Chapter 1 ….

Q: Describe the embarrassment one would naturally feel in a situation where, since childhood, you’ve seen every possible “unseemly sight” of your childhood friend, and now you’re alone in the same bed, in an atmosphere that feels like something must inevitably happen between you.

A: ……(unable to describe)

Rea Flynn felt exactly like that. Of course, she was the one who readily accepted the marriage proposal—and also the one who had pushed for the wedding.

But now that she was actually in this situation, she was utterly mortified. It felt like crossing a line that should never be crossed—committing some kind of taboo.

Rea muttered without realizing it.

“……This is kind of weird.”

“What is?”

“Well…… there’s only one bed.”

And it wasn’t just “a bed.” It was a massive bed wide enough to roll around on several times, with pillars on all four sides and lace decorations. That wasn’t all—rose petals were scattered across silk sheets, and multiple candles flickered from an ornate silver candlestick on the table.

It was a scene that felt like it was blessing the happy beginning of a newlywed couple—so much so that it was almost eerie.

Unlike Rea, Kevin Tillman, her ten-year childhood friend who had spent his adolescence with her, reacted indifferently.

“Of course there’s only one bed. It’s the bed for a married couple’s first night.”

“R-right.”

“Why? Nervous now?”

Kevin let out a faint laugh, and Rea shook her head.

“No, it’s not like I’ve never slept in the same room as you before.”

“Anyone hearing that would misunderstand. Back then, we were just idiots going on trips and sleeping in the same place with everyone.”

“But we still slept in the same room.”

“Go up first.”

“…Huh?”

Rea stammered, unable to finish her sentence, and Kevin continued with a playful expression.

“What, don’t tell me you want me to carry you up?”

“W-wha—of course not!”

Flustered far more than necessary, Rea climbed onto the bed. The thin nightgown she was wearing made a faint rustling sound as it slid against the silk sheets.

‘It’s already bad enough that this outfit is so thin…’

Meanwhile, Kevin lay down beside her completely unconcerned.

Maybe she really was overreacting. Rea forced herself to ignore the warmth of his presence and looked up at the ceiling instead.

Above the bed was a mythological, sacred scene painted as if by a master artist pouring out their very soul.

‘As expected of the Tillman family… even the bed is basically a work of art.’

As she stared blankly at the ceiling painting, she finally felt her tension easing.

“Rea, I didn’t know you liked that kind of painting.”

“That kind of painting?”

Rea widened her eyes. The ceiling suddenly didn’t look so sacred anymore.

Sacred, my foot. It was a depiction of primal man and woman following natural instinct.

“I’d say there’s nothing wrong with that kind of preference.”

“No, no, what! I was just looking at it from a purely artistic curiosity…!”

Kevin burst out laughing. Rea quietly stared at his face.

Under his bluish-black hair was skin so pale it looked like porcelain, and sharply refined features as if sculpted.

His lake-like blue eyes looked unusually deep. Long, delicate eyelashes cast faint shadows over them.

And those lips—red like a flower petal soaked in blood—were the most striking feature of Kevin Tillman, known as the greatest beauty of the McLin Kingdom.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

At Kevin’s low voice, Rea flinched.

“Ah, no. Nothing.”

“Do I look better up close?”

“Well, that’s not wrong… but it’s kind of annoying when you say it yourself.”

Kevin laughed again. After exchanging jokes for a while, Rea began to feel that her earlier tension had been foolish.

She and Kevin were each other’s best friends. There was no way that relationship would easily change just because they were married.

‘Maybe what I felt at the wedding was just nerves after all.’

“Alright, I’ll turn off the lights.”

Just as Rea said that and turned away in relief, Kevin rustled and moved closer.

“Don’t turn it off yet.”

“Huh?”

“We still haven’t done what we need to do.”

“What we need to do…?”

Kevin slowly sat up. Under the pale blue moonlight shining through the window, his nightgown slipped down, revealing his well-built male body.

A sharply defined neck and collarbone beneath damp black hair, broad shoulders, a well-developed chest, and a tightly toned abdomen.

As if noticing her gaze, Kevin curled one corner of his lips upward.

“We’re married now.”

His body slowly moved over hers. Trapped completely within the space between his arms, Rea saw a dangerously alluring face whisper.

“We should do what matches that status.”

‘W-what is he even saying?!’

Rea wanted to shout, but no sound came out. Her heart dropped violently, and her mind descended into chaos.

While she was still frozen in confusion, Kevin’s hot hand grabbed her shoulder. The sudden touch made her heart pound wildly.

Just as she was about to lose herself in the sweet scent coming from him, Rea clung to her last shred of reason.

“W-wait! Why?!”

“We’re… that kind of relationship now, aren’t we?”

Kevin narrowed his eyes and smiled sweetly. Rea, almost swayed by that smile again, barely managed to respond.

“What… why… you’re not interested in this kind of thing…”

Kevin Tillman—though he had never admitted it himself even once—was widely known by the nickname: “either impotent or homosexual.”

In fact, that was more than half the reason she had agreed to this marriage contract without hesitation.

Rea swallowed hard and asked the decisive question—the one she had never dared to ask directly.

“Y-you… you didn’t like Pedro or something?”

Kevin shrugged as if hearing something completely unfamiliar.

“What are you talking about? Who’s Pedro?”

“What?”

Rea’s mouth fell open.

“You don’t remember Pedro?”

“Who is that?”

“My ex-fiancé! You said you liked my man! That’s why my engagement got called off!”

Only then did it seem to ring a bell. Kevin frowned and shook his head.

“What nonsense.”

“……”

“I hated that guy, actually.”

With an unexpected answer, Rea’s mind spiraled into confusion. In front of her eyes, Kevin’s lips—slightly wet and red—approached.

Those lips moved as he spoke.

“I… want to kiss you.”

Rea’s face flushed red in an instant.

She couldn’t understand it at all.

‘If I’ve regressed, why is he the one suddenly acting weird…?’