A Love I Shouldn't Feel-Chapter 13 : Holding Back

Haruki made his way down to the living room.

He slumped onto the couch, exhaling deeply.

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All he needed to do... was endure it.

His erection throbbed—unavoidable after seeing Kyouko like that. Her completely naked body, so effortlessly seductive, combined with the sound of rain still falling outside, only made things worse.

Too real.

He leaned back against the couch, throwing his head against the cushion.

His mind tried to escape it, but the image of Kyouko in the mirror—those soft curves, her pink nipples, the way she inspected herself quietly—kept replaying over and over. It wasn't just arousing. It felt... intimate.

His body craved release.

If only Satomi were here...

He closed his eyes.

Maybe then he could let it all out—calm himself. But even if she were, would she really let him? Would she even notice?

No...

She'd probably just brush him off.

"Tired."

"Busy with work."

"Maybe tomorrow."

The same excuses, over and over.

Lately, it felt like she only viewed him as part of her routine—not as a man. Not someone who also needed comfort, closeness... a real connection. Sex wasn't everything; he knew that. But to feel wanted? Desired?

That was something else.

Now his body was restless. His thoughts were messy.

And the only person who made him feel something these days... was the one woman he shouldn't.

His mother-in-law.

Haruki was lost in his thoughts, his eyes unfocused as they stared into nothing. The sound of the rain continued outside—rhythmic and calming—but inside him, nothing felt calm.

He didn't hear the soft steps approaching from the stairs.

"Haruki-kun?"

No response.

"Haruki?"

Kyouko tilted her head slightly, looking at him. He seemed spaced out, maybe because of the rain—or perhaps something else.

"Haruki?"

"!!"

Haruki flinched, suddenly brought back to reality.

"A-ah... Kyouko-san..."

She smiled gently, walking a bit closer. "Tired?"

"Um... a-a... not really."

"You looked like you were deep in thought."

"Ah, no... just... enjoying the sound of the rain," he said, trying to sound casual.

Thankfully, he had already put on some long pants, but the problem was still there—hidden, but not gone.

Kyouko wore a modest, soft cotton dress—one that clung lightly to her figure. It wasn't revealing by design, but when she leaned forward slightly to peek at his face, the subtle drop of her neckline gave Haruki a clear view of her cleavage—a view she didn't realize she was offering.

He quickly averted his eyes, trying to stay composed.

Kyouko didn't think much of it.

"I was about to make some hot drinks. Do you want some?"

"Y-yeah... sure."

"Okay." She turned around to head to the kitchen, her dress shifting with each step, hugging her waist and hips in ways that made it hard for Haruki not to glance.

Stay calm. Don't think too much.

But in that moment, the hardest thing in the world was not thinking about her.

Haruki sat at the kitchen table, his elbows resting on the surface, fingers laced together—doing his best to seem composed. But his body betrayed him.

That image of Kyouko—naked, unaware, standing in front of the mirror—was burned into his mind. The soft curve of her back, the way her damp hair clung to her neck, the perfect shape of her—

Stop. Don't go there again.

His jaw clenched as he shifted slightly in his seat. The erection that had haunted him since earlier hadn't gone away; it only pulsed stronger with each glance in her direction. He could still feel the lingering heat in his body, the need he couldn't quite extinguish.

And now, here she was. In the kitchen. Just a few steps away.

Kyouko stood with her back to him, preparing drinks. Her light dress hugged her gently, flowing just enough to show off the curves of her hips, the sway of her movements, the way her waist narrowed above that view Haruki had just seen hours earlier.

The memory made his heart race, his throat dry.

"Haruki?"

He blinked.

"Ah—yes, Kyouko-san?"

She turned to face him, holding a spoon in her hand and smiling softly beneath the kitchen light. "Green tea? Or just regular tea?"

"Umm..." He cleared his throat. "Coffee, if that's okay."

Kyouko let out a quiet chuckle, shaking her head. "Coffee it is," she said, her tone playful but warm.

Haruki smiled weakly. He was a man. And men had needs. Especially sex. But right now, what made him tremble wasn't just lust—it was how natural this moment felt. Her laugh, the way she moved around him, the comfort of sitting in the same kitchen with her on a rainy night. It was dangerous. Too comfortable. Too easy to want more.

He lowered his gaze, trying to calm his body and his thoughts.

But the longer he stayed in that room with her, the harder it became.

Once Kyouko placed the coffee cup in front of him, Haruki gave her a small nod, offering a quiet "thank you" before wrapping his fingers around the warm ceramic. He brought it to his lips and took a slow sip, letting the bitter taste ground him. It helped. A little.

Kyouko sat across from him with her own cup, tucking her legs to the side on the chair, her body relaxed, her posture casual. The tension from earlier—the rain, the unexpected emotions, the near-misses—had settled into something more subtle. Something comforting.

She glanced at him briefly, then looked down at her cup.

"Haruki?"

He looked up, halfway through his second sip. "Hmm?"

There was a pause.

Kyouko smiled faintly, almost as if she were second-guessing her own words. "Oh... nothing."

Haruki blinked. "Okay, Kyouko-san."

But for some reason, he couldn't help smiling a little as he looked at her. Not because of anything she said, but because of the quiet between them. It didn't feel awkward. It felt... natural.

The kind of quiet you could only share with someone who made you feel at ease.

If only she knew how attractive she really was.

He took another sip, his eyes lowering to the cup, hiding the heat rising behind them.

( End of Chapter )