Refusal

“…Somehow, I’m uneasy.”
“I want to try kissing you.”
Theron paused for a moment. About 10 seconds.
His lips parted, and he finally spoke.
“I think I must have misheard. There’s no way you would say such a thing, Miss Selene.”
Theron looked as if he had really heard an auditory hallucination.
“What kind of thing is that?”
“You said you wanted to try kissing.”
“That’s right.”
“Yes?”
“I said that’s right.”
“…”
“I want to try kissing. With you, Mr. Cox.”
Theron slowly blinked.
He slowly put down his coffee cup and touched his lips as if to cover them, his gaze averted.
His skin, visible outside his large hand, was faintly red.
“Why such a sudden request…”
“Don’t you want to?”
“It’s not that I don’t want to, but don’t you dislike men, Miss Selene…? You also said you still don’t trust me. I don’t quite understand.”
He seemed unsure whether he disliked it or was okay with it, just like Selene.
“It’s part of the observation.”
“Observation is done with the eyes.”
“But I’ve already touched you delicately, Mr. Cox.”
“If you say that elsewhere, you’ll be misunderstood.”
“There’s no chance of being misunderstood. I only say such things in front of you, Mr. Cox.”
Theron was dazed for a moment.
He looked as if he had been hit hard in the solar plexus unexpectedly.
However, the more he dragged on, the more Selene’s patience wore thin.
“Is this suggestion unpleasant? You were the one who told me to use you first, Mr. Cox.”
“It’s not that it’s unpleasant…”
Theron, brought to his senses by Selene’s sharp voice, had a very serious expression.
“I want to know exactly what you mean by wanting to kiss me. Are you making this request because I’m the only one you can use without reservation?”
“Yes.”
Selene answered immediately without hesitation.
Of course, Theron Cox was the only one she could make such a request to.
It was because of his words, willingly offering to be used, that she had made this decision.
But Theron, who had said that, looked deep in thought.
He would glance at Selene and then look away, lightly fan himself with his hand, and then roll up the sleeves of his shirt.
Selene, who had no intention of waiting for him any longer, moved her red lips.
“So, what’s your answer?”
Theron, who had been fidgeting for a while, finally made eye contact with Selene.
“I refuse.”
The corners of Selene’s eyes rose slightly.
“Why? Have you lost the will to cooperate with me now?”
“That’s the problem.”
Theron pointed out calmly.
“Problem?”
“Cooperation, I mean… kissing solely for the sake of improving your piano skills, without any feelings.”
‘What’s wrong with that?’
Selene frowned at Theron’s reason for refusal, which didn’t resonate with her at all.
Nevertheless, Theron continued his explanation step by step.
“You’ll regret it someday. It will be your first kiss, won’t it, Miss Selene? You’re wasting a precious opportunity.”
“Hmm…”
“Besides, I fell in love with you at first sight, Miss Selene. So, it doesn’t make sense for me to immediately kiss you when I know you’ll regret it. It’s also something a gentleman who respects a lady should not do.”
“…”
“Therefore, I will firmly refuse this time. This decision will not change no matter how you ask.”
Theron was explaining his intentions seriously enough.
So much so that she couldn’t just tell him to cut the crappy consideration since she didn’t attach any meaning to a first kiss.
Selene was disappointed, but she didn’t want to waste time persuading someone who couldn’t be persuaded.
“I understand.”
“…Your answer is quick.”
“You’ve made your position clear, Mr. Cox.”
Even though she had answered as he wished, Theron looked rather displeased.
As if he were more disappointed, unable to take his eyes off Selene.
“You should go home for today.”
“Already…?”
“The main schedule has been canceled, so there’s nothing left to do.”
“Was the kiss the schedule?”
“Yes.”
Selene was just as firm.
It wasn’t a lie.
She had decided to meet him today for a kiss in her packed schedule for the sake of winning the international competition, and if not for that, there was no reason to spend time drinking tea.
Theron was seen off by Selene with a slightly dazed face.
He, who had almost been swept away like a leaf in a stream, regained consciousness before leaving the entrance.
“Are you angry with me, by any chance? If I’ve hurt your pride, Miss Selene, I apologize.”
At Theron’s words, Selene, who had been watching the ants marching on the floor, lifted her gaze.
“Why would my pride be hurt?”
“It’s not just anything, I refused a kiss. It’s something that could hurt a lady’s pride.”
“I was a little surprised that you refused, but it’s okay. I understand your position, Mr. Cox, and I can always kiss someone else, can’t I?”
‘Yes?’
Theron, who had been dazed for a moment, soon had his expression contort viciously.
“What do you mean by that? Don’t tell me you’re going to make this suggestion to someone else…”
“My lady.”
Just then, a maid who was approaching called Selene cautiously.
“I’m sorry to interrupt your conversation, but the letter you were waiting for has arrived. It’s from the Pianist Association.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Selene’s gaze immediately turned to the stiff envelope.
“The registration confirmation finally came.”
“Miss Selene…?”
“Be careful on your way back. I have to go practice now.”
Selene, who had said her farewell, turned away, her gaze still fixed on the letter.
Before Theron could call Selene’s name again as she moved away, the front door slammed shut in front of him with a bang.
“Ah…”
Only Theron, unable to leave or re-enter the mansion, was left standing alone in front of the entrance.

Theron had to review his entire life.
Various memories flashed through his mind quickly.
Most of them were memories of the women who had passed through his life.
It was a trivial pride, but he had never found women difficult until now.
If it was a partner for a casual one-night stand, it was enough if they were both satisfied in bed.
If it was a target he had to seduce, he just had to give them what they wanted.
Whether it was a fancy diamond ring or a look that feigned affection.
So at first, he had thought it wouldn’t be difficult, whether it was a duke’s daughter or the Forbidden Fruit.
But recently, he was repeatedly realizing how stupid his arrogant self had been.
Selene Ashcombe is difficult.
More difficult to deal with than anyone in the world, no, any being in the universe.
While he was burning with the determination to see that woman desperately call his name in bed, when he actually faced her, he would be helplessly swayed by the variations she played.
Who would have thought that haughty woman would grope his hand so lewdly in the quiet and respectable atmosphere of an art museum?
Theron had to exert superhuman patience at that time to not get an unnecessarily immediate erection.

“If you’re uncomfortable, then that’s fine. Hands are attached to everyone, after all.”

And yet, the thought of Selene Ashcombe touching another man’s hand under the pretext of observation or experiment made the heat that had been gathering in his lower body quickly move to his head, making his forehead hot.
His lips naturally twisted.
‘That won’t do, Selene. I’m the only one you can use.’
In fact, besides Selene’s lewd groping of his hand at the art museum, Theron knew that the reason he had been so sensitive that day was because Selene had almost been in a car accident.
Screech!
The sound of the car’s tires screeching fiercely on the road brought back his bad memories.
Because of that, he had forgotten he was in front of that woman and had spewed profanities at the driver, so that said it all.
Still, perhaps because he was conscious of Selene being next to him, he had stopped at that.
If he had been alone, he might have grabbed the driver by the collar and slammed him to the ground.
Anyway, just thinking about that moment made Theron feel his pulse pounding in his ears.
‘If I hadn’t been able to pull Selene away that day…’
A fallen Selene, the red blood contrasting with her pale complexion.
To say it was a trauma related to a past car accident, just imagining such a scene of Selene made his palms sweat.
Theron, who was sitting on the sofa, reached out and downed the water in the glass in one gulp.
‘Damn it.’
Still, Theron thought he had ended that day quite well.
Even though Selene Ashcombe had groped his hand in a cheesy way that a scoundrel from a bygone era might have used, and a crazy driver had almost caused a car accident, but anyway.
But the incident that shook Theron’s mind, as if that was nothing, happened a few days ago, or to be precise, a week and two days ago.

“I want to try kissing you.”