The room was quieter now.
The air still buzzed with heat, but the laughter had faded.
Ai and Yuki exchanged guilty glances, their smiles slipping away as they looked at Rika — trembling, flushed, clinging to Shin like a drowning girl, her body shaking with every broken breath she took.
They had gone too far.
Even Ai could see it now.
Rika wasn't just embarrassed anymore.
She was overwhelmed.
Fragile.
Fractured.
On the verge of something dangerous.
Ai bit her lip, guilt twisting in her chest.
Yuki shifted awkwardly.
Maybe...maybe they should back off a little.
---
The bottle spun again.
Slow.
Lazy.
And pointed — once again — at Rika.
But this time, Ai's voice was gentle when she spoke.
"Rika..." she said softly. "Truth or dare?"
Rika hiccupped against Shin's chest, her body trembling.
"...d-dare..." she whispered brokenly.
Ai smiled, soft and small.
"Then..." she said, "we dare you to let Onii-chan kiss you. Anywhere he wants."
The words hung in the air.
They could have been terrifying.
Devastating.
Another cruel joke.
But Ai's voice was kind this time.
Careful.
And the way she looked at Rika — worried, apologetic — made something tight and painful twist in Rika's chest.
She could refuse.
She knew that.
But...
Somewhere deep inside, she didn't want to.
---
Shin shifted beneath her.
Rika lifted her head, just a little, enough to look into his face.
His eyes were dark and unreadable, filled with a thousand things she couldn't understand.
His hands were warm on her waist.
Careful.
Trembling.
And then, slowly, he lifted one of her hands — small, delicate, shaking — and brought it to his lips.
He pressed a single kiss to her knuckles.
Soft.
Tender.
Heartbreaking.
Rika's breath caught.
Something bloomed inside her chest — warm and sweet and terrifying.
Not lust.
Not humiliation.
Something softer.
Blurry.
A fragile ache that felt almost like...
Love.
The same kind of love she felt when Ai hugged her, whispered to her, smiled just for her.
The same impossible, painful sweetness.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
And for the first time, she wasn't crying from shame.
---
The bottle spun again.
Rika.
Of course.
But this time, Ai smiled warmly.
"Truth or dare, Rika?"
Rika swallowed hard.
"...truth..." she whispered.
Yuki leaned forward, softer now too.
"Tell us... If you could have one perfect, sweet moment with someone in this room...
what would it be?"
Rika pressed her face against Shin's chest again, breathing him in.
The heat of his body.
The steady, strong beat of his heart.
She thought of Ai's smiles.
Of Yuki's teasing.
Of Shin's trembling hands.
And whispered:
"...I-I just want someone to...hold me...like they'll never let go..."
The room fell silent.
Even Ai's teasing smile faded into something soft and sad.
And Shin's arms — without a word — wrapped around her tighter.
Strong.
Safe.
Unshakable.
Rika sobbed against him, but this time, it wasn't from shame.
It was relief.
---
The bottle spun.
And spun.
And stopped.
Rika again.
Ai smiled gently.
"No tricks this time," she promised. "Just a sweet dare."
Rika nodded, trembling.
"D-dare..."
Ai leaned forward, tapping her chin thoughtfully.
"Then..." she said softly, "we dare you to...
let Onii-chan brush your hair with his fingers.
Like he's taking care of you."
Rika blinked.
She hadn't expected that.
But something warm melted inside her chest at the thought.
Shin hesitated.
Then slowly, carefully, he lifted one hand and threaded his fingers through her hair.
Soft.
Slow.
Tender.
Rika closed her eyes.
The feeling was...indescribable.
Better than any kiss.
Better than any touch.
Safe.
Loved.
Cherished.
She leaned into it without thinking, a tiny, broken sigh escaping her lips.
Ai smiled faintly, watching them.
And for once, she said nothing.
---
The bottle spun again.
Rika.
It almost didn't matter anymore.
Rika wasn't scared.
Not of Shin.
Not of Ai.
Not even of herself.
"Truth," she whispered before Ai could even ask.
Yuki smiled softly.
"Okay, Rika-chan... What do you really feel...when Onii-chan holds you?"
Rika opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Tried again.
Words caught in her throat like thorns.
But she forced them out, trembling:
"...I-I feel like... I'm not alone anymore."
The room was so quiet you could hear the clock ticking.
Ai wiped at her eyes quickly, pretending it was nothing.
Shin said nothing.
But he pulled Rika closer against him.
And didn't let go.
---
The bottle spun.
And stopped.
On Rika.
Of course.
Ai smiled through tears.
"Rika," she whispered.
"Truth or dare?"
Rika clutched Shin's shirt tightly.
Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it might shatter her ribs.
She swallowed.
And said:
"...Dare..."
Ai and Yuki exchanged a look.
And Ai leaned forward, smiling so warmly it broke Rika's heart.
"Then..." Ai whispered,
"...we dare you to tell Onii-chan...
one thing you've never told anyone else."
Rika's breath hitched.
She looked up at Shin.
At his dark, gentle eyes.
At his trembling hands.
At the boy who had held her through her worst night.
And she whispered:
"...I am in love with Ai... But... I think... I am falling for you too.."
The words slipped out like broken glass.
Painful.
Healing.
Inevitable.
Shin stared at her, stunned.
Ai didn't knew what she whispered
And Yuki looked away, pretending he didn't knew what she said, but he didn't knew last part.
And in that moment, Rika knew.
No longer drowning.
She was falling.
Softly.
Sweetly.
Hopelessly.
And for once...
She didn't want to stop.
---
END OF CHAPTER : 78 : TRUTH OR DARE : PART : 8
---