CHAPTER 35: CHAPTER 35: KISS

Toshio Perspective

I sank into meditation as soon as I returned home and got ready for the night, the memory of Akeno’s lips still lingering on mine. As I assumed my sitting position, Kuroka found her spot in my lap as usual. She somehow found her way into my house without me knowing, not that I was complaining. Although, I did find it amusing that she basically called wherever I lived, home. Soon, the world around me faded as I descended into my inner mindscape, that familiar pull guiding me deeper until reality dissolved completely.

When I opened my eyes, I stood in the Sanctuary. The moonlight bathed everything in silver. Cherry blossoms drifted lazily through the air.

"My, my... someone’s had quite the evening."

1 || Shinjūka’s voice flowed over me like warm honey. I turned to find her lounging on a stone bench floating on the rippling water, one leg crossed elegantly over the other. She wore a midnight-blue kimono that hugged her curves, the fabric shimmering with subtle patterns that seemed to move in the moonlight. The obi wrapped tightly around her waist accentuated her figure, and the neckline dipped lower than usual, revealing a generous expanse of pale skin. Her nipples happened to be partially exposed as well. I tried to ignore that.

"You’ve been busy," she continued, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "I felt every moment of it, you know."

"I figured you might." I approached her, settling on the bench beside her. "I didn’t exactly try to keep it hidden."

She laughed, the sound like wind chimes in the night. "Hidden? You practically broadcast it through our entire connection." She leaned closer, her intoxicating smell enveloping me. "I must say, I approve of your choice. The Queen has fire in her soul."

"You can sense that?"

"Of course." Shinjūka traced a finger along my jawline, her touch feather-light. "I am your soul, remember? I feel what you feel, see what you see. And I can tell you that your little date has had quite the effect on us."

She gestured toward the water, and I noticed for the first time that new floating flowers had bloomed—vibrant purple blossoms I’d never seen before, their petals almost electric in the moonlight.

"Soul Resonance has increased," she said, her voice dropping to a sultry whisper. "We’re at sixty-five percent now. Your emotional awakening is accelerating our connection."

I raised an eyebrow. "Just from one date?"

"From accepting what you want and pursuing it," she corrected, shifting closer until her thigh pressed against mine. "From finally allowing yourself to feel without overthinking everything. From that kiss under the stars."

Heat crept up my neck at the memory. "It felt right."

"Of course it did." Her fingers trailed down my arm, leaving goosebumps in their wake. "Because it was what you truly wanted. What we wanted."

I considered her words, letting them sink in. "So what happens now? With Akeno, I mean. I’ve never actually been in a relationship before. Not in this life, anyway. And I can hardly count what I experienced in the last."

Shinjūka’s laugh was rich and knowing. "You’re asking me for relationship advice? How adorable." She shifted, somehow ending up half in my lap, her arm draped around my shoulders. Her extremely generous bust pressed into me. "But if you insist on my wisdom..."

She leaned in, her lips brushing my ear as she spoke. "Follow your instincts, Toshio. They’ve served you well so far. Stop analyzing every interaction like it’s a battle strategy."

"But—"

"No buts." She pressed a finger to my lips, silencing me. "The problem with you is that you think too much. You’ve spent so long suppressing your emotions that now you’re overthinking how to express them."

I sighed, knowing she was right. "And what about Rias? I told Akeno I had feelings for both of them."

"Mmm, greedy boy." Shinjūka’s eyes gleamed with amusement. "But honesty was the right choice. Devils aren’t known for their monogamy, as your Queen so helpfully pointed out."

She shifted again, somehow managing to press even closer. I could feel her hard protrusions through my clothes. "As for Rias... patience. Something is troubling her, something she doesn’t feel she can share with you yet. When the time comes, she’ll need you."

"You sound like you know something I don’t."

Her smile was enigmatic. "I know many things you don’t, despite being part of you. The soul often understands what the mind refuses to see."

"It probably has something to do with me being a human, her a devil heiress, and a conversation from her family." I brought my hand to my chin. "They probably tried to scare her off, reminded her of her engagement. If the series in my past life is any indication. I just don’t understand this distance she’s created. She was hardly distant from Issei when all that went down..." Shinjūka gently pulled my chin so I looked at her.

"You’re overanalyzing again, despite being mostly right. Your opportunity will come, likely during that ’arc’ as you’d call it." She held a mischievous smirk.

I frowned, trying to make sense of her cryptic words. "So for now, I just... what? Keep seeing Akeno and wait for Rias to come around?"

"For now, you enjoy what you have." She traced patterns on my chest, her touch burning through my shirt. "You’ve spent so long denying yourself pleasure, denying yourself connection. It’s time to embrace it."

Her words resonated with something deep inside me. I’d been so focused on survival, on getting stronger, on understanding this world, that I’d pushed aside everything else. But tonight with Akeno had awakened something I couldn’t ignore anymore.

"Thank you," I said softly. "For pushing me toward this. For not letting me retreat back into that emotional isolation."

Shinjūka’s eyes softened, though the seductive curve of her lips remained. "You’re welcome, my other half."

Then she leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine. The effect was immediate—that now-familiar sensation of completeness washing over me, filling every empty space inside me with warmth and light. It wasn’t just a kiss; it was communion with the deepest part of myself, a reminder of what it felt like to be whole.

When she pulled back, I was breathless, my heart racing. "That’s going to become like a drug if you keep doing it," I admitted.

Her smile turned wicked. "Good." She ran her thumb across my lower lip. "You should crave me, crave feeling whole. It’s excellent motivation, don’t you think?"

I couldn’t argue with that logic. The feeling of completeness was addictive—a stark contrast to the hollow emptiness I didn’t realize I’d carried for so long.

"Besides," she continued, her voice dropping to that dangerous register that reminded me so much of Akeno, "the more you connect with others, the stronger our connection grows. Your date tonight was just the beginning."

She stood in one fluid motion, her kimono rippling like water. "Now, shall we train? I think you’ve earned a new technique after your progress tonight." I briefly wondered if her apparent horniness or seductive tendencies was another mirror for something I long since repressed.

I rose to my feet, feeling lighter somehow. "By all means."

As we walked away from the bench, cherry blossoms swirling around us, I couldn’t help but smile. For so long, I’d viewed emotions as a liability or useless distractions, as something to be controlled and contained. But Shinjūka was right. Maybe accepting them, embracing them, was the key to becoming stronger—not just in soul resonance, but in every aspect of my life.

And if Akeno’s kiss could make me feel this alive, this present in my own body... well, I was definitely looking forward to our next date.

XXX

Next day, Toshio Perspective

I woke up early the next morning, my mind still replaying every moment of the night before. Akeno’s lips on mine, the stars above us, the way she’d melted against me—it felt almost dreamlike in the morning light. But the lingering tingle when I touched my lips confirmed it had been very real.

As I gathered my things for school, I couldn’t help but wonder what today would bring. Would she act differently around me? Would I? The thought sent an unfamiliar flutter through my stomach.

Kuroka stretched lazily on my bed, watching me with those knowing golden eyes as I adjusted my uniform.

"What?" I asked her, feeling strangely self-conscious under her feline scrutiny. "Do I look different today or something?"

She just blinked slowly, her tail swishing with what I could only describe as amusement.

Before heading out, I walked over and scooped her up, cradling her against my chest. Her purr kicked in immediately, vibrating against my hands.

"I’ll be back later," I told her, scratching under her chin the way she liked. Her eyes narrowed in pleasure, and I couldn’t help but smile. I pressed a quick kiss to the top of her head, earning a chirp-like sound I rarely heard from her.

"Try not to destroy anything while I’m gone," I added as I set her down. She stretched again, looking utterly unconcerned with my request, before padding away toward the kitchen.

As I left my front door, I paused for a moment, looking at the Gremory manor next door. I was used to walking to school on my own, but now that we were all neighbors, I looked forward to walking with the ORC group.

I walked up to their front door and rang the bell. After a moment, the door swung open to reveal Kiba, already dressed in his uniform, his hair perfectly styled as always.

"Toshio?" His eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise. "Good morning."

"Morning," I replied, keeping my voice casual. "I was thinking, since we’re neighbors now, we might as well walk to school together."

Kiba’s surprise melted into a smile. "That’s a great idea. Come in for a moment—the girls are almost ready."

I stepped into the entrance hall, feeling strangely nervous. Which was ridiculous, considering how much time I’d spent with all of them. But that was before I’d kissed Akeno under the stars.

I heard footsteps on the stairs and looked up to see Akeno descending. The moment our eyes met, her face lit up with a smile that made my heart skip. Without warning, she rushed forward, threw her arms around my neck, and pressed her lips to mine.

The kiss was brief but electric, sending a jolt through my entire body. When she pulled back, her violet eyes sparkled with mischief and something warmer.

"Good morning, Toshi-kun," she purred, her arms still looped around my neck.

"Morning," I managed, acutely aware of Kiba watching us with undisguised interest.

"No holding back, right?" Akeno said softly, her breath warm against my lips. "That’s what we agreed."

Before I could respond, I heard more footsteps and looked up to see Rias coming down the stairs. She paused briefly when she saw us, her expression flickering with something I couldn’t quite identify before settling into a polite smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

"Good morning, Toshio," she said, her voice carrying that same formal tone she’d been using with me lately. "This is a surprise."

"I thought we said we could all walk to school together," I explained, stepping back from Akeno slightly. "Since we’re neighbors now."

"That’s right, we did," Rias replied. She gathered her bag and moved toward the door. "Shall we go, then? We don’t want to be late."

We filed out of the house, falling into a natural walking formation—Rias on the far left, then Kiba, then Akeno, with me on the right end. The tension was palpable, at least to me. Rias kept her gaze forward, barely engaging in the conversation as Kiba chatted about some of his most recent contract clients.

Akeno, meanwhile, had slipped her arm through mine, pressing herself against my side in a way that made it difficult to concentrate on walking straight. Her breast pressed firmly against my arm, and I could feel the warmth of her body through our uniforms.

The contact wasn’t unusual—Akeno had been doing this for months—but the context had changed entirely. Now I knew exactly how soft her lips were, how she tasted, how it felt to hold her close with nothing between us but moonlight.

I glanced over at Rias, who was pointedly not looking in our direction. Her jaw was set, her shoulders tight, and I could practically feel the chill emanating from her. It didn’t make sense. She’d been the one to create distance between us, yet she seemed upset by my closeness with Akeno.

I leaned down slightly to whisper in Akeno’s ear. "Maybe we should tone it down a bit. I think it’s bothering Rias."

Akeno looked up at me, then over at her friend. A flash of understanding crossed her face, followed by what looked like guilt. She sighed softly.

"You’re right," she whispered back, reluctantly releasing my arm. "Though I don’t understand why she’s acting this way when she’s the one who—" She cut herself off, pressing her lips together.

"The one who what?" I asked, but Akeno just shook her head.

"It’s not my place to say," she replied quietly. "Just... be patient with her, okay?"

I nodded, though frustration bubbled beneath the surface. What exactly was going on with Rias? Why pull away from me, then act jealous when Akeno got close? The whole situation left me feeling like I was missing crucial information.

"Is she upset that I’m with you?" I kept my tone in a low whisper, Kiba’s voice going on in the background, which was weird he was being so vocal today.

"No... more like that I’m allowed to be," she replied softly, trying to be cryptic. Though now it made total sense. The way she acted before Ghom was killed, versus now. A conversation must have happened in between, but Akeno didn’t have the same restrictions. So she was probably jealous of Akeno, just not in the traditional sense.

As we walked, my thoughts drifted to Rias’ engagement with Riser. There wasn’t really anything I could do now except grow stronger so I could beat the stupid chicken when the time came. Her engagement was supposed to be after she graduated college, but was moved up due to her association with the red dragon emperor. Once she recruited him, assuming she still did, I wondered if Issei would try to bail her out again. But then the thought of Issei getting close to Rias left me feeling an emotion I’d identify as anger.

No, Rias was mine.

"You okay?" Akeno asked, smiling a little nervously at me. Broken out of my thoughts, I was confused by her question. Like she could tell, she raised our intertwined hands, my hand squeezing way harder than I realized.

"Oh I’m sorry Akeno, just thinking about stuff." I quickly released the pressure on her hand. Feeling like it was the right thing to do, I brought it up to my lips and kissed her hand gently. She cupped her face in her other hand.

"Aw, how cute~." I’m glad she didn’t push the issue. I was also glad that she was a devil, otherwise I probably would have broken her hand.

The rest of the walk passed in mildly uncomfortable silence, broken only by Kiba’s valiant attempts at conversation. By the time we reached the school gates, I was relieved for the distraction of classes.

The morning dragged by in a blur of lectures and note-taking, my mind focused more on the theoretical magic I was trying to formulate. Excellent distraction. When lunchtime finally arrived, I headed to the ORC clubroom as usual, expecting the full group to be there.

Instead, I found only Akeno, arranging a tea service for two on the coffee table.

"Where is everyone?" I asked, closing the door behind me.

"Rias had some business with Sona," Akeno explained, straightening up. "Kiba got roped into helping Ms. Takeda with something in the faculty room—though between you and me, I think she just wanted an excuse to spend time with him." She smiled and giggled conspiratorially. "And Koneko is stuck at her school today. Something about makeup exams."

"So it’s just us," I said, feeling a strange mix of relief and nervousness.

"Just us," she echoed, her violet eyes darkening slightly as she stepped toward me. "Whatever shall we do with this unexpected privacy, Toshi-kun?"

I set my bag down that I used to disguise Shinjūka, my mouth suddenly dry. "Tea seems like a good start."

Akeno’s laugh was low and melodic as she closed the distance between us. "Is that really what you want right now?" She reached up, her fingers tracing the line of my jaw. "Tea?"

I caught her wrist, holding her hand against my face. "No," I admitted. "That’s not what I want."

Her smile turned triumphant. "Then what do you want, Toshi-kun? Tell me."

Instead of answering with words, I leaned down and captured her lips with mine. She responded immediately, pressing herself against me as her arms wound around my neck. The kiss deepened quickly, any pretense of restraint abandoned as I backed her against the nearest wall. Her being a devil, I knew I didn’t have to be gentle either. Her back slammed against the wall that would have been uncomfortable for most humans. It only elicited a moan from her.

Her hands tangled in my hair, pulling me closer as I explored her mouth with mine. When we finally broke apart for air, a trail of saliva connecting our mouths, her eyes were hooded, her breath coming in quick gasps.

"My, my," she whispered, her voice husky. "So aggressive today. I like this side of you."

I traced the curve of her neck with my lips, feeling her pulse jump beneath my touch. "You’ve been teasing me for months," I murmured against her skin. "Did you think I wouldn’t remember?"

Her laugh turned into a soft moan as I found a sensitive spot just below her ear. "I was hoping you would. I was hoping you’d punish me~," she moaned out.

My hands settled on her waist, holding her firmly against the wall as I continued my exploration of her neck, her jawline, the delicate shell of her ear. Her reactions were intoxicating—each gasp, each shiver, each breathless whisper of my name sending heat coursing through me.

When I returned to her lips, the kiss was even more intense than before, out tongues battling for dominance. Her hands slid down my chest, fingers working at my uniform jacket, pushing it off my shoulders. I let it fall, too caught up in the sensation of her touch to care.

"You know," she breathed between kisses, "I’ve imagined this so many times. But reality is so much better."

I pulled back slightly, studying her flushed face. "You’ve imagined this? Us?"

Her smile was almost shy, a stark contrast to her usual confident demeanor. "Of course I have. Haven’t you?"

"If you’d asked me a few months ago, I might have said in passing. But lately?," I started to admit, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "More than I should have."

Her eyes darkened at my confession. "Tell me," she whispered, pressing herself closer. "Tell me what you imagined."

I leaned in, my lips brushing her ear as I described exactly what had filled my late-night thoughts—her beneath me, above me, the sounds she might make, the taste of her skin. With each word, I felt her breathing quicken, her body arching against mine. I let my instinct run wild for the first time in either life, abandoning the cold boundaries of reason and logic.

"Toshio," she gasped when I finished, her voice strained. "If you keep talking like that, I won’t be responsible for what happens next."

I smiled against her neck. "Is that a promise or a warning?"

In answer, she pulled my face back to hers, kissing me with renewed hunger. Her leg hitched around my waist, pulling me closer, and I groaned at the contact. My hand slid down to support her thigh, fingers digging into the soft flesh through her uniform skirt. Her drenched, lace panties pressed against the growing bulge in my pants.

"More," she breathed against my lips. "Touch me more."

I complied, my free hand sliding up her side, brushing the curve of her breast through her uniform. Even that light touch made her gasp, her head falling back against the wall. Encouraged, I continued my exploration, learning what made her breath catch, what made her moan.

When my fingers found the buttons of her blouse, however, I hesitated, my rational mind not willing to completely leave me. "Are you sure about this? Here?"

Her eyes opened, dark with desire but clear with certainty. "Yes," she whispered. "I want this. I want you."

My mind started to haze over. I took her wrists and pinned them above her head, slamming them against the wall. My other hand left her creamy thigh, gripping her school blouse, ripping the buttons open, freeing her bra covered breasts. She gasped at the motion, her wrapped leg squeezing me against her very wet panties.

2 || My hand found the bra clasp, not even bothering how to figure out how to undo it (I’d never done it before), I ripped it open, grabbing the front part of the bra, ripping it off of her chest. Her exposed boobs were beautiful. After admiring them for a few seconds, my lips found her open, panting mouth. Her face sported a crimson flush of arousal. My hand groped her boob, causing her to moan louder in the kiss.

Then, I pulled away after removing her wrapped leg from me. She stared at me breathless, surprised, aroused, and confused. The rational part of my mind returned. I didn’t want to do something we’d regret, or have someone walk in on us. I’d made her my girlfriend yesterday. Sex the next day was too quick. At least for me. But that didn’t mean I wouldn’t spin the narrative a little.

"I’m pretty thirsty, I think I’ll have that tea now," I said casually, walking over to the couch, picking up the still steaming tea cup, sitting down, and sipping on it. Akeno came over soon after, slamming both hands on the table, moving her boobs in wonderful ways, the force knocking the other tea cup over. She stared into my eyes with intense desire and hunger.

"What," pant "do you think you’re doing?" She almost sounded desperate.

"How’s that for punishment?" I said in amusement. Her eyes widened, then she looked down. She bit her lip and moaned, her thighs quivering.

Did she just... As the thought crossed my mind, I saw a few small beads of liquid escape her panties and trail down her perfect thighs. She totally did. Geez, that’s incredibly arousing.

I did my best to keep my smirk casual as I sipped the delicious tea. She looked up at me, eyes burning in challenge.

"You are SO going to pay for that," she huffed out.

"Looking forward to it." I sipped the tea audibly. She finally smirked. She moved to sit on the couch next to me. As she stumbled, I purposely tripped her, catching her on my lap.

"Hello gorgeous." I sipped the tea with my free hand.

"Toshio, you don’t know what you’re doing to me," she whispered hotly.

"I have a pretty good idea." I smirked at her. I lifted her torso up and I kissed her, more gently this time. She wrapped her arms around my neck, melting into the kiss.

I’m extremely glad I happened to do some prior, ’research’ before all this went down. I thought as we continued. Just then, the bell sounded the start of passing period, signaling the end of lunch. Our kiss paused, then I pulled away. She looked longingly into my eyes. I think my eyes might have been doing the same.

"Come on, you can’t go to class like that," I chuckled as I helped her stand. She pouted.

"You’re the one who did it." I pecked her on the lips. "And I’d do it again," I said matter of fact. I turned to pick up Shinjūka. I adjusted my ’pants’ before turning back to Akeno. I could have caught it, given my reaction time, put I let the flying object hit me square in the face. I held out my hand to catch it as it fell. Soaking wet, black lace panties. A tiny amount of liquid had actually splashed on my face.

"That’s the start of your punishment, Toshi-kun~. You could have had so much more too~." Her uniform was already repaired like it was never damaged. Probably her clothing equip magic. I unconsciously licked the corner of my mouth where some of the liquid had splashed.

Not only does it smell good, the taste... I’m going to need more of that soon I think." I stashed the panties in my inventory for ’safe keeping’.

"Hope you don’t mind if I use those later." Akeno gave a mock gasp.

"Ara ara, Toshi-kun, whatever for?" Her hand covered her ’innocent’ smile.

"I’ll leave that to your imagination," I replied as we both started walking out the door. But before I did, I turned around abruptly, facing Akeno. I pulled her in for a chaste, but long kiss.

When we separated, I spoke. "We made this official yesterday, Akeno. We can have fun of course, but there’s no reason to rush things. We have a long time together," I said seriously. Her eyes were briefly conflicted, then she gave me a genuine smile.

"Okay, I understand, Toshio. But if you keep doing things like that, who knows what might happen," she somehow said innocently. I couldn’t help but snort.

"Come on troublemaker." I gripped her hand, interlacing her fingers with mine, and we started walking to class. As we walked outside and through the halls, she laid her head on my shoulder, occasionally sighing in what I assumed was contentment.

I couldn’t help but feel the same way.