Aira screamed.
Again.
This time, she was fairly certain the palace foundations trembled.
"NOPE! ABSOLUTELY NOT! I REFUSE!" she shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the emperor like she was trying to exorcise him. "I am NOT teaching you how to kiss! Do you have any idea how ridiculous that sounds?!"
The emperor watched her calmly, hands clasped behind his back, as though she weren't having a full-scale emotional breakdown right in front of him.
"You are shouting again.." he observed.
"That's because YOU ARE INSANE!"
"I am emperor."
"That is NOT a personality trait!"
She stood and paced the room, hands tangled in her hair.
I can't believe I transmigrated into a world where the emperor doesn't know what kissing is—yet somehow does it like a final boss.
She stopped mid-step.
Final boss…
Her traitorous brain betrayed her instantly.
Tall. Broad shoulders. A face sculpted like a god who clearly had too much free time. Crimson eyes sharp enough to command armies—or look at you like you were the only thing that mattered. And that fitted outfit—thin fabric clinging just enough to outline a dangerously well-built body.
She gulped. Her face heated.
No. Stop. Bad thoughts. We do not thirst after emperors. Especially emotionally repressed ones.
She shook her head violently, as if that might shake the images loose.
"I'm s-serious," she said, forcing firmness into her voice. "This is inappropriate. You can't just ask random women to—"
"I told you," he interrupted calmly. "You are not random. And you are the only woman in this world."
Right.
Why did she keep forgetting that horrifying truth?
Of all people, why did it have to be me? I've been single my whole life. Zero experience. No kisses. No touching. Just romance novels, manhua, and delusions.
"That does NOT help!"
He took a step closer.
Her body reacted before her brain did. She stepped back.
"Do not retreat.." he said.
"Do not advance!"
They stopped.
Stared.
The air between them felt thick—tight, charged, like something was waiting to snap.
Not threatening. Just unbearably tense.
Aira swallowed.
"Why does this matter so much to you?" she asked, quieter now. "Kissing isn't something you ask someone to teach you. As a man, you shouldn't—"
"That is what I am trying to understand. " he said.
"Understand what?"
"Why it unsettles me," he replied. "Why my body reacts before my mind does. Why your presence disrupts my control. That is why I want to learn—based on what you desire."
Her stomach flipped violently.
That is dangerously attractive. STOP.
What the hell is she thinking? Stop it! No!
"You're making this sound very dramatic.." she muttered.
"Everything involving fate is dramatic."
"Ugh."
She rubbed her temples. "Look—Your Majesty—Emperor—Sir—whatever—you don't practice kisses like sword drills."
"Then how do humans learn?"
She blinked. "…What?"
"How did you learn?"
Her brain short-circuited.
"I—well—that's—" She coughed. "That's personal!"
"But you are knowledgeable."
"THAT IS NOT—!"
She stopped abruptly, realization slamming into her.
"Oh no," she whispered. "You think I'm an expert."
"You reacted strongly when I kissed you earlier."
"That does NOT make me an expert!"
"You corrected me."
"Because you were WRONG!"
"And yet," he said calmly, "you know how it should be done."
She opened her mouth.
Closed it. Damn it.
Romance novels. Webtoons. Late-night scrolling. Shameless fantasies she would never admit out loud.
Her face burned.
So I really transmigrated just to teach a hot emperor how to kiss using fictional experience. Incredible. Truly the peak of my life.
She didn't realize how close he was until his voice dropped.
"I will not touch you without your consent," he said quietly. "But I need answers. And you are the only one who provokes this response."
Her heart skipped—traitorous, disloyal thing.
"Stop saying things like that," she muttered. "You sound like a pervert."
"Pervert?" He frowned slightly. "What is that?"
Oh great. Innocent AND lethal.
"Uh—it means… innocent..." she said quickly, wincing internally. She wanted to explain what it meant, but who knew what he might do if she said it?
"Innocent?" His brow furrowed. "In what way?"
"In the way where my brain stops working!"
Silence stretched.
Then—
"You are thinking inappropriate thoughts.." he said.
She froze.
"WHAT?!"
"You flush. Your breathing changes."
Her soul left her body.
"What?!"
He looked almost… amused.
She groaned and dropped face-first onto the bed, burying her face in a pillow.
"I hate this world," she muffled. "I hate destiny. I hate emperors. And I ESPECIALLY hate that you're attractive."
That made him pause.
"…Attractive?"
She slapped the pillow over her head. "You misheard! You are NOT attractive!"
He sat beside her anyway. The mattress dipped.
Aira froze.
"Why are you sitting?" she demanded.
"Because you are no longer running."
She peeked out from under the pillow.
Too close.
He smells unfairly good, her brain whispered traitorously.
She groaned again.
"So," he asked calmly, "did you find me attractive enough to teach me?"
Wow. Confident. Arrogant. Still hot. Unfortunately.
"No! Who said you're attractive?!" she blurted—then immediately regretted it when she noticed the faint curve of his lips.
For just a moment, he looked… unfairly handsome.
No. No. NO.
She quickly looked away.
"Ahem—hypothetically," she muttered, "if I were to explain… it would be purely educational."
The faint smirk vanished as quickly as it appeared.
" Okay then. I will not touch you unless you say so."
"Wait—"
"I will remain still."
"That's not what I meant!"
"Teach me now."
She stared at him. "…You misunderstood."
"But you already agreed. There is no taking it back."
"What?! When did I agree?"
"Just now."
He smiled briefly.
This man is terrifying.
She sighed heavily, arms crossing. "Fine. I'll explain. NOT demonstrate."
His eyes softened slightly—as if he'd won a lottery.
"Proceed."
She inhaled deeply.
This is a mistake. This is absolutely a mistake. I am going to regret this.
"First of all," she said, "kissing isn't about domination. It's about connection."
"Connection.." he repeated seriously.
"You read the other person. Their reactions. Their comfort."
"And if they pull away?"
"You stop."
He nodded, committing it to memory like a battle strategy.
"And you don't rush," she added. "That's overwhelming."
"You found it overwhelming."
"Yes!"
"…But not unpleasant."
She stared.
"You're doing it again."
"I am observing."
She looked away, flustered.
"Kissing should feel mutual," she said. "Like both people want it."
"And if one does?"
"Then the other shouldn't."
"…What if both do?"
Her heart skipped violently.
"That's… different."
He leaned closer—but stopped himself.
"How would I know?"
"You'd feel it," she whispered. "They wouldn't run."
She didn't move.
Neither did he.
"…Aira," he asked quietly, "do you wish to stop?"
"…N-no.." she whispered.
His breath hitched.
"But this doesn't mean you can do whatever you want!"
"Understood."
"One lesson," she muttered. "Verbal. Minimal. Controlled."
"Thank you."
Why does that sound sincere?!
"…Idiot emperor."
Her face went nuclear red.
I am absolutely going to regret this.
And yet—She didn't want to pull away.
The realization struck her a second too late.
Aira stiffened, suddenly hyper-aware of everything, the warmth radiating from him, the faint sound of his breathing, the way his presence alone seemed to compress the air around her. She could practically feel the space between them shrinking, even though neither of them moved.
Why am I not running?Why are my feet glued to the floor?Why does my heart feel like it's trying to escape through my throat?
This was bad. Very bad.
She cleared her throat loudly, hoping it would snap her brain back into working order.
"D-don't misunderstand," she said quickly, lifting a finger between them like a flimsy barrier. "This is strictly theoretical. Like… a lecture. A very boring lecture. No visuals. No examples. No—"
Her words faltered when she noticed his gaze drop to her raised finger.
He studied it with the same intensity he'd used earlier when watching her lips.
"…Is that a boundary?" he asked.
"Yes!" she answered immediately.
He nodded once. "Understood."
That should have reassured her.
Instead, her stomach twisted.
Why does he look so serious about this? Like he's about to memorize my soul or something?
"Okay," she muttered. "Let's just… get this over with."
She turned slightly away from him, putting a bit of distance between them—at least enough that she could breathe again.
"So," she began, arms crossed tightly over her chest, "a kiss isn't something you just… take."
"Yes," he said immediately.
She paused. "Yes…?"
"I have learned that," he continued calmly, "you stop if the other person pulls away."
Her lips parted.