Chapter 8: Tension

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions inside me.

"Hina, I've been thinking a lot about us and about everything that's happened recently. I want you to come over to my place tonight. We need to spend some time together, just the two of us."

I said while trying to sound in the most natural way that i could.

Hina was "genuinely" suprised about my request.

She didn't expect something like that coming from my mouth.

Her eyes softened with a sense of relief and happiness washing over her face.

"Really, Kai? I'd love that. But why are you asking me that only now? There were lots of better situations..," She asked while tilting her head a little on her left side.

I forced a smile, hiding my fear.

"Well… after what happened to Hiro, i think that i need some company… and i also think it will help us both… so…" then, i took a small breathe and smiled at her again. "Let's just have a quiet evening together. I only want some company by my super-beautiful-sweet-caring girlfriend." I said with a proud but sarcastic tone.

Hina giggled at my reply and then nodded eagerly, "Haha..! Okay, you convinced me."

Then , she smiled warmly at me and said another thing that made me think.

"So… that's your decision… right? Do you really want me at your home?" She asked.

Maybe it was my imagination, but I felt like her face darkened and that her tone of voice was… malicious, in some ways.

I nodded at her, without showing any sing of uncertainty.

I had to look convincing.

Any kind of suspicious could put me in danger , and i clearly didn't want something like that, after hearing all the voices regarding Hina.

Despite everything that was happening, i could still say that she was truly adorable.

But all the bad rumors that i heard about her were actually making me think about lots of negative things.

After that, Hina hugged me very tightly while burying and nuzzling her face into my chest.

"Ahh… I'm so happy to spend more time with you… i literally craved for this…" Hina said with a soft voice.

Hugging her back was difficult for me in that moment but i had to return the hug.

I gently wrapped my arms around her in a hug and we stayed like this for some moments.

It was such a lovely scene… too lovely to be real.

Then, Hina broke the hug and looked at me with such a lovely expression.

"Then, I'm gonna go home to grab my things and then I'll come at your place, okay?" She said , while gently taking some steps backwards.

"Yes, okay! I'm gonna clean the house and do some things to make it comfortable, so take your time." I replied with a smile.

Hina nodded and then waved a goodbye at me, before turning back and walking towards her home.

As we parted ways, I felt a mix of dread and determination mixed with a strange feeling of sadness.

I saw Hina's figure getting smaller with every step she took in the road while walking.

During her walk, she usually looked back to me and waved with a smile.

She was so adorable… that's what I thought despite the negative feelings.

She was my girlfriend, the girl whom i promised my love and my devotion…

And most of all, my entire trust.

Hina looked like a completely normal girl in that moment… it was like it wasn't her.

"Maybe i should stop focusing about the rumors and live the moment by trusting Hina… but i still have to get some answers…" I thought.

Then, with a sigh , I turned back and started to walk towards my home.

A lot of things were dancing into my mind.

During my walk, i saw Haruto from distance standing on the sidewalk with Naomi.

I wondered why they were together, and then I remembered that they both had to work on a school project about a drawing.

They also saw me from distance and both of them waved with a smile.

I tried to get close to them because i wanted to talk about Hiro's situation, but as soon as they noticed my intentions, they rapidly walked away after waving at me again.

Well, I didn't know how to react to this, so I decided to ignore their strange behavior.

I let out another sigh of disappointment and started to walk again.

Then, after some time, I finally arrived home.

Everything was a mess, so I had to clean everything before Hina's arrival.

And that's what I did.

I actually cleaned everything I could in such a short amount of time.

Then, I sat down on my sofa, thinking about what I had to do with Hina.

I had to be careful.

I couldn't let her know that I was onto her.

I had to get to the bottom of this without alarming her.

That evening, I prepared my room, making it look cozy and inviting.

I hid Hiro's notebook in a safe place, just in case.

Hina didn't have to see that, otherwise the consequences would've been… bad.

Then, when i finished to prepare everything , i heard my phone ringing.

I saw a message from Hina.

"Hey, Kai! I'm coming now!! I should be there in 10 minutes , okay? See you soon!!" The message said.

A small shiver walked through all my spine.

This was the first time that a very beautiful woman like Hina came in this house.

"It's okay! Take your time!" I texted back.

My mind was racing with a lot of thoughts… but most of them were naughty.

Then, after a while, I heard the doorbell ringing.

I gently walked towards the entrance of my home and then opened the door.

I saw Hina standing there with a bag on her shoulders.

"Hello, darling!" She exclaimed with a lovely tone of voice.

When Hina arrived, she looked happy with her eyes almost glowing.

For some strange reason, Hina was sweeter than usual.

"Welcome to my home! The safest place in the whole world." I said with a bow, trying to act like a butler.

Hina laughed a little before hugging me tightly, and I had to remind myself to stay calm.

Then, she broke her hug and smiled at me.

"So this is your house… it's quite big isn't it?" She said while looking around.

"Exactly! I live here alone and-" Hina then interrupted me.

"Alone, you say…?" She asked with a very mischievous tone while biting her lower lip.

I nodded , while my mind felt a sense of danger.

"Oh… that's so… nice…" Hina whispered before taking a better look at me, like she was analyzing my body.

"L-Let me show you around…" I said , while gently grabbing her arm.

"O-oh, yes, show me, this place is very nice and it smells good~." Hina said.

Her tone changed to a normal one.

Then, I rapidly showed her around and her eyes were sparkling during the "tour".

She was really enjoying , listening carefully to everything that I said to her.

But then, her attention moved to my room.

That's what i didn't want to show her since Hiro's book was in there.

"Can we enter your room, Kai?" Hina suggested with a friendly tone of voice.

"Yes, but later. My room is only for VIPs." I said playfully.

"Mmmm… okay." She said with a small pout on her face.

"L-Let's e-eat something first, shall we?" I suggested, forgetting that I didn't cook anything.

"Oh yes , I'd love that." Hina said with a cheerful smile.

Then we headed into the kitchen and Hina noticed the absence of food.

"Oh… you forgot to prepare dinner, don't you?" She said while giggling. "You're so cute…" she said.

"Yeah…. I'm sorry. I was so focused on cleaning the house that I forgot to cook something for us." I said while scratching the back of my head.

"Hahahaha!" Hina laughed. "It's okay. I'll be the one who'll prepare dinner for you. I'm a very good chef, you know?" She said.

For some strange reason, Hina sounded like the most normal girl in this world and all the negative feelings that I was experiencing because of what people told me disappeared for a moment.

"Oh… thank you, Hina." I said , smiling.

She smiled back.

Hina then rapidly took a look at what i had in my kitchen and grabbed some ingredients.

Then , she turned her head to me and said:

"You can go watch some tv while I prepare the dinner. I don't like being watched, you know…. I'm still pretty shy." She said while trying to look away.

I nodded and then said "Act like this is your home." Before going to watch some TV.

After a while, Hina called me out and I stood up from the sofa.

I walked inside the kitchen and saw what Hina done.

In front of me there was a HUUUGE dinner.

I wondered how she prepared all these things so rapidly.

She had a very proud smile on her face.

"So? What do you think?" She said proudly.

I couldn't believe my eyes. Everything was just too perfect.

"Wow… congratulations… where did you learn to cook all these things?" I asked, surprised.

"Hehe… this is a secret…" she said with a mischievous tone.

"Now, take your seat!!" She said lovingly.

"Okay, thank you." I said while sitting down.

After that, i started to eat everything that Hina made for us, enjoying every single bite.

"Oh! It's delicious!!" I said.

Hina was such a perfect chef.

"Oh! Thank you, darling!!" She said while blushing.

"Everything tastes better because there's a secret ingredient in it…" she whispered.

I frozen in place and I stopped eating.

"W-What do you mean?" I asked with a little bit of fear.

"Well… there's my love in it, Kai-kun… all of this food is made with my love for you…" she said while holding my hand.

I let out a sigh of relief.

I thought that she put some kind of poison or some sleeping drugs.

"Oh… you got me scared for a second." I said with a playful laugh with a glimpse of fear.

"Hahaha…. Don't worry." She said, while squeezing my hand.

After a while, we finally finished eating and decided to go into the living room where I usually watch TV and play games.

We spent the evening watching movies and talking about lot of things.

Hina even mentioned her past by saying that her parents were dead in a mysterious airplane accident and that they left her the house where she's living now.

She's been alone since a lot of time, only guided by her grandparents who died recently.

She had a pretty tragic story for what she told me.

But she stopped at that, not wanting to say anything more.

All she said was that her past was painful and that she wanted to forget that.

She even told me that her therapist is helping her a lot with her jealousy and possessiveness.

Hina seemed relaxed, but I couldn't shake off the feeling that she was always watching me, gauging my reactions.

I played along, laughing and joking with her, trying to make her feel at ease.&

She was very happy to stay with me and she was seeking any kind of physical contact and affection.

She always wanted hugs, headpats , etc..

As the night grew late, I gently tried to brought up the topic of her past again. "Hina, we've known each other for a while now, but there are still things I don't know about you. Can you tell me more about your life before we met? I'm sorry if I'm asking this question again, but I'm very curious to know you better…" i said, trying to sound genuine.

She looked a bit taken aback, but then smiled. "There's not much to tell, Kai. My life was pretty normal before I met you. Let's say that I've always been the creepy one… since i was scared to make friends… and that's why people started to spread some rumors on me during my adolescence…"

I nodded, pushing a bit further. "But what about those rumors? I've heard some things that don't add up. People talk, you know?"

Her expression darkened for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "Rumors are just that, Kai. People like to make up stories. I've had my share of jealous classmates and rivals. They spread the worst things about me like saying that i was a whore, that i sold my body, that my living alone was an excuse… so many things."

Finally she had the courage of speaking.

It didn't seem that she was lying since her gaze was locked on the floor and she kept holding and caressing my hand.

She wanted some comfort , to be understood, to be accepted.

That's what i sensed from her behavior and words.

Then , i nodded again, not wanting to push too hard. "I understand. I just want to make sure there's nothing you're hiding from me."

She took my hand, her grip firm. "Kai, I care about you more than anything and that's why I'm telling you all these things… I don't have a good reputation at school, you know…"

Hina even shed a little tear from her right eye and her body was shaking a little.

I squeezed her hand, trying to appear reassured. "I believe you, Hina. I just needed to hear it from you."

Then I gave her a small hug in order to calm her down.

Then, Hina started to draw circles on my chest with her index finger and then she whispered something in my ear that made my heart race.

"Why don't we go to your bedroom…?" She whispered with a voice that sounded full of desire.

I felt a shiver down my spine… not knowing what to do.

"My time as a virgin is finally over…?" I said to my self…