Chapter 53: Chapter 53 - Akari’s Offensive

The most terrifying realization for Kuro Kurogane on Monday morning had nothing to do with war.

It was his war. His war with Akari Tachibana.

The war she had declared upon him without hesitation on a completely different level.

Emotionally. Physically. Romantically.

The most terrifying part of it all was that she gave him every intention possible to not hold back from that point forward.

Kuro was about to walk into the kitchen for breakfast and was half asleep expecting peace. Instead

"Good Morning, Kuro~"

Akari hugged the moment he sat down.

The very first time Kuro almost dropped his toast.

"Why are you attached to me already?"

"Because I want to be."

Terrifyingly excellent answer.

Across the table however Aoi watched quietly while drinking her tea.

She wasn’t mad, wasn’t jealous.

Somehow that’s seemed worse.

As Akari enjoyed her breakfast, she was leaning against Kuro and eating.

He was just trying not to completely break his brain, from the amount of stress he was under.

Then, all of a sudden She raised the fork to Kuro with a bite of her pancake and said; "Say ahhh."

Kuro was taken back with a blank expression on his face.

"No."

"You coward."

"It is six in the morning."

"So what?"

"That is a violation of my human rights."

Akari had mischief in her eyes.

Before Kuro could get away from her, she had already placed the bite of pancake in his mouth.

In the meantime, Daichi was also reading the newspaper.

"Are you two dating?"

Kuro nearly died right there.

"No."

Akari grinned.

"Not yet."

Aoi had lowered her teacup very slowly.

DANGER ALERT!!!

School was not good anymore..Worse...

Akari decided that if she gets attacked emotionally, then she’ll attack physically instead .Constantly in the halls.

She is always hooked on Kuro’s arm.

On her lunch break.

She is always sitting right next to Kuro.

In the classroom.

She is always resting on Kuro’s shoulder "because I am sleepy".

Kuro no longer functions normally due to the constant touching.

In addition to that when Akari smiles very affectionately while doing any of these things.

Akari is not being manipulative nor calculated.

Akari is just showing Kuro how much she cares about him as a person.

What is worse is that this honest affection makes Kuro’s emotional resistance to her completely impossible.

At lunch Mina was the first to snap.

"This is harassment."

Akari then hugs Kuro’s arm a little bit tighter in a proud way.

"That’s your problem."

"You actually glued him to yourself."

"Uh huh."

Kuro let a simple sigh escape his mouth between them both.

"...Please, stop using me as territory."

It was too late Akari had just looked up at him with a bright smile.

"Kuro."

"...What?"

"Lap pillow?"

There was complete silence in the lunchroom at that point.

Everyone nearby was literally leaning down and trying to understand what was going on.

Mina had a look of utter horror on her face.

"...NO!!!"

Kuro jumped to his feet right away.

"That’s a no way."

But Akari was dramatically holding onto Kuro’s sleeve.

"You are so mean."

"You are trying to kill me in publicly."

"It would be worth it."

Then all of a sudden, Akari’s expression softened a little and as she did it said.

"I just want to be close to you."

The whole atmosphere on the roof changed instantly.

Because this time, it sounded as if Akari was actually being serious with Kuro unlike when she had previously teased him.

And he felt his heart skip a beat.

Akari noticed his reaction and her mood shifted.

She smiled .

"I got you!"

Kuro’s resolve was crushed.

After school, Akari took it another step further with Kuro.

It was clear to her that she had reached her max confidence in Kuro.

Kuro thought he was safe when he walked into the living room.

He was wrong when he found Akari lounging across the couch, wearing an oversized pair of shorts with one of Kuro’s hoodies.

"Excuse me?"

Akari blinked lazily she was in a world of her own.

"What do you want?"

"That’s mine."

"No it’s ours."

No it absolutely would belong to Kuro, but her simply wearing his hoodie made him feel more harmed than he had planned.

The sleeves of the hoodie hung down over her knuckles.

Her hair was messy but looked incredibly soft.

She looked incredibly comfortable and incredibly safe.

Akari noticed he was staring at her.

She smiled slowly.

"Do you like it?"

"Give it back!"

Not much of a comeback.

Akari sat up slowly on the couch.

All of a sudden, she spread her arms wide for a hug.

Kuro was stunned.

"Why?"

"Affection is important."

"This house is a mental hazard."

That was correct.

While Kuro was trying to recover from being stunned; Akari suddenly lunged forward and grabbed Kuro’s wrist and pulled him to her.

Kuro landed beside her on the couch in an instant.

Akari leaned in closer, the cushions trapping him, and laughed very brightly.

"Kuro, panic mode has been activated!"

"Move!"

"Kuro, please don’t take me away!"

Her face was so close now!

Warm breath on him, soft hair, bright eyes staring into his soul!

Suddenly, with amazing clarity, Kuro realized something shocking Akari was beautiful!

And by beautiful, I mean not just cute or childhood friend kind of beautiful she was actually stunningly gorgeous!

This realization was so powerful that it caused Kuro’s brain to momentarily shut down.

Akari saw the impact of this realisation immediately.

And then her face softened, and in that second of unexpected silence, Akari looked vulnerable rare for anyone.

"You finally see me."

No jokes this time just honest fear behind the smile. Fear of being alone ,of being left behind ,fear that Kuro will find someone else to love.

And suddenly, Kuro got it!

All the clinginess and all of the energy and chaos she created was out of love she was just so scared of being alone that she loved wildly!

Before he could think clearly again, he gently tapped her forehead and said, "What an idiot you are!"

Akari blinked as if in shock before saying, "That hurt!"

"You overthink things too much, stupid girl."

There was a short pause, after which Kuro continued.

"You really don’t need to put that much pressure on yourself to hold onto me."

Akari froze for a moment longer than he’d ever seen her freeze before.

Somehow, Kuro was completely aware of Akari again, just as he had previously understood her completely.

And slowly, but surely, Akari allowed him to slip free from her grip on his sleeve.

She quietly said, in a whisper.

"But I really want you to pay attention to me."

Kuro’s chest felt like it was crushing.

This girl, Akari, who is lively, warm and clingy, is trying so hard to be something special to him.

And truth be told, she was special already.

Suddenly the living room door opened.

Aoi came in with tea and looked at Akari pinning Kuro to the couch.

Kuro under Akari the ridiculous distance between the two of them.

"I leave for five minutes."

Akari panicked immediately.

"WAIT! THIS NEVER HAPPENED!"

Aoi blinked slowly.

"Yes it did."

Kuro buried his head in the couch, spiritually dead.

Meanwhile, Aoi grinned softly.

"Awww."

This was the thing that scared Kuro the most.