(Day Seven – Evening)
The sun dipped below the horizon, leaving behind a gradient of soft pink and lavender in the sky. The warm light trickled into my apartment, casting long shadows that stretched across the walls.
Sakura sat cross-legged on the couch, absentmindedly twirling a lock of her pink hair around her finger as she scrolled through her phone. Her eyes flickered toward me occasionally, the corners of her mouth tugging into a faint smile whenever our gazes met.
I sat at the far end of the couch, my hands tucked beneath the sleeves of the hoodie that felt tighter than it had that morning. The faint weight of my chest, the softness of my frame – all of it felt impossible to ignore now.
And Sakura…
Her presence made it even harder to breathe.
It wasn't just friendship anymore.
Maybe it never had been.
I tapped my fingers nervously against the edge of my knee, heart thudding louder with each passing minute.
I had to say it.
I needed to say it.
But the weight of the words felt too heavy, like they might drag me under if I said them aloud.
The window of opportunity was slipping. I could feel it.
Sakura glanced up again, raising an eyebrow. "You've been weirdly quiet tonight," she said, nudging me with her foot. "That's not like you, Yuki."
I managed a small, awkward laugh. "Just thinking."
She smirked, leaning in slightly. "Thinking about what?"
I hesitated.
Now or never.
I gripped the hem of my hoodie, fingers curling around the fabric like a lifeline.
My voice came out quieter than I expected. "Sakura… I think I'm falling for you."
The words hovered in the air between us, fragile and delicate.
For a split second, everything felt like it had slowed to a crawl.
Sakura's eyes widened slightly, her lips parting as if she hadn't expected me to actually say it.
I held my breath, waiting—