CHAPTER 29
By the time Kiyomi walked into the classroom, it was already half-filled.
Students were scattered across the desks, bags dropped haphazardly, their conversations low and unfocused. Someone was scrolling through their phone by the window; another leaned back with earbuds in, eyes closed. The fluorescent lights hummed quietly overhead—a mundane, normal morning that felt worlds away from the velvet shadows of the Souta mansion.
Kiyomi slid into his seat, trying not to draw attention to the slight ache in his limbs. He began to hum, the lyrics slipping out like a secret.
"You're the warmth I'm reaching for…"
It was low, almost blending into the background noise of shuffling papers.
"Every heartbeat wanting more…"
He wasn't singing for an audience, yet the melody threaded itself between the idle chatter and the soft tapping of phone screens.
"Even if the world falls through…"
He paused, his fingers resting against the cool grain of the desk. Then, almost a whisper:
"I'll stay inside the flame of you."
"…Isn't that Flame of You?"
Kiyomi glanced to the side. A girl sat a seat away, her phone still in her hand. She looked like she'd caught the line mid-scroll—no grand expression, just a flicker of recognition.
"Oh! You know this song?" Kiyomi asked, his heart skipping a beat for an entirely different reason than last night.
"Yeah! It's from Cerb-3ros," she answered. "I watched them yesterday!"
(Oh, cool!) Kiyomi's pulse quickened.
"Do you like them?" the girl prompted, finally locking eyes with him.
"Of course I do!" Kiyomi declared, his excitement bubbling over. "Especially Sakura-chan!"
"Oh my!" She looked surprised, a genuine smile breaking through. "Me too!"
(No way! My first fan!)
"I like your voice, by the way," she continued, tilting her head. "It sounds a lot like Sakura-chan herself..."
Kiyomi felt a flush of heat creep up his neck, but he fought to remain calm.
"Thanks..."
The girl extended her arm across the gap between their desks. "My name is Akiyama Yuna," she said.
"Call me Yuna."
"Arata Kiyomi," he replied, shaking her hand. The contact felt grounded, real, and untainted.
The two talked about Cerb-3ros until the bell rang, marking the end of the period.
"Later, Kiyomi-san," she said with a wave as she disappeared into the hallway crowd.
(This is real, right?)
Excitement surged through him as he walked out of the classroom.
(My own fan!) He couldn't stop grinning. His eyes were unfocused, his mind replaying Yuna's compliments, causing him to stumble into several students in the hall. He finally slipped, the floor rushing up to meet him—
But a familiar pair of arms caught him before he hit the linoleum.
"Takkun!"
"Yo, Kiki!"
Kiyomi burst into a fit of giggles, the sheer relief and joy of the morning overflowing. The sound confused Takumi, who pulled him upright with a lopsided grin.
"Did something good happen?"
"Nothing~" Kiyomi chirped, his voice light.
"For real?"
"For real, for real!"
"Well, keep that energy. Let's go to the club," Takumi said, adjusting his bag. "Miyu called. We need to move."
The two headed to the clubroom, where Miyu was already perched in his usual seat. He looked up the second the door swung open, a spark of mischief in his eyes.
"My people!" he called out as they entered.
"Yo, Miyu!" the two replied in sync, settling into the chairs on either side of him.
Miyu leaned forward excitedly, eager to show them what he'd been watching. As they angled themselves to get a look at the screen, the blue light of a LuvTube video filled the space—it was the recording of Cerb-3ros performing on FBC TV.
"Sakura-chan!" Takumi breathed, his eyes glued to the display.
Miyu didn't say a word, but he caught Kiyomi's eye and gave him a sharp, knowing elbow to the ribs.
(I know... I know,) Kiyomi thought, maintaining his composure despite the secret humming in his chest.
"Damn, look at her. She's so cute," Takumi added, leaning in closer to the pink-haired idol on the screen.
"Do you want to meet her, Takkun?~" Miyu teased, his voice dropping into a playful, sing-song lilt.
"I—"
"Hmmm?"
"Of course I do," Takumi finally declared. He snapped his head away as a deep, unmistakable crimson flooded his face.
Miyu and Kiyomi couldn't help themselves—they dissolved into simultaneous giggles.
"What are you two giggling about?" Takumi grumbled, clearly flustered.
"Nothing~"
Takumi groaned at their synchronized response.
"Shouldn't you be reporting your assignment to Hameda-sensei?" Kiyomi reminded him, tilting his head.
Takumi froze, his eyes widening as the realization hit him. He immediately slapped his own face.
"You're right! I don't have time for this!"
"Takkun needs to pay attention on his academy more," Miyu mocked.
With a frantic scramble, Takumi rushed out of the room, leaving the two of them behind in the sudden quiet.
When they were finally alone, they turned to each other. The air in the small room instantly felt heavy, making it hard to breathe. Miyu opened his mouth to speak, but he held back, catching his breath before a single word could escape.
Kiyomi, on the other hand, let his gaze wander. He looked at the ticking clock, the barren walls, and finally the closed door.
(He wants to say something...)
Miyu tried again, clearing his throat to find his voice. Their eyes locked.
"You know," he started.
"Yes?"
"About yesterday..."
"Mhm..."
Miyu paused, the weight of the memory hanging between them.
"Never mind."
(Miyu!)
Kiyomi found a sudden spark of determination. He leaned forward until they were barely a breath apart.
"What is it?"
Without any more hesitation, Kiyomi pressed his lips against Miyu's. It was quick and smooth, a fleeting contact that didn't linger. He pulled back almost immediately.
"What was that for?" Miyu whispered, stunned.
"For being brave," Kiyomi answered, his voice steady. "For protecting me—for protecting us!"
"I just—"
"I didn't know the lengths you were willing to go to for Cerb-3ros until..." Kiyomi paused, the image of the bedroom flashing in his mind. "Until yesterday."
Miyu didn't hesitate this time. He leaned in, returning the kiss with a soft, lingering pressure before whispering against Kiyomi's lips.
"I'm sure you—even Renge—would have done the same."
"But we didn't... I'm sorry."
"There's nothing to be sorry about," Miyu said, his tone shifting into something darker, more playful. "The thing is..."
He leaned in closer, his breath warm against Kiyomi's ear.
"I enjoyed every second of it~"
Kiyomi swallowed hard, confusion flickering through his mind.
"You want to do it again? With Daichi?"
Miyu shook his head, a small, knowing smirk playing on his lips.
"It's not about who I'm with. It's about who can satisfy me the most~"
Kiyomi felt a sudden throb of heat.
(Oh no... my little chick is getting aroused!)
Miyu leaned in again, and their lips met for a second time. This time, the spark of excitement took over. Their bodies began to move, leaning into the contact as the kiss deepened. What started as simple pressure turned into something hungrier—sucking and biting as their senses blurred.
Just as their saliva began to mix, the door burst open.
Rin charged in, her voice booming.
"Good morning, my people!"
She froze mid-stride. Her high energy evaporated instantly as she stared at the two of them, caught in the middle of the room.
Kiyomi and Miyu hastily pushed each other away, scrambling for distance. They stood there, chests heaving, as they tried to catch their breath. Rin hadn't just interrupted a conversation; she had caught her clubmates in a deep, breathless kiss.
"Did I come at the wrong time?" Rin chuckled, her eyes scanning their flushed faces with a mix of shock and dawning curiosity.
"No, not at all!" they shouted in unison.
The two began to scramble, explaining the situation as best as they could without giving too much away. Miyu started making up scenes that hadn't happened, trying to talk his way out of the tension, while Kiyomi did his best to fill the gaps in the story.
"Right..." was all Rin could say.
Her voice was flat, and her skepticism hung in the air like a physical weight. She didn't press them, but she didn't look away either. To her, the "explanation" didn't match the heat she'd just walked in on.
The two exhaled a loud, synchronized sigh of relief as the tension seemed to break. The situation had been defused.
At least, that's what they believed.
They settled into their usual seats, the air still thick with an awkward weight that refused to dissipate. It was Rin who finally shattered the silence, her eyes bright with a new focus.
"Have you two seen the TV lately?" she asked, cutting through the stagnant air.
(Ah, this topic again!)
"My sister was on last night," she announced excitedly, leaning in.
The next hour vanished into a heated discussion about Cerb-3ros's TV debut. It was a bizarre spectacle: Miyu shamelessly glazed Miyuko, praising her "flawless" presence; Kiyomi did the same for Sakura, defending her charm with practiced ease; and Rin, ever the loyal twin, went all-in glazing Renge.
But in the heat of the fan-talk, Miyu's guard slipped.
"Their MV should be posted tonight..." he murmured, the words falling out naturally.
Kiyomi froze.
(Miyu-chan...) He felt a jolt of pure shock, his heart skipping a beat as he instinctively covered his face, bracing for Rin's reaction. The slip was massive—too specific for a casual fan. Miyu realized the weight of his words the moment they left his lips and held his breath, his posture turning rigid.
"Right! Renge said that too..." Rin replied, her tone breezy and unbothered.
Kiyomi's shoulders slumped.
(Oh, she wasn't even paying attention!)
Seizing the moment before she could circle back, Kiyomi steered the conversation as fast as he could.
"Rin-chan, since you're so into it, I think you should do a dance cover for their first song."
Rin closed her eyes, tilting her head back to ponder the suggestion. Beside her, Miyu gave Kiyomi a subtle, grateful nod, acknowledging the quick save.
After a long silence, Rin stood up with a burst of high energy, her hands slammed onto the table.
"I have decided! I'm going to be a DikDoker!" she declared, her finger pointing at the two of them. "And you two are going to help me!"