In Heat
"Huff... huff..."
I sat dazed in the hallway, staring at the shadow demon crumbling away with soft crackling sounds. Watching its massive form wither and twist into fuel for the flames filled me with a profound sense of relief—the insane stunt I'd just pulled had actually worked.
"Fuck..."
As the tension drained from me in an instant, exhaustion crashed over my body like a wave. And it wasn't just exhaustion; the backlash pain from overusing Jin Gang Ri Ling hit me hard too.
"Nngh."
In my wrecked state, I staggered to my feet. Part of me wanted nothing more than to collapse right there in the hallway and sprawl out without a care in the world. But flames were spreading everywhere from the fire I'd just set, and staying put would mean burning alive. So I forced my legs to move.
"......"
Just to be safe, I grabbed a nearby pencil case and hurled it at the last blazing shadow demon, wondering if it might somehow revive. Thwack! The stainless steel case embedded itself deep into a charred section of its body—not just hitting, but sinking right in. Deeming it definitely dead, I stumbled onward toward the first floor.
Miho.
I couldn't leave her passed out alone down there. Even if the barrier kept outsiders from seeing the chaos, who knew when it might drop? If it vanished right now and the people on the rooftop called the cops... they wouldn't just ignore Miho lying there unconscious at the entrance, with her cat ears and three tails on full display.
And it wasn't just the police—any passing citizen or student spotting her would whip out their phone for a sneaky photo. A stunningly beautiful girl with cat ears and three fluffy white tails, looking just like a "gumiho" from folklore? In this day and age, no one would let that slide.
"Nngh... Should I wake Miho first?"
I crept down to the second-floor entrance. As I placed my hand on the glass door to head to the first floor—
Someone came charging from the other side at blinding speed and flung the door wide open.
"Whoa!"
My body lurched backward. I was about to eat dirt when the figure who'd just burst through the door moved like a whisper, wrapping an arm around my waist to steady me.
Wide-eyed, I looked up to see Miho—the very girl I'd been about to find—holding me tight.
"Miho!"
She looked fine on the surface, so I flashed a big grin and greeted her. But up close, something was off about her state.
"Miho...?"
Her cheeks were flushed pink. Her big eyes blinked rapidly, locking onto mine in a deep, piercing gaze. Her full red lips twitched, like they craved something. And her three tails were spinning behind her like propellers.
Having spent so much time with her while faking hypnosis, I knew that look all too well. Back in the art room at lunchtime, right before our intense kisses, she'd always get that expression. But if that was mere excitement, this was something beyond—full-on in heat.
"Miho?"
I gave her an awkward smile and tried greeting her again. She lunged forward, pulling me into a fierce hug.
"Thank goodness."
She whispered into my ear. Hearing that made my earlier thoughts feel like trash.
"Really, thank goodness."
To think she'd rushed here out of worry for me... and now she was like this. I must've been out of my mind.
"Really... really thank goodness..."
Miho buried her nose in the crook of my neck, sniffing deeply. Her hands roamed stickily over my back. That's when I realized something was seriously wrong.
"I was so worried, Hanjun. So worried."
Her tongue flicked out, licking my neck. She dragged it long and slow, the rough texture sending shivers down my spine.
"Miho, I was worried too. Glad... you're okay."
Despite her caresses feeling more like foreplay than conversation, I fought to stay calm and keep my wits about me, responding rationally. Then Miho hit me with a sudden question.
"Hanjun, but hey. Why'd you do it?"
"Huh? Do... what?"
Her vague question prompted mine, and she nipped my earlobe. Gnawing gently with her canines, she blew hot breath into my ear before speaking.
"Why'd you come save me when you could've gotten hurt?"
"Well, obviously I had to save you..."
My whole body tingled—not an itch, but a sexual one. She wouldn't stop tormenting my ear with her mouth or stroking my back with her hands. I froze rigid. One wrong move, and things would escalate big time. Sexually speaking.
"Haa... Hanjun."
Miho finally pulled back from ravaging my ear. Her face came into view—something I'd never seen before. Drool trickled from her lips, her expression melted like she was losing her mind over how lovable I was. Wilder than anything I'd witnessed, she pressed her forehead to mine.
Her heated breaths washed over my nose. With her soaked lips, she whispered:
"You're so hot, Hanjun. You know that? Saying you'd come save me no matter what... that was so hot."
"Uh, s-sorry."
This was a powder keg. One slip-up in my response, and I'd be done for. I steeled myself, waiting for her next words. Miho licked her red lips with her pink tongue, then whispered again.
"But here's something even hotter? Wanna know what?"
"No idea... haha!"
I tried steering things light and playful to slip away, but she saw right through me. She clamped down harder, locking eyes with me.
"It's this: I put you under 'hypnosis' to make you run away, but it didn't work."
Her red eyes flashed. I swallowed hard without thinking.
"Know what that means, Hanjun?"
She flicked her tongue out.
"Just like when we first met and my barrier didn't affect you... my hypnosis didn't work on you either."
"Haha... b-busted, huh?"
The air grew thicker, stickier. No matter how cheerful I tried to play it, Miho was dead serious, staring me down as she continued.
"Which means you've been watching everything I've done to you—thinking it was hypnosis the whole time. All sober and aware."
One of her hands slid from my back to my chest. Her long-nailed white fingers caressed delicately, then rip—she tore my T-shirt open.
"Miho?!"
I raised both hands placatingly. Ignoring me, she grinned wickedly with those red eyes and sucked on my raised fingers.
"What's wrong, Hanjun? This is nothing, right?"
She opened her mouth wide, showing me the inside—saliva and lewd breaths wafting out—then giggled.
"We know every corner of each other's mouths... this is nothing, yeah?"
"......"
"While I did all sorts of things to you, you just pretended to be hypnotized and enjoyed it, you pervert Kang Hanjun. Right?"
This was bad. No excuse could cover this. Miho's current state was way beyond what I could handle. Sure, she had some rationality left, but she was using it to plot how to devour me. It was overwhelmingly powerful.
Still, I mustered a last defense, raising my voice.
"A-hem! Yeah, okay. I enjoyed it, sure. But that's normal for a guy in his prime, right?"
"Exactly~ So you consented, Hanjun."
Her hand slid slowly downward from my chest. I yelled, "Wait!" and pressed on.
"But Miho, look around!"
"...?"
The crackling hallway. The shattered building everywhere. I pointed wildly.
"This isn't the time or place! There are people on the rooftop, the barrier could drop any second and bring a crowd. How would we explain this?"
She didn't seem fully sane, but a sliver of reason lingered. I appealed to it.
"Later, okay? Please...?"
But her hand kept descending. She gave me a gentle, reassuring smile.
"It's fine, Hanjun. No one's here in this barrier but us, and it won't break."
"Huh?"
I started to question her, but she stroked my bulging crotch—my hard cock—and whispered:
"I used my spiritual power to trap just the two of us inside. Everyone else is out, so no worries till we're done."
"...Really no chance for later?"
"Nope~."
Miho yanked my pants down in one swift motion. My cock sprang free. She caressed the tip once, then declared:
"I've wanted to fuck you so bad for so long, but today's Hanjun is extra hot, smells so sweet... I can't hold back. Right now."
She grinned wickedly.
"It has to be now."
In that moment, I knew there was no escaping.