Why did everything hurt so much?
Yoru Moonshadow jolted awake, blinking as the pain flooded in. It felt like he'd been wrapped up tight, and sure enough he realized why.
He was practically mummified in bandages.
He shifted slightly.
"Oww oww oww oww..."
Every inch of his body screamed in pain.
How long had it been since he last felt this kind of agony?
That damned useless petite girl... just wait. The day of vengeance would come. He'd make sure she paid dearly for her brutality.
Hmm?
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a slender hand resting on the edge of the bedside cabinet. Leaning over it was a blonde girl fast asleep.
Her delicate face, like white porcelain, was peaceful and soft in slumber. Her golden twin tails draped gently over her shoulders, catching the sunlight streaming through the nearby window.
It was like a painting a refined young lady enjoying a sweet afternoon nap.
...But that had nothing to do with him.
His top priority right now was simple: buy, buy, buy. He needed to immerse himself in the worlds of anime, games, and otaku culture for the next seven days and nights. Well... maybe just one day and one night. Any longer, and this fragile body might actually die.
He tried to sit up, determined.
And then...
He lost balance.
With a groan, he toppled directly onto the sleeping twin-tailed girl.
Clatter.
His body fell against hers. His expression froze.
He had landed face to face.
His eyes widened. Their mouths had definitely… collided.
His first kiss. Ever.
For a second, time stopped.
And then panic kicked in.
No way. Did that just happen? Seriously? Like this? On accident?!
His mind spun, his cheeks flushed he'd faced death, destruction, even divine wrath.
But this?
This was terrifying.
He could also smell her gentle scent, clear and close.
Her eyes were already wide open. She had woken up the instant he crashed into her. Now, stunned by what had just happened, her expression mirrored his.
Big eyes staring into smaller ones.
Then, her sapphire gaze sharpened. Pure, concentrated killing intent radiated from her stare.
Her golden hair stirred without wind, floating like a witch's aura had possessed it.
Yoru began to sweat.
He had faced down armies of gods without blinking, yet now... he panicked.
Because this... might've been his first kiss?
He wasn't even sure. It all happened so fast.
He had ruled over ninety-nine worlds as a demon lord, and not once had he tasted a girl's lips.
Despite all he had accomplished, when it came to relationships, he was still hopelessly pure. Not a single ounce of progress. Frankly, it was disgraceful for someone with the title of "Demon King."
But he'd always been obsessed with returning home. Romance? That was a distraction. A trap. A dangerous weakness.
"This was just a mis ow! Ngh!"
He tried to push himself up and speak sincerely. But the pain in his arms gave way, and he collapsed... lips meeting hers again.
"Sorry, I mmph!"
A jolt like lightning ran through him. He scrambled up, flustered.
"It's really not wha mmph!"
For the third time, he fell face-first into another accidental kiss.
"I "
"Just die already!!!"
Before he could attempt a fourth, her expression broke.
The embarrassment twisted her adorable features. Her cherry-colored lips released a furious scream, her sapphire eyes burned with demonic red light.
And then came the beating.
Storm-like punches rained down on him.
Injury +1.
Injury +1.
Injury +1...
"Hssss !"
Yoru clutched his face, hissing in pain. He couldn't believe such a dainty girl could swing those golden twin tails like whips, lashing his face with all the force of an executioner.
"Hmph!"
The blonde girl huffed angrily. Her glare could have ignited dry wood. If not for his already injured state, she probably would've gone for his throat.
Then, as if something occurred to her, she crossed her arms and coldly spoke.
"Listen up, Yoru. If you tell anyone about what just happened about that... ki... whatever! If you breathe a word, you're finished!"
Her smile was chilling. Her eyes gleamed with pure malice.
"Ki what? Kiss? Please. Who'd want to brag about something that embarrassing?"
Yoru groaned. On the surface, he sounded like he was worried about his own dignity, but the tone carried an undercurrent that she was the one who should be embarrassed, like he'd just kissed a pig.
The girl's lips twitched. Her blue eyes narrowed dangerously.
"You really wanna die, huh?"
She raised her twin tails like whips again.
"Cut it out already!!"
Yoru shouted, his voice laced with the authority of a Demon King.
In that instant, the pressure in the room changed. His tone turned cold and regal.
The girl's body froze.
Her fierce expression gave way to something softer almost vulnerable.
Yoru blinked. Maybe... maybe he had gone too far.
He sighed.
"Alright, let me say this once."
His voice gentled.
"I'm really sorry. What happened just now was an accident. I didn't mean it. Also... thanks for saving me."
He said it without sarcasm. No pretenses. Just genuine words.
She hesitated, then turned her face away.
"Tch. Fine."
She pouted, baring her little fang. She still looked annoyed, but not furious.
Still, thinking about those three ridiculous 'face collisions' made her ears burn red.
"What are you doing now?"
She flinched. Yoru had suddenly leaned closer, staring at her.
"Hey, do you know me or something? How come I don't recognize you? Hmm... you do look familiar..."
He rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought.
Her expression darkened.
To her, his words sounded like: You're just some forgettable nobody. Not worth remembering.
You don't know who I am? You're pretending?
Dead-fish eyes. She glared.
Then...
"Ohhh! I remember now! You're that blonde loser!"
Yoru suddenly clapped his hands together in realization.
One fist hit the palm of the other with a loud smack.
The moment the words left his mouth, he saw her face freeze.
Then, twitch.
Her head dipped. Her shoulders trembled.
Her hand clenched into a fist, knuckles white.
Anyone who would call such a cute girl a nickname that awful... was practically asking to die.
He could see dark energy seeping off her like smoke.
"Who... are you calling a blonde loser, you bastard?! I'm Eriri Spencer Sawamura!!"
She roared, lunging at him with eyes that gleamed like a devil's curse.
"Where'd he go?! Get back here, you jerk!!"
Already anticipating her wrath, Yoru had grabbed his coat and supplies, opened the nearby window, and fled without a shred of dignity.
His silhouette vanished into the distance, leaving behind a furious girl gnashing her teeth.
Eriri ran to the window... but he was already gone.
"Wait... blonde loser?"
Now that her temper had cooled a little, Eriri muttered that awful nickname.
It sounded so familiar.
There was someone online who always called her that... a real troll... but not in real life...
Wait.
It clicked.
That jerk she'd been arguing with online, the one she hated more than anything, the one her parents had spoken strangely fondly of...
They were the same person.
Those two jerks were one and the same.
Her face burned with fury.
"I'm gonna kill you!!"
Yoru Moonshadow, you bastard... and you owe me my first kiss!!!