Author's Note: This story is in no relation with my other stories. As usual, I work upon inspiration and somehow, this story came about. Somebody told me that as long as I don't go too into detail with certain aspects of the story or keep it vague, the rating can be T (and cuz teenagers aren't innocent in this day and age) but if it gets too explicit or complaints, I'll bump it back into a M. Enjoy.

It hurt.

"Shido, are you there?"

"Yeah, I'm here, Tohka."

Shido spoke softly in a reassuring tone but if one looked at his face, one would see his trembling face as he held a dying girl close to him.

The girl's name was Yatogami Tohka. To call her a friend would be an insult; she was more than that. She was his first love and he deeply cherished her with all his heart but there was a catch: he never confessed to her, despite being a couple in all but name. Whether it was because he was too afraid or too embarrassed, he could never bring himself to tell her his feelings.

Yet, he found himself regretting his indecisiveness. When he found a crowd forming on a street near his house and looked out of curiosity, he was horrified to see Tohka lying on the ground with blood all around her. Apparently, it was a hit and run incident.

It hurt. More than anything.

"Shido…" Tohka's voice broke as she said in a scared voice. "I don't want to die yet… I want to be with Shido more! I still want to go on dates with you… Shido… Shido…"

Hearing the purple-haired girl desperately call out his name, the blue-haired high school student who was feigning to be calm broke down.

"Tohka, I love you!" he said. It was long overdue but the feelings that were held in his heart finally came bursting forth. "I love you! I love you! I love you! I'm sorry I waited so long to tell you this!"

"Shido…" Tohka's eyes also began to turn wet. "Shido, I also…!"

The girl in his arms leaned in and kissed him. It was their first kiss but a much too quick one as all strength left her body shortly after.

"…Tohka?" Shido asked but the girl didn't respond. Panic ensued him as he quickly touched her face with the back of his hand. It was cold to his alarm.

"Tohka…"

Sirens could be heard from the distance now but the increasing blaring noise wasn't registered by him as he faintly cried. "Please, don't leave me. What am I supposed to do without you?" Shido held her hand in a prayer-like position. "Please, open your eyes."

But, no matter how much he begged, the girl never responded, her eyes closed in a smile. He could only watch as the hurried paramedics carried the unconscious girl into the ambulance.

At Saito University, Itsuka Shido was done for the day with classes and was just packing up his bag until he heard his name called out.

"Yo, Itsuka-kun! Are you free tonight?"

Shido looked up to see a boy with spiky back hair with his bag over his shoulders. It was Tonomachi Hiroto, one of his high school friends and now attending the same university as him. Although he was a bit on the frivolous side, Shido held him in quite a good regard.

"I was planning to go home and study a bit," Shido answered, not explicitly refusing but not exactly complying either.

Seeing his response, Tonomachi wrapped his arm around Shido's shoulders and laughed. "Don't be like that! Tests aren't until two weeks. Liven up a bit!"

Shido was still hesitant but Tonomachi was already dragging him along, not giving him a choice. Seeing his pushy attitude, Shido decided to just go with the flow with a heavy sigh.

Well, it's not bad to hang around occasionally. "Let me text my sister and I'll be right with you."

"Haha, that's the spirit! Trust me, Itsuka-kun, you won't regret following me!"

…

"Aaand, we're finally here."

Tonomachi stopped in front of a tall building with rich ornaments. A small crowd had already formed in front of the entrance, all of them waiting in to get in.

However, despite reaching their destination safely, Shido had a pensive look on his face. He looked around to see other brightly colored buildings accompanied by overwhelming music and fragrances. Beautiful girls were flirting and trying to invite passing people into their buildings. One of them even blew a kiss toward him to his discomfort.

"Tonomachi, can you tell me why we're at a brothel?"

"Don't mind the little details!"

"No, we'll get into huge trouble if our university finds out we went to the red-light district!"

"If I don't say anything and you don't say anything, who'll find out?" Tonomachi casually said but that did nothing to relieve the apprehension inside Shido. He had followed Tonomachi thinking that they were going over to his house and although Tonomachi took a few unfamiliar routes, he merely thought they were going to pick some stuff up or stop at a new café. Never had he expected to end up in a place like this.

"Welcome!" Once they finally reached the entry point, a brothel keeper was waiting for them with a professional smile. Tonomachi handed his white invitation card over for the keeper to examine. "Tonomachi Hiroto?" she asked.

"Yep. That's me. And, he's Itsuka Shido. I should be allowed to bring one companion with me, right?"

"Yes, that's correct. Very well, please follow me."

With a light bow, she sent the two of them towards the main room where plenty of people had already gathered. Pleasant music filled the entire room and loud laughter could be heard all around.

Needless to say, Shido was not at all comfortable as Tonomachi led him to a table at the edge of the room in an unphased manner. Grabbing the menu, he quickly browsed it and, calling a waitress over, ordered drinks for the both of them.

"Do you often come here?" Shido suspiciously asked. He could tell from how at ease Tonomachi seemed to be, this wasn't his first time.

"I've come to similar places like this but this is my first time here. Even compared to other brothels, this place is too expensive! This invitation card was worth one month of my salary!" Tonomachi cried as he took one big gulp from his glass. "Itsuka-kun, aren't you happy that I was kind enough to let you tag along with me? This is the best place to relax after all!"

Shido didn't share the sentiment as he glanced over to other tables, only to see some people indulging in obscene acts. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to relax in a noisy environment like this.

"Ne, Itsuka-kun." Tonomachi leaned on his hand cropped up by his elbow. "To be honest, you've been somewhat distant ever since Tohka-chan died."

The cup in Shido's hand stiffened upon hearing her name. "That's not true-"

"You can try to deny it but even I can tell that you're not fine. Do you see how you look right now?"

"…" Shido kept silent. After the night Tohka died, the authorities told him that the car that hit Tohka had a drunk driver at its wheel. The driver had also died due to a crash not long after hitting Tohka but that was no comfort to Shido. Only the fact that Tohka would never speak to him again remained.

Seeing his rigid expression, Tonomachi could only sigh.

"Itsuka-kun, I won't tell you to move on from Tohka but you shouldn't be making yourself suffer like this. I know you don't keep in touch with the people from Raizen High but everybody's worried about you. In fact, the reason I came here today is just for you."

Shido would've been touched if it wasn't for one thing. "So," Shido did a face-palm in disbelief. "You thought that bringing me to a brothel would cheer me up? I'm not really interested in a one-night stand or fling."

"Itsuka-kun, don't belittle courtesans! Do you think the only thing they sell is their bodies?"

Shido didn't respond but his unimpressed face was enough of an answer for Tonomachi. This only infuriated Tonomachi further.

"How naïve, Itsuka-kun! Whether it be the fine arts such as music or even as simple as being a good conversationalist, a courtesan isn't as simple as being a pretty girl! Don't underestimate the effort they put to get here!"

"That's the stupidest thing I've heard today." Shido's expression turned strange. Why are you acting as if a courtesan is some respectable job? You do know there's barely a difference between that and a prostitute, right?

Tonomachi lightly coughed when he realized he was getting a bit too zealous. "We-well, don't worry, Itsuka-kun. My point is I'm confident that there's one person here who will surely heal your broken heart."

Seeing Tonomachi's face, a small smile spread on Shido's face. Although his friend may not have had the best idea, the intention was appreciated. It was nice to know that someone had his back.

"So, mind telling me the real reason you came to this place?"

"Eh?! I really came here for Itsuka-kun's sole sake though!"

Shido only continued to stare at him.

Seeing that he wasn't giving, Tonomachi began to nervously sweat. Come on, was he that untrustworthy?

Tonomachi gave in to the pressure of Shido's glare. "Did you hear about the rumor revolving around this place?"

Shido's interest was piqued. "Rumor?" he asked.

Tonomachi nodded and leaned in closer to talk in a lower voice, afraid of being heard by others. "There's this incredible courtesan called Nightmare whose beauty is out of this world. But," Tonomachi paused for a moment. "Her appearance is just a façade to lure gullible customers, unaware that she's actually a cruel monster. Once they're charmed by her, she reveals her true appearance and eats them."

Tonomachi raised his hand like claws as if trying to scare him but Shido wasn't amused.

"Really, you came here because of that? Aren't you afraid that you'll be eaten by her by coming here?"

"No, it's actually even more stimulating!"

"?" A strange look appeared on Shido's face.

Tonomachi realized his comment came off weird and tried to clear himself. "I mean, I just want to see if the rumor is true! Just the look of her face! I just want a mere glimpse of it! Besides, even if I do end up getting eaten by her, it's not such a bad way to go out if I get to have fun with her for a little while…"

Tonomachi realized he was making it worse when he noticed his friend's look becoming more and more disappointed.

"Hey, you can't tell me you're not interested as well, Itsuka-kun!"

"Not really. Besides, it's just a rumor." Even if it was true, she can't possibly be more beautiful than Tohka. Shido wasn't being arrogant but Tohka was the most beautiful girl he ever met; his standards for beauty had become so ridiculously high that girls that would usually be considered pretty by other people were seen as normal in his eyes. So, he doubted he would let down his guard just because a girl was merely good-looking. If he did, wouldn't that be an insult to Tohka?

Once Tonomachi saw his unresponsiveness, he became disinterested as they began to talk about other things. Courtesans began to accompany them as time passed on and although Tonomachi easily accepted their flirting, Shido had to excuse himself, uncomfortable with the atmosphere.

"Haa~." Shido sighed as he went to a solitary table. This place really was a bit too extravagant for him, not to mention very noisy. Whenever he went out with Tohka, while she would be too eager at times, their dates would always have a serene mood. He was always relaxed with her and whenever he saw her smile, spring had blossomed early.

But, those days are gone now. Shido finished what was left of his drink with a down look. Although he wasn't the type to drink alcohol and had Tonomachi order soda for him, his mood was still muddled. Whenever he went through these memories, they were only a source of pain that wrapped his heart with thick chains.

"Is dear customer not enjoying himself?" Shido turned to see the brothel keeper that he met at the entrance, standing next to him with a smile as she picked up the empty cup from his table.

"I would be lying if I said I was," Shido replied with a modest smile. As much as he appreciated Tonomachi bringing him here, after remembering his times with Tohka, he wasn't really in the mood to enjoy this place.

The brothel keeper thankfully didn't take it harshly as she maintained her smile. "Dear customer, one of our courtesans asked if you were willing to accompany her. Is dear customer interested?"

"Me?" Shido questioned. "Are you sure you got the right person?"

"Yes. I don't mean to be rude but I don't see any other customer with blue hair."

"Ah." That did leave him as the only person.

But, that only left him more confused. He didn't think there was anything noteworthy about him. Seeing that the brothel keeper was waiting for his answer, he responded, "Sorry, I'm not interested." There was no reason for him to go so he refused.

The brothel keeper pursed her lips when hearing his response. "May dear customer reconsider his decision? To be honest, this courtesan is one of our esteemed ones and if I were to inform her of your rejection, it would put me in a difficult position. Of course, if dear customer still insists, I won't bother you anymore."

"This…" Shido was slightly taken back. He didn't expect his simple rejection to turn out like this.

Seeing that he was now hesitating, she added, "Dear customer, it's especially rare for the young miss to invite someone into her private chambers. Even if you were to pay over a large sum of money, you wouldn't be able to meet her."

"… all right then."

Shido finally gave in to which the brothel keeper gave a sigh of relief. Having Shido follow her, they both exited the main room and into an inconspicuous corridor. Shido narrowed his eyes as they passed through many turns and stairs, not expecting the route to be so complex. If he tried to wander in here by himself, he would've surely gotten lost.

After a while did they stop in front of a sliding door. Opening it, the brothel keeper gestured for Shido to enter before leaving quietly.

Seeing there was a low table with two seat pillows on the opposite ends, Shido opted to sit down on one of them as he looked around.

It's very well kept. The room was filled with a faint fragrance and there was many beautiful furniture filled with expensive ornaments and make-up tools. Red lanterns filled the room with warm light, not lighting the room harshly. There was a large futon with soft blankets and pillows on the side as well. It was clear that whoever lived in this room was of high status.

Shido's mind went back to the brothel keeper's reaction. He didn't want to be mean but courtesans were considered tools in places like these and it was rare for them to hold actual power. He wondered who this courtesan could be to evoke such a scared reaction from the brothel keeper.

"Ara ara, did I make dear customer wait long?"

Swish.

A melodious voice rang out as the curtain on the other end of the room was pulled aside to reveal an astonishing beauty.

Shido's heart stopped. He thought that with his experience with Tohka, he had built up a resistance against beautiful women. But, he now realized how arrogant he was.

Oh.

Amidst the dimly lit room was a woman donned in a crimson-red kimono with white lotus blossoms. Her skin was pearly and tender, her shoulders slightly revealed from her loose kimono. She had pitch, black twin-tailed hair with bangs covering the left side of her face so that only her right eye could be seen. A hint of seductiveness could be seen in her eye as her thin lips formed a sweet smile.

Shido's heart throbbed upon seeing the gorgeous beauty in front of him. If it wasn't for him spending time with Tohka for a while, his reaction would've been much worse. "Are you the courtesan that asked for me?" Controlling his rapidly-beating heartbeat, he asked the woman a question.

"My name is Tokisaki Kurumi. It's a pleasure to meet you, dear customer." Giving a little bow, the top of her kimono drooped down a bit, giving Shido a glance at her cleavage.

"The pleasure is all mine, Tokisaki." Shido hurriedly averted his gaze, not daring to look any further.

The courtesan giggled at his reaction. "Out of all the people I had, dear customer is the first to be so stiff. Just call me Kurumi, please."

"Then, Kurumi," Shido said. He quickly frowned, however. "I have a request as well then. Please don't call me dear customer. I'm not used to it."

Kurumi's lips curled. "Very well, Shido-san~."

Moving a seat pillow to his side to take a seat, Kurumi took out two cups and with a delicate teapot, poured some red liquid into them. "Would you care for some tea?" She offered one of the cups to him.

"Yes, thank you." Shido nodded but inside, he was a bit perplexed. Did you have to sit right next to me? You could just sit on the other side of the table, right? However, he thought it would be rude to ask her to move when he was the guest.

Also, she smelled pretty nice. Shido wasn't intentionally sniffing but he noted a rich, sweet scent like that of roasted chestnuts from the courtesan. The fragrance wasn't as intense as the other courtesans he met in the main room but rather gentle and comfortable.

Shido took the cup from Kurumi carefully, making sure none of the content would spill. When he lifted the cup to his mouth, a pleasant fragrance wafted to his nose, surprising him a little. His surprise only increased when he sipped some of it.

"What is this tea? It has such a fresh aroma." Shido had his fair share of tea but never had he had one with such a rich taste. He took another sip and exhaled satisfyingly. "Even though there are a variety of flavors in here, it's not bitter at all! Did you make this yourself?" he asked.

His praise clearly pleased Kurumi as pride could be heard in her voice. "This tea's name is Scarlet Rift Tea. It's my blend. If Shido-san wants, I can send some of my stocks with you."

Shido brightened. "Is that fine?"

Kurumi took a sip from her tea with a smile. "Yes, not many people have such an appreciation for tea so I'm glad Shido-san enjoys it so much."

While they chatted a bit over tea, he took this time to carefully observe Kurumi, trying to analyze the mysterious aura around her. He was wondering what kind of person would invite him but now that he met her….

Dangerous, dangerous. Even though Shido had already seen plenty of courtesans when he first entered, although they were quite the beauties from what he usually saw, he didn't feel a thing. Yet, when he saw Kurumi, he felt everything else he saw in his life was lackluster compared to the beauty before him. The only time he felt that way was when he saw Tohka for the first time.

He still couldn't believe a beauty like her was actually a mere courtesan. She looked very young yet the elegance she emitted was profoundly mature. The way she held herself with delicate gestures was a beautiful sight in itself.

There were plenty of moments where Shido found himself staring at her in a daze due to how captivating she was. His eyes couldn't help but notice her womanly curves from time to time but he didn't stare longer than what was appropriate. His instincts told him that if he made one wrong move, it would be all over for him.

"Ara ara, it seems that Shido-san is quite distracted. Is there something on my face?" Kurumi caught him staring at her and gave a charming smile.

"Ah, no! It's just," After thinking for a bit, Shido asked, "Kurumi, can you tell me why you invited me?" This was the part he was most curious about.

Kurumi smiled. Instead of answering immediately, she gave her own question. "Why did Shido-san decide to come to this kind of place? Most people come to this place to enjoy themselves yet you refused to interact with the other courtesans. Instead, you merely went off to the corner and began to sulk by yourself."

"That's… I came with my friend without knowing where we were going. Before I knew it, I was already in."

"I expected as much. Shido-san doesn't seem the type of person to visit such a place. Never before had I ever seen such a customer who purposefully isolated themselves. That's why I decided to invite Shido-san to spend time with me. No person should be spending the night alone in this place."

"I see…" Although Shido felt her explanation was reasonable, he felt that wasn't the complete story. However, he couldn't think of another reason so he didn't press harder.

Kurumi noticed his skeptical look. "Is Shido-san dissatisfied with my answer? Perhaps…" Kurumi leaned in closer to Shido's face. "Shido-san would prefer if I said I fell in love at first sight because his face was so mesmerizing?" She caressed his face with a light chuckle as she leaned her body against him, lightly hugging his arm.

"My face…?!" Although he wouldn't say he was ugly, there was no way his face was that good-looking. Also, wasn't she too close? Shido's face flushed in embarrassment as he looked at Kurumi's face. "No, no, if anything, I'm the one mesmerized." Shido subconsciously commented, accidentally letting out his inner thoughts.

Kurumi lightly laughed. "Ufufu, is that so~? Is that why Shido-san likes looking at my face?" she said with a teasing smile. "Or perhaps, do you want to do more than just look?"

Kurumi's eyes became half-lidded in a seductive manner as she traced her finger across his lips.

"Th-that's…!" Shido became flabbergasted when hearing Kurumi's words. He did his best to ignore how soft her warm finger felt against his dry lips.

"Well, if that's what Shido-san wants, I wouldn't mind."

"Huh?"

While Shido was trying to process whether or not he heard that, Kurumi put more force into her arms and in a tackle-like manner, moved Shido towards the futon nearby.

Dun!

Shido found himself trapped under the weight of Kurumi's slender but soft body. His body trembled as Kurumi smiled, shifting her weight more towards his chest.

"Are you excited?" she whispered.

Shido couldn't answer. His mind was too busy processing the soft sensation on top of him. Kurumi spread her legs, straddling him with a small smirk, stealing his breath away as his body treacherously twitched against her. His heartbeat began to race as she parted her delicate lips, showing her moist tongue inside.

She then provocatively licked his face, her mouth purposefully extenuating the slurping sound.

"Eek!"

Caught off guard, Shido let out a small shriek of embarrassment. One part of him wanted to push her away but Kurumi's body held him firmly down. He was forced to endure as he felt her wet tongue slowly run across his cheek.

"Haa~." After one final lick, Kurumi let out a light sigh. Shido thought he saw a yellow glint from beneath the hair covering her left eye but that may have been his imagination.

"Did anybody ever tell Shido-san how delicious he is?" Kurumi licked her lips. Her moving voice made him melt positively with desire and combined with the carnal undertone within her question, an immense thrill shivered down his spine and made his body turn limp from sensation.

"Um… uh… er…" Shido's tongue twisted under the pressure of Kurumi's flirtatious gaze.

"Kihihihihihi." Kurumi giggled in an almost unnerving manner. "Since I selfishly indulged myself, I suppose Shido-san can have a taste of myself~."

Her fingers moved up and tugged the hem of her kimono teasingly as more of her fair shoulders and her erotic breasts were revealed.

Shido couldn't avert his eyes from the forbidden yet tempting sight. It enticed him, begged him to touch it, touch her.

Even despite knowing that there was something ambiguous about this whole situation, Shido couldn't be bothered to think or care anymore.

Just one night. One night to forget the consequences and feel…

However, the moment he tried to convince himself like this, an image of a purple-haired girl came into mind.

Tohka.

Shido quickly broke out of his reverie.

Kurumi's hands had already pinned him to the ground. Her lips parted slightly, her head leaned in as if she was going to kiss him. Yet, a hidden glint appeared in her eyes as she prepared to…

"Wait."

Kurumi stopped. She lifted her head to see Shido looking at her.

"I'm sorry but," Shido took a deep breath. "I don't think we should do this."

Kurumi was slightly surprised but quickly put on a charming smile. "Am I not attractive enough?"

Shido turned his head bashfully. "Of course you are. But, I don't want to enter this kind of relationship with you."

"Even though you're poking me down there?" She rocked her hips against him with a knowing smile on her face. Shido barely held back a moan but the immense relief from her touch made him flush with redness and his body trembled against her.

"You want me," Kurumi said. It wasn't a question but an affirmation.

"I…do," Shido admitted.

He couldn't describe how much he wanted her.

Kurumi was beautiful. There was no denying that his infatuation only increased with her gorgeous face drawing closer to him. Her light breathing tickled his face and made his lips itch and his throat dry. He could feel his self-control slipping like sand falling through his hands. It would be easier to stop resisting and do what his body wanted, needed.

"But…" Shido mustered the remnants of his strength to ignore the tempting sensations.

"There's someone I can't let down."

Kurumi's teasing face placated upon his response. Pausing all movement, she gave him an illegible look.

Shido gulped. Although he said what he said, Kurumi was still straddling him and he didn't know how long he could hold back. The tension inside him was becoming unbearable but he did his best to control himself.

Then…

To Shido's surprise, Kurumi lifted herself off his body and after putting some distance away from him, smoothed out her kimono. Sitting down, she gave an apologetic smile towards him.

"So, Shido-san already has someone in his heart. I truly made an embarrassment of myself. Please forgive foolish me."

Shido didn't expect Kurumi to back down so easily but he wasn't complaining as he let out a huge sigh of relief. "No, I should be the one thanking you for being so understanding." If she didn't stop, I…

Plenty of scenarios ran through his head. His heart which was still pumping from before rapidly increased in pace. Shido stopped himself from thinking any further. Any more and he would explode.

On the other hand, Kurumi thought back to what just happened. When Shido refused her, Shido's eyes in front of her were clear. There was a resolve that surprised even her.

Of course, she saw Shido was near his breaking point. She was confident if she pushed a bit more, Shido would be hers. Yet, she found herself stopping.

When was the last time someone had actually resisted her? She didn't mean to be arrogant but she was very beautiful. There were plenty of people who would kill just to get her attention. She had many customers who would look at her with eyes of stupor and lust. But, even if it was just for that moment, Shido looked at her with unwavering eyes.

Whether it was out of admiration or surprise, Kurumi followed Shido's wish to stop, even if she was passing up a delicious meal.

Shido didn't know this was going through Kurumi's head and was only trying to calm the fire that was rolling inside of him.

"Shido-san." Shido looked up to meet Kurumi's question. "May I ask whom you care about so much? Clearly, they aren't just a simple person to you."

Shido hesitated for a moment. However, he felt obligated to explain, seeing that he had just rejected the girl in front of him even despite the questionable circumstances regarding it.

"Yatogami Tohka. A girl I met in my second year of high school so a little more than 2 years ago."

"Hmm…" Kurumi's lips curved mischievously. "Who's prettier between me and her?"

"Er, no comment."

Objectively speaking, Tohka's beauty was on par with Kurumi's. Yet, there was a difference between the two of them.

If Tohka's aura could be considered dignified yet pure, then Kurumi's aura could be considered alluring yet dangerous. The way she used her charm as a weapon to entice and tease him was something that Tohka could only hope to imitate. It brought in him a different sensation, an excitement that he never felt with Tohka.

"Ara ara, I'm glad to see that I'm first in Shido's mind."

"I-I never said that!"

Kurumi chuckled at his visible distress. She thought it was extremely cute how he tried to avert his eyes away from her.

"Do you have a photo then? Let me see for myself."

Not seeing any reason to refuse, Shido took out his phone and brought up a photo of Tohka and showed it to her.

"Princ…?!" Kurumi was about to say something but quickly stopped herself. However, she couldn't hide the surprise on her face as she stared speechlessly at the photo. It was as if she had seen something inconceivable.

"Is there something wrong?" Shido asked in concern.

Kurumi's face became unreadable as only she knew what was going on in her head. Finally, she opened her mouth.

"No, I was merely shocked at how beautiful Tohka-san is. It's as if she's a… Spirit."

While avoiding Shido's attention, Kurumi's hand discretely went behind her back as an inaudible click came from her back.

"Spirit?" Shido thought for a moment before sighing. "Yeah, she really does give that ethereal and mysterious aura. Even I was shocked when I first saw her. I don't blame you for your reaction."

Kurumi was carefully observing Shido's reaction before relaxing. She looked at the photo of Tohka one more time. She remarked, "She looks happy."

Shido looked at the photo again as well. "She wasn't always like that. At first, she was very cold to everyone including me."

"Oh? What made her change?" Kurumi's curiosity increased. She carefully listened as he explained in further detail.

"One day, I saw her staring at one of the street food stalls selling kinako bread. She looked hungry and it didn't seem she had any money so I went ahead and bought her one. From that day, she was more open to me and soon, she would hang out with me and even come over to my house for dinner at times."

"Ara ara, it sounds as if Shido-san stole Tohka-chan's heart through food."

"Haha, maybe. Tohka had always been a bit of a gourmet. Let me tell you about…"

From then on, Shido began to talk with Kurumi about his daily interactions with Tohka. There were plenty of memories to go through and before he knew it, he was sharing everything he remembered.

"… and then she tied herself up, saying that if she didn't, she would've eaten my pudding!"

"Really, Tohka-san did? Ufufu, how amusing. Just how much does that girl love puddings?"

"Oh, you have no idea."

Kurumi was a good listener. Pouring tea for both of them, she showed an active interest in his stories and whenever there was something he didn't explain well, she would ask for more details, which Shido gladly did.

Kurumi also had a pleased expression. When she had invited Shido over to her room, she hadn't expected things to turn out this way but she wasn't disappointed. It's been a long time since she had such an enjoyable conversation.

After a little while…

"So, Tohka-san passed away?" Kurumi asked. "I'm sorry to hear that. Forgive me for only being able to send my condolences."

"No, it's fine." A dejected look crossed Shido's face. Reality once again hit him, reminding him that no matter how much time passed, Tohka would never come back.

"I see…" Kurumi sighed sadly. "Just from hearing about your love for each other at the end, even poor me feels like crying. Shido-san truly is admirable."

"Admirable?" Shido laughed at himself mockingly. "It took a girl dying in front of me to confess my love for her. If I hadn't been such a coward, I wouldn't have been afraid and just told her how I felt. Instead, I pretended that I was content with just staying friends. I couldn't do a single thing for her. I'm the worst."

Kurumi shook her head. "Please don't say that. I'm sure Shido-san is the one who cared about Tohka-san the most."

When Shido heard that, something snapped inside him as he raised his voice.

"Cared about her? I'm probably the person who made Tohka the saddest! Despite knowing her for more than a year, I was almost willing to have sex with a girl I only knew for a day!"

The room became silent.

Instant regret immediately filled Shido the moment the words left his mouth. When he saw Kurumi with a strange look on her face, he knew he went overboard with the last sentence.

Shido looked to the ground. "I'm sorry." He couldn't bear to look at Kurumi. He had done the worst thing possible: using an innocent person to vent his frustration and anger. He wouldn't be surprised if she kicked him out right now.

He heard a soft sigh. "I once had a friend whom I cherished dearly but due to unfortunate events, she died."

Shido was shocked as he turned to see Kurumi's distant expression.

"There were many things I still wanted to say to her, things that I regret not being able to do for her. I'm sure Shido-san had similar thoughts. Am I wrong?"

"…no, you're completely correct."

Shido slowly nodded his head as Kurumi continued.

"The fact that you're suffering like this shows how much you care about Tohka-san. Even though you say you don't, weren't you the one always beside her? When Tohka-san was all alone, wasn't it Shido-san who decided to approach her? You were able to open her heart and reveal the wonderful things this world could offer. Even if you think all the things you did for her were nothing, those nothings brought joy to her. She enjoyed them because she was with you."

"But…"

"Did Tohka-san ever say that she was disappointed or dissatisfied with something about you?"

"…no." Shido quietly answered.

Kurumi finally let out a smile. "I've only known Shido-san for a day but his honesty and kindness made a strong impression on me. You and Tohka-san have been together for much longer. I'm sure that even if you never told Tohka-san explicitly about your feelings, Tohka-san already knew of them."

Shido hesitated. "Really?"

Kurumi giggled. "Even from just hearing your stories, I can tell how much you loved her. How much more for Tohka-san, who was personally with you? So," Kurumi held his hand warmly. "Please don't hate yourself. After all, Tohka-san loved you very much."

Shido trembled. Filled with emotion, his body slightly shook and his eyes wavered a bit. Memories of his time with Tohka and her smile filled his head, making him almost tear up.

"Tohka…"

Seeing that Shido was on the verge of breaking down, Kurumi gently embraced him, letting his head rest against her. She murmured, "There, there…"

Like a mother comforting her crying child, Kurumi tenderly patted his head. Shido couldn't control himself then as silent tears began to fall.

Kurumi allowed the boy's tears to wet her kimono, giving him as much time as he needed.

…

Shido finally detached himself as he rubbed his eyes with his sleeve and took a deep breath.

"Thank you." Shido meant it from the bottom of his heart.

"No, I'm glad that Shido-san was willing to share with me what was on his heart." Kurumi gave a gorgeous smile that made even Shido's heart skip a beat. Kurumi noticed Shido's dazed look and added with a teasing tone, "Of course, I would be more than happy if he was willing to share something more substantial…"

Shido couldn't help but shiver when she glanced at his lower body. "Er, that's alright…" Even though she didn't make any moves on him, he still felt a bit of temptation just from the sound of her charming voice. He almost forgot that the person in front of him was a courtesan, an expert in the art of seduction and beguilement.

Kurumi laughed at his reaction and she gestured to the clock on the wall.

"It's getting late now. Shall we end things here for today?"

"Sure, that's no problem."

It was only when Kurumi let out a light yawn did a sense of drowsiness washed over him. Shido was surprised by how much time had passed. It was already past his usual bedtime.

Shido realized a problem then. By this hour, the last train had already passed. Shido was stuck in this place for he could still call for a cab, he didn't know if there would be any available drivers who would be willing to come to the area this late at night. There was no shortage of accidents and crimes in the red-light district and not many would be willing to take the risk.

Kurumi had a proposal.

"Shido-san can sleep here tonight."

"I-I can sleep somewhere else. A man and woman sharing the same room at night is…"

"Ara ara, did Shido-san forget where we are? You don't need to worry about such reservations here. Besides, you're with me."

No, that's exactly why I'm worried! If he stayed here with Kurumi tonight, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to control himself.

Seeing his hesitation, Kurumi smiled brightly. "Ara ara, since Shido-san seems dissatisfied with poor me, shall we make our way to the pleasure quarters? I'm sure Shido-san will be able to sleep peacefully over there especially when there are plenty of courtesans ready to attend you."

"…I'll sleep here." Shido gave in, sensing the underlying threat.

In the end, Shido found himself laying on the futon. Yet, he was in no mood to sleep when he thought about how Kurumi was going to be sleeping right next to him. His body was stiff from nervousness as the rustling of blankets could be heard behind him.

"Shido-san." A sweet voice breathed into his ear.

"Ye-yes?!" Shido replied in a high-pitched voice. He turned to see Kurumi's head hovering right over him, giving him a small fright. Didn't she say she wasn't going to do anything? Shido prepared himself but his expectations were overturned upon hearing Kurumi's next words.

"Let me massage Shido-san's head," she said.

"Huh?" Shido didn't expect to hear that. "Why?"

"Isn't Shido-san having trouble sleeping? For me to take my rest while Shido-san is still agitated would make me a failure of a courtesan. So, please allow me this meager servitude."

"You don't need to…" Even as he was saying that however, Kurumi had already taken matters into her own hands. Putting herself into kneeling, she lifted his head onto her lap, giving him a lap pillow. Her fingers then pressed onto the sides of his head and massaged him.

"Perfect, just like this," Kurumi whispered.

Shido wanted to say otherwise but almost immediately, his eyes started to unknowingly close under Kurumi's ministrations. The tension from his face relaxed as her skilled fingers gently made little circles in a slow but firm manner, quickly finding and loosening all the tense spots. Her hands continued to move as her fingers ran through his scalp pleasantly.

And just like that, a few minutes passed with Shido on Kurumi's lap, receiving a tender massage.

"Shido-san, how do you feel?" Kurumi asked. She received no answer, however, only hearing light rhythmic breathing. To her surprise, Shido had already fallen asleep on her lap. Kurumi stared at him for a moment before letting out a helpless laugh. To think he would fall asleep before she could even offer the real massage.

Kurumi looked at him again. She found herself smiling as she gently caressed his hair. Shido let out a light groan in response, alerting Kurumi for a moment but when she found that he was still asleep, she relaxed.

"Ara ara, what a cute face." Kurumi brushed his bangs away to get a better look at his sleeping face. "Shido-san really needs to be more careful. In your current state, I could easily…"

Kurumi stroked the side of his neck with a chuckle but did nothing more. Putting his head back on the pillow, she properly adjusted Shido into the futon and turned off the lights. Thus, the long night had finally ended peacefully.

It was morning when Shido had exited the brothel. Tonomachi was already waiting for him outside and they took the train back home together.

"Itsuka-kun, I'm amazed. Who knew that our Itsuka-kun who usually has a shy demeanor could be so bold?!"

Tonomachi didn't plan for them to stay overnight but when it was time to leave, he couldn't find Shido anywhere. When he asked the brothel keeper if she knew where he was, he was surprised to hear that Shido was going to stay the night with a courtesan. Of course, he had to get the juicy details from Shido!

Shido was exasperated. "Would you believe me if I said nothing happened?"

Tonomachi snorted. "Either she was too ugly or you're not a man. Come on, tell me what happened!"

Shido thought for a moment before deciding to say, "She helped me sleep well." Of course, Tonomachi wasn't satisfied with his response but once he saw that Shido wasn't going to say anymore, he gave up. Besides, Shido was telling the truth.

Ever since Tohka's incident, Shido always had difficulty sleeping but last night was the first time in a long while that Shido was able to fall asleep so easily. And, it was all thanks to Kurumi who helped him overcome his troubles. Thinking back, he was a bit embarrassed that he fell asleep on her lap.

After he woke up and was preparing to leave, he was offered a scarlet card from her. When he asked what this was for, she replied, "An invitation card for when Shido-san comes here again. After all, even though this place isn't to Shido-san's taste, you have me here, right?"

Shido deigned to not answer. Giving a simple thanks only, he took the scarlet card convincing himself that it was only out of politeness of doing so.

Tonomachi scratched his head. "Agh, as good as this place is, I can't help but feel disappointed. I really wanted to meet her."

"Her?"

"Don't tell me you forgot?" Tonomachi dug his fist playfully into Shido's side. "I'm talking about Nightmare!"

Shido widened his eyes but Tonomachi didn't notice his reaction as he continued, "Well, it was just a rumor and I still had a good time. Ah, this is my stop. See you later, Itsuka-kun."

He hopped off the train, unaware that Shido's thoughts were already in a mess.

Author's Note: If I'm being honest, I'm not sure whether or not I'll be able to complete this story but I figured that if I don't, I can always keep the first chapter as a one-shot esque. Just a warning that updates will probably take a long time if it ever does