❛ 𝐒𝐓𝐘𝐋𝐄 ❜ ✓

24

         I GLANCED AT ——— the pictures of the high school boys, their data sheets spread across my desk with my pen's clicking filling the silence in my bedroom. My mom's words repeated in my words, and it distracted me from studying their stats.

I sighed, placed my pen between the pages of my notebook, and closed it.

"I told you, I didn't know what kind of consequences would come along if I let you know about her,"

"You still told me, though,"

He paused, "Oh, yeah, but that's because I couldn't help myself. To be honest, [name], I can't stop thinking about you,"

Ken looked up from his phone as I stepped outside, his face lighting up with a smirk. He straightened up and pushed himself off the car, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Hey, sweetheart," he greeted, his eyes glancing at my figure up and down, "You look beautiful."

Ken's gaze softened as he watched me, a gentle smile on his lips. As I tried to compose myself, I noticed him reach across the table with a napkin.

"Hold on," he said with a chuckle, his slender fingers brushing against my lips as he gently wiped away a smear of sauce that had escaped my control.

I froze for a moment, my heart fluttering at the unexpected contact. Ken's touch was tender and careful, and I could feel the warmth of his hand so close to my face.

Ken leaned back slightly, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Hmm, if you say so," he replied teasingly, his smile widening. "Either way, you look cute when you blush. I like seeing you like this—relaxed and smiling."

"I don't know, I think you look pretty good in that skirt," he teased, leaning his head down at me. At this point, my neck was on the verge of snapping, "But if you insist on changing, I guess we can make a quick stop at your place,"

"Ken,"

"Or y'know, you could always wear my clothes,"

"Ken, we gotta go right now,"

"You look good in anything, but they'd look better on my—"

I couldn't help but think about him. He would just pop up in my mind out of nowhere.

I sighed and looked at the email I was responding to.

My eyes bulged out of their sockets and I gasped.

'Thank you for reaching out, but in regards to your request, we cannot complete it because I can't stop thinking about Ken Sato.'

Ken's face lit up with a grin, and he wrapped his arms around my waist, his face resting between my shoulder and neck, "Whatever you say, sweetheart,"

I turned ablaze at the sudden affection. I could hear my heart beating in my ears and my chest tightening as I tried to steady my breathing.

"Get off me, you swine!" I yelled, trying to push him away. But Ken's grip was too strong, his muscles flexing under his shirt as he held me firmly.

I struggled a bit more, but the sensation of his strong arms and the warmth of his body was overwhelming. Eventually, I let out a defeated sigh and wrapped my arms around him, hugging him back.

"There, was that so hard?" Ken whispered, his smirk evident in his voice.

I cupped my warm cheeks and frowned, glancing at the clock and realizing I had less time than I thought before I needed to head to practice. With a resigned sigh, I thought that perhaps practice would be able to take my mind off of him.