With the first day of the trimester behind them, the following weeks revealed a quiet school in comparison. Third year students were studying away in hopes of passing college entrance exams while the underclassmen had final exams of their own. All in all, the turmoil of the last year seemed like a distant memory for the first year members of the student council.
Having finished their lessons for the day, Lyra, Stella, and Sonya were walking quietly towards the school gate when an outburst cut through the air.
"Why is school so boring!"
Stretching her arms above her head as she loudly voiced her laments, Lyra spread her fingers to the sky as if asking a greater power for help. In response, Stella stifled a snicker and placed a friendly hand on her friend's shoulder.
"You really don't like studying, Lyra."
"Well why would I? Time could be better spent doing things like... Eating! Or solving mysteries!"
The energy emanating from Lyra was par for the course, Stella thought as she decided to indulge Lyra's whimsicality.
"Mysteries? Have there been a lot of mysteries at school? I thought things had been quiet lately..."
"Of course there are! Like why Mary has been ditching us lately. Lucas even let her go early and she didn't walk home with us."
Raising a finger to her chin, Stella thought to herself. While it was true that Mary hadn't joined them since school had restarted, she knew that there had to be a logical reason.
"Maybe she had other work to do? There are a lot of tests coming up."
"Gahh! Don't remind me. Nevermind. It's probably a good thing that she isn't making us study like she did last year... Fine! That's one mystery solved. But what about the mystery of why Sonya is so obsessed with her phone? She's been staring into it this whole time!"
Switching targets, Lyra aimed a pointer finger at the third member of their group that had yet to speak. Rapidly typing away on her phone, Sonya noticed that the conversation had stopped as she looked up to see all eyes focused on her.
"Ehh... Huh!"
Streaks of red crossed her cheeks as she realized that she was caught red handed. A small pang of guilt filled her chest as she quickly pressed send on her message to Elise. Ever since she had invited her former bully to her house, the two had been messaging in secret. While Sonya had told Ken about Elise, she was afraid of how her close friends might react. As she shivered under the accusatory stares, Lyra yelled out.
"Must be making luuvy-duuvy plans with You. Know. Who."
Sonya might have been relieved if anyone else but Lyra had misread the situation. Instead, the implication left her even more flustered than before.
"It's not like that!"
Hiding her phone, Sonya stomped her feet in protest as Stella cheerily called out to her.
"It's okay, Sonya. I think it's only natural to be distracted with each other. You've only been together a little over a month, and with this Friday coming up, you both must be busy planning."
Her savior turned out to be as misguided as Lyra, leaving Sonya to cry out in frustration.
"I swear I'm not distracted or obsessed! Everything is normal-wait, what do you mean about this Friday?"
Abruptly changing the subject, Sonya looked at Stella with quizzical eyes. However, both Stella and Lyra stared back in amazement before speaking.
"Oh my."
"HAHAHA! This is rich! That's my stupid brother for ya!"
Lyra hunched over and gripped her sides as she let a bellowing laugh escape. Meanwhile, Stella's face grew pale and she turned to face Sonya.
"Sonya... This Friday is Valentine's Day."
The end of the sentence repeated itself in Sonya's head as her eyes widened slowly in shock.
"WHAAAT!"
Sonya flailed her arms before bringing her fingers to her temples to calm herself. Finally recovering, Lyra shook her head and inquired with a grin.
"How could you forget? Haven't you been walking home with us because Ken is helping Lucas with the garden club's flower grams?"
"What does planting flowers have to do with this?!"
Snapping back at the questions, Sonya couldn't hide a grimace towards Lyra's lofty attitude. However, Stella quickly interjected to defuse the situation.
"Flower grams are Valentine's that you can pay to have delivered anonymously. They've had posters up for weeks."
Freezing in place, Sonya vaguely recalled seeing such a thing.
"Maybe I was a little distracted lately... But, wait! Does that mean that he knew it was Valentine's Day and didn't say anything..."
She knew that Ken would never maliciously ignore her. Yet, as she drew a conclusion, Lyra arrived at the same one.
"If I had to bet, I'd say that he is as dense as you."
"Lyra, you shouldn't say mean things about her boyfriend."
Stella tugged on Lyra's arm as she lightly berated her. Remaining silent, Sonya stared into the distance as Lyra fired off a rebuttal.
"That 'boyfriend' is my brother. Siblings get dibs on insults-"
"What are we going to do?! I have to go right now!"
Interrupting with a shout, Sonya wasted no time in bursting into a sprint toward the train station as her friends watched.
"There's the reaction I was waiting for. Maybe school isn't so bad after all..."
"Good luck, Sonya."
And so, with Lyra's half joke and Stella's hopeful prayer, Sonya dashed off to plan an impromptu Valentine's Day.
Easier said than done. Sonya paced in her room while periodically letting strained sighs fill the air. This had gone on for about an hour and she was nearing the end of her rope.
"That idiot! How could he forget?! Am I supposed to think of everything?!"
Yelling into the empty room, she continued pacing while getting lost in her thoughts. It was apparent that Ken would be no help and after not getting to present him with her maid outfit surprise last time, she felt challenged to try again.
"I guess it's up to me!"
Raising her fist in the air, she announced her decision to plan a perfect Valentine's Day for Ken. However, there was one large obstacle in her way.
"But, I have no idea what couples are supposed to do... Argh! This is stupid!"
"Sounds like you're having some trouble, Dear."
Spinning around in surprise, Sonya saw that Charlotte was standing in her doorway.
"Ahh! What! How long have you been there?"
"I don't think that really matters. With how loud you were groaning, I'm sure even Theo could hear you outside."
Taking a few steps into her daughter's room, Charlotte smiled softly at Sonya's clearly flustered expression.
"There, there. You don't need to be embarrassed. Let me help you."
Angry that her mother had so deftly evaluated the situation, Sonya crossed her arms and turned her gaze away as she spat out her words nervously.
"W-What do you mean... I don't need any help..."
The scene elicited a soft giggle from Charlotte. Taking a seat on the bed, she calmly addressed Sonya.
"You will have to be more convincing than that. You've always worn your emotions on your face. So? What's the problem? Let me be a mom and help you out?"
WIth the olive branch extended, Charlotte waited for a response. Turning back to her mom, Sonya examined her and could see that she seemed genuinely interested. With a deep exhale, Sonya tried to explain her situation.
"I... We... It's going to be... Valentine's Day and we didn't make any plans..."
"Is that all?"
Scoffing defensively at her mom's dismissive response, she continued.
"It's a really big deal for... couples..."
Charlotte eyed her daughter before looking up in thought. After a few seconds, she rose from the bed and confidently announced.
"Why don't you invite him here?"
The room went silent as Sonya uneasily narrowed her eyes.
"That's... Uhh... Don't people usually go out to dinner or something? I don't know!"
Airing her frustration, Sonya was on the verge of giving up when her mother spoke again.
"You'll be hard pressed to find better food on the island than Gloria's cooking. It'll be a little tame for a date, but I'll make sure you have privacy."
Hearing her sound so sure of herself, Sonya wondered if the idea might not be so bad after all.
"You think that he'd like that?"
"I think that he likes you. If that's the case, then doing anything together would make him smile."
Charlotte finished her sentence with a smile that made Sonya feel calmer. When she thought of spending time with Ken, she realized that she felt the same way. Matching the smile aimed at her, she called out to Charlotte.
"You're actually pretty helpful."
"Hey now! It wasn't so long ago that I used to celebrate Valentine's Day."
With a snarky reply, Charlotte closed her eyes as her smile deepened. Yet, her words caused Sonya to discern that Valentine's Day might hold some sore feelings.
"What are... You going to do on that day?"
Opening her eyes, Charlotte saw the look of concern on her daughter's face.
"Don't you worry about me. I'll be having fun in my own way. Now, I should go and make arrangements for your big day!"
Purposely being overly endearing, Charlotte placed her hands on Sonya's shoulders. A warm feeling filled her chest as she understood that this was her mother's way of telling her not to worry. Mustering up her usual energy, she replied.
"It's not a big day or anything like that!"
Charlotte nodded as she turned to leave the room. As she crossed the threshold, Sonya's voice caught her ear.
"Thanks... Mom."
Hiding her visible giddiness, she rushed her pace down the hall and began to put her plans into motion.
After giving Ken a stern berating, Sonya had presented him with the invitation to visit her house. Everything seemed to be going smoothly and Valentine's Day came before they knew it. The day of, they had attended school as usual, but afterwards had ridden the train away from campus together. While she found herself feeling jittery, Sonya couldn't help but let a smile shine as they traveled together. Today was going to be perfect, she thought.
All at once her expectations were shattered as she fervently pressed the intercom box outside the gate that blocked the driveway to her house.
"If you keep hammering it like that, you're going to break it."
Ken nonchalantly called out to Sonya not expecting her to listen. The flaxen haired girl looked at him with a grumpy expression before continuing to slam her fist against the button.
"Why isn't anyone answering! Today is supposed to be... There's supposed to be someone here!"
As if prompted by her scream, the gate sprang to life and slowly opened.
"Does it normally open on its own?"
"No..."
Sonya's eyes darted toward the open gate and the intercom. Just as she wondered why Theo hadn't responded, Ken's voice called out to her.
"I guess we are walking?"
With a groan, Sonya walked ahead of him as they quietly made their way up the long roadway. Upon reaching the front door, Sonya's fears had grown. It was obvious that Theo wasn't here and the odd circumstances made her pause as Ken tested the door handle.
"At least it's unlocked. Should we go in?"
Her expression told Ken that this was not a part of Sonya's plan. However, he reached out and took her small in his as he reassured her.
"I'll lead the way, follow me."
They entered the house together and saw that the lights were on but no one was there to greet them. Ken wondered where they should look when Sonya squeezed his hand to get his attention.
"Mrs. Walsh should be in the kitchen..."
Following Sonya's directions, Ken followed a branching hallway past the sitting room that he had been to before. Memories of his last visit infiltrated his mind as he shook his head and stepped into the room Sonya was pointing at.
The room was a large open kitchen with counters and appliances around its border. An island that was used for preparing food stood in the center of the room while various pots and pans hung above it. After surveying the area, Ken's attention was drawn to a paper that was prominently displayed on the island.
"Looks like there's no one here. Is that a piece of paper right there?"
Noticing the document herself, Sonya gingerly stepped forward and lifted it as Ken inspected the rest of the room. She immediately recognized the handwriting as her mother's and she read the letter's contents silently to herself.
Dear Sonya,
Don't be scared, I let you in the gate by watching the cameras outside.
As promised I have made sure that you two have the utmost privacy. I'll be away on a small holiday and Gloria and Theo will be as well. Dinner has been prepared and you only need to follow the instructions pinned to the fridge. I hope you two have a wonderful time.
P.S. We won't be back until tomorrow afternoon. Be good.
-Mom
As her cheeks went pink while reading the post script, Sonya imagined the smug smile her mother must have been wearing at that moment.
"Argh! That's what she meant by 'having fun'!"
"Is something wrong?"
Alerted by her raised voice, Ken spun around in concern. However, Sonya quickly hid the letter behind her and shook her head in response.
"No! Everything is great!"
"Really doesn't seem that way..."
Ken took a step towards her which made Sonya back up. Stashing the letter in her sweater pocket, she swiftly moved behind him and pressed her palms against his back.
"I'm going to make dinner. So you just go sit in the dining room across the hall."
"You're going to cook? Are you sure-"
"Just go!"
With a shove, she sent Ken careening into the hallway. With the room to herself, she sighed in relief and decided that she could at least make the dinner as planned. What came after could be decided later.
Scrambling over to the fridge she plucked the cooking instructions from a magnet on the door. The list was detailed but the times and temperatures left her feeling unsure. Nonetheless, she opened the fridge to see several covered pans with labels on them.
"So this is where the lunches you made me when my arm was broken came from. I was wondering who made them."
Glancing up at the familiar voice, she saw that Ken was standing behind her looking into the fridge. Teetering backwards she landed on her backside and yelled.
"Don't sneak up on me like that!"
"I wasn't really sneaking. It's just really quiet here. Why don't we cook together?"
Meeting her with a smile, Ken started pulling pans from the fridge and placing them on the central island. Seeing that there would be no stopping him, Sonya relented.
"F-Fine! You can be my assistant, I guess."
Placing the instructions on the table, she watched as Ken organized the pans based on when they would need to be cooked. As he stepped away to set the oven, Sonya came behind him and started unwrapping the pans in an attempt to help.
"We should avoid any fires this way..."
"Keep talkin' like that and you're going to get cut."
"We aren't using knives. It looks like we just have to put these in the oven first... There, all set. Now we wait."
Peering through the glass at the dish, Sonya and Ken looked back at each other and shared a smile. With time to burn before dinner, Ken followed Sonya as she guided him to where the plates and silverware were stored and the two joked as they carried items over to the dining room. Time passed quickly and soon, the dinner was ready and they took their spots at the table.
The dining room was smaller than the kitchen and the gray walls were covered in paintings and expensive fixtures that reminded Ken of the difference in lifestyle that Sonya had compared to his own. Draped in white cloth was a rectangular table with six cherry mahogany chairs that looked almost too clean to use. Yet, after taking seats next to one another, they began to place helpings atop plates and started eating.
It didn't take long before Ken was able to see the plate beneath and realized that he had been silently devouring the food in front of him. Embarrassed at his etiquette, he savored another bite before speaking.
"This is... really good. Might be the best food I've ever had."
Glancing up from her plate, Sonya showed a soft smile and replied.
"That's Gloria for you. She's really good at cooking. I can't even make cookies right."
Reminded of her overcooked cookies, Ken felt a nostalgia wash over him as he lowered his fork.
"I don't know about that. I think we put our special spin on it."
"All we did was heat it up?"
Tilting her head in confusion, Sonya's smile never left her face.
"Yeah? But we sat the table and we'll do dishes afterwards. It's an experience."
"If you say so..."
Despite her words, she felt the same. The afternoon that was slowly slipping into evening was quaint, but she was enjoying herself regardless.
"I do. It's almost like we're mar-Erk!"
Stopping himself from finishing his joke, Ken's face became flushed. The indomitable hue spread to Sonya and she quickly hopped to her feet.
"There's dessert in the fridge. I'll go get it..."
Rushing from the room, she took her time returning as the awkwardness dissipated. Ken wondered if the atmosphere had caused him to become too casual. However, he decided to let it slide and called out to Sonya.
"So, what are we doing after dinner?"
A shiver went down her back as the question filled the air. Remembering her mother's letter, Sonya quickly pushed it from her head. Surely, he could stay a little later before catching the train, she told herself while replying.
"Well... I was thinking that we could watch a movie?"
Announcing her idea, Sonya waited to see how Ken would respond. While it wasn't very special, she hoped that he would be interested. After thinking for a moment, Ken spoke.
"Like a romance movie?"
"Yuck. No. A scary one!"
Sonya froze as she realized that her answer had come out unfiltered. Wasn't it more couple-like to watch something romantic, she wondered.
"Err... I mean... We could watch a-"
"A scary one is perfect."
Dousing her concerns, Ken smiled in affirmation as they finished their meal together. After cleaning the room and washing the dishes, they retired to the sitting room. As Ken wondered how they would watch a movie in a room with no television, Sonya retrieved a remote from one of the drawers on the table and pressed a button. Within seconds the wall above the fireplace opened to reveal a large screen that buzzed to life. She waited for Ken to take a seat on the couch before turning off the lights and joining him.
They decided on a film that neither had seen and leaned against each other as the movie played overhead. Despite their closeness, Sonya couldn't help but think that this was similar to what they had done after their first date. Finding herself wanting more but not sure how to ask, she resigned to watch the screen out of exasperation. Time proved to be against her and quickly slid away as the end credits arrived.
"That was pretty good."
Ken announced as he moved away from Sonya and stretched. Feeling the absence of his warmth, she crossed her arms as she spoke.
"I don't know... I could tell how it was going to end halfway through."
"Yeah, but the graphics were perfect."
"Sure, but aren't you a writer? Shouldn't you care about the story a little more?"
Glancing over to her, Ken offered a soft grin as he laid back on the couch.
"Sometimes it's nice to just let go and have fun. Don't you think so?"
Sonya pursed her lips and tried to match his relaxed pose as she answered.
"Yeah. I guess I'm having a good time."
"Here."
Finding her vision blocked by what appeared to be a red bag, Sonya instinctively took the parcel into her hands.
"What is-"
"I'm sorry I didn't plan anything for today. I'm still learning how to be a... Boyfriend. You can call me any name you want, but I promise to do better."
Looking over, she could see that Ken was wearing a complicated expression. Had his demeanor before been an act, she wondered. Knowing that he must have been fretting over her during the movie just as she had been doing over him made a smile cross her face. He must have snuck the bag from his backpack and hid it, waiting for this specific moment, she thought as her heart fluttered against her chest. Without asking permission, she opened the bag and lifted out a single carnation. Draped around the flower was a thin gold chain with a small pendant. Upon closer inspection, the pendant was in the shape of a cat. While simplistic, the black cat's eyes were enlarged and they seemed to follow Sonya's as she stared at it.
"Cute..."
"The flower is from school... I wasn't sure if I should send you a flowergram or not, but I wanted you to have one. The necklace is something I bought myself... I hope you like stuff like that, if not I can exchange it-"
"No! It's mine now. You can't have it back! I love it!"
Clasping the flower and necklace gently in her hands, she brought them close to her chest to keep them safe. Her reaction made Ken blush as he basked in the shimmering reflection in Sonya's eyes.
"Well, then it's yours. Happy Valentine's Day."
"Eeep!"
A yelp arose from Sonya as the screen went black leaving the room shrouded in darkness. In their conversation, they had forgotten that the movie was ending.
"I'll turn on the light."
Rising from the couch, Ken slowly felt around until he found the switch and light filled the room. Able to see once more, he crossed back in front of the couch. It was then that he noticed the window on the wall was unlit.
"Oh, wow. It's getting dark outside! I should really get going before-"
"About that..."
Interrupting Ken, Sonya placed her gift back in its bag and sat it on the table. She could feel her emotions swelling inside her and didn't want the night to end just yet. Perhaps this was her mother's intentions, but, whatever the case, she knew that she couldn't let him go.
"I-if you want to... you can s-stay... the n-night."
Stammered words fell from her mouth as Ken's eyes went wide. However, he quickly shook his head and gave a knowing expression.
"Nice try. You already pulled that one on me before, remember?"
"I'm serious."
Flatly replying, Sonya stared at Ken with a firm gaze.
"Mom and everyone else won't be back until later tomorrow. She said so in the letter she left in the kitchen. You can... stay... if you want?"
Her last sentence almost sounded pleading as Ken felt ice spread across his back. There was no mistaking her sincerity and he felt his chest tighten. At this moment, he couldn't look away from Sonya. The depth of her eyes, the trembling of her lip, they all served to pull him closer to an answer. With uneven breath, he uttered his reply.
"O-Okay..."
The space in the room felt even larger as his voice was swallowed up and Sonya stood and met his eyes. In a quavering voice she called out.
"Do... Do you wanna see my room?"
No answer came from Ken, instead he felt his neck sway as he nodded. The cold feeling that had crept across his back was met by the burning heat erupting from his chest. He could tell that Sonya was in a similar state of disarray as she quietly walked towards the door and he followed behind. Neither of them were sure what was going to happen, but they ascended the stairs together in the quiet house as the sun disappeared from the sky.
"This is... There sure is a lot of pink."
"So? I'm a girl!"
Upon entering Sonya's room for the first time, Ken couldn't stop his words from erupting. As Sonya's expression turned to an adamant one, he quickly tried to calm her.
"I-I know! I just didn't expect... I don't know what I expected, I guess."
Rubbing his temple, he examined the room. While his nerves were still on edge from being invited to a girl's room with the intent to spend the night, the bright pink walls and immature decorations made him feel like this might not be so bad. Walking further along, he noticed a shelf filled with different plush collectables. The cherubic faces were staring at him, but one caught his eye in particular.
"I didn't know you like plushies like this. Is this the one from our date?"
Taking one of the plushies in his hand he showed it to Sonya. It was meant to portray a zombie but was much too soft and cute to be taken seriously. As Ken gave it a squeeze, Sonya's softened voice called out.
"Yeah..."
"I thought you said they were for Stela?"
"Shut up..."
Placing the plushie back on the shelf, he looked to Sonya to find her cheeks draped in crimson hues. Apparently his nerves weren't the only ones being tested, he thought.
"I'm kidding. I'll remember to get you some next time we go on a date."
Ken turned away as Sonya piqued up at the mention of a next date.
"That's a really nice telescope-oh wait, uh..."
"It's okay. That's the one my daddy got me for my birthday."
Thinking that he was making a faux pas, Ken was surprised to hear Sonya approach behind him and reassure him. Now that they weren't making eye contact, her voice seemed more confident. Since she had met him halfway, he decided to continue.
"So it is. Do you ever think about using it?"
A brief silence followed as Sonya thought to herself before answering.
"No... I just don't think I'm ready yet."
"Sorry, I didn't mean you had to or anything."
"When I do, will you look at the stars with me?"
Once again he was concerned about being tactless, but Sonya paid it no mind. Hearing her question, Ken turned to face her before replying.
"Of course I will."
With a shy smile, Sonya dropped her eyes and the conversation slowed. After a few minutes, she wandered over to her bed. To Ken's shock, she slowly removed her sweater before dimming the lights. Without looking back at him, she removed her hair ties and lowered herself onto the mattress sliding as close as she could to the wall to make room. While he thought she was being awfully forward, he couldn't find the stamina to react, forcing Sonya to call out.
"D-Don't just stand there... Come on..."
As if propelled by her command, Ken removed his jacket and sat on the bed before stretching himself rigidly out next to her. As he stared at the ceiling, a sweet scent filled his nose and made his heart race. His thoughts were running wild and he couldn't find comfort as Sonya's voice stammered out.
"Y-You're s-so nervous. S-So lame."
Turning his head to look at her, he saw that she was facing the wall. A shield of blonde hair separated him from her petite shoulders. Yet, he could see her ears protruding through.
"Y-Your ears are bright red..."
Ken tried to mimic her levity but his voice crackled as he spoke and the rest of his words caught in his throat. He wanted to reach out, but anxiety pinned him in place. As hope seemed a far away destination, Sonya lashed out in a frustrated tone.
"S-Shut up and hold me already!"
Again, Ken felt like he was dancing to her tune as he moved at her behest. Yet, this is what he wanted too. As his arms reached towards Sonya, she gingerly lifted her side so that he could embrace her from behind. At first she balked at his touch, but slowly she eased into him. Their combined heat made Ken's mind go blank as he pulled her closer while being cautious of where his fingers were placed. Once they found the position that felt correct, they stayed still for what felt like hours, but it easily could have been minutes. It was Sonya who finally spoke once more as her innermost thought came rolling out.
"Y-You know... We haven't done anything since you k-kissed me at the dock. We haven't done any things that couples do and we even forgot about Valentine's Day. Plus, you didn't try... anything... when we were on the couch earlier. I was starting to worry that you didn't feel like... that... about me. I know it's dumb!"
Hearing the strain in her voice, Ken realized that he hadn't just forgotten about Valentine's Day. For the most part, he had been letting Sonya decide when they would hold hands and had even avoided sending her a valentine at school in case anyone else saw. In his efforts to not disrupt their friendship, he was neglecting their relationship. Gritting his teeth in regret, Ken squeezed Sonya tightly and whispered into her ear.
"Sonya... If you think for a second that I'm not holding myself back... It's just... I know we were slow to tell everyone and even slower to change how we act around each other. In trying to figure out the right amount of affection, I've made you think... Erhem... What I'm trying to say... Don't mistake my silence for disinterest. H-Here, feel."
Pressing his chest against her, Sonya felt the rapid beating of his heart through her back.
"It's so fast."
"That's because you're so close. I can feel your warmth and the softness of your hair. This entire bed smells like you... It's driving me crazy."
Widening her eyes, Sonya felt a tightening in her chest as she narrowed her shoulders.
"D-Do I smell bad?"
"No! It's... your smell, I guess. I only notice it when we're connected like this. Crap... I sound so creepy."
As Ken struggled to find his words, he pulled away from Sonya. As he did, she leaned back to maintain the space between them, catching him off guard.
"It's okay. I don't mind if you're a little creepy. I've been scared to do things like... holding hands in front of others too. But... We are a couple. I want to do more things together... things that only... couples can do. Jeez... this is so weird to say out loud."
Cradling Sonya in his arms, Ken filled in the gaps of her uncertainty.
"It's true, we aren't like a lot of couples. But, I like us the way we are and I'm willing to figure it out with you as long as we do it together."
As he finished speaking, Sonya began to squirm causing Ken to loosen his grip, giving her an opportunity to rotate and face him. With flushed cheeks, she anchored her eyes onto his with a coy smile.
"Deal. We'll just have to make next Valentine's Day even better."
"Sounds go-"
Blocking his words with her lips, Sonya pulled Ken's collar to draw him into a kiss. The heat that had been building between them increased tenfold as it poured into Ken. Yet, as quickly as the kiss had arrived, it was withdrawn. While he wished it would have lasted longer, Sonya's upturned eyes narrowed playfully.
"That's payback for what you did at the dock."
Her grin made Ken form a smile in return, but Sonya bashfully lowered her head as she battled internally to ask her next question.
"If... If you don't mind... Do you want to sleep together like this?"
Ken shuddered as he thought that he had heard her incorrectly. Yet, as he glanced down, Sonya was visibly awaiting his response with baited breath. Adrenaline surged as Ken began to panic and his words sputtered out.
"Uhh... I... I d-didn't expect to go that far... I mean... I'm n-not opposed, b-but..."
"WHAT! What are you even thinking right now!
"Huh? Well you said... and we're in your bed..."
"I just wanted to cuddle together! I was being cute! Cute! Not a gross pervert like you!"
Piecing together Ken's incorrect interpretation, Sonya's face turned crimson red and she shielded it from view with her hands. Stuck in an awkward situation of his own creation, Ken started to release her from his embrace.
"I should probably leave, right?"
"I'll hate you forever if you do."
Reversing his motion, Ken tightened his hug and nervously tried to test the waters.
"S-So, what can I do to make it up to you?"
"Cuddles. Now."
Her abrupt answer surprised him. Not because he was already holding her, but because he had expected some sort of punishment. In comparison, this was a reward, he thought as Sonya buried her head into his chest. Following suit, he pressed his face against her hair and held her gently as time passed. After a few minutes, Sonya spoke in a muffled voice.
"Passing grade. Boyfriend privileges returned."
Smiling as he lifted his head, Ken thought back fondly on the evening and addressed Sonya.
"Did you at least have a good day today?"
"Yeah. I like being... like this with you."
Pausing to find the correct words, Sonya rested her head on Ken like a pillow as she listened.
"Same. We could try being... like this more often."
"Pervert."
Sonya tried to stifle a giggle that betrayed her jeering as Ken rolled his eyes and continued.
"I mean, this is obviously just when we are alone. But, could we try holding hands at school?"
"I wouldn't mind that..."
"I also wouldn't mind not having to wait another month to kiss you..."
"Then kiss me when you want to..."
Sonya's amicable replies continued to roll off her tongue before she stiffened her posture. Realizing what she had just agreed to, she looked up at Ken with wild eyes and began to explain.
"Ehh... I mean, not in public! It's not a free pass-"
Softly planting his lips on Sonya's head, Ken showed a reserved smile as he pulled away and smugly replied.
"I'll keep it within reason."
"Someone thinks they're mister big shot... Ahhhn..."
A poorly suppressed yawn interrupted Sonya as she endeavored to hide it to no avail.
"Sleepy?"
Unsure of the time, but feeling his own exhaustion catching up with him, Ken watched as Sonya closed her eyelids and continued to use him as a pillow.
"Shhh... Just do your job and hold me...zzz..."
The conversation would have to wait until morning he thought as he moved his hand to caress Sonya's head.
"Will do."
When she was like this he thought she seemed even more petite than usual. Yet, he found this unfamiliar defenseless side of her endearing as well.
"I love you, you dummy."
While he was distracted, Sonya's voice weakly called out to him.
"I love you too."
With Sonya nuzzling against his chest, Ken held her close as he felt his own heart start to calm down. There would be plenty of time to try new things as a couple, he thought. However, for tonight, he wanted to stay exactly as he was. Ken would fight his encroaching sleepiness for just an additional moment of watching Sonya's peaceful expression.