From the start, Rian had already noticed Akeno's presence around his apartment.
He just hadn't expected that her destination would be him.
"Come to think of it," Rian muttered, frowning slightly, "whenever Akeno has an appointment with a client, she usually teleports straight to them. So why bother knocking on the door?"
Casually, he lifted the petite Ophis from his lap and set her down beside him, as if moving a small doll.
He had only taken a single step toward the door when he glanced back—Ophis was gone. Vanished, dissolving into the shadows as though she had never been there at all.
"Gone already?" Rian murmured, tilting his head. "Did she have something urgent to do? Maybe... the bathroom? Hmm... nah, doesn't sound like her."
Tok! Tok! Tok!
The knocking came again, demanding his attention.
"Yeah, yeah... just a sec. The handsome man is on his way~," Rian said lightly as he strolled toward the door.
The moment Rian reached the door, he slipped on the black sunglasses stored inside his Void Ring and opened it—only to be greeted by Akeno's warm embrace.
Rian didn't dodge, even though he easily could have. He could've activated Infinity and kept himself perfectly upright…
But instead, he chose to let himself fall back together with her, allowing the moment to flow naturally.
With a gentle smile, Rian stroked Akeno's head softly and asked, "Why the sudden hug? Missing me? Or do you just want praise?"
"Ara~ isn't it obvious?" Akeno replied with a teasing smile. "Rian, I won, you know. So, how about a little reward for your mistress?"
Rian chuckled quietly, amused by how Akeno still insisted on keeping up her "mistress" act—and now, she was even demanding affection as her prize.
Slowly, he stopped the soft strokes on her head and returned her embrace. It was warm, just like before—not out of obligation, but because he genuinely found her endearing.
"All right, all right," Rian said in a warm tone. "Akeno-chan gave it her all today. And because of that… you deserve a reward from me. So, what do you want?"
"Really?" Akeno gazed at Rian's face, still comfortably buried in her embrace. "In that case… can we go on a date tomorrow?"
Their eyes met, the distance between them almost nonexistent as Akeno's eager smile erased any hesitation.
"Of course," Rian replied with an easy smile. "Just tell me what time, and I'll be ready two hours early."
"Fufu~" Akeno chuckled softly, her tone as graceful as ever. "It's supposed to be the woman who takes the longest to get ready. Why you, Rian?"
Rian raised a brow, his smile unchanging. "So we can fool the world… as if the affair between this handsome man and the woman with the most beautiful wings were real."
"Fufu~" Akeno's laughter turned gentler, her eyes narrowing playfully. "Rian, may I stay over at your place tonight? Who knows… maybe we could do something more, if you want."
"Sure," Rian answered casually, a faint smirk curling his lips. "Let me serve you with all my heart."
Slowly, Rian released her from his arms. His right hand formed a seal, and in an instant, Akeno's body began to lift off the floor.
Right now, Rian was manipulating space with Blue, creating a stable point of attraction, then keeping Akeno suspended midair with Infinity, leaving her weightlessly hanging in the air.
Akeno only smiled, savoring the strange yet enticing sensation. "What's this, Rian? Are you planning to play with a certain style… right here?"
Still lying down, Rian turned his head toward her with an amused smile. "Looks like you really enjoy it when someone might be watching us being intimate."
Before Akeno could respond, he added, "And you don't even feel bothered, do you?"
"Not in the slightest," Akeno replied with a sweet, teasing grin. "Doesn't that make it even more thrilling? Like… our forbidden affair."
Rian chuckled softly. "You really are dangerous, Akeno. Too sweet for this world."
Once he felt her height was just right, Rian rose slowly and closed the apartment door.
With calm, confident movements, he caught Akeno's body in a princess carry—graceful, stylish, and subtly seductive, as if he were holding the most precious gift in the world.
Akeno was slightly taken aback, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks at Rian's unexpected romantic gesture. But of course, she wouldn't be Akeno if she couldn't return his teasing in her own signature way.
"Ara~ where are you taking me, Rian?" she whispered playfully. "The bedroom? Or the bathroom? You look… quite eager."
Rian merely shrugged with a relaxed, mysterious smile. "You'll see soon enough."
Without hesitation, he walked with easy grace, still holding Akeno in a princess carry.
A confident, stylish smile curved on his lips—like a hero in a love story who knew he was the main character.
Akeno's cheeks grew even redder. Embarrassed, yes—but more than that, she was enjoying it. This was their little secret play, a silent game only the two of them understood.
"Rian~" Akeno pressed a finger gently against his chest, her touch light yet teasing. "Do you remember… what happened before we left for training? At the shrine where I lived…"
Just as those words left her lips, they arrived at the door of Rian's simple apartment bedroom.
The atmosphere between them felt warm—slightly tense, yet filled with a mutual, undeniable attraction.
"Asking me for something, huh?" murmured Rian, recalling that moment at the shrine quite clearly. "Anything goes, right?"
"Of course," Akeno replied softly, her voice laced with meaning. Her gaze was sweet and inviting, as if surrendering herself to the flow of this little game. "Anything goes."
Rian gave a small grin and looked deep into her eyes. "Then… may this handsome man brush the feathers of your Fallen Angel wings tonight?"
Akeno paused for a moment before smiling broadly—a playful, seductive smile tinged with dangerous sweetness.
"Ara~ how could I possibly refuse such a romantic request?" she purred, her gaze sharp yet tender.
Before Rian could open the door to his room, Akeno's hand rose gently to his cheek. Her face flushed slightly, but her smile only grew more alluring.
"You know, Rian…" she whispered softly, her eyes locked onto his, "…a request like that is usually something only a lover is allowed to do~"
Akeno let her words hang in the air—like a sweet little trap set on purpose.
Rian turned to her with his trademark crooked smile, a look that mixed curiosity with quiet confidence.
"May I?" he asked, his tone light but full of implication.
Akeno chuckled softly, her hand that had been touching his cheek now rising to cover her mouth in her usual elegant manner.
"Fufufu~ You're quite eager, aren't you…" she teased, her voice playful and affectionate.
Rian simply gave a small shrug, keeping his easy smile.
With one hand, he pushed open the door to his room, while the other still held Akeno securely in a princess carry.
Inside, the simple room was shrouded in darkness. The lights were off—but that wasn't a problem for Rian's Six Eyes or Akeno's demonic vision.
There was only one futon near the window, a wardrobe, and a vanity table neatly arranged with Rian's skincare products.
Gently, Rian lowered Akeno's body onto the futon. His movements were calm and deliberate, yet Akeno's heartbeat quickened.
Though she was used to teasing and playing with words, deep down, Akeno was still a girl who could get nervous.
Rian's composure—his ability to respond to her flirtation without ever losing control—made her feel as though she was the one losing in the very game she had started.
Her lips still carried that familiar, playful smile she always wore when teasing him, but the moment her body touched the futon and Rian's calm gaze met hers—offering no opening for her usual games—that smile began to falter.
A faint blush colored her cheeks.
Her eyes, which normally glimmered with confidence and mischief, now looked at Rian with a mix of curiosity and nervous anticipation.
Her breathing grew slightly uneven, despite her efforts to stay composed.
Her fingertips lightly gripped the edge of the futon, as if searching for something to hold onto—something to keep her thoughts from drifting too far into dangerous expectations.
Akeno's lips parted slightly, as if she were about to say something… yet no words came out.
For the first time in a long while, she couldn't tell who was truly leading this game of temptation.
Seeing her composure waver—a mix of embarrassment, nervousness, and a lingering hint of mischief—a playful smile curved across Rian's face.
His gaze remained calm, yet there was a clear glint of satisfaction in his eyes, the kind that came from turning the tables so effortlessly.
Sitting upright, Rian shifted slightly, giving Akeno some space without saying a word. His demeanor was so relaxed, it was as if he were merely enjoying a quiet afternoon breeze while waiting for her next move.
"If you're unsure," he said softly, his voice gentle, like a spring breeze, "just say so. I'm not forcing you."