The warmth of Kaede's lips lingered, but the moment didn't last long. Mirei pulled away, her eyes wide in shock as she stared at Kaede, still trying to process what had just happened. Her heart raced, and for a brief second, she wasn't sure what to say. What just happened between them? Did Kaede really just kiss her? She blinked, but her gaze remained locked on Kaede, who was equally stunned.
Kaede, who had always been the shy, reserved one, was now sitting frozen, her hands pressed tightly to her mouth as if trying to take back the kiss that had already happened.
"I'm… I'm… sorry, Mirei," Kaede stammered, her voice trembling as her face turned crimson. "I was… losing myself, that must be something wrong with my head." She tried to laugh it off, but it came out awkward and forced, a weird, high-pitched sound that didn't fool anyone—not even herself.
Mirei's surprise only deepened, but before she could say anything, she heard Kaede's laugh and couldn't help but chuckle herself. Was this really happening? After all that intensity, Kaede was trying to pretend like she hadn't just kissed her? Mirei, seeing Kaede's flustered state, couldn't hold back a grin.
"So," Mirei began, her voice playful, "what was that, Kaede? Losing yourself? Really?"
Kaede's face grew even redder, if that was even possible. She opened her mouth, trying to find some sort of explanation, but all that came out was a small squeak. Her mind was racing. What if Mirei hated her now? What if she thought it was disgusting? Kaede's heart was beating out of control, her hands shaking slightly as she tried to find the right words.
"I'm really sorry, Mirei..." she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.
Mirei sighed, shaking her head at her shy friend. Kaede had always been timid, but right now, the awkwardness was almost too much to handle. It was adorable in a strange way, seeing Kaede so panicked. Maybe it was time to take the lead, Mirei thought.
With a playful smirk, Mirei reached out, placing both of her hands on Kaede's cheeks, cupping them softly. Kaede flinched at the sudden touch, but she didn't pull away, her wide eyes staring directly into Mirei's now.
"Kaede," Mirei said, her voice teasing but firm, "I'm asking you something now, and you have to answer me. Okay?"
Kaede's mouth opened slightly, but no sound came out. All she could manage was a small nod.
Mirei raised an eyebrow, her smirk growing wider. "Alright, Kaede Shinohara, do you have an interest in me?"
Kaede's heart skipped several beats. She felt like she might faint from sheer embarrassment. Her entire face was burning up, and every fiber of her being wanted to dig a hole and disappear into it forever. The way Mirei used her full name made her even more nervous, like she was being interrogated.
Kaede swallowed hard, her lips trembling as she struggled to find her voice. Slowly, she gave the tiniest nod, barely moving her head at all.
Mirei's smile widened, clearly satisfied. "Okay, that's good. Now," she continued, leaning in slightly closer, "Kaede Shinohara, do you like me?"
Kaede's pulse quickened. Do I like her? she repeated in her head, and even though her body was screaming at her to run away from this confrontation, she couldn't. She knew she had to answer. But this time, her head moved in the opposite direction. She shook it, the word "No" on the tip of her tongue.
Mirei's expression faltered, confusion flashing across her face. She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could get angry, Kaede blurted out, "I love you."
Mirei froze, her mouth still open as she processed Kaede's words. Kaede had just dropped a bomb that she wasn't prepared for. For a moment, Mirei's usual confident demeanor crumbled, her face flushing as her heart skipped a beat. This was not the shy Kaede she was used to—this was an unexpectedly bold confession, and it left her completely flustered.
Mirei looked away. "I—You—" she stammered, her mind racing. "You can't just say that out of nowhere, Kaede! My heart skipped a beat!"
Kaede blinked, her eyes widening. She hadn't meant to say that. The words had just slipped out, and now she wasn't sure what to do. Her panic grew as she watched Mirei fidget, clearly thrown off by her sudden confession.
Mirei quickly recovered her composure, though her face was still slightly pink. She cleared her throat and looked back at Kaede with a smirk, determined to regain control of the situation. "Alright, Kaede Shinohara," she said, her tone playful but serious, "this will be the last one, okay?"
Kaede nodded again, her heart pounding in her chest. She wasn't sure if she could take another question, but there was no backing out now.
Mirei took a deep breath, then asked, "Kaede Shinohara, do you want to be my girlfriend?"
Kaede's heart nearly exploded in her chest. Did Mirei just ask what she thought she dream of all this time? She stood there, completely frozen, her mind blank as the words echoed in her head. Mirei wanted to know if she wanted to be her girlfriend. Her idol crush—Mirei—was asking her out. Her thoughts swirled, and she couldn't move, couldn't speak. All she could do was stare at Mirei, completely overwhelmed.
Mirei waited, her expression shifting from playful to confused to mildly annoyed. "Well?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "You're just going to leave me hanging like that? Hello, Earth to Kaede! Are you going to answer me or not?"
Kaede snapped out of her trance, blinking rapidly as she realized she had been standing there, completely silent for far too long. "Y-Yes!" she stammered, her voice coming out louder than intended. "Yes, I do!"
Mirei let out a sigh of relief, her playful smirk returning as she leaned in closer. "Finally! I thought you were going to make me wait all night."
Before Kaede could respond, Mirei pulled her into a tight hug, wrapping her arms around her. Kaede's breath hitched as she felt the warmth of Mirei's embrace, her heart racing even faster. She hugged Mirei back, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. All the tension, all the fear, it melted away in that moment. They were okay. More than okay.
After a few moments, Mirei pulled back slightly, her face only inches from Kaede's. She smiled softly, her voice tender now. "I'm really glad we talked about this."
Kaede nodded, unable to find the words to express how she felt. All she knew was that she was unbelievably happy.
Mirei leaned in again, this time more carefully, and pressed her lips against Kaede's in a soft, gentle kiss. It was a quiet, tender moment, filled with all the emotions they had been holding back for so long. When they finally pulled away, both of them were smiling, their hearts light.
"Let's get some sleep," Mirei whispered, pulling Kaede closer as they lay down together on the bed. The weight of the night's events had worn them both out, but now, there was nothing but warmth and comfort between them.
As they drifted off to sleep, their hands intertwined, Kaede couldn't help but smile to herself. She had never imagined this night would end like this, but she was grateful for every second of it.