“Did you just say…?”

As if she’d heard something completely nonsensical, Luna, without even blinking her eyes, asked.

What? Do what? Kiss on the cheek? It’s already awkward and embarrassing just sitting next to him, and now a kiss? Is he crazy?

When she stared at Antes with those eyes, he calmly pointed to his own cheek.

“We can’t keep avoiding it. Let’s practice at least.”

“You mean, suddenly kiss on the cheek? Not even holding hands?”

“Isn’t our relationship too close to practice with just hand-holding?”

They were so familiar with each other that it felt like they’ve held hands enough to wear them out.

But she had a strong aversion to the idea of just suddenly kissing on the cheek. Luna was adamant that it wasn’t possible.

“But… it’s not a peck! How often have we done that? I’d understand if you asked me to hug, but!”

“Alright. Let’s start with a hug then.”

With that, as if to say ‘come and hug me’, Antes opened his arms wide, signaling his welcoming intent.

“No…!”

Luna realized she’d fallen for Antes’s trick. Offering the worst option first, then suggesting something lesser so that she’d accept it. Such a cunning strategy.

‘Ugh! To be fooled by such a shallow tactic…!’

Luna was distressed. But given her current situation, she couldn’t just refuse.

They were about to get married, and she couldn’t keep being distant from Antes.

Luna sighed and looked at Antes with serious eyes. As always, he seemed utterly at ease.

There was no escaping his charm. Ever since they first met, she always felt swayed by him.

Feeling a bit wronged, but also unable to truly resent him, Luna decided to quickly get used to these ‘practices’. She closed her eyes and firmly hugged Antes.

But her embrace felt more like a warrior heading into battle than a lover’s gentle hug. Antes chuckled.

“You’re so strong. All my bones are going to break.”

Even though he’d been fine after falling from the third floor. Luna, pouting, playfully tapped on Antes’s back. Perhaps he liked that because he gently wrapped his hands around Luna.

Fortunately, the atmosphere was playful enough, so it wasn’t too embarrassing. What she thought was a ridiculous ‘practice’ seemed to actually have some effect.

‘…Hmm, maybe, in this state, a kiss on the cheek might be possible…’

Though she was grumbling, hugging the person she liked didn’t feel bad at all. Even if it was just for ‘practice and treatment’.

As she felt ticklish near her heart and leaned her face onto his chest, Antes took the opportunity to brush her hair aside.

Enjoying their ‘practice’ embrace, she suddenly felt an odd sensation on her cheek.

‘Huh…?’

It was the sensation of Antes’s heartbeat. His heart was racing so fast it was alarming.

“Hold on, are you okay?”

When she touched the area over his heart and asked, he responded with a question of his own.

“What?”

“Your heart is beating too fast.”

It felt just like her own heart, which had been excited all morning. No, maybe even more so.

Luna looked surprised, but Antes responded nonchalantly.

“If our hearts were calm while this close, wouldn’t that be the real problem? Especially since the person I like has hugged me so fiercely.”

If you don’t feel anything even in such intimate moments with your fiance, that’s a problem, Antes added with a gentle smile.

“But why do you look so unfazed? Shouldn’t at least your face turn red? I was almost going crazy…!”

Luna couldn’t understand Antes. His face was so calm, as if his heart wasn’t racing, but in reality, it was beating even faster than hers.

“I’ve gotten used to it. And my face doesn’t usually turn red.”

“…You got used to it? You mean you’ve been like this since before? Since when were you like this?”

“I’m not sure exactly when, but maybe since the end of last year. That’s when I noticed it.”

It’s been that long? How could he not show any signs of this all that time?

Unable to believe him, Luna again placed her hand over Antes’s chest.

His heart was still racing.

Antes placed his hand over Luna’s, which was also racing, and looked at her tenderly.

“It’s because I like you. This is proof of that.”

With the feeling as if flames would burst from their entwined hands and the way he looked at her, Luna involuntarily averted her gaze and asked softly:

“…What do people like me, who find everyday life impossible, do?”

It wasn’t an accusation. She was genuinely asking for advice.

While it was true she was no longer lost in bizarre fantasies due to him being right in front of her, it was still embarrassing and awkward for her to engage in normal intimate gestures like other couples.

Antes, who was looking down at her, lightly tapped Luna’s soft cheek.

“Practice.”

It was an indication to kiss him on the cheek. She thought he was being excessive before, but he seemed serious.

“…Do you think it’s that easy?”

“Maybe. It doesn’t seem that hard.”

When Luna sighed, saying if it were easy, it would have been done already, but the response she received was that it wasn’t that difficult.

Of course, it wasn’t just words that came back. As if to show by example, Antes, with his head lowered, gently grasped Luna’s chin and pressed his lips to her cheek.

Choo.

Surprised, Luna stifled a scream, only for Antes to press his lips to her other cheek.

Ahh!

“Wait-“

Before she could finish saying that word, he went on. It was as if there was a rule that if he started, he had to do it three times. After kissing her cheek once more, he lifted his head.

“This is how it’s done.”

What on earth just happened? A stunned Luna had even forgotten her embarrassment and blinked in disbelief.

“Do it again?”

“No, no! Wait a minute! Wait! Hold on!”

My goodness! He must be crazy! Luna frantically grabbed Antes’s face with both hands to stop him. She didn’t really need to go this far, but for some reason, she felt she had to.

“Hey, how can someone not give a warning every time!”

If this were on the road, it would have been a major accident. At that, Antes tilted his head.

“What’s a warning?”

“Notice, a notice! Shouldn’t someone give notice before doing something!”

“So, if I warn, can I do it?”

“Well… I don’t know, but…”

“So, I guess I don’t have to?”

“No, wait a minute…!”

Unashamedly smiling, Antes commented that he wouldn’t do something if it was pointless. His smile was one of sheer joy and happiness.

By now, he was a lawless entity, and the road he traveled was the path to Luna’s heart.

Seeing Luna’s expression change from embarrassment to discomfort, Antes, with his hand around her waist, asked while suppressing his laughter:

“If you don’t like it, just tell me. If you tell me clearly, I won’t do what you dislike.”

Though he said that, he fixed his gaze on Luna, slowly and curiously running his fingers through her hair, waiting for her answer.

How could she say no to such a person? She didn’t dislike it in the first place.

Hesitantly, Luna buried her face in Antes’s chest and replied.

“I don’t dislike it…!”

As if he had been waiting for that response, even before she finished speaking, Antes pressed his lips to the top of Luna’s head.

Not stopping there, he took Luna’s hand and pressed his lips to the back of it.

“What if you overdo it!”

It seemed if left unchecked, he might plant kisses all over. No one was watching, but the embarrassment felt like it would kill her.

When Luna complained about wanting either a warning or moderation, the reply was if she didn’t want either, then to choose something else.

“Kiss my cheek. That was the goal for today, right?”

From his intense gaze, Luna sensed a hint that once today’s goal was achieved, a new one would arise tomorrow. Given the current state of things, she couldn’t resist his suggestion any longer.

Taking a deep breath and with determination, Luna reached for Antes’s neck. What she did seemed insignificant compared to what Antes did, yet she swallowed nervously.

‘Maybe I should close my eyes.’

She couldn’t do it with her eyes open. With her eyes tightly shut, she slowly approached Antes’s cheek, but he slightly tilted his head.

‘Why is it moist…?’

Why was his cheek so moist? It felt like lips. Sensing something was off, Luna opened her eyes as she pulled away.

However, for some reason, instead of his cheek, she saw Antes’s face right in front of her. Where she suspected her lips had met, were his lips.

“…Wait, why..?”

Before Luna could react or fully understand the situation, Antes’s hand cradled the back of her head.

“Closing your eyes is cheating, let’s try again.”

Without giving her a chance to argue, she felt his lips pressing against hers once more, and she involuntarily closed her eyes again.