Ayaka closed the door behind her with a soft click.
The apartment was quiet—too quiet.
She stood in the entryway, still clutching Akihiko's coat, her heart a tangled mess of everything that had happened.
The kiss.
The way he had looked at her—possessive, frustrated, desperate.
And then… the way he stayed with her while she slept.
Her fingertips brushed the lapel of the coat as she walked into the living room.
It was warm.
Heavy.
Everything about it screamed him.
As if he were still there, lingering in her space, in her veins.
She sank onto the couch, curling into herself, coat still draped over her like a shield.
"What was happening?"
Makoto had come to see her because he cared.
Because he always showed up when she needed someone to catch her.
Sweet, honest, radiant Makoto.
He was gentle with her heart—never demanding, always patient.
But Akihiko…
He stormed into her life like a hurricane.
Controlling.
Sharp.
Intense.
He kissed her like he owned every breath in her lungs.
He challenged her, teased her, tortured her—and yet… he knew her in ways she hadn't even known herself.
She pressed her hands to her face, groaning.
Why couldn't she stop remembering the way his hand had felt on her waist?
Her heart wasn't confused.
It was terrified.
Because if she let herself fall again… she wasn't sure she could survive losing him a second time.
------
Meanwhile at Akihiko's Apartment...
The shower hissed in the background, steam curling around the bathroom mirror as Akihiko stared at his own reflection.
His scrubs were gone, replaced by simple black sweats and a towel draped around his neck.
He ran a hand through his damp silver hair, water droplets clinging to his lashes like dew.
Ayaka's stunned expression after the kiss flashed through his mind.
Her silence.
Her eyes—wide, glassy, burning.
And yet… she didn't pull away.
Not at first.
He leaned forward, gripping the counter, jaw clenched.
Akihiko knew what he was doing.
The moment he saw her with him—with Makoto—something snapped.
It wasn't professional.
It wasn't even logical.
But watching that guy reach for her like she belonged to him made Akihiko feel like he was about to lose oxygen.
He had always prided himself on control.
In the OR, in his career, in his personal life.
But with Ayaka… control meant nothing.
When she looked away from him, it felt like suffocating.
When she smiled at someone else, it felt like betrayal.
When she cried in front of him, it destroyed him.
And that kiss—God, that kiss.
He hadn't planned it.
It just happened.
Like instinct.
Like it's needed.
Akihiko's hands balled into fists on the counter.
He had never wanted to be possessive.
But Ayaka—his Ayaka—was slipping through his fingers.
He stared into his reflection, voice low and harsh in the foggy silence.
"If I have to break every rule I made for myself to keep you… I will."
------
The rain had softened to a drizzle outside the café windows, a rhythmic pitter-patter on the glass that gave the place a gentle, cocooned feeling.
Inside, the scent of espresso and buttered croissants filled the air.
Ayaka sat by the window, cradling a warm mug between her hands.
Her eyes were distant, tracing raindrops as they slid down the glass.
Across from her, Yuki stirred her cappuccino with deliberate patience, stealing occasional glances at Ayaka's face.
"I'm glad you called." Yuki said softly. "You sounded… off."
Ayaka managed a small smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Keiko's out of town, and I— I didn't want to be alone with my thoughts anymore."
Yuki set down her spoon, giving her full attention. "Talk to me."
There was a long silence.
Ayaka's fingers tightened around the mug.
Her voice trembled when she finally spoke.
"I don't know what I'm doing anymore, Yuki."
Yuki blinked. "This about the book?"
"It's about everything." Ayaka's laugh was hollow. "The book...Akihiko...Makoto...Myself."
Yuki's gaze sharpened at the name. "What happened?"
Ayaka hesitated, then let the words fall.
"Akihiko kissed me again..."
Yuki's brows lifted. "Oh."
"It wasn't just a kiss..." Ayaka whispered, her voice cracking. "It was… possessive...messy. Like he was staking a claim."
Yuki leaned forward. "And how did you feel?"
Ayaka's eyes burned as she stared into her coffee. "That's the worst part. I wanted it. I wanted him. But I also— I hate him for making me feel this way again."
Yuki exhaled slowly. "Ayaka…"
"I was starting to move on. I was spending time with Makoto, and he's… kind. Safe. He looks at me like I'm something precious."
Her voice dropped. "But when Akihiko looks at me, it's like I'm oxygen, and he's been drowning."
Yuki didn't speak.
She just listened, as Ayaka's words tumbled out, each one heavier than the last.
"I thought I was over him. But the moment he pulled me in again, I realized I've just been pretending. I don't know if I can handle getting hurt by him again. And the worst part is… I don't think he's playing anymore."
Yuki reached across the table, gently covering Ayaka's hand with hers. "You're scared."
"I'm terrified."
"Because with Akihiko, it's not just about falling in love. It's about losing control."
Ayaka nodded, her voice barely whispering. "Exactly."
Yuki offered a sad smile. "Then the question isn't whether or not you love him. It's whether you're ready to let yourself fall again… even if you don't know how you'll land."
The warmth of the cafe was a stark contrast to the storm inside both women.
Ayaka sat with her chin propped in her hand, eyes clouded, as the last traces of her confession about Akihiko hung heavily in the air.
Yuki gave her hand one final reassuring squeeze before leaning back with a sigh.
"Well..." Yuki said with a wry smile, "It seems like we're both living in emotional chaos lately."
Ayaka blinked, looking up. "You too?"
Yuki hesitated. "Yeah."
There was a beat of silence.
"I thought you and Fujiwara were doing fine." Ayaka said. "He practically worships the ground you walk on."
Yuki gave a dry laugh and took a sip of her cappuccino. "He used to. Lately, I'm not so sure."
Ayaka frowned. "What happened?"
Yuki toyed with the napkin between her fingers, folding and unfolding it. "It's like… he's not fully there anymore. You know how you can feel someone slipping away even when they're right in front of you?"
Ayaka nodded silently.
"We still go on dates. He still calls. But his eyes… they're somewhere else. His mind is somewhere else. Sometimes, I talk and he doesn't even hear me."
Ayaka leaned in. "Did you ask him?"
"I did..." Yuki said quickly. "And of course he says everything's fine. That he's just busy. Or he'll say something like he's tired or work has him stressed. You know the usual excuses."
"You don't believe him."
"I want to." Yuki admitted. "But I know him too well. He's hiding something. And the worst part? I think he wants to tell me. But for some reason… he won't."
Ayaka stayed quiet for a moment, processing.
"Do you think it's someone else?" she asked gently.
"I didn't..." Yuki replied softly, "until last night."
Ayaka's heart sank. "Did something came up?"
"I found a message on his tablet. He left it open while he was in the shower." Yuki bit her lip. "It was from a girl. Nothing flirty, no romance at all just a casual conversation but… the way she wrote? There was history..."
"Did you confront him?"
"No." Yuki let out a frustrated breath. "I closed the tablet and pretended I didn't see it."
"Why?"
Yuki stared at her cup. "Because I was afraid of the answer. And I thought… if he's really cheating, then he doesn't deserve the satisfaction of seeing me break."
Ayaka's chest tightened. "Yuki…"
"I'm not even sure it's cheating. Maybe it's an old flame. Maybe they're just talking. But the distance between us? It's growing. And I don't know how to bridge it anymore."
Ayaka reached across the table again. "You don't have to go through this alone. Whatever it is, whatever happens, I'm here."
Yuki smiled weakly. "I know. And I'm here for you, too. Even if you end up falling for a certain emotionally constipated Ice Prince again."
Ayaka laughed through her nose. "Ugh, don't call him that."
"Come on, he is." Yuki smirked. "That man has more emotional repression but you love him anyways."
Ayaka groaned. "Don't remind me. I'm not ready to face that yet."
They both sipped their drinks in silence for a moment.
Outside, the rain had finally stopped, the gray clouds beginning to thin.
The city glistened with the freshness of a downpour.
"Yuki." Ayaka said after a pause, "do you still believe in fighting for someone? Even when you're not sure they're still fighting for you?"
Yuki stared at her cup for a long moment. "I don't know..." she said quietly. "I think you fight… until it hurts more to hold on than it does to let go."
Ayaka looked down at her hands, her thoughts swirling with Akihiko's kiss, his touch, the contract, the chaos in her chest.
"And you?" Yuki asked gently. "Do you still love him?"
Ayaka didn't respond.
She didn't need to.
Yuki saw the answer written all over her face.