He also offered to invite her to a recital if he held one, mentioning that he was an accomplished pianist.

Hyde found herself nodding along before she knew it and looked at Jeff with curious eyes. Their eyes met and Jeff smiled broadly across his handsome face.

“Is there something on my face?”

“Oh, no.”

“What a shame. I was hoping you’d say it was handsomeness.”

“……”

She had thought he was good with words, but his sense of humor left something to be desired.

Then again, as the grandson of a famous company founder, there had probably been no shortage of people who laughed at his unfunny jokes. He likely never felt the need to develop a sense of humor.

Hyde responded with only an awkward smile, and Jeff touched his chin with a slightly sheepish expression before asking,

“Anyway, if you have time after the party, would you like to come with me to a bar I know?”

The unmistakably direct invitation to a date made Hyde pause.

She had received a few date requests back in school, but no one quite like this.

Jeff Lattry was young, good-looking, worked at a well-known company, and came from a good family. His personality…… she didn’t know yet, but based on the conversation so far, he didn’t seem like a bad person.

Which meant, objectively speaking, this man was a remarkably good match for her, almost more than she deserved.

Thinking rationally, meeting Jeff, who was close to her age and expressing his interest openly, was probably the wiser choice over Carbon, who kept trying to give her no room to hope.

But……

Hyde glanced over at Carbon, far away, talking with Milopy. She could barely see him clearly, but just the fact of having him in her sight made her heart beat fast. Whenever he was involved, Hyde couldn’t think straight.

So Hyde gave Jeff an apologetic look as he waited for her answer with hopeful eyes.

“I’m sorry. I have someone I like.”

“……Are you in a serious relationship with them? No. If you were, you wouldn’t be alone at a place like this. Then give me a chance too.”

Jeff pressed on quickly, and he looked genuinely earnest. The sharp point he made hit somewhere true.

Right, if Carbon truly liked me, he wouldn’t leave me alone for so long at a place like this. Even if I pushed him away, he would have come back to my side quickly.

But Carbon was laughing and talking with Milopy, with whom the rumor article had only just come out, as though he was perfectly at ease without Hyde nearby. Watching him look as though she didn’t even cross his mind made her feel both petty and stung.

Part of her wanted to experience being the one who was chased for once. A flicker of spite and the desire for some kind of compensation quietly swelled.

But in the end, what Hyde said was still a refusal.

“I’m truly sorry.”

She let the apology show in the downward tilt of her eyes and gave the most sincere answer she could.

“But I really do like him. So I can’t see anyone else.”

Saying it out loud made Hyde realize again just how enormous her feelings were.

Even if Carbon keeps refusing to accept me, even if he doesn’t like me as much as I like him, I can’t help it. I love him too much to bear, so until he pushes me away with everything he has, I’m going to stay.

The realization was both miserable and joyful, and Hyde smiled a bittersweet smile.

After the clean and repeated refusal, Jeff was disappointed but didn’t press further. Hyde, the one who had done the refusing, was the one who looked more hurt, and that had stopped him.

“Can we at least stay friends?”

“I’d like that.”

Jeff didn’t leave right away and stayed beside Hyde a little longer. Fortunately the time didn’t feel awkward. The conversation with Jeff was actually enjoyable enough to lose track of time.

“Hyde. There, your strap is……”

“Pardon?”

She tried to check where Jeff was pointing, but her eyes and hands couldn’t quite reach it. As Hyde struggled, Jeff carefully asked if he could fix it himself.

“I’d appreciate that.”

“Allow me.”

Jeff reached toward her waist.

“Is it done?”

“Yes, just a moment. Almost…… ugh!”

Hyde startled and turned her head, and there was Carbon, his face thunderous, gripping Jeff’s shoulder.

Carbon seized the wrist of Jeff’s hand on Hyde’s waist and pulled it away. There was no way an ordinary person could withstand his strength. Jeff let out a grunt and was jerked around in Carbon’s grip like a paper doll.

‘Why is Carbon here? He was definitely over there drinking…… and why is he doing this to Jeff?’

Hyde was still trying to make sense of the situation when Carbon, having practically thrown Jeff to the ground, turned his gaze to Hyde.

“Hyde.”

He held out his hand. Hyde took it before she knew what she was doing, and Carbon pulled her behind him and said,

“Come here.”

But Hyde stood her ground and didn’t move with him.

“Why?”

“So you want to keep standing around with some guy who’s trying his luck at a place like this?”

Carbon said it as though the answer were obvious.

“Men like that are all the same. Sleazy, trying to sweet-talk a naive woman into―.”

“Don’t talk badly about Jeff!”

Carbon’s brow furrowed at Hyde’s defense of him. Hyde had never stood against Carbon like this. There hadn’t been occasion to, and even when they disagreed, Hyde would usually go along with what Carbon said. But now……

“You……”

Carbon, seeing this side of Hyde for the first time, was caught off guard and couldn’t finish his sentence. Hyde huffed and said,

“And I have no reason to take this kind of interference from you, Mr. Carbon.”

“What do you mean, no reason?”

Hyde let out a short, humorless laugh and looked at Carbon sideways.

“Then I do? Why? What are we to each other that gives you that right?”

“What are we.”

“Yes. Sponsor and sponsored. Daddy-Long-Legs and Judy. Hero and sidekick. What else? What more is there?”

“……”

“See. We’re not in a position to interfere in each other’s…… things like this……”

Not even able to say we’re dating in front of people……

The more she thought about it the more it hurt, and Hyde trailed off without finishing the sentence. Carbon looked down at her quietly and asked,

“You want to make it known that badly?”

He’s asking this now? Hyde’s temper flared and she forgot her surroundings entirely.

“I’ve been saying it this whole time! I, I want that.”

“Alright then. Let’s do it.”

Before Hyde could understand what he meant, Carbon grabbed her waist and pulled her to him. He met her startled eyes, took hold of the back of her head, and said,

“Close your eyes.”

And without waiting for her to answer, Carbon kissed her.

Hup! Hyde drew in a sharp breath. What is happening. Her mind went blank. Time seemed to stop.

But sounds from around them pierced through the ringing in her ears.

“Are they filming something?”

“Is that Carbon? Who’s the woman?”

“A kiss that bold…… incredible……”

Surprised murmurs rose around them, but Carbon didn’t stop. The moment Hyde squeezed her eyes shut, he covered her lips like he was going to consume her and pushed his tongue inside.

The thick tongue that slipped through the small gap swept through Hyde’s small mouth without restraint. It swept across her teeth, grazed the roof of her mouth, pressed down on her tongue, and rubbed at the base of it.

The intensity of the kiss jolted Hyde’s dazed senses awake. A sharp alcohol scent hit her nose, and she tasted liquor on his mouth.

Was Carbon drunk? Was that why he was kissing her like this in a place like this? On impulse?

Hyde swallowed the saliva mixed with Carbon’s. She hadn’t had a drop to drink, but she felt the warmth of alcohol rising through her.

Her head spun. She didn’t know if it was from the shallow breathing, or the alcohol, or simply Carbon holding her.

But Hyde found she no longer cared about the reason. What mattered was that he, who had only ever pulled away, had come to her first. In front of everyone, it was as good as announcing that they were together.

Hyde, who had been holding her hands loosely against Carbon’s chest, lifted her arms and pulled his neck into a tight embrace.

Pressed flush against Carbon, she moved her tongue and touched his. Wet and soft tongues pressed together. When Hyde responded eagerly, Carbon’s olive eyes flashed. He tilted his head and pushed his tongue deeper.

“Mmnh, hup, hng, mmm……”

Hyde’s body arched back under the consuming kiss. With Carbon’s firm hold on the back of her head and her waist, she wasn’t in danger of falling. But Carbon had other ideas and lifted her clean off the ground. Suspended in the air, Hyde wrapped her legs around his waist and threaded her hands through his hair. When their lips briefly parted, Carbon came back insistently. The wet sound of it cut through the suddenly quiet air around them.

“Haahp, ha, hic!”

When the long, deep kiss finally ended, Hyde buried her face in Carbon’s shoulder and caught her breath. Carbon patted her heaving back lightly and started walking. Hyde felt the movement and asked in a flustered voice,

“……Where are you going?”

“To finish what we started. Why. Do you want to do it here? Shall I show everyone? That would certainly make it public.”

“No, no!”

Hyde shook her head in horror. Carbon smiled as though he had expected exactly that and walked out without hesitation. Wherever his feet landed, people parted and a path opened. The parting of the Red Sea.