The Legion's Classics: The Emperor's Regnant

Chapter 16.5: Ventori

My heart was hammering inside my chest, adrenaline coursing through my body, as I looked at Kotori my mind vaguely wondered what her lips tasted like, and then suddenly acting on an impulse. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers.

-Zexal-

After a few seconds I broke the kiss, my face feeling very hot. "S-Sorry." I apologize. "Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!" I mentally chastise myself, "Now she's gonna hate you."

"It-It's fine." Kotori stammers with a blush but a smile on her face as she runs her fingers over her lips.

I felt awkward, I did have feelings for Kotori and I wanted to maybe go a step further in our relationship, but I was afraid that I might ruin our friendship. "But she did say she fell in love with you." My logical side points out. I clenched my fists gathering up my courage and turned to face Kotori, "Kotori." I say aloud to her.

"Y-Yeah Ven?" Kotori stammers slightly with a blush on her face.

I tap my fingers together feeling a bit awkward on how to go about this, do I tell her how I feel or ask her. I took a calming breath and deciding to just outright tell her. "Kotori, I like you." I tell her as I look her in the eyes.

"I like you too Ven." Kotori says with a soft smile.

"No." I say shaking my head, "I mean I Like-Like you." I stammer out averting my gaze a bit, "I'm saying that I Lo....Lo...." Damn it it's too hard, "Come on Ven, you can do this." I mentally tell myself. I take a swallow and clench my fists and blurt it out. "I Love You!"

Kotori's face turns bright red, "R-really?" she stammers out in disbelief.

"Yeah." I say with a nod, finding it much easier to talk about this now that the first hurdle was overcome.

"How long?" Kotori questions not able to fully meet my eyes.

I smile softly at the memory, "Ever since I first saw you." I tell her with a smile before tapping my temple with a finger, "You were the first thing these memories saw." I remind her.

Kotori smiles softly at the memory "Yeah, I remember well." She says in nostalgia.

"What about you?" I question her.

"Huh?" Kotori questions looking at me.

"You said "This isn't the Ven I fell in love with" back during the duel." I remind her. "Did you mean it?" I ask her feeling hope swell in my chest.

Kotori looks around for a moment, "Yeah." She says so softly I almost missed it.

"Huh?" I say in a teasing voice trying to get her to say it louder.

"Yes I Love you!" Kotori yells out annoyed before gasping and blushing at what she did.

"How long?" I question her.

Kotori look at the ground and smiles softly, "I started to fall for you when you saved me that day." She tells me.

I smiled as the memory of that day flashed through my mind "I think that day is when my feelings went a bit deeper than a crush I tell her."

Kotori smiles a bit, "So what now?" She questions.

"What do you mean?" I question her.

"I mean about US." Kotori explains, "Do we go a step further in our relationship, or stay friends?"

"I'd like to go a step further." I tell her rubbing the back of my head in awkwardness.

Kotori smiles softly ay me, "I'd like that too." She tells me.