Rei Ao seemed to read Tsuruyama Shirahi's thoughts. With one swift motion he pulled the girl's soft body into his arms.
She bumped into his cedar‑scented chest; the warmth brushing past the tip of her nose made her whole body tense.
"Right now, Mahiru and I are boyfriend and girlfriend," he murmured, his breath fanning against her ear, "but that doesn't stop you and me from having a special relationship of our own."
Shirahi's eyes flew wide, but before she could protest his hand cupped the nape of her neck.
As Rei Ao bent toward her, sakura petals skimmed his dark, tousled hair, swirling between them like a hazy curtain.
She could feel his hot breath; instinctively her fists clenched, nails digging into her palms—yet the sting could not dispel her dizziness.
"Th‑this isn't right…" she whispered, so faint even she could hardly hear it.
Rei Ao's nose brushed lightly against hers, a playful smile in his voice. "Then why don't you pull away?"
The question shattered the last thread of her reason.
The moment Shirahi closed her eyes, Rei Ao's lips covered hers.
Unlike the fierce passion she had overheard the night before, this kiss was gentle yet domineering, plundering every trace of sweetness.
At some point her hands had loosened—one lay weakly against his chest, the other crept of its own accord around his neck.
Footsteps sounded in the distance, yet Rei Ao did not immediately let her go.
Only when Shirahi was nearly out of breath did he reluctantly withdraw, thumb brushing her reddened lower lip.
"Shirahi, that's the answer I wanted to give you."
Her knees went weak; she could barely stand.
Watching Rei Ao's back as he walked away, she pressed a hand to her burning lips, ears buzzing.
The brief intimacy left her ashamed—yet strangely elated.
Reason kept warning her: this man is dangerous, mysterious—and she was only one of those he could toy with so easily.
…
Elsewhere, in the inner hall of the shrine, the three Amagami sisters sat around Chiharu, who hummed a tune while preparing ingredients, her face glowing with a happiness they had never seen before.
At last Yae couldn't hold back. "Mom, is Rei Ao-san really someone you can trust?"
Chiharu paused, gave her daughter a gentle look. "I've lived a very long time and seen many people, many things."
She slid the chopped vegetables into the pot; steam curled up, and her eyes softened further.
"Rei Ao may be frighteningly strong and burdened with many ties, yet he's willing to break the boundary between gods and men for me—and to protect you three."
Yuna bit her lip. "But he's about our age. How are we supposed to address him?"
Asahi nodded, round eyes full of confusion.
Chiharu laughed, pinching Asahi's cheek. "Just think of him as an extra big brother who'll look out for you—doesn't that sound nice?"
Just then Rei Ao walked in with Shirahi.
The girl's lips were swollen, hair mussed—clearly still dazed from the kiss.
The three sisters exchanged glances; Yae sharply noticed the way Shirahi's eyes darted away whenever they met Rei Ao's.
"Chiharu, the renovation team Kaguya arranged will arrive tomorrow," Rei Ao said, moving to her side and naturally taking the spatula from her hand. "Go rest; I'll cook."
Watching him stir‑fry with practiced ease, Chiharu's cheeks warmed.
She had once run the shrine alone, laboring day after day; now someone was willing to share every burden.
The feeling of being cherished made her sink willingly into the web Rei Ao was weaving.
At dinner Rei Ao also brought Mahiru.
Her slightly trembling steps and the faint red marks at her throat instantly reminded Shirahi of last night's sounds; her own face flushed scarlet.
When Mahiru met Rei Ao's eyes there was a shy, lingering affection that stirred a strange pang of jealousy in Shirahi.
Introductions followed, and soon the shrine bustled with a warmth it had long lacked.
After the meal Shirahi pulled Rei Ao to a corner of the shrine.
Moonlight spilled over them.
She looked at the sharply outlined side of his face and mustered her courage. "H‑how many others do you have… like me and Mahiru‑nee?"
During dinner she had noticed something off in the looks he and Chiharu exchanged.
Rei Ao lowered his gaze, a deeper smile in his eyes. "Does it matter?"
He pressed her against the cherry tree; his lips almost touched hers. "All you need to know is that right now, I can see only you."
Shirahi tried to ask more, but his mouth silenced her.
This time the kiss carried a clear aggression; his hands roamed at her waist while her reason crumbled in rising heat. She clung to his shoulders, helpless beneath the onslaught.
For the first time Shirahi realized she was a complete novice in front of Rei Ao, easily and unabashedly played. How mortifying!
…
Night deepened. One by one the shrine's lanterns went dark.
Lying in bed, Shirahi pressed a hand to her burning cheeks.
She knew she had stepped into a dangerous vortex—yet the fatal allure of Rei Ao left her unable to escape.
Rei Ao's fingers brushed her temple. "Shirahi, have you decided?"
Her gaze was complicated. "Rei Ao‑kun, if I say yes… will you abandon me for someone else?"
His fingertip paused; he tucked a stray lock behind her ear, the warmth of his palm seeping through her skin. "No. I won't abandon anyone. That's my promise to all of you."
Shirahi's throat tightened; beneath the quilt her fingers clenched the sheet.
"O‑okay… then it's settled."
She exhaled as though making a weighty choice, slowly closed her eyes, and lifted her swan‑white throat.
"It's settled," Rei Ao replied—and lowered himself without hesitation.
~~~
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