“Sorry for the disturbance!”
Failing to find who they were looking for, the girls left together, albeit reluctantly.
“That’s strange… I swear I saw them!”
“Maybe you were mistaken?”
“No way! I’m a hardcore fan, okay?”
Their voices faded into the distance, eventually disappearing.
Inside one of the narrow fitting rooms.
Back pressed against the cold wall, Avira found herself held tightly by Orson in a full-frontal embrace.
They were so close that their breaths mingled in the confined space.
Orson seemed dazed, his beautiful blue-green eyes clouded with a misty sheen. His gaze, uncontrollable, kept falling to Avira’s lips.
I want to…
“Ah Orson… put me down,” Avira murmured softly.
“Avira, I think… I want to do something right now.”
His voice was low, heavy with a haze of uncertainty and desire.
“Hmm…?”
“Sorry, I don’t want to wait anymore.”
Under Avira’s bewildered gaze, Orson leaned in and kissed him without hesitation.
Avira, maybe I’ve already fallen too deep.
So if you’re planning to reject me, I’m not going to give you the chance.
Avira froze completely.
One of Orson’s hands supported him, pressing him firmly against the wall, while the other tightened around his waist with such force it seemed he wanted to fuse their bodies together.
Avira felt his head spinning, his strength draining away. He could only lean against Orson for support.
“Avira…”
After what felt like an eternity, Orson finally released his lips, though he couldn’t resist brushing a light kiss against them again.
“I like you.”
“Like… me?”
Avira stared at him, stunned.
“Yes.”
Orson’s forehead rested against his, his response unwavering. His gaze lingered on Avira’s reddened lips, and a satisfied smile tugged at his mouth.
“What about you, Avira?”
“I…?”
Avira blinked up at him, still unable to process the sudden kiss.
“It’s fine. You can take your time to think about it.”
Orson pressed a kiss to his forehead, slowly moving downward until he captured his lips again.
“Until your answer becomes ‘yes,’ I’ll keep touching you… like this.”
“…!”
In the infirmary.
“Cough… cough…”
Lying on the bed, Ashton coughed weakly, his face flushed.
Noticing his fevered expression, Avira reached out to check his forehead.
Despite having taken medicine, he was still burning up.
Just as Avira was about to withdraw her hand, Ashton’s fingers caught hers.
Startled, Avira barely had time to react before he was pulled into a tight embrace.
“Ashton…”
Avira looked up in confusion, meeting Ashton’s vacant gaze.
“An illusion…?”
Muttering to himself, Ashton drew him even closer.
His silver-blue eyes narrowed slightly, as if trying to discern whether the person before him was a figment of his imagination or real.
“No… it must be an illusion…”
He blinked, his fever-flushed cheeks making him look unexpectedly adorable.
Avira pressed her lips together, unsure what he meant by his words.
Just as Avira was about to say something, Ashton interrupted her:
“Like…”
What?
“I like… Avira…”
His arms tightened slightly around her, and his fevered lips pressed against her forehead.
“I like you… so much… that I want to make you mine, and mine alone…”
Hearing his words, Avira was completely stunned.
But there was no time to recover, as in the next moment, her lips were captured in a kiss.
Ashton suddenly flipped her over, pinning her beneath him.
The kiss didn’t stop.
Never having been kissed like this before, Avira could only stare blankly at Ashton, forgetting to push him away entirely.
Finally, Ashton pulled back, his fingers interlocking with hers as he whispered weakly by her ear:
“I like you…”
When Ashton woke up again, it was already afternoon.
His throat felt much better, and the fever had gone down, but the infirmary was empty.
Did she leave because she hated me…?
Lowering his lashes, he thought despondently.
Even if I pretended it was an illusion when I confessed my feelings… Avira still wouldn’t stay with me. I know that—I’ve always known. But…
But I can’t suppress these feelings anymore.
Suddenly, a cool hand touched his forehead.
Ashton froze, looking up to see Avira standing beside him.
“Feeling better?”
He nodded dazedly, almost not believing it, and reached out to hold the hand on his forehead.
“If you’re better…”
Avira’s lips curved slightly as she tightened her grip on his hand and abruptly pushed him back down onto the bed.
