Chapter 72: A Kiss in the Dark

The eerie silence of the abandoned mansion pressed down on them as Lumine stormed ahead, frustration evident in her quick, angry strides. Her flashlight flickered against the damp, cracked walls, casting shadows that seemed to dance and shift as she moved.

She had had enough of him.

Scaramouche.

His constant smirks, his ridiculous comments, his arrogance—it was unbearable. And yet, despite every effort to ignore him, he had a way of crawling back into her thoughts like a stubborn parasite.

But what annoyed her the most?

The fact that she never truly hated it.

"Hey, slow down, princess," Scaramouche drawled from behind her, his voice laced with amusement. "You’ll trip and fall at this rate. But don’t worry, I’d love to catch you~"

Lumine groaned, whirling around. "You are so annoying!"

Scaramouche merely grinned, unfazed. "And yet, here we are again. Just the two of us."

It was then she realized—they had gotten separated from the others.

The realization sent a chill down her spine. The hallway they stood in was eerily quiet, the musty scent of old wood and something metallic lingering in the air.

"Great," Lumine muttered, rubbing her temples. "Now we’re lost."

"Relax," Scaramouche said, stepping closer. "We’ll find them soon. But in the meantime..."

Lumine took a step back, immediately wary. "Don’t."

"Don’t what?" he asked, tilting his head, his violet eyes glinting mischievously. "Tease you? Flirt with you? Or maybe..." He took another step forward, his voice dropping lower. "Do this?"

Before she could react, Scaramouche grabbed her wrist and swiftly pulled her against him, her back hitting the cold wall.

"Scaramouche—"

"Shhh," he interrupted, his smirk widening. "If you’re really that annoyed, why aren’t you stopping me?"

Lumine opened her mouth to retort, but no words came. She was frozen—not from fear, but from something else. Something dangerous.

Scaramouche’s fingers traced the side of her jaw, feather-light but deliberate. His face was mere inches from hers, his breath warm against her lips.

"You keep acting like you hate me," he murmured, "but I wonder... do you really?"

"I do," Lumine whispered, but her voice wavered.

Scaramouche chuckled softly, his eyes darkening. "Liar."

And then, he kissed her.

It wasn’t gentle. It wasn’t sweet. It was heated, intense, and utterly consuming.

His lips pressed against hers with an undeniable hunger, his hand cupping her jaw as he deepened the kiss. Lumine’s eyes widened in shock. She should have pushed him away, slapped him—something. But instead, her fingers curled against the fabric of his jacket, her body betraying her thoughts.

Scaramouche smirked against her lips, clearly noticing her hesitation. His grip on her tightened as he tilted his head, deepening the kiss further. He was greedy, desperate, as if he wanted to claim her, to make her acknowledge him.

A muffled noise escaped her lips, and it was only then that she snapped out of it.

With all her strength, she shoved him away.

"You—!" she panted, her face burning with embarrassment and something else—something she refused to name. "What the hell was that?!"

Scaramouche licked his lips, looking completely unfazed. "A kiss. Obviously."

"You—You can’t just—" Lumine’s words tangled together in frustration.

"*I can, and I did," he replied smugly, tilting his head. "What? Was it that good?"

Her face turned an even darker shade of red. "You’re insufferable!"

Scaramouche just laughed, stuffing his hands back into his pockets. "Maybe so. But tell me, princess..." He leaned in slightly, voice dripping with amusement. "Would you let me do it again?"

Lumine’s heart pounded, but she quickly masked it with a glare. "In your dreams!"

"Oh, trust me," he murmured, eyes locking onto hers. "You’ll be in them tonight."

Just as Lumine was about to retaliate, voices echoed from down the hall.

"Lumine? Scaramouche? Where are you guys?"

It was Aether.

Lumine turned away immediately, trying to calm her racing heart before her brother arrived. She could not let him see her flustered.

Scaramouche simply chuckled under his breath, enjoying every second of this.

This wasn’t over.

Not even close.