Ere'ana and Kikidori had settled into a comfortable silence after Yumi had left, each of them sipping their drinks and talking about random things—how their days had gone, the latest song they couldn't get out of their heads, and the strange experiences of college life. But somehow, it felt like something was bubbling just beneath the surface. Something neither of them could ignore.
As they chatted, Kikidori leaned forward slightly, gesturing with his hand as he explained something about his latest drawing. Ere'ana, in her excitement to respond, leaned in too—just as Kikidori did the same.
And then, in the blink of an eye, their faces collided.
It happened so quickly that neither of them had a chance to react. Their lips brushed, and a strange electric shock shot through both of them. They froze, eyes wide, as the moment dragged on, longer than either of them could handle. The air felt thick with tension, the kind of awkwardness that comes when two people who are supposed to be friends suddenly find themselves in a situation neither of them expected.
Just as they both pulled back, horrified and confused, the door to the dorm room creaked open. Ere'ana and Kikidori turned in unison to see none other than Yumi standing there, her hands on her hips and a look of absolute disbelief on her face.
"Oh. My. God," Yumi said, staring at the two of them, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Well, this is a pleasant surprise."
Ere'ana's face turned crimson in an instant, and she opened her mouth to explain, but no words came out. Kikidori was equally frozen, looking like he'd just seen a ghost.
Yumi raised an eyebrow, her gaze flicking between the two of them. "You two are *really* something, aren't you?" She took a dramatic step into the room, crossing her arms. "Tell me, how exactly did this happen?"
Kikidori opened his mouth, but Yumi cut him off before he could even form a sentence.
"Listen, Kikidori. You and I have been friends for a while, right? And you're... okay, I guess." She glared at him, her eyes narrowing. "But Ere'ana is *my* best friend. You do not get to kiss her. Ever."
Ere'ana's heart was racing, her thoughts in a complete whirlwind. She wanted to explain that the kiss had been an accident, that it wasn't what it seemed, but the way Yumi was looking at them both made her pause. She could tell that Yumi was angry, and not the kind of angry that would just blow over.
Kikidori, however, wasn't having any of it. He leaned back, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Yumi, chill. It was a total accident, okay? We didn't mean—"
"Nope. I don't care." Yumi shot him a glare that could've burned through steel. "You kissed her. And I don't care if it was a mistake, Kikidori. You don't kiss my best friend. Got it?"
Kikidori gulped, his face pale. "Yes, Yumi. Got it."
It was clear that Yumi wasn't messing around. When Yumi was mad, she was *scary*. Ere'ana could feel the tension in the room—Yumi's anger was like an invisible storm cloud hovering over them, ready to burst at any second.
Ere'ana, feeling like she needed to do something before things got any worse, stepped in. "Yumi, please. It really was an accident. I'm sorry. I—I don't even know how it happened." She looked at Kikidori, who nodded rapidly in agreement. "We're just... friends, okay?"
Yumi, though still angry, softened a bit as she glanced at Ere'ana. "You're *really* lucky it was just a kiss. If you do anything else, I swear I'll have to go full protective big sister mode on you two." Her voice was still firm, but there was a hint of concern hidden beneath the anger.
"I swear, Yumi, it won't happen again," Kikidori said quickly. "I don't want to upset you or anything. It's just... well, it was an accident."
Yumi stared at them both for a long moment, her eyes scanning their faces as if searching for any hint of insincerity. Finally, she sighed, shaking her head. "You two are a mess. But I'm going to let it slide... this time." She pointed a finger at Kikidori. "Don't let me catch you doing anything stupid again. And Ere'ana..." She softened, but only a little. "I'm watching you."
Ere'ana let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "You're kind of terrifying when you're mad, you know that?"
Yumi shot her a playful smile. "Yeah, I know. That's the fun part." She tossed her bag on the couch. "Anyway, I'm going to go out. You two figure yourselves out." She shot one last look at Kikidori before walking out the door, her voice drifting back in: "Don't even think about kissing her again. Seriously."
Once the door slammed shut behind her, Kikidori let out a sigh of relief, slumping against the couch. "Damn, that was close." He ran a hand through his hair, glancing at Ere'ana. "I told you Yumi could be... well, scary."
Ere'ana nodded, still processing the whole situation. She couldn't believe what had just happened. "I think I need a drink," she said, laughing nervously.
Kikidori chuckled too, though there was a trace of nervousness in his voice. "You and me both."
They sat in silence for a moment, both unsure of what to say next. The kiss—though accidental—had left a strange tension between them. And with Yumi's warning hanging in the air, they both knew that things might never quite be the same.
Ere'ana broke the silence, her voice quiet. "So, uh... I guess we just... pretend that didn't happen?"
Kikidori looked at her and grinned, the tension finally easing a little. "Yeah. Let's pretend it never happened. And maybe... we should stay a little further apart next time."
Ere'ana laughed, feeling a little lighter. "Good idea."
As they sat there, the strange mix of awkwardness and relief filled the room. Maybe things had gotten a little out of hand, but they'd handle it. After all, it was just a kiss. Right?
End of Chapter 5