“Well, did you expect such a device? I thought it was just a secret passage to the treasure vault, but it seems there’s another hidden space.”
As Askan casually swept his wet hair to cool his emotions, he opened his lips with a more composed tone.

“I apologize for not explaining in advance. I was planning to speak after giving you the key, but I didn’t expect you to touch the mechanism before that.”

“I’m sorry too. I had no idea. Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”

Askan nodded at my words.

Looking belatedly at our positions, Askan was beneath me, and I was perched on top of him.

It seemed like encountering Askan in such situations had become quite common.

Whether it was falling into a bathtub due to a sprained ankle or fighting while drunk, in moments of danger, it felt like Askan swiftly used his body to protect me.

“Shall we get up for now?”

Fortunately, we were connected to a pond, so landing in the water prevented us from getting injured.

Thanks to that, both Askan and I ended up soaking wet.

Trying to lift my body with the dress now heavier due to being soaked, I suddenly noticed that Askan’s outer garment was torn.

Pointing to the torn area with concern, I said, “Askan, here…!”

I wanted to ask if he was hurt.

Without thinking, I raised my head toward Askan’s face. Unexpectedly, the timing of him bending down to examine his clothes coincided.

Touch, though a moment, I felt my lips against his jaw.

I was startled and instinctively moved back.

I swear it was an accident. Askan seemed surprised too, frozen in that position.

In my flustered state, I explained the situation hastily.

“T-This time, it was truly an accident. Please believe me; I didn’t do it on purpose.”

Askan, who had been silently listening to my words, squinted his golden eyes.

“This time?”

“Ugh.”

I closed my mouth and took a deep breath.

Askan believed that he had forgotten the incident where we kissed while I was drunk. However, I remembered everything.

His eyes narrowed, indicating suspicion. I wanted to pretend I didn’t know, but now that it happened, I couldn’t avoid the scolding.

“Do you remember?”

I wanted to act like I didn’t know, but now that it had come to this, there was no avoiding the scolding.

“Do you remember everything?”

I inhaled deeply, then answered honestly, “At first, I didn’t remember… It came back later. But pretending to know seemed weird, so I just pretended to forget.”

Askan’s gaze became more serious. In a lowered tone, he asked, “What do you remember?”

“You said you wouldn’t count it…”

I had wondered what that meant for a while.

No matter how much I thought about it, there was only one answer. He meant that he wouldn’t remember the kiss from that day.

Askan’s expression was enigmatic. He slightly furrowed his brow and said in a subdued voice, “But you don’t remember what I said after that?”
“What else did I say?”

I hadn’t expected him to say anything after “no count.”

He looked at me as if puzzled. Askan’s large hand suddenly covered my cheek.

Somehow, Askan’s wet face felt too close. Even in the darkness, his dripping hair and the glistening skin were vivid.

Above all, his golden eyes, staring directly at me, radiated a strong light, as if flames were contained within them.

“You’ve left out the most important part. That’s what I said. I told you that day. I wouldn’t consider such a childish peck as the first kiss.”

…What?

I looked at Askan with a surprised expression.

Hearing those words, strangely, a scene dormant in my memory seemed to emerge.

─ Since you’re drunk, I’ll let it slide. I won’t end my first kiss with such a childish prank.

I held my breath.

I remembered. I hadn’t expected that there was such a story behind that day when Askan brought me to the room.

─ I won’t let it slide like this next time. It would be better for you to be prepared properly.

I was left speechless. I never dreamed there was such a hidden story from that day.

Judging from Askan’s rapidly changing expressions, he realized that I fully remembered that day.

“Anyway, I thought it didn’t matter since I was going to count it as ‘no count.'”

A droplet of water hanging from his long eyelashes fell. As he lowered his eyes, a seductive atmosphere filled the air.

My heart pounded wildly.

It was a level of excitement different from before.

“Be prepared to take responsibility.”

I could feel Askan’s blindly determined gaze on me. He intended to keep his promise that he wouldn’t let it slide next time.

“Well, at that time, I was drunk…”

“Are you saying it was a mistake to take someone else’s first kiss and then call it an accident?”

It wasn’t like that.

Strictly speaking, since we had kissed ten years ago, it couldn’t be considered a first kiss.

“Actually, we kissed before, so it might not be our first kiss…”

“In a time I can’t remember, you kissed me?”

“Yes.”

“Huh, I’m jealous.”

Askan said it as if talking to someone else.

Surprised by his unexpected reaction, I widened my eyes. He looked at me as if finding me cute, and subtly furrowed his eyebrows.

“I’m jealous. Do it again.”

No, why force something like that…

Wait, does that mean Askan has never kissed anyone else but me? I never thought about that. I was a bit surprised to realize that I was both his first kiss in the past and the present.

I had a lot to say, but my mouth kept freezing. Maybe it was due to the pounding sensation, but it felt like my thoughts weren’t working properly.

Meanwhile, Askan’s face came closer and closer. Before I knew it, our noses touched.

“Askan…”

“Shh.”
Askan’s voice, tightly locked and resonating as if the hot breath could be felt, whispered from a close distance.

“Open your mouth.”

For some reason, I remembered the words I had said to Askan on the day I got drunk.

─ Really, open your mouth?

Today, it felt like I finally heard his response from that day.

The moment that might have felt sluggish initially transformed passionately as Askan’s lips touched mine.

My senses became distant. At first, I distinctly felt like I was on top of Askan, but suddenly, the position reversed.

No more words were needed. Our rough breaths intermingled. The kiss was so intense that it felt like I might devour him.

Splashing sounds echoed every time we moved, given that we were in the pond.

The accidental kiss with Askan in the carriage ten years ago, and the kiss I gave him while drunk, now seemed insignificant compared to this moment.

As Askan had said, in comparison to this moment, everything that had passed felt like child’s play.

The kiss, seeking each other endlessly, continued.

Unconsciously, I grabbed Askan’s shoulders and hung onto him. With just one kiss, I could feel my entire body losing strength.

His strong arms were tightly embracing my waist. Before I knew it, our lips were pressed together as closely as our bodies.

Even though we hadn’t had a drink, looking into Askan’s eyes felt intoxicating.

Suddenly, the moon appeared behind him. It was a day when the densely scattered stars seemed like they would shower down on us, like that.