Noa sat lazily on the bed in Eugene's room. The man himself had stepped into the bath after complaining about the black water that spilled from the showers, leaving her and the fairy alone.
It was boring to just sit around, though, so she had him hand over the book before he left.
"Why do you keep reading this book always, girl?" The fairy, Titania, asked as she rolled over on the table.
"Hm? Like I said, I just find it fun."
"No, I mean. What is all this spice about? I am quite interested in your analogy, you see."
Noa raised her brow. She didn't like being called silly.
Titania flew over to Noa's shoulder and settled herself there.
"I want to read too. Flip the pages, girl."
"Heh,"
"What?"
"Nothing at all, miss fairy."
Noa started holding the book a little ways away so the fairy that was smaller than it could read well. She flipped the pages.
"Hah!" Titania would shout.
Flip again.
"EH!? Seriously! Oh my god."
And then again.
"Wawawawa, what is this!"
Titania hid her face that was red to her ears and looked away. Noa was deeply amused by her reactions.
"This is too sultry."
"Should I stop it?"
"Wait, let's just finish this section."
Of course, the innocent fairy couldn't last that long.
Her head steamed as she buried herself in the pillow, her face covered by her palms.
"What happened miss fairy? Don't tell me it was too spicy for you."
"What do you take me for!" Titania exclaimed. "I'll let you know, things like fornication and sexual intimacy can never make me shy."
Noa giggled at her words.
She ignored the fairy for a few seconds and was about to switch back to her book.
"Is one of them your type, is that why you find it spicy?"
One of them? Noa figured Titania must be talking about the characters. It seemed the fairy was quite invested in her investment in books, but for Noa, there wasn't any deep reason as to why she read. She enjoyed reading, and so she did it.
Her type…
"Not at all. They are not spicy like that."
Titania flipped over and stared at the girl.
"What is your type then?"
"Where is this coming from?"
"I am just curious after reading that stuff."
Noa held the book to her chest and raised her head. She tilted her head to one side, and then to the other.
"I am not sure. I would say handsome, but that's not it. You know, I like the badass types."
"Hm?"
"You know, the type that can make jokes or go for a smoke even when in enemy territory. Someone not childish and blushy but mature and playful."
"The type that can make jokes with you?"
"Yeah. I remember once seeing someone step out of the shower in my last life, and that bastard started blushing like crazy. It was gross, I wanted to puke."
Titania thought that was slightly unfair.
"But just being badass and playful isn't enough. Smart and caring too."
"The type to notice a haircut?"
"No? That sounds like a pain. More like the type that is aware if I am ever hurt."
That sounded like a pain too to Titania. If you're hurt just say it straight up.
"Must be hot too, though. I guess I'll know the person is my type of spicy if my heart races like crazy."
Titania nodded. Right then, a click sounded as the door opened.
Out stepped Eugene with just a towel wrapped around his waist, letting his scarred-up body and his densely packed muscles out in the open.
Titania and Noa found their eyes stuck on the man as he pulled back his wet white hair and stretched his hands. He spared them a single glance, and without caring a bit about his looks, turned away as if it didn't matter at all.
His always cold face didn't help, making him look quite aloof.
He simply walked over to the desk, Noa and Titania followed him with their gazes. He reached into the drawer and pulled out a pipe.
"Huhu," he laughed. "I took this from one of those demons. Their food is not bad, I've wanted to taste their smokes—Ah, Noa, do you mind?"
He gently asked her before starting it.
Stuck, Noa could only shake her head.
Saying that he snapped his fingers and lit the pipe ablaze. Eugene walked over to the window to let the smoke near them and took a long puff.
He was smoking deep in enemy territory without a care in the world.
Titania and Noa looked at each other, and then back at the man who doused off the flame and returned to the room.
This time, he came straight to Noa.
She watched him with amused eyes, and Titania did the same.
Eugene climbed over the bed, his cold eyes turned as a hint of worry appeared in them. He gently reached out and patted the back of Noa's head.
"You did get a little hurt when we fell from the motorcycle, huh?"
Noa's heart started racing.
Titania could only watch with her jaws on the ground. What in the fuck was this bitch of hers doing now? Did he hear everything? Was that why he was acting up?
"I should have noticed sooner," Eugene said.
In a fluster, Noa pushed his hands away and hopped down the bed.
"I am going to bath too."
She picked up the only other towel in the room and ran into the bathroom, smacking the door shut behind her.
Eugene confusedly sat for a few seconds before shrugging and walking over to the mirror. Without a word, he started posing and checking out his muscles.
"What are you doing you doofus?" Titania asked. "Why are you acting like this?"
"What now? What did I do?"
Titania let out a sigh.
"Whatever," she said.
Whatever happens, happens. It was not her thing to look out for.
Soon, the bathroom door snapped open again. Noa stepped out, her towel around her waist too, leaving her upper body bare once more. Eugene didn't bat an eye when he saw her like that, it was no different from yesterday.
But Titania noticed a difference.
A difference in that girl's eyes.
She was determined.
Titania had a feeling she would soon understand exactly why that Noa was into books so much.
Noa walked over to Eugene, her hair draped over her face. Eugene stopped looking at himself and faced her.
"At least dry your hair, you'll catch a cold—"
Noa held Eugene's shoulders, propped herself up on her toes, and before he could realize it, she planted her lips on his cheeks.
A quick, small kiss.
She backed away immediately and raised her hand to her lips, her eyes moving to the other side. Even then, she could hide.
The blush filled her face.
"What in the world are you doing now?" Eugene asked, amused even more than she was.
"I-I was just checking… if you are spicy enough to make my heart race."
"So I am just a guinea pig for you?"
Eugene stepped closer.
Noa looked away, her blush deeper.
Titania brought her hand to her lips and watched intently.
What would he say? Would he lash out? Would he accept it? Titania was curious.
"In that case, won't you know it even better if I am the one who does the kissing?"
Both the ladies jerked up at his words.
"I-I guess… so…" Noa completely turned to the other side and stared at the ground. "Won't we know better that way, hahaha…"
Eugene grabbed her wrists and pulled her his way.
Noa didn't look up.
"Then, should I? You won't mind?"
Slowly, very slowly, Noa nodded.
He lifted her head from her chin and stared deep into her eyes.
Noa's blushing face turned completely red as she slowly turned her cheeks toward him.
Like the devil, Eugene whispered.
"Not there,"
His thumbs traced over her chin. His words were the missing ingredient.
"On the lips?"
She had found her spice.