"I don't understand why you won't just come with me,"

"Because if I come with you, then people will conclude that we're together."

"And what would be so wrong with that?"

Hilary stopped. It was the question she hated the most, but one that she had, up to that moment, only asked herself.

"Nothing would be wrong with it," she answered, pouting. They sat inside his car outside her apartment. Rain poured down outside. She watched as the drops raced down her side window.

He'd asked her to his work gala for the third time.

"Then why?"

Her head snapped in his direction. "Are we together?"

"What?"

To Hilary, this wasn't an odd question. He'd never formally asked her to be his girlfriend. She'd just come back to Japan and they started sleeping with each other regularly. There were so many times the question had sat at the tip of her tongue, waiting for a chance to be voiced. She hadn't meant for it to sound so withering. She should have been kinder.

Kai looked as if she'd slapped him.

"Never mind," she said, moving to open the door, "It's stupid. I'll call you about this later,"

Quicker than she could've seen, his arm reached out and pulled her door shut. He locked it and then grabbed her wrist, preventing her from reach for it again.

She turned, coming nose to nose with Kai. His deep eyes poured into her. She could feel his breath and she thought about all the other times he'd been this close. It was hard not to respond the same way.

Impossible even.

Hilary pushed forward, connecting to him like she was used to. She felt his grip tighten on her wrist as she deepened the kiss. Her other hand came up to cup his cheek as he tried to pull backward.

But even he couldn't stop. His hand left off her wrist and both appeared around her head, pulling her closer.

There was a bitterness to the kiss; a feeling of deep frustration that Hilary couldn't separate from her desire to keep doing it.

"Ow,"

Hilary paused at his whisper. "What?" She fought to catch her breath.

"The middle console," he said, trying to adjust himself so that it wasn't jabbing in his stomach while he leaned across.

Hilary sighed. It was for the best. They were adults, not rowdy teenagers. She looked to Kai. He was already looking at her, one of his hands still playing with her hair. She wanted to understand what he was thinking but as always, he kept his thoughts so well guarded that she couldn't even read the emotion in his eyes.

"I don't know what to do," he said. "I thought I was being clear in my intentions."

Hilary knew that if she'd been younger, she'd have fawned over his words. Maybe written them in a diary and read them every day.

"You're fine," she replied with a smile. She unlocked and opened the door. "I'm just dumb sometimes."

She left without giving him a moment to respond, opening her umbrella and running up to her front door. He could follow if he wanted, but Hilary knew he'd give her the space. He always gave her space.

Things are getting dark for these two again. Thanks to everyone who took the time to read and is it out with me. It means so much.

Update on Wednesday.