Coward

The moment their lips collided, Kouhei's mind went blank, like his brain was being fried from the inside. Her lips were soft, warm, and insistent, and the way her tongue licked over his lips sent jolts of electricity through his entire body. She pressed into him with a hunger that made his knees weak, her chest and curves molding against him. The wet, sloppy sound of their kiss filled the room, echoing in his ears as if it were the only thing that existed. It was overwhelming, like he was melting right into her, completely losing himself.

"W-Wait, Saonji-san!" Kouhei finally gasped, using every ounce of strength to push her away, his breath ragged.

"What is it, Okumura Kouhei?" she asked, her voice cold and direct, like she was barely bothered by the interruption. "Don't you want to do it with me?"

He swallowed hard, his throat dry. He couldn't deny it—his dick was throbbing, aching, painfully hard. But this was insane. They had barely spoken before today, and now they were suddenly crossing every line imaginable. It felt wrong, too fast. They weren't even dating. How could they just… jump into this?

"Don't worry." Her lips curled into a faint, almost dismissive smirk. "You don't have to do anything. I can handle it all."

"T-That's not it!" Kouhei stammered, his voice trembling as his mind raced. "D-Don't you think you should only do this with someone you love? Isn't this something that should be special, shared with someone important?"

Saonji's expression didn't change, her voice flat and emotionless. "I don't understand what you're talking about."

Kouhei's heart pounded as he tried to explain. "I mean… you should do this with someone you love, not just with me, someone you barely know."

"I really have no idea what you're saying, Okumura Kouhei," she replied coolly. "Does that mean you don't want to do it with me? But your thing is hard right now."

His face flushed with embarrassment, his pulse quickening. She'd noticed, of course, and she had no shame in pointing it out.

"Even though you're hard, you still don't want to do it with me?" she asked again, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Her hand began to slide up his leg, the soft, teasing touch sending shivers up his spine. She moved with deliberate slowness, her fingers creeping closer and closer to his crotch. Kouhei's breath caught in his throat as her hand brushed over his pants, so close to his aching dick that he could almost feel the heat of her palm through the fabric. But before she could go any further, he grabbed her wrist, stopping her cold.

Then, without another thought, Kouhei stood up and bolted out of the room.

***

Kouhei stormed into his room, slamming the door behind him. His heart pounded in his chest, and the tightness in his pants was still there, his dick throbbing with unresolved tension. He couldn't just shrug it off—it was impossible to ignore. But he wasn't ready for this, not like that. Sure, he wanted a girlfriend, and yes, he had feelings for Saonji, but this was way too fast, way too overwhelming. He hadn't even wrapped his head around it, and now they were already heading toward something he wasn't prepared for.

He sighed, collapsing onto his bed, his mind spinning. He was hopelessly inexperienced. Hell, he couldn't even muster up the courage to talk to girls at school, let alone jump into something so physical. It felt like everything was moving at a pace he couldn't handle. The idea of actually going through with it, touching her, feeling her body against his—it seemed impossible.

But why had he run? Shouldn't he have stayed? What was wrong with him? It was Saonji for crying out loud—the girl he'd secretly crushed on. Running away was probably the dumbest thing he could've done. The guilt and regret began to eat at him.

"This is why people call you a virgin..." he muttered under his breath, hating himself for it.

He stared at the ceiling, his mind racing. What was he even scared of? This was exactly what he'd dreamed of, right? Sure, it wasn't happening the way he'd imagined, and they were definitely skipping a few steps, but still—it was something. Something real. Better than nothing.

"I need to apologize," he thought, taking a deep breath before heading back toward the door.

But as he opened it, the hallway was empty. She was already gone.

His stomach dropped. It was late, and there was no way she'd find any public transportation at this hour. Kouhei's mind flashed with worry. He had to find her—what if something happened? He knew she was capable, especially if the whole succubus thing was true, but still… the idea of her out there alone gnawed at him.

Without thinking twice, Kouhei dashed out of the house. He had to find her.

***

Saonji walked alone, her footsteps echoing off the quiet neighborhood walls. She couldn't understand why Kouhei had run away like that. She was always the one pushing people away, keeping her distance because of her ability. But this time, it was different. She had made the move—she had approached him. And yet, Kouhei was the one who pulled away.

"I don't get it..." she muttered to herself, her voice barely a whisper in the stillness of the night.

Suddenly, a burst of light flashed in the corner of her eye. Reacting instinctively, she dodged, narrowly avoiding an attack that would have struck her dead on.

"Why is a demon like you wandering in the land of mortals?" a deep voice called out, laced with disdain.

Saonji looked up, her eyes narrowing as she spotted the source. A man hovered in the night sky, illuminated by the moonlight. He was dressed in pure white robes, with wings extending from his back. His hair was stark white, and his golden eyes glowed with a fierce intensity. One glance told Saonji everything she needed to know.

He was from Valhalla.

Which meant he was her enemy.