Hourglass [Quintessential Quintuplets]

Chapter 31 - Break a Spell (ⅠⅠ)

- 𝗞𝗮𝘇𝘂𝗺𝗮'𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗮𝘆 (ⅠⅠ)-

Ichika stumbled over one of the cardboard boxes, and she landed on top of me. Now I find myself pinned to the cold floor beneath her. It's disturbing. And uncomfortable. ''Ichika, get off me.''

''Kazuma-kun, I-I...''

"I-I..." She stammered, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Her chest was heaving, pressing down on me, making it hard to breathe. "A-are you okay?"

"I'm probably doing better than you are," I sighed. "Now get off me. Your sweat's dripping."

"W-w-wait!... I still have something I need to tell you! Listen to me."

In this particular situation? ''Just say it.''

"For tonight... I was wondering—" Ichika gulped, her eyes locking with mine, turning redder by the second. I hear every beat of your heart, irregular. "..."

𝘛-𝘵𝘴𝘴. . . 

''...?'' A faint noise. Low but clear. Like something was rubbing against a wall. Ichika didn't seem to notice; she was too focused on whatever she was trying to say. ''Ichika, did you hear that?''

"Huh?... N-Nani? H-hear what?" she stammered again, her face inches from mine. ''I hear n-nothing.''

𝘛𝘴-𝘴𝘴𝘴𝘴...

It's getting uncomfortably close, too close. Thanks to Ichika's incessant murmuring, I'm unable to pinpoint its exact source. My entire field of vision has been obscured by her, leaving me no choice but to stand up and check the situation by myself.

''Whatever you have to say, say it later. Get the hell off me, there's something I need to check.''

"But it's important, Kazuma-kun! Really important!..." Her voice shaking, almost pleading. ''H-hey!''

Wait— that sound. It's getting closer. Too close. That voice... it almost sounds like...

''ICHIKA!''