232 Only an innocent kiss between childhood friends

iori pulls away before he could react. she's pleased to see him so shocked. she looks at him smugly and says, "i win."

"win?" he blinks his eyes, still in shock.

"you were going to kiss me, right? i know you now. you were going to tease me and say that is your way of proving that you're a man." iori laughs. for the first time in her life, she has the upper hand. there's no way that she would ever let this devil prince have his way with her. she's been teased and bullied enough. kinoshita iori is no longer a dumb woman. "i did it before you could that. don't think that i see you as a man. i kissed you as a childhood friend."

"kissed me as a childhood friend?" takeshi bends his head and looks at her, confused. "you said that friends don't kiss."

"that...that…" she did say that. iori bites her lower lip and peers at him. "friends don't kiss like lovers. that was a kiss between childhood friends. it's just an innocent kiss."

what the hell is she saying? why did she do it in the first place? she should be slapping his face right now.

"a kiss between childhood friends." takeshi repeats, "so, you mean to say that it's not a lewd kiss between lovers. it's only an innocent kiss between childhood friends?"

he looks so dumbfounded. she chuckles. "yes, it is. what we have between us is friendship. how can it ever get infected with something lewd? i'm sure that you already have your eyes on a woman with whom you want to do lewd things."

it hurts her heart a little to say that, but she is irritated that he brought her to this place when he has someone he likes. 

this idiot! she's never going to learn, is she? even if he announces on a news channel that he loves her and only her, she would still find some way to misunderstand him. she doesn't want to accept that he has feelings for her. 

takeshi smiles at her that sends a chilling shiver down her spine. "you're right. i do have eyes on a woman with whom i want to do lewd things for the rest of my life."

she pinches her lips together and glares at him. did he have to say it in such a way? why is he here with her if he already has someone he likes? "i am glad to hear that."

"you are a true friend." takeshi puts his coat on her shoulders. "childhood friend, it's cold tonight, isn't?" 

"i don't feel cold at all." she gnashes her teeth, resisting the urge to scratch his face. such a showoff! she will also set her eyes on a handsome man. why does it have to be one? she will set her eyes on many men. after she gets the promotion, she will date until she finds someone who is better looking than the man in front of her. 

he senses the heat rays of extreme rage emanating from her eyes. he could guess what kind of thoughts she's having now. an idiot would remain an idiot even if the world turns upside down. he cups her face and sucks her upper lip, nibbling it softly. before her punch could land on his chest, he grabs her wrists and pins it over her head. "childhood friend, my lips are freezing. you don't mind warming my lips, do you?"

"takeshi, i mind." she glowers at him. "i mind it a lot. stop being a pervert." 

"childhood friend, you have some lewd thoughts." he brushes his lips against her earlobe. "if this is perverted, then wasn't your kiss also something perverted?"

"that was only a peck." how can a peck be compared to what he's doing now? he is melting her bones with his kisses.

"childhood friend," he whispers in her ear. "this is something innocent between friends. very innocent. i am not kissing you as your lover. i am doing this as a childhood friend."

how did it turn out to be like this? she had an upper hand a while ago. "it's wrong. you shouldn't be doing this with someone you don't love."

"i love you." so much that it's hard to breathe. he buries his head in the curve of her neck. his voice is low but electrifying. 

she stops struggling. her heart fills with elation. does he still have feelings for her? is it still possible between them?

perhaps, she can't accept him as a man yet. he lets go of her wrists. he adds with a teasing voice, "as your childhood friend."

she closes her eyes. did takeshi feel like this when he had feelings for her back then? how did he keep it inside him for so long? she wants to smash his head right now. she wants to go back in time and slap herself. she should have accepted his confession back then. it's hateful how he adds 'as a childhood friend'. she would have been happy if he had not added those unnecessary words. "so, you love me as a childhood friend."

"yes." if he can embrace her like this as her childhood friend, he has no problem. the meaning of childhood friend changed since he met her again. he has to alter the definition of a childhood friend in her head. he doesn't mind loving her like this for the rest of her their lives as a childhood friend if she stays beside him like this.

iori gives him a smile that doesn't meet her eyes. she knows what she wants now. she will teach this devil prince a lesson. a lesson that he will never forget for the rest of his life. he already sees her as a woman, right? then, it shouldn't be impossible to make him fall for her again.  

"i love you too... as a childhood friend." she finally said it. 

she's been struggling for a long time, her heart feels light after she made this decision. why must this guy have everything his way? he confesses anytime he wants and then, he decides whatever he wants. she clearly hasn't answered his confession yet. even now, he is teasing her mercilessly. she doesn't know who that woman is, but she will have his heart again. she's his first love. she has an advantage over that woman.

"you do?" he snorts. she's falling into the trap. he would have done it five years ago if he knew that it was this easy. he must utilize his rights as her childhood friend. "i didn't expect such a candid confession of innocent love from a childhood friend."

"i only have clean thoughts." she curls her fingers. "i don't have any other intention."

he lets out a low laugh. he has many hidden intentions though. "i believe you." 

"so, who is that woman?" she asks him curiously. "the one who stole your heart?"

he stares at her. "you will know in the future."

hmph! it's not like she will find that woman and check her out if he ever reveals the name. iori scowls at him before she storms off. after taking a few steps, she stops and turns around to look at him. he's leaning against the tree with a slow smile on his face. 

truly a devil. even after so many years, she's still pulling her hair because of him. "are you going to spend your night here while having lewd thoughts about that woman?"

"who will drive you home then?" takeshi walks toward her. "if you like, i will spend the night having innocent thoughts about you."

she pouts. only innocent thoughts about her? she will change them soon.