Yumi and Elnora were tangled in each other, their lips locked in a kiss that felt both electric and terrifyingly natural. Time seemed to slow down as the world outside her room became a blur. All the noise, the people, the pressure—it didn't matter. It was just her and Elnora.
Yumi felt her heart pounding, her fingers tracing the outline of Elnora's jaw, pulling her closer. She could feel Elnora's hands resting lightly on her waist, and the way her body seemed to fit perfectly against hers was overwhelming. It was strange but not wrong—everything was just... right.
The kiss deepened, becoming more intense as they both let go of whatever inhibitions they had left. Yumi felt like she was floating, her senses sharpened. She could feel every tiny detail: the way Elnora's lips pressed against hers, the soft hum of the music still playing in the background, the smell of Elnora's shampoo mixed with her own perfume. It was all consuming.
But suddenly, a loud *thwack* broke through the moment, followed by the unmistakable sound of popcorn hitting something.
Yumi pulled away, her breath catching in her throat. Her eyes widened as she turned to see Kikidori standing in the doorway, a mischievous grin playing on his face. He was holding a popcorn bucket, which he casually tossed into the air. It made a loud *pop* as it landed near them, scattering kernels all over the room.
Cerberus, who had been lounging lazily on the floor, immediately perked up. His tiny black Chihuahua body dashed across the room, snapping up the popcorn like a vacuum cleaner. It was over in seconds. The dog didn't care about the tension, the awkwardness, or anything else. He was just there for the snack.
Yumi blinked, trying to process the situation. "Dad!" she snapped, her face flushed. "What the hell?"
Kikidori just shrugged, completely unfazed. "What? I didn't interrupt anything. I just wanted to see how my daughter was doing with her... *friend*," he said, voice dripping with sarcasm as he looked between the two girls.
Elnora sat up, looking just as startled, her cheeks redder than Yumi's. She wasn't sure how to respond, but then Kikidori tossed another handful of popcorn in their direction. This time, Cerberus was ready, darting back and forth between them as if he were a professional snack thief.
"Seriously, Dad?" Yumi muttered, her voice full of exasperation.
"I thought you could use some entertainment," Kikidori said nonchalantly, leaning against the doorframe. "I mean, what's a better way to break the ice than some popcorn and awkwardness?"
Elnora couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. The situation was weird, but she had to admit, Kikidori's laid-back attitude was kind of funny. She glanced at Yumi, who was still blushing and glaring at her dad, and then back at the scene in front of her.
"You're lucky Cerberus is cute," Yumi muttered, rolling her eyes. "Otherwise, I'd be seriously pissed right now."
Kikidori ignored her comment and took a step closer. He wasn't trying to be creepy or invasive—he genuinely didn't care. "Just don't do anything *stupid*," he added. "You're still my daughter, and I've got a reputation to keep, you know?"
Elnora blinked in surprise, unsure of what exactly he meant, but before she could ask, Kikidori had already turned on his heel and walked out of the room. He tossed one last piece of popcorn into his mouth as he went, clearly not bothered by what he'd just interrupted.
The door clicked shut behind him.
The room went silent.
Yumi, still flustered, turned to Elnora. Her face was bright red, and her hair was a mess from the earlier chaos. "Well, that was... *fun*," she said dryly, brushing her fingers through her hair.
Elnora giggled, her awkwardness slowly fading. "Your dad's something else."
"Yeah," Yumi muttered, flopping back onto the bed. "Don't know how he does it. It's like he's immune to any form of embarrassment."
Elnora took a deep breath, clearly still processing what had happened, but she couldn't help but smile. She was just happy that Yumi wasn't freaking out too much. They both needed a moment to relax after what had just happened.
"You're not mad, right?" Yumi asked, glancing at Elnora with concern.
Elnora shook her head, her hair falling around her shoulders. "Nah, I'm good. I just... wasn't expecting that. But it's cool. Your dad's chill, in his own... weird way."
Yumi gave a sigh of relief and sat up again. "Sorry about that," she said, rubbing the back of her neck. "I didn't think he'd come in. He's got this weird habit of just barging into my room when he feels like it."
Elnora smirked. "I get it. My dad's the same way. It's like they have no concept of privacy."
"Exactly," Yumi grumbled. "I'm surprised I haven't murdered him by now."
"Well," Elnora said, crossing her arms and leaning back against the bed, "he seems like the type of guy who wouldn't get the hint even if you threw a tantrum. He probably thought it was funny, though."
Yumi couldn't help but laugh at that. "You're probably right. That's definitely something he'd find amusing."
The awkwardness between them faded a little more, and Yumi felt a weight lift off her shoulders. Despite the surprise interruption, things were starting to feel... normal again.
"Wanna do something?" Yumi asked, glancing at Elnora with a raised eyebrow.
Elnora grinned, the mischievous glint in her eye returning. "Sure. What do you have in mind?"
Yumi smiled, relieved that everything seemed to be settling into a more familiar rhythm. "I don't know. Maybe we can—"
Before she could finish her sentence, there was a loud *thump* at the door.
Yumi groaned. "Ugh, not again."
Cerberus had returned, apparently tired of just eating popcorn. He was standing at the door, wagging his tiny tail furiously, and scratching at the door with his little paws.
"Alright, alright," Yumi muttered, getting up and opening the door to let the little hellhound inside. Cerberus darted into the room, his tiny legs moving at lightning speed as he jumped onto the bed and settled right next to Elnora, curling up against her side.
"Yeah, I guess he likes you now," Yumi said dryly, sitting back down on her bed.
Elnora chuckled, scratching Cerberus behind the ears. "He's cute. I think I'm winning the battle for his affection."
Yumi raised an eyebrow. "We'll see about that."
The two of them exchanged a playful look as they settled back into the quiet room. Despite the interruption, Yumi found herself feeling lighter, like the weight on her chest had been lifted. Cerberus might have stolen the spotlight for a second, but for the first time in a while, everything felt okay.
The End of Chapter 17