Chapter Three: First Kiss

After reading the long string of characters on the light screen, Anhe’s expression became increasingly strange. Sixteen years had passed since he crossed over, and he had always assumed that the narrator was his golden finger… Who could have guessed that such a screen would suddenly appear now?

“So that damned narrator was just here to disgust me?”

Though he grumbled, Anhe’s heart grew feverish as he looked at the light screen before him. After all, this thing was really useful—it had just arrived and already granted him twenty attribute points. Wasn’t that far more helpful than the narrator who could only bark like a dog?

But just as Anhe harbored this thought, the narrator’s voice rang out in his mind once again, at the worst possible moment.

[Looking at the light screen before you, and recalling the majestic voice in your mind, you feel a surge of heroic spirit. They say that a Crouching Dragon or a Young Phoenix alone can bring peace to the world, but now you possess both. Next, it’s time for the world to feel pain…]

…

Anhe felt it would be best to ignore the narrator; he feared that listening too long might ruin his mind. Shaking his head to dispel these miscellaneous thoughts, he looked at the girl before him with a changed gaze.

If before he had looked at her with pity tinged by a hint of desire, now there was only boundless longing.

This was no runaway girl—she was practically a mother!

Perhaps sensing Anhe’s gaze, Sawu Amamiya’s eyes flickered slightly. After two seconds of silence, she suddenly reached for the hem of her clothes and began to lift it. “Do you want it?” she asked.

What do I want?

Lost in dreams of the future, Anhe was stunned at first by her words. Then, noticing Sawu’s hand, he understood and hurriedly waved his hands.

“No, no, that’s really not necessary.”

His words made the girl pause, but she didn’t lower her clothes. Instead, she stared at Anhe with those indifferent eyes, asking in confusion, “Why?”

Noticing Anhe’s slightly fearful look, she seemed to realize something and added, “You can rest assured, it’s my first time, and I don’t have any illnesses.”

You’re the one who’s sick!

Anhe cursed inwardly but hurried forward to pull down the girl’s half-lifted shirt, covering her pale, smooth stomach.

He wasn’t being sanctimonious; it was just that, from the moment the girl began undressing, her favorability score above her head plummeted—from thirteen to three in seconds—stopping only when Anhe intervened.

Combining the narrator’s earlier words, her identity as a “runaway girl,” and the light screen’s description of her as a “wandering girl indifferent to her own well-being,” Anhe quickly understood Sawu Amamiya’s intent.

She wanted to repay him for letting her stay last night with herself.

It reminded Anhe of the heroine Sayu Ogiwara from an anime he’d watched in his past life. The difference was, the latter didn’t receive timely salvation—even when she met the protagonist, she was no longer pure.

Anhe never considered himself a saint, but he couldn’t bear to watch a young girl sink into depravity, especially when her favorability was dropping—and that affected his final reward.

After all, that reward was three random master-level physical skills.

According to the screen’s assessment, Anhe’s highest skill—painting—was barely at master level, while the others ranged from ordinary to elite.

Thus, three master-level physical skills were incredibly precious.

Sawu had no idea what Anhe was really thinking; after being stopped, she didn’t continue undressing. Instead, she gripped the hem of her clothes and stared at Anhe in silence.

Her eyes were the most beautiful Anhe had ever seen, the finest among all the girls he’d met. The only flaw was a lack of spirit; they resembled a lifeless lake.

Being stared at by such beautiful eyes, Anhe felt a bit uneasy. Just as he was about to inquire about her situation, Sawu suddenly spoke.

“Are you a boy-loving type?”

A question, but Sawu Amamiya delivered it in a tone of certainty.

Anhe was stunned; his expression darkened as he realized what she meant. Meanwhile, the narrator’s voice popped up, adding fuel to the fire.

[She’s doubting you, traveler. She’s questioning your orientation. Can you tolerate this? Or are you really a boy-lover? Should I switch to Tom Hiddleston’s voice next time?]

You damned narrator!

After retorting uselessly, Anhe took a deep breath and looked at Sawu Amamiya. She met his gaze without flinching, her indifferent eyes locked onto his.

One second, two seconds… Suddenly, Anhe grabbed Sawu’s hand and pulled her into his arms.

She froze, and before she could react, Anhe pressed his lips to hers.

Their lips met—soft, moist—and Anhe felt Sawu stiffen.

No matter how indifferent she appeared, she was still afraid when it really happened.

Thinking this, Anhe gazed into Sawu’s eyes with a hint of teasing.

But just as he was about to let go, Sawu suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself tightly against him.

Anhe’s pupils dilated. Before he could recover from the sensation of her fragrant body, a slender, soft tongue slipped past his lips.

Instantly, the enemy breached the city—chaotic swords clashed.

Anhe was caught off guard at first, but after a few provocations, his fighting spirit ignited and he met her attack head-on.

Their swords touched; Sawu let out a soft moan, and Anhe felt as if electricity were coursing through his body.

Fortunately, the enemy was inexperienced, faltering after the first strike, unsure what to do.

Anhe was a novice too, but his past life’s experience gave him the edge. In an instant, he seized the advantage, driving the enemy to flee in disarray.

But! On any battlefield, the situation changes in a blink. The enemy’s commander, seeing her vanguard so toyed with, changed tactics.

The next moment, Anhe felt himself toppled—Sawu had pushed him onto the sofa.

“Pff~”

The youthful sofa bore a weight it shouldn’t have had to bear, and their bodies bounced up and down a few times due to its softness.

Throughout, Sawu never let go. On the contrary, she seized the opportunity to straddle Anhe, attempting to take the lead.

Feeling the softness pressing against his abdomen, Anhe’s heart fluttered, and in that momentary daze, the enemy struck, forcing him to defend.

The duel lasted more than a hundred exchanges; in the end, the enemy’s stamina failed first.

Their lips parted.

Anhe took the opportunity to gasp for air, his eyes curving into crescents as he smiled at Sawu’s face, now so close.

She was no longer the cold, indifferent girl she had been. With both hands pressed against Anhe’s chest, her face flushed, eyes hazy and seductive, she looked like a goddess returned to the mortal world, greedily breathing fresh air.

Seeing this, Anhe remarked, “I thought you’d never show any other expression.”

She was startled, visibly calming down, though her cheeks and ears remained pink. Her eyes no longer dared meet his.

“Do you want to do it?”

This was the second time Sawu had asked today, her voice trembling slightly. Anhe felt her legs clamped around his waist tighter than before.

Clearly, Sawu was nervous this time.

Anhe shook his head, then pulled her gently into his arms. She did not resist, resting her head obediently on his shoulder.

They lay quietly on the sofa for a while, until their breathing calmed. Then Anhe spoke again.

“Can you tell me why you ran away from home?”

…

Sawu remained silent, as Anhe had expected. He wasn’t impatient, so he shifted the topic. “What happened last night? Usually, people don’t sleep that deeply.”

Hearing this, Sawu finally responded in a soft voice. “Because I sleep poorly, I usually take some sleeping pills before bed.”

“So you took them last night too?”

Anhe was stunned, lifting Sawu and gazing into her eyes with a frown. “Aren’t you afraid of being picked up by bad people?”

Sawu pursed her lips without answering, turning her head away from Anhe’s gaze.

Seeing this, Anhe was silent for two seconds and didn’t press further.

He suddenly recalled the light screen’s description of Sawu Amamiya.

[A confused girl indifferent to herself.]

It was clear that, from the moment she decided to stand at the platform late at night and take medication, she had already mentally prepared herself for violation.

Anhe felt a pang in his heart.

After a pause, Sawu spoke again.

“I should go to school now.”

Her voice had returned to its former calm and indifference.

Anhe was startled, remembering she was a high school student just like him. After a moment, he released her.

He watched as the girl rose from him and, while she was fixing her clothes, he suddenly asked, “Will you go home today? I mean your real home.”

She paused, then sped up her movements. Once she was ready, she didn’t look at Anhe, turning toward the entryway.

Seeing this, Anhe spoke again: “There’s a key under the doormat at the door. If you still don’t plan to go home tonight, please take it with you. My door will always be open for you, and the price is just a kiss like the one we just shared.”

Sawu didn’t reply.

With a muffled bang, the door closed, leaving only Anhe and the faint fragrance of the girl in the air.

[Name: Sawu Amamiya]
[Current status: The Little Match Girl. Note: In the darkness, she has found a glimmer of light, but she doesn’t dare reach for it, fearing it will disappear as she draws near.]
[Current favorability: 37 (Friend) Note: Perhaps you can try to enter her heart.]

This was the last status Anhe saw for Sawu Amamiya, and it was why he felt assured letting her leave.

Barring any surprises, she shouldn’t disregard her own body as she had before.

Thinking this, Anhe got up and went to the door, lifting the doormat.

Empty.

Seeing this, a smile appeared on Anhe’s face.

Just then, a ringtone sounded from the room. Returning, Anhe found his flip phone wedged in the sofa and picked it up—it was his alarm.

“Time for school again!”

With a sigh, Anhe put down the phone, picked up his uniform, and went to the bathroom to wash up. Yet as he brushed his teeth, Sawu Amamiya’s face kept appearing in his mind.

“I’ll check up on her after school. I remember she wore the uniform from North Academy.”

Anhe worried that Sawu might get lost, or worse, be picked up by some creepy old man.

North Academy wasn’t far from his own school, Mokunan High. It was less than ten minutes away on foot.