kiss

There is a quiet, narrow alley in front of the station.

The alley is shallow, ending at a mottled old wall that shuts out the hustle and bustle of the city as the lights come on.

He Zou doesn't remember how he got here.

They were supposed to part ways in front of the station.

Perhaps it was because of the lingering touch of her fingertips as she clung to his when they parted, or perhaps it was because of the deep gaze he couldn't tear away from her.

From early morning—or perhaps even earlier—a suppressed emotion would quietly surface.

Before she knew it, she was already enveloped in his arms, being kissed tenderly.

As he stepped back slightly, He Zou nestled in his arms, breathing softly. When she slowly opened her eyes and saw those uncalm eyes, her dopamine-fueled brain, controlling her instincts, made her ask:

"Kuoguang, more..."

Tezuka's eyes darkened, and the last trace of restraint in them vanished completely.

"Okay." His low, husky voice carried his complete compromise and a deeper promise. His hand on her waist tightened, and after taking a moment to remove his glasses, he lowered his head again to find her lips.

This kiss was no longer just a fleeting touch.

It is raw, but it carries a burning desire and an undisguised passion, delving, exploring, and entangled.

The scent of cedar completely enveloped her, exuding both strength and gentleness.

He Zou wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders and neck, her fingertips threading through his dark hair, pulling him closer to her, and tilting her head back to enjoy the first passionate moment between lovers.

When the deep kiss finally ended, their breathing became even more erratic.

Kazusa's cheeks flushed, but a smile shone through her watery eyes.

Her burning fingertips rubbed his equally burning earlobe as she whispered in self-reflection, "It seems... I was a little impulsive. But, you started it first."

He spoke words of self-reflection, but his tone at the end carried a hint of smugness. She really liked him like this—loyal to his own heart, unexpectedly straightforward.

He gently wiped away the trace of moisture from the corner of her lips with his fingertips, and Tezuka chuckled softly as he admitted, "Yes, it was me."

He never imagined that his seemingly unbreakable rationality could be so easily shattered by a single action or glance.

But in this quiet alley, certain shackles were broken gently yet firmly.

He still couldn't say any more sweet words, but simply held her tighter in his arms, kissing her eyebrows, the corners of her eyes, and the smile on her lips, finding satisfaction in every touch of her skin.

It turns out that people who appear to be abstinent are not without desires; they are simply suppressed.

—

At dinner time, a delicious aroma wafted from the Tezuka family's kitchen.

Tezuka Ayana is busy at the kitchen counter, wearing casual clothes and standing by the sink washing vegetables.

The water gurgled softly, and the atmosphere between mother and child was peaceful and ordinary.

"Xiaoguang," Ayana said casually as she gently slid the sliced ​​tofu into the soup pot, "You seem to be in a good mood since you came back today?"

"Ah." Tezuka paused in his rinsing motion, admitting it to his mother, who could always tell from his face anyway.

Ayana turned down the heat, turned around, leaned against the counter, and looked at her son's obviously happy face with a smile: "Did something good happen? This morning, Shuichiro just put your luggage down and went back without saying what it was about?"

Tezuka hesitated for a moment, but still wanted to share his joy with his mother. He whispered, "Mom... I have someone I'm dating."

"Oh my!" Ayana exclaimed in surprise, her eyes lighting up instantly. "Really? So you went on a date today? What kind of girl was she? Tell Mom!"

Faced with his mother's barrage of questions, Tezuka remained composed. He didn't speak immediately, but instead drained the washed vegetables and neatly arranged them on a plate to the side.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Ayana, though anxious, didn't urge him. She figured her son was carefully considering how to introduce the girl.

Tezuka dried his hands, carefully looked up at his mother, and said in a steady tone with a hint of solemnity: "Her name is Yagyu Kazuna, and she is... a very good person." In his heart, she was lovely in a thousand ways and outstanding in ten thousand ways, but in the end, it all turned into these simple words.

“Oh dear, Mom knows she must be a very nice girl.” Ayana couldn’t help but chuckle as she watched her son’s expression soften when he mentioned her. “What Mom means is, could you tell me more specifically? How did you meet? Where is she from? How old is she? Of course, Mom knows that these things have nothing to do with you liking her, but it would be good for Mom to know a little about her.”

Tezuka told her everything.

While busy, Ayana listened to her son talk about the girl named Yagyu Kazuna.

Xiao Guang calls her Melodia.

It's like an affectionate nickname between young lovers, very cute.

Her son wasn't good with words, but from his straightforward descriptions, Ayana could tell he was an excellent child. Most importantly, from the way he talked about her, Ayana knew he liked her very much.

"The same school? What a coincidence!" Ayana's tone became even more cheerful upon hearing this news. "Then you can go back to school together after winter break, and you'll have plenty of time to spend together!"

"Ah," Tezuka hesitated, then said to his mother, "I have many matches to play later."

Why?

Ayana sensed the worry in his voice, paused in stirring the miso soup, and then burst out laughing—was her Hikaru this cute when he was in love?

"He's a medical student, and from your description, he seems like a very independent and goal-oriented person. He must be incredibly busy. Even if you don't travel the world, he might not have time to see you every day, right?"

So, rather than worrying about his busy schedule and neglecting his girlfriend, which might make her unhappy, the son's words were more likely a reflection of his own reluctance to be separated from her.

This is really something new.

Amid his mother's teasing, Tezuka adjusted his glasses to hide his unease at having his thoughts read.

His attempt to cover up the truth only made Ayana happier.

Looking at the time, Tezuka guessed that Kazusa was almost home, and left the kitchen amidst his mother's relieved gaze.

He stood under the eaves and dialed the phone.

"Guoguang".

He answered the phone with a smile.

"Yeah, I just got home." She pushed open the heavy door, letting her boyfriend on the phone know she was safe while bending down to change her shoes in the entryway. "Yeah, don't worry, the journey was smooth."

As she was on the phone, a tall shadow loomed over her. Thinking it was her cousin Hiroshi, she didn't look up and casually said, "I'm back."

"Where have you been, coming back so late?"

The stern voice made Hezou suddenly look up—

"……dad."

The tall and imposing Eishi Yagyu stood at the end of the entrance hall, looking down at his daughter. He keenly noticed the change in her expression from a warm smile to surprise, and his brows immediately furrowed as his gaze fell on the phone she still held to her ear.

Under her father's sharp scrutiny, Kazusa quickly suppressed her surprise and said softly into the phone, "Sorry, Kunimitsu... I have something to do here, I'll hang up now."

On the other end of the phone, Tezuka seemed to sense something and calmly instructed, "Okay. Call me anytime if anything happens."

These simple words calmed He Zou's somewhat anxious emotions. She regained her gentle expression, softly replied "Okay" into the phone, and then hung up.

Seeing his daughter's change in mood, Yagyu Eishi's voice remained emotionless: "Boyfriend?"

"Yes." Kazusa straightened up and met his father's gaze frankly. "His name is Tezuka Kunimitsu."

"Tezuka Kunimitsu..." Yagyu Eishi felt the name sounded familiar, and after a moment's thought, his brows furrowed even deeper. "The tennis player?"

“Dad,” Hezou’s voice lowered slightly, “I don’t want you to mention him in this tone.”

Eiji Yagyu: "..." You little brat! You weasel!

Speechless at his daughter's firm attitude, Yagyu Eishi felt a surge of anger. But looking into his daughter's eyes, which resembled his wife's and were now filled with stubbornness, he ultimately refrained from uttering his complaints.

However, the atmosphere at the Yagyu family dinner was still somewhat tense because of his presence.

Shizuka Yagyu looked around, then smiled and told a funny story in an attempt to lighten the mood... Unfortunately, even the usually lively Mirai Yagyu was engrossed in cutting her steak.

The other two children were determined to uphold the etiquette of "not speaking while eating" and focused on their meal.

Having run out of ideas, she gave her silent husband a look.

Yagyu Tomohito gave her a helpless expression.

Shizuka Yagyu smiled slightly and kicked him under the table.

“So—” Yagyu Eishi put down his knife and fork, his voice low, breaking the silence at the table.

His sharp gaze pierced directly at Hezou, who was bowing his head and remaining silent: "Are you going to continue that project for the rest of your winter break?"

He Zou's fingers tightened slightly as he held the chopsticks.

She met her father's gaze and tried to keep her tone calm: "Dad, this is my own business."

"Your own business?" There was a hint of sarcasm in Yagyu Eishi's voice. "So you're just using your precious time to attach sensors and do tests on the athletes? I had already arranged an internship for you at the Pathology Department of Kanagawa University Hospital."

He Zou's breath hitched; she hadn't expected her father to make the arrangements so directly, bypassing her entirely.

"Dad, I've decided to choose neurosurgery."

“Neurosurgery?” Eishi Yagyu’s brows furrowed, and his voice suddenly rose. “Do you know what that means? It means endless surgeries, it means immense pressure, it means…” His words abruptly stopped, as if something invisible was choking him, and an indescribable pain flashed deep in his eyes.

A deathly silence fell over the dining table.

He Zou's grip on the fork tightened; she knew what her father hadn't finished saying—it meant she might end up like her mother.

“Eishi.” The old man Yagyu, who had been silent all along, spoke up. His voice was not loud, but it suppressed the heavy atmosphere.

Yagyu Eishi protested, "Father, do you even know what she is—"

"If you don't want to eat, then get back home," Grandpa Liu warned his eldest son.

...She got a boyfriend.

These words were left unsaid by Yagyu Eishi.