Still alive! But barely – got bed ridden for a couple of days, sorry.

Anyway, it's up and running, and we're closing in towards the ending. The title is pretty much reflective of the entire chapter, because I was also a wreck when I wrote this. This is transition part, so I hope you can excuse the misleading details. And don't freak out when you come across Suzuna's dark side near the ending. I know it's very unlikely to happen, but whatever.

So anyway, read and review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Maid-Sama

Chapter 3: Wrecked Wednesday

Aoi yawned for like the 9th time that morning, rubbing his eyes decorated at the bottom with strokes of grey.

He considered the mistake of leaving home without taking even a cracker by the cupboard, after feeling his stomach grumble a bit.

Despite sleeping for less than a few hours, he found himself waking at first light – a bit sweaty, a bit flustered, a bit concerned.

'What a weird dream.' He thought with a blush, remembering the hazy vision he had of her involving a delightful amount of – skin… the primary cause of his lag.

An all-nighter, a couple of fresh cuts and prickles – he'll take them happily all for a fancy new dress.

But a disturbing dream will cause tremors in his focus.

Hunger and pain got pushed further back as he passed by a familiar store. The jewel adorning the headless bust made him smile, and he fancied again the image that riled his adrenaline last night.

'Yeah, the color would blend perfectly.'

The boy's handsome face got stuck with that smile. Fortunately, it mellowed down to his default scowl by the time he reached the Ayuzawa residence.

"Oi!" he called, getting rude on purpose.

The target girl turned her head, body suspended midway in pinning fresh laundry on a wire.

"Aoi!" she didn't sound excited, but Suzuna's face was a bright combination of surprised and pleased so yes, we can consider that stoic level as excitement.

A tiny tint of red found its way on his cheeks. Apparently, he didn't miss the glee in her amber eyes that others would have – familiarity builds sharp perception, it would seem, though he didn't really know how to react to such.

The same can be said about the girl, as she noticed the markings of sleep deprivation on Aoi's face.

"We have a lot to talk abo -!"

Aoi froze, Suzuna wondered, and the two stood a few feet away from each other, the girl clueless from such reaction, holding a specific type of garment in hand, while the boy was quivering, speechless and smoking with embarrassment, as he looks at the pair of panties in the girl's hands, a million pictures simultaneously popping in his head – involving skin, and the dream, and all flowery stuff boys always manage to create in their subconscious.

But enough of that – Aoi came with a purpose, and the purpose doesn't involve panties.

He flushed the images with a rough shake and was told by the pretty girl to come in. It was appreciated, considering she still has some business with the 'laundry.'

He was asked to stay in her room – a first experience, and it was making him nervous, but the girly and somehow, mature touch of Suzuna's personal space was soothing, so it calmed the boy's stressed mind.

He breathed in the scent – cinnamon, and green tea – quite relaxing.

On the study he saw a recognizable box. He stood up, hoping he wasn't being too nosy by the next few moves, and decided to have a glimpse at the expensive make-up kit.

'I wonder if she's been practicing.'

He pushed the button to unlock the thing, and lifted the upper half of the cube-shaped container. Expecting to see a palate of face-adorations, he was met with something slithery and vile – it shot up from inside the box and wrapped itself around his head.

"AAAAAAAHHHHH!"

It was the extra-dimensional creature, and it has turned hostile on him.

"GETIFOFF!GETITOFF!"

"Ah, you opened the box." In came the girl, apathetic amidst Aoi's thrashings and struggles.

"Don't just stand there! Do something! This thing feels like it's going to kill me. Oh my God!"

"No need to panic."

Suzuna went behind Aoi, placed a hand on his head, and gave a slight tug on the creature's tail.

Apparently the box was springe-loaded, in some ingenious manner of manipulation. The recovering boy settled down while he watched Suzuna coil the little monster and returned it to its deceptive den.

"What- how – but why?" a lot of questions in not so many words. Lucky for him Suzuna knows how to speak and understand stupid when she hears it.

"With some help, this could prove useful."

"Or fatal." Aoi said, groaning while he massaged his neck.

"Are you hurt?"

He wasn't, and Suzuna knows this, but she still crawled towards him and tried to reach out.

"I'm fine. Don't-"

The next words got thrown somewhere. Suzuna was already stroking his neck with the tip of her fingers.

"You're ok." She said.

"I told you, didn't I?"

"Hm, you can be overly dramatic." She smiled and flicked a finger at his small nose.

"Hey!"

"Want some coffee?"

Aoi raised an eyebrow. An unusual offer, but the caffeine could straighten out his brain bits.

"Sure, why not."

"I'll be right back."

"I also need a notepad and a pen."

"Ok."

'The apron looks nice –' He thought, grinning at her leaving form. But the grin got covered by something un-expressive when he saw how short her shorts were from the backside.

It was a new kind of warmth that scattered around his body, one that scared him. He swiftly shook it away and appeased the relentless heartbeat.

When she came back, still clad with the apron, it was there again. But the scent of coffee mellowed him down, plus the calm look on her face.

"I have to outline our strategy in your sells."

He said while watching her place the cup and a small plate full of buns on the table.

Suzuna nodded. Aoi proceeded to write on the piece of notebook provided by the host, and took a careful sip on the cup. It was bitter, but he has an audience, so he showed not grimace. He's a tough kid.

The door in her room opened up, and a beautiful lady's head peered in.

"Suzuna-chan, I have to go out now. Oh, hello there!"

"Good morning, mam." Aoi said.

"What a handsome young man! You must be Aoi-chan."

"Y-yes. Yes I am." He stammered, unused to unadulterated compliments.

"Oho, my daughter talks about you often. You are quite the looker, as she said. Well, I'm off. Suzuna dear, be sure to care for our guest, okay?"

"Hai, okasan. Take care."

That cat-like pawing of hers is undeniable cute. Aoi admitted as much, and he found himself looking at her admirably again.

Suzuna looks back, and he was forced to look away.

The room turned silent after that. Only the ticking of a nearby clock, the occasional bustle of the neighborhood, and her gentle breathing. Other than that, he could also feel his irregular heartbeat as she observes him.

All throughout, Suzuna didn't seem to mind the lack of words, but something was tugging on Aoi's nugget that was causing more and more erasures on his notes.

"Hey," he said. Suzuna titled her head. "Did you, uh, tell your mom I was… good looking?"

The question was very embarrassing, but Aoi felt like he had to know.

"My sister did."

"Oh." His face dropped slightly.

"So did I. Aoi is truly handsome." She continued.

Aoi's fingers stopped moving for a moment, and then continued in an attempt to hide the fluttery motion his heart got into from such news – that Suzuna Ayuzawa thinks he is good looking.

"Quit messing around."

"I'm not. It's the truth. Or would you rather be called cute?"

"I don't want to be called anything, especially not by you. Now pay attention."

He took another painful gulp at the bitter liquid, just to exile that irregular heartbeat. The price was a slightly scorched tongue, and a sudden rush of pulse, but at least he was able to straighten his mind.

If not, he'd be thinking about why words of praise from her had a profound effect, compared to when others throw him flowery compliments.

"We don't have much time. Someone else might be able to -"

-glance –

Her kneeling form, her shorts, her thighs –

-skin-

-stare –

Aoi's face was burning. He cleared his throat and decided to turn again so she wasn't facing her.

"-ahem, I mean, someone else might buy it first, so we have to work hard and fast."

"Okay."

"First on my list – I'm thinking of pawning all my dresses to get at least half of -"

"NO!"

That was the first time he heard her voice in such a loud volume. It forced him to look her way. When he did, he noticed she didn't look any different. Perhaps an impulse?

"What?"

"I said no." her voice was neutralized, "Don't pawn your dresses. Don't go to pawnshops."

A questionable disagreement – Aoi had always found her bizarre, but her actions and scarce comments are often justifiable, save for this one.

On a brighter note, he also felt a little relieved. At least she has enough sanity to have her own opinion.

"Why? It'll help. My dresses may not be much, but I have enough to at least get us halfway through that 700k."

"Don't pawn anything that you worked so hard on. I have a friend who frequents your blog. She says your dresses are always trendy, says she'd buy them from you if you let her. Sell them to people, to friends. At least they would appreciate your efforts, and the meaning of those clothes to you."

The content of her statement contradicted her manner of speaking, which was the same icy tone of nonchalant-ness, whereas she was clearly expressing concern.

"I appreciate that, but we might not have enough time to…"

"I'll figure something out. Just don't pawn your dresses."

Aoi sighed. Her concern and consideration was – bewildering, and he still felt like she was going against it with unnecessary effort.

"Fine." He said, re-writing something on the pad, "I guess we have to make some adjustments then. Give me a second here."

The plan was laid out with a lot betted on the pawnshops. But now, with respect to his 'partner', he has to make some re-calculations.

In the minutes he spent, deep in thought and driven by the drained-down coffee, he could still feel her warm gaze on him.

The serious atmosphere a while back had been replaced by an awkward one.

Slowly, his body was starting to tense up and get conscious again. The feel of amber gaze was making him horribly nervous, that and the distractive power of 'skin'.

"Your hand."

"Hey! Back off!"

She leaned towards him and tried to reach out to his hand. She seemed to have developed a fondness over them.

Aoi was forced to crawl back a bit, and Suzuna was forced to crawl forth, just to tighten the space between them.

'Crap – she still smells… so nice…'

Suzuna noticed the boy's apprehensive behavior, and stopped. The distance between them had been reduced to almost nothing. Her knee was now touching the side of his thigh.

Aoi had returned to the puzzle of building the remainder of that 700k without the aid of pawning. He was glad that whatever shoujo plot Suzuna was trying to establish had ceased. She's enough disturbance as she is, and she doesn't even have to do anything to be so.

The present moment is no exception. She sat there, unmoving and stone hard like a statue, eyes fixed on him.

A disturbed Aoi is an Aoi without output. In the few days he has spent with Suzuna the stoic, he has learned that she can stare for an entire day without a twitch, which would take his disturbed and unstable state very far. He has to do something about it.

"Here." He decided to give her what she wants, at least for the time being. "Help yourself."

Aoi didn't need his left hand to write. But he does need a majority of his brain to concentrate, and it seemed Suzuna has taken part of it along with his hand.

After struggling to be accurate with his notes, which has failed, Aoi felt something warm and moist being applied on his hand.

With two fingers she was spreading a white, thick substance all over his hand in a massaging fashion, between his fingers and over his palm.

He did notice the seriousness on her face, and the heat her smooth thigh was providing. Suzuna had laid his hand on her lap, and she seemed fine with the back of his hand getting a good feel of her –

'Ah – skin!'

It was smooth, it was soft, and it was making his brain numb.

If only he would admit it, it would have been less difficult. Sadly, he was so against accepting other people's feminine spices.

"Wh-what's that?"

"Antiseptic healing cream. It can also help remove scars. Aoi has as a nice skin. He should take care of it."

"Yeah, well, Aoi doesn't need any un-cute girl telling him that, especially if said un-cute girl wasted money for some stupid cream." Aoi said, grumping like a sour grape in a sweet bowl, feeling the awkwardness talking of himself in the third person.

"I didn't buy it. I won it."

The same defensive pout from the warrior of 'cut and win' enterprise. A passive Suzuna getting fierce is scary, Aoi considered that much.

"You – won it?"

"I finally did. I had to go through every single issue in yesterday's stock."

The bag full of magazines – all of those, just to get him something for his hands?

Aoi wondered what it took to acquire such an item. The cream looks like it's under a prescription list of dermatologists, definitely not just a beautifying agent, but also a healing one. Already, his hand was feeling languid and cool, as if last night's accidents with the needle never happened at all. Aoi watched her continue in her meticulous attempt to cover each apparent prickled, numb part a sufficient layer.

He lifted his hand – already missed the pillow that is her lap – and examined the effect.

"Not bad." He said, almost only to himself.

"Apply again tonight. It should work better."

She placed the bottle on the table. Aoi snapped his head towards her.

"Wait – you're giving it to me?"

Suzuna nodded, "You're the one who is accident prone with your sewing kit, not me, so yes, I'm giving it to you."

His cheeks turned scarlet, something close to gratitude threatening to squeak out of his developing voice. But the all powerful pride and the incessant drive of independence was constricting him.

"But – I, this…"

Suzuna stared at him, and perhaps understood beyond his feeble display. She smiled a meaningful and unusually toothy grin as if she knew it would piss him off, "Ah, Aoi-chan is too embarrassed to say thank you – it's adorable."

"Shut up! I am not embarrassed."

"But you ARE adorable."

There was only a frustrated, defenseless grumble, a smoky blush to match the attempt to look away from her, and no unorthodox insult. But Suzuna's intention obviously didn't include any discomfort on his part. Her smile then softened into a less quirky, but sweeter one. She seems aware of his aggravation towards anything she presents him, but…

Their eyes locked for a while. Suzuna didn't seem adamant about it. Aoi did, but got so absorbed into looking at her all the same.

"Thank you." he whispered, bowing his head a little.

"You're welcome."

And that's that. Whatever conspiracy being established herein, the girl has put a stopped into it. Her coy only goes as far as jest would push, but not to a mocking point. Somehow, she knew Aoi had had enough of that in his so called 'other worlds'.

Aoi's face was crumpled into a condense pout and a pair of furrowed eyebrows, but there was clear appreciation in the way he looked at Suzuna.

"Well – I, have some ideas."

"About the sale?" she asked, glancing over at his notes and discovering them to be a wreck of a handwriting.

"Y-yeah." Aoi grabbed the notes and scooted a bit farther from her. "You need to list down all your items. Some are good for practical use, some for novelty, some for consumables, and some aren't good for anything. We need to know which is which."

"I see."

Suzuna was mentally going through all her stock while Aoi explained his plan. "Let's take for example your 15 yen worth of pen. It's a good price, but it doesn't catch much attention. Anyone can pass by a bookstore if they're really looking for one. Your best chance to sell it is when a mother forgot her grocery list at home and she needs to write down everything again."

"Which means she'll buy my notebook, right?" she asks, suddenly excited.

"Not if you sell it at twice the price. The thing about your items is that we rely too much on people needing them independently. But if we put them all into specific groups, say, we package the 30 yen notebook along with the pen, and slap on a 35 yen price for both, then the chances increase."

"But wouldn't that mean we get lower sales?"

"We'll make good sale." The smile of confidence on his suddenly boyish and bright face struck Suzuna somehow, and she slowly find her lips curving upward in reflection, "Trust me. You just pair up your items based on the categories I gave you, and leave the rest to me."

"Okay."

While he explained the remainder of his action plan involving people's preferences and seasonal differences, Suzuna had laid out a couple of plates full of buns more, seeing as he has absentmindedly consumed the first. Before long, they were both arranging the items in according to their strategy, washed up the plates and cups, and started heading out.

There was a surge of excitement in the boy as they walked, showing awfully clear on his refreshed face. Suzuna was quick to note this, but dismissed it all the same. She has learned to pay attention but not to pin point details – save for the fun bits of him, perhaps.

"How did you come up with all that?" Suzuna asked.

'2 sleepless nights thinking, knitting and planning – that's how.'

"I'm a genius. Plans like that come naturally." He declared, contradicting the admitted lack of sleep.

Suzuna just snickered at him, but didn't say anything.

It was Aoi's turn to get observant and glance at his companion. That God-awful cargo pants again, and a lose sweatshirt matching nothing else than the braids of her hair and the stoicism on her was, not to pin such a fine point, annoying.

But she did get him that cream – so he'll forgive her just this once.

Lower down her arm, he took note of the bulge apparent on the stash she was carrying. He looked over, not minding her attention, and saw that she has brought the box, along with the ferocious being inside it.

"I hope you're not planning on letting that thing lose again." he said with a fearful tone.

"It's a toy, silly." She said, smiling as if Aoi was being childishly ridiculous, "And no, I won't let it lose. Unless some of your friends decide to drop by again – I might get trigger happy with the box."

Aoi blinked at her a couple of times before sharing the thoughtful smile she was wearing.

The distance between them, he admitted, has grown small, figuratively and literally, although he still couldn't bring himself to admit that she is in fact a pretty young lady with wavy curve set by the meager choices for rough clothing. From the side, he could hardly see anything worth being 'hot' about, but that just leaves too much to the imagination – which is currently dominated by the proverbial dream, which currently have the profound effect of making his body hot in more ways than one.

As they walked, it was as if his eyes was continuously being tugged by the lose sweatshirt – there's nothing worth looking at her front, nothing – he tried to convince himself, but each time he'd fall to the trap of looking, his gaze would fall down, down, down – until Suzuna would turn her head towards him, cheek slightly tainted and with clear shyness that contradicts her expression.

"Hentai." She whispered.

"Shut up!"

They got their goods set up just in time for people to start building up in crows. Suzuna's watch shows a quarter pass 2, so it's a good business hour.

"Alright, this is perfect."

The girl's whimsical gaze turned to Aoi. He seemed to have brought an extra back pack along with him. He swung the bag on his shoulders and beamed at Suzuna proudly.

"I'll be back – with re-enforcements."

Whatever the hell that meant left very little for Suzuna to process on. The items are now set for display, and the people seem to be flocking at a certain direction - hers. She is never the person to let her curiosity get to her, especially if she came there for business purposes, but she was growing more and more intrigue at who or what was it that was drawing people's attention.

"Hi there ~!"

A sweet, yet strangle familiar treble of girly voice forced her to look up and saw an extravagantly clad girl, clearly within her age range – blonde hair, thin, devious and sexy lips, and bathing, thick eyelashes that turned dolls to pale. Her dress was unnecessarily beautiful, Suzuna thought. More than that, SHE was unnecessarily beautiful. The effort it took to personify her being seemed too insurmountable for the young Ayuzawa's comprehension. No wonder Aoi has a certain disdain over her lack of such appreciation –

Speaking of which-

'Ah, it's him.'

The net-idol winked at her/his bewildered friend, sensing perhaps her slow yet certain understanding of the matter. The fans behind the seeming girl were ogling at her like she was the most adorable creature in existence, and Suzuna could pretty much sense why. Some of them were contend in taking pictures from her backside, and still some were stealing front shots or at least are begging at her for some.

So much attention Suzuna felt like it was choking him. Then again, perhaps this was the reinforcement.

"Okay, fellas!" Aoi-chan (the drag) called sweetly at them, "This here is a really good friend of mine, and she's kind of in a pinch, so she prepped some nice items for us. Now, those who will be kind enough to make a purchase will get a special, commemorative photo coupled with yours truly."

There came her (or him) signature wink, and sea of hurrays blasted through the group, obviously from a mob liking the deal.

"Phew, glad that's over with."

He slumped down the mat with his equally exhausted friend and started twisting his aching shoulders.

"We got through half-way." Suzuna said, rolling the thick bundle of cash and checking on their remaining stock.

"Good. Before the week ends, you'll have that necklace."

The poses and smiles he did for those 2 dozen teenagers were tiring, to say the least. It almost completely drained him. Then again, he wouldn't lie – it IS fun to dress up and make people smile. He knew most of those people. They're not the perverted, creepy types that would otherwise objectify him to a sexual degree. Most of them got hooked into his blog, and had been following his flowery path for the experience of freshness net-idol Aoi-chan induces.

While he took a mental note to send them individual thank you messages later, he felt a gazer who seemed comfortable setting her eyes on him.

"What?" he asked in the same obnoxious tone.

Suzuna pulled up her knees and laid her cheek on them as if settling in for a longer stare.

"Thank you." she said.

Aoi didn't reply. He just let the blush take its place and sipped at the can of coke that was offered to him. His other hand was protectively covering the back pack holding the 'trap' uniform, Lolita mode with a gothic hint. He cautiously rolled his eyes just to cheek if she was still looking at him.

She wasn't. Her gaze was now far, absorbed in thought and schemish.

'Only a few more days. I wonder if I should ask her now –'

"Can I ask you something?" she suddenly spoke.

"Wh-what?"

"It's been bothering me for quite some time now, ever since we first met."

It was the part he hated most – when she had plastered that unreadable mask again, the one that speaks beyond the language of perception. When she turned her head and sucked him in her beautiful, yellow eyes, it got worse, for at that point he has lost capacity to insult (which consists of 75% of his personality), as well as the capacity to look away.

"What is it?" he asked, a bit melted with her childish scent.

"Do you -"

'Please don't ask me if I like you.' he prayed, because he knew he would either admit it, or come up with a pathetic excuse would just get choked beneath his panicky state.

Then Suzuna's lips twitched up, "Do you wear panties along with that dress?"

"Eh?"

His brain kicked in after some lag, and the first box that was ticked was his insecurities. Whatever softness his face had turned vanished as it was quickly replaced by his signature glower, matched by mashing teeth and a few, clear veins swelling through his thin skin.

"You making fun of me, Ayuzawa?" he asked.

"Not at all."

The girl answered quickly, and just as quickly, Aoi's anger vanished, but something worse than anger took its place after Suzuna let lose the next statement.

"I'm just picturing Aoi-chan in flowery lingerie – you'd look so smooth, and, soft and, um, 'bulgy'"

Aoi shivered at the term – she actually made an adjective of the word 'bulge'.

"Yeah, you'd look really nice in a panty."

Suzuna had this dark, smokey hue on her usually sparkly eyes as if she was being possessed. It frightened the boy extremely.

"You shut up! I don't wear panties!"

The girl's head snapped back at him, a bit disappointed and he was reduced into an investigative scan, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure!"

"Wanna find out, Suzuna-chan?"

The two turned their heads towards the owner of the voice, and saw a handsome blonde, walking up the slope where they were at, each hand secured in a pocket as if the walk was more than enough of a relaxation.

His devious smirk annoyed Aoi.

"What are you doing here?" said boy suddenly asked, getting defensive with no understandable reason.

Usui didn't answer, but narrowed his eyes at the lad.

"Usui-nisan – thanks for coming!" Suzuna declared and stood up to meet him.

"Wait – you invited him?" Aoi wasn't able to hide the discomfort in his question.

"You got a problem with that?" Usui asked.

"I might. I got plan laid out, and it doesn't involve any creepy, perverted aliens."

"Emphasis – SHE invited ME- So whatever business I have here, kid, is none of yours."

The fact that Usui even bothered to return the argument was enough intimidation. Even as he himself has stood beside Suzuna, Aoi still felt impotent looking at his tall figure. It wasn't fair that Usui was bigger, or older, or probably better looking –

-or that he already took Misaki from him, and he seems to want to take Suzuna too –

'Wait, what?'

"Did you bring it?" Usui asked, ignoring the glaring lad.

"Hai." Suzuna was still a bit concerned that there was a premature friction between her friend and her sister's boyfriend. But it's normal for boys to be hostile towards each other, right? "Wait here a bit."

She skipped towards the resting array of paper bags and carefully took out some items with the intention of retrieving a specific. Meanwhile, the boys continued to stare at each other, the younger trying to be as fierce as possible, while his counterpart just took the jest in his demeaning look to a whole new height.

"So I take it yesterday's advice didn't work." He said.

"I'm still working on it, but believe me, I'm not asking for your help again."

"Fine, but believe ME, you'll still need it."

"Here." Suzuna entered the scene again before Aoi could give his statement a thought, "If it gets out somehow, just twirl it around the wire and push it back down."

"I got it."

The girl handed the big, black box. Aoi was partly wishing Usui didn't know the contents, which would end up in a disastrous surprise, but he knew Usui is too clever to take something suspicious even from a girl like Suzuna. That said, no suspicion was necessary, because they seem to have been engaging into a separate endeavor.

Usui and Suzuna continued to discuss the matter of selling the fancy box containing a not so fancy 'toy' inside, and they seem to have forgotten the presence of another contributor to the project.

The feeling of being left out, Usui's dominating presence, and her childish happiness as they converse – everything was gripping on Aoi's insides like an evil clutch.

"I'm sorry for causing trouble, Usui-nisan."

"There's no trouble at all. My friend had always been looking for a good prank-tool, he'll definitely love this. I'll negotiate the price. I can guarantee you I won't sell it cheap."

"Thank you, nisan."

The affectionate way Suzuna was addressing Usui was making Aoi's eye twitch. He was now itching to kick Usui out of the park.

It didn't seem that the blonde had further business, though. Then again, we all know the devil that he is.

He eyed Aoi secretly and was about to leave, only to turn around again.

"By the way." Usui said, "Can I have my reward, now?"

Suzuna's face turned a bit red. "Now? But – but there's people around, and Aoi's here too."

"Oh, it won't bother him."

'What wouldn't?'

Aoi wondered about any scheme Usui was starting pull on him.

"Okay then."

Before the bluenette could connect his memory with Usui's demented nature, Suzuna had already leaned up and placed said 'reward' on Usui's left cheek with the use of her lips.

His eyes grew wide at what he was seeing.

The entire world melted into oblivion as Aoi's vision darkened, highlighting only the scenery of Suzuna kissing the perverted Usui Takumi on the cheek. A powerful wave of jealousy, anger, and some other things within those sentiments washed all over the boy's numbing insides.

Needless to say, Aoi was beyond 'bothered'.

to be continued...

I hope you enjoyed that!