The ride back to Ayaka's apartment was quiet, but not in the way silence used to stretch between them.
This one buzzed with something deeper, something new, a tether, invisible but undeniable, tied from her heart to his.
Ayaka sat curled in the passenger seat, her fingers brushing the cool metal of her engagement ring again and again.
Her chest felt full and fragile at the same time, like one wrong breath could burst the balloon of emotion swelling inside her.
Akihiko didn't speak much.
He simply held the wheel with one hand, the other occasionally resting on her thigh, light, grounding, possessive in the gentlest way.
When they finally pulled up to her apartment building, the moon hung high above them, casting the city in silver.
She reached for the door handle.
"T-thanks for tonight." she said, voice soft, heart racing.
But Akihiko didn't make a move to unbuckle.
Instead, his eyes slid to her. "Ayaka."
She turned to him.
He tilted his head slightly. "I'm coming in with you."
Ayaka blinked, suddenly shy. "W-What? No— I mean— it's late, and you've done enough for today, and—"
"I want to spend time with you longer." he said smoothly, leaning closer. "Are you really going to leave your brand new fiance standing outside like some delivery guy?"
Her face flushed instantly. "I-I wasn't! I just—"
Akihiko leaned over, unbuckling her seatbelt with one hand, the subtle click of the latch echoing between them. "Let me in, Ayaka."
Her breath hitched.
She didn't answer.
Instead, she grabbed her bag and stepped out, muttering something incoherent under her breath.
But Akihiko followed of course, and by the time she got to the door and tried to fumble with her keys, his chest was warm against her back, his arms casually boxing her in against the doorframe.
"I can wait all night." he whispered, his lips brushing just above her ear. "But I won't."
She nearly dropped her keys.
"…Fine." she grumbled, cheeks burning. "But only because you drove."
"Sure." he murmured, smiling like a man who had already won the war.
The door opened.
And the second they stepped inside, both of them froze.
Right on the floor by the entryway was a small envelope.
Ayaka bent down to pick it up.
It had her name on the front.
Inside was a neatly folded note on thick paper.
Handwriting unmistakably Kei's.
A doodle of a grinning cat beside it, courtesy of Kai.
[To our favorite surgeon...]
"We knew you could do it, Akihiko! Congratulations, and… welcome our dear brother in law!!! 😘❤️
P.S. You still owe us a rematch on that blindfolded bookshelf challenge."
– Kei & Kai
Ayaka's jaw dropped.
"WHAT?!"
Akihiko didn't even flinch.
He walked past her into the apartment, as if he lived there, casually removing his coat and setting it on the back of her chair.
She turned to him, stunned. "H-how?! W-what?! How did they?!"
He looked at her, expression unreadable for a beat… then smirked, the corner of his mouth curving like sin.
"…Because I told them."
Ayaka blinked. "You what?"
Akihiko leaned back against her kitchen counter, arms crossed. "Three months ago, I asked Kei and Kai if I could have their blessing to marry you."
Her heart dropped into her stomach.
"You did what???" she repeated, voice half a whisper, half a squeal.
"They were shocked of course." he said simply, pushing off the counter and strolling toward her with slow, measured steps. "They said if I wanted to marry their little sister, I'd have to prove I was worth it."
Ayaka backed up as he moved closer, heart thudding wildly.
"They made me promise to do whatever they asked for three months. No complaining...No questions, no matter how ridiculous or humiliating."
She gawked at him. "You mean thirty pounds of rice? THIRTY POUNDS?!!!"
He nodded. "Every pound."
"The book shelf assembly in a different language manual?! AND BLINDFOLDED?!!!"
"'Show us your loyalty.'" he quoted dryly, eyes glittering. "I still don't know what that was supposed to mean."
She covered her face. "Oh my..."
Akihiko chuckled softly, and before she could retreat again, he stepped close—hands curling around her waist, slowly pulling her toward him.
"And I did it." he whispered. "All of it. Because you're worth every second of humiliation, every test, every godforsaken spoonful of Kei's natto curry."
Ayaka stared up at him, chest rising and falling too fast.
"You really… did all that? For me?"
"I would've done more." he murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. "I will do more. For the rest of our lives."
Her voice caught in her throat.
The moment stretched.
Then her lips curled into a helpless smile, her eyes shimmering.
"You're an idiot." she whispered.
Akihiko grinned. "Your idiot."
He dipped his head, and she rose onto her toes and their lips met.
Not rushed.
Not polite.
It was a kiss that lingered, melting away the months of teasing and hidden glances and aching tension.
His hands splayed across her back, holding her to him.
Her fingers twisted into his shirt, pulling him closer as her lips parted for him, welcoming, breathless, soft.
It was quiet, the only sound the thrum of their mingled heartbeats and the soft rustle of clothing.
When they finally broke apart, both breathless, Akihiko leaned his forehead against hers.
"I'm coming in." he said again, voice low.
"…You're already inside." she whispered.
His smile deepened. "Then I'm staying."
Ayaka sighed, curling against him. "Yes, yesss~"
Then, quieter... "But you're sleeping on the couch."
Akihiko lifted an eyebrow. "We'll see."
She rolled her eyes, already knowing she'd lose this battle, too.
Outside, the night stretched on quietly.
Everything had changed.
He was hers now...completely.
And she, whether she admitted it out loud yet or not…
Had always been his.
------
The apartment was quiet, dimly lit by the single lamp she forgot to turn off earlier.
The scent of lavender still lingered faintly in the air from her diffuser, and the silence was thick—not uncomfortable, but electric.
Ayaka stood frozen in the living room, her arms stiffly crossed over her chest.
Akihiko's coat was already off, slung over the back of the couch like he belonged here.
His shoes were neatly laid by the door.
His hair was tousled from the breeze, his sleeves rolled up, veins in his forearms pronounced as he casually leaned against the kitchen counter.
Too calm...
Too comfortable...
Too intense...
Ayaka cleared her throat. "Okay. That's enough excitement for tonight."
He turned his head lazily toward her, brow raised. "Excitement? I proposed to you in a graveyard. I'm just getting started."
She gave him a withering glare and pointed toward the guest room. "You. Couch or guest bed? Pick your poison."
Akihiko blinked once.
Slowly.
Then he straightened.
And walked toward her.
His steps were slow, deliberate.
Each footfall sounded like a countdown to something she wasn't ready for but desperately wanted.
Ayaka instinctively backed away step by step until her back hit the wall near her bedroom door.
"W-what are you doing?" she murmured breathlessly, hands pressing behind her like she could melt through the wall.
Akihiko tilted his head, a half-smile playing on his lips.
Amused.
"You're acting like we haven't slept together before."
Ayaka's mouth opened.
Then closed.
Then opened again. "T-that's—! It wasn't like that! We were fully clothed!"
"Mm." He leaned in slightly, nose brushing hers. "One time I didn't wear a shirt."
She pushed a finger against his chest, weakly. "That was because you spilled tea on yourself!"
"I took it off. You could've looked away. But you didn't."
Her face went bright red. "Akihiko—!"
He didn't move back.
In fact, he moved closer.
So close, she had to tilt her chin up to meet his gaze, his hands caging her in on either side of her head, palms flat against the wall.
"Why are you flustered?" he asked in a soft, velvet tone that made her knees threaten betrayal. "I'm your fiance now. You invited me in."
"I didn't invite you into my bedroom!"
"Baby." he whispered, brushing his nose down her cheek, "I've already been in your bed. More times than you care to admit."
"T-that's not the point!"
He nipped gently at the shell of her ear. "Then what is the point?"
Ayaka shivered violently.
"…That it's different now." she whispered.
Akihiko paused.
Then leaned back just a little...just enough to look at her, really look at her.
And when he spoke again, his voice was softer.
Rougher.
Honest.
"You're right." he said. "It is different now."
He raised one hand to her face, brushing a thumb over her cheekbone.
"Because now I get to kiss you knowing you're officially mine."
His lips met hers before she could breathe.
And this kiss wasn't gentle.
It was claiming.
His hands slid down, gripping her waist and hauling her flush against him.
Ayaka gasped against his mouth, and he took full advantage, deepening the kiss with a low growl that vibrated in his chest.
Her fingers curled into his shirt, pulling him closer, and he walked her backward slowly, toward her bedroom, his mouth never leaving hers.
The door swung open as he nudged it with his foot, and Ayaka let out a sound of protest that dissolved the moment he kissed down the side of her neck.
"A-Akihiko…"
He murmured against her throat, "You can still kick me out…"
She didn't move.
"Thought so." he teased.
With one swift motion, he scooped her up, bridal-style, and Ayaka squealed, arms wrapping around his neck instinctively.
"P-put me down!"
"Make me."
He carried her into the bedroom and gently set her down on the mattress, standing over her, unbuttoning his sleeves with slow, calculated movements.
Her eyes flicked down, then quickly away.
"Stop looking like that..." she mumbled.
"Like what?"
"Like you own the room."
He smirked. "I do. You're in it."
She threw a pillow at him.
He caught it easily and dropped it beside her.
Then he crawled onto the bed.
Over her.
Caging her beneath him.
His voice dropped an octave. "You're still blushing."
"I'm not—!" Her voice hitched as he leaned down, lips grazing her collarbone.
"You're adorable when you lie."
He kissed her jaw, slow and lazy.
Her breathing grew ragged, chest rising beneath him.
"You can say stop." he whispered, brushing her bangs back.
But she didn't.
Instead, her hands fisted his shirt and pulled him down.
She kissed him first this time.
And it burned.
Later…
Bodies tangled beneath the sheets.
The soft rustle of fabric.
The faint hum of the city outside her window.
Akihiko lay beside her, arm draped across her waist, fingers tracing absent patterns on her bare shoulder.
Ayaka curled into him, cheeks still flushed, heart still racing.
"You're warm..." she mumbled.
"I'm satisfied." he murmured, voice rough with smug amusement.
"You love me."
She sighed. "Unfortunately."
He kissed her forehead.
"Goodnight, Mrs. Nakamura." he whispered, and she stiffened.
"…You're never going to stop calling me that, are you?"
"Not in this lifetime."
She groaned.
But her fingers laced with his under the sheets, and her smile gave her away.