The front door of Dazai’s family home creaked open under the weight of the late hour, the dim glow of a single living room lamp casting long shadows across the hardwood floor. I stepped inside, my overnight bag slung over one shoulder, my older brother Kai trailing behind me with a smug grin plastered across his face. The air was thick with the faint scent of Dazai’s cologne—woodsy, sharp, and infuriatingly distracting. I rolled my eyes before I even saw him, knowing he’d be waiting to pounce with some snide remark.
“Welcome to my humble abode, princess,” came Dazai’s voice, dripping with mock formality as he leaned against the doorway to the living room. His dark hair fell just over one eye, and that infuriating smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. Eighteen years old and he thought he owned the damn world. “Didn’t think you’d actually show up. Thought you’d chicken out and sleep in a dumpster instead.”
I dropped my bag with a dramatic thud and crossed my arms, meeting his gaze with a glare that could melt steel. “Oh, please, Dazai. I’d rather sleep in a dumpster than deal with your ego for a whole night. But here I am, so let’s get this over with.”
Kai snorted behind me, already flopping onto the couch like he owned the place. “Play nice, kids. I’m not babysitting your little lover’s spat all night.”
“Lover’s spat?” I whirled on him, my voice climbing an octave. “Are you out of your mind, Kai? I’d sooner date a cactus.”
Dazai chuckled, low and dangerous, pushing off the doorway to saunter closer. “A cactus, huh? Guess I’m prickly enough for the job. Want to test that theory, sweetheart?”
“Call me sweetheart again and I’ll shove that smirk so far down your throat you’ll taste it for a week,” I snapped, stepping forward so we were toe-to-toe. His height forced me to tilt my chin up, but I wasn’t about to back down. Not to him. Not ever.
“Alright, alright, enough foreplay,” Kai interjected, stretching out on the couch with a yawn. “I’m claiming this spot for the night. You two can figure out where you’re crashing. Preferably not on top of each other, but hey, no judgment.”
My jaw dropped. “What? No way. I’m not—there’s no way I’m—”
“Relax, sis,” Kai cut me off, his grin turning downright evil. “It’s just one night. Unless you’re planning to get busy with Dazai, in which case, I’ll need earplugs. And a blindfold. Maybe some bleach for my brain.”
My face burned hotter than a furnace, and I spun on my heel to hide the flush creeping up my neck. “You’re disgusting, Kai. I hope you choke on that couch cushion.”
Dazai’s laughter followed me as I grabbed my bag and stormed toward the hallway, my heart hammering with a mix of embarrassment and fury. I didn’t need to look back to know he was trailing behind me, his presence like a storm cloud I couldn’t shake.
His bedroom door loomed ahead, and I hesitated, gripping the strap of my bag tighter. This was a terrible idea. Sharing a room with Dazai was like signing up for psychological warfare. But with Kai hogging the couch and no other options, I had no choice. I pushed the door open with more force than necessary and stepped inside.
The room was pure Dazai—messy in a curated way, with band posters plastered on the walls, a guitar propped in the corner, and a faint hint of cigarette smoke lingering despite the open window. His bed, a double, sat unmade in the center, mocking me with its inevitability.
“Welcome to paradise,” Dazai drawled, brushing past me to flop onto the mattress. He propped himself up on one elbow, his shirt riding up just enough to reveal a sliver of toned abdomen. I averted my eyes, cursing the way my pulse spiked. “Don’t worry, I don’t bite. Unless you ask nicely.”
“Dream on, creep,” I shot back, dropping my bag by the door and crossing my arms. “I’m taking the floor. You can have your precious bed all to yourself.”
He raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. “The floor? Really? You’re gonna wake up with a crick in your neck and blame me for it. Just get over here. I promise I’ll keep my hands to myself… mostly.”
I glared at him, weighing my options. The floor did look unforgiving, and the thought of waking up stiff and sore was less than appealing. With a huff, I stomped over to the bed, perching on the very edge as far from him as possible. “One wrong move, Dazai, and I’m using your face as a punching bag. Got it?”
“Understood, captain,” he said with a mock salute, grabbing the remote from his nightstand. “How about a movie to pass the time? I’ve got just the thing to loosen you up.”
I narrowed my eyes as he scrolled through a streaming app, landing on some low-budget horror flick with a title I didn’t even bother to read. “Seriously? A horror movie? What are you, twelve?”
“What’s the matter, princess? Scared?” His tone was pure taunt as he hit play, the eerie opening music filling the room. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you from the big bad monsters. Or are you more afraid of me?”
I scoffed, pulling my knees up to my chest and wrapping my arms around them. “I’m not afraid of anything, least of all you. Bring it on.”
The movie started off slow, all creaking doors and ominous shadows, but I couldn’t help sneaking glances at Dazai. He lounged casually, one arm behind his head, his eyes fixed on the screen but flickering to me every so often. I hated how aware I was of him—the heat of his body just inches away, the faint scent of his cologne, the way his chest rose and fell with each breath. I shifted slightly, inching closer without meaning to, drawn in by the tension of the film.
Then came the jump scare—a grotesque creature lunging at the camera with a guttural scream. I yelped, my body jerking instinctively, and before I knew it, my hand shot out and landed squarely on Dazai’s stomach. Under his shirt. On bare skin. Warm, firm, and entirely too real.
“Oh my God!” I yanked my hand back like I’d touched a live wire, my face flaming. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean—I wasn’t—”
Dazai’s laughter cut me off, sharp and unrelenting as he sat up, his eyes glinting with mischief. “Well, well, well. Didn’t peg you for a pervert, princess. Couldn’t resist copping a feel, huh?”
“Shut up!” I snapped, mortified, my voice cracking. “It was an accident, you idiot! I didn’t mean to—”
“Oh, come on now, don’t be shy,” he teased, grabbing my wrist before I could pull away completely. He guided my hand back to his stomach, pressing my palm against the hard planes of muscle there. “Go on, tell me what you feel. Describe it. I’m dying to hear your expert opinion.”
My breath hitched, humiliation burning through me as I tried to wrench my hand free. “Let go, Dazai! This isn’t funny! You’re such a jerk!”
His grin faltered for a split second, something unreadable flashing in his eyes as he saw the tears pricking at the corners of mine. He released my wrist immediately, his voice softening. “Hey, hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push you that far. I was just messing around.”
I turned my face away, swiping at my eyes with the back of my hand, too embarrassed to look at him. But then I felt the mattress shift, and suddenly he was hovering over me, his hands braced on either side of my head. My heart stopped as I met his gaze, finding none of the usual mockery there—just raw, unguarded tenderness.
“I’m an idiot,” he murmured, his voice low and sincere. “I’ve been an idiot about a lot of things when it comes to you. The truth is, I’ve liked you for a long time. Too long. And I’ve been too chickenshit to say it until now. So… will you be my girlfriend?”
I blinked up at him, my mind reeling, words failing me as my mouth opened and closed uselessly. “I… Dazai, I don’t… what are you even saying?”
He smiled, a real smile this time, soft and a little shy. “I’m saying I’m crazy about you, firecracker. Always have been. I love the way you never back down, the way you challenge me, the way you’ve got a tongue sharper than a blade. I’m asking for a chance, okay? No games, no teasing. Just us.”
My chest tightened, overwhelmed by the sincerity in his voice. Before I could overthink it, he gently tugged me up, pulling me to straddle his lap as he sat back against the headboard. His hands settled on my hips, light and careful, giving me all the control.
“Talk to me, spitfire,” he whispered, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “Tell me what you’re thinking. Or just hit me if I’ve got this all wrong. I can take it.”
I swallowed hard, my hands resting tentatively on his shoulders as I searched his face. There was no trace of the cocky, infuriating Dazai I was used to—just a boy who’d bared his soul and was waiting for me to decide what came next. And in that moment, with the horror movie forgotten in the background and the world narrowing to just us, I realized I wasn’t nearly as ready to push him away as I’d thought.
Want to know how it ends?
This is just the opening chapter. Continue the saga — or write a steamy tale starring you.