Kiss the Stranger

“I had almost dropped the cup again. Thankfully, I’d rested the hand holding it on my knee, so I avoided the same mistake.

But my heart was pounding in terror. Every time Asgail looked at me, I felt as if I were going to die. Even though I told myself I shouldn’t, my body trembled reflexively, and my teeth chattered. Right now, too, Asgail watched me silently as I shook. I didn’t even notice the ache in my back. All I could think about was how to adjust to his mood. I swallowed hard, and then, suddenly, Asgail furrowed his brow. The instant I saw it, my heart skipped a beat.
Asgail took a step forward, and I stood frozen, only able to watch him. One step, another step, he came closer. When I felt the whip-like sting trace down my spine, I shut my eyes.
…Huh?

The sweet scent that had approached so boldly seemed to drift to one side. Feeling a faint breeze, I opened my eyes cautiously and saw Asgail lying down on the bed, having passed me by. I stared at him in surprise, but he gave no reaction and kept his eyes closed. Was he trying to sleep? I wondered, but then his brow creased again and he covered his eyes with one hand—and I remembered Najima’s warning.
Was his headache coming back?
She had said his unexplained headaches persisted and that, without proper rest, they would only worsen.

He might die of sleep deprivation before he could be poisoned.
The thought made me anxious. But there was nothing I could do. There was only crouching on the floor, straining to read his expression.
I felt miserable again.

But this wasn’t the time to blame myself. Something might come up that required my help. His mood could shift suddenly, or—though unlikely—someone malicious might come to harm him. I resolved that, at the very least, I would do something so he could sleep in peace. Even if it was just perching on the floor, listening for any sign and studying his complexion.
Time passed. Each time my back throbbed, I adjusted my posture as carefully as I could. Asgail still hadn’t fallen asleep; his body remained tense. For a long while, I simply watched him.
Gradually, my trembling subsided and my mind calmed. He was still lying there with his eyes closed, not looking my way. It was such a stark reminder of our reality—but also, thanks to that, I had the chance to study his face freely. As I traced the ridge of my qamar on his profile, Asgail suddenly spoke.
“Turn your head away. If you keep staring at me, I’ll gouge out your eyes.”

I swallowed and couldn’t even scream. I turned away in a panic, my expression twisted. Peeking back cautiously, I saw his eyes were still closed. I slowly moved until my back faced him. Though only a few steps apart, we felt worlds away, and the moment Asgail slipped from view, I felt utterly alone.
Night deepened, and a cool ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) breeze drifted in through the open window. I drew in a quiet breath. With each inhale, I caught that sweet scent. I waited for the dizziness racing through me to fade. My consciousness grew hazy and dreamy.

I closed my eyes and curled into myself. My back stabbed with pain, but there was nothing else I could do. Hoping the dizziness would subside, I knelt and curled over like Rikal often did, placing my palms on the floor and burying my face in my hands. Shielded from the light, I felt a little better. Whether I was drifting to sleep or passing out, my mind slipped away.

……?
A soft fragrance woke me. Blinking, I realized I hadn’t passed out—I’d fallen asleep. Drowsily, I closed my eyes again as the sweet scent lingered around me. When I moved with a soft “hmph,” something thick wrapped around my waist. Warm heat pressed against my back, and I trembled.
I opened my eyes again—this time fully alert—and fluttered my lids, trying to make sense of where I was. No matter how many times I looked, the scene before me didn’t change. Hesitantly, I lifted my head. The sheet I’d been resting on was soft, and the surface beneath me was the plushest bed I’d ever felt. The sacred texts etched around me, the surrounding arabesque patterns, the lofty dome ceiling, and the canopy draping around the bed were all exactly as they had been before I fell asleep. The only difference was that I was lying on the bed instead of the floor, and so comfortably.

I almost sat up in surprise, then registered the weight at my waist. Looking down, I saw a muscular arm holding me. I recognized whose it was instantly—but accepting it was impossible.
Why? How?
There was no way I could have scrambled into the bed myself. The only answer was that he had lain me down—and hugged me.

My heart thundered so loudly I thought I’d hear it. The arm around my waist didn’t move. He must be sensitive enough to notice if I watched him even with his eyes closed, yet he showed no reaction.
Had he... fallen asleep?
Doubtful, I turned my head. Swallowing the dryness in my mouth, I forced myself to look. When I finally saw him, I froze.

He was asleep—breathing evenly, limbs relaxed, his face so peaceful. The face belonged to someone achingly familiar. How could I ever forget the man who’d held me to sleep countless nights? Waking in the dawn to find that serene face above me. When I burrowed into him, he always held me tight.
A wave of homesickness for Saide washed over me. There was no one there but me and Kamar. Sometimes Kamar and Rikal would fight, then make up, and then—
And Kamar, who loved me, and me.

Kamar.
I moved my lips and whispered his name. Only a breath escaped. My nose tingled and I swallowed.
Asgail was still asleep. He showed no sign of waking. I turned carefully to face him. His lashes lay softly against his cheeks, which looked slightly hollow. Holding my breath, I watched his sleeping face, then tentatively touched my fingertip to his lips. My finger trembled as I brought it to his mouth. Warm, soft life met my fingertip. I managed a wry smile.
I kissed him.

A small laugh escaped me. But Asgail remained asleep. I wanted to gaze at him forever, but that was impossible. If I fell back asleep, the chamberlain would flog me again. If he beat me that hard, I feared my teeth would fall out. Feeling my teeth loosen, I swallowed the regret and moved carefully.

“Ugh….”
Dried blood on my spine cracked and flared pain again. Gasping, I eased away from Asgail. When the arm around my waist fell away, I felt empty—but I held myself back and stepped back. Crawling out across the huge bed like someone treading water, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him. This might be the last time I could look at his face freely. I told myself that and tried to commit every detail to memory. At last I reached the edge of the bed, and my feet touched the floor.

Haah….
I let out the breath I’d been holding and stood, staring silently at Asgail’s sleeping face. Suddenly, beneath the sweet scent, another fragrance mixed in. My own pheromones.
Why were they leaking so freely?

A hollow laugh escaped me.
One step at a time, I backed away. The distance between us grew. Someday, there would come a moment when I couldn’t see him at all. When I thought that, the door behind me clicked.
Kreee….

Even though I opened it as quietly as I could, the sound was unavoidable. Struggling to push open the heavy door left me breathless, but a chamberlain standing outside closed it behind me and I was free of that weight.
Once in the corridor, the chamberlain shut the door. I tried once more to catch a glimpse through the crack, but to no avail. In front of me stood the chamberlain, arms crossed and still scowling, ready to chastise me.
“You understand, don’t you? From now on, once His Highness is done with you, crawl out or walk out—just get gone, understand?”

“…Yes.”
I whispered and began to walk. My body trembled, expecting the blow that had struck my cheek, but the chamberlain held back. With trembling steps I moved down the corridor toward the laboratory. The way was long, but I could not rest while they remained in sight. I hurried on, breath ragged, until I rounded a corner and found myself alone. I pressed back against the wall, utterly spent, and panted. The cold night breeze brushed my cheek and fresh air filled my lungs.
Ah.

I realized suddenly where this garden was beyond the long, open corridor. It was the very spot where Asgail had stood alone that day.
What had he been thinking then?
The memory of Asgail’s endlessly hollow expression made my chest ache. Even knowing his emptiness, there was nothing I could do. I was an omega, utterly useless.

I closed my eyes and sighed deeply. Then I heard footsteps—someone approaching. I tried to slip away from the wall, but dizziness forced me to lean back against it. All the while, the footsteps drew nearer, unnervingly fast, until fear gripped me. Someone was hurrying toward me.
Who in the world?
“you.”

When I forced my eyes open, the face I never expected came into view. The man glared at me and barked, his voice rough.
“Why did you leave without permission?”