“Sophia, do you want to try this?”
“Huh?”
I was wandering around the capital with Kyle.
I sometimes went to the dress shop when the shop owner called, so there was no need to go every day.
And even though I was a guest at the imperial palace… it felt too burdensome, so I came out like this.
“Gelato?”
“Yeah, do you want some?”
“Sure.”
Kyle suddenly bought ice cream from an ice cream shop nearby.
Not just any ice cream, but gelato made with milk.
“It’s delicious.”
I’ve had this food in my past life.
It was widely rumored to be delicious, and I had tried it once just to see if it was so different from the regular stuff.
It’s incredibly smooth and tasty.
“What flavor do you have?”
“Grape.”
“Really?”
I had strawberry.
This one is tasty, but I wondered how much more delicious the grape one Kyle was having could be.
“Can I try that?”
“Um…”
Kyle seemed to ponder for a moment.
With his height, stealing a bite didn’t even cross my mind.
If Kyle held it around his chest level, I could never snatch it away…
It’s all because I’m short.
If I were a guy, I would have been at least 170 cm tall.
Had Kyle not held it up, I could’ve just taken a bite right away.
“No way.”
“Ugh…”
I thought he’d share like usual.
But he refused.
I might be a bit sad…
“Do you really want it that much?”
“Yeah.”
Even my gelato is this tasty; how much better could Kyle’s grape flavor be?
“Then just let me have one.”
“What?”
“A kiss.”
“….”
“We’ve already done it a few times, right?”
“No…”
That’s true, but… a kiss just to eat some ice cream…?
Doesn’t that seem like a terrible trade-off?
It would only be one bite, after all…?
“Forget it. I don’t want it.”
“Really?”
“Yep.”
What kind of kiss would happen in broad daylight, with so many people around?
If it were to be done, it would be in a room where no one could see us.
No matter how foolish I might act, even I wouldn’t take it that far.
“Hmm….”
“What ‘hmm’?! Let’s get moving.”
Kyle suddenly stopped on the street, just standing there.
Could it be… he really isn’t moving because I won’t kiss him?
No way…
“Kyle?”
“Are you really not going to do it?”
“I’m not, so let’s hurry up!”
Kyle suddenly froze.
Really.
“…”
No way, really…?
“You’re standing here just because I won’t kiss you…?”
“Well, it’s not like that.”
What do you mean “not like that”?
Anyone can see he won’t budge because I haven’t kissed him…
No way, even so, kissing in such a crowded street is just… not okay.
I mean, I haven’t done it directly myself…
He always initiated it first…
“Let’s hurry…!”
I pushed Kyle from behind, but he didn’t budge at all.
What is he made of, stone?
Really, this guy is as stubborn as a rock.
“Damn…”
“Can’t you just do it once?”
“I can’t! Absolutely not!”
What do you mean by that, in the middle of the day!
You’ve got to be kidding…
What sort of kiss am I supposed to do right here?
“Let’s either go back to the palace or anywhere else, I don’t care!”
“I think it’ll be nice if you just do it once.”
“Huh…”
What kind of sudden whim did he get to suddenly want a kiss?
I can imagine that the princess must’ve said something ridiculous again.
Lately, Kyle’s unusual behavior has mostly been because of her.
“Huh…”
He remained utterly unyielding.
Maybe… just once would make things easier.
No, no.
No matter how annoying Kyle might be, asking for a kiss like this feels really… desperate.
Kissing in public, anyone could see how weird that would look.
“Let’s go…. Huh?”
“Sophia.”
“What?”
“You’ve done it so many times already. Is it really that hard to do it just once?”
“Yeah.”
It’s not just hard; it feels impossible.
“Is it because you don’t want to?”
“No, it’s not that….”
“Then why won’t you do it?”
“Because… it’s embarrassing….”
Just doing a kiss is an embarrassing affair on its own, let alone doing it in broad daylight with so many people walking around.
I’d probably die out of embarrassment.
My face would turn so red I wouldn’t be able to breathe…
“Is it embarrassing with me?”
“No, that’s not the issue…”
“Then why not?”
“Because there are too many people around….”
“Really?”
Yeah, that’s definitely the case.
I feel like he’s just casually throwing these words around, but how many times do I need to do this?
“Hey!?”
Suddenly, Kyle grabbed my hand and started walking.
Like, really suddenly.
“Where are you going?”
“Just follow me.”
“…?”
With one of his hands holding mine, he dragged me along.
I had no intention of resisting.
I couldn’t escape anyway.
Kyle’s muscles have grown strong with the training he’s had with Elin, and being taller and broader than me, there was no way I could get away.
I might sometimes do foolish things, but I wasn’t that naïve.
“…”
“Where are we going?”
I asked as I was pulled along, but Kyle didn’t respond.
I could feel people’s eyes drifting our way, but I chose to ignore it.
Responding to them more only drew more attention, so keeping my mouth shut felt wiser.
“Where the heck are we going?”
He held onto me with a warm hand, continuing to walk down the street.
Eventually, we entered an alley.
Unlike the completely open street, the buildings around blocked much of the light from this alley.
“Um….”
Why did he bring me here?
Why are we suddenly going into an alley…?
“Oh.”
“Is it okay here?”
“Uh, are you serious?”
Did he really bring me all the way here for a kiss?
“Then why else would I come into this alley?”
“Um….”
That’s a good point.
Even I think there wouldn’t be any other reason to come here.
It’s quite surprising how adamant he is.
“Hah…”
Is he really that eager to kiss me?
It’s just going to be our lips touching, after all.
“Do you really want it that much?”
“Yeah.”
Looking into his eyes, he didn’t seem to be lying.
If anything, he felt entirely sincere.
He had an intense passion about him.
“Hah…”
I’m not sure if I really love Kyle in a romantic way, but…
We are, after all, boyfriend and girlfriend.
For now, at least, it’s just a trial run of our relationship…
“As a couple…”
Shouldn’t I at least give him a kiss?
Since he always kisses me first, should I be the one to initiate this time…?
“…”
Ah, this is so embarrassing…
Suddenly asking me for a kiss, he must be quite the weird boyfriend.
“Just once…?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll really only do it once! No asking for more! Absolutely none…!”
I firmly warned Kyle.
I was serious about only doing it once and ending it there.
No matter what weird requests he might come up with next, I absolutely wouldn’t comply.
“So… close your eyes.”
I had no confidence in looking him in the eye while doing this.
Kyle followed my words and closed his eyes, leaning down slightly.
Making it easier for me to kiss him.
“Hah…”
There was no need to stall or hesitate.
After all, it was clear he would do something even more strange if I didn’t go through with it since I already said I would.
It would just be better to quickly get it over with.
– Smack…
I pressed my lips against Kyle’s.
Until now, I’ve always been the one receiving, so I never really knew.
Initiating a kiss felt different.
It’s hard to describe.
“Alright, that’s done, right?”
I pulled away and spoke.
The kiss was already over.
“Ha…”
Wow, I felt incredibly embarrassed.
Kyle was still keeping his eyes shut, and even though we were in a deserted alley, it was still so embarrassing.
“Okay, Kyle, let’s hurry back now!?”
As I turned around to speak, Kyle suddenly spun me back towards him and pulled me close.
It was so sudden, I couldn’t even react properly this time.
“Sophia.”
“Uh… uh, yeah?”
“Was that a kiss?”
“Uh… yes….”
“Listen closely. A kiss isn’t supposed to be weak or just a quick touch.”
“Oh.”
And then, his lips touched mine again.
Differing from the soft, fleeting kiss I had given, this one was passionate.
The kiss was stronger, longer.
Despite the alley being an awfully awkward place to be kissing, Kyle kept it going for several minutes.
After the kiss ended, I stumbled, unable to process what just happened, as Kyle led me back towards the palace.
*
“…”
“Sophia?”
“Yes….”
“Why do you look so pale today?”
“….”
At the dinner with the princess.
I was still lost in thought over what happened this afternoon.
How can I even deal with that kiss…?
“Is it because of Kyle?”
“….”
How did she know?
I didn’t think my expression showed that much.
Does she have some sort of magic that lets her read minds?
“Must be that the Duke’s Son acted strangely again, huh?”
Is there, really, some mind-reading trick?
How does she manage to know every single detail?
“Well, it’s good that Kyle had to step away for a bit, right?”
“Kind of…?”
It’s not to the extent where I’m ecstatic or flying off the walls, but it’s nice that it’s less awkward.
I’m not such a bad person that I’d be that happy just because Kyle’s gone.
“But, uh… Sophia, if I may ask…”
“Yes?”
“If you make a dress according to Kyle’s preferences, would you wear something revealing?”
“….”
“I didn’t mean to imply anything offensive…”
“What’s your definition of revealing?”
“Um….”
The definition of what is considered revealing is indeed important.
Maybe the princess is so pure that exposing shoulders might be seen as revealing to her?
“If it shows cleavage and thighs, what then?”
“….”
“If the back is also exposed….”
“Absolutely not! I would never wear something like that! Never!”
I exclaimed almost shouting.
Luckily, the princess was considerate and we were having a private dinner, so it was fine, but it’s not like I don’t ever think like that.
“I’m terribly sorry to disturb you, your highness, but I absolutely would not wear such a dress. Absolutely…!”
Am I some kind of prostitute? How could I even wear something like that?
I usually wear formal attire when working.
Even in everyday life, I only wear mini skirts rarely, most often opting for pants or long skirts.
Absolutely!
No matter what happens!
That will never happen.
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