Erina woke up right at the crack of dawn, her hair all disheveled, her naked body forming goosebumps all over as the cold winter seep inside the once warm room of her sleeping companion.

"Jeez, the heater broke," She whispered as she rubbed her arms hoping to ease the coldness. She peeked to her left and saw the man completely unfazed by the cold, his back exposed as the duvet partially covers his butt, his red hair all mussed and disheveled just as hers. "This guy." She whispers and then she desperately searched for her clothes.

"Hmmm." He moaned, his hands searching for the warmth beside him last night.. not finding anything he forced his eyes open to see her rummaging on his floor, her hair covering up her entire face and he could make out the goosebumps forming on her back, he realized by then that his heater broke as he wasn't feeling anything but coldness. "Fucking heater."

She seemingly heard him and looked up only to lock gaze with golden orbs. "Hey." She coughed as she swiftly pulled her sweatshirt over her head. "Your hea—"

"Yeah yeah it broke it right? That fucker," He sat up and rubbed his eyes pulling the duvet to shield himself from the chilling atmosphere. "Sorry," He grinned and she just shake her head as if saying 'it's fine'.

"Put your clothes back on," She said as she handed him his discarded black shirt and basketball shorts, he accepted and put it on watching as she picked her sweatpants and bend down to put it on. "I'll be going now." She says as she walk towards his front door.

"Bye," He said watching as she took quite slow steps. He stood up to check on his heater.

"You know what?" She started then she faced him again, hands rubbing together, her cheeks burning red that he thought she's so cold.

He looked at her with raised questioning eyebrows, "Yeah?"

"Come over to mine." She said and he stood shock, he hadn't really crashed into her house ever. Her cheeks burned a brighter shade of red, "I mean your heater is not working, it's winter, think of it as a friendly matter." She pouts the last sentence and he finds it quite amusing.

"Why not?" He grinned, he took some of clothes of his for tonight he'll be crashing at her place.

The two left the chilly apartment of Souma Yukihira, leaving the memories of last night and four used condom wrappers.

His eyes trailed over the picture frames situated at the top of her fireplace, she excused herself to make some tea for them and she gave him permission to use her bathroom so he did and took a hot shower.

As he finished he found her by the kitchen counter, pouring the warm tea over two cups. "Hey come here," She says and then he nodded taking a seat at one of her barstools. She handed him a cup and he thanked her. "I reheated some christmas cookies, want some?"

"Of course." He smiled and then he figured how awkward this situation is, he's inside the apartment of the girl he has a physical relationship with, not a girlfriend, not a lover and most certainly not a wife but a friend, but a neighbor. He struggled to find a topic that will end this seemingly awkward situation he ever put himself in. "Why is your place complete with a fireplace? I'm jealous."

She laughed, that sweet laugh she has that soothes his ear everytime he hears it. "First come, first serve I guess." She jokes and then the microwave makes a loud beep, she took the treats out of it. "Here, actually it's been three days since I baked them and I bet it's not as crisp as it was before."

He took a gift shaped cookie and then deliberately let it fall from his fingers, "Hot hot hot." He said shaking his hands.

She giggled, "Wait for a minute you silly."

He chuckled as well and sipped some of the tea and he swore it's making his insides warm and it comforts him. He took a peek at her and she's there staring at the cookies as if waiting for it to cool down, her amethyst orbs is really fixated on everything but him and it shots a pain inside his heart.

She just wanted her to look at him.

He cleared his throat, "So you bake?"

It all started from his question and then they found themselves talking endlessly, sharing stories and laughing at each's attempts in joking, he found himself munching the most delicious christmas cookies he's ever had and sharing a talk with the most beautiful girl in town. How's that sound?

Their unusual relationship began when their neighbor Rindou Kobayashi threw a party inviting only the occupants of the apartment, the apartment building is a huge one so many people came and it includes him and the girl next door. The seemingly light and innocent party turned into a wild one as beer, wine and different kinds of beverages were took out. Souma talked with some of his companions as they all held beer in their hands, it's saturday so it's okay for everyone to get as drunk as they all want.

As his companions left to get their girls and dance at the spacious living room he found himself staring at the girl by the couches being bombarded with questions by the male occupants of the apartment. 'Poor girl' he thought but as he met those helpless amethyst orbs he knew she wanted for him to get her out of there. So with a slight dash of beer and a gentleman personality he walked over there and took the honey blonde girl.

"Oh Yukihira!" Subaru asked as the girl were taken by the redhead. "We're talking here, kindly put her back here," Subaru said as if he'll punch the Yukihira boy anytime.

"Sorry she's my girl for tonight." He said and then he left with the girl in tow leaving Subaru embarassed as another guy picked his victim of the night.

"Thanks," She whispered and he gave her a wink. "I really don't know anyone here except for Rindou but she's somewhere with her boyfriend leaving me all alone,"

Souma just nodded, "Want some beer?"

"I don't really drink," She says as she held both hands to cover her blushing face, she knew that being a 24 year old woman with a zero experience in alcohol is a uncool thing.

"I promise to get you back to your unit, I have like ninety nine percent tolerance to alcohol." He bragged, "And consider this as a first, it'll be something."

Taking the beer bottle out of his hand changed her life after that. The promise of taking her back to her place were broken as they both crashed on his bed that night, she remembers the way his lips suckle the skin of her neck for the first time and the warm hands that played with her body, she remembers him taking her first.. she remembers.

After that, a awkward moment happened in the morning as she left him asleep and went back to her unit, she knew he'll definitely figure out that he slept with his neighbor and she saw the blood soaked sheets and felt bad for it. They never met again for a week but she found herself craving for him at times.

They met unexpectedly at the laundry shop, her having finished hers and him taking out his and she saw a glimpse of the same blood soaked white sheets, she embarassingly ran away.

But then she found herself knocking at his door that night. He revealed himself only in a towel, hair all wet and dripping. "Hey." He murmured.

"Hey." She answered and as she was about to look up, he pulled her in for a kiss.

And a contract of benefits started. Just friends, just neighbors having sex and she agreed.

The teacups, empty plate left with cookie crumbs were all forgotten by the kitchen counter. The two were now in front of the fireplace, wrapped in duvets, his head resting against the pillow and her head on top of his chest, she hears the slow heartbeat of his and the fingers that draws something on her back, she feels it, his fingers writing some symbols on her porcelain white back and her fingers rubbing circles against his forearms. They were together. Just as the want.

"Say, this is the first time we've had it in your place." He said as he still stroked her back with the same symbols.

She giggled, "Yeah this is the first."

"It's great by the way, having it beside your fireplace." Souma smiled and then she moved, laying by his side and it left him with cold feeling as she disappeared on top of him.

"How many girlfriends have you had?" She asked randomly and he looked at her observing if she's interested because she wants to be one but he found her just resting her eyes.

"Two,"

"Two?"

"Yeah two, one in highschool but we broke up because of college, one in college but we ended since she kinda cheated on me." He said and then her eyes shot open.

"Oh goodness."

"What?" He chuckled as she sat up, holding the duvet covering her chest.

"Nothing. It's just cheating should be listed as one of the crimes." She says and then gets back to cuddling him.

"Why? Did someone cheated on you before?"

"Yeah I guess," She whispers.

He looked at her and put an arm around her, his fingers splayed on her waist and he traced the same symbols over her skin, over and over and over again, hoping that someday she'll get what he's been tracing at her skin for months.

Spring comes and they return to work. Erina's work as a teacher takes a toll on her as she spends last night grading her student's essays and book reviews. She should've checked it back in winter breaks but because of a certain redhead pounding her from time to time she figured it'll be a hard thing to finish. Yesterday he returned to his apartment and she found herself quite uncomfortable as she's left all alone in her apatment.

No, she doesn't have a right to miss him.

Her last class started, luckily the students of 2A were lively and the kind of students that really puts their all in order to understand her lessons. She enjoyed answering their curious questions and the bell rang with the students still bombarding her with wondrous questions of their own. "As much as I hate to say this, class is over." She says, adjusting her glasses.

"Goodbye, Nakiri-sensei!"

"See you tomorrow, Nakiri-sensei!"

She smiled at each of her students and gathered her papers to grade. Her cellphone beeped and she hastily pulled it out of her pocket, reading the text formed a smile on her face.

can i pick u up later?

She replied,

yes maybe at 5:30?

She tucked her cellphone back to her pocket and felt it vibrated but she figured she should open it later since her hands were full of stacked papers. She placed the essays to her table with a huge grunt.

"Nakiri-san would you like to come with us for ramen later?" Hisako Arato asked, her pinkhaired co-teacher asked, "It's a new shop so were planning on checking it out, right Megumin?"

"Y-Yes it'll be great if the three of us can make it there," She smiled, a nervous one.

"Ah, sorry. I made plans with my b— friend so I think I'll pass for now." She said and then her co-workers nodded and smiled saying how it's just okay.

The two exited the faculty room leaving Erina behind, she placed all her stacked paper at a bag and gathered her things. Fumio-san, one of the staffs entered the faculty calling out for her.

"Ah, Fumio-san. I'm just about to leave." She said, taking her bags.

"Oh, Nakiri-san a man is actually asking for you downstairs." The old woman said, Erina's face lit up and she thanked the old woman running down the hallways.

He's here.

But what completely shocked her is that it's not him.

It's her ex.

"Ayato-kun," She breathed and she tugged on her bag to hide the balled up fists she had. "What're you doing here?" She asked.

The purple haired man, slowly walked towards her and took her shoulders, "Erina, I'm sorry. I'm really really sorry."

Erina took a step back, "You can't just say sorry because you cheated on me. It's not as if it's an accident, you made up your mind and did it."

"This is why I'm here—"

"Is it because you're tired of her?"

"I love you okay? I love you so much. But you don't want to make lo—"

"Because I'm not ready and just because I'm not ready you cheated on me so don't make this an excuse. If you really love and respect me back then you'll never do it." She said, her heart beating rapidly as she say those words to him, the words she really wanted to say but never had a chance to.

Ayato groaned, "Just come back. Come back home to me,"

"You're not my home anymore," She whispers as she remembers red and gold. "Not anymore, Ayato."

"Erina,"

"Leave me alone, if you don't I'll call the cops." She angrily said "Just—"

And then she felt his lips on hers and it made her eyes widen. Ayato took the liberty of her shock to pry her mouth open with his tongue but before he could she pushed him in all her might.

Because he saw.

Because Souma saw.

"Get away from me!" She screamed but she hears the engine of his motorcycle far far away now. She felt hot tears down her cheeks. "Souma." She whispers with all the dread in her voice.

"Is it because of him?" She hears Ayato and he glared at him.

"None of this concerns you."

She went home that night, her hands reddening as she carried the heavy bag of papers. She tried knocking at his door but he's not home either. So she found herself grading the papers and finishing it after midnight, with coffee in her hands she found herself staring at the fireplace.

His laughs, his corny jokes, his warmth and the occasional traces of fingers against her skin. She found herself memorizing the way his fingers moved as she traced it to her bare thighs.

As she repeated it from time to time she noticed how it reminds of her of the english alphabet. He's tracing letters on her skin, letters! Once again she took a sheet of paper and wrote down the familiar traces of his fingers until she realized what he's been doing all along. What he's been telling her all along and it made her heart sink.

I love you.

There's nothing to ask anymore. She grabbed her coat not even bothering to change her clothes, her only clad in her oversized shirt, shorts, messy bunned hair and her peculiar glasses she raced downstairs and stopped in tracks as she saw him walking towards the building. His posture falling and he reeks of alcohol.

He looked at her and gave her a smile, "Yo, Erina."

"Sou—"

"You back together? With your ex?" He asked, a smile plastered on his face. "He better treat you right." He sighs and then taps her shoulder. "I really need a nap. See you."

Then he started walking.

"I figured it out now." She said and Souma stopped in his tracks as he turned around, hands in pockets. "I figured it out now so please," The crack in her voice made Souma jerked, she's crying.

"Erina are—"

And then she turned around, her bunned hair now falling apart as her blonde hair falls down her back, her fingers pushing her glasses to wipe her tears, her knees wobbling. Souma wanted to touch her but couldn't.

"You were always tracing the same patterns on my skin..." She says and Souma's eyes widened she already found it out.

He smirked, defeated. "You figured it out." He brushed his hair with his fingers as he smile and get himself ready for her rejection. "Go on ahead, reject me now."

Erina just cried more and Souma punched himself for making her cry again, "E-E-Erina I mean it's okay for you to reject me, I'm sure I can move forward so— Please don't cry—Ugh! Don't cry—"

"I love you too." She said and Souma stopped blabbering.

"I love you too, I love you too, I love you too, I love you too, I love you too, I lo—"

"Hey." Souma held her shoulders and scanned the windows of the apartment. "What're you saying, silly?"

"That I love you too."

His eyes widened, his heart beating so fucking fast he's about to die out of it. "Eh?" He let out, shaking his head if it's just the work of alcohol. "I'm dreaming." He smirked.

Then she kissed him, a kiss that stole his breath away. Souma looked at her through her glasses and through her messied up hair, he touched her face and he knew he's not dreaming.

"I love you too, Souma."

"Erina I—"

"I don't want you to trace those words ever again, I want to hear you say it." She whispers.

He smiled and left a chaste kiss on her forehead, "I.." on her nose, "Love.." on her cheek, "You.." then finally on her mouth, "Too.."

They found themselves once again tangled together, he occasionally leaves a kiss on every part of her. Her fingers splayed across his chest as she repetedly traced his skin with different shapes particularly a heart and it makes Souma chuckle.

"I love you so much," Souma whispers.

"I love you too," She whispers back, nuzzling their noses together. She gently touched the loving purple mark on his chest, a proof that she now belongs to him... forever.