"Is that a hickey?"

This couldn't be happening, could it? Maybe Riko was dreaming. Maybe her mother did not just really ask her that question while You was right next to her. Perhaps it was all in her imagination that You, and unfortunately herself, looked like they had just come from running a marathon by the gallons of sweat dripping down each of their faces.

With only a raised eyebrow and eerie silence in the air though, it didn't look like Riko was dreaming. Playing dumb, Riko just laughed out,

"W-What? What are you talking about? What's a hickey?"

Riko's mother got closer to the two, You could easily be mistaken for a tomato as she trembled beneath her stare. The poor future sailor's tears were building at the corner of her eyes but Riko stood firm, not wanting her mom to get the upper hand.

"Riko, I think you know what it is."

Riko tried to think, the last time she and You did anything was last weekend.

A brief memory flashed as she was lying on her bed, hands tangled in You's hair as they explored one another. She couldn't remember the bigger details, just the satisfying ending of it all, though that part wasn't the point right now. The marks weren't too noticeable when she had last checked. Surely her attempt at hiding it with concealer would've worked, right? Those things don't last that long, do they? Her mom had to be pulling her leg.

Before Riko could laugh it all off as a joke, You was quick to break. Falling onto the floor at Riko's mothers feet, You cried out,

"I'm so sorry for doing this to your daughter. I won't ever do it again, I'll leave your house at once, please don't punish Riko for this, it was all my fault."

With tears in her eyes, You looked up at Riko's mother once before looking back at the ground. She clenched her fists as she lowered her head further.

"I don't even deserve to look at you ma'am. I've defiled your daughter, I am nothing."

As You kept going Riko threw her hand over her face in embarrassment for the both of them. She could see her mother attempting to hide her laugh from the distraught sailor.

"Calm down, You, I was only joking. It's fun to tease young lovers from time to time."

Riko's mother giggled, easing the tension in the room. She quickly stopped though as she put on a serious face,

"However, with how you reacted I could only guess you two are doing a lot more than studying in Riko's room?"

Riko, pulling You up from her mothers feet by her collar, immediately began rushing out her words.

"We both have no idea what you are talking about, mom. We're both angels that are gonna be going upstairs for a very very nice conversation right now."

Riko dragged You towards her room in a hurry. You already knew the kind of scolding she was going to get from Riko and she was not prepared in any type of way to say the least. However, now Riko knew who not to trust to lie to the authorities.

Riko's mother laughed however as she saw how embarrassed the two got. Sure she was older but that didn't mean she didn't know what young kids in love got up to.

"Fine, fine, you can go. You better keep that door open though!"