The room fell silent for a few seconds.
Suzuran bit her lip.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHfi86R7x2
She knew she shouldn’t say it.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDLfliqxm9
But still, in a voice barely above a whisper, she asked:
“Then… can I touch your arm muscles?”
She said it quietly, not quite a joke, not quite a confession—83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxl6WgfxYqA
just a small nudge to see how close she was allowed to get.
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Kouichi turned slightly, his gaze landing on her.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5Haqn1h9M
For just a moment, something flickered in his eyes—83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmF35RQGyS
but he didn’t reply right away.
Seeing his silence, she hurried on, her voice picking up speed and pitch like she was afraid he’d misunderstand… or worse, say no.
“It’s for the exam! Really! Everyone’s practicing palpation in class—biceps, deltoids, triceps… I have to pass too!”
Her face was already red, but she held her ground,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEybAU55vo
trying her best to look confident.
Kouichi stared at her—stubborn, flustered, determined.
Finally, his gaze softened.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7j1fiKMHiF
A breath escaped his lips, almost a sigh.
“…Fine. Left arm.”
The words were quiet, calm. But they were permission.
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He rolled up his left sleeve, exposing the clean lines of his forearm and biceps—83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdAU5j6V4Xw
firm, defined, composed—just like him.
“Ten minutes. Palpation only.”
His tone was as cool as ever, as he added:
“No laughing. No daydreaming. No weird thoughts.”
Suzuran's eyes lit up.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmpWkfu8vNm
She nodded furiously, like a kid who just got permission to pet a very fancy dog.
“I swear—study mode only!”
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She carefully reached out, her fingertips brushing his arm.
The moment her fingers touched skin, she froze.
“…Ugh.”
A breathy, involuntary sound escaped her.
This wasn’t like anything in the textbook!
No one ever said muscles could feel like this—so springy, so firm, so…83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw3Oa5ar1Ts
temptingly real.
She had expected something hard and static.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEAp88OZbP
But instead—there was warmth. Depth.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQO8akB9YQ
A weight that made her want to touch again.
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Her eyes focused, hands trembling slightly,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpFKkTrDVF
trying desperately to maintain her “I’m being professional” façade.
Kouichi said nothing.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5v3EFgBDZI
He just lowered his gaze and watched—without pulling away.
He let her touch him.
But it was as if he were silently saying—
You can touch me like this.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNxiWY1EzV
But only like this.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4z0zjUKIA5
Only from this distance.
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She glanced at him again.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DpCEAHoFp
Still calmly seated beside her, editing her report without so much as a blink.
As if nothing had happened.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGgXFstppC
As if her little emotional derailment was part of the routine.
He didn’t scold her.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrOlkzSs6o
Didn’t dodge her.
He simply… carried on.
And somehow, that made her feel—
Maybe it was because he was always so steady…83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQjG0D4CnC
that she could inch a little closer each time.
She took a breath.
Then, carefully, she cradled his hand in both of hers.
That hand.
The one that had shot across her chest that day when he hit the brakes.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhC0OuyeHAG
The one that had thrown her whole heart into chaos.
Her fingers trembled slightly as they slid slowly over each of his knuckles—83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5310uXvEL
like she was holding something precious, too fragile to grip tightly.
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It was a very quiet hand.
The joints defined, calluses soft at the creases,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIw6nojrFh
fingertips warm and calm.
As her fingertips brushed his index finger,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi0FDTRFfen
she felt the veins beneath his skin—subtle, winding, like strands of strength coiled under a surface of warmth.
So cool…83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLR7lS72aOs
She thought, and immediately her cheeks flushed hotter.
Her heart stumbled up into her throat.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcxTSxyK3E
Her gaze followed the path of her own fingers—83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVedo4ZBGQs
from the web between thumb and forefinger,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ElOcU8Ppf
to the back of his hand,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqufHrMbIU
down to the long, slender bones of his wrist.
There was something addictive in the quiet complexity of it all.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtgFuTATvbS
Something that pulled at her, soft and slow and impossible to stop.
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And then—83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9wWkxpTfm
her fingers moved again.
Not consciously.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojujJiUnvQ
As if her body had decided on its own.
She slowly, almost soundlessly—
interlaced her fingers with his.
One finger.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYmr9MSg7uR
Then another.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6a2MxaKkC
And another.
Until their hands fit together—perfectly.
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Ten fingers. Intertwined.
She froze.
She hadn’t said a word.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jn1C0xYSu
But her body had confessed everything.
There was no way to explain this as "studying."83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZegjkZwi4
This wasn’t about anatomy.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGqgROLFGfE
This was… the way lovers hold hands.
She stared down at their joined fingers,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryvdhwyl7E
her palm burning from his warmth.
And somewhere in her heart, a soft voice whispered:
If only I could stay like this.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvijLbwjzs
Not just for palpation.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RRQXRVTC9
Not just for ten minutes.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfRVEn3kgW
But forever.
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She bit her lower lip.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCUlVS06oD
Too afraid to look up.
Because what she feared most…83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhA0v5aeNsI
wasn’t rejection.
It was the possibility—
that in his eyes,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngVb2Xfkqb
she might see a tiny flicker of indulgent gentleness.
The kind of look that would make her83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78e0f1fLmz
lose all ability to pull away.
The kind of look83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVWd9OEuv5b
that would make her fall even deeper.
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“…My lady,”83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPjtK5uVaN
His voice was low, the calm she always knew.
But this time—83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoA39P1q0om
there was a faint huskiness to it, like he’d just pushed something down.
“Are you sure this part… is covered in the textbook?”
Suzuran snapped back to reality.
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She looked down—
Her right hand, still holding his left.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoRVaCYWe5
Their fingers laced tight.
Like lovers.
Like a secret promise in the middle of an ordinary afternoon.
Her heart dropped.
“I—I…”83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZo0mj2Vqk
She couldn’t even finish.
Her face had turned red to the roots of her hair.
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What. Just. Happened?!
She meant to feel his tendons. Just the hand. Just for class!
But somehow—her fingers had just slipped into his without her noticing?!
She yanked her hand back in a panic—83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8J9sMbct1
but fumbled halfway, making it seem more like she didn’t want to let go.
Kouichi didn’t release her immediately.
He simply watched her.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAkxBK70lf
Quietly.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrG7ph7Qvs
As she panicked like a kid caught sneaking cookies before dinner.
Her lips moved, but no words came out.
And then—finally, he spoke.
“…Time’s up.”
His voice was calm as ever. Composed.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLggk3ibKJx
As if absolutely nothing had happened.
But only he knew—
That for one second,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6vFKyW6Z7
his fingers had gently squeezed back.
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“I-I was just checking your muscle tone! That’s all!”
“Mm. Got it.”
He calmly pulled his hand away—unhurried, smooth.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0pPIKyJKWF
But there was still a faint warmth left behind in her palm.
He paused for a second.
Then added, as if it were a matter-of-fact follow-up:
“So… would you like to check any other muscle groups?”
“…What?”
“For example—pectoralis major, biceps brachii, wrist flexors…”
“Wait a second.”83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUkf9w1roWW
Her eyes suddenly lit up.
Her brain raced through the names he just listed:83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfiFavTjBO9
Pectoralis major, biceps, wrist flexors…
Every one of them…
were the muscles you use when you hold someone close.
“Wait—are you saying… I should test them by having you hug me? For accuracy?”
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Kouichi didn’t reply.
He just turned and gave her a look—expression neutral, eyes steady.
Suzuran, meanwhile, lit up like a Christmas tree.
“Yes! Yes yes yes!! Obviously!!”
“….”
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Without a word, he slowly raised a hand…83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ByIKzfWbI
and pressed it flat against her face.
“Idiot.”
Tone completely deadpan.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfeLa2tYwRI
As if stating “Your book is upside down.”
Suzuran’s face exploded red.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0OudwOusS
“Wh—Hey!!”
“I was kidding,”83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCoBNvVvXCd
Kouichi muttered, calmly returning to her report.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUiXkBbTw7w
His voice dry as ever.
“I didn’t think you’d actually take it seriously.”
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“No wonder your etiquette grades are so borderline…83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2JgrIyVkW
You’ve probably been reading shoujo manga under the desk instead.”
“Hey—!”83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UPFmpIrhF
She exploded, grabbing a pillow and rolling back and forth in outrage.
“You can’t say stuff like that in that tone!!83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPyrFaChHC
Don’t forget who your master is!”
Kouichi shot her a glance and deadpanned:83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHVfdExrwv8
“You were the one who took it the wrong way.”
“I did not! It’s called hands-on learning, thank you very much.”
“Mm. Real dedication. I’m impressed.”
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuT3Oeb1KHU
He nodded with mock sincerity, then looked back down to continue writing comments, like he was grading some kind of midterm paper.
But in that moment—
facing away from her—
his lips twitched83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XPhuqqzUK
into a small, unmistakable smile.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJJb4eLmUH
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolipjQ4RGO
You made it this far—you're seriously the sweetest! 🥹💗83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3iF4lkeXY
If you liked it, don’t forget to like 👍, bookmark ⭐, and drop a little comment 📝~83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrwnnvvk4rZ
Your support keeps me going—and keeps the characters falling deeper in love 💞💭
and then Add to home screen.