Obsession (Ayano x Budo)

Chapter 1

She stood before me.

Skin as delicate as a porcelain doll, eyes dark and stormy, shining like a silver moon, staring at me.

She was beautiful. And the feeling in my heart was one of slowly, leisurely melting inside, and like a gravitational pull towards the orbit of my life: her.

Black, inky hair spilling down a ponytail like a waterfall, some black strands from the side of her face were blown across her lips, those perfect lips that smiled at me in mystery as her hands intertwined around my neck, pulling me closer to them, closer...

"Budo, you idiot! Wake up!"

Budo blinked dazedly from his daydream, feeling like he was waking into a fog. Osana stood before him, hands on her hips as she glared at him with a piercing stare that snapped him back to consciousness.

"Oh? Sorry about that-" he began to apologize.

"You didn't even listen to a word I was saying!" Osana shouted, the sharpness of her eyes intensifying.
Seated beside her, and without looking up from his book, Taro smiled slightly at his friends.

"Where were your thoughts, Budo?" Taro questioned, grey eyes looking up briefly to connect with his. "It must have been pretty important to miss out on Osana's speech."

Osana huffed, and waited pointedly. Budo scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Actually, it's wasn't that important. Just dreaming of a girl."

Taro raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You like someone, Budo?"

"No, no," Budo quickly reassured, ignoring Osana's narrowing eyes. "Never seen her, just suddenly imaged her." He didn't mention what he'd imagined doing with her. At that thought he felt his cheeks flush with heat. Budo casually yawned, stretching his arms over his head, then checked his bare wrist. He feigned surprise.

"Oh, looks like it's time to have the martial arts practice. Better get going!" he said cheerfully. He left Osana and Taro at the fountain, staring after him as he disappeared from the courtyard into the school.

"How stupid," Osana proclaimed as soon as he left. "Dreaming up his perfect girl? I swear you men can't be pleased."

"Yes, there's no need to dream when she's right here," Taro said playfully as he resumed him reading.

Osana elbowed him softly, her head turned away from him towards the pink Sakura trees so he couldn't see her blush.

...

Ugh, how embarrassing. Caught vulnerable in his daydream, which he would much rather have preferred to stay in. Budo shook his head to clear his thoughts as he strode down the passages, trying to boost his energy again, to prepare himself so he could help the members of his club soon. But no matter how much he tried, the image of her was plastered to the inside of his head, her charcoal eyes looking at him as calm and ethereal as a winter storm -He felt his heart start beating faster-, her fair skin, set off by the deep, dark hair that framed her face almost like a ghost.

Because that's just what she is, he told himself, interrupting his own blissful slip into daydream. A ghost. Unreal. A figment of your-

"Oof!" Budo gasped as he slammed into someone, a small black-haired girl, and had just enough time to grab her slight shoulders before she could toppled backwards.

"Sorry-" he started, but immediately stopped as the girl lifted her head and her eyes met his.

A charcoal winter storm stared at him from a pale face.