Chapter XXVI

* POV: Sugahara

As we walked through Kinoshita's neighborhood, I couldn't help but recall the last time I was here - after our fun day at the mall.

"My house is just up ahead," Kinoshita said, her voice wavering slightly.

I gave her a reassuring nod, trying to hide the stinging pain from the gash on my cheek. "Lead the way."

We soon arrived at her modest two-story home. Kinoshita unlocked the front door and gestured for me to enter. "My mom's still at work, so we should have some privacy to patch you up." she explained.

I followed Kinoshita inside, taking in the cozy living room with its plush sofa and armchairs arranged around a modest coffee table. Family photos adorned the walls, capturing happy memories. A vase of fresh flowers added a vibrant touch to the space.

"Make yourself comfortable on the couch," Kinoshita instructed, gesturing toward the sofa. "I'll grab the first aid kit."

I nodded and sank into the soft cushions, wincing slightly as the movement tugged at the gash on my cheek.

The sound of Kinoshita's footsteps sounded closely as she reappeared, first aid kit in hand, and took a seat beside me on the couch.

"Are you really sure about this, Sugahara?" Kinoshita asked, her eyes filled with concern. "We can still go to the hospital if you want. I don't mind."

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest. The mere thought Kinoshita stabbing me with a threaded needle seemed bad, but the alternative of sitting in a sterile hospital room while strangers poked and prodded me seemed even worse.

"No, I trust you, Kinoshita," I said.

I eyed the first aid kit warily as Kinoshita opened it, revealing an array of bandages, antiseptic wipes, and other medical supplies. My gaze drifted to the sewing needle and thread, and I felt a lump form in my throat.

Before I could voice any second thoughts, Kinoshita hopped up from the couch. "Just a sec," she said, heading over to the TV stand.

I watched curiously as she turned on the television and popped a CD into the player. "What's all this?" I asked, my brow furrowing in confusion.

Kinoshita grabbed the remote and navigated to the DVD menu. "I'm putting on a tutorial video to guide me through the stitches," she explained matter-of-factly.

Excuse me, tutorial video?

I stared at Kinoshita in disbelief as she navigated to the tutorial video on stitching wounds. "You're kidding me, right?"

She glanced over her shoulder, brows furrowed. "What's wrong? I want to make sure I do this properly."

"By watching a video?" I sputtered. "Kinoshita, this is my face we're talking about! I can't have you practicing stitches on me like I'm some kind of training dummy."

“No way! I'm doing this for your sake, yanno." Kinoshita said.

She reached for the needle and thread, and panic seized me. Before I could stop myself, I leapt up from the couch, intending to make a break for the front door.

"Sugahara, wait!" Kinoshita cried, springing into action.

I barely made it two steps before a blur of motion caught the corner of my eye. The next thing I knew, Kinoshita had launched herself at me, tackling me to the ground with a surprising amount of force.

We landed in a tangled heap in front of the TV, I stared up at her in shock, our faces mere inches apart.

There was an awkward silence as Kinoshita and I found ourselves tangled on the floor, her body pinning me down. I could feel the warmth of her breath caressing my face as our eyes locked together.

Kinoshita's expression softened, and before I could question her actions, she lowered her head until it rested gently against my chest. The sudden intimacy of the moment sent a jolt through my body.

"Uh, Kinoshita?" I managed to croak out, my voice strained with uncertainty. "What are you doing?"

She didn't respond right away, her cheek pressed against my shirt as if she were listening to the frantic pounding of my heart. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she spoke.

"Can we... stay like this for a little while?" Kinoshita asked shyly, her words sending a shiver down my spine.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

I opened my mouth to protest, but the words died on my lips as I studied her face. There was a vulnerability in her expression that I had never seen before, a raw openness that left me momentarily speechless.

Swallowing hard, I gave a quiet “Sure.”

We remained frozen in the position. I found myself gradually growing accustomed to the warmth of Kinoshita's body against mine, the rise and fall of her steady breathing.

Part of me wanted to question what this meant, but deep down I sorta knew.

It was the same as during the firework festival.

Time seemed to stretch into a surreal haze as we remained motionless on the floor.

Just when I thought the silence might consume us entirely, Kinoshita's soft voice broke through the stillness.

"Sugahara..." she murmured, her tone barely above a whisper. "If you're a good boy…and let me stitch you up… I’ll give you… a reward."

My breath caught in my throat as her words sank in. A jolt of electricity shot through me, raising the hairs on the back of my neck.

I stared up at Kinoshita, my heart pounding in my chest as she shifted her position, bringing her face mere inches above mine. Our gazes locked, and I found myself unable to look away, captivated by the warmth in her crimson eyes.

Kinoshita's expression was a mixture of vulnerability and determination, her lips slightly parted as if she were about to speak.

"Sugahara..." she murmured, her voice low and almost husky. "If you're a good boy and let me stitch you up... I can give you the reward first. How does that sound?"

“I can give it to you right now,”

image [https://imgur.com/2Xt0XrT.jpg]

I swallowed hard, struggling to maintain my composure as a thousand thoughts raced through my mind

Kinoshita's gaze never wavered, her eyes searching mine for a reaction. I could see the faint hint of a blush creeping across her cheeks, betraying the confidence in her tone.

I opened my mouth to respond.

"I..."

Before I could get another word out, the TV suddenly blasted to life, the tutorial video starting at full volume.

"Welcome to 'Stitching for Absolute Dummies'!" the overly chipper instructor announced. "This comprehensive guide is designed specifically for those who have NEVER had ANY experience stitching wounds whatsoever."

"First, we'll start by practicing on a grape!" the overly enthusiastic instructor announced. "Yes, that's right folks, a simple grape will be your first patient."

Excuse me? did he just say a GRAPE?

"Once you've mastered the grape, it's time to move on to the next level - the potato!" the instructor continued, far too much pep in his voice for the subject matter. "Potatoes may seem intimidating at first, but with patience and determination, you'll be stitching spuds like a pro!"

"And after you've conquered the potato, prepare yourselves for the ultimate challenge..." The instructor's voice took on a dramatic tone, building the suspense. "The carrot!"

Is this video for real?

"Now, if you follow along diligently and complete all the practice exercises," the instructor droned on, "in approximately ten months, you may be ready to move on to stitching a real, live human!"

My eyes widened. Eyeballs were this close to falling out of my eyesocket.

There was just no way in hell. No way in hell!

* * *

The sound of paper film emitted as the doctor took out a new bandaid to slap onto my cheek. I had just succeeded in getting my stitches done at a proper hospital, after the whole debacle at Kinoshita's place.

I let out a sigh of relief as the doctor secured the bandage. "There you go, Mr. Sugahara. Keep that area clean and dry, and come back in a week to get those stitches removed."

"Thanks, doc," I replied, gingerly touching the tender area.

As I exited the examination room, my mind drifted back to what had transpired earlier at Kinoshita's house. That tutorial video she had put on was an absolute joke - just some low-budget amateur stitching up some damn fruit. But Kinoshita had been dead serious about giving it a try on my face.

Kinoshita may have been well-intentioned, but there was no way I was letting her anywhere near my face with a needle. I had waved the white flag.

After exiting the examination room, I was greeted by Kinoshita waiting in the hallway. A relieved smile spread across her face when she saw me.

"There you are! I was starting to think you'd try to sneak out the back or something," she teased.

I shook my head. "Nah, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Quick and painless, for the most part."

Kinoshita's eyes narrowed mischievously. "Well, that was all part of my secret plan."

I raised an eyebrow. "Secret plan?"

"Yep!" She nodded triumphantly. "I knew if I scared you enough with that ridiculous stitching tutorial, you'd have no choice but to suck it up and go to an actual doctor."

I rolled my eyes dramatically. "Ah yes, your devious 'secret plan' to trick me into getting proper medical treatment. You're a real mastermind, Kinoshita.”

THERE WAS NO SECRET PLAN!

"Hey, speaking of plans and whatnot..." I leaned back against the wall, trying to seem nonchalant. "Where's my reward for being a good boy and getting my stitches?"

Kinoshita's cheeks flushed a light shade of pink. "R-reward?" She glanced around the empty hospital hallway nervously.

My curiosity was piqued by her reaction. "Yeah, you know, the 'reward' you promised if I got my stitches,” I made air quotes with my fingers, a smirk playing at my lips.

Kinoshita's blush deepened as she averted her eyes. After an awkward pause, she slowly lifted her hand, revealing the half-eaten fudge ice cream cone she was holding. "This is your reward," she mumbled, thrusting the melting treat towards me.

I blinked in surprise, staring at the sad, drippy ice cream offering. "You're giving me the rest of your ice cream? That's the big reward?"

Kinoshita nodded meekly. "I was kinda stress eating it earlier while I waited. But you can have what's left!"

I couldn't help but chuckle at the awkward gesture. Kinoshita was quite a character. That was something that I realized over the summer.

I walked with Kinoshita as we exited the hospital. It was a long day for the both of us, as we looked at the stars twinkle in the nights sky.

Kinoshita and I got pretty close over this summer.

And going forward…

I….

Want to get even closer.