Ai's arms stayed looped around Shin's neck as he hovered over her, his weight supported by his elbows on either side of her head. Her expression was soft, eyes half-lidded as she gazed up at him like he was her entire world — because, to her, he was.
Shin smirked down at her, his bangs brushing against her forehead. "You're still not letting go, huh?"
"Nope," she whispered, fingers gently stroking the back of his neck. "I like when you're close like this."
He chuckled and leaned down, pressing a slow, deliberate kiss to her cheek. "You're clingier in the mornings."
"You make it too easy, Onii-chan," she teased, pressing her own cheek against his in return. Her breath was warm on his ear. "Besides… you're comfy."
Shin gave her a teasing raise of the eyebrow. "Is that all I am to you? A giant, comfy pillow?"
Ai giggled. "The comfiest. Also the handsomest. And the most annoying."
"Gee, thanks."
She smiled up at him, running her fingers through his messy bed hair. "So, Onii-chan… what do you want for breakfast?"
Shin blinked, a little caught off guard by the sudden switch in tone. "Breakfast? You're asking me that while I'm literally pinning you down?"
She nodded with a cheeky grin. "You've got school today. And don't think I didn't notice how eager you are to see Yuki."
His expression twitched — not quite a blush, but there was definitely a flicker of surprise. "…That obvious?"
"Totally," she beamed. "Your whole aura is like, 'Yuki this, Yuki that'. It's kind of cute."
He exhaled a slow breath, still holding her there, his arms comfortably locking her in. "I don't get it either… I'm not even into guys, usually."
Ai tilted her head. "But you like him."
Shin nodded slowly. "Yeah… I do."
She smiled gently, brushing his bangs back. "Then stop overthinking it and enjoy it. You're allowed to like whoever makes your heart skip."
He didn't say anything right away — just looked at her with a quiet softness that only she ever got to see.
Then he grinned. "Alright then. I want pancakes. With extra syrup. And…"
She raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"…more cheek kisses."
Ai giggled as he leaned in again, rubbing his nose against hers before planting a firm kiss on her cheek — followed by another, and another, and another until she was squirming and laughing beneath him.
"Onii-chan! That tickles!"
"Breakfast tax," he said smugly, giving her one final, warm kiss on the cheek before pulling back just enough to meet her gaze.
She smiled up at him, still cradling his neck. "Okay okay… pancakes it is."
"Alright," Shin said with a soft sigh, still hovering above Ai as she lay beneath him. "Let's do it like this — I'll brush first, you take a quick shower, then we switch. While I'm showering, you can brush and whip up those legendary pancakes. Deal?"
Ai, still cradling his neck, nodded with a sleepy smile. "Deal. But only if you promise to come out quickly. I don't want my Onii-chan going to school without a full stomach."
Shin smirked and gave her one last cheek kiss before finally pulling away and stretching. "Got it, got it. Go warm the water."
Ai padded off toward the bathroom, yawning as she tugged at the hem of the oversized t-shirt that swallowed her frame, while Shin grabbed his toothbrush and moved toward the sink, letting the hum of the early morning settle around them.
---
The bathroom mirror was slightly fogged from Ai's shower, and Shin stood there, brushing his teeth in slow circles, his mind drifting off.
Yuki...
He remembered how shy Yuki had been the day before at school, how he'd flinched when their hands brushed, how his face flushed when Shin had leaned in a little too close just to tease him. There was something magnetic about him. Fragile, but fiery. Soft, but never weak.
Shin didn't know when it started — this quiet ache of wanting to see him again. Maybe it was when he first saw those wide, confused eyes in the rain. Or maybe it was the way Yuki blurted out he was a boy, like Shin would care.
I don't usually like guys… he thought again, rinsing his mouth. But Yuki… isn't just a guy.
He chuckled to himself, ruffling his hair in the mirror. "I'm really losing it."
---
Meanwhile, Ai stood in the shower, letting the warm water trickle down her shoulders. Her fingers absently traced the steam collecting on the glass door as her mind wandered far away from the morning routine.
Onii-chan…
She smiled quietly, leaning her head back. He always smelled like home. She loved his warmth, the way he held her without hesitation, and the way he kissed her cheek like she was precious. Not just because she was familiar, but because she mattered.
I know you're thinking about him…
Her smile trembled just a little. She knew. She'd always known. That look in Shin's eyes — soft but distracted. It didn't hurt exactly, but it left a quiet sting.
Still, she didn't care. She loved him too much, even if she could only stay this close.
When the water stopped, she stepped out and wrapped herself in a towel, drying her hair fast.
Ai stepped out of the bathroom, steam swirling out around her bare feet as she walked into the hallway. The warm air clung to her skin, and her hair clung damply to her shoulders. She didn't bother wrapping a towel around herself — she never did when it was just her and Shin. It felt normal, like breathing.
Shin was leaning against the wall just outside the door, waiting for his turn, scrolling lazily through his phone. His gaze lifted the moment he heard the door creak open — and he paused.
"…You could at least put a towel on, you know," he said with a smirk, raising a brow.
Ai tilted her head innocently. "Why? It's just you, Onii-chan."
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, amused but exasperated. "One day you're going to catch a cold like this."
"Then you'll take care of me, right?" she teased, walking past him without flinching, her confidence as natural as her stride.
"Hopeless," he muttered under his breath, watching her go. But there was a small, amused smile tugging at his lips as he headed into the now-vacant bathroom.
---
Ai hummed softly to herself as she slipped into a dry set of clothes — a soft blue top and comfy shorts. She brushed her hair quickly before moving back into the kitchen. Her thoughts lingered on Shin's reaction, that mix of teasing and warmth. It made her heart flutter in that way only he could.
*He always acts like he's above it all… but I know he looks.*
As she set the pan on the stove and began preparing the batter, her eyes sparkled mischievously. Let him blush a little. He deserves it for always teasing me first.
---
Meanwhile, Shin was in the shower, steam rising around him as he let the water pour over his shoulders. His mind flickered back to Ai walking past him, carefree and bare as ever. He shook his head with a chuckle.
"She really has no filter."
Still, it was oddly comforting — the way she was just herself. Unapologetically affectionate. Always calling him Onii-chan in that sweet, sing-song tone.
But it's different from how I feel about Yuki… he thought, closing his eyes.
Ai made him feel safe. Like home.
Yuki made his heart race.
He didn't fully understand what it all meant yet — but for now, he could enjoy both kinds of warmth in his life.
And pancakes. Pancakes were good too.
---
Shin ran a towel through his damp hair as he stepped out of the bathroom, steam curling behind him. His school uniform was neatly folded on his bed, and he dressed without much fuss—white shirt, black slacks, the usual. As he buttoned the collar and tugged on his tie, a soft, familiar smell reached his nose.
Pancakes.
He smiled.
The scent pulled him from his room like a string tugging at his chest. The quiet clatter of pans echoed from the kitchen, and as he turned the corner toward the dining room, there she was—Ai, standing barefoot on tiptoes at the stove, her blue top riding up just a little as she flipped a golden pancake.
Shin paused for a moment at the threshold, just watching.
The morning sunlight came through the window and lit her up from behind, haloing her damp hair and the tiny movements of her fingers. She was humming softly, shoulders swaying slightly with the rhythm of a song only she could hear.
He walked up behind her, slow and silent, and without a word, wrapped his arms around her waist.
Ai gasped in surprise. "O-Onii-chan!"
"Good morning to my pancake chef," he murmured into her shoulder, his voice low with amusement.
She giggled, leaning back into his warmth. "You startled me…"
He didn't reply. Instead, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.
Then another.
And another.
Trailing kisses from the corner of her jaw to the edge of her cheekbone, pausing just near her ear before nuzzling gently against her temple.
"You're warm," he whispered.
"You just got out of the shower," she replied breathlessly, her cheeks flushing pink.
"You smell better than the pancakes," he teased, drawing a circle on her stomach with his finger, still holding her close.
Ai squirmed a little in his grasp, but she was smiling—eyes bright, laughter bubbling up in her chest. "Stop distracting me or they'll burn!"
He rested his chin on her shoulder and watched her finish the batch. "Then hurry and feed me before I start nibbling something else."
"O-Onii-chan!"
---
END OF CHAPTER : 10 : PANCAKES!
---