Chapter 8
Four hours later...
The dorm was silent, save for the soft hum of electronics and the distant snores echoing from other rooms. The overhead lights had been shut off in accordance with dormitory rules, leaving the place bathed in shadows. Yuki lay sprawled on the top bunk, blanket over his lower half, his face lit up faintly by the glow of his phone screen.
His thumbs danced over the screen of his phone as he played Bladestorm: Rise of the Crimson Ronin, a fast-paced fighting game where masked warriors clashed under blood moons and ancient vendettas. He was halfway through an intense boss battle—one that demanded every ounce of his focus—when something shifted near his side.
He froze.
A delicate touch crawled along his leg, fingers whispering up toward his thigh. His entire body stiffened.
"What the—?" he muttered.
Gripping his phone with shaky fingers, he tapped on the flashlight app and shone it toward the source of contact. The light caught on a face.
Ayumi.
Her dark eyes shimmered under the beam, and her expression was unreadable, lips slightly parted like she was caught between a smirk and a secret.
"A-Ayumi? What... what do you need?" Yuki stammered, his voice rising an octave as he tried to scramble down from the bunk without crashing headfirst.
"I couldn't sleep," she whispered coyly, voice barely audible over the low whirring of the dorm fan.