BXBX NOVEL Chapter 48: Cigarette Kiss
"Where… am I?" he muttered, trying to piece together the fragments of the night.
Glancing down, he realized his chest was bare, his only clothing a pair of trousers hanging loosely on his hips.
Then, a faint golden glow caught his eye, and he felt a memory click into place as he focused on the system\'s interface hovering before him.
[Congratulations!]
[You have successfully completed the quest: Anmitsu, Shiruko, Zenzai.]
[Rewards are now available in your storage.]
[Due to maxing out Asuka\'s Libido, the target Deprivation Matrix has been multiplied by 2x!]
[Target Status Update]
[Obsession: 30/100]
[Corruption: 65/100]
[Lust Affinity: 80/100]
[Emotional Bond: 20/100]
[Host Status Update]
[Level 20 -> Level 23]
He rubbed his temple with a small smile. "Right… last night," he murmured, remembering vividly.
Haruto was still tired after having sex with three women who probably had hyper-sexuality and were lonely with husbands who were nowhere to be found.
A smirk played on his lips as he thought, Guess I never realized how much of a secret wild side Asuka had
\'Weird that I never knew that Asuka, Kota\'s mother, is this pervert. She looked normal.\'
In all the times he\'d visited Kota\'s house, he\'d been so focused on games that he\'d overlooked her entirely.
He chuckled at himself. \'I should be more perceived now, especially around women. They are hard to read.\'
He stretched his arm, expecting the comforting weight of another body nearby, but to his surprise, the bed was empty.
"Huh," he said to himself, a hint of disappointment in his voice.
"They\'re colder than I thought, leaving me here alone."
"They left early," a familiar voice spoke from the corner of the room.
Haruto glanced over to see Asuka moving toward him, each step slow and deliberate, her waist swaying as she approached.
Dressed in a sheer white dressing gown, she carried an elegance that could make anyone bow down to be able to touch her.
"You slept too long; they couldn\'t wake you up," she said, sitting gracefully on the edge of the bed, a lit cigarette balanced between her fingers.
As the faint scent of smoke drifted over, she smirked. "Don\'t worry, though. They left their contact info."
She tossed a slow curl of smoke his way, a teasing look in her eyes.
Haruto studied her, a playful thought flickering to life as he recalled his plans with the system. Without a word, he shifted, inching closer to her.
Casually, he accessed the system, summoning the Bracelet of Obsession to his hand and slipping it discreetly into his pocket.
"Why didn\'t you leave, then?" he asked, voice low as he looked at her, mere inches away.
Asuka shrugged, her expression mischievous. "Felt a bit responsible, I guess."
"Well, that\'s a surprise," Haruto chuckled, his voice edging into a soft laugh. He leaned back on one elbow.
"So, is the payment my reward for being your, what, \'toy boy\' for the night?" he teased, eyes glinting with mischief.
Asuka let out a laugh, holding the cigarette out to him. Haruto held her gaze for a moment, then took it, bringing it to his lips and inhaling.
He managed to keep his composure just long enough before a cough forced its way out, a sharp reminder that smoking was not his usual vice.
Watching him splutter, Asuka\'s eyebrows lifted in mild surprise before her face settled into a playful grin.
"Oh, come on. Don\'t tell me you\'re bad at smoking. Aren\'t you part of a gang with that big tattoo on your back?"
"I guess I\'m the exception," he rasped, his voice hoarse as he forced down another cough.
She laughed softly, rubbing his back as he shook his head, the lingering taste of smoke reminding him of things he\'d rather forget.
Asuka smirked a glint of playful mischief in her eyes. "Let me teach you, then," she murmured, standing from the bed.
She moved to her bag on a nearby sofa, rummaging for a moment before pulling out a small, sleek black box.
Returning to his side, she opened the cigarette case and extended it toward him.
Haruto, determined to make the most of this moment—and eager to make an impression—took one of the cigarettes.
As he held it to his lips, Asuka leaned in close, pulling his head toward her own cigarette, their faces just inches apart as she helped him light it.
Their eyes locked, and neither looked away, wanting to see each other face closer as the tension between them rose.
"Getting a closer look, it\'s like seeing a piece of art," Asuka murmured, her voice low and smooth.
"What a handsome boy," she added, a hint of a smile curving her lips.
A faint blush crept into Haruto\'s cheeks, his usual confidence wavering under her direct gaze.
He wasn\'t used to compliments from someone like her, and it made him realize he might not be as smooth around women as he\'d assumed.
"Now, take a drag, hold the smoke in your mouth, and then breathe it into your lungs," she instructed, demonstrating with her own cigarette.
She inhaled with practiced ease, her expression cool and unbothered.
Haruto followed her guidance, feeling the slight sweetness from the filter as he inhaled. A chill swept through him as the minty smoke filled his lungs.
This time, he managed to blow it out smoothly, but Asuka leaned in once more, capturing the remaining smoke from his mouth with her own, then blowing it gently into his face, laughing as he coughed in surprise.
"Oh, teasing young lads like you is too much fun," she chuckled, flicking her ashes aside.
"Makes me feel younger already."
Haruto frowned, the coughing subsiding but annoyance creeping in. She seemed to have so much fun toying with him, treating him as if he were just a "boy" instead of a "man."
Haruto leaned closer, a smirk playing on his lips. "Aunty, don\'t underestimate me."
Asuka raised an eyebrow, a teasing gleam in her eyes. "Oh? And what are you going to do about it?"
She challenged him, waiting for him to make a move.
He raised his hand slowly, and she could feel her heartbeat quicken with anticipation, but she was caught off guard when he simply placed his cigarette in the ashtray behind him and leaned back, laughing.
"Aunty, you sure are confident," he chuckled, enjoying the way her face reddened slightly in annoyance.
"You young men…" she muttered, feigning exasperation before suddenly shoving him back onto the bed, taking him by surprise.
In an instant, she was on top of him, her hand trailing up to his face before she leaned down and kissed him.
The kiss was bittersweet, tinged with the taste of cigarettes, yet it somehow suited the older woman\'s allure.
Haruto found himself drawn into it, his hands gripping her hips as they both laughed softly into the kiss.
When they finally parted, Haruto sat up, his eyes glinting with something mischievous.
"I\'ve got something for you," he murmured, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small bracelet.
The silver chain gleamed, adorned with three green stones that caught the light.
Asuka tilted her head, curious. "Oh? And what\'s this?"
"It\'s not expensive, but these stones reminded me of your eyes," he said, his voice smooth, hiding his true intentions behind a charming smile as he unhooked the bracelet.
She looked at him, slightly touched yet cautious, before extending her wrist. "A present is a present. It\'s meant to be appreciated."
Haruto clasped the bracelet around her wrist, watching as it fit perfectly, the green stones gleaming under the light.
"I hope this bracelet will always remind you of me," he whispered, his smile warm but his eyes glinting with satisfaction as the system notification appeared in his mind, signaling the bracelet\'s effect had activated.
Asuka lifted her hand, admiring how the green stones sparkled. "Oh, I don\'t think I\'ll be forgetting you anytime soon," she replied, giving him a playful look.