Chapter 19
After the dance ended, Jepack noticed no one was paying attention to him anymore. In a flash, he appeared beside Guina, who was just about to take her first sip of wine.
He snatched the cup from her hand and said with mock sternness: "You're getting bold, huh? Daring to drink again?"
Guina calmly picked up another cup, took a big gulp, and looked at him with a playful, slightly spoiled tone: "It's fine~ It's fine~ Everyone's so happy—I just want a little. Just a tiny bit! Besides, you're here, right?"
The very next second, she slowly tipped backward. Jepack quickly caught her, holding her steady, and shook his head with a smile.
He gently pinched her small, cute nose: "You've even learned how to act spoiled now, haven't you~?"
"Jepack, stop it!"
Guina swatted his hand away from her nose, mumbling through her haze.
"Such a cute little dummy… but at least you didn't make a scene this time!"
With that, Jepack scanned the crowd for Nami and Nojiko. He only spotted Nojiko quietly drinking in the corner. Carrying Guina, he walked over to her.
"Nojiko, Guina's drunk. Can we leave her at your place for a bit?"
Nojiko: "Of course! Follow me."
Jepack followed her back to Nami's house and laid Guina down in Nami's room.
As they stepped into the hallway, both spoke at the same time:
"You—"
"Uh… what were you going to say?"
They both stopped, falling silent, staring at each other.
The atmosphere suddenly felt… different.
"Let's go for a walk."
Jepack spoke first, heading toward the door.
Nojiko quietly followed behind.
"Oh—right!"
Jepack suddenly remembered something and turned back to ask her.
The sudden spin caught Nojiko off guard—she walked straight into him.
Worried she might fall, Jepack caught her in his arms.
At 170 cm, Nojiko looked small and delicate in the arms of the 193 cm Jepack.
"You okay?"
Nojiko's mind flashed back to the afternoon. Her face flushed instantly.
She tried to pull away but was held firmly.
"I… I'm fine. Can you… let go now?"
After struggling unsuccessfully, she asked timidly.
"Sorry!"
Jepack quickly released her, though he couldn't help lingering on the feeling in his hands.
Seeing her shrink back shyly, he changed the subject:
"Right—I was going to ask: where's Nami? I haven't seen her."
"She left right after the party started. I don't know where she went, but I have a feeling you'll find her somewhere late at night."
Nojiko answered, her blush fading as the topic shifted.
They chatted casually and walked out together—this time side by side.
When they reached the depths of the orange grove, surrounded by large, ripe fruit, Jepack remembered Nojiko's whispered words from the afternoon. He stopped, found a secluded patch of grass, and sat down. Looking at Nojiko as she sat beside him, he smiled:
"So… about that sweet treat you promised me—the oranges I like so much?"
"Um~ Here it is!"
Nojiko pulled an orange from behind her and handed it to him.
Jepack looked her up and down playfully: "Is that really it? I'm disappointed then. I don't just like sweet oranges, you know~"
Nojiko could barely hold his gaze anymore.
Seeing her reaction, Jepack stopped teasing and looked up at the starry sky, thinking to himself:
So cute. She looks like a mature older sister, but she's really just a fledgling bird who hasn't learned to fly yet.
The air grew quiet.
Just as Jepack was about to lie back, Nojiko suddenly grabbed both his hands with unexpected courage—and then did nothing else.
Jepack froze, surprised she'd made the first move.
After a moment, he looked at her flushed face, leaned down, and gently kissed her cheek.
Nojiko froze too—she clearly hadn't expected him to kiss her, but she could feel the affection behind it.
Then she leaned in and kissed his lips.
Jepack returned her passion.
Deep in the orange grove, the two shared a long, heated kiss…
Time passed quickly.
Three hours later…
"Is someone there?"
Jepack looked up—it was Nami. She must be heading to the place Nojiko mentioned.
When no one answered, Nami came closer. She was sure she'd heard Jepack and Nojiko's voices earlier.
Jepack didn't want Nami to find out about this while Nojiko was asleep. He racked his brain for a solution.
Suddenly, inspiration struck—maybe he could test the space coordinate he'd randomly placed earlier?
He quickly tidied up the grass, picked up the sleeping Nojiko, and mentally selected "Use Space Gate" from the system storage.
"Coordinate confirmed. Teleporting…"
The next instant, they were back inside Nami's house.
So that's how it works!
Jepack finally understood the space coordinate function.
Nojiko mumbled something in her sleep in his arms, but he didn't catch it.
He laid her gently in her own room, then left without disturbing her.
He returned to the room where Guina was sleeping peacefully. Squatting beside her bed, he gazed at her adorable face and gently stroked her hair.
"You were really good this time—no fussing, no complaining about being hot."
After watching her for a while, he left a glass of warm water on the bedside table in both rooms, then headed back to the village center to rejoin the party.
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