Episode 29: Marking
We’d already finished getting ready for school, and while we waited for the time to leave, we lay curled together on the bed.
“…Yuna.”
Honoka said my name, quietly.
“Mm?” I started to turn toward her — and in that instant—
A sudden, strong push, and I found myself pressed down onto the bed.
“…Eh?”
For a moment I didn’t understand what had happened, and looked up at Honoka.
She stayed there, leaning over me, looking down with a fixed, unmoving gaze.
Her eyes trembled with something uneasy.
But beneath that, something unshaken flickered in and out of view.
“…Sorry, Yuna…”
The moment she whispered it, Honoka’s lips touched my throat.
“…!”
I was startled, but when her arms wound around me, I stopped saying anything and simply accepted it.
The marks from yesterday hadn’t faded yet.
And yet, as if aiming for that exact same place, Honoka pressed her lips there again and again.
As if marking it.
I let out a small breath and gently wrapped my arms around her back.
I could feel her fingers gripping my clothes, tight.
“…Honoka.”
Even when I said her name, she wouldn’t lift her face.
Each time her lips touched me, warmth lingered there afterward.
I don’t know how long it went on.
But when I glanced at the clock, it was nearly time to leave for school.
“…Honoka, we should get going soon.”
At my voice, her movements stopped.
Even so, the hand gripping my clothes didn’t let go.
“…A little longer.”
Her muffled voice reached me.
“No. We’ll be late.”
I said it gently, and gave her back a light pat.
Honoka blinked slowly, then lifted her face at last.
She lingered for just a moment, gazing at my throat with something like regret, before finally sitting up.
We got ready in quiet, and headed for the entryway to leave for school.
─────
I gave Honoka’s hand a gentle squeeze back and opened the front door.
Feeling the outside air, we set off side by side.
We walked the route to school hand in hand.
A warm sensation, undeniably there, and through our joined hands I could feel the movement of her fingers.
Now and then, her fingertips would tighten, twining hard around mine.
We walked without speaking.
After a few turns, the school roof came into view.
The closer we got to the gate, the tighter Honoka’s fingers wound around mine.
Even once we passed through the school gate, we kept walking hand in hand.
Eventually, the point where our paths split toward our separate classrooms came into view.
I stopped there and turned to face her.
“See you at lunch.”
I said it and started to gently let go of her hand.
But Honoka gripped mine tight and wouldn’t let go right away.
“…No.”
A small murmur.
There was something lonely bleeding through in that voice.
I wrapped her hand back in mine and smiled quietly.
“Come on, class is about to start.”
I said it gently, coaxing her, and Honoka bit her lip but slowly loosened her grip.
She stroked my fingers once more, as if reluctant to part — and only then did her hand finally let go.
Feeling a small loneliness of my own, I said, “See you later then,” and headed to my classroom.