Chapter 10
“A scent that makes me want to stay with you all day.”
Sonnet froze.
Aiden let out a soft laugh. The light sound strangely felt warm.
She quickly thought about what would be the most natural reaction in this situation. She had to respond like a girlfriend would.
“Sonnet.”
His voice, now without laughter, called her name near her ear. Why did it make her heart pound so much?
When she didn’t answer, Aiden wrapped both arms around her waist. His solid chest pressed against her back, his strong arms circling her small frame completely.
She stood stiff like a statue.
Still whispering playfully into her ear, he asked,
“Does it still feel like a dream?”
His breath mixed with his voice, and for some reason her stomach tightened.
He couldn’t suspect her. Not now. She had to get first place no matter what.
Gathering her courage—after all, she had been the one to confess first—she turned around to face him.
Then, without warning, she pressed her lips to his.
Their lips touched briefly.
Aiden looked startled for once.
‘That’s more like it. He must be pretending too, trying to get something out of me—’
She couldn’t finish the thought.
Aiden suddenly leaned down. His urgent breath brushed her face, and his soft lips met hers again.
As she instinctively tried to pull back, he placed a hand on the back of her head and deepened the kiss.
She felt the strength in his bite against her lips, his breath uneven.
When she parted her lips slightly from the ticklish sensation, his tongue slipped inside without hesitation.
The feeling of their tongues touching was strange.
She had never experienced anything like it.
It was soft, warm, and damp. It felt like her mind was melting along with it.
Compared to his kiss, her quick peck felt childish.
Aiden’s kiss was skilled and intense.
He moved slowly, brushing his tongue against hers, pulling back just slightly before tilting his head and kissing her deeper.
She didn’t know where to put her hands.
As he held her firmly and didn’t let her go, she grabbed his shoulders without thinking.
They felt strong and solid beneath her fingers.
His warmth surrounded her. His tongue moved slowly but deeply.
Her lower stomach tightened strangely.
Heat rushed through her.
His hand slid gently down her waist.
As he shifted his head and their lips pressed together wetly, his hand brushed her thigh.
A strange sensation rose from deep inside her.
Their breaths mixed, hot and uneven.
When her breathing became shaky, Aiden slowly pulled away.
The warmth lingered between their lips.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly.
He looked at her lips for a moment before stepping back.
His gaze was darker now. Gone was the playful smile. He looked calm, mature—undeniably masculine.
He stared at her and asked,
“You don’t have class next period, right?”
She nodded blankly.
“Then let’s go to my room.”
He stood up.
When she didn’t move, he held out his hand.
She stared at his long fingers and wide palm, then suddenly snapped back to her senses and stood up.
“I have an assignment to finish.”
“I’ll help you with it.”
“No. You must be tired from the match. You should rest. I’ll finish it and rest too.”
She hurriedly picked up her bag.
Aiden watched her quietly for a moment, then picked up her bag himself.
When she tried to take it back, he lifted his arm slightly.
“I’ll walk you back.”
She had no choice but to walk beside him.
He was tall, and the difference in their height was obvious.
Instead of feeling small, she felt oddly safe and supported.
The moment she thought that, her brows furrowed.
‘What am I thinking? Just because we kissed once?’
She pushed those thoughts away and kept walking.
People kept staring at them—glancing, whispering, even openly watching.
Especially the girls.
Their gazes weren’t hostile. They looked… envious.
After all, many girls had shown interest in Aiden before. He had never dated anyone. Yet the moment Sonnet confessed, he agreed immediately.
“Aiden.”
He looked down at her at once. His eyes seemed bright like summer sunlight.
“Since when did you start liking me?”
If he had some hidden motive, he would hesitate.
He answered without pause.
“Since the day you fought with someone.”
She fought often enough.
“When was that?”
“A rainy day. In front of the library.”
His answer was specific.
She couldn’t clearly remember.
When she didn’t respond, he laughed lightly and continued walking.
‘Was he watching me too?’
As she grew more confused, a breeze passed gently between them.
The street was half shaded by trees, half lit by sunlight.
Each time his arm brushed hers, she felt warmth—not discomfort, but something deeper.
She couldn’t understand this feeling.
This wasn’t how her plan was supposed to go.
When she confessed, she had never imagined things would turn out like this.
‘Why does it feel like I’m the one getting pulled in?’
Lost in thought, she suddenly realized he had stopped walking.
They were already in front of the girls’ dormitory.
He handed her bag back.
She quickly took it and turned around.
“Sonnet.”
His voice came from behind.
When she turned, he was already standing right in front of her, looking at her expectantly.
No matter what, she had to act like his girlfriend.
She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek.
The moment her lips left his skin, he smiled brightly.
“See you tomorrow.”
She nodded and hurried into the dorm.
She ran up the stairs, opened her room door, and stood by the window.
As if he already knew which window was hers, Aiden looked up.
Their eyes met.
He waved.
Startled, she slowly lifted her hand and waved back.
He smiled and walked away.
A sigh escaped her lips.
‘Am I bewitched?’
When she made that curse-like confession, she had never intended for this to happen.
This wasn’t what she wanted.
She stood there, watching his back as he walked away.
Until he disappeared.
Until this strange feeling faded.
But it didn’t fade.
It only grew lighter and floatier inside her.
She finally sat down and opened her book.
At least the assignment part wasn’t a lie.
But she couldn’t focus on the words.
All she could see was Aiden’s face.
Especially the way he had looked at her with dark desire, eyes half closed as he leaned in.
Her face flushed bright red.
She shut the book quickly.
This had never happened before.
Never had she closed a book because of feelings like this.
‘Damn Aiden.’
She had really been bewitched.
There was no other explanation.
***
The next morning, Sonnet woke up exhausted.
She had finished her assignment, but she kept thinking about Aiden. Even after closing her eyes, she remembered his lips. She barely slept.
As she made her bed, she forced herself to decide.
‘I won’t let Aiden control me anymore.’
He was the one who should be getting pulled in.
After going through all this, she had to gain something.
From now on, she would suggest studying together. She would find out exactly how he took notes, what methods he used.
She would analyze his entire learning process and uncover everything.
