The call ended, but the silence it left behind felt louder than anything Shin had heard all night.
His phone screen dimmed, the soft light fading from his hand. He just lay there, motionless, his bare chest rising and falling slowly, one hand resting over his stomach, the other still holding the phone like it might ring again—like Yuki might change his mind.
But the call was over.
And with it, the fragile line of connection between them had snapped.
"Damn it…" he whispered, staring at the ceiling. "He's overthinking again. What if he doesn't come…?"
A faint warmth pressed against his chest—soft, small, familiar.
Ai.
She'd woken up sometime during the call but hadn't moved. Her body was curled beside his, her cheek resting right over his heart. Silent. Still.
But she had heard everything.
"…Ai," he murmured, eyes turning toward her.
She didn't look up.
Instead, she slowly tilted her head closer, pressing her lips to his ear, her breath tickling his skin.
Then she whispered—low, smooth, almost teasing.
"Onii-chan… do you need my help?"
Shin's eyes widened.
He turned his head toward her, meeting those sleepy, half-lidded eyes. That sweet, innocent smile curved on her lips, and in that quiet moment—watching her small face nestled into his side—he saw the reflection of his own features.
His favorite face in the world.
The one he trusted the most.
His number one girl.
Without thinking—without hesitating—he leaned forward and kissed her.
A soft, slow, wet kiss. Their lips met like they had a hundred times before, but this one carried something deeper… something desperate. His hand slid behind her head, holding her close as if grounding himself in her warmth.
Ai gasped softly against his mouth but didn't pull away.
By the time their lips parted, her cheeks were pink, her breath uneven. Her eyes fluttered slightly in surprise. "…O-Onii-chan… you just did it again, without warning…"
Shin gave her a small, apologetic smile and brushed a strand of her hair from her face. His thumb lingered against her cheek, and he whispered gently, "Sorry… I needed that."
She blinked, then reached up and touched his hand, lacing her fingers through his. "You're so loud when you talk, you know… even your heartbeat got faster when you were talking to him."
He closed his eyes and let out a shaky laugh. "Was I that obvious?"
"Mhm," Ai nodded, inching closer. "You kept sighing. Your voice got soft every time you said his name… and when he hung up, you looked like you were going to cry."
"I wasn't going to cry," he mumbled, cheeks tinged.
"You always make that face when you hold back tears," Ai whispered, nuzzling into his chest. "I know all your faces, Onii-chan."
He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.
"…Do you think he'll really come tomorrow?"
Ai stayed quiet for a moment. Then, she smiled.
"He'll come," she said confidently. "He's just scared."
"…So am I."
"I'll help you."
He glanced down at her.
Ai's eyes were closed now, but her arms were around his waist, her presence soft and warm. She was always like this—gentle but protective. Small but fierce when it came to him.
"Help me… how?" he asked quietly.
She giggled sleepily.
"However you need, Onii-chan."
Shin rested his chin lightly on Ai's head, his arms still wrapped around her. The silence was soft now—comforting, like her warmth.
"…Hey," he mumbled after a while, his voice barely above a whisper, "Can you help me pick what to wear tomorrow?"
Ai blinked her sleepy eyes open again, pulling back just enough to look up at him.
"You want me to help?" she asked, smiling mischievously.
Shin gave a weak chuckle. "Well, yeah. I mean, you know what looks good on me, right?"
Her fingers lightly trailed over his bare chest, then tapped his nose.
"I think you look good in everything, Onii-chan…" she said sweetly. "But mostly… without anything."
He flushed. "A-Ai…"
She giggled and snuggled back into his chest.
"I'm serious," she hummed. "But fine… if you want to wear something, I'll help."
Shin smiled to himself. Just having her there, being silly and affectionate—it calmed him more than she could know.
They lay like that for a while—quiet, close—until Ai suddenly spoke again, her tone playfully sharp.
"…So it's a date, huh?"
Shin stiffened.
"Wha— It's not a date!" he said too fast, too loud.
Ai laughed harder this time, pulling back with a teasing sparkle in her eyes. "Even Yuki-san asked if it was a date," she pointed out, poking his chest. "Even with all his tsundere huffing and puffing, he still said it. That means he's thinking about it."
Shin looked away, flustered. "…That's not—he's just—he doesn't even know what he wants…"
Ai tilted her head innocently, voice sing-songy. "I bet he's really messed up right now. Maybe even more than you."
"…He is," Shin muttered quietly, staring at the ceiling again. "That's what scares me."
Ai didn't say anything for a moment.
Then, softly: "But he still wants to see you."
Shin's heart thudded in his chest.
"Yeah…"
Ai brushed his hair with her fingers, her smile gentler now. "So let's make you look perfect for him."
---
Shin rested back on the bed, one arm tucked under his head, the other still wrapped around Ai's waist. The moonlight filtered through the curtains, casting silver lines across the room. The tension in his chest had eased a little, thanks to Ai—but the nerves still lingered.
He turned his head slightly, looking down at her with a small smirk playing at his lips.
"…So, should we sleep now?" he asked, his voice dipping lower, teasing. "Or… enjoy each other a little before that?"
Ai blinked up at him, her eyes glinting with playful mischief even in the dim light. She leaned in close, their noses nearly brushing, her breath warm against his skin.
"Mmm…" she hummed softly. "Only if you don't mind being late tomorrow."
Shin raised a brow. "Huh?"
Ai giggled. "I have no problem with it. I already belong to you, Onii-chan. Any time you want me…"
Her fingers lightly brushed over his chest again, eyes still locked on his. "…I'm yours."
Shin stared at her for a moment, caught between flustered and captivated. That mischievous smile, the sweet voice, the absolute honesty in her words—it was overwhelming sometimes. He swallowed, then let out a soft, helpless laugh.
"…You really know how to mess with me, Ai."
She grinned. "Only because you let me."
He shook his head slightly, still smiling. "Let's try to sleep. I can't be a mess in front of Yuki tomorrow…"
"Too late for that," Ai whispered playfully, curling back into his side.
Shin looked at her for a long second—her head nestled against his chest, her soft breath brushing his skin, her arms gently wrapped around his waist like he was the only thing in the world she needed.
"…You really are dangerous," he murmured.
Before she could respond, he leaned down and kissed her again.
It was slower this time.
Tender. Wet. Warm.
His lips moved gently against hers, savoring the sweetness he always found there. Ai gasped softly against his mouth but didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned into it, her small hands sliding up his back as if to hold him there just a moment longer.
When they finally parted, her face was flushed, eyes heavy-lidded and dazed.
"…O-Onii-chan," she breathed, voice trembling a little. "You really do kiss me like I'm your girlfriend…"
Shin's thumb brushed her cheek. He didn't say anything right away. He just looked at her—the girl who always stayed by his side, who made him feel safe even when his heart was confused and full of things he didn't know how to name.
"…You're mine," he said simply.
Ai nodded. "Always."
Ai's fingers lightly traced circles along Shin's chest, her voice barely a whisper against his skin.
"…I'll never get a boyfriend."
Shin opened his eyes slowly. "Ai…"
"I mean it," she said before he could speak more. Her gaze met his—steady, unwavering. "I'll never get married either. I don't want to. I don't need anyone else."
Shin frowned softly. "You say that now, but you're still young. Someday—"
"No." Her tone was firm now, firmer than he was used to. "No matter how many times you say it, it won't change anything. I've already decided."
She sat up slightly, cupping his cheek with both hands, the moonlight catching the shine in her eyes.
"I belong to you, Onii-chan. Only you."
He stared at her, stunned by her conviction. Ai wasn't being dramatic. She wasn't being childish. She meant every word—and somehow, that made his chest tighten with a strange mix of emotion he didn't fully understand.
"…I don't deserve that kind of loyalty," he murmured.
Ai smiled faintly. "Too late. You already have it."
Then she leaned in again, pressing her forehead to his.
"No matter what happens," she whispered, "I'll always be yours."
Ai giggled softly, nuzzling against Shin's neck as her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt.
"I'll be your side chick number one," she said with a teasing lilt, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Shin's brows twitched, caught between surprise and amusement. "Ai…"
She looked up with a playful pout, voice airy and light, but her eyes serious beneath the shimmer of mischief. "It's fine if Yuki-kun becomes your main someday… I'll still be here. I'll always be here. I'm not giving up my spot."
Shin let out a breath through his nose, somewhere between a sigh and a quiet laugh. "You're unbelievable."
"You love it." Her smile grew brighter, cheeky. "And you love me."
With one final kiss—slow, tender, unhurried—Shin pressed his lips to Ai's, letting their shared warmth settle like a lullaby over them both. Their foreheads touched after, breath mingling softly, skin against skin.
The blankets had long been kicked aside. Clothes no longer clung between them, only the natural heat of their bodies keeping them warm in the cool night air. They held each other closely, limbs entwined, not a single inch of space left. Shin's arm curled protectively around her waist. Ai's hand rested gently against his chest, feeling the steady beat beneath.
No words were exchanged. None were needed. Their breathing slowed together, peaceful… synchronized.
And like that, the world fell away.
They drifted into sleep, wrapped in each other's presence.
Unmoving. Undisturbed. Just them.
---
END OF CHAPTER : 33 : WHISPERED HELP!
---