Extra 4: Addiction to kisses

Spring break had ended, and a month had already passed since the new semester began. Lately, I found myself… a little bored.

Don’t get me wrong—Ren spoils me every single day. He’s even started patting my head before I can ask, like he knows exactly when I need it. I’m basically living the dream.

But here’s the thing—before we were lovers, we were best friends. And what do best friends need? That’s right. Pranks. (Opinions may vary.)

Ever since we started dating, I hadn’t been able to prank Ren as much. Before, I used to fill his bed with toy bugs, doodle on his arm, or slip weird notes into his textbooks. Silly stuff. But now? Now, I’d been behaving way too well. It was frustrating.

So, today, I decided to strike.

I arrived at Ren’s house much earlier than usual. We’d started this weird alternating routine where we took turns picking each other up for school. Ren insisted on coming to get me every morning, but I refused. Why? Because I love barging into his house unannounced. Eventually, we compromised, and now we switch off.

Walking in the soft light of early morning, I waited for the exact moment Ren’s father left for work—then slipped inside like always.

His mom gave me a knowing smile as I passed. I bowed slightly before tiptoeing upstairs, feeling a strange sense of nostalgia.

And there he was.

Ren was sprawled out on his bed, completely defenseless, deep in sleep. I knew he’d been up late because we were on the phone together. For a second, guilt crept in. Maybe I should let him rest a little longer…

…Nah. I didn’t come all this way to be reasonable.

But what should I do?

I’d brought some toy cockroaches, but that felt kind of weak. I needed something funnier. Something harmless, but effective.

For a second, an absurd thought crossed my mind—what if I climbed into bed with him and pretended we’d woken up together? That would definitely send him into a panic.

…Yeah, no. That was too extreme. Also, it might lead to, uh, things.

So, instead, I grabbed a pen.

And with the utmost care, I doodled a lewd little symbol on his stomach.

Still no reaction.

I frowned. Then, with renewed determination, I grabbed a red pen and started adding more details.

If he wasn’t going to wake up, I’d at least make it a masterpiece.

In the end, the result was an exceptionally high-quality lewd crest.

Satisfied, I nodded in approval. Even I had to admit—it was a masterpiece.

And yet, despite my artistic brilliance, Ren still wasn’t waking up. He must have been seriously exhausted.

A little disappointed, I quietly slipped a toy cockroach into his pocket—just a little bonus prank—then leaned back and watched his sleeping face. He didn’t stir. Not even a twitch.

Curious, I reached out and poked his cheek.

Soft. Smoother than I expected. Weird, considering he was, well… Ren.

As I watched him, something strange stirred inside me.

It reminded me of last Christmas.

Back then, we weren’t lovers yet. I had struggled so much with my feelings, caught in that agonizing place between wanting to touch him and feeling like I wasn’t allowed to.

Absentmindedly, I traced my finger along his lips. They were a little dry—not like mine.

Lately, Kanna and the others had been relentless with their teasing. Asking how far we’d gone, what our first kiss was like—constantly prying with their vulgar little questions. I wished they’d tone it down just a little.

…Not that I wasn’t curious myself.

I did want to take the next step. But every time I thought about it, I’d get so embarrassingly flustered that I’d run away from the thought entirely.

Besides, we were only in our second year of high school. Anything too indecent still felt like it should be off-limits.

Had everyone else our age already experienced all these things?

I swallowed hard. The sound was unnaturally loud in the quiet room.

My gaze drifted back to his lips.

Our first kiss had left my mind completely blank—I barely remembered it. And now, the thought of doing it again, face-to-face, made me unbearably shy. More than anything, I had no idea when I was supposed to do it. So, after that first time… it never happened again.

But right now, Ren was right in front of me. Completely defenseless. Fast asleep.

If it’s now… maybe I could sneak a little test.

A devilish thought flickered through my mind.

I’d heard all sorts of things about kissing—that it feels good, that it’s calming, and so on. I wanted to know how much of that was true. Yes, this is purely intellectual curiosity. Nothing inappropriate about it… definitely not…

My heart pounded loudly in my ears as I kept piling on excuses.

Kissing isn’t even that big of a deal, right? Even parents and kids do it, so it can’t be that indecent. Just a little one should be fine. Besides, we’re lovers. It’s not like this is wrong or anything. Yeah, it’s not even our first kiss, so no problem here!

Half-baked excuses running through my mind, I slowly leaned in closer.

My face grew hotter and hotter with each centimeter.

When we were barely a breath apart, a wave of panic crashed over me.

Is this okay? Am I really doing this?

I squeezed my eyes shut. But I didn’t stop.

Mmph.

A soft sensation followed as our lips met.

It was… strange. It wasn’t exactly exciting or thrilling like I’d expected. Instead, it felt like a warmth spreading deep in my chest. A quiet relief, like all my tension was melting away.

It was comforting. Reassuring.

Like holding hands with someone I love.

When I pulled away, a mix of guilt and overwhelming embarrassment hit me all at once. My cheeks burned as if they were boiling, my mind felt like it was stewing, and my thoughts scattered in every direction.

Even so, I couldn’t tear my gaze away from his lips.

Um… I-I mean, once wasn’t enough to really understand… so maybe one more time…

Before I could second-guess myself, I kissed him again.

Sure enough, that same happy, intoxicating feeling washed over me, warm and soothing, like a gentle tide. It was like a drug. I wanted to stay like this forever.

But when I pulled away, an aching emptiness took over.

J-just one more time…

As I leaned in for a third kiss—just as our lips were about to touch—his eyes suddenly fluttered open.

Our eyes met. Perfectly. Unmistakably.

“Ah…”

Silence.

At this incredibly close distance, we simply stared at each other, unmoving. My face was probably redder than an apple. In the midst of my panic, I somehow detached from reality for a moment, observing myself as if from the outside.

Then, like a rubber band snapping back, my mind caught up.

I jolted upright, scrambling backward to put distance between us.

“Th-that’s not it! It’s not what you think…!” I blurted, words tumbling out before I could think. “I-I was just, um, checking to see if you had a fever or something…!”

My mouth was running on autopilot, spewing nonsense at full speed. I had no idea what I was even saying anymore.

But Ren… didn’t react.

“...Huh?”

Before I could process what was happening, he grabbed my wrist and pulled—

In an instant, I found myself flipped onto the bed, with him looming over me.

“Huh—?”

My brain completely short-circuited.

I stared up at him, mouth slightly open, frozen in place. Before I could squirm away, he pinned my hands to the bed. I instinctively shrank back, my mind racing to catch up, but—

“When you do things like this…” His voice was lower than usual, his gaze heavy. “I can’t hold back, you know.”

“Eh, uh… hyeeeh…?”

A pathetic, incoherent noise escaped my lips.

His eyes glistened, watching me intently. The way he looked at me—it was different from usual. Almost dangerous.

Then—he reached for my clothes.

“Ah, w-wait, no!!”

My survival instincts finally kicked in.

With a burst of panic-fueled strength, I shoved Ren away, bolted out of the bed, and sprinted down the stairs at full speed.

I didn’t stop.

I ran straight out of his house, down the street, and all the way back to my apartment building.

Only when I reached my front door did I realize—

I’d left all my belongings at Ren’s place.

Breathing heavily from a mix of panic and exhaustion, I crouched down, clutching my chest.

My heart was pounding so loudly I could hear it.

Though, if I was being honest…

It probably would’ve been just as loud even if I hadn’t run.

A cold sweat formed on my forehead.

I had just made a huge mistake.

My hands, still clutching my chest, trembled.

Not from fear.

From the wild, erratic pounding of my heart.

My vision swayed faintly as I stared blankly ahead, my thoughts tangled in a chaotic mess.

I sat there, waiting for my breathing to settle—until I sensed someone nearby.

When I looked up, Ren was standing in front of me.

His hair was slightly disheveled, as if he had rushed to get dressed. In one hand, he held my belongings. His expression was unreadable—calm, composed, giving away nothing.

“I’m going to grab some food.” His voice was steady, casual—like nothing had happened. “Wait at home until I come back to pick you up.”

He held out my things.

I snatched them from him in a hurry, my heart still hammering in my chest.

“T-Today’s fine! You don’t need to pick me up! I’ll just head to school first!”

I blurted the words out in a rush, not waiting for a response before dashing past him.

I ran straight to the bus stop without looking back.

Too much.

That was way too much.

When I reached the stop, I barely had a second to catch my breath before the bus pulled up.

Perfect timing.

I hopped on without hesitation, grateful for the escape.

The bus was mostly empty—early enough that only a few passengers were scattered inside.

Good. I couldn’t let anyone see my face right now. It had to be an absolute mess.

Slumping into a seat, I let out a quiet sigh, trying to process everything.

When had Ren even woken up?

His movements didn’t seem like someone who had just rolled out of bed. He had been way too put together.

The thought sent another wave of flustered panic through me.

I shook my head violently, forcing my gaze to the window.

In the reflection, I caught sight of my own face—cheeks and ears flushed a deep, unmistakable red.

I groaned, covering my face with my hands.

I was never going to live this down.

---

Yeah… I guess it’s only natural she’d avoid me.

I stole a glance at Sumire, who was peeking out from behind Ichinose’s back, glaring at me like a cornered animal.

She had been like this since we got to school—flinching away if I got too close, shutting down any attempt at conversation.

Honestly, though… was I really the bad guy here? If anything, I think I held out pretty damn well. At this point, I might as well start calling myself a saint.

Every day, Sumire clings to me, showering me with affection. When I pat her head, she narrows her eyes like a spoiled cat and snuggles closer. The amount of physical contact is insane.

If it’s like that all the time, of course any guy’s patience would eventually snap.

It’s only natural.

In fact, I’ve even wondered if she was secretly laughing at me for not making a move. But knowing Sumire, she probably wasn’t thinking about it at all. I had this strange trust in her… so I kept holding back, waiting for her to give me some kind of signal.

And then this morning happened.

I woke up to her tickling my stomach, and then she went and did that.

I seriously almost lost all self-control.

Before I knew it, I had pinned her down.

Did I end up scaring her after all?

“…Sigh.”

“Did you finally have a fight with your girlfriend? Honestly, it’d be fine if you just broke up with her.”

“Shut up.”

Slumping over at my desk, I swatted my friend away and buried my face in my arms.

What if she ends up hating me because of this? The thought was unbearable. Maybe I should’ve tried harder to hold back…

I’ve had a crush on her since kindergarten. After finally getting together, I don’t want it to end like this…

Ughhh…

“Wow… you’re more torn up about this than I thought,” my friend mused. “Well, my condolences. It’ll probably be fine, so cheer up, okay?”

“…Thanks.”

And so, with my mind in complete disarray, I somehow made it through the morning classes.

---

I endured the morning classes in quiet despair, waiting for the moment lunch break would finally arrive.

The second the bell rang, my so-called friends swarmed around me, pestering me like vultures sensing fresh prey.

“Shimada! Did you finally break up with her?!”

“This is divine punishment, man!”

I ignored them, staring blankly at my desk. Their voices blurred into meaningless noise.

Then, suddenly—like Moses parting the Red Sea—the crowd split.

Confused, I looked up.

Sumire was walking toward me, head down, moving hesitantly through the now-silent group. The guys who had been jeering just moments ago fell deathly quiet, blending into the background as if they had never been there in the first place.

Sumire glanced around, startled by the change in atmosphere, before hurrying over to my desk. She reached out, fingers curling around the sleeve of my uniform, giving it a light tug.

“Come with me,” she murmured.

Then she quickly let go and turned away, walking off without another word.

I glanced at my friends. No one tried to stop me. Maybe, for once, they knew better.

Silently thanking them for their uncharacteristic restraint, I stood and followed her.

Outside the classroom, Sumire was waiting. The moment I stepped through the door, she reached for my hand and clasped it lightly. She didn’t say anything—just started walking.

And so, I followed.

We walked in silence, passing through corridors and weaving between buildings, until she led me to a secluded spot far from prying eyes.

I exhaled, bracing myself.

What was she going to say? Why here, of all places?

Sumire fidgeted, her eyes darting around nervously as she mumbled something under her breath.

At the very least, she didn’t seem angry. Or disgusted. That was a small relief.

But relief didn’t change the fact that what I had done couldn’t be undone.

While she hesitated, I decided to speak first.

“Um… about this morning… I’m sorry.”

I hesitated, struggling to find the right words.

“I don’t know if an apology is enough, but… I shouldn’t have done that so suddenly. You must’ve been scared, huh…”

Sumire didn’t respond. She simply stood there, head down, stealing cautious glances at me but never saying a word.

The silence weighed on me.

“I won’t do anything like that again… so, please, forgive me.”

I bowed my head, hoping—praying—she wouldn’t hate me. I wasn’t sure if I could ever regain the trust I’d shattered with my impulsiveness.

Sumire still didn’t speak.

Anxiety tightened around my chest.

Had I ruined everything?

Had she really started to—

“Um… well…”

Her small voice broke through my thoughts.

I lifted my head, watching as she fidgeted, her cheeks gradually turning red.

Then, barely above a whisper—

“A… a kiss is… okay…”

She covered her mouth with her hand, her face now completely flushed.

For a moment, I froze, not fully processing what she had just said.

But before I could react, she continued.

“Anything… indecent is still… I-I’m not ready for that yet… Let’s wait until we’re older, okay? But a kiss… that’s fine…”

Realization crashed over me.

I squeezed my eyes shut, covering my face with both hands as I tilted my head back, staring at the sky.

Deep breaths.

Deep, deep breaths.

I was dangerously close to making the same mistake all over again.

This is just too unfair…

No matter how hard I try, I’ll probably never be able to match Sumire.

Maybe she got impatient with my silence because she suddenly grabbed my wrists, trying to pry my hands away from my face.

“H-Hey! Say something already!”

I lowered my hands, meeting her gaze.

“Sorry, you’re just too cute.”

“…! Shut up.”

Without thinking, I pulled her into a hug.

She stiffened for a second but then melted into my arms, wrapping hers around me in return. I stroked her head, feeling her warmth against me.

Then—the warning bell rang.

Both of us tensed.

Realizing we were still at school, we quickly stepped apart, clearing our throats awkwardly.

But then, we caught each other’s eyes and laughed.

“Let’s head back to class.”

“Yeah.”

As we walked side by side, Sumire mumbled just loud enough for me to hear—

“…So… how long were you actually awake this morning…?”

I glanced at her.

“Huh? Since you started doodling on my stomach.”

Sumire froze mid-step.

Her face turned an impossible shade of red as she looked down, biting her lip and fidgeting in embarrassment.

She was too adorable. I couldn’t resist patting her head.

Of course, our classmates witnessed the whole thing and teased us relentlessly after school…

But that’s a story for another time.