Aira lay on the bed, hands covering her face, wishing the earth or whatever magical land she'd fallen into would swallow her whole.
The silence that followed her outburst only made the air awkward.
The emperor simply watched her, impossibly composed, his eyes gleaming with something between amusement and curiosity. As if she were some rare, unpredictable creature he couldn't understand.
Slowly, very slowly, Aira peeled her hands away from her face.
"You…" she pointed at him weakly, still half-convinced he might lunge at her again. "are impossible."
His head tilted, that same infuriatingly interested expression on his face.
"Impossible?"
"Yes!" she snapped. "Completely, undeniably, one-hundred-percent impossible! You act like you know nothing, but somehow you—YOU—kiss like that?! That wasn't normal! That wasn't basic! That was—the most intense kiss I've ever—"
She froze.
Oh no.
Oh no, no, no. Why did she say that out loud?!
The emperor's posture shifted barely, but enough for her to notice. His eyes narrowed slightly. Almost… triumphantly?
"…the most intense?" he repeated, voice low and smooth. "So… it pleased you?"
Aira slapped both hands on her cheeks, shaking her head so violently her hair whipped around.
"No! It didn't! Stop twisting everything I say! I'm just shocked! Traumatized! Emotionally damaged, even!"
The emperor raised a brow. "Damaged?"
"Yes! Emotionally!" she insisted, pointing at him as if he were the sole cause of her emotional crisis.
He blinked, genuinely puzzled, as though trying to determine whether "emotional damage" counted as a real injury.
Before she could continue arguing, he stepped closer.
Aira immediately scooted backward on the bed, blanket bunching behind her.
"Stop! Stop right there!"
He halted, just inches away, close enough to invade her comfort zone but far enough to show some restraint.
"How…" he began slowly, his voice deep and velvety, "should one properly perform a kiss?"
Her entire soul left her body.
"You—WHAT?!" she shrieked. "Why would you ask me something like that?!"
He didn't blink. "Because I do not understand it. And you seem… affected by it."
Affected?! Who?! ME?!
"What makes you think I'm affected?!"
He reached up and gently brushed his thumb along her lower lip.
She froze instantly.
Her breath hitched. Her brain short-circuited. Her consciousness filed a complaint to the heavens.
"This," he murmured, studying her lips, "turned red earlier. It reddened only when I touched them."
She slapped his hand away with a squeak. "B-Because you attacked me!"
He paused at the word, almost offended. "Attacked?"
"Yes! You didn't warn me! You didn't ask! You just—went for it!"
He stared at her for a moment, expression unreadable.
"In this world," he said finally, "if one is emperor, there is no need to ask whether I should claim your lips or your whole body."
His gaze flicked downward.
Aira clutched her chest in horror.
"No! What are you even saying? No touching! No anything! You should NEVER do that to a woman you're not in a relationship with!"
He stared blankly.
She pulled her knees to her chest. "You HAVE to ask before kissing someone! That's basic logic! But I'm not giving you permission to touch me—ever!"
He was silent for a long moment.
Then a soft hum rumbled in his throat. "Not your whole body, then. But I may ask for a kiss… you say."
"Yes!" she blurted. "You should ask first! But...HEY! Are you even listening? I said I'm NOT allowing you! I don't want you to kiss me again!"
What is she even saying?! And why is she stuttering?!
"…Very well."
Aira sighed in relief.
Then he leaned in.
Her mouth fell open.
"Then," he whispered, "may I kiss you?"
"NOOOOO!"
The emperor blinked as she launched herself backward, tumbling off the far side of the bed. She popped up again, hair wild, eyes wide.
"That is a NO! A giant NO! Didn't I tell you?! Even if you ask, I STILL won't allow it! Are you even listening?!"
He stared not offended, just observing. Like watching a noisy squirrel having a full meltdown.
"You speak as though it was wrong," he said calmly, "but your face reddened… and your breathing changed. Is that not enjoyment?"
Aira's jaw dropped. "E-Enjoyment?! That's embarrassment!"
He repeated the word slowly. "Embarrassment… so a kind of pleasure?"
"No! It's the opposite! It means I'm mortified!"
He frowned. "Then why did you not push me away earlier?"
She opened her mouth. Closed it. Opened it. Closed it.
"I—I was too shocked! Who kisses someone out of nowhere?!"
He looked at her seriously. "There is a prophecy… a binding pull between the emperor and his destined consort. Perhaps that is what compelled me."
Aira froze. "A—prophecy?"
"Yes. The prophecy of the Light Pool. The woman who awakens the emperor's lost heart—the one whose lips ignite fate."
Aira's face twisted. "So you kissed me… because of destiny?!"
"Yes. And because I wished to understand this 'kiss.' It felt necessary."
"NECESSARY?!" she shrieked. "You can't go around kissing random girls because some prophecy said so!"
His eyes narrowed. "Random?"
"Tsk! It means just anyone!"
He clicked his tongue. "What a loud woman. I am emperor. I may do what pleases me—including kissing you even without permission."
Aira sprinted away and planted herself at the farthest corner.
"You can't just ask for a kiss like you're asking for sugar!"
"I do not know what sugar is."
"That's NOT the point!"
He took a slow step forward.
She took a bigger step back.
He paused. She paused.
They stared at each other like predator and prey.
"Why are you running?" he asked flatly.
"OF COURSE I WILL RUN! You kissed me like a starving vampire earlier!"
He frowned. "What is a vampire?"
"Never mind!"
He exhaled. "Very well. If you do not wish to be kissed… I will not approach without reason."
Aira sagged in relief.
Finally—
"But you will come closer instead."
She froze.
"…Excuse me?"
"You are my fated consort," he said simply. "You will approach when I summon you."
"WHY would I do that?!"
"Because I am emperor."
"That is NOT a reason!"
"I didn't agree to anything! I didn't even choose to come to this world!"
His expression softened just faintly. "You were not brought here by choice by destiny. You are both a blessing and a curse… a woman whom every man in this world would worship."
Aira blinked.
"There is no destiny!" Aira groaned. "Only bad luck!"
"You are loud for someone so small."
"I SWEAR—!"
The door burst open.
Aira shrieked and dove behind a curtain.
Three imperial attendants knelt instantly.
"Your Majesty! We sensed a surge of power—did something happen?!"
The emperor didn't look away from the curtain.
"…Nothing of concern."
The attendants exchanged worried looks but stayed silent.
"Bring a healer," the emperor ordered. "This woman is… fragile and loud."
"WHAT?! FRAGILE AND LOUD?!" Aira's muffled voice exploded from behind the curtain.
All three attendants flinched violently.
"See?" the emperor said. "Loud. Bring the healer."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
They scrambled away.
The room fell silent.
Aira peeked out, glaring like an angry kitten.
"I'm not fragile and loud," she hissed. "I'm perfectly healthy!"
"You tremble. And you speak very loudly."
"Because YOU KISSED ME!"
"You redden."
"BECAUSE YOU KISSED ME!"
"You hide."
"BECAUSE YOU—KISSED—ME!!"
He stepped forward.
She darted back behind the curtain.
He stopped.
"Woman," he called. "Come out."
"No!"
"Woman."
"No! My name is NOT 'woman'!"
"Then Aira."
"STOP SAYING MY NAME LIKE THAT!"
He exhaled deeply—completely done with her.
"Come.." he said again, voice softer.
Aira hesitated.
Why… did that sound gentle?
Slowly, she stepped out, hugging her arms to her chest.
They stood facing each other.
Until—
"I do not understand this," he said quietly. "This feeling."
Aira blinked. "…What feeling?"
His gaze drifted to her lips again.
She panicked. "DON'T THINK ABOUT KISSING ME—"
"I am not thinking of kissing you."
"Good!"
"I am thinking… why I wanted to."
Her heart skipped.
He stepped closer—carefully this time.
"…Teach me.." he murmured.
Aira nearly fainted. "T-Teach you WHAT?!"
His crimson eyes softened.
"Kiss."
Aira's scream echoed throughout the palace.