CHAPTER 60: READY TO DO ANYTHING! (3)

«E-Eliss... w-what do you say if... before we go all the way, we have a drink first?»

Aoshi asks, doing everything he can to hide his fears, trying desperately not to get hypnotized by Eliss’s nipples — pointed right at him like they’re staring back. «Y-You know, they say drunk sex is unforgettable — which doesn’t make sense since you forget things when you’re drunk, but... well, you get what I mean. S-So yeah, I thought it’d be fun to do something a little weird and memorable for our first time.»

But Eliss’s reaction is nothing like what Aoshi expected. She suddenly freezes, her arms dropping limply to her sides as she lowers her gaze — now dark, almost furious.

«E-Eliss... w-why are you acting like this now? Did I say something wrong?» Aoshi asks, worried by that sudden, drastic change of mood. «If you don’t like the idea, it’s fine — we can just do it normally. I-It’s just that I’m a little nervous about having sex for the first time... and maybe you are too, so I thought it would be a nice way to lighten things up — ease the tension a bit. That’s all. I didn’t mean to upset you... really.»

Instead of answering, Eliss lets herself fall backward, her back lightly hitting the wall.

Then she slowly slides down until she ends up sitting on the floor, head lowered, as two thin streams of tears trace down her cheeks and fall onto her thighs.

«A-Aoshi... you didn’t really want to do it with me... did you?» she whispers, her voice so low it’s barely audible.

«N-No, what are you saying? I told you, I’m just a bit nervous, and maybe that makes it seem like... um... like I don’t want to be with you, but that’s not true, believe me! Being with you is what I want most in the world!» Aoshi replies, crouching in front of her.

«I really wish that were true... believe me...»

she whispers as she picks up her clothes scattered on the floor. «I knew something was off the moment you grabbed me from behind and said you wanted to fuck me.

You haven’t even kissed me once these past months unless I was the one asking. And yet... I still went along with it, because I also wanted — with all my heart — to do it with you. But not like this.»

Her voice grows tight, choked by tears. «I... I really wanted my first time to be with you. But I wanted it to be something special!

Something that, even once freed from the charming magic, I would still remember fondly — a happy memory that makes you smile to yourself like an idiot for no reason!»

She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand, trembling. «O-Of course, it’s not like I was expecting a heart-shaped bed covered in rose petals or anything like that... but still, not something as cheap as a trick to stop me from leaving...»

«Y-You’ve got quite the imagination to think that...» Aoshi stammers.

«Do you think I’m stupid or what?!» she snaps — shirt already on, pulling up her leggings. «Just a moment ago you tried to convince me not to go to work. And when you saw there was no way... you played with my feelings! You used sex as a last resort to stop me from leaving! H-How the hell could you do something so disgusting to me, Aoshi?! I-I’m so... so furious with you... so disappointed... so hurt...»

She clenches her fists, shaking with rage. «Believe me, Aoshi... consider yourself lucky — if anyone else tried to mess with me like this, they’d already be dead!»

Those cold, bitter words — paired with the disappointed, furious glare in her eyes — make Aoshi stumble a few steps back, terrified and crushed by guilt at the same time.

I’ve never seen Eliss this devastated in all these months. And it’s all my fault!

I really am an idiot... and she’s right. I should never have dared to toy with her feelings just to stop her from going out, but I didn’t have any other choice!

If I’d known in advance that Eliss had to work at the Moonlight tonight, I would’ve handled everything differently — I definitely wouldn’t have spent the afternoon at the arcade with Ayane and Takuma!

If I could just tell her the truth... I’m sure she’d understand, but damn it — I can’t!

What a shitty mess! What the hell am I supposed to do now?! There’s no way I’m letting this argument be her last memory of me!

«Still, I have yet to understand the reason behind this whole farce to stop me from going to work,» she hisses — calmer now, but still just as angry and disappointed — locking her eyes on Aoshi. «I’ll give you one last chance to come clean. Tell me the real reason why I shouldn’t go to the Moonlight Club... and I swear on my honor as a princess of the Kingdom of Ravessia that I’ll stay.»

She points a stern, unyielding finger at him. «I’ll count to five, Aoshi. Then I’m leaving — and you won’t be able to stop me. One... two...»

Aoshi clenches his fists and lowers his head.

Every muscle in his body is tighter than ever as he forces every nerve within him not to blurt out the truth — the truth he swore to Raelor he would never reveal, no matter what.

W-What am I supposed to do...? Damn it — what the hell am I supposed to do?! I have no idea what that damned demon might do to me if I break the promise I made to him!

For all I know... he could kill me on the spot!

«...three... fuor...»

«T-The reason...» Aoshi stammers, voice shaking.

«...five...»

«T-The reason... I can’t tell you! But it’s really important, trust me!» he blurts out — without even the courage to look her in the eyes.

«I see...» Eliss murmurs, thoughtful, worried — almost understanding.

For a moment, Aoshi hopes his answer was enough to stop her. But he’s wrong.

Aoshi snaps his head up the moment he hears the front door creak — Eliss is already standing in the doorway.

«P-Please, Eliss, don’t go...» he begs, dropping to his knees.

«You had your chance, Aoshi. And just so you know, I’m very, very angry with you — and this story is far from over.»

She points at him. «Don’t you dare fall asleep! You better be wide awake when I get back... because you’re getting a nice, long lecture about how to treat a girl who’s in love with you! See you later, Aoshi.»

Then, she slams the door so hard the whole house trembles.

Aoshi collapses to the floor, completely broken — too weak even to stand.

«Goodbye... forever... Eliss...»