23 If This Was A Dream, I Would Not Want To Wake Up

"No," Sakura firmly answered, staring at his plump lips that were parted. She wouldn't deny that the topless man under her looked dangerously hot with his firm chest, defined abs, and v-line. His hair was disheveled and his fringes were partially covering his eyes. Adding to his extreme attractiveness was his tattoo, a cherry blossom branch with petals gently falling apart and inked in faded black and pink colors, which extends from his broad shoulder to his elbow.

She took a good look at Haru's tattoo and when she met his gaze, his sharp eyes were staring at her with such gentleness. It was so serene that it made her heart slightly skip a beat, so she quickly rested her palm on the top of his eyes and waited for a few seconds before lifting her hand. But to her surprise, he had already fallen asleep whilst still holding her wrist.

Sakura studied his sleeping face and recalled how he gently stared at her earlier. She thought, as she rolled over beside him with her wrist still in his grasp, that the usual charming and hot barista definitely looked so lovely that moment. With her free hand, he covered his unclothed body with the blanket, and she laid on her back and waited for him to loosen his grip before doing her nighttime routine.

Later on, she enjoyed her long hot shower and then cladded herself with a strawberry printed silk cami and a pair of shorts. After finishing her skincare routine past midnight, she finally turned off the lights of her room and switched on her shell lamp before sitting at the edge of her bed to check on Haru, who was sleeping next to the wall. She laid herself next to him and laughed softly upon seeing Mei's text messages an hour ago.

Ralmé_Mei: We forgot to tell you that if he doesn't pass out...

Ralmé_Mei: HE TAKES HIS CLOTHES OFF AND SLEEPS NAKED!!!

Ralmé_Mei: We hope that he'll just pass out, but if he doesn't then...

Ralmé_Mei: GOOD LUCK!!! ^^

"Oh Mei… the warning was too late," she murmured and placed her phone on the corner table as she prepared herself for slumber.

A few hours have passed and the rumbling noise of thunder could be heard. She was suddenly woken up by the heavy downpour and shared covers with the sleeping man beside her.

Sakura then felt his head bumping on the back of her head, leaving her with widened eyes and cheeks slightly tinted with red. Her body started to feel a tingling sensation as Haru's warm breath could be felt on her nape, which was one of her sensitive spots.

When she glanced over her shoulder to know what he was doing, she was shocked to see the quiet tears running down his cheeks. She carefully turned to the other side and pulled her face away from him to see his face clearly from the light emitting from the lamp. And as Haru's tears fell from his long black lashes like they were raindrops flowing down on his skin, Sakura kept completely still and watched him cry in his sleep.

"No…." Haru groaned in his sleep, his forehead creasing, "Stop… please…."

"Haru…" she mumbled, gently wiping his tears with her thumb.

"Please…. please," he kept on pleading, "Just take my life instead…."

Alarmed with what she had heard, she quickly leaned closer to him. "Haru," she called out in a louder tone as the thunder rumbled outside, her hand falling on top of his shoulder. "Wake up. You're having a bad dream."

As Haru's grumbling was becoming louder, Sakura held him by his shoulder and shook him continuously to wake him up from his nightmare, causing his head to slide down near her face.

"Wake up," she repeated, brushing his fringes away from his eyes and finally making him stop groaning.

Sakura glanced at him and saw his drowsy eyes fully closed. Total shock crossed her face when Haru's lips met her slightly parted heart-shaped lips once his face completely fell forward towards hers. She was completely frozen, yet her cheeks were burning hot. Upon noticing that he was motionless and that his head felt heavy onto hers, she pulled away.

"Was he drunk kissing me or… did he just fall asleep on my lips…," she whispered while squinting her eyes.

But receiving a drunk kiss from Haru was not really her concern at that moment. What she was more worried about was what happened in his dream. He didn't sound like he was scared at all; he sounded extremely sad and hurt. She couldn't describe what she was feeling, but it was as if she was exposed to Haru's vulnerability which made her want to safeguard him from whomever or whatever was making him feel that way.

Sakura gazed at his sleeping face and wiped his silent tears once more. She closed her eyes, stroking his hair at first before rubbing his back comfortingly until she fell asleep. The rain subsided after a while, and the pitter-patter of the raindrops on the roof served as a lullaby to the two who slept deeply beneath the same blanket.

--

The chirping of birds could be heard outside Sakura's bedroom and the first rays of sunlight streamed through the linen curtains, shining softly on their skin while they both slept on their sides facing the same direction.

Haru, being half-naked, felt colder that morning. He pulled the covers up to his shoulders and since he thought she was his pillow, he casually wrapped his arm around Sakura's waist and pulled her closer to his body. He nuzzled in her saccharine-scented hair and reveled in her warmth. He hasn't experienced waking up to such a soothing feeling and if it was a dream, he would not want to wake up.

'Something's... not right,' he thought. How come his blanket was producing such heat? And as he slowly opened his eyes, Sakura rolled over facing him and continued to sleep soundly while snuggling against his firm chest.