The room fell silent for a few seconds.
Suzuran bit her lip.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzyAEAH85sc
She knew she shouldn’t say it.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgEGIymCRL
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—61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xSOZxqspu
just a small nudge to see how close she was allowed to get.
61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRX2auxPUSi
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Kouichi turned slightly, his gaze landing on her.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1CJPiE14U
For just a moment, something flickered in his eyes—61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxwjsgz1F2
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,61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVPPf0Ct3xx
trying her best to look confident.
Kouichi stared at her—stubborn, flustered, determined.
Finally, his gaze softened.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMj2t54SWG7
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—61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡveWppCk1mx
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.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbjSLUpT3l
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…61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mJBEjJXIW
temptingly real.
She had expected something hard and static.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCmV20hleJ
But instead—there was warmth. Depth.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUG5xUYUEBT
A weight that made her want to touch again.
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Her eyes focused, hands trembling slightly,61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wT549qzh5
trying desperately to maintain her “I’m being professional” façade.
Kouichi said nothing.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzc8iFSju9
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.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Ghy7HnRWY
But only like this.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTR9yxeG6Wk
Only from this distance.
61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZcSKI4bqk
She glanced at him again.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJo37GJDnr
Still calmly seated beside her, editing her report without so much as a blink.
As if nothing had happened.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENdhyYhiT8
As if her little emotional derailment was part of the routine.
He didn’t scold her.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVOWlcfRlL
Didn’t dodge her.
He simply… carried on.
And somehow, that made her feel—
Maybe it was because he was always so steady…61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡleyNP6RKO4
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.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9IQ1c1j43T
The one that had thrown her whole heart into chaos.
Her fingers trembled slightly as they slid slowly over each of his knuckles—61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW3aKOpVzB9
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,61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7c2ulB6Zhw
fingertips warm and calm.
As her fingertips brushed his index finger,61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwq0tLYIbkC
she felt the veins beneath his skin—subtle, winding, like strands of strength coiled under a surface of warmth.
So cool…61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGI2rLXZYLL
She thought, and immediately her cheeks flushed hotter.
Her heart stumbled up into her throat.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1iefoNUdP
Her gaze followed the path of her own fingers—61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwNKv70FwW
from the web between thumb and forefinger,61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nqyPnccHA
to the back of his hand,61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54vg02I4ad
down to the long, slender bones of his wrist.
There was something addictive in the quiet complexity of it all.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0FlP2SqYda
Something that pulled at her, soft and slow and impossible to stop.
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And then—61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7JVwQJKWO
her fingers moved again.
Not consciously.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKe9tJbdXCI
As if her body had decided on its own.
She slowly, almost soundlessly—
interlaced her fingers with his.
One finger.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWe1iUj6cpm
Then another.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7wPxvprs9
And another.
Until their hands fit together—perfectly.
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Ten fingers. Intertwined.
She froze.
She hadn’t said a word.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Z8trzdUwf
But her body had confessed everything.
There was no way to explain this as "studying."61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJIqFzkKR1J
This wasn’t about anatomy.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYUvtarAUP
This was… the way lovers hold hands.
She stared down at their joined fingers,61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPm32xphoO
her palm burning from his warmth.
And somewhere in her heart, a soft voice whispered:
If only I could stay like this.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxMMjvkEe1
Not just for palpation.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZ6vIIwjon
Not just for ten minutes.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBH0NdmwTtq
But forever.
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She bit her lower lip.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWaRrRZhWfa
Too afraid to look up.
Because what she feared most…61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWPYdaHaXj
wasn’t rejection.
It was the possibility—
that in his eyes,61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6bmFoiGTW
she might see a tiny flicker of indulgent gentleness.
The kind of look that would make her61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwi1ZzxeUg
lose all ability to pull away.
The kind of look61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ448gvoHRNM
that would make her fall even deeper.
61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW9K719ATMW
“…My lady,”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5fxdwbpt8
His voice was low, the calm she always knew.
But this time—61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hdXwkQefb
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.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZ1ggXTzvC
Their fingers laced tight.
Like lovers.
Like a secret promise in the middle of an ordinary afternoon.
Her heart dropped.
“I—I…”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAjKed1R6F
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—61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJlEy6UZYz
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.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcikFb2p0Id
Quietly.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJd777tHKGQ
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.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2F5L0f12w
As if absolutely nothing had happened.
But only he knew—
That for one second,61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSTq1D9o4A
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.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkd67u8Mte
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.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowdW1Nlfzc
Her eyes suddenly lit up.
Her brain raced through the names he just listed:61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gTtZXj8El
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?”
61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7mltTPZqg
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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61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkj0NoIXpT
Without a word, he slowly raised a hand…61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOIvBTI77Ki
and pressed it flat against her face.
“Idiot.”
Tone completely deadpan.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSKpmszpfm
As if stating “Your book is upside down.”
Suzuran’s face exploded red.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrCK0FV9Yn
“Wh—Hey!!”
“I was kidding,”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cPz7M9eoC
Kouichi muttered, calmly returning to her report.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1lkhSeNb7
His voice dry as ever.
“I didn’t think you’d actually take it seriously.”
61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLd7OGXqbL
61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmTplZXBtG
“No wonder your etiquette grades are so borderline…61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwp3iaDRQO
You’ve probably been reading shoujo manga under the desk instead.”
“Hey—!”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgR3YvACX8H
She exploded, grabbing a pillow and rolling back and forth in outrage.
“You can’t say stuff like that in that tone!!61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0q97hgC9ld
Don’t forget who your master is!”
Kouichi shot her a glance and deadpanned:61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkh2wOgdN2
“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.”
61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8B5W6VfmR
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 twitched61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eFg7synOE
into a small, unmistakable smile.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3IvqG1pl3
61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSlk1k0Y5vE
You made it this far—you're seriously the sweetest! 🥹💗61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2DkAGOqHRH
If you liked it, don’t forget to like 👍, bookmark ⭐, and drop a little comment 📝~61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDdvMHlfbr
Your support keeps me going—and keeps the characters falling deeper in love 💞💭
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