The Taste of First Kiss
Staggering unsteadily, Hwan barely managed to make his way down to the first floor. Miho was sitting on the sofa. She was sipping tea. The thought struck him that she looked remarkably at ease. She was acting as if this place were her own home. Of course, Hwan didn’t particularly mind. Right now, the most important thing to him was figuring out how to soothe the boiling rage churning inside his chest.
Hwan strode straight toward Miho. As if she had been waiting for him, she set her teacup down and looked up with a faint smile. A playful curve rested on her lips, red as ripe cherries. She already knew exactly what he wanted.
"There are quite a few things in this world that ordinary people know nothing about. Even now, they’re probably still hiding among us. Beings who conceal their true nature and live among humans. Or those who hide away in remote places. And then… there are those who are worshipped as gods of a village, just like in this one."
"What exactly are they? What were the people in this village worshipping? Was it something like a demon?"
"A demon, huh… Well, I suppose that’s not entirely wrong."
She shrugged as she spoke, then explained further. Yokai, demons, ghosts—strictly speaking they were all different, but to people in the modern age, it probably didn’t matter if they lumped them together. In any case, such beings existed. Moreover, Miho herself was a fox yokai who had lived on this land for thousands of years. Before being sealed inside the Yeou Bawi, she too had hidden among humans.
"What they worshipped was probably one of those kinds of beings. There are more varieties than you’d think. Still, most of them quietly hide among humans… To be honest, what you experienced is actually quite rare. Wanting a living sacrifice? Of course, in return, it must have given the villagers something. Just like the contract between you and me."
Hwan bit his lip hard. There was still so much he couldn’t understand, but at least one thing was clear now: the villagers hadn’t simply gone mad over some fake cult. No, they had been worshipping something real. They offered sacrifices and received something in exchange. It was clearly a being that defied ordinary common sense. As Miho said, it could have been a demon, a yokai, or even a god. In any case… the people of this village had worshipped such an entity.
"Why did it have to be us…? Why did we have to become the sacrifice?"
"Who knows? I can only say you were unlucky… Honestly, it’s a very common story. To protect the village, or because the entire village desperately wanted something, they lure outsiders in and use them as substitutes for sacrifice. It’s the same old boring tale, whether in the past or now."
It felt unfair. The anger was overwhelming. That it had to happen to them, of all people…
"Then where can we find that being?"
"Unfortunately, even I don’t know that. You already know, don’t you? I was trapped inside the Yeou Bawi for a very long time. I had to spend countless years in that wretched temple. So how could I know? We’ll have to start searching from now on."
"I see… Ah… You said you were trapped there, so how were you able to speak to me? You were clearly trying to save me, weren’t you?"
"Ah, how should I explain this… I could instinctively sense that something bad was about to happen. As for how I was able to converse with you, even I find it difficult to explain. I don’t know who your ancestors were, but perhaps you possess some kind of spiritual power. Or maybe one of your distant ancestors was a being like us."
"What do you…"
"In other words, one of your ancestors might have been a yokai like me. Even though that blood has been heavily diluted over the generations, some trace of it still reached you. That might be why your soul resonated with mine. Hehe! Saying it like that makes it sound quite fated, doesn’t it? Anyway, I think a combination of various reasons like that allowed you to hear my voice. I don’t know any more than that, so let’s just leave it at that."
She smiled faintly and lifted her teacup once more. Hwan stared at her in silence, then slowly looked around the devastated living room.
"I understand. None of that matters anyway. So, will you help me as you promised?"
"Hmm?"
"You promised. You said that if I freed you from that place, you would help me… Please help me."
"Well… I did say that."
"Say it clearly! Will you really help me?"
When Hwan leaned in close and asked, Miho smiled again and set her teacup down once more. She looked into his eyes, burning with rage, and nodded.
"I don’t care. If I can find my mother again… and get revenge on that crazy old man and the monster that killed my father…"
She smiled with satisfaction. Then she suddenly reached out her hand.
The sudden remark made Hwan tilt his head in confusion. In that instant, Miho grabbed his collar without hesitation and yanked him forward. Then she stole his lips.
Hwan’s eyes flew wide open. He was shocked, and since this was his first time, his entire body seemed to freeze solid. As he stared at her with wide, rabbit-like eyes, Miho smiled faintly. Moreover, the kiss that followed grew increasingly sticky and deep. This was his first kiss.
How could he possibly describe that first kiss? It was impossibly soft. He could even taste the slightly bitter tea she had been drinking. Was the stimulation simply too overwhelming? His mind felt as if it were dissolving into a hazy fog. It was like his brain had been painted pure white. Ah… he had no idea how to describe this feeling.
The moment her lips parted from his, Hwan finally came back to his senses. A low sigh escaped him. A wave of regret washed over him. That kiss had felt like nothing more than a fleeting instant. Overwhelmed by an indescribable sense of loss, Hwan’s dazed gaze remained fixed on her.
Miho smiled softly. Her smile now felt incredibly gentle and maternal. Then her soft tongue slipped out from between those red lips and slowly traced over them. Ah… the sight was unbearably seductive. Before he knew it, Hwan swallowed dryly and licked his own lips.
Then another wave of dizziness hit him, like a sudden bout of anemia. For a moment, the beautiful woman before him appeared doubled. His legs nearly gave out, but she reached out again and pulled him into her embrace. Hwan flinched in surprise once more, but he couldn’t bring himself to resist. He couldn’t push her away. Why? Because her warm embrace reminded him of his mother. Was that why? Tears suddenly threatened to spill from his eyes.
He looked up at her. The gentle smile remained. Moreover, her hand carefully stroked his disheveled hair. Hwan didn’t dislike that tender touch at all. It was truly confusing, yet at the same time, he wanted to stay in her arms and feel her touch just a little longer. He had no idea what to say… His mind had gone completely blank.
"W-why all of a sudden…"
When he finally managed to speak, she laughed playfully and replied.
"V-vitality…"
He couldn’t finish the sentence. Because her lips had covered his once again. Ah… an indescribable softness spread through him again. It gently wrapped around his lips, sharing her warmth. Was it because it was his first kiss? Or was this particular kiss especially intense? The tension drained from his body. His mind grew even hazier. Their eyes met through his dazed, unfocused gaze. Her dark pupils looked like a quiet night sky. He felt himself sinking deeper into that endless darkness, as if floating within it. Ah… he couldn’t look away.
His mouth opened of its own accord, and her tongue slipped inside. "Mmph… mmm…"
His body trembled again. An intense shiver seemed to strike him all at once. Once more his vision went pure white, and his body began to burn hotter and hotter. Ah! The adult kiss was growing increasingly mature and deep. It felt like his body was melting. From deep within, an indescribable explosion of ecstasy erupted. Meanwhile, Hwan’s breath was gradually being cut off. It was hard to breathe properly. His face flushed bright red, and he desperately needed air. Inevitably, her lips parted from his once again.