Ai's cheeks were already flushed from Shin's trail of cheek kisses, but she kept trying to focus on the pancakes.
"You're seriously going to make me mess up the flip," she mumbled, feeling his arms still wrapped around her.
"That's fine," Shin replied with a low chuckle near her ear. "I'll eat whatever you give me."
"Even burnt ones?" she teased, lifting the spatula.
"Especially if they're made by my adorable Ai."
Her heart fluttered at his words, and before she could fire back another teasing line, he leaned in even closer. His breath brushed against her ear, and—
"Shin!" she squeaked, almost dropping the spatula as his lips gently grazed her earlobe in a teasing nibble. "You—!"
He grinned mischievously. "What? You were making me wait too long."
"You can't just—do that!"
"Too late," he said, kissing just below her ear next, his voice a whisper. "You're blushing all the way to your neck."
Ai covered her face with one hand, flustered but smiling under her fingers. "You're the worst, Onii-chan…"
"And yet, you're still making me pancakes."
She gave a tiny huff, trying to look mad, but her smile betrayed her. "Just sit down already!"
Ai's cheeks were already pink from Shin's surprise hug and kisses, but she was determined to keep her focus on the pancakes.
"O-Onii-chan, seriously… let me cook!" she pouted, trying to ignore the weight of his arms snugly wrapped around her waist.
"You say that," Shin murmured, his lips hovering just beside her ear, "but you're not exactly trying to escape."
"I'm being patient," she said with a small sniff. "Unlike someone."
Shin smirked at her boldness. "Patient, huh?"
Without warning, he leaned in and gently caught her earlobe between his teeth, nibbling playfully.
"Ah—Shin!" Ai flinched in surprise, nearly flipping the pancake out of the pan. "You—! That tickles!"
Her whole body jolted, and her hand flew to her ear. "That's cheating!"
He chuckled low behind her. "You were being too cute. Had to level the playing field."
"Y-You're impossible!" she stammered, both embarrassed and giggly, her free hand swatting at his side half-heartedly.
Ai focused hard on the sizzling pan in front of her, doing her best to flip the pancake just right. But Shin? He had absolutely no intention of making it easy for her.
Still hugging her from behind, he leaned in again—his lips brushing against her ear. And then, with zero warning, he gave her earlobe a playful nibble.
"Onii-Chan!" she yelped, her hand jerking with the spatula. "I swear—!"
"Hmm?" he hummed innocently, already leaning back in to do it again. "You were doing so well. Thought you deserved a reward."
"That's not a reward," she grumbled, trying not to smile as he continued to softly nibble, then gently suck on her earlobe with exaggerated care.
Her knees wobbled.
"Onii-Chan, I will burn these!"
"Not if I keep you balanced," he whispered, tightening his arms around her middle. "Team effort."
"You're unbelievable…"
"Unstoppable," he corrected, this time placing a soft kiss just behind her ear before going right back to his nibble-suck attack, making her neck scrunch.
"Ah! That tickles!"
"You're squirming a lot," he said with a grin. "Don't tell me you're actually enjoying this."
"I'm not!" she protested with a loud blush. "I'm trying to cook breakfast for my very annoying Onii-chan!"
"You're doing amazing, Ai-chan," he whispered, biting just a little again. "Best pancakes I've ever half-ruined."
"Onii-Chan!"
But by the time she finally plated the last pancake, she was breathless, red-faced, and her earlobe was practically glowing from all the attention.
She spun around in his arms with a pout, her cheeks puffed. "You're banned from the kitchen."
"I live here too."
"Fine. You're banned from my ear."
"No promises," he grinned.
Shin leaned in again, this time trailing soft kisses from the edge of her ear down the line of her jaw. Each kiss was slow, warm, and deliberately affectionate—like he had all the time in the world.
Ai sighed quietly, leaning into him without thinking, the corner of her lips tugging up.
His lips traveled further, brushing her neck now, lingering just a little too long near the spot that always made her shoulders scrunch.
"Mmm… Onii-chan…" she breathed out, her voice low and ticklish.
He grinned against her skin.
"You like that," he murmured, kissing just beneath her jaw now.
"I-I do not!" she flared up, cheeks going red instantly. "A-And you have school!"
Shin paused, eyes lifting toward her with a lazy smile. "We do this every morning."
"T-Today's different!" she stammered.
"Is it?" he said, amused. "You're the one who melts every time. Pretty sure you're the one who loves it the most."
"I—! That's—!" she sputtered, flustered beyond repair.
He only chuckled, resting his chin on her shoulder again. "Thought so."
Shin finally let go of her with a smirk and walked over to the dining table, stretching once before dropping into his chair with a content sigh. "Smells amazing," he said, resting his elbows on the table.
A moment later, Ai appeared with the plate stacked high with golden pancakes and set it down in front of him proudly.
"Ta-da~!" she sang. "Perfect pancakes, even with your distractions!"
"Proud of you," Shin said with a grin. "You held out better than usual."
"Because I'm amazing," she said, placing her hands on her hips, then suddenly stepping closer—closer still—before slipping right onto his lap.
Shin blinked once. "Oh?"
Ai didn't say a word. She wrapped her arms around his neck and cuddled in, cheek pressing to his.
Then came the kisses—soft little pecks on his cheek, his jaw, even his temple. Sweet and affectionate, her way of thanking him… or just soaking him in like she always did.
"Onii-chan~" she murmured, her voice soft and warm in his ear. "You better eat everything."
Shin chuckled, resting one hand on her lower back. "With service like this? I might ask for seconds."
Shin picked up his fork, but paused, glancing sideways at the girl nestled in his lap.
"You know," he said, tapping the end of the fork against the plate, "since you're already here being all sweet… maybe you should feed me too."
Ai pulled back just enough to give him a look—half fake scandal, half genuine amusement. "Feed you? Are your arms broken, Onii-chan?"
Shin smirked. "Emotionally, maybe."
She giggled, rolling her eyes. "You're so dramatic."
But she reached for the fork anyway, cutting off a bite of pancake and holding it up to his lips.
"Say ah~"
He grinned and leaned forward, biting the fluffy piece off the fork. "Mmm… perfect," he said through the mouthful. "But definitely tastes better when you feed me."
"Oh my god," she muttered, laughing again. "You're so spoiled."
"You made me like this."
She couldn't even argue with that—because, well… it was true.
And she didn't mind one bit.
Ai balanced the plate a little better and picked up another forkful, her movements practiced now. She brought it up to Shin's lips again, giving him a teasing look.
"Don't bite my fingers this time."
"No promises," he said, mouth curving into a smirk as he leaned in and gently took the bite, his lips deliberately brushing against her fingers just enough to make her squeak.
"Shin!" she lightly smacked his shoulder with her free hand. "You're impossible!"
He just grinned, chewing slowly, clearly enjoying both the food and her flustered expression.
As she fed him piece after piece, Ai couldn't help but smile softly, the warmth between them growing with each little bite. There was something so ordinary yet so special about mornings like this—just the two of them, unhurried and close.
"Last one," she said, scooping the final bite of pancake and holding it up dramatically.
Shin leaned in, eyes locked with hers, and bit down slowly like it was the most important bite in the world.
"Done," she said, setting the fork aside.
He wiped his lips casually, then turned to look at her with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "So… reward time?"
Ai tilted her head. "Reward? That was my effort!"
"But I'm the one who suffered through being fed like a helpless prince," he teased. "That deserves something."
"Oh?" she asked, leaning in slightly. "And what kind of reward does His Highness want?"
Shin didn't even pause. He lifted his hand, cradling her cheek softly. "You know what I want."
Ai blushed—but only a little this time. Then, gently, she leaned in and planted a long kiss on his cheek. It was soft and lingering, full of quiet warmth. Her hands stroked along the back of his neck, drawing little patterns there as she held him close.
She pulled back, only for Shin to immediately lean in and kiss her back—this time on the other cheek. And not just a quick peck either. It was a drawn-out, teasing kiss, his lips staying against her skin longer than necessary, making her cheeks flush again.
Another kiss came. And another. He kissed her forehead, her jawline, her cheek again. Ai giggled, burying her face in the crook of his neck.
"Onii-chan, that's too many…"
"Not even close," he murmured, pressing yet another warm kiss to her temple. "You've spoiled me. Now I need twenty more."
"You'll be late for school at this rate," she whispered, though she made no effort to move from his lap.
"I'll blame my affectionate roommate."
Ai smiled softly against his skin. "You'd do that?"
"Gladly," he chuckled. "You're totally worth the detention."
Ai giggled, as she pulling her snug against his chest. His head tilted, and his lips found her cheek once more—soft and warm. But he didn't stop there.
He kissed her cheek again. Then the other side. A gentle trail of kisses brushed along her jawline, each one playful and lingering. She squirmed a little, laughing under her breath, trying to act annoyed.
"Stop, Onii-chan," she whispered through a smile, "I'm ticklish there…"
But he didn't listen. His lips hovered near her ear, and he gave the tiniest nibble on her earlobe, just enough to make her squeal.
"Ah—Onii-Chan!"
"You're really fun to tease in the mornings," he murmured.
She reached up and playfully tugged his hair. "You're such a pain."
Shin chuckled, burying his face into the crook of her neck for a second, his warm breath grazing her skin.
More kisses followed—soft ones trailing down her neck in slow, lazy lines, making Ai melt into his embrace. Her fingers curled around his shirt at his shoulders, face glowing.
But after a long moment, she whispered softly, "Ne, Onii-chan… did you forget about Yuki?"
Shin's lips paused just before another kiss. He blinked once, then slowly leaned back to look at her face. His expression didn't change much, but there was a shift in his tone—still gentle, but with a spark of seriousness beneath the teasing.
"I didn't forget," he said. "I just got a little… distracted."
Ai gave a tiny smirk, even as her eyes flicked away.
"Well," she added with faux innocence, "don't you want to see him already? I mean, your school starts soon."
Shin narrowed his eyes slightly, lips twitching. "Says the girl whose school starts an hour later."
Ai blinked. "So?"
"So—" he leaned closer, voice dropping into that calm, older-brother mode that only came out when he was really trying to sound in charge "—you better not skip school today, Ai."
She tried to play it cool, shrugging. "What if I just stay home and nap?"
Shin raised a brow. "If you do… I will find out."
Ai blinked again, slowly.
"And if I do," he continued, tapping the tip of her nose, "you're going to regret it. Got it?"
"Is that a threat, Onii-chan?" she teased.
"No," he smirked. "It's a promise."
---
Ai crossed her arms and gave him a smug, knowing look. "Also," she added, poking his chest with one finger, right above his heart, "don't tell me you forgot the egg sandwich you made last night with so much love~"
Shin blinked. "...Huh?"
"You know, the one you specially wrapped for Yuki and put in the fridge like it's some kind of love letter in sandwich form?" she teased, eyes sparkling. "You even wrote his name on it with a little heart. Don't act like I didn't see it."
"I did not draw a heart," Shin said, trying to keep a straight face.
Ai tilted her head, smirking. "You did. I should've taken a photo."
He groaned softly, but there was no hiding the small grin tugging at his lips.
Ai leaned back on his lap, arms still loosely wrapped around his neck. "And don't forget… I want proof."
"Proof?"
"Yup." She grinned. "A photo. I want you to take a cute photo of Yuki today and send it to me. Maybe I should start thinking of him as my future brother-in-law or something."
Shin raised an eyebrow, amused. "You're way too invested in this."
"You're the one who's in love," she sang.
"Whatever."
"You made a sandwich for him."
"..."
"And a heart."
"I'm leaving," he muttered, getting to his feet and lifting her effortlessly off his lap in one smooth motion. But before he could walk away, Ai tugged at his sleeve with a pout.
"What?" he asked, pretending to be annoyed.
She gave a sly smile. "You forgot something."
Shin sighed dramatically, but leaned down anyway. Ai reached up and placed a sweet, lingering kiss on his cheek. And when he tried to pull away, she stole one more on the other side.
His fingers found her waist as he leaned in close, brushing his lips slowly against her cheek in return.
"One for the road," he whispered, and finally stepped back.
Ai grinned as she watched him grab his bag and head for the door. "Don't forget the sandwich!"
"Yeah, yeah."
"And the photo!"
"Maybe."
"I'll be waiting~!"
Then Shin stepped out the door and disappeared down the hallway.
Ai stood there, her fingers brushing where his warmth had just been, her heart aching gently—but full. The whole day ahead, and all she could think about… was Shin.
---
END OF CHAPTER : 11 : NIBBING!
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