How To Lose A Crush In 10 Texts Chapter 44: I Swear It Was Just One Kiss

I woke up warm.

Which was weird, because I usually kicked off blankets in my sleep. But this warmth wasn’t from fabric.

It was her.

Elira’s arm was slung lazily across my waist, and my face was buried halfway in her hair. Her breathing was soft and steady, brushing against my collarbone. She slled like the forest after rain. And also like trouble.

For a second, I didn’t move. Didn’t breathe. Just... existed in that exact mont, like if I even blinked too loudly, she’d vanish.

Then the mory hit.

The kiss.

My brain practically short-circuited.

We kissed. Last night. Really kissed.

And then... nothing. No follow-up. No explanations. Just her letting fall asleep on her lap while she played with my hair like I was so enchanted house cat.

And now here we were.

Wrapped up together. Fully clothed. Slightly tangled. Emotionally compromised.

She stirred.

I panicked.

Her eyes fluttered open just enough to et mine—sleepy, confused, and way too close. For one silent heartbeat, we just stared at each other.

Then—

"...Good morning," she said, her voice hoarse with sleep.

"Hi," I croaked, like I was thirteen and about to confess to my first crush.

She blinked. "You’re still here."

"I live here."

"...Right."

Neither of us moved. Which only made it worse. Her hand was still on . My arm was definitely around her. Our legs might have been doing sothing that would’ve given the others plenty to tease us about if they walked in.

"Last night—" we both said at the sa ti.

Then stopped. Then both awkwardly chuckled.

I rubbed the back of my neck. "So... that happened."

"It did," she said slowly.

"And we’re... cool?"

She hesitated. Just a beat. Then nodded. "Yes. Cool."

Neither of us were cool. We were lukewarm at best, awkward at worst, and dangerously close to "do we kiss again or pretend it didn’t happen."

She sat up carefully, brushing her fingers through her hair to ta the sleep-ss. "I should probably go before the others start forming theories."

I sat up too, clearing my throat. "Right. Don’t want to feed the harem gossip mill."

She looked at with a raised brow. "You nad it?"

"...I journal."

She smiled—barely—but it softened sothing in .

And just before she stepped away completely, she turned back.

"You... sleep better when you’re not alone."

I didn’t know what to say to that. So I just nodded.

And then she was gone.

Leaving with warm sheets, a racing heart, and the ghost of last night’s kiss still clinging to my lips like it hadn’t quite decided to fade yet.

---

I took my ti in the bathroom.

Longer than usual.

Maybe it was the steam. Maybe it was the mory of Elira’s lips on mine. Or her fingers in my hair. Or that one mont where ti had slowed and my heart had practically begged to stay in her lap forever.

Or maybe... I was stalling.

Because now, with the morning sun filtering in through the hallway windows, I found myself creeping through my own mansion like a fugitive.

I wasn’t avoiding them. Not really.

Okay. I was. A little.

Not because I’d done anything wrong. I’d kissed Elira. Big deal. I’d kissed others, hadn’t I? More than once. More than kissed.

But this... this felt different. Realer. More earned than stolen.

Like if I talked too loud, the whole thing would unravel and float away.

So yeah, maybe I was peeking around corners and walking on my toes like a cartoon thief. Just until I could make it to the living room without bumping into a crowd.

Spoiler: I didn’t make it.

"Why are you sneaking?"

A blade pressed against my back.

My soul? It left my body.

I spun around so fast I nearly tripped over my own regret.

Aya stood behind , barefoot, in her loose training yukata. Hair ssy. Eyes sharp. Katana unsheathed. And smirking.

Because of course she was.

I put my hands up, dramatically surrendering. "I wasn’t sneaking."

"You were sneaking," she said flatly, eyes narrowing like a predator sizing up a squirrel. "I’ve seen less suspicious behavior from assassins."

"That’s not fair," I muttered. "Assassins are trained to be sneaky. I’m just—" I paused. "—trying to walk quietly."

"With your back to the wall and breathing like you committed treason?"

"...Maybe."

She leaned in slightly, pressing the flat of her blade against my shoulder like she was knighting for cowardice. "Who did you kiss?"

I blinked. "Excuse ?"

"Your energy’s off," she said bluntly. "Your posture’s guilty. Your aura slls like soone who made a move and doesn’t know if it was the right one."

"Wow," I said. "Thanks, Aya. Didn’t realize you were trained in emotional teletry through steel."

"You didn’t answer ."

I gave a helpless shrug. "Maybe I just had weird dreams."

She narrowed her eyes. "Dreams don’t make your heartbeat go sideways."

"Neither does walking into a room full of mildly dangerous won I may or may not have flirted with," I said, trying to edge past her.

The blade nudged back.

She tilted her head. "So? Who?"

I lifted both hands like I was swearing under oath. "No one."

Aya stared at , unreadable.

Then—shnk—she sheathed her sword with a casual flick and stepped past , patting my shoulder on the way.

"Liar," she muttered.

I turned. "Wait—you’re just going to let that go?"

She was already walking toward the living room, humming to herself. "You’ll trip over your own guilt eventually. I’ll be there when it happens."

I stood frozen for a second.

I was not expecting Aya to be this perceptive.

Or this calm.

Or this terrifying in the early morning.

I let out a breath, my heart rattling like it hadn’t yet decided whether to calm down or start sprinting.

Then I followed her.

Because at this point, the damage was already done.

Might as well walk into the fire myself—before soone decided to drag .

---

I walked into the living room like a man heading into a battlefield with no armor.

Technically, I had done nothing wrong.

Emotionally? Spiritually? ntally?

I was screwed.

i was at the stove, humming softly as she served up the morning al. She turned with two plates—one for herself, one for —and gave a smile way too sugary to be real.

"Morning, Ren~"

"Hey," I muttered, sitting down, trying not to make eye contact with anyone.

She slid my plate in front of . "Sleep well?"

I cleared my throat. "Sure."

"With Elira?"

I stiffened.

i plopped down beside , clearly enjoying herself. "Co on, it was her night."

"I know that."

"So... how was it?"

I looked up warily. "How was what?"

She blinked innocently. "The night. The bonding. The kissing."

I nearly spat out my drink. "What?!"

"Oh please." Rin leaned over from the couch, eyes sharp. "We all know sothing happened."

"You were in the sa room, sa bed—" Akane chid in, "—and she didn’t co out till sunrise."

"Her hair was ssy," i added. "You know what that ans."

"It ans she was sleeping!" I said.

Aya smirked from the corner. "You’re sweating."

"I am not—!"

"Ren," i interrupted sweetly, "how many tis did you kiss her?"

"I—what?! I didn’t say—"

"So you did."

I blinked. "Wait. No—"

"How many tis?" she repeated, faster.

"None," I lied.

"Once?" she tilted her head.

"i—"

"Twice?"

"NO—I an—JUST ONCE!"

The room froze.

All eyes turned.

Spoons clattered. Rin gasped.

Akane let out a low whistle. "Well, well."

"I knew it!" Aya pointed. "I knew they kissed!"

i leaned back with a satisfied grin. "Called it."

"I didn’t an to say that," I muttered.

Sora adjusted her glasses. "So you kissed her. On her night. In your room. In your bed."

"Was it before or after the lights went out?" Rin asked quickly.

"Did she kiss you back?" Akane demanded.

"Did you touch her ears?" Sora added, deadpan.

I threw up my hands. "What is this, an inquisition?!"

"Yes," i said. "Now answer the question."

"She... kissed back," I admitted reluctantly.

Rin clutched her chest like she’d been shot. "Romantic and mutual?!"

"Was there tongue?" Akane blurted.

"I’m not answering that!"

"There definitely was," i added.

"Elira’s been acting quiet," Sora observed. "Did sothing else happen?"

I glanced at Elira across the room. She hadn’t said a word this whole ti. Her eyes were on her tea, not . Calm. Too calm.

I started sweating for real.

"Did you cuddle?" Rin asked.

Aya: "Were clothes involved?"

Akane: "Were clothes removed?"

i leaned in with a wicked grin. "Did she moan?"

"NO!"

"Not even a little?" she purred.

I buried my face in my hands. "It was just one kiss. That’s all."

"And the rest of the night?" Sora asked.

I hesitated.

Everyone leaned forward.

Even Elira looked up now.

I was cornered. I couldn’t lie. But I couldn’t tell the full truth either.

"...We just talked," I mumbled.

That did not satisfy anyone.

i raised a brow. "That better not be code for sothing."

Rin groaned. "Ugh, I wanna know what she said that made you fall into her lips!"

Aya clapped once. "Okay! Trial’s over. Verdict: guilty."

I stood up. "I’m done with breakfast."

"YOU BARELY TOUCHED IT," Akane shouted.

"Not hungry."

"You’re going to regret not finishing that once we start part two of this interrogation," i warned.

I didn’t stop. I just made a beeline for the hallway, heart pounding.

And behind , I heard Elira quietly rise from her seat.

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