Immediately after Sura finished speaking, she felt more alive than she ever had before. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she knew that something had shifted within her.
"Perfect," Orion replied, his thumb wiping away the tears on her cheek as he held her face in his hand. He understood that the reason his mother had hesitated to become his partner was because she was already accustomed to this world, unlike Sura who was still exploring and trying to find her place in it. He reassured her gently, "I promise you won't regret it." Then he leaned in for another kiss, seeking her lips with tenderness.
Sura's eyes widened in surprise as Orion kissed her again, not expecting it so soon after their first kiss. Despite the suddenness of it, she responded with the same vigour and passion that Orion had initiated the kiss with, her eyes open as she watched him ravage her mouth without hesitation.
Several seconds later, Sura's gaze shifted in a different direction. It wasn't that she had forgotten Ursa was there, but she was so caught up in Orion's proposal that nothing else seemed to matter at that moment.
As Sura glanced at Ursa from the corner of her eye, she couldn't help but notice the disbelief etched across her face. But as she looked closer, she saw another expression that grew more noticeable by the second - a sullen look. Suddenly, Sura's eyes widened in realization as she recognized the emotion behind it: jealousy. Ursa was jealous of her.
A mixture of shock and excitement filled Sura's chest, as she had never been on the receiving end of jealousy before. It was a strange feeling, but also an exhilarating one. Sura wondered what Ursa was thinking and what she was going to do next.
While Sura's mind was filled with the anticipation of her thoughts, her gaze was fixed upon Orion. With a quick and nimble movement, she refocused her attention just before Ursa could take notice. Without a moment's hesitation, she leaned in once more for a passionate kiss, brimming with an intense desire that had been building deep within her.
When their lips met, Sura took control, dominating Orion's tongue with hers. With each passing moment, her actions grew more intense, cupping his cheeks firmly in her hands. The kiss continued for a full minute, the heat between them growing more and more intense with each passing second.
Finally, with a deliberate effort, they broke off the kiss, with Orion emerging as the victor of their heated battle. However, this time around, it was Sura who took the initiative, rolling her tongue against the saliva bridge that connected their lips together. With one swift gulp, she swallowed it down her throat, savouring the taste of their passionate kiss.
Orion found himself completely intoxicated by Sura's bold and unexpected move, and without thinking, he instinctively gulped down. He watched in amazement as Sura licked away his saliva from her lips before withdrawing her tongue back into her mouth, a smile on her face.
Out of nowhere, a voice that they all recognized pierced the silence above them, causing Sura, Orion, and even Ursa - who had just snapped out of her daydreaming - to jump back in a jolt of shock and surprise.
"You kids are really full of surprises, aren't you?" The familiar voice continued with a sly grin, enjoying the reaction it had provoked from the trio.
In an instant, the trio's attention snapped upward, following the sound of the voice that appeared to originate from the tree. As they looked on, their eyes beheld a truly bizarre sight: a face that eerily mirrored the Tree nymph they had just encountered, jutted out from the bark, observing them with a quizzical expression. "You know," the face spoke, its lips moving in time with the words, "although I've seen you guys have kushi countless times, I've never seen a proposal quite as forceful as that." Despite being etched onto the rough surface of the tree, the face was surprisingly animated, imbued with a life-like quality that had captivated the trio from the start.
"We're sorry for bothering you. We'll leave now so you can rest," Orion spoke with a sense of urgency. Even though the tree nymph hadn't shown any signs of hostility and had even entertained their presence, Orion believed it was best to err on the side of caution. After all, Fiona and Mr Tog wouldn't have warned them about the potential danger of tree nymphs if they weren't a threat.
Although Orion was curious and wanted to approach the tree nymph to gain a deeper understanding of its nature, he knew it was wise to keep his distance for now. It was better to be safe than sorry.
The tree nymph chuckled in response to Orion's apology before rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Didn't I say I wasn't in the mood to deal with you kids?" she retorted. She scanned the trio with a critical eye before continuing, "However, I'm willing to make an exception. I'm only interested in the names of the individuals who made such a bold proposal in front of my tree," she gazed at Orion and Sura intently, "as well as the witness to this event." Her attention then shifted to Ursa, who involuntarily recoiled in panic before regaining her composure.
As the tree nymph's request hung in the air, Orion nodded in understanding before introducing himself. "My name is Orion," he said, gesturing for Sura to follow suit. Sura obliged, introducing herself with a friendly smile. In situations like this, there was no harm in a tree nymph knowing their names - unless, of course, they had a grudge against one another. But it seemed unlikely in this case, as they were hardly enemies and barely knew each other.
Ursa, too, chimed in with her introduction. "My name is Ursa," she said, her voice steady despite the earlier scare. With introductions out of the way, the group waited in silence for the tree nymph's next move.
The tree nymph, Dariya, looked down at the trio of young adults with a hint of amusement. "Nice to meet you all. I am Dariya, the tree nymph of this tree," she introduced herself with a nod. As she studied the group, she couldn't help but feel a certain fondness for Orion. Despite Sura's less striking appearance, Orion had been drawn to her for reasons that went beyond mere physical attraction. It was refreshing to see someone look beyond the surface level.
