“Yes.”

Karina nodded casually.

“It’s been over a year now. It was quite fun back then.”

Dominic’s face hardened even more at Karina’s reaction of smiling slightly.

“This way.”

Not noticing Dominic’s reaction, Karina led him deeper into an even narrower alley.

The tangled alleys, which had scattered people when they first entered, were now so deserted that not a single presence could be felt.

Karina stopped in an alley stacked with wooden boxes.

“This should do.”

“So what have you been talking about all this time? And what is this place?”

“I told you we were going to practice. I said this place would be suitable.”

With other men, she would go on dates and point out their shortcomings, help them coordinate their clothes, or give love advice.

To practice kissing…

This was a first with Dominic Winchester.

But Dominic, unaware of Karina’s circumstances, asked with a distorted expression.

“Have you come to such secluded places alone with other men too?”

At his voice that seemed seriously angry, Karina blinked in surprise.

“It is secluded… but it’s not dangerous. Jeff will be nearby.”

“He’s a man too, isn’t he?”

“Yes… he is? But he has a girlfriend. And we know each other well.”

Dominic recalled the name ‘Chelsea’ that Karina had mentioned.

―It’s good for the woman, the man, and for me.

And simultaneously, Karina’s confident appearance.

“From what I just heard, it seems you know Jeff’s girlfriend well too.”

“Yes. That’s right?”

To be precise, she had mediated a situation where Jeff and Chelsea were fighting in the street.

Back then, she had just joined in because it seemed interesting, but getting to know Jeff and Chelsea, the guild master and vice guild master of the dark guild, as a result was quite entertaining.

Thanks to that, she could get help at times like this.

However, Dominic seemed to think differently, as his expression remained serious.

Looking at him, Karina thought.

‘Maybe it’s too dirty to bring a naval brigadier general here.’

But she had no choice. This was the only place she could think of at Dominic’s sudden suggestion.

The city streets weren’t a good option for kissing without being seen by people.

“So next time, find a date location yourself where there aren’t many people.”

Karina grumbled a bit.

Not only was it in the city, but it was a weekend afternoon. Many people had already seen them spending time together.

‘What if Olivia gets the wrong idea.’

He seems a bit slow-witted, not minding that so many people saw today’s meeting while planning to practice kissing for the sake of the female lead Olivia.

“A place without people… I understand.”

Dominic, who was about to ask which other men she had brought here, finally came to his senses at Karina’s words.

Even though he wasn’t used to dealing with women, Dominic knew that it wasn’t good to pry into past relationships.

He also knew he had no right to interfere with Karina’s free-spirited private life.

And yet somehow…

‘This isn’t good.’

He didn’t feel good about it.

Dominic briefly pondered about the unfamiliar emotion he was feeling. A strange silence fell.

Karina, unable to bear such silence, awkwardly smiled and shook Dominic’s sleeve.

“Um, Brigadier General?”

Though they’ve known each other for a while, this is only the third time they’ve exchanged words.

The first day, they kissed.

The second day, they agreed to continue kissing.

And the third. Right now.

They came to this secluded alley to kiss again.

‘If we have to do it anyway, let’s get it over with.’

If it couldn’t be avoided, that was the best approach.

As Dominic seemed to have forgotten why they came here again, Karina tapped her lips with her finger.

“We need to do… this, right?”

Unable to say the word ‘kiss,’ Karina avoided the exact expression by using ‘this.’

“Ah.”

The response came a bit slowly. But the next moment, Karina forgot to breathe for a moment.

It was because of Dominic’s gentle smile.

“This. You mean.”

Following her words, Dominic also tapped his lips with his finger. Though she had initiated the provocation, Karina’s ears turned red at his response.

“Y-yes. Let’s practice quickly and go! This isn’t really a place to stay long, right?”

“Yes.”

Dominic nodded. The atmosphere changed at that point.

Dominic slowly walked toward Karina. With her back against the wall, Karina flinched and stepped back, but there was nowhere to run.

‘Run away!’

Karina shook her head, astounded by the thought that just crossed her mind. Watching her, Dominic let out a laugh.

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing. Come on. Hurry up.”

Her appearance of psyching herself up with ‘I’m ready anytime!’ was unlike the Karina who supposedly played with many men.

‘Strange.’

Why did his head feel hot seeing her shy now, when she had been so confident on that first day when they kissed.

His usually rational mind suddenly felt paralyzed.

Dominic placed his left hand against the wall. Looking down at Karina, he could newly realize how much smaller and more delicate she was compared to him.

Looking at Karina with her eyes tightly shut, Dominic felt another unfamiliar emotion.

The woman before him.

The impression that she was quite cute.

When the anticipated kiss didn’t come even after waiting for a while, Karina slightly opened her eyes.

She was about to urge him about how much longer she had to wait. But at that moment, ‘it’ touched her lips.

With one hand resting above Karina’s head, Dominic’s tongue pushed between her lips.

It was such an intense action that it was hard to believe it was from the gentle and proper Dominic.

‘What is this!’

Karina was quite taken aback.

This wasn’t her first time kissing. Well, it was her first as Karina Crawford, but counting her previous life, that is.

Though it’s a bit awkward to say it herself, in her previous life, she had been just as pretty as Karina Crawford and enjoyed entertainment.

Not stopping those who came, not holding onto those who left. Under the pretext of enjoying youth, she repeated meeting and parting, only increasing her dating skills.

But…

‘He’s too good at this.’

Dominic was surprisingly skilled at kissing that it was hard to believe it was only his second time. As if his awkward appearance from the first day had been fake.

‘Did he really fail kissing Olivia?’

It was enough to make her doubtful. Despite saying he had bumped noses, Dominic properly tilted his head as he kissed her.

“Ah!”

“Are you not going to concentrate?”

Karina, confused with her thoughts in disarray, had her tongue gently bitten. Dominic spoke without breaking the kiss, smiling when she heard her moan.

At his voice that sounded like it was echoing in a cave, Karina unconsciously pushed Dominic’s shoulder hard.

Dominic, who had been quite into the moment, looked at Karina with questioning eyes.

Karina avoided his gaze and made up an excuse.

“My neck! My neck hurts.”

Karina grumbled that her neck felt like it would break because of their height difference.

“Right, we can’t help that you’re a beginner. Hmm, you did well not bumping noses, but this would be uncomfortable for women.”

“Ah.”

It was a point he hadn’t even thought of before.

“Indeed, you’re right. Kissing at eye level would make the other person more comfortable. I understand.”

“What? Understand what? W-wait! Aah! Wait a moment!”

Karina’s body, which had been exaggeratedly rubbing her neck, was suddenly lifted. She reflexively kicked her legs in surprise, but it was useless.

Putting his hands under her armpits, Dominic placed her on top of the boxes stacked nearby.

While sitting on the box, Karina was slightly higher than Dominic. Their eyes met.

“Is this better?”

“N-no. I mean. It’s fine but…”

Karina’s face turned as red as a radish.

This man, what is he really doing!

He’s unbelievably dense. His hands definitely touched her chest when he lifted her. Yet he seemed completely unaware of that fact.

“Haah.”

“Shall we not do this?”

Dominic tapping his lips again started to look bewitching. But she couldn’t say no to someone being so enthusiastic.

Afraid of falling off the box, Karina wrapped her arms around Dominic’s neck. Taking that as a signal, Dominic closed the distance instantly.

This time the timing was right. As soon as she closed her eyes, Dominic’s tongue swept across her teeth. He sucked on her lower lip while pressing her soft tongue with his own and gently biting it.

Chu-up. Chup.

The sensual sound of exchanging saliva tickled their ears.

Naturally, Dominic’s hand moved to the back of Karina’s head. Perhaps because of her earlier complaint about her neck hurting, his considerate support of her neck made Karina’s heart flutter.

‘Seriously! Get it together, Karina Crawford!’

Once their lips met, they showed no signs of parting.

Though breathing was becoming harder, Karina couldn’t make herself take a breath. The thought of her breath touching his cheek brought a sudden wave of embarrassment.

‘Since it’s his first time, he’ll surely run out of breath soon.’

It would be a waste of her dating expert reputation from her previous life if she lost to Dominic, who was only on his second kiss.