"Y/N?" Moya's voice came again, firm and insistent.

You pulled your hand away from Sitetampo's like it had burned, heart pounding in your chest. Sitetampo stepped back instinctively, running a hand through his hair, clearly scrambling to figure out what to do.

"I... I'll go," Sitetampo whispered, glancing toward the window like he might jump out of it if it came to that.

"No," you hissed, grabbing his arm. "You can't just sneak out; that'll make things worse."

Another knock. "Y/N, everything okay in there?" Moya's tone was growing sharper, his protective instincts clearly firing at full capacity.

You hurried to the door, casting a quick look over your shoulder at Sitetampo. "Just stay quiet."

Pulling the door open, you stepped into the hallway, closing it behind you before Moya could peek inside.

"Hey," you said, forcing a casual tone. "What's up?"

Moya frowned, his eyes scanning you for any signs of distress. "You tell me. You've been quiet since dinner, and I don't like it. Something's up."

You rolled your eyes, trying to play it off. "I'm fine, Moya. Just tired. Big match tomorrow, you know?"

Moya crossed his arms, his gaze narrowing. "Uh-huh. And why does it sound like someone else is in your room?"

Your heart sank. "What? No one's in there."

"Y/N." His voice was low, a warning. "If someone's messing with you, I need to know."

You sighed, leaning back against the door. "Moya, I'm an adult. You don't have to micromanage every part of my life. I'm fine. Seriously."

He studied you for a long moment, clearly unconvinced. Finally, he stepped back, though the tension in his posture didn't ease.

"Fine," he said reluctantly. "But if something's wrong, you'll tell me, right?"

"Of course," you said quickly, eager to end the conversation. "Now, can I please go to bed? I'm exhausted."

Moya nodded, though his expression remained guarded. "Goodnight, Y/N. I'm just down the hall if you need me."

You watched as he walked away, waiting until he disappeared around the corner before slipping back into your room.

Sitetampo was standing by the window, his hands shoved into his pockets. He turned as you entered, his expression apologetic.

"Sorry," he said softly. "I didn't mean to cause trouble."

You shook your head, leaning against the door. "It's not your fault. Moya's just... like that. He's been protective my whole life. It's nothing new."

Sitetampo gave you a small smile, but there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. "He's just looking out for you. I can't blame him for that."

You crossed the room, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Still. It's exhausting sometimes. He doesn't get that I'm not a little kid anymore."

Sitetampo nodded, moving to sit beside you. The bed dipped slightly under his weight, and you were suddenly hyper-aware of how close he was.

"I get it," he said quietly. "I mean, I don't have siblings, but... I get wanting to protect someone you care about. It's hard to let go of that instinct."

His words hung in the air, and you turned to look at him, your breath catching when you saw the sincerity in his expression.

"You really mean that?" you asked softly.

He met your gaze, his brown eyes warm and steady. "Of course I do. I care about you, Y/N. More than I probably should."

Your cheeks flushed, and you looked away, your heart racing. "Tampo..."

"I'm serious," he said, his voice firm but gentle. "You mean a lot to me. And I know I've been awkward about it lately, but I just want to be honest with you."

You swallowed hard, your mind racing. You'd felt the same way for weeks, but hearing him say it out loud was something else entirely.

"I don't know what to say," you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper.

"You don't have to say anything," he said quickly. "I just... I needed you to know. I don't want you to think I'm holding back because of Erika or anything else. She's in the past. You're the one I want to be close to now."

Your heart skipped a beat, and you finally forced yourself to look at him again. There was no hesitation in his expression, no doubt.

"I... care about you too," you said softly, your cheeks burning.

The smile that spread across his face was so genuine, so warm, that it made your chest ache. He reached out, his hand brushing lightly against yours.

"Thanks for saying that," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

For a moment, neither of you spoke, the silence between you filled with unspoken emotions. You weren't sure how much time passed, but eventually, Sitetampo stood, his movements slow and reluctant.

"I should probably go," he said, though he didn't look like he wanted to.

You nodded, standing as well. "Yeah. It's late."

He hesitated at the door, glancing back at you. "Goodnight, Y/N."

"Goodnight, Tampo," you said, your voice soft.

As the door closed behind him, you felt a rush of emotions—nervousness, excitement, and a strange sense of calm all at once. You decided to call it a day and go to sleep for the night.