ICM Chapter 56

As they entered the greenhouse, the scent of dry soil hit them strongly. The only light in the space came from the faint street lamps and moonlight filtering in.

The cacti here were extraordinary in size, having grown for many years. Each had its own distinct shape—some had thick stems clustered densely together, while others had plump leaves with threatening thorns, sprawling beyond the flower bed.

To break the awkward atmosphere, Ashika spoke first.

“They say cactus flowers are quite magnificent when they bloom, don’t they?”

“Is this your first time at the Rodian Garden?”

“I’ve had no reason to come here before.”

At her casual response, a curious smile played on Drushia’s lips.

“You’ve never been in love, have you?”

“It’s not exactly necessary, is it?”

I’ll end up in an arranged marriage anyway. Though her reply was matter-of-fact, there was a hint of bitterness on her face.

“It might not be necessary, but it would be a shame to miss out on it in life.”

Somehow, they had drawn much closer to each other.

Inside the greenhouse, the cacti occupied so much space that the pathways for people were quite narrow. Plus, it was a space completely sheltered from outside views.

The man’s shadowed figure felt larger and more solid than she had expected. Strangely, Ashika wasn’t afraid of this presence that was much larger than herself.

“Well, I don’t think it’s something to regret missing.”

“I wasn’t the one who suggested coming in here.”

“What? Well….”

The distance of three steps between them was closed in an instant. Until his large hand approached, Ashika didn’t understand what was happening.

The moment she was pulled in by the hand cupping the back of her head, hot breath engulfed her lips.

“Hmmph.”

Their teeth briefly collided as their lips urgently pressed together. But Drushia boldly pushed his tongue in. Sticky wet lips clung together and his aggressive tongue stirred inside her mouth.

A dizzying scent enveloped her. It was the man’s fragrance, intensified by heat. Her breath became rapid and her head spun. The heat rising from her stomach made her body’s reactions more intense.

Her small tongue chased his, wrapping around it and rubbing flesh against flesh passionately. When his lips, which had been sucking intensely, tried to pull away, Ashika’s slender arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

“Hmm….”

Drushia was drawn back to Ashika and their lips collided again. Even while gasping for breath, the arms wrapped around him tightened further.

The wet lips slid from her cheek down to her neck. He thoroughly licked the delicate neck that had been tempting him, continuing lower and lower.

“If you do this… I’ll, ah….”

“Mmm, ah….”

His large hands had already lifted the hem of her thin dress. Even as her white legs were exposed up to her thighs in the darkness, Ashika showed no intention of retreating.

She pressed her excited body against his, craving more stimulation. Through the thin fabric, their body heat and excitement intertwined.

Just before reason completely flew away, Drushia felt something scratchy brush his cheek and came to his senses. A cactus more than twice a person’s height had drooped its thick, wide leaves over the flower bed onto the floor.

“Haa, haa….”

Drushia barely pulled his lips away and raised his head. Ashika’s neck and chest area were glistening, completely wet with his saliva. Drushia looked down at Ashika, barely holding onto his reason.

“Really? Here?”

Threatening cacti with spines surrounded them on all sides. The only place to lean against was the internal pillar supporting the building. Ashika, though breathing heavily with excitement, didn’t take her eyes off him.

“Wasn’t it you who suggested it?”

Drushia swore he hadn’t intended this. In such a place, not even a bedroom, with none other than Ashika. His hesitation didn’t last long.

Drushia read the desire in her dark eyes. An emotion so honest it felt pure, raw and unfiltered.

“I can’t back down now.”

With that brief response, his lips descended on hers again. Ashika sucked in his thick tongue as it roughly invaded, rubbing it against her own.

“Mmm….”

Drushia pushed Ashika against the pillar.

“Ah!”

Rough hands with calluses stroked the delicate skin of her inner thighs. At the sudden sensation penetrating below, their entangled lips separated, letting out a moan. His lips swallowed her urgent, gasping breath once more.

Drushia’s patience vanished in an instant. When he roughly pulled at her underwear, which barely accommodated a few fingers, there was a tearing sound. Ashika, in her excitement, had no mind to question what he was doing.

Everything became a jumble of hot body temperature, dull pain that rushed in instantly, and the sensation of cumbersome clothing.

Even trying not to be hasty, his thrusting instinctively quickened. As if not wanting to create even the slightest gap, he firmly embraced her head and lower back. The delicate female body shook with his fierce movements.

“Whew…..This is driving me crazy.”

It felt good. This woman felt incredibly good. If he could, he wanted to hide her in his pocket and secretly take her to his room to lock her away.

Even in this situation, the way she thoroughly swallowed her moans impressed him. Drushia pressed his fingertip against her bitten lip, forcing it open.

“Hah… You’ll hurt your lip. Bite my hand instead.”

Simultaneously, a strong force thrust into her lower body.

“Mmph.”

Ashika reflexively bit his hand hard. That pain turned into pleasure, making Drushia’s thrusts even more intense.

As Ashika’s body shook, her feet lifted off the ground. Completely trapped in his embrace, their bodies became one, moving up and down. Her loosened black hair cascaded down, rippling with the movement.

“Ah, Ashika.”

“Mmm….”

It felt as if hot heat was consuming her entire body. The sensation of him fiercely stirring her below, completely wet, heated her entire body as if it would devour her.

Her throat felt like it was burning from the heat she couldn’t release. Even as she exhaled, the heat boiling throughout her body intensified, pushing her consciousness into a daze.

At the moment when her vision turned pale and the heat that had risen to the top of her head exploded, Ashika bit Drushia’s hand until it bled.

“Ungh.”

Their overlapping bodies stiffened. The arm around her waist lost its strength, and rapid breaths poured over her head.

“Whew, it feels so good. Am I the only one feeling this way?”

Drushia asked while still buried inside her. He didn’t want to leave just yet, wanting to prolong the moment a little more.

“Hmm? Is that so?”

Instead of answering, Ashika removed her lips from his hand and stuck out her tongue. She lightly licked the red teeth marks on his hand and planted a gentle kiss before pulling away.

“Ah, this is….”

This small display of affection, expressed through actions rather than words, touched something in his heart.

Ashika buried her face in Drushia’s broad chest. The sound of his rapidly vibrating heart and rough breathing. Despite sweat seeping from their entire bodies, she enjoyed this moment with their body temperatures touching.

A night breeze blew in from the windows open wide near the ceiling. It was a wind that cooled their heated bodies.

As Drushia separated their overlapping bodies, she felt something trickling down from below. Drushia took out a handkerchief and brought it to her lower region.

“No, wait….”

“Stay still. If you leave like this, you’ll drip with every step.”

She knew what that “something” was without him saying it. Ashika’s face turned bright red like a boiled lobster.

“I have my own handkerchief.”

“I said stay still.”

With one hand, he held her dress up, and with the other, he wiped her below.

Even after the excitement had ebbed like a tide, warmth still remained. The careful sensation of wiping her stinging lower area. Ashika bit her lip to suppress her moans at this different kind of stimulation. Each small act was excessively intimate and embarrassing, leaving her restless, not knowing what to do.

“Now I understand a bit better.”

Having finished cleaning up thoroughly, Drushia put the handkerchief in his pocket. Too embarrassed to even imagine how he would dispose of it, Ashika turned her gaze away.

“Clumsy and reckless. That’s who you are.”

“Somehow that sounds like a compliment?”

“Of course. And I like this too.”

Drushia smiled slightly and fixed her disheveled dress. He adjusted the dress that had slipped off one shoulder and pulled the creased fabric taut.

While Ashika barely stood with her strength drained, Drushia’s hands were busy fixing her appearance.

“Ah, this won’t do.”

Drushia’s face became troubled as he examined her back. The dress fabric was so thin that rough marks were left on her back where it had rubbed against the pillar.

“I can cover it with the cloak.”

The hooded cloak lay on the floor, having been removed at some point. Drushia picked up the cloak, dusted it off, and placed it on Ashika’s shoulders.

“What will you say if someone asks why only your back is injured?”

“Who would… ask that? And even if they ask, I can just not answer.”

“They’ll think it’s strange, though.”

His face smiling as if hoping for that reaction was unfamiliar.

“Are you teasing me now?”

“Of course not. So, was this your physical response to the proposal I made last time?”

“I’ll need to think about that some more.”

Drushia’s cheerful face momentarily froze. But it soon relaxed again.

“If this is part of your deliberation process, well, I like this too.”

“How did the conversation turn this way?”

The annoying man interpreted even Ashika’s uncompromising attitude to his liking. It annoyed her, but she let it slide despite wanting to push back.

“You said you’re thinking about it? Keep thinking, and build up some more stamina in the meantime.”

Though his tone was casual as usual, the gentle hand caressing her cheek was affectionate.

Her black eyes gazed at him quietly. Eyes so black their depths were unfathomable, yet emotions seemed to spring forth from them, making them even more mysterious.

It was an irresistible force pulling him in. His lips descended carefully, swallowing her still-warm breath. His tongue gently penetrated past her softly yielding lips, exploring her mouth where saliva had pooled.

Heat rose again before the afterglow of their lovemaking had faded. Their closely pressed bodies were desperate to hold each other.

As their languidly overlapping lips separated, a deep, settled voice emerged.

“Whew…. Tonight.”

Drushia’s hand stroked her thigh through the dress and pulled her close. He held Ashika in his arms and breathed a yearning sigh into her nape.

“Can’t we be together?”

“Ha…, of course.”

Ashika grabbed his hand that was fondling her lower area and pushed it away.

“We can’t.”

What they were doing now was crazy enough. She hadn’t intended to take things this far, but in her excitement, she felt nothing else mattered.

No matter what feelings they harbored, they couldn’t promise each other tomorrow. The thought that this moment might be all they had swept away all her concerns.

Sensing Ashika’s inner thoughts, Drushia’s expression gradually cooled. The gentle smile he had been wearing disappeared, and his kind blue eyes sank.

Seeing his emotions change so dramatically, Ashika felt her heart sink.

“No, that’s not what I—”

Suddenly, Drushia pulled Ashika into his arms and raised his head.

“Shh.”

While she was wondering what was happening, urgent footsteps sounded from outside the building. It was not one or two people but a group.