Title: Hating you would have been easier

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"Well...here is the bad news."

Unexpectedly, welcoming Natsuka and Masaru home after a mission is Aster's serious words. They enter the house feeling confused and worried at the same time and immediately walk closer to Aster, as the seriousness in her voice is evident.

"What is wrong, Aster, new kind of surprises ? We just got home..." - Natsuka gently asks Aster but does not forget to give her a small present just like every other time when they come home after a mission.

"Sweets ! Love you, Natsuka-san ! Ehem... Anyway, there is going to be two of us sharing a room today. Yeah, that is the bad news from me." - Aster gives Natsuka - her favourite sister - a grin as she takes the gift from her but quickly turns back to the serious expression from earlier to deliver the news.

"What !? Why !? How !?" - Masaru, like any other day, gives the most dramatic and exaggerated reaction a person can have when they receive shocking news.

"Such dramatic king... Okay, what happened, Aster ?" - Natsuka cannot help but sigh at Masaru; she is used to this obviously. Then she turns back to ask for more information from Aster, who just made the most flabbergasting statement of the day.

"You guys know that it rained heavily this morning, right ? And yeah, when we all went outside, one of the bedrooms was damaged severely. I called someone to handle the situation immediately, but they said it would take a few days to repair it... So we have to decide who is going to sleep together tonight." - Aster takes her time to finish the story while observing Natsuka and Masaru's variety of expressions.

"Oh gosh, I should have expected this, right ?" - Natsuka sighs again, recalling the heavy rain this morning. It was an undoubtedly heavy one, but gosh, it also damaged her house ?

"Then how are we going to decide it, huh ?" - Masaru appears to be quite unbothered with the fact that two of them have to share a bed tonight; he just simply asks for a solution. Typical Samunami Masaru, yeah.

"Let's go with the tradition, rock paper scissors; who wins first gets to decide." - Aster cannot help but let out an exciting giggle, whereas Natsuka believes this situation cannot be any worse.

"Fine, just do it." - Hearing Natsuka's forceful words, Aster fails to hide her excitement. She clearly has something else in mind - yes, something mischievous and suspicious.

"Rock, paper, scissors !"

...

"So, have a good night, both of you~"

And yes, an expected result - Aster won. Aster has always been well-known for her amazing lucky charm, and this ending is perfectly predicted. Or rigged. Natsuka cannot accept the truth that she now will be sharing a room and a bed with her ultimate rival tonight. How can it be possible ? And why paper is weaker than scissors !? Natsuka does not understand !

"Are you serious, Aster...?" - Natsuka looks up at Aster giggling like nothing happened, in complete denial of the fact that she has to stay with Masaru tonight. She wonders what is so funny about it that Aster seems incredibly excited to put them in one room. What is going on in this little girl's mind, seriously ?

"I am sorry, but a deal is a deal. I won, so you guys stay in that room tonight. Good night~" - Not even letting Natsuka and Masaru make a single complaint, Aster rushes to her room after wishing them a "good night". Well, this night is going to be the longest night of their lives, for sure.

Masaru gently taps on Natsuka's shoulder, grinning widely at her. Even though he does not say anything, Natsuka knows for sure what his eyes are saying: "Just accept it, Miss. You have no other choices though". Natsuka sighs again, wondering how many times she has sighed today. She turns around and glances at Masaru giggling as if this situation was so intriguing.

"Funny, huh ?"

"Come on, just accept our fate. Go take a shower and then go to bed; it is late now." - Having said that, Masaru goes straight to the "destined" room. Natsuka quickly follows him even though she is so unsure about what she should do next.

•

It is so awkward. So awkward. Natsuka and Masaru are in the same room, but it seems like they have built invisible walls across it. They have not said a thing for straight thirty minutes. Natsuka decides to take a quick shower while Masaru remains silent, sitting on "the only bed in the room," which they will have to share later. Afterwards, Natsuka comes out of the bathroom; her hair is slightly wet, and she puts on an adorable nightdress, which immediately catches Masaru's attention. Unintentionally, Masaru stares at her for quite a while. Natsuka tries her best to ignore his gaze and sticks to the habit of doing things after showering. She is clearly annoyed by the fact that he is staring, but at the same time, she feels some kinds of weird excitement. Natsuka does not understand herself sometimes.

"That is a cute dress. Never saw you wearing something like this before." - Masaru casually makes a comment on Natsuka's outfit; however, it catches her completely off guard. She turns around instantly and looks deep into his eyes.

"Are you trying to mock me ?" - Natsuka says with an irritable tone.

"Hey, am I not allowed to make a compliment ? I am being honest..." - Masaru chuckles, not afraid to look back in her eyes.

"Whatever."

Natsuka ignores him again and then turns back to her things. Once again, the room falls into deadly silence. Nevertheless, Natsuka cannot shake off the thought of Masaru's attitude during today's mission. She just instinctively recalls how weird Masaru is today mid-conversation, so she has to end the conversation in an unnatural way. Masaru has been acting so strangely today. He cares about her too much. He walks beside her in every moment, like he is scared that someone might kidnap her. He even protects her during the fight, prepares food for her, and helps her treat her wounds. Is it even normal ? Natsuka wonders. Masaru has never been this type of person; caring, thoughtful, and accommodating, never been his traits. Natsuka thinks to herself what could have changed his behavior. She looks at her back again, catching a glance of Masaru sitting on the bed. He looks... rather beautiful when he is quiet like this. It is so strange, the feeling lingering inside her heart. What can it be ? Plucking up her courage, Natsuka makes a bold move to break the silence.

"I want to ask a question..."

"Yes, Miss ?"

"Do not call me Miss. And I want to ask why you are acting so strange today?"

"Strange, like what ?"

"Listen, you... You suddenly look after me... You even buy me food and take care of my injuries. It is evidently unusual."

"Isn't it just my kindness ?" - Masaru lets out a low chuckle, frowning his eyebrows.

"No, that is weird. Especially when we fight a lot these days though..." - Natsuka's voice gets smaller with each word she speaks. Masaru rather finds this cute, in an absurd way. Oh Natsuka, she does not understand anything about him, even though she is the smartest person he has ever known. Natsuka can be skilled at a lot of things, but not... love, he guesses.

"Miss, come here first. Sit down and we will talk, yeah ?"

"Fine..."

Natsuka reluctantly walks over Masaru's place, having a seat on the edge of the bed. She quickly turns to him to lock eyes, somehow sending him her intrusive thoughts through an intense gaze. Masaru sighs at her impatience; she is always like this, always so oblivious to his feelings.

"Miss, I just care about you... That is why I stay by your side all the time. Not only today... but also in the past and in every other day. You are just... sort of unaware of it. Maybe you only noticed it today. And we do fight a lot, yeah, but it is not a real conflict. I never want to argue with you." - Masaru smiles at Natsuka gently; the honesty in his voice makes Natsuka absolutely surprised. She never imagined he genuinely caring about her, never.

"But I thought you hated me... You avoid being on the same missions with me sometimes and always tease me."

Masaru chuckles slightly, then he scoots over Natsuka's place in a blink of an eye. His brave fingers slide down her arms, pulling her closer while his other hand frames her face. Their gazes lock, reflecting the sincerity and intensity of their shared moment.

"I never hated you." - The honesty in his voice when he says this sends a shiver down her spine.

"About teasing, don't you think it is just a stupid way of me expressing my affection towards you ? I cannot help it. I know it annoys you sometimes. And about avoiding doing missions with you... it is because I cannot stand seeing you hurt." - He lets out a low and bitter chuckle, as he has always acknowledged that Natsuka hates it when he teases her.

"It was not pleasant at all, trust me, especially when we happen to be housemates now. But you know... It went from simply teasing... to something much more powerful and intensive. Time changed everything. As I stared into your eyes day after day, this thing called... love, fuck, yes love, burned inside me." - The fire that has been burning inside him for a long time now is unmistakable - love. Masaru knows it. He has always known about it.

"Hating you would have been easier, but then you would make me go insane again just by a single touch, don't you think ?"

Natsuka's eyes widen at Masaru sudden confession, her heart beating rapidly and soulfully inside her chest. Well, it is not really a confession, but she believes so. He just... he just admitted that he is affected by her right ?

"Fuck, you should have told me sooner." - Natsuka gives up, she does. She cannot deny her feelings anymore. She is just like him; love burns inside her heart every time she looks at him, but gosh, how can she admit it...? How can she admit that she is in love with her biggest rival, with the person whom she argues with every day, with the pain in her neck ? But well, she did it anyway.

"Oh ? So you also feel it..." - Masaru smirks at her, giggling at her submission. Undoubtedly, he wins this round; he finally gets to hear what he has been dying to hear - her angry love confession.

Not letting Natsuka answer back, Masaru's fingers tighten around her neck as he smashes his lips against hers. The force is hard and demanding, but he makes sure to keep it gentle and caring as much as possible.

"Not even a single kiss will be better than this."

Masaru whispers against her mouth; his statement is almost like the declaration of possession. He has devoured this kiss, devoured her, and devoured their connection for so long. He gently grabs her chin and pulls it down a little to gain access to her mouth. Natsuka hesitates a bit but slowly gives into his melting touch and lets his tongue explore the depths of her mouth. Their tongues intertwine, almost like dancing together in perfect harmony. His movement is so dominant and demanding that Natsuka nearly cannot breathe. She slightly pushes Masaru back to catch a breath while maintaining eye contact with him.

"Gosh... have some mercy..."

"Sorry, I could not control myself." - Masaru laughs at her teasingly; it is obvious that he enjoys seeing her flustered a lot.

Pausing for a few seconds, Masaru pulls Natsuka closer again, this time his kiss becomes even more intoxicating and fierce. He is addicted to this feeling at this point. His mouth presses against hers, his eyes flashing with mischief and naughtiness. Then, a slow grin spreads across his face.

"Natsuka, I am yours." - He says, his voice husky and sultry, as he continues to ravish her mouth, the words dripping with allurement.

"Saying "I am yours" instead of "You are mine" is so illegal, you know ? Illegally attractive."

"Hmm ? You think so ? But I have always been yours and yours only, Miss... since the very beginning. Even though we are always bickering and fighting, I cannot deny that you own a really special ability to control my heart all the time." - He pauses in the middle of the kiss, looking deep into her eyes as he says with honesty.

"For instance ?" - Her voice lights up suddenly, a little bit of teasing attitude mixed with curiosity.

"So now you are curious... Miss, have you ever thought that you are more than capable of breaking my heart to the point that I cannot breathe ? Like when you went on a mission for six days straight and came back all injured, I thought I could have just broken my character and cried so loud in front of you. You cannot imagine how hurt I was at that moment, Miss... You will never have a slightest idea of it, because you do not even bother to take care of yourself."

Masaru speaks with a low and gentle tone with a little bit of raspiness while locking eyes with Natsuka. His eyes never leave hers as he is trying his best to study this girl's expression and figure out what is going on inside that cute little head. Captured in Masaru's eyes, Natsuka cannot even think straight now. Each of his words resonates deeply inside Natsuka, bringing her back to the land of memories. She remembers that day clearly, of course she does. She knows how hurt Masaru was, how much she wanted to pull him in a warm embrace, how much she wanted to caress his soft hair and tell him "I am home", and how much she wanted to say sorry. All of these did not happen, since Natsuka is a stubborn girl.

"But you know what, Miss ? This is not the time for recalling memories... This is the time for us to discover new things together. I will make you feel good, do not worry..."

Masaru whispers against Natsuka's earlobe, sending shivers to her spine. Without even letting Natsuka make out the situation, Masaru swiftly moves his hand under her shirt, roaming over her bare skin with tender touches. Natsuka goes from one surprise to another surprise; she never knows he can be so proactive and appealing like this. As Masaru continues his little journey on her body, Natsuka leans back to give him more access to all of her sensitive areas. She keeps her eyes shut, feeling too shy to even look at him right now. She knows for sure that he will do everything to please her and drive her crazy tonight.

"Here, here... and here."

Obviously, Masaru is not joking about trying his best to seduce Natsuka. Each of his touch lingers on her skin, leaving an indescribable sensation while his voice echoes closely to her ears on purpose. All of these are more than enough to drive Natsuka insane. Sweet sounds come out of her mouth uncontrollably and Masaru seems in love with her reaction. He never knows when to stop. His touch becomes bolder, wilder and even more intoxicating; his naughty fingers are not simply roaming Natsuka's body but marking every inch of her as his. So desperate, so passionate, so... lustful. Natsuka has to admit that she melts into that touch.

"If you go any further, I swear..." - Natsuka uses all the energy that she has left to form a proper sentence, but it is cut off immediately by Masaru's forward and daring action.

"Further, like this ?"

Without any warning, his finger slides inside her smoothly, like he has practiced this for years. A loud gasp escapes from Natsuka's mouth as she is evidently shocked by his touch. Natsuka looks deep in Masaru's eyes, sending through her gaze a visible threat "I will definitely kill you bastard", whereas Masaru just sits there and smirks at her helplessness. Truly bastard, the worst enemy ever. Natsuka cannot help cursing uncontrollably at Masaru in her mind, but in reality, she is not even able to say a word. A wise man once said: when the desire takes over, you will not be you anymore. Yes, Natsuka has lost in heaven of lust.

"Come on, Miss. Just relax..."

Masaru gently inserts another finger inside her while circling her clit with his thumb. How can he be so skillful, Natsuka wonders. She is on the verge of exploding right now because of the overwhelming pleasure. Right... this is her first time; not only her first time doing adult things but also her first kiss, her first physical connection, and her first intimacy with someone. Masaru is watching Natsuka's varied expressions attentively, playfully pumping his fingers inside her to create even bigger reaction. He loves to see her whining and writhing beneath him like this. It is not because he likes to be the dominant one, but being capable of giving Natsuka the pleasure that she desires makes he feel contented and elated.

"So this is my appetizer."

"Shut up, I am not your food."

Not forgetting to tease Natsuka again, Masaru's fingers keep moving faster and even deeper inside her. The bedroom now echoes with heavenly sounds, deriving from their intimate making love session. His pumping fingers, her moans, his sweet nothings, his tease, her cranky responses. All of these make up a perfect picture. A love making session that both of them always devour, sweet but crazy, tender but bold. Typical "enemies to lovers" trope they must say.

"Can I take off... all ?" - Masaru looks deep inside her eyes with lustful yet sincere gaze; he always wants to ask for her consent first before doing anything. Maybe his actions from earlier are just not the case.

Natsuka slightly nods as she is too embarrassed to say anything else. Masaru instantly gives her a reassuring smile and a gentle head pat, which makes her feel comfortable right away. He slowly takes off her remaining pieces of clothes and watches closely as he admires her beauty. But suddenly, her worried expression catches him off guard...

"What is wrong, Miss ? Did I do something upsetting you ?"

"No... it is just... I am not really confident in my appearance. It is truly embarrassing to admit, but I have to tell you anyway. I am fine if you do not like it, just tell me..."

Masaru tilts his head, locking eyes with her again, his heart filled with incomprehensible feelings. Why is she saying that ?

"You look alluring, Miss. Always." - His voice is firm and determined.

"Does someone like you really think... I look good ?" - Natsuka's eyes widen as she tries to look in his eyes once again, seeking the truth.

Masaru immediately frowns his eyebrows, clearly annoyed by Natsuka's words. He does not understand why she has to be so worried and insecure like this. Natsuka is perfect in her own way, in fact, everyone is. She is gorgeous, intelligent, witty, tenacious, courageous and kind-hearted. Those are just a few in a million words that he can use to describe Natsuka; she is way more amazing than she thinks. She is definitely selling herself short now. Putting aside many trains of thoughts in his mind, Masaru's hand gently moves up her neck, cradling the side of her face as he tilts your head up to lock eyes. He will give her the answer that she wants.

"So fucking much." - He whispers close to her lips.

"And if only I could express even a little of what you do to me just with this look..." - His fingers dig softly into her hip bones while speaking - "You are far from average, Natsuka, and do not let anyone, including yourself,