Everyone has gone to their respective paths leading home, and we take our walk alone.

—

My right hand is bit sweaty. Maybe from the summer heat that perpetuated even through the night. Maybe from something else—from nervousness and excitement and happiness granted by reciprocated feelings. I am anxious my hand makes her left hand sticky too. I don't ever want her to think I'm gross. But the sweating gets worse now that I am paying too much attention to how humid it really is—summer air and summer crowd, crisscrossing.

"K-kariu…" I mutter, internally freaking out as we stop going with the crowd. "Can we let go of our hands for a bit?"

"E-eh? Umm… If you say so." There's disappointment in her voice. And I can feel it too, because I myself am regretting it a little. And we let go of each other's hand.

"Sorry. It's not a big deal. It's just I'm sweating all over and I don't want you to be dirtied from holding hands with me," I manage to say without really thinking while rubbing my hands on my trousers. Crap. I cup the temple of my head upon the realization that I can be pretty amazing at explaining things like this. Have I always gotten away with my flawless, spontaneous excuses? Have I always unknowingly run away by being oblivious? Have I always made her upset, made aware of her affections all the time? And I here I thought I didn't do much. Preparing myself for an incoming physical sort of rebuttal, I try peek at her expression through my fingers and make eye contact with her.

But she only looks at me, rather surprised. Then, I hear a relieved sigh coming from her mouth, which slowly forms into a smile. It's the same old smile that made me feel at ease and glad all this time—and I had always taken it for granted. Taking a relaxed posture, I remind myself that I've decided to change all that and be true to myself. To her.

And as I get lost in my thoughts of her, I slowly drift my eyes to her rosy, moist lips.

I want to kiss her. I honestly want to hold her tight. Not just her hands. I need her by my side. Forev—

"..ga?... Ouga?"

Her voice wakes me from the fantasy I got trapped in. It's as calming as it's always been, regardless of how utterly worried she sounds, calling my name.

"W-what's wrong? You've been staring at me for too long. It's… it's embarrassing…"A cute admittance of shyness as she looks away and covers her face. Ah, how adorable.

Now that I think about it, she has sometimes looked away when speaking nicely to me. Just how dishonest can she be to herself? To her feelings? There's no point in hiding them now, is there? Because I said the words, and I heard them back too. From that very mouth of hers.

I feel the heat in my chest and the sharp, stinging warmth on my cheeks. Before I knew it, my arms are already wrapping around her. Her sweet, floral fragrance fills my very being, maiming my sense of space and time.I never thought she could be this soft. A precious, fragile human being caught right into my grip wired by longing but limited by restraint.

"I love you, Kariu." I confess, now for the third time, before she can protest. No words come out of her mouth, which is unexpected. So I take my time listening to her ragged breaths as she struggles beneath me, finally managing to free her arms and lock them on my back.

I feel her plump breasts pushing against my body, needlessly bringing my heart beating as fast as it can to keep me conscious. She wants to close the gap between us, tiptoeing on her gata that must have taken great effort to wear all night long. I acknowledge her demand, crouching towards the earth, cuddling her at point blank range, so as to lessen the stinging pain she has already felt around her feet.

My breath matches hers. And her clutch matches the background fades. It's only me and her. All we know now is we both want the same thing.

Slowly and a bit hesitantly, I release her from what felt like forever.I somewhat regret it, even though I know I can still hold her like it was the first, and the only first time. Looking at her, though, I feel I know that she has wanted it more—and she wants more—than I think I did.

The night is young and so we are. This is when we find home in one another, through the path we took only we both know.

Thanks for reading! This is actually my first attempt at writing a piece of fanfic, so it's obviously messy at several parts. Any comment/advice is much appreciated!

P.S. This couple is just so cute that I couldn't stop squirming while watching their confession scene. Kyaaaa~