Chapter 126: Fingertips intertwined

That kind of dream terrified Yukina.

“Naoko, can I kiss you…”

Yukina suddenly said.

“Huh?”

Ephnel was stunned for a moment by Yukina’s sudden directness.

She wasn’t sure if it was a tacit understanding, but just a moment ago, she had been thinking the same thing as Yukina.

But unlike Yukina, Ephnel hadn’t said it out loud.

“That kind of thing… it’s okay even if you don’t say it, right…? After all, aren’t we… in a relationship… now?”

“Because you said ‘three days’…”

Yukina said in a small voice.

‘Three days of not touching me? That… was just something I said offhand…’ Even for the sake of her authority as an older sister, of course, she couldn’t admit to that.

Ephnel gave an awkward little cough, a twinge of pain shooting through her chest.

She shifted her gaze away slightly.

“If you want to… it’s not like you can’t…”

As she spoke, Yukina, having received permission, gently leaned down.

Their breaths were inches apart.

Yukina’s unique scent entered Ephnel’s nose, dispelling the chill of the night.

“Well… Naoko, I’m going to kiss you now…”

The sound of Yukina’s breath and her sweet, cloying call stuck to Ephnel’s ear.

Ephnel subconsciously held her breath and gently closed her eyes.

“Mm…”

She responded softly.

But the expected kiss didn’t land immediately.

Yukina lifted Ephnel’s left hand and gently placed it on her own cheek. “If you start to feel uncomfortable, just squeeze my hand, and I’ll stop…”

In this position, it looked as if Ephnel had pulled Yukina down for a kiss, when in fact, Ephnel was the one being kissed.

Before Ephnel could answer, Yukina’s lips gently pressed against hers.

Unlike the kisses from last night and this morning, this one was a bit dry and cool.

There was nothing to moisten it.

It was very, very shallow, merely an exchange of warmth between their lips.

As if afraid of hurting Ephnel, Yukina’s kiss was carefully stripped of all aggression.

Every graze was just a gentle caress, like a soft breeze brushing against a cloud, a light taste and nothing more.

Besides their exchanged breaths, almost no other sensation could be felt.

Yukina’s hands and elbows supported her entire weight.

If it were yesterday, she would have pressed all of it down, but at this moment, she had to be extremely careful.

Because Naoko was still very weak and couldn’t withstand her torment.

Asking for a kiss at a time like this was already a selfish act worthy of self-reproach, so Yukina had no intention of going any deeper.

But Ephnel’s lips seemed to have some kind of magic that held Yukina fast.

What was intended to be a fleeting touch made it almost impossible for Yukina to pull away.

The light kiss lasted for about ten seconds, until Ephnel’s breathing gradually became hurried.

Yukina suddenly straightened up and pulled away.

“Is that… okay?”

Ephnel asked in a small voice, her chest rising and falling slightly.

Yukina was shaken by the countless times she had wanted to go further.

She imperceptibly pursed her lips, her tongue darting out to lick them.

But she looked at Ephnel’s broken body, and a pain shot through her heart.

Although she was reluctant, she still nodded.

“Did I hurt you?”

“No…”

Ephnel shook her head.

In fact, she didn’t feel any pain.

She only felt a sense of peace and gentleness.

“Really not painful…? Not even a little?”

“It didn’t hurt…”

“Then… did it feel good?”

Yukina suddenly asked again.

In the dim light, her eyes were overflowing with nervousness.

“It wasn’t… not at all…”

Ephnel’s voice grew quieter and quieter, but as soon as she finished speaking, the hospital bed suddenly vibrated slightly.

Yukina had knelt with one leg on the edge of the bed, looking as if she were about to pounce at any moment.

She hesitated for a long while before speaking softly.

“Then… can I kiss you one more time?”

Being kissed by the person you like is a very happy thing.

A quiet hospital room, dim lights, and outside the window, the silent night and twinkling stars.

Ephnel lay on the hospital bed, her eyes quietly closed.

Yukina leaned down gently.

Her light, fragrant hair brushed against Ephnel’s cheek and ear, bringing a ticklish sensation that reached the bottom of Ephnel’s heart, plucking at her heartbeat like a feather.

Their posture looked as if they were whispering softly to each other.

Their lips met once again.

Ephnel parted her lips slightly, and Yukina tilted her head to match.

A sticky sound danced softly between them, their lips pressed together, soft and tight.

At times, they would part gently, only to be pressed together again, changing shape.

Although it was still a shallow, gentle kiss, it was softer than the first time.

Perhaps because their lips were a little more moist, it was also warmer, and a little deeper.

Like tasting a honey-dipped flower, Yukina was mesmerized.

Feeling Yukina in this way put Ephnel at ease.

Before long, their breathing grew hurried.

This time, Yukina didn’t stop as she had before.

A little greedily, her long, soft kiss continued.

Ephnel suddenly realized—the door to the room didn’t seem to be locked.

Her parents, Yonomori Nami, and Hanasou Kotone were still outside.

‘…They… probably… won’t come in for a while?’

There was no time to overthink it.

Just for a little while.

Ephnel responded passionately to Yukina’s deepening kiss.

After a long time, Yukina finally straightened up.

Ephnel squinted slightly, panting softly, her hazy gaze looking up at the figure who now had half a leg on the hospital bed.

The light was very faint, so she couldn’t quite make out Yukina’s expression. Thud.

A shoe fell to the floor.

Ephnel felt the mattress beneath her tremble slightly.

Yukina’s figure was even closer than before, and then, her figure pressed down once again.

Yukina’s breath drew near.

Her cascading hair gradually blocked out the faint light.

The scent of her hair and her breath filled the air, enveloping Ephnel completely.

“Is this… okay?”

Yukina carefully placed her arm under the nape of Ephnel’s neck, allowing Ephnel to tilt her head up slightly.

The previous kisses had been too shallow.

Not being able to embrace Ephnel, just a light taste was torture for Yukina.

She wanted to try going further.

But Ephnel let out a soft moan, her brow furrowed, a pained expression on her face.

“Ngh…”

Yukina’s hand immediately froze.

“Right… let’s not…”

Looking at Ephnel like this, reason quickly triumphed over her almost out-of-control desire.

Yukina panted, slowly starting to get up, wanting to pull her arm away.

But her neck was gently hooked by Ephnel’s arm, making it impossible to escape.

“…It hurts a little, but it’s okay. As long as you don’t touch my shoulder, it’s fine.”

Ephnel’s voice was light and thin, like a silk rain on a spring night.

She looked up at Yukina, her eyes squinting slightly, a beautiful smile on her face.

Moisture covered her lips.

Her rosy lips parted slightly, revealing a corner of her small, fragrant tongue and her pearly white canine teeth.

A delicate silver thread connected them.

Her dark hair spread out on the pillow, her curled eyelashes lightly catching the dim light, and the corners of her squinted eyes shone with a moist charm.

Yukina stared, dumbfounded.

She pursed her lips hard, her throat bobbing, feeling as if a small cat were scratching at her heart.

While she was dazed, Ephnel’s hand on her neck gently pulled.

Before Yukina could resist, she was pulled down, almost falling on top of Ephnel.

Ephnel’s moist lips kissed hers.

Or rather, Yukina’s lips were pressed down.

Unlike the gentle licking touches from before, this time Ephnel forcefully took Yukina’s soft, smooth lower lip into her mouth, as if she were holding a springy tapioca pearl.

A sweet fragrance spread through their hair, and their fingertips intertwined.