...
"I think it's time to collect on those debts. Unless you'd rather not play for a month?"
The threat came like a bolt from the blue. For Cappie, the idea of going a month without her games was a fate worse than death. Her eyes widened, and in a falsely dramatic voice she begged:
"N-no! Not games! Anything but that!"
She turned to him and, with a deliberate movement, moved her body even closer to his.
"Yes! I accept! What is it? What do I have to do? I'll do anything you want."
Her voice was low, but to the most attentive, it was clearly a voice full of desire. Cappie was not at all intimidated by her host's "punishment"; in fact, something inside her craved it. It had started yesterday, when she had collapsed into his arms, crying.
Theo, who was more than attentive, instantly noticed the change. The fear in her eyes had been replaced by a flame of pure expectation. The punishment had turned into an invitation.
"That..."
If she wanted him to punish her, then he would.
"Mmn!"
Without giving her any chance to prepare, Theo pressed his lips to hers. For Cappie, the world stopped. All the stolen pecks, all the impulsive, childish kisses, were nothing compared to this.
Those were like sparks; this was a conflagration. It was her first real kiss.
The initial surprise left her paralyzed, her mind, usually so quick and full of thoughts, going completely blank. There was only the sensation: the firm pressure of his lips, the way he led with unshakeable confidence.
And then, his tongue traced the contours of her lips before demanding entry. An electric shock ran through her body. Hesitantly, she yielded, and the moment his tongue met hers, a wave of heat flooded her, melting all her resistance.
Her heart pounded in a frantic, uncontrolled rhythm. She clung to his shirt, like an anchor in a sea of overwhelming sensations. The kiss continued, deepening.
It was then that his hands, which were holding her by the waist, slid down. He ran them under her skirt, kissing her while squeezing her plump, soft buttocks. His also pulled her even closer, eliminating any space and making her feel the hardness of his body against hers.
The gesture made her melt even more. Her legs went weak, and if he hadn't been holding her so tightly, she would have slid to the floor.
The kiss became wilder, more progressive, a dance of domination and surrender that lasted an eternity.
After nearly ten minutes of uninterrupted kissing and daring caresses, Theo finally released her lips.
"Ah! Ah!... Ah!"
He looked down at the beautiful disheveled girl who was breathing heavily, panting, her cheeks flushed and her lips red and swollen. Her eyes were still closed, her mind drifting, savoring the kiss and touch until now.
"Open your eyes, Cappie."
He said softly.
She obeyed, her eyelids trembling as they opened. Her eyes, once filled with complex feelings, were now cloudy, lost, and vulnerable, unable to focus properly.
"That was the first part of your punishment, there will be more."
He informed her, his thumb gently tracing her lower lip.
He let her go and took a step back, leaving her there, trembling and her body tingling.
"Now..."
He spoke, his tone returning to normal as if nothing had happened, as he turned toward the kitchen.
"I'm going to check the rewards I received while I make our dinner."
As he left, leaving Cappie mortified and wobbly-legged in the hallway, Theo opened his status again.
The translucent window floated in front of him as he entered the kitchen and began gathering the ingredients for the onion steak.
His eyes fixed on the line: TNE: 25% - (2x rewards available) > redeem? [YES/NO]
Without hesitation, he mentally clicked [YES].
A new window appeared, but it wasn't the rewards yet. It was a detailed report, a justification from the system for the 25% jump.
[...You saved Chae Nayun's brother from a dark future, a future where death awaited him... You have temporarily removed one of the main characters from the scene... The heroines Yoo Yeonha and Chae Nayun will never develop romantic feelings for Kim Hajin... You... Blah... Blah... The main character Kim Hajin wishes to leave the scene... The seed of Evandel is in your hands... Blah... Blah... Blah...]
Theo stopped putting on his apron, his eyes fixed on the text. The explanation was more revealing than he had expected.
Saving Chae Jinyoon, Nayun's brother, from his tragic fate was, as he suspected, a massive alteration. The explicit mention of "death" confirmed the gravity of what he had avoided.
Removing a main character "temporarily" and leaving the "scene" probably referred to Shin Jonghak and Kim Hajin.
But the biggest surprise was the direct mention that Yoo Yeonha and Chae Nayun would never develop feelings for Kim Hajin. The system saw this not just as a romance, but as a fundamental alteration in the web of relationships that underpinned the original story. Their feelings, it seemed, were a pillar of the narrative...
An ironic smile flashed across his face.
"And I took them for myself."
He dismissed the report, feeling that he now had a much better understanding of how to "conclude" the story more effectively.
Finally, the reward interface appeared. Two gift boxes floated in the air, both boxes were identical, indirectly telling him that the prizes were random.
"I hope it's something good..."
Stretching out both hands, he touched both boxes simultaneously.
[Ding! You have received Kage Bunshin no Jutsu - Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu.]
And...
[Ding! You have it won...]
...
Note: "Tips on skills, items, or objects... Preferably something that will be useful to him, even if not directly, such as the fountain of youth for his girls or the Cube of Evolution..."