Hourglass [Quintessential Quintuplets]

Chapter 31 - Break a Spell (ⅠⅠ)

- 𝗞𝗮𝘇𝘂𝗺𝗮'𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗮𝘆 (ⅠⅠ)-

Ichika stumbles over one of the stray cardboard boxes scattered, a sharp gasp of surprise escaping her lips as she loses her footing. My back hits the cold concrete beneath us, knocking a shallow breath from my lungs. Now I find myself pinned beneath her. It's disturbing. And uncomfortable. ''Ichika, get off me.''

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

"K-Kazuma-kun, I—I..." Her words stammers one another as beads of sweat form along her brow. I can see every minute tremble of her lip, every panicked blink. Her chest is rising and falling erratically, pressing heavily against mine and seriously making it hard to breathe. ''A-Are you okay?''

"Probably doing a hell of a lot better than you right now." I sighed. "Seriously, your sweat's dripping onto me. Gross. Get off."

Her face reddens even further, if that's even physically possible at this point. It would be admirable if it wasn't so incredibly irritating. "W-w-wait! Just hold on a second, Kazuma-kun! I—I still have something important to tell you! You really need to hear me out!''

''In this particular situation? If it's so damn important, just spit it out already. I'm not exactly comfortable down here."

She swallows audibly, gathering courage from god knows where, her gaze locking directly onto mine. I hear every beat of your heart, irregular. At this rate you're going to pass out on top of me. "Tonight... about tonight, I was wondering—"

𝘛-𝘛𝘴ss𝘴. . . 

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

"H-Huh?... N-Nani?" Her voice becomes a whisper. Her pupils are wide, like nothing registered anything beyond the space between our faces. "H-Hear what?"

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!— H-Hey!''