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absinthe-adonis · 8 months

Text

lucien flavius x reader

warnings: pwp, blowjobs, finger sucking, mild choking, jerking off, dom!reader, sub!lucien, orgasm denial, begging

author’s note: ive never sucked a dick before unfortunately so i apologize if this is written weird. as always feedback and requests are very welcome!! i still have a nagging feeling that there are some weird clunky sentences and mistakes and/or i overused some words too much even though ive read this over three times now and sent it to two different people to read so i also apologize about that. however one of those people was a lesbian and she said “the fact that it kept me interested is extremely impressive”

“Why don’t we work on your training, Lucien?” As much as you wished he’d let you train him on more than one thing a day, you had to admit at least the days seemed to fly past when you were with him.

He looks up from the enchanting table, his face lighting up. “Really? Oh, I’ve been looking forward to this. What shall we work on this time?”

“Well.” You smile wryly. “Don’t take this personally, but I was thinking we should build up your stamina.”

His face pales dramatically. “Oh dear. You’re going to make me exercise, aren’t you?”

“Come on, come on, outside. You want to be able to hold your own in a fight for longer, don’t you?”

He groans, dragging himself dramatically toward the door. “I suppose so.”

You roll your eyes and walk out to the sprawling, vibrant yard of Tundra Homestead. Despite his complaints, Lucien is close behind you, as always.

“We can start easy,” you say, fighting back laughter at the look of dread he’s giving you. “15 push-ups. Make sure you count them.”

“Easy?! You overestimate me.” Resentfully, he lowers himself to the ground in the most dignified way he can and begins his set of very undignified push-ups. You fold your arms and watch him amusedly.

“One… two… three… f-four…” His strained, breathy voice gives you butterflies — and not in your stomach. To make matters worse, Lucien lets out a soft, broken moan as he reaches the sixth push-up. You tighten your grip on your arms, trying with all your might not to react visibly (or audibly).

His body shakes as he struggles to raise himself up and down, breathing heavily. You imagine what he would look like, unclothed and trembling beneath you, completely at your mercy-

You clasp your hand over your mouth, horrified at your own thoughts. Holy shit, this is so bad, he’s just your traveling companion, he probably doesn’t even-

Your train of thought is interrupted by Lucien exhaling loudly and collapsing on the ground. He looks up at you with forlorn puppy eyes. “Can that please be it for today?”

You nod stiffly. “Uh- yep. That’s fine. I’m gonna- I- I’m gonna- I’ll be right back.” You turn around and practically stumble back into the house.

You sit down on the side of your bed and stare at the wall, mind and heart racing. The attraction itself wasn’t even that bad- it had always sort of been there, ever since your first meeting when you asked if he was flirting and he got all flustered. It was cute. He was cute. But now, he’s hot, which is a completely and vastly different beast to deal with. And really, it’s the implications of the attraction that have you so frazzled. Also, how did such a short and simple thing drive you so insane with lust? Where did all of this come from? What if you accidentally change the way you treat him and then he feels bad or he starts treating you differently back?

The wooden rapping of knuckles against wood breaks through the deafening silence. Lucien poked his head through the door nervously. “Is- is everything all right?”

Gods motherfucking damn it. “Yeah, it’s okay, Luce. I dunno.”

“Were my push-ups really that bad?” He asks, the slight lilt in his voice and his concerned smile clearing the cloud in your mind a bit. You chuckle.

“Can I come in?”

You nod and pat the bed next to you. He sits, his knees tilted in towards you. “Do you, er… want to talk about anything?”

“I want you,” you blurt out. Lucien stares at you, mouth open.

“I’m sorry,” you choke out, quickly standing up. “I shouldn’t have- oh my god, I’m so stupid, I’m sorry. You-”

You stop as he grabs your wrist, not pulling you back but not letting you leave either. “Do you mean, like-”

“Yes.”

He lets go of you, putting his fingertips to his lips. A deep coral hue floods across his cheeks. “Oh! Well. That’s- certainly something!”

“Look, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything- I especially shouldn’t have said it like that- if you’re disgusted and want me to leave, you can just say that, I won’t-”

He gives you an incredulous look. “What? No! No, that’s not what I meant at all! I’m not- I mean, I’m not… opposed??”

Your brain seems to have shut off. “You… really?

“Well, I wouldn’t lie to you!” He says defensively. “Especially not about this, that would be cruel!”

A fiery sensation begins to burn in the pit of your stomach. “Lucien.” There’s a new deep, sultry quality to your voice, sending visible shivers down his spine. He looks at you, silently, expectantly.

“Would you want to? Right now?”

He swallows. “I suppose I wouldn’t-”

You don’t even allow him to finish his sentence before you push him down onto the bed, climbing on top of him. He gasps quietly, almost paralyzed.

You straddle him, placing one hand on his waist and leaning down to run the other through his soft blond hair. “Relax,” you purr into his ear. “You can tell me to stop at any time.” You move your hand down to palm the growing bulge in his pants. He lets out a soft whimper, and the fire in your stomach begins to burn brighter. “Fuck,” you whisper. “You’re so pretty.” You move your hand back to his waist and start grinding against him, eliciting more muffled moans from his closed mouth. You run your thumb across his lips. “You like this?”

He nods fervently. “Yes- gods, that feels- really good-” His high, whiny voice is like a divine symphony. Your hands travel slowly down his sides until you slip your thumbs under the waistband of his pants, causing him to stir in anticipation. You drag them down his slim, downy legs, and slide yourself back onto your knees. He whines at the absence of stimulation.

“Sit up, Lucien.”

He inhales sharply and slowly props himself up with his arms, which you can see are shaking with nervousness and excitement.

“Now take your shirt off.”

He nods and eagerly pulls it over his head, tossing it to the side. You allow your gaze to indulgently explore his exposed body. “Look at you,” you breathe softly. “So obedient for me.” He closes his eyes and tilts his head back, whining again and rolling his hips forward. You reach out and hook your fingers onto his loincloth, slowly and agonizingly pulling it down to reveal his rapidly hardening cock, dripping with precum.

“Hmm,” you hum appreciatively. “Already so wet. You want me to suck your dick, Lucien?”

“Yes,” he says in a quiet, choked voice.

“Oh, you’re gonna have to do better than that, Luce. I want you to beg for me. I want you to show me that you want me as much as I want you.”

“Please,” he mewls. “Please, please, I need you- I n-need you, please make me feel good, please-” His words dissolve into incoherence as you grasp onto his thighs, your fingers sinking into his plush skin, pushing his legs further apart. He lets out high, shuddering moans as you put your lips against his cock, swirling your tongue languidly around his tip. “Fuck- oh my gods- aah-”

You continue to suck teasingly at his tip, thoroughly enjoying his taste, the heat of his skin, the high desperation of the noises he’s making. You can feel him squirming, and you can see his hands grabbing fistfuls of the sheets in the corners of your vision.

“Please,” Lucien moans. “I need more- more, please-”

You laugh softly, the vibration of the sound making him sigh wantonly. You move your head down his shaft, sucking and caressing him with your mouth and tongue. His hips buck up involuntarily, his long cock hitting the back of your throat. “Ah- sorry- fuck. It feels- so good- so good-”

You smile and reach up, grabbing his wrist and placing his hand on the back of your head. His fingers immediately lace through your hair, holding firmly onto you. “Oh my gods,” he groans, and starts slowly pushing your head up and down. You relish in his pleasure, in how perfectly his dick seems to fit in your mouth. You shift your hands to his hips, and he whines loudly, thrusting forward.

You can tell he’s holding back, trying to keep his composure. You wish you could tell him it’s okay, he can let go, but you don’t want to stop. His cock is absolutely intoxicating, and you need more of it. You want to make him completely unravel. You increase your pace, bobbing your head up and down, and using your grip on his hips to pull him closer to you, farther down your throat. He cries out your name, and you can feel him quivering beneath you. Yes. Fuck. Oh my gods. Your hands curl into claws, your nails scratching at him in blind desire. His yelps and moans only make you more and more insatiable.

But suddenly, you have an idea that makes an evil smile spread across your face. As wonderful as it would be to swallow every last drop of his cum, you want to see him. You continue to suck on him, rapidly and passionately, coaxing him towards his orgasm-

-And then, you pull back. He practically screams in agony, thrusting hopelessly into the air. You look up at his face; his eyes squeezed shut, his mouth wide open, his features twisted together in pleasure and pain. “N-no,” he gasps out. It takes every ounce of willpower in your body not to pounce on him and finish him off right there.

He opens his eyes and looks down at you pitifully, panting and twitching, leaning back on his hands. “Please, please, keep going, please-”

You climb up on top of him and then swing around, pressing yourself against his sweat-slicked back and putting your lips against his ear.

“I’m going to help you jerk off that pretty cock of yours, and you are not going to cum until I say you can.”

He whimpers quietly, and you reach forward and place your hand on his, guiding it to his throbbing dick. He wraps his fingers needily around it, and you did the same between his. He starts moving his fist up and down, but you tighten your grip and force him to slow down, to which he lets out a heavy, drawn-out moan. You splay your free hand across his smooth chest, stroking his skin, slowly traveling upward until you clasp it around his throat.

Lucien lets out a depraved keening sound, his own free hand shooting backward and finding your thigh, then clutching onto it for dear life. You look at the hopeless expression on his face, completely lost in pleasure. “That’s my good boy,” you croon in his ear, earning yourself another sweetly strangled moan.

“Please,” he stammers out, hardly able to speak. “Please let me cum, please, I want to cum, please, I need it so bad-”

“Mmm, not yet, Luci.” He groans in pain, both at your response and as you remove your hand from his. “Don’t stop, now. Keep the same pace. Be a good boy.”

“I will, I will- I’ll be such a good boy for you, please, plea-” You cut him off by shoving two fingers into his mouth, essentially having him in a headlock now. “Suck.”

He moans again around your fingers, and does as you ask. Your entire body feels as if it might burn to a crisp at any moment, seeing the pleasure he’s in because of you. He can barely concentrate on jerking off and sucking your fingers at the same time. The beautiful noises he’s making are steadily amping up in volume and desperation, and he’s becoming sloppier and shakier the more his restraint fades into utter ecstasy.

You push your fingers further into his mouth. “Does my pretty boy want to cum?” You ask sweetly. He nods and whines in response.

“Cum for me, Lucien. Show me how good you feel.” You clamp your legs on either side of his torso, spreading your fingers out in his mouth, squeezing his throat in encouragement. In a few seconds, hot streams of cum burst out of his dick, covering his hand, his legs, his stomach, the sheets, even the floor. You press hard, passionate kisses against his shoulder, cheek, and neck, everywhere you can reach, as tremors rack his body and his moans reach a heavenly climactic chorus. He calls out your name, over and over, pushing himself into you as he orgasms.

Finally, he goes limp, breathing like he had just run a marathon. You let yourself relax in the blissful intimacy of this moment, before peeling yourself off of him and gently lowering him down onto the bed, pressing a final kiss to his lips. “You’re perfect, Lucien. You did so good.”

“You,” he answered breathlessly. “You’re amazing.”

You cup his cheek in your hand. “Let’s get you cleaned up, hmm?”

The you spend the next few minutes cleaning the mess off of him and his surroundings with rags from your bedside table, while he apologizes profusely no matter how many times you assure him it’s okay (and you actually think it’s very hot). He still doesn’t seem to have complete control of his motor skills back yet.

What a man. You already can’t wait for the next time you get to rail him senseless.

#cross-posted to ao3 #skyrim x reader #skyrim smut #skyrim #skyrim fanfiction #skyrim custom followers #lucien flavius #lucien flavius x reader #fun fact the aforementioned lesbian friend actually accidentally opened this as a document on her school account #she was called down to the office and the counselor said i have a career in writing

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perhaps-in-anotherdream · 1 year

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[CN] Victor’s Mind Quest – Not the Slightest Gap (Eng Translation)

⌚Warning⌚ This post contains detailed spoilers for a mind quest, 至无隙无间, that is yet to be released in the global server! ♡

[Additional Warning]: As the spice for this mind quest is very explicit and borderline, if you don’t qualify for the 16+ rating of the game (CN server), it’s recommended that you don’t proceed under the cut~ :>

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

–

The exclusive radio is to be read before CH 1. Please make sure you read that before continuing. Here: ♡♡

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

–

✧ [Chapter 1] ✧

It’s very early in the morning, and the horizon has just unveiled the trace of a mackerel sky. I gently push open the bedroom door, walk quietly on my tiptoes, roll up a corner of the duvet and get in.

Even though I try my best to keep my movements light, the sound of even breathing in my ears ceases instantly, and I hear a slightly awakened voice reaching my ears.

Victor: [adorably husky, sleepy tone] What time is it?

MC: It’s past five…

Victor sighs a little helplessly. Then he reaches out and embraces me, wrapping my entire body in the warmth of his arms.

I instinctively release a sigh and curl up in his arms contentedly.

The year-end projects during this time have made me very busy and disoriented, and working overtime has already become a common occurrence. Even Victor is helpless about my frazzled appearance.

But no matter how cautiously I lie down every night, he always feels my presence in the first instance and enfolds me in his arms.

Victor: [sexy grunt, husky tone] Lie down and focus on sleeping.

Victor: Don’t mull over work stuff in bed like you did a couple days ago.

MC: Understood~

I stealthily stick my tongue out. Just as I’m thinking about trying to relax and fall asleep, an idea for a new project pops into my head.

After a few moments of being torn, I clench the arm wrapped tightly around my waist and quietly move a few inches away.

Victor: [softly gasps] Where are you going again?

MC: Go-going to the bathroom.

Victor: Didn’t you just go to the bathroom before lying down?

MC: …so you heard that.

I mutter in a low voice, unable to find any other reasons for the moment.

MC: Well… I accidentally came up with an idea for a new project, and I’m afraid I’ll forget it tomorrow. So, I wanted to go and write it down.

MC: I’ll really just go and write it down~

Even though I deliberately emphasize the pronunciation of “accidentally” and make a promise, the strength around my waist still tightens unexpectedly.

Victor: [grunts softly, sighs] …your “accident” is very dedicated to your work.

Victor: No need to go to all that trouble. I’ll remember it for you. Go on.

MC: Who on earth submits a report to the CEO early in the morning?

Victor: It’s not like a certain someone has never done this before.

–

[Tidbits]: Refresher– a reference to S1 CH 7~ :>

–

His deep and low voice is laced with a hint of sleepiness that he is unable to conceal, blocking my retort.

Victor: And besides, right now, I’m not listening to your report as the CEO.

I blink, sensitively catching the implication of his words. My heart can’t help but turn into a puddle, and I finally give in and tell him about the idea I’ve come up with after a moment of resistance.

I turn over expectantly just as I finish speaking, looking into his deep eyes.

MC: How is it? Do you think it’s a feasible plan?

Victor: [laughs softly] I’m only responsible for remembering. I’m not gonna comment.

MC: …why are you being like this?

In the cold white light of dawn, I can see the corners of his lips vaguely curving upwards, as if he doesn’t plan on talking with me about this anymore.

I glare at him in secret and roll over again, deliberately sighing long and hard.

MC: That’s good. I feel even more sleepless now––

Hearing me pretending to feel wronged, Victor behind me seems to release a helpless, soft chuckle.

Victor: [sighs helplessly] Since you can’t sleep, answer a few questions of mine then.

Victor: Have you forgotten anything recently?

I’m stumped for a moment, wondering why he is suddenly asking this. Regardless, I earnestly reflect on this for a while. And in the next moment, I can’t help but let out a small cry of alarm.

MC: AHH! I forgot to eat that pudding you made for me!

Victor: [precious gasp] …I didn’t think you’d think of that first.

Victor: No need to have such a big reaction. If those who don’t know hear you, they will think you’ve forgotten something of enormous value.

MC: Of course, it’s something of enormous value! You especially made that for me three days ago when you saw how hard I was working…

I turn around and poke his arm tentatively.

MC: Do you think it’s still edible?

Victor: Yes.

Victor: But after eating it, it shouldn’t be just a certain someone’s brain that will go bad.

I look at him with a blank expression. It takes me churning it several times in my mind to realize that he is scolding me.

MC: Victor!

A few soft, increasingly cheerful laughs ring in my ears. As I glower at him, he slowly withdraws his joking expression.

Victor: Is that the only thing you’ve forgotten?

MC: …is there anything else?

I gape wordlessly, waiting for his “crusade” without any confidence.

Victor: A certain someone was rolling up her sleeves to fight for the tickets to a musical half a month ago, but she forgot about it when they started selling the tickets.

Victor: It’s been about a week now, and the bag of tulip seeds is still exactly where it was in the living room since we bought them.

Victor: You don’t expect that they will jump into the flower pots and grow themselves, do you?

Victor: Also, I remember that you were planning to sign up for a dance class; to go and sweat it out after work…

Seeing my eyes widen in confusion, Victor raises his eyebrows somewhat helplessly.

Victor: Indeed, a three-minute enthusiasm it was.

His face takes on an expression that says– “I knew it,” and following this, a somewhat vague memory surfaces in my mind.

—

───── [Flashback Begins] ─────

It was a night about two weeks ago. Victor and I were waiting on the roadside for the car after having dinner, and I was caught off guard by someone slipping a small flyer in my hand.

Passerby: Learn about Paso Doble dance~

I glanced down inadvertently and caught a glimpse of the bright red headline–– a passionate ballroom dance: Paso Doble.

The male and female dance partners in the picture on the side were intimate and assertive in their movements. I subconsciously stole a glance at Victor. He was looking at the finance and economics news on his phone, a calm and focused expression on his face.

A small, wicked idea suddenly bubbled up in my mind. I mysteriously leaned over to him and shook the flyer in my hand to him.

MC: Victor, would you like to sign up with me for a passionate Paso Doble dance experience?

Victor: [sighs sharply] Nope.

Victor: It’s not like I haven’t experienced a certain someone’s dance before.

–

[Tidbits]: Refresher– “Dance Date” reference where he taught her to dance, “Exhibition Date” reference where they danced in the rain~

–

He didn’t say much, but it seemed to convey the disdain implied therein vividly and thoroughly. I felt choked up and couldn’t help opening my mouth to refute.

MC: You don’t know about this Paso Doble dance yet. Aren’t you rejecting it a bit too early?

MC: Look at what it says on the flyer–– “The Paso Doble dance originated in France. It’s a dance that imitates a bullfighter’s movements, and the dancer’s posture is valiant and impassioned.”

MC: “In the Paso Doble dance, you can unleash the instinct to chase, hunt, and tear at…”

MC: So, don’t you want to chase, hunt, and tear me apart?

Victor: …

Victor finally took his eyes off the phone, shooting a surveying glance left and right.

Victor: Do you want to hear what you just said?

As the belated realization dawned on me, I stopped talking and turned my head to make sure there wasn’t anyone around, smiling in embarrassment.

MC: Actually, I’ve been thinking for a while now about whether to do some exercise after work and sweat it out.

MC: I feel that dancing seems more fun. Moreover, I can learn ballroom dancing with you, and this way, there won’t be any interference in our time together~

I took his arm affectionately, swaying it expectantly.

He lifted the corners of his lips in what seemed like amusement and helplessness.

Victor: [sighs helplessly] If you’re not over this three-minute enthusiasm by next week, we’ll talk about it then.

───── [Flashback Ends] ─────

—

That completely undisguised query reverberates in my ears, and my cheeks can’t help but be flushed.

MC: It’s not that it was a three-minute enthusiasm. I really want to take dance lessons with you. But how do I find the time now?

I arch up against his chest, my tone tinged with a hint of coquetry.

MC: I now need CEO Victor to remind me about eating.

Victor holds down my bobbing head, rapping it gently with his finger pad.

Victor: [laughs softly] And do you know that your daily routine has also been a mess lately?

Victor: Now hurry up and get some sleep. I’ll take a look at your proposal when I get up tomorrow. I can give you some suggestions.

I let out a small cry of delight and hug him immediately.

MC: No wonder they say no amount of anything can be a substitute for the CEO of LFG. Victor, you’re too great~

Victor: [sexy whisper] If you talk any more nonsense, I’ll dismiss tomorrow’s help.

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

✧ [Chapter 2] ✧

By the time I wake up again, it’s already noon.

Relaxed and refreshed, Victor sits on the sofa, sipping his coffee. On the table in front of him is the proposal I wrote yesterday till the late hours at night.

I hurriedly rub my eyes as I walk over to pick up the document and find that it has been marked with numerous annotations.

Victor: The overall direction is fine, but some details need fine-tuning.

Victor: As you can see now, your current logic is starting to get chaotic.

When I skim through it carefully, the realization suddenly dawns on me.

MC: Indeed. I seem to have drilled into a lot of insignificant problems...

Sighing, I rub my face between my hands as I feel a little out of my depth and put on an expression of humbly seeking his advice.

MC: Victor, how do you adjust in such situations when you lose your judgment due to having your hands full?

Victor raises an eyebrow at my words and looks at me. Understanding tacitly, I immediately withdraw my question.

MC: ...yes, you should never lose your judgment, even if your hands are full.

The corners of Victor’s lips curl up slightly. He lowers his head, takes a sip of his coffee, then stands up.

Victor: Go and wash up briefly. Let’s go somewhere.

—

A wave of elegant classical music flows through the high-end dance costume store, and a variety of exquisite dance outfits hang on the clothes hangers.

MC: What are we doing here?

I stand in the clothing store, feeling a little at a loss.

Victor: Pick a set you like. I’ve already asked Goldman to sign us up for dance classes.

MC: ?? You really signed us up for dance classes??

He nods without having any change of expression on his face, his gaze sweeping over the few women’s outfits next to him.

Victor: Wasn’t a certain someone looking forward to it at the time?

MC: Expectations are expectations... but I thought you’d let me have more time to rest when I could. After all, I’m working so much now.

Victor: Work will never end.

Victor withdraws his gaze, a few traces of calmness reflecting in his deep eyes.

Victor: As the boss of [MC’s Company Name], you will only have more and more things on your plate.

Victor: But if you lose the pace of your life every time you are busy with work, all your rhythms will be disrupted.

MC: My rhythms are not at the point of being “disrupted,” right...?

Victor: It looks like a certain someone has already forgotten about that poor pudding in the fridge and those tulip seeds.

MC: ...didn’t forget, didn’t forget.

I make a standing-at-attention posture.

MC: I’m just a little curious. What does this have to do with us signing up for dance classes?

Victor: If you don’t want your work to lead you by the nose every time, finding your core with a regular activity is the best solution.

MC: Core?

MC: You mean, it’s something analogous to the power of body and mind?

Victor glances at me with a gratified look.

Victor: There will always be changes and challenges in the outside world, and these are variables that are impossible to guard against.

Victor: It’s only when you have a stable core that the chaotic situations won’t be able to snatch away the initiative.

Although his explanation is brief, I already vaguely understand something, my eyes resting on the dance skirt behind Victor.

MC: So, the regular activity you mentioned just now is taking me to dance lessons?

Victor: Mm. Dancing is a good way of regulating yourself.

Victor: It can not only help you sweat and relieve stress, but it’s also a good form and physical exercise and a way of looking for core.

He pauses, his serene tone taking on an imperceptible hint of indulgence.

Victor: And like you said, it’s something I can accompany you on.

He downplays the last half of his sentence, but it stirs up a small wave of tingle in my heart.

He talked about so many major principles and all that. But in the end, it’s all because he cares about me~

Victor doesn’t seem to make out the smugness in my heart, continuing to speak.

Victor: It won’t take up too much of your time. If you can spare an hour or two for a few days, it will work just fine.

MC: But what if I can’t finish my work?

Victor: When have I ever let you drop the ball?

MC: That’s true~

The transparent favoritism in his words causes me to burst into a cheerful smile. I look at my toes and begin to ponder conscientiously.

What Victor said just now is actually traceable in him. After all, no matter how busy he is, he will still find time to go to Souvenir to cook and relax.

Perhaps cooking is kind of a core of his being.

MC: If I can find my core, will I be able to make judgments and deal with things as calmly as you do?

Victor: I can’t guarantee that.

Victor glances down at my hand with which I have hooked his finger, seemingly a little amused.

Victor: [with an interlaced soft laugh] But right now, at least you can calmly fire your flatteries.

I give a soft “humph,” deciding to be generous and not quibble with him, and lift my chin accordingly.

MC: I take your suggestion and will go to the dance classes with you.

MC: But why did we come straight to pick out clothes? Don’t we need to attend a trial class to understand it first?

Victor: Because beginning with the sense of ritual a certain someone likes the most can bring out one’s vibrant nature.

As he finishes speaking, he suddenly turns around and directly picks up a dance dress of vibrant color right behind him.

Victor: This one.

MC: Eh? But I haven’t picked it out yet?

Victor: From the moment we walked in the door, your eyes have been darting towards this one.

Victor: If I couldn’t still read what’s on your mind, I’d be a dummy.

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

✧ [Chapter 2, Memory Silhouette, Narrator POV] ✧

Several beautifully plated dishes have been laid out in order on the table. Victor lifts his eyes and glances toward the living room, but he doesn’t catch sight of the girl’s figure on the sofa.

Victor: MC, dinner is ready.

The voice that always responds to him loudly and clearly doesn’t ring out.

A little surprised, Victor cranes his head, realizing that it seems the girl hasn’t made much noise since the two of them bought their dance clothes and returned home in the afternoon.

Victor: Have you fallen asleep?

Victor takes off his heat-resistant gloves and heads toward the bedroom.

—

The bed in the bedroom is empty. His eyebrows knit into a frown, only to hear the faint rustling sound of a zipper coming from the walk-in closet.

Through the blurry, transparent glass door, he can vaguely see the familiar figure of the girl.

Victor takes a few steps inside and sees the girl standing in front of the full-length mirror and trying on her newly brought dance dress, totally unaware of his arrival.

The silky satin fabric tightly hugs her waistline, and her beautiful butterfly bones are revealed through the backless dress, the vibrant crimson color making her skin even fairer in contrast.

Even though Victor has seen the girl trying on the dance dress in the clothing store before, there seems to be something a little different about this moment.

The warm light of the walk-in closet glistens on the hem of the girl’s skirt, the satin glowing with spots of golden reminiscent of fish scales.

The girl gently sways the hem of her skirt a little, and stars seem to be trickling brilliantly on her body.

She seems dazzled by the fine light streaming through her eyes, and unconsciously reveals a simple and somewhat silly smile.

Victor is stunned for a moment, subconsciously recalling the last time he saw this smile.

Perhaps it was a week ago, the day they agreed to plant tulips together.

When Victor pushed open the door to the home, he almost tripped over the bag of tulip seeds sprawled across the foyer.

Heaving a sigh, he moved the seeds to the corner and found the flower pots and planting tools there. Upon this, he headed for the study.

He thought the girl would welcome him with a beaming smile, take his arm, and jump and frisk about toward the “little garden” on the terrace she had nurtured with utmost care.

But before he could approach, the girl’s serious voice transmitted through the half-closed door of the study. It seemed that she was in the middle of a work phone call.

Out of courtesy, Victor did not continue to listen. But from the few words that drifted to his ears, it wasn’t difficult to perceive—

Time was pressing, but she insisted on prioritizing the quality and asked for the program to be redone.

Victor knew a smile that could be called one of approval had surfaced on his face.

Planting the flowers could wait until she is done with her work–– Victor thought to himself and put the tools for planting flowers one by one in their original position.

Or perhaps it was four days ago, when he made her most beloved pudding for the girl who had been working late.

Even though she had eaten the same taste countless times, she would always finish eating the pudding in big scoops and give a satisfied giggle every time.

But that day, she just wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled coquettishly. Then, she put the pudding next to her computer and said that she would use it to motivate herself to be more efficient tonight.

The next morning, Victor was a little surprised to see the pudding in the fridge, untouched.

Originally, these were the moments when he could’ve received that simple smile from her without a second thought. But time and time again, his potential expectations were dashed.

Victor pulls himself back from his thoughts. The smile on the girl’s face in front of the full-length mirror has not yet waned.

As if infected, his brows slowly slacken, and the corners of his lips curl up into the same arc as hers.

Victor quietly takes a step back and closes the door to the walk-in closet for her.

Just let her be so simply happy for a little while longer.

While he waits, he can prepare another pudding for her for dessert.

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

✧ [Chapter 3] ✧

The pure white marble floor is as bright as a mirror, and the ornate crystal chandelier overhead reflects the multicolored light.

Standing in the dance classroom reminiscent of a palace, I quietly lean into Victor’s ear.

MC: This is not the dance classroom in that little advertisement, is it?

Victor lowers his head and straightens his sleeves, and there isn’t a single ripple in his tone.

Victor: It’s a one-on-one class, so that you can flexibly adjust the class time to suit your schedule.

A feeling of warmth surges in my heart in vain, and before the smile at the corners of my lips can be heaved up, Victor adds another sentence unhurriedly.

Victor: [overflowing teasing tone] And, I also found teachers of high caliber. A certain someone can hone her skills conveniently while learning, so that she doesn’t keep stepping on other people’s toes at parties.

MC: [muttering] grudge-bearing devil.

While the dance teachers are entering the classroom, I stick my tongue out at Victor’s back.

In order to give us an initial introduction to the Paso Doble dance, the two teachers briefly exchange pleasantries with us before demonstrating a short dance routine for us.

Female Teacher: In the Paso Doble dance, although the female partner is in a passive position, she actually needs to arouse the instinct and desire of the male partner to “fight,” to seduce, stimulate and conquer the other person.

As she explains, the female teacher moves her body in a particularly expressive and lively manner to the impassioned music. I can vaguely feel a lot of pressure coming over me.

I tug at the corner of Victor’s shirt.

MC: I had no idea that the emotions of the Paso Doble dance would be so extroverted.

Seemingly hearing the hesitation in my tone, Victor lowers his head and looks at me.

Victor: [overflowing teasing tone] Didn’t you want me to chase, hunt, and tear you apart? Why is there no confidence now?

MC: …

I grit my teeth in indignation and pay no more attention to this gloating man.

Male Teacher: Today, we will start with the simple basic steps.

Along with these words from the teacher, we officially begin our first Paso Doble dance lesson.

I don’t know if it’s because I’ve given myself the psychological cues, but I really feel a little helpless. It’s either that I can’t stretch my body at all, or I’m simply getting frantic.

Female Teacher: You can spin your hand’s pattern along with your body.

MC: Like this?

Victor: She meant for you to rotate your palm when you jump apart, not take me with you.

MC: Oh-oh!

Female Teacher: When you put your hand on your male partner, sink your shoulder. Otherwise, it will look like you’re trying to fight with him.

MC: Okay, okay…

By the end of the class, I’m already dripping with sweat, not to mention the female teacher’s outpouring emotions, strength, and feeling of conquering the male partner.

On the other hand, even though Victor’s forehead is also covered with a layer of sweat from the dance, the way he carries himself exudes a sense of calmness at all times.

…damn it, why is this man so skilled at everything he does?

Fortunately, the content of the first lesson is only about getting familiar with the basic dance steps. It soon ends with a wonderfully rich psychological activity.

After making an appointment for the next session, the teachers bring us to the entrance of the lounge.

Male Teacher: The two of you can rest here. We will have someone bring champagne for you guys in a moment.

Female Teacher: It’s a special benefit for the very first course here. Enjoy~

—

After politely expressing our thanks, I move my already stiff limbs and walk into the lounge with a complex feeling.

As soon as the door is closed, I can’t help but stare at Victor with an extreme look of grievance.

MC: Sob sob sob, what should I do, Victor? I feel like I can’t do it.

Victor: [laughs helplessly] It was only the first class. Don’t be so nervous.

MC: It’s not a question of what the class number is… it’s that this dance is too physically and emotionally demanding!

MC: And the teacher wants me to “conquer” you! What is this concept? It’s harder than mounting the sky––

Victor seems to choke on my phrasing.

Victor: [he actually chokes] Do you have to overstate like that?

MC: Of course! You know I’ve always been the one to be “dominated” by you.

MC: And I’m asked to guide you all of a sudden, and I’m at a loss…

Victor is slightly stunned, his deep eyes roaming over me for a moment as if he is pondering something. Then, he sits down on the sofa in a relaxed manner.

The space suddenly lapses into silence. Victor casually shakes off the sweat from the tips of his hair, then he slowly unfastens his cufflinks and pulls up his sleeves little by little in graceful movements.

Before I can react, I see that long, slender hand moving to his chest and unhurriedly loosening the first button.

…is it that hot?

The question still hasn’t left my mouth when I see that hand continuing to move down, resting on the second button.

My throat inexplicably feels dry. I swallow my saliva, my eyes “sincerely” glued to his slightly undulating chest.

And Victor doesn’t say anything, just meets my gaze looking at him straight-forwardly.

??: Mr. Victor, Miss MC, may I come in now?

There is a sudden knock at the door, interrupting the enchanting sight in the room.

MC: [blushing and frantic] ! W-wait a moment!

I subconsciously blurt out. Victor’s hand pauses only for a moment before continuing with the interrupted unbuttoning process.

And even his movements slow down more and more.

MC: What are you doing?

I anxiously ask him in a low voice, gesturing to the door with my gaze as my eyes widen. His gaze falls indifferently to the front, and his tone of voice is heedless.

Victor: [very amused] Unbuttoning.

MC: [blushing] …I didn’t ask you that! I mean why on earth are you doing that now! There are people outside.

Victor: [sounds very proud of himself] Because I feel very hot right now.

I’m baffled by his “rightful” attitude, and the constant knocking on the door agitates my mind. I hurriedly gesture at him again.

MC: [blushing and more frantic] Button up! Quick!

Victor obviously doesn’t listen to me, and the slightly raised corner of his eyes even spills out a hint of provocative arrogance.

Victor: [even more amused and proud] Are you sure you’re just going to keep watching like this?

Of course not!

The moment the next knock sounds on the door, I finally can’t help but spring up to my feet and walk quickly to the door.

Very cautiously, I open the door just a crack and politely take the champagne from the other party’s hand.

MC: I’m sorry. We’ll help ourselves.

Closing the door, I immediately turn around with a huff.

MC: If I hadn’t stopped that person just now, was CEO Victor going to present himself naked!

Victor: [deep, sexy™ laugh] …

MC: You’re still laughing??

I can’t help but grit my teeth. Meeting his haughty and midnight-dark eyes, I simply walk straight up to him and uncork the champagne, pretending to be angry and harsh as I open my mouth.

MC: [blushing] The teacher will come in a while and talk to us about the feedback.

MC: [blushing] CEO Victor, you should hurry up and wear your clothes properly. How can you be like this?

Hearing my words, he smiles in an even more unusual manner and gently tugs on yet another button.

His fingertips quietly circle the body of the button. Another one doesn’t survive.

Victor: [with a hint of rogue] I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this.

I immediately shoot him a glare. But he remains unmoved and continues with the unbuttoning process. The dense beads of sweat slightly dampen his dark red dance shirt.

Beneath the gorgeous light, the sparkling and translucent particles are drawn into his firm skin, reflecting a seductive luster.

Those transparent droplets continue to glide down and disappear into the unrevealed territory. They seem to guide one’s line of sight, making them want to see more.

My heartbeat gradually accelerates along with his movements, but the continuous sound of passing footsteps outside the door makes me keep the last ounce of my sanity at bay.

I lift my gaze and meet the rare slyness in his eyes, feeling as if I’ve been gently pricked by something. At this moment, the twisted emotions within me pour down in torrents completely from my heart.

I pick up the wine glass and shove it into his hand, tightly pursing my lips as I pour the champagne. A few drops of translucent wine splash around and land on the backs of our hands.

Victor: [slow, deliberate teasing] Be calm. You’re wasting the wine.

MC: [blushing] Isn’t this happening because a certain someone... anyway, I can’t calm down now.

Seeing me retorting angrily, Victor, on the contrary, gives a beaming smile.

Victor: Oh? Why?

MC: I don’t believe that someone as smart as CEO Victor wouldn’t know why.

Victor: [coquettish tone x1] I really don’t know.

Victor: [x2] After spending a long time with a dummy, there are times when it can get contagious.

MC: ...Victor!

The sweet fragrance of alcohol lingers on the tip of my nose, and along with his provocation, my thoughts are thrown into chaos. I can’t help being the first one to “surrender.”

MC: Don’t you at all feel that your behavior just now was a little too much?

Victor: [deliberately dragging the tail notes] Maybe, or maybe not.

MC: ...anyway, Mr. CEO just won’t admit to the “crime” he committed just now.

I pause for a moment, glancing at his finger resting on the button.

MC: And you still plan to continue doing it, don’t you?

Victor releases a soft laugh, looking at the liquid in his glass with a composed expression.

Victor: Wanting me to listen to what you say, to do what you say – wouldn’t that depend on whether or not a certain someone can show some “sincerity?”

…you almost presented yourself naked in front of other people, and you want me to show “sincerity?”

I grit my teeth in indignation, lifting my wrist, which was about to stop pouring the wine, aloft again.

The raised wine bottle continues to spurt out the golden liquid with a gurgling sound, and an unending stream of wine pours into the glass in his hand.

MC: Is this kind of “sincerity” enough?

The aroma of champagne gradually pervades the air of the lounge, and the wine is about to be filled to the brink. But Victor still wears that expression of remaining calm in the hour of peril.

I start to lose confidence a little, so I can only inwardly bite the bullet and see it to the end without stopping.

At the moment when the golden champagne is about to spill over, Victor finally opens his mouth softly.

Victor: [laughs softly] It’s enough.

I hastily withdraw my hand, stealthily heaving a sigh of relief.

Victor: I admit that I’ve committed a worthy “crime” just now.

Victor: Didn’t a certain someone say just now that she is incapable of occupying the guiding position in front of me? But now it seems that it’s very much in the process of being shaped.

Victor lowers his head and lightly takes a sip of the champagne in a graceful movement, not allowing a single drop of wine to be divulged.

Victor: So next time, just try to “conquer” me.

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

✧ [Chapter 4] ✧

Two weeks later, at night. I’m practicing my newly learned dance steps in the dance studio at home.

Although I feel tired after each dance practice, I wake up the next day with high spirits, a positive feeling radiating from my body and mind.

This feeling is particularly strong when I’m working. Compared with the dispirited tone some time ago when I was dragging my body, now my entire being feels as if it’s brimming with energy.

Is this the core Victor was talking about?

Although I’m not too sure, I do find time to practice at home on days when we don’t have class so that I don’t lose this energy.

I look intently at myself in the mirror, and as the last rhythm falls, it jams perfectly with the ending movement.

Victor: That was a pretty good dance.

Following the sound, I turn around and see Victor leaning against the doorframe with arms crossed over his chest. He is wearing a dark-colored bathrobe, and the tips of his hair are slightly wet. It seems that he has just finished his shower.

MC: It seems I don’t feel so embarrassed when I’m not dancing in front of the teacher.

MC: Why don’t you and I dance together and see how it feels?

My gaze lands on his hair, and I shake my head again.

MC: Never mind. You’ve already washed up.

Victor: [laughs softly] It won’t hurt to dance through it once.

He walks up to me before I can answer and extends his palm. I slightly freeze for a moment, then hand my palm to him.

The melody flows slowly, and along with a note soaring intensely, the heavy curtains of the high-pitched and penetrating symphony are pulled open.

I skillfully put my hands on Victor’s shoulders, rise on my tiptoes, and then make my landing on the ground.

In the swaying dance steps, we sometimes cling to each other’s chest, and sometimes we push and pull, spinning and stretching.

Plink.

And along with a sharp flinging back of the head, a few drops of cold water land on my lower jaw, appearing to be the droplets of water from the tips of Victor’s hair.

They glide down my chin to my collarbones, producing an almost unbearable itching sensation. I pull out my hand to wipe them away, only to have it tightly clutched by Victor in the next beat.

MC: ?

I meet his gaze and capture a fleeting glimpse of teasing in the depths of that pair of slender eyes.

Victor: Stay focused.

Without waiting for me to react, Victor’s forearm exerts light pressure and pushes me out of his arms according to the choreography of the dance steps.

The dramatic movements cause the belt of his bathrobe to flap, tracing across the skin of my thighs coarsely.

My eyes can’t help but be drawn to his belt, following it to the corners of his robe, which are twining up in the air.

…wait a second.

Victor has just taken a shower. So right now, he shouldn’t be…?

I’m stunned for a moment, my cheeks flaring up immediately as I’m half-nailed to the spot by this sudden thought of mine.

I subconsciously draw my gaze back. However, an indescribable instinct drives me to lift my wrist and glide it toward his lapel.

Victor lowers his head and looks at me in surprise. I slide down my fingers, taking advantage of the twirling motion to “inadvertently” climb up his chest and “accidentally” tug his collar loose.

Intentionally or otherwise, my fingertips brush over his smooth, tight muscles, leading waves of fine shivers to linger in my heart.

Victor: It seems a certain someone has indeed gained her energy back. She is now daring to make little moves.

The steady, self-sustaining voice lands on my ear, leaving a burning warmth in my auricle. I promptly draw myself away a little, winking at him.

MC: If CEO Victor doesn’t mind, I can step up my moves a little more.

Victor: Is that so? And here I thought, that was the limit of a certain someone’s boldness.

The passionate music happens to reach its climax just at this moment, the melody flooding the entire dance studio. It causes my brain to turn blank for an instant, making me impulsive.

I don’t know if it’s his words that have aroused me to lose my reasons for a moment, or if it’s the faintly discernible instinct in the bottom of my heart that has done it…

Before I can think properly, the restless palm of my hand has already taken advantage of the dance movements and quietly slides over the strong thigh underneath the bathrobe.

Even my finger pads seem to glide through even more dangerous territory.

Victor: [lets out a heavy moan, blushing] …

The fiery beats seem to conceal a fleeting moan. Victor’s movements clearly fall short by a beat, and a slit finally appears in his blazing gaze.

Seeing him being disoriented like this, I can’t help but feel a little proud of myself.

MC: What do you think of my dance?

His wandering eyes gradually settle down little by little and focus on my face once again, flickering with some unknown complex emotions.

Victor: You loosened up quite a lot.

Victor: [dangerously husky tone] However, it’s still not enough.

As soon as the words are out of his mouth, the force around my waist suddenly tightens, shackling me firmly to his fiery chest.

The entire world seems to be instantly taken over by Victor’s scent. The searing heat brands onto every inch of my skin, but the man opposite me doesn’t seem satisfied.

He closely follows my movements, and reminiscent of a wild animal on a hunt, he intertwines all my limbs until our bodies completely fit together.

My cheeks instantly flare into a crimson red. The flaming acceleration of my heartbeat causes my breathing to be thrown into chaos, and I struggle to draw in a deep breath.

MC: [blushing] Wait, this isn’t how the dance works at all, is it?

Victor: A certain someone mustn’t have listened carefully during the class.

Victor: [elaborating the teacher’s words x1] The teacher clearly said that the Paso Doble dance requires very high coordination of your limbs.

Victor: [x2] If you really can’t meet the standard, there’s no need to force it.

Victor: [x3] Amateur entrants can adjust their posture according to their preferences and do improvised dance steps.

The warmth circling my waist gradually shifts downward, holding my body steady as I try to escape.

Victor: [return of the dangerously husky tone, with a hint of rouge x1] Right now, I’m just tweaking it according to my own preference.

MC: But…

He interrupts my powerless retort, his deep and low voice revealing an irresistible intensity.

Victor: [x2] And what’s more, we’ve been practicing these few dance steps for two weeks now. It’s time to make some changes.

He slowly presses on towards me, closing the distance until there isn’t the slightest gap between us.

The burning heat coming from the pit of my stomach makes me vaguely aware of what he means, and I can’t resist accepting all of this seduction in my heart as it comes, but I still try my utmost to hang in there with my mouth.

MC: But didn’t you say that if you want to find your core, you have to do it with a regular set of activities?

Victor: That’s indeed what I said.

Victor: But there are many things in the world that… once you set them into a repetitive and fixed order, they will become monotonous to some extent.

As he says this, he squeezes in the slightly moist skin of his thigh between my legs. It’s as if he wants to open up everything I have to him without the slightest reservation.

Being in touch with an icy sensation behind me, I’m suddenly given a jolt, only to find that I’ve been pressed up against the mirror without even realizing it.

In front of me is the breath I’m familiar with. The slightly ragged breathing disturbs the air between us, and I feel my brain becoming light and airy, as if it has been stripped of oxygen.

Victor lowers his head. His moist kisses land softly and wordlessly in the pit of my stomach, dabbing away a few drops of water that pelt onto there earlier.

I instinctively squint my eyes, feeling the delicate sense of satisfaction flooding my entire chest.

Victor: [that sly, sexy whisper x1] Do you know what needs to be done when something becomes monotonous?

MC: [blushing] Wh-what?

Victor: [x2] Make an improvised mess.

My consciousness is erratic at the moment, and I can’t seem to fully comprehend the meaning of his words. I only feel as if I were being burned by the blazing heat of his voice, and all my feelings seem to rush together to the top of my head.

Through the hazy corner of my eye, I see a dense layer of mist appearing on the surface of the mirror behind me, concealing the overlapping and undulating figures in the mirror.

I withdraw my gaze, using the last ounce of my sanity to focus on the face in front of me.

That pair of eyes, which has always been self-restrained, gradually becomes dazed, reflecting my equally inextricable gaze.

Longingly, I cling even closer to him, until the entire world is invaded and veiled by his breaths.

Amid the chaotic thoughts, the last glimmer of calm reflection flashes through the entirety of my perception––

I seem to clearly understand what my core is.

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

✧ [Chapter 4, Memory Silhouette] ✧

It’s early morning on the weekend. The warm sunlight spills over the entire dance studio. Filled with vigor, I tug on my rubber gloves and count the cleaning tools on the floor.

MC: Mop, rags, bucket – we’re all set.

MC: Reporting to CEO Victor, we can start cleaning up the dance studio now~

Victor stands helplessly next to me, silently pulling up the sleeves of his loungewear.

Victor: When I asked a certain someone to find her core, I didn’t mean she has to do every big and small thing.

Victor: We can just call the cleaning auntie. Why go to all this trouble?

MC: [blushing] How can that be! Weren’t we here yesterday…

I subconsciously make a loud retort, my ears immediately burning up a little as I think back to the scenes from last night that made my heart pound and me a blushing mess. Hemming and hawing, I seem to have lost my ability to speak properly.

MC: [blushing] A-anyway, we’d better clean it up ourselves!

Victor gives me an amused look and doesn’t say anything more. He just simply picks up the mop and walks to a corner of the dance studio.

His back is straight, and the slightly blue veins on his arms peek out along with his movements of holding the mop. The sunlight filtering through the window blurs the contours of his sharp jawline.

I stare fixedly at his profile and can’t help but marvel again and again in admiration.

Is there really anyone out there who even makes doing household chores look so captivating?

And at the same time, another voice clamors in a low voice in my heart that I cannot ignore. After staring at Victor for a while, I finally can’t help giving those words a voice as I ask––

MC: Victor… why aren’t you asking me where the steam mop machine at home has gone?

Victor continues to drag the mop without any reaction whatsoever, not even giving me a look.

Victor: I thought you could keep that to yourself for good and not bring it up.

MC: What do you mean?

I tentatively walk up to his side, wiping the mirror while quietly observing his face in the glass.

MC: Did you already notice that the mopping machine is missing?

Victor: If I were as slow as a certain someone, it wouldn’t be surprising at all that this house would be utterly emptied one day.

MC: …humph. Then why didn’t you ask me where it went?

Hearing my words, Victor finally stops his movements and straightens up, giving me a meticulous and careful once–over with a smile in his eyes.

Victor: So that I could see this tentative, fluky, and curious look on a certain dummy’s face right now.

The expression on my face freezes immediately, and I can’t help pouting.

MC: You aren’t curious, are you? Then I won’t tell you~

After saying that, I continue wiping the mirror and catch a glimpse of Victor continuing to mop the floor with a focused expression out of the corner of my eye.

…he can really put up with it, huh. Or is it that he is really not curious?

While I absent-mindedly clean the mirror, the dumbbells, the yoga balls, and all the tables and chairs, I observe Victor’s movements out of the corner of my eyes the whole time.

He cleans the floor on the right side of the dance studio neatly, then wipes his hands and takes out his phone with his back turned to me, not making any new movements for a long time.

What is he looking at? Why so serious?

Victor: …

Hearing him release a perplexed tone, I can’t resist taking advantage of the wiping motion to walk up behind him and sneak a glance.

Seeing that he is reading an email, I promptly withdraw my gaze out of courtesy, but I inadvertently happen to catch one of the lines––

“Your steam mop machine has been repaired. Please come to the store and collect it promptly.”

MC: Eh??

A soft chuckle resounds in my ears. I lift my head and look at the mirror before me, only to see Victor’s eyes colliding with mine in the glass.

MC: Did you already know that I had sent it in for repair after I accidentally broke it?

Victor: I filled in my email address when we first bought it. So, it’s only natural that the store would send the mail to me.

Victor: Even the reason for the damage is clearly noted here––

Victor: [adorable teasing tone] “When teasing a cat with the machine, the body was accidentally knocked to the ground…”

MC: Okay, okay, stop reading…

I smile in embarrassment and cover his phone screen, sheepishly averting my gaze.

Suddenly, a broad palm rubs the top of my head. I lift my eyes and see that Victor seems to be in a very good mood, curling the corners of his lips upward.

Victor: [laughs softly] Of course, I was curious.

Victor: It’s just that a certain dummy has never been very adept at concealing the answer.

Victor: Next time, you can redouble your efforts to do so.

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

✧ [Chapter 5] ✧

The end of the year is drawing increasingly nearer. I breathe a long sigh of relief as I conclude processing my final review before the holidays.

The work at the present stage has finally come to an end.

But compared with being relaxed, the feeling that consumes my heart even more is a sense of pride at being able to get things done methodically without wrecking my work and rest balance.

And all of this credit belongs to Victor, who helped me find my core.

I take out my phone and am just about to call him, when Victor’s name jumps up on the screen.

MC: Hey, are you done with your meeting yet?

Victor: Mm, and I’ve also cleared up my schedule for the night.

Victor: Can a certain someone now tell me what exactly is the mysterious “surprise arrangement” she’s been cooking up these last few days?

MC: I simply want to thank CEO Victor for accompanying me in the dance practice. As for the details, you will find out when you get there.

MC: I’ve already given the address to your driver, and Goldman has the outfit I’ve prepared for you in advance!

Victor: [helpless, inaudible laugh] …you’re quite good at managing people.

MC: It’s all because CEO Victor taught me so well~ See you later then!

—

Before the evening descends, I arrive at the garden villa guest house ahead of schedule.

According to my arrangements, this place has been vacated in the morning, and some special preparations have been made.

After confirming everything, I come to the suite with the best view and begin to decorate this room with utmost care.

MC: Scented candles, flowers, mood lighting… and red wine! All set!

Elated, I admire my own decorations, take out my phone, and record the setting.

A few moments later, the doorbell to the room rings. I rush to the door at once and straighten my hair, before opening it slowly.

MC: Welcome~

Outside the door, Victor stands against the backdrop of light, the white dance shirt embellished with fine diamonds perfectly framing his physique.

The V-neckline on the chest clings to the surface of his packed muscles, adding a touch of softness and alluring charm to his robust body.

And as his gaze lands on my red dress, a flash of imperceptible daze and breathlessness seems to flicker through his eyes.

I’m unable to grasp the entirety of all this. I just stare blankly at the person in front of me, forgetting to speak for a while.

Victor: Have you seen enough?

I shake my head.

Victor: [laughs helplessly] …let’s go inside, and you can watch more if you haven’t seen enough.

Amused and in a good mood, Victor takes me by the hand as he walks into the room and sweeps his gaze over the decorations inside, a little smile dyeing the light in his eyes.

Victor: [precious, soft laugh] Is this the dummy’s surprise?

MC: This isn’t everything.

I step forward and take his arm, bringing him to the semi-open-air balcony with a wide view while wearing a mysterious look on my face.

Seeing that he is a little puzzled, I draw a step back and solemnly twirl up the corner of my skirt, standing on ceremony before him.

MC: Welcome to Victor and MC’s exclusive ball.

MC: Mr. Handsome CEO, may I have this dance?

As soon as my words fall, a spotlight comes from the direction of the guest house’s wall, enclosing the shadows of the two of us together.

Victor’s motion freezes slightly, followed by his long and narrow eyes gradually rising little by little.

Victor: Of course.

The instant our palms interlace, music begins to play in the garden outside the balcony. We dance to the familiar tune, melding warmly into each other’s arms.

At this moment, a delicate rustling sound breaks out from the sky. Our eyes can’t help being drawn to the source, and we see dazzling red dots of stars emerging high on the horizon.

And in the next instant, bright rose petals sprinkle down like droplets of rain, rendering the crystalline and shimmering lake outside the bay window until it blends in with the warm red of the sky tinged with the colors of sunset.

Victor laughs quietly, a rare softness emerging in the light of his eyes.

Victor: [precious, helpless soft laugh] Now can you explain your arrangements to me?

I purse my lips and take a deep breath of the pleasing fragrance of flowers in the air.

MC: We’ve been learning to dance for so long. We’ve got to “perform” once, right?

MC: And I also really wanted to find a sense of ritual for our dancing lessons.

MC: But I still might feel embarrassed in front of other people, so…

MC: I prepared a ball that belongs only to the two of us.

MC: Most importantly, it’s only you and me here now. So, it’s just “our” time~

Victor glances at the rain of petals descending from the sky, raising the tip of his brows slightly.

Victor: [“still-surprised” laugh] You not only prepared all these, but even reserved the entire place?

Hearing the surprise in his tone, I stick my tongue out.

MC: Thanks to CEO Victor, I’ve made a small fortune as the owner of [MC’s Company Name].

Victor smiles, letting me lightly spin in his arms.

MC: Judging from the expression on your face, it seems like my surprise has been successful?

Victor: Yes, I’m very surprised.

It’s rare for Victor to admit it so candidly, and the tip of his brows seem to have melted into a soft layer of warmth.

Victor: After all, work and dance practice already kept a certain someone very busy during this time.

Victor: It’s hard to imagine that she still had the energy to prepare all this.

MC: I’ve been very, very busy– so busy that at one point, I was writing a proposal and dancing simultaneously in my dreams.

I wink at him, causing the twinkling light flowing in his eyes to sway even more clearly.

MC: But thanks to the best Victor in the world, now I will no longer lose the original rhythm of my life because of being busy.

Victor: [precious, overflowing laughter] A certain someone was very quick to see the light this time.

MC: Of course~ Don’t you know who is the one that taught me~

I raise my chin to him as if to show that he is the one who deserves the credit. And then, I seem to think of something. So, I withdraw my joking expression and stare at him earnestly.

MC: And it’s not just that. I also understood one thing––

MC: Just like eating, sleeping, and laughing heartily, “accompanying the person I love” is something that I cannot allow for its pace to be disrupted.

MC: No matter the situation, it shouldn’t be muddled through for reasons such as “being busy.”

Victor doesn’t say anything, but the ripples shimmering in his eyes lay bare his happy mood.

MC: Come to think of it, this is how you’ve always treated me.

MC: Clearly, you yourself are already very busy. But you still attentively listened to my troubles in the early hours of the morning, found the time to practice dance with me, and helped me regain my stability step by step.

MC: You even secretly got the musical tickets for me and planted the tulips.

Victor laughs softly, drawing us a little closer to each other. I press myself against his chest, quietly listening to that powerful heartbeat.

–

[Anika’s Notes]: I mostly skip adding translation notes now since time is very short. But I had to stop here– MC uses the term “聆听,” which is different from the usual “听 (listen).” The term MC used means “listening respectfully,” which conveys a reverent emotion; and adds so much more depth to that seemingly simple action~ ❤️

–

MC: And because of that, I realized––

MC: Victor, you are my core.

MC: With you by my side, I won’t be too flustered even if something as big as the sky smashes down on me.

I lift my head and gaze at Victor unwaveringly, as if I were trying to look into his heart.

The only thing left in the surrounding is the melody of the music. Amid the quietude, the light in Victor’s eyes is profound, and it’s as if they are tainted with a misty yearning.

I’m intoxicated by the light in that pair of eyes. Despite so, I ask with a little uncertainty.

MC: Why aren’t you saying anything? Did I say it wrongly?

Hearing my words, he releases a deep laugh. His finger pads fondly caress my lips and cheeks, and they finally rest on my back, holding me steady.

The hem of my skirt flutters in the wind as I gently sit on Victor’s lap, my body leaning back slightly without the slightest apprehension.

Victor bends down following my movements, and his palm clasps around my waist, giving me a sense of complete security just like he’s always given me every time before.

As our breaths entwine in close proximity, I hear his answer.

Victor: [the softest™, sexiest™, striking you in the heart™ whisper to exist x1] You didn’t say it wrongly.

Victor: [x2] It’s just that I realized one thing too.

Victor pauses, his tone of certainty brimming with completely undisguised yearning.

Victor: [x3] Beginning from a very long time ago, a certain someone seems to have firmly believed that I’m the one who is leading her forward.

Victor: [x4] No matter how big or small, she seems to subconsciously seek my advice and my embrace.

Victor: [x5] She will cry endlessly in front of me because of a trivial matter. But when faced with real difficulties, she is more courageous than anyone else.

Victor: [x6] And this girl who loves to cry so much, combined with her courage – she made me unable to take my eyes off her.

Victor: [x7] I thought this contradiction in her was part of the reason that made me addicted to her.

Victor: [x8] But now, I have another answer.

I gaze back into his eyes with some puzzlement and see the colors of night outlining the moving expression on Victor’s face. It’s as if he has got the entire world in his arms.

Victor: [x9 + helpless laugh] Dummy, it’s not that you’re incapable of guiding me left or right.

Victor: [x10] Rather, it’s with your ability to use the softest of words, and the most natural of gestures that…

Victor: [x11] –– you have conquered all of me.

The setting sun quietly conceals its appearance, and the pinkish-purple sunset glow is inlaid with infinite stars, bearing witness to everything that has happened on the balcony.

The eyes in front of me are deep and burning hot, as if there are still more words to be said.

But before I can ask, he gently leans into my ear, giving me the best possible answer.

Victor: [x12] What I mean is, I’ve already been conquered by you a long time ago.

—

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[Anika’s ramblings, feel free to ignore haha]