Tatsuki “What if I tell you I have ulterior motives?...” “I resented myself for not countering his words. I was supposed to laugh it off while joking about it. But, I couldn’t just ignore those sincere eyes that screamed he needed me. I should’ve known how his gentle touches, how his protective words and his menacing aura towards others when he’s with me signalled that he wanted more from me. I scrunched my hair. The wooziness I felt as an indicator of my upcoming heat doesn’t help with my thinking at all, in addition to the damp surroundings outside, signalling the upcoming rain. Crouching on the sofa, I remembered what he said the day after he sobered up. “I will return to Fujinomiya next week. Thank you for being my friend. I hope we can keep in touch.” My face scrunched into an

