I Can't Call Your Name

That night, Kaito returned home as late as possible. He had stayed at work well beyond his shift to clear his mind, and even after clocking out, he spent hours cycling aimlessly around the neighborhood.

He refused to head home until weariness weighed him down, his body sluggish, his strength nearly drowned.

Only when certain Misaki was fast asleep, with no chance of crossing paths, did he dare to creep.

Quietly, he unlocked the door and slipped inside, his resolve finally giving way to the pull of the night.

Seeing no sign of Misaki, he exhaled a deep sigh of relief. After their ridiculous argument that morning, he couldn't summon the courage to face her again.

For a moment, the image of pinning her against the wall, his hands gripping her arms too tightly, flashed in his mind, unbidden.

He grimaced, a wave of self-loathing washing over him. "I shouldn't have gone that far," he thought to himself.

He sank onto the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling. His body ached with exhaustion, yet his restless mind refused to let him drift into sleep.

Absentmindedly, he reached for his phone on the table, but his hand brushed against something unexpected.

Curious, he lifted his head a little to check. There, neatly packed and waiting, was a dinner Misaki had prepared for him.

For a while, Kaito just lay there, staring at the package, hesitating. Part of him didn't want to move, but the rumbling in his stomach won out.

Finally, he sat up and tore it open hastily, digging in without a second thought.

"Mm, this is amazing. I didn't eat anything at lunch, and I'm starving," he mumbled between bites, his mouth full.

The warmth of the food and its rich flavors began to ease his tension, bit by bit. Before he knew it, a small, unbidden smile crept across his face.

"God, this girl really knows how to cook," he said softly.

He had no idea Misaki was standing in the doorway of her room, watching him quietly with an unreadable expression.

She cleared her throat softly, breaking the silence. Kaito froze mid-bite, his cheeks puffed out like a startled squirrel caught in the act.

Their eyes met, and in his panic, he gasped sharply—only for the food to get stuck in his throat. He burst into a fit of coughing, his face turning red as he struggled to breathe.

Panicked, Misaki darted to his side, frantically patting his back with increasing urgency.

Kaito, still wheezing and desperate, flailed a hand weakly in the direction of the kitchen, his face reddening further.

Misaki sprang into action, rushing to grab a glass of water. She quickly handed it to him, and Kaito chugged it down in a single gulp.

After a tense moment, he let out a deep, raspy breath. Still coughing lightly, he croaked, "One of these days, you're going to kill me."

"Serves you right," Misaki retorted, giving his back one last firm smack.

She sat down, crossing her legs and folding her arms, her eyes cast downward. This time, her expression wasn't angry—it was tinged with a hint of embarrassment.

For a moment, neither dared to meet the other's gaze. The room filled with an uncomfortable silence that lingered until, almost in unison, they both began to speak at the same time.

"Uh, I—"

"About earlier—"

They paused, startled, then tried again in an awkward unison.

"You go first—"

"You go—"

A nervous smile crept across both of their faces. After a brief pause, Kaito gestured for Misaki to speak.

She hesitated, her fingers nervously twisting in her lap, before finally mumbling, "I'm sorry about this morning. I think I might've overreacted—"

"No, really! I'm the one who should apologize," Kaito replied, cutting her off in his haste to make things right.

Then, with a sheepish grin, he added, "You were right to call me a pervert."

Misaki shot him a sharp look, and he panicked, stumbling over his words.

"I-I mean, from your perspective, it must've seemed that way…"

He scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"And I shouldn't have grabbed you like that. I really am sorry."

Kaito went on, his voice more earnest now. "And about the club thing—even if you don't believe me—it really was just a coincidence. Touma-kun and I always pick the club with the least activities because we don't have time for anything more. If Tanaka-san had mentioned you'd already joined, I wouldn't have signed up, honestly."

"The bottom line is," Misaki said, "we're living in the same apartment, attending the same class, and now, the same club. That's two—no, three—times the reason to be extra careful."

"Absolutely, I'll do my best!"

"Good," Misaki said as she stood up.

"Then I'm off to bed. I'm glad we've come to an agreement."

As she started walking toward her room, Kaito called out after her, "Thanks for the food. It was really good."

Misaki paused briefly at his words but said nothing, slipping into her room without a word.

Kaito flopped back onto the couch, a silly grin spreading across his face. He picked up his phone and began scrolling through his notes.

His finger paused on a line that made him laugh: Get a girlfriend. For a moment, he lost himself in thought, Misaki's face flashing in his mind.

Her words echoed in his head: "We're in the same apartment, same class, and same club."

He took a deep breath, imagining how perfect it would be if they were also dating. "If only..." he mused.

Kaito couldn't stop thinking about Misaki. It was the first time he'd seen her truly smile—soft, unguarded, her eyes sparkling with warmth.

"Naomi-san was right—she really does have a beautiful smile," he murmured to himself.

Then, out of nowhere, the memory of his pact with Naomi hit him like lightning. He had to make Misaki laugh, or he'd owe three months' salary.

The thought hit him like a jolt, and before he knew it, he lost his grip on the phone.

It slipped from his trembling fingers, falling with dramatic precision and landing squarely on his nose.

"Agh!" he yelped, clutching his face in pain.

Misaki's door flew open, and she rushed out with alarm. "What happened?" she asked, hurrying over to him.

"I-it's nothing. My phone just... fell on my face," he mumbled, his words muffled.

Misaki turned on the light and sat down beside him to check if he was alright.

She was wearing a loose sleep shirt that outlined her figure. Kaito glanced up at her while still holding his nose, intending to reassure her.

"I'm fine, really—" His words trailed off as his gaze dropped to her neckline, unintentionally.

Just then, a faint trickle of blood dripped from his nose. Misaki noticed his wandering eyes, quickly folded her arms, and shot up.

"You perv," she snapped, storming back to her room.

Kaito sighed, both in pain and embarrassment. A moment later, Misaki returned, now wearing a zipped-up hoodie and holding a box of tissues in hand.

Without a word, she handed it to him, her expression unreadable. Kaito grabbed a few tissues, wiped his nose, and then folded another to plug the bleeding.

"Tha-thanks," he mumbled through a congested voice.

Misaki, still annoyed, crossed her arms and sighed before heading back to her room without another glance.

"You're seriously clumsy and dumb," she said flatly.

Kaito, still processing the statement, responded automatically.

"Yeah, I am..."

Then, as the words sank in, he quickly corrected himself.

"Wait, no, I'm not!"

Misaki pressed her lips together, trying hard not to laugh. Kaito, on the other hand, looked at her with a mix of admiration and awe.

Normally, Kaito would have spent hours pacing, rehearsing every possible way to say something so bold, only to abandon the idea altogether.

But now, caught in the whirlwind of the moment—his thoughts a jumbled mess, his courage hanging by a thread, and his introverted nature screaming in protest—his mouth betrayed.

Without warning, the words burst out like a runaway train: "You know... you have a really beautiful smile."

Misaki froze, her cheeks flushing a deep shade of pink. The compliment thrilled her, but rather than showing it, she quickly deflected. Furrowing her brows, she shot Kaito a sharp look.

"I wouldn't want to hear this from a pervert," she said, before spinning on her heel and slamming her door shut with exaggerated force.

Kaito collapsed onto the couch, burying his face in his hands as waves of embarrassment crashed over him.

His mind replayed the scene over and over, each time making his words seem more reckless than the last.

"What was I thinking?" he groaned to himself, his ears burning with embarrassment. He stared up at the ceiling, silently wishing it would just swallow him whole.

Meanwhile, behind the safety of her closed door, Misaki leaned against it, a soft, slightly foolish smile spreading across her face as she replayed his compliment in her mind.