The winter afternoon sun hung low over Advanced Nurturing High School's campus, casting long shadows across the paved walkway outside the small electronics shop tucked between the convenience store and the café. January 13, classes had let out early for some administrative reason no one cared about, and the air carried that crisp bite that made breath visible in little clouds.
Takumi was walking with his usual unhurried stride, phone in one hand, thumb scrolling absently through messages. He rounded the corner near the shop entrance just as Airi Sakura stepped out from between the sliding doors, head down, pink hair falling like a curtain over her face, clutching a small paper bag to her chest like it was a shield.
They collided, gently, but enough.
Takumi's phone slipped from his fingers, clattered against the concrete, and skidded a few feet before coming to rest screen-down.
Airi froze. Her entire body went rigid, eyes wide behind the fringe of her bangs.
"I-I-I'm s-so sorry!" she squeaked, voice high and trembling, words tripping over each other in a frantic rush. "I d-didn't see you...I was j-just...oh no, your phone...!"
She dropped to her knees almost instantly, reaching for the device with shaking hands. Takumi crouched at the same time, their fingers brushing as they both grabbed for it. He got there first, turning it over.
The screen was a spiderweb of cracks...radiating out from the center in jagged lines, the display flickering weakly before going black.
Airi's face drained of colour. "I-I broke it… I'm s-so sorry, Hayase-kun, I d-didn't mean to, I'll pay for it! I p-promise!"
Takumi examined the damage for a second longer, then looked up at her. She was still kneeling, hands clasped tightly in her lap, shoulders hunched as if bracing for a blow. Her large, expressive eyes shimmered with the threat of tears.
"You sure about that?" he asked, tone calm, almost gentle. "New flagship models aren't cheap."
Airi swallowed hard, nodding jerkily. "Y-yes! I... I can… I mean, I'll figure it out. I'll..."
From inside the open doorway of the shop, the owner, a middle-aged man with a perpetual half-smile and slicked-back hair, leaned against the frame, arms crossed, clearly having overheard every word.
"Always a way to work something out, Sakura-chan," he called, voice oily-smooth and far too familiar. "You know we've got those… off-price options. Flexible payment plans. You've got the face for it, customers would love a pretty girl like you modelling some of the newer accessories. We could call it even in no time."
Airi flinched like she'd been slapped. Her whole body shrank inward, cheeks flaming red, eyes dropping to the ground so fast it was almost comical if it weren't so uncomfortable. She made a small, distressed sound in the back of her throat, half-whimper, half-stuttered apology, and couldn't seem to form a coherent response.
Takumi's expression didn't change, but something cold flickered behind his eyes.
He stood smoothly, slipping the broken phone into his pocket. Then he reached down, offering Airi his hand.
She stared at it for a heartbeat, then took it hesitantly, letting him pull her to her feet. Her fingers were ice-cold and trembling.
"Maybe later," Takumi said over his shoulder to the shop owner, voice flat, carrying just enough edge to make the man's smirk falter for half a second. "We'll handle it ourselves."
Without waiting for a reply, he kept his grip light but firm on Airi's hand and guided her away from the storefront, steering her down the walkway toward the quieter side path that led back to the dorms. The owner called something half-hearted after them... "Anytime, Sakura-chan!"... but Takumi didn't look back.
They walked in silence for a few meters. Airi's steps were small and hurried to keep up, head still bowed, free hand clutching the paper bag so tightly the plastic crinkled.
When they were far enough that the shop was out of sight, Takumi finally slowed and let go of her hand.
"You okay?" he asked quietly.
Airi nodded too quickly. "Y-yes… I'm fine. I-I just… I'm really sorry about your phone. I d-didn't mean... "
"I know," he cut in, not unkindly. "Don't worry about it right now."
She peeked up at him through her bangs, eyes huge and uncertain. "B-but… it's broken because of me…"
Takumi shrugged one shoulder. "Phones break. It happens."
Airi bit her lip, looking like she wanted to argue but couldn't find the words. Instead she just hugged the paper bag tighter to her chest, as if it could protect her from the embarrassment still burning in her cheeks.
___
The door to Takumi's dorm room clicked shut behind Airi Sakura, the sound soft but final in the quiet space. It was January 14, early evening, the winter sky outside already a deep indigo. She stood just inside the threshold, arms wrapped tightly around herself despite the warmth of the room, wearing a simple two-piece bikini set, pale pink with delicate white floral patterns, that she'd clearly been talked into wearing for "a photoshoot idea." The top tied in neat bows at her neck and back; the bottoms sat high on her hips, accentuating her slender, almost fragile frame. Her pink hair was loose, falling in soft waves past her shoulders, and her face was already flushed a vivid crimson that crept down her neck and chest.
Takumi leaned casually against his desk, arms crossed, watching her with that calm, unreadable expression that always made her heart stutter.
"U-um… H-Hayase-kun…?" Airi's voice came out small and trembling, barely above a whisper. She shifted from foot to foot, one hand tugging nervously at the hem of the bikini bottom as if it might suddenly disappear. "W-what… what exactly are we d-doing…?"
Takumi pushed off the desk and walked toward her slowly, stopping just close enough that she could smell the faint cedarwood scent of his cologne. He reached past her, close enough that his arm brushed her bare shoulder, and locked the door with a quiet snick.
"I know about your photography obsession, Airi," he said gently, matter-of-factly, like he was commenting on the weather. "The way you sneak around campus with that old film camera. The hidden folder on your phone with all those self-portraits you never post anywhere. The ones in the locker room mirror, the rooftop at sunset, the candid shots of people when they don't know you're watching. You're good, really good. You just hide it."
Airi's eyes went wide, pupils dilating in shock. Her mouth opened and closed soundlessly a few times before a strangled "H-how…?" escaped.
Takumi didn't answer directly. Instead he turned, walked to his closet, and pulled out a sleek black camera bag of his own, an analog SLR, vintage-looking, with a fresh roll of film already loaded.
"I'd like to try it too," he said simply, lifting the camera and checking the settings with practiced ease. "You in that bikini. Right now. Let me take some pictures of you."
Airi made a tiny, panicked sound, half squeak, half whimper. Her hands flew up to cover her chest instinctively. "I-I-I can't...! T-this is… I'm n-not… I d-don't look good in...!"
"You look beautiful," Takumi interrupted, voice low and steady. He stepped closer again, lifting the camera to his eye. "Just breathe. Relax your shoulders. Look at me."
The first shutter click was soft, almost intimate. Airi flinched at the sound, cheeks burning hotter, but she didn't run. Another click. Then another. He moved around her slowly... circling, crouching slightly to catch different angles, murmuring quiet directions.
"Tilt your head a little… good. Chin up just a bit… perfect. Now turn toward the window... let the light hit your hair."
She was trembling, red from ears to collarbones, but she obeyed... small, hesitant movements at first, then slightly more confident as his calm voice guided her. Click. Click. The mechanical whir of the film advance between shots felt strangely hypnotic.
Takumi paused, set the camera on his desk, and reached for a small wooden box on the shelf. He lifted the lid, revealing several thin incense sticks. He selected one, sandalwood blended with something earthier, slightly sweet, and lit it with a match. Thin blue smoke curled upward, filling the room with a heavy, relaxing fragrance that seemed to settle into the lungs and slow the pulse.
Airi blinked slowly as the scent reached her. "W-what's that…?"
"Just something to help you unwind," he said, returning to the camera. "You're doing great. Keep going."
Minutes passed. The incense worked its subtle magic, her shoulders dropped, her breathing evened out, the frantic blush fading from scarlet to a softer rose. A tiny, nervous giggle escaped her when Takumi told her to "lean against the wall like you're posing for a secret admirer." She actually did it, back to the wall, one knee bent, arms loosely crossed under her chest, looking up at him through her lashes with a shy smile.
Takumi smiled back, small, genuine, and kept shooting.
Eventually he lowered the camera. "Film's out."
Airi blinked, surprised. "O-oh… already?"
He nodded, popping open the back of the SLR and carefully extracting the spent roll. "Come here. Let's load the next one together, and look at what we've got so far."
She padded over barefoot, still flushed but noticeably calmer. They knelt side by side on the rug in front of his desk. Takumi connected the camera to his laptop via a small adapter and pulled up the digital previews he'd taken earlier with a quick test roll (he'd lied about it being pure analog; she didn't need to know that yet).
The screen filled with images of her.
Airi stared, mouth slightly open.
There she was, soft curves of the bikini against pale skin, pink hair catching golden lamplight, eyes wide and vulnerable yet strangely luminous. One shot caught her mid-laugh, head tilted back, genuine joy breaking through the nerves. Another showed her looking directly at the lens, direct, unafraid, beautiful in a way she'd never allowed herself to see.
"I… I look…" she whispered, trailing off.
"Stunning," Takumi finished quietly.
She turned her head to look at him, really look. Their faces were close now, knees touching on the rug, the incense smoke drifting lazily between them. The room felt smaller, warmer, the air thick with something unspoken.
Airi's breath hitched.
Takumi reached up slowly, brushing a strand of pink hair behind her ear. His thumb lingered on her cheek.
She didn't pull away.
Instead, she leaned in, tentative, trembling, and pressed her lips to his.
It was soft at first, uncertain, like she was testing if this was real. Takumi let her lead for a heartbeat, then cupped the back of her neck and deepened the kiss, slow, deliberate, tasting the faint sweetness of her lip balm. Airi made a tiny, surprised sound against his mouth, but her hands came up to clutch his shirt, pulling him closer as if afraid he'd vanish.
They sank into it, lips parting, tongues brushing shyly then more confidently, breaths mingling in soft pants. Her bikini-clad body pressed against his chest; his hands slid down her bare back, tracing the delicate line of her spine, pulling her flush against him.
When they finally broke apart, both breathing hard, Airi's eyes were glassy, lips swollen and pink.
"Hayase-kun…" she whispered, voice shaking but not from fear this time.
"Takumi," he corrected gently, thumb stroking her lower lip. "Call me Takumi."
She swallowed, then nodded, small, certain.
"Takumi…"
He kissed her again, deeper this time, hungrier, and she melted into him completely, the last of her nerves dissolving in the heat between them.
___
The incense smoke curled lazily through the room, thick and sweet, wrapping around them like a warm blanket as their kiss deepened. Airi's lips trembled against Takumi's, soft, hesitant at first, then parting with a tiny sigh as his tongue brushed hers. Her hands, small and uncertain, clutched the front of his shirt, knuckles white, as if anchoring herself to reality.
Takumi broke the kiss slowly, just enough to murmur against her mouth, "You're safe here. Just let go."
She nodded jerkily, eyes glassy and half-lidded from the incense and the overwhelming closeness. Her breathing came in shallow pants, chest rising and falling beneath the thin pink bikini top. He reached behind her neck, fingers deftly tugging the bow that held the halter in place. The fabric loosened and fell away, baring her small, perfect breasts, pale skin flushed pink, nipples already pebbled from nerves and arousal. Airi gasped, arms instinctively crossing over herself, but Takumi caught her wrists gently and guided them down to her sides.
"Beautiful," he whispered, voice low and reverent. He leaned in, pressing an open-mouthed kiss to the hollow of her throat, then lower, trailing slow, wet kisses across her collarbone before closing his lips around one nipple.
Airi's back arched with a sharp, startled whimper. "T-Takumi...!" Her voice cracked, high and breathless. Her fingers flew to his hair, not pushing him away but tangling there, holding on as if he were the only thing keeping her grounded. He sucked gently at first, tongue circling the sensitive peak, then harder, drawing a keening sound from her throat that made his cock twitch painfully against the confines of his pants.
He switched to the other breast, lavishing it with the same attention while his hand slid down her bare side, tracing the delicate dip of her waist, then lower to cup her through the bikini bottoms. The fabric was already damp; he could feel the heat radiating from her core. Airi jolted at the touch, hips bucking forward involuntarily.
"S-sorry...I...I've never..." she stammered, face burning.
"I know," he soothed, kissing the underside of her breast. "We'll go slow. Tell me if it's too much."
He eased her backward onto the bed, guiding her down until she was lying on the soft comforter, pink hair fanning out like a halo. Takumi stood for a moment, drinking in the sight of her, bikini top discarded, bottoms clinging to her hips, legs pressed together shyly, eyes wide and trusting as they followed his every movement.
He stripped off his shirt, then his pants and boxers in one smooth motion, letting his cock spring free, thick, veined, already leaking at the tip. Airi's gaze dropped to it and she made a small, involuntary sound, half awe, half nervous anticipation. "It's… big," she whispered, barely audible.
Takumi climbed onto the bed, settling between her thighs. He hooked his fingers into the sides of her bikini bottoms and tugged them down slowly, giving her time to tense or stop him. She didn't. The fabric slid off her legs, revealing her completely, soft pink folds glistening with arousal, a neat triangle of pale hair above her slit.
He leaned down, kissing the inside of her thigh, then higher, until his breath ghosted over her core. Airi squeaked, legs trying to close, but he gently parted them wider, thumbs stroking soothing circles on her skin.
"Relax," he murmured. Then his tongue flicked out, slow, deliberate, tracing her entrance up to her clit.
Airi's hips jerked off the bed with a strangled cry. "Ah...! T-Takumi...!" Her hands flew to the sheets, twisting them as he licked again, deeper this time, savouring her taste, sweet, clean, untouched. He circled her clit with the flat of his tongue, then sucked lightly, drawing out soft, broken whimpers that grew louder with each pass. One finger slid inside her, slow, careful, feeling the tight heat clench around him. She was soaked, walls fluttering as he curled the digit, searching for that sensitive spot.
When he found it, Airi's entire body tensed, a high-pitched moan tearing from her throat. "There, there...!" Her hips rocked against his mouth, chasing the pleasure instinctively now, shyness melting away under the building heat.
He added a second finger, stretching her gently while his tongue worked her clit in firm, steady circles. Airi's breathing turned ragged, thighs trembling around his head. "I...I feel... something's... coming...!"
"Let it," he rasped against her, voice muffled. "Come for me, Airi."
She shattered with a soft, keening cry, back arching off the bed, walls pulsing rhythmically around his fingers as her first real orgasm crashed through her. Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes, not from pain but from the overwhelming intensity. Takumi worked her through it, licking softly until the aftershocks faded, then crawled up her body, kissing away the tears.
"You okay?" he asked, brushing damp strands of pink hair from her face.
She nodded shakily, eyes shining. "Y-yes… please… I want… more."
Takumi kissed her deeply, letting her taste herself on his tongue, while he reached between them, guiding the head of his cock to her entrance. He rubbed the tip through her slick folds, coating himself, then pressed forward, slowly, inch by inch.
Airi gasped at the stretch, nails digging into his shoulders. "It's... big... hurts a little..."
"Breathe," he soothed, pausing halfway to let her adjust. He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her lips... soft, distracting touches. "You're doing so good."
She exhaled shakily, then nodded. "Keep going… please."
He sank the rest of the way in one careful thrust, bottoming out with a low groan. She was impossibly tight, hot, wet velvet gripping him like a fist. Airi whimpered, legs wrapping around his waist, heels pressing into his lower back.
"Move… please," she whispered.
Takumi started slow, long, measured strokes that dragged against every sensitive inch inside her. Each withdrawal pulled a soft gasp from her; each deep thrust drew a breathy moan. The rhythm built gradually, deeper, harder, as her body relaxed and opened for him. Her hips began to rock up to meet his, tentative at first, then more eager.
The bed creaked beneath them, the incense smoke still heavy in the air, music from earlier now a distant, forgotten hum. Takumi's hand slipped between their bodies, thumb finding her clit and rubbing in tight circles in time with his thrusts.
Airi's moans grew louder, less restrained, high and needy. "T-Takumi... faster... please...!"
He obliged, pace quickening, hips snapping forward with more force. The wet slap of skin on skin filled the room, mingling with her cries and his rough breathing. Her walls fluttered around him, tightening with every deep plunge.
"I'm... again...!" she gasped, nails raking down his back.
"Come with me," he growled, burying his face in her neck, teeth grazing the soft skin there.
She came first, harder than before, walls clamping down on him in rhythmic spasms, a broken sob escaping as pleasure overwhelmed her. The tight pulses dragged him over the edge. Takumi thrust deep one last time, groaning her name as he spilled inside her, hot, thick ropes filling her completely, hips jerking with each pulse.
They collapsed together, breathless and trembling. Takumi stayed inside her, softening slowly, pressing lazy kisses to her shoulder, her jaw, her lips. Airi clung to him, legs still wrapped around his waist, a dazed, blissful smile curving her mouth.
"Takumi…" she whispered, voice hoarse and soft.
He kissed her forehead. "I've got you."