Day One in Reality – No Escape in Sight
The second I opened my eyes, my breath caught as if my chest had tightened into a knot. The fluorescent lights were off, and the thin beam of dawn light sneaking through the curtains was still too faint to matter. The only thing keeping this whole space painfully sharp was the heat coming from behind me. “…This is real.” I muttered, turning to look. Su-bin was curled up tight against my back, pulling the blanket all the way up to her nose and wrapping her arms around her chest like she was shielding herself in some strange place. It was the version of her I had never seen when she was a succubus. “When she was a succubus… she would never have let even a trace of weakness show, even if it killed her.” I exhaled so quietly I barely made a sound, afraid any movement would shatter the reality.
Just as I tried to sit up, Su-bin’s hand weakly clutched the hem of my shirt. “…Don’t go.” It came out half-asleep and thick with sleep, but the fear inside it was crystal clear. “…I’m right here.” I answered softly. Her fingers tightened just a fraction, then slowly her eyes opened. “…Ah.” Our gazes met. Not the succubus’s eyes, but Su-bin’s—without a hint of mischief, without a test, without that corporate smile. A completely naked, human face staring right at me. “…Morning.” “Mhm.” “I’m… still here.” “I’m here.” Even though the answer was short, Su-bin’s breathing hitched loudly. Her reaction felt too human, and that made my own tension spike.
Su-bin propped herself up on her elbows, eyes fixed on me. Every tiny shift under the blanket let out a suppressed little gasp. “Ha… why is my breathing so rough…” “Did the succubus buff wear off completely?” “Don’t call it a buff like that…” She grumbled while yanking the blanket higher. One small movement and my eyes followed anyway, so I quickly turned my head. “…Hey.” “What?” “Your pupils right now are way too human.” “I’m human.” “…That’s the problem.”
We stayed like that for a long while, just staring at each other without saying a word. The sensations from last night still clung to my skin, and their faint echoes kept twisting between our breaths. Su-bin was the first to break the silence. “…This feels even hornier than when I was a succubus.” “What do you mean?” “The whole situation.” At those words a dry laugh escaped me before I could stop it. “There’s nothing going on right now.” “Exactly.” Su-bin pulled her pillow over her face. “Back then it was all scripted. Now… neither of us knows what the other will do.” “…So that’s why it’s scary?” “It makes my heart race even more.” Her answer came too quickly, making my heart stutter harder.
Morning started in the most awkward way possible. I boiled ramen and accidentally overflowed the water, cracked an egg and let the yolk spill into the sink, and every time we sat across from each other at the table I kept dropping my chopsticks. “Were you always this clumsy in the mornings?” “I didn’t know I’d have to cook with a succubus every day.” “Now I’m a former succubus.” “That’s even more dangerous.” Su-bin smiled but her hands stayed clenched around the cup. “Ji-tae.” “Yeah?” “I still can’t believe the company is gone.” “Then stay glued to me until you do.” “Don’t say stuff like that so casually…” “Why?” “Now you’re my only escape route.” The weight in those words left me speechless for a second.
Leaving the apartment, passing the checkout at the convenience store, brushing past people—every single thing felt brand new to Su-bin. Every automatic door her body gave the tiniest flinch, and every time someone walked close she instinctively pressed against me. “You’re really scared?” “There was no need to run when I was a succubus.” “But now?” “Now… if I run I’m scared I’ll actually disappear.” I kept my grip on her hand tight without a word. Su-bin’s fingers trembled a little more.
The moment we stepped back inside, the sound of the door closing hit especially loud—click. That single noise changed the entire atmosphere of the room. From the loose reality of daytime down to the suffocating density of night. Su-bin kicked off her shoes and started walking in, then stopped abruptly. “…I keep thinking about yesterday.” “I’m still me.” “…That’s…” She bit her lower lip. “Yesterday there was the succubus, the test, everything was an excuse.” “But now?” “There’s no excuse left.” The second those words dropped, we both inhaled at the same slow pace.
Getting closer felt too natural—too easy. We took tiny steps toward each other without noticing, until our breaths collided. “Ji-tae.” “Yeah?” “Can we… even now?” “Do what?” “Like yesterday.” Instead of answering I gently wrapped my fingers around her waist. Su-bin’s breath stuttered sharply. “……Ha.” The short, shaky sound made my own throat dry. “You’re breathing way too loudly right now.” “It’s your fault.” One sentence and our lips crashed together again. This kiss was slow—nothing rushed, nothing clumsy. We checked each other’s breath, asking with every touch if we could go deeper. “……Mhm…” Su-bin’s exhale slipped into my mouth. Every time our tongues brushed, her breathing shook and the tremor spread straight through her body.
Su-bin’s hands clutched the sleeve of my shirt like they belonged to me. They slid upward, gripping my shoulder, then moved to the back of my neck. Every time she pressed harder, her own breaths grew more ragged. “Ha… Ji-tae…” The name melted out of her in a soft stream, and her eyes grew hazier—completely human eyes, not the succubus’s. I knew how dangerous it was, yet I couldn’t let go.
We both pulled back at the same time, gasping for air. Su-bin’s cheeks were flushed bright red and her breathing still hadn’t settled. “……Wow.” “What?” “This feels like it drains way more stamina than when I was a succubus.” “Back then you were the one draining me. Now we’re both using each other.” “That’s way too blunt…” “In this situation it’s barely even blunt.” Su-bin let out a helpless laugh. “It’s unfair that I’m acting even hornier than a former succubus.” “You were always like that.” “……Stop assigning identities now.”
Su-bin rested her forehead on my shoulder and stayed quiet, just breathing. Every single exhale brushed my neck and sent goosebumps racing across my skin. “Ji-tae.” “Yeah?” “I’m still scared, even now.” “Of what?” “Even though I feel safe with you… I’m scared I’ll fall if I lose even one second.” She clenched the front of my shirt in a fist. “If I lose you I’ll drop all the way.” Instead of answering I held her hand tighter. “Then don’t fall.” “……That’s easy to say.” “You were a succubus too.” “That’s why I understand it best.” Su-bin gave the tiniest smile. “How fast it happens when you drop.”
We stood there wrapped around each other for a long time—neither of us could pull away because our body heat felt too real. Then Su-bin’s phone suddenly rang. The vibration sliced through the room with perfect realism. Her whole body froze. “…No way.” The second she checked the screen her face went rigid. “……Company.” Those three letters froze the air in the room instantly. I kept holding her wrist and said, “Don’t answer.” “If you ignore it they’ll call louder.” Su-bin took a quick breath and picked up. “……Hello?” The voice on the other end was clear, but her face told me everything. “……Yes.” “No, I am—” “……Understood.” The call didn’t last long. But the moment it ended Su-bin’s hand was visibly shaking. “…They’re coming soon.” “Who?” “Recovery team.” The second the words left her mouth I realized the real enemy of this second half of reality was standing right in front of us. Even after the phone went dark, the echo of the vibration still lingered at my fingertips. “…They’re coming soon.” The moment those words sank in, the air in the room completely changed. The space that had been suffocating from body heat and tangled breaths now felt like an inescapable trap. “Recovery team…” I clenched my jaw. “Just succubi, right?” “Yeah. Elite agents. They’re far above my level.” “Even against humans?” “To them a human is no different from an object.” It was the first time I heard it so clearly. Su-bin hugged her own arms, shivering. “Ji-tae.” “Yeah?” “I think I have to run right now.” “Where?” “Out of here.” “Then they’ll just follow.” “Still…” She bit her lip hard. “I’d rather you get hurt than for me to disappear.” That instant something inside me snapped.
“You’re still using company logic.” I grabbed her wrist again. “You’re no longer a succubus.” “But they don’t care if I was or not.” “Then even more reason.” I stepped closer. “Don’t leave this room.” Su-bin’s breath shook violently. “Ji-tae, that’s…” “If you leave you’ll be right in front of them.” “Exactly.” “Then stay right here.” “……You’re really reckless.” “Humans are always reckless.” “You called me reckless earlier.” “It depends on the situation.” I refused to let go of her hand.
From outside came faint sounds—distant elevator descending, a tiny ding from the entrance. Su-bin’s shoulders jerked hard. “…They’re here.” “How many?” “At least three.” “All succubi?” “Yeah.” “Then there’s even less reason to run from here.” I pulled her straight toward the bed. “……What are you doing?” “Hiding.” “Here?” “Inside the apartment structure, they’d find this place even more annoying.” “But if they find us?” “We’ll hold out until they do.”
From the hallway came faint footsteps—light, weightless, nothing like human steps. Su-bin’s breathing turned frantic. “Ha… ha…” The sound was about to get too loud, so I pressed a finger to her lips. “Shh.” Her eyes widened. “Right now—” “Lower the sound.” Before the word even finished, Su-bin grabbed my hand with the back of hers. The heartbeat pounded straight through my palm—thud. Someone knocked once on the wall outside. “……Ji-tae.” She whispered my name like it was the only thing she could say. “Yeah?” “My legs feel like they’re giving out.” “If I fall I’ll catch you.”
From the door came a tiny click. Su-bin’s breath cut off. “They’re trying to pick the lock.” “This room’s lock is simple?” “Because it’s human.” “Then they’ll get in even faster.” I gritted my teeth. This room wasn’t a succubus portal, not a barrier— just an old studio. And yet it was the only shield we had left.
I pulled Su-bin deeper inside, into the vague gap between the closet, curtain, and wall—close enough that two people had to overlap to hide. Her body pressed almost flush against my chest. Our breaths mixed completely. “……Ha.” A suppressed moan slipped from her mouth. “Ji-tae, we’re way too close…” “If we move we’ll be found.” “You’ll hear my breathing too.” “You breathe louder.” At that she bit back a laugh. “You can’t laugh in a situation like this.” “You laugh when you’re scared.” “That was true even as a succubus.” The words stuck in my mind for a second.
From the door came calm voices. “……The access record matches this room.” “……It’s in human territory, so it’s annoying.” “……It’ll be over quickly.” Three unfamiliar voices—steady. The steadiness made the chills worse. We were fighting for our lives over a single breath, while they were already assuming the mission was complete.
Su-bin’s fingers dug into the hem of my shirt so hard her hand trembled enough to vibrate against mine. “Ji-tae…” “Yeah?” “Should I leave?” I shook my head slowly. “If you leave, that’s exactly what they want.” “But you’ll get hurt—” “You’re already hurt.” “……Is it because of the company?” “No.” I said it quietly. “You’re trying to carry it alone.”
Su-bin’s breathing shook again. “Ha…” Afraid she’d let the sound burst out, I pressed my fingers to her lips once more. This time she pressed her own lips against my finger like instinct. The contact felt far too sensitive in this situation and I almost lost my breath. “……Mhm.” She swallowed a tiny moan. That sound—human, raw, terrified—felt even more erotic because it wasn’t the succubus acting anymore.
The doorknob turned slowly. Click. The lock clicked open. Su-bin’s fingers dug hard into my side. “……They’re opening.” “Don’t make a sound.” “I can’t.” “……Then bury your face in my neck.” The second I said it she hesitated, then pressed her face into my shoulder. Her breath landed right against my throat. “Ha… ha…” The sound echoed right beside my ear. I gritted my teeth and pulled her deeper into my arms.
The door swung open. Footsteps. One, two, three. The sound of intruders entering. “……The residual heat is definitely here.” “……There are still traces of connection.” “Even if she’s a rejected individual, she’s not completely powerless.” The moment the words hit, Su-bin’s body jerked. “……” I held her waist tighter.
Someone walked slowly around the room—sliding sounds, chair legs, the blanket shifting just a little. With every step Su-bin’s breathing grew more ragged. “Ha…” The line between moan and breath had shattered. I pressed my hand firmer over her mouth. “If they hear, it’s over.” She gave the tiniest nod. Then, only a few steps away, the footsteps stopped. “……This room’s temperature is high.” “……It feels like two human body heats overlapping.” The words made my heart drop straight through my chest. Su-bin trembled violently in my arms. “……Ji-tae.” “Yeah?” “It might really be over now.” The whisper stabbed straight into my ear.
I looked down at her for just a second—really just a second. Her eyes were terrified but leaning into me more than she was running. I lowered my head without a word and kissed her lips—brief, almost too brief. A blink of a kiss. Our breaths mixed. “……Mhm.” Her suppressed sound broke out softly inside my mouth. In that instant Su-bin stopped backing away and pressed herself completely against me. Fear, heat, emotion—all tangled together.
“……It’s definitely here.” The voice rang out right in front of us—from the closest possible distance. The curtain slid sideways in a slow, deliberate movement.