure in tatters.
Sui sighed in relief. 'Thankfully, Eriri showed up in time,' he thought. Though he couldn't deny a slight sense of regret—perhaps it would have been better if Eriri had arrived just a little later.
"Utaha, you had the nerve to criticize me last time? You're so shameless! You act all proper at school, but you're really this dirty in private!" Eriri shrieked, pointing an accusatory finger at her.
Utaha's face burned with embarrassment. What had started as a mix of playful teasing and scene simulation had spiraled out of control. She often had difficulty stepping out of character once she fully immersed herself, unlike Eriri, who could switch between roles with ease.
Despite her embarrassment, Utaha tried to maintain her calm façade. "We were just simulating a scene," she said, attempting to downplay the situation.
"Simulating? You call 'that' simulating?" Eriri retorted, her voice rising with disbelief.
Utaha's blush deepened, but she persisted, turning to Sui for support. "Isn't that right, Sui?"
"Yes, that's right," Sui nodded. Technically, they 'were' acting out a scene, but what he didn't mention was that Utaha had nearly lost herself in the moment.
It was a relief that Eriri had interrupted when she did, though Sui couldn't shake the slight feeling of what could have been.
"Even if it's a simulation, did you really need to 'kiss' him?" Eriri crossed her arms and glared at them, her skepticism apparent.
She and Sui had rehearsed scenes together before, but there had never been any physical contact.
Utaha's face grew even hotter as she recalled the kiss. Her heart pounded in her chest, and a strange sensation lingered.
Sui, too, felt embarrassed. Judging from Utaha's clumsy movements and her flustered expression, it was likely her first kiss.
"That was to help me better understand the character's emotions," Utaha said, trying to salvage her dignity despite her obvious discomfort. "Of course, a child like you wouldn't understand that."
"What did you call me? A child!? You've never been in love either! Don't act like you're above me!" Eriri snapped back, her embarrassment fueling her anger.
Utaha remained composed despite the burning in her cheeks. "What's wrong? Are you jealous?" she teased, leaning against Sui and exhaling softly near his ear.
Sui was exasperated. 'senpai, you're playing with fire again. Do you realize that?'
"Jealous? Of 'you'? Don't flatter yourself!" Eriri shouted, her frustration growing.
As the bickering between the two girls intensified, Sui cleared his throat. "Alright, that's enough. Utaha-senpai, you should head home before your parents worry. Eriri, why don't you walk with her?"
"Hmph! No way am I going anywhere with her!" Eriri huffed, turning on her heel and marching out the door.
"Fine by me," Utaha retorted, gathering her things and preparing to leave as well.
"Be careful on the way home, Utaha-senpai," Sui said.
At his words, Utaha's face flushed again. She hesitated for a moment before softly replying, "Hmm," and then hurried out the door.
Even as she reached the entrance of the apartment, Utaha's cheeks remained hot. The memory of the kiss lingered in her mind, her heart racing whenever she thought of it.
She gently touched her lips, still able to recall the sensation from earlier.
——
A few days passed, and though it seemed like nothing had changed on the surface, Utaha was still the same cool, sharp-tongued senpai. She hid her embarrassment behind her usual calm demeanor and occasionally dropped a dirty joke here and there.
Eriri never brought up the incident again, though Sui occasionally caught a glimpse of something like frustration in her eyes whenever she looked at him and Utaha together.
In the days that followed, Sui found himself with more free time as classes dwindled. He spent his days at home watching TV or helping Erina with taste tests, and his evenings assisting Eriri with role-playing or indulging Utaha in her whims.
Finally, the term ended, and it was time to receive their transcripts.
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