𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙥𝙚 | 𝘢𝘬𝘪 𝘩. ᯓ ᡣ𐭩

˚⊱ 21. | ᴛʜᴇ ᴅɪꜱᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴜꜱ ⊰˚

The next few months passed in a haze. They went about their lives, working together, pretending nothing had changed.

Their interactions were laced with unspoken words, their glances loaded with unspoken emotions. Every touch, every conversation, held a depth of feeling that went unaddressed.

They wore masks of indifference, but even the strongest walls couldn't hide the chemistry that crackled between them constantly. There were moments when their eyes would meet and hold for a beat too long, when their hands would brush in passing, causing a spark of electricity.

The tension between them was unmistakable, but they never acknowledged it, never gave into the unspoken attraction. So they remained at an impasse, trapped in a cycle of unspoken longing and professional pretense.

But the truth was that everything had changed, their relationship irrevocably altered by their deepening feelings.

They acted as if the night where Aki had confessed his love to her while Touko was asleep never happened. They both pretended that his whispered "I love you" and her momentary slip-up were nothing more than a fever dream.

Touko continued to live in the blissful ignorance of Aki's secret confession.

She went about her life, unaware that the man she cared for deeply had whispered "I love you" to her as she slept peacefully beside him.

She had no idea how deeply he felt for her, how his heart yearned for her every time they were together.

Aki was a master at maintaining a stoic exterior, never showing any signs of the inner turmoil he felt.

As the months passed, he continued to act professionally around her, never giving any indication of the love he held for her.

He kept his feelings locked away, hiding his true thoughts and emotions behind a cool façade.

He was determined not to let his feelings mess with their professional relationship. He had too much respect and admiration for her to let his personal emotions get in the way of their work.

But deep down, he struggled with the memory of that night, the memory of the whispered confession.

It replayed in his mind, a constant reminder of the love he felt for her.

Touko harbored a secret longing for Aki that she didn't dare admit even to herself.

She yearned for more moments like the one they had shared, moments where they could be vulnerable and affectionate with each other. But her fears and her dedication to her life's and work's purpose always kept her rational mind in check.

Touko was a master at compartmentalizing her feelings.

She reminded herself daily that her personal feelings for Aki should remain locked away, buried beneath the professional relationship they had established.

Their line of work was complicated enough without adding romantic entanglements into the mix.

She knew that opening that door could lead to hurt, to a distraction that neither of them could afford.

It wasn't easy, especially when he was near, but she managed to keep her heart in check, prioritizing their work over their unspoken feelings. However, there were moments when her resolve wavered, moments where her heart yearned for him so intensely that it was hard to ignore.

Those were the moments she had to fight the hardest, reminding herself of the reasons why keeping her feelings hidden was the right thing to do.

But even as she kept her heart in check, a small part of her couldn't help but wonder - what if?