Renaissance

Karina's eyes widened at the sight of an African refugees massive BBC. With a shaky hand she reached out to grab it, feeling the strong pulse throbbing against her palm. Her mouth fell open when she began to stroke, watching it flop in her hands a bit, realizing he wasn't even fully hard.

Karina gasped, drooling as she stroked with both hands. She felt the carpet against her knees, and the touch of his ebony thighs around her torso. She leaned forward, pressing her pursed lips to the head to give it a tender kiss.

Her tongue pressed forward, tasting her first black cock, inhaling the musk that filled her nose. Her right eye twitched and she felt the thoughts within her head melting into a a warm wave of bliss rolling down her spine.

Hawk tuah! Karina spit on that thang and covered it in a layer of glistening sheen that her hands stroked into the dark African meat. Her lips wrapped around the head, eagerly parting to let it slide across her wet tongue and into the back of her throat.

GLUCK! GLUCK! AAH! GLUCK! She started to blow him between loud gasps for air. She could only fit half into her mouth, stroking him desperately with both hands covered in her own spit. The bull groaned, placing both hands on her head to hold her in place, preventing her from lifting off of his BBC.

His hips thrusted upward, jamming his big black cock into the back of her throat with force. Karina let out a muffled scream, but the bull kept going, grunting as he used her throat like a fleshlight for his own pleasure.

Her hands slapped at his thighs and abs, begging him to stop, but only motivated him to keep going. "I'm here to fuck all the women!" he groaned, pushing Karina down on his cock until she was gagging violently, her eyes rolling back until they were nearly solid white.

He gave her cheek a slap, then released her and watched Karina gasp for air, her chest heaving as she sat back against the coffee table behind her. Her throat stung as she panted, wiping the spit from her chin that had soaked into her black REFUGEES WELCOME shirt with a black fist in the middle of the Korean flag.

The bull stood up and grabbed her hair in his hand, motioning for her to follow him. "No!" he said when she tried to stand up, "I'll walk you like the slut you are."

Karina crawled on all fours beside him, following with her heavy tits sagging down against the fabric of her shirt. Her pale, naked ass in the air swayed side-to-side as he led her across the room, passing by other bulls who were hammering black cock into screaming Korean women.

The sliding door of the patio opened and Karina felt the hard concrete against her palms and knees as he led her to a beach chair and pointed for her to get on it. Karina climbed up and felt his hands on her waist, flipping her onto her back.

"Let me have those big ass titties," he said, pushing the shirt up to reveal her braless, pale, fat tits. He slapped his wet BBC between them and Karina moaned deeply, feeling the power and heft of his black cock as it thumped against her soft skin.

"Mmm, fuck my big Korean tits!" Karina blurted out, lifting her hands to the sides of her chest to press them together around the ebony pole between them.

Karina watched a pair of hands coil around the bulls sides, and then the face of Giselle smiling down at her. "That's it, fuck those big tits," Giselle said to him in a soft, encouraging voice. "They're what you came here for, aren't they? Big asian tits and tight little Korean pussies to breed."

The bull groaned, his hips thrusting back and forth between Karina's fleshy melons engulfing his dark cock. She felt the head poking at her neck with every thrust, peeking out from under the top of her shirt and occasionally trying to slip under her choker necklace.

Karina's head spun with lust, her toes curling the moment that Giselle lowered her face to her pussy to start licking it. Karina let out a long, low moan of satisfaction, closing her eyes and arching her back.

Giselle shoved a couple fingers in without warning, working them back and forth inside Karina, her thumb working circles on her sensitive clit to drive her mad. Karina breathed deeply in sharp breaths, her thighs beginning to shake, chest turning red.

The bull reached down with both hands and wrapped them around her neck, his thumbs pressing the head of his black cock against her throat as he fucked her busty chest. Karina's eyes rolled, but the grip on her squishy boobs never relaxed, and she kept them pressed hard around the BBC pumping between them.

Karina let out a moan, kicking her foot as Giselle shoved her tongue into her cunt, drilling into it with her fingers and nuzzling her nose right up against the clit. It was too much for Karina, her head was swimming, and she felt like she would pass out from the pleasure.

The bull pressed down harder and Karina felt his weight on her throat, choking her until her cheeks turned a rosy red hue. She wanted to grab at his wrists, but she kept her hands around her tits, refusing to let go until he told her to.

The bull groaned as his BBC slipped under the choker, pinning his head in place as he began to spurt a series of hot ropes across Karina's chin and neck. She felt the pulsing his shaft, the flowing hot ropes of cum shooting up her chin before running down her neck and into her dark hair.

He gave her a few more pumps, then pulled his BBC back and slapped it wetly against each breast before leaving her and Giselle. "I'm gonna..." Karina panted, pinching her nipples and twisting them, pulling her sagging breasts upward with a scream.

Karina began to squirt all over Giselle's face, coating her lips and tongue, and Giselle ate it up hungrily while continuing to lick and finger until Karina fell limp with rolling eyes.

Giselle crawled up Karina's body, hovering over her with cum dripping from her lips and chin, glistening brightly. She lowered her head to lick the cum from Karina's neck, lapping it up and ending with a soft bite into her flesh.

She dragged her tongue along Karina's throat, up her chin, and then to her lips, sliding into her mouth to deposit the bull's load. Karina's eyes rolled in circles, she moaned deeply, a hand reaching up to pull Giselle in deeper.

They swapped the load back and forth with sloppy open-mouthed kisses, their tongues twisting together, pushing against each other, lips meeting until the cum had all been swallowed.

Giselle pulled back and caressed Karina's cheek, looking deep into her eyes. They kissed one last time, and Giselle grabbed a handful of Karina's left tit to squeeze as she did so.

The night was still young and the black breeding party had just started, there were more men inside waiting for their welcome to Korea, and the two of them were more than happy to give it to them.

jangkyukyu at 16:51 - “please come over, daddy”

jangkyukyu at 16:51 - “i have a surprise for you ;)”

Just with her messages alone, rekindles something familiar within you, and it’s just going to go downhill from there.

Kyujin knows her grip onto you every damn time she messages you something inviting or suggestive like this—you’re fathomably predictable, and she knows that you can’t resist her no matter what you do.

You love her too much and the feelings are mutual, but whatever she’s hinting at is something you’re always excited about, as the anticipation clearly gets ahead of you.

But right now, you're here, and you clearly don’t need to anticipate anymore, because that headspace was minutes and minutes ago.

It’s also the fact that you can sense her in front of you, head into the game as you could just imagine what she has in store for you, and what she looks like outside your frustrating blindfold.

The hindrance falls short and results in a halt, as her faint voice calls you.

“Take it off now, daddy.” So you did, and you’re flabbergasted.

The sight alone is immaculate, the epitome of perfection as Kyujin was at the top of the game—your eyes immediately land towards her figure, and oh it’s so sinful down to every inch.

She flaunts her full body in display for you and god, that tent in your boxers is aching to be released.

You sit back and gawk over every inch and every element is just right: those cat-ears headbands firmly tucked behind her hair, the white lingerie over her that perfect accentuates her slender figure (not to mention the straps over her midriff too, diabolically hot), those white stockings that just fits perfectly on her thighs, bright-colored stiletto heels, that cat-tail buttplug that she’s been dying to wear ever since she mentioned it weeks ago and the best part of the shot, that damn collar her neck that’s pretty slim to be called as one.

Genuinely, this is the most seductive and the hottest sight your eyes have laid upon and you’re savoring every second, incredibly in awe of how perfect Kyujin could be.

“I guess you love it, daddy—been looking at me for some while now.”

“Yes I fucking do, Kyujin.” You keep yourself seated, as Kyujin walks closer to you, getting herself comfortable for the position she will do.

“You do, daddy?”

“Yes, god—you’re actually the prettiest girl on this planet I swear.” Your words make Kyujin blush, a smile curling up your face as you support her legs once she straddles you, and at your end, you need her so much that you’re ultimately and instinctively greedy, hands roaming around where her weakness is.

“Did this for you—need to kiss you now, daddy.”

She doesn’t need to ask because you’re ahead and she’s clearly insatiable enough for you to advance towards the unthinkable. You pull Kyujin into a deep kiss, not that passionate and sloppy as you immediately find your lips pecking the pristine skin of her neck, suckling on it as your hands roam around her soft, scrumptious ass which makes her moan softly, wanton-filled.

“Daddy…” She averts her attention towards the growing tent between your thighs, her hands skating around your clothed chest as she unbuttons your top precisely. “Kiss me more—want to feel how great you kiss me.”

“Yeah, don’t worry, Kyujin.” You’re grasping her ass with a firm grip as you continue your worshipping advances, peppering her shoulders then her lips with pecks that show how much you yearn for her. “I’ll probably kiss you until my lips go numb.”

And you just continue to do what you’re best at, and Kyujin’s that good girl, taking everything incredibly well.

Her hands continue her advances towards your chest as she moans out your name whenever you kiss the vicinity of her neck, and it’s such a cute sight to see such a sinful Kyujin be reduced into a whimpering, adorable mess under your control. She’s so small that you could probably carry her right now and pin her against the bed to continue what’s clouding your mind but no, you really want to appreciate every inch of hers and your lips are fulfilling that wish.

“God, daddy.” Her lips are quivering, eliciting dying moans of need as your lips finds her porcelain skin repeatedly, suckling onto the succulence as you can feel the familiar wetness seeping onto her crotch (it doesn’t help that her lingerie is brightly-colored that you can already see how wet she is becoming). “I n-need something from you—ohh…”

That piques your interest, all ears on what Kyujin might propose to you. “Go ahead, Kyujin—we have all day here.”

“Need to f-feel you badly, daddy. Need it so bad…” You know what she’s referring to as the growing tent in your pants grows harder, and you’re dying to just take it off and fuck her into incoherence but you play along, wanting her to learn patience despite your growing insatiability to her.

“Need what, specifically, hm? Speak up, darling.” Kyujin whines as she keeps grinding onto you, and it’s euphoric on how great her hips move against you. You support her straddling figure with her hands on her plump cheeks still, feeling her tiny frame be a mere weight against you as you marvel with her growing need, evident with those glistening eyes of lust from hers.

“Daddy—need your cock badly. I need to t-taste it, please—fuck…” Her pleading continuously like this is just your hidden guilty pleasure, and her bane. But ultimately, you want to test the waters down below before diving in, and you have specific thoughts in your mind that need execution.

“I would want that, darling, but—” There’s that pronoun she hates to hear, a condition she’ll be fulfilling for you because she’s always that good girl for you, and you love that from her. “—I need to do something for you first.”

Kyujin raises an eyebrow, anticipating what you may do as she keeps her eyes in contact with yours. “What is it, da—oh! Oh my fucking god, daddy.”

Her eloquence is short-lived when your fingers roam around her dripping cunt, evidently wet against the beautiful fabric of her panties.

She chokes, cries for you but the constant dexterity sends her into submission, as she’s enervated to move anywhere but her hips.

“Kyujin.” You remind her, prompting her to something she would always comply with. “Stay steady and let me finger your cunt.”

She smiles right after, all ears for you as she relaxes herself, putting her hands on your shoulders and listening to whatever you command her. She eases up her body as she takes your fingers inside her constricting cunt, moaning wantonly as you assess the state she’s in right now, and she’s giving in slowly and you can sense.

“God, darling—how are you this fucking wet already? It’s just my fingers, oh my god.” You marvel with the unfathomable drench below her tight tummy, her slit leaking on your fingers as you keep thrusting in her, pushing her onto the edge and even flicking her clit as the cherry on top. “You really yearn for my cock, do you?”

The fabric is a mere distraction on your fingers, not when it’s set aside to the point where it almost tears it all up and you can’t just hide the fact that you want her badly, that you’re testing her limits and what she can take all thanks to you.

Also, your questions towards Kyujin is a no-brainer, as she’s as straightforward as she can get.

“I need it, daddy.” Her head hangs inches away from your face, as you kiss her earlobe just to amplify the gratification she’s feeling. “More than anything, please…”

That plea of hers makes you twitch on your trousers and god, she is definitely testing you and inviting you to just give her what she wants.

But then, good girls obey orders, and she ultimately is one.

“Darling, I need you to do something for me first.” You’re finger repetitively fingerfucking her to the fullest, feeling rivulets drenching your digits as she stares at you with carnal need, anticipating what you may say.

“Daddy—fuck, w-what is it?”

You’re pace is rapid and you know how sensitive and close she is, and you know she can’t hold it anymore. “Cum for me, my precious kitty—cum for daddy.”

She doesn’t flinch, nor a single respite as she undergoes her own elation—it was quick from her but you didn’t care, you need to make her feel special in every second you serve her.

But right now, you’re too frustrated to do that because of the growing monster beneath your pants (rawr: in your headspace).

You know how this goes and Kyujin’s bright mind, still a little clouded with her orgasm, knows what to do, so she gets off her position and gets on her knees.

God, she looks great when she’s vulnerable and submissive like this.

“Fuck—you’re good at that, darling.” She really is, as she’s that one-in-a-million girl whose talent you’ll appreciate and never let go. Her hands unbuckle the strap and so are the other garments, undressed swiftly and with precision.

It’s just the last bit of defense against her grand prize, and her profound movements give you a gist on what she’s up to—she’s teasing you near your boiling point, and she’s fiddling onto that limit of yours.

You fucking need to feel her mouth now and she can sense it with the way you’re refusing to look at her, feeling the pleasure even without her hands onto the main event yet.

Thankfully, the frustrating restraints are off and god, she looks splendid with a cock near her mouth—genuinely pornographic yet encapsulated with such beauty no one can ever match.

“Fucking hell, Kyujin.” You whisper and she already knows your weak spots and that’s lethal enough for you to handle. You love the thrill and the will to combat the pleasure with your own semblance of control, even if it’s crumbling down to submission or in its all-time strength, you will find authority.

You’re determined to be one because Kyujin wants that, and you’re not disappointing her.

But seriously, it’s only been at least fifteen seconds of her mouth meeting your tip and you’re practically shaking in pleasure.

You still feign your authority, even though the  defenses in you slowly crumble.

“Am I doing good, daddy?” You know Kyujin is just asking that to seek validation, intents in the likes of rhetoricism.

But you have tricks in your sleeve to paint that certain expression of hers that you like her to tease with.

“No.” She frowns, continuously licking your slit with profound fervor, knowing that your words are genuine.

“Oh—what did I do wro—”

“You’re doing fucking spectacular right now, dear—keep going for me.” The sudden shift makes her smile as you chuckle a little, but not before eliciting a moan as her lips envelop your sensitive tip.

The sight is pretty adorable to say the least—disregarding the beauty of her face being disheveled due to her own hunger on your cock, her pouting in disbelief paints a smile on your face as you always love teasing her, even in moments like this.

But Kyujin doesn’t stop, not when she’s depraved for such a wonderful mast that she’s savoring every inch and second she invests towards you. She just appreciates every inch, kissing on it as she tells you how thankful she is for this opportunity and you’re just there, smiling like an idiot and caressing her hair leisurely.

“I’d never get tired worshipping your cock, daddy.” A peck on your base comes right after as she dives into the action, divulging how much she needed you.

Talent remains evident, her tongue dancing around your length as she takes you halfway, lips enveloping with a tight suction. Her hands roam on your thighs as you relax and let yourself loose for her, savoring the pleasure as you’re enamored with the beauty of filth.

The plastered drool around your cock when she pulls out is just diabolical, her expressions enough to make you twitch as her hand now grasps your base as she sucks on you like a lollipop.

“Getting ahead of ourselves right now, hm, dear?”

Kyujin paints a puzzle face, possibly hesitant to assume what she had in mind knowing your past ambiguity. “What do you mean, daddy?”

“Why the cat ears? Wanting to try something special?” You grunt slightly right after, utterly interested in what sparked her mind to try such an inviting fit.

“I always thought you loved the idea of me dressed as a pet.” She slobbers continuously over your length, sheathed with her drool as her tongue dances over your tip while she talks with her mouth full of cock. “So—mmfh—I rwlly—really wanted to dress like daddy’s slutty, obedient catgirl.”

Now that you’re enlightened, you can’t help but flash that grin because of her efforts and she ultimately knows your Achilles’ heel—with such a seductive vision coming into life, you can't help but rank this up on the greats.

Kyujin is just relentless right now, proving her talent and your time truly treasuring its worth, as she doesn’t keep anything idle. Whenever she pulls out to appreciate your balls and play with them, she continues pumping you with a pace tolerable, then when she sucks you off, her hands fondling those valuable reservoirs of yours gently.

Also, the sight of her figure just staying there, her head bobbing moderately with those cat ears on her head being the cherry on top is just truly insane, a view to savor for eons to come.

“God—what the fuck, Kyuj—holy shit, darling—you’re doing so good for daddy.” The praise strokes her gently, and those are just fuel as she keeps the pleasure in an all-time high, and you’re inching closer to that elated state.

But you have other plans for her, and it’ll be messier than this. 

Sure, you want your load into her mouth, deposited right to her stomach or to paint that pretty face of hers, you just can’t hide the fact that you truly need to fuck her right now, and you’re not sugarcoating anything anymore.

“Kyuj—dear, rise up.” This earns a pout from the disheveled girl, her bright mind sensing that you wanted to do something and not the fact that she didn’t do great—you’ll just be incredibly stupid to think she didn’t excel here.

“I guess daddy wants to fuck her slutty pet…”

“I fucking do.” You get yourself out of the chair, prompting her to do something as you’re incredibly yearning to feel Kyujin. “Now, will you get all on fours on the bed, please, dear?”

She obliges and god, her outfit compliment her legs and her ass in this lingerie is such a hot sight that you just can’t help but gawk over it—her arching her back a little when she’s in position and wiggling her backside is just the final straw, and you need to do something right now.

You just can’t deal with your clothing being dressed onto yours anymore, peeling it off yourself as quickly as you can while savoring the obscene angle Kyujin has mounted herself onto.

“Please, daddy.” She looks behind her shoulder, flaunting her ass up as she caresses the soft mattress, waiting for what you will do to her. “I’ve been great—please treat your kitten like something you always wanted to do.”

Her way of words never disappoints, and you love the absolute madness and filthiness of each dropped syllable. Your cock is throbbing relentlessly, furiously wanting her bad with the scene presented in front of you—such an immaculate figure clothed so sinfully, ass up for you and such a fluffy tail is the cherry on top.

You mount near her, your hands finding the softness of her ass as you grip on it, and then teased your leaking cock over her clothed crotch.

“May I?” You ask Kyujin, repeatedly whining as you hint your tip over her drenched cunt over the fabric.

She just nods looking back, then gets herself ready for what’s about to take place.

Like a good girl.

The panties are practically drenched beyond saving, pulling it down and towards her knees, and god, the sight is downright depraved, utterly vitiated all thanks to you—the hint of that gray metal of her plug connected that fluffy tail just hints the contradiction, and it’s all too well.

You swipe your digits over her drenched lips as you earn a whine coming out of her lips. She knows that you can’t take it anymore, getting rid of the foreplay or anything in the like, but just go and do what she wants you to do.

Kyujin senses it, and your tip meeting the heat of her cunt was the last fucking straw.

She keens when you plunge the tip onto her overwhelming snugness, earning moans of approval and need out of her lips. The repeated calls of your name was just eargasmic as she forms fists onto the sheets, bracing every inch of you invading the walls of her tight pussy.

“Fucking tight, as always—shit.”

“Daddy, please—” Kyujin pleads to you as you elicit more ragged breaths, ensuing a turtle’s pace over her cunt for now as you make herself accustomed to your length for the time being. “—please f-fuck me real good.”

Whenever she feels submissive and utterly helpless, she begs and that’s music to your ears. With just a constant pace onto her pussy, you can’t help but marvel at how great her ass ripples every time, spanking the flesh harshly as the pain stings and is elicited.

“Ow! Oh my fucking god—daddy, please…” You’re just orchestrating a gradual pace right now, exponentially getting faster as the moans that form are more carnal, making you throb more.

Yet with this state of elation and pure flow of steady rhythm, you can’t help but think that something is missing, and it’s something she likes too.

“Wait—wha—what a-are you doing, daddy?” Kyujin whines, feeling herself being edged and empty as you do the unthinkable. “Why’d you pull out?”

You don’t want to, but you have a better idea that will enlighten her fully, because she never sees this coming.

Those fluffy, circular culprits stem the urge for you to go further with the kinks, and with such control that she wants, you know she’ll lose her shit.

“Wait—oh, daddy… You’re so naughty for your kitten…”

“Really am.” You’re no stranger in these cuffs, having done this before with her as you tease your tip onto her waiting lips, making her squirm. “Now, your hands behind your back please.”

Now with such vulnerability, she can’t help but voice out how she wants you to control her, dictate how she feels in the long run and how bad you want her.

“Gosh, daddy—really love cuffing your lovely slut, hm? Please fuck me up, daddy!”  You will, and you’re not wasting any second because as soon as the cuffs clicked and locked in place, you inserted your length in her once again.

With Kyujin’s flexibility and strength still evident on her thighs, she lifts herself up enough to keep herself steady, a great angle for such diabolical pistoning at your end.

The chains of her collar rests onto her back, meeting the fluffy ends of her tail as you grasp it, making sure that you’re utilizing what you’re able to grasp and see. She yelps every time you bury your cock deep inside her velvety walls, seeing the repeated constrictions of her puckered hole around the metallic bud as the cherry on top which you ultimately love. Her moans restrict whenever you pull the leash, and she just laughs it out and moans how great your roughness is currently, and her words are just fuel to the fire at this point.

“Fu—uck—oh, shit—daddy! Fucking u-use me!”

“That’s my good fucking kitten.” You keep your firm grip on the handle, your other hand grasping her right hip as you pound her right, pace now relentless now with the constant urges she had morphed yourself into.

You’re now pounding her into total incoherence, and this is only the beginning.

But then, she remains sturdy and able to elicit those beautiful moans out of her mouth, legs squatting for you to be taken with your entirety, and that filthy mouth of hers.

“Dadd—y—oh fuck, I like it when y-you choke me—holy shit…”

“I know you do, kitten.” You grit your teeth as you exaggerate your thrusts, giving her what she deserves and facing her the fact of her sluttiness and yearning for you and your treasured dick. “Fuck, you’re getting tighter—guess you want me to call you that, huh?”

Guess you found the right name, and she’s borderline crying because of the pleasure and how badly she wants to be called as that.

“Yes, d-daddy.” She winces and hisses when you spank her, wrists flailing as the pleasure gets her going, uttering words as she’s still thankfully coherent. “Fucking l-love it when you—fuck, call me a kitten.”

That’s the groove, and you’re dancing with the devil.

Your hips oscillate at a ruthless pace, Kyujin’s moans and the repeated clashing of bodies are orchestrated to bless your ears, not to mention the squelching of her cunt due to the juices that’s seeping out of her tightness. Her thighs shiver, lips quivering to the roughness that’s being brought to her, and with no semblance of control, she can just take you all, like the good kitten that she is.

“Look at you already creaming on my cock.” She doesn’t give a compliment or the opposite, but it wouldn’t matter because she’s just taking you so well all that you can mouth is how great she possibly feels and the walls of her pussy. “Such a good, genuine slut for me, kitten.”

“Fuck! I am—I a-am your g-good kitten—oh god!” The reciprocation is audible, and it’s a rhythm in your ears you’ll always treasure. Her head yanks up every time you pull the leash towards you, and that earns that wicked smirk on your face, satisfied on the right roughness you’re bestowing her.

Surprisingly, the headband still clings for dear life onto her silken hair, tucked firmly behind her ear despite the onslaught of rough thrusts she’s taking. The sigh alone is worth a marvel, a blessing to savor as every detail is just beautiful up to the miniscule.

How could you not? Not when her back tenses with your actions, her pussy squelching as her nectar drips over the sheets, her thighs rippling and trembling due to you, her lingerie a perfect fit on her slender body, her hips and her ass hinting a rosy hue, the collar fitting perfectly around her neck, those cat ears a balance to such debauched sight and that tail of hers that’s a mere distraction as you’re fucking her with all your might, adding up the scenic beauty of her.

This is a sight to die for, and you’re absolutely living in it.

“Da—daddy, fuck—can’t t-take it anymore…” It’s bound to happen, as you let go of the leash and leaned over her, fucking her deeper and letting yoir voice tickle her ear.

“Then go, kitten.” You snarl as you keep the pace going, not giving her a millisecond to recover. “Cum on this cock.”

She does immediately, and it’s an utter mess all throughout.

There’s no respite, fucking her through her orgasm as she chants your name like a ritual, summoning the devil in you to totally wreck her in half.

You gradually slow down, not wanting her to pass out due to sheer overstimulation but still buried inside her, your hands supporting her shivering body that’s precarious due to the elation knocking down her walls.

“Good fucking kitten.” You hiss on Kyujin’s ear, earning a gulp from her and that beautiful smile from her lips as your praise is the cause. 

You’re just buried inside her, immobile as she whines with the girth invading her walls thoroughly. Of course, girls like her at this moment crave for something special, like a reward they deserve as soon as the second of such filthy sex commences.

Those lips part, and she’s vocal with what she wants.

“Isn’t daddy close? You must be so close, daddy~” Kyujin’s tone laces need, the utter epitome of yearning for your cum for so long and her inviting voice alone makes you throb repeatedly.

You inevitably start your hips again and this time, you’re not holding back. Your hand ultimately grasps her hips with a grip that borderline leaves a bruise because of how you’re grappling it. The other isn’t so idle either, and even the best contributor to the mess Kyujin’s brain is currently experiencing as you pump her asshole with the tail plug that’s been keeping her tightest hole gaped.

Kyujin whimpers against you, having that modicum of patience left as you keep her holes filled and busy, all thanks to you. 

If Kyujin can see your face contorting to the sheer pleasure her pussy brings, the candor is evident—you’re fucking close and not playing around anymore because she always love hearing how near you always are.

You’re not lasting a minute in her snugness.

“Gonna fucking cum, kitten—right to this tight, little pussy of yours.” She can’t control herself anymore and with your words, she’s a whimpering mess. You keep yourself steady, fucking her ultimately until she speaks volumes are you’re losing it.

“Please cum, daddy—” Kyujin is pleading, a pathetic tone just to earn what she deserves right up her womb. “—I c-can’t—please cum inside m-me, daddy!”

You enter the promised land, sinking deeper as you submerge into that euphoric state, depositing everything as you keep yourself sinked in her.

It goes straight towards where it belongs, filling her up to the brim as you squirm from the multiple spurts you filled her.

Hell, maybe you’ve possibly fucked a baby into her and you’d never know—the thrill is fun, but she possibly has planned this ahead.

“Fuck—that was—oh shit, you f-filled me up, daddy…” She rests her head against the mattress, her body relaxing over its comfort as she keeps her arch evident, ass up for you to marvel and drool on.

You eventually pulled out and fuck, you’re still throbbing seeing that freshly-fucked cunt dripping with your treasured cum, and you know what to do after this.

“You’ve been so great, kitten.” The immediate swipe of your digits gets her keening, lifting her head just for you to hear her moans as you scoop samples. "Here's a reward for you. Don’t waste it.”

“Yes, daddy.” She just takes it, no questions asked.

Kyujin fervorly sucks your digits sheathed with your semen, tongue swirling over it as she hums due to the satisfaction, a delectable treat tasted after such deprivation.

“Such a good kitten, huh?” She nods, as you uncuff her wrists and let her body rest against the mattress after such a rough session. 

“You know that I’m still not done with you, right, kitten?” You yearn for her answer, towering over her exasperated frame as she recovers as fast as possible.

“Yes, daddy—you promised me that you will leave a load somewhere…”

That raises your eyebrows, interest piqued as you vaguely remember what the promise was but it’s surely as filthy as this. “Really? Enlighten me then..”

“You promised to leave a load on or in me after breeding me before—didn’t put some effort into wearing this without something in return…” There’s this hint of entitlement here, and as much as you want to put her in her place and remind her of something, her proposition is too inviting.

First of all, you did promise her that: going in lengths just to fulfill what she needs and even over your limits. 

But what’s genuinely surprising is her fit for you to swoon and drool all over, and that’s why you adore the element of surprise.

“Right, and I dearly appreciate this, kitten, so do what you need to do.” She’s too delectable to let yourself be hindered from such a filthy round with her, and with her on all fours yet again and that beautiful face inviting you to do what you’re best at, you can’t simply resist. 

Kyujin wiggles her ass as an invitation, as the sight of your load dripping between her thighs just releases those animalistic urges in you to go ballistic over her but you remain composed for an ephemeral amount of time. You work on her tail, teasing the metallic culprit down below as you thrust the metal criminally slow, and she’s already quivering.

“Daddy’s such a tease…” She moans out the pleasure right after, swiping your finger over her leaking cunt as you keep herself accustomed to what will invade her tightness soon, and the already-lubed plug aids her and introduces her to such wonders.

“It’s important, kitten.” Your circle the pivot of where the fur and the metal meets, earning those sultry cries from her mouth as you lean forward, inches away from ear as you whisper, “And you love whenever I tease you like this.”

Even if she denies it, her body says otherwise. She loves being taken care of and showing her what it feels like without overstimulating her so suddenly.

Because after all, she’s the best girl you’ve ever met and the best kitten when in bed.

Gonna make her purr—

“There you go.” You push the plug further, making her writhe with the feeling, succumbing to the euphoria it brings as your other hand dances around the lips of her filled pussy. “Keep moaning for me, kitten—such a good fucking girl, you are.”

Your words make her sensibly yearn for your cock once again, and with your constant teases and that longing control fading away as she gets too bearable to just stuck her with this for more minutes, you can’t take it anymore and neither does she.

As you command her to ease her anal muscles up, you prepare to pull out the plug as she voices something similar to your interest. “Daddy, do you remember the stuff you say whenever we do anal sex?”

You quite have the grip of that and yet again, you’re unsure but this time, you’re sincere since there’s a lot of things you could’ve said before. “What is it, kitten?”

Kyujin looks back, not with that smirk on her face as she states the obvious. “That you always wanna paint my face after fucking my ass or something in the like… y’know how bad that turns me on, daddy.”

Maybe she made that up, or it’s true based on the four times you’ve had this similar situation (not including this one), but you didn’t care to think much with your brain, but with such an irresistible sight in front of you, your cock does the thinking.

“If that’s what you want.” You eye her gaping hole, reach for the lube that’s near the drawer behind you and lathered a copious amount on your length before doing such a feverish act. “Behave well for me and I’ll paint your pretty face, kitten.”

Even with the dim, fluorescent lights emanating over the both of you, you can see the glint on her eyes once you said that. Thank the heavens above for such an amazing build from Kyujin, as the architecture of her legs stays sturdy, on all fours as you mouth yourself ready to plunge it in slowly and when you do, she buries her head onto the mattress, knees buckling.

“Fucking hell—still grips tight as fuck.” The grunts that follow right after are inevitable, as you push yourself deeper into Kyujin’s snug walls and her wanting more.

“God—fuck, daddy—” Her breaths are ragged, almost crying as the tightness overwhelms her but she still helps you out, and even with the help of the plug, she’s still as tight as a vacuum. “—push it in, I c-can take it…”

That’s the green light and you slowly invade the entirety of her ass, and it’s unreal how it truly feels around your pulsing length. You leisurely make Kyujin take it, let her be accustomed to your entire length as she eases her muscles for comfort, and everything is just going well as it should be.

“Daddy’s gonna split m-me open—oh fuck, daddy, it’s so big in my ass—god!” 

“Take it easy, kitten.” You stroke her hair to reassure her, as you resume snapping your hips to her liking. “Gotta start slow, okay?”

So you did, a snail’s pace in her ass as she savors every second of your invasion and the ruined sight in front of you is just carnal fuel. She still maintains that cat-like facade for you, willing to be into the play and letting you experience her capabilities right off the bat.

All throughout the half an hour of such filth, she’s doing so well and the genuine fruition with her, and you can’t ask for anything more. You’ll never get tired of peppering her with kisses, back tensing as you move your length ever-so-slightly, and those endless stream of compliments that always makes her feel special and that familiar rosy hue hinting on her cheeks. As time runs, you impale her slowly and move even more, and she’s whining, clearly whining for more which is evident with the tone of her voice. 

God, you can just imagine how pretty and inviting her face must be diving into such a plethora of pleasure.

“I c-can take more, daddy—” Kyujin enlightens you with a green light, and with her assurance, you aren’t a stranger to how these things go. “—do it—fuck me like h-how you always wanted it!”

The demand laced in her voice says a lot, even though it’s slightly muffled as you begin moving with such confidence, a moderate pace enough for the both of you to feel elevated.

Her gaping hole craves for you, as it feels like a magnet whenever you thrust into her, onto the limit as suction is the pleasurable it has ever been, and it’s always fucking up with your brain’s chemistry—it’s a poison you’re addicted to, and it’s mutual with hers. The sensations are far too good to be true, especially when your balls slap against her wet lips and her hole constricts tighter with the feeling of such mere contact onto her sensitive cunt. Your persistent throbs against her tight asshole sends a message, and she likes how she always makes you feel the utmost euphoria, and your seeping animalistic urges slowly going down onto that filthy route. You grasp onto her hips firmly, pistoning yourself to truly let her feel how bad you’ve been wanting her ass as she remains steady, on all fours albeit quivering due to your reckless acts on her ass.

“Fuck—please, d-daddy—more! Gape me o-open!” Kyujin’s pleas are a chant in your, following those defiled moans that completes the symphony. Her sounds just ignites you to chase that high of yours, fucking her faster and letting her asshole take what you can give her, and you’re fulfilling what she wants for the umpteenth time.

“What if I just—fuck—like, fill this ass up?” You grit your teeth right after, continuing your pace as the resonating sounds of her cheeks meeting yours makes you throb, inching closer towards that promised state. “You wouldn’t m-mind that, do you, kitten?”

It doesn’t register within her answer so coherently and immediately, and you spanking on her butt harshly and deftly fingering her doesn’t help, even with such a reduced pace in your thrusts.

Kyujin whimpers and moans in return, and you’re not satisfied. “Kitten, answer daddy’s question.”

It’s stern and it barely registers in her with the current stimulation, but her current state etches a smile on your lips. “W-what question, daddy—fuck!”

You smack her again, and ultimately give her mercy because she’s been such a good kitten for you, and she deserves the best of treatment. 

“I said—” You lean down, your body resting against her back as you whisper in her ear, continuing your thrusts. “—you don’t mind me filling up this tight ass, won’t you, kitten?”

You kiss Kyujin’s nape, earning a moan from her as your hands grasp her tits against the white lingerie still fitted perfectly on her body and go down onto teasing her abs as the cherry on top. She manages to utter an answer, but not without broken melodies and discordant sounds of pleas.

“God—please—fuck, I d-don’t care anymore, daddy—” Kyujin pulls you into a kiss as you eagerly reciprocated, letting her know how much you fucking want her and you let her finish what plea she may utter. “—but as l-long as—oh god—I feel your cum, t-then it’s good…”

You continue pumping her and you’re at your wit’s end with the ability to last any longer than a minute. With her debauched sight, heavenly moans, and what she wants from you, you’d ultimately bless her with another reward.

Your cadence falls a little dissonant, grunting in every thrust as you continue to play with her tits on the fabric and kneading her cheeks to turn you on even more.

Right now, you’re going to erupt strongly and Kyujin’s ass vice grip would be the culprit.

“Gonna fucking cum so deep in you, kitten—” You lick her ear, continuing a strong pace as you pound her into oblivion. “—and you'll store it in your ass like a good girl, do you understand?”

Kyujin faces back, nodding her head and with her frame taking you all with great semblance of control and composure—even with her shivering thighs and possibly weak knees, she never ceases to amaze you—you know you’re just going to be hammering until you blow it all.

And so you did, cumming deep and painting her anal walls white, possibly every snug inch.

The sight is beyond fucked up with ten seconds worth of such elevated orgasm whenever you pull out—your cum leaking out of your tip and out from her tight hole, dripping towards her cunt.

Right at this moment, Kyujin has truly made you be at your best, to be downright animalistic and the filthy sight of her holes leaking with your seed will  forever be etched in your brain.

“That was fucking good, kitten—god, you’re so good for me.” You stroke Kyujin’s hair, reassuring her of how perfect she has been with you and how well she took you, and that alone makes you feel proud of her.

“Loved this so much, daddy—so warm inside me…” She turns around, laying herself flat on the bed as she recovers from the sneaky high she had when you fucked her ass relentlessly.

Even with the possibly evident soreness, she still aids you with easing her muscles up, letting the plug store all your cum inside her walls and letting it stay there for as long as you want.

“Good kitten.” You join her on the bed, peppering her cheeks with kisses as she finds your lips once again, eagerly reciprocating and voicing out how great this experience is. 

“I think we should do buttplugs more, daddy.”

“Filthy slut.” You chuckle right after, appreciating her features as you adore her fetishes. “That’s cute but damn, I really loved your cunt more.”

“You love both, daddy—stop lying.”

You elicit a gasp, shocked with her words as you state the fact. “I do but you—”

Yet Kyujin shuts you up with another peck, and then she pulls out with that cute smile on her lips, and her beauty still exuding seductiveness and the feline atmosphere still there.

You take seconds to adore and marvel as her incredible figure is still on display, despite the disheveled fits (you’re genuinely surprised her headband is still there, tucked and fitted) and ruined appearance—Kyujin always looks spectacular, and that’s such a blessing.

“Well, I guess there’s another hole you haven’t filled yet, daddy.” With the way she talks and invites you, how can you not resist?

It is all too well with Jang Kyujin, but you have some decency left and that grasp of self-control left in the bank.

Or do you?

Yes, you do.

“I think we should clean up first, kitten.” You rise up, as the young girl composes herself and agrees with you, but not without the following proposition. “Then maybe you can blow me on the balcony before we have dinner.”

That piques her, eyes scintillating full of anticipation as she rebuts. “But daddy’s load is enough for my dinner.”

You smile, giggling a little as Kyujin paints that familiar smile on her lips, her way with words still getting up on your nerves.

“Alright, let’s see how this goes, kitten.” You compose and dress yourself up (pretty unhygienic but okay), as you let yourself be occupied onto something else. “For now, you can take a shower while I get us some dinner.”

“Still with this plug on? And I wanna shower with daddy~”

Well, here are the toughest choices but she’s too insatiable to fight the temptation, and ultimately, Kyujin still wins.

“Fuck it, babe—remove the plug start up the tub. I’m joining you.”

That curls up that smirk on hers, as she elicits such an ecstatic cheer, swiftly going to the bathroom and preparing for herself and possibly, you.

Pathetic.

And now, you’re helplessly freestyle skating on a cliff.

“AW! AGH! OUCH!” You rolled like a damn pinball.

“Ah-AGUUUHHH—” You crashed straight into a tree trunk—smashed your eggs into an omelette.

After a moment of endless suffering, the fall finally stopped. So what? You’re battered up anyway.

“Shit.” You can’t even stand straight.

“Why the fuck did I go after a naked woman! I knew that was a bad idea, but that girl kept wiggling her ass at me as if she had a tail— a tail.

You definitely saw a tail earlier; that’s the reason why you chased her.

“It’s something… no woman had a tail, right? Should I look for her?”

You scanned your surroundings; aside from dried trees and massive rocks, there was an endless darkness beyond.

“Why the fuck should I still look for her?”

You shake off the dust from your clothes and limp to find a way. You already fucked up the moment you went after her, and yet you even have the guts to consider looking for her.

You kept walking.

Every step’s draining your remaining energy; you should conserve it.

“Fuck, I’m lost.” You’re just walking non-stop.

“Pst.”

A voice out of nowhere.

“Huh!? Who’s there!?” You’re terrified.

You looked at the location where the voice came from, but there’s nothing. Just darkness.

“Show yourself!” You yelled at nothing.

“Wait! Slowly… please.” For a second thought, you’re kind of scared and might faint if it suddenly pops.

The fact that the voice wasn’t from a woman, it’s deeper.

“Pst.”

“WAAAH! What!? Don’t kill me! Sorry! Spare me!” Your feet stumbled in panic.

You wanted to run, but you can’t.

You wanted to plead for mercy, so you just muttered sorry.

“Why are you here?”

A question that you can easily answer, but you can’t speak, your tongue got stuck while your jaw’s numb.

There’s a reason why, the reason is hiding in the bushes beside you.

Sharp eyes, large white silhouette, white fangs.

“WAAHHH! Don’t eat me! I don’t taste that good! Here— pwe! Salty! Pwee!” You bit your arm, trying to prove something.

“I’m not eating you… yet.”

“WAHHH! MOM! DAD!” Your butt scrapes the ground.

Stomp.

“WAAAH!” You kicked your feet rapidly, but you ain’t moving.

Stomp.

Step after step, it’s heavy for sure.

Then the moonlight shone through its leg, its foot alone enough to scare you even more.

It’s massive, chunky, and scaly; it wasn’t human, and definitely wasn’t any animal that you could encounter in a secluded forest.

“Haa…” It took another step.

The leg alone is much bigger than your body.

“...”

You can’t run anymore, since running will be meaningless in front of a dragon. A white dragon.

“D-d-d-dragon…. DRAGON! HAAA— AW!” Its monstrous wing slapped you.

“You’re noisy.” Its voice is a little calmer this time, its… sounds like a woman.

“WAHH– Oh— okay.” You instantly behaved when you saw its wing move. Another slap will dislocate your jaw in an instant.

“...”

In that moment of silence, the dragon is just staring at you. It must have been thinking whether to eat you raw or cook you with its fire breath.

“Please!” You knelt, head on the ground, hands clasped in the air.

“As I said, I’m not cooking you… yet.”

“What’s with the— YET?” You mimicked the way the dragon said it.

“You’re not burning me, aren’t you!?” You added, it must be right, you just said you're salty, a little effort to torch must taste good since you're already seasoned up with dust!

It sits, you think— it was even wagging its tail!

“Tail?” Now you remember why you were there.

A naked lady with its wagging tail… so, it was a trap! To lure a pervert minded guy like you all the way to its nest.

You’re dead meat, literally. A food just walks straight into its lair.

“Please!” You had no choice but to plead mercy.

“What do you prefer? Rare, medium rare, or well done?” The dragon’s wing poked your shoulder. It must be testing if you're tender enough.

“Well done!” You answered instantly, in that way you could think of a way to escape— but upon realizing that it was just a slow death…

“Rare! I mean rare’s better!” Yes, the right way. You can resist a few burns, and it can eat you right away— but you can’t run…

“Medium rare! Final answer!” It’s like a Who Wants to Be a Millionaire scene, but it was a Who Wants to Be a Skewer instead.

Either of the three choices, you’re fucked up. You’re destined to be eaten!

“Please… not me, mighty dragon of all dragons! I can bring you tasty foods instead.” You thought of bringing your friends instead if the dragon agreed. What a friend.

“But, I want you… You did not hesitate to follow me, a naked woman.”

“...”

That’s it! One of your guesses just came true. You’ve been lured to be eaten—

“WAAHH– AW! Now you’re tenderizing the meat! WAHHH!” You forgot for a second that the dragon doesn’t want noise, so the tail slapped you this time around.

“Breed me.” The dragon said.

“WAHHH! First you season me, now you’re breading me before frying me!?” You cried.

“...”

“...”

“Huh? B-b-b-breed!?” You absolutely heard it wrong.

“Yes, breed.” The dragon insists.

You tilt your head, and the dragon mirrors your action.

“You did not bite your tongue or something? Do you mean bread or breed?”

“No.” The dragon licked your whole body.

“YOU DEFINITELY SAID BREAD! LOOK AT YOU TASTING ME!” In just one lick, you’re instantly covered in sticky liquid.

“I said breed. Breed functions as both a verb (to reproduce, raise, or cause) and a noun (a distinct variety of animal/plant, or a particular type of person/thing).” It explained.

This dragon’s hella smart.

“You sure a dragon? Not a dinosaur, you speak like a thesaurus… You know, dinosaurs have this saurus kind of thingy in their name.” For a second, you forgot you’re speaking with a dragon.

“No, I’m a dragon, you’re here after getting drag-on.” The dragon surprisingly joked back.

“...”

It’s not funny, the dragon just basically admitted it lures you in! Time to face reality, it’s either it’ll eat you, or you breed it…?

“Wait! If what you said is true? Will you spare me if I agree to breed you?”

Honestly, you’re not into bestiality, but you had no choice. Breed or dead? Damn, those two rhymed.

“Yes. No need to bring your friends, you’re enough. You did not hesitate to follow the illusion I made, the naked woman, which means your libido is strong.” You did not get the dragon’s logic, but you can’t admit that you’re just horny either.

“Yes.” You simply nod.

“If everything’s clear, then we can start.” The dragon turns around.

Back shots for a dragon? Must be insane.

“Okay…” You hurriedly stripped off your pants, then your underwear. It wasn’t because you’re looking forward to it; it's just because you wanted to live.

You approached the dragon, the tail’s on the way. You grabbed to move it—

“AGHH!! OUCH!” It slapped you, harder this time.

“WAHH!” The dragon shrieked; it must be startled by you. “Don’t suddenly touch my tail!” It roared.

“S-sorry!” You quickly apologized, the dragon might eat you anytime now. “B-but, there’s no hole! I’m looking for the hole! The tail’s on the way!” You followed up with your reasons.

“What hole? Can’t you see I’m transforming!?”

“Transforming?” You’re confused, but who wouldn’t?

“My human form. Wait a second.” The dragon lit up. It’s as bright as the moonlight.

“...”

The dragon’s silhouette slowly changed into a slim woman. The light glow eventually dimmed.

There she is, her human form. Naked, pure, and her dragon features prominently strong.

“Wow…” You fell in love, you knew it, your heart and dick knew it.

“When I’m with this form, they call me Yeji.” She elegantly bowed.

A soft woman like her is a contrast to the scary dragon you met a while ago.

“Yeji… what a beautiful name… as beautiful as you.” You muttered, mouths agape, amused by her beauty.

“Thank you.” She smiled.

Her eyes, her skin, her face, her tits, her waist, her pussy, her thighs, her knees, her toes. Everything’s perfect.

“Ten out of ten.” You nodded, and your dick salutes.

“Excuse me?” She’s puzzled by your sudden rating.

“I mean, ten— what are we wai-ten for? Let’s breed.” You voluntarily approached her, grabbing her by the waist, and feel her smooth skin.

No scales, just pure butter.

“Sure, master.” She kissed you. Her lips are as soft as a bun; they taste sweet and tangy, a dragon’s kiss.

You kissed back, a warrior who was desperately fighting for his life, risking it all by making love with a dragon.

Tongues slithering like a sword clashing, an intense fight for two strangers who just weirdly met and are now intimate.

“How did you know that?” You muttered through the kiss, steam seeping out in between your glued mouths. For a moment, you were scared to see a faint smoke; she might spit fire.

“What?” She paused from kissing you.

“That I’m a master.” You joked and squeezed her butt.

“Master?” She still didn’t get it, her hands sliding from your sides to your hard dick.

“Masterbaiter.” That’s it, a man’s past time. Mostly sports guys, playing different kinds of balls.

“Of course, because I’m a masterbaiter, too. You took the naked woman bait, remember?” She stroked your dick, like taming your wild beast.

“I’m glad I took it.” You admitted.

You hate the fact that chasing that naked woman caused you unfortune, but who knows, you’ll get to be a daddy of dragons instead, you little dra-ddy.

“Stop playin’ and breed me.” She hissed.

The moonshine put a spotlight on both of you. She rides you intensely, her insides gripping your tube like a vice grip. A few more pumps, you’re about to leak.

“Ahhh~ Ahhh~ Human~ Breed me~” She kept on riding.

The dragon’s riding the human, what a reversal.

“Let’s populate~” She kept bouncing, her tits bouncing as well.

“Populate? You sound like you’re hatching an egg in just days.” You reach for her breast like a baby in a crib reaching for the stars at the ceiling.

“Yes~ Ahng~” She leaned in, giving you enough distance for you to reach her breast. You squeezed it instantly.

“AHHH!” She spits fire.

You hurriedly put your hands on her waist instead.

“Yeji… then… We’ll have sex now and then?” You’re keeping your cool, but the fact is you’re about to cum.

You’re just holding it; you need the answer.

“Yes! You’ll live here with me… hngg~ in the forest! Raise our kids~ and be a father!” She rested her ass and rolled her hips.

She damn knew what method could make you cum.

“H-h-huh? Live here? Hnngg~ but Yeji! AHHH~” You cum. She’s too much for you to handle.

Your dick blew thick fluids in the depths of her dragon–human anatomy or whatever her womb must be right now. A pussy’s still a pussy, then womb’s still a womb. You kept planting seed inside her.

How many eggs will she lay? Three? Four? You might have quandroplets of baby dragons in a week.

“Hngg~ one more.” She moved her hips again.

“AHHH! Yeji~” You’re still sensitive.

So that’s why the dragon was perceived as a wild myth and a strong creature. She’s limitless, and probably can go rounds after rounds.

You can’t run now.

You realized that agreeing to breed her was your biggest mistake.

She’s planning to make you the father of her babies, the great founder of the dragon army. 

“...”

“...”

“...”

“Help me…” You lost ten pounds of liquid in a night, and there’s more to go.

*****

“A man has been missing for a month. His last track had been found on this cliff, which led to the notorious dragon’s cliff. The forest below it is said to shelter the ancient dragons who ruled Korea before humans took control over the country. The officials had finally concluded the case as closed; we wish that man and his soul a warm goodbye. I’m Jung Min Jun, reporting.”

The media had packed up; you can see them at the top of the cliff.

“He…lp…” You’re drained, exhausted.

“Papa, Ms. Dragon Shin is here.”

“D-d-d-dragon Shin? Isn’t your mom dragon Hwang?” You wonder what the hell one of your kids says?

“Oh, there you are. My clan needs a father, breed me.”

“We would like to inform you about the status of ITZY member Lia’s health and her future activities…”

“…we decided that Lia will not participate in scheduled activities starting from today and will take a break for the time being to focus on her treatment.”

It was a simple statement of facts “Lia is going on Hiatus until further notice” there was no drama in the wording. That made it worse. Because for everyone outside the group, it was news. But for ITZY, it was a rupture, for Yeji, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna— they were as clueless as to Lia’s condition as MIDZY was.

Yeji reads it a second time, and then a third time. It wasn’t that she didn’t understand, but because she did. She is the leader, but the title suddenly feels meaningless when she realizes she had been kept in the dark too. Yet despite the feeling of betrayal running in her blood at that moment, there was only one question that kept running on repeat within the confines of her mind: “How long was Lia carrying this alone?”

It wasn’t even hours after the announcement and inside the dorm— the dynamic shifts immediately. No one said anything related to the topic out loud, the members were already affected by the sudden news, and everyone was already walking on eggshells.

Ryujin wasn’t loud or subtle about it. She started to withdraw emotionally, distant in ways that feel intentional. Chaeryeong became more careful with her words, she was already fragile from her own internal conflicts and with becoming informed of Lia’s hiatus— as if the slightest mistake might shatter whatever fragile balance remained. Yuna kept a façade. She talked more than usual, as if believing that overcompensating would make up for Lia’s absence or would bring her back sooner, but that only felt like a noise filling in empty space. Words that believe they were hiding a pain with loudness instead. Yeji just stops sleeping, questioning herself as the leader her group deserves to have. Running back anything in her mind to what she could’ve missed that would have hinted to the pain Lia hid from everyone else.

The comeback cycle does not stop. The industry demands continuation even as if nothing has changed. The managers were hesitant on the day to announce to them about the upcoming comeback, and its name was bitterly ironic— BORN TO BE. As if the company was hinting that the group was about to be reborn as four. Every schedule felt heavier the passing day. Every rehearsal slightly longer. Evert crack within the members slightly more noticeable.

Every crack within the members became slightly more noticeable. Not all at once— that would have been easier to confront. It happened in smaller ways. A missed laugh here, a delayed response there. A water bottle left untouched after rehearsal because no one remembered who it belonged to anymore. The practice room became the first place where Lia’s absence stopped being an announcement and started becoming a shape. One empty space in the formation, adjusted by the choreographer with professional efficiency, as if rearranging bodies could make the loss feel smaller.

“Again, from the second verse,” the choreographer called.

No one complained. Ryujin wiped the sweat from her neck and returned to position without a word. Chaeryeong nodded too quickly, already apologizing under her breath before she had even made a mistake. Yuna smiled at the mirror, bright and practiced, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Yeji stood at the center.

“Music.” The track started again. They moved like professionals because that was what they were— Sharp. Clean. Controlled. Four bodies forcing themselves to fill a space that used to belong to five. For the first few counts, it almost worked. Then Chaeryeong’s foot landed half a beat late. She caught herself immediately. “Sorry.” No one blamed her. That made her look even more ashamed. “It’s fine,” Yeji said quickly. Too quickly. “Again.” The choreographer glanced at the clock. “You’ve been at this for hours. Take five first.”

“I’m okay,” Yeji answered, she didn’t ask the others.

Ryujin looked at her through the mirror, expression unreadable. For a second, it looked like she wanted to say something. Instead, she turned away and reached for her towel. Yuna clapped once, too loudly. “We’re almost there! It’s fine, right? We just need to clean it a little more.”

Her voice bounced against the walls and came back thinner. Chaeryeong only nodded.

The music played again. And again. And again. By the time the staff finally called the rehearsal over, the room smelled of sweat, floor cleaner, and exhaustion. The kind of exhaustion that no amount of sleep could fix because sleep was no longer the problem. One by one, they packed their things. Yuna was still talking as she zipped her bag, asking if anyone wanted convenience store snacks, if they should order food, if they should maybe watch something funny back at the dorm. She kept offering pieces of normal life like she was handing out bandages.

No one really answered. Chaeryeong smiled anyway, small and tired “Maybe later.” Ryujin slung her bag over one shoulder “I’m going ahead”. She didn’t wait for anyone to respond. The door closed behind her. For a moment, the room was quiet. Then Yeji walked back to the center of the floor. Chaeryeong noticed first “Unnie?” Yeji didn’t even look back to Chaeryeong “I’ll just run it once more". Yuna’s smile faltered. “But we’re done". Yeji faced the mirror “I know, just one more.” No one believed her. But no one stopped her either. That became the pattern, not because they didn’t care. Because everyone was too tired to know what caring was supposed to look like anymore.

The dorm was quieter now than it had ever been before, it wasn’t a peaceful silence either. The television stayed on most nights without anyone truly watching it. Variety shows played into empty space while half-finished drinks gathered on the table beside unopened delivery containers that had long gone cold. The members moved around each other carefully, like people afraid of making too much noise in a room already filled with tension. It became normal to hear footsteps at three in the morning. Sometimes it was Chaeryeong walking into the kitchen for water she barely drank before returning to her room. Sometimes it was Ryujin sitting alone on the couch in the dark with her phone face-down beside her, not scrolling, not sleeping either. Yuna filled silence whenever she could, but even she slowly started running out of things to say. And Yeji— she stopped pretending she slept at all.

At first, it was subtle enough to hide behind makeup and schedules. Dark circles covered by stylists who were paid to make exhaustion invisible. Energy drinks appearing more frequently beside practice notes. Longer moments staring blankly at mirrors before someone called her name and she snapped back into herself. But exhaustion always collects interest eventually.

One night after rehearsal, Yuna fell asleep sitting upright against the side of the couch, head tilted awkwardly with her phone still in her hand. The television cast pale blue light across the dorm while rain tapped quietly against the windows outside. Chaeryeong had already gone to bed. Ryujin emerged from the hallway with damp hair and an oversized shirt hanging loosely over her frame. She slowed when she saw Yuna asleep. Then she noticed Yeji who was still awake. Still sitting at the dining table, papers spread out in front of her. Schedule sheets, notes, performance breakdowns, handwritten reminders layered over company printouts until it all blurred together into meaningless clutter.

Ryujin leaned against the wall. “You’re still doing that?”

Yeji didn’t look up immediately. “Mm.”

RY: It’s two in the morning.

YJ: We have recording tomorrow.

RY: We always have something tomorrow.

Yeji finally glanced up, tired eyes meeting Ryujin’s for only a second before dropping back to the papers. “I know.” Ryujin observed her leader— that was becoming normal too. Not arguments. Not concern spoken aloud. Just observation. The kind people did when they noticed something getting worse but didn’t know where to place their hands without accidentally breaking it further.

“You missed dinner again,” Ryujin said eventually. “I ate earlier" Yeji said unconvincingly. Ryujin socffed at her “You’re a terrible liar.” That almost earned a smile. Almost. Yeji rubbed her eyes instead. “Why are you awake?” Ryujin shrugged lightly. “Couldn’t sleep.” Neither of them acknowledged how often that answer had started appearing lately. Rain continued tapping softly against the glass. For a while, neither spoke. Then Ryujin walked closer to the table, gaze drifting across the papers scattered there.

“You reorganized the rehearsal schedule?”

“The spacing was off,” Yeji muttered.

Ryujin frowned slightly. “You know that’s the staff’s job, right?”

“If I can make things easier for everyone, then why not?”

The answer came too fast. Too automatic.

Ryujin’s eyes lingered on her longer this time. There it is, she thought. That isn't leadership anymore, it was compensation. Yeji was trying to carry everything now. The performances. The atmosphere. The morale. The silence. Lia’s absence. The pressure of making sure four people still looked complete under stage lights designed for five. And the frightening part was how naturally she was accepting it. Ryujin pulled out the chair beside her and sat down without asking. Yeji blinked. “What are you doing?” Ryujin just sat there looking at her phone.

“Keeping you company.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I know.” Another silence settled between them.

A silience that showed tiredness no one wanted to say outloud. The kind built between people too exhausted to perform normality anymore.

Ryujin leaned back slightly, arms folded loosely across her chest. “You know none of us blame you, right?” Yeji’s hand stopped moving.

Only for a second— then she continued reorganizing papers that no longer needed reorganizing. “I know,” she said softly. But Ryujin could tell from the way her shoulders tightened that she didn’t believe it at all.

After that, the days started losing their shape. Morning schedules bled into evening rehearsals. Airport terminals became more familiar than the dorm itself. Staff voices, countdowns, makeup touch-ups, stage cues— everything eventually merged together into one endless routine of movement and noise. The comeback preparations consumed them completely. At some point, meals stopped becoming something shared. Food turned into half-finished containers left around the dorm table for whoever remembered they were hungry first. Energy drinks appeared more frequently than water bottles. Sleep became something negotiated between schedules instead of something naturally expected at the end of the day. And somehow, despite everything— BORN TO BE was successful.

That was the strange part. The stages trended online. The performances were praised. Fans admired how stable they looked despite continuing as four. Articles called them resilient. Strong. Professional. Yeji started quietly hating those words. Because strong people were expected to continue. Strong people didn’t get to stop. The practice room mirrors reflected the proof of that every night.

Sometimes Yuna still tried to hold the atmosphere together. Small jokes thrown into rehearsals. Dramatic reactions exaggerated just enough to make the others laugh for a few seconds. Sometimes she would intentionally mess up choreography near Chaeryeong just to hear her complain and smile at the same time. But even Yuna’s energy started fading around the edges eventually. The louder she became, the easier it was to notice how exhausted she really looked afterward.

Ryujin changed more subtly.She stopped joking during rehearsals as much. Stopped teasing staff members between takes. Stopped reaching for conversation unless someone else started it first. Instead, she observed.

Yeji staying behind after rehearsals. She even rereads schedules during van rides. Yeji would answer questions before managers could. She started apologizing for things that weren’t her fault. The frightening part was how natural it all started looking.

Even Chaeryeong adapted to it eventually. Her apologies became automatic. “Sorry" would slip out of her constantly now. Sorry for mistakes. Sorry for delays. Sorry for being tired. Sorry for forgetting things. One night Ryujin counted seven apologies in less than ten minutes before silently giving up halfway through. No one pointed it out anymore.

The schedules only became worse after promotions began. Interviews blurred together into identical rooms and repeated questions. Hotel hallways all started looking the same. Some nights the members fell asleep still wearing partial stage makeup because nobody had enough energy left to finish removing it properly. And through all of it, Yeji continued moving forward like someone terrified of what would happen if she slowed down even once.

The world tour started not long after— despite all four of them not wanting to tour without Lia, but it was the company's choice. That was when the isolation truly settled in. Airports, security escorts, fans screaming loud enough to shake the walls outside terminals. Then silence again the moment hotel doors closed behind them. Different country, a different room. But the same exhaustion. The members spent more time together than almost anyone else in their lives yet somehow began feeling further apart emotionally with each passing month.

Conversations became shorter. Everyone started saying “I’m okay” too quickly. There were nights where the only sounds inside hotel rooms were television noise and the humming of air conditioning units running too cold. One evening somewhere halfway through the tour, Yuna fell asleep during hair and makeup while staff members quietly continued working around her. Nobody laughed. Not because it wasn’t endearing. Because everyone else looked one bad day away from doing the same thing.

Another time, Chaeryeong burst into tears in the middle of rehearsal after forgetting choreography she had already practiced dozens of times. The crying itself seemed to scare her more than the mistake did. “I’m sorry,” she kept repeating through uneven breaths. “I know it already, I don’t know why I can’t—”

Yeji hugged her immediately. Too immediately. Like it was instinctually her responsibility as the leader instead of as a friend. Like if she held everyone together tightly enough, maybe nothing else would fall apart.

Ryujin watched from the side of the room, jaw tightening slightly. Because even then— even exhausted, even emotionally drowning herself Yeji still only knew how to become stronger for everyone else first.

The tour continued anyway. That became the answer to everything eventually. Fatigue, homesickness, and silence. The answer was always the same: Keep moving.

Country after country blurred together until the members stopped remembering where certain memories came from. Hotel ceilings changed shapes but never atmosphere. Waiting rooms stayed cold no matter what city they were in. Staff members rotated in shifts while ITZY continued existing in the strange in-between state of constantly being seen and never truly perceived.

The performances remained good. That was the unsettling part of it— maybe even better than before. There was a desperation hidden inside them now that audiences mistook for passion. Every movement sharper. Every stage heavier. Every expression carrying an intensity that translated beautifully under lights and cameras while slowly hollowing them out behind the scenes. People praised their professionalism constantly.

Yeji learned to smile every time she heard it. Somewhere during the middle stretch of the tour, Ryujin stopped trying to convince Yeji to rest. Not because she stopped caring. Because she realized Yeji no longer knew how. Instead, she started staying nearby. Sometimes beside her during flights while Yeji reorganized schedules she had no responsibility handling herself. Sometimes sitting silently in rehearsal rooms long after staff members left. Sometimes awake at four in the morning in hotel kitchens where neither of them touched the food sitting between them. No dramatic conversations ever happened. That somehow made it sadder.

Chaeryeong became more emotionally careful over time. She watched everyone closely now before speaking, as if constantly measuring the emotional temperature of every room she entered. The more exhausted everyone became, the more she shrank herself instinctively trying not to become another problem someone else needed to carry.

Yuna noticed it too. So, she compensated harder. Louder reactions. Brighter smiles. More touching. More attempts at pulling everyone together during meals and backstage downtime. Sometimes she would drag the members into group selfies nobody really had energy for anymore just because she missed how things used to feel. Most of those pictures still ended up online. Fans called them cute. None of the members had the heart to say those moments usually ended in silence seconds later.

Then eventually— Lia came back. There was no dramatic reunion. No tears the moment the door opened. No emotional release powerful enough to undo over a year of accumulated exhaustion. Just hesitation and carefulness. The strange awkwardness of people trying desperately to return to a version of themselves that no longer existed in quite the same way anymore.

The first rehearsal as five again felt unfamiliar. Not wrong. Just unfamiliar. Everyone kept looking at Lia like they were trying to reassure themselves she was actually there. Lia noticed the changes immediately. Yeji smiling too quickly whenever someone asked if she was okay. Chaeryeong apologizing before speaking. Yuna filling every silence before it could fully settle. Ryujin watching everyone constantly while pretending she wasn’t. And beneath all of it— exhaustion. Not temporary exhaustion. The kind that settled deep enough into people that they started mistaking survival for normalcy.

Lia carried guilt for it almost instantly. Not because anyone blamed her. That was the problem— nobody blamed her at all. Which somehow made her feel worse. The group slowly adjusted again after her return. Interviews became easier as five. Formations looked complete again. Fans celebrated the feeling of wholeness returning to ITZY after months of uncertainty.

Then GOLD happened, the first comeback as five— and publicly, everything finally looked fixed. The performances were stable again. The group chemistry looked natural during promotions. Variety appearances felt lighter. Smiles came easier on camera now that Lia was back beside them. To everyone outside the group, ITZY looked recovered. That illusion became dangerously convincing. Because even the members themselves slowly started believing it sometimes.

Until the cameras turned off and schedules ended. Until the dorm lights dimmed and exhaustion settled back into their bodies like something permanent waiting patiently for morning to come again.

Yeji got worse quietly. Not visibly enough for headlines. Not dramatically enough for intervention. Just small things. Skipping meals more often. Falling asleep sitting upright. Longer silences. Forgetting conversations midway through them. One night Lia found her asleep at the dining table with schedule papers still clutched loosely in her hand. Another time Yuna realized Yeji had been wearing the same ring on the wrong finger for nearly three days without noticing. Ryujin started looking at her with poorly hidden concern now. Even Chaeryeong noticed. But inside ITZY, concern had long since evolved into adaptation. Everyone saw the damage and nobody knew what to do with it anymore.

With the volatility that had long been noticed but never truly addressed beginning to surface more openly between the five of them, someone else eventually started noticing too. Not management. Not staff members. Someone who understood the difference between temporary exhaustion and the kind that settled into people slowly enough for them to stop recognizing it themselves.

I had seen this before, not in the exact same shape. But close enough, it was the close enough to the time where my own group imploded within itself to threaten the very existence of TWICE, my TWICE. The first time I truly noticed it was during a music show waiting room sometime during GOLD promotions. ITZY was laughing about something Yuna said when she passed by the open door with one of the managers beside her.

At first glance, everything looked normal. That was the problem. Years in the industry had taught me how to recognize when idols became too good at pretending. Yeji smiled through conversations half a second too late now. Ryujin kept scanning the room whenever silence settled for too long. Chaeryeong looked like she apologized with her eyes before words even reached her mouth. Lia had the careful attentiveness of someone trying to make up for an absence nobody blamed her for. And Yuna— Yuna looked exhausted in the way only people trying the hardest to appear energetic usually did.

I didn’t say anything that day, I couldn’t but after that, I started paying attention. Small things became difficult to ignore once she noticed them.

Yeji falling asleep during downtime between recordings.

Ryujin lingering nearby afterward instead of waking her immediately.

Chaeryeong quietly checking everyone else’s mood before speaking during group interviews.

The way the members looked relieved whenever schedules ended early, not because they were lazy, but because they genuinely seemed unable to process another hour being added onto the day.

It reminded me too much of something I recognized. The dangerous stage of exhaustion where functioning became so normal that nobody realized how badly things had deteriorated anymore. And once I recognized it— I couldn’t stop seeing it. At first, I was going to tackle it alone. But there was only little I could do by myself. But I remembered I had someone with me. Perhaps I could talk to John with my concerns, technically this is part of the job description of our managerial boyfriend.

It was the night before MISAMO left for Japan again. HAUTE COUTURE promotions overseas always shifted the atmosphere slightly within the dorms. Different schedules. Different pacing. Different forms of chaos. For once, it also meant the rest of us would finally have room to breathe again after months of nonstop movement. At least, that had been my plan before Sana decided otherwise.

“You’re thinking too much again” her voice came muffled against my neck while she remained comfortably tangled against me beneath the sheets, both of our bodies completely free from any form of clothing and she unconcerned with the fact that I was still trying to organize schedules on my phone moments earlier.

J: I’m literally doing my job. SN: You stopped looking at your phone ten minutes ago. J: …That’s not the point. SN: It kind of is.

I felt her smile against my skin before she shifted closer purely to annoy me further. Typical. The room itself was dim outside the soft lamp near the bedside table. Comfortable silence settled naturally between us in the way it only could after years of familiarity. Sana always had a strange ability to pull people out of their own heads whether they wanted her to or not. Usually against their will.

J: You’re going to Japan tomorrow SN: Mhm. J: And instead of sleeping— SN: I wanted attention. J: That sounds like a “you” problem. SN: It became your problem when you started dating me. J: Fair point.

“Now be a good boy for me” Sana’s mood changed like clockwork, it was as simple as flipping a switch. She gave me a quick peck on the lips before going down to my neck, then giving my chest a few bite marks “Something to remember me by when I’m in Japan” her giggled showed more of a territorial side than clingy. I decided to meet her halfway— directly flipping her over to have me be the one on top this time. “Let’s make every second count then” I whispered in her ear as the tip of my already erect cock was rubbing the around the folds of her already wet entrance, to which Sana stared at me showing that she didn’t need to say anything to let me know what she wanted.

She cooed in pleasure the moment she felt me enter her. I took my time to make sure she felt me inch by inch. Though I didn’t give her time to settle into anything. The moment I was full length inside her I pulled out leaving only the tip left inside, and before Sana could say anything in protest— I slammed my entire length going back inside in an instant. This gave Sana a jolt of extreme pleasure enough that for a very split moment it cause her to black out before instantly regaining consciousness. She was very used to me making love to her gently and her very sexual nature wasn’t opposed to it, but she loved it more when I was extra rough with her and since she was going to leave for a while I wanted to make sure to give a little extra treatment the way she likes it.

The change of pace was enough to make Sana reach her the near of her climax faster than normal, and I was still sensitive from earlier which worked in my favor— almost. The feeling of Sana’s walls hugging around my shaft as the tip kissed the entranced to her cervix was stimulation to much for me, it led me to finish first the feeling of pleasure overwhelming me to a point where I stopped moving as globs of my cum flooded Sana’s insides. The feeling of her insides being filled to the brim with my seed was enough to push her to orgasm as well, her insides contracted simultaneously around my already sensitive cock prolonging the rush of pleasure both of us felt.

I slowly pulled out of her and the cum started to escape out of her pussy “Oh wow, if we keep this up I might actually get knocked up, oppa” she looked at me with awe while rubbing her abs. “Dear God, Sana. It’s not like I’m against it, but we all know what’s going to happen to me if that does.” I laughed while falling on the bed with her right next to me “Either PD-nim is going to personally murder you, the rest of the members, or the wave of angry fans” Sana giggled as she slowly led her mouth to my already soft member as she tried to spring it back to life.

Then there was a knock on the door, and before I could tell whoever was on the other side to wait, they already opened the it "Aishh— I feel like we already did this before" as Jihyo looked at the sight of me in the bed. Sana was covered underneath the sheets not stopping despite being caught, her head kept bobbing without the slightest care of being caught. She was about to leave for a while— being seen by someone from the other eight whom she shared me was not Sana's concern.

"I'm borrowing John for a bit after you, there's something I need to talk to him about" Jihyo said in a serious tone as she told Sana who still didn't stop, her only confirmation was her hand leaving the sheets forming the okay hand sign.

Jihyo only stared at the two of us for a moment longer before rubbing tiredly at her forehead. “You know, normal couples would at least pretend to be embarrassed.” Sana finally resurfaced just enough to grin lazily at her. “That sounds judgmental.”

JH: That’s because it is. SN: It’s not my fault he’s cute. JH: You literally say that about all nine of us. SN: And I mean it every single time.

Jihyo sighed deeply, though the corner of her mouth still twitched upward slightly despite herself. The atmosphere inside the room remained warm in the familiar way it always became whenever the members naturally drifted around each other. Comfortable. Chaotic. Intimate without effort. It reminded me how different things felt now compared to years ago. Which was why the expression lingering behind Jihyo’s eyes stood out almost immediately. Sana noticed it too. Her teasing softened first. “…Something happened?” Jihyo hesitated. And that alone was enough to tell me this wasn’t casual concern. The room grew quieter afterward.

Sana slowly sat up properly beneath the sheets this time, finally giving Jihyo her full attention while I reached over to mute the television still playing softly in the background. For a few seconds, only silence remained. Then Jihyo finally spoke. “It’s ITZY.” That got my attention immediately. Not because the topic itself was surprising. Because of the way she said it. Carefully. Like she had already spent weeks trying to convince herself she was overthinking it before finally deciding she wasn’t. Jihyo moved further into the room before sitting near the edge of the bed, arms folding loosely across herself. “I think something’s wrong with them.” Sana frowned slightly. “Wrong how?” Jihyo exhaled quietly. “I don’t know if I can explain it properly. They’re functioning too well.” Neither of us interrupted her. Because we understood exactly what she meant. “They remind me too much of us back then,” she admitted softly. “Not publicly. Privately.”

The warmth inside the room dimmed slightly after that. I leaned back against the headboard slowly while listening as Jihyo explained everything she had been noticing for months now. Yeji pushing herself too hard. Ryujin watching everyone constantly. Chaeryeong growing smaller emotionally. Yuna overcompensating. Lia carrying guilt nobody blamed her for. And beneath all of it— exhaustion that had stopped looking temporary a long time ago. By the time Jihyo finished talking, Sana’s expression had completely lost its earlier playfulness.

“…That bad?” she asked quietly. Jihyo nodded once. I stayed silent longer than either of them liked. Because the truth was— I had noticed pieces of it too. Not enough to fully understand the situation from a distance, but enough to recognize the pattern forming underneath everything Jihyo described. And patterns like that rarely resolved cleanly on their own. “That kind of exhaustion changes people,” I said eventually. Jihyo looked at me carefully. “I know.” I added “And if nobody steps in early enough, they normalize it” which Jihyo shared my concern “That’s what I’m scared of.” The room fell quiet again.

Sana shifted closer beside me instinctively, her hand resting lightly against my arm while she listened. I already knew where the conversation was heading before Jihyo asked the question. “Can we help them?” I exhaled slowly through my nose. Not because I didn’t want to. Because I understood exactly how complicated the answer was. Emotional dependency inside this industry was dangerous. Lines blurred too easily when people spent too long isolated from normality. Support became attachment before anyone realized it was happening. And once that happened— things stopped being simple. Jihyo knew that too. Which was why she looked nervous asking me in the first place. For a long while, none of us spoke.

Then eventually, I ran a hand down my face before reaching toward the bedside table for my phone. “I know the right guy,” I muttered quietly. Jihyo’s posture straightened slightly. “He’s good at reading people. Better than anyone I know, honestly.” I glanced down at the dark screen in my hand for a moment before continuing. “But whether he agrees to this or not is completely up to him.” Sana tilted her head slightly. “That friend of yours?” I only nodded while reaching for my phone. “The psychology major who psychoanalyzed you in ten minutes?” Sana tilted her head in curiosity, “He was right about me, unfortunately.” That almost earned a small laugh from Jihyo. Almost.

I unlocked my phone slowly. “Even if he says yes,” I said carefully, “this doesn’t magically fix anything. And if this goes wrong—” “I know,” Jihyo interrupted softly. No optimism. No naïve expectations.

That made this harder somehow. I stared at the contact for another second before finally pressing call. The line rang once. Twice. Then:

“John?” a calm voice answered from the other side. I closed my eyes briefly “…Hey, Ben.”

I frowned slightly at my phone before leaning back deeper into the couch. “You usually only call this late when somebody’s either dying or pregnant” A muffled snort immediately echoed somewhere on his side of the call. Female. Sounded like Sana— Interesting. “Good evening to you too, jackass” John muttered dryly. “You didn’t deny either possibility” I commented only for John to annoyingly reply with “Because neither possibility should’ve been your first assumption.”

B: That sounds like denial. J: You sound unemployed. B: I technically am unemployed. J: You own SEVEN businesses. B: Own. Having passive income is not employment— I refuse to disrespect actual workers like that.

That earned another laugh somewhere near him, that voice definitely belongs to Sana. I rubbed tiredly at my face while sitting up properly this time, abandoning my PC on the table. The clock on the wall already pushed dangerously close to midnight which usually meant one of two things whenever John called. Either something genuinely serious happened, or one of the girls did something catastrophically stupid. Both were equally possible.

B: So, who’s dying? J: No one. B: Did you get one the members pregnant? J: What the hell? Again. No. B: Financial crime? Extortion? J: Can you be serious for five minutes?

I had my fun with John, I dropped my playful tone “Depends. Are you asking as my best friend or as whatever the hell your job title actually is nowadays?” Silence. That was enough for my expression to slowly flatten. Ah. So this actually WAS serious. I stood from the couch afterward and walked toward the kitchen automatically, phone tucked between my shoulder and ear while grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. “What happened?” The joking disappeared from my voice completely. John noticed immediately too. “It’s not about TWICE.” That narrowed possibilities slightly. “But?”

A quieter exhale answered first. Then— “It’s ITZY.” I stayed silent. Not because I didn’t know who they were. Because I knew exactly enough about them for those two words to already sound exhausting. A young group. Heavy schedules. Leadership pressure. Public resilience. And JYPE announced recently that one of their members went on hiatus. That was an emotionally dangerous combination. I twisted the bottle cap open slowly. “What about them?” Another pause. Careful this time. John choosing words. That interested me more than the situation itself initially. Because John wasn’t someone easily intimidated by emotional complexity anymore. Which meant whatever this was— he considered it delicate.

“I think they’ve been surviving too long without realizing how bad things got.” And there it was. Not scandal. Not behavioral collapse. It was a burnout, the ugly kind too. I leaned silently against the kitchen counter afterward while processing that answer. Then eventually “…And you’re calling me because?” Another silence. “Jihyo noticed first.” Very interesting. Because if Jihyo was concerned enough to involve John— then this wasn’t ordinary exhaustion anymore. “When are you free?” John finally asked. I glanced toward the clock hanging above the kitchen entrance. 12:47 AM.

B: You do realize normal people discuss emotional crises before midnight, right? J: You were awake anyway. B: That’s not the point. J: You answered on the second ring. B: You know that if you called me even if I was in the middle of a car race I would still pick up. But… that’s also not the point.

A quieter laugh echoed somewhere near him again. “Fine. When do you want to meet?” John asked for tomorrow afternoon. “That sounds less like a request and more like kidnapping.” I told him “You’ll survive.” John ignored that completely. Typical. “The NDA’s already prepared.” That earned a short laugh out of me immediately. “Jesus Christ. You people are serious.” John still was serious, “We have to be.” There it was again. That carefulness. I rolled the cold water bottle lightly against my forehead while thinking. Young group. Hiatus instability. Solo pressure. Emotional suppression. Yeah. I could already see where this probably went wrong psychologically. “Alright, send me the location.” I muttered eventually. “Get some sleep first” I frowned slightly. “You can’t even see me.” John’s voice softened slightly afterward though “But I know you,” the atmosphere settled again naturally. “Tomorrow. Two in the afternoon.” The line disconnected not long after that.

I stayed leaning silently against the kitchen counter for a while afterward, phone still loosely in my hand while the apartment settled back into silence around me. Then eventually I glanced toward the laptop abandoned on the couch. Defeat screen still open. Unbelievable. I made a mental note to never play ranked past midnight again.

The café John picked the following afternoon looked exactly like the kind of place wealthy people pretended wasn’t expensive. Minimalist interior. Quiet lighting. Private enough to discourage attention without looking intentionally exclusive. The type of place celebrities used when they wanted to convince themselves they were still having normal conversations. John and Jihyo were already seated when I arrived. And immediately— John frowned.

J: You look like shit. B: Good afternoon to you too. J: No, seriously. You look exhausted.

I slid into the chair across from them before pulling my cap off loosely. “I stayed up too late.” John was looking at me again, that frown in face growing “Doing?” I stared at him flatly “…Making terrible life choices.” he narrowed his eyes at me “That narrows it down to everything.” I ignored him completely and reached for the glass of water already sitting nearby instead. “Some psychopath kept queueing into my ranked matches all night.” John looked mildly interested “And I lost. Repeatedly.” He finally broke into a smile “Huh, sounds like a skill issue.” That pinched a nerve in my pride.

Jihyo quietly laughed into her drink while I rubbed tiredly at my forehead. “The worst part is the IGN sounded pretentious too.” John raised an eyebrow. “What was it?” I tried recalling it properly. “Something elegant sounding.” I frowned slightly. “PenguinNoona? SilverPenguin? Something rich-person coded.” The silence afterward lasted exactly one second too long. Then suddenly John started laughing. Not normal laughing either. The genuinely disrespectful kind. Jihyo blinked between both of us immediately. “What?” I narrowed my eyes “…Why are you laughing?” John leaned back in his chair, still grinning. “Because that was Mina.” I blinked once “No it wasn’t.” Then again until John affirmed what I denied “It absolutely was.” Jihyo’s expression immediately shifted from confusion to visible amusement. “Wait,” she said while trying not to laugh herself now, “you spent all night getting destroyed by Mina?”

“She was reading my rotations before I even committed to them”. John muttered “That’s somehow worse since you challenged her first apparently.” I had no other play except to keep on making more excuses “I DIDN’T KNOW IT WAS HER.” That only made John laugh harder, that jackass. I rubbed tiredly at my face while Jihyo laughed softly into her drink now too “…Tell her I want a rematch.” He held up his phone “You already said that six times last night apparently”. I stared at him blankly, that definitely was my IGN, and she even sent him screenshots? Unbelievable.

The atmosphere loosened naturally after that more familiar. Which honestly made what came next feel slightly stranger by comparison once the conversation gradually settled again. Jihyo’s eyes drifted briefly toward my wrist while I reached for the water again. Small movement that was easy to miss. But observant people always noticed expensive things eventually. Especially people surrounded by luxury branding professionally. The glance lingered only half a second longer before she looked away thoughtfully. John noticed too. “You’re still wearing that?” he asked casually. I glanced down at the watch. “It tells time”. He was visibly stressed “That’s not what I asked”. I raised my arms “Hey, it was free.” Jihyo looked up in the middle of sipping her drink “…Free?” I pointed to my watch “It was a gift.” John looked genuinely offended now. “You cannot call a limited allocation Patek Philippe ‘free.’ That’s not how reality works.”

“I didn’t pay for it” which was the basis of something being considered a gift. “That’s somehow worse.” Jihyo stared at the watch once more quietly before finally looking toward John “You did mention he was rich but… How rich is he exactly?” I immediately pointed at him. “Don’t answer that”. John ignored me completely. “Last I checked was a few years ago?” he muttered casually, “and by that time he was already wealthier than any of us.” then after a beat— “Barring Mina. That woman’s terrifyingly wealthy that it’s now even funny at this point.” Jihyo admitted immediately, “That’s fair.” I sighed deeply into my water. John continued anyway because apparently betrayal built character “After I lost the NewJeans job, he actually offered me one of his businesses so I could get back on my feet.” Jihyo blinked. “…One of?” John was waving his hand as he continued “I said no.” I muttered back “Because you’re dramatic”. He look back at me as if I was a crazy person “Because you were talking about handing me an entire company for FREE. Besides, I don’t like feeling like a charity case.” I shrugged lightly. “And I respected that.”

The conversation settled quietly for a moment afterward. Not awkward. Just thoughtful. Jihyo’s expression changed slightly then. Not impressed. Understanding. The puzzle pieces clicking together for her. To why I didn’t seem particularly concerned about industry politics. Why I moved carefully around obligation. Why agreeing to this meeting despite not needing anything professionally mattered more than it normally would. She’s an interesting woman. Finally, John leaned back slightly before gesturing toward the folder sitting on the table.

“So,” he said, “we should probably explain why we’re actually here before Ben decides this entire conversation was a mistake.” I glanced toward the folder sitting on the table. It was clean, organized and it had that expensive paper too “Please tell me that’s not the—” both of them answered at the same time “— it’s the NDA”.  I leaned back slowly afterward. “…You know, most normal people buy someone dinner before legally binding them into psychological warfare.”

“That’s HR’s job,” John muttered “I hate that you said that with confidence.” Jihyo laughed softly under her breath while sliding the folder closer toward me. The atmosphere loosened slightly again after that. Not fully relaxed, but enough. That was good. People usually spoke more honestly once rooms stopped feeling interrogative. I opened the folder afterward, flipping through the pages casually while half-listening to the quiet jazz drifting somewhere deeper inside the café. Standard confidentiality clauses first. Entertainment privacy. Internal operational discretion. Then— there it was “This is broader than entertainment confidentiality.” Neither answered immediately. Which honestly answered enough already. I glanced up from the papers quietly. Not scandal. Not criminality. Emotional complexity. “You two are acting like you’re hiring me to negotiate a hostage situation.”

“Some days that industry feels close enough,” Jihyo muttered dryly. Fair. I skimmed through the rest carefully. Nothing unreasonable. Strict. But understandable. Honestly, if anything, the wording felt protective more than threatening. That interested me. I signed the final page anyway. Not impulsively. Consciously. That mattered. Once the folder slid back across the table toward them, the atmosphere shifted almost immediately afterward. Less guarded now. “So,” I finally said while folding my arms loosely, “what exactly am I walking into?” Jihyo looked toward John briefly before answering. “Burnout.”

Simple answer. Honest and incomplete, I stayed quiet. People usually filled silence when they wanted understanding badly enough. Sure enough, John continued. “Yeji adapted by over-functioning after Lia’s hiatus,” he said calmly. “The others adapted around her. And after enough time passed, everyone stopped recognizing how unhealthy it became.” Yeah. I’d seen versions of that before. Not identical. But familiar enough to leave a bad taste in my mouth anyway. “She’s preparing for a solo debut now,” Jihyo added quietly. “Which means the pressure’s only getting worse.” I nodded once slowly. That tracked psychologically. Group exhaustion could still distribute emotional burden. Solo work couldn’t. Especially not for leaders— especially not for someone already carrying too much by default.

I leaned back slightly deeper into the chair afterward while processing everything carefully. Then finally— “And the company agreed to let an outsider manage this?” That earned the faintest humorless smile from John “Jihyo asked.” So there it is, that explained the authority issue immediately. Not unlimited power. But enough institutional trust to override resistance. Dangerous amount of responsibility to hand somebody. Especially someone like me. “I’m assuming there’s a reason you’re not just assigning another internal manager.” Jihyo answered immediately “There is. He needs to understand emotional pressure without treating them like liabilities,” she continued quietly. “And he needs to care more about Yeji’s wellbeing than maintaining schedules perfectly.” That narrowed things down significantly. Most companies protect the schedule and very few said “protect the person”. I was interested in the scenario “And you think I fit that?” as I took a sip of my coffee. “I think John trusts you enough to call you.” That answer landed heavier than she probably intended.

I glanced briefly toward John afterward. He looked annoyingly calm about the entire thing.

Typical. “You’re making this sound more serious every five minutes,” I muttered. “That’s because it is serious,” John answered this time. No humor, just honesty. The atmosphere quieted slightly again afterward. Outside the café windows, the city kept moving normally, meanwhile inside this conversation, two people were essentially telling me an idol group had been quietly falling apart in slow motion long enough for veterans to finally notice. Emotionally dangerous. I rested my fingers lightly against the untouched coffee cup in front of me.

“What does Yeji know?” I asked them bluntly. “Not much yet,” Jihyo admitted. “Only that we’re trying to arrange additional support for the solo.” I was intrigued with the lack of protest “She agreed to that?” John answered quietly “Well she didn’t really argue,” that bothered me immediately. Not because agreement was bad. Because exhausted people stopped resisting help once they got too tired to fight properly. And something about the way both of them described her made me increasingly certain Yeji had already crossed into that territory a while ago. Interesting and concerning, I exhaled quietly afterward before finally asking the question both of them were obviously waiting for. “And what exactly do you want from me?” Another brief silence settled over the table. Then Jihyo answered carefully. “Help her breathe again.”

…Ahhh. That was worse somehow. The words settled strangely in my chest afterward. There was no desperation in Jihyo’s voice. No exaggerated pleading or emotional manipulation, just exhaustion. The kind that only came from watching people deteriorate slowly enough for everyone around them to normalize it. I leaned back deeper into the chair afterward while thinking quietly. Outside the café windows, the world kept on moving— but inside this table, meanwhile, two people were essentially asking me to emotionally stabilize a group leader before her first solo debut pushed her into complete collapse.

Dangerous responsibility. Especially considering the amount of authority they were apparently prepared to hand me. “And the company’s genuinely allowing this?” I asked eventually. Jihyo nodded once. “Officially, you’re being brought in as temporary personal management support for Yeji’s solo activities.” I repeated that word she said that piqued my interest, “Temporary” I repeated “For now.” Interesting wording. “And unofficially?” I asked calmly. John immediately rubbed tiredly at his forehead beside her. “There it is,” he muttered. “There WHAT is?” that man really knew how to press my buttons “The part where your psychology degree becomes annoying.”

“That sounds like projection” I said “It is projection” he admitted. Fair enough.

I rested my elbow lightly against the table afterward while studying both of them carefully “You two keep talking around something.” Neither denied it. So not scandal then. Intentional secrecy. Finally, John sighed quietly beside me “There are… emotional dynamics within our situation that aren’t exactly conventional.” That was the first genuinely direct thing either of them had said all afternoon. I stayed quiet and let him continue. “Nothing illegal,” he added immediately. “That’s really comforting, best buddy. I’m listening.” John glanced briefly toward Jihyo first, an unspoken request for permission “The girls rely on me emotionally more than most people would probably consider professionally appropriate.”

That was not a full answer. But enough of one. I leaned back slightly afterward while processing the implication quietly. Not because it surprised me. Honestly? I’d already suspected something adjacent to it the moment confidentiality expanded beyond standard entertainment protection. “And you’re telling me this because?” Jihyo answered in John’s behalf “Because if you agree to this,” Jihyo answered carefully, “there’s a chance Yeji might eventually rely on you similarly. Romantically, sexually, and emotionally.” That distinction mattered. Even if all three of us understood those lines rarely stayed clean forever inside emotionally isolated environments like theirs. I glanced briefly toward John again afterward “…How bad are your boundaries exactly?” “Better than they sound.” John was no longer planning on hiding it. “That is not a reassuring answer, best buddy.” I grinned at him. “It’s the truthful one, and will you stop calling me that?”

I stayed quiet for a few more seconds afterward while turning the situation over mentally. Emotionally exhausted idols. High-pressure environment. Isolation. Dependency. Trust structures forming around the few people allowed close enough to consistently see them as human beings. Psychologically speaking, none of this was actually shocking. Dangerous? Absolutely. Unusual? Not really. Which honestly might’ve been the worst part.

Finally, I exhaled quietly through my nose “For the record,” I muttered while reaching for my coffee again, “sleeping with Yeji is not secretly part of my career development plan.” Jihyo nearly choked on her drink immediately. Meanwhile John just closed his eyes slowly like he regretted inviting me already. “What?” I asked flatly. “You cannot say things like that with a straight face.” “I’m clarifying expectations professionally.” “That is NOT professional phrasing.” “Would you prefer a PowerPoint presentation?”

Jihyo was openly laughing into her hand now while John looked spiritually exhausted beside her. Good. That probably meant the atmosphere needed it. Eventually, though, the humor settled naturally again. And once it did, I noticed something important almost immediately. Neither of them actually looked worried about me crossing lines intentionally. Interesting. That meant this conversation wasn’t about predatory concern. It was about emotional gravity. Much more complicated. I rested my gaze briefly against the city skyline outside before eventually speaking again. “I’ll do the job,” I said calmly. “And I’ll do it properly.” The atmosphere shifted subtly afterward. Not relief exactly. Then I added “But if I think this situation is genuinely becoming psychologically dangerous for her, I’m pulling her back regardless of schedules.” John nodded immediately “Fair.” That told me more about him than the entire partial confession earlier honestly did. Because people abusing emotional dependency usually became defensive once limitations entered the conversation. John didn’t. Which meant despite however messy the situation actually was— he genuinely believed he was helping them survive.

Complicated. But genuine. The conversation settled quietly after that. Schedules. Logistics. Formalities. Nothing emotionally explosive, which honestly made me trust them slightly more. No manipulation. No emotional recruitment. No savior complex. Just concern. By the time the meeting finally started winding down, the late afternoon sunlight outside had already begun fading gold against the café windows. I stood first. Jihyo followed shortly after while John stayed seated another moment finishing the last of his coffee. As I rolled the sleeve of my hoodie back down loosely, I noticed Jihyo’s eyes briefly catch against the tattoo wrapping partially beneath my wrist near the watch, a curious gaze. Most people expected wealthy men to look cleaner than me. Less ink, lack of carelessness, less visibly damaged. Interesting thing about appearances, people trusted polished images too easily. Unfortunately for everyone involved, I stopped looking polished years ago.

The watch probably didn’t help either. And neither did the ring resting against my finger. Minimalist. Dark emerald stone. Understated enough that most people missed it completely. But people surrounded by luxury long enough eventually learned how to identify quiet money instinctively. I noticed the exact second Jihyo recognized it too. A tiny pause “…Wait,” she said slowly. Her attention lowered briefly toward the ring again “That’s Graff.” I glanced down absentmindedly “Unfortunately so”. John immediately sighed beside her “You wore THAT here? ARE YOU INSANE?!” I looked at the ring “It’s jewelry, not a nuclear weapon.”

“That ring literally requires financial screening before purchase, it’s probably worth more than this entire café” Jihyo blinked once. “…Wait seriously?” John pointed it out “Made-to-order line,” John’s voice tired “You can’t even request one unless they already know you can easily afford it.” “That sounds discriminatory,” I answered calmly. “That’s because rich people are terrifying, and specifically you are insane.” That was a fair observation. Jihyo stared at the ring another second longer before finally looking back toward me again. Not impressed or intimidated, the puzzle pieces clicking together.

Why industry politics didn’t particularly impress me. Why leverage didn’t seem to matter much to me. Why agreeing to something this emotionally complicated despite not needing anything professionally mattered more than it normally would. Eventually John stood too before glancing toward me once more. “So?” I slid both hands casually into my pockets afterward.

“You’re lucky I’m curious.” “That sounds concerning.” “It should.”

Jihyo laughed softly under her breath while shaking her head “Thank you, Ben.” That one sounded genuine enough to make refusing later significantly more difficult. Park Jihyo is a dangerous woman too, apparently.

The drive back toward the company building was quieter than expected. The late afternoon traffic crawled slowly through Seoul while soft music played somewhere low through the speakers of the car. Beside him, Jihyo rested her chin lightly against her hand while staring out the window. “You know,” he muttered eventually while stopping at another red light, “you could’ve warned me before telling Ben you thought I was sleeping with somebody.” Jihyo laughed softly beside him. “I didn’t say that.”

“You absolutely implied it.” “I implied emotional dependency.” “That sounds worse somehow.” Jihyo’s amusement faded slightly afterward though, something quieter settling into her expression instead. “…Do you think he’ll actually help?” John’s fingers tapped lightly once against the steering wheel before answering. “Yes.” No hesitation. “You trust him that much?”

“I trust him to leave if he thinks the situation’s unhealthy.” John glanced briefly toward her afterward. “Which is exactly why I trust him around them.” That answer quieted the car again. Outside the windows, the city kept moving normally. Inside it, meanwhile, the atmosphere shifted back toward concern naturally once Ben’s presence disappeared from the conversation. Eventually Jihyo exhaled softly. “We should talk to Yeji tomorrow.” John nodded once immediately “She’ll try to downplay it.” Jihyo agreed “I know. She’ll also think this is her fault somehow.” That earned the faintest tired smile out of him. Leader instincts, unfortunately predictable.

It happened on Dahyun’s day— which unfortunately meant Jihyo technically had to negotiate for John first. Dahyun had been comfortably laying across the dorm couch earlier that evening with John half-trapped beneath her while some movie played in the background neither of them were actually paying attention to. The moment Jihyo explained she needed to borrow him tomorrow for something related to ITZY, “So let me get this straight, you’re taking my boyfriend during my rotation” Dahyun immediately narrowed her eyes in suspicion “… to have him meet with some other woman?” Dahyun said feigning a reaction as if what Jihyo was asking was absolutely monstrous. “It’s work related. And this is Yeji we’re talking about— not some random woman” she pointed out. “That somehow sounds more criminal.” Dahyun told her while tightening her grip on John’s chest, John already looked exhausted before the conversation even properly started “Dahyun.” he was also trying to convince her by patting her head. “No, no.” Dahyun waved him off dramatically before looking back toward Jihyo instead. “You may borrow him temporarily under one condition.” Jihyo already knew that tone, more importantly— Dahyun knew the cards were in her favor “…What condition?” Jihyo asked carefully. Dangerous, more importantly— Dahyun knew the cards were in her favor “…What condition?” Jihyo asked carefully. Dahyun hummed thoughtfully while still laying comfortably across John like she physically intended to prevent him from leaving the couch—then slowly “The next time he’s on my rotation, nobody interrupts us.” John muttered tiredly beneath her “That’s already the rule.” Dahyun tightened her arms around him slightly afterward “No. I mean NOBODY interrupts us.” A dangerous emphasis. Jihyo immediately narrowed her eyes in suspicion “…What exactly are you planning?” Dahyun gasped dramatically “You think so lowly of me.”

“It means,” Dahyun continued proudly, “I want twenty-four uninterrupted hours where nobody steals him because they suddenly ‘miss him emotionally’ or because Sana decides she wants attention or because Jeongyeon unnie gets jealous halfway through the day.” From somewhere deeper inside the dorm, Jeongyeon yelled immediately “I HEARD THAT.” Dahyun yelled back “GOOD.” John looked exhausted instantly “…Why are you all like this?” Jeongyeon answered from the other room “Because you enabled it!” That was valid, I spoil all of them in their own way. Jihyo was already laughing softly into her hand now while Dahyun continued like a lawyer finalizing contract terms “I want breakfast together” she raised one finger, “Lunch together,” another finger “Dinner together,” another “And if anyone tries emotionally manipulating their way into my day, I reserve the right to become annoying about it for an entire next month.”

“That sounds threatening,” John muttered. “It IS threatening.” Jihyo shook her head while still laughing quietly “Fair enough. You treat your relationship like custody negotiations.” Dahyun looked back at John, “That’s because sharing requires organization.” Dahyun looked genuinely proud afterward though. Then finally she loosened her grip around John slightly before giving him a kiss and pointing toward Jihyo. “Approved. But you owe me too” Dahyun was looking at John’s concerned face “…What kind of owe?” Dahyun smiled immediately. “I want you to be rough, make me scream so hard no one gets to sleep that night” John closed his eyes slowly “That’s somehow worse”. And just like that, the negotiation ended.

The following afternoon, Jihyo and John found Yeji between rehearsal breaks. The practice room was quieter than usual, though the silence felt more like exhaustion than peace. Backup dancers rested near the mirrored walls while staff members quietly reorganized equipment nearby. Yeji herself sat off toward the corner with a tablet resting against her lap, eyes fixed on schedules even during downtime. Jihyo noticed immediately that Yeji still hadn’t really learned how to stop working even while technically resting.

Yeji looked up once they approached before immediately straightening slightly. “Oh— hello Jihyo unnie, and John Manager-nim.” There it was again. Automatic composure. “You busy?” Jihyo asked gently. Yeji glanced briefly toward the tablet before shaking her head. “Not really.” John and Jihyo exchanged the briefest glance. That was a lie, a small one though “Can we steal you to talk for a bit?” Jihyo asked. Yeji hesitated only briefly before nodding.

The conversation itself happened inside one of the smaller meeting rooms deeper inside the building. Quiet. Private. Neutral enough not to immediately feel intimidating. Yeji sat across from them while loosely holding onto an unopened bottled drink the entire time. Not nervous exactly, but she was guarded. Jihyo spoke first “We’re arranging additional personal management support for your solo preparations.” Yeji blinked once “…Additional management?” John clarified calmly “Temporary though. Mostly for workload management, schedule restructuring, and helping you navigate solo activities.” Yeji nodded slowly at first, though the hesitation still lingered afterward.

“Is it… because I’m struggling?” Straight to the point “No,” Jihyo answered gently. “Because solo promotions are different from group activities.” John nodded once beside her. “In a group, pressure gets distributed naturally. Solo schedules don’t work like that.” Yeji lowered her eyes briefly toward the bottle in her hands afterward. “I can handle it.” There it is again. Not “I’m okay.” Just “I can endure it.”

Jihyo leaned slightly forward afterward. “We know you can,” she said softly. “And that’s not the issue.” Silence settled briefly across the room. Yeji didn’t argue again after that. Eventually she glanced back toward John instead “…Who is it?” “A friend of mine, his name is Sung Benjamin” that immediately earned the faintest uncertainty across her expression. Reasonable reaction, John noticed it too “He’s qualified,” he added calmly. Yeji looked mildly embarrassed immediately afterward “I didn’t say he wasn’t.” “You were thinking it.” “…Maybe a little.”

That was a good reaction, a tiny bit of personality surfacing beneath the exhaustion. A human response. Not leader one. Jihyo smiled faintly while John continued “A few years ago there was an idol whose career was basically collapsing after a severe mental breakdown.” He paused briefly afterward. “Ben was one of the people responsible for helping them recover.” Yeji’s expression shifted slightly. Everyone in the industry knew stories like that. Some idols disappeared quietly and never fully came back afterward.

“He never took public credit for it,” Jihyo added softly. “Most people don’t even know he was involved.” That seemed to catch Yeji’s attention more than the actual achievement itself. “He’s not there to control you,” Jihyo continued carefully. “His job is to prioritize your well-being and make sure this doesn’t destroy you.” The room quieted briefly again afterward “…Okay.” No enthusiasm, not resistant either. Just tired honesty. Honestly, that probably worried Jihyo more than if Yeji had argued.

The company building felt quieter than expected when I arrived the next afternoon. A disciplined environment. People moved quickly, conversations stayed low, schedules existed five minutes ahead of wherever everybody currently stood. Entertainment companies always felt like that to me— entire buildings functioning on controlled exhaustion while pretending it was passion instead. One of the staff members assigned to guide me through the building glanced toward me every few seconds while walking. I don’t think it was recognition. Not familiarity either. My guess is probably trying to figure out whether I was important, connected, or somebody dangerous to accidentally disrespect. The tattoos usually complicated that process for people. Good— I preferred it that way.

“You’ll be meeting with Yeji-ssi inside,” the staff member explained carefully once we reached one of the upper floors. “The rehearsal break should still have around twenty minutes left.” Twenty minutes. Not enough rest for a day of rehearsals. The practice room doors were partially open when we arrived. Music echoed faintly inside while dancers stretched near the mirrored walls and staff members reorganized equipment nearby. And immediately— there she is.

Yeji sat near the corner of the room with a tablet balanced against one knee while speaking quietly with one of the choreographers. Even from a distance, I noticed the exhaustion almost instantly. Not because she looked weak. Because she looked functional. That distinction mattered. People expected burnout to look dramatic. It rarely did. Most of the time it just looked like someone becoming increasingly efficient at surviving themselves. It was interesting… and concerning too.

The staff member quietly excused himself afterward, leaving me standing near the entrance while Yeji finally noticed the movement near the doorway. Her eyes landed on me briefly. Then narrowed slightly in recognition. Not recognition of me specifically it was a recognition of “Oh. That’s probably him.” That was professional instinct.

I raised one hand casually in greeting “Hi.” The response came a second later than normal. Not rude. Tired “…Hi.” her voice calmer than I expected. Yeji stood shortly afterward while the choreographer beside her quietly excused himself, leaving the two of us awkwardly existing near the edge of the practice room for a few seconds.

“You’re Benjamin-ssi?” “There’s a horrifying possibility John forgot to warn you about me, but yes.” That earned the faintest blink out of her “Just call me Ben, formalities aren’t really my thing. At least she still reacted to humor.

“I’m Yeji.” “I don’t think there’s anyone in this building that doesn’t know you, Yeji. But it’s a pleasure to official meet you.” That finally earned the smallest hint of amusement at the corner of her mouth before it disappeared almost immediately afterward. There were still tiny flashes of personality beneath exhaustion— those mattered more than people realized.

I glanced briefly around the practice room afterward. Empty water bottles. Schedules. Music paused mid-track. Dancers resting against mirrored walls. Nobody in this room looked fully rested. But Yeji somehow still looked the most tired. “You just finished rehearsal?” I asked casually “We’re still in the middle of it.” Well… even worse than what I had in mind. I nodded slowly afterward while mentally recalculating the schedule standards they were probably operating under. Unpleasant numbers already forming. Yeji stayed quiet for a moment before eventually speaking again. “John said you’d be helping with the solo.”

“Allegedly.” That earned another small reaction from her. “You don’t sound very confident.” “I’m confident,” I answered calmly. “I just think the word ‘helping’ creates unrealistic expectations.” That actually made her pause. Not offended but thinking. It was good sign. I leaned lightly against the wall afterward while studying her expression carefully. Guarded. Polite. Holding herself together very intentionally. And underneath all of that— tired enough that even standing still looked like effort. Jihyo wasn’t overreacting. Not even slightly.

Eventually Yeji glanced toward the practice room floor again before speaking more quietly. “Did… they tell you about me?” Interesting wording. Not “the situation”, but “Me”.

I answered carefully “They told me enough.” Yeji nodded once slowly afterward. Then after a brief pause “…And you still agreed?” There it is. That one mattered. Not professionally, but emotionally. She is an interesting girl. I stayed quiet for a second before eventually answering honestly. “Curiosity mostly.” That seemed to surprise her slightly “Curiosity?”

“I wanted to see if John was exaggerating.” “…Was he?”

I glanced around the practice room once more. The schedules. The atmosphere. Her exhaustion. Then eventually back toward her again “No,” I answered calmly. “If anything, he undersold it.” The room quieted briefly after that. Not awkward. Just honest. And for the first time since I arrived, Yeji stopped looking like she was trying to perform normalcy perfectly.

The first thing I learned about idol rehearsal schedules was that everybody lied about breaks. A “ten minute break” somehow became reviewing choreography, checking recordings, answering staff questions, adjusting wardrobe fittings, discussing camera positioning, or practicing transitions. Which meant nobody was actually resting. An intriguing and horrible system. I stayed mostly quiet during the first few days. I observed, listened, and watched patterns. That part mattered more than people realized because burnout didn’t usually expose itself through dramatic collapse first. It exposed itself through normalization— and unfortunately, Yeji had normalized an alarming amount already.

“You skipped lunch” the words left my mouth casually while she remained crouched near the practice room monitor reviewing another playback recording. Without even looking up “I’ll eat later.” It wasn’t denial but more of delaying which was functionally worse. I leaned lightly against the mirrored wall afterward while glancing toward the untouched food container sitting beside her “Define later” I asked invasively. “After rehearsal.”

“You’ve said that twice already” that finally earned a small pause out of her before she looked up toward me properly. She knew that she caught “I’m busy” I still pointed to the food container with her name “Unfortunately true”. Yeji looked back down toward the monitor afterward like that settled the conversation. “You’re running on caffeine and muscle memory right now”. That earned the faintest crease between her brows immediately “…I’m fine.” I stayed quiet for a second afterward before speaking again. “You know people usually become defensive when they already know something’s unhealthy, right?” That finally made her fully look up at me “I’m not being defensive” with a tone that was ironically more defensive than angry. “Uh huh” I let her hear that while looking unconvinced “…I’m not” she tries to assure me.  “Still counts if you say it twice”.

That clearly irritated her slightly. Good. Not because upsetting her mattered. But because frustration meant she was reacting honestly instead of professionally. Much more useful. Yeji finally set the tablet down beside her afterward. “You’ve been here three days.” I pointed back at her “Correct”. And with furrowed brows “And somehow you already think you understand how this works?” There it was— a comment not out of ego, but a sense of responsibility and it was an important difference. I straightened slightly from the wall afterward. “No,” I answered calmly. “I think you’ve been functioning like this long enough that everybody around you stopped questioning it.” The room quieted immediately after that. Not dramatic silence. Just uncomfortable honesty. Yeji folded her arms loosely afterward. “This is normal during comeback preparation.” I pointed out that “Normal and healthy aren’t interchangeable concepts.”

“That’s easy for you to say.” There was no hostility in her voice, just exhaustion. And underneath it— something dangerously close to guilt. I studied her quietly for another second before eventually asking “When’s the last time you slept properly?” Yeji answered too quickly “I sleep”. Not what I asked “There’s a difference between unconsciousness and rest”. That visibly frustrated her now. A tiny reaction, but a real one nonetheless. That was good. “People are depending on me right now,” she answered quietly afterward “I don’t really have the luxury of slowing down.” The real problem was starting to show itself, it was not perfectionism— but obligation. I nodded slowly afterward “That explains the behavior”. Yeji blinked once “…Behavior?”

“Overworking. Skipping meals. Monitoring everybody else before yourself.” I gestured lightly toward the practice room around us. “You’re treating self-destruction like responsibility”. That one landed. Immediately. Her expression shifted before she could fully stop it. For a second I genuinely thought she might argue again. “…You talk like a psychologist” she said looking away instead. “I paid an irresponsible amount of money to become one.” That finally pulled the faintest unwilling reaction out of her again. Small. But there.

I pushed off the wall afterward before casually picking up the untouched food container beside her and holding it out “Eat”. Yeji stared at me for a second “Are you always this pushy?” before taking the container from my hands. “No,” I answered honestly. “Usually people rest before I need to become annoying” I pointed out. “That sounds threatening” she told me. “It’s a promise.” That earned an actual visible exhale out of her this time. Not quite laughter. Closer to disbelief. But honestly? It was probably the first emotionally genuine reaction she’d had all afternoon. I would consider that progress.

The strange thing about exhaustion was how quickly people built personalities around it. By the second week, I started noticing patterns that had nothing to do with choreography anymore. Yeji automatically checked everybody else’s condition before acknowledging her own. She apologized whenever staff members adjusted schedules around her. She thanked people for things that should’ve been expected. And somehow— she still looked mildly uncomfortable anytime I forced her to sit down for longer than five consecutive minutes. It’s starting to be concerning. “You’re staring again” her voice pulled me out of thought while we sat near one of the side rehearsal rooms waiting for a delayed recording setup to finish “I’m observing” she squinted her eyes at me “That sounds creepier somehow”

“That’s because psychology as a profession is fundamentally invasive.” Yeji looked down briefly afterward, unsuccessfully hiding the faint reaction at the corner of her mouth. It is much easier to make her smile when she forgot she was supposed to act composed. The room settled quietly afterward. Staff members moved back and forth through the hallway outside while somebody farther down the corridor tested audio loud enough to echo faintly through the walls. It was just me and Yeji at the edge of the practice room then she suddenly broke the silence “…You really think I’m that bad?” The question didn’t defensive this time. I leaned back slightly in the chair afterward before answering carefully. “I think you got used to functioning exhausted.” Yeji lowered her eyes toward the bottled drink resting between her hands “That’s normal here”.

“See, that sentence specifically is the problem.” That earned the faintest crease between her brows again. “You keep talking like I’m doing something wrong.” A hint of guilt in her voice. I stayed quiet for a second before eventually shaking my head. “I don’t think you’re doing anything wrong,” I glanced briefly toward the hallway outside afterward, “Honest opinion? I believe you adapted to survive an environment that rewards self-destruction”. The room quieted again afterward. Yeji didn’t respond immediately this time. Instead she sat there silently turning the unopened drink slowly between her hands while thinking. People became quieter once conversations started reaching places they usually avoided, so this was another good sign. Eventually she exhaled softly “…You sound like you hate this industry, do you?” Interesting question. “I think this industry confuses endurance with worth.” That made her look at me properly again. Not because the statement shocked her. Because it sounded familiar.

I continued before she could disappear back into her own head again “That doesn’t mean I think idols are weak for enduring it,” I added calmly “I just think people stop questioning unhealthy things once enough talented people survive them”. Yeji stayed quiet afterward. Thinking again “…John talks similarly sometimes”. That was the first time I’ve been compared with John and that answer honestly explained more than she probably realized “TWICE sunbaenim”. The words left her mouth casually. Then immediately afterward, Yeji looked mildly caught off guard that she said it aloud at all. I leaned back slightly deeper into the chair afterward. “He was around during a pretty ugly part of my life”. Yeji didn’t pry— another interesting thing about her. Most people became more curious once they sensed damage in somebody else. Yeji instead looked almost careful around it. Like she understood boundaries too well. “…And you trust him too?” she asked quietly.

I laughed softly once under my breath “Unfortunately for me— I trust him with my life.” That finally earned another small reaction out of her. Tiny moments of ease were becoming more frequent now. Not comfort yet just a rhythm and that mattered. Outside the hallway, somebody called for Yeji a few moments later to prepare for the next recording setup. The moment her name was called, her posture immediately shifted again. Straightened. Focused. Ready. And that happened too fast, it was more dangerous behavior I got to see.

Yeji stood quickly afterward before instinctively reaching for the tablet and schedule folder beside her at the same time. Then paused. Because I was already holding one of them “…You don’t need to carry that”. I looked at her before calmly answering “You also don’t need to carry everything yourself”. That immediately earned a look from her. Not irritation or gratitude, it was something more complicated. Like she didn’t fully know what to do with somebody noticing things she normally handled automatically.

The next week became progressively worse in ways most people probably wouldn’t have noticed. Unfortunately for everyone involved, noticing things was apparently my job now. Schedules tightened. Rehearsals ran longer. Sleep became negotiable. And somewhere in the middle of all that, Yeji slowly started looking less like somebody preparing for a solo debut and more like somebody trying to outrun exhaustion through sheer momentum alone. It was a very common strategy, and an extremely risky one at that.  The problem with highly functional people was that they usually collapsed privately first. Which meant by the time everyone else noticed— things were already bad.

I started restructuring what I could quietly. Longer transition gaps between rehearsals. Mandatory meal windows disguised as schedule adjustments. Reducing unnecessary media overlap. Pushing less urgent recordings later whenever possible. Small changes. But Yeji noticed every single one immediately. Of course she did. “You moved the dance review again” the accusation came the moment she stepped into the hallway outside one of the rehearsal rooms late that evening.  I glanced up from the schedule tablet in my hands “I optimized it”. She pointed out my decision “You delayed it” it took a second for me to correct her “Those are emotionally different statements”. She looked serious this time “That doesn’t answer my question. Why?” she sounded more awake when frustrated.

I looked at Yeji in her eyes, I wasn’t going to back down on this “You slept four hours.” She didn’t see what was wrong with that, “It’s plenty enough” she said.  “The hell it is,” I answered neutrally “That’s barely survival”. Yeji folded her arms loosely afterward “We don’t have enough time right now to prioritize comfort”. Interesting wording, comfort— not health. “You think sleep is a luxury,” I observed quietly “I think this debut matters.” I could tell from that response that she wasn’t afraid of failure, It was the fear of disappointing people.

The hallway quieted briefly afterward while staff members moved around farther down the corridor preparing equipment for the next setup. Yeji looked exhausted. But more than that— she looked frustrated that exhaustion was becoming visible at all. “You’re treating yourself like a deadline instead of a person again,” I said eventually. That immediately made her expression tighten slightly. Not because the statement offended her, my words landed too accurately. “You make it sound simple” she told me. “It’s not simple” I disagreed with that observation. “Then stop talking like it is.” There it is. First genuine emotional pushback. Honestly, it was overdue too. I stayed quiet for a second afterward before answering more carefully. “I don’t think taking care of yourself is simple,” I said calmly. “I think you’ve spent so long believing your value comes from enduring things that resting now feels irresponsible.”

The silence afterward felt heavier. Not dramatic. Just honest enough to become uncomfortable. Yeji looked away first “…People are counting on me,” she muttered quietly. “And you think collapsing helps them?” I pointed that out. “That’s not what I said” she tried to argue. “No,” I agreed softly. “But it’s where this ends if you keep going like this.” That one landed harder. Immediately because for the first time since I met her, Yeji didn’t have a response ready. Just tired silence. Then eventually somebody farther down the hallway called her name again Schedule continuing. Yeji exhaled softly afterward before pushing herself away from the wall “…I have to go.”

“I know” she took maybe two steps before stopping unexpectedly. Then without fully turning back “…You’re really annoying, you know that?” she wasn’t mad or dismissive. And honesty I smiled faintly afterward “I’ve been told worse”. That finally earned the smallest breath of laughter out of her before she disappeared farther down the hallway again and that worried me more than the arguments did. Because people didn’t start letting somebody disrupt their coping mechanisms unless exhaustion was finally beginning to outweigh resistance.

After that, something subtle changed between them. Not closeness or comfort. Just familiarity settling into places where resistance used to exist. Yeji still argued occasionally whenever Ben rearranged parts of her schedule, but the arguments started sounding less like rejection and more like somebody frustrated that another person kept noticing things she was trying very hard to ignore. Unfortunately for her, Ben was professionally difficult to discourage “You moved the recording review again.” I didn’t even look at her since that was a sentence I’ve heard too many times, “You say that like I committed tax fraud.”

She sounded serious this time, “You’re delaying it.” “No, I optimized it.” “That’s still delaying it.” “Emotionally different.”

Yeji sighed tiredly afterward while pinching lightly at the bridge of her nose. I noticed another thing too during those days. Yeji’s exhaustion no longer looked sharp. Earlier on, she burned brightly— tense, overfocused, constantly moving like momentum alone kept her upright. Now? Everything about her started looking quieter. And somehow that worried him more. People expected burnout to look explosive. Most of the time it actually looked like somebody slowly disappearing inside their own routines. The first moment that genuinely unsettled him happened during choreography rehearsals late one evening.

One of the dancers missed a formation transition badly enough for the music to stop mid-run. Normally, Yeji would’ve immediately stepped in to help correct positioning before staff members even asked. This time she just stood there silently for a second too long while staring toward the mirrored wall. Barely noticeable for people, but enough for me. The choreographer repeated the correction afterward and Yeji apologized immediately despite the mistake not even being hers. Still carrying responsibility for things beyond her control. But slower now. Like even guilt was becoming exhausting. I didn’t say anything about it immediately, I just started to observe her more carefully afterward.

And the more I watched, the more something about her behavior started feeling wrong in a way exhaustion alone couldn’t fully explain anymore. Because Yeji wasn’t just tired now. She was starting to detach from things she normally cared about instinctively. That part worried me the most. I didn’t mention it immediately. Mostly because I was still trying to figure out whether I was overanalyzing things or not. Occupational hazard. Psychology teaches you very quickly that there’s a dangerous difference between observing patterns and projecting fears onto them.  And I’d made enough mistakes in my life already to know I wasn’t immune to the latter.

But the feeling stayed. Something about Yeji had changed. Not externally enough for most people to notice. She still rehearsed. Still smiled when cameras appeared. Still thanked staff members politely. Still carried herself like a dependable leader. But now it all felt… quieter. Like she was performing responsibility from memory instead of conviction. That thought sat badly with me for the rest of the week. The final rehearsal stretch before the solo debut became brutal even by industry standards. Everybody looked exhausted. Yeji somehow looked both exhausted and emotionally absent at the same time. That combination started to raise alarms in my head. I started catching smaller things afterward. She stopped checking playback monitors as obsessively. Stopped correcting tiny choreography inconsistencies immediately. Stopped rereading schedules during every spare moment. At first glance, somebody probably would’ve called that improvement. I didn’t. Because none of it felt like relief. It felt like withdrawal. And that scared me more than any of her overworking ever did. One night after rehearsals ended, I found myself walking through one of the quieter hallways near the upper practice rooms while answering emails on my phone. The building had mostly emptied out already. Only a few staff members still moved between floors. Then I noticed one of the rehearsal room doors partially open. Music wasn’t playing inside. I glanced up briefly while passing by— and stopped walking immediately afterward.

Yeji sat alone near the mirrored wall with her knees loosely pulled closer toward herself while staring blankly at the dark practice room floor. No tablet. No schedules. No reviewing choreography… Just silence. Something unpleasant settled heavily in my chest immediately afterward. Because suddenly every small behavioral shift from the past week connected all at once in my head. Shit, how did I miss that?

I stayed near the doorway for a second longer than normal before finally speaking “You know sitting alone in dark rehearsal rooms is usually how horror movies start, right?” The response came slowly. Not startled. Just delayed “…You’d survive the movie.” that was her reaction? Not a “Hi” or “You scared me”. Just quiet acknowledgment that I existed there beside her. I stepped inside carefully afterward before closing the door behind me halfway. Not trapped. Just quieter. Yeji still hadn’t moved much. Didn’t look embarrassed either. That worried me immediately. I lowered myself down beside the mirrored wall a short distance away afterward, giving her space.

For a while neither of us spoke. The silence didn’t feel awkward. Just heavy. Then eventually “…Do you ever wonder if people can just run out of wanting things?” She sounded like she was drowning in hopelessness. For the first time since taking this job, I genuinely felt uncertain about whether I was equipped to handle what came next.

I stayed quiet for a second too long afterward. Not because I didn’t hear her. Because I was trying very carefully not to answer that question carelessly. People said dangerous things quietly long before they ever acted on them loudly. And something about the way Yeji asked that didn’t feel hypothetical at all. Eventually I leaned my head lightly back against the mirrored wall behind me before answering honestly “Yeah, I do. All the time actually”. Yeji didn’t look surprised by the answer “I think people get exhausted enough that eventually wanting things starts feeling heavier than giving them up” I continued.  The room stayed silent afterward. The faint hum of the building’s ventilation somewhere above us. Yeji lowered her eyes toward the floor again “…That sounds depressing.”

“It’s psychology.” I shrugged lightly. “We market depression professionally”. That finally earned the faintest breath of amusement out of her. Small and weak, but real enough that I kept talking afterward “The important part is that exhaustion lies to people”. Yeji stayed quiet while listening. “It starts convincing you that permanent decisions are rational solutions to temporary emotional states.” that one landed immediately. I could tell. Not because she reacted dramatically. Because she went still— dangerously still. I kept my voice calm afterward despite the unpleasant realization slowly settling heavier in my chest “You’ve been thinking about leaving, haven’t you.” Not a question, I have fears that she was this far and this had just confirmed my fears.

Silence stretched between us immediately afterward. Long enough that a part of me almost wished I was horrendously wrong this time. Yeji eventually broke the silence “…I don’t know if I can keep doing this.” That was conventionally worse than just wanting to quit. Because she sounded guilty about reaching the thought. I exhaled slowly through my nose afterward while trying very carefully not to mishandle what this conversation was actually becoming. This wasn’t burnout anymore. This was somebody emotionally detaching from their own future. Very dangerous territory, dangerous enough that the wrong sequence of words would fuck everything up.

“You don’t need to decide your entire life tonight” Yeji laughed softly once under her breath afterward. No amusement in it “That’s easy for you to say”. There was no hostility in those words— just tired enough that hope itself probably sounded unrealistic right now. “I’m serious.” I looked toward her properly afterward. “You’re exhausted, overworked, emotionally isolated, and carrying enough pressure to distort your judgment.”

“You make me sound unstable” those words were wrong, she isn’t unstable— she was just pushed near her breaking point, and that was a far breaking point. “I think you’ve been strong for too long without resting properly” I paused briefly “Those aren’t the same thing.” That quieted her immediately again. This was an important distinction. Because the last thing she needed right now was to feel broken on top of exhausted. Yeji pulled her knees slightly closer afterward while staring down toward the floor “…Everybody keeps depending on me.” That was the obligation shackled to her. Always obligation. “And somewhere along the way,” she continued quietly, “I think I stopped knowing if I still wanted any of this for myself.”

That one hurt to hear. Not because it sounded dramatic. Because it sounded honest. It was that moment I suddenly understood why Jihyo sounded so worried back at the café. Because this wasn’t somebody collapsing loudly. This was somebody quietly preparing themselves to disappear from a life they no longer believed they were surviving correctly. I rubbed lightly at my forehead afterward before speaking again “Can I say something potentially annoying?” That earned the faintest glance toward me “…You usually do anyway, why ask permission now?”. Good a tiny reaction like that meant that she’s still there, Yeji wasn’t far gone.

“I think you’ve spent so long treating yourself like a responsibility that you forgot you’re also a person” the silence afterward felt heavier than anything else we’d said all night. Yeji looked away first. And for the first time since I met her, she genuinely looked close to crying.

That scared me more than if she actually cried immediately. Because people like Yeji didn’t usually break all at once. They held everything together for so long that by the time emotion finally surfaced, it usually meant they were already dangerously close to their limit. She kept looking away from me like maintaining eye contact would make the conversation too real somehow “…I don’t know how to stop”. That sounded like an exhaustion so deeply integrated into her identity that she genuinely no longer understood what existing outside of it looked like.

I answered carefully “You don’t have to figure that out tonight.” Yeji laughed softly again beneath her breath. Still tired. Still hollow. “But tomorrow still happens.” That one landed harder than she probably intended— because she was right. Schedules still existed. The debut is still happening. Expectations still existed. That was the ugly truth, part of what made this industry so psychologically dangerous was how little space it gave people to fall apart safely. I stayed quiet for a second afterward before speaking again.

“Okay.” I nodded once slowly. “Then don’t think about next month. Or next year. Or whether you stay in the industry forever.” Yeji finally looked toward me properly again “Then what am I supposed to think about?” I pointed at the clock “Tonight, for starters.” That quieted her immediately. I continued before she could spiral back into her own head again “You don’t need to decide your entire future while emotionally exhausted.”

“That sounds irresponsible” her instinctive belief that suffering somehow produced better decisions. “No,” I answered calmly “What’s irresponsible is making permanent decisions while psychologically cornered”. The room went silent again afterward. But this time the silence felt different. Less detached and more fragile. Yeji lowered her eyes slowly afterward before finally admitting something quieter than everything else she’d said so far “I’m scared that if I stop even for a second, everything will fall apart.”

That was her real fear. Not failure. Not criticism. Collapse. And she was dangerously near the edge of collapsing too.  I leaned my head lightly back against the mirrored wall again afterward before answering honestly “You know what the worst part is?”. Yeji blinked once tiredly “What?” I looked towards Yeji “You actually believe the people around you only deserve the version of you that’s suffering correctly”. That one hit immediately. I saw it happen in real time. Her expression tightened slightly before she looked away again too quickly and suddenly, I understood something else too. Yeji didn’t just feel responsible for people. She felt that she was easily replaceable. Like the moment she stopped functioning perfectly, somebody better deserved her place instead.

That kind of thinking destroyed people slowly. I rubbed lightly at my jaw afterward while trying very carefully to choose my next words correctly. Because honestly? I still wasn’t fully confident I had the right words, I just knew the wrong words and that I should avoid those. “I’m going to tell you something professionally irresponsible now”. That finally earned the faintest confused reaction out of her “…That sounds concerning.” I laughed a bit “It probably is.” I looked toward her properly afterward. “I don’t think you actually want to leave”. The room quieted instantly. Not because she disagreed. Because she needed to hear the rest.

“I think you want the pain to stop,” I continued softly “And right now your brain is trying to convince you those are the same thing.” Yeji stared at the floor silently afterward. Then very quietly “What if it never stops?” That was the moment I realized this had already gone far beyond anything I could safely handle through professionalism alone. The room stayed silent for a while after Yeji asked that question and I didn’t answer immediately, because honestly— I didn’t have an immediate answer. People liked imagining psychology experts as individuals who always knew the right thing to say during emotional collapse. In reality, most of the job was quietly hoping your words reached someone before their hopelessness did. Because false reassurance would’ve insulted her intelligence. Eventually I exhaled quietly through my nose before answering honestly “Then we adapt”. Yeji blinked slightly. Not the answer she expected “You say that like it’s simple.”

“It’s not simple.” I shook my head lightly afterward. “But neither is convincing yourself you need to disappear just because you’re exhausted.” that quieted her again. I leaned my arms loosely over my knees afterward while looking toward the dark practice room floor ahead of us. “You know the biggest lie high-functioning people tell themselves?” Yeji looked toward me quietly. “That needing rest means they failed” her expression shifted immediately. “I don’t think you actually want to quit” I carried on talking, “I think you’re emotionally cornered enough that you started treating self-removal like responsibility.” The room stayed completely still afterward, the exhaustion finally being spoken out loud instead of performed through professionalism.

Yeji lowered her eyes slowly “…I hate how accurately you read people”. I sighed lightly. “Trust me, it’s significantly less fun from this side.” That finally earned another small breath of laughter out of her. It was a fragile laugh, but better. Then eventually she spoke again “What if I disappoint everyone?”

There it was again— the fear of failing others. Always others. I answered carefully. “You’ve attached your worth to how much suffering you can endure for people.” I glanced toward her briefly afterward. “That’s not leadership. That’s self-destruction with a good marketing team”. That one made her laugh properly. Real enough that it echoed faintly through the otherwise empty practice room. That sound alone relieved something in my chest I didn’t realize had been tightening for the past hour. Yeji rubbed lightly at her eyes afterward before exhaling slowly “You really are annoying.”

“There it is,” I smiled in relief “That’s the version of you I’ve been waiting to hear again.” That immediately made her pause. The room quieted again afterward, it was softer this time— less hopeless. Yeji stared toward the floor silently for a few seconds longer before eventually asking “You really think I can still do this?” A careful question yet still a dangerous one too. Because this wasn’t asking if the debut would succeed but asking if she was still capable of her role without self-imploding. I answered honestly “I think you’re exhausted enough that you stopped recognizing yourself properly.” Yeji listened quietly. “And I think making permanent decisions from that emotional state would be unfair to yourself”.  Another silence settled afterward then finally she added “I don’t want to disappear.”

That was when I saw the real Yeji. Not Yeji the leader or Yeji the idol— Just Yeji. And that was probably the first moment since taking this job that I genuinely believed she was going to survive this properly. The relief that followed that realization hit harder than expected. Because suddenly I became a little too aware that this situation had already stopped feeling professionally distant to me a while ago. Yeji turned toward me slightly afterward. Still tired and fragile, but present again. And for a few seconds neither of us spoke. We just sat there quietly in the dim practice room while the city outside the building kept moving completely unaware that somebody inside had just barely talked themselves back from disappearing emotionally.

“Thank you” it were simple words. Honest ones too. I nodded once lightly afterward “You don’t need to thank me for staying”. The moment the sentence left my mouth, I saw the shift happen. It was tiny, barely visible. Because suddenly Yeji looked at me differently. Not as a manager or a nosy-pain-in-the-ass psychology major or just somebody temporarily hired to help her survive the recent schedules— just someone she emotionally found herself reaching toward instinctively. The timing was dangerous too. Honestly? I probably should’ve looked away first.

Instead, Yeji moved before I fully processed the expression on her face. Small movement. Careful movement. Like she was still uncertain even while choosing it. Then suddenly— warmth against my lips. Brief and soft. Hesitant enough that it almost felt like a question instead of a kiss, and somehow that made it hit infinitely harder. For a second neither of us moved afterward. Not because the kiss shocked me. Because my brain was trying very hard to decide whether responding to it would immediately make me a terrible person professionally. Occupationally inconvenient timing.

Yeji pulled back first. Not far. Just enough that I could finally properly see the expression on her face. And honestly? That destroyed any possibility of misunderstanding what just happened. She didn’t look impulsive. She didn’t look emotionally unstable. There wasn’t even a look of embarrassment. Just terrified of being rejected for choosing something selfish for once. Shit… a dangerous realization. A VERY DANGEROUS realization hit me “You probably shouldn’t have done that,” I said quietly, not harsh— just honest. Yeji lowered her eyes immediately afterward “…I know”. No defensiveness, no regret either. That was an important difference.

The silence stretched between us again for a few seconds before I finally rubbed lightly at my forehead and exhaled quietly through my nose. Because unfortunately, professionalism became significantly harder to maintain once somebody looked at you like you were the first place they emotionally felt safe landing in months. Terrible design flaw in humanity honestly, and one that I wasn’t immune to either. “You’re emotionally exhausted,” I continued carefully. “And I need you to understand that I’m taking that seriously.” Yeji nodded once slowly “I know.”

“That kiss can’t become something you use because you’re falling apart.” that one hurt her slightly. I saw it immediately. Not because she thought I was rejecting her. Because she thought I misunderstood her. Yeji looked toward the floor quietly for a second before finally answering “I didn’t do it because I’m breaking.” her voice stayed soft the entire time. “But?” she hesitated briefly afterward “…I did it because you stayed.” That one nearly destroyed my remaining professionalism on impact. Because suddenly every moment from the past few weeks rearranged itself differently in my head.

The arguments. The resistance. The exhaustion. The trust. The gradual honesty. None of it had been impulsive. This girl had been consciously choosing emotional proximity little by little the entire time. I looked away briefly afterward while trying unsuccessfully to reorganize my thoughts into something psychologically responsible. That didn’t work. Unfortunate. “You’re making this difficult for me.” That finally earned the faintest tired breath of amusement out of her “…Sorry.”

“There’s the apologizing again” that actually made her smile slightly. And somehow the sight of it after the past few days hit significantly harder than it should have. Concerning to me more than to Yeji. I stayed quiet for another second afterward before finally speaking more honestly than I probably should’ve “I’m trying very hard not to become somebody who takes advantage of emotionally vulnerable people”. Yeji’s expression softened immediately afterward. Not offended. It was understanding “You’re not”. Another dangerous answer. Especially because part of me wanted very badly to believe her immediately. I leaned my head lightly back against the mirrored wall afterward while staring toward the ceiling for a second “This is usually the part where I make terrible life decisions.”

“That sounds oddly specific” a giggle escaped her. “You’d be horrified how common emotionally compromised attachment is in this field, even for people like me who don’t professionally practice.” That earned another quiet laugh out of her. Much better sound now. She sounded more alive again. That realization alone probably should’ve warned me how emotionally involved I already was becoming. Yeji shifted slightly closer afterward. Not enough to touch. Just enough that the distance between us no longer felt accidental “…Do you regret it?” Carefully questioned. It wasn’t her asking me if I like her or if what she did was wrong— it was her subtly asking if I liked that it happened.

I answered honestly “…No” despite the professional choice was to lie— the word left my mouth much easier than professionalism probably would’ve preferred. And judging from the way Yeji’s shoulders relaxed slightly afterward— it mattered more to her than she intended to show.

The strange thing afterward was that nothing became dramatically different overnight. That probably reassured me more than anything else could’ve. Because if Yeji suddenly became emotionally impulsive after that conversation, I would’ve immediately known the kiss came from emotional instability instead of clarity. But she didn’t. The next few days still looked exhausting. Still chaotic. Still overloaded with rehearsals, fittings, recording reviews, and endless adjustments leading into the debut. The difference was subtler than that. Yeji started feeling present again. Not constantly. Not perfectly. But enough. Enough that I started catching small moments I hadn’t seen before. Like actual irritation instead of exhausted compliance “You moved the rehearsal review again”. I glanced up from the schedule tablet calmly. “Correct.”

“You’re abusing authority.” “No, I’m exercising competence.” “That sounds narcissistic.” “That sounds like somebody who slept five hours instead of three.” “You’re impossible.” Yeji narrowed her eyes immediately afterward while I continued walking down the hallway beside her completely unbothered “And yet your blood pressure’s improving. Curious.”. Yeji walked up close to my face “That’s not funny.” I just looked at her without a sense of shame “It’s a little funny, you have to admit that”. The fact she rolled her eyes instead of shutting down emotionally afterward mattered significantly more than she realized. Small behavioral recovery, but real. That became enough for me to start breathing easier too.

Despite the positive changes it felt dangerous on my end. Because somewhere along the way, I stopped measuring her condition professionally and started measuring it personally instead. I noticed when she smiled more naturally. When she ate without being reminded. When she stopped rereading schedules obsessively during downtime. When she started talking to staff members casually again instead of mechanically. And the worst part? She noticed me noticing. That became a problem almost immediately.

“You’re staring again.” “I’m observing.” “You say that like it’s legally distinct.” “It IS legally distinct.”

Yeji laughed quietly beneath her breath afterward while adjusting the oversized hoodie hanging loosely over her rehearsal clothes. That sound still affected me more than it should’ve. Occupationally inconvenient. Very inconvenient.

The solo preparations became more intense the closer debut approached. But strangely enough— the atmosphere around Yeji stopped feeling like slow emotional collapse and started feeling like pressure again. Still difficult and unhealthy pressure. But no longer hopeless. That distinction mattered a lot. One evening after rehearsal review, I found her sitting cross-legged near the edge of the practice room floor while reviewing camera positioning notes. Normal enough. Except this time, she actually looked focused instead of emotionally detached. Progress.

I lowered myself beside her afterward while handing over the protein drink she forgot sitting near the mirrors twenty minutes earlier “You keep leaving these everywhere”. Yeji accepted it quietly before glancing sideways toward me “…You remember small things annoyingly well.”

“Psychological profiling.” “That’s not how profiling works.” “You don’t know that.” “I literally Googled it after meeting you.”

That genuinely caught me off guard enough to laugh once “You researched me?” Yeji looked mildly embarrassed immediately afterward “…That sounded worse out loud.” I couldn’t hold back my grin to the admission of guilt “Ohh it’s significantly worse”. Yeji was flustered “I was curious.”

The room settled quieter afterward. Not awkward. Just softer now. That softness between us was becoming harder to ignore every day. Because nothing dramatic kept happening between us after the kiss. No stolen make-out sessions. No reckless emotional escalation. No relationship-defining conversations. Just consistency. Me staying. Her letting me. And somehow that became infinitely more intimate than impulsiveness ever would’ve been. One night closer to the debut showcase, the company finally cleared rehearsals earlier than expected after one of the production teams ran behind schedule. Miracle-level event honestly. The dancers left first. Then staff members. Then eventually the practice rooms emptied one by one until only scattered voices remained farther down the hallway.

Yeji sat near the edge of the stage platform afterward while loosely stretching one leg absentmindedly. Tired. But not hollow anymore. I leaned lightly against the mirrored wall nearby while reviewing tomorrow’s schedule from my phone.

“Your first live showcase interview starts at ten.” “That’s cruel of them.” “You’ll survive.” “Debatable.”

I glanced up briefly afterward “You nervous?” That made her pause. Not because she didn’t know the answer. Because she was actually thinking about it honestly now “…A little.” That was a healthy answer. Before she would’ve said that she was fine, now it was different. “You know,” I muttered while locking my phone afterward, “normal people usually celebrate before major life events”. Yeji looked toward me curiously “Celebrate how?”

“I don’t know.” I shrugged lightly. “Food. Alcohol. Property damage. Irreversible consequences and whatnot.” “Wow… that escalated quickly.” “I believe in emotional range.”

That finally earned another real laugh out of her. God. There it is again. That feeling in my chest was becoming a genuine issue now. The fact that I could even recognize the difference between her real laughter and the polite versions she used around cameras now probably said enough about how emotionally involved I was becoming. Occupationally? It was catastrophic. Yeji eventually shook her head softly afterward while standing from the floor and stretching lightly. “You sound like somebody banned from multiple establishments.” “Allegedly.” “That’s not denial.” “It’s legally safer than honesty.” “Here I thought you’d just buy the establishment to unban yourself.” “I thought I told John to keep that a secret.”

Another laugh. Smaller this time. The practice room slowly settled quiet around us afterward while both of us began gathering scattered notes and water bottles left behind from rehearsals. That normalcy almost affected me more than the emotionally intense moments did. Because two weeks ago, this room felt like the emotional equivalent of a sinking ship. Now? Yeji looked tired, overwhelmed occasionally— but alive again. That mattered a lot.

She eventually slung her bag over one shoulder afterward before glancing toward me again “…You’ll be there tomorrow, right?” Interesting question. She wasn’t asking if I’ll be managing tomorrow, which I would still be doing. It was just asking if I would be there— if I wanted to be there. This girl started to ask the dangerous questions. I answered anyway.

“Unfortunately you’re professionally stuck with me for the foreseeable future.” “That sounds threatening.” “It’s meant to be reassuring.”

Yeji smiled faintly beneath her breath afterward while walking beside me toward the hallway outside the practice room. The company building had mostly quieted down now. Only scattered staff members still moved through the upper floors preparing final showcase logistics. Tomorrow suddenly felt very close. That realization probably should’ve made me more nervous professionally than it did emotionally. Because now the debut no longer felt like another project or management assignment. Now it felt personal.

The elevator ride downward afterward stayed mostly quiet. At one point Yeji leaned lightly back against the wall beside the elevator buttons while staring ahead absentmindedly. Then quietly “…I’m still nervous” a healthier reaction. Before? She would’ve swallowed the feeling entirely. I glanced sideways toward her “That’s good”. That earned an immediate confused look. “You WANT me nervous?” I shook my head lightly. “I want you honest.” That quieted her again “…What if I mess up tomorrow?” I answered without hesitation this time “Then you’ll survive messing up tomorrow.” Yeji blinked once. Not because the answer comforted her. Because it reframed the fear entirely. “I think people around you accidentally made perfection sound fatal,” I continued calmly. “It isn’t.”

The elevator doors opened a second later toward the lower parking levels. Neither of us moved immediately. Then finally Yeji exhaled softly through her nose before stepping forward first “You really are annoyingly good at this”. If only she knew how uncertain I actually felt most of the time.

The next day disappeared into controlled chaos almost immediately. Hair styling. Wardrobe adjustments. Stage blocking. Last-minute technical corrections. Staff members moving through hallways at speeds that probably violated workplace safety regulations. Standard debut atmosphere honestly. But somewhere in the middle of all that noise, Yeji stayed surprisingly steady. Still nervous. Still overthinking occasionally. But no longer drowning in it.

That difference mattered more than flawless execution ever could. I caught smaller signs throughout the day too. She actually ate during breaks instead of pretending coffee counted as nutrition. Stopped apologizing every five minutes whenever minor delays happened. Even argued with one of the stylists over an accessory choice at one point. Excellent psychological recovery indicator honestly. Nothing says emotional stabilization quite like reclaiming the ability to become mildly difficult again. The showcase itself passed almost too quickly afterward.

One second we were still backstage reviewing final timings. Then suddenly lights, music, the deafening screams of the crowd. Performance mode. Truthfully watching Yeji walk onto that stage felt strangely different from every rehearsal leading up to it. Because this time she didn’t look like somebody desperately trying to survive expectations anymore. She looked like herself again. Confident. Sharp. Alive. The performance ended to overwhelming noise shortly afterward, I wouldn’t except less from the crowd’s reaction— I actually liked the title track, myself. But I wasn’t going to tell that to Yeji anytime soon. Then the staff members started rushing again. Applause. Adrenaline. Everybody speaking too loudly because emotional regulation apparently disappeared backstage after successful events. More standard industry behavior honestly. The moment Yeji fully stepped backstage again, the rest of ITZY immediately swarmed her.

Ryujin almost tackled her into a hug. Yuna looked one emotional sentence away from crying. Chaeryeong kept repeating “You were insane” like she still hadn’t fully processed the stage properly. And Lia— mostly just looked relieved.

That one probably hit Yeji hardest. I stayed farther back near the hallway entrance afterward while giving them space naturally. Professional distance. Mostly.

Then eventually Yuna suddenly pointed toward me mid-conversation. “WAIT— you’re the psychology guy”. Great, just great, that title somehow sounded significantly more suspicious than my actual job. Ryujin looked between me and Yeji immediately afterward “…You hired him secretly?”

“That sounds illegal when you phrase it like that,” Yeji muttered tiredly. “I mean technically Jihyo unnie introduced us,” I added calmly. “That somehow sounds MORE suspicious,” Ryujin answered immediately.

Ryujin was an interesting one, sharper than she lets off too. Chaeryeong looked toward Yeji afterward before quietly asking “You’ve been with him this whole preparation?” Yeji hesitated briefly. Then nodded once. The atmosphere shifted slightly after that— subtle but noticeable. Because suddenly the members weren’t just looking at some temporary manager the company recommended, now they were looking at somebody who had been beside Yeji through the worst parts of the solo preparation they themselves only partially witnessed from the outside.

Lia understood first. I saw it happen almost immediately in her expression. Recognition, not in how Yeji looked at me or the way I secretly struggled to stay professional about Yeji, but the recognition of Yeji’s burnout. Honestly a dangerous thing to recognize in another person. “Thank you” Lia said quietly afterward. Simple yet heavy words. And somehow that affected me more than the louder reactions did. Because unlike the others— Lia understood exactly how ugly emotional exhaustion could become once somebody normalized surviving through it too long. I answered carefully “She did most of the work herself”. Yeji looked away immediately afterward in embarrassment— that didn’t help me look innocent at all despite me being actually innocent in all of this.

“Okay but professionally speaking, the vibe here feels suspiciously emotionally healthy” Yuna suddenly pointed dramatically between the two of us. “That’s because you’re used to dysfunction,” Ryujin answered instantly. “THAT SOUNDED TARGETED” Yuna yelled “Because it is” Ryujin retorted in amusement.

The backstage room immediately dissolved into overlapping noise afterward while Yuna fake-argued and Ryujin looked entirely too pleased with herself. For the first time since this whole situation started— the atmosphere around Yeji no longer felt fragile anymore. It just felt alive.

Later that night, after the official congratulations, staff photos, and endless “you did well” comments finally died down, Yeji found me near the parking entrance. “You said normal people celebrate.” I looked up from my phone. “I also mentioned property damage.” She grabbed me by the arm “Food and alcohol first”. Feeling like I declining her would be a death sentence “Responsible escalation, that’s good.” she smiled, tired but real. “Come with me?” There it was again. Choosing. I should’ve said no. Instead, twenty minutes later, we were tucked inside a quiet private booth at a small restaurant where the owner clearly knew better than to ask questions. Yeji ordered more food than she could realistically finish and one drink she kept pretending affected her more than it did.

“You’re a terrible actress,” I said. “I’m lightheaded” she blinked too innocently. “You’ve had half a glass.” “Emotionally, it was strong.” “That’s not how alcohol works.” “It is tonight.”

She laughed into her sleeve, and honestly, that sound probably ruined the last usable piece of my professionalism. After dinner, she leaned closer across the table, eyes clearer than she wanted me to believe. “When this is over tomorrow…” she paused, then corrected herself softly, “No. It is over now.” I stayed quiet. Her fingers tightened around the edge of her sleeve. “Can I choose something selfish again?” the room seemed to narrow around the question. Because I understood “Yeji”.

“I’m not falling apart tonight,” she said quietly. “I’m not asking because I need saving.” That mattered more than she knew “I know” I could only mutter acknowledgement “Then don’t treat me like I don’t know what I want”. For a second, I didn’t answer. Then I exhaled, defeated by the one thing I could never argue against properly. A conscious choice “…Okay.” Her smile came slowly. Soft. Relieved. Certain. And when she reached for my hand under the table, I let her.

By the time they left the restaurant, Seoul had already settled into the quieter side of the night. The streets weren’t empty— just calmer now. Yeji walked beside me with her hands tucked halfway into the sleeves of her oversized hoodie while the cold air carried the leftover exhaustion of the day out of both of us little by little. For the first time since this entire situation began, neither of us was talking about anything work related— just about normal and pointless things. She complained about one of the stage outfits. I informed her professionally that fashion was an organized crime syndicate. She laughed hard enough at that to nearly miss a step off the curb afterward. Somewhere during the drive back, the emotional atmosphere between us shifted again. Like both of us understood something irreversible had already happened emotionally and neither person particularly wanted to pretend otherwise anymore.

When we finally reached her residence building, I parked the car but didn’t immediately move to unbuckle my seatbelt. Neither did she. The city lights outside reflected softly across the windshield while silence settled between us again. Just aware. Yeji eventually leaned her head lightly back against the seat before exhaling quietly “…I really did almost quit.” an honest sentence. I looked toward her carefully afterward.

“I know.” “And somehow that feels unreal now.” “That’s usually how surviving emotional collapse feels afterward.” she smiled faintly beneath her breath “You make everything sound psychological.” “That’s because unfortunately I am psychological.” “That sounded medically concerning.” “It probably is.”

Another laugh. Smaller this time. Sleepier. Then eventually the silence returned again. But this time neither of us seemed interested in escaping it. Yeji slowly turned toward me afterward. No uncertainty, not emotionally spiraling. Just plain clarity that never yielded. That probably affected me more than alcohol had to. Because this wasn’t exhaustion choosing closeness, not desperation, or emotional dependency clawing for comfort— this was simply her choosing. “…You’re thinking too hard,” she said quietly. “Can’t help it, occupational hazard” I exhaled softly through my nose afterward before finally admitting “I’m trying very hard to be responsible right now.” Yeji’s expression softened immediately “…You’ve been responsible this entire time” This was especially because she sounded so certain about it.

She shifted slightly closer afterward. Slow enough to stop if I wanted her to. I didn’t, the moment I realized that— I already knew professionalism had lost this fight a long time ago. Yeji’s fingers lightly curled against my hand first. Then her shoulder against mine “…Ben” that careful tone again, the one that was going to psychologically destroy me someday “Yeah?” Her eyes met mine quietly in the dim lighting inside the car. A warmth that showed no hesitation or second thoughts. She pressed her pressed her lips softly on mine, and this time I gave up on resisting and hiding behind that professional hurdle because I knew I would just be lying to the both of us. The silence afterward didn’t feel uncertain anymore. It felt inevitable. Yeji slowly pulled back just enough for both of us to breathe properly again, though judging from the way her fingers still lingered lightly against my hand, neither of us was particularly interested in creating real distance anymore “…Come upstairs.”

I should’ve probably still thought harder about it. Instead, I reached for the door handle first. That alone made Yeji laugh quietly beneath her breath while following beside me out of the car. The night air felt colder now or maybe that was just the adrenaline finally catching up. Neither of us spoke much while walking toward the entrance of her residence building. Not because there was tension. Because there was a lack of it along with the lack of uncertainty— just two people very aware of each other now. The elevator ride upward felt significantly smaller than before. Yeji stood beside me quietly with her hands partially hidden inside the sleeves of her hoodie again while the dim lighting reflected softly against the mirrored walls around us.

“You’re thinking again.” I glanced sideways toward her. “You say that like it’s a disease.” she smiled “I’m beginning to think it is.” I mirrored her grin “That’s medically offensive to psychologists everywhere” another smile. God those were becoming genuinely dangerous to my self-control. The elevator doors opened a second later toward her floor. Then suddenly we were walking down the quieter hallway toward her unit while Seoul’s city lights glowed faintly through the larger windows farther behind us. Yeji slowed slightly once she reached the door. Keys in hand then a pause while unlocking it. Something about the normalcy of that moment broke the last surviving piece of restraint I still had left.

Maybe it was the realization that she chose this— she chose me, or maybe I was simply tired of pretending I didn’t want her back just as badly anymore. Probably both. Yeji barely got the door unlocked before I reached for her first. The moment she turned toward me again, I kissed her properly this time. No hesitation. None of that careful emotional distance. Just accumulated restraint finally giving out all at once.

She made the softest surprised sound against my lips before immediately kissing me back just as hard, one hand instinctively catching against my jacket while the other still struggled half-successfully with the door handle behind her. The door finally opened behind her a second later, but neither of us immediately cared enough to separate first as we walked into the hall. My leg slowly kicked the door closed shut and her hand reached around my body to lock it back in place.

Neither of us stopped kissing long enough to breathe properly— I lifted her up against the narrow walls of her home, she proceeded to wrap her legs around me for stability as her both of her hands reached for my face before finally letting go the kiss. She took a moment to watch my face as I met her gaze as in return “Wow, what… happened to… all that… restraint?” she said in between her panting. I laughed softly beneath my breath afterward while keeping her pinned lightly against the wall, one hand still firm against her waist as if letting go now would somehow be physically impossible.

“Honestly?” I muttered while brushing another slower kiss against the corner of her mouth. “I think you psychologically wore it down over time.” Yeji laughed breathlessly at that, though it immediately dissolved into breathless sounds when I kissed her again before she could properly recover. “That sounds irresponsible for a psychologist” as she slowly took off her the jacket that hid the frames of her body, leaving her sleeveless top to expose the skin of her neck and collarbone. “It probably violates every professional guideline to ever exist.” I told her as I drew my face closer to her. “That should concern me more.” “It really should.” And yet neither of us sounded particularly interested in stopping anymore. This time my mouth the crevice of her collar, she started cooing when I led my tongue all the way to the side of her neck.

I didn't let her go. I carried her from the wall all the way to her room, my fingers digging into the soft flesh of her waist while my tongue traced the sensitive line of her jaw. The air in the small entryway felt thick, charged with a static that made the fine hairs on my arms stand up. Every breath she took was a jagged, uneven thing, echoing the frantic rhythm of my own heart. I shifted my weight, sliding one hand from her waist to the hem of her sleeveless top. I didn't ask. I didn't have to. The way she arched her back, pressing her chest into me, was the only answer I needed. I pulled the fabric over her head in one fluid motion, tossing it blindly into the hall.

She stood there in the dim light, her skin glowing like polished pearl. Her breasts were small, firm, with nipples already peaked and hard, straining against the cool air. I took a moment, just a second, to map her. I let my eyes travel from the delicate slope of her shoulders down to the dip of her waist and the flare of her hips. She was lean, a dancer's body, all hidden strength and supple grace. Yeji reached for the buttons of my shirt, her fingers trembling. She fumbled with the second one, a small huff of frustration escaping her lips. "Let me," I whispered.

I stripped out of my clothes with a haste that bordered on desperation, my eyes never leaving hers. When my pants hit the floor, my cock sprang free, fully erect and pulsing with a heavy, aching need.

Yeji stopped. Her gaze dropped, her eyes widening as she stared at me. She didn't move for a long moment, her breath hitching in her throat. Slowly, as if drawn by a magnet, she reached out. Her fingers were cool as they wrapped around the base of my shaft. She didn't know how to grip it—her hold was loose, tentative, her thumb brushing awkwardly against the underside. "Ben," she breathed, her voice a fragile thread. "Yeah?" She slid her hand up, her palm grazing the velvet heat of my glans. She let out a soft, shaky exhale, her eyes flickering back up to mine.

"I didn't expect... this." "Too much?"

She shook her head quickly, though her brow furrowed with a flicker of genuine concern. She tightened her grip slightly, trying to encompass the girth, but her fingers didn't even come close to meeting on the other side. "It's just... you're so large. I think... this is the largest I've ever seen.” I felt a surge of possessive heat hit my gut. I stepped closer, the tip of my cock brushing against her thigh.

"Does it scare you?" "No," she whispered, her gaze intensifying. "Not with you. I want it. I want all of it."

I didn't waste another second. I scooped her up, her legs locking around my waist instinctively, and carried her toward the bedroom. I dropped her onto the mattress, the springs creaking under the sudden weight. I hovered over her, my body a heavy shadow against her light. I spent the next twenty minutes mapping every inch of her. I wanted her skin memorized. I kissed the hollow of her throat, the valley between her breasts, and the soft skin of her stomach. I moved lower, my tongue tracing the line of her hip before diving between her thighs.

Yeji gasped, her hips jerking upward as I found her. She was already drenched, her pussy dripping a thick, sweet musk that filled my senses. I used my tongue to part her lips, tasting the salt and the heat. I focused on her clit, circling it with a precision that had her clawing at the sheets, her head tossing from side to side.

"Ben, please," she whimpered, her voice breaking. "I can't... I don't know what's happening." "Just feel it, Yeji. Don't think. Just feel."

I moved back up, positioning myself between her legs. I reached down, guiding the head of my cock to her entrance. She was tight—terrifyingly tight—and as I pushed in, I felt her muscles stretch and protest. I stopped, letting her adjust, my breath hot against her ear.

"You okay?" "Yes," she gasped, her eyes squeezed shut. "Just... keep going. Please."

I pushed deeper, my cock started to feel like a slow invasion within Yeji. I felt the friction of her walls hugging me, the heat of her internal muscles clamping down on my shaft. A wet, squelching sound filled the quiet of the room as I slid fully home, my pelvis slamming against her with a heavy thud.

Yeji let out a strangled cry, her eyes snapping open. She looked shocked, her chest heaving. "You're... you're actually all the way in," she whispered, her voice sounding distant. "Every inch," I reached in to give her a kiss.

I started to move. I kept it slow at first, pulling back until only the tip remained before slamming back in. The sound of our bodies colliding—a rhythmic, fleshy slapping—became the only thing in the world. I watched her face, the way her eyebrows knit together, the way her lips parted in a silent plea. I increased the pace, the friction building into a searing heat. I could feel her getting wetter, the lubrication making every thrust a sliding, shlicking mess. I shifted my angle, driving my cock upward to grind against her G-spot.

Yeji's reaction was instantaneous. Her back arched, her fingers digging into my shoulders, her nails were definitely going to leave some marks later.

"Something is... something is happening," she cried out, her voice rising in pitch. "Ben, I feel... it's too much!" "Ride it, Yeji. Give in to it."

I didn't stop. I hammered into her, my movements becoming primal and uncoordinated. I could feel her insides beginning to quiver. Then, it happened.

Yeji's entire body stiffened. Her internal walls suddenly contracted, squeezing my shaft in a series of violent, rhythmic pulses. A loud, guttural moan tore from her throat, her eyes rolling back as her first-ever orgasm ripped through her.

For me, it was electric. The sensation of her clenching around me was an overwhelming pressure, a vacuum that pulled me deeper into her. The feeling of her climaxing while I was still buried inside her pushed me over the edge. I let out a soft moan, my muscles locking as I surged forward one last time, burying myself as deep as possible.

I felt the hot, thick jets of my cum flooding her, filling her to the brim. I stayed there, pinned to her, our hearts hammering in unison, the only sound the heavy, ragged breathing of two people who had just discovered a new language. Yeji lay limp beneath me, her eyes slowly fluttering open. She looked dazed, a small, bewildered smile on her lips.

"What... was that?" she whispered. "That," I panted, kissing her forehead, "was an orgasm, Yeji."

She let out a soft, breathless laugh, her hand coming up to rest on my chest. "I didn't know... I didn't know it could feel like that. I feel like I just woke up for the first time in my life."

I rolled off her, pulling her into my arms. We lay there in the aftermath, the smell of sex and sweat clinging to the sheets. But as the minutes passed, the silence didn't feel like an end. It felt like a bridge. I looked down at her, seeing the flush still lingering on her cheeks, the way her eyes looked wider, clearer. The desire returned, not as a frantic need, but as a slow, simmering hunger. I shifted, my cock already stirring again, reacting to the proximity of her warmth. "Round two?" I murmured. Yeji didn't answer with words. She simply flipped over, presenting her backside to me, her hips tilted up in an invitation that made my blood boil.

I didn't waste time with foreplay this time, she was already wet again— I guess the thought of going another round was enough to flip a switch. I knelt behind her, my hands gripping her hips, pulling her toward the edge of the bed. I rubbed dick around the folds of her pussy, lubricating the head of my cock before sliding back into her from behind.

The angle was different, deeper. I felt the tip of my shaft kiss the entrance of her cervix, and Yeji let out a sharp, high-pitched gasp. "Oh god," she whimpered, her face pressed into the pillow. "That's... that's even deeper." "You like it?" I asked, my voice a low rasp. "Yes... please, Ben... more… no one has ever… reached that far." she was trying to speak in between her moans.

I began to move, my thrusts becoming more vigorous, more aggressive. I wasn't being gentle anymore. I wanted her to feel every bit of the size she had been worried about. I drove into her with a rhythmic intensity, the sound of my skin slapping against her skin echoing in the room. The friction was intense, the squelching sounds of our interaction becoming louder as we both became drenched in sweat. I reached around, my fingers finding her clit, rubbing it in sync with every thrust.

Yeji was losing it. She was sobbing now, not from pain, but from a sensory overload that was stripping away every last bit of her composure.

"I'm going again!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the apartment. "I can feel it! Ben, please don't stop!"

I didn't. I pushed her harder, my movements becoming a blur of heat and friction. I felt her build up again, the tension in her legs shaking, her breath coming in short, sharp bursts. Then, the wave hit her. It wasn't just one orgasm this time. It was a cascade. Her internals clamped down on me in a series of prolonged, rolling contractions. I felt her body shudder beneath me, her voice dissolving into a series of incoherent whimpers as she experienced multiple, overlapping peaks of pleasure.

The sensation was intoxicating. Having her unravel beneath me, feeling her body completely surrender to the pleasure I was providing, sent me spiraling. I felt my own climax building, a pressure in my loins that felt like it was about to explode. I let out a choked sound, my grip tightening on her hips as I delivered a final, powerful thrust. I felt my cock pulse violently inside her, sending another massive load of cum deep into her womb. I groaned, my forehead resting against her back, my entire body vibrating with the force of the release.

We collapsed together, a tangle of limbs and damp skin. I pulled her back against my chest, my arm draped over her waist. The room was silent again, save for the sound of our breathing. Yeji turned her head, looking at me with eyes that were soft, exhausted, and entirely content. "I think," she whispered, her voice sounding raw, "that I might actually be able to sleep tonight." I chuckled, kissing the back of her neck. "Mission accomplished."

She shifted, snuggling closer into my warmth, her hand finding mine and interlocking our fingers. For the first time in years, the weight of the world—the schedules, the expectations, the crushing pressure of leadership—felt light. It felt irrelevant.

"Ben?" "Yeah?" "Don't ever leave me alone in a dark rehearsal room again." I smiled, closing my eyes. "Deal."

Morning arrived significantly softer than either of us expected. There was a lack of emotional panic, regret, or awkward distance. Just quiet. Yeji stood barefoot in her kitchen wearing one of her oversized shirts while scrolling through fan reactions on her phone with visible concentration the same way I was working on my doctoral thesis when I was still getting my master’s degree. That piqued my interest “Okay this one’s lying,” she muttered while reading another comment. I glanced up briefly from the coffee I was making “Which one?”

“‘Yeji looked calm and relaxed on stage.’” She looked toward me suspiciously. “I was fighting for my life internally.” She let out a laugh. God, the domestic normalcy of this morning was affecting me significantly more than the sex itself had. Which honestly felt medically concerning. Yeji eventually walked closer afterward before silently leaning against my side while continuing to scroll through her phone letting the moment soak in before looking back at me “…We should probably talk to them.”

I already knew who she meant immediately. Jihyo. John. God, I wish we could skip John. The atmosphere softened slightly afterward. The both of us understood the same thing now without needing to say it aloud first. Last night changed something permanently— professionally and emotionally and neither of us regretted it. I handed Yeji her coffee afterward before answering honestly. “We crossed a line we can’t really uncross anymore”. Yeji nodded once quietly. “…Yeah” I didn’t sense any fear or second thoughts in her voice “…Are you okay with that?” A careful question, an important one to boot. I looked toward her properly afterward “I think I stopped pretending this was professionally salvageable somewhere around the second time you kissed me.” That immediately made her laugh quietly into the rim of the coffee mug she was holding. Then eventually she lowered the mug slightly again “…Good.”

It was a simple answer full of certainty. But certain enough that something in my chest settled instead of tightening afterward. A dangerous development for me honestly. A little while later, I was sitting beside her on the couch while absentmindedly scrolling through my phone when Yeji suddenly shifted closer again. I glanced toward her briefly before realizing she was staring directly at my shoulder with visible concentration.

“…What?” “You have a lot of tattoos.” as she was looking around me, observing every detail of my body. “That sounds judgmental.” “It’s observational.” Yeji tried to sound like me. “That’s just judgment with better marketing.”

Yeji laughed softly before setting her phone aside completely now. Her fingers lightly brushed against the ink near my shoulder almost absentmindedly. The contact nearly short-circuited my nervous system significantly more than expected. “This one looks older,” she murmured quietly while tracing one of the darker faded lines near my collarbone. “It is.”

“What’s it supposed to be?” “You say that like you don’t recognize a snake.” “It looked philosophical.” “It’s literally just a snake.” “That somehow feels disappointing.”

I let out a quieter laugh afterward while Yeji continued studying the tattoos scattered across my arms and shoulders with visible curiosity now. The fact she looked this interested in something as mundane as my tattoos was affecting me more emotionally than it reasonably should’ve. Then suddenly her expression shifted slightly “…Wait”. Her eyes narrowed briefly toward my shoulder “…Are those scratch marks?” I blinked once. Then immediately looked down. Ah. Right. Yeji followed the realization almost instantly before covering her mouth while trying unsuccessfully not to laugh.

“Oh my god.” “That feels slightly accusatory.” “You look like you survived a wildlife attack.” “In my defense, somebody became significantly less emotionally stable after midnight.” “That sounds like deflection.” “That sounds like accountability avoidance from YOU.”

Yeji immediately folded into laughter again while I rubbed lightly at my forehead in defeat. Watching her laugh this freely after everything she went through emotionally over the past several months was beginning to affect me in ways I was not psychologically prepared for. Then eventually her eyes shifted downward again. “…You’re surprisingly fit.” I looked toward her slowly afterward.

“That sounded more offended than complimentary.” “I just didn’t expect it.” “What exactly did you think psychologists looked like physically?” “I don’t know.” She tried unsuccessfully not to smile again. “Slightly weaker.” “That’s devastating.” “It’s true.” “I carried you against a wall yesterday.” “That sentence sounds significantly more threatening in daylight.” “Fair.”

Yeji laughed softly again before eventually leaning more comfortably against my side afterward. Then quietly

“…I still can’t believe you have this many tattoos.” I glanced down briefly toward the ink across my arms before shrugging lightly again “Grad school was psychologically difficult.” “That explains absolutely nothing.” “It explains enough.”

Another smaller silence settled comfortably afterward. Then eventually I looked toward her again before speaking casually. “If you want, I can always add a portrait tattoo of you somewhere.” Yeji stared at me for exactly two seconds “…What?”

“I’m committed to emotionally terrible decision-making now.” “That is NOT a normal thing to say after sleeping with someone.” “I think it would add professionalism to the workplace.” “You’re insane.” “Clinically functional.” “That’s debatable.”

I laughed softly afterward while Yeji shook her head in disbelief beside me, though the faint redness lingering across her face betrayed her significantly. Then eventually she leaned lightly against my shoulder again afterward while still smiling quietly to herself. A little while later, Yeji sat beside me on the couch while the phone rang through speaker mode. John answered first “…Hello children.” I immediately narrowed my eyes “You’re trying to sound emotionally intelligent again” it was too early for John to give me a headache “I’ve evolved psychologically” I could feel the smug from the phone “The hell you have”.

Yeji immediately folded into laughter beside me. Terrible start already. Then somewhere farther away from the call “John stop making things weird,” Jihyo’s voice cut in immediately “I’m helping”. I rubbed lightly at my forehead afterward “…How do nine people emotionally survive you?” That quickly blew a hole in his whole act “That sounded targeted,” John muttered. Yeji was still laughing quietly beside me by the time Jihyo finally spoke again “…Do you two want to meet later?” There it was, a calm tone— too calm. Yeah,” Yeji answered first this time, her voice quieter afterward. “We should probably talk properly”. A brief silence followed “…Okay,” Jihyo answered simply. “Come by later this afternoon”. That somehow made the entire thing feel significantly more serious.

The drive later that afternoon felt strangely calmer than it probably should’ve. Maybe because the difficult part had already happened last night or maybe because neither of us was particularly interested in pretending this was some catastrophic mistake that needed undoing. Yeji sat beside me scrolling idly through her phone while soft music played quietly through the speakers. At one point she looked over briefly “You’re thinking again” I gave her a look at her as the stoplight was still red “That accusation has become emotionally abusive” she instantly retorted “Well you’re making it easy” that was fair. I kept my glance toward her “Nervous?” Yeji considered the question honestly “…A little”. By the time we arrived, John was already waiting near the café entrance wearing sunglasses despite being indoors like somebody trying very hard to look mysterious and failing catastrophically.

“Oh good, the emotional support golden retriever is here” I muttered while stepping out of the car “That’s hurtful”. I waved him off “It wasn’t inaccurate, that’s what matters”. John looked deeply offended for almost three seconds before immediately shaking Yeji’s hand “Congratulations by the way. You killed it yesterday” Yeji smiled softly afterward “…Thanks”. Then John turned toward me dramatically afterward “And you, you look suspiciously emotionally fulfilled.” I immediately pointed toward him “See? THIS is why you can’t pretend to sound like me. You overcommit to the bit emotionally”. Yeji laughed quietly beside me while John looked personally attacked. Before he could retaliate, the café door opened behind him, and there she was. Jihyo stepped outside holding a folder beneath one arm while looking significantly calmer than everybody else present. Which honestly felt threatening somehow.

“Why are you holding paperwork?” I asked immediately. Jihyo glanced down briefly toward the folder “…Preparation.” that answer garnered a horrified expression from me “That answer psychologically upset me, the one with a Master’s Degree in Psychology— that should account for something”. John immediately pointed toward her. “SEE? I TOLD YOU.” Jihyo showed visible confusion for a while “Told me WHAT exactly?” Neither of them answered.

We eventually settled into one of the quieter private rooms farther inside the café afterward. The atmosphere wasn’t hostile. Serious, yes. But not condemning. Yeji sat beside me while Jihyo calmly placed the folder onto the table between us. Then finally “I’m going to ask one question first,” Jihyo said quietly “Was last night emotionally impulsive?” a direct question. I answered first “No”. Yeji nodded immediately afterward beside me “No regrets either”. Jihyo watched both of us silently for a second longer afterward. Assessing. Leader mode, then finally— she exhaled softly through her nose before leaning back slightly in her chair “Okay”.

That was it. no explosion. No dramatic lecture. No accusation… Just okay. Yet that somehow felt heavier than anger would’ve. John, meanwhile, looked between all three of us like somebody trying very hard not to interrupt emotionally important adult conversation with stupidity. Predictably unsuccessful. “So,” he muttered carefully, “are we all pretending this isn’t horrifyingly predictable in hindsight?”

“John,” Jihyo warned immediately without even looking at him. “I’m contributing emotionally.” I didn’t even look at him “You’re making it worse emotionally, for me at least.” “That’s subjective.” “It’s really not.” Yeji nearly laughed beside me while I rubbed lightly at my forehead. Strangely enough the fact that this somehow already felt less like damage control and more like some sort of relationship ecosystem maintenance, and it was deeply concerning. Jihyo eventually opened the folder afterward before sliding two documents calmly across the table toward Yeji and me.

NDAs. Of course they were. I stared at them for a few seconds before slowly looking back up at her “You had these prepared already?” Jihyo took a sip from her drink first. Calm. Composed. Terrifying “I prepared them after realizing emotional attachment between managers and idols was probably inevitable eventually.” then simultaneously “That should not be a normal sentence,” I said. “SEE?” John pointed aggressively toward me. “I SAID THAT TOO.” Jihyo ignored both of us professionally. Psychologically she was a horrifying woman honestly. Yeji picked up the NDA quietly beside me afterward while scanning through it briefly. Then paused “…Wait.” even I felt the danger in that word. Jihyo blinked once “What?”

Yeji looked between Jihyo, John, and then back toward the paperwork and I physically watched the realization happen in real time “…Hold on” Yeji narrowed her eyes slightly afterward. “John isn’t just sleeping with one of the TWICE members, is he?” That made Jihyo choked violently on her drink. I folded forward laughing almost instantly while John looked like his soul briefly exited his body. “Oh my GOD,” I wheezed while trying unsuccessfully to recover. “SHE FIGURED IT OUT IMMEDIATELY.” John muttered in genuine horror “That was FAST”. Yeji blinked once slowly afterward while looking increasingly alarmed “Wait seriously?” Jihyo was still coughing and John looked ready to fake his own death. And genuinely I hadn’t laughed this hard in years.

“You people are INSANE,” I finally managed through laughter while wiping briefly at my eyes. “I thought this was like… one emotionally complicated relationship.” John pointed toward me immediately. “In my defense—” I didn’t even let him finish that statement “You have NO defense.” John continued regardless “Actually I have several.” that somehow made it worse. Yeji looked between everyone again like she’d accidentally walked into the middle of an emotionally unstable cult and her reaction was completely valid. Eventually Jihyo recovered enough to speak again “…To be fair,” she muttered weakly afterward, “it didn’t exactly happen the way you think it did.”

“That sentence also should not be normal,” I answered immediately. John leaned back dramatically in his chair afterward. “You adjust eventually.” hearing that is the opposite of reassuring. Yeji was still visibly trying to process the scale of what she apparently just uncovered. Then quietly “…Wait. ALL of them?” John closed his eyes in defeat. Jihyo covered her face. And I completely lost composure again. “I cannot BELIEVE this is a real conversation I’m having right now,” I managed through laughter while John looked spiritually exhausted across the table. “In my defense—”

“You need to stop starting sentences like that,” Jihyo interrupted immediately. “It implies there’s a defense,” I added “You’re dating an entire nationally beloved girl group.” trying to compose myself “That sounds worse when YOU say it.”

“Because I’m emotionally framing it correctly.” Yeji looked genuinely stunned beside me. Not judgmental. Just deeply, profoundly confused “…How does that even work?” John immediately pointed toward Jihyo. “Leadership?” Jihyo answered while covering her eyes briefly “That is NOT the answer, JOHN.”

“It’s a little the answer,” he muttered. Interesting ecosystem honestly also very concerning too. Yeji slowly leaned back in her chair afterward while still processing everything. Then suddenly, another realization. Her eyes shifted slowly toward Jihyo “…You already knew this was probably going to happen with me and Ben?” Silence— even that question caught me off guard. Jihyo stayed calm for exactly three seconds too long “…I suspected emotional overlap was possible.” I answered immediately “That sounded PREPARED”.  Jihyo finally sighed softly afterward before resting her chin against one hand “You both spent months emotionally depending on each other during an extremely vulnerable period”.

“Okay but hearing it phrased clinically somehow made it worse,” John muttered. Jihyo ignored him professionally, what a terrifying woman. Then she looked toward me properly afterward “You stabilized her emotionally without isolating her from herself”. The room quieted slightly after that, less comedic now. More honest. “She didn’t become dependent on you,” Jihyo continued calmly “She became herself again around you”. That sentence hit harder than expected. Because somewhere deep down, I think part of me was still worried about that exact thing. Yeji looked toward me quietly afterward too. Warmly. Then Jihyo continued like she hadn’t just emotionally sniped me across the table.

“So no,” she finished calmly. “I wasn’t surprised this crossed into something personal eventually”. I leaned back slowly afterward while staring at the ceiling briefly “…That should not be an emotionally healthy intuition.” John pointed immediately. “SEE?”

“Stop validating each other,” Jihyo muttered tiredly. “No,” me and John answered instantly. Yeji laughed quietly beside me before eventually setting the NDA back onto the table again. Then softly “…I want Ben to officially manage ITZY.” The room stilled again afterward.

Yeji continued carefully. “I know what happened between us changes things.” She glanced briefly toward me first before continuing. “But I also know the others are struggling too.” that was Yeji’s leader instinct, and she was right on the bat. Even now. “I don’t want to go back to pretending everybody’s fine when they’re clearly not.” That quieted the table completely afterward. “You realize what that probably means long term, right?” Jihyo asked gently. Yeji nodded once slowly “…Yeah.” No hesitation. Then finally she glanced sideways toward me again before adding “And honestly? I already accepted that this might happen naturally with the others too eventually.”

I blinked once slowly “…I’m sorry WHAT?” Yeji blinked once afterward like she didn’t fully understand why that answer shocked me so much. “What?”

“You accepted that possibility WAY too calmly.” “Because I already thought about it.” “That sentence emotionally terrified me.” John immediately pointed toward Yeji across the table “See? That’s exactly how this starts.” “You are the LAST person qualified to say that,” I answered instantly. “Fair.”

A disturbingly self-aware ecosystem. Yeji looked toward me quietly afterward before speaking again “I’m not saying it has to happen.” She paused briefly. “I’m saying… I know how you are.” Dangerous statement especially because she sounded completely sincere. “You care deeply,” she continued softly. “And they’re important to me too.” Even now, she wasn’t viewing this possessively, true mark of a real leader. She was thinking about everybody else first too. I leaned back slowly afterward while rubbing lightly at my jaw “…You’re all emotionally abnormal.”

“That’s rich coming from you,” John muttered. “I’m at least aware I’m psychologically concerning.” “That somehow doesn’t help.”

Jihyo finally sighed softly before reaching for another document inside the folder. The fact she had MORE paperwork ready nearly made me leave on principle alone. “There’s also the updated management transfer proposal,” she said calmly. I stared at her “…You already prepared THAT too?” Jihyo blinked once. “You think slowly for someone with a Master’s Degree in Psychology.” I was beat from all angles, “I take it back. You’re the scariest person here.”

“Correct,” John answered immediately. Yeji looked visibly relieved afterward though as Jihyo slid the paperwork toward us. “The company already trusts your judgment after the solo debut,” Jihyo continued calmly. “Officially, the recommendation is expanded emotional and schedule management support for ITZY as a whole.” Emotionally dangerous wording. Professionally brilliant wording too. I skimmed briefly through the proposal afterward before immediately stopping at one section “This compensation package is ridiculous.” John snorted instantly “THAT’S the part bothering you?”

Yeji leaned slightly closer beside me afterward while trying to peek at the paperwork. “Wait, how much is—” “It’s not important.” “That means it’s horrifying,” John answered immediately. I set the paperwork back onto the table afterward. “Honestly, I don’t need the money.” The room quieted slightly. “That is NOT a normal sentence,” Jihyo said. “See?” John pointed aggressively toward me. “THIS is what I’ve been trying to explain.” I ignored him “What I DO need,” I continued calmly, “is a company-issued vehicle.” That finally shifted the atmosphere slightly back toward seriousness. “Security concerns?” Jihyo asked immediately. “Exactly.” I nodded once. “Using my personal car long-term around idol schedules is risky. You of all people know how some of those nutjob fans eventually identify patterns.” The room quieted again afterward. Because unfortunately? That concern was realistic.

“I’d rather not have somebody tracing ITZY’s movements through my license plate eventually.” Yeji looked toward me quietly after that. Warmly. Jihyo nodded slowly afterward. “That’s fair. We can arrange that.” Then Yeji tilted her head slightly. “Hold on, Ben.” she looked toward me carefully afterward. “Looking back your car actually IS expensive if you think it would be that easy to trace back, isn’t it?” I immediately narrowed my eyes toward John before he even opened his mouth. “You stay out of this.” “I didn’t even SAY anything yet.” “You looked financially enthusiastic.” “That’s profiling.”

Yeji laughed quietly beside me afterward. “But seriously,” she continued, “the brand wasn’t Korean. I didn’t recognize it.” John immediately folded his arms. “Oh it’s expensive-expensive.” This bloody traitor. “It’s custom-built too,” he added helpfully. “John” that didn’t make him stop. “What?” John looked immediately defensive. “What? I’m contributing context.”

“You’re contributing financial slander.” “That thing probably costs more than my apartment.” “That’s statistically possible.”

Silence. Then immediately “What?” Yeji stared at me now. Jihyo slowly lowered her drink afterward. And honestly? I could physically feel this conversation becoming more psychologically irritating by the second. “It’s just a car.”

“That is ABSOLUTELY not how rich people say ‘just a car,’” John answered immediately. Yeji narrowed her eyes slightly afterward. “Are you actually rich-rich?” I immediately leaned back in my chair. “We are not doing this conversation.”

“That means yes,” Yeji answered immediately. “Psychologically invasive behavior.” John added helpfully “Deflection”. I turned back at him “You traitorous asshole.” Jihyo looked mildly entertained now too. Concerning development. Then eventually Yeji glanced between me and John again “…Okay but how rich are we talking exactly?” I pointed toward John immediately “If he answers this incorrectly, I’m revoking his friendship privileges.”

“You can’t revoke those.” “Watch me.” John looked entirely too entertained now. “Well…” He leaned back slightly afterward. “You know how Mina is terrifyingly wealthy, right?” Yeji blinked once slowly. “How wealthy are we talking?” John and Jihyo exchanged a look first. That made the answer significantly worse already. Then eventually John sighed dramatically “Mina could probably buy JYPE herself if she genuinely wanted to.” Silence. Yeji stared. I rubbed lightly at my forehead. And somehow the fact nobody denied it probably answered enough already. “That should not be normal,” I muttered. “You’re not allowed to say that anymore,” John answered immediately.

Then Yeji slowly looked back toward me “Okay then, what about YOU?” Oh no. Absolutely not. I immediately stood up slightly from my chair “I’m leaving.” John answered instantly. “You signed paperwork already, you legally can’t.” Jihyo finally rubbed lightly at her temple afterward. “Sit down, Ben.” This was emotional abuse, but I sat back down anyway. “Theoretically” John began carefully while visibly trying not to laugh already, “if Ben liquidated and pooled most of his CURRENT resources together—”

“John.” “—he could probably buy enough shares to own majority control of JYPE. Something around 80 to 85% of the shares. I did the math already.” The silence was broken by singular “…What.” from Yeji who looked genuinely horrified now. I immediately pointed toward John again. “This is why rich people don’t tell people things.”

“That wasn’t even the weird part.” “There’s a WEIRDER PART?” John looked deeply entertained now. “He gets richer accidentally.” “That is not a real sentence,” Jihyo muttered. “It IS,” John continued. “I swear this man wakes up wealthier every six months without trying.” “That sounds villainous,” Yeji answered immediately. “I invest intelligently,” I defended calmly. “You bought a company once because you were annoyed at their customer service.” “That was strategically justified.” “That was psychotic.”

Jihyo covered her face briefly afterward while Yeji stared at me like she was reassessing every interaction we’d ever had. Then eventually Yeji looked toward me again. Much quieter this time “…You genuinely didn’t need this job financially, did you?” The room softened slightly afterward. I answered honestly “No.” Yeji watched me carefully afterward “Then why take it?” Honestly, answering that felt easier now than it probably ever had before “Because of the people mattered” a simple answer yet a true one too. The room stayed quiet afterward for a second longer than before.

“That was disgustingly sincere.” John immediately ruined the emotional atmosphere “Oh shut up.” “No seriously that sounded emotionally cinematic.” “Coming from the man who practiced confession lines in front of a mirror for three hours.”

Silence. Complete silence “YOU DID WHAT?” Yeji nearly folded forward laughing. John looked like his soul physically left his body. “You PROMISED never to bring that up again.” “Hey you made fun of my sincerity first, best buddy.” “That was DIFFERENT.” “It absolutely was not.” Jihyo was laughing hard enough now that she physically had to lower her head into one hand while Yeji looked seconds away from crying from laughter beside me. Watching John die internally across the table healed something inside me spiritually. “It gets WORSE,” I continued calmly while John looked ready to leap across the table and strangle me.

“BEN.” “He kept rejecting his own confession lines out loud because he thought he sounded manipulative.”

Yeji actually covered her face laughing now “No way.” John was red all over “I was trying to sound sincere!” I couldn’t hold a straight face anymore, “You sounded like somebody negotiating a hostage release emotionally.” Jihyo was openly crying laughing now while John looked deeply betrayed by everyone present. Then suddenly Yeji glanced sideways toward me again. The from the look of her terrified something in me. “…Benjie.”

Oh hell no. I immediately narrowed my eyes toward her “Nope.” Yeji looked entirely too pleased with herself now “Benjie.” John folded forward instantly laughing. “OH that’s sticking permanently.” My face was buried deep in my hand “I will leave.” John didn’t waste the chance to clap back “Remember, you legally can’t” John answered immediately. This traitorous golden retriever of a man. Yeji looked openly delighted now too— I guess I’ll let this slide for now. “…You look like a Benjie.” never mind, I take that back. “That sentence psychologically harmed me, Yeji.”

Jihyo finally wiped briefly beneath one eye afterward while still recovering from laughter. And somewhere between emotional collapse, NDAs, psychological intervention, accidental relationship ecosystems, billionaire allegations and John’s public humiliation. The atmosphere at the table stopped feeling heavy entirely. It just felt alive. Which might’ve been the healthiest thing about all of this.

By the time the four of us finally left the café, the sun had already started dipping lower across Seoul’s skyline. The conversation somehow never fully recovered afterward. Not professionally at least. John was still emotionally damaged from the mirror-confession incident. Jihyo looked one inconvenience away from revoking everybody’s speaking privileges permanently. And Yeji still looked entirely too pleased with herself every time she quietly muttered “Benjie”. This has got to be a psychological war crime somewhere.

John eventually stopped near his car first before trying say another smug thing I cut him off “Say one more thing and they’ll never find your body” I told him gave him a death glare. But this was cut short from what I could tell was Yeji muttering out her new favorite word “…Benjie.” I closed my eyes slowly “Yeji, I’ll admit I’m more than happy with you calling me that. But not in front of John, please?” this warranted more hysterical laughter from John.  Yeji looked genuinely delighted beside me while John nearly collapsed laughing against his car. Jihyo looked exhausted. Reasonable reaction honestly. Then eventually she glanced toward both of us properly afterward. And for the first time since this entire conversation started— her expression softened fully. “…Take care of each other,” Jihyo said quietly. Those were simple words. But heavy enough that neither Yeji nor I joked afterward. “We will,” Yeji answered softly beside me. The certainty in her voice affected me more than expected.

A few minutes later, the city lights blurred quietly outside the windows while I drove us back through the slower evening traffic. This time neither of us spoke much. Not because things were awkward. Because they weren’t anymore. Yeji eventually leaned slightly closer against my shoulder while absentmindedly scrolling through messages on her phone again. Then suddenly “Ryujin wants to meet you properly.” Well, there was the beginning of my downfall “What does ‘properly’ mean in this context?” “She added a shark emoji.” “That clarified absolutely nothing.” “It probably shouldn’t.” I sighed softly afterward while Yeji laughed quietly beside me again. For the first time in a very long time— the future no longer sounded exhausting anymore.

Leeseo stopped and turned around. "Would it kill you to announce yourself?" she asked.

Scott put his arms around her and hugged her. "Nice to see you, too," he said sarcastically. The music ended, and he noticed that she'd been watching a video on her laptop. It was a present from their grandparents for her eighteenth birthday.

"What's up?" she asked.

"My schedule gives me two days off in a row, so I thought I'd come home to my beautiful family." As he said this, he let his guard down. Leeseo hugged him back, and in the effort, brought her shirt up. Scott's hands were now directly on her ass. "My really beautiful family," he added with a smile. Leeseo stopped hugging him and stepped back. "So, what are you doing?"

"Mom and Dad had theatre tickets, so I'm taking the opportunity to teach myself how to twerk."

"Looks like you're a fast learner. But why?"

"I'm hoping to get Jimmy to make a move on me."

"What move? You've been dating him for two months."

Leeseo put her hands on her hips and rubbed up and down. "I mean, a move."

"An ass like yours, and he hasn't made a move? What's wrong with him?"

"Glad you noticed," Leeseo said.

Scott sat in the chair at her desk and told her, "Show me what you've learned."

Leeseo clicked on another video. She followed the woman's moves, starting by shaking her chest. Scott was well placed, since the whole thing was viewed from behind. Leeseo's boobs swayed far enough on both sides to keep Scott's interest. On the next move, she leaned her chest forward, then pushed her stomach forward and then shook her ass.

"How long have you been practicing?" Scott asked.

"Since yesterday," Leeseo answered.

"That's amazing! It only took you a day to be able to make each cheek move up without using your hands!"

"Artistry is great, but that's not really what I'm aiming for. I want a reaction!" She turned around and saw Scott rubbing his crotch. Scott immediately moved his hands away, but Leeseo said, "No, that's good. At least I know I'm doing it right."

"Don't let me stop you," he told her. Even when he had his hands on her ass, he couldn't tell if she was wearing anything besides the T-shirt.

Leeseo backed the video up a couple times until she found a good spot to resume her workout. This time, when she got to the ass-shaking, she bent over so far that Scott had his answer. "Hell, yeah!" he told her.

"You like it?" she asked. She could see him in the mirror approaching her, and she did nothing to stop him, not even when she felt his fingers between her thighs.

"Do I ever!" he said.

Leeseo locked her legs for a moment, trapping his hand. She had to make a decision. She'd always been taught that this was abuse, but it sure felt okay to her. She loosened up to see what he'd do. He didn't move back, as if he were embarrassed, or forward, as if he were eager. She took a step backward. He pulled his hand back, but he put both hands on her butt. "What does it make you want to do?" she asked.

"Right now, just this," he answered, and he caressed each cheek.

Leeseo resumed gyrating her hips, but slowly. "That's what I was hoping for," she said. "Well, part of it, anyway."

Scott took his right hand off her butt and put it under the front of her shirt. He moved it up and confirmed that she wasn't wearing a bra. "Like this?" he asked.

His hand felt so natural on her breast. "More like this," Leeseo answered, and she moved his hand a little so his palm was over her erect nipple.

"And maybe this?" Scott took his left hand off her butt and moved it to the front as well. Her left nipple tingled in anticipation, but instead, he put it over her pussy and began stroking it.

As he was moving her hand, she knew she was going to have to make a decision, but when she felt his fingertips sift through her pubic hair, there was no more question what she wanted. "Yeah, like that," she cooed. He inserted a finger and tried to finger-fuck her. She felt his jeans against her ass, and she could tell there was a bulge. "You seem a little uncomfortable," she said.

"Yeah, I am," Scott admitted. He removed his hands. Leeseo turned around, but he asked, "Did I say to stop? I haven't seen anything like this all semester."

She turned back to face the mirror and kept moving her hips. She could see him unbuckling his pants. She was concentrating on her own moves when she heard them fall to the floor. He came up behind her, and she could feel his hardness through his underwear against her butt. This time instead of playing with her tits, he stroked her pussy with his left hand and her clit with the right. "Oh, God … Oh, God," she moaned. She got up on the balls of her feet so he could get more of his erection between her legs. They ground their hips together, both knowing what they ultimately wanted, but neither willing to be the one to break the tension they were already enjoying.

Finally, the song ended. Leeseo had to step forward to choose another clip. When she moved back, Scott pointed his dick between her ass cheeks. She raised her feet again to let him through, and this time the head slipped through the opening in his underwear. She spread her thighs a little. As soon as he moved forward, she closed her thighs again. They continued bumping and grinding, enjoying just that moment, for the next couple minutes. Then the woman in the video gave Leeseo an instruction to pull her hips forward as far as she could. When she did, Scott's dick came out, but when the instruction came to grind back, his dick went all the way through her thighs. She had one more chance to change her mind. Maybe he was thinking the same thing. I'll let him decide, the thought. If he develops a conscience, we'll never speak of it again. If not, I'll have something to talk about in the anonymous forums. She bent down to where her chest was almost horizontal, and she saw his dick for the first time. Did she say, "Wow," or did she only think it? It was the thickest she'd ever seen. Brother or not, she had to find out how it felt inside her.

Scott pulled back and went forward, and buried his dick in her pussy. "Is this the reaction you were hoping for?" he asked.

"Not from you," she said, "but yes."

"Sorry," he said, and he started to pull out.

It was one thing when she wasn't sure what she wanted, but to have the choice taken away from her was unacceptable! She closed her thighs. "I didn't, but I do now!" She ground her hips left and right, and Scott thrust back and forth. Between the two of them, his cock was touching places that none of her previous dates had ever reached.

"You like twerking, huh? You like how it gets me all hard?"

"Yeah, I do!" Leeseo agreed.

"You like my cock going deep in your cunt?"

"I do! I do! Fuck me harder, Scott!"

Leeseo's moves made it difficult, but Scott was picking up the pace. "Oh, shit!" he shouted. "Who knew what a sexy sister I've got!"

"Oh, I love hearing that," Leeseo managed to gasp.

"Doesn't Jimmy tell you that?" Scott asked.

"He tells me I'm pretty and gets all poetic, but he never tells me I'm sexy."

"Then fuck him," Scott said.

"I've been trying to," Leeseo said with a laugh.

"Do you want him to come in your cunt?" Scott asked.

"I hadn't thought that far," Leeseo said. "Why do you-Oh!" She could feel his cock tensing up. She stopped moving. As soon as she felt her brother's seed flowing into her womb, her own orgasm began. "Oh, shit, yes," she moaned.

After Scott's dick fell out of Leeseo's pussy, they sat on her bed. "Are you as hot as I am?" Scott asked.

"Probably," she said, and she took her shirt off. Scott did the same.

"You know, that's not the only thing that came to mind when I was watching you."

"What else?" Leeseo asked.

"Think about it," Scott answered. "I walked in on a sexy ass moving in a sexy way. I don't know whether you like—"

Leeseo's eyes lit up. "Do it!" she ordered. Scott got up on his knees, and she pulled his underwear down that far. She turned around while he removed his last bit of clothing. Scott went slowly, but the two of them had produced plenty of natural lubricant. It only took a few thrusts to get his dick well inside her asshole. "Yeah … yeah … but do my tits like you were before."

Scott put his hands under her stomach and lifted. She rose until her chest was upright. He continued to ram his cock in and out, but he was able to rub each breast in circles, occasionally moving a palm to rub a nipple. "Oh, yeah, you've got such soft tits, Leeseo. I wanna suck them later."

"No time like the present," Leeseo said. She pushed him back. To her own surprise, she even liked how his dick felt on the way out of her ass. She turned around to face him.

Scott put his left hand behind her back. He cupped her pussy with his right, leaned down and licked her nipple. She pulled his right hand toward her, and he put two fingers inside her. He alternated breasts but kept going deeper with his fingers. She reached for his dick and began stroking it. "Oh, shit," he moaned. "I want you again."

Leeseo took his fingers out of her pussy and lay back. Scott lined his cock up and slid inside her in a single motion. He put his hands under her shoulders and kissed her. She returned his kiss, but she also wrapped her legs around his waist. "Deeper!" she commanded.

Scott could hardly have refused if he'd wanted to. He moved his hands under her buttocks and thrust harder. "Shit, I'm gonna come again!"

"Give it to me," Leeseo moaned. "I want it all! Flood your sister's cunt with your cum!"

"Here it comes!" he announced.

Leeseo put her arms around him and held him close while she felt him flooding her with his second load. When he stopped coming, she continued to hold him in place. She looked at him and asked, "You really do think I'm sexy, don't you?"

"Well, yeah," Scott answered. "I'd have to be blind not to."

Leeseo moved her hands to Scott's biceps. "You're not too bad yourself," she said with a smile.

"I don't know what to say," Scott replied. "I'm not insecure enough to immediately light up when you say that, but I'm not conceited enough to say, 'Yeah, I know.' So, uh, thanks! I try to take care of myself." There was an awkward silence for a couple minutes. Scott broke it by noting, "At one point when you were playing with my dick, I thought you were going to suck me."

"Disappointed?" Leeseo giggled.

"I came home expecting to have an ordinary dinner with my family and instead I had the best fuck of my life. How can I be disappointed? Besides, I didn't do the same for you."

"Maybe next time," Leeseo suggested.

"I could give you a hell of a graduation present in a couple months," Scott said.

"I don't wanna wait that long," Leeseo replied. "Come home some weekend. We can both tell Mom and Dad that we have dates and go off someplace."

"Yeah, I know a park that has a lot of private areas," Scott told her, and he laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"I'm probably gonna tell my friends that I've got a date at home who I know is gonna suck my dick. I just won't tell 'em who my date is." He looked at her expression. "You want me to keep silent?"

Leeseo stopped and turned around. "Would it kill you to announce yourself?" she asked.

Scott put his arms around her and hugged her. "Nice to see you, too," he said sarcastically. The music ended, and he noticed that she'd been watching a video on her laptop. It was a present from their grandparents for her eighteenth birthday.

"What's up?" she asked.

"My schedule gives me two days off in a row, so I thought I'd come home to my beautiful family." As he said this, he let his guard down. Leeseo hugged him back, and in the effort, brought her shirt up. Scott's hands were now directly on her ass. "My really beautiful family," he added with a smile. Leeseo stopped hugging him and stepped back. "So, what are you doing?"

"Mom and Dad had theatre tickets, so I'm taking the opportunity to teach myself how to twerk."

"Looks like you're a fast learner. But why?"

"I'm hoping to get Jimmy to make a move on me."

"What move? You've been dating him for two months."

Leeseo put her hands on her hips and rubbed up and down. "I mean, a move."

"An ass like yours, and he hasn't made a move? What's wrong with him?"

"Glad you noticed," Leeseo said.

Scott sat in the chair at her desk and told her, "Show me what you've learned."

Leeseo clicked on another video. She followed the woman's moves, starting by shaking her chest. Scott was well placed, since the whole thing was viewed from behind. Leeseo's boobs swayed far enough on both sides to keep Scott's interest. On the next move, she leaned her chest forward, then pushed her stomach forward and then shook her ass.

"How long have you been practicing?" Scott asked.

"Since yesterday," Leeseo answered.

"That's amazing! It only took you a day to be able to make each cheek move up without using your hands!"

"Artistry is great, but that's not really what I'm aiming for. I want a reaction!" She turned around and saw Scott rubbing his crotch. Scott immediately moved his hands away, but Leeseo said, "No, that's good. At least I know I'm doing it right."

"Don't let me stop you," he told her. Even when he had his hands on her ass, he couldn't tell if she was wearing anything besides the T-shirt.

Leeseo backed the video up a couple times until she found a good spot to resume her workout. This time, when she got to the ass-shaking, she bent over so far that Scott had his answer. "Hell, yeah!" he told her.

"You like it?" she asked. She could see him in the mirror approaching her, and she did nothing to stop him, not even when she felt his fingers between her thighs.

"Do I ever!" he said.

Leeseo locked her legs for a moment, trapping his hand. She had to make a decision. She'd always been taught that this was abuse, but it sure felt okay to her. She loosened up to see what he'd do. He didn't move back, as if he were embarrassed, or forward, as if he were eager. She took a step backward. He pulled his hand back, but he put both hands on her butt. "What does it make you want to do?" she asked.

"Right now, just this," he answered, and he caressed each cheek.

Leeseo resumed gyrating her hips, but slowly. "That's what I was hoping for," she said. "Well, part of it, anyway."

Scott took his right hand off her butt and put it under the front of her shirt. He moved it up and confirmed that she wasn't wearing a bra. "Like this?" he asked.

His hand felt so natural on her breast. "More like this," Leeseo answered, and she moved his hand a little so his palm was over her erect nipple.

"And maybe this?" Scott took his left hand off her butt and moved it to the front as well. Her left nipple tingled in anticipation, but instead, he put it over her pussy and began stroking it.

As he was moving her hand, she knew she was going to have to make a decision, but when she felt his fingertips sift through her pubic hair, there was no more question what she wanted. "Yeah, like that," she cooed. He inserted a finger and tried to finger-fuck her. She felt his jeans against her ass, and she could tell there was a bulge. "You seem a little uncomfortable," she said.

"Yeah, I am," Scott admitted. He removed his hands. Leeseo turned around, but he asked, "Did I say to stop? I haven't seen anything like this all semester."

She turned back to face the mirror and kept moving her hips. She could see him unbuckling his pants. She was concentrating on her own moves when she heard them fall to the floor. He came up behind her, and she could feel his hardness through his underwear against her butt. This time instead of playing with her tits, he stroked her pussy with his left hand and her clit with the right. "Oh, God … Oh, God," she moaned. She got up on the balls of her feet so he could get more of his erection between her legs. They ground their hips together, both knowing what they ultimately wanted, but neither willing to be the one to break the tension they were already enjoying.

Finally, the song ended. Leeseo had to step forward to choose another clip. When she moved back, Scott pointed his dick between her ass cheeks. She raised her feet again to let him through, and this time the head slipped through the opening in his underwear. She spread her thighs a little. As soon as he moved forward, she closed her thighs again. They continued bumping and grinding, enjoying just that moment, for the next couple minutes. Then the woman in the video gave Leeseo an instruction to pull her hips forward as far as she could. When she did, Scott's dick came out, but when the instruction came to grind back, his dick went all the way through her thighs. She had one more chance to change her mind. Maybe he was thinking the same thing. I'll let him decide, the thought. If he develops a conscience, we'll never speak of it again. If not, I'll have something to talk about in the anonymous forums. She bent down to where her chest was almost horizontal, and she saw his dick for the first time. Did she say, "Wow," or did she only think it? It was the thickest she'd ever seen. Brother or not, she had to find out how it felt inside her.

Scott pulled back and went forward, and buried his dick in her pussy. "Is this the reaction you were hoping for?" he asked.

"Not from you," she said, "but yes."

"Sorry," he said, and he started to pull out.

It was one thing when she wasn't sure what she wanted, but to have the choice taken away from her was unacceptable! She closed her thighs. "I didn't, but I do now!" She ground her hips left and right, and Scott thrust back and forth. Between the two of them, his cock was touching places that none of her previous dates had ever reached.

"You like twerking, huh? You like how it gets me all hard?"

"Yeah, I do!" Leeseo agreed.

"You like my cock going deep in your cunt?"

"I do! I do! Fuck me harder, Scott!"

Leeseo's moves made it difficult, but Scott was picking up the pace. "Oh, shit!" he shouted. "Who knew what a sexy sister I've got!"

"Oh, I love hearing that," Leeseo managed to gasp.

"Doesn't Jimmy tell you that?" Scott asked.

"He tells me I'm pretty and gets all poetic, but he never tells me I'm sexy."

"Then fuck him," Scott said.

"I've been trying to," Leeseo said with a laugh.

"Do you want him to come in your cunt?" Scott asked.

"I hadn't thought that far," Leeseo said. "Why do you-Oh!" She could feel his cock tensing up. She stopped moving. As soon as she felt her brother's seed flowing into her womb, her own orgasm began. "Oh, shit, yes," she moaned.

After Scott's dick fell out of Leeseo's pussy, they sat on her bed. "Are you as hot as I am?" Scott asked.

"Probably," she said, and she took her shirt off. Scott did the same.

"You know, that's not the only thing that came to mind when I was watching you."

"What else?" Leeseo asked.

"Think about it," Scott answered. "I walked in on a sexy ass moving in a sexy way. I don't know whether you like—"

Leeseo's eyes lit up. "Do it!" she ordered. Scott got up on his knees, and she pulled his underwear down that far. She turned around while he removed his last bit of clothing. Scott went slowly, but the two of them had produced plenty of natural lubricant. It only took a few thrusts to get his dick well inside her asshole. "Yeah … yeah … but do my tits like you were before."

Scott put his hands under her stomach and lifted. She rose until her chest was upright. He continued to ram his cock in and out, but he was able to rub each breast in circles, occasionally moving a palm to rub a nipple. "Oh, yeah, you've got such soft tits, Leeseo. I wanna suck them later."

"No time like the present," Leeseo said. She pushed him back. To her own surprise, she even liked how his dick felt on the way out of her ass. She turned around to face him.

Scott put his left hand behind her back. He cupped her pussy with his right, leaned down and licked her nipple. She pulled his right hand toward her, and he put two fingers inside her. He alternated breasts but kept going deeper with his fingers. She reached for his dick and began stroking it. "Oh, shit," he moaned. "I want you again."

Leeseo took his fingers out of her pussy and lay back. Scott lined his cock up and slid inside her in a single motion. He put his hands under her shoulders and kissed her. She returned his kiss, but she also wrapped her legs around his waist. "Deeper!" she commanded.

Scott could hardly have refused if he'd wanted to. He moved his hands under her buttocks and thrust harder. "Shit, I'm gonna come again!"

"Give it to me," Leeseo moaned. "I want it all! Flood your sister's cunt with your cum!"

"Here it comes!" he announced.

Leeseo put her arms around him and held him close while she felt him flooding her with his second load. When he stopped coming, she continued to hold him in place. She looked at him and asked, "You really do think I'm sexy, don't you?"

"Well, yeah," Scott answered. "I'd have to be blind not to."

Leeseo moved her hands to Scott's biceps. "You're not too bad yourself," she said with a smile.

"I don't know what to say," Scott replied. "I'm not insecure enough to immediately light up when you say that, but I'm not conceited enough to say, 'Yeah, I know.' So, uh, thanks! I try to take care of myself." There was an awkward silence for a couple minutes. Scott broke it by noting, "At one point when you were playing with my dick, I thought you were going to suck me."

"Disappointed?" Leeseo giggled.

"I came home expecting to have an ordinary dinner with my family and instead I had the best fuck of my life. How can I be disappointed? Besides, I didn't do the same for you."

"Maybe next time," Leeseo suggested.

"I could give you a hell of a graduation present in a couple months," Scott said.

"I don't wanna wait that long," Leeseo replied. "Come home some weekend. We can both tell Mom and Dad that we have dates and go off someplace."

"Yeah, I know a park that has a lot of private areas," Scott told her, and he laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"I'm probably gonna tell my friends that I've got a date at home who I know is gonna suck my dick. I just won't tell 'em who my date is." He looked at her expression. "You want me to keep silent?"

“I wish he was never born.”

You overheard your mom’s prayers in the middle of the night. Your cheeks felt warm, and soon after it felt wet too.

.

Living with your mom should be enough. You only have each other. A good son would have to be able to persist, to live strongly, to pay back all the good deeds your mom has ever done to you.

Good deeds. Breakfast, mostly consisting of cheap spaghetti and salt. Dinner, still spaghetti and salt. Sleep? You’d be lucky if your mom didn’t call you to her room. Extinguish her half consumed cigarettes on your back. Throw the cans of beers right onto your head. Smash your shins with the handle of the broom. Study. School? You only ever learn by overhearing the kids next door working and mumbling through their homeworks. 

You still considered your mom as the kindest person ever. She still tended to your needs, even after everything she’s done in between. She provided a house, a bed, foods. That’s what’s called being responsible, right?

.

“Why did you leave me?!”

Why indeed. Why would father leave her alone? Why would he leave you in her care? You would never know. After all, what even is the point of having a father? Your mom is all you ever need to live.

.

“Take off your pants.”

“Yes, mom,” you obliged. Reluctant, hesitant, but never defiant.

It’s a ritual, she once said. To strengthen our bond. You nod. You could never remember what happened in those nights.

.

“I finally got myself a boyfriend! I will get rid of him tonight. Thank you, Lord!”

What was she even saying? A boyfriend? But she always said she hated dad. Mom always said she would never, ever have another dad. Weren’t you enough? She always said you were the perfect companion. A friend. A partner. Get rid of him. By him, did she mean…you?

The door to your room slammed open that night.

You weren’t there.

You weren’t everywhere.

=

“Neighh! Neighhh!”

Laughters. The two girls laughed in front of the mirror.

“That’s not how unicorns sound, stupid Haum!”

“Eh? Have you even seen one? I have!”

“Where?”

“In my dreams! Bweh~”

“Stupid Haum!”

“Stupider Jiyu~~”

Crash!

“Whoah!” the girls scream in unison. A boy suddenly came rushing through the front door of their house.

“Hel-help, help! My mom-she-she’s trying to kill me!”

What? The initial reaction is silence. Confusion. A complete stranger just broke through the door. Now he’s saying something taboo so very casually? Well, not casually per se. He was gasping, his face as pale as the sea of Banyu. He wasn’t lying. But, to say that his mom was going to kill him?

Jiyu decides to kneel forward. She’s trying to hold his shoulder as gently as possible. He still jumps at contact.

“W-what? Whe-where am I? I was just running through the forest…, and-and…, this was the first house that I see…,” you still gasp. You’ve run for so long, so far. Your throat can no longer lubricate itself. The sweats on your body have completely dried out. You pass out seconds after.

Thud.

“Akh!” the girls still standing are screaming.

“Haum! Go get the guy water, or something. Hurry! I can feel his soul trying to escape the body!”

“O-okay, okay! Hang on!” Haum rushes to the water source just at the back of the house. She pulls out the leaf of the Kelor around this small fountain. Holding just enough water to–hopefully–bring you back.

Jiyu doesn’t stay still. She quickly lifts your body and takes you to the bed. She puts you on the cushioning layers of animal hides. Your body is sizzling hot to her touch. She leaves you there, going to the kitchen to conjure up a special mixture of herbs to bring your temperature down. She’s really quick with her hands.

“Here!” Haum hands Jiyu the bowled leaf, full of fresh water.

“Give me a hand?” Jiyu carefully lifts your head up, then rests it on her raised thigh. She’s kneeling beside your unconscious body.

Haum quickly responds. She brings the leaf closer to your mouth, nudging your stiff chapped lips slightly open. The water trickles down, you gulp instinctively.

“There, there,” Jiyu points her mouth to where the special mixture is placed. “It should help, the Jamu will stabilize his body.”

Haum nods and does exactly what she did before, just with Jamu instead of fresh water this time.

And work it really does. Your breath calms down almost immediately as your dangerously high fever cools down. Jiyu puts your head slowly back down and leaves you to lay there in peace.

“Phew!” Jiyu wipes her forehead upon leaving the room.

“What even was that?! I thought unicorn was something, but this? This is a whole new world!” Haum excitedly exclaims.

Jiyu looks up at her–Haum is slightly taller, a fact Jiyu will never be able to live down. “Don’t treat her like some kind of an exotic creature. That’s not polite.”

Haum shrugs. “Welp. He broke into our house. Don’t know which one is worse at this point.”

“You know what, that’s a fair point.”

=

It’s been a week. Maybe. You’re not entirely sure. Actually, you’re not even sure if this entire ordeal is real or no deal. You just remembered feelings. Anguish. Dread. Exhaustion.

All of a sudden you’re here. Inside this really weird shaped house. Being taken care of by two divinely pretty girls. Come to think of it, you haven’t even talked to them at all–you did, you forgot those, you were messed up then anyways.

“H-hello-”

“Oh, hi! Are you feeling well already?” Jiyu answers attentively. She’s initially just standing in the room, looking into the mirror–specifically, at your reflection. Her eyes catch yours when you open your mouth. She turns around to face you, face all bright and sparkly. This is the first time you open your mouth for reasons other than eating and drinking.

“Yeah…, those bitter liquids…, I feel like they help a lot. Still very bitter though.”

She chuckles. “Yeah, I know right? Those are called Jamu, they’re good for you! Even if the taste isn’t,” she’s sitting on the edge of this…bed…? It feels very primitive. Seeing that it’s made up of nothing but woods and mixture of animal skins and furs.

“Yeah. Uhm, thanks. Y-you’re so kind.”

Jiyu closes the distance. Very quickly at that. This was something you realised ever since you gained consciousness. She moves like the air itself, light, swift, weightless. This is one of those examples, by the time you know it her hand is already on your shoulder. “You’re very welco-”

You hurriedly back away. Dragging the sheets of animal fur with you. Your heart is palpitating. Hands gripping the sheets tight. Your eyes blink rapidly, without you realizing. You look at her like she’s holding a knife pointed right at your face.

“I’m sorry. I, uh,” she retracts her hand awkwardly. “It seems like you still need some time. Well, if you ever need help, just call my name okay?” her voice is naturally high pitched, but it sounds gentle and caring. She backs away and stands by the bed, just as swiftly as always, before leaving the room.

Your breath is stuck at the upper part of your throat. You know she doesn’t mean any harm. Your body just does these things involuntarily, ever since you left that place. Actually, you don’t even know whether or not your body has been doing this for as long as you can remember. Which is the main issue for now, you can’t remember shit.

Just a memory of someone threatening you, apparently a female. Mom. Do you even have a mom? You’re not sure, but this exact figure is super vicious, scary, everything regarding her is just so bad. Then you remember being exhausted to the point of almost dying, before you came here. That’s it, anything else is just a hazy memory.

.

“So, how was he?” Haum asks. Her hands are muddied. She just tended the garden.

“He finally speaks.”

“Well that’s good then! How about we-”

“Still terrified of us. Like, he’s looking at me like I’m something really, really bad. I don’t think there’s much we can do for now,” Jiyu sighs. Her position shifted from just in front of Haum to now sitting on the chair behind. A chair made entirely of solid dirt and pebbles.

Haum sways her hand, pointing sideways. The chair Jiyu is sitting on is extended just enough to fit two people. She crashes her ass down; “Huft! Well, at the very least you’ve introduced yourself, right?”

Jiyu exaggeratingly facepalms herself. The air around the room breezes upwards in accordance. “I haven’t!”

=

Weeks gone by. You have now understood that this isn’t the world of humans. It’s unclear what it is, at first. But you slowly start to pick things up.

The residents of the house, the two beautiful girls–can you even call them girls?--named Jiyu and Haum are creatures that utilise the energy around them for everything they do. Elves, they told you, when you mumbled about it on the bed. Jiyu uses the energy of air, which explains her tendency to move really quick. Haum on the other hand uses earth, which explains the frequent vibrations in and or around the house–you genuinely thought they were earthquakes at first. She’s way stronger than she appears. 

“Morning!” Jiyu greets. She’s floating in the air in the backyards. “Ah, do you wanna try? Here, hold my hand!”

You politely decline. Yes. You have progressed to explore the world outside the room now. This house is way larger than what you’re familiar with.

“Aw cmon, how many times do I have to tell you that I won’t bring you any-” Jiyu pushes the air below her, blowing into the fountain and redirecting the air right onto your face; “-harm!”

The water is wet in this world–duh.

Your hand fidgets around your waist. You’re soaked. Jiyu is laughing now with her belly pointed up, she's curling up in laughter. You’re not sure what to do. So, in the midst of confusion, you dig up a handful of dirt and throw it to her. It lands right onto her face.

The laughter stopped. Jiyu freezes up–still in air. Then, in one swift motion, she’s floating right in front of your face. Her slender finger, the index, is tapping your nose. “Now up!”

You scream. You’re fucking flying. How can you not scream?

Jiyu’s laughter is back with double the intensity. You’re finally floating with her.

You spend the whole afternoon in the air. Floating around. Screaming around. Playing around. It was an afternoon well spent.

“O-okay Jiyu, n-now is really the time to go back to the ground…I’m…hungry…?”

Jiyu chuckles at your pathetic attempt to lie, though she does let you go down. In air, she’s lying down while resting her chin on both of her palms. Her legs are folded, her soles swaying around similar to how a duck moves. “So, how was that?”

It was an unknown variable. To try out flying, of all things. But the fact that you didn’t feel hurt anywhere, whether physically and mentally, could only mean that you actually had some fun, right? Jiyu has done nothing but good deeds.

“T-thanks. What do I need to do i-in return, Jiyu?”

Jiyu’s wide smile loosens. Her facial muscles are tightening in response. She’s landing gracefully. “Hey, you don’t need to do anything. We just had fun. Together. Us. Okay?” she’s considering gently patting your shoulder, but decided against it.

Your jaw trembles. That doesn’t feel right at all. 

“B-but, I have to repay any good deeds I get! O-or, or else-”

You feel something touching your cheek. It feels feathery. Like falling into a sea of pillows. It’s warm, comforting, it’s everything you’re expecting a touch from someone would be. For the first time since you got here, Jiyu braved herself to touch you, on your cheek of all places. Weirdly enough, you have no intention to shy away from it.

“If you insist, let’s eat dinner together. Is that okay?” Jiyu’s voice is a warm soothing wave crashing into every ending of your nerves.

You’re not entirely sure of it, but for the first time in your life, you feel like it’s really okay to just be.

“Did you guys have fuuunnnnn??? I brought mushroommsssss from the jungiesss~~” it’s Haum. She sounds elevated—zoomies exists here.

Jiyu instantly withdraws her hand the moment she hears Haum. Her cheeks are slowly filled with life as she throws her face aside.

=

Months into this life in the new realm. It is very similar to the environment you lived in before. Same reds. Same greens. Same blues. Everything looks the part, except for the fact that everything is bigger here.

You’re outside, floating beside Jiyu, waiting for a flying creature to pass by. The familiar term for this is hunting, but Jiyu insists on calling it an act of maintaining the balance of nature. Quite a roundabout way of spelling hunting, but you shrug.

“Have you ever done this before?” Jiyu whispers. Her eyes are focused on the sky.

“Hunting-” Jiyu cuts you off with a sharp stare. “I mean, maintaining balance? No, not really.”

Jiyu looks proud of herself, high smile and all. “Well, you’ll learn from the best,” she points at herself, displaying a cocky smirk. Chin pointing high up. Her chest is puffing up. What a cute elf. Wait, cute?

Then, a thundering sound is heard. It sounds like a clap, almost. A clap that cuts through the air, a cannon. This clap can be heard multiple times. And it gets louder with each repetition. Whatever it is, it’s huge. And approaching fast.

You look at Jiyu. Your face is all scrunched up. This is dangerous, right? What if the creature is overly aggressive? Based on the sound you already know it’s gonna be massive. Your brain is running on nothing but negative thoughts. On the contrary, Jiyu looks thrilled. Wide smile. Bright eyes. Her most excited face so far. She’s making multiple hand signs–no, it’s not a Rasengan–as the sound gets closer and closer.

“It’s here! The Elang!” she says, all smiles.

What you see next, however, isn’t something exactly fitting to be smiling at. It is a creature, and it is flying, but you cannot comprehend one thing; the sheer size of it. It’s a floating goliath. Its wingspan is as big as a damn schoolbus, if not more. The body is feathery, and the head has a pair of beaks, instead of horrifyingly sharp teeth–thank God. But then you see the claws, they’re the size of a small moped, each. You take cover behind Jiyu’s back. You’re not sure why, but the air behind her feels way more intimidating than the literal monster closing its distance.

“Here goes nothing,” Jiyu stretches her neck, turning her head left and right, before jumping ahead. Her hands are vibrating. No, the air around them is. Her fingers are all straightened up, like a blade almost. As she’s getting further from where you’re at, the air around her hands are vibrating more and more, making it look thicker and sharper. “Hey!”

Slash!

That’s it. That’s all you hear before this flying behemoth suddenly stops in its tracks. It doesn’t even have the chance to screech. It doesn’t even seem to realize that its head is slowly separating from the body, with Jiyu floating closely underneath its neck. Wow.

“Hup!” Jiyu claps her hand, the thick air around it instantly disperse. She keeps her hand together though, seemingly charging the air. Then, she motions her hands down and up. The creature, that was starting to fall, is held on by the invisible force. 

Jiyu gives you a thumbs up. “It’s done!” she says, all smiles. Like she didn’t just kill a monster without breaking so much of a sweat.

You can’t close your mouth, the same applies with your eyes. You’re not sure whether it’s fear or astonishment. Probably both. However, seeing Jiyu so cheerful like that you can’t help but follow the excitement. You clap for her. Then she’s waving you over, bringing you closer with a gentle push from behind your back.

“Uhm, do we, uh, what do we do with… this?” you point to the lifeless body of the creature towering above the two of you.

“We eat them, of course. But this doesn’t belong to just us! We will share the meat with the other house, and the animals around. And the carcass will be the food for the jungle! Haum will take care of that. Now, to cut them evenly~”

Jiyu does the hand signs again, before the vibrating air appears around her hands. The invisible blade cuts through the meat and bones effortlessly. It takes no more than 10 minutes to split the creature evenly in 10 portions. She separates the remains and lets it fall slowly onto the jungle below. You can only watch with your hands folded and your legs curled up. You would consider throwing up at the gruesome scene playing right in front of your face, but Jiyu’s surgical cuts and her seriousness negates it. Instead you’re left with an open mouth and an open mind. She really is cute.

“So, do you wanna come with me delivering these to the other house?” Jiyu asks after clapping her hands.

You shake your head right after she says that. Not because you don’t want to, but because your thoughts get really far, really fast. One second you're thinking she’s cute. The next you’re thinking of having a happy family with her as the center of your everything. The audacity. What do you even have to offer? You can’t even kill a monster by yourself. Escaping one is your only achievement–barely.

“Uh, no! I mean, sure! Haha…”

You glide alongside her to a place further than ever. The landscape slowly changes. What was first a sea of thick-dense forest has now changed into that of literal sea. You are traveling along the skirt of the ocean. The sea breeze, the sound of the waves, the unique smell, are all something you have never experienced before. It is soothing your nerves–ones that are completely overwhelmed by the fact that you are traveling in flight mode with nothing but a thin veil of air for protection.

“This is Banyu!” she shouts. Barely audible. “We could search for animals here, but the one who protects it is rather annoying, and don’t get me started on her companion. Tch.”

You completely missed that one. Probably not important. You instead focus more on the jumping fishes below, seemingly greeting your presence. Those fishes are hella big.

.

“And we’re here.”

You nod. In front of you is a house right by the end of the cliff, on the edge of the beach. It looks just as big as the one where Jiyu and Haum live.

You land with a thud, while Jiyu’s is smoothly silent. “This is the house of fire and water.” she exclaims with an uncharacteristically flat voice. Upon second look, the house does look darker than hers–aura wise.

Jiyu knocks on the door. Three times, before an answer comes up.

Click.

The door opens. Two girls are behind it. Dark hair, and an even darker stare. Both of them are taller than Jiyu and Haum.

“Ssup,” one waves, it’s the tallest girl. The shorter one only greets you both with a chin-up.

“I got Elang meat. Here. About three months worth of supplies, more or less. Is my cured meat ready to pick up?”

“Oh yeah, come in. Let me pick it up for you.

Wait, Jiyu only, not that,” the taller girl points at you.

“Watch your mouth Sui.”

The mocking girl, apparently named Sui, faux a smile. “What? Jiyu.”

“This, here, is not that! He’s a friend!”

“Hah! A friend you say. If he’s really just a friend then why do you tend to him this much? Hm? You think we wouldn’t know?”

You can feel Sui literally heats up. Even though you are standing quite a distance away from the door, the heat emanating from her body is felt. Clearly she doesn’t want you in the perimeter. First it was a tickle, gentle poke of heat here and there. But then it escalates into a smothering ropes of fervor. The heat is so intense you can feel yourself almost getting a heatstroke. It doesn’t get better that the air around you feels a lot thinner than it initially is, as if all the oxygen is being sucked up to a point somewhere. Your head is getting lighter as your knees start to sway.

“Sui. That’s enough.”

“Shut up Leesol! Jiyu is the one at fault here!”

Leesol, the shorter girl, grabs Sui on the shoulder. The exact spot where she grabs her is steaming. An evaporation, if you remember the term correctly. The heat around you instantly cools down. You can breathe again. Then you look at Jiyu on your side, her hand is already forming the blade sign.

“Jiyu, it’s okay. I don’t really mind this at all, alright? Please don’t get hurt because of me,” you struggle to form sentences. Sweating all over the place.

Hearing that, her invisible blade dissipates. She huffs to the side of the ocean, it creates a strong gust of wind. “Relax. I won’t lose to her.”

“Jiyu, that’s not what I meant,” you grab her by the arm. You know there’s something around it, but you won’t pussy out just because of that. You’d rather get hurt yourself than seeing her fight for your sake. The air surrounding her cuts your hand, unintentionally. “Grrh!”

“No!” her air dissipates in an instant. Jiyu approaches. Her eyebrows furrow, her eyes are full of regret. You instantly back away. “N-no, sorry. I didn’t mean to do that…,” tears well up in the corner of her eyes.

She is crazy powerful. That’s a fact you can never forget. But, strangely, even though you are a bit terrified at the moment, the thought of her being angry at you still doesn’t get you in the slightest. If anything, you pity her right now.

“Ha! See? Just a friend you said? Then why don’t you accidentally cut his arm clean off!”

“Sui!” Leesol grabs Sui’s shoulder tighter. You can feel apprehension in her voice.

Jiyu grits her teeth. Her fists clench so hard it turns red. Is that blood dripping through her fingers? In a move you can never expect, she punches the air to the direction of their house. The boom is loud, so loud in fact, that you didn’t notice that Jiyu is screaming her heart out in front of you. A flurry of storm-like air blasts in the direction of her punch. Then you see the point of attack. There’s a thick wall of water shielding it.

Behind the water you can see Leesol is putting her arms up. Her entire person becomes a body of water. Beside her, you can also see Sui’s entire body enveloped in flames. The two have similarly turned themselves into an embodiment of their power. The ocean roars. Sending terrifying ripples of waves to the rocky cliff. Even through all the rough winds and splashes of water, you can still feel the air literally heats up. The situation is pretty similar to how it would feel to stand inside of a tornado. It’s fucking scary.

Your breath is halted. Your saliva is stuck in your throat. The impact from the heat before is still hindering your ability to speak normally, let alone scream, but you fight through it. It should be infinitely easier than watching them fight right here right now. “J-Jiyu!” you grab her shoulders once again, now also leaning into her. Your forehead touches hers.

Jiyu looks up at you. Her eyes are sparkling with a green hue, almost glowing. You haven’t considered it up until this point, but her tensed cheek, her gritting teeth, and her deep stare. Jiyu looks like she’s desperate for someone. Your hands move upwards to grasp her jaw. 

“Let’s go home,” you give her a smile. Earnest and hopeful.

A gulp. You can see her eyes sparkle. She silently nods. A single tear leaves the corner of her eye. The attacks stop. Much to your obliviousness, the sky that was dark before brightens up once again. She brings her fists down. Her tight jaw slackens, as is her shoulders. She’s calmed down.

The heavy atmosphere surrounding the area also gets lighter. As the sky gets bright, the wall of water slowly disappears. The raging noise of turbulent water slows down. The hot and uncomfortable air is getting cooler. The literal heat you can feel staring and burning into your body is gone. 

You brave yourself to look at the house. Sui and Leesol are no longer enveloped in their element. Sui folds her hands, looking to her side—the one without Leesol in her view—with pouting lips and furrowing eyebrows. She looks incredibly annoyed. Leesol beside her shakes her head and release her grip from Sui’s shoulder. She then walks up towards the two of you.

“Hey, Jiyu. Sorry about that okay? Just hang on a second I’ll bring your cured meat,” Leesol calms her down. She then looks at you with an apologetic pair of eyes. She bows a little, too, which is a surprise to both you and Jiyu. Leesol returns inside after you bow back. No more than 10 minutes later she’s back bringing heaps of supposedly cured meat. You can no longer see Sui around.

“Here you go, should be enough for five years or so,” then she leans in forward. “And if you all have it in you, please forgive Sui as well. The girl can be really fiery sometimes. Because, well, you know, fire,” Leesol gives you two a wink.

Jiyu weakly turns her head towards the house. Gives Leesol a nod. It is indeed a lot of processed meat, probably equal to two or three portions of the raw Elang meat she brings.

No further conversation is made after the exchange. Jiyu gives them more than enough raw meat, before taking off with all the cured meat behind her. It goes without saying that you’re following her flight by the side. Jiyu stayed silent for the whole trip, even after we reached home.

“Welcome~” Haum opens the door to see Jiyu in a somber expression just walks past her. She doesn’t look as puzzled though, when she sees the state you’re in. “Come in.”

Right when you pass her, Haum stops you in your tracks. “Come with me tomorrow,” she whispers.

=

You and Haum walk through the jungle. It is her duty to take care of yesterday's remains. Unlike Jiyu–and probably the other power wielders–Haum doesn’t really have a method to travel fast. Walking to yesterday’s spot will take us about four hours. 

Similar to Jiyu's manner yesterday, Haum doesn’t really speak much, if at all. You don’t try to conjure up a conversation either. Four hours felt like two days. You notice that your steps are way lighter in this realm. Or is it the residue from Jiyu’s power?

“Hey,” Haum strikes something up, finally.

You are already near the spot. The carcass is visible to the naked eyes. The smell is starting to get bad. “Yeah?”

“Brace yourself,”

“Wha-” then a hit. You bounce off the ground, flying several meters back. Haum’s hand is forming a fist towards where you were standing. You’d expect to get hurt, badly. Like several broken bones level of hurt. To your surprise, it doesn’t. It felt like the punch was cushioned, and so was your fall.

“Hah. So it is true,” she sighs. Then jumps towards you–she leaps like a leopard.

You wince, instinctively backing away. With those predator eyes she has, who wouldn’t?

Haum just laughs at it. “Relax, I won’t do anything more. She would kill me herself if she found out I hurt you. Here,” she lends you a hand.

You grab it in confusion. Still without a word.

“You notice it too, right? Don’t play dumb or else I will punch you for real this time.”

“N-no-I mean! Yes! Yes I do. No, please don’t punch me,” you raise your hands in surrender.

She chuckles. “Haaah…Jiyu likes you,” her voice low and sorry.

“...”

Haum looks up, staring at your face. “Do you not understand?”

You’d honestly prefer lying to her. To say something like ‘I do’. But you don’t, you can’t. Not when you truly don’t know what it even means to like someone. “N-no. I-I don’t know, I just, I don’t meet that many people. My world was limited to only…, one person before. I, respectfully, really don’t know what it is like to like people. But I do feel comfortable around Jiyu.”

“Yeah that’s called liking someone, asshole-” mean words, but her voice is soft and polite. “-You see, in this world, liking, loving someone is a taboo. Something we don’t normally do. Ever.”

“W-wait, I thought Jiyu and you are lovers?”

A laugh breaks through her mouth. It is quite hysterical, to the point of her bowing down holding her stomach because of it. “Seriously? Do we even look like that?”

“I mean, you two live in the same house…”

“Just because of that?” she laughs still, just not as hard. “Hah, oh well, I don’t really know the rules in your world, but no. We aren’t lovers okay? We came in pairs. Born in the same place. That house,” she wipes the tears from her eyes.

You frown. “Born? So your parents are?”

“Mother Earth, or Biyung, in our language. You see, we elves are an extension of our respective element. I’m sure you already know at this point, but Jiyu is air, I’m holding earth, and the two girls you met yesterday are fire and water. We keep the balance of our world, until it’s time for someone to take over. Well, I mean, we’re not the only ones per se, there are lots and lots of element wielders spread across this realm and us four just happen to be the strongest for now.”

You open your ears wide and keep your mouth shut tight.

“Don’t fret though, we still have like, around 5000 years more to live, before the change happens again. We’re still below our 500, so still young, one might say. The problem is, we can only live so long because we have no need to love. You see, loving someone means sacrificing our power. 

Now, do you see why it’s taboo? For us specifically, loving means we will share our power with the partner. A shared power means a weaker one. A weak power means a weak link in the chain of the world's balance. A weak balance, well, to put it simply, means a fucked up earth. Every earth.

It happens before, exactly once, this phenomenon of love. It was a couple we refer to as Annyeongz. The curse of it-”

“Curse?” you can’t hold it back. Cutting her mid sentence.

She laughs, a somber one. “Yes. Curse. Like I said, love drains our power. So the lovers will be forced to return their power back to Biyung. In other words, to die an untimely death.

Because, once we fall in love, we love forever.”

A silence. Haum’s face is filled with an emotion so complex you can’t quite get a grasp on it. Grief being the biggest, presumably. Her eyes keep staring at the ground.

“You see, Jiyu is a good elf. I like her, as a sister, but yeah. If she already fell to it, to you, then I guess there’s nothing I can do,” Haum rubs her eyes with her forearms.

“Wait, you said love drains your power, right?”

She nods.

“So it doesn’t happen in an instant?”

She shakes her head.

“In that case, you’re in luck,” you sigh in relief.

“I can only live to, I dunno, 70, on average,” your lips curve in satisfaction.

Haum on the other hand, is looking at you with a grief way deeper than before.

=

It’s been five years in the realm. You slowly start to get better and better at controlling air.

“Now straighten your hands! Keep it tight on your sides!” she yells at you mid flight, before flying at a speed you can only guess is faster than a commercial plane.

You did what she told you to. But bravery is one factor making all the difference, you couldn’t catch up to her.

“Waah, you arrive about 15 minutes later than I do, hmmmm.”

You land on the colorful hill. It is a flower field right on the edge of a cliff. Quite the scenic place she’s chosen for the fly training this day. A loud blow is audible once your feet touch the ground, you are nowhere near Jiyu’s level of smoothness and mastery.

Jiyu laughs. A crisp laugh full of freedom. It’s the way her head tilts slightly up, her eyes shut tightly, her teeth showing, and her nose slightly scrunched up. So this is what it means to fall in love. You still don’t understand how such a beautiful thing could be considered as a curse.

You sit beside her standing self. Even in your sitting position she’s still about three apples tall. “That was scary.”

She looks down, still between the laughs. “What is?”

“You’re going so fast!”

“That was not my full speed you know~”

“I know,” you let your body fall on the soft grass. Thud. “Oof. Hm,” your hand reaches the clear blue sky. “I wonder how do you feel the first time you fly,”

She sits her body down right beside you. Looking up towards the same view you currently indulge in. “I remember it like it was yesterday.”

You turn your gaze towards her. Her neck-length hair flows and twirls to the motion of the wind. Her skin is so smooth you could’ve swear you almost mistook it for the sky itself. 

“It was…scary.”

“Wait so you can get scared as well?!” you feel an elbow poking at your stomach. Aw!

“Of course I do! I still have feelings like all elves do! How about you?” suddenly she drops her body on yours. She’s laying herself on top of your chest, her hands folded between it and her chin. “Do you remember the first time getting scared?”

Remember. Remember. A flash of unpleasant imagery comes to mind. A woman. A bleak and dirty bedroom. A scene of-

Your body jolts forward. Your heart is palpitating. There are cold sweats all over your body. Your hands instinctively cover your suddenly aching stomach.

Jiyu, surprised by the sudden movements, is watching you in silence. It’s been five years. Your wound hasn’t healed. She touches your shoulder as gently as she can. You look over it. Jiyu offers you a home. You drop your head onto her shoulder. She feels nice. Peaceful.

She’s cradling you like how a mother carries their firstborn–supposedly. “I’m sorry.”

A stream of warm tears flows through her body. You feel freedom whenever Jiyu is around. She brings you safety, comfort, everything you could only dream of before. You let yourself cry the scars away.

.

.

.

“Feeling better?”

“Yeah…thanks.”

“No problem.”

A question pops in your head. You raise your head to see her eye to eye. Your face is no more than a palm away from hers. “Why do you do this Jiyu?”

Rose slowly filled her cheeks. “W-why? I-I don’t know, I just want to keep seeing you happy. I-is that a good answer? I don’t really understand it myself, you see-”

“Jiyu.”

“Yeah!”

“I love you.”

You lean in. Closing the gap between her breaths and yours. Jiyu couldn’t believe what’s happening, her face flushed rose. You kiss her as softly, as gently as you can. You have no idea where you learned to kiss someone before, but you don’t mind. You shouldn’t. The most important thing is the girl in front of you. The one currently freezing in place, even though her body is heating up. Her small, shy lips are slightly open, unmoving. You guide her slowly through it. Her eyes slowly closed.

.

You unlatch yourself from the comfort her soft lips bring. A string of drool is the only thing connecting our body. Quickly, you stand up and back away. You look at her for several seconds. Neither of you can make eye contact. Jiyu is sitting there dumbfounded. By comparison, she is still the brightest flower of them all.

In this haze, you fly away from the flowery field. You let your heart take your body away wherever it wants to. You cut through the air. Butterflies in your stomach. You couldn’t stop yourself from smiling wide. A little giggle comes through every so often. Your mind feels clear. The thought of Jiyu makes you happy. Then you remember what she said. Straighten your hands and keep it tight. You do that. It makes you fly at a speed supposedly faster than a commercial plane.

=

A year later. 

You’re in the kitchen. Cooking the last of the cured meat with a makeshift pasta out of the greens you find in the backyards. Jiyu and Haum like your cooking, and you never expect that you can cook at all. For the things you ate from the past have been nothing but canned foods. Is it curiosity? Is it bravery? Is it freedom? Or maybe even love? You’re not sure. One thing that is certain is both of the girls are waiting behind you with a grumbling stomach–and probably a drooling mouth!

You flip the food inside the clay pan. The meat is slowly regaining its moisture, the silky pasta is thickening, the slowly melting grated cheese. Also the green sauce to your left, waiting to be added to the warm everything. It does look appetizing.

“C’mooon hurry up!” Jiyu whines. She’s had the biggest appetite so far. That said, Haum to her left isn’t doing much better. Her mouth is closed, yes, but she cannot hide the way her throat repeatedly moves up and down due to her excessively salivating mouth.

“Here you go girls, enjoy~”

“Yeeyyyy!” Jiyu claps repeatedly, like a seal in a circus(authors note : do NOT support animal exploitation folks)

Haum awkwardly nods. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure.”

The three of you eat dinner happily.

.

You taste her neck. Mmh. Smooches on the underside of her jaws. Mmffhh. Licks on the collarbone. She tastes divine. Your palm travels through her smooth surfaces, every single one of it. Rubbing her sides, and up. Your fingers meet her stiffening nipples, you pinch it. Ah! She squirms under your weight. Her back arches impossibly high, her chest heaves as the diaphragm touches your abs. Her legs are squeezing your waist, the warm feel of her soft inner thighs declares her feelings. Ngghh!

Then you stop. Raise your head up high, sitting straight below her crotch. Jiyu is profusely sweating. Her surfaces are all flushed. Her back crashes back down as you release the teasing. She’s writhing in heat.

“Please…,” a bite. Her own teeth against her bottom lips. Her eyes, hazy, high, desirous. Her legs spread wider. Blessing you with the view of her wet, smooth, glistening fold.

You stroke your shaft gently, pointing it to her entrance. Push a little, the head is breaching her tightness, ever so slowly. It stays, for now. You look up. Nghh! Jiyu is arching her back. A drop of sweat glides down her sweaty midriff. Her right hand is pinching her own nipple. Her left hand plays with the pink pearl below. She opens her hazy eyes, noticing your stare. Mmhm.

You push further. Your tip parts her damn tight walls. Her tightness is soaked, heavily, but it is exactly that, tight. You cannot go any further. The noise from her mouth is just moans and indescribable babbles. Your hand explores her sweaty core, rubbing it, worshipping her.

You go down. Nibble on her ear for a bit, then whisper. “Brace yourself honey.”

Pop! 

A paused, guttural moan follows as you thrust your cock in the deepest point of her pussy. Her tightness is a borderline violence on your shaft, pushing it from every side as if to crush it. Your groan matches hers, though her neck is stretched far up, she’s facing up, digging the bed with her head. Both her hands are tightly gripping the sheet.

Your hips stay still, her hole you–fully–fill. You cradle her jaw, planting kisses left and right to her tensed facial muscles. Relax. You whisper right in front of her mouth. A kiss ensues. Sloppy from the get go, her tongue reacts. There’s still a fight in her, so you pull your hips, leaving only the tip in her narrow heat.

Plap!

Your hips meet hers, again, harder this time. Her mouth is wide open, even with your own guarding her from doing so. No voice lets out this time. You pull again.

Plap!

And again.

Plap!

Ooooghh! Well would you look at that, a new reaction. She can finally open her eyes. Her hands crash into your neck with an exaggerated speed. There’s a barrier of air vibrating around her fingers. You’re lucky you can control the air around you too somehow, as Jiyu is gripping your neck as tight–if not more–as her pussy is to your cock. She pulls you towards her, pushing you into her own neck. She squeals into your ear. Harder!

A rhythmical clapping sound emits. You fuck her steadily hard. Maintaining the pace to not explode quicker than you’d like. Kissing really helps, as it is the least stimulating in comparison to biting her neck or just looking at your girl in the heat of sex. All hands are on each other's neck. Cradling, squeezing, worshipping.

I’m close. You whisper to her ear, in between kisses to her lovely rosy cheek. Together! Jiyu moans.

Smacks, brutally hard. Squelches, incredibly arousing. You wrap your hand around her back, she does the same. Fuck! You scream, together.

Silence follows, both being forced as the two of you literally cannot make any noise. Both mouths open, subtle ahs, but nothing more. Spurts and spurts of thick whites shoot inside her. Excessive squirts sprays on your crotch. The bed is ruined.

Then the crash. The tension suddenly disappears. Both of you can no longer move a muscle. All spent, gasping on top of each other.

“That was awesome…” Jiyu utters weakly.

Your head is lying right by hers. You giggle. “Yeah. Hah.”

“We should do this more. I love it.”

You smile, seriously there’s no strength left to respond. She turns her head towards yours. Coincidentally, your forehead is right in front of her lips. Jiyu gives you a small loving peck.

“I love you.”

.

.

.

The door to the bedroom opens only for Haum to see a pile of passed out naked bodies. “Whatthefuck!”

=

You slash through the massive piece of log in the forest. An attempt to make new furniture by yourself, with the guidance of Haum looking from afar.

“Is this enough?” you scream at her.

She leaps closer. “Huh. No. You have to cut cleaner, more precise. Cmon, you can do better than this, surely. Considering how you cut through Jiyu’s pussy like that.”

“Goddammit Haum it’s been years and you’re still hung up on that? Listen, I’m sorry okay? Not like I intentionally forgot to lock the door for you to see us like that. Would you please forget it…”

“Brother. Believe me. I would do anything to be able to forget that,” she pinches the bridge of her nose. “Alright, alright sorry for bringing that up. Anyway, let’s go through another piece. You’re already doing good actually, the next one should be perfect.”

“Okay, phew!” you stretch your arm out.

“Wait, your nose.”

“Hm? What about it?”

“It’s bleeding…”

Your vision blurs. Haum splits into multiple people. It looks like she’s worried about you, why is she reaching out anyways? Huh, you can’t hear anything she says. Your ear is ringing. Your head feels like it just spins itself three times in a row. Your body is heavy. And all of a sudden everything goes black.

.

.

.

You slowly open your eyes as you feel the warmth of the sun lights up the room. There’s something, someone, weighing the left side of your body. As your vision gets clearer, you look down. Jiyu is sleeping on you. Her head is on your stomach. She’s not fully leaning down on you though, as you feel your hand can still move unobstructed. Her air helps fill out the miniscule space in between, her hair flowing freely to the shape of her face. You swipe the strands of her hair to see her sleeping face beneath. You would never know otherwise, that the sight of someone sleeping could be this ethereal. Your fingers swipe her forehead, it’s a bit damp. Then your thumb sweeps across the corner of her eyes, it’s also damp, and crinkled up a bit. She opens her eyes slightly as she notices the touch on her face.

“Hey cutie,” you palm her cheek as she opens her eyes fully.

All of a sudden you feel her arm around your head. Your face nuzzled up against her shoulder. She feels as comfortable as ever. You can hear her sobbing, then warm tears falling on your shoulder. You hug her back, gently rubbing the back of her head. Hoping to provide her the same amount of comfort she always gives you. Then you hear the door creaking open, Haum enters with a hand covering her mouth. Her eyes aren’t as sharp as usual. She walks up towards the bed to hug the two of you.

“H-hey, guys. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I like being hugged. But what is it? Why are you all acting like I’m dying or something? Ahaha.”

“You’re out cold for two weeks straight,” Haum says. You can’t see her face, but her voice sounds like she’s holding back tears herself.

Two weeks straight. What the hell? You don’t even feel like you’re tired back then. Just that Haum told you about the nosebleed. That’s all. What does this even mean? Is it because you’re a human? Is this the limit of your body? Can you even blame yourself for using the power Jiyu blessed on you?

“It’s okay. It’s okay. I’m probably just tired,” you exclaim. Sighing after. A weak curve of your lips shows. Your eyebrows drop down as the muscles in your forehead tightens. Your words leave an uncomfortable sensation in your mouth. You’re never a good liar.

=

You’re not sure how many years have passed. Your hair has turned white. Your body feels sluggishly weak. You’re nothing but skin coated bones now. You can barely walk out the room nowadays, and Jiyu has been tending you for the past five years or so. Her looks, on the contrary, hasn’t changed one bit.

You see her entering the room. Flashing you a smile. It’s fake, you know it. You know that once she’s out, right after she closes the door, she would break down right then and there. She would usually cry her eyes out right beyond the door. To the point of no tears are left for her to cry any more. You know it. For her eyes have been swollen to the point of no return.

“Morning,” she greets. Her lips subtly quiver. Her voice trembles in desperation, but she’s masking it with a smile. It doesn’t really help in hiding her sorrow whatsoever. You respond with a smile, an immediate cough follows. It hurts to even move your lips.

She’s immediately giving you the Jamu in her hands. The one she’s been giving you for the past…you’re not sure. It’s been so long. The bitter taste doesn’t even faze you anymore. It does the job though, you feel better right after the liquid traverses through your fragile throat. A surge of strength comes in, you can somehow feel like this would be the last of it.

“Jiyu,” your weak hand grabs hers. “Can you take me to the flower field on that cliff?”

She nods. She doesn’t even ask you where it might be. She instantly knows what you mean. With one flick of her hand, you’re floating. The sheet and the blanket wrap around your body, tight, leaving only your face visible. Jiyu exits the room with your wrapped body floating in her trail. Haum sees her, she was about to ask, but decided against it when she noticed the way Jiyu bites her own bottom lips so hard it bleeds. Jiyu’s jaws tremble, no, her whole body is trembling. Her fists clenched up. Her shoulders tensed just as much. Her head is looking down, so much so that her spine is visible through the back of her stretched neck. With the last of her attempts of suppressing a cry, she flies away. Leaving Haum alone.

You can feel the wind gently rubbing your face as you fly to that place. It feels nostalgic. You remember everything. Your first time floating in the air, Jiyu was there. Your first time doing the act of maintaining balance, Jiyu was there. Your first time seeing Jiyu genuinely angry, you were there. The first time learning to fly, Jiyu was there. She was always there, by your side. Even now, when you can no longer do anything by yourself, Jiyu is still there. You feel your cheeks warm up as your tears break out from the corner of your eyes. Jiyu is always there, but you can’t always be.

You arrive. You notice when the cloud stops moving and her face shows up. Jiyu brings you closer as she lands on the ground beneath. She opens the layers covering your body. She sits on top of her folded legs and puts you right on top of her laps. Jiyu gently strokes your hair. The smell of flowers, the colorful sight, the beautiful sky above, and the pretty girl looking at you from above, you remember. The same flower you were once sitting on top of, the same colorful scene you were once enjoying while you fly yourself, the beautiful sky you once had no trouble reaching. This is the same place you confessed your feelings to her. The same place you once shared your first kiss with Jiyu.

It turned out to be both a blessing and a curse. You finally understand why Haum said so. This, love. This act of sharing powers. You can do anything, everything you could only dream of before. You can fly away from all the troubles. You can shove everything away with your own hands. Not that you ever need to. Ever since you came here, you’ve been met with nothing but good deeds. From none other than Jiyu, a friend, a partner, a teacher, your lover. Perhaps this is where the good deeds are finally paid. With your own life, no less.

Is it worth it?

Yes. Yes it is. It is always worth it when you get Jiyu in return. If you could do it once again, with everything at stake, you would still choose Jiyu over, and over, and over again.

Look at her. You struggle to open your eyes once more, just one more time. You see her face right above yours. Her lips are quivering hard, even with her teeth biting and holding it in place. Her eyelids tremble, doing everything they can to hold those tears from breaking away. The way she looks at you, even with all those tears in the way, is still the same as the way she looked at you all these years. With nothing but love beneath those warm and comforting stares. 

Thank you, Jiyu. Thank you for all these years. Thank you for showing me that the world can be beautiful. Thank you for helping me heal my wound. Thank you for always being here by my side. Thank you for loving me.

You meant to say that out loud. But your throat feels like it’s lodged by the harsh air on top of the cliff. Nothing but coughs come through it. You try harder, but it only makes you cough harder too.

Strangely, it looks like Jiyu understands. Her tears finally flowed freely. Her face is no longer as tense. Her lips curve in this gentle smile. She’s blushing. You can see her trying her hardest to keep an open eye. Then she mouths “I will always love you, too.”

You smile back. You give every last bit of your remaining strength to move your hand towards her trembling hands on your hair. Your touch calms her down. It trembles no longer. You drag her hand to your chest. It beats one last time as you close your eyes.

Silence.

.

.

.

Jiyu crashes her head down on your unmoving body. A guttural scream scratches upwards from the pit of her lungs through her already sore throat. Her voice grows hoarse with every passing second she spends venting her worst frustrations, hoping the pain she's causing herself would somehow be enough to bring you back.

It doesn’t. It never will.

=

Jiyu hates mirrors. For it always reminds her of the day you first met her. 

Now, I know I said I don’t specifically go to check out women, but that doesn’t mean I’m blind, right? I was only on the bike for a little while when I noticed a girl had taken up a treadmill a ways in front of me. It faced the window, looking out to the street. Ah, one who likes to be checked out. Well I could see why.

She really had a great little body. The first thing I saw was her ass. Perfect shape, rounded out in those tiny exercise shorts that barely cover any leg. It swayed a little bit, from side to side, as she jogged on… Accentuating her every step. Does she really run like that, or is it to make men drool? It must be something with the hips that makes a female’s walk so much sexier than a man’s.

Then I took in her legs. Slender but shapely. Flawless skin. They were so smooth; not even a mark on them from what I could see, except maybe a little freckle on that back of a thigh. And yes, I realized I must have been staring pretty hard to notice. She must be a bit younger, maybe early twenties…

Then her lower back. It rose up from the hem of those petite shorts, faultless curves turning inward from her hips that would be more subtle on her tight body if it wasn’t for the way her ass swung right then. After awhile, her back began to slightly glisten from her perspiration.

I could see it on her shoulders too, almost totally bare from her sports bra. And the back of her neck. It was visible because her hair was tied up in a cute ponytail, which bounced and bobbed with every step. I wonder how long she’ll run for… Does her front side match the back?

Normally I’m not this interested. Really! Sure, I’d see some attractive woman, admire her for a moment, then forget about it just as fast. I don’t know what it was about this one. Maybe it was just a fluke of me being in a funky mood and this little show-off just happening to be in front of me. But normally by this point, I would have moved on from the bike and gone home; I had done everything else for the day. Yeah, guilty little admission that I was still there for the chance to see her face.

But then I did.

My attention piqued up as I saw her right arm move to the console on the treadmill and punch something in. Her steady pace slowed down to a half-jog, then a walk, then she stood still. She took a drink from a water bottle, still facing away from me. Then she stretched both her arms up, arching her back a bit as her body went taut.

Before, I would like to think that I was not completely obvious as I ogled her. But now, as she did this, her body started turning to the side. First I saw an outline of her stomach, flat and toned. She kept turning. My eyes poured up her body, over her breasts with a little cleavage in the bra… Up her chest… Up her neck…

And then I saw her face. It wore a look of nonchalance, but I could tell immediately that she hid a tiny smile out of the corner of her mouth. I knew this smug look because I finally recognized her. My eyes shot down to the floor. I swallowed hard. Oh crap, I hope she didn’t notice me…

Maybe you’re wondering now, what’s the problem? Well, it dawned on me that all this time I had been checking out a girl from the local high school. Honestly, I didn’t know… If I had realized I was inwardly drooling at the sight of one of my own student’s bodies, I would have stopped long ago.

Ah. I guess I didn’t tell you what my job was. I’m a teacher.

II

Meet Summer S. Student number 17 on the roster for ‘Creative Writing’. It’s an English elective, and no, it isn’t completely made up of poetry geeks and drama nerds. What is high school about if not getting into college? The class looks better on a transcript than art or an extra gym class. Some kids might even sign up because it sounds fun, but let’s not get carried away, right?

Summer was in many ways your typical senior. Well, your typical senior who liked high school. No, she wasn’t the head cheerleader. And no, she didn’t drive a sports car worth more than my yearly salary. But she was confident, intelligent, and yes, good looking. I had never gotten hung up on this fact before the little “show” at the gym. Really.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t pretend to be some paragon of moral inscrutability. I can recognize when a student looks good. All teachers do. Because we want to fuck them? No. It’s because we need to understand it in order to reign in the classroom dynamics. Hate me for stereotyping all you want, but whenever I see a student who was lucky enough to have attractive genes, then I start out dubious.

Why? Because they think they can get away with more. You know that’s a fact, so let’s move on. My point is Summer, like any other cute student, hadn’t ever registered on my “I’d like to bang you”-meter. Besides, I’m a taken man. Granted I’m fairly new to the teaching profession, and one could argue that she really isn’t that much younger than me, but… Well, that’s not important.

I’m not sure if she saw me that evening at the gym. I did my best to convince myself that I would not have appeared as anything particular; just a man on a bike, staring at the floor. In the zone, if you will. For about a week, I maintained this belief. I even managed to stay unflustered back in the classroom when she first strolled in; period before lunch.

Okay, almost unflustered. That first day was maybe a little unnerving. She walked in with one of her friends, and I dealt with the compromise of looking busy at my desk and hawking her out of the corner of my eye. Did she look at me funny? Did she giggle? Nope, nothing. She just walked down an aisle to the back of the classroom. Her ass does that same wiggle in those tight jeans even when not jogging…

Yeah, I tried to pretend that I didn’t think that. So maybe I had a few illicit thoughts. I’m only human, right? I got over it, moved on. She never acted weird; I was good to go. That is, as I said, for about a week.

Let me rewind for just a second. I had given an assignment, and this was before that day at the gym, to write a short story. The prompt was just: An Unlikely Encounter. I used it every year. Basically, I let the students go hog-wild; write whatever you want. Usually they turn in something about meeting a celebrity, or Bill Gates, or the most popular: an alien. It is supposed to be fun, let them make up something out of the ordinary, no strings attached. Okay… sorry, you’re not here for an English lesson.

So back to today, they were turning in their first chapter. This way I could make sure it was something reasonable, that they weren’t half-assing it, that they were actually writing something and not putting the entire project off until the last day. I would grade it, write some feedback, give it back to them. Then they write the next part. Really, I’m not trying to bore you; this is critical information.

I told them to bring their paper up to me at the end of class before they headed out to lunch. The bell rang and they did so. With each piece handed to me, I first amused myself by checking out the page setup. Big font. Huge margins. Enormous title. Come on, that shit doesn’t work in the 21st century. But still they try…

The last paper was handed to me with some trepidation, not just sloughed off into the pile. I looked up. There was Summer, hand still holding the paper, looking right at me.

“Thanks,” I gestured toward the pile.

“Um, I’m not sure if it’s very good…” she warned.

Uh oh, here come the waterworks about why she had to write it at the last second. “I’m sure it’s just fine,” I reassured.

“Well, I think it starts off good…”

Starts off well damn it.

“…but I’m not really sure I know how to continue it,” she finished.

“Ah! But that’s the whole point: to get feedback before it’s all done,” I smiled.

She shifted her weight and bunched up her lips, making a little pout. “Okay, but um, I was wondering if you could maybe look at it now? And give me some advice?”

I leaned back in my chair. It’s lunch time; I’m hungry too, Summer. “Don’t worry about it, I will read over it at the regularly scheduled time. I’ll let you know how it goes.”

She looked mildly dejected and took a step back. It was at this point that I realized her shirt didn’t reach all the way down to her jeans and exposed a little midriff. A flash of her half-naked body briefly popped in my mind, but I had the good grace to keep my eyes on hers.

“Um, okay. Just, let me know what you think should happen next. I’m really interested.”

I chuckled, “It’s your story, Summer. Not mine.”

She gave a smile. And I’m usually pretty good about these things, but I couldn’t tell if it was forced or not. In retrospect, I know that it wasn’t.

“Okay, if you say so!” And with that, she left the classroom. Somewhere, part of me wanted to check out her ass again. Of course I didn’t look, and for a half-second I was inwardly proud of my restraint. It was quickly replaced by the realization that I shouldn’t have had that urge in the first place.

III

It was Thursday night, and I was going through the submissions. So far, it was all run-of-the-mill stuff. Nothing terribly interesting, only one paper clearly scraped together the morning it was due. But then Summer’s was the next in the stack.

“Ah, let’s see what she was complaining about,” I hummed to myself.

I’ll tell you right now, I am sure as shit glad that I didn’t read it when she gave it to me. The scene started in the gym. I think I got to about the second sentence when I felt my heart skip a beat. ‘She was running on the treadmill, looking out the window…’

It’s okay. It’s not about that day. She probably goes to the gym a lot. I mean, she does have that body… I kept reading. ‘As the evening went on, it started getting darker outside. It was harder to see out the window because it was reflecting the light from inside the room…’

The realization hadn’t sunk in yet. At least not to the forefront of my mind. But my pulse kept speeding up anyway. My eyes leapt down the page, paying no attention to mistakes in her writing. I dimly thought ‘at least she is doing a good job creating suspense…’

She talked about how her body felt. How she felt energized as she ran. How she got hot and what the sweat felt like on her skin. It was painting a vivid picture… One that I had no trouble imagining. My mouth began to dry out as I read on, the image of that sexy form jogging in front of me.

Then the important part came. ‘After awhile, she could see everybody behind her just by the reflection in the window. That’s when she noticed someone. Someone staring at her…’

Ah fuck. I’ll tell ya, I don’t think I was ever as interested in a student paper as I was right then. I flew through the words, dread creeping over me as I did so. She wrote about recognizing the man staring at her. About him being a teacher. One of her teachers. She said she decided to run a little bit longer, just to see how long he’d watch. She described getting a little thrill out of it. She wanted to keep going, but she was getting tired. So she was showing off…

Finally she gave up, and stretched to give him a good view. She was going to smile at him, but when she looked over, he was staring at the ground. Then she felt embarrassed, so she just left…

I put the paper down, my hands actually trembling. Okay, how the hell do I deal with this!? I drummed my fingers on the table, thoughts racing through my mind. She knows… She knows I was checking her out… My own student! As nervous as I was, I suddenly realized, maybe even a little pale-faced, that a lot of blood was rushing between my legs. Oh my god, I’m fucking hard!?

I needed to think. I put the paper aside and picked up another one, trying to push the thoughts out of my head. Although I technically read all the words, not one of them registered in my brain. All I could think about was Summer. Tight little ass, tiny little shorts Summer. Perfect smooth legs, skimpy sports bra Summer. That fucking showoff knew exactly what she was doing…

I got up from the table and began to pace around the room. Okay, time to get a hold of yourself. I needed to blow off some energy. Maybe I should go to the gym… Maybe she’ll even be there… My thoughts were frantic. I stopped in my tracks and let out an exacerbated sigh. I could feel it, but I had to look down anyway. There was a huge tent in my slacks.

I felt frustrated and a little ashamed. Shoving one hand in my pocket, I tried to readjust myself to make it less noticeable. The attention felt good, and I thoughtlessly tugged at the base of my cock. Good god, this is pathetic. I have to end this right now.

Back to my table, I pulled her paper in front of me. Red pen out: time to kill this thing. “Summer, I am afraid there is not much of an actual ‘encounter’ taking place here. Your characters never actually meet. It is almost as if the protagonist imagined the whole thing. While perhaps an intriguing premise, you may want to start again.”

There, that’ll make her write something else. I read back over my comment. Intriguing premise? Why the fuck did I say that!? I thought about crossing it out, but that would look ridiculous. Nothing to do about it now. I fidgeted in my seat, realizing I was in no condition to grade the other papers yet.

I went into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on my face. Water dripped back down as I leaned over the sink, feeling almost dizzy. Calm down. I haven’t done anything wrong. I am overreacting. But damn it why I am so fucking hard! I could not shake the image of Summer out of my head. I saw her standing in front of my desk, that cute little pout when she gave me her paper. Tummy peaking out from under her shirt…

What the hell would I have done if I read it… with her right there? Would she have stood and watched me? I probably would have even told her to take a seat… Next to me even! What if I got hard, right next to her? She must know… She would maybe even touch it… Oh god, that would be so wrong…

I didn’t even realize it, but I had shoved a hand down my pants and was slowly jerking myself to these anxious thoughts. But I didn’t stop once I grasped this. Instead, I undid my slacks and pushed them down, giving myself better access. I clenched my eyes shut and shook my head in disbelief at myself. I bet this is what she wanted… If only she knew what I was doing right this second… Summer you hot little tease… I can’t believe I’m even thinking about you…

And with that, I came. All over the bathroom sink. My entire body tingled from the sudden sensation. When I finally came around from my high, my eyes slowly fluttered open. What the hell did I just do?

IV

Friday. I managed to get the rest of the papers graded the night before. After I talked to my girlfriend for a bit on the phone. Now that was an awkward experience. Not for her, but for me. I’ll admit I was feeling pretty guilty for the duration of the evening. It’s not like I’ve never jerked off to another woman before… But my own teenage student? That was a little different.

I tried to keep it out of my mind. I didn’t do so well. My anxiety inched over me, little by little, as my Creative Writing period approached. I was nervous to see her. Nervous to give her paper back. I felt silly, but hey, emotions are emotions. Keep in mind I had a pretty restless night previously; thoughts of Summer’s story haunting me.

When the time finally arrived, I nearly scoffed when I saw her enter the room. She had on this little plaid skirt. And no, we don’t have a uniform at this school. She still had on a reasonably conservative sweater, even if it was a little tight… It wasn’t nearly as outrageous as other tops I’ve seen the girls wear. But the skirt… Ouch. It was short. Not so short as to be inappropriate, but short enough to say ‘Look at me.’

And the boys did look at her, eyebrows rising in double takes at her legs. The girls noticed too, a little bit of envy flashing in their eyes. I did my best to not look at her and remain impassively neutral, occupied mind of a teacher on his work. I wonder if she is wearing that for me… I admonishingly bit the back of my tongue. Don’t be an idiot.

Class proceeded normally. Summer sits in the back, and so thankfully I couldn’t be distracted by her outfit under that desk, even if I wanted to be. As the bell approached, I gave some generic feedback about the stories and began to hand them back. Up and down the rows I walked, passing them out one by one. When I got to her, she was sitting sideways in her seat, knees pressed together and she bent down and rifled through her backpack.

It forced me to glance at that smooth skin again, tantalizingly leading up to some bare thigh, then finally hidden underneath the fabric of her skirt. I only looked for a second, but that’s all it really takes for a girl to notice, isn’t it?

“Oh, sorry.” She said detachedly, swinging her legs back under the table and letting me walk by. For my part, I pretended to ignore her and began instructing the class with another reminder that ‘a lot’ is two words.

The room was mostly silent except for the shuffling of papers flipping back and forth as they read my comments. I already expected at least one or two of the more anal perfectionists to come and either complain or kiss ass to improve their grade. Such is life.

The bell rang.

Everyone piled up at the door to escape as I wished them a good weekend. I casually sunk back into my desk; one student already waiting there for me. Meet James C. A classic example of a student who thinks he is smart, but is sadly only very well-educated. Each assignment to him is not a chance to learn, but a chance to achieve perfect marks that will send him off to the next and best station in life.

We talked for a few minutes. I won’t bore you any further with it. As he left for lunch, my chest tightened to realize Summer was still sitting in her seat. I quickly surveyed the room; everyone else was gone. “Are you so hungry that you forgot to leave for lunch?” I joked out to her.

She looked up from her table and held up her paper. “Could I talk to you about this?” she asked flatly.

My heart both sank and jumped at the same time. “I suppose I could arrange that,” I smiled weakly. Well shit, I can’t just say no.

She got up from her desk and walked casually over, paper in hand. She waved it around in front of her waist, pointing at it. I instinctively looked, but my eyes had a mind of their own and looked beyond the contents of her hand and right to her skirt. Goddamnit. My eyes snapped up at the sound of her voice.

“I told you it sucked!” she protested suddenly.

“Whoa!” I put my hands up, defensive. “Let’s not get carried away.”

She dropped the paper in front of me. “You want me to start over!”

“Well, um, I think I said there were a few problems… Mostly you kind of side-stepped the actual prompt…”

I reached over to point at my main comment. She shot her hand down, finger jabbing onto the top of the page. Her soft skin grazed mine and I reactively jerked my wrist back. “It says chapter one!”

I brought my eyes up from the paper to her gaze. “This is true, but it is also a short story… You may need to dive in to the actual encounter a little faster.”

“There was an encounter! Just because they didn’t, like, come out and shake hands right away doesn’t mean… doesn’t mean there wasn’t an encounter!”

I leaned back in my chair and took a breath. I wasn’t expecting her to be so confrontational about it. “Summer, you just told me it sucked. And now you are defending it rather passionately?” Ah, sweet misdirection.

Her mouth opened and closed right away, her brain stumbling for words. She crossed her arms across her stomach and squeezed, like a little hug for herself. It made the swell of her breasts push out even further against her sweater. I took the opportunity to interject.

“I can see that you spent some serious time on it. The writing is very good. It’s just that I’m not quite sure you are following the directions for this particular project,” I offered consolingly.

“Well, I think there are a lot of places it can go. Don’t you? I mean, the uh, there can be more um- encounters.”

What is that supposed to mean? “The plot is supposed to hinge around one encounter. Note the indefinite, but quite singular, an unlikely encounter.”

She dropped her arms down and shook her hands slightly, exacerbated expression on her face. She is not used to disappointment. “But… What if it is really good! I mean, you said you liked it, right? I mean, did you like reading it?” She tried to disguise her displeasure by softening into a more flirtatious voice.

“It was… well-written,” I answered carefully, “but the point remains that…”

“Aww!” she interrupted, “Just give it a chance! I mean… if you liked it, maybe you will like the next chapter more…” She allayed her pose into a more submissive posture, bending a knee a little bit, widening her pleading eyes. Does she think she can flirt her way out of this?

“Summer, why don’t you just think about it over the weekend. Maybe another idea will come to you. Something a little more… appropriate for the assignment.” As soon as I said it, I realized the double entendre. I hoped she didn’t.

Her shoulders sagged as she huffed out a sigh. Grabbing the paper, she spun around and stood still for a moment. I was taken aback by the gesture… Well, I was mostly taken aback by her skirt floating up a little bit from the sudden movement. I couldn’t help my eyes dropping down to her perfect little ass hiding under that insinuating outfit.

She began to slowly walk back to her desk, I presumed to retrieve her backpack and leave. “I guess I will think about it,” she sighed again. “I mean, I guess I just thought, like, it would be interesting. You know, instead of two people that would not normally meet… It’s um, like two people that shouldn’t meet… you know?”

I swallowed hard and looked back down at my desk. I moved some papers around and pretended to be looking at something, but I couldn’t help peeking back up and watching her slender body walk away. Her voice sounded so… insisting…

“That’s why it is unlikely…” she emphasized, still facing away from me. I slowly inhaled a deep breath. She bent over to pick up her pack, knees straight. Her ass pushed out and her skirt pulled up, revealing even more of the backs of her thighs. Ho-ly shit… I don’t think I even blinked as I watched this alluring sight.

I couldn’t think of anything to retort as her words sank in. My reverie was broken as soon as she stood back up and slung the backpack over her shoulder. I quickly shook my head and forced myself to appear natural as she turned around. She looked at me expectantly.

My knee bobbed up and down beneath my desk, a bad habit when I get nervous. “Just think about what I said,” I repeated lamely.

Her eyes rolled in that flippant teenage way, “Fine.” She then finally made to leave the room. “But maybe you could, like, think about it too. About what I, um, what I am trying to write.” Without giving me a chance to respond, she was out the door.

I breathed a little bit of relief. Opening a drawer, I pulled out a lunch I made myself. Normally I go down to the staff room to get away from my own class… But I couldn’t help thinking about Summer. “Like two people that shouldn’t meet…” God, she did have a point. I hoped she would just give up and write something completely different. I really didn’t want to deal with the awkward conversation of why she shouldn’t be dealing with such… unsuitable subject matter.

No shit those two characters shouldn’t meet. She’s only… Ah fuck, the way she bent over in that little skirt… I bet she did wear it for me. She knew we were going to talk. I can’t believe I am letting her have this effect on me. I don’t think she knows though…

I opted to eat my lunch at my desk. Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t break my preoccupation over my own student. Not explicitly thinking about fucking her… but just the undeniable attraction. I couldn’t realistically get out of my seat anyway. My uncomfortably noticeable erection made sure of that.

V

The rest of the day was a mess. I couldn’t get Summer out of my head. Obviously I couldn’t think about anything else as I ate my lunch, alone. I ashamedly wished I could just disappear for a few minutes… If I could just jerk off, I could at least get rid of the edge… Never mind the fact that I, in my classroom, was wishing for the opportunity to safely masturbate to one of my students.

When the bell rang for the next period, I was still in my seat. As everyone shuffled in, I caught myself looking a little closer at the girls. This is getting out of control. I resolved that all I needed to do was get through the day. I was just in a flustered mood. Back to teaching…

Eventually I got through to the weekend. I recognized that my lessons for the rest of the afternoon were clearly off. My train of thought constantly got interrupted with my fixation with Summer. I could be talking about anything, and then suddenly there would be an image of her… her and those slender legs in that little plaid skirt…

There was at least a few times where I actually lost what I was saying in front of the students. It wasn’t really that embarrassing. Or at least, it wouldn’t have been if I had just been experiencing a brain fart and not… well, you know. At least I didn’t sport a new erection in front of them. But I will be honest… I might have been starting to get one when I was back at my desk, the room quiet from the kids writing a prompt and me lost in my thoughts…

It was really a gym night. If ever there was a day I needed to work out some steam, it was today. But there was no way I could go. What if Summer was there? The last thing I needed to see was her toned body in those tiny shorts and bra… Oh god, what if she talked to me, dressed like that…? I tried to reason that it was a big place; that I could easily go there and not be seen. But I think, even then, I knew I was trying to rationalize an excuse to accidentally run into her.

I had to get my mind off of it. There was no way I could just relax at home tonight; my girlfriend was going out with some friends for some shower, or salon… some female herd behavior event anyway. I would be by myself, thinking about her. I was positive I’d be masturbating to that teen body as soon as I got a chance alone… And something told me that I couldn’t let myself do that again.

So I called up some buddies, determined to go out for the night and clear my head. I caught up with my friends Scott and Blake. Scott was single, so we had the bright idea to go to a trendy bar and see if we couldn’t hook him up with something pretty. We met up later that evening and headed out.

As soon as we got together and hit the scene, I felt better already. We were laughing and joking and having a good time like guys do. Nobody talked about work, and so the classroom, with sexy little Summer, were out of my thoughts. At least for a little while.

We had taken up a table near the bar and were relaxing, having some drinks. Every time we saw an even remotely attractive woman, we pointed her out to Scott. But Scott, being infinitely picky, would always find something wrong with them. We would lament in exaggerated despair each time, but he would insist he’s just looking for “Miss Right”. Uh huh.

From our vantage point, we were situated in a spot where we could see a small dance floor. It was a fun sight: good-looking women attracting all the attention of all the guys. Not-so-good-looking women also gawking at the beauties as well, in an attempt to emulate and show them up in hopes of getting the men to look at them. We kept prodding Scott to go over and dance a little; Miss Right is probably in the throng, hiding from view.

“Miss Right wouldn’t hide from me,” he replied. “It’s part of her charm to be out in the open.”

Of course.

About an hour later, I had pretty much given up any pretense of picking out women for him. So it came as a bit of a surprise when he blurted out, “Hell-oooooo Miss Right…”

Both Blake and my heads jerked around to see what Scott was looking at. She was on the dance floor. I turned to get a better look. She was really moving, and there was a small crowd around her giving her space to show off. At that moment, her back was to me. Her hands were stretched up high in the air, clasping each other as if drawn up by a rope. Her entire body gyrated around in little circles as her body turned to the beat.

I could easily see how she caught Scott’s attention. She had a smoking little body that she really knew how to use. It looked like she only had on a flimsy tank-top that barely covered her anyway; and with her arms raised high, the fabric pulled up to reveal her entire stomach and lower back.

Then time started to slow down. Slow way down. My eyes rolled down to see her ass shaking around as she continued to turn towards us. She’s wearing a plaid skirt… For a split-second, it reminded me of Summer. It couldn’t be… we’re in a bar… She kept turning. Everybody around her melted into a blur as I stared in disbelief. She was crystal clear.

And there she was. Student number 17. Her eyes were closed, but her mouth was in a big smile as she spun. She was lightly biting the tip of her tongue, and it gave her this carefree look… cute but raw. I swallowed hard as I checked out the rest of her body. Her stomach was so toned. It was almost hypnotic to watch her young curves at work.

That fuckin’ little plaid skirt topped it off. This afternoon, she looked good. Tonight? She looked smoking. She bristled with confidence… I had no idea how she had gotten in the place. My only guess is that the doorman let her flirt her way in. Every man in there probably thought she was some fresh 21-year-old that was pulling off the “schoolgirl” look that night.

But I knew that wasn’t the case. The only reason she looked so goddamn convincing is because she is a fucking teenager. I croaked in my brain, a student in one of my classes… What the hell is she doing here!? Good god, how the hell does she know to move like that…

The three of us gawked a little while longer. My buddies because they just saw a hot girl. No surprise there. But me? I watched in awe as she danced and could not believe it. My mind was racing. She couldn’t know that I would be here… This is just the biggest coincidence ever… I can’t let her stay… But I can’t go talk to her…

“I think I feel like dancing about now,” Scott grinned to us. He started to get up from the table.

“You can’t!” I blurted out.

He paused. “Why the hell not? You got a girlfriend and I saw her first… that’s two for two!”

I panicked. “No she’s- she’s not supposed to be here…”

“Uh huh,” he laughed, “I’ll get her out of here, don’t worry!”

My face started to turn red. He has no fucking clue. The words spilled out of my mouth. “She’s a teenager!”

Both of them looked at me quizzically.

“She’s… She’s uh, a student at the high school….”

“Your student?” Scott asked incredulously.

I blushed worse, “Yeah.”

He looked back to Summer. “Buuullshit…”

“Look, I’m serious… I don’t know how she got in here but, uh…” I started to get out of my seat. “I mean, obviously she can’t stay. She’s underage…” Yeah, too young to be looking that fuckin’ good.

My friends mumbled something about it not being my responsibility, but I ignored them. Honestly, I wasn’t going over there because I wanted to. I did feel some obligation to do the right thing. I was, after all, a public servant… right?

I moved up to the dance floor; I could barely see Summer anymore because she had melted back into a crowd at the start of a new song. Taking a deep breath in to calm myself down, I did my best to assertively push my way through the dancers to find her. As I finally got near her, another young guy irritatingly tried to shove me out of the way, annoyed at my advance. I ignored him and called out, “Summer!”

Her head jerked around, hair dangling down in front of her face, looking passionate and wild. She had this surprised look on her face, like she was shocked to hear her own name. Her body ungracefully snapped upright once she saw me. She wasn’t dancing anymore.

“Uh… hi!” she stammered.

Rolling into disciplinarian mode, I raised my finger and beckoned her to come off the dance floor. “I’d like to talk to you.”

The music was still blaring and most of the dancers ignored us, but some stopped to see who this asshole was that was making the pretty young girl upset. For a moment, she looked around her. I wondered if she would ignore my authority, realizing I had no real power over her outside the classroom. But she acquiesced anyway. She probably thinks I’ll narc her out.

We moved off the dance floor and moved to a back wall. “Nice to, um- see you…” she offered innocently.

“Yeah… Imagine my surprise when I noticed one of my own students. In a bar,” I emphasized.

“I was only dancing…”

“In a bar,” I repeated.

She flopped her hands down to her sides, almost in a pout. “I haven’t been drinking! It’s not a big deal!” Ah, there’s the teenager in her. Not so much confidence now…

“You and I both know you shouldn’t be here, Summer. Now, I’m willing to forget about this if you leave right now.”

She let out an annoyed sigh. “Come on! I’m not in school right now…”

“This is true… But either you leave, or I will have to let someone know that you are nowhere near twenty-one.”

An irritated little scoff coughed out of her mouth as she turned towards the rest of the bar. Her hands fidgeted on the hem of that short skirt, absent-mindedly pulling it up an inch. I found my own eyes paying way too much attention to those alluring thighs and snapped my gaze back up. Her head turned back to me and stared intently. Oh shit, please don’t let her have noticed…

“I won’t have a ride until way later!”

I blinked in momentary confusion. She’s still trying to reason with me? “Well I’m sure you can call somebody.”

“No way! All my friends are out! They aren’t going to, like, come all the way out here!”

“There’s always your parents,” I offered. That ought to scare her.

“Fuck no!” she cried. As soon as she set it, a hand shot up to cover her mouth. “Oh my gosh!” she slurred, “I mean, they’d kill me!”

For a moment, I actually pitied her. I mean, it’s not like I hadn’t done my fair share of bending the rules as a kid. And she wasn’t a bad student or anything. “Well… How far away do you live?”

Oh brother, did I really ask that? Now honestly. I wasn’t thinking anything impure. Not at that moment anyway.

She looked at me quizzically, then dropped her gaze down to her own body. “Um… Maybe like, twenty minutes or something.” Her hands smoothed out her skirt on the front of her legs. I tried not to watch her fiddling, to see her in that tiny skirt… her entire tummy exposed… “But, I can’t walk all the way back! It’s too late!” she objected.

I sighed. “Look, there is no way you can stay here. If you honestly cannot get a ride, I will drive you back.” Okay, it was the right thing to say. And the right thing to do… Right?

Summer’s eyes lit up in a brief moment of surprise. “Uh- you don’t… you don’t need to do that…”

She didn’t sound particularly convincing. “Then you do have another way to get home,” I insinuated.

She sighed back at me, “No… I don’t.”

“Come on then.”

VI

I briefly stopped at the table and told my buddies that I had to give her a ride home. My jaw involuntarily clenched as they indiscreetly checked Summer out, who was standing a few paces behind me. Scott was going to make some smart comment about me stealing her for myself, but I think I gave him a death stare and he kept his mouth shut.

Summer didn’t say anything as she demurely followed me out to the parking lot. When we got to my car, I jokingly offered, “Well, you can, uh, ride shotgun if you want. Or you can sit in the back and pretend I’m a taxi driver.”

She gave me a weak smile, “I can’t picture you as a cab driver.”

I opened the door to the front seat for her. “Oh yeah? Why’s that?” This isn’t weird. Just keep the conversation casual.

Her skirt rode up her legs a little further as she slid into the front seat. I tried not to gawk at those thighs as I made sure she was fully in the car. “Um… You like, know too much English!”

I gave her a sarcastic smile and shut the door. Walking around and getting into the driver’s side, I mockingly scolded, “Now Summer, you shouldn’t stereotype.”

Her hands tugged the bottom of her skimpy tank-top, trying to make it cover more of her stomach. I couldn’t help but notice it not working… at all. God, that fucking body… Her eyes suddenly rose up and caught me. “Uh- seatbelt,” I croaked just as fast, then averted my eyes to my keys as if starting the ignition was a complicated procedure.

Within a minute we were pulling out to the street. Neither of us had said anything. “You just tell me where to turn,” I instructed.

“Yeah, okay. Go right after the next intersection.”

“Okie doke.”

Again, awkward silence. Should I make small talk or do we just sit here like this? God, why am I so nervous? It’s not like I’m on a date with her or anything.

“Now go until the hill and turn left,” she said softly.

I kept driving, unresponsive. Great, now I have to keep silent or it will sound like I’m forcing it. Not that I care…

“I’m sorry you, like, have to do this,” she huffed out abruptly.

I was a little startled by the sudden break in silence. “Uh, well, it’s okay. Just don’t go to any bars for a few more years…”

“I was only dancing,” she retorted defensively.

“You know that doesn’t matter. Besides, you’ll attract the wrong kind of crowd at a place like that.” That was stupid… What am I, her dad?

Another awkward silence… “Well, you were there,” she said with a hint of victory in her voice. I glanced over at her and she had this subtle little grin, like she finally caught me at something.

I grinned back with a smartass, “Somebody’s gotta keep the law in this town.”

“Oh is that it,” she played, “Do you always hang out in bars, looking for underage girls to save?”

The second she finished saying it, my face started burning red. Both from embarrassment and anger. This is getting too friendly. She’s still my student. She knew it too; I could almost hear the smile wipe off her face.

“Um- go uh, go straight here. For a little while,” she mumbled apologetically.

More silence.

Eventually, she piped up again. “Well, I guess this is really an unlikely encounter, right?”

Is she being coy or sucking up? “Uh, I guess so.”

“Maybe I should rewrite my story about this…”

I looked over at her and she was fidgeting with the hem of her skirt again. No sooner had I turned to face her, she pulled her knees up to her chest on the seat. Her skirt pulled back even more, showing almost the entire bottom of her leg. So much skin…

“I’m not sure it’d be, uh… very exciting,” I offered. Now the situation was really sinking in and making me anxious. Oh fuck- you’re still staring at her! I couldn’t believe I was still looking at her legs like that as I replied to her. My entire body tensed and I reactively reached between us to a little compartment and grabbed an empty gum wrapper, pretending like that’s what I was looking for.

“Well we don’t know how it ends yet!” she rejoined.

I threw wrapper onto the floor in front of me. “It ends with you being dropped off at your parents,” I replied flatly.

“Maybe not…” she said softly.

Enter stage left; huge lump in my throat. As hard as I tried to focus on the road, on the simple task at hand, every passing second broke down that little wall I had built around my attraction to Summer. I was more consciously aware with each moment that a gorgeous young girl was sitting next to me in the car, wearing that tantalizing little outfit…

I blew through a four-way stop without even thinking. The loud blare of a honking car fading behind us snapped me to attention. What the hell am I doing!? My hands were gripping the wheel and I was staring straight ahead, but all I saw in my mind was my student’s gyrating body on the dance floor, smiling knowingly.

“What are you doing!” she cried. “You were supposed to turn back there!”

“Uh- whoops!” I tried to feign casual, “I guess I didn’t see the sign… I’ve uh- I’ve never been down this street, I don’t think…” I pulled over to find a place to turn around.

“Gosh, and here I thought I was supposed to be the irresponsible one!”

I tried to ignore the comment, but she pressed on as soon as she realized I wasn’t going to respond.

“I guess you do, like, tend to zone pretty hard…” she insinuated.

I’d gotten the car turned back around now. Still blushing from my idiocy, I absent-mindedly muttered, “Huh?”

“Well um- like in the gym that one day. You were just staring and staring…” her voice trailed off. Oh. Crap. I felt my heartbeat up in my temples. My hands nervously gripped at the steering wheel; my palms were actually sweaty. At least I managed to stop at the sign this time…

“Uhh… I don’t- I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lied impassively. “So which way was I supposed to turn?” Change the subject!

She reached her arm out in front of me and pointed to the left. I tentatively inhaled, smelling a faint trace of her perfume. “That way…” she answered, but just as quick she added, “You mean you didn’t see me? We were in the same room…”

I pulled at the wheel to turn, but Summer was slow to take her arm away. The skin of our arms gingerly caressed as she leisurely drew back. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard. It almost felt as if she lingered her finger tips and teasingly traced them up to my sleeve before she was gone.

I couldn’t help it. I was pissed. I was scared. I was nervous. But I started to get hard.

“Is that why you didn’t, um, say hi?” she asked, almost pouting. “I could have sworn you… saw me…”

What the fuck do I say here? Lying about seemed pointless. But I sure as shit didn’t want to keep talking about it. “So, we getting close?” God, I sound so rattled…

“Yeah,” she said dejected. “You aren’t gonna, um, tell my parents, right?”

Finally, something I have control over… “Uh, well seeing as you didn’t, um, drink anything… I think we can just pretend this never happened…” Like I want your parents to see me gawking over their hot daughter… one of my students…

She sighed, “Thank god!” I couldn’t help but notice she brought her legs back down to the seat. Against my will, my head turned slightly as I watched her stretch her legs out, running her palms down her thighs to her knees. Her skirt was still pulled up, and it gave her this almost disheveled… indecent look. To see between those legs…

Unconsciously I had expected her to straighten the fabric out and pulled it down her legs a bit. My cock twitched a little harder when I realized she was leaving it like that. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, trying vainly to readjust myself so my growing erection wouldn’t show. Please let it be too dark in here for her to notice…

“It’s um, just up here,” she broke the silence.

My heart skipped a beat. I bit the back of my tongue in irritation. Part of you is disappointed… you asshole… I pulled up to the side of the street, opting not to be seen going in her driveway. She looked at me and gave a shy smile as she realized what I was doing.

“Okay then,” I tried to sound light-hearted, looking at her plainly now.

She brushed a strand of hair from her face. “Thank you so much for not, like, making a big deal out of this…”

“Yeah well, just don’t let it happen again, okay?” Sound like a teacher, sound like a teacher, sound like a teacher…

She bit the bottom of her lip, looking so fucking cute. “I’ll try… but maybe I’ll want to be rescued by you again…” Her voice quavered a little, like she couldn’t decide whether to say it as a joke or as a come-on.

Her innocence mixed oddly with that sexy confidence. Our eyes were locked into each other’s. It only lasted a second, but it felt like a long and precipitous silence. “Uh- I’ll see you on Monday,” I stumbled.

She dropped her eyes slightly. At first I thought it was out of shy submission. Then with complete and utter mortification, I saw her lips tighten as she tried to hide a smile. That’s when I realized she was staring right at the huge tent in my pants.

I couldn’t move. I felt literally paralyzed. My entire body tensed at the situation, which had the unfortunate effect having my hard-on flex and move conspicuously. As soon as it happened, Summer let out a little gasp and brought her eyes back up to me. That little teenage face was sparkling with glee. I knew she just had to be pleased with herself.

She opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it with a sly grin. I was so scared at the situation, so petrified about how she would react, that I didn’t even have time to react to her. Summer shifted in her seat, as if getting ready to get out of the car, but then quickly shot a hand over to my thigh.

My eyes flew wide open as she put her weight on my leg, tenderly squeezing her fingers into me. She then leaned right over to me, darting out like a snake, and moved her face up to mine. My mouth was hanging open a little bit in bewildered surprise. My mind didn’t even have time to put together any thoughts before she pressed her mouth against my bottom lip.

Reactively I closed my mouth around hers. Not because I wanted to kiss her back; I didn’t even realize what was happening yet. It seemed to encourage her and I think she actually nibbled on my lower lip. As fast as it happened, my hand shot out and pressed against her soft stomach. I pushed her away and she pulled her face back, breaking the kiss.

“Summer!” I croaked out in shock.

There was this wild look in her eye, like she was burning with adrenaline. She let out a little sigh, looking straight at me, and bit the tip of her tongue. I felt her right hand come down and grab my wrist… I was still pressing against her stomach. She pushed my hand down to her lap, but I anxiously pulled away. Her hand still on mine, she forced me to drag my fingers along an exposed thigh before I was free.

“What in the hell…!” I blurted.

She quickly leaned away from me and opened the passenger door. “What?” she said coyly as she scooted out of the car. “You said this like… never happened!” The door slammed shut and she began trotting up her driveway. I sat in stunned disbelief, watching her tight ass wag as she went.

Before she went out of view around a corner, she spun around and faced my car. She raised her hand up and wiggled her fingers, giving me a wave. I barely noticed it. I was looking at that taut and bare stomach, framed by a little shirt and plaid skirt. Then she disappeared.

I looked down in my lap, then grimaced and dropped my head against the back of my seat. There was a little wet spot in my crotch from the pre-cum dripping anxiously from my raging erection.

VII

So I was a mess. I drove back home in a total daze. I think for the most part, I was in denial. There was no way that could have happened. How could I have let it come to that? How badly did I want it to come to that? Then there was guilt… Because I had a girlfriend. Because Summer was my student. I mean, I was just trying to do the right thing, wasn’t I? I didn’t actually think something like that would happen…

I didn’t freak out. Not right away. Once I got back to my place, I just stumbled into my bedroom. I sat on the edge of my bed and numbly took off my shoes. My teeth repeatedly ran against my lower lip. At first I could still taste her lip gloss that wiped onto me. Although it was long gone by now, part of my mind still thought it was there. The sensation was imprinted in my memory. It was sweet and young. I wonder if the rest of her tastes that good…

My head fell into my hands, elbows resting on my legs. I took a deep breath to try and clear my head. It didn’t matter; thoughts barely registered anyway. I leaned up and let my body fall backwards onto the bed. My hands absentmindedly ran down my legs. I closed my eyes. Maybe I can fall asleep…

I saw her dancing, her gyrating tight body. I saw her sitting in the passenger seat, legs pulled up, skirt riding up, thighs exposed. I saw her shy smile. Then I saw it melt into a knowing one… full of that risky teenage assurance. What was she thinking…? It didn’t even register to me when my left hand slid into my pants.

I replayed our kiss in my imagination as my fingers idly pressed down at the base of my cock. The jolt of pleasure made me gasp a little. I remembered the feeling of her taut stomach… How badly I wanted to feel more of her. My senses were a mess. I fantasized about pulling her into me instead of pushing her away. Somewhere my conscious objected, and even in my imagination I remembered separating away from her.

I was playing with myself more fervently, my hips rocking a little on the bed. What if she pushed back… if she resisted my opposition…? I imagined her sexy little tongue running across her lips and her perfect young body climbing onto me. It was too much. I actually moaned out loud, “No… oh Summer…”

And then I came. Hard. The kind of come that makes your body convulse against its own will. I soaked my boxers and pants, desperately tugging on myself, thinking about my own student. My mouth hung open as it happened, feeling the warmth spread over my lap.

It took me a minute to catch my breath… and to realize what I just let myself do. It was then that I finally started to freak out. About the thoughts of losing my job, of being prosecuted, of my girlfriend finding out… of everyone finding out… I was so ashamed. I got off the bed and stripped out of my soaked clothes, dumping them in the hamper with disdain.

My body was shaking from fear and apprehension as I got into the shower. I have no idea how long I stood in there, hot water pouring over my body. I stayed in to try and relax, let the heat take away some of the stress. I tried to rationalize. My gears were spinning as fast as possible, trying to find a way out of the mess I was in. I didn’t do anything wrong. She threw herself at me! All I have to do is discreetly tell her to back off, or I will get her in trouble…

I knew it was only partially true. There was no denying that I wanted her. It didn’t take too long before I was hard again. I jacked off to her a second time for the night, right there in the shower.

It wouldn’t be the last time.

I couldn’t sleep. You know when you get restless, and just keep tossing over and over? You’re tired as shit, but you just can’t help but lie awake. As the night goes on, you get those brief moments of rest… but it’s even worse, ‘cause you have the exact same dream. Over. And over. And over again.

That’s what was happening to me. I was back in the bar, watching Summer dance. I kept telling my friends I was going to go over to her to tell her she had to go. It was almost like a movie; I helplessly watched myself do it, even though in the back of my awareness, I knew what would happen, and that I needed to escape. Nope.

Out of sheer desperation, I masturbated myself in the bed. Not just once. Not even twice. Probably damn near every time I woke up. At first I tried to at least use tissues or something… Eventually I didn’t care. I was pissed off and delirious. I came in my boxers. I came on the sheets. I couldn’t stop thinking about how fucked I was. About how bad I wanted to be fucked. By my student.

The next day I had plans to spend some time with my girlfriend. I debated whether that was a good idea. On one hand, maybe she could take my mind off of things… On the other hand, I was so wracked with guilt and apprehension that I couldn’t deal with it. I told her I was feeling sick and called it off.

The rest of the weekend was a dull blur. At some point I was lying on my bed, exhausted. Heather called and said she was going to come over and check on me. Somehow I persuaded her to stay away. Clearly I was too sick; I might be contagious. Just wait a few days. My room smells like sweat and sex.

I even thought about calling in sick to work. The closer Monday came, the more I dreaded seeing Summer. Eventually I resolved to go in; because if I didn’t show up, then she would know why. Like hell I was going to willingly let her think that she had any power over me. Even if she does.

When I went to bed Sunday night, I actually managed to convince myself to be somewhat confident. My attempts to rationalize and belittle the importance of the event were at least mildly successful. I was sure that, once back in the familiar domain of my classroom, I would be able to assert my authority over Summer. I would tell her after class, in no uncertain terms, that I had zero interest in her. And that given the circumstances, I am willing to forget her transgression and not get her in trouble. Yeah, like I was a victim. I’d love to be her victim…

Monday arrived. Things were going well in the morning… Even if I was glancing at the clock every three minutes, mentally calculating the time left until Summer’s arrival. At least I didn’t feel nervous. Not until the bell rang anyway. Then my heartbeat began to pick up and my anxiety crept around my chest. She had five minutes to get into the room. Each time the door swung open, I glanced over. Shots of relief and irritation flashed through me each time it wasn’t her.

I’m not sure exactly what I felt when she did come in. Part of me expected her to enter wearing something scandalous, something sexy and revealing. After all, that’s how I’ve been picturing her all weekend. So it was almost anti-climactic when she waltzed in wearing just jeans and a sweatshirt. Never mind the fact that a little bit of me was disappointed. Wasn’t she trying to seduce me, after all?

Not that I wanted her to be or anything…

Class proceeded at a fair routine. Summer was almost… boring. All weekend, I had imagined her in some revealing outfit, showing off that teenage body. Sometimes she would be insinuatingly sucking on a lollipop, smiling at me, showing off her skin… But there was nothing. I’m not even sure if she really looked at me. Of course I kept stealing looks at her… But the most I got out of her was a shy smile when I caught her doodling.

As the end of the period drew near, I felt my palms getting a little sweaty. It was ridiculous. I was planning on telling Summer to stay after the bell for a minute. Then I would put an end to whatever was happening. I don’t know if her nonchalant demeanor made me more nervous or less. Part of it made me feel stupid. Maybe I was completely overreacting. Bullshit. She kissed me for fuck’s sake. I actually felt nervous about approaching her though… Yeah, intimidated by my own teenage student. My own hot, flirty teenage student.

Ring. Class was over. All sound was drowned out by the din of a roomful of hungry students shuffling out of their seats and heading for the door. I caught Summer’s attention to tell her to come to my desk, but she was already on her way. Gulp.

She had a paper in her hand. “I worked on my story over the weekend,” she said sweetly, stretching out to hand it to me.

“Oh, that’s good. Actually I was hoping I could speak with you a minute about it. Before you go.” I took the paper.

“Um, I guess so…” She said it like she was annoyed, but I knew there was a flirty little smile under there. Or do I just want there to be one…

Before I could respond, two of my other students approached my desk, waving their papers. It was some of my college-bound overachievers. Shit. I knew I would never hear the end of their bitching sycophancy. They immediately piped up, saying they wanted to talk about their submissions as well.

Summer rolled her eyes and looked expectantly at me. She knows. There was no way I could talk to her about… it… in front of any other students. And the others weren’t going to leave anytime soon. I tried to tell them that I would talk to them after I looked over their own comments, but no, they had to speak with me now.

Summer interrupted, “It’s okay, I’ll go. We can talk about it later if you want. You should probably read my new stuff first anyway…”

I couldn’t find the wherewithal to argue with her. She left the classroom. I watched her go. I hadn’t noticed before, but her jeans were pretty tight after all. Such a nice ass… For a brief moment I forgot that there were other students there, looking at me. Looking at me looking at her. I felt my face start to grow hot as I turned to face them. Fearing they knew my thoughts, I blurted, “You know, you are capable of waiting your turn, instead of running your peers off.”

They suddenly squirmed into bashful apologies, not wanting to be on my bad side when their grade was on the line. Kiss-asses.

I was rather abrupt and terse with them for the next fifteen minutes. Mostly from my own emotional state, but I’m pretty confident they thought I was just irritated at their manners. I breathed an annoyed sigh as soon as they left and the room was empty. Rubbing my temples with one hand, I slid my desk drawer open and pulled out my lunch, tossing it on the desk.

Then I saw her paper.

My heart skipped a beat. Don’t read it now. Whatever it is, just read it after school. At home… You wouldn’t read any other student’s paper at lunch. I pushed my chair back and stood up, resolving to go to the teacher’s lounge and put all this out of my head. But I didn’t even make it to the hallway before I turned around and sunk back into my chair with an irritated grunt.

There was no helping myself. I pulled the paper up and saw a written comment from her, scrawled under mine in big bubbly letters that only a teenage girl would do.

“I still think my plot is good. It can keep adding on in fun ways. Just try the next part.”

So she didn’t change her submission at all. Shit. I thumbed through the pages until I got to the newest addition, freshly stables onto the back. My dick started involuntarily twitching before I read the first word.

‘She was so sure that she saw him staring at her in the gym… Could he really be interested? As the week went on, she started to doubt herself. Maybe she was imagining it… Maybe it was even wishful thinking…’

What the hell was this? My brain tried to process the thought that she was actually going to push this further. I skimmed through the pages, past her ruminating about seeing her teacher in a different light… On to the bar…

‘So she danced on in her little schoolgirl outfit. She knew all the older men were looking at her. It wasn’t the first time it had happened. She liked it, but for some reason it just wasn’t as thrilling as being watched by him, like on the treadmill… As she twisted and turned, her eyes closed and picturing him, she almost thought she imagined hearing his voice call out her name. She looked anyway and felt like a bucket of cold water was thrown on her when she actually saw her teacher… another encounter!’

Uh huh, very clever. Or maybe I didn’t think that. My thought process was probably more to the effect of: holy shit, she was fantasizing about me?

As desperate as I was to read every word, I restlessly flipped the page and skipped ahead a little. She talked about being nervous about having to leave the bar. About her parents finding out. About getting into her teacher’s car. She talked about trying to flirt a little while driving, then feeling embarrassed about it. It was always so easier to read boys her age.

‘When they pulled up to her house, she couldn’t ignore the butterflies in her stomach. She wasn’t sure. She thought he might like her. He seemed so flustered… not at all like he is when he’s teaching. She looked down and was about to say goodbye when she saw it. He was excited for her. Her heart swelled into her chest with inward pleasure. She thought about saying something about it… she almost did… But without even thinking, she just leaned forward and kissed him!’

My mouth was dry as I read her version of the events. I kept shifting awkwardly in my seat, squirming from my pounding hard-on. I couldn’t believe this. This was terrible. This was amazing…

She detailed how I… or rather, “the teacher,” kissed her back. And how much she liked it. As she left and went back into her house, she was so happy. But she didn’t want to freak him out, so she would play it down at school. But she couldn’t wait until their next encounter somewhere.

‘Maybe she would leave it to fate. But maybe she would have to take fate into her own hands…’

Okay. A little over-dramatic. What do you expect from a high-schooler? But who gives a rat’s ass. I wasn’t thinking objectively about the quality of her writing. I was thinking, rather haphazardly, that Summer wanted to fuck me.

But then I thought, she never actually said anything about having sex. That’s just what you want her to want…

VIII

The day couldn’t end soon enough. Loath as I was to admit it, but I was desperate to get home. I needed time to read her paper again, thoroughly this time. And I wanted to make sure I would be alone. No students walking in. No other teachers. Just me. And my fantasies about Summer. With my hand down my pants.

And that’s just what happened. No sooner was I in my door that I had thrown all my things to the side except for Summer’s paper. I sank into the couch, irritated at my own hustle but powerless to do anything about it. My dick was already throbbing in my slacks, ever since I got in my car. I couldn’t stop muttering to myself about how deep of shit I was in with Summer… About how to get the little tease to stop. I was burning for her.

My body was so on edge that I barely got through a few paragraphs before my hips jerked and I came forcefully in my clothes. God, I can’t even help myself. With the tension released, I once again was flooded with guilt and fear of what was happening. I had to stop this somehow. She can’t keep writing this story… or worse, thinking that whatever was happening could be allowed to continue.

At first I resolved to confront her the next day at school. I would find a way to get her alone, no matter what. Then I realized, to hell with that. I’d wait a few days. Make her sweat it out. Nonchalance and disinterest was the way to go. I wasn’t going to come off desperate in front of her. Not anymore than I already have…

Of course, that didn’t stop my curiosity from getting the better of me later that evening. After I ate some dinner, I rummaged through the closet and found the previous class’s yearbook. I thumbed through the pages and found her photo. She definitely looked younger; a year is a long time for a teenager. Still definitely cute; although I would have never started obsessing over her. Hell, I never would have now if it wasn’t for that day at the gym…

I continued to turn through the pages, taking in all of the larger pictures entered into the book: events, clubs, random snapshots of high school life. I ignored the part of myself that was calling me a pervert for what I was looking for. Especially when I came upon what I wanted.

I didn’t know if there’d be another picture of Summer somewhere in the yearbook. But there was. She was standing in the middle of two other girls at some sports game; all their arms upraised showing “number one”. She was wearing these tiny shorts and a tank-top, which pulled up to show her flat stomach from her pose.

Her friends didn’t even register to me. They were probably just as cute. One even had nicer tits. But I didn’t care at all about them (the girls, not the tits). I just saw her. Her innocent face, that tight little body. I don’t know what I got off on more: those little shorts showing off her legs, or all that young skin bared from her shirt. Or maybe it was just that I was so helpless that I couldn’t stop jerking off to her no matter what. That I’d resort to digging up a picture from her as a junior to get my fix… It was so fucked up. But it made me come so hard though.

I was so mad at myself. But I didn’t pretend like I could stop anymore. All I cared about was giving Summer the impression that I didn’t want her. I could deal with my own feelings until the end of the school year, and then it’d be over. That didn’t mean I couldn’t rip that page out of the yearbook and stuff it in drawer under my bed. I knew I’d need to use it again later…

The next few days were awkward. I kept to my plan of playing cool in class and not confronting Summer right away. Even though every day I saw her, my nerves rattled and demanded I just get it over with. But nothing interesting happened. She didn’t wear anything outrageous. She didn’t flirt with me or really give me any signs at all.

Every once in awhile I’d see a sly little look from her, but I was convinced that I had imagined it. Let’s face it. I’d been jerking off to her every day now. As much as I didn’t want her to be serious about the whole thing… I wanted to see her give me a signal.

I finally got something on Thursday. Another student asked if I had read their latest revisions on their stories. As soon as he asked, I carefully eyed Summer’s reaction. Her eyes shot up from her paper that she’d been scribbling on. She was interested! This thought was accompanied simultaneously by an exuberant ‘yes!’ and terrified ‘shit!’

I answered that I still had a couple submissions left. They would be finished by the end of the school day, and I’d hand them back on Friday. If they were truly desperate, they could come in after the last bell and pick it up early. I already knew at least a handful of students would take me up on it. What I was curious about, obviously, was if she would.

The minutes dragged on slowly for the rest of the afternoon, that very question weighing on my mind the entire time. School ended at 2:00. At 2:05, the first few students trickled in. Some just wanted their papers right away and left. Others stayed to look over them and discuss them with me. Ordinarily I would have told them to wait at least a day, if not the whole weekend, before jumping to questions. Today however, I was generous with my time. I kept eyeing the door. Just in case…

By 2:30, my room was once again empty. She didn’t show up. My edgy anticipation finally wore off, and I assumed I’d have a break of it until tomorrow. I got up from my desk and started putting my things together to leave. So my stomach did a total flip when I suddenly heard, from behind me, a young girl’s voice chirp, “Oh good, I’m not too late!”

I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. “Ah Summer, how may I help you?”

“I was hoping to get my paper.” She had walked up to my desk now. It was all I could do not to spin around and take her in the second I knew she was at the door. Be calm, be casual…

“Of course,” I rummaged through a binder (as if I didn’t have hers placed for convenient access already). “Although I noticed you didn’t follow my instruction…”

Her eager features faded, clouded by vague unease. “What do you mean?”

You’re in charge here, make sure it stays that way. “Well, we discussed that your initial prompt didn’t have much in the way of direction…”

“What are you talking about!” she blurted, almost offended. “I wrote a whole second part! It continues everything!”

“Actually, if you take the time to read my comments, it almost comes off as a completely separate story… just tacked onto the first.” This wasn’t completely true, and I felt guilty about compromising my teaching integrity… but there were greater stakes at play here.

She snatched the paper from my hand. “That’s like, totally unfair! It completely fits together!” The pages flipped angrily through her fingers as her eyes buzzed over each line I marked in. Before I could respond, her eyes slowly rose up and leveled at my gaze. “And you know it.”

Oh. Crap. I was almost chilled by her sudden determination and confidence. Or maybe it was just me being a nervous wreck on the inside. I stared at her blankly for a moment, no words coming to mind.

“Is this about something else?” she asked flatly.

Okay, no more games. “Look Summer, this paper is, um, inappropriate…”

“Why?”

I almost scoffed. “Because…” What could I even say?

“Because I think the writing is really good,” she interrupted.

“Like I said, it’s not the writing so much as the subject matter…”

“Well it totally fits the prompt! Do I need to show it to another English teacher to prove it?”

C-r-a-p! “That’s uh, not necessary…”

She cocked her neck a little bit, trying to hide a smug little smile. “So what’s the problem?”

“Look Summer, I’m not sure what- what you think is going on here. I have been willing to overlook your, um, indiscretion from the other night…”

Her mouth snapped shut and her cheeks turned bright red.

“…but whatever it is, it is going to stop. It has stopped.” There. Firm, in charge.

She stared at me, angry at not finding any words. Her gaze dropped down to her paper and she finally spoke, “I don’t see what that has to do with this.” And she shook the paper for emphasis.

Was she joking? “This isn’t a game, Summer.”

“What? You think this would actually happen? A high school teacher getting excited over his little student? That’s pretty unlikely. And isn’t that, like, the whole point of the story?” She dripped with sarcasm.

And there it was again. That sudden flare of excitement and certainty in her eyes. That look she got when she knew she wanted something. I needed to take control. “That’s right, it wouldn’t happen, so…”

“So there’s no problem then, right?” she quickly interjected.

At that moment, one of the other teacher’s from down the hall poked her head in the door. Summer and I both looked over.

“Oh sorry,” my colleague apologized, “I didn’t think you’d still be with your students…”

“It’s okay Ms. Hendrix, we were just finishing up.” Summer turned and gave me a sour smile. “Thanks for like, seeing it my way. I’m really excited to see how the story turns out.”

She was already walking away from me and towards the door before I could respond. My muscles tensed. I didn’t want this to end with her having the last word, but I suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable even broaching the topic with another instructor in the room.

At that moment I felt defeated. For better or for worse, I allowed myself to be convinced that there wasn’t much I could do. I wasn’t sure if she was bluffing about showing the paper to another teacher. Even if she did, it didn’t prove anything. But my obsession over the recent weeks was too powerful to think through it clearly. It had to stay a secret, even if that meant allowing her to continue writing. All I had to do was stay away from her. I could do that, right?

IX

Actually, it turns out the answer was a resounding no. It took only until the next day. Class proceeded uneventfully; I couldn’t bring myself to try and confront Summer again about the paper. I was afraid of how she’d react. The previous night was wracked with nightmares of her telling another teacher, and everyone finding out how bad I wanted her. I’d wake up, sweaty and angry. I took out my frustration by jerking off to her. What a surprise.

The most notable thing that occurred was that it was sunny. This meant Summer came to school wearing a showy pair of little shorts. I tried to ignore them and not think about those delicious legs, tantalizing thighs… and what was between them. All I had to do was get through the day, and at least I’d have the weekend away from her. I was even going to spend some time with my girlfriend; let a real woman expel these unending thoughts about a girl.

That evening, Heather and I went to the movies. We were both tired from the work week and didn’t feel like doing anything too extravagant. For some reason, I had the tremendous brain fart to not realize the theater would be full of high school kids on an opening weekend. I guess it’s never been a problem before. Hell, it wouldn’t even be now, as long as she wasn’t there. And what would be the odds of that anyway?

At least that’s what I kept telling myself as we drove there. No sooner had we parked that my eyes were ceaselessly scouting out all the packs of kids. Young girls were everywhere, some in groups, some with dates. Every time I saw a tight little body in short shorts, my heart skipped a beat until I realized it wasn’t her. I felt horribly guilty, hoping my girlfriend didn’t think I was trying to check them all out.

We got in line to buy some tickets. I tried not to let my nerves show through. So far, I had not seen any sign of her. But I knew I couldn’t relax until I was safe in the darkness of the theater. What would she do anyway? What am I scared of? My mind trailed off briefly, but I was jolted back to reality hearing a large outcry of giggling.

I looked behind me in the line and saw a group of girls talking with some boys. You know how it is, young people always talking louder because they think other people want to see them. At first it was nothing, and I started to look away, but at the last moment I saw that familiar pair of shorts. Or perhaps those more familiar young legs; the ones I’d been masturbating to all week.

She wasn’t facing towards me, but either from cosmic bad luck or her getting that sixth sense of someone watching her, she turned her head. Her eyes flickered a nervous excitement the moment she identified me. It was obvious I recognized her, but I jerked my head anxiously away regardless. Smooth dumbass, now she really knows. We were almost at the ticket window.

I wasn’t going to look again, but I did put my arm around Heather’s waist and gave her a squeeze. She didn’t think anything of it particularly; I hoped Summer was watching and got the idea. We bought two tickets for some horror flick and got ready to go in. There was a pack of people streaming out of the theater, as a movie must have just ended. I cocked my ear behind me once I realized Summer’s group was at the window.

“Come on guys, let’s see the scary one instead. The comedy looks totally dumb.”

Oh give me a break. She must have heard me order. There’s no other way… Was she serious? Even with my girlfriend with me? I hurried us inside the building, anxious to get to our theater and hide in some dark corner. But no, there was a line.

We got into it and started waiting. Heather was making conversation about something, but I can’t remember what the hell about. It was all I could do to hide my own distraction. I really did not want Summer to see the same film as us. My eyes kept darting back to the door, waiting for her group to come in; hoping they’d go into a different line. When the door finally swung open, I saw them mill around a bit and finally get in place in our line, several places behind. Damn it!

Maybe I was overreacting. Like I said, what the hell could she do? But try to put yourself in my shoes. As ridiculous as it may sound, I was more and more afraid of this girl. Not for what she could do to me, but how she made me feel about her. Guilt, lust, everything swirled around inside of me. My girlfriend being right next to me just made it seem that much more scandalous.

Just let us inside! The fifteen-year-old tenant at the head of the line, looking bored as ever, seemed like he held way too much power at just that moment. After some length he shuffled by the podium and started letting people into the theater, taking their tickets one by one. About damn time. As Heather and I finally got into the screening room, I attempted to get her to sit in a corner, or at least the side of a row. There were still too many open seats though, and she insisted that we get a better view by sitting in the middle somewhere.

I relented, not having any decent excuse to counter otherwise. By now I’m sure you can guess what I was afraid of. More people came in and filled up the seats. Then the group of high-schoolers entered. I tried to slouch a little and hide my presence. Damn it, I should’ve gone back out to take a leak or something, what was I thinking!? There was a largely empty row near the front where it looked like the whole gaggle of them would sit.

I couldn’t help but strain my focus to hear Summer complain that was too far up and close to the screen. My heartbeat began to speed up, realizing she said it while looking up and seeing Heather. Please not up here, please not up here… I slouched further and rested my head in my hand, trying to cover my face. It was no use. Some of them sat down below, but another five of them came up near me. It was no surprise when Summer came scooting down the aisle first, finally forcing me to catch her eye.

“Is this seat taken?” she asked me innocently, as if I were a stranger.

“Go ahead,” I mumbled half-assedly, trying my best to appear wholly uninterested in her.

I recognized some of her friends from school, but none of them were my students. I wondered if any of them noticed they were sitting near a teacher. From their carefree attitude, I felt that they were too oblivious. At least they didn’t recognize me. I leaned over to my right side and asked Heather what time it was. The movie would start in just a few minutes. I couldn’t wait.

Nothing unusual happened for a little while. The lights dimmed and the show started. Summer hadn’t paid me any mind after sitting down, and I was almost starting to feel okay about it. There’s nothing she can do anyway, what am I so worried about? The first strike came when she brought her arm down on the shared armrest between us.

I was already resting there, and the length of her skin laid down along mine. The sudden touch startled me and I jerked my hand away. She did the same and whispered, ‘sorry’. Okay, harmless accident, no big deal. I tried to concentrate on the movie. Even though it was dark, I could still see the faint outline of her legs in the seat next to me. I had a hard time restraining myself not to keep catching peeks at them.

As the movie went on, she stretched out both her arms until they were taut for a few seconds, then re-shifted in her seat. When she brought down her right hand, she lazily let it drop down into my personal space. Her fingers grazed across my thigh and then shyly shot back to her lap. Now might be a good time to mention that I changed into shorts before I left to the theater…

The feeling of her fingertips was a shock. I gave her an irritated glare (which probably just looked confused), and she made a silent but exaggerated frown as if to say ‘oops’. I turned back to the movie, even more flustered than before. Honestly I thought maybe that’d be it. There are only so many times you can accidentally touch someone, you know? What I didn’t predict was that she’d drop the pretense.

It was an older place and the seats didn’t have built-in cup holders. She was handed a large drink from one of her friends and she took a big sip. She then leaned down to place it on the floor, between me and her. I tried to keep my eyes on the screen, but I couldn’t help watching her every movement. And I couldn’t fucking believe what happened next. Once she put it down, she boldly traced her fingers up my calf as she leaned up and back into her seat. She brushed me all the way up to my knee before she let go and resumed her natural position.

My stomach flipped and my eyes peeled wide. Holy fuck. Did she really do that? First I looked at Heather; she was thankfully absorbed in the movie. Then I looked again at Summer, who pretended like I wasn’t even there. I swallowed hard, my mouth going completely dry. This is insane. How can I stop her? What if someone sees?

At this point I don’t think I was even registering what happened on the screen. My mind was racing like I was some inexperienced kid about to get caught doing something wrong. She’s my student for fuck’s sake! Why is this happening? It didn’t take long until she went for it again. She rested her arm at the base of her seat and reached her hand over to me under the armrest.

You could barely see what she was doing unless you looked. I was of course. God, not again… Her hand reached to the underside of my knee. With two or three fingers, she tickled my skin there. It was so sensitive that it sent waves up my leg. My body tensed in mortification. I was afraid to just grab her arm; someone would see. But she didn’t stop. Oh no… it feels good…

I couldn’t deny the gentle touch was having more than a ticklish effect on me. Whether it was just what she was doing, or whether it was because of everything else, I started to get hard. My heart sank at the realization. I finally managed to shift in my seat, pushing my legs away from her. She drew her hand away. Silently, I breathed in a huge sigh and looked over at her.

She brought her fingers back to her own leg and traced them up her thigh, teasingly stopping at the hem of those tiny shorts. She knew I was looking. Reluctantly I looked up at her eyes and saw her biting her lower lip, surreptitiously looking back at me. My fists clenched in frustration and I put them over my lap. I can’t let her see it.

It seemed that she left me alone for another ten or fifteen minutes. I tried to relax and will my erection away. But the more I thought about it, the worse it got. I was actually getting harder against my will. It was insane. I was so embarrassed; the whole situation was so wrong. And it was making me hotter. I couldn’t help but think about her body and all my fantasies I’d been having about her. And now here she was, next to me. There was no denying that this would fuel my growing obsession even worse.

I saw she put her arm on the rest between us. I literally felt the increased thump in my chest. She lightly tapped her fingers along it, then she rolled her arm and started idly picking her nails with her thumb. She’s fucking teasing me… I knew something was coming. As much as I dreaded it, I felt even worse about hopelessly anticipating it. It was so twisted.

Her arm inched closer over into my seat until finally it quietly dropped down into my lap. She turned her hand around so her palm rested against my thigh. I bit the back of my tongue as it happened, wondering how I would get out of it this time. My shorts mostly bordered between our skin, but her fingers reached out across the fabric and lightly scratched the top of my bare leg. The movement also let her pull my shorts up a little bit, allowing her more access.

I cautiously moved one of my hands over to push her away. She slid down to the outer side of my leg and traced along my thigh. The feeling was electric and went straight up my leg and into my cock. A shiver went through my body which made my hard-on jump even worse. I looked up and over at Heather to see if she noticed.

She hadn’t… yet. But she sensed my gaze and looked at me. I felt light-headed; I was about to get it now. I forced a weak smile at her. She returned it blithely unaware and turned back to the screen. All the while, Summer’s fingers traced and tickled along my left thigh. I tried to swallow down the huge lump in my throat. I can’t believe she didn’t notice! Finally I managed to get control of myself and I grabbed Summer’s hand with my own, pushing it away.

She offered a light, teasing resistance. I forced her arm back to her own lap, pressing her hand down on her leg. She pulled out of my grip and my hand slid down to touch her naked skin. Oh wow… I only stayed there for a moment, closing my eyes in disbelief. My fingers involuntarily squeezed her thigh before I managed to slowly drag my fingers off of her. I didn’t feel my heartbeat in my chest anymore. I only felt in between my legs.

My girlfriend still hadn’t noticed. When’s this damn movie end? I watched on in anxious irritation. I wanted nothing more than to get the hell out of this theater and away from Summer. Well, besides fucking Summer anyway… I rubbed my temples. God, I couldn’t think like that. Why did I want her so bad? My entire body was flushed with heat. I realized I was thirsty as hell.

I thought about getting up to go get a drink; that would even get me away from her. I abandoned the idea in short order though. What if she followed me out? Maybe I could scold her… That might even be good. But then I abandoned the idea. There was no way I was going to get up right that minute. I would walk right in front of a bunch of students, including Summer, with an uncontrollable erection.

And so I continued to wait. You can say what you want about me. There was probably something I could have done. Everything is easy in retrospect. But at the time I was petrified of someone seeing what was happening. Because if someone saw, they would obviously see that I liked it. Nobody will care if I say I didn’t want to like it. And there goes my life, branded as a pervert teacher.

I could tell the climactic scene was about to occur. The final showdown between the main villain and hero was fast approaching. This was the only relief I got: knowing it would be over soon. My mind mostly turned on trying to squash my throbbing dick. I tried to think of other stuff. All thoughts were replaced with Summer. How will I hide it after the movie ends? I figured it wouldn’t be so bad if I shoved my hands in my pockets right away. With Heather behind me, she wouldn’t even notice. I’d be okay by the time we got to the car… Or I’d just say I was frisky for her.

Here came the big gross-out scene. The hero had a chain around his neck, choking him. His face swelled and his eyes bulged. It looked like the villain was going to reach in and pop his eyeballs, forcing everyone to squirm as the scene dragged on. Heather, being sensitive about exploding pupils, covered her face with her hands, cracking her fingers to peak every five seconds or so to see if it was over.

I felt a tap on my left side (I jumped; Summer being the only one that could scare me during this movie). Reluctantly I looked over at her. She craned her neck to look around me to see Heather’s plight. Then she looked back at me with a tiny grin and motioned for me to lean down to her. She wanted to say something. Everything told me to ignore her… I won’t even bother make excuses for why I leaned into her seat to let her whisper something.

So, guarded as I could be, I carefully bent over the arm rest and tilted my head. I made sure to keep my eyes on the screen, as if that’s what I was really interested in. My senses were on red alert. I could practically feel her body shift as she brought her lips to my ear. I waited anxiously for her to say something, but all I got was her warm breath on the side of my face.

Then, very softly, she pressed even closer. I could smell her now. Images of our brief kiss were conjured in my mind, but then she finally whispered, “Don’t worry… I’m not scared…”

I wasn’t sure whether or not she was talking about Heather or me. My mind tried to sort it out, frozen in place, when Summer slyly moved closer and wrapped her lips around my earlobe. Everything slowed way down for an instant. All that existed was the hot, wet feeling on my skin. It seemed like it took forever for her lips to part, but then she ran the tip of her tongue along the edge of my ear, up a little ways, then off of me.

She leaned back in her seat.

I slowly, dazedly, leaned back up into mine.

The movie punctuated with a loud crash; no eyeballs were exploded after all. I saw movement to my right, and realized Heather had just now taken her hands away and watched freely. My mind was wholly blank… it couldn’t even catch up to be in denial yet. I just sat there, still feeling the wetness on the side of my face. For a minute or two, I think I even forgot about my raging dick.

It was that sensation that brought me to my senses. My hard-on was practically twitching, it was so desperate for attention. I realized I wasn’t doing a very good job of covering it anymore and quickly pulled my hands over my lap again. God damn it. I knew Summer saw it. She had to have. I couldn’t bring myself to look at her. I’m such a mess.

The rest of the movie was a daze. It wrapped up fairly quickly, thankfully. There were no more come-ons from my little teenage tease. As the lights came on, most of her friends got up right away. She waited an extra minute. I couldn’t afford to keep sitting and let both her and my girlfriend see the huge tent in my shorts. So I took the lesser of two evils; I stood up and turned left to face out the aisle.

I saw her little smile as she watched my waist rise from the seat. It was obvious she saw it well before I managed to stuff my hands in my pockets. Whatever, she already knows… By now I was just trying to hide it from my girlfriend. Summer then stood up and brought her eyes up to my own, raising her eyebrows a little bit in mock surprise. She turned away from me and started walking past the seats. I followed.

I made a conscious effort not to stare at her tight ass as she moved in front of me. Maybe that’s why I didn’t notice her make a deliberate stop and take a small step back, pretending like she dropped something. I did notice the pressure of her ass as it pushed into my waist, against the erection I was desperately trying to hide. I had to swallow back a groan of surprise and lust. By now it was so fucking sensitive that the slightest touch drove me up the wall. What I would do to bend her over without those shorts…

Once out of the aisle, I managed to lead Heather away from the pack of teens and escape from Summer. I did my best to hurry us to the car and get the hell out of there. It didn’t take her long to see my still-hard cock once we were inside and driving. I made some lame comment about horror movies always turning me on. She laughed, blissfully unaware of the real source of my arousal. She teased me a bit through my shorts as I drove, and I couldn’t help but to imagine Summer back in the car with me, playing with me as I brought her home.

That night, back at my place, I fucked my Heather like an animal. It was all I could do not to groan out Summer’s name as I came into my girlfriend.

X

So really, things only got worse. As you could probably guess, the rest of the weekend was a mess. I closeted myself inside for fear of having any kind of run-in with Summer. The way things were going, I wasn’t willing to put anything up to chance just then. Not that staying home had any effect on subduing my thinking about her. Heather had stayed the night. She was feeling generous and we fucked one more time before we went to bed. Again, I thought about my student and had another mind-blowing experience.

At some point I even woke up in the middle of the night, sweating from a replay of Summer’s young lips around my ear, her soft whisper taunting me… I was so restless that I had to sneak out of the bed and into the bathroom to quietly jerk off. Yeah I was ashamed of myself, but I was also getting used to it by now.

The rest of the weekend wasn’t much different, except once Heather left, I could at least dig out the picture I found of Summer to fuel my fantasies. I was losing control fast. There was still probably a month left of school before summer; I couldn’t stand to think about how long I could put up with her. Would she keep pushing the boundaries? Did I want her to? Is my only real fear just getting caught…?

I did my best to maintain my composure the following week at school. One moment had me walking down the hall when I recognized a couple of the students that were with Summer at the movies. Although they saw me, their eyes passed me over just like they would any other obstacles in the hallway. I breathed an inward sigh of relief, happy that I didn’t receive any odd looks or giggles. Good, maybe nobody else knows… If they did, I was doomed.

My classes went by comfortably enough, with the one obvious exception. As cool as I tried to be, I couldn’t stop myself from being at least a little flustered and on edge whenever Summer was nearby. I hoped it was only something I could notice; that my students couldn’t tell if I was off my game. Not that they could possibly know why… Unless they saw how my body stiffened every time she came in the room. And how I had to avert my eyes to stop myself from checking her out.

Wednesday brought new submissions for their stories. I was still resigned to allowing Summer to continue her current work. It was obvious that she would write about our experience in the theater. I was just about as scared to read it as I was guiltily looking forward to it.

‘She couldn’t believe he saw him at the theater. What were the odds? She almost wondered if he overheard her talking about going to the movies, and then made sure he would be there too. Her body tingled at the thought, but she was confused why he brought another woman. She decided she would try to make him excited again… she was desperate to see it once more.’

I swallowed hard and read on and she described in detail her excited emotions when she touched me, whispered to me, licked me… I couldn’t help but to stroke myself as I read it.

‘She asked her friends in his other classes if he was acting weird when teaching. They said they didn’t notice anything and asked her why. She told them that she must be imagining things. But she hoped… knew… that it was because of her. Did he think about her as much as she did him?’

I came then. The thought of her, somewhere else, thinking sexually about me… maybe even getting off on me, like I did to her… It was just too much. It was almost scary how on fire I was for her. When grading her paper, I had to consider long and hard how to write comments. I actually toyed with the idea of writing subtle innuendos back to her. Of course I came to my senses and realized that was insane. I settled on complete neutrality, almost only marking grammatical or syntax errors

Heather emailed me that week, wanting to set up a date to try out a new restaurant that opened up in town recently. No big deal, right? I tried to think up an excuse not to go. I just knew with my luck that Summer would be there. But I convinced myself that the chances were next to none. I couldn’t let her rule my life. Maybe some actual alone-time with Heather will do me some good… Never mind what I had been thinking about the last time I was alone with her.

So we went. It wasn’t a fancy place or anything; it’s not like it was a big deal. It was just something casual to do, spend a little time out, then probably end up back at one of our places. You know how it goes. When we got there, I didn’t even see many young people, so I was feeling fairly secure. I was having a nice conversation with my girlfriend, the kind I can share with an adult, not a teenager. It was like I wasn’t even thinking about Summer. Much.

We had already ordered and were waiting for our food when the now-seemingly inevitable happened. The hostess was escorting two young couples down the aisle we were seated at. They came up from behind me, so I didn’t see them right away. There was only one open booth left, so it was obvious where they were going. I didn’t realize, or even think, it would be her right away. But I looked over as they walked by, in that way you always do when people are around.

She was wearing this small, white summer dress. It came down just above her knees and hugged those young curves around her hips and ass. I saw her do a double take when she noticed Heather, then she turned around and saw me. As the hostess was seating them, she made a last minute insistence that she wanted to sit on the side of the table that faced my direction. It was then I realized her dress was fairly low cut, and I could see the outline of those perky breasts…

How the hell did she end up here…? One of the boys tried to gesture to let her slide inside the booth, but she made sure to sit on the outside edge instead. She got this impish smirk on her face as she sat down and her eyes briefly flickered across my table and into my stare. I jerked my head back to Heather and bit the back of my tongue. This is impossible. There’s no way she could have known. At least she’s with a boy… Even if he is a gangly looking guy… Was I jealous?

I tried in vain to keep my eyes on my own girlfriend. But Summer barely had to try to force me into sneaking little glances at her. She made no effort to hide her legs under the table. They even swung out of the seat a little bit. She toyed with the fabric of her dress along her left leg, pulling it up and back down in little circles. It was effortless, maybe even absent-minded. But I was enthralled. Her flawless skin contrasted so exquisitely against the white material… How badly I wanted to see all those thighs, to dive in between them…

Okay, this isn’t like the theater. I have to focus. Checking out another girl would annoy Heather enough. Checking out a teenage girl would be disaster. Checking out your own teenage student… Well, shit. I zoned back into whatever story my actual date was talking about. It was something about an annoying coworker. I gave my head an obligatory shake to sympathize with her.

Our food was brought to us. Now Summer was idly chewing on one of her nails. As if on queue, realizing I was looking, she brought her hand down to the cut of her dress. She carelessly pulled at it with her thumb, drawing it down and increasingly exposing the curves of her chest. It never revealed too much, but it was enough to make it a serious challenge for me not to stare.

Heather gave me a weird look. I quickly brought my hand up to my face and shut my eye, rubbing at it irritatedly. “Guh- I’ve had something bothering me since we sat down… I think it’s trying to work its way out…” The excuse seemed to work well enough. Why can’t I get a hold of myself!?

I realized my leg was bouncing a bit under the table. My nerves were getting pushed to the edge again… And I was starting to get hard. No sooner had I noticed the feeling that I panicked, not again! With my attention focused on my indecent erection, I became even more aware of its sensitivity. It started to grow worse. My body felt hot with embarrassment. I knew Heather couldn’t see it, but I wasn’t so sure that Summer couldn’t if she bothered to look. The thought that she might see it turned me on even more, despite my fear.

We continued to eat, and I squelched out my obsession by getting into a discussion on politics. That worked for a little while. But now Summer was playing with her drink, pulling the straw out of the glass and wrapping her lips around it. She’d suck off the taste then dunk it back in to repeat. My cock jumped even worse. Don’t get me wrong, she didn’t look like a porn star or anything, but the innuendo was there. Or did I just think it was there?

Suddenly Summer made deliberate eye contact with me. She stared right into my eyes, letting me know she saw me looking. I held the gaze a little too long.

“What are you looking at?” Heather blurted, looking behind her at the table across the aisle.

“Huh? Nothing…” I stuttered lamely.

“Is there a cute waitress or something?” she asked annoyed.

I realized then as she looked around that it didn’t even occur to her that I might be checking out a teenager. Well, I never had before… I gave her an indignant laugh, “Ha ha, don’t be dramatic. It’s just uh- my eye…”

“Well why don’t you go to the bathroom and wash it out then?”

Because I don’t want to get up and show off my hard dick? “No uh, I should be fine…”

“Come on, it’s been bothering you this whole time. Just go do it. Now I can’t relax!” she insisted.

Crap. I knew once she got something like this in her head, there was no getting around it. I brought my hands down to my lap, desperate, and dug my nails as hard as I could into my left palm. It really started to sting after a little bit, and I focused all I could on the pain. “Well if you’re gonna make me,” I tried to joke.

“Yes!” she smiled.

The throbbing in my hand successfully dulled the throbbing in my pants, at least enough to hide my obvious arousal. I slid out of our booth and quickly shuffled away to head to the restroom. Once inside, I breathed out an anguished, ‘Fuck!’ and went to the sink. I turned on the water and let it run for a bit, then leaned over the sink and splashed some on my face.

I needed a game plan. Maybe if I went out and said I was feeling sick, we could leave early. No, that wouldn’t work; I haven’t said I was sick all day.

Somebody had come in while I was there and taken a leak. “You okay, bud?” he asked before leaving.

“Yeah, thanks,” I mumbled.

Maybe I could say washing my eye made it hurt worse, and now I have a headache too. That might work. I threw some more water on my face and ran in through my hair to make it look a bit more disheveled. The door opened again. I didn’t bother to look; I was rubbing my eyes with water to make them look more red.

“Feeling okay?” a voice asked.

“Yeah, I’m fi…” my words trailed off. It took me that brief moment to realize the voice that asked me was not a man. It was a girl’s voice. Summer’s voice.

XI

That’s it; I’ve totally lost it… She wouldn’t come in here. She couldn’t! I slowly took my hands away from my face and looked up in the mirror. And there she was, standing a little ways behind me, curious look on her face.

I froze in position for probably fifteen seconds, which if you count it out, is really a long time to just be staring in confusion. She looked at me, then around in the room like she was a tourist. No shit, she’s in the men’s room. “What the hell are you doing here?” I finally exclaimed.

She gave me a perplexed look. “Um, it’s like, a restaurant? I’m pretty sure I’m allowed to eat here… Why? Were you hoping to take me home again?” she played.

I ignored the question. “I mean in here!” I emphasized, gesturing around me.

“Oh! Well, I thought I would come and say hi!” She was so blasé.

“You- you can’t be in here…”

“Look, I just wanted to talk to you… privately… I think I’ve been pretty nice about, um, not doing this in class.”

My heart shook. “This is- this is the men’s room… You can’t be seen in here…”

She practically rolled her eyes. “Well did you want to talk in front of your friend?”

“I don’t want to talk!” I blurted.

“I don’t wanna keep ignoring this!” she snapped back.

I gave her a ‘what the fuck?’ look, but then we both turned our heads towards the door. Someone was turning the handle. Without even thinking, I grabbed onto Summer’s shoulders and pushed her into the stall furthest from the door. I slid in behind her and swung the stall door shut, locking it. She had this bewildered expression and her mouth hung open. I placed the heel of my palm on her chin and gently closed her mouth, placing my index finger over her lips to keep her quiet.

We stood like that for a minute as whoever came in relieved himself and left. For once I was glad someone was in a hurry and didn’t wash their hands. I released the pressure of my hand on her chin and her lips opened up. My finger fell to her bottom lip and she teasingly darted out her tongue to lick it. Her big eyes looked up at me and twinkled as she slid her tongue under my finger and then closed her lips around it.

I swallowed hard, mesmerized by the sight and sensation. It was only a couple seconds, but that was still pathetically long until I managed to pull my hand away from her. I scolded her in a harsh whisper, “We’re not doing this! We’re not doing anything!”

“We haven’t done anything yet!” she gave an exaggerated pout.

“And we’re not going to!”

“Come on!” she whispered back, trying to sound seductive. It only half-worked; I could tell she was at least a little unsure of herself. “You know we have something…”

“No we don’t!” I hissed.

Her eyes narrowed. “Just because I’m your student doesn’t mean I’m stupid… I can, um- see that you like me,” her face tilted down to my waist. My shock quickly flushed into complete embarrassment. Her little trick on my finger got me raging again. What the fuck was I supposed to say? A man can’t talk his way out of a hard-on.

“This is completely inappropriate and you know it!” I tried.

She made a classic teenage scoff, “Who cares? Don’t think I haven’t like, noticed how you look at me…” she took a little step back inside the stall and smoothed her dress down across her stomach, pulling the fabric tighter against her body. “Don’t you want me? I bet most boys at school would totally love to be you right now…”

“Uh- yeah, so go make one of them happy! Like your friend you came with…” I reasoned.

“Ew! Forget him, I want you!” She took a large step forward and pressed her body into mine, pushing me back against the stall door. The feeling of that tight body rubbing against me was heaven… especially downstairs.

I brought my hands down to her hips, looking down at her in fear and want. “We can’t do this…”

She sighed, pressing her cheek against my chest. “I’ll make you a deal… Let me kiss you again… just once… When I’m done, if you still don’t want it then… I guess I’ll leave you alone…”

I shut my eyes. I can handle one kiss… But what if it’s a trick… Who knows how she’ll react… “You know that can’t uh- happen.”

A long pause, and then, “Well, then I can’t promise what will happen when we walk out of this bathroom… together.”

God, it’s almost like she planned this. “You wouldn’t…”

“It’s just one kiss,” she whispered soothingly.

I had no choice. Or at least, I felt like I had no choice. I sighed resignedly, “Fine, one.”

She looked up at me again, chewing on her lip. My pulse was racing; I don’t think I’d ever been so scared to kiss a girl even when I was her age. I slowly began to lean down to meet her lips, but she teasingly brought her head back a bit.

“I kiss you,” she reminded, “…and remember, no stopping me until I’m done…”

I scrunched my forehead in confusion as her face eased into a naughty smile. Then she started to lower herself down to her knees. What is she…? Oh… no… Her hands ran down my stomach and stopped at the belt of my pants, where she began to unfasten it.

“You can’t- this isn’t what I meant!” I croaked.

She didn’t stop. “You made a deal… a kiss is a kiss…”

I watched in astonishment as she fiddled with my belt until it was finally loose. She unthreaded it and began to unbutton my pants. I brought my hands down to hers to stop her, when suddenly we heard the bathroom door open again. She looked up at me secretly and gave a hushed, shhh…

I let my hands fall to my sides, paralyzed as I tried to listen to who came in. Part of me was positive it was going to be Heather, or Summer’s friends, or somebody who knew what was going on. But it wasn’t. It was just some guy washing his hands. I looked back down at Summer.

She was paying such close attention to my pants, finally unzipping them and gently grabbing the waist of them and my boxers at the same time. Even though she was on her knees, she didn’t slouch at all. Her back arched in this sexy little way that emphasized her figure. From this view, I could also see down her dress…

The cloth of my boxers dragged against my cock until finally they pulled down far enough to let it spring free. Summer almost gasped as she saw my complete erection come into view. She looked at it with some inquisitiveness, maybe even hesitation. For a brief moment I felt a tinge of pride. I’m no teenager… Whatever it was she felt, she kept looking on at it for what seemed like forever. Looking at her cute frame kneeling in front of me was causing my cock to jump a little with each heartbeat. I was anxious for her to start. I’m not sure what I wanted more though, to get it over with, or to just get attention…

Finally she opened her mouth and brought her face forward. I shivered as her warm breath enveloped the head of my dick. As amazing as the sight was, I couldn’t stand to look. I clenched my eyes shut. This is so… completely… wrong… Her tongue slid under the tip of me and she brought a couple inches into her mouth. My head rolled back and hit the stall door in shock. Oh wow…

She placed her hands on my hips, which at first made me tingle with even more excitement as I felt her fingertips on my skin. But I soon realized that she was going to leave them there; she was determined to stay true to her word and only give me a ‘kiss’. Her lips never actually left my cock. It was the most pleasurable torture of my life.

I don’t think she ever got even half of my length into her mouth. She kept on teasing the head with her lips and tongue, constantly swirling and sucking and licking. It felt absolutely amazing… Maybe not because she was the most experienced, but because she was so fucking enthusiastic. My eyes finally peeled open and I watched her work.

Her eyes would alternate between closed concentration and looking up at me towering over her. Every time she made eye contact with me, I felt another guilty surge rush between my legs. I couldn’t believe I was letting my own student blow me. A month ago, this would have never even crossed my mind… And now… Here I was, my girlfriend waiting for me back at our booth… The shame was completely drowned out by my obsessive lust being satisfied.

At first I thought this would be a boon. I definitely did not want her to make me come. That would put me in even deeper shit than I already was, and encourage her. But this sentiment quickly melted into my instincts taking over. It didn’t take long for me to rationalize, well, the sooner I come, the sooner it’s over. And at that point, I was desperate to finish off.

But I couldn’t get any enduring relief. Whether she meant it to be or not, the whole thing was just a huge tease. As amazing as it felt, I needed more. I needed her to take me further into her mouth. I needed her to use her hands at the base of my cock. But I didn’t get any of this. I can’t tell you how bad I wanted to just grab the back of her head and push into her. Or at the very least, grab my own dick and help myself get off.

I felt like I couldn’t do anything like that though. I leaned back against the door, trying in vain to at least hold my hips still… even though without thinking I would instinctively thrust forward; Summer always pulled back. There was no way I could actively participate in what was going on. Somehow I convinced myself that if I was passive, that if this was just happening to me, then I wouldn’t be so guilty. Yeah it was stupid bullshit, but it’s all I had to cling to in that desperate moment.

How long did this go on? I dunno. Maybe only a few minutes really. I had the dim realization that a few more people came in and left the restroom while it happened. All I could really think about was the relentless tease between my legs. But finally she stopped. I couldn’t suppress a groan as her lips dragged off of me. God, I need it so bad… My entire cock was buzzing with anticipation.

She got up off her knees, slowly pushing her body up against mine as she resumed standing. We looked into one another’s eyes. I was practically panting. Images of turning her around, pushing that little dress up, and fucking her against the wall raced through my mind.

“Okay… there was my one kiss… was it okay?” she asked, almost in a little girl’s voice.

“God, Summer…” I sighed reflexively.

Her body still pressed into mine, “So, do you want more?”

It took every ounce of my being to muster, “N-no…”

“You don’t have to be shy… I won’t like, tell anyone…” she soothed. She ran her tongue over to wet her already moist lips.

I wordlessly shook my head.

“Oh…” she said dejected. “I guess I thought we had something… But a deal is a deal, I guess.” She looked down and grabbed the waist of my clothes, gently pulling them up. The waistband of my boxers pushed up against the base of my erection, forcing it up and sending a continuous bolt of pleasure through me. I grunted in response.

“Oops… sorry…” she hummed. Then she brought one of her hands off my clothes and wrapped it around me. I gasped, my hips once again rolling into her touch with a mind of their own. “Let me, um- put this back.”

She eased it to point back down, tucking it into my boxers as she continued to pull my drawers up. Her grip on me was soft but firm, and she gave me little squeezes and tugs between her thumb and forefinger as she worked. The pressure focused along the middle and base of my cock; the one part I needed to be touched the most. My eyes fluttered as she continued to play with me. I’m completely on the edge… I could come like this… I can’t give in…

Summer must have been able to see exactly what I was feeling. Even with my pants pulled back up, she made no move to let go of me. “Um… is something wrong?” she asked innocently.

“A-Summer, I…”

She pulled at me harder, making me cut off my own speech with a grunt. Oh no, it’s too good…

“I’m not, like, hurting you, am I?”

She squeezed a little firmer and began to deliberately jack me off at the base. My knees started to feel weak; I couldn’t hold myself back if she didn’t stop. I tried not to look at her, but I couldn’t help myself. Her eyes were so wide in mock concern, and her lips were parted open as she breathed a bit heavy. Her awesome body was still against mine; I look down her back and saw the outline of her ass through the skirt.

Without even thinking, I brought one of my hands around and cupped her bottom. She gasped as I did it and pushed her body out a little and into my hand. I gripped her harder, marveling at how perfect it felt. God I want to be under that dress… My reaction ended up being more aggressive than I thought it would be; as she pulled her body into my hand, I pushed back and forced her back against me.

And she never let up with her fondling. I felt my dick start to swell as the unrelenting pressure built up between my legs. Oh fuck, I’m going to… I’m going to… I brought my other hand to Summer’s shoulder to help keep my balance.

I heard her whisper, “Uh oh, maybe the kiss wasn’t enough?”

The way she said it just dripped with seduction. Or at least that’s how I heard it. Whatever it was, it put me over the edge. My entire body jerked, pushing into hers. She held onto me tight as my cock pulsed with spray after spray of warm cum into my boxers. Lights flashed behind my eyes as my orgasm shook through me.

As I came down from my high, Summer loosened her grip and withdrew her hand from my pants. She ran it up underneath my shirt, gliding her hot palm along my stomach. I instinctively flexed from the touch, my mind still an exhausted fog.

“Wow…” she hushed, “I guess you uh… changed your mind…” she trailed off.

I tried to understand, “Huh?”

She brought her hand back down, tickling me by raking her nails along my stomach as she took a step back from me. “The deal, silly!” She paused for a moment, “Mmm… I guess you like me after all… at least a little bit…”

Ah fuck. Now that I was regaining some of my senses, I began to realize the huge mistake I’d just made. Why the hell did I have to give in!? “Uh- no, I mean, you said…”

“You don’t have to pretend…” she interrupted. “At least, not around me.” Her eyes looked me up and down one more time in appreciation, and she brought her hand up to her mouth and lightly bit the tip of one of her fingers as she smiled. “I’ll try to like, not be so distracting back at the table though…”

Her finger left her mouth and trailed down her chest, hooking around the top of her dress and pulling it down to reveal more and more of her tits. She let go and the fabric popped back up before she got too far… Damn it. I was staring like an idiot. And she knew it.

But just like that, it was over.

Without any more exchange of words, she opened the stall door, poked her head out to make sure nobody was there, and then snuck out of the restroom. I stood there in mute shock, wondering how the fuck I was going to explain myself to Heather. I went over to the mirror and discovered, thankfully, that all the cum I just shot into my boxers didn’t show through to my jeans. At least I have that…

I splashed more water on my face to make myself look a little more disheveled (not that I particularly needed it at this point). Then I went back to my booth, my girlfriend at first looking pretty fucking annoyed, but then concerned.

Then I lied my ass off. I told her when I tried to wash out my eye, whatever was in there must have cut of scraped me. It hurt like hell. So I kept trying to wash it, but it kept stinging. Then I got a huge headache and got faint… I had to go in one of the stalls and just sit down on a toilet for a few minutes until my ears stopped ringing and the room stopped spinning. Finally I came back out, losing track of time and just feeling like shit. My eye still was still sore and my head was throbbing.

She told the next waiter that walked by to get us boxes and a check. Within five minutes we were getting up from the booth to go home. As I stood up, I glanced over at Summer, who to her credit was dutifully ignoring me since I got back. We made brief eye contact and she jutted out her lower lip into an exaggerated pout. She took her hand off her drink and gave me a very subtle ‘bye’ wave. I clenched my eyes shut and rubbed my temples.

“Come on, let’s get you home,” Heather soothed.

XII

Another guilt-filled weekend went by. When I wasn’t desperately masturbating to our last encounter, I sat and worried about Monday. Was she going to keep up her advances? Of course she would… I broke her “deal” after all. And before, I could at least convince myself that even if she saw me get hard, I still hadn’t really done anything wrong. Now all bets were off. She gave me a blow job, then jerked me until I came. In my pants. With my girlfriend waiting in the other room…

I was wracked with shame. It wasn’t just that I had let myself cheat on Heather. And it wasn’t that I was letting myself get swept up in an affair with my high school student… It wasn’t even that I was putting my entire life, career, everything on the line. The worst part was that I liked it. That the forbidden nature of it all just kept fueling my fantasies, making me want more… no matter how much I told myself I didn’t, or at least shouldn’t.

I was practically waiting for that cliché day where she came in during lunch or after school, asking for some ‘extra tutoring’. The idea terrified me, mostly because I couldn’t stop thinking about it. There couldn’t be a more dangerous place to fuck. But would she try? Could I resist? How am I so weak for this girl?

Monday came. I was a mess. Summer did nothing.

Tuesday came. Same thing.

Wednesday came, and now I was really nervous. The next installment of their story was due. Obviously there wasn’t even a possibility that she wouldn’t write about the restaurant. I was anxious to see it. Afraid to see it. At the end of class, when all the students were stopping by my desk to hand it to me, Summer gave me an innocent smile. My face immediately flushed a deep red. I faked a coughing fit to mask it. God, if any other student even thought they knew what was going on, the rumors would spread like fire.

As soon as the room was empty, I pulled out her paper to read over it. I was only a couple sentences in when another colleague popped his head in the door. “Hey, do you eat anymore? We haven’t seen you in the lounge lately.”

I nervously slammed the paper down on the desk and jerked my head up, then eased into a fake grin. “Oh, uh, hey Tom. I’m just a little behind these last few weeks. Been real busy, on top of all the grading…”

“If you say so,” he said sarcastically. “Try not to starve.”

Back to the paper.

‘She felt a little guilty about going to the restaurant. It was cheating after all. Unlike their previous encounters, this one was intentional. He had left his computer in the classroom unattended. She just happened to see his email on the screen. His friend… girlfriend even?… said they should go to the restaurant that day. He had not replied yet, but the girl knew at that moment that she would find a reason to be there. Just in case.’

That. Bitch. I knew it seemed too unlikely… That she seemed a little too confident about everything going on. I can’t believe she played me so bad. But my dick swelled anyway. The thought of her going through all that trouble to seduce me was as flattering as it was sexy and wrong.

I kept reading, having only the self-restraint to not touch myself under my desk. She talked about how nervous she was in the bathroom. About how surprised she was that I got so nervous around her. About the look on my face when she got down on her knees… It was a vivid picture of everything that happened, from her point of view. God it was hot. But then I got to something even more unexpected.

‘So he broke their deal… and she was dying to talk about it. She had to get it out to someone! But who could she tell? It was her little secret… She knew she shouldn’t let anybody else know, but there was no way she could keep it bottled up. So she decided to sneak her cell phone number into one of her papers that she turned in. She knew he would call her. He would even call her that night! Because he knew if he didn’t, she would have to talk to somebody else about it…’

She wrote about hoping I’d call before her “bedtime” fairly early in the evening. And sure enough, a phone number was inserted in the paper, with a few more allusions to what would happen if I didn’t call. And how excited she was to receive that call. I put the paper back down and wiped my hands on my pants, which had begun to perspire. I was in a sort of panicked-calm. The kind where part of you knows you’re absolutely screwed, but even your nerves are too scared to react yet.

Would she really tell somebody else if I didn’t call her? She couldn’t… It would be a stain on her academic record. Colleges would hate it. She’s bluffing. But then again… If she just told a friend, if it was only rumor… That would be enough to fuck me over, and let her completely off the hook. Would she do that to me? Was I willing to risk it? Could I ignore how bad I wanted to call her anyway…?

My mind was shot for the rest of the day. My lessons were distracted to the point that even the students could tell I wasn’t into it. The more I thought about Summer, and I could not stop thinking about her, the more worried I got. We’re not just talking butterflies in my stomach; they were everywhere. Even my scalp tingled from anxiety.

Once I got home, I spent most of my time pacing around the room, staring at my own cell phone that I tossed on the table. More than once I had picked it up to actually call her, but I backed out. What the hell would I even say? Hey, about that blowjob… I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it, but keep it under your hat. Thanks, bye. Gimme a break.

In her paper, she claimed she would need to be in bed by 9:00 that night. I knew that was shit. Whether she was trying to sound cute or innocent or young, I don’t know. I figured she was trying to pressure me into calling her at a reasonable hour, instead of at 1:00am when everyone was asleep.

The hours slowly ticked away. I couldn’t call early anyway. I didn’t want to sound desperate. Somehow I needed to show some control, if that could even be accomplished anymore. So I made a sandwich. It took me about an hour to eat it; I barely had any appetite. At some point I decided I’d call at 7:00. No, that was too round a number, like I planned it. 7:12… that would work. Fuck! Am I one of her teenage crushes or a fucking adult!?

I already had the number dialed in. I was just waiting to actually go through with it and press ‘Send’. Everything told me I shouldn’t do it, but I had to. Needed to. With my hand trembling, I finally initiated the call. I held the phone up to my ear and watched the clock (it was only 6:58). It rang once. It rang twice.

There was a knock at my door. I was so startled that I actually dropped the phone and it clattered down onto the floor. What the hell!? I bent over and grabbed the phone, taking huge strides on the way to the door to see who it was. It couldn’t be her… that’s impossible… I glanced through the peephole as I brought the phone back up to my ear. It was Heather. Oh god.

“Hello?” I heard a young voice through the phone.

I completely and totally panicked. I clumsily took the phone from my ear and mashed the ‘End’ button. As soon as I saw the call dropped, I stuffed the phone in my pocket and reached for the door. Then in a brief moment of clarity, I halted and yanked my phone back out, making sure to power the damn thing off. Then I took a deep breath, let it out, and answered the door.

My girlfriend greeted me with a smile. “Watch a movie with me!” she cheered.

Apparently it was some romantic comedy that she had been wanting to see for a long time, and it just came out on DVD. She doesn’t know anything; it’s just a coincidence…

“Uh, well I have quite a bit of work I still need to do tonight…” I offered apologetically, letting her in.

“Come on, it’ll be fun. You’ve been working too hard lately, we barely hang out!” she argued.

“Well, I guess… Are there any hot women in the movie, at least?” I asked jokingly, trying to calm myself down a little.

“I think the daughter is supposed to be cute, if you’re into teenagers,” she gave a dry smile.

My dick twitched. “Ugh, what a rip-off,” I forced irritation.

Anyway, it was one of those situations that you know you aren’t getting out of. I checked the movie case to see how long it was. Just over an hour and a half. If we started it right away, there would barely be any time left over to call Summer by her ‘deadline’. And even so, it wasn’t like my girlfriend was just going to disappear once the credits started rolling.

We got on the couch and started watching. It was a pretty run-of-the-mill chick flick with a clearly predicable plot. The most interesting part to me, which wouldn’t usually be, was in fact the teenage actress. Normally I would look at her and say, ‘Yes she’s cute, she’ll probably be hot when she’s a woman.’ Now I was looking at her thinking, ‘Yeah, she’s definitely not bad right now… Kind of has the same look as Summer even…’

That’s about as much of the movie as I could pay attention to. The rest of the time I was fidgeting in my seat, my brain churning for ways to solve my evening’s dilemma. It occurred to me that I might use the movie in my favor. If I could just think up an excuse for someone I needed to call, Heather would still be watching the film while I could sneak away… Was I really willing to risk calling her while my girlfriend was there? I resolved yes. I couldn’t risk not calling her before 9:00.

At occasional points during the movie, I’d sarcastically point out, “Oh here comes the inevitable conflict for the lovers… I wonder if they can sort it out!” Heather would lightly punch me on the arm, but I felt I needed to create a framework for comfortably leaving during the movie. I couldn’t bother with, ‘Oh but you’ll miss it! I’ll pause it!’

It was 8:00; I needed to make my move. “Shit, I just remembered I was supposed to call Scott and tell him how to set something up on his computer…”

“Just call after the movie.”

“Ah, he had asked me while I was eating dinner… I promised I’d call him right back after I was done. It’s gonna bug me now.”

“Fine, I’ll paus…”

“No, don’t bother. It’ll only take a couple minutes… And I’m pretty sure I know what’s going to happen,” I smirked.

She relented and I hurried off into the bedroom. I flipped on the computer for appearances, but closed the door anyway. I pulled my cell out and switched it on. With my mouth completely dry, I nervously pressed redial. This is such a bad idea. As soon as it started ringing, I began to panic. What if calling her was just part of the story? Maybe she didn’t realistically expect it…

“Hello?” she answered.

Too late now. “Uh, hey.”

“Who is this?”

I realized I had spent so much time worrying about calling her that I never did plan out what I should actually say. “This is… uh… Mister…”

“Oh!” she interjected, “I was wondering if you’d call!”

“Yeah, well I…”

“Did you prank me earlier?”

“What?” I reacted nervously.

“I don’t know… it looks like the same number, someone hung up on me earlier…”

I figured she was playing a game with me. I can’t win an argument against Caller ID. “Oh, sorry about that. I was just getting ready to call you when someone came to my door. I didn’t think you answered…”

“Oooh, who was it?”

“Uh, just a friend.”

“The same one at the restaurant?”

I don’t know why I told the truth. Maybe to cement the fact that I’m a taken man. Maybe because I’m an idiot. “Yeah.”

“Gosh, are you trying to make me jealous?” she pouted.

“Huh?” I blurted.

“Is she still there now?” she pressed.

“Uh, look Summer, I’m on the phone with you now.” I tried to sound sure of myself.

“You didn’t answer the question… so that totally means she is,” she said almost to herself.

“Look,” I changed the subject, “What exactly do you want?”

“What do you mean?”

“There… there’s no point in, uh- skirting around the issue.” I waited a moment for her to respond, but she said nothing. “So… I called you, like you asked for in your- your paper.”

“Hmmm… I just wanted to talk about, you know, last time…”

Gulp. I knew it was coming, but it made my stomach flip just the same. “Yeah, about that… That was uh- inappropriate…”

“It was?” in a little girl’s voice.

“Come on,” I sighed, peeking back at the door behind me to make sure it was still closed.

“Which part was, like, inappropriate?”

“I don’t want to play games, Summer.”

“Was it that it was in the men’s room? I guess I probably shouldn’t have been there… Or was it because your friend was waiting for you? I wonder what she would think about it. Or maybe it was because you’re my teacher?” she emphasized knowingly.

I bit the side of my tongue as she talked, inadvertently getting a little hard. “Yeah… I shouldn’t have let any of… any of that happen,” I mumbled.

“Then why did you?”

Because I can’t fucking help myself. “Uhh- I guess I let things get out of hand…” I sighed, getting more and more flustered at this conversation. “Look, you uh- you tricked me with your deal. I didn’t want that.”

“That’s crap,” she replied flatly.

Her sudden change in demeanor threw me for a loop. “Well… you shouldn’t have even been there!” I retorted.

“Uh oh… I thought you might be upset about that…” Her voice was almost mocking. “I guess I kinda cheated a little bit. Are you mad?”

“Yeah!” I blurted.

“Well I’m really sorry… I know you wouldn’t know anything about cheating… now would you?”

My mouth opened and closed mutely, no words coming to my defense.

“So are you going to, like, punish me now? I hope you don’t make me go to detention… What would you have me do there… to, you know, make it up to you?”

A light shudder went down my body, lifting my cock up even harder. “You know that isn’t going to happen,” I almost growled.

“Are you sure? I bet you could figure something out… Didn’t teachers used to, like, spank their students when they’re bad?”

Oh god. My free hand drifted down to touch myself through my clothes. I had to change the subject. “Summer, look, this has to stop. I only called so you- to make sure this would stay between us. It would be very damaging to both of us if this got out.”

“Oh, I bet you’d get really mad if I told somebody… Then you’d have to punish me, wouldn’t you?”

“Don’t be- uh- ridiculous.”

“I have a feeling that you’d like to punish me right now… am I right?”

Oh fuck yes. “No, I…”

“Are you… I mean… is it… hard right now?” she cut me off.

“Excuse me?” I asked incredulously.

She practically giggled, “That means yes! You totally are!”

I should have never called. This is insane. “Okay Summer, this is done. I uh- I apologize for giving you any- any false impressions… But, that’s it. We’re- we’re done.”

A brief moment of awkward silence, and then “I’m in my bed right now,” she almost whispered.

Huh? “Huh?”

“Under my sheets… I’m wearing a tank top with a heart over the chest. And some little panties.”

The image plastered over the forefront of my mind. “Okay…?” I mumbled confusedly.

“I don’t like to wear too much when… um… when I think about you…”

“Um…”

“I mean… A lot of girls say they don’t do it… But I can’t help it. Especially when, like, I think about our, um, meetings.”

She can’t really be talking about this. I should have just said ‘Bye’ and hung up. But so help me, I couldn’t help myself. “You don’t need to, uh… tell me this.”

“You don’t mind, do you? That I think about you when I do it?”

I swallowed hard, not knowing what in the hell to say.

“Because… I’m doing it right now,” and she made a little gasp.

I squeezed my leg muscles, shaking at my cock growing more and more sensitive. I still couldn’t say anything.

“Do you- mmm… do it too? I mean- ah- do you think about me like- oh- ever?”

“Summer…” I mumbled.

“I like to- like to pretend… ooh… that you are doing it… doing it too, and thinking about me…” I heard her shudder over the phone and stifle a squeak.

I could feel the tip of my hard-on getting wet at this point. I still didn’t respond, except with what was becoming heavier and heavier breaths. I was just… enthralled.

“Come on,” she pressed, “Have you- oh- have you ever? To me? I told you…”

For some reason, I was desperate to say yes. Like she needed to hear it to get off, and I wanted to help her. My fear still blocked me from doing so, “I- we can’t do this…”

“Please,” she moaned quietly.

The fact that her voice came off slightly as a teenage pout just turned me on even more. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Was she really getting herself off right now?

“Nobody else has to- to know…” she let out another sharp gasp. “Tell me…”

And against all my better judgment, my suppressed lust finally got its chance. “Yes,” I breathed.

“Oh-my-god!” the words rushed together in an excited whisper, followed by a quiet but broken moan. “Say it- say it again… Tell me- ah… oh- again…”

I couldn’t help but rub myself harder through my pants. I had half a mind to undo them… My mind raced, trying to decide exactly what to tell her. I almost wanted to say I couldn’t help myself at all anymore. But before I got up the courage, she moaned, “Ah… At least… at least do it with me… please…”

Without even thinking, and like a total idiot, “I am…” escaped my lips before I had a chance to stop myself.

Another eager and stifled moan greeted me. “Oh! I… ah! You- really?” she was panting now. “Right- huhhh… now?”

I was too far in now. I didn’t care how wrong it was anymore. Not at that moment. “Yes.”

She squeaked when she gasped, “Oh wow! Oh- oh…”

By now I had completely lost track of time. Actually, probably lost track of reality. So you can imagine my utter shock when I heard a light knock on the door, followed immediately by the handle unlatching. I flung my hand off of my pants and jerked the chair under the computer desk as fast as I could. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit.

I kept the phone pressed emphatically against my ear. Summer seemed like she was in her own world now. “God- I’m gonna… ah- ah! Sooo close!” she whined between her ragged gasps.

My cock was screaming for attention, actually pulsing arhythmically in objection of not being touched. I craned my neck around to see Heather open the door.

“You missed it!” she informed quietly enough to not disturb the phone call.

I held up my free hand to indicate that I’d only be a minute longer. Summer kept moaning on. It was my great fortune that the volume was fairly low, otherwise I would be a dead man right then.

“How much longer are you gonna be?” she asked impatiently.

“Sorry, uh- I- just a minute…” I was so flustered that I didn’t even think to cover up the mouthpiece of the phone.

“Oh- god is she- ah- right there?” Summer gasped over the phone.

“Yeah uh- so I really need to get going,” I answered nonchalantly, as if talking to Scott.

“I- I can’t- ah- stop… I’m gonna- I’m gonna c-come…”

Despite my awkward horror at the situation, my dick was still like a rock.

“Okay then,” I replied, rolling my eyes at Heather like I was desperate to get “him” off the phone, “I’ll talk to ya tomorrow.”

“I… mmph!…” it sounded like she rolled into the pillow. I heard a few more young and enthusiastic moans through the line and my face started to turn bright red. There I was, hiding my cock from my girlfriend, smiling nonchalantly at her as I listened to my teenage student come over the phone. It was the most surreal moment of my life.

“Great. Yep. Okay then… Bye,” I faked the conversation, only hearing rustling on the other end of the line now. I was afraid to end the call without some kind of confirmation from Summer, but I was more afraid to stay on with Heather in the room. So I did my best to act casual as I hung up and turned the phone off.

“Sheesh, what did he need help with anyway?” she asked.

“Oh, uh, he was trying to put in a video card… um, for games. It’s a guy thing,” I smiled.

“Ha, you’re just like a little boy sometimes,” she joked.

Right then, I felt the tension break. This huge rush of giddy relief ran through me. I just heard Summer get off… I practically helped her… And my girlfriend was in the room and had no idea. But somehow I got away with it. It was so bad, but whatever. Right then I felt high as a kite. And I will still horny as fuck.

“Well, let me show you what a man I can be then,” I grinned at her and got up, letting her see my hard-on. She cocked an eyebrow once she saw, clearly not expecting it. I moved over to her and gave her a light pat on the ass, “Now you’ve been a bad girl, interrupting me like that…”

I couldn’t help myself. The conversation with Summer still echoed in my mind. Heather smirked, clearly not knowing what got into me but at that point not caring. It didn’t take long before we found ourselves in the bed, me fucking her enthusiastically. I probably couldn’t have been more into it unless it was Summer herself. That didn’t stop me from imagining it was her regardless.

I pretty much tuned everything out and only heard her young voice talking about getting herself off. I fucked even harder as I was filled with the frustration of having admitted about my own guilt and masturbation. When I started thinking about her sexy gasps and her squelched moaning, imagining her little body quaking in her bed as she talked to me… I came hard. At that point I think Heather was just along for the ride. In my head, I was shaking with pleasure along with Summer.

XIII

Later that night, reality settled in and I was again sunk into restless anxiety. I panicked, wondering how Summer would react next. I seriously considered taking the next two days off of work to avoid her completely, but I didn’t want to act out of the ordinary. Besides, she had yet to make any move in class before, I was fairly confident she wouldn’t start now. At least, I hoped… kind of…

In class the next day, she was wearing khakis and a little sweater. Once the bell rang and everybody settled down, I began giving some instructions. She unzipped the sweater and took it off, stuffing it into her backpack. I noticed right away that she was wearing a skimpy little tank-top. One with a heart over her tits.

As she sat back up, she made eye contact with me. For once I held it back, and her cheeks actually turned pink. I felt my own face start to flush and I broke the stare. It was completely bizarre to see her sitting there, nothing out of the ordinary… and yet knowing how entirely erotic she was under the surface. I realized I had to force myself to ignore her as I recalled the amazing sounds of her muffled climax. I’ve heard her come, but god damn I want to see it even worse… I want to feel it…

I really, really needed to get a hold of myself. The more I thought about her, the more I was letting myself think it wasn’t some terrible thing. I shouldn’t even be rationalizing it, let alone anything else that might pass through my head. It was wrong, and I had to stop it. At this rate, I was doomed to end up in the national news for some sex scandal. Of course, then I would just wonder… would it maybe be worth it… just a little?

That was it. I needed a break. The next day I called in sick and ordered a substitute for my classes on Friday. I told Heather I was ditching work and wanted to spend more time with her. She had me the whole weekend; I’d already decided it. She was a little surprised but agreed happily.

I occupied myself throughout all of Friday with whatever chores and errands I could keep myself busy with. Once Heather got off work, I zipped over to her place. My plan was to stay there all fuckin’ weekend. I didn’t even want to go home; who knows what would happen there. Maybe Summer would call me. Or I call her? With the way things were going, she’d probably show up at my door for crying out loud. No, I was going to stay the hell away and stick by my girlfriend’s side. I would get my head screwed on straight and take on my problems next Monday.

And things were going mostly fine. Sure, I still thought about Summer when I fucked Heather. But at least I wasn’t obsessing over her every spare minute. That’s an improvement, right? Baby steps.

It was early Saturday afternoon. The two of us had gone out for a jog; it felt great to finally get some legitimate exercise again (I was still too traumatized to return to the gym since this all started). We got back and Heather hopped in to take a quick shower. Once she was out, I just hung out for a bit and chatted with her as she did her makeup, thinking up plans for that evening. All we had lined up so far was going to the post office. As she was finishing up, I finally got tired of being covered in sweat, so I jumped in to take my own shower.

I turned up the bathroom radio and got lost as I cleaned myself up, enjoying the massage of the hot water and letting it relax my muscles. After wasting enough of her water by just standing around, I finally shut it off and dried myself off. I slipped on some shorts and put a towel around my neck, then shut off the radio.

It was then that I heard Heather’s voice talking. I strained my ears to listen if she was trying to shout something at me, but it was just to someone else. Must be on the phone with a friend? Then I heard some laughter, and I immediately recognized two distinct voices. Hmm, she wasn’t expecting anybody over today…

I looked around for a shirt but realized my spare stuff was in her living room. Oh well, not a big deal. I walked down the little hall into the room to get one and see who the company was. They were both sitting at a little dining table. Heather was on one side, showcasing a box full of jewelry that she makes as a hobby.

I think this was a classic example of my brain halting in denial, because it took me so long to realize who the guest was.

At least part of me knew, because I just stood there in my shorts, absent-mindedly rubbing the towel behind my ears. Both of them stopped talking and looked over at me. Heather piped up, “Oh! Honey, this is Summer. She’s actually a student at your school… She is going door-to-door to collect donations for their Senior Auction fundraiser!”

My face drained white as I made eye contact with my student. She was giving me a surprised, ‘Who knew?’ smile and slyly looking my body up and down. I stared back in disbelief. She was wearing tiny gym shorts and a tight t-shirt with our school’s colors and mascot on it. A little ponytail escaped out the back of a baseball cap, and she had two streaks of eye-black painted on her face. My eyes trailed down her thighs and along her legs, which were covered up from about the knees down with tall white socks. She was dressed up like one of our softball players… one of our ultra cute, young, sexy student softball players…

“Hi,” I managed.

“I was showing her some of the jewelry I make… She thinks a few pieces of these might sell really well, so we’re trying to pick some out!” Heather continued encouragingly.

“Oh… sounds great,” I replied, still frozen in place.

My girlfriend glanced at the clock behind me and got up, “But I realized that I need to mail that package with Anne’s present in it. If I don’t get to the post office in a half hour, it’ll be closed and I won’t be able to send it ‘till Monday. It’ll get there too late!”

Summer made a show of looking back in the jewelry box and picking through the different pieces, politely ignoring the conversation.

Heather walked up near me and grabbed her purse off of another table. “I had to let her in… What kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn’t support my man’s school?” she whispered smilingly at me. “But I am in such a rush! Just let her pick out a few pieces, I don’t care which ones, okay?”

“Uh, sure… I mean… Are you sure you don’t want to, uh- just pick some for her really quick?” I tried.

“I don’t want to get there after it closes!!” she pouted impatiently and started heading for the door with the package. “It was very nice to meet you, Summer! Just choose whatever you think is best. I have this thing to go do, so you’ll just have to deal with him in my place,” she smirked sarcastically.

“Ya no problem! This stuff is totally great, thank you so much for supporting us!” Summer chirped back.

And just like that, Heather was out the door and starting up her car.

I narrowed my eyes at nothing in particular, just thinking, ‘Really? Is this even possible?’

“Well this is unlikely,” Summer said with some genuine surprise.

“Uh- yeah… So, did you pick some necklaces and stuff?” Was it even worth trying to be nonchalant?

“Um, not yet… Wanna help me decide?” she offered, tilting the box towards an empty chair next to her.

I paused for a moment, then flatly replied, “No. You shouldn’t even be here.”

She raised her hands up in self-defense. “Hey, it’s not like I planned this!”

I almost scoffed. “Yeah, well it wouldn’t surprise me.”

The chair pushed out from under her as she stood up, folding her arms across her chest under her tits. Her shirt pulled up and revealed a tantalizing slice of her midriff. My eyes reflexively bounced up and down her body. God she looks hot in that outfit. The juxtaposition of young innocence, playful tomboy, and teenage lust was just… oof.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she retorted.

“Come on, you’ve been after this for how long now?” That’s it… marshal the anger against her.

Her face turned bright red. “Ex-cuse me?” she look positively indignant. Her arms dropped down and she balled her hands into fists on her hips, cocking her head to the side a little. “After what?”

“Uhm- maybe you should just, uh- take some jewelry and go.” It dawned on me that maybe I shouldn’t piss her off; I didn’t want to give her a reason to turn hostile on me.

“No, answer me,” she pushed.

I waved my hands in frustration, “I dunno! Just forget I said anything. You should- you need to go…”

“You think I just want sex, don’t you?” She took a step forward. The way she punctuated the word ‘sex’ sent a shiver down my back. I felt the familiar surge down below as well. Suddenly I became very aware that I was practically naked in front of her.

I made a move for the couch on the other side of the room where one of my shirts was, but Summer almost skipped in front of me. “That’s it, isn’t it?”

“I didn’t say that,” I answered annoyed.

Then she put her hand on my bare chest. “Well you’re thinking it,” she stated.

I took a sharp intake of breath. Looking down into her eyes, I saw both a commanding desire and nervous apprehension. “You don’t wanna do this,” I muttered.

Her hand traced down to my stomach. “And like, what if I do?” she asked quietly, softening her voice.

My dick continued to grow, and there was no hiding the tent showing in my shorts. I gawked helplessly as her fingers tickled my skin. Her clothes were so tight around her body; I just wanted to grab her. I couldn’t manage to say anything back.

“You know, I missed you in class yesterday…” she purred.

“Huh.”

“You don’t look very sick… I think you were playing hookie…” She brought her free hand down to one of mine and took hold of me, then brought my palm to lay flat against her tummy, pushing her shirt up. I didn’t pull it away.

“Yeah, well uh… Maybe I wanted a day off…” my voice trailed as I focused on the feeling of that flat stomach.

“Maybe you’re the one who needs to be punished…” Her smile was devilish as she pushed my hand further up her skin, pushing her shirt higher and higher. Now her entire abdomen was exposed, and god it looked good.

“Uh- no… You’re the one who keeps- uh…” Was I reasoning with her, or flirting? I wasn’t even looking her in the eye. I was just staring at her body.

Her hand on my stomach traveled down to my waist and she began to dig her fingers under the elastic band of my shorts. She took her other hand off of mine and grabbed my other free arm. “Oh that’s right… You still need to, um, discipline me from earlier… when I cheated…”

I shivered from anticipation, my cock completely hard now. She guided my arm behind her and pushed it into her side. I went along with it and rested my hand on her ass, hesitantly squeezing it. I practically sighed from regret. “We can’t… we can’t do this…”

She kept slowly pulling my shorts down, first revealing my pubic hair, then dragging along and exposing my cock. “I think we can,” she grinned, looking at my hard-on.

“My… ahh…” I finally sprung free and I couldn’t help but gasp at the rush of cool air. “She’ll be- she’ll be home… soon…”

She wrapped one hand around the underside of my dick and softly rubbed back and forth. Oh wow… “Hmm… So at least you admit that you want it…” she cooed.

I don’t think there was anything more I wanted in the world at that moment. “If she… If she…” I tried to protest, but she continued to grip and twist her hand around my dick, forcing me to lose all sense of concentration. My shorts fell the rest of the way to the floor. I was naked.

“It was so rude of her to interrupt last time, on the phone… I thought we were gonna, like, do it together… But I had to do it all by myself…” she feigned a sincere pout.

My fingers dug into her skin as she continued to make my excitement grow. I knew I should push her away… but I just couldn’t anymore. “Yeah… uh… sorry…” Sorry!?

“Did you even get to finish?”

“Um…” I tried to stall, but she gave a firm pull on the base of my cock which made my knees buckle from the pleasure. “K-kinda…” Why was I telling her the truth?

“Oh I get it,” she sounded hurt, then paused for a moment, “But… would you rather have, like, finished with me?” she asked hopefully.

My hand on her stomach reached her breast, still hidden under her shirt. She pushed her chest forward for me as I fondled her. “God, you’re bad,” the words poured out in a groan.

She bit her lower lip. “Mmm… I’m so sorry for being such a naughty little girl…” She let go of my cock and started to turn her body around. My hand slipped away from her chest and down her side to rest on her hip as she faced away from me now. “Would it make you feel better if you, um, spanked me now? Teach me a lesson?”

I ran my hands along her butt, sliding them down those tiny shorts and feeling the backs of her naked thighs. Was I really willing to do this? Heather could be home any minute… That last thought was barely a whisper. It was drowned out with, I can’t believe she’s offering herself up like this… That perfect little body, so wrong, so bad…

She pushed her ass back towards me and my hands reached around from her hips to her pelvis. My cock slid against the back of her shorts and I couldn’t help but thrust back into her, closing my eyes in tempted pleasure. “Okay…” she answered for me, “But it doesn’t work unless my… my butt is, you know… bare…”

She took a step forward and looked back at me innocently. I saw her hands move to the front of her shorts and she began to loosen the drawstring. Then she stuck her thumbs down the sides of the shorts and slowly started shimmying them down, shaking her little butt left and right as she did it. I was practically drooling as I finally saw her ass naked for the first time. Once she pulled them down to her knees, she bent over and kicked them off. She was still wearing those socks and the little shirt and hat… It was fucking sexy as hell.

My cock was standing out, screaming for attention. I just had to reach down and grab it; I was going nuts from the lack of touch. Summer saw me and her jaw dropped a little bit from excitement. Then she slowly walked over to the couch that was near us, running her fingers along the cushions suggestively.

The couch was pretty tall anyway, so she made a show of climbing onto it, wagging her ass as she did it. She stayed on her knees, keeping her butt up in the air, and then put her hands on the back of the sofa to steady herself. She looked back at me again. “I’m ready for my lesson, sir…” she announced guiltily.

It was just too fuckin’ much. I’m only a man. That hot little thing had been teasing me for weeks, making me want her. So what? She wanted it too… How could I deny her anymore? I started stepping up to the couch behind her and she watched me expectantly. The eye-black and baseball cap had this effect that seemed to emphasize her cheery youth… and the fact that she was a student. I couldn’t take this bullshit. If she was gonna work this goddamn hard to get it, well, then…

“I know I’ve been bad… but still, be gentle…” she warned.

I was standing right behind her now, holding my hands out to her sides. I’m so fucked. I brought them closer and rested them on the sides of her legs, then ran them up to her ass. My hard-on practically had a mind of its own as it pulled my hips towards her. I could already tell she was aroused. It put me in such a fog of lust that I couldn’t think about anything. All I knew were emotions: anger, guilt, passion, desire, surrender…

She reached one of her hands down between her legs and reached for me, tickling the very tip of my erection. The touch drew me in further, and she used her fingers to drag me closer to her. I was between her legs now and she pushed my cock against her wet slit. I gripped my hands harder on her body and swallowed my heart down from my throat.

Her ass rose a little bit and just like that, she guided me inside of her, sinking back down onto me slowly. She let out a soft sigh of delight. I nearly grunted from the satisfaction of having my cock enveloped in a warm and waiting pussy. She rolled her head back down and stopped looking at me, but continued to gently roll her hips along my member.

I groaned in pleasure. This is heaven… I couldn’t believe I was finally giving in to this. But right then, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Summer kept making little pouts and moans, not really even paying attention to me anymore. I just thrust into her and matched her rhythm… sometimes I barely even moved and just let her slide along me in the ways that she liked. But the more she made noises of shuddering pleasure, the harder it was for me to not just give in and fuck her for myself.

She finally put her head down against the back of the couch and really started pushing into me, breathing out vocal moans with every pant. I knew she was bracing her body and straining herself now. She wants to come… Seeing her want it so bad gave me a huge rush. I was almost light-headed and wished we could keep going while lying down. A gasp caught in my throat as I heard her whisper, “So close, I’m so close… God, I need it…”

Her begging nearly put me over the edge. I literally had to look away from her body and stare at the wall for a few seconds and concentrate on not blowing my load. It was then that I saw the clock and a brief window of reality. Oh shit, Heather could get home any second…

Not that I really think I would have had the wherewithal to do anything about it, but if I did, it would have been shattered instantly by Summer crying out with a sudden and cracked, “Oh-hhhh!!!”

I swung my head back to see her body make little circular jerks around my cock, seeing her legs shake at the same time. She’s coming…! It set me off before I knew it. A wave of heat rushed through my stomach and between my legs, and I was coming too. I knew she felt it because she cried out a surprised moan. My primal urges took over and I just drove into her as far as I could, holding myself against her as I was rocked by ecstatic spasms…

I was in blissful peace for the next twenty seconds as I rode my orgasm to completion. But then the climax wore off. Summer barely moved. I didn’t either. I continued to hold her and just stared straight ahead in disbelief. The only sound was our ragged breathing and the steady ‘tick… tick…’ of the wall clock.

What… have… I… done…?

I slowly pulled out of her and stumbled backwards a few steps. Her body slumped down into the couch and turned to face me. The paint under her eyes was smeared a little bit now and her face was flushed. Strands of hair escaped down the front of her eyes that escaped from her hat. She appeared just about as amazed as I was.

I looked around dazedly for my shorts and found them. I have to get her out of here… now… As I bent over to pick them up, the phone rang. I stood back up and the both of us turned to watch the mounted telephone ring three more times, then the answering machine kicked on.

“Hey honey, are you there?” It was Heather on her cell.

A brief moment of waiting. “Hello…? Okay, maybe you’re outside or sleeping… Well I ran into my old friend Lindsey outside the post office! It was so weird…! Oh I’ll just tell you about it later. Anyway I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to go have coffee with her down the street here. I’ll be back in forty-five minutes, maybe an hour. Love ya!” Click.

My mouth hung open in dumb shock. I looked back over at Summer and she was smiling from ear to ear. She got up off the couch and looked at me. Reaching one hand up, she took off her hat and dropped it onto the couch. She ran a hand through her hair and looked down my body, letting her eyes rest on my cock. I immediately started getting hard again.

She brought her eyes back up to mine and then looked behind her, as if checking out the home. After looking down the hall and seeing the doorway into the bedroom, she looked back at me and tried to hide a naughty smile by pursing her lips shut. She turned away and started walking down to the room, pulling her shirt up over her head and dropping it on the floor on her way in.

Now, I know I said I don’t specifically go to check out women, but that doesn’t mean I’m blind, right? I was only on the bike for a little while when I noticed a girl had taken up a treadmill a ways in front of me. It faced the window, looking out to the street. Ah, one who likes to be checked out. Well I could see why.

She really had a great little body. The first thing I saw was her ass. Perfect shape, rounded out in those tiny exercise shorts that barely cover any leg. It swayed a little bit, from side to side, as she jogged on… Accentuating her every step. Does she really run like that, or is it to make men drool? It must be something with the hips that makes a female’s walk so much sexier than a man’s.

Then I took in her legs. Slender but shapely. Flawless skin. They were so smooth; not even a mark on them from what I could see, except maybe a little freckle on that back of a thigh. And yes, I realized I must have been staring pretty hard to notice. She must be a bit younger, maybe early twenties…

Then her lower back. It rose up from the hem of those petite shorts, faultless curves turning inward from her hips that would be more subtle on her tight body if it wasn’t for the way her ass swung right then. After awhile, her back began to slightly glisten from her perspiration.

I could see it on her shoulders too, almost totally bare from her sports bra. And the back of her neck. It was visible because her hair was tied up in a cute ponytail, which bounced and bobbed with every step. I wonder how long she’ll run for… Does her front side match the back?

Normally I’m not this interested. Really! Sure, I’d see some attractive woman, admire her for a moment, then forget about it just as fast. I don’t know what it was about this one. Maybe it was just a fluke of me being in a funky mood and this little show-off just happening to be in front of me. But normally by this point, I would have moved on from the bike and gone home; I had done everything else for the day. Yeah, guilty little admission that I was still there for the chance to see her face.

But then I did.

My attention piqued up as I saw her right arm move to the console on the treadmill and punch something in. Her steady pace slowed down to a half-jog, then a walk, then she stood still. She took a drink from a water bottle, still facing away from me. Then she stretched both her arms up, arching her back a bit as her body went taut.

Before, I would like to think that I was not completely obvious as I ogled her. But now, as she did this, her body started turning to the side. First I saw an outline of her stomach, flat and toned. She kept turning. My eyes poured up her body, over her breasts with a little cleavage in the bra… Up her chest… Up her neck…

And then I saw her face. It wore a look of nonchalance, but I could tell immediately that she hid a tiny smile out of the corner of her mouth. I knew this smug look because I finally recognized her. My eyes shot down to the floor. I swallowed hard. Oh crap, I hope she didn’t notice me…

Maybe you’re wondering now, what’s the problem? Well, it dawned on me that all this time I had been checking out a girl from the local high school. Honestly, I didn’t know… If I had realized I was inwardly drooling at the sight of one of my own student’s bodies, I would have stopped long ago.

Ah. I guess I didn’t tell you what my job was. I’m a teacher.

II

Meet Summer S. Student number 17 on the roster for ‘Creative Writing’. It’s an English elective, and no, it isn’t completely made up of poetry geeks and drama nerds. What is high school about if not getting into college? The class looks better on a transcript than art or an extra gym class. Some kids might even sign up because it sounds fun, but let’s not get carried away, right?

Summer was in many ways your typical senior. Well, your typical senior who liked high school. No, she wasn’t the head cheerleader. And no, she didn’t drive a sports car worth more than my yearly salary. But she was confident, intelligent, and yes, good looking. I had never gotten hung up on this fact before the little “show” at the gym. Really.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t pretend to be some paragon of moral inscrutability. I can recognize when a student looks good. All teachers do. Because we want to fuck them? No. It’s because we need to understand it in order to reign in the classroom dynamics. Hate me for stereotyping all you want, but whenever I see a student who was lucky enough to have attractive genes, then I start out dubious.

Why? Because they think they can get away with more. You know that’s a fact, so let’s move on. My point is Summer, like any other cute student, hadn’t ever registered on my “I’d like to bang you”-meter. Besides, I’m a taken man. Granted I’m fairly new to the teaching profession, and one could argue that she really isn’t that much younger than me, but… Well, that’s not important.

I’m not sure if she saw me that evening at the gym. I did my best to convince myself that I would not have appeared as anything particular; just a man on a bike, staring at the floor. In the zone, if you will. For about a week, I maintained this belief. I even managed to stay unflustered back in the classroom when she first strolled in; period before lunch.

Okay, almost unflustered. That first day was maybe a little unnerving. She walked in with one of her friends, and I dealt with the compromise of looking busy at my desk and hawking her out of the corner of my eye. Did she look at me funny? Did she giggle? Nope, nothing. She just walked down an aisle to the back of the classroom. Her ass does that same wiggle in those tight jeans even when not jogging…

Yeah, I tried to pretend that I didn’t think that. So maybe I had a few illicit thoughts. I’m only human, right? I got over it, moved on. She never acted weird; I was good to go. That is, as I said, for about a week.

Let me rewind for just a second. I had given an assignment, and this was before that day at the gym, to write a short story. The prompt was just: An Unlikely Encounter. I used it every year. Basically, I let the students go hog-wild; write whatever you want. Usually they turn in something about meeting a celebrity, or Bill Gates, or the most popular: an alien. It is supposed to be fun, let them make up something out of the ordinary, no strings attached. Okay… sorry, you’re not here for an English lesson.

So back to today, they were turning in their first chapter. This way I could make sure it was something reasonable, that they weren’t half-assing it, that they were actually writing something and not putting the entire project off until the last day. I would grade it, write some feedback, give it back to them. Then they write the next part. Really, I’m not trying to bore you; this is critical information.

I told them to bring their paper up to me at the end of class before they headed out to lunch. The bell rang and they did so. With each piece handed to me, I first amused myself by checking out the page setup. Big font. Huge margins. Enormous title. Come on, that shit doesn’t work in the 21st century. But still they try…

The last paper was handed to me with some trepidation, not just sloughed off into the pile. I looked up. There was Summer, hand still holding the paper, looking right at me.

“Thanks,” I gestured toward the pile.

“Um, I’m not sure if it’s very good…” she warned.

Uh oh, here come the waterworks about why she had to write it at the last second. “I’m sure it’s just fine,” I reassured.

“Well, I think it starts off good…”

Starts off well damn it.

“…but I’m not really sure I know how to continue it,” she finished.

“Ah! But that’s the whole point: to get feedback before it’s all done,” I smiled.

She shifted her weight and bunched up her lips, making a little pout. “Okay, but um, I was wondering if you could maybe look at it now? And give me some advice?”

I leaned back in my chair. It’s lunch time; I’m hungry too, Summer. “Don’t worry about it, I will read over it at the regularly scheduled time. I’ll let you know how it goes.”

She looked mildly dejected and took a step back. It was at this point that I realized her shirt didn’t reach all the way down to her jeans and exposed a little midriff. A flash of her half-naked body briefly popped in my mind, but I had the good grace to keep my eyes on hers.

“Um, okay. Just, let me know what you think should happen next. I’m really interested.”

I chuckled, “It’s your story, Summer. Not mine.”

She gave a smile. And I’m usually pretty good about these things, but I couldn’t tell if it was forced or not. In retrospect, I know that it wasn’t.

“Okay, if you say so!” And with that, she left the classroom. Somewhere, part of me wanted to check out her ass again. Of course I didn’t look, and for a half-second I was inwardly proud of my restraint. It was quickly replaced by the realization that I shouldn’t have had that urge in the first place.

III

It was Thursday night, and I was going through the submissions. So far, it was all run-of-the-mill stuff. Nothing terribly interesting, only one paper clearly scraped together the morning it was due. But then Summer’s was the next in the stack.

“Ah, let’s see what she was complaining about,” I hummed to myself.

I’ll tell you right now, I am sure as shit glad that I didn’t read it when she gave it to me. The scene started in the gym. I think I got to about the second sentence when I felt my heart skip a beat. ‘She was running on the treadmill, looking out the window…’

It’s okay. It’s not about that day. She probably goes to the gym a lot. I mean, she does have that body… I kept reading. ‘As the evening went on, it started getting darker outside. It was harder to see out the window because it was reflecting the light from inside the room…’

The realization hadn’t sunk in yet. At least not to the forefront of my mind. But my pulse kept speeding up anyway. My eyes leapt down the page, paying no attention to mistakes in her writing. I dimly thought ‘at least she is doing a good job creating suspense…’

She talked about how her body felt. How she felt energized as she ran. How she got hot and what the sweat felt like on her skin. It was painting a vivid picture… One that I had no trouble imagining. My mouth began to dry out as I read on, the image of that sexy form jogging in front of me.

Then the important part came. ‘After awhile, she could see everybody behind her just by the reflection in the window. That’s when she noticed someone. Someone staring at her…’

Ah fuck. I’ll tell ya, I don’t think I was ever as interested in a student paper as I was right then. I flew through the words, dread creeping over me as I did so. She wrote about recognizing the man staring at her. About him being a teacher. One of her teachers. She said she decided to run a little bit longer, just to see how long he’d watch. She described getting a little thrill out of it. She wanted to keep going, but she was getting tired. So she was showing off…

Finally she gave up, and stretched to give him a good view. She was going to smile at him, but when she looked over, he was staring at the ground. Then she felt embarrassed, so she just left…

I put the paper down, my hands actually trembling. Okay, how the hell do I deal with this!? I drummed my fingers on the table, thoughts racing through my mind. She knows… She knows I was checking her out… My own student! As nervous as I was, I suddenly realized, maybe even a little pale-faced, that a lot of blood was rushing between my legs. Oh my god, I’m fucking hard!?

I needed to think. I put the paper aside and picked up another one, trying to push the thoughts out of my head. Although I technically read all the words, not one of them registered in my brain. All I could think about was Summer. Tight little ass, tiny little shorts Summer. Perfect smooth legs, skimpy sports bra Summer. That fucking showoff knew exactly what she was doing…

I got up from the table and began to pace around the room. Okay, time to get a hold of yourself. I needed to blow off some energy. Maybe I should go to the gym… Maybe she’ll even be there… My thoughts were frantic. I stopped in my tracks and let out an exacerbated sigh. I could feel it, but I had to look down anyway. There was a huge tent in my slacks.

I felt frustrated and a little ashamed. Shoving one hand in my pocket, I tried to readjust myself to make it less noticeable. The attention felt good, and I thoughtlessly tugged at the base of my cock. Good god, this is pathetic. I have to end this right now.

Back to my table, I pulled her paper in front of me. Red pen out: time to kill this thing. “Summer, I am afraid there is not much of an actual ‘encounter’ taking place here. Your characters never actually meet. It is almost as if the protagonist imagined the whole thing. While perhaps an intriguing premise, you may want to start again.”

There, that’ll make her write something else. I read back over my comment. Intriguing premise? Why the fuck did I say that!? I thought about crossing it out, but that would look ridiculous. Nothing to do about it now. I fidgeted in my seat, realizing I was in no condition to grade the other papers yet.

I went into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on my face. Water dripped back down as I leaned over the sink, feeling almost dizzy. Calm down. I haven’t done anything wrong. I am overreacting. But damn it why I am so fucking hard! I could not shake the image of Summer out of my head. I saw her standing in front of my desk, that cute little pout when she gave me her paper. Tummy peaking out from under her shirt…

What the hell would I have done if I read it… with her right there? Would she have stood and watched me? I probably would have even told her to take a seat… Next to me even! What if I got hard, right next to her? She must know… She would maybe even touch it… Oh god, that would be so wrong…

I didn’t even realize it, but I had shoved a hand down my pants and was slowly jerking myself to these anxious thoughts. But I didn’t stop once I grasped this. Instead, I undid my slacks and pushed them down, giving myself better access. I clenched my eyes shut and shook my head in disbelief at myself. I bet this is what she wanted… If only she knew what I was doing right this second… Summer you hot little tease… I can’t believe I’m even thinking about you…

And with that, I came. All over the bathroom sink. My entire body tingled from the sudden sensation. When I finally came around from my high, my eyes slowly fluttered open. What the hell did I just do?

IV

Friday. I managed to get the rest of the papers graded the night before. After I talked to my girlfriend for a bit on the phone. Now that was an awkward experience. Not for her, but for me. I’ll admit I was feeling pretty guilty for the duration of the evening. It’s not like I’ve never jerked off to another woman before… But my own teenage student? That was a little different.

I tried to keep it out of my mind. I didn’t do so well. My anxiety inched over me, little by little, as my Creative Writing period approached. I was nervous to see her. Nervous to give her paper back. I felt silly, but hey, emotions are emotions. Keep in mind I had a pretty restless night previously; thoughts of Summer’s story haunting me.

When the time finally arrived, I nearly scoffed when I saw her enter the room. She had on this little plaid skirt. And no, we don’t have a uniform at this school. She still had on a reasonably conservative sweater, even if it was a little tight… It wasn’t nearly as outrageous as other tops I’ve seen the girls wear. But the skirt… Ouch. It was short. Not so short as to be inappropriate, but short enough to say ‘Look at me.’

And the boys did look at her, eyebrows rising in double takes at her legs. The girls noticed too, a little bit of envy flashing in their eyes. I did my best to not look at her and remain impassively neutral, occupied mind of a teacher on his work. I wonder if she is wearing that for me… I admonishingly bit the back of my tongue. Don’t be an idiot.

Class proceeded normally. Summer sits in the back, and so thankfully I couldn’t be distracted by her outfit under that desk, even if I wanted to be. As the bell approached, I gave some generic feedback about the stories and began to hand them back. Up and down the rows I walked, passing them out one by one. When I got to her, she was sitting sideways in her seat, knees pressed together and she bent down and rifled through her backpack.

It forced me to glance at that smooth skin again, tantalizingly leading up to some bare thigh, then finally hidden underneath the fabric of her skirt. I only looked for a second, but that’s all it really takes for a girl to notice, isn’t it?

“Oh, sorry.” She said detachedly, swinging her legs back under the table and letting me walk by. For my part, I pretended to ignore her and began instructing the class with another reminder that ‘a lot’ is two words.

The room was mostly silent except for the shuffling of papers flipping back and forth as they read my comments. I already expected at least one or two of the more anal perfectionists to come and either complain or kiss ass to improve their grade. Such is life.

The bell rang.

Everyone piled up at the door to escape as I wished them a good weekend. I casually sunk back into my desk; one student already waiting there for me. Meet James C. A classic example of a student who thinks he is smart, but is sadly only very well-educated. Each assignment to him is not a chance to learn, but a chance to achieve perfect marks that will send him off to the next and best station in life.

We talked for a few minutes. I won’t bore you any further with it. As he left for lunch, my chest tightened to realize Summer was still sitting in her seat. I quickly surveyed the room; everyone else was gone. “Are you so hungry that you forgot to leave for lunch?” I joked out to her.

She looked up from her table and held up her paper. “Could I talk to you about this?” she asked flatly.

My heart both sank and jumped at the same time. “I suppose I could arrange that,” I smiled weakly. Well shit, I can’t just say no.

She got up from her desk and walked casually over, paper in hand. She waved it around in front of her waist, pointing at it. I instinctively looked, but my eyes had a mind of their own and looked beyond the contents of her hand and right to her skirt. Goddamnit. My eyes snapped up at the sound of her voice.

“I told you it sucked!” she protested suddenly.

“Whoa!” I put my hands up, defensive. “Let’s not get carried away.”

She dropped the paper in front of me. “You want me to start over!”

“Well, um, I think I said there were a few problems… Mostly you kind of side-stepped the actual prompt…”

I reached over to point at my main comment. She shot her hand down, finger jabbing onto the top of the page. Her soft skin grazed mine and I reactively jerked my wrist back. “It says chapter one!”

I brought my eyes up from the paper to her gaze. “This is true, but it is also a short story… You may need to dive in to the actual encounter a little faster.”

“There was an encounter! Just because they didn’t, like, come out and shake hands right away doesn’t mean… doesn’t mean there wasn’t an encounter!”

I leaned back in my chair and took a breath. I wasn’t expecting her to be so confrontational about it. “Summer, you just told me it sucked. And now you are defending it rather passionately?” Ah, sweet misdirection.

Her mouth opened and closed right away, her brain stumbling for words. She crossed her arms across her stomach and squeezed, like a little hug for herself. It made the swell of her breasts push out even further against her sweater. I took the opportunity to interject.

“I can see that you spent some serious time on it. The writing is very good. It’s just that I’m not quite sure you are following the directions for this particular project,” I offered consolingly.

“Well, I think there are a lot of places it can go. Don’t you? I mean, the uh, there can be more um- encounters.”

What is that supposed to mean? “The plot is supposed to hinge around one encounter. Note the indefinite, but quite singular, an unlikely encounter.”

She dropped her arms down and shook her hands slightly, exacerbated expression on her face. She is not used to disappointment. “But… What if it is really good! I mean, you said you liked it, right? I mean, did you like reading it?” She tried to disguise her displeasure by softening into a more flirtatious voice.

“It was… well-written,” I answered carefully, “but the point remains that…”

“Aww!” she interrupted, “Just give it a chance! I mean… if you liked it, maybe you will like the next chapter more…” She allayed her pose into a more submissive posture, bending a knee a little bit, widening her pleading eyes. Does she think she can flirt her way out of this?

“Summer, why don’t you just think about it over the weekend. Maybe another idea will come to you. Something a little more… appropriate for the assignment.” As soon as I said it, I realized the double entendre. I hoped she didn’t.

Her shoulders sagged as she huffed out a sigh. Grabbing the paper, she spun around and stood still for a moment. I was taken aback by the gesture… Well, I was mostly taken aback by her skirt floating up a little bit from the sudden movement. I couldn’t help my eyes dropping down to her perfect little ass hiding under that insinuating outfit.

She began to slowly walk back to her desk, I presumed to retrieve her backpack and leave. “I guess I will think about it,” she sighed again. “I mean, I guess I just thought, like, it would be interesting. You know, instead of two people that would not normally meet… It’s um, like two people that shouldn’t meet… you know?”

I swallowed hard and looked back down at my desk. I moved some papers around and pretended to be looking at something, but I couldn’t help peeking back up and watching her slender body walk away. Her voice sounded so… insisting…

“That’s why it is unlikely…” she emphasized, still facing away from me. I slowly inhaled a deep breath. She bent over to pick up her pack, knees straight. Her ass pushed out and her skirt pulled up, revealing even more of the backs of her thighs. Ho-ly shit… I don’t think I even blinked as I watched this alluring sight.

I couldn’t think of anything to retort as her words sank in. My reverie was broken as soon as she stood back up and slung the backpack over her shoulder. I quickly shook my head and forced myself to appear natural as she turned around. She looked at me expectantly.

My knee bobbed up and down beneath my desk, a bad habit when I get nervous. “Just think about what I said,” I repeated lamely.

Her eyes rolled in that flippant teenage way, “Fine.” She then finally made to leave the room. “But maybe you could, like, think about it too. About what I, um, what I am trying to write.” Without giving me a chance to respond, she was out the door.

I breathed a little bit of relief. Opening a drawer, I pulled out a lunch I made myself. Normally I go down to the staff room to get away from my own class… But I couldn’t help thinking about Summer. “Like two people that shouldn’t meet…” God, she did have a point. I hoped she would just give up and write something completely different. I really didn’t want to deal with the awkward conversation of why she shouldn’t be dealing with such… unsuitable subject matter.

No shit those two characters shouldn’t meet. She’s only… Ah fuck, the way she bent over in that little skirt… I bet she did wear it for me. She knew we were going to talk. I can’t believe I am letting her have this effect on me. I don’t think she knows though…

I opted to eat my lunch at my desk. Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t break my preoccupation over my own student. Not explicitly thinking about fucking her… but just the undeniable attraction. I couldn’t realistically get out of my seat anyway. My uncomfortably noticeable erection made sure of that.

V

The rest of the day was a mess. I couldn’t get Summer out of my head. Obviously I couldn’t think about anything else as I ate my lunch, alone. I ashamedly wished I could just disappear for a few minutes… If I could just jerk off, I could at least get rid of the edge… Never mind the fact that I, in my classroom, was wishing for the opportunity to safely masturbate to one of my students.

When the bell rang for the next period, I was still in my seat. As everyone shuffled in, I caught myself looking a little closer at the girls. This is getting out of control. I resolved that all I needed to do was get through the day. I was just in a flustered mood. Back to teaching…

Eventually I got through to the weekend. I recognized that my lessons for the rest of the afternoon were clearly off. My train of thought constantly got interrupted with my fixation with Summer. I could be talking about anything, and then suddenly there would be an image of her… her and those slender legs in that little plaid skirt…

There was at least a few times where I actually lost what I was saying in front of the students. It wasn’t really that embarrassing. Or at least, it wouldn’t have been if I had just been experiencing a brain fart and not… well, you know. At least I didn’t sport a new erection in front of them. But I will be honest… I might have been starting to get one when I was back at my desk, the room quiet from the kids writing a prompt and me lost in my thoughts…

It was really a gym night. If ever there was a day I needed to work out some steam, it was today. But there was no way I could go. What if Summer was there? The last thing I needed to see was her toned body in those tiny shorts and bra… Oh god, what if she talked to me, dressed like that…? I tried to reason that it was a big place; that I could easily go there and not be seen. But I think, even then, I knew I was trying to rationalize an excuse to accidentally run into her.

I had to get my mind off of it. There was no way I could just relax at home tonight; my girlfriend was going out with some friends for some shower, or salon… some female herd behavior event anyway. I would be by myself, thinking about her. I was positive I’d be masturbating to that teen body as soon as I got a chance alone… And something told me that I couldn’t let myself do that again.

So I called up some buddies, determined to go out for the night and clear my head. I caught up with my friends Scott and Blake. Scott was single, so we had the bright idea to go to a trendy bar and see if we couldn’t hook him up with something pretty. We met up later that evening and headed out.

As soon as we got together and hit the scene, I felt better already. We were laughing and joking and having a good time like guys do. Nobody talked about work, and so the classroom, with sexy little Summer, were out of my thoughts. At least for a little while.

We had taken up a table near the bar and were relaxing, having some drinks. Every time we saw an even remotely attractive woman, we pointed her out to Scott. But Scott, being infinitely picky, would always find something wrong with them. We would lament in exaggerated despair each time, but he would insist he’s just looking for “Miss Right”. Uh huh.

From our vantage point, we were situated in a spot where we could see a small dance floor. It was a fun sight: good-looking women attracting all the attention of all the guys. Not-so-good-looking women also gawking at the beauties as well, in an attempt to emulate and show them up in hopes of getting the men to look at them. We kept prodding Scott to go over and dance a little; Miss Right is probably in the throng, hiding from view.

“Miss Right wouldn’t hide from me,” he replied. “It’s part of her charm to be out in the open.”

Of course.

About an hour later, I had pretty much given up any pretense of picking out women for him. So it came as a bit of a surprise when he blurted out, “Hell-oooooo Miss Right…”

Both Blake and my heads jerked around to see what Scott was looking at. She was on the dance floor. I turned to get a better look. She was really moving, and there was a small crowd around her giving her space to show off. At that moment, her back was to me. Her hands were stretched up high in the air, clasping each other as if drawn up by a rope. Her entire body gyrated around in little circles as her body turned to the beat.

I could easily see how she caught Scott’s attention. She had a smoking little body that she really knew how to use. It looked like she only had on a flimsy tank-top that barely covered her anyway; and with her arms raised high, the fabric pulled up to reveal her entire stomach and lower back.

Then time started to slow down. Slow way down. My eyes rolled down to see her ass shaking around as she continued to turn towards us. She’s wearing a plaid skirt… For a split-second, it reminded me of Summer. It couldn’t be… we’re in a bar… She kept turning. Everybody around her melted into a blur as I stared in disbelief. She was crystal clear.

And there she was. Student number 17. Her eyes were closed, but her mouth was in a big smile as she spun. She was lightly biting the tip of her tongue, and it gave her this carefree look… cute but raw. I swallowed hard as I checked out the rest of her body. Her stomach was so toned. It was almost hypnotic to watch her young curves at work.

That fuckin’ little plaid skirt topped it off. This afternoon, she looked good. Tonight? She looked smoking. She bristled with confidence… I had no idea how she had gotten in the place. My only guess is that the doorman let her flirt her way in. Every man in there probably thought she was some fresh 21-year-old that was pulling off the “schoolgirl” look that night.

But I knew that wasn’t the case. The only reason she looked so goddamn convincing is because she is a fucking teenager. I croaked in my brain, a student in one of my classes… What the hell is she doing here!? Good god, how the hell does she know to move like that…

The three of us gawked a little while longer. My buddies because they just saw a hot girl. No surprise there. But me? I watched in awe as she danced and could not believe it. My mind was racing. She couldn’t know that I would be here… This is just the biggest coincidence ever… I can’t let her stay… But I can’t go talk to her…

“I think I feel like dancing about now,” Scott grinned to us. He started to get up from the table.

“You can’t!” I blurted out.

He paused. “Why the hell not? You got a girlfriend and I saw her first… that’s two for two!”

I panicked. “No she’s- she’s not supposed to be here…”

“Uh huh,” he laughed, “I’ll get her out of here, don’t worry!”

My face started to turn red. He has no fucking clue. The words spilled out of my mouth. “She’s a teenager!”

Both of them looked at me quizzically.

“She’s… She’s uh, a student at the high school….”

“Your student?” Scott asked incredulously.

I blushed worse, “Yeah.”

He looked back to Summer. “Buuullshit…”

“Look, I’m serious… I don’t know how she got in here but, uh…” I started to get out of my seat. “I mean, obviously she can’t stay. She’s underage…” Yeah, too young to be looking that fuckin’ good.

My friends mumbled something about it not being my responsibility, but I ignored them. Honestly, I wasn’t going over there because I wanted to. I did feel some obligation to do the right thing. I was, after all, a public servant… right?

I moved up to the dance floor; I could barely see Summer anymore because she had melted back into a crowd at the start of a new song. Taking a deep breath in to calm myself down, I did my best to assertively push my way through the dancers to find her. As I finally got near her, another young guy irritatingly tried to shove me out of the way, annoyed at my advance. I ignored him and called out, “Summer!”

Her head jerked around, hair dangling down in front of her face, looking passionate and wild. She had this surprised look on her face, like she was shocked to hear her own name. Her body ungracefully snapped upright once she saw me. She wasn’t dancing anymore.

“Uh… hi!” she stammered.

Rolling into disciplinarian mode, I raised my finger and beckoned her to come off the dance floor. “I’d like to talk to you.”

The music was still blaring and most of the dancers ignored us, but some stopped to see who this asshole was that was making the pretty young girl upset. For a moment, she looked around her. I wondered if she would ignore my authority, realizing I had no real power over her outside the classroom. But she acquiesced anyway. She probably thinks I’ll narc her out.

We moved off the dance floor and moved to a back wall. “Nice to, um- see you…” she offered innocently.

“Yeah… Imagine my surprise when I noticed one of my own students. In a bar,” I emphasized.

“I was only dancing…”

“In a bar,” I repeated.

She flopped her hands down to her sides, almost in a pout. “I haven’t been drinking! It’s not a big deal!” Ah, there’s the teenager in her. Not so much confidence now…

“You and I both know you shouldn’t be here, Summer. Now, I’m willing to forget about this if you leave right now.”

She let out an annoyed sigh. “Come on! I’m not in school right now…”

“This is true… But either you leave, or I will have to let someone know that you are nowhere near twenty-one.”

An irritated little scoff coughed out of her mouth as she turned towards the rest of the bar. Her hands fidgeted on the hem of that short skirt, absent-mindedly pulling it up an inch. I found my own eyes paying way too much attention to those alluring thighs and snapped my gaze back up. Her head turned back to me and stared intently. Oh shit, please don’t let her have noticed…

“I won’t have a ride until way later!”

I blinked in momentary confusion. She’s still trying to reason with me? “Well I’m sure you can call somebody.”

“No way! All my friends are out! They aren’t going to, like, come all the way out here!”

“There’s always your parents,” I offered. That ought to scare her.

“Fuck no!” she cried. As soon as she set it, a hand shot up to cover her mouth. “Oh my gosh!” she slurred, “I mean, they’d kill me!”

For a moment, I actually pitied her. I mean, it’s not like I hadn’t done my fair share of bending the rules as a kid. And she wasn’t a bad student or anything. “Well… How far away do you live?”

Oh brother, did I really ask that? Now honestly. I wasn’t thinking anything impure. Not at that moment anyway.

She looked at me quizzically, then dropped her gaze down to her own body. “Um… Maybe like, twenty minutes or something.” Her hands smoothed out her skirt on the front of her legs. I tried not to watch her fiddling, to see her in that tiny skirt… her entire tummy exposed… “But, I can’t walk all the way back! It’s too late!” she objected.

I sighed. “Look, there is no way you can stay here. If you honestly cannot get a ride, I will drive you back.” Okay, it was the right thing to say. And the right thing to do… Right?

Summer’s eyes lit up in a brief moment of surprise. “Uh- you don’t… you don’t need to do that…”

She didn’t sound particularly convincing. “Then you do have another way to get home,” I insinuated.

She sighed back at me, “No… I don’t.”

“Come on then.”

VI

I briefly stopped at the table and told my buddies that I had to give her a ride home. My jaw involuntarily clenched as they indiscreetly checked Summer out, who was standing a few paces behind me. Scott was going to make some smart comment about me stealing her for myself, but I think I gave him a death stare and he kept his mouth shut.

Summer didn’t say anything as she demurely followed me out to the parking lot. When we got to my car, I jokingly offered, “Well, you can, uh, ride shotgun if you want. Or you can sit in the back and pretend I’m a taxi driver.”

She gave me a weak smile, “I can’t picture you as a cab driver.”

I opened the door to the front seat for her. “Oh yeah? Why’s that?” This isn’t weird. Just keep the conversation casual.

Her skirt rode up her legs a little further as she slid into the front seat. I tried not to gawk at those thighs as I made sure she was fully in the car. “Um… You like, know too much English!”

I gave her a sarcastic smile and shut the door. Walking around and getting into the driver’s side, I mockingly scolded, “Now Summer, you shouldn’t stereotype.”

Her hands tugged the bottom of her skimpy tank-top, trying to make it cover more of her stomach. I couldn’t help but notice it not working… at all. God, that fucking body… Her eyes suddenly rose up and caught me. “Uh- seatbelt,” I croaked just as fast, then averted my eyes to my keys as if starting the ignition was a complicated procedure.

Within a minute we were pulling out to the street. Neither of us had said anything. “You just tell me where to turn,” I instructed.

“Yeah, okay. Go right after the next intersection.”

“Okie doke.”

Again, awkward silence. Should I make small talk or do we just sit here like this? God, why am I so nervous? It’s not like I’m on a date with her or anything.

“Now go until the hill and turn left,” she said softly.

I kept driving, unresponsive. Great, now I have to keep silent or it will sound like I’m forcing it. Not that I care…

“I’m sorry you, like, have to do this,” she huffed out abruptly.

I was a little startled by the sudden break in silence. “Uh, well, it’s okay. Just don’t go to any bars for a few more years…”

“I was only dancing,” she retorted defensively.

“You know that doesn’t matter. Besides, you’ll attract the wrong kind of crowd at a place like that.” That was stupid… What am I, her dad?

Another awkward silence… “Well, you were there,” she said with a hint of victory in her voice. I glanced over at her and she had this subtle little grin, like she finally caught me at something.

I grinned back with a smartass, “Somebody’s gotta keep the law in this town.”

“Oh is that it,” she played, “Do you always hang out in bars, looking for underage girls to save?”

The second she finished saying it, my face started burning red. Both from embarrassment and anger. This is getting too friendly. She’s still my student. She knew it too; I could almost hear the smile wipe off her face.

“Um- go uh, go straight here. For a little while,” she mumbled apologetically.

More silence.

Eventually, she piped up again. “Well, I guess this is really an unlikely encounter, right?”

Is she being coy or sucking up? “Uh, I guess so.”

“Maybe I should rewrite my story about this…”

I looked over at her and she was fidgeting with the hem of her skirt again. No sooner had I turned to face her, she pulled her knees up to her chest on the seat. Her skirt pulled back even more, showing almost the entire bottom of her leg. So much skin…

“I’m not sure it’d be, uh… very exciting,” I offered. Now the situation was really sinking in and making me anxious. Oh fuck- you’re still staring at her! I couldn’t believe I was still looking at her legs like that as I replied to her. My entire body tensed and I reactively reached between us to a little compartment and grabbed an empty gum wrapper, pretending like that’s what I was looking for.

“Well we don’t know how it ends yet!” she rejoined.

I threw wrapper onto the floor in front of me. “It ends with you being dropped off at your parents,” I replied flatly.

“Maybe not…” she said softly.

Enter stage left; huge lump in my throat. As hard as I tried to focus on the road, on the simple task at hand, every passing second broke down that little wall I had built around my attraction to Summer. I was more consciously aware with each moment that a gorgeous young girl was sitting next to me in the car, wearing that tantalizing little outfit…

I blew through a four-way stop without even thinking. The loud blare of a honking car fading behind us snapped me to attention. What the hell am I doing!? My hands were gripping the wheel and I was staring straight ahead, but all I saw in my mind was my student’s gyrating body on the dance floor, smiling knowingly.

“What are you doing!” she cried. “You were supposed to turn back there!”

“Uh- whoops!” I tried to feign casual, “I guess I didn’t see the sign… I’ve uh- I’ve never been down this street, I don’t think…” I pulled over to find a place to turn around.

“Gosh, and here I thought I was supposed to be the irresponsible one!”

I tried to ignore the comment, but she pressed on as soon as she realized I wasn’t going to respond.

“I guess you do, like, tend to zone pretty hard…” she insinuated.

I’d gotten the car turned back around now. Still blushing from my idiocy, I absent-mindedly muttered, “Huh?”

“Well um- like in the gym that one day. You were just staring and staring…” her voice trailed off. Oh. Crap. I felt my heartbeat up in my temples. My hands nervously gripped at the steering wheel; my palms were actually sweaty. At least I managed to stop at the sign this time…

“Uhh… I don’t- I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lied impassively. “So which way was I supposed to turn?” Change the subject!

She reached her arm out in front of me and pointed to the left. I tentatively inhaled, smelling a faint trace of her perfume. “That way…” she answered, but just as quick she added, “You mean you didn’t see me? We were in the same room…”

I pulled at the wheel to turn, but Summer was slow to take her arm away. The skin of our arms gingerly caressed as she leisurely drew back. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard. It almost felt as if she lingered her finger tips and teasingly traced them up to my sleeve before she was gone.

I couldn’t help it. I was pissed. I was scared. I was nervous. But I started to get hard.

“Is that why you didn’t, um, say hi?” she asked, almost pouting. “I could have sworn you… saw me…”

What the fuck do I say here? Lying about seemed pointless. But I sure as shit didn’t want to keep talking about it. “So, we getting close?” God, I sound so rattled…

“Yeah,” she said dejected. “You aren’t gonna, um, tell my parents, right?”

Finally, something I have control over… “Uh, well seeing as you didn’t, um, drink anything… I think we can just pretend this never happened…” Like I want your parents to see me gawking over their hot daughter… one of my students…

She sighed, “Thank god!” I couldn’t help but notice she brought her legs back down to the seat. Against my will, my head turned slightly as I watched her stretch her legs out, running her palms down her thighs to her knees. Her skirt was still pulled up, and it gave her this almost disheveled… indecent look. To see between those legs…

Unconsciously I had expected her to straighten the fabric out and pulled it down her legs a bit. My cock twitched a little harder when I realized she was leaving it like that. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, trying vainly to readjust myself so my growing erection wouldn’t show. Please let it be too dark in here for her to notice…

“It’s um, just up here,” she broke the silence.

My heart skipped a beat. I bit the back of my tongue in irritation. Part of you is disappointed… you asshole… I pulled up to the side of the street, opting not to be seen going in her driveway. She looked at me and gave a shy smile as she realized what I was doing.

“Okay then,” I tried to sound light-hearted, looking at her plainly now.

She brushed a strand of hair from her face. “Thank you so much for not, like, making a big deal out of this…”

“Yeah well, just don’t let it happen again, okay?” Sound like a teacher, sound like a teacher, sound like a teacher…

She bit the bottom of her lip, looking so fucking cute. “I’ll try… but maybe I’ll want to be rescued by you again…” Her voice quavered a little, like she couldn’t decide whether to say it as a joke or as a come-on.

Her innocence mixed oddly with that sexy confidence. Our eyes were locked into each other’s. It only lasted a second, but it felt like a long and precipitous silence. “Uh- I’ll see you on Monday,” I stumbled.

She dropped her eyes slightly. At first I thought it was out of shy submission. Then with complete and utter mortification, I saw her lips tighten as she tried to hide a smile. That’s when I realized she was staring right at the huge tent in my pants.

I couldn’t move. I felt literally paralyzed. My entire body tensed at the situation, which had the unfortunate effect having my hard-on flex and move conspicuously. As soon as it happened, Summer let out a little gasp and brought her eyes back up to me. That little teenage face was sparkling with glee. I knew she just had to be pleased with herself.

She opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it with a sly grin. I was so scared at the situation, so petrified about how she would react, that I didn’t even have time to react to her. Summer shifted in her seat, as if getting ready to get out of the car, but then quickly shot a hand over to my thigh.

My eyes flew wide open as she put her weight on my leg, tenderly squeezing her fingers into me. She then leaned right over to me, darting out like a snake, and moved her face up to mine. My mouth was hanging open a little bit in bewildered surprise. My mind didn’t even have time to put together any thoughts before she pressed her mouth against my bottom lip.

Reactively I closed my mouth around hers. Not because I wanted to kiss her back; I didn’t even realize what was happening yet. It seemed to encourage her and I think she actually nibbled on my lower lip. As fast as it happened, my hand shot out and pressed against her soft stomach. I pushed her away and she pulled her face back, breaking the kiss.

“Summer!” I croaked out in shock.

There was this wild look in her eye, like she was burning with adrenaline. She let out a little sigh, looking straight at me, and bit the tip of her tongue. I felt her right hand come down and grab my wrist… I was still pressing against her stomach. She pushed my hand down to her lap, but I anxiously pulled away. Her hand still on mine, she forced me to drag my fingers along an exposed thigh before I was free.

“What in the hell…!” I blurted.

She quickly leaned away from me and opened the passenger door. “What?” she said coyly as she scooted out of the car. “You said this like… never happened!” The door slammed shut and she began trotting up her driveway. I sat in stunned disbelief, watching her tight ass wag as she went.

Before she went out of view around a corner, she spun around and faced my car. She raised her hand up and wiggled her fingers, giving me a wave. I barely noticed it. I was looking at that taut and bare stomach, framed by a little shirt and plaid skirt. Then she disappeared.

I looked down in my lap, then grimaced and dropped my head against the back of my seat. There was a little wet spot in my crotch from the pre-cum dripping anxiously from my raging erection.

VII

So I was a mess. I drove back home in a total daze. I think for the most part, I was in denial. There was no way that could have happened. How could I have let it come to that? How badly did I want it to come to that? Then there was guilt… Because I had a girlfriend. Because Summer was my student. I mean, I was just trying to do the right thing, wasn’t I? I didn’t actually think something like that would happen…

I didn’t freak out. Not right away. Once I got back to my place, I just stumbled into my bedroom. I sat on the edge of my bed and numbly took off my shoes. My teeth repeatedly ran against my lower lip. At first I could still taste her lip gloss that wiped onto me. Although it was long gone by now, part of my mind still thought it was there. The sensation was imprinted in my memory. It was sweet and young. I wonder if the rest of her tastes that good…

My head fell into my hands, elbows resting on my legs. I took a deep breath to try and clear my head. It didn’t matter; thoughts barely registered anyway. I leaned up and let my body fall backwards onto the bed. My hands absentmindedly ran down my legs. I closed my eyes. Maybe I can fall asleep…

I saw her dancing, her gyrating tight body. I saw her sitting in the passenger seat, legs pulled up, skirt riding up, thighs exposed. I saw her shy smile. Then I saw it melt into a knowing one… full of that risky teenage assurance. What was she thinking…? It didn’t even register to me when my left hand slid into my pants.

I replayed our kiss in my imagination as my fingers idly pressed down at the base of my cock. The jolt of pleasure made me gasp a little. I remembered the feeling of her taut stomach… How badly I wanted to feel more of her. My senses were a mess. I fantasized about pulling her into me instead of pushing her away. Somewhere my conscious objected, and even in my imagination I remembered separating away from her.

I was playing with myself more fervently, my hips rocking a little on the bed. What if she pushed back… if she resisted my opposition…? I imagined her sexy little tongue running across her lips and her perfect young body climbing onto me. It was too much. I actually moaned out loud, “No… oh Summer…”

And then I came. Hard. The kind of come that makes your body convulse against its own will. I soaked my boxers and pants, desperately tugging on myself, thinking about my own student. My mouth hung open as it happened, feeling the warmth spread over my lap.

It took me a minute to catch my breath… and to realize what I just let myself do. It was then that I finally started to freak out. About the thoughts of losing my job, of being prosecuted, of my girlfriend finding out… of everyone finding out… I was so ashamed. I got off the bed and stripped out of my soaked clothes, dumping them in the hamper with disdain.

My body was shaking from fear and apprehension as I got into the shower. I have no idea how long I stood in there, hot water pouring over my body. I stayed in to try and relax, let the heat take away some of the stress. I tried to rationalize. My gears were spinning as fast as possible, trying to find a way out of the mess I was in. I didn’t do anything wrong. She threw herself at me! All I have to do is discreetly tell her to back off, or I will get her in trouble…

I knew it was only partially true. There was no denying that I wanted her. It didn’t take too long before I was hard again. I jacked off to her a second time for the night, right there in the shower.

It wouldn’t be the last time.

I couldn’t sleep. You know when you get restless, and just keep tossing over and over? You’re tired as shit, but you just can’t help but lie awake. As the night goes on, you get those brief moments of rest… but it’s even worse, ‘cause you have the exact same dream. Over. And over. And over again.

That’s what was happening to me. I was back in the bar, watching Summer dance. I kept telling my friends I was going to go over to her to tell her she had to go. It was almost like a movie; I helplessly watched myself do it, even though in the back of my awareness, I knew what would happen, and that I needed to escape. Nope.

Out of sheer desperation, I masturbated myself in the bed. Not just once. Not even twice. Probably damn near every time I woke up. At first I tried to at least use tissues or something… Eventually I didn’t care. I was pissed off and delirious. I came in my boxers. I came on the sheets. I couldn’t stop thinking about how fucked I was. About how bad I wanted to be fucked. By my student.

The next day I had plans to spend some time with my girlfriend. I debated whether that was a good idea. On one hand, maybe she could take my mind off of things… On the other hand, I was so wracked with guilt and apprehension that I couldn’t deal with it. I told her I was feeling sick and called it off.

The rest of the weekend was a dull blur. At some point I was lying on my bed, exhausted. Heather called and said she was going to come over and check on me. Somehow I persuaded her to stay away. Clearly I was too sick; I might be contagious. Just wait a few days. My room smells like sweat and sex.

I even thought about calling in sick to work. The closer Monday came, the more I dreaded seeing Summer. Eventually I resolved to go in; because if I didn’t show up, then she would know why. Like hell I was going to willingly let her think that she had any power over me. Even if she does.

When I went to bed Sunday night, I actually managed to convince myself to be somewhat confident. My attempts to rationalize and belittle the importance of the event were at least mildly successful. I was sure that, once back in the familiar domain of my classroom, I would be able to assert my authority over Summer. I would tell her after class, in no uncertain terms, that I had zero interest in her. And that given the circumstances, I am willing to forget her transgression and not get her in trouble. Yeah, like I was a victim. I’d love to be her victim…

Monday arrived. Things were going well in the morning… Even if I was glancing at the clock every three minutes, mentally calculating the time left until Summer’s arrival. At least I didn’t feel nervous. Not until the bell rang anyway. Then my heartbeat began to pick up and my anxiety crept around my chest. She had five minutes to get into the room. Each time the door swung open, I glanced over. Shots of relief and irritation flashed through me each time it wasn’t her.

I’m not sure exactly what I felt when she did come in. Part of me expected her to enter wearing something scandalous, something sexy and revealing. After all, that’s how I’ve been picturing her all weekend. So it was almost anti-climactic when she waltzed in wearing just jeans and a sweatshirt. Never mind the fact that a little bit of me was disappointed. Wasn’t she trying to seduce me, after all?

Not that I wanted her to be or anything…

Class proceeded at a fair routine. Summer was almost… boring. All weekend, I had imagined her in some revealing outfit, showing off that teenage body. Sometimes she would be insinuatingly sucking on a lollipop, smiling at me, showing off her skin… But there was nothing. I’m not even sure if she really looked at me. Of course I kept stealing looks at her… But the most I got out of her was a shy smile when I caught her doodling.

As the end of the period drew near, I felt my palms getting a little sweaty. It was ridiculous. I was planning on telling Summer to stay after the bell for a minute. Then I would put an end to whatever was happening. I don’t know if her nonchalant demeanor made me more nervous or less. Part of it made me feel stupid. Maybe I was completely overreacting. Bullshit. She kissed me for fuck’s sake. I actually felt nervous about approaching her though… Yeah, intimidated by my own teenage student. My own hot, flirty teenage student.

Ring. Class was over. All sound was drowned out by the din of a roomful of hungry students shuffling out of their seats and heading for the door. I caught Summer’s attention to tell her to come to my desk, but she was already on her way. Gulp.

She had a paper in her hand. “I worked on my story over the weekend,” she said sweetly, stretching out to hand it to me.

“Oh, that’s good. Actually I was hoping I could speak with you a minute about it. Before you go.” I took the paper.

“Um, I guess so…” She said it like she was annoyed, but I knew there was a flirty little smile under there. Or do I just want there to be one…

Before I could respond, two of my other students approached my desk, waving their papers. It was some of my college-bound overachievers. Shit. I knew I would never hear the end of their bitching sycophancy. They immediately piped up, saying they wanted to talk about their submissions as well.

Summer rolled her eyes and looked expectantly at me. She knows. There was no way I could talk to her about… it… in front of any other students. And the others weren’t going to leave anytime soon. I tried to tell them that I would talk to them after I looked over their own comments, but no, they had to speak with me now.

Summer interrupted, “It’s okay, I’ll go. We can talk about it later if you want. You should probably read my new stuff first anyway…”

I couldn’t find the wherewithal to argue with her. She left the classroom. I watched her go. I hadn’t noticed before, but her jeans were pretty tight after all. Such a nice ass… For a brief moment I forgot that there were other students there, looking at me. Looking at me looking at her. I felt my face start to grow hot as I turned to face them. Fearing they knew my thoughts, I blurted, “You know, you are capable of waiting your turn, instead of running your peers off.”

They suddenly squirmed into bashful apologies, not wanting to be on my bad side when their grade was on the line. Kiss-asses.

I was rather abrupt and terse with them for the next fifteen minutes. Mostly from my own emotional state, but I’m pretty confident they thought I was just irritated at their manners. I breathed an annoyed sigh as soon as they left and the room was empty. Rubbing my temples with one hand, I slid my desk drawer open and pulled out my lunch, tossing it on the desk.

Then I saw her paper.

My heart skipped a beat. Don’t read it now. Whatever it is, just read it after school. At home… You wouldn’t read any other student’s paper at lunch. I pushed my chair back and stood up, resolving to go to the teacher’s lounge and put all this out of my head. But I didn’t even make it to the hallway before I turned around and sunk back into my chair with an irritated grunt.

There was no helping myself. I pulled the paper up and saw a written comment from her, scrawled under mine in big bubbly letters that only a teenage girl would do.

“I still think my plot is good. It can keep adding on in fun ways. Just try the next part.”

So she didn’t change her submission at all. Shit. I thumbed through the pages until I got to the newest addition, freshly stables onto the back. My dick started involuntarily twitching before I read the first word.

‘She was so sure that she saw him staring at her in the gym… Could he really be interested? As the week went on, she started to doubt herself. Maybe she was imagining it… Maybe it was even wishful thinking…’

What the hell was this? My brain tried to process the thought that she was actually going to push this further. I skimmed through the pages, past her ruminating about seeing her teacher in a different light… On to the bar…

‘So she danced on in her little schoolgirl outfit. She knew all the older men were looking at her. It wasn’t the first time it had happened. She liked it, but for some reason it just wasn’t as thrilling as being watched by him, like on the treadmill… As she twisted and turned, her eyes closed and picturing him, she almost thought she imagined hearing his voice call out her name. She looked anyway and felt like a bucket of cold water was thrown on her when she actually saw her teacher… another encounter!’

Uh huh, very clever. Or maybe I didn’t think that. My thought process was probably more to the effect of: holy shit, she was fantasizing about me?

As desperate as I was to read every word, I restlessly flipped the page and skipped ahead a little. She talked about being nervous about having to leave the bar. About her parents finding out. About getting into her teacher’s car. She talked about trying to flirt a little while driving, then feeling embarrassed about it. It was always so easier to read boys her age.

‘When they pulled up to her house, she couldn’t ignore the butterflies in her stomach. She wasn’t sure. She thought he might like her. He seemed so flustered… not at all like he is when he’s teaching. She looked down and was about to say goodbye when she saw it. He was excited for her. Her heart swelled into her chest with inward pleasure. She thought about saying something about it… she almost did… But without even thinking, she just leaned forward and kissed him!’

My mouth was dry as I read her version of the events. I kept shifting awkwardly in my seat, squirming from my pounding hard-on. I couldn’t believe this. This was terrible. This was amazing…

She detailed how I… or rather, “the teacher,” kissed her back. And how much she liked it. As she left and went back into her house, she was so happy. But she didn’t want to freak him out, so she would play it down at school. But she couldn’t wait until their next encounter somewhere.

‘Maybe she would leave it to fate. But maybe she would have to take fate into her own hands…’

Okay. A little over-dramatic. What do you expect from a high-schooler? But who gives a rat’s ass. I wasn’t thinking objectively about the quality of her writing. I was thinking, rather haphazardly, that Summer wanted to fuck me.

But then I thought, she never actually said anything about having sex. That’s just what you want her to want…

VIII

The day couldn’t end soon enough. Loath as I was to admit it, but I was desperate to get home. I needed time to read her paper again, thoroughly this time. And I wanted to make sure I would be alone. No students walking in. No other teachers. Just me. And my fantasies about Summer. With my hand down my pants.

And that’s just what happened. No sooner was I in my door that I had thrown all my things to the side except for Summer’s paper. I sank into the couch, irritated at my own hustle but powerless to do anything about it. My dick was already throbbing in my slacks, ever since I got in my car. I couldn’t stop muttering to myself about how deep of shit I was in with Summer… About how to get the little tease to stop. I was burning for her.

My body was so on edge that I barely got through a few paragraphs before my hips jerked and I came forcefully in my clothes. God, I can’t even help myself. With the tension released, I once again was flooded with guilt and fear of what was happening. I had to stop this somehow. She can’t keep writing this story… or worse, thinking that whatever was happening could be allowed to continue.

At first I resolved to confront her the next day at school. I would find a way to get her alone, no matter what. Then I realized, to hell with that. I’d wait a few days. Make her sweat it out. Nonchalance and disinterest was the way to go. I wasn’t going to come off desperate in front of her. Not anymore than I already have…

Of course, that didn’t stop my curiosity from getting the better of me later that evening. After I ate some dinner, I rummaged through the closet and found the previous class’s yearbook. I thumbed through the pages and found her photo. She definitely looked younger; a year is a long time for a teenager. Still definitely cute; although I would have never started obsessing over her. Hell, I never would have now if it wasn’t for that day at the gym…

I continued to turn through the pages, taking in all of the larger pictures entered into the book: events, clubs, random snapshots of high school life. I ignored the part of myself that was calling me a pervert for what I was looking for. Especially when I came upon what I wanted.

I didn’t know if there’d be another picture of Summer somewhere in the yearbook. But there was. She was standing in the middle of two other girls at some sports game; all their arms upraised showing “number one”. She was wearing these tiny shorts and a tank-top, which pulled up to show her flat stomach from her pose.

Her friends didn’t even register to me. They were probably just as cute. One even had nicer tits. But I didn’t care at all about them (the girls, not the tits). I just saw her. Her innocent face, that tight little body. I don’t know what I got off on more: those little shorts showing off her legs, or all that young skin bared from her shirt. Or maybe it was just that I was so helpless that I couldn’t stop jerking off to her no matter what. That I’d resort to digging up a picture from her as a junior to get my fix… It was so fucked up. But it made me come so hard though.

I was so mad at myself. But I didn’t pretend like I could stop anymore. All I cared about was giving Summer the impression that I didn’t want her. I could deal with my own feelings until the end of the school year, and then it’d be over. That didn’t mean I couldn’t rip that page out of the yearbook and stuff it in drawer under my bed. I knew I’d need to use it again later…

The next few days were awkward. I kept to my plan of playing cool in class and not confronting Summer right away. Even though every day I saw her, my nerves rattled and demanded I just get it over with. But nothing interesting happened. She didn’t wear anything outrageous. She didn’t flirt with me or really give me any signs at all.

Every once in awhile I’d see a sly little look from her, but I was convinced that I had imagined it. Let’s face it. I’d been jerking off to her every day now. As much as I didn’t want her to be serious about the whole thing… I wanted to see her give me a signal.

I finally got something on Thursday. Another student asked if I had read their latest revisions on their stories. As soon as he asked, I carefully eyed Summer’s reaction. Her eyes shot up from her paper that she’d been scribbling on. She was interested! This thought was accompanied simultaneously by an exuberant ‘yes!’ and terrified ‘shit!’

I answered that I still had a couple submissions left. They would be finished by the end of the school day, and I’d hand them back on Friday. If they were truly desperate, they could come in after the last bell and pick it up early. I already knew at least a handful of students would take me up on it. What I was curious about, obviously, was if she would.

The minutes dragged on slowly for the rest of the afternoon, that very question weighing on my mind the entire time. School ended at 2:00. At 2:05, the first few students trickled in. Some just wanted their papers right away and left. Others stayed to look over them and discuss them with me. Ordinarily I would have told them to wait at least a day, if not the whole weekend, before jumping to questions. Today however, I was generous with my time. I kept eyeing the door. Just in case…

By 2:30, my room was once again empty. She didn’t show up. My edgy anticipation finally wore off, and I assumed I’d have a break of it until tomorrow. I got up from my desk and started putting my things together to leave. So my stomach did a total flip when I suddenly heard, from behind me, a young girl’s voice chirp, “Oh good, I’m not too late!”

I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. “Ah Summer, how may I help you?”

“I was hoping to get my paper.” She had walked up to my desk now. It was all I could do not to spin around and take her in the second I knew she was at the door. Be calm, be casual…

“Of course,” I rummaged through a binder (as if I didn’t have hers placed for convenient access already). “Although I noticed you didn’t follow my instruction…”

Her eager features faded, clouded by vague unease. “What do you mean?”

You’re in charge here, make sure it stays that way. “Well, we discussed that your initial prompt didn’t have much in the way of direction…”

“What are you talking about!” she blurted, almost offended. “I wrote a whole second part! It continues everything!”

“Actually, if you take the time to read my comments, it almost comes off as a completely separate story… just tacked onto the first.” This wasn’t completely true, and I felt guilty about compromising my teaching integrity… but there were greater stakes at play here.

She snatched the paper from my hand. “That’s like, totally unfair! It completely fits together!” The pages flipped angrily through her fingers as her eyes buzzed over each line I marked in. Before I could respond, her eyes slowly rose up and leveled at my gaze. “And you know it.”

Oh. Crap. I was almost chilled by her sudden determination and confidence. Or maybe it was just me being a nervous wreck on the inside. I stared at her blankly for a moment, no words coming to mind.

“Is this about something else?” she asked flatly.

Okay, no more games. “Look Summer, this paper is, um, inappropriate…”

“Why?”

I almost scoffed. “Because…” What could I even say?

“Because I think the writing is really good,” she interrupted.

“Like I said, it’s not the writing so much as the subject matter…”

“Well it totally fits the prompt! Do I need to show it to another English teacher to prove it?”

C-r-a-p! “That’s uh, not necessary…”

She cocked her neck a little bit, trying to hide a smug little smile. “So what’s the problem?”

“Look Summer, I’m not sure what- what you think is going on here. I have been willing to overlook your, um, indiscretion from the other night…”

Her mouth snapped shut and her cheeks turned bright red.

“…but whatever it is, it is going to stop. It has stopped.” There. Firm, in charge.

She stared at me, angry at not finding any words. Her gaze dropped down to her paper and she finally spoke, “I don’t see what that has to do with this.” And she shook the paper for emphasis.

Was she joking? “This isn’t a game, Summer.”

“What? You think this would actually happen? A high school teacher getting excited over his little student? That’s pretty unlikely. And isn’t that, like, the whole point of the story?” She dripped with sarcasm.

And there it was again. That sudden flare of excitement and certainty in her eyes. That look she got when she knew she wanted something. I needed to take control. “That’s right, it wouldn’t happen, so…”

“So there’s no problem then, right?” she quickly interjected.

At that moment, one of the other teacher’s from down the hall poked her head in the door. Summer and I both looked over.

“Oh sorry,” my colleague apologized, “I didn’t think you’d still be with your students…”

“It’s okay Ms. Hendrix, we were just finishing up.” Summer turned and gave me a sour smile. “Thanks for like, seeing it my way. I’m really excited to see how the story turns out.”

She was already walking away from me and towards the door before I could respond. My muscles tensed. I didn’t want this to end with her having the last word, but I suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable even broaching the topic with another instructor in the room.

At that moment I felt defeated. For better or for worse, I allowed myself to be convinced that there wasn’t much I could do. I wasn’t sure if she was bluffing about showing the paper to another teacher. Even if she did, it didn’t prove anything. But my obsession over the recent weeks was too powerful to think through it clearly. It had to stay a secret, even if that meant allowing her to continue writing. All I had to do was stay away from her. I could do that, right?

IX

Actually, it turns out the answer was a resounding no. It took only until the next day. Class proceeded uneventfully; I couldn’t bring myself to try and confront Summer again about the paper. I was afraid of how she’d react. The previous night was wracked with nightmares of her telling another teacher, and everyone finding out how bad I wanted her. I’d wake up, sweaty and angry. I took out my frustration by jerking off to her. What a surprise.

The most notable thing that occurred was that it was sunny. This meant Summer came to school wearing a showy pair of little shorts. I tried to ignore them and not think about those delicious legs, tantalizing thighs… and what was between them. All I had to do was get through the day, and at least I’d have the weekend away from her. I was even going to spend some time with my girlfriend; let a real woman expel these unending thoughts about a girl.

That evening, Heather and I went to the movies. We were both tired from the work week and didn’t feel like doing anything too extravagant. For some reason, I had the tremendous brain fart to not realize the theater would be full of high school kids on an opening weekend. I guess it’s never been a problem before. Hell, it wouldn’t even be now, as long as she wasn’t there. And what would be the odds of that anyway?

At least that’s what I kept telling myself as we drove there. No sooner had we parked that my eyes were ceaselessly scouting out all the packs of kids. Young girls were everywhere, some in groups, some with dates. Every time I saw a tight little body in short shorts, my heart skipped a beat until I realized it wasn’t her. I felt horribly guilty, hoping my girlfriend didn’t think I was trying to check them all out.

We got in line to buy some tickets. I tried not to let my nerves show through. So far, I had not seen any sign of her. But I knew I couldn’t relax until I was safe in the darkness of the theater. What would she do anyway? What am I scared of? My mind trailed off briefly, but I was jolted back to reality hearing a large outcry of giggling.

I looked behind me in the line and saw a group of girls talking with some boys. You know how it is, young people always talking louder because they think other people want to see them. At first it was nothing, and I started to look away, but at the last moment I saw that familiar pair of shorts. Or perhaps those more familiar young legs; the ones I’d been masturbating to all week.

She wasn’t facing towards me, but either from cosmic bad luck or her getting that sixth sense of someone watching her, she turned her head. Her eyes flickered a nervous excitement the moment she identified me. It was obvious I recognized her, but I jerked my head anxiously away regardless. Smooth dumbass, now she really knows. We were almost at the ticket window.

I wasn’t going to look again, but I did put my arm around Heather’s waist and gave her a squeeze. She didn’t think anything of it particularly; I hoped Summer was watching and got the idea. We bought two tickets for some horror flick and got ready to go in. There was a pack of people streaming out of the theater, as a movie must have just ended. I cocked my ear behind me once I realized Summer’s group was at the window.

“Come on guys, let’s see the scary one instead. The comedy looks totally dumb.”

Oh give me a break. She must have heard me order. There’s no other way… Was she serious? Even with my girlfriend with me? I hurried us inside the building, anxious to get to our theater and hide in some dark corner. But no, there was a line.

We got into it and started waiting. Heather was making conversation about something, but I can’t remember what the hell about. It was all I could do to hide my own distraction. I really did not want Summer to see the same film as us. My eyes kept darting back to the door, waiting for her group to come in; hoping they’d go into a different line. When the door finally swung open, I saw them mill around a bit and finally get in place in our line, several places behind. Damn it!

Maybe I was overreacting. Like I said, what the hell could she do? But try to put yourself in my shoes. As ridiculous as it may sound, I was more and more afraid of this girl. Not for what she could do to me, but how she made me feel about her. Guilt, lust, everything swirled around inside of me. My girlfriend being right next to me just made it seem that much more scandalous.

Just let us inside! The fifteen-year-old tenant at the head of the line, looking bored as ever, seemed like he held way too much power at just that moment. After some length he shuffled by the podium and started letting people into the theater, taking their tickets one by one. About damn time. As Heather and I finally got into the screening room, I attempted to get her to sit in a corner, or at least the side of a row. There were still too many open seats though, and she insisted that we get a better view by sitting in the middle somewhere.

I relented, not having any decent excuse to counter otherwise. By now I’m sure you can guess what I was afraid of. More people came in and filled up the seats. Then the group of high-schoolers entered. I tried to slouch a little and hide my presence. Damn it, I should’ve gone back out to take a leak or something, what was I thinking!? There was a largely empty row near the front where it looked like the whole gaggle of them would sit.

I couldn’t help but strain my focus to hear Summer complain that was too far up and close to the screen. My heartbeat began to speed up, realizing she said it while looking up and seeing Heather. Please not up here, please not up here… I slouched further and rested my head in my hand, trying to cover my face. It was no use. Some of them sat down below, but another five of them came up near me. It was no surprise when Summer came scooting down the aisle first, finally forcing me to catch her eye.

“Is this seat taken?” she asked me innocently, as if I were a stranger.

“Go ahead,” I mumbled half-assedly, trying my best to appear wholly uninterested in her.

I recognized some of her friends from school, but none of them were my students. I wondered if any of them noticed they were sitting near a teacher. From their carefree attitude, I felt that they were too oblivious. At least they didn’t recognize me. I leaned over to my right side and asked Heather what time it was. The movie would start in just a few minutes. I couldn’t wait.

Nothing unusual happened for a little while. The lights dimmed and the show started. Summer hadn’t paid me any mind after sitting down, and I was almost starting to feel okay about it. There’s nothing she can do anyway, what am I so worried about? The first strike came when she brought her arm down on the shared armrest between us.

I was already resting there, and the length of her skin laid down along mine. The sudden touch startled me and I jerked my hand away. She did the same and whispered, ‘sorry’. Okay, harmless accident, no big deal. I tried to concentrate on the movie. Even though it was dark, I could still see the faint outline of her legs in the seat next to me. I had a hard time restraining myself not to keep catching peeks at them.

As the movie went on, she stretched out both her arms until they were taut for a few seconds, then re-shifted in her seat. When she brought down her right hand, she lazily let it drop down into my personal space. Her fingers grazed across my thigh and then shyly shot back to her lap. Now might be a good time to mention that I changed into shorts before I left to the theater…

The feeling of her fingertips was a shock. I gave her an irritated glare (which probably just looked confused), and she made a silent but exaggerated frown as if to say ‘oops’. I turned back to the movie, even more flustered than before. Honestly I thought maybe that’d be it. There are only so many times you can accidentally touch someone, you know? What I didn’t predict was that she’d drop the pretense.

It was an older place and the seats didn’t have built-in cup holders. She was handed a large drink from one of her friends and she took a big sip. She then leaned down to place it on the floor, between me and her. I tried to keep my eyes on the screen, but I couldn’t help watching her every movement. And I couldn’t fucking believe what happened next. Once she put it down, she boldly traced her fingers up my calf as she leaned up and back into her seat. She brushed me all the way up to my knee before she let go and resumed her natural position.

My stomach flipped and my eyes peeled wide. Holy fuck. Did she really do that? First I looked at Heather; she was thankfully absorbed in the movie. Then I looked again at Summer, who pretended like I wasn’t even there. I swallowed hard, my mouth going completely dry. This is insane. How can I stop her? What if someone sees?

At this point I don’t think I was even registering what happened on the screen. My mind was racing like I was some inexperienced kid about to get caught doing something wrong. She’s my student for fuck’s sake! Why is this happening? It didn’t take long until she went for it again. She rested her arm at the base of her seat and reached her hand over to me under the armrest.

You could barely see what she was doing unless you looked. I was of course. God, not again… Her hand reached to the underside of my knee. With two or three fingers, she tickled my skin there. It was so sensitive that it sent waves up my leg. My body tensed in mortification. I was afraid to just grab her arm; someone would see. But she didn’t stop. Oh no… it feels good…

I couldn’t deny the gentle touch was having more than a ticklish effect on me. Whether it was just what she was doing, or whether it was because of everything else, I started to get hard. My heart sank at the realization. I finally managed to shift in my seat, pushing my legs away from her. She drew her hand away. Silently, I breathed in a huge sigh and looked over at her.

She brought her fingers back to her own leg and traced them up her thigh, teasingly stopping at the hem of those tiny shorts. She knew I was looking. Reluctantly I looked up at her eyes and saw her biting her lower lip, surreptitiously looking back at me. My fists clenched in frustration and I put them over my lap. I can’t let her see it.

It seemed that she left me alone for another ten or fifteen minutes. I tried to relax and will my erection away. But the more I thought about it, the worse it got. I was actually getting harder against my will. It was insane. I was so embarrassed; the whole situation was so wrong. And it was making me hotter. I couldn’t help but think about her body and all my fantasies I’d been having about her. And now here she was, next to me. There was no denying that this would fuel my growing obsession even worse.

I saw she put her arm on the rest between us. I literally felt the increased thump in my chest. She lightly tapped her fingers along it, then she rolled her arm and started idly picking her nails with her thumb. She’s fucking teasing me… I knew something was coming. As much as I dreaded it, I felt even worse about hopelessly anticipating it. It was so twisted.

Her arm inched closer over into my seat until finally it quietly dropped down into my lap. She turned her hand around so her palm rested against my thigh. I bit the back of my tongue as it happened, wondering how I would get out of it this time. My shorts mostly bordered between our skin, but her fingers reached out across the fabric and lightly scratched the top of my bare leg. The movement also let her pull my shorts up a little bit, allowing her more access.

I cautiously moved one of my hands over to push her away. She slid down to the outer side of my leg and traced along my thigh. The feeling was electric and went straight up my leg and into my cock. A shiver went through my body which made my hard-on jump even worse. I looked up and over at Heather to see if she noticed.

She hadn’t… yet. But she sensed my gaze and looked at me. I felt light-headed; I was about to get it now. I forced a weak smile at her. She returned it blithely unaware and turned back to the screen. All the while, Summer’s fingers traced and tickled along my left thigh. I tried to swallow down the huge lump in my throat. I can’t believe she didn’t notice! Finally I managed to get control of myself and I grabbed Summer’s hand with my own, pushing it away.

She offered a light, teasing resistance. I forced her arm back to her own lap, pressing her hand down on her leg. She pulled out of my grip and my hand slid down to touch her naked skin. Oh wow… I only stayed there for a moment, closing my eyes in disbelief. My fingers involuntarily squeezed her thigh before I managed to slowly drag my fingers off of her. I didn’t feel my heartbeat in my chest anymore. I only felt in between my legs.

My girlfriend still hadn’t noticed. When’s this damn movie end? I watched on in anxious irritation. I wanted nothing more than to get the hell out of this theater and away from Summer. Well, besides fucking Summer anyway… I rubbed my temples. God, I couldn’t think like that. Why did I want her so bad? My entire body was flushed with heat. I realized I was thirsty as hell.

I thought about getting up to go get a drink; that would even get me away from her. I abandoned the idea in short order though. What if she followed me out? Maybe I could scold her… That might even be good. But then I abandoned the idea. There was no way I was going to get up right that minute. I would walk right in front of a bunch of students, including Summer, with an uncontrollable erection.

And so I continued to wait. You can say what you want about me. There was probably something I could have done. Everything is easy in retrospect. But at the time I was petrified of someone seeing what was happening. Because if someone saw, they would obviously see that I liked it. Nobody will care if I say I didn’t want to like it. And there goes my life, branded as a pervert teacher.

I could tell the climactic scene was about to occur. The final showdown between the main villain and hero was fast approaching. This was the only relief I got: knowing it would be over soon. My mind mostly turned on trying to squash my throbbing dick. I tried to think of other stuff. All thoughts were replaced with Summer. How will I hide it after the movie ends? I figured it wouldn’t be so bad if I shoved my hands in my pockets right away. With Heather behind me, she wouldn’t even notice. I’d be okay by the time we got to the car… Or I’d just say I was frisky for her.

Here came the big gross-out scene. The hero had a chain around his neck, choking him. His face swelled and his eyes bulged. It looked like the villain was going to reach in and pop his eyeballs, forcing everyone to squirm as the scene dragged on. Heather, being sensitive about exploding pupils, covered her face with her hands, cracking her fingers to peak every five seconds or so to see if it was over.

I felt a tap on my left side (I jumped; Summer being the only one that could scare me during this movie). Reluctantly I looked over at her. She craned her neck to look around me to see Heather’s plight. Then she looked back at me with a tiny grin and motioned for me to lean down to her. She wanted to say something. Everything told me to ignore her… I won’t even bother make excuses for why I leaned into her seat to let her whisper something.

So, guarded as I could be, I carefully bent over the arm rest and tilted my head. I made sure to keep my eyes on the screen, as if that’s what I was really interested in. My senses were on red alert. I could practically feel her body shift as she brought her lips to my ear. I waited anxiously for her to say something, but all I got was her warm breath on the side of my face.

Then, very softly, she pressed even closer. I could smell her now. Images of our brief kiss were conjured in my mind, but then she finally whispered, “Don’t worry… I’m not scared…”

I wasn’t sure whether or not she was talking about Heather or me. My mind tried to sort it out, frozen in place, when Summer slyly moved closer and wrapped her lips around my earlobe. Everything slowed way down for an instant. All that existed was the hot, wet feeling on my skin. It seemed like it took forever for her lips to part, but then she ran the tip of her tongue along the edge of my ear, up a little ways, then off of me.

She leaned back in her seat.

I slowly, dazedly, leaned back up into mine.

The movie punctuated with a loud crash; no eyeballs were exploded after all. I saw movement to my right, and realized Heather had just now taken her hands away and watched freely. My mind was wholly blank… it couldn’t even catch up to be in denial yet. I just sat there, still feeling the wetness on the side of my face. For a minute or two, I think I even forgot about my raging dick.

It was that sensation that brought me to my senses. My hard-on was practically twitching, it was so desperate for attention. I realized I wasn’t doing a very good job of covering it anymore and quickly pulled my hands over my lap again. God damn it. I knew Summer saw it. She had to have. I couldn’t bring myself to look at her. I’m such a mess.

The rest of the movie was a daze. It wrapped up fairly quickly, thankfully. There were no more come-ons from my little teenage tease. As the lights came on, most of her friends got up right away. She waited an extra minute. I couldn’t afford to keep sitting and let both her and my girlfriend see the huge tent in my shorts. So I took the lesser of two evils; I stood up and turned left to face out the aisle.

I saw her little smile as she watched my waist rise from the seat. It was obvious she saw it well before I managed to stuff my hands in my pockets. Whatever, she already knows… By now I was just trying to hide it from my girlfriend. Summer then stood up and brought her eyes up to my own, raising her eyebrows a little bit in mock surprise. She turned away from me and started walking past the seats. I followed.

I made a conscious effort not to stare at her tight ass as she moved in front of me. Maybe that’s why I didn’t notice her make a deliberate stop and take a small step back, pretending like she dropped something. I did notice the pressure of her ass as it pushed into my waist, against the erection I was desperately trying to hide. I had to swallow back a groan of surprise and lust. By now it was so fucking sensitive that the slightest touch drove me up the wall. What I would do to bend her over without those shorts…

Once out of the aisle, I managed to lead Heather away from the pack of teens and escape from Summer. I did my best to hurry us to the car and get the hell out of there. It didn’t take her long to see my still-hard cock once we were inside and driving. I made some lame comment about horror movies always turning me on. She laughed, blissfully unaware of the real source of my arousal. She teased me a bit through my shorts as I drove, and I couldn’t help but to imagine Summer back in the car with me, playing with me as I brought her home.

That night, back at my place, I fucked my Heather like an animal. It was all I could do not to groan out Summer’s name as I came into my girlfriend.

X

So really, things only got worse. As you could probably guess, the rest of the weekend was a mess. I closeted myself inside for fear of having any kind of run-in with Summer. The way things were going, I wasn’t willing to put anything up to chance just then. Not that staying home had any effect on subduing my thinking about her. Heather had stayed the night. She was feeling generous and we fucked one more time before we went to bed. Again, I thought about my student and had another mind-blowing experience.

At some point I even woke up in the middle of the night, sweating from a replay of Summer’s young lips around my ear, her soft whisper taunting me… I was so restless that I had to sneak out of the bed and into the bathroom to quietly jerk off. Yeah I was ashamed of myself, but I was also getting used to it by now.

The rest of the weekend wasn’t much different, except once Heather left, I could at least dig out the picture I found of Summer to fuel my fantasies. I was losing control fast. There was still probably a month left of school before summer; I couldn’t stand to think about how long I could put up with her. Would she keep pushing the boundaries? Did I want her to? Is my only real fear just getting caught…?

I did my best to maintain my composure the following week at school. One moment had me walking down the hall when I recognized a couple of the students that were with Summer at the movies. Although they saw me, their eyes passed me over just like they would any other obstacles in the hallway. I breathed an inward sigh of relief, happy that I didn’t receive any odd looks or giggles. Good, maybe nobody else knows… If they did, I was doomed.

My classes went by comfortably enough, with the one obvious exception. As cool as I tried to be, I couldn’t stop myself from being at least a little flustered and on edge whenever Summer was nearby. I hoped it was only something I could notice; that my students couldn’t tell if I was off my game. Not that they could possibly know why… Unless they saw how my body stiffened every time she came in the room. And how I had to avert my eyes to stop myself from checking her out.

Wednesday brought new submissions for their stories. I was still resigned to allowing Summer to continue her current work. It was obvious that she would write about our experience in the theater. I was just about as scared to read it as I was guiltily looking forward to it.

‘She couldn’t believe he saw him at the theater. What were the odds? She almost wondered if he overheard her talking about going to the movies, and then made sure he would be there too. Her body tingled at the thought, but she was confused why he brought another woman. She decided she would try to make him excited again… she was desperate to see it once more.’

I swallowed hard and read on and she described in detail her excited emotions when she touched me, whispered to me, licked me… I couldn’t help but to stroke myself as I read it.

‘She asked her friends in his other classes if he was acting weird when teaching. They said they didn’t notice anything and asked her why. She told them that she must be imagining things. But she hoped… knew… that it was because of her. Did he think about her as much as she did him?’

I came then. The thought of her, somewhere else, thinking sexually about me… maybe even getting off on me, like I did to her… It was just too much. It was almost scary how on fire I was for her. When grading her paper, I had to consider long and hard how to write comments. I actually toyed with the idea of writing subtle innuendos back to her. Of course I came to my senses and realized that was insane. I settled on complete neutrality, almost only marking grammatical or syntax errors

Heather emailed me that week, wanting to set up a date to try out a new restaurant that opened up in town recently. No big deal, right? I tried to think up an excuse not to go. I just knew with my luck that Summer would be there. But I convinced myself that the chances were next to none. I couldn’t let her rule my life. Maybe some actual alone-time with Heather will do me some good… Never mind what I had been thinking about the last time I was alone with her.

So we went. It wasn’t a fancy place or anything; it’s not like it was a big deal. It was just something casual to do, spend a little time out, then probably end up back at one of our places. You know how it goes. When we got there, I didn’t even see many young people, so I was feeling fairly secure. I was having a nice conversation with my girlfriend, the kind I can share with an adult, not a teenager. It was like I wasn’t even thinking about Summer. Much.

We had already ordered and were waiting for our food when the now-seemingly inevitable happened. The hostess was escorting two young couples down the aisle we were seated at. They came up from behind me, so I didn’t see them right away. There was only one open booth left, so it was obvious where they were going. I didn’t realize, or even think, it would be her right away. But I looked over as they walked by, in that way you always do when people are around.

She was wearing this small, white summer dress. It came down just above her knees and hugged those young curves around her hips and ass. I saw her do a double take when she noticed Heather, then she turned around and saw me. As the hostess was seating them, she made a last minute insistence that she wanted to sit on the side of the table that faced my direction. It was then I realized her dress was fairly low cut, and I could see the outline of those perky breasts…

How the hell did she end up here…? One of the boys tried to gesture to let her slide inside the booth, but she made sure to sit on the outside edge instead. She got this impish smirk on her face as she sat down and her eyes briefly flickered across my table and into my stare. I jerked my head back to Heather and bit the back of my tongue. This is impossible. There’s no way she could have known. At least she’s with a boy… Even if he is a gangly looking guy… Was I jealous?

I tried in vain to keep my eyes on my own girlfriend. But Summer barely had to try to force me into sneaking little glances at her. She made no effort to hide her legs under the table. They even swung out of the seat a little bit. She toyed with the fabric of her dress along her left leg, pulling it up and back down in little circles. It was effortless, maybe even absent-minded. But I was enthralled. Her flawless skin contrasted so exquisitely against the white material… How badly I wanted to see all those thighs, to dive in between them…

Okay, this isn’t like the theater. I have to focus. Checking out another girl would annoy Heather enough. Checking out a teenage girl would be disaster. Checking out your own teenage student… Well, shit. I zoned back into whatever story my actual date was talking about. It was something about an annoying coworker. I gave my head an obligatory shake to sympathize with her.

Our food was brought to us. Now Summer was idly chewing on one of her nails. As if on queue, realizing I was looking, she brought her hand down to the cut of her dress. She carelessly pulled at it with her thumb, drawing it down and increasingly exposing the curves of her chest. It never revealed too much, but it was enough to make it a serious challenge for me not to stare.

Heather gave me a weird look. I quickly brought my hand up to my face and shut my eye, rubbing at it irritatedly. “Guh- I’ve had something bothering me since we sat down… I think it’s trying to work its way out…” The excuse seemed to work well enough. Why can’t I get a hold of myself!?

I realized my leg was bouncing a bit under the table. My nerves were getting pushed to the edge again… And I was starting to get hard. No sooner had I noticed the feeling that I panicked, not again! With my attention focused on my indecent erection, I became even more aware of its sensitivity. It started to grow worse. My body felt hot with embarrassment. I knew Heather couldn’t see it, but I wasn’t so sure that Summer couldn’t if she bothered to look. The thought that she might see it turned me on even more, despite my fear.

We continued to eat, and I squelched out my obsession by getting into a discussion on politics. That worked for a little while. But now Summer was playing with her drink, pulling the straw out of the glass and wrapping her lips around it. She’d suck off the taste then dunk it back in to repeat. My cock jumped even worse. Don’t get me wrong, she didn’t look like a porn star or anything, but the innuendo was there. Or did I just think it was there?

Suddenly Summer made deliberate eye contact with me. She stared right into my eyes, letting me know she saw me looking. I held the gaze a little too long.

“What are you looking at?” Heather blurted, looking behind her at the table across the aisle.

“Huh? Nothing…” I stuttered lamely.

“Is there a cute waitress or something?” she asked annoyed.

I realized then as she looked around that it didn’t even occur to her that I might be checking out a teenager. Well, I never had before… I gave her an indignant laugh, “Ha ha, don’t be dramatic. It’s just uh- my eye…”

“Well why don’t you go to the bathroom and wash it out then?”

Because I don’t want to get up and show off my hard dick? “No uh, I should be fine…”

“Come on, it’s been bothering you this whole time. Just go do it. Now I can’t relax!” she insisted.

Crap. I knew once she got something like this in her head, there was no getting around it. I brought my hands down to my lap, desperate, and dug my nails as hard as I could into my left palm. It really started to sting after a little bit, and I focused all I could on the pain. “Well if you’re gonna make me,” I tried to joke.

“Yes!” she smiled.

The throbbing in my hand successfully dulled the throbbing in my pants, at least enough to hide my obvious arousal. I slid out of our booth and quickly shuffled away to head to the restroom. Once inside, I breathed out an anguished, ‘Fuck!’ and went to the sink. I turned on the water and let it run for a bit, then leaned over the sink and splashed some on my face.

I needed a game plan. Maybe if I went out and said I was feeling sick, we could leave early. No, that wouldn’t work; I haven’t said I was sick all day.

Somebody had come in while I was there and taken a leak. “You okay, bud?” he asked before leaving.

“Yeah, thanks,” I mumbled.

Maybe I could say washing my eye made it hurt worse, and now I have a headache too. That might work. I threw some more water on my face and ran in through my hair to make it look a bit more disheveled. The door opened again. I didn’t bother to look; I was rubbing my eyes with water to make them look more red.

“Feeling okay?” a voice asked.

“Yeah, I’m fi…” my words trailed off. It took me that brief moment to realize the voice that asked me was not a man. It was a girl’s voice. Summer’s voice.

XI

That’s it; I’ve totally lost it… She wouldn’t come in here. She couldn’t! I slowly took my hands away from my face and looked up in the mirror. And there she was, standing a little ways behind me, curious look on her face.

I froze in position for probably fifteen seconds, which if you count it out, is really a long time to just be staring in confusion. She looked at me, then around in the room like she was a tourist. No shit, she’s in the men’s room. “What the hell are you doing here?” I finally exclaimed.

She gave me a perplexed look. “Um, it’s like, a restaurant? I’m pretty sure I’m allowed to eat here… Why? Were you hoping to take me home again?” she played.

I ignored the question. “I mean in here!” I emphasized, gesturing around me.

“Oh! Well, I thought I would come and say hi!” She was so blasé.

“You- you can’t be in here…”

“Look, I just wanted to talk to you… privately… I think I’ve been pretty nice about, um, not doing this in class.”

My heart shook. “This is- this is the men’s room… You can’t be seen in here…”

She practically rolled her eyes. “Well did you want to talk in front of your friend?”

“I don’t want to talk!” I blurted.

“I don’t wanna keep ignoring this!” she snapped back.

I gave her a ‘what the fuck?’ look, but then we both turned our heads towards the door. Someone was turning the handle. Without even thinking, I grabbed onto Summer’s shoulders and pushed her into the stall furthest from the door. I slid in behind her and swung the stall door shut, locking it. She had this bewildered expression and her mouth hung open. I placed the heel of my palm on her chin and gently closed her mouth, placing my index finger over her lips to keep her quiet.

We stood like that for a minute as whoever came in relieved himself and left. For once I was glad someone was in a hurry and didn’t wash their hands. I released the pressure of my hand on her chin and her lips opened up. My finger fell to her bottom lip and she teasingly darted out her tongue to lick it. Her big eyes looked up at me and twinkled as she slid her tongue under my finger and then closed her lips around it.

I swallowed hard, mesmerized by the sight and sensation. It was only a couple seconds, but that was still pathetically long until I managed to pull my hand away from her. I scolded her in a harsh whisper, “We’re not doing this! We’re not doing anything!”

“We haven’t done anything yet!” she gave an exaggerated pout.

“And we’re not going to!”

“Come on!” she whispered back, trying to sound seductive. It only half-worked; I could tell she was at least a little unsure of herself. “You know we have something…”

“No we don’t!” I hissed.

Her eyes narrowed. “Just because I’m your student doesn’t mean I’m stupid… I can, um- see that you like me,” her face tilted down to my waist. My shock quickly flushed into complete embarrassment. Her little trick on my finger got me raging again. What the fuck was I supposed to say? A man can’t talk his way out of a hard-on.

“This is completely inappropriate and you know it!” I tried.

She made a classic teenage scoff, “Who cares? Don’t think I haven’t like, noticed how you look at me…” she took a little step back inside the stall and smoothed her dress down across her stomach, pulling the fabric tighter against her body. “Don’t you want me? I bet most boys at school would totally love to be you right now…”

“Uh- yeah, so go make one of them happy! Like your friend you came with…” I reasoned.

“Ew! Forget him, I want you!” She took a large step forward and pressed her body into mine, pushing me back against the stall door. The feeling of that tight body rubbing against me was heaven… especially downstairs.

I brought my hands down to her hips, looking down at her in fear and want. “We can’t do this…”

She sighed, pressing her cheek against my chest. “I’ll make you a deal… Let me kiss you again… just once… When I’m done, if you still don’t want it then… I guess I’ll leave you alone…”

I shut my eyes. I can handle one kiss… But what if it’s a trick… Who knows how she’ll react… “You know that can’t uh- happen.”

A long pause, and then, “Well, then I can’t promise what will happen when we walk out of this bathroom… together.”

God, it’s almost like she planned this. “You wouldn’t…”

“It’s just one kiss,” she whispered soothingly.

I had no choice. Or at least, I felt like I had no choice. I sighed resignedly, “Fine, one.”

She looked up at me again, chewing on her lip. My pulse was racing; I don’t think I’d ever been so scared to kiss a girl even when I was her age. I slowly began to lean down to meet her lips, but she teasingly brought her head back a bit.

“I kiss you,” she reminded, “…and remember, no stopping me until I’m done…”

I scrunched my forehead in confusion as her face eased into a naughty smile. Then she started to lower herself down to her knees. What is she…? Oh… no… Her hands ran down my stomach and stopped at the belt of my pants, where she began to unfasten it.

“You can’t- this isn’t what I meant!” I croaked.

She didn’t stop. “You made a deal… a kiss is a kiss…”

I watched in astonishment as she fiddled with my belt until it was finally loose. She unthreaded it and began to unbutton my pants. I brought my hands down to hers to stop her, when suddenly we heard the bathroom door open again. She looked up at me secretly and gave a hushed, shhh…

I let my hands fall to my sides, paralyzed as I tried to listen to who came in. Part of me was positive it was going to be Heather, or Summer’s friends, or somebody who knew what was going on. But it wasn’t. It was just some guy washing his hands. I looked back down at Summer.

She was paying such close attention to my pants, finally unzipping them and gently grabbing the waist of them and my boxers at the same time. Even though she was on her knees, she didn’t slouch at all. Her back arched in this sexy little way that emphasized her figure. From this view, I could also see down her dress…

The cloth of my boxers dragged against my cock until finally they pulled down far enough to let it spring free. Summer almost gasped as she saw my complete erection come into view. She looked at it with some inquisitiveness, maybe even hesitation. For a brief moment I felt a tinge of pride. I’m no teenager… Whatever it was she felt, she kept looking on at it for what seemed like forever. Looking at her cute frame kneeling in front of me was causing my cock to jump a little with each heartbeat. I was anxious for her to start. I’m not sure what I wanted more though, to get it over with, or to just get attention…

Finally she opened her mouth and brought her face forward. I shivered as her warm breath enveloped the head of my dick. As amazing as the sight was, I couldn’t stand to look. I clenched my eyes shut. This is so… completely… wrong… Her tongue slid under the tip of me and she brought a couple inches into her mouth. My head rolled back and hit the stall door in shock. Oh wow…

She placed her hands on my hips, which at first made me tingle with even more excitement as I felt her fingertips on my skin. But I soon realized that she was going to leave them there; she was determined to stay true to her word and only give me a ‘kiss’. Her lips never actually left my cock. It was the most pleasurable torture of my life.

I don’t think she ever got even half of my length into her mouth. She kept on teasing the head with her lips and tongue, constantly swirling and sucking and licking. It felt absolutely amazing… Maybe not because she was the most experienced, but because she was so fucking enthusiastic. My eyes finally peeled open and I watched her work.

Her eyes would alternate between closed concentration and looking up at me towering over her. Every time she made eye contact with me, I felt another guilty surge rush between my legs. I couldn’t believe I was letting my own student blow me. A month ago, this would have never even crossed my mind… And now… Here I was, my girlfriend waiting for me back at our booth… The shame was completely drowned out by my obsessive lust being satisfied.

At first I thought this would be a boon. I definitely did not want her to make me come. That would put me in even deeper shit than I already was, and encourage her. But this sentiment quickly melted into my instincts taking over. It didn’t take long for me to rationalize, well, the sooner I come, the sooner it’s over. And at that point, I was desperate to finish off.

But I couldn’t get any enduring relief. Whether she meant it to be or not, the whole thing was just a huge tease. As amazing as it felt, I needed more. I needed her to take me further into her mouth. I needed her to use her hands at the base of my cock. But I didn’t get any of this. I can’t tell you how bad I wanted to just grab the back of her head and push into her. Or at the very least, grab my own dick and help myself get off.

I felt like I couldn’t do anything like that though. I leaned back against the door, trying in vain to at least hold my hips still… even though without thinking I would instinctively thrust forward; Summer always pulled back. There was no way I could actively participate in what was going on. Somehow I convinced myself that if I was passive, that if this was just happening to me, then I wouldn’t be so guilty. Yeah it was stupid bullshit, but it’s all I had to cling to in that desperate moment.

How long did this go on? I dunno. Maybe only a few minutes really. I had the dim realization that a few more people came in and left the restroom while it happened. All I could really think about was the relentless tease between my legs. But finally she stopped. I couldn’t suppress a groan as her lips dragged off of me. God, I need it so bad… My entire cock was buzzing with anticipation.

She got up off her knees, slowly pushing her body up against mine as she resumed standing. We looked into one another’s eyes. I was practically panting. Images of turning her around, pushing that little dress up, and fucking her against the wall raced through my mind.

“Okay… there was my one kiss… was it okay?” she asked, almost in a little girl’s voice.

“God, Summer…” I sighed reflexively.

Her body still pressed into mine, “So, do you want more?”

It took every ounce of my being to muster, “N-no…”

“You don’t have to be shy… I won’t like, tell anyone…” she soothed. She ran her tongue over to wet her already moist lips.

I wordlessly shook my head.

“Oh…” she said dejected. “I guess I thought we had something… But a deal is a deal, I guess.” She looked down and grabbed the waist of my clothes, gently pulling them up. The waistband of my boxers pushed up against the base of my erection, forcing it up and sending a continuous bolt of pleasure through me. I grunted in response.

“Oops… sorry…” she hummed. Then she brought one of her hands off my clothes and wrapped it around me. I gasped, my hips once again rolling into her touch with a mind of their own. “Let me, um- put this back.”

She eased it to point back down, tucking it into my boxers as she continued to pull my drawers up. Her grip on me was soft but firm, and she gave me little squeezes and tugs between her thumb and forefinger as she worked. The pressure focused along the middle and base of my cock; the one part I needed to be touched the most. My eyes fluttered as she continued to play with me. I’m completely on the edge… I could come like this… I can’t give in…

Summer must have been able to see exactly what I was feeling. Even with my pants pulled back up, she made no move to let go of me. “Um… is something wrong?” she asked innocently.

“A-Summer, I…”

She pulled at me harder, making me cut off my own speech with a grunt. Oh no, it’s too good…

“I’m not, like, hurting you, am I?”

She squeezed a little firmer and began to deliberately jack me off at the base. My knees started to feel weak; I couldn’t hold myself back if she didn’t stop. I tried not to look at her, but I couldn’t help myself. Her eyes were so wide in mock concern, and her lips were parted open as she breathed a bit heavy. Her awesome body was still against mine; I look down her back and saw the outline of her ass through the skirt.

Without even thinking, I brought one of my hands around and cupped her bottom. She gasped as I did it and pushed her body out a little and into my hand. I gripped her harder, marveling at how perfect it felt. God I want to be under that dress… My reaction ended up being more aggressive than I thought it would be; as she pulled her body into my hand, I pushed back and forced her back against me.

And she never let up with her fondling. I felt my dick start to swell as the unrelenting pressure built up between my legs. Oh fuck, I’m going to… I’m going to… I brought my other hand to Summer’s shoulder to help keep my balance.

I heard her whisper, “Uh oh, maybe the kiss wasn’t enough?”

The way she said it just dripped with seduction. Or at least that’s how I heard it. Whatever it was, it put me over the edge. My entire body jerked, pushing into hers. She held onto me tight as my cock pulsed with spray after spray of warm cum into my boxers. Lights flashed behind my eyes as my orgasm shook through me.

As I came down from my high, Summer loosened her grip and withdrew her hand from my pants. She ran it up underneath my shirt, gliding her hot palm along my stomach. I instinctively flexed from the touch, my mind still an exhausted fog.

“Wow…” she hushed, “I guess you uh… changed your mind…” she trailed off.

I tried to understand, “Huh?”

She brought her hand back down, tickling me by raking her nails along my stomach as she took a step back from me. “The deal, silly!” She paused for a moment, “Mmm… I guess you like me after all… at least a little bit…”

Ah fuck. Now that I was regaining some of my senses, I began to realize the huge mistake I’d just made. Why the hell did I have to give in!? “Uh- no, I mean, you said…”

“You don’t have to pretend…” she interrupted. “At least, not around me.” Her eyes looked me up and down one more time in appreciation, and she brought her hand up to her mouth and lightly bit the tip of one of her fingers as she smiled. “I’ll try to like, not be so distracting back at the table though…”

Her finger left her mouth and trailed down her chest, hooking around the top of her dress and pulling it down to reveal more and more of her tits. She let go and the fabric popped back up before she got too far… Damn it. I was staring like an idiot. And she knew it.

But just like that, it was over.

Without any more exchange of words, she opened the stall door, poked her head out to make sure nobody was there, and then snuck out of the restroom. I stood there in mute shock, wondering how the fuck I was going to explain myself to Heather. I went over to the mirror and discovered, thankfully, that all the cum I just shot into my boxers didn’t show through to my jeans. At least I have that…

I splashed more water on my face to make myself look a little more disheveled (not that I particularly needed it at this point). Then I went back to my booth, my girlfriend at first looking pretty fucking annoyed, but then concerned.

Then I lied my ass off. I told her when I tried to wash out my eye, whatever was in there must have cut of scraped me. It hurt like hell. So I kept trying to wash it, but it kept stinging. Then I got a huge headache and got faint… I had to go in one of the stalls and just sit down on a toilet for a few minutes until my ears stopped ringing and the room stopped spinning. Finally I came back out, losing track of time and just feeling like shit. My eye still was still sore and my head was throbbing.

She told the next waiter that walked by to get us boxes and a check. Within five minutes we were getting up from the booth to go home. As I stood up, I glanced over at Summer, who to her credit was dutifully ignoring me since I got back. We made brief eye contact and she jutted out her lower lip into an exaggerated pout. She took her hand off her drink and gave me a very subtle ‘bye’ wave. I clenched my eyes shut and rubbed my temples.

“Come on, let’s get you home,” Heather soothed.

XII

Another guilt-filled weekend went by. When I wasn’t desperately masturbating to our last encounter, I sat and worried about Monday. Was she going to keep up her advances? Of course she would… I broke her “deal” after all. And before, I could at least convince myself that even if she saw me get hard, I still hadn’t really done anything wrong. Now all bets were off. She gave me a blow job, then jerked me until I came. In my pants. With my girlfriend waiting in the other room…

I was wracked with shame. It wasn’t just that I had let myself cheat on Heather. And it wasn’t that I was letting myself get swept up in an affair with my high school student… It wasn’t even that I was putting my entire life, career, everything on the line. The worst part was that I liked it. That the forbidden nature of it all just kept fueling my fantasies, making me want more… no matter how much I told myself I didn’t, or at least shouldn’t.

I was practically waiting for that cliché day where she came in during lunch or after school, asking for some ‘extra tutoring’. The idea terrified me, mostly because I couldn’t stop thinking about it. There couldn’t be a more dangerous place to fuck. But would she try? Could I resist? How am I so weak for this girl?

Monday came. I was a mess. Summer did nothing.

Tuesday came. Same thing.

Wednesday came, and now I was really nervous. The next installment of their story was due. Obviously there wasn’t even a possibility that she wouldn’t write about the restaurant. I was anxious to see it. Afraid to see it. At the end of class, when all the students were stopping by my desk to hand it to me, Summer gave me an innocent smile. My face immediately flushed a deep red. I faked a coughing fit to mask it. God, if any other student even thought they knew what was going on, the rumors would spread like fire.

As soon as the room was empty, I pulled out her paper to read over it. I was only a couple sentences in when another colleague popped his head in the door. “Hey, do you eat anymore? We haven’t seen you in the lounge lately.”

I nervously slammed the paper down on the desk and jerked my head up, then eased into a fake grin. “Oh, uh, hey Tom. I’m just a little behind these last few weeks. Been real busy, on top of all the grading…”

“If you say so,” he said sarcastically. “Try not to starve.”

Back to the paper.

‘She felt a little guilty about going to the restaurant. It was cheating after all. Unlike their previous encounters, this one was intentional. He had left his computer in the classroom unattended. She just happened to see his email on the screen. His friend… girlfriend even?… said they should go to the restaurant that day. He had not replied yet, but the girl knew at that moment that she would find a reason to be there. Just in case.’

That. Bitch. I knew it seemed too unlikely… That she seemed a little too confident about everything going on. I can’t believe she played me so bad. But my dick swelled anyway. The thought of her going through all that trouble to seduce me was as flattering as it was sexy and wrong.

I kept reading, having only the self-restraint to not touch myself under my desk. She talked about how nervous she was in the bathroom. About how surprised she was that I got so nervous around her. About the look on my face when she got down on her knees… It was a vivid picture of everything that happened, from her point of view. God it was hot. But then I got to something even more unexpected.

‘So he broke their deal… and she was dying to talk about it. She had to get it out to someone! But who could she tell? It was her little secret… She knew she shouldn’t let anybody else know, but there was no way she could keep it bottled up. So she decided to sneak her cell phone number into one of her papers that she turned in. She knew he would call her. He would even call her that night! Because he knew if he didn’t, she would have to talk to somebody else about it…’

She wrote about hoping I’d call before her “bedtime” fairly early in the evening. And sure enough, a phone number was inserted in the paper, with a few more allusions to what would happen if I didn’t call. And how excited she was to receive that call. I put the paper back down and wiped my hands on my pants, which had begun to perspire. I was in a sort of panicked-calm. The kind where part of you knows you’re absolutely screwed, but even your nerves are too scared to react yet.

Would she really tell somebody else if I didn’t call her? She couldn’t… It would be a stain on her academic record. Colleges would hate it. She’s bluffing. But then again… If she just told a friend, if it was only rumor… That would be enough to fuck me over, and let her completely off the hook. Would she do that to me? Was I willing to risk it? Could I ignore how bad I wanted to call her anyway…?

My mind was shot for the rest of the day. My lessons were distracted to the point that even the students could tell I wasn’t into it. The more I thought about Summer, and I could not stop thinking about her, the more worried I got. We’re not just talking butterflies in my stomach; they were everywhere. Even my scalp tingled from anxiety.

Once I got home, I spent most of my time pacing around the room, staring at my own cell phone that I tossed on the table. More than once I had picked it up to actually call her, but I backed out. What the hell would I even say? Hey, about that blowjob… I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it, but keep it under your hat. Thanks, bye. Gimme a break.

In her paper, she claimed she would need to be in bed by 9:00 that night. I knew that was shit. Whether she was trying to sound cute or innocent or young, I don’t know. I figured she was trying to pressure me into calling her at a reasonable hour, instead of at 1:00am when everyone was asleep.

The hours slowly ticked away. I couldn’t call early anyway. I didn’t want to sound desperate. Somehow I needed to show some control, if that could even be accomplished anymore. So I made a sandwich. It took me about an hour to eat it; I barely had any appetite. At some point I decided I’d call at 7:00. No, that was too round a number, like I planned it. 7:12… that would work. Fuck! Am I one of her teenage crushes or a fucking adult!?

I already had the number dialed in. I was just waiting to actually go through with it and press ‘Send’. Everything told me I shouldn’t do it, but I had to. Needed to. With my hand trembling, I finally initiated the call. I held the phone up to my ear and watched the clock (it was only 6:58). It rang once. It rang twice.

There was a knock at my door. I was so startled that I actually dropped the phone and it clattered down onto the floor. What the hell!? I bent over and grabbed the phone, taking huge strides on the way to the door to see who it was. It couldn’t be her… that’s impossible… I glanced through the peephole as I brought the phone back up to my ear. It was Heather. Oh god.

“Hello?” I heard a young voice through the phone.

I completely and totally panicked. I clumsily took the phone from my ear and mashed the ‘End’ button. As soon as I saw the call dropped, I stuffed the phone in my pocket and reached for the door. Then in a brief moment of clarity, I halted and yanked my phone back out, making sure to power the damn thing off. Then I took a deep breath, let it out, and answered the door.

My girlfriend greeted me with a smile. “Watch a movie with me!” she cheered.

Apparently it was some romantic comedy that she had been wanting to see for a long time, and it just came out on DVD. She doesn’t know anything; it’s just a coincidence…

“Uh, well I have quite a bit of work I still need to do tonight…” I offered apologetically, letting her in.

“Come on, it’ll be fun. You’ve been working too hard lately, we barely hang out!” she argued.

“Well, I guess… Are there any hot women in the movie, at least?” I asked jokingly, trying to calm myself down a little.

“I think the daughter is supposed to be cute, if you’re into teenagers,” she gave a dry smile.

My dick twitched. “Ugh, what a rip-off,” I forced irritation.

Anyway, it was one of those situations that you know you aren’t getting out of. I checked the movie case to see how long it was. Just over an hour and a half. If we started it right away, there would barely be any time left over to call Summer by her ‘deadline’. And even so, it wasn’t like my girlfriend was just going to disappear once the credits started rolling.

We got on the couch and started watching. It was a pretty run-of-the-mill chick flick with a clearly predicable plot. The most interesting part to me, which wouldn’t usually be, was in fact the teenage actress. Normally I would look at her and say, ‘Yes she’s cute, she’ll probably be hot when she’s a woman.’ Now I was looking at her thinking, ‘Yeah, she’s definitely not bad right now… Kind of has the same look as Summer even…’

That’s about as much of the movie as I could pay attention to. The rest of the time I was fidgeting in my seat, my brain churning for ways to solve my evening’s dilemma. It occurred to me that I might use the movie in my favor. If I could just think up an excuse for someone I needed to call, Heather would still be watching the film while I could sneak away… Was I really willing to risk calling her while my girlfriend was there? I resolved yes. I couldn’t risk not calling her before 9:00.

At occasional points during the movie, I’d sarcastically point out, “Oh here comes the inevitable conflict for the lovers… I wonder if they can sort it out!” Heather would lightly punch me on the arm, but I felt I needed to create a framework for comfortably leaving during the movie. I couldn’t bother with, ‘Oh but you’ll miss it! I’ll pause it!’

It was 8:00; I needed to make my move. “Shit, I just remembered I was supposed to call Scott and tell him how to set something up on his computer…”

“Just call after the movie.”

“Ah, he had asked me while I was eating dinner… I promised I’d call him right back after I was done. It’s gonna bug me now.”

“Fine, I’ll paus…”

“No, don’t bother. It’ll only take a couple minutes… And I’m pretty sure I know what’s going to happen,” I smirked.

She relented and I hurried off into the bedroom. I flipped on the computer for appearances, but closed the door anyway. I pulled my cell out and switched it on. With my mouth completely dry, I nervously pressed redial. This is such a bad idea. As soon as it started ringing, I began to panic. What if calling her was just part of the story? Maybe she didn’t realistically expect it…

“Hello?” she answered.

Too late now. “Uh, hey.”

“Who is this?”

I realized I had spent so much time worrying about calling her that I never did plan out what I should actually say. “This is… uh… Mister…”

“Oh!” she interjected, “I was wondering if you’d call!”

“Yeah, well I…”

“Did you prank me earlier?”

“What?” I reacted nervously.

“I don’t know… it looks like the same number, someone hung up on me earlier…”

I figured she was playing a game with me. I can’t win an argument against Caller ID. “Oh, sorry about that. I was just getting ready to call you when someone came to my door. I didn’t think you answered…”

“Oooh, who was it?”

“Uh, just a friend.”

“The same one at the restaurant?”

I don’t know why I told the truth. Maybe to cement the fact that I’m a taken man. Maybe because I’m an idiot. “Yeah.”

“Gosh, are you trying to make me jealous?” she pouted.

“Huh?” I blurted.

“Is she still there now?” she pressed.

“Uh, look Summer, I’m on the phone with you now.” I tried to sound sure of myself.

“You didn’t answer the question… so that totally means she is,” she said almost to herself.

“Look,” I changed the subject, “What exactly do you want?”

“What do you mean?”

“There… there’s no point in, uh- skirting around the issue.” I waited a moment for her to respond, but she said nothing. “So… I called you, like you asked for in your- your paper.”

“Hmmm… I just wanted to talk about, you know, last time…”

Gulp. I knew it was coming, but it made my stomach flip just the same. “Yeah, about that… That was uh- inappropriate…”

“It was?” in a little girl’s voice.

“Come on,” I sighed, peeking back at the door behind me to make sure it was still closed.

“Which part was, like, inappropriate?”

“I don’t want to play games, Summer.”

“Was it that it was in the men’s room? I guess I probably shouldn’t have been there… Or was it because your friend was waiting for you? I wonder what she would think about it. Or maybe it was because you’re my teacher?” she emphasized knowingly.

I bit the side of my tongue as she talked, inadvertently getting a little hard. “Yeah… I shouldn’t have let any of… any of that happen,” I mumbled.

“Then why did you?”

Because I can’t fucking help myself. “Uhh- I guess I let things get out of hand…” I sighed, getting more and more flustered at this conversation. “Look, you uh- you tricked me with your deal. I didn’t want that.”

“That’s crap,” she replied flatly.

Her sudden change in demeanor threw me for a loop. “Well… you shouldn’t have even been there!” I retorted.

“Uh oh… I thought you might be upset about that…” Her voice was almost mocking. “I guess I kinda cheated a little bit. Are you mad?”

“Yeah!” I blurted.

“Well I’m really sorry… I know you wouldn’t know anything about cheating… now would you?”

My mouth opened and closed mutely, no words coming to my defense.

“So are you going to, like, punish me now? I hope you don’t make me go to detention… What would you have me do there… to, you know, make it up to you?”

A light shudder went down my body, lifting my cock up even harder. “You know that isn’t going to happen,” I almost growled.

“Are you sure? I bet you could figure something out… Didn’t teachers used to, like, spank their students when they’re bad?”

Oh god. My free hand drifted down to touch myself through my clothes. I had to change the subject. “Summer, look, this has to stop. I only called so you- to make sure this would stay between us. It would be very damaging to both of us if this got out.”

“Oh, I bet you’d get really mad if I told somebody… Then you’d have to punish me, wouldn’t you?”

“Don’t be- uh- ridiculous.”

“I have a feeling that you’d like to punish me right now… am I right?”

Oh fuck yes. “No, I…”

“Are you… I mean… is it… hard right now?” she cut me off.

“Excuse me?” I asked incredulously.

She practically giggled, “That means yes! You totally are!”

I should have never called. This is insane. “Okay Summer, this is done. I uh- I apologize for giving you any- any false impressions… But, that’s it. We’re- we’re done.”

A brief moment of awkward silence, and then “I’m in my bed right now,” she almost whispered.

Huh? “Huh?”

“Under my sheets… I’m wearing a tank top with a heart over the chest. And some little panties.”

The image plastered over the forefront of my mind. “Okay…?” I mumbled confusedly.

“I don’t like to wear too much when… um… when I think about you…”

“Um…”

“I mean… A lot of girls say they don’t do it… But I can’t help it. Especially when, like, I think about our, um, meetings.”

She can’t really be talking about this. I should have just said ‘Bye’ and hung up. But so help me, I couldn’t help myself. “You don’t need to, uh… tell me this.”

“You don’t mind, do you? That I think about you when I do it?”

I swallowed hard, not knowing what in the hell to say.

“Because… I’m doing it right now,” and she made a little gasp.

I squeezed my leg muscles, shaking at my cock growing more and more sensitive. I still couldn’t say anything.

“Do you- mmm… do it too? I mean- ah- do you think about me like- oh- ever?”

“Summer…” I mumbled.

“I like to- like to pretend… ooh… that you are doing it… doing it too, and thinking about me…” I heard her shudder over the phone and stifle a squeak.

I could feel the tip of my hard-on getting wet at this point. I still didn’t respond, except with what was becoming heavier and heavier breaths. I was just… enthralled.

“Come on,” she pressed, “Have you- oh- have you ever? To me? I told you…”

For some reason, I was desperate to say yes. Like she needed to hear it to get off, and I wanted to help her. My fear still blocked me from doing so, “I- we can’t do this…”

“Please,” she moaned quietly.

The fact that her voice came off slightly as a teenage pout just turned me on even more. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Was she really getting herself off right now?

“Nobody else has to- to know…” she let out another sharp gasp. “Tell me…”

And against all my better judgment, my suppressed lust finally got its chance. “Yes,” I breathed.

“Oh-my-god!” the words rushed together in an excited whisper, followed by a quiet but broken moan. “Say it- say it again… Tell me- ah… oh- again…”

I couldn’t help but rub myself harder through my pants. I had half a mind to undo them… My mind raced, trying to decide exactly what to tell her. I almost wanted to say I couldn’t help myself at all anymore. But before I got up the courage, she moaned, “Ah… At least… at least do it with me… please…”

Without even thinking, and like a total idiot, “I am…” escaped my lips before I had a chance to stop myself.

Another eager and stifled moan greeted me. “Oh! I… ah! You- really?” she was panting now. “Right- huhhh… now?”

I was too far in now. I didn’t care how wrong it was anymore. Not at that moment. “Yes.”

She squeaked when she gasped, “Oh wow! Oh- oh…”

By now I had completely lost track of time. Actually, probably lost track of reality. So you can imagine my utter shock when I heard a light knock on the door, followed immediately by the handle unlatching. I flung my hand off of my pants and jerked the chair under the computer desk as fast as I could. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit.

I kept the phone pressed emphatically against my ear. Summer seemed like she was in her own world now. “God- I’m gonna… ah- ah! Sooo close!” she whined between her ragged gasps.

My cock was screaming for attention, actually pulsing arhythmically in objection of not being touched. I craned my neck around to see Heather open the door.

“You missed it!” she informed quietly enough to not disturb the phone call.

I held up my free hand to indicate that I’d only be a minute longer. Summer kept moaning on. It was my great fortune that the volume was fairly low, otherwise I would be a dead man right then.

“How much longer are you gonna be?” she asked impatiently.

“Sorry, uh- I- just a minute…” I was so flustered that I didn’t even think to cover up the mouthpiece of the phone.

“Oh- god is she- ah- right there?” Summer gasped over the phone.

“Yeah uh- so I really need to get going,” I answered nonchalantly, as if talking to Scott.

“I- I can’t- ah- stop… I’m gonna- I’m gonna c-come…”

Despite my awkward horror at the situation, my dick was still like a rock.

“Okay then,” I replied, rolling my eyes at Heather like I was desperate to get “him” off the phone, “I’ll talk to ya tomorrow.”

“I… mmph!…” it sounded like she rolled into the pillow. I heard a few more young and enthusiastic moans through the line and my face started to turn bright red. There I was, hiding my cock from my girlfriend, smiling nonchalantly at her as I listened to my teenage student come over the phone. It was the most surreal moment of my life.

“Great. Yep. Okay then… Bye,” I faked the conversation, only hearing rustling on the other end of the line now. I was afraid to end the call without some kind of confirmation from Summer, but I was more afraid to stay on with Heather in the room. So I did my best to act casual as I hung up and turned the phone off.

“Sheesh, what did he need help with anyway?” she asked.

“Oh, uh, he was trying to put in a video card… um, for games. It’s a guy thing,” I smiled.

“Ha, you’re just like a little boy sometimes,” she joked.

Right then, I felt the tension break. This huge rush of giddy relief ran through me. I just heard Summer get off… I practically helped her… And my girlfriend was in the room and had no idea. But somehow I got away with it. It was so bad, but whatever. Right then I felt high as a kite. And I will still horny as fuck.

“Well, let me show you what a man I can be then,” I grinned at her and got up, letting her see my hard-on. She cocked an eyebrow once she saw, clearly not expecting it. I moved over to her and gave her a light pat on the ass, “Now you’ve been a bad girl, interrupting me like that…”

I couldn’t help myself. The conversation with Summer still echoed in my mind. Heather smirked, clearly not knowing what got into me but at that point not caring. It didn’t take long before we found ourselves in the bed, me fucking her enthusiastically. I probably couldn’t have been more into it unless it was Summer herself. That didn’t stop me from imagining it was her regardless.

I pretty much tuned everything out and only heard her young voice talking about getting herself off. I fucked even harder as I was filled with the frustration of having admitted about my own guilt and masturbation. When I started thinking about her sexy gasps and her squelched moaning, imagining her little body quaking in her bed as she talked to me… I came hard. At that point I think Heather was just along for the ride. In my head, I was shaking with pleasure along with Summer.

XIII

Later that night, reality settled in and I was again sunk into restless anxiety. I panicked, wondering how Summer would react next. I seriously considered taking the next two days off of work to avoid her completely, but I didn’t want to act out of the ordinary. Besides, she had yet to make any move in class before, I was fairly confident she wouldn’t start now. At least, I hoped… kind of…

In class the next day, she was wearing khakis and a little sweater. Once the bell rang and everybody settled down, I began giving some instructions. She unzipped the sweater and took it off, stuffing it into her backpack. I noticed right away that she was wearing a skimpy little tank-top. One with a heart over her tits.

As she sat back up, she made eye contact with me. For once I held it back, and her cheeks actually turned pink. I felt my own face start to flush and I broke the stare. It was completely bizarre to see her sitting there, nothing out of the ordinary… and yet knowing how entirely erotic she was under the surface. I realized I had to force myself to ignore her as I recalled the amazing sounds of her muffled climax. I’ve heard her come, but god damn I want to see it even worse… I want to feel it…

I really, really needed to get a hold of myself. The more I thought about her, the more I was letting myself think it wasn’t some terrible thing. I shouldn’t even be rationalizing it, let alone anything else that might pass through my head. It was wrong, and I had to stop it. At this rate, I was doomed to end up in the national news for some sex scandal. Of course, then I would just wonder… would it maybe be worth it… just a little?

That was it. I needed a break. The next day I called in sick and ordered a substitute for my classes on Friday. I told Heather I was ditching work and wanted to spend more time with her. She had me the whole weekend; I’d already decided it. She was a little surprised but agreed happily.

I occupied myself throughout all of Friday with whatever chores and errands I could keep myself busy with. Once Heather got off work, I zipped over to her place. My plan was to stay there all fuckin’ weekend. I didn’t even want to go home; who knows what would happen there. Maybe Summer would call me. Or I call her? With the way things were going, she’d probably show up at my door for crying out loud. No, I was going to stay the hell away and stick by my girlfriend’s side. I would get my head screwed on straight and take on my problems next Monday.

And things were going mostly fine. Sure, I still thought about Summer when I fucked Heather. But at least I wasn’t obsessing over her every spare minute. That’s an improvement, right? Baby steps.

It was early Saturday afternoon. The two of us had gone out for a jog; it felt great to finally get some legitimate exercise again (I was still too traumatized to return to the gym since this all started). We got back and Heather hopped in to take a quick shower. Once she was out, I just hung out for a bit and chatted with her as she did her makeup, thinking up plans for that evening. All we had lined up so far was going to the post office. As she was finishing up, I finally got tired of being covered in sweat, so I jumped in to take my own shower.

I turned up the bathroom radio and got lost as I cleaned myself up, enjoying the massage of the hot water and letting it relax my muscles. After wasting enough of her water by just standing around, I finally shut it off and dried myself off. I slipped on some shorts and put a towel around my neck, then shut off the radio.

It was then that I heard Heather’s voice talking. I strained my ears to listen if she was trying to shout something at me, but it was just to someone else. Must be on the phone with a friend? Then I heard some laughter, and I immediately recognized two distinct voices. Hmm, she wasn’t expecting anybody over today…

I looked around for a shirt but realized my spare stuff was in her living room. Oh well, not a big deal. I walked down the little hall into the room to get one and see who the company was. They were both sitting at a little dining table. Heather was on one side, showcasing a box full of jewelry that she makes as a hobby.

I think this was a classic example of my brain halting in denial, because it took me so long to realize who the guest was.

At least part of me knew, because I just stood there in my shorts, absent-mindedly rubbing the towel behind my ears. Both of them stopped talking and looked over at me. Heather piped up, “Oh! Honey, this is Summer. She’s actually a student at your school… She is going door-to-door to collect donations for their Senior Auction fundraiser!”

My face drained white as I made eye contact with my student. She was giving me a surprised, ‘Who knew?’ smile and slyly looking my body up and down. I stared back in disbelief. She was wearing tiny gym shorts and a tight t-shirt with our school’s colors and mascot on it. A little ponytail escaped out the back of a baseball cap, and she had two streaks of eye-black painted on her face. My eyes trailed down her thighs and along her legs, which were covered up from about the knees down with tall white socks. She was dressed up like one of our softball players… one of our ultra cute, young, sexy student softball players…

“Hi,” I managed.

“I was showing her some of the jewelry I make… She thinks a few pieces of these might sell really well, so we’re trying to pick some out!” Heather continued encouragingly.

“Oh… sounds great,” I replied, still frozen in place.

My girlfriend glanced at the clock behind me and got up, “But I realized that I need to mail that package with Anne’s present in it. If I don’t get to the post office in a half hour, it’ll be closed and I won’t be able to send it ‘till Monday. It’ll get there too late!”

Summer made a show of looking back in the jewelry box and picking through the different pieces, politely ignoring the conversation.

Heather walked up near me and grabbed her purse off of another table. “I had to let her in… What kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn’t support my man’s school?” she whispered smilingly at me. “But I am in such a rush! Just let her pick out a few pieces, I don’t care which ones, okay?”

“Uh, sure… I mean… Are you sure you don’t want to, uh- just pick some for her really quick?” I tried.

“I don’t want to get there after it closes!!” she pouted impatiently and started heading for the door with the package. “It was very nice to meet you, Summer! Just choose whatever you think is best. I have this thing to go do, so you’ll just have to deal with him in my place,” she smirked sarcastically.

“Ya no problem! This stuff is totally great, thank you so much for supporting us!” Summer chirped back.

And just like that, Heather was out the door and starting up her car.

I narrowed my eyes at nothing in particular, just thinking, ‘Really? Is this even possible?’

“Well this is unlikely,” Summer said with some genuine surprise.

“Uh- yeah… So, did you pick some necklaces and stuff?” Was it even worth trying to be nonchalant?

“Um, not yet… Wanna help me decide?” she offered, tilting the box towards an empty chair next to her.

I paused for a moment, then flatly replied, “No. You shouldn’t even be here.”

She raised her hands up in self-defense. “Hey, it’s not like I planned this!”

I almost scoffed. “Yeah, well it wouldn’t surprise me.”

The chair pushed out from under her as she stood up, folding her arms across her chest under her tits. Her shirt pulled up and revealed a tantalizing slice of her midriff. My eyes reflexively bounced up and down her body. God she looks hot in that outfit. The juxtaposition of young innocence, playful tomboy, and teenage lust was just… oof.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she retorted.

“Come on, you’ve been after this for how long now?” That’s it… marshal the anger against her.

Her face turned bright red. “Ex-cuse me?” she look positively indignant. Her arms dropped down and she balled her hands into fists on her hips, cocking her head to the side a little. “After what?”

“Uhm- maybe you should just, uh- take some jewelry and go.” It dawned on me that maybe I shouldn’t piss her off; I didn’t want to give her a reason to turn hostile on me.

“No, answer me,” she pushed.

I waved my hands in frustration, “I dunno! Just forget I said anything. You should- you need to go…”

“You think I just want sex, don’t you?” She took a step forward. The way she punctuated the word ‘sex’ sent a shiver down my back. I felt the familiar surge down below as well. Suddenly I became very aware that I was practically naked in front of her.

I made a move for the couch on the other side of the room where one of my shirts was, but Summer almost skipped in front of me. “That’s it, isn’t it?”

“I didn’t say that,” I answered annoyed.

Then she put her hand on my bare chest. “Well you’re thinking it,” she stated.

I took a sharp intake of breath. Looking down into her eyes, I saw both a commanding desire and nervous apprehension. “You don’t wanna do this,” I muttered.

Her hand traced down to my stomach. “And like, what if I do?” she asked quietly, softening her voice.

My dick continued to grow, and there was no hiding the tent showing in my shorts. I gawked helplessly as her fingers tickled my skin. Her clothes were so tight around her body; I just wanted to grab her. I couldn’t manage to say anything back.

“You know, I missed you in class yesterday…” she purred.

“Huh.”

“You don’t look very sick… I think you were playing hookie…” She brought her free hand down to one of mine and took hold of me, then brought my palm to lay flat against her tummy, pushing her shirt up. I didn’t pull it away.

“Yeah, well uh… Maybe I wanted a day off…” my voice trailed as I focused on the feeling of that flat stomach.

“Maybe you’re the one who needs to be punished…” Her smile was devilish as she pushed my hand further up her skin, pushing her shirt higher and higher. Now her entire abdomen was exposed, and god it looked good.

“Uh- no… You’re the one who keeps- uh…” Was I reasoning with her, or flirting? I wasn’t even looking her in the eye. I was just staring at her body.

Her hand on my stomach traveled down to my waist and she began to dig her fingers under the elastic band of my shorts. She took her other hand off of mine and grabbed my other free arm. “Oh that’s right… You still need to, um, discipline me from earlier… when I cheated…”

I shivered from anticipation, my cock completely hard now. She guided my arm behind her and pushed it into her side. I went along with it and rested my hand on her ass, hesitantly squeezing it. I practically sighed from regret. “We can’t… we can’t do this…”

She kept slowly pulling my shorts down, first revealing my pubic hair, then dragging along and exposing my cock. “I think we can,” she grinned, looking at my hard-on.

“My… ahh…” I finally sprung free and I couldn’t help but gasp at the rush of cool air. “She’ll be- she’ll be home… soon…”

She wrapped one hand around the underside of my dick and softly rubbed back and forth. Oh wow… “Hmm… So at least you admit that you want it…” she cooed.

I don’t think there was anything more I wanted in the world at that moment. “If she… If she…” I tried to protest, but she continued to grip and twist her hand around my dick, forcing me to lose all sense of concentration. My shorts fell the rest of the way to the floor. I was naked.

“It was so rude of her to interrupt last time, on the phone… I thought we were gonna, like, do it together… But I had to do it all by myself…” she feigned a sincere pout.

My fingers dug into her skin as she continued to make my excitement grow. I knew I should push her away… but I just couldn’t anymore. “Yeah… uh… sorry…” Sorry!?

“Did you even get to finish?”

“Um…” I tried to stall, but she gave a firm pull on the base of my cock which made my knees buckle from the pleasure. “K-kinda…” Why was I telling her the truth?

“Oh I get it,” she sounded hurt, then paused for a moment, “But… would you rather have, like, finished with me?” she asked hopefully.

My hand on her stomach reached her breast, still hidden under her shirt. She pushed her chest forward for me as I fondled her. “God, you’re bad,” the words poured out in a groan.

She bit her lower lip. “Mmm… I’m so sorry for being such a naughty little girl…” She let go of my cock and started to turn her body around. My hand slipped away from her chest and down her side to rest on her hip as she faced away from me now. “Would it make you feel better if you, um, spanked me now? Teach me a lesson?”

I ran my hands along her butt, sliding them down those tiny shorts and feeling the backs of her naked thighs. Was I really willing to do this? Heather could be home any minute… That last thought was barely a whisper. It was drowned out with, I can’t believe she’s offering herself up like this… That perfect little body, so wrong, so bad…

She pushed her ass back towards me and my hands reached around from her hips to her pelvis. My cock slid against the back of her shorts and I couldn’t help but thrust back into her, closing my eyes in tempted pleasure. “Okay…” she answered for me, “But it doesn’t work unless my… my butt is, you know… bare…”

She took a step forward and looked back at me innocently. I saw her hands move to the front of her shorts and she began to loosen the drawstring. Then she stuck her thumbs down the sides of the shorts and slowly started shimmying them down, shaking her little butt left and right as she did it. I was practically drooling as I finally saw her ass naked for the first time. Once she pulled them down to her knees, she bent over and kicked them off. She was still wearing those socks and the little shirt and hat… It was fucking sexy as hell.

My cock was standing out, screaming for attention. I just had to reach down and grab it; I was going nuts from the lack of touch. Summer saw me and her jaw dropped a little bit from excitement. Then she slowly walked over to the couch that was near us, running her fingers along the cushions suggestively.

The couch was pretty tall anyway, so she made a show of climbing onto it, wagging her ass as she did it. She stayed on her knees, keeping her butt up in the air, and then put her hands on the back of the sofa to steady herself. She looked back at me again. “I’m ready for my lesson, sir…” she announced guiltily.

It was just too fuckin’ much. I’m only a man. That hot little thing had been teasing me for weeks, making me want her. So what? She wanted it too… How could I deny her anymore? I started stepping up to the couch behind her and she watched me expectantly. The eye-black and baseball cap had this effect that seemed to emphasize her cheery youth… and the fact that she was a student. I couldn’t take this bullshit. If she was gonna work this goddamn hard to get it, well, then…

“I know I’ve been bad… but still, be gentle…” she warned.

I was standing right behind her now, holding my hands out to her sides. I’m so fucked. I brought them closer and rested them on the sides of her legs, then ran them up to her ass. My hard-on practically had a mind of its own as it pulled my hips towards her. I could already tell she was aroused. It put me in such a fog of lust that I couldn’t think about anything. All I knew were emotions: anger, guilt, passion, desire, surrender…

She reached one of her hands down between her legs and reached for me, tickling the very tip of my erection. The touch drew me in further, and she used her fingers to drag me closer to her. I was between her legs now and she pushed my cock against her wet slit. I gripped my hands harder on her body and swallowed my heart down from my throat.

Her ass rose a little bit and just like that, she guided me inside of her, sinking back down onto me slowly. She let out a soft sigh of delight. I nearly grunted from the satisfaction of having my cock enveloped in a warm and waiting pussy. She rolled her head back down and stopped looking at me, but continued to gently roll her hips along my member.

I groaned in pleasure. This is heaven… I couldn’t believe I was finally giving in to this. But right then, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Summer kept making little pouts and moans, not really even paying attention to me anymore. I just thrust into her and matched her rhythm… sometimes I barely even moved and just let her slide along me in the ways that she liked. But the more she made noises of shuddering pleasure, the harder it was for me to not just give in and fuck her for myself.

She finally put her head down against the back of the couch and really started pushing into me, breathing out vocal moans with every pant. I knew she was bracing her body and straining herself now. She wants to come… Seeing her want it so bad gave me a huge rush. I was almost light-headed and wished we could keep going while lying down. A gasp caught in my throat as I heard her whisper, “So close, I’m so close… God, I need it…”

Her begging nearly put me over the edge. I literally had to look away from her body and stare at the wall for a few seconds and concentrate on not blowing my load. It was then that I saw the clock and a brief window of reality. Oh shit, Heather could get home any second…

Not that I really think I would have had the wherewithal to do anything about it, but if I did, it would have been shattered instantly by Summer crying out with a sudden and cracked, “Oh-hhhh!!!”

I swung my head back to see her body make little circular jerks around my cock, seeing her legs shake at the same time. She’s coming…! It set me off before I knew it. A wave of heat rushed through my stomach and between my legs, and I was coming too. I knew she felt it because she cried out a surprised moan. My primal urges took over and I just drove into her as far as I could, holding myself against her as I was rocked by ecstatic spasms…

I was in blissful peace for the next twenty seconds as I rode my orgasm to completion. But then the climax wore off. Summer barely moved. I didn’t either. I continued to hold her and just stared straight ahead in disbelief. The only sound was our ragged breathing and the steady ‘tick… tick…’ of the wall clock.

What… have… I… done…?

I slowly pulled out of her and stumbled backwards a few steps. Her body slumped down into the couch and turned to face me. The paint under her eyes was smeared a little bit now and her face was flushed. Strands of hair escaped down the front of her eyes that escaped from her hat. She appeared just about as amazed as I was.

I looked around dazedly for my shorts and found them. I have to get her out of here… now… As I bent over to pick them up, the phone rang. I stood back up and the both of us turned to watch the mounted telephone ring three more times, then the answering machine kicked on.

“Hey honey, are you there?” It was Heather on her cell.

A brief moment of waiting. “Hello…? Okay, maybe you’re outside or sleeping… Well I ran into my old friend Lindsey outside the post office! It was so weird…! Oh I’ll just tell you about it later. Anyway I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to go have coffee with her down the street here. I’ll be back in forty-five minutes, maybe an hour. Love ya!” Click.

My mouth hung open in dumb shock. I looked back over at Summer and she was smiling from ear to ear. She got up off the couch and looked at me. Reaching one hand up, she took off her hat and dropped it onto the couch. She ran a hand through her hair and looked down my body, letting her eyes rest on my cock. I immediately started getting hard again.

She brought her eyes back up to mine and then looked behind her, as if checking out the home. After looking down the hall and seeing the doorway into the bedroom, she looked back at me and tried to hide a naughty smile by pursing her lips shut. She turned away and started walking down to the room, pulling her shirt up over her head and dropping it on the floor on her way in.

Moka was a good student. She paid attention in class, shared her notes, and studied diligently. Her impressive consistency was admired by all her peers, and they wondered how she achieved this type of discipline. It seemed like nothing bothered her: not the five tests set in a week, not her insufferable courters, not her friends’ dramas.

Indeed, Moka had a secret: fanfictions. That’s how she took her stress away. The study material is too difficult? Read a one-shot, and it will all click right away. A short break from the clubs? That’s time for some headcannons. Having a bad day? Some smuts will fix it right up. What about a good day? Well, read away.

It was when she went to college that she started writing, and when she discovered her natural talent, she never stopped. Reading was fun. People had amazing stories to tell, but after absorbing all those tropes and characters, her brain was starting to bubble with stories of her own. Suddenly, she could create whatever she wanted and didn’t need to send requests, hoping the writers liked them.

Moka seemed like an innocent girl. She wore cute sweaters and girly shirts, often paired with a pleated skirt; she wore a lot of gadgets, and always had rounded sneakers. She had a bright personality and always smiled.

People looked at her and saw an adorable ray of sunshine. Never would they have guessed what she wrote.

And, truly, she did write cute stories at first. Short fluffs about the shows she was watching. Ships and self-inserts. 

But a girl has her needs. 

When that character showed up on screen, shirtless and sweaty, oh it burnt like a fire. Immediately, she had to look up something, something strong.

She started following boy groups and entered their fanfiction fandoms, and that was the decisive moment.

Fluffs weren’t enough. She needed more. The heat inside her chest couldn’t be tamed by simple cuddles and kisses. She was well past that, that was for kids, not her.

It started with spicy scenarios, a little teasing, some touching here and there, and it quickly spiraled into something wilder.

Moka wanted to try them all. All kinks, plays, tropes, and characters. She let the tingles take her away, following that feeling that clouded her brain.

She started dipping her feet on the other side as well and realized just simply how hot girls were. But other than that, she got curious about the other perspectives and started reading male reader stories.

Seeing the perspective of the man made her go insane. It was exhilarating. 

By that time, she had already built up a decent following. It was only natural, given how prolific a writer she was.

That’s when she met you, her fellow writer friend.

She stumbled upon your blog after scrolling endlessly through mediocre clanker-ridden Y/N slop. It was like finding a diamond in the rubbish. 

After reading the first paragraphs, she was hooked. After eight more, her breath was hot. 10 seconds later, her right hand crawls down her legs. 20 more seconds and she has to stifle the lewd moans rushing out of her mouth. 

And 10 minutes later, she was left with a mess to clean up.

It was love.

She had to meet whoever wrote this story. It was like their brain completely in sick with hers. It knew everything she liked, from the cute interactions, to the sexual tension, the sex and even the pace.

Moka took some time to re-collect herself and get some tissues to get herself back into her clean demure image. Then she went to your blog, clicked the small speech bubble under your post and started typing.

[OMG THIS WAS SO GOOOD. Honestly my favorite fic right now. PLEASE GIVE US A PART 2] 

Hearted.

Her job was done, her nerves were soothed, now back to studying. 

Moka went back to her microeconomy book and started reading the chapter the professor had taught this morning. It wasn’t exactly an interesting topic but she still had to catch up otherwise it would pile up endlessly. So everyday, when she went back home, she would re read her notes and check what it said on the textbook. Read… Read…

She needed to read another one. Another smut.

Moka threw her book aside and jumped on the bed again. She opened her phone and rushed to your blog, that she had followed already. She checked your masterlist. There were so many choices, so many fics she hadn’t read yet. 

So her personal ritual started again.

On the other side of town, you were scrolling through the countless memes on IG reels when you received that notification. It surprised you. Nobody had ever written a comment with that much excitement and certainly not with those many capital letters. You thought for a moment. It was either a very zesty man or it was a girl.

You’ve heard of them before, girls that read male reader fics, though they were very rare. You wondered why they’d be attract to this, especially since the perspective was so different. As long, as they liked it, you didn’t complain.

“How should I reply to this?” you thought to yourself. It was always good practice to reply to comments. They took the time to write it, after all.

[Thank you for the comment! Wait for part—

“No,” you thought. “It will probably not happen. Delete.”

[Thank you for the comment! We’ll see what happens]

There. That’s perfect. Give them hope but don’t promise anything. Done, enter.

You were about to put your phone away when another notification hit your phone. 

[IM GONNA WORSHIP THE GROUND YOU'LL WALK IN🙏🏻💛😭]

Okay, what the fuck?

Well, you were flattered, that’s for sure. But was this really necessary. You kinda remember what you wrote and not a single sentence deserved this much… excitement. Not to mention, it wasn’t towards the character either, it was towards you. You. 

You had to sit back and really think what to reply this time. 

Maybe you should match her energy. No, that’s not really what you do.

[You’re too kind!]

Yeah, that will be okay. And… send.

[IM SCREAMING THAT WAS INSANE OMGGG I- I’ll NEVER recover from this, I’m not the same person anymore]

What?

Is this person okay?

You rubbed your forehead. You had to go and quickly read what you wrote to try to understand the reasoning of this reaction. No matter how many times you went back to it, you still couldn’t understand. 

You stared at the blinking cursor. Should you reply again? What if she continued? What would you do then?

Before you could decide, someone messaged you. It was her. Or him, you still weren’t completely sure.

> Sorry if that was too much 😭 your writing hits different > Like it’s written exactly for me > Sorry sorry sorry

You blinked. She seemed nice enough. Without really thinking about it, you started typing again.

> Don’t apologize, it’s actually really flattering

On the other side, Moka’s heart dropped when she saw your reply. She’d been debating inside her head whether she just gave you a reason to quit writing or permanently tainted your stories with her excessive comments. She was embarrassed. She was the only comment under them. There were some others but it was mostly “Nice” or “Great fic!”. 

Relief washed over her when Moka read what you wrote.

She picked up her phone again and started thinking of how to reply to you. With a pillow clutched between her chest and the the phone screen, she started typing, slower this time.

> Really? > I love your plots and characters! > It’s really unique

> Thank you! > Have you read my stuff before?

Moka bit her lip.

> No not really > I just found out and started reading > Just a few days

More like just a few hours. But she didn’t want to seem crazier than she already did.

You smiled at your screen, she must have binged all your fics.

> Wow you must have a lot of free time

> Not at all I should be studying right now 😭😭

> Well it does help to relax a little bit

Moka thought for a moment. She wanted to keep talking but didn’t really know what to say. She could have continued to talk about writing and fics but she wasn’t sure whether you really liked them like that. 

> Do you take requests?

You leaned back in your chair. Not really. Rarely. Actually, never tried. You told yourself you would but only if the idea felt right and usually you didn’t really feel inspired. But you didn’t really want to let her down, she looked so happy to read your stuff.

> Sometimes > You have something in mind?

Moka jumped up from her seat. “Calm down,” she told herself. This is the chance. Do not scare that man. Or woman. She had a lot of ideas she thought about writing but never did, it was time she could give them to you. 

But were they good enough?

Think, Moka, think. 

Moka typed, deleted, she looked through her documents, her phone notes. Nothing. You would have surely rejected them. Okay, she had an idea. It would be a good idea to actually ask you to write with her. Yeah, why not? That way she can learn from you and create a good story that you would both like.

> Not a request really, more like a collab > I write too

She got your interest.

> That could be interesting > Could you send me a link to your work

Moka’s breath started to quicken and her heart started to beat faster and faster. All her stories, her secrets, her filthy works. You were going to see all of them. Well, you wrote that stuff too so it was fine but it was still a bit embarrassing. What if you hated them?

But it was too late to pull back.

Moka took a deep breath, copied her blog’s link and pasted the link.

You watched the blue link appear in your chat and clicked it. The screen blinked and loaded up her blog. You were sure it was a female now. The blog was very well customized. It was all pink with plenty of moodboards, colored titles, sparkles and hearts everywhere. 

Your blog, in comparison, was a boring default setup.

You went right into her masterlist and clicked the first fic.

The opening lines were cute. It was a show character x female reader, that made sense. A classic sweet student type of story: some banter, some very cute interactions, some embarrassed touches. You quickly scrolled through it, catching the essence of the story though quick sentences: two characters who clearly wanted each other but didn’t admit it.

Her writing style wasn’t that bad. You’re sure she was the one who wrote it.

You scrolled down further, skipping a few of the other fluffs to see how she progressed.

The story was a bit more complex this time. The plot was clear, and it developed into a longer time frame. Her words weren’t fumbling. The sentences were longer, tighter, and well thought. You were interested. It was the type of story you’d read, except you weren’t really familiar with these ships.

Your eyebrows rose when you went to her most recent fics.

“Oh,” you muttered to yourself. “So she does smut.”

The stories still started with the cute scenarios that she used in her earlier fics but it went from fluff to explicit in the space of just a few paragraphs. By the time you reached the middle of the fic you were very surprised. It was filthier than you expected.

You went back up to check the tags. “Fluff, slow burn, kissing,” so yeah, very tame normal stuff. Then: “dirty talk, overstimulation, bondage, knife play, domination, cock worship.”

Well, that was quite quick.

You blinked, scrolled again, and there it was: “Consent play, praise kink, degradation kink, pissing, blood play.”

Wait, how do those two tags even coexist?

Her works were actually very well written. It’s normal for writers to be into interesting stuff so you didn’t really see anything wrong with it. You accepted the collab, discussed some of the characters you liked, and let it go from there.

You didn’t think much about it, it was a very natural process. She’d start thinking about the plot first and then you’d review it.

Moka was extremely happy. She was doing all kind of research to make sure she knew everything single thing about every single person they could have written. She double-read every single story you had ever written to understand fully your style and preferences.

She had found another thing to look forward to when she was the university and could go to class with the same bright smile she always had.

The lecture hall was the same as every Wednesday, the professor was halfway through explaining a graph on prices when Moka saw something way too familiar in the corner of her eye. She tried to tell herself not to think about it and focus on the class but it was too strong. 

There was something on that phone screen that she had already seen. It was that familiar pink layout of her blog, the sweet Y2K aesthetic that she spent 2 whole months creating on HTML and CSS. It was hers. There was no other possible person.

It was her own blog on the phone of someone in the same room as her, and they’re reading it right now. In public.

She watched you scroll through the story, completely focused on every single word. Moka felt her face getting warm. She had never thought about the type of people who would read her stuff and seeing a real person read her most private and perverted thoughts in a room full of people was making her succumb to embarrassment.

Then you opened a new tab to check your own dashboard and reply to a message. Moka fumbled out her phone and saw the message appear in front of her. Her eyes widened and she could feel the air leaving her lungs.

It was you.

The person that wrote all the stuff that she had consumed in her most private moments, the person that she’s obsessing over, the person that she’s supposed to write with… sitting right there in front of her.

When the bell rang and everyone packed their bags to leave the room, Moka moved on autopilot and teleported next to you. You were just putting your backpack on your shoulder when you felt the presence of another person next to you.

You turned your head and saw a familiar face. Yes, you had noticed her before. She was in your class after all. From what you remember, she was one of the best students in the course. She must have been one of the best ranked during the entrance exam. She was dressed very well too, with a cute sweater and a pleated skirt.

“You’re…” she started, her voice cracking. She cleared her throat and pronounced your exact username in the clearest tone possible.

Your eyes darted open. Who was this? Who sent her? Were they here to blackmail you? You stepped back. This could get dangerous real quick.

Moka kept looking around to make sure no one was listening and stepped closer to lower her tone. “I mean, I’m cocomin43, but my name is Moka,” she blurted out. “The one who… commented on your stories…”

What? Her? You didn’t really say much. You couldn’t believe this was happening right now. You stood there with your mouth slightly open.

“Uhm, okay?” you mumbled. 

“I saw you reading my story,” she said. "The one with the... you know. The knife stuff." She squeezed her eyes shut for a second, mortified. "This is so awkward. I’m so sorry. I shouldn't have said anything." 

The moment the words knife stuff left her lips, Moka knew she had messed up. She saw your judgmental expression and couldn’t handle it.

"I—I mean! Not that I do that! I mean, I write it, but I don't—oh god," she stammered. “I have to go. Bye!”

Before you could even say anything else, she had spun around and quickly walked outside, nearly hitting a passing student. 

After that episode, Moka spent 48 hours in a state of paralysis. She sat on her bed, staring at her laptop, wondering if she should open the private messages to clear up the situation. She didn’t sleep that day. She didn’t dare open the site. 

For the first time in her life, she had revealed her secret to someone. You weren’t just a user; you sat in her class, just a couple of rows in front of her.

She didn’t know why she even talked to you. It was an excitement she had never felt before. 

She couldn’t let it end like that. You were the only one who could actually accept her for who she was. 

Still, she felt an incredible amount of shame and embarrassment that was hard to shake off. When she went back to university, she took the long way to every class to avoid the economics building.

But fate was that she’d meet you again at the vending machines. She was just buying a soda can when she saw your reflection in the glass. She couldn’t run. She had to confront you.

Moka froze. The can she chose thudded into the tray, and she slowly turned around to see your face staring back at her.

“Uhm,” she started. “Hi, again.”

“Hi,” you said, quietly. 

“From the… internet.”

“I remember.”

She laughed nervously. 

“Listen, about the other day,” she said. “Sorry. I’m not normally like that… I don’t really say that stuff.”

“Yeah, that’s fine,” you said, rubbing the back of your head. “I figured.”

She took a deep breath.

“I actually wanted to… talk? Like, for real?” she looked at you. “And not about… that. The collab would be cool, but I’d like to get to know you.”

She bit her lips.

“I’m at [road], you know? Near the other student apartments. It's quiet there. No one will hear us... talking. About normal things! Like hobbies! " She winced at her own outburst. "Anyway. If you want, you should come over. Tonight? Around seven?" 

She couldn’t stand the pressure and left with the coffee.

You thought about it. She was really pretty, and you were curious about her. She seemed really shy; maybe she just really wanted to make some friends. Well, she already had some friends at the university, you could see that. Maybe she wanted to share her hobby?

Well, what could go wrong? You made up your mind and looked up the address.

And that’s how you found yourself in this situation, in front of the door of a fanfiction writer.

You take a deep breath and ring the bell.

Moka opens the door and lets you inside. It looked like a normal apartment. It was clean, as spacious as a small studio could be but mostly neat. She didn’t have a lot of decorations outside the living room, apart from some plants and some small things here and there. 

“So… here we are,” she says, playing with the keys in her hand. Her eyes go to the ground, fixated on her shoes.

“It’s nice,” you tell her, with a smile.

“You think so?” Moka says softly, looking at you with a small grin. “Wanna see my room?”

“Uhhh… sure.”

Moka opens another door and leads you down the small hallway. You can already see the warm light escaping the opening of the entrance. When you step inside, you open your mouth: it was so girly and pink, what you’d expect from the girl who sat in the front row. 

There are neat stacks of textbooks lined up on her shelves, each one with pastel sticky notes sticking out from the sides. On her desk, highlighters and pens are organized by color—pink, yellow, blue, purple. A couple of books and notebooks lie open, as if she left them there mid-study session.

The walls are covered with posters of boy groups, their corners fixed with strips of washi tape. Next to a row of binders, a few lightsticks lean against the shelf, ready for the next concert.

Her bed is made, though not perfectly; the blanket is pulled up but slightly uneven. Plushies take up a good portion of the space, some new, some a little worn. The covers are of a pinkish hue as well.

The air smells faintly sweet, maybe from a candle she burned earlier or a lotion she uses.

“This is… it,” Moka comments. 

“It’s nice,” you say again. Realizing it’s the same exact thing you said before, you try to think of something else. “It’s… cute.”

“Really?” she asks. “I—I cleaned my room, not that it was dirty, but like, not because you’re here,” she spits out and immediately regrets it, “oh my god—”

You laugh, brushing the back of your neck. “I like the boys—the posters you got on the walls.”

“You do? Are you into boy groups?”

“I like BIGBANG,” you say, pointing at the poster of Taeyang’s face. “His song is nice. Eyes, nose, and lips, was it?”

“Oh yeah, it was one of my favorite videos. It’s not often they go shirtless. He has very nice muscles. They are so… big,” Moka says with great enthusiasm. 

“Mmh, yeah…” you say, a bit startled by her sudden outburst. “I meant the song. The song is nice.”

“Oh,” Moka laughs awkwardly. “It’s a great song! Yes, I like the song—too.”

You nod and continue to observe her room. You’re left with an awkward silence that Moka absolutely can’t stand. She’s thinking about what she said. God, you had just stepped into her place and she had already revealed how much of a pervert she is. Sure, you already knew. After all, that’s how you two know each other, but she was kind of starting over.

Moka shakes the thoughts out of her head and clears her throat. “Ehem. Would you like some tea?”

“That sounds nice, yeah,” you say.

“You can sit on the bed if you’d like,” Moka says. She turns around and guides you to the edge of the mattress. She takes just two steps and she’s already tripping on air. Her body comes way too close to you, her face inches from yours.

She immediately jumps away and apologizes profusely. You quickly brush it away.

In the kitchen, Moka’s mind races like crazy. She uses the electric kettle to boil some water. The bubbling of the water helps her calm down. She takes deep breaths and puts the mugs on the tray. When Moka comes back to her room, you’ll still be sitting there with your hands on your lap.

She puts the tray on the desk and grabs a mug. Her fingers are shaking and you can tell she’s overthinking everything. Moka holds it out to you, but in her nervousness, she misjudges the distance. The mug tilts, and a splash lands right onto you.

“Ah! Wait—oh no!” she cries. She freezes in horror, eyes wide.

“I—I’m sorry! I didn’t mean—uh…” she grabs a napkin and tries to clean it off you. She doesn’t stop to think and fails to realize that the tea fell right between your legs. She even presses her hands against your pants, trying to pat them dry.

You freeze as you feel her whole weight coming down on you. “M-Moka! Wait—!” you start, but she’s so panicked she doesn’t hear you. Her eyes flick up and her panicked expression meets your shocked eyes.

“I’ll clean it! I swear! I’m trying, I’m—” her hands keep moving but it’s only making it worse. 

You try to pull her hands away gently but she only panics more. She rubs hurder and stutters, “Ugh, why is this happening to me?!”

“Moka! Seriously, stop it!” you finally yell.

Moka glances down and realizes where she’s been rubbing. Her eyes go wide and her face flushes a deep red. She immediately backs away, waving her hands around in the air. 

“Oh no no no no no!” she squeals, dropping the napkin. “I didn’t mean to—oh my god, I’m the worst!”

She covers her face with her hands from the embarrassment, continuing to mutter incoherent noises. Moka peeks between her fingers, deeply mortified. 

You shake your head and laugh nervously, “It’s okay. It’s fine, really.”

Her shoulders slump, but she’s still red from head to toe. She’s a complete mess. She’s rouched awkwardly on the floor, hands still trembling, blinking rapidly. She’s trying her hardest to erase what just happened from your memory.

“Don’t worry about it, just… come sit,” you say and pet the space next to you.

“Can I?”

“Well, it’s your bed, right?”

“Yeah, you’re right,” she stutters and sits next to you, at a reasonable distance. “I—I’m so sorry about… you know… your—um…” She gestures vaguely toward your lap. “I didn’t mean to… touch that. I swear, I wasn’t thinking!”

“You apologized enough. It’s okay, really. Please don’t think about it,” you try to reassure her. “Anyways, what was the tea supposed to be? Black?”

“No, I… yes, it’s black but not just black. It’s like a black vanilla.”

“Oh, I see. It smells nice.”

“Yeah, it does, it does,” she says. “You also smell… uhm… good,” she murmurs. Maybe a good compliment will make her apology more believable. “Like… like a boy, but… in a nice way! Not in a weird way! I mean… you always smell nice. I noticed it the first time, but… okay, that sounded creepy, I’m sorry!”

It seems like she doesn’t think before she talks.

“You smell nice too…” you comment. “The shampoo aroma.”

She squeezes her hands together. “Thank you,” she smiles. You complimented her. You really did. You liked her. Maybe you wanted to sniff her hair. She’d gladly let you. And then she’d sniff you. Yeah, that’s how it should go.

“I mean, uh… thank you for… coming over. And, um… your hair looks really… nice? Today. It always does. And your… your jacket… it smells good too. Not in a weird way”

“What’s up with this smell thing?” you say, laughing.

Moka’s eyes go wide and she stammers. “Sorry, it’s gross right? I know it sounds dumb! I’m… I’m talking too much, aren’t I?”

“No, it’s okay, it’s… kind of cute.”

“Cute? Really?” she squeaks, bouncing on the ball of her feet. “I—I’m not cute! That’s… that’s impossible! You’re lying! You can’t actually mean that!”

“Really, you’re kinda adorable when you’re panicking. A bit.”

“A-adorable?! I—I can’t believe you just said that.”

“Moka… relax. You’re fine. Just breathe.”

“Alright, alright,” she brushes off and stays still for a moment. 

You use this silence to wonder about your life decisions. What kind of situation have you put yourself in? This is not the Moka you knew. She was so normal in class: she had friends, talked to people, and was attentive. Now, it seems like she has never talked to a person in her whole life.

Surely, there must be some reason. Maybe the problem was yourself? But you didn’t do anything.

Moka seems to have calmed down a bit. She’s still fidgeting with her fingers but her face is of a softer red. 

She turns her head towards you, lips pressed together, she takes a deep breath before talking again. “So, uhm,  do you like reading books?”

You look at her briefly and turn your head to think about the answer. Moka clearly did not understand what you were doing because she interpreted it as you judging her harshly. 

Panic. Again.