Years had passed now, each of your lives had taken different paths, but your friendship remained intact.

Arisu and Chota, as always, began teasing the blond with a risqué joke. You laughed. They were never going to mature, but the truth was, you loved them just the way they were.

Karube raised an eyebrow and clicked his tongue.

“You three virgins don't get to have an opinion” he shot back with a half-smile.

The word hit you like a bucket of cold water. You swallowed hard. It had only been a week since you had lost your virginity to a coworker, and although it had been something intimate and lovely, you hadn't fully processed what it meant to you yet.

You tried to stay calm, but Arisu’s gaze betrayed you. That idiot turned toward you with a teasing smirk. You had told him right after it happened, and now he was looking at you as if he wanted to shout it from the rooftops.

The others didn't take long to figure it out.

“Is there something we don't know, Y/N?” Chota asked, his eyes gleaming with curiosity and a mischievous smile.

You felt your face heat up. You lowered your gaze to the ramen, wishing the floor would open up and swallow you. You didn't want to talk about it, especially not in front of Karube. You had always felt something special for him; the mere idea of him hearing you talk about your first time with another man seemed unbearable.

But your eyes lifted on their own, searching for the blond. What you saw chilled you. He wasn't laughing. There was no joke or mockery on his face. He was serious... too serious and that was unusual for him.

“Well, it happened last week…” Arisu began to say casually, but you immediately jumped in.

“Shut up, idiot!” you exploded, covering his mouth while struggling with him.

“Come on, tell us, Arisu” Chota laughed, enjoying the scene.

“I dont want to talk about this, its uncomfortable!” you said, fighting to regain a shred of dignity.

It was then that you heard Karube’s voice.

“Enough” he said, cutting and dry.

Silence fell over the table. Arisu shrugged, Chota pouted, and although they both continued to give you knowing glances occasionally, they said nothing more.

But what truly unsettled you was Karube. He barely spoke, barely ate. His gaze was fixed on his bowl, as if something was eating away at him inside, and you didn't understand anything. Why was he so serious? Did it really bother him that you had slept with someone, or was he simply mad because you kept it from him? You always shared everything, but this time you only confided the secret to Arisu.

When you left the shop, you separated onto your bicycles.

“I'll take you, buddy” Arisu said, getting on with Chota.

“Great, then you can tell me all about Y/N’s adventure” he joked, and his laughter echoed in the street.

“Stop it already!” Karube snapped, his voice laden with unmistakable annoyance.

You glanced at him, confused. Since when did he take their jokes so seriously?

“Lets go” you told him, gesturing to your bike. He simply nodded and got on behind you.

The ride was silent. You could feel the firm grip of his hands on your waist, which was stronger than usual, almost possessive. That simple gesture sped up your heart, yet made you uneasy at the same time.

When you reached his house, Karube got off. You greeted him with a nod and were about to pedal back, but he took a step forward and held the handlebars with a serious expression.

“We need to talk” he said bluntly. You looked at him, surprised, unable to refuse. “Let's go inside, please.”

You got off your bike and followed him. You could see the tension in his shoulders as he walked ahead of you, every movement charged with an anger you didn't fully understand. You left the bike at the entrance and walked into his apartment.

Karube lived alone, and the silence inside the place felt heavier than ever. You sat on the sofa, waiting for him to speak, wondering what was tormenting him so much.

The blond opened the refrigerator without looking at you, took out two beers, and handed you one. You accepted it in silence, and he sat down beside you.

The metallic sound of them opening was the only thing that broke the silence. He took a long drink, as if he wanted to swallow whatever he was holding inside too.

Even so, you could tell he was tense. You saw it in the rigidity of his shoulders, in his gaze fixed on nothingness, and in that seriousness that wasn't normal for him.

You took a sip, trying to ignore the discomfort. But the question kept swirling in your head: was he really this upset just because you didn't tell him about your first time? Or was there something more you didn't know?

Suddenly, he spoke, with that direct way he always had.

“Who is he?”

“Who... what?” you stammered, pretending not to understand to buy time.

Karube turned his head, and his eyes met yours.

“The guy you were with.”

The beer went down the wrong way, and you ended up coughing and choking a little. He didn't move to help you; he didn't try to joke as he usually did. He just looked at you, serious, as if nothing else in the world mattered.

“He is... a coworker” you finally admitted, looking down.

The change in his expression was immediate. If he was serious before, now he looked on the verge of losing his temper.

“And is it something serious with this guy?”

“I don't know” you bit your lip, uncomfortable. “We havent even talked about that yet.”

Karube let out a dry, bitter laugh that made you squeeze the can tightly in your hands.

“What’s wrong with you?” you confronted him suddenly, tired of feeling judged. “I understand you want to know, but if I didn't tell you before, it’s because I dont want to talk about it with you. Don’t pressure me.”

“It’s not simple curiosity” he retorted, in a low, tense tone. “I want to know why him. Why your coworker? How and when did it happen? Did you use protection?”

You looked at him incredulously, feeling your blood boil.

“Seriously?” Your voice was shaking with anger and nerves. “I just told you I don't want to talk about it. Do you want me to also tell you what position we did it in?” you said sarcastically. “I don't understand why this bothers you so much. It's not like I have to ask your permission to...”

Karube slammed his can onto the table and leaned toward you, his eyes blazing with something more than just anger.

“It bothers me because I love you, understand?” His voice sounded broken, as if every word cost him. “Because I've been completely in love with you for a long time, and I was a coward. I never dared to say it... and now I feel like I lost you.”

The world seemed to stop. You stared at him, unable to process what he had just confessed. Karube? This friend who always played the overprotective role, who seemed so sure of everything? Was he in love with you?

You didn't think twice. You abruptly leaned forward and kissed him. Your lips crashed against his with desperation. At first, he tensed, surprised, but within seconds, his hand was on your waist, pulling you against his body with a force that nearly took your breath away. The kiss became hungry, hot, and needy.

“You dont know how much I've wanted you” he whispered against your mouth, pulling you on top of him.

Clothes began to fall to the floor amidst clumsy and hurried caresses. The sofa creaked with their movements, the air filled with gasps, muffled laughs, and unfiltered words.

“I was going crazy” he confessed as he explored the skin of your neck with his mouth. “Just thinking about you with someone else... it tore me apart.”

“Forget it” you murmured, trembling in his hands. “Im here, with you.”

“I've always wanted you for myself” he growled, holding you desperately.

With one hand, he slid your panties aside and lined up his member at your entrance. You maintained eye contact as you sank onto his length. A sharp gasp escaped you... you struggled to support yourself, leaning your hands on his shoulders.

The sensation of being filled by him was overwhelming; you couldn't concentrate on moving.

Karube, noticing your hesitation, settled himself better on the sofa and began to penetrate you. Something broke inside you. You surrendered and gave him all control.

You rested your head on his shoulder, moaned against the skin of his neck, and he brought his hands to your hips, holding you there while he continued to move in and out of your depths.

“Karube” you groan, and the blond goes wild. His rhythm changed to a more relentless one that made you see stars.

He had waited so long to have you like this. He had even imagined he would never get the chance.

“You feel so good, baby” he told you, his voice heavy.

You began to feel that new tension, a kind of tingling that started in your limbs and focused in your stomach.

“K-Karube… Im close” you warned him.

His movements didn't cease; he kept penetrating you with a primitive need. He didn't even care how many rounds it would take to reach his climax; he just wanted to make you his until he erased every trace of another man from your mind.

You couldnt hold back anymore, the tension of years of longing exploded in that moment. Your walls tightened around him, amidst intense kisses, sighs and embraces. Was this making love?

When you finally came down from the wave of orgasm, you were surprised that you still felt him hard inside you. But he wasn't moving anymore; there was something strange in his expression.

“Will you be my girlfriend, Y/N?” he said in a husky voice, in a whisper filled with fear and sincerity. “I don't want to waste any more time… or lose you.”

“Yes… I want to be with you” you replied with a shy smile. He kissed you tenderly.

After a few minutes, you got off his lap to look for your clothes. He hugged you from behind, and yes, you could feel that he was still hard.

“You're not going anywhere tonight” he whispered against your neck.

And so, embracing each other, you walked to his bedroom.

You lay down first while the blond looked for a condom. Your heart was still racing when Karube dropped down beside you, his body covered in sweat and a smile that seemed a little incredulous. As soon as you managed to catch your breath, he turned his head toward you and caressed your cheek with his fingertips, looking at you as if he couldn't believe what had just happened.

“Are you okay?” he whispered, lowering his tone as if he feared breaking the moment.

You nodded, though you still didn't fully understand the whirlwind of sensations running through your body. There was a mix of nerves, curiosity, and something deeper that you couldn't name. Karube, however, seemed to read everything in your expression.

“You have no idea how beautiful you look like this” he added, leaning in to kiss you slowly, without rush, with a tenderness that contrasted with the intensity from before.

Feeling his mouth again, your body reacted almost by instinct, seeking him fearlessly. Your hands, still unsure, slid across his chest, exploring the firmness of his muscles. That simple caress made him close his eyes and let out a low groan, as if you had touched him in the most vulnerable place.

He smiled against your lips and lowered one of his hands to intertwine with yours.

“Relax… I will guide you” he murmured, resting his forehead on yours.

There was no hurry. Karube kissed you calmly, stroked your skin as if he wanted to memorize it, and made sure every movement was gentle, almost reverent.

When he noticed you trembling with anticipation again, he moved over you delicately, his hands firm, holding you, giving you security.

Your breaths synchronized as he re-entered you slowly, as if he didn't want to startle you. The contrast with the previous time was overwhelming: there was no roughness, only warmth and a patient rhythm that allowed you to feel every detail, every brush.

Your fingers clung to his shoulders, and despite your awkwardness, you dared to move your hips, a little shyly, testing the waters.

Karube’s reaction was immediate: a husky sigh escaped his throat, and his gaze locked on you, dark but full of affection.

“That’s it… yes…” he encouraged you, as if to reward your boldness.

The caresses became more intense, though always wrapped in tenderness. He kissed you every time your breathing became too ragged, as if he could calm you with his lips.

Between whispers and contained moans, you discovered a new rhythm, one that didn't hurt or frighten, but filled you with a warmth that seemed endless.

The second climax came slower and deeper, with your body learning to trust and Karube's giving himself to you with unexpected sweetness.

When it was all over, he didn't pull away immediately. He remained glued to you, his face buried in your neck and his breathing still shaky.

“You have no idea how much I want you like this, so completely mine…” he murmured against your skin, as if it slipped out without him thinking.