May 27, Sunday

Midterm exams are tomorrow and I haven't studied yet. Last week I had been so busy helping Keiyu work on Rose of Vermillion and finish the final manuscript and illustrations, though I know that's not a good excuse for not studying.

I decided to start my day with a scheduled art livestream, doing a few sketches here and there, and chatting with my viewers. It felt good to lose myself in my art, forgetting the impending midterms and the complicated situation with Satoshi for a moment.

After finishing up my livestream and promising my viewers that I'll be back after my exams, I quickly changed into my outdoor clothing.

I hesitated a moment before grabbing my phone and texting Keiyu. He said he could help me study, so I'll accept his offer. Then, after a few minutes, my phone buzzed with his quick reply.

"Sure, come over. I'll help you out."

I smiled at Keiyu's text and finished preparing for my visit to his place. Double-checking that I had all my study materials, I made sure my PC and lights were off before leaving my apartment. Locking the door behind me, I set off to Keiyu's house.

It didn't take long for me to get to Keiyu's place, as I had already become somewhat familiar with the route. I rang the doorbell and spoke into the intercom to announce my arrival, "Kurumizawa-san? It's me, Imaizumi," I spoke out.

Keiyu opened the door almost immediately, greeting me with his usual smile. "Hey, glad you came."

For a brief moment, I hesitated. I couldn't help but think about Satoshi and what he said to me last night. It made me wonder if spending a day with Keiyu like this would mean betraying my childhood friend's feelings. The thought made me feel both complicated and a little flustered.

I sighed as I shook off those thoughts and smiled back at Keiyu, "Thank you for... helping me out with this."

"Of course, come on in," he replied, stepping aside to let me enter.

Once inside, Keiyu motioned for me to sit in the living room while he went to fetch me a glass of iced tea like he normally does because he knew the walk from my apartment to his home was quite a distance, and he always made sure to serve me a cool drink when I arrived.

As I waited for him to return, I found myself spacing out, Satoshi's confession echoing in my head, "Aya, I like you." Heat rose to my cheeks as I replayed those words in my mind, and I was so lost in my head that I didn't notice that Keiyu had already returned.

"Are you okay, Imaizumi-san?" Keiyu's voice snapped me back to reality. He was looking at me with a concerned expression as he held a glass of iced tea in his hand.

I shook my head, trying to come up with an answer, "I'm fine, just a little nervous about the exams, I guess."

Keiyu nodded understandingly, setting the glass down on the table in front of me. "I'm sure you'll do great. Let's get started with the studying, okay?"

I nodded and smiled, "Y-Yes, thank you."

Keiyu's tutoring style was patient and thorough. He helped me review the subjects that I was struggling with - Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. His knowledge was extensive, and I found myself wanting to express my astonishment at his ability to teach me.

"You're really good at this, Kurumizawa-san, you're so easy to understand," I said, blinking at him in admiration. "But aren't you worried about your own exams?"

Keiyu chuckled softly and shook his head. "I already took my exams, Imaizumi-san. I guess you could say that my school held the exams early."

My eyes widened in surprise, "I-I see, so how did you do?"

He hesitated for a moment before standing up and disappearing into his bedroom. He returned a few moments later, a small stack of test papers in his hands. I scanned the scores - perfect 100s on every test. In an instant, I was floored.

"K-Kurumizawa-san, you're... amazing!" I exclaimed, looking up at him with an awed expression.

However, instead of the proud smile I expected, Keiyu's face fell into a frown. It was as if he was recalling something unpleasant, a shadow crossing his features as he looked down at his perfect test scores.

"Kurumizawa-san..?" I asked, wondering what made his mood switch.

Keiyu quickly shook off his sour expression and gave me a forced smile, "It's nothing. Thank you for the compliment."

I couldn't help but worry, did I say something wrong again? For now, I decided to keep my thoughts to myself as we resumed studying. Overall, he was a wonderful tutor, patient and thorough, even preparing mock quizzes for me.

While we were going through the math problems, I found myself stuck on one particularly difficult question. "Kurumizawa-san, can you help me with this one?" I asked him.

"Of course," he said, getting up and moving closer to me to see my paper.

As he leaned in, I became acutely aware of how close he was. I couldn't help but notice the details of his face, the golden-amber hue of his eyes, the uneven locks of his black hair, the right side longer than the left, and the way his glasses sat on the bridge of his nose. He really is even more attractive up close, so much so that it makes my heart race.

Keiyu continued to explain the formula, but I found his words fading into the background as my gaze landed on his lips. I suddenly found myself entranced, my thoughts running wild. But I managed to snap myself out of it before I lost control completely.

"Did you get it, Imaizumi-san?" Keiyu asked, pulling me back to reality.

I quickly nodded, my face slowly burning up, "Y-Yes, I got it. Thank you, Kurumizawa-san."

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Before I could even calm my racing heart, Keiyu's phone rang loudly, completely shattering the quietness of the surroundings. As he glanced at the caller ID, his face instantly changed from calm to fear mixed with seriousness.

"Imaizumi-san, sorry, but you'll have to get up and go to my room," he said, his voice urgent and stern.

"Y-Your room?!" I blinked, taken aback by his sudden change in demeanor. "Wha— why—"

"I'll explain later, just go!" he urged me, holding me by the hand and guiding me towards his bedroom.

Confused and worried, I did as he said and entered his room. "Now, please get into the closet," he commanded.

His closet was surprisingly spacious, enough for a person to fit inside comfortably. I didn't have time to wonder why that was the case as I followed his instructions and hid inside the closet.

Just as I settled myself, the doorbell rang, echoing throughout the house. "No matter what happens, do not make a sound or move," Keiyu instructed me with a serious gaze.

I nodded silently, my heart rapidly pounding because of the anxiety. He closed the closet door, leaving me in complete darkness before I heard his footsteps fading away, heading towards the entrance.

What on earth is going on?

As I found myself hidden in the darkness, surrounded by Keiyu's clothes, my face burned even hotter than before. I've entered an entirely new level of personal boundary that I never thought I'd cross.

Just then, a loud, cheerful voice echoed from outside the room. "Kei! Living the high life alone, huh?"

Keiyu's voice followed, his tone seemed rather forced, "Kiryu... what brings you here?"

Kiryu, as Keiyu called him, responded but his voice had lowered to a volume I couldn't make out from inside the closet. This was followed by a series of mumbles, with their voices barely audible from my hiding spot.

I strained my ears to catch any other details but it was no use.

The minutes ticked by slowly, and I could hear the Kiryu person's voice again, his tone insistent. "Come on, Kei. Mom wants to see you."

That's when it clicked.

This Kiryu person must be Keiyu's relative – maybe even his brother.

Keiyu's response was firm, "I have no intention of showing up before her and my stepfather."

Kiryu tried to convince him otherwise, but Keiyu's answers remained the same.

Suddenly, their footsteps grew closer, and I panicked. I peeked through the small crack of the closet door just in time to see two figures entering the bedroom. One was Keiyu, and the other was a boy around the same height, with matching eye colors and all. This one, however, had his hair tied up in a messy ponytail.

As Kiryu sat on the bed, he asked Keiyu why he wouldn't want to see their parents. Keiyu's response was plain and simple, a firm "no."

Then the conversation between the two brothers continued, "Why would you waste your time writing books?" he asked with a dismissive tone.

Keiyu defended his career firmly, "It's none of your business."

Kiryu responded, "You're better off living with us and enjoying the perks of being a member of the Kurumizawa family. You could have everything."

Keiyu's reply was filled with disgust, "Being part of a filthy rich family doesn't appeal to me. I don't want to completely rely on them."

"You wouldn't have been able to live alone in this house if not for our stepfather, would you?" Kiryu teased.

I knew Keiyu was well-off, but I had always thought it was due to his hard work as an author. I had no idea his entire family was absurdly wealthy. Their conversation left me feeling more confused than ever, and before I knew it, my head moved instinctively, causing it to hit the back of the closet. A thud echoed through the room.

Both Keiyu and Kiryu froze, their eyes darting toward the closet. Keiyu's expression shifted from surprise to a mix of concern and panic.

"What's that?" Kiryu's voice echoed in the bedroom, his amber gaze moved to the closet.

"Probably just a rat knocking on the wall," Keiyu said quickly, his voice was unusually nervous.

"A rat?" Kiryu's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. "In this house? It's well-maintained, Kei. You joking with me?"

Caught off guard, Keiyu could only shake his head in response. But Kiryu didn't wait for an answer. He took a step towards the closet, and my heart pounded louder in my chest.

"H-Hey, you shouldn't look there," Keiyu warned with a firm voice. He moved to block Kiryu's path, but his brother's attention was already on the closet.

"Oi, you're hiding something from your twin, Kei?" Kiryu asked with a suspicious tone.

Keiyu tried one last desperate lie, "Adult magazines are in there. I don't think you'd want to see them."

Kiryu scoffed, his hand on the closet door. "That's the most absurd lie you've told me in your life, Kei."

Then, the closet door swung open. I was revealed, crouched and wide-eyed, inside the closet. Kiryu looked from me to Keiyu, a surprised yet suspicious smile forming on his face.

"And who might this be?" Kiryu asked while looking at me. As Keiyu opened his mouth to answer, Kiryu raised his hand to stop him. "No, I'll ask the lady myself."

He reached out a hand towards me, offering to help me up. I hesitated, but eventually, I took it, and he gently pulled me to my feet. Once I was standing, he brushed his hand on my pink twintails, traced my shoulder, and moved his hand to my chin, leaning closer.

"And your name is?" he asked, his voice gentle yet intimidating.

"A-ah... I..." I stammered, anxiety completely knotting my tongue. I couldn't speak properly which thankfully Keiyu noticed.

"She's a friend," Keiyu interrupted, stepping forward. "But she's extremely shy, so-"

Kiryu cut Keiyu off again, raising a hand. "I'm not talking to you, Kei." He turned his attention back to me, asking once more, "What's your name?"

Swallowing my fear, I managed to get the words out, "A-Ayase Imaizumi."

Kiryu smiled and introduced himself. "Kiryu Kurumizawa, Keiyu's twin brother. And what brings you here, Imaizumi-san?"

"I, um... I'm Kurumizawa-san's friend and illustrator," I explained with a quiet, shaky voice. "I'm here to ask for his help with studying."

Kiryu glanced at Keiyu, a smirk on his face. "She your girlfriend?"

"No!" Keiyu replied with a flustered look on his face. "She's just a friend."

Kiryu looked back at me, this time his face held an amused expression, "That's good to know. A girlfriend wouldn't suit you anyway."

His gaze continued to hold mine, and he said, "You're interesting, Ayase Imaizumi. I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of each other in the future, let's get to know each other when there's another chance," With that, he stepped away and announced his departure. "Anyways, I'll be taking my leave, Kei. I've seen enough for today."

Keiyu sighed and shot me an apologetic look before following Kiryu out of the bedroom and towards the front door.

Once they were gone, I found myself falling to my knees on the hardwood floor of Keiyu's bedroom. My hands covered my face, which I could feel was burning hot.

What just happened?

Kiryu Kurumizawa... Keiyu's twin brother.

Despite their near identical appearances, they were two entirely different people. Keiyu was quiet, reserved, and gentle while Kiryu was... something else. He was intense, charismatic, and although he'd made me nervous, I couldn't deny that he'd also been surprisingly gentle. The contrast between them was stunning, and it left me feeling more than a little overwhelmed.

Never had I ever imagined that I would meet such a person like Keiyu's twin, and the way he looked at me, it was as if he was trying to see through me, and discover something that I wasn't even aware of myself. It was slightly unsettling.

As I sat there, still stunned by the encounter, I heard the front door close and the sound of footsteps approaching the bedroom. Keiyu appeared in the doorway, and he immediately looked at me with concern as soon as he saw me on the floor.

"Imaizumi-san, you okay?" he asked, offering a hand to help me up.

"I-I'm fine," I answered while taking his hand and pulling myself to my feet. "I was just a bit shaken by your brother, that's all."

Keiyu chuckled, shaking his head. "Well yeah, he's like that. Just don't let him trick you. He's gentle, sure, but Kiryu can be... a bit of a handful sometimes."

"Why?"

"He's charismatic, but he's also quite an irresponsible playboy," Keiyu replied with a click of his tongue. "Just be careful the next time you meet him, but don't get on his bad side."

I blinked in surprise, and nodded, taking in this new information. Sighing, I decided to refocus our attention on the task at hand for now. "L-Let's just go back to studying, if you're still okay with helping me out?"

Keiyu smiled and nodded back, "Of course."