CHAPTER 501: KISSES

Coco’s eyebrow raised in mild concern as she noticed Heiren’s lack of response.

"Heiren? You good?" She called, her tone now tinged with worry and anxiety. "Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?"

The sight of him still rooted in place, staring at her like a dumbfounded man, was beginning to make her worried so she stepped closer to him, her hand reaching out to gently touch his arm.

Heiren blinked a few times, shaking his head to shake off the daze that had taken hold of him.

He snapped back to reality, his gaze focusing on Coco’s face as he finally responded. "W-what? Did you say something..?"

Heiren responded, but his voice was slightly shaky and hoarse like he was still somewhat disoriented, his thoughts clearly lingering on the unexpected turn of events.

Coco watched him with both amusement and concern, her hand still rested on his arm, the touch grounding him in the moment.

"Are you okay?" Coco asked, her voice was gentle as she inquired, her hand still gently resting on his arm, but she gave him one reassuring squeeze to make sure she got his attention. "Is.. Is the kiss a joke? I shouldn’t have done it..?"

Heiren blinked again, the dazed look in his eyes slowly clearing as he tried to gather his scrambled thoughts.

He shook his head vigorously this time, the realization that the kids really did happen registering in his brain like a USB getting plugged into its port. .

"No, no!" He hastily replied, his voice quick and insistent. "It was.. Unexpected, but... No, it wasn’t unwelcome, definitely not unwelcome."

"You.. You look.." Coco frowned, the words dying on her lips as she took in Heiren’s expression.

He looked rather... Conflicted for her eyes, his face having a surprised look and what appeared to be a look of discomfort, but still, she didn’t finish her sentence.

The silence hung in the air for a moment, the unspoken words lingering between them, creating an air of uncertainty and tension, making it obvious that Coco was holding back from expressing what she had in mind.

"No, no, no.." Heiren shook his head more forcefully, his grip on Coco’s arms tightening just a fraction as he tried to clarify himself, his words came out in a rush, urgency evident in his voice. "That’s not what I meant by my silence, okay?"

His eyes were fixed on hers, determination and pleading shining in them.

Coco nodded slightly, feeling a little reluctant, but Heiren wasn’t completely convinced— not when Coco has that frown on her face.

Steeling his resolve, he reached up and touched her cheeks gently, drawing her gaze back to his.

"Your kisses.." He murmured, his tone was firm, his lips set in a serious line as he spoke, emphasizing his words, leaving no room for doubt. "Are always welcome, no matter what."

Coco stared at him intently, observing his face closely, searching for even the smallest hint of insincerity or doubt, but as the moments ticked by, and the longer she looked, the more the guilt seemed to grow apparent on Heiren’s face.

His sincere expression wavered under her unwavering gaze, and struggled slightly to maintain eye contact.

It’s now or never.. Heiren thought as he swallowed, his throat bobbing slightly as he leaned in towards Coco to press his lips against hers.

The feeling of his lips on hers was gentle at first, a soft and tentative contact that lingered for a moment— then, giving in to his inner need, he deepened the kiss, his hands moving to cup her face, pulling her slightly closer.

His body quickly reacted to the closeness, his heart rate quickening as he held her there, his lips lingering against hers, unwilling to break the connection just yet.

All the while this was happening, Coco’s eyes widened with surprise when Heiren suddenly kissed her, the unexpected gesture catching her completely off guard.

However, before she could react, he deepened the kiss, his lips moving against hers with a sudden and unexpected intensity.

Her surprise slowly melted away, replaced by a growing heat that spread through her body.

Coco’s eyelids fluttered shut as she let out a soft sigh, her mouth opening slightly in response beneath his.

The kiss was unlike anything she had experienced before— sure, she had shared a kiss with Alhai and others before, but this kiss? This kiss has hunger and vulnerability that left her absolutely breathless.

Soon, Heiren found himself moving on instinct, pushing Coco backwards until her back pressed against the door behind her.

The mediator’s hands moved quickly, opening the door and pushing her inside before closing the door behind them with a soft click, effectively shutting them inside.

The sudden movement had left Coco momentarily disoriented, her back pressed against the back of the door, her chest rising and falling with each ragged breath.

Once again, before she could fully process what was happening, Heiren’s body pressed firmly against hers, his chest flush against hers, trapping her between the door and his figure.

Heiren leaned in once more, this time his kiss becoming more insistent, the touch of his lips more possessive.

Without wasting a moment, he pushed his tongue inside her mouth, claiming it as his own, marking his territory— it was a fierce and dominating action, one that left no room for doubt about his intentions.

Heiren’s tongue explored the depths of Coco’s mouth, his hands sliding to her hips, fingers gripping them tightly as he held her in place, his body pressing her even more firmly against the door.

Heiren pulled back slightly and tried to catch his breath, then his gaze moved downward, drifting to her lips and down to her neck, where he focused his attention.

Wordlessly, he leaned down, his mouth seeking out the sensitive pulse point near her collarbone and softly kissed it.

"Your kisses are always welcome, Coco." Heiren mumbled, his voice low and husky, his lips brushing against the skin of her neck. "Don’t think otherwise from now on."