The Sexiest Succubus Accidentally Went Crazy for a Cucked Guy-Chapter 66: The relief after letting go of an unbearable burden (2)
Ayane’s lips rest on Aoshi’s, his eyes still closed, smothering the words he was about to say.
Minutes, hours, days — Aoshi can’t tell how long his tongue and Ayane’s brush timidly against each other while their lips remain pressed together. In reality, only a handful of seconds pass, yet to him they stretch into endless eons, as if time itself has lost all meaning at that moment.
His body freezes, stunned by the shock and disbelief of that sudden, unexpected kiss. And yet, inside him, everything is anything but still. The delicate touch of Ayane’s moist lips against his, the increasingly frantic movements of her tongue, her hands gently cupping his cheeks... it’s all too much for Aoshi, who can’t even find the courage to open his eyes.
W-Why...? Why is Ayane kissing me...? The questions keep echoing in his mind. His open hands, resting on his knees, tremble uncontrollably. T-This... makes no sense... Ayane isn’t the kind of girl who would do something like this lightly with someone she feels nothing for, and yet... I... I’m nothing more than a good friend to her. I don’t understand...
Unless...
No. It can’t be a coincidence that she waited until the day after Eliss left to kiss me... We were alone together plenty of times before, and she knew Eliss wasn’t really my girlfriend — so why now...?
And then, a spark ignites in Aoshi’s mind.
Of course... now everything makes sense. How the hell did I not realize it before? I’m such an idiot... Until just moments ago, I couldn’t understand the reason behind her sudden bouts of crying and frustration whenever my relationship with Eliss came up — her insistence on knowing, at all costs, whether I loved her, and those flashes of anger every time I denied any kind of romantic bond between Eliss and me.
Ayane... is in love with me...
But then... why did she wait so long? Why didn’t she ever make a move before? I mean, she knows perfectly well I’m not the kind of guy who shows up under a girl’s window to sing her a love serenade. But that’s not the point anymore. The real question is... what do I truly feel for her?
There’s no denying that she matters to me. If I had to make a top three of the most important people in my life, she’d definitely be on that list. And there’s no denying she’s beautiful, inside and out — cute, sweet, kind... I’m sure that if I were to spend the rest of my life with her, it would be a happy one, built on trust, loyalty, and mutual support — three of the pillars that hold a lasting relationship together.
And yet, none of this answers my question. Trust, support, mutual loyalty, physical and emotional attraction — they’re all essential pieces, but they need something to bind them together. Love. And the very fact that I’m questioning whether I love her or not is probably an answer in itself. Loving someone should be natural, almost instinctive — something that comes from the heart, not the product of logic and reason.
No... Ayane isn’t the girl I’m in love with.
Aoshi gently places his hands over Ayane’s, slowly guiding them away from his face. Then he leans back, breaking that seemingly endless kiss. And the instant his eyes meet hers, his breath catches as an oppressive weight crushes his chest.
The eyes looking back at him belong to a girl devastated by pain — so swollen and reddened she can barely keep them open, clouded by a thick veil of tears that spill into thin streams the moment Aoshi pulls away.
At the sight of Ayane so heartbroken, Aoshi can’t hold back his own cry of pain.
«I-I’m sorry, Ayane... I’m really sorry...» Aoshi sobs, lowering his head and wiping his tears away with the sleeve of his hoodie.
«N-No... I’m the one who should apologize to you...» Ayane murmurs, her voice barely audible. «I knew it... I knew you never felt that way about me, and yet... I couldn’t go on living with the regret of never having tried. For years, the fear of ruining our friendship kept me from saying everything I feel for you, and even now — even after spending weeks thinking over and over about what I could have said — I was still too scared to speak, so I let my actions do it for me... I’m really ridiculous, aren’t I? I’ve been in love with you for two years... two whole years... and it was only the fear that first Miori, and then Eliss, might make you theirs forever that finally pushed me to confess everything. Otherwise, who knows how long I would’ve waited... even though now, I think it’s already too late. Someone else has already stolen your heart, hasn’t she, Aoshi?»
«No, I don’t feel anything for Eliss. Stop with this—»
That’s what Aoshi is about to say, but he stops himself.
It would be stupid to keep this farce going any longer... She found the courage to open up to me. I owe her the same honesty. If I said I feel nothing for Eliss, I’d be lying — to her and to myself.
«Yes... it’s true. I’m in love with Eliss...» Aoshi finally admits, letting out a long, liberating sigh, as if shedding an unbearable weight.
«See? That wasn’t so hard...» Ayane murmurs, her tear-soaked lips curving into a faint, fragile smile.
«Y-You’re not angry...?» Aoshi asks, his voice tight with anxiety.
«W-Why would I be?» Ayane replies with a bitter smile. «In the end, you were honest with me, and I was honest with you — that’s what matters in a friendship, right? And besides, I can’t get angry just because my feelings aren’t returned. If I ever got angry with you, it was only because you kept lying, even though it was obvious you were head over heels for her — anyone could tell just by the way you looked at her.»
«I-It’s not entirely true...» Aoshi murmurs. «I don’t mean the part about me not loving her when you asked — that much is obvious. What I mean is why I always denied it... Every time you asked me how I felt about her, my answer wasn’t really meant for you. It was meant for myself. I knew from the start that she would leave forever, so I did everything I could to avoid getting emotionally involved. But it’s clear I failed... even though I tried until the very end to convince myself otherwise...»
Aoshi flinches when he feels Ayane’s fingers lace with his, squeezing his hand gently.
«It seems you love her more than you ever thought...» Ayane murmurs sadly. «It’s true that I said I love you, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re still my dearest friend. And I hope that, at least a little, you feel the same about me. I would never, ever want our bond to be damaged by something so foolish.» Then Ayane slides her hand to the back of Aoshi’s neck, drawing him closer and resting his forehead against her shoulder. «But now we’re alone, Aoshi — you don’t have to keep everything bottled up anymore. Please... let yourself go.»
«T-Thank you, Ayane... thank you...» Aoshi sobs, wrapping her in the tightest embrace he has ever given, before breaking down into a desperate cry.
«Everything will be alright, Aoshi — I’m here with you. I won’t leave you alone to face all of this, I promise...» Ayane whispers in a gentle, deeply moved voice, her heart torn by the inconsolable suffering of her dearest friend.
