Between Two

Chapter 4 : Firsts That Don't Count (Or Do They?)

Later that night, the tension hadn't eased—it had evolved.

Maki had been distant all day, quieter than usual. No teasing. No flirty whispers. Just... cool glances and subtle silence.

Jo, on the other hand, had gone back to his usual self, acting like he hadn't confessed something huge. Like he hadn't made Harua's heart jump out of his chest. And that only made it worse.

So when Harua found himself alone with Maki in the practice room later that evening, he was half-expecting things to go back to normal.

They didn't.

"I don't get you," Maki said suddenly, sitting on the floor, legs spread out in a lazy V, hands behind his head.

Harua, stretching quietly beside him, looked up. "What do you mean?"

"You act like you don't notice, but you do," Maki said. "You feel everything. You're like a sponge."

Harua blinked. "Is that... a bad thing?"

"No," Maki sighed. "It's dangerous."

He sat up, eyes softer now. Less mischief. More truth.

"You're the kind of person people fall for without realizing it."

Harua didn't know how to answer that. So he looked down at his hands.

"You're falling for him, aren't you?" Maki asked, voice flat.

"Who?"

"Jo."

Harua hesitated.

"...Maybe."

Silence. And then—

"Do you want to know a secret?" Maki said, voice suddenly lighter. "You're the first guy I've ever liked this way."

Harua's eyes widened. "W-What?"

"Yeah," Maki shrugged. "I mean, I've flirted before. Played around. But it was never this... real. You mess me up."

Before Harua could process what was happening, Maki reached out and gently touched his wrist.

"I don't care if I lose sleep. Or if you end up choosing him," Maki said, eyes locking with his. "But before that happens... can I kiss you once?"

Harua's breath hitched.

His heart screamed yes.

But his voice was stuck somewhere between fear and longing.

"...Just once?" he whispered.

Maki nodded slowly. "Just once."

And then—he leaned in.

It wasn't rushed. It wasn't demanding.

It was soft, like a secret pressed to his lips. His hand came up to cradle the side of Harua's face, thumb brushing just under his eye. His mouth tasted faintly of strawberry gum and something sweeter—honesty.

The kiss lasted no more than five seconds.

But when Maki pulled back, Harua swore the room was spinning.

"I'm sorry," Maki whispered. "I just had to know."

Harua touched his lips, stunned.

From the hallway, neither of them saw Jo standing in the doorway—his fists clenched tight, and his eyes burning with something darker than hurt.

Something closer to jealousy.