Han burst out of the lodging halls, his heart pounding in his chest, breath ragged. The cool night air greeted him, but it did nothing to ease the fire in his chest.
And there she was.
Shay sat at the top of the stone steps outside the entrance, her arms draped loosely around her knees, her gaze lost in the moonlight. Her hair swayed gently with the breeze, but her face was unreadable—stoic, moody, distant.
Han slowed down, swallowing hard. He quietly walked over and sat beside her. She didn't move. Didn't speak. Not even a glance his way.
"...Shay." Han finally said, voice low, almost pleading. "It's just a misunderstanding…"
She didn't reply.
He exhaled, trying again. "Do you remember when I said that Tess' strange behavior was just a side effect of her power, and that she'd return to normal?"
Shay's lips twitched slightly. Still no words.
"Well…" Han rubbed his neck. "I think she's not going back anymore."
That got a reaction.
Shay turned toward him, frowning. "Wait. She'll stay like this forever?"
"Yeah…" Han said quietly. Then, as she began to turn away again, he reached out and gently cupped her cheek—forcing her to meet his eyes. Before she could say anything, he leaned in and kissed her.
Their lips touched, tender and slow.
When he pulled away, his voice was steady. "Tess kissed me. I didn't kiss her back. The only one I'd ever enjoy kissing is you."
Shay narrowed her eyes. "Don't lie."
"I'm not—"
"You think I don't know how much of a pervert you are?" she said flatly, returning to her moody silence.
"Eh?! M-Me?! A pervert?" Han flinched, scandalized. "I-I'm not—!"
"Yes, you." Shay turned to him again, glaring now. "The kid who always tripped into every woman's chest, who 'accidentally' grabbed places he wasn't supposed to, who claimed he didn't know better…"
Han winced. "H-Han, you bastard! You were even worse than me!" he cursed internally, the memories of the original Han Islat bubbling up.
Shay continued, ignoring his panic. "One day back in the village, I asked my mother what kind of men chase after lots of girls. She said they were… what was the word…"
She paused. Then smirked. "Oh yeah—filthy dogs not worth a copper coin."
Han visibly paled.
"But then," Shay went on, still not looking at him, "I asked about you. She said you were still young, and you'd eventually grow out of it. Learn to control your emotions. That maybe, just maybe, if you really loved me like you claimed, you'd stay true when you grew older."
Han nodded slowly, hopeful.
Shay's next words chilled him to the bone.
"But then she also said… 'If he ever kisses another girl after telling you he loves you, stab him through the heart.'"
"H-HUH?!"
Han recoiled, scooting a little away. "S-Shay, don't you think that's a little extreme—?"
"I know Tess forced the kiss," Shay said, ignoring him again. "But… when she kissed you the first time, I saw your face."
She turned toward him now, her expression sharp.
"You were enjoying it."
Han panicked. "W-Wait, you—!"
Sching!
Shay unsheathed her sword, her face calm but deadly. "And that… is more than enough reason to end your filthy, perverted life."
"W-WAIT! You're serious?!" Han yelped, falling back as she raised the blade.
"Time to die, you perverted pig."
"Shay! PLEASE—"
She brought the sword down.
Clang!
But instead of hitting him, it bounced off the stone beside his head.
Han blinked, frozen.
And then—
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Shay doubled over, laughing so hard she could barely stay sitting upright. Tears welled at the corners of her eyes—not from sadness, but from sheer amusement.
"Y-You should've seen your face!"
Han sat up slowly, dumbfounded. "You… You were playing with me?!"
"HAHAHAHA—Yes!" she howled, pointing at his stunned expression. "You looked like a scared little puppy!"
Han flushed in embarrassment, his pride in tatters. "C-Can you not?"
She tried to stop, wiping her tears, her face still full of mirth. "Did you really think I'd cry like some little girl just because I saw another woman kiss my man?"
"Well—"
She didn't let him finish. This time, she tackled him.
Han let out a surprised grunt as his back hit the stone floor of the entrance.
Shay leaned down, her face inches from his.
And then she kissed him—deep, fierce, and full of emotion.
When she pulled back, her voice was low. "That kiss… it showed me just how much you care about me."
Han stared up at her, stunned.
And then—
He got angry.
"You…" he growled.
And without another word, he surged up and kissed her back—hungry, passionate, desperate to prove that she wasn't just teasing him, that he meant it.
She let him.
And this time, it was real.
Click.
The wooden door creaked open behind them.
Han and Shay both turned their heads—only to see Tess standing at the threshold, arms crossed, her eyes cool and glinting with amusement.
"Oh?" Tess said with a smirk. "Looks like you two already made up."
Before Han could say anything, Shay suddenly stood up, turned to Tess—and without a word, grabbed her by the collar and kissed her.
Not just a kiss.
It was deep. Bold. Dominating. Their lips crashed like waves against rocks, tongues brushing, breaths melting together. Tess' eyes shot wide open, stunned. Han sat there frozen, blinking, his mouth slightly ajar.
"W-What are you doing?!" Tess finally managed as she pulled back, panting slightly, her cheeks flushed.
"Yeah… what are you doing?" Han echoed, not exactly protesting as his eyes shifted between the two. That is so hot...
Shay turned toward them with a half-smile, mischief glimmering in her eyes. "Well..."
She reached out and took both their hands—Han's left, Tess' right—and began pulling them inside, closing the door softly behind her.
"This guy is way too much of a pervert," Shay said matter-of-factly, walking backward into the corridor with them in tow. "I've always known I wouldn't be enough for him on my own."
Her back hit the wall beside the hallway, and she pulled them closer. "So, Tess," she said, voice sultry now, her fingers tightening around hers, "since you wanna taste my Han so badly… why don't you just join us?"
Han's eyes widened. Tess' jaw dropped.
"Wait, wait, wait—" Han started, but Tess didn't let him finish.
She slammed her lips onto his, raw hunger in every motion, her body pressing into his. When she pulled away, her gaze was blazing with a fire he'd never seen before.
"You know, stud," she whispered, eyes locked to his lips, "I've wanted to taste you since I first landed in this strange place…"
Her hand traced his chest—muscle after muscle, slowly sliding lower. "I wonder if your thing down there… is as big as your biceps."
Han tensed.
"No," Shay suddenly said from the side.
"Eh?" Tess blinked, confused.
Han was startled too. "W-What?"
For a second, Han's heart stopped. He had always been proud of his size—was she really about to ruin his ego like this?
But then Shay stepped closer, eyes narrowed playfully. "It's even bigger than that."
Han exhaled in relief. "Whew… nearly gave me a heart attack there."
Tess chuckled. "It wouldn't have been fair if such a stud was… under-equipped."
She bit her lip.
Then, with no further warning, the two girls pulled him by the arms—one on each side—and led him straight into Tess' room.
The door closed.
To be continued...
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How was this chapter? Liked Shay's prank?
I am trying to make her hidden joyous personality out. Also, if anyone is wondering why I was justifying Shay's eccessive reaction to Tess kissing Han, I was just playing around. I wanted to surprise you guys even more.