Demonic Po*nstar System Chapter 1043: Unruly Hearts

On the cushioned bench in Kaiden’s room, Yunohana listened to her own heartbeat while his thumb rested beside her neck.

It was racing.

She hadn’t noticed until he asked. Now she could feel every beat, each one far too forceful for a woman sitting down and receiving a perfectly pleasant massage.

’What is happening to me...?’

Yunohana straightened so abruptly that her hair slipped off her shoulder. For a moment, she wanted to get up, walk somewhere, and give her heart an opportunity to behave itself.

Then she remembered that she was sitting between his knees with her robe lowered to her waist.

Getting up would require rather more thought.

"Yunohana? Are you alright?"

Kaiden had stopped moving his hand. His concern reached her through the confusion, and she looked back at him while keeping the front of her robe against her chest.

"Yes. Of course."

He studied her face.

"Are you sure?"

"I believe it may be the healing."

"The healing?"

"Mm." Yunohana nodded to him with considerably more confidence than she felt. "I lost quite a lot of blood today. Perhaps my heart is working harder to circulate what remains."

That sounded sensible enough. Certainly more sensible than the possibility that being held by a young man had caused her body to forget how to behave.

"I see. Should I stop and let you rest?"

She glanced at his hand, still waiting beside her neck.

"You may continue. It was helping."

Kaiden’s mouth curved into a grin.

"Alright."

He gathered her fallen hair away from her shoulder, then resumed the gentle pressure beside her neck. Yunohana faced forward and tried to pay attention to the relief spreading through the aching muscle.

Her eyes closed as his thumb eased over the spot.

She had never been in love. There had been studies, responsibilities, people depending on her, and very little time left to wonder what she might be missing. She had been content to leave such matters for some later, less occupied version of herself.

Now she was sitting half-undressed in her guest’s arms, attempting to explain her pulse with blood loss.

Yunohana opened her eyes.

Surely there ought to be a more gradual process before a woman found herself in this situation.

"Too much?" he asked, easing the pressure.

"No. That feels wonderful."

"Good. I’m trying very hard to keep my privileges."

Her lips curved.

"You have been much more careful with my shoulder than with my hair."

"Truth be told, I was testing you back there. Wanted to see if you’d be a proper lady and not let me brush your hair like a wet dog’s."

Yunohana turned her head toward him with the same robotic motion and scrutinized him. "A terrible jest."

Kaiden felt a thousand invisible nails penetrate his body with utmost violence.

"Okay, I take it back," he chuckled behind her, and she felt the movement of his chest against her back.

Her heart answered so enthusiastically that she nearly lost her strict expression. She quickly snapped her head forward so he couldn’t see her face.

He was only laughing. She had made him laugh several times already.

Why should it affect her so much now?

Yunohana lowered her gaze to the arm supporting her. She liked the warmth of it, the care he took when she shifted, the fact that he kept checking whether she was comfortable.

She had enjoyed being close to him before he mentioned her pulse. Now she was trying to understand that enjoyment, and every touch made concentrating harder.

"Kaiden..."

"Hm?"

"I think there may be something wrong with me."

His hand paused.

"Your shoulder?"

"No. My shoulder is just a scrape."

She waited, hoping she might find a dignified way to explain the rest. His thumb rested against her skin while he gave her time to speak.

"I am having a little difficulty calming down," she finally admitted.

"Yeah..." he murmured in response. "I think there’s something wrong with me too."

Yunohana turned toward him at once.

"Are you hurting again?"

"No." His smile softened at her concern. "I’m enjoying spending time with you a lot more than I expected."

Her fingers tightened on the robe.

"Oh."

Kaiden resumed the massage while she looked forward again. He had said it simply, without asking her to explain herself in return, and she was grateful for that.

She was also becoming terribly interested in what he meant by ’a lot.’

"I am too old to be behaving so foolishly," she whispered.

"What does your age have to do with enjoying yourself?"

"Kaiden."

"I’m serious."

Yunohana glanced back at him, looking for the teasing in his face. He met her eyes with a warmth that made her lose the first few words of her reply.

"I could be your mother," she managed. "It is ridiculous."

"People do tell me I’m more mature than my age suggests."

She gave a soft, disbelieving scoff.

"Who?"

"That sounded very skeptical."

"I have spent enough time with you to have concerns about their judgment."

Kaiden chuckled, and Yunohana tried to retain her severity while his amusement stirred her hair.

"You see? You are making jokes, and I am trying to have a serious conversation."

"I know." His voice gentled. "I’m a little nervous."

She stopped trying to look stern.

"You are?"

"Mm. I don’t really know what to make of this either. Let me show you something."

Kaiden leaned closer, easing his supporting arm around her over the robe. Yunohana let herself rest back against him, her uninjured shoulder fitting beneath his chin.

Kaiden’s hands joined together before Yunohana’s collarbones as he hugged her. He held her carefully, giving her room to settle without pulling at the arm she’d hurt.

"Can you feel it?"

Yunohana went still in his arms.

At first, she could only hear her own pulse. Then she felt the quicker, heavier beat against her back, distinct from the gentle rise of his breathing.

Her eyes widened.

He was sitting so calmly behind her, his fingers warm against her skin, and his heart was making an utter mess of that composure.

"Oh..."

She rested more fully against his chest, listening through the contact. His pulse kept racing.

"It’s just like mine..."

Yunohana had been so bewildered by her own reaction that she hadn’t considered he might be struggling with the same thing. She’d thought his smile meant he was perfectly on top of the situation.

He was holding her while he worked it out too.

"I see..."

The knowledge brought a tenderness that made her want to turn and look at him again. For a while, she stayed where she was, allowing herself to feel his heartbeat without trying to explain either of theirs away.

"Still think it’s the healing?" he asked softly.

Her mouth trembled with an embarrassed smile.

"I would prefer not to discuss that diagnosis any further."

"Of course."

Yunohana carefully lifted her left hand and patted the back of his where it rested before her neck. She left her fingers there, resting lightly over his.

"I’m... How do you propose we proceed...?"

Kaiden tilted his head to see her face.

"I confess I am rather lost," she whispered. "I don’t know what I ought to do."

"We could give ourselves some time."

She watched him, waiting.

"Get some proper rest first," he continued. "Then, if you’d like to, we could go on a date."

"A date?"

"Just the two of us. Somewhere you’d enjoy."

Yunohana studied his face. She had expected to feel even more flustered by whatever he suggested, but the invitation was so gentle that she found herself considering it.

She could meet him after they’d rested. Choose something she would like to do, spend time with him, and discover whether she still felt this foolish when he smiled at her across a table.

The thought made her happy.

"Would that be enough?" she asked.

"Spending time with you? I’d be looking forward to it."

His hand stayed beneath hers, and the arm around her tightened just the slightest bit, as if to punctuate his statement.

Just like that, he waited for her answer with the same care he’d shown her injured shoulder.

Yunohana’s smile softened.

She was sitting in his arms, uncertain enough to admit that she needed help, and he was offering to court her properly.

Many men might have taken her willingness to remain in their arms as encouragement to ask for more. Kaiden treated her like a proper lady, giving her time to understand her feelings before she acted on them.

Yunohana liked him for that. She liked it enough that her answer came more easily than she’d expected.

"I think I’d like that."

Kaiden smiled, and she felt his fingers shift beneath hers.

"But only with the blessing of those five," Yunohana added. "They love you dearly. I would be very unhappy if our time together caused them pain."

He was in full agreement.

"Naturally. I promised them I’d never court anyone without their permission."

"...Good." She looked down at their hands, relieved that he understood. There was enough uncertainty in her chest already; she wanted to be able to look his women in the eyes when they returned.

Kaiden leaned a little closer.

"You do realize what this means, correct? You’ll have to earn their approval~"

His playful whisper brushed her ear, and Yunohana shuddered before she could stop herself.

"Kaiden..."

"Yes?"

She turned toward him with a pout.

"Would you please stop teasing me? I am trying very hard to remain sensible."

"I’ll try my best."

His grin made her want to scold him again. "Hmph..." She faced forward instead, keeping her hand over his while her traitorous heart beat even faster beneath his fingers.

"I’m such a silly woman..." Yunohana Tsukikage exhaled, defeated by her own desire. "I agreed to go on a date with the son of my friend..."

"She’ll be overjoyed to hear the news, I’m sure," Kaiden grinned.

Yunohana’s lips trembled wryly.

"Your optimism is enviable. I believe she’ll strangle me."

"My adorable mother? Perish the thought~"

"...I’m in grave danger."