Hello readers! Wow, we have officially hit the 150 review mark! And since I got 18 reviews for last chapter, here's your bonus chapter for the week!
Thanks to ptd163, FiringShootingStar, ObsessiveCompulsiveValkyrie, xXxSaiyanPrincessxXx, AnimeKiwi369, Xen Kenshin, Mixer18, LadyRosalie29, Shinn Tsukishiro, Seeker Heart, dbzgtfan2004, jtdarkman, Yukiza Izido, and the 7 anons for reviewing!
As always, a special thanks to my lovely beta ObsessiveCompulsiveValkyrie.
Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh 5D's or any other aspects of the Yugioh franchise. All rights belong to Kazuki Takahashi.
Chapter 10
The sun shone as Yusei sat in his garage, working on his runner as always. He was performing simple repairs from the previous week of testing. Bolts clanked as he tightened them into place, making sure no parts could come loose at high speeds. The work was mundane and mind-numbing, but it kept his focus away from the issue that weighed so heavily on his heart.
'Akiza... can I ever make things right with you again?'
He wasn't sure. After his realization the night before, Yusei's feelings for Akiza had only grown stronger. He was falling for her, and falling hard. Guilt sat heavy within him as he finally understood how Akiza had been feeling for months about him, and he wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms, kiss her and tell her how much she meant to him. She really was his everything, and he needed her in his life.
But now, Akiza wouldn't even talk to him, and Yusei could understand why. Five days he had taken her patience for granted, not even bothering to meet up with her as friends like they always did because he thought it would be uncomfortable. He now realized that the right thing to do would've been to ignore the awkwardness and show Akiza that he cared about her, even if he was unsure of his feelings at the time. And now, after he realized that she was the one for him, he discovered that he had already let her down.
She thought he was avoiding her. There was no other explanation. He was only trying to make things easier on both of them, but all he had really done was hurt Akiza and make her feel unwanted. That was the last thing he intended, and he hated himself for being so dense and selfish.
Just one chance, he thought. If she gave him just one chance to redeem himself, he would show her how happy she made him, and how happy he could make her. He would never avoid her again.
It was about that time when Yusei's phone rang. He groaned, not wanting to talk to anyone except the girl who had stolen his heart so perfectly that he had just now realized it.
He looked at the caller ID and found a miracle. It was Akiza. His heart skipped a beat, and he dropped the socket wrench he was holding in his other hand as he flipped open the phone.
"Hello?" he answered, his heart pounding.
"Hey, Yusei," Akiza said.
"Akiza," he breathed, savoring the sound of her beautiful voice. He didn't know what to say, didn't know where to even begin.
"Yeah, it's me," she replied. "Is it... a good time to talk?"
"Y-Yeah... Yes, of course!" Yusei replied. "I... I always have time to talk to you." He knew his actions the past week didn't reflect that, but he wanted to make amends with Akiza and show her the man he could be. His hands were sweating.
"Well, then," Akiza said. "I know you were busy last night, but would you want to meet for dinner tonight?"
"Tonight?" Yusei repeated. He never in his wildest dreams imagined she would want to see him so soon, but he wouldn't disappoint her. "Sounds great! When and where?"
"Eight o'clock at my place," she replied. "I was hoping I could cook you dinner, if that's fine with you."
Yusei's stomach did a backflip. Akiza wanted to cook dinner for him? After all the heartbreak he put her through and how angry she was last night, she wanted to serve him dinner? It seemed too good to be true, but he was willing to do anything to see Akiza.
"Sounds perfect," he replied.
"Great!" Akiza said. "I'll see you then, Yusei. And thanks for taking time out of your day to see me. It means more than you'll ever know."
Yusei smiled, his heart warmed by her words. "Akiza... you mean more to me than you'll ever know."
She was silent for a moment. "Thank you, Yusei," she whispered. "I... I'll see you tonight."
"Yeah... See you then," he replied.
His head was so high in the clouds that he stood frozen in the same spot for almost a minute. Akiza was giving him another chance... and he was going to make the most of it. This time around, he wouldn't let his doubts and fears get the best of him. This time around, he was sure of his feelings, and he would confess them to Akiza.
Now, if he could just find something nice to wear...
Akiza closed the phone and bit back a giddy squeal. He agreed! She looked at the Dark Magician Girl, who was sitting right next to her and enveloped the spellcaster in a tight hug.
"He said yes!" she cried.
The Dark Magician Girl hugged back. "I'm so happy for you, Akiza. I knew things would work out."
Akiza pulled back from the hug. "Well, they haven't worked out yet," she replied. "Yusei still might not be sure of his feelings. I do want to give him time, but I want him to love me, too."
"Well, they say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach," the Dark Magician Girl said with a wink.
"I beg to differ; the way to a man's heart is a little farther south, but dinner is a good way to get there," Yubel commented with a dirty chuckle.
After Akiza had woken up, she made herself a quick breakfast and started thinking about calling Yusei. She was clueless as of what to say, and the Dark Magician Girl only told her to trust herself, which Akiza didn't find very helpful. Yubel, however, came up with the idea of inviting Yusei over and cooking dinner for him. Akiza passed it off as her own idea, and the Dark Magician Girl happily agreed. They now sat in the kitchen, discussing their plans.
Yubel had quickly discovered that she could speak to Akiza without being heard by the Dark Magician Girl. Granted, she made it clear this subtlety wouldn't last for very long, as her aura would become much more apparent after she gained a considerable amount of power from Akiza. The teen counted this a blessing since she was keeping Yubel's existence a secret for the time being. It also allowed her to receive advice from both the Dark Magician Girl and Yubel at the same time without causing problems.
Yubel seemed to be uneasy around the Dark Magician Girl. Akiza didn't think she was afraid of the spellcaster, but Yubel was definitely using caution. It made sense, considering she was at her weakest moment while in close proximity to an extremely powerful former adversary. But that still didn't stop Yubel from taking some snide and promiscuous cheap shots at the Dark Magician Girl's advice.
Akiza chuckled. "I'll have to remember that," she said, speaking to both spirits at once. She checked her watch. "Hey, Dark? Will you be okay here by yourself for a couple of hours?"
"Of course," the spellcaster replied. "But why?"
"I need to run a few errands and have some time to think alone," she replied. "I'm not blowing you off, I really appreciate your help. I just need a chance to gather my thoughts about how to handle tonight. Is that okay?"
The spellcaster smiled. "I understand, Akiza. I'm glad you're brave enough to figure out how to handle your feelings for Yusei on your own now, and just know that I'm here whenever you do need me."
"Thanks, Dark," Akiza replied.
"No problem, Akiza."
"You two are so corny," Yubel spat. Apparently, words of encouragement were not appealing to her.
Akiza chose to ignore Yubel and smile back at the Dark Magician Girl. In truth, she was really leaving the house so she and Yubel could talk freely. She was able to justify the half-truth to herself since she did actually have errands to run, and she was technically going to figure out her feelings for Yusei, only with Yubel. Akiza did feel a little guilty about lying, but her desire to win Yusei's heart was too strong for her to back down now. And Yubel's idea had been working so far.
The teen stood. "I'd better get ready," she said. "I've got to get something to cook for Yusei, after all."
After leaving the house, Akiza entered the local park and found her way to a bench. There were few people at the park that afternoon, leaving her and Yubel alone to talk. She sat down and glanced around, confident that no eavesdropping could occur. She didn't want people to think she was crazy, after all.
From what Akiza could tell so far, Yubel believed in a much more aggressive approach to love than the Dark Magician Girl. There was no ambiguity or tactfulness to her strategies or musings. She didn't employ diplomacy or euphemism in her speech. She had no reservations about her love or sexuality, and she spoke to Akiza like such behavior was natural and fruitful. The teen didn't know what to make of her new partner's attitude, but her advice thus far had been effective.
She shifted in the bench, unsure of how to start the conversation. "So... thanks," she said.
"For what?" Yubel asked from inside her spirit.
"For giving me the idea of making Yusei dinner," Akiza replied. "I'm not the best cook, but maybe Dark can help me. She's really amazing at cooking. One morning, she made me a whole stack of pancakes-"
"For the love of Ra, can we stop talking about her for five minutes?" Yubel complained. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm not too fond of that ditz, and I'm only tolerating her because I have no choice."
"She's not a ditz," Akiza shot back. "And you need to lighten up, considering that your survival depends on being bonded with me."
"Fine, sorry," Yubel muttered. "That still doesn't mean I have to like her."
Akiza shrugged, knowing she couldn't convince Yubel to drop the age-long feud between her and the other spirit she was involved with. She decided to change the subject before things got too hostile. "Speaking of me making dinner, why did you suggest that as a way to help me win Yusei's heart? You know, as opposed to some other date?"
"Simple. It's quiet, romantic, private, and it gives you two a chance to talk while providing food to occupy your mouths when you aren't talking. Not to mention that girls cooking good food is a turn-on for most guys."
"Really?" Akiza asked.
"Definitely," Yubel replied. "Treat him to some fine dining, talk like you always do, flirt just enough to be attractive, and Yusei will be saying 'I love you' back in no time."
Akiza blushed sheepishly. "Well... I haven't actually told Yusei I love him yet. I mean, I told him I want to be more than friends, but I didn't want to scare him or make him feel under pressure by confessing so much so soon."
Yubel snorted. "Let me guess; that was the Dark Magician Girl's idea."
Akiza nodded. "Yeah. Looking back, it might have been a good one since Yusei was so scared and uncertain about just the prospect of becoming more than friends."
"You've got it backwards, Akiza," Yubel said. "Yusei would have reacted much better if you told him the full extent of your feelings."
"But I didn't want to put that much pressure on him," Akiza muttered back. "That wouldn't be fair-"
"How?" Yubel interrupted. "How is telling someone you love them being unfair? If anything, it's being selfless. Yusei probably has taken so long to figure out his feelings because he isn't even sure what your feelings are. 'More than friends'? That can mean many things, Akiza. 'I love you' sends a clear and beautiful message, one that I'm sure Yusei would be willing to share with you."
Akiza looked down. She never thought about that angle of the situation. Perhaps the ambiguity of her confession was what really scared Yusei. Perhaps all this time, he had been confused about what she wanted from him, and he was avoiding her because he didn't want to say the wrong thing. The pieces of the puzzle began to come together. Yusei hadn't been avoiding her because he felt nothing in return, he had been avoiding her because he didn't want to mess up and lose her!
"I... I think you're right!" Akiza exclaimed, taking hope once more. "Maybe he does return my feelings, and he's just confused as to what my feelings are."
"Exactly," Yubel replied. "No holding back, Akiza. You have to be brave and tell Yusei how much you love him. Your only other option is to watch as he finds love elsewhere."
Akiza nodded her head. "Well, I'm ready now. Tonight, I'm going to tell Yusei exactly how I feel, no ambiguity about it."
"Good," Yubel replied. "Then, you can show him some fun between the sheets to seal the deal."
Akiza shook her head. "Are all duel spirits this open about sex? I thought the Dark Magician Girl was bad about teasing me, but you're even worse!" she joked.
Yubel was silent for a moment. "Teasing?" she asked. "Whoever said I was teasing?"
Akiza paused and raised an eyebrow, confused as to what Yubel was playing at. "Well," she started. "You were only teasing, right?"
"Not even remotely," Yubel shot back. "After all, you have to serve him something for dessert."
The teen blushed hard and wrung her hands together nervously. "But I told you I'm not ready!" she cried. She decided that she was going to wait for the right time to share herself with Yusei, and she made that clear to Yubel. However, the duel spirit had never actually acknowledged her devoutness to keeping her virginity longer as something to be taken seriously.
Yubel sighed. "How could you possibly not be ready? You've been pleasuring yourself to Yusei so much that I was sure you wanted him inside you. If you really don't want sex from him, then you're the most lustful prude I've ever met."
"Stop it!" Akiza hissed. "I don't want to make things uncomfortable between us. It's just a bad idea to make love so soon."
"Why?" Yubel challenged.
Akiza shook her head. "Do you even have to ask that? If he does return my feelings, then we would just be starting our relationship! Neither of us would be ready for so much so soon!"
Yubel sighed. "Has not fucking him worked?"
Akiza froze, speechless before Yubel's question. "W-What?"
"From a scientific standpoint, has not having sexual intercourse with Yusei achieved the desired result?" Yubel asked bluntly.
"B-But... That doesn't-"
"Yes or no question, Akiza."
Akiza looked down, knowing she was defeated. "No," she whispered.
Yubel sighed once more and adopted a much gentler tone. "I'm just going to tell you the truth. I can't force you to fuc-"
"Can you please not use that word," Akiza pleaded. She hated the sound of it. It made such a beautiful act seem so violent and vulgar.
"Fine," Yubel agreed. "I can't force you to... make love with Yusei. But if you want to show Yusei how much you really love him, then offering him your body is one of the most powerful things you can do. If he returns your feelings, and if sex is as beautiful and sacred as you claim, then what better way to win Yusei's heart than to share in such an intimate act?" There was a hint of satire in Yubel's voice, but Akiza could tell her words were altogether genuine.
"I... I guess that's true," Akiza replied. "But what if Yusei doesn't want my body? What if things get awkward between us? What if I'm bad at it? What if..." she trailed off. "What if it's one big mistake?"
"Let me debunk those arguments for you," Yubel half-joked. "First, if Yusei isn't ready, then what's the problem? You get your wish to wait longer, and he still knows how much you love him from the offer. Second, if you two are in love, then it won't be awkward. Sex based on love is the best kind of sex - the only kind, some would say - and if you offer yourself to Yusei out of love, then the intimacy and connection you two feel for each other will make any awkwardness unimportant."
"But what if I'm terrible at-"
"I hate to break it to you girl, but there's not much to the mechanics of sex," Yubel said matter-of-factly. "And again, if it's intimacy and love you two want, the pleasure you get will only be secondary. You won't be bad at sex unless you're having it for the wrong reasons. And don't even try to tell me Yusei won't like your body. You have the figure of a supermodel, for Ra's sake."
Akiza shook her head. "I understand, but I don't want us to be a couple that revolves around sex," she said. "I want us to know each other on the deepest level. I don't want our relationship to be purely physical. I want Yusei's love, not his body."
"Then don't make it just about the physical stuff," Yubel answered. "Who says you can't have sex and experience emotional intimacy and bonding at the same time? I've certainly done it before. Again, if you're in this for the right reasons, then sex will only make it better. I'm guessing the Dark Magician Girl told you differently?"
Akiza nodded and took a deep breath, trying to process everything she was just told. Why was she so adamant about waiting to make love to Yusei? She realized Yubel did have valid points. In fact, the teen couldn't think of a single reason she didn't want to share herself with Yusei other than her anxiety over it being the first time. She did want Yusei to enjoy her body, and she wanted to make him feel love and bliss when he was with her. And most importantly, she wanted to share that level of intimacy with Yusei and only Yusei.
Despite all of that, she still wasn't sure. Something inside her just wasn't ready to commit to giving herself to Yusei, even though she did want it to happen someday. "I... I'll think about it," Akiza replied.
"Good enough for me," Yubel replied. "Just promise me you'll make your decision for yourself and Yusei, not because of some big-breasted spellcaster's morality lessons."
"Okay, I promise," Akiza said.
Yubel gave a half-laugh. "I still can't believe you're a virgin. If I had your figure, I'd be riding handsome guys like there's no tomorrow. Once I get my body back, some good, old fashioned, orgasmic sex is at the very top of my to-do list."
The teen shook her head. Yubel's promiscuity was something she could live without, but she didn't question or judge the spirit for it. As uncomfortable as the discussion had been, Akiza was glad they had it and that Yubel was leaving the choice up to her. But she frowned, still confused as to one thing. "Can I ask you a question, Yubel?"
"Yeah?" she responded.
The teen bit her lip, not wanting to offend the spirit. "What exactly happened between you and Dark?"
"That's a story for another time," Yubel replied. "All I will say is that we ended up on opposite sides of a war once, and neither of us have been able to let it go since. It's not something that you should know too much about. The less you mortals know about affairs in the spirit world, the better."
An idea occurred to Akiza. "Is it... about the love that Dark lost?"
Yubel was so stunned that she didn't answer for a moment. "How the hell did you find out about her love life?"
"It's hard to say," Akiza offered, not wanting to violate her friend's trust. "I don't know any specifics, only that she got hurt."
"That's true," Yubel said. "But that was long before we met. I had nothing to do with her lost love, but I think she resents the fact that I was able to find love where she couldn't. And that certainly doesn't help our dispute, which is a typical case of rivalry by the way." She paused. "You're not trying to pick sides, are you?"
"No, I... To be honest, I feel guilty for not telling Dark about you," Akiza admitted. "Especially when you two have history."
"Don't," Yubel said. "What's done is done. I'm through with ancient blood feuds, and I have no interest in harming the Dark Magician Girl. All I want now is to be reunited with my love, Jaden."
"Well... Okay, if you say so," Akiza replied.
After awhile longer chatting about how to tell Yusei about her love, Akiza left the park and headed for the store. She picked up a few things she needed to make dinner for Yusei and daydreamed about how perfectly the night could be. The dish she was planning to serve was pasta and chicken. Nothing too complicated, but still a potentially romantic course. She ignored Yubel's prodding to swipe some wine to make the evening more interesting, retorting that she and Yusei were still underage. She paid for the ingredients she needed and left the store, walking back to her house.
She made a mental note to get a driver's license of some kind in the near future to save time and avoid so much walking. As a turbo duel passed by on the freeway overhead, Akiza got an image of herself on a duel runner. She imagined riding with Yusei through the streets and decided to look into turbo dueling a little more. She doubted she would be entering the WRGP any time soon, but she thought it would be a good way to see the world through the eyes of the man she loved.
But in the meantime, she had dinner to fix and a certain raven-haired Signer to woo. She set aside her thoughts of turbo dueling for another day and started thinking about how to express to Yusei exactly how far the depths of her feelings extended.
Evening found Akiza and the Dark Magician Girl cooking in the kitchen, pots and pans flying all around the room as the spellcaster worked her magic. After Akiza returned home she cleaned up and got dressed. The teen wore a pair of black capri pants and a pink blouse that showed enough skin to be sexy while still maintaining an air of modesty. Her hair and makeup were at their best, and she was confident in her ability to appear stunning to Yusei.
Dressed appropriately, Akiza then began cooking the night's meal with the Dark Magician Girl's help. The spellcaster could have whipped up a fancy meal alone in no time at all, but Akiza wanted to be involved in the process since it was Yusei they were cooking dinner for. She wanted to make something satisfying to him, and the Dark Magician Girl was making it happen by mostly instructing Akiza on what to do rather than cook herself. Of course, her magic kitchenware was a great help.
Yubel had remained quiet throughout the evening, choosing to let the other two occupants of the house make the preparations. Akiza guessed that Yubel thought her job was done and had decided to take a break and gather up energy. So far, the teen hadn't experienced any side effects from bonding except for some minor sleepiness that morning, which was expected anyways.
"You think Yusei will like chicken Alfredo?" Akiza asked.
The Dark Magician Girl chuckled. "Considering he lives off ramen and coffee most of the time, I think he will be thrilled with whatever you make him."
Akiza laughed at this, too. "I certainly hope so," she replied. "After all, I want to make this evening magical.
The Dark Magician Girl took on a serious expression at this, and Akiza could tell she was going to say something important. "Akiza?"
"Yeah, Dark?" she said.
"Here comes some cheesy 'believe in yourself' crap," Yubel commented.
The spellcaster floated down and stood in front of Akiza. She took her hands in her own and looked her in the eye. "I don't want you to be afraid tonight. You're an amazing girl, and I absolutely know you're going to sweep Yusei off his feet. Just remember that-"
"Dark," Akiza gently interrupted. She squeezed the spellcaster's hands reassuringly. "Don't worry, I'm not afraid anymore. You've done more for me than I could ever have imagined possible. I'm not going to expect anything from Yusei tonight, but I am going to try with everything I have to win his heart. And I owe this chance to you, Dark. Thank you so much."
The Dark Magician Girl's eyes watered. "It's been my honor, Akiza."
The two women pulled apart and went back to cooking. When Akiza really thought about it, she had to admit that in the past few days, the Dark Magician Girl had become her best friend, next to Yusei, of course. It was amazing for Akiza to have another girl she could come to with her problems. The spellcaster was the big sister Akiza never had.
Just after they had set the table and finished preparing the food, the doorbell rang. Akiza's eyes widened. He was here! Yusei was at her doorstep!
"Oh, my Ra," she breathed. "This is really about to happen."
"Damn straight it is," Yubel said. "Now answer the door, and let's make him fall head over heels for you."
The Dark Magician Girl smiled and nudged her towards the living room. "You go greet Yusei," she said. "I'll finish up things here."
Akiza nodded and walked quickly towards the front door. Her heart was beating fast. This would be the first time she saw Yusei since her confession to him almost a week ago, and to say she was nervous was an understatement. In her mind, this was their first official date together, and the night would make or break their future as a couple. She wanted everything to be perfect. She wanted to show Yusei how amazing their love would feel.
Her hand reached the doorknob, and she froze, unsure if she could go through with it. Would tonight really be the start of something good? Or would she screw it up like the last time?
"Don't be scared," Yubel said. "This isn't my first rodeo. With me guiding you, the only thing you have to worry about is how sore your lady parts will be in the morning."
Akiza let out a breathless chuckle, too anxious to be embarrassed. Yubel was crude as ever, but she was encouraging in a weird way. Akiza took heart in her two friends that were helping her, steeled herself and prepared to dazzle the man of her dreams. After tonight, she would be the woman of his dreams.
After one more deep breath, she opened the door.
There he stood in all his glory. His raven hair was in its trademark spikes as always. He wore a blue collared shirt that matched his cobalt eyes, making them even more beautiful than they normally were. Black pants covered his legs, not too fancy for the night, but still nice and good-looking. He wore black shoes, undoubtedly his best pair. All in all, he looked completely and utterly stunning.
Yusei smiled. "Hey," he said.
"Hey, yourself," Akiza replied. For some reason, she suddenly felt extremely comfortable and pleasantly at ease around him. She was tired of being shy and awkward around the man she loved, and she was ready to show him confidence and affection. "Come on in," she said, gesturing inside her living room.
"Thanks," he said, stepping inside.
She closed the door and stood with Yusei in the living room for a moment of silence before Yusei spoke again. "I, ah... wasn't sure on the protocol for dressing up, so..." he gestured to what he was wearing. His motions held a hint of self-consciousness.
Akiza grinned. "Well, I think you look very handsome," she complimented.
Yusei smiled back. "Thanks," he replied. "You look very beautiful in that, by the way." Akiza blushed and spun around once to display her outfit for Yusei, making him smile even wider. "I mean," he started. "You always look beautiful, but... it's just, right now, you're especially..." He trailed off with an awkward expression.
Akiza fought the urge to giggle. Was Yusei being shy around her? If so, then the tables had turned in their relationship, and she was tickled by the ironic reversal of their roles.
"Hug him or something," Yubel said. "He's afraid of screwing up. Show him that he's doing fine."
The teen did exactly that. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Yusei and buried her face in his chest. She felt his arms circle around her and his muscles relax in her embrace. "Thank you, Yusei," she replied. "That means so much to me. And you helped me pick it out, after all."
They separated, and Akiza found Yusei to be blushing madly, although she could tell he was trying to conceal it. "A-Anytime," he shakily said. Yubel seemed to be taking much more of an active role in her advice than the Dark Magician Girl, leaving little room for Akiza to improvise, not that it was a bad thing. A guarantee, indeed.
Akiza couldn't suppress her giggle this time, and she decided to move the evening along before Yusei got any more uncomfortable just standing there. She smiled and gestured to the kitchen. "Shall we? Our dinner awaits us."
Yusei nodded. "Yeah, sounds awesome. Thanks again for cooking for me. You didn't have to go through the trouble though."
"It wasn't any trouble at all," Akiza replied. "I enjoyed doing something for you after everything you've done for me."
Yusei's eyes watered, and he became nervous again. He looked like he wanted to tell Akiza something important. "Akiza, I... I just..." he started. He closed his eyes, seemingly disgusted with himself. She imagined he was going to offer her an explanation for his recent behavior, and she could tell he felt guilty for it. But she held no grudge against him and only wanted him to feel comfortable around her.
She took his hand. "How about we eat first?" she suggested. "That'll give you time to gather your thoughts."
Yusei nodded, saying, "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea."
She smiled and led him to the dining room, where the plates were laid out and the food was, she assumed, ready to be served. The Dark Magician Girl said she was going to stay out of Akiza's way that night and let her and Yusei have some privacy. The teen was grateful for this, as it was already hard enough to follow Yubel's advice subtly.
Akiza barely noticed it by the time they got into the dining room. She was so focused on what she was going to say, how she was going to act, that she didn't even notice the very first romantic action that happened that night. When they got to the table, she noticed that Yusei was still holding her hand.
Their fingers were intertwined.