Ryo didn’t bother standing up, his knees would probably not hold him anyway. He also didn’t bother with turning, either, God only knew why. He simply stayed where he was, sitting cross-legged, staring toward the building across the street—his building—wishing with all his heart he was there at the moment. He’d feel more comfortable there.

Probably.

“How long have you been there?”

And wasn’t it funny, he hadn’t felt her presence?

“Long enough,” she replied.

He could hear her approaching footsteps, he could feel her approaching, but still couldn’t bring himself to turn, to get up.

“How long is long enough?”

And could he be even more evasive?

She walked around him and plunked down in front of him, mirroring his pose, her expression serious, her eyes guarded. He couldn’t look away even if he tried.

“Long enough to hear everything.”

“Oh.” He nodded. “That’s nice.”

“Isn’t it?” she asked placidly. “So you don’t have to repeat anything. Just tell me one thing: did you mean it?”

He stared into her eyes, letting everything he felt come finally to the surface. “Every word.”

“Then why?”

“Why what?” he asked softly, suspecting where she was going, feeling his heart contract painfully in his chest.

“What did you hurt me?” she asked in a small voice, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “Why?”

He leaned forward, took her hand, brushing the pad of his thumb over her knuckles. “Because I was afraid,” he answered softly.

“Afraid of what?”

“Of you.”

She blinked, chuckled. “Of me? What could you possibly fear from me?”

His mouth had gone bone dry, but he’d be damned if he stopped now. If he stopped before he got it all out. She deserved if. “You’re my biggest weakness. My only weakness, it seems.”

“Yeah, me and lingerie.”

He shook his head. “No. Just you. I can live without lingerie, I cannot live without you.”

Her mouth dropped open and he smiled.

“You’re my biggest weakness and also my biggest strength. I only realized it once you were gone. You know how it is, you never appreciate something until you lose it.” He took her other hand, played with her fingers, while their gazes remained locked. “I was an idiot in trying to escape, I know that now. I was an idiot for not telling you sooner. I’ll probably be an idiot many times to come, but I learn from my mistakes.”

She sniffed. “Do you?”

He nodded. “I made many mistakes where you’re concerned. I’ll probably never be able to atone for them, but I want to try. Give me a chance to make amends, Kaori. Please.”

“You really hurt me this time, Ryo.”

“God, I know that. And I’m so, so sorry. So damned sorry, Kaori. I really have no other excuse but fear. You can destroy me in a heartbeat. One word, one look from you, and I’m done. But you’re also the only one who can make me whole.” He brushed his fingers down her cheek, catching her tears. “Give me another chance, Kaori. Please, one more. One last chance.”

“Why?” she asked in a whisper.

“Because I love you.”

“What a perfect answer.”

The smile she bestowed upon him made him feel ten feet tall, made him believe he could move mountains and jump over seas.

They reached for each other at the same time. His hands around her waist, he pulled her forward and onto his lap, bringing her legs around his waist so she straddled him, while she threw her arms around his neck as if they’d done it a thousand times before.

And as if they’d done it a thousand times before, he captured her mouth with his and she went soft and pliant against him.

If the kiss through the glass had shaken him to the core, the feel of her in his arms, the taste of her on his tongue reshaped his world, broke him into tiny pieces and put him back together so the two of them finally fit perfectly together like the two last pieces of a complicated puzzle.

A puzzle that finally, finally made sense.

One hand tunneled into her hair, the other burrowed underneath her shirt, he deepened the kiss and pulled her even closer, fitting her snugly above his ranging mokkori that was more than happy to be able to finally get off its leash where she was concerned.

Soon, though, the feeling of strangulation in his pants and the need for air caused him to reluctantly break the kiss. He wanted nothing more than to lift her into his arms and carry her across the street to their apartment, to his bed, but he quickly tethered his baser instincts and merely pressed his fevered forehead to hers.

With purple cheeks and a smug little smile, she looked equal parts embarrassed and quietly pleased.

“You’re looking a little smug there, Kaori-ko,” he told her hoarsely, arms tight around her waist.

She scrunched her nose. “Do I?”

And now she looked utterly adorable. “You do.”

“Huh.”

He found the sound rather suspicious, so he leaned slightly back to see her better. Yeah, she definitely looked more smug than shy at the moment. Pretty as hell, but still smug. “Huh?”

She shrugged, flashing him a lopsided grin. “Yeah. Who would’ve thought that jealousy would work.”

He frowned, not comprehending...Then dug his fingers into her sides. “Are you telling me this has been your plan all along?”

She wiggled, trying to get away from his surprise attack, but gulped and froze, her eyes wide, cheeks flaming.

He grinned and shrugged, despite the pleasure-pain in his groin. “You’ll just have to get used to it.” And he dug his fingers into her sides again.

“Stop,” she shrieked. “Please, stop.”

“Tell me the truth.”

“Yes!”

He stopped tormenting her, brushing his knuckles up and down her sides instead. “Yes what?”

“Yes, I was trying to make you jealous,” she admitted, never looking away. “I wanted to see what you would do. I could only hope it would work.”

“Well, it did,” he grumbled. “I wanted to kick the shit out of Mick the moment you started working with him. And then, when you promised yourself to him, I wanted to tear him apart limb from limb.”

“That’s nice.” She blushed prettily. “I mean not the dismemberment part, the possessive part.”

“Yeah, well.” He shrugged again. “Also something you’ll have to get used to. I don’t share.”

“Neither do I,” she warned.

“I noticed.” He grinned.

She mirrored the grin. “And I noticed the fact you didn’t chase a single woman since I stopped hitting you yesterday.”

He shook his head. “It wasn’t you stopping, it was what you promised Mick that did the trick. The only time I did do something after, was to try to frame him.”

“Oh, that’s so sweet. Twisted, but sweet.” Then she frowned. “I hope, for your sake, you don’t intend to reverse course once more.”

“Now that I have you, I don’t need anyone else. I don’t want anyone else.”

She smiled. “Another perfect answer.”

It was Kaori, who initiated the kiss this time and what she lacked in experience, she more than compensated with enthusiasm, until he feared he’d be suffering from permanent lack of oxygen in his brain, since all his blood more than happily pooled lower.

“What happens now?” she whispered after finally succumbing to the need for air, her head tucked comfortably into the crook of his neck.

“Do you still have to ask?” he asked her, his voice breaking. Damn, she’d definitely be the death of him.

Her breath tickled his neck as she huffed. “I mean now now. We can’t leave Hazuki like this.”

“About that...” He sighed. Well, the moment of bliss had sure been short. “There’s something I have to tell you.”