Demands

Selene didn’t mind and moved his fingers in sequence, pressing the keys according to the sheet music.
However, the more she taught him, the faster Theron’s chest rose and fell.
Since she was holding his hand and their shoulders were slightly touching, she could clearly feel the change.
‘Is he hot because we’re close?’
Selene looked at Theron.
As if the heat radiating from him wasn’t just her imagination, Theron’s neck was faintly flushed.
“Do you want to try playing by yourself now?”
Selene moved away and let go of his hand, as he seemed to be hot.
As the space next to him suddenly became empty, Theron’s gaze followed.
“Why…”
“What is it?”
“…It’s nothing.”
Theron ambiguously closed his mouth and started playing the piano.
This time, he finished without making a mistake.
Selene played the next part first to show him.
It was Theron’s turn again.
“Have you ever taught someone else the piano like this, Miss Selene?”
He didn’t press the keys right away but asked Selene.
Selene replied, her gaze fixed on the prominent veins on the back of Theron’s hand.
“No. I have many shortcomings myself, so how could I teach others?”
“No. The piano skills of yours I heard without permission when I came here today were excellent.”
Theron paused for a moment.
“…To a surprising degree.”
Even as he praised her, he was faintly frowning.
It was closer to him looking a little confused rather than forcing out words he didn’t mean.
But noticing Selene waiting for his next words, he hurriedly opened his mouth.
“Still, your teaching method, Miss Selene, is surprisingly delicate and kind, so it would take up a lot of time. It would be best not to teach anyone else.”
Selene had to reflect on whether she had taught Theron delicately and kindly.
‘I did teach him slowly, but I’m not sure.’
“It’s the same with asking someone else to hold your parasol. You didn’t say it, but you walk slower than others, Miss Selene, so it’s difficult to walk with you while sharing a parasol.”
‘A parasol, all of a sudden?’
It was a topic completely unrelated to the piano, and Selene wondered what Theron was talking about.
He was definitely strange somewhere today.
“I won’t be teaching anyone or sharing a parasol with anyone anyway.”
Selene replied calmly to Theron, who seemed to have heatstroke.
Because she still had no intention of keeping any man this close except for Theron Cox.
“Is that so?”
Theron let out a chuckle.
He seemed to be looking elsewhere for no reason, and that action made him look foolish.
“You seem to be a person with many different sides, Mr. Theron.”
At Selene’s words, Theron stopped smiling and looked at her.
“What do you mean?”
“You were sulking just a moment ago, and now you’re grinning foolishly.”
“Who said I was grinning foolishly…”
Theron was embarrassed but didn’t strongly deny it.
“People naturally have many sides. Just like you spat out sharp insults at me, Miss Selene.”
Selene acknowledged that part.
Sometimes she felt like another self inside her would pop out.
Especially when she saw pathetic men.
“But I like that side of you too, Miss Selene. You usually seem indifferent to everything, so when you show emotions like that, I feel closer to you.”
“You have a perverted tendency.”
At Selene’s words, Theron’s lips parted as if he were dumbfounded.
“I meant that I want to get closer to you, Miss Selene. I can’t say we’ve gotten closer just because we kissed once.”
“I’m not so sure.”
“Do you use such polite and formal language with everyone, Miss Selene?”
At the sudden question, Selene had to think for a moment.
A moment later, her voice came out.
“Not really.”
“Then who do you speak comfortably with?”
“With people I’m close to.”
“Who are you close to?”
“My cousin Evelyn, Gwen, and Logan… But why do I have to tell you that, Mr. Theron?”
Selene, who had been answering naturally, suddenly realized that Theron was being overly intrusive.
He had said he liked her, but there was no reason for her to act according to his feelings.
“Logan?”
But at the name she had uttered without much thought, Theron had already put on the brakes.
“That bastard… no, who is that person?”
“My ex-fiancé.”
Theron’s breath slowed for a moment.
“You had a fiancé?”
“It was an engagement our parents arranged when we were young. We broke it off around the time I entered university.”
“Why did you break it off?”
“Because we only thought of each other as friends.”
“Anyway, you mean you talk to that man in a friendly, comfortable tone, not this stiff, polite one?”
The more they talked, the more Theron seemed to be getting angry.
“I believe I told you to stop asking questions in this interrogative manner.”
“Why can’t you speak comfortably with me? You barely even called me by my first name after I begged.”
“You demanded it, holding a kiss hostage, so if that’s not begging, what is?”
“So.”
At this point, Selene also forgot that they were sitting side by side on the piano stool and was starting to get annoyed.
“What are you trying to say?”
Theron didn’t back down and demanded of Selene.
“Speak comfortably to me too.”
“No.”
“Then can I?”
“You’re already mixing it in.”
“I’m asking for permission.”
“Do as you please. I won’t be doing it.”
“I don’t like that.”
Selene’s patience was reaching its limit.
“Then what do you want me to do?”
“Keep the possibility open.”
Theron swiftly pulled Selene’s hand and brought it to his lips.
“Just as you never dreamed you’d end up kissing me, the possibility that you’ll speak comfortably to me.”
Since she had taken off her gloves to practice the piano, Theron’s lips were clearly felt on Selene’s fingers.
Soft and hot.
“Do you understand?”
With a small, mumbling voice, a gentle breath brushed against her fingertips, and Selene’s eyelashes fluttered faintly.
The gentle heat transferred from his lips made Selene’s body feel quite hot.
“…I’ll think about it. Is that enough now?”
“No, one more thing.”
Theron did not let go of Selene’s hand and gazed at her.
“May I kiss you?”
Selene did not answer, but he seemed to have easily noticed her hesitation.
Theron lowered his head, pulled Selene’s head towards him, and gently pressed his lips against hers.
It was the moment they kissed for the second time.
Theron was neither as impatient nor as rough as the first time.
He slowly traced the soft mucous membrane as if to make Selene fully enjoy this kiss, and matched her pace by slowly sucking on her tongue so that her breathing would not become ragged.
Naturally, Selene’s body grew hot.
So much so that her mind was momentarily empty, and she focused entirely on the movement of the lips leading her and the wet, sloppy sound.
‘Ah…’
Selene felt a tingling in her lower abdomen and a sense of emptiness between her thighs, and she gripped Theron’s shirt tightly.
Under the shirt, his delicate muscles were squirming.
Selene unconsciously stroked the muscles that moved like living creatures over the fabric.
Then, not long after, Theron was the first to pull his lips away.
“Hah…”
Unlike the carefully crafted kiss, his face was flushed as if it would explode.
Not only his skin color, but his eyes also clearly showed signs of arousal.
Theron stroked his reddened cheek as if to cool the heat and said, “I think we should stop here for today…”
Selene still felt a tingling sensation somewhere between her legs but nodded.
She couldn’t be sure that this heat would be resolved with a kiss, and if she forced a kiss here, it would be sexual assault.
Theron took a few deep breaths as if to compose himself and sat down, crossing his legs.
Meanwhile, the sharp sensation that had been raging in Selene’s stomach gradually subsided.
“Shall we go to the drawing-room now?”
“Let’s do that.”
When they had both calmed down, Selene left the piano room with Theron and had tea.
Theron presented her with a new bouquet he had forgotten about, and once they left the piano room, they exchanged ordinary conversation.
As evening approached, Selene saw Theron off.
“I played the piano for the first time in a long time today. Was it okay?”
“Well… it wasn’t bad.”
Theron’s reaction was lukewarm.
But Selene noticed.
Whenever the topic of the piano came up, his expression and tone became honest.
The way he had acted today was like that.
Like a child who loves something very much but is forcibly suppressing that feeling.
So, Selene said, “If you remember someday, please play a jazz piece for me.”
“…”
“I want to hear it.”
Selene hoped that the day would come when Theron would play, even if briefly, the jazz piece he vaguely remembered.