Scars … Suddenly, I Reek of Female
Suddenly, she says I smell like a female? What an out-of-left-field comment. I was briefly dumbfounded.
Hmm... smell like a female, huh... If I had to interpret it...
"Luna... you don't mean... that I smell like a woman to you...?"
I definitely wasn't a total dude in the tetosterone department, but still...
"Huh...? Oh, no. It's just... something intriguing..."
Intriguing how...?
"Ahem... Luna, you might not know this since you're lacking in knowledge on the subject, but men actually secrete female hormones too, you know."
As I offered my not-quite-excuse of an excuse, Luna shook her head like that wasn't it and asked something else.
"No, that's not it... Um... You smell like a young woman, oppa... Did you meet someone before coming here?"
A young woman? Oh, did Elise's scent linger?
"I did meet the neighbor next door for some business right before coming over... But I showered. The smell still lingers?"
Had I underestimated beastkin senses? I never imagined she'd pick up on it even after a shower.
"Hmmm... A neighbor, huh... Well, it's not like you could have a girlfriend, right, Soo-chan oppa? I hope you never do."
Luna offered me her sharp "blessing" with a strangely sour mood.
"...Luna, did I do something wrong?"
"Yes, you did. I can't hold back anymore, so lie down on the bed quick."
Luna grabbed my hand and dragged me toward the bed. Against her beastkin strength, I was helpless as she pulled me along.
...I'd thought the same last time, but was this really okay? Even granting the heat cycle excuse, was it fine for her future to invite a random guy into her room like this, let alone hold him for hours?
"Hey, Luna... I said I'd help with your heat cycle, but isn't this a bit too casual...?"
We stopped abruptly in front of the bed.
"Why? Is this no good?"
Was it the heat? Luna's reaction was sharper than expected. Her voice turned icy in an instant, freezing the atmosphere.
"No... It's not that it's bad... I just thought there might be other ways. Of course, I promised to help, so I'll do whatever... but..."
Luna turned to face me. The eyes that had always seemed so gentle now looked strangely hollow.
"...If you're willing to do whatever, then just hold me, right...? Am I asking for too much?"
...Cold. I'd never seen her this frigid since we met.
What had I done wrong...?
She was already sensitive right now, and maybe my denseness had upset her?
I had no idea... Women's hearts were a total mystery.
Which part had flipped her switch?
Apologizing without knowing what hurt her felt like the worst option, so I pondered my response... but Luna didn't give me time.
"You're the same as everyone else, aren't you, oppa? You think I'm cursed too? Or what? You act like it's nothing, but really, you find my body repulsive? So disgusting you can't even touch it?"
"Wha...? No, that's not it. I'm just worried something might go wrong... If we keep solving it like this every time... what if an accident happens and your chastity..."
Luna cut me off, venting her rage.
"Why...? Afraid the curse will spread if you hold me? Do you believe in that superstition too, oppa? Or now you're saying I'm not good enough?"
Luna wore an expression I couldn't tell if it was a smile or a sob.
For some reason, it felt like this was a turning point. As I hesitated, choosing my words, Luna roughly stripped off her top.
Her burn scars, hidden by long clothes and bandages outside, were revealed.
Horrific traces spread across her body.
I couldn't even imagine the pain she'd endured for ten years.
"There, look! This is me! Unhealable burn scars, treated like a plague carrier outside, no family, no money—just this hideous body. Oppa, do you really, truly think I could meet someone else and live as a woman?"
Her trembling voice spat words that tore at her own wounds.
"Luna... For one, I don't think you're cursed... I held you last time... And by my standards, you're plenty..."
"Last time? You might not have known the curse rumors then! You'd just transmigrated! Holding me was just pity for a poor soul!! If that's how it is... don't be nice to me... I should've died that day..."
Luna stared into my eyes, tears streaming down, her mouth trembling in a smile. The eerie contrast looked so unstable to me.
Had I overlooked it too much...? In this ruined world, surviving this long without her mind breaking was impossible.
...Luna had seemed so fine that I hadn't noticed.
She must have lived under immense stress, even more than others. A patient at church, an invalid outside—isolation.
At least from what I knew, no friends.
Then getting close to me made her overly dependent.
I believe people are weakest not in isolation, but when they gain someone to depend on.
Those surviving alone are strong—or pretend to be. They must bear all threats themselves.
So... they hide weakness until death's door. Showing scars is a vulnerability.
Self-reliance is tough, painful, but builds self-esteem and control.
Dependence hands over emotions, stability, survival to another.
Anxiety if they don't meet expectations, fear they'll leave—new vulnerabilities isolation never brought.
In short, my presence punched a hole in her dam.
I didn't know the exact cause. But I'd touched something, triggering a decade of pent-up emotions flooding out.
"...Sorry, oppa. Please go home today..."
She finally gave me the boot.
Her tears had stopped, but her eyes were empty, as if they'd spilled out all other emotions too.
If I left now, our relationship might be irreparably broken.
"... "
I slowly reached out and hugged Luna.
Too late, her reaction was curt, as expected.
"...Enough now, just go ho─!"
Ignoring her, I tossed her onto the nearby bed and climbed on top.
Thud.
"...Oppa?"
"Stay still."
I began licking the burn scars exposed on her skin, clad only in underwear.
"...!! O-Oppa!! What are you doing eek!!!"
Collarbone, shoulder, upper arm, forearm, wrist, fingers.
"Th-this won't make me!! Hic...!"
Lower belly near navel, side, solar plexus.
"Uuuu..."
Back up to neck, under chin, the scar crossing her face.
"......"
As I licked her upper body's scars, Luna gradually fell silent.
Her skin flushed redder than ever.
I slowly lifted my upper body and met her eyes. Hers trembled fiercely, but not hollow like before.
Now we could talk.
"Luna."
"......Yes."
"First, clear up the misunderstanding. I avoided hugging you not because I dislike you. Purely because of laws from my homeland."
Luna quietly asked back, confused.
"...Laws?"
"Yeah. In my homeland, hugging a woman who's neither family nor girlfriend is a life-ruining risk. It's not just skinship—it's social suicide."
"...You risk your life just for a hug? What kind of world is that...?"
...In reality, it's not even hugging—if you're unlucky, brushing clothes, or even no contact but overlapping paths can screw you. Of course, case-by-case, those are extreme bad-luck scenarios. No need to explain that to Luna.
Sorry, my homelanders... But it's not a total lie.
"...I'd love if it were a lie. Anyway, I just transmigrated not long ago, so my homeland's social norms are still ingrained."
Luna mercifully pretended to buy my lame excuse.
"I see...? So... I'm precious enough for you to risk your life hugging me?"
"Yeah, precious."
Luna averted her eyes at my firm answer.
"R-really...? H-hmm..."
I got off her and sat on the bed.
Moments later, her voice came from behind.
"Sorry. I must've been a total eyesore, oppa."
"I get it. You've been through a lot."
Even modern folks snap sometimes; this world must be worse.
Built-up stress bursting eventually isn't rare.
Luna had no outlet...
Calmed down, Luna started sharing what upset her.
"...I felt a bit betrayed that you lied, oppa. Sorry..."
"...?"
Huh? Lied? What?
"Lied about what? I don't remember lying..."
"That 'just neighbor' woman. The scent was so strong—can't be nothing. A smell that intense on your chest... clear sign of prolonged body contact. That's not something you do unless she's your girlfriend..."
...What? Piecing together the situation just from smell?
"But really, nothing there! If anything, teacher and student... or consultant and victim..."
Hmm... She hasn't learned anything yet, so the latter fits.
I tried crafting a better excuse, but...
"I'll believe you."
Luna, now sitting beside me, beamed at me.
...Good, she seemed fully stable now.
Still, she called it a lie...
I met her eyes and said,
"...Luna, you lied to me too, didn't you?"
"......"
She just stared silently, not playing dumb but waiting for my next words.
"You're not in heat, are you?"
"No."
Figured as much... I'd suspected, but today's reaction confirmed it.
Then...
"So, you like me?"
"...Yes, I like you."