Ia Ris (3): The Ultimate Addiction
1. What the hell did I just hear? Getting tightly hugged by Paster, hearing him call me sweet, feeling at ease in this situation—none of it made any sense.
One thing was crystal clear, though: being held by Paster was the absolute best. Just that embrace melted away the madness-inducing terror, anxiety, and tension completely.
"Snnnfff... haaaah..."
And burying my nose in his chest like this, inhaling that happiness-inducing scent—it was pure bliss. Paster therapy put aromatherapy to shame.
The one downside to this perfect hug? It made me desperately wish this moment could last forever. What an absurd addiction.
"Snnnfff, hnn, snnnfff, hnnn... heehee, hhehehet..."
Breathing into his chest like this—in with happiness, out with anticipation. Caught in that perfect cycle, I found myself grinning like an idiot before I knew it. I knew I shouldn't act so shameless, but the joy was too much; the smile wouldn't fade.
A hug that turns a person into a fool instantly... No S-rank power could hold a candle to it.
As I wobbled in drunken happiness, Paster seemed to have something to say. He unwrapped the arms around my back and nape, gripped my shoulders, and gently pushed me back to meet my eyes.
The whole motion felt just like lovers breaking a hug to exchange gazes and connect. My heart pounded wildly. My face heated up—must be beet red. Ugh... I always wanted to show him my mature, older-sister poise.
Maybe it was the romantic vibe, but flowers bloomed in my mind too. A shoujo-manga-style inner monologue I'd never had before bubbled up unbidden.
Feeling awkward about myself, I thought, 'I wish he'd just hug me like before...' That's when Paster's mouth opened.
"Ia Ris, you played the villain on purpose because you pitied me getting dragged off by Ska, right? I get it now—you did all those uncharacteristic things just so I wouldn't feel guilty or indebted. So you can drop the act. Even if it's pretend, I don't like seeing you like that."
Hearing that, I nearly blurted, 'What the fuck did you just say?' Luckily, my mind was still a flower field, so no actual curses escaped. Still, the sheer absurdity evaporated my composure in seconds.
How the hell did he arrive at that conclusion? I utterly demolished the house he cherished most, then mocked him playfully about losing it. Any normal person would've snapped and come at me with murder in their eyes.
So why this delusion? How much did he trust me to think that?
Not being hated by Paster was a huge relief. But his infinite trust felt strangely off to me now, even after vowing never to cross the line again. Why trust me this much?
Being trusted was great, sure. But it lacked romantic affection between man and woman. To him, I was just a nice big sis, a good colleague. No way that could evolve into what I craved.
I wanted a mutual possession, dependence, obsession—an interdependent bond. If we reached that, I'd do anything. Except get hated by him.
Right now, I was ironically relieved he didn't hate me, yet uneasy about his boundless trust. How do I make him see me again—as a woman?
Grab his cheeks and kiss him forcefully? Would his heart race then? He trusts me, right? 'Trust your big sis, Paster? Just a little peck. Come on, okay?' Make it hard to refuse, seal the lips, ride the mood, and knock out his first time in one go?
My mind screamed to charge ahead, but after imagining his hatred moments ago, I chickened out a bit. For now, silently hugging his waist was safest.
"...Is the act over? Can I look at you without worry now?"
He'd twisted my sincerity into an act with his nonsense, but I couldn't deny it. For now... I'd settle for this moment. Hugging Paster like this was happiness enough.
I nodded faintly, face buried in his chest like before. And just like that, my true feelings became "pretend" by his words.
Paster had delved deeper into my heart than I'd imagined. I'd let it slide today, but next time—no soup le... Ah, Paster's scent is too good...
2. "Heehee, hhehehehe... snnnfff... haaaah..."
Ia Ris rubbed her mid-length brown hair against my chest, sniffed my scent, and laughed in delight. The natural laughter spilling from her lips was angelic.
I smiled warmly, gently stroking the back of her head, and thought quietly.
Fuck. What the hell is going on?
Ia Ris was just as batshit crazy as Ska?
Recalling that shocking truth made my petting hand freeze unwittingly. Ia Ris looked up with puzzled eyes, so I flashed a soft smile and pressed her head back to my chest.
"Mmph, ehehehehe..."
Face buried again, she resumed laughing and sniffing. Gazing at her crown, I broke out in a cold sweat.
Shit, close call.
Exhaling inwardly in relief, I replayed what she'd confessed when admitting she wasn't normal.
Just recalling those words and the situation sent chills down my spine. At first, I brushed it off as jokes or necessity. But as she kept going, doubt turned to certainty.
Even a romance-dunce like me couldn't miss signals that blatant.
Ia Ris, whom I'd firmly believed was normal, was as crazy as Ska—maybe worse. For some reason, she wanted to own me.
Before joining Liar's Trap, everyone in the awakener world knew Ia Ris lived extravagantly. She had a quirk with luxuries: spot something she wanted, ignore everything else, and do anything to get it. Time, money—didn't matter. That's Ia Ris.
From the slums with a dark past, yet a role model for awakeners, her splurges never tarnished her image. People called her worthy of it.
When I first heard, I nodded like everyone: 'If an S-rank doesn't splurge, who can?'
Soon after, she transferred to our guild. For three months, she kept it up—plastering the infirmary with luxury storage for her toys. Then, abruptly, she quit cold turkey.
That moment? When we started getting truly close.
Holy fucking shit. Chills everywhere.
Her quirk, the luxury cutoff, her possessiveness toward me—it all clicked perfectly.
She hadn't quit luxuries. She was preparing, enduring, biding time to claim her desire.
"...Hnn? Paster...? Why'd you stop...? Tired?"
My hand stilled, and she couldn't bear it, tilting her head. I met her eyes, smiled as naturally as possible, resumed stroking, and said,
"Ia Ris, can I take you home now? I don't wanna keep my life's benefactor in this ruin any longer."
"L-life's benefactor?! That's a bit much, Paster! I just... stepped up as a caring big sis for her favorite little bro. No pressure. Got it?"
Arms around my waist, speaking like the world's kindest soul, Ia Ris was an alligator that never released prey once bitten.
To avoid those jaws, become the bird that cleans its teeth. First, ensure she never bites.
"If that's what you want, I'll shamelessly accept. Ia Ris... no, Ia sis."
The "sis" title and dropping her surname hit hard. She blushed, beamed brightly, then shyly buried her face in my chest.
Gently stroking her hair, I screamed inwardly.
Why the fuck does this shit only happen to me?!