A Hero Who Returns But Is Out Of Place

As dawn began to break, the sunlight gradually seeped through the gaps in the curtains, illuminating a room where a woman lay in silence. She was dressed in a snug pink combat outfit that accentuated her slender figure. Asuka, lying on a bed that was not her own, began to stir slowly. Her eyelids fluttered, then opened gradually, revealing her bright brown eyes gazing at the unfamiliar ceiling.

"Hngh~…" Her groan sounded weak, almost like a whisper as she pulled herself up from the bed. Her brown hair tumbled wildly around her shoulders, giving her a look that was both untamed and alluring. Asuka stretched her arms above her head, then yawned widely, her breath escaping in a lazy sigh. "Anh… Why does my head feel like it's been hit with a hammer?" she mumbled, gently massaging her temples in an attempt to ease the throbbing in her head.

At that moment, awareness began to flood in, and memories from the previous night came rushing back suddenly, like a flood that arrived without warning. "Huh?" Asuka jolted, her body tensing as scenes from the night before inundated her mind, causing her face to flush rapidly. "Awawaawa! Stupid Asuka! Why did you do something so embarrassing?!" Her small cry filled the room, echoing off the silent walls.

She clutched a pillow tightly, feeling as though she wanted to hide from the world. Her cheeks were flushed, a colour that seemed unlikely to fade anytime soon. "This is really crazy," she whispered to herself, shaking her head in panic.

Gradually, her awareness returned fully, and she realised where she was. This was Kaoru's room. Her still-flushed face quickly scanned the room, searching for the room's owner, though her heart was full of profound embarrassment. Nevertheless, her curiosity couldn't be suppressed.

A noise from the kitchen suddenly drew her attention, prompting her to move slowly towards the door. Carefully, Asuka cracked the door open just enough to peek into the kitchen through the narrow gap.

There, stood Kaoru. He was wearing a red apron that contrasted with his towering height of 190 cm. His dishevelled silver hair glistened in the morning sunlight, and his bright red eyes sparkled with a mysterious gleam. His sharply defined and characterful face added to his striking appearance. Kaoru looked calm, dressed in the same white shirt he had worn the night before, which made his presence even more captivating.

Asuka couldn't help but be mesmerised. There was something so refreshing and calming about seeing Kaoru in the kitchen, engaged in what seemed like a mundane task, yet still remarkably enchanting. The stark difference in their heights seemed to vanish in Asuka's awe of the scene before her.

Kaoru, who seemed to have been aware of Asuka's presence from the start, offered a faint smile. "Ahem… You may come out, Asuka-san," his deep, controlled voice shattered Asuka's reverie.

-Braaaak!

Asuka was startled, and in her minor panic, she slipped and fell while trying to open the door wider. Her awkward fall made her face turn even redder. The rising embarrassment made her feel as though she wanted to disappear into the floor.

Kaoru couldn't suppress a small laugh that escaped his lips, a warm and soothing sound. "You're really cute, Asuka-san," he said with a teasing tone, still chuckling as he watched Asuka awkwardly try to compose herself.

Asuka quickly got to her feet, her face now as red as a tomato, her eyes blinking rapidly as she avoided direct eye contact with Kaoru. "I… I didn't mean to… I just…" Her words faltered, as if they evaporated into the air, leaving her stammering without direction.

Kaoru, noticing Asuka's nervousness, couldn't help but smile faintly. A mischievous idea crossed his mind, and his red eyes sparkled with playfulness as he observed Asuka. He watched as the girl awkwardly twirled the ends of her hair, trying to dispel her embarrassment in a sweet manner.

"Honestly," Kaoru began in a low, teasing voice, "you were very wild last night."

"Huh?" Asuka was startled, her eyes widening in confusion. Suddenly, an intense heat struck her, making her face flush even more, as if steam might start coming out of her head. "W-What happened last night? Tell me!" she demanded in a panicked tone, her voice rising with a mixture of fear and curiosity.

Kaoru looked at her with an unreadable expression, seemingly enjoying Asuka's overreaction. "Oh, you really don't remember?" he said with a tone that seemed to be intentionally enigmatic, leaving Asuka tossing in anxiety.

Asuka felt her body heating up further, unsure of how to handle the situation. "Kaoru! Stop playing around! What actually happened?!" she demanded desperately, her trembling voice clearly betraying how serious she was about finding out.

Kaoru finally laughed softly, the deep, soothing laughter flowing from his lips. "Calm down, Asuka. I was just kidding. Nothing happened, you were just drunk and fell asleep," he said with a gentler tone.

Asuka fell silent, her overwhelming embarrassment enveloping her. She realised she had been led on by Kaoru's joke and now felt both foolish and relieved. "You're really evil, Kaoru!" she exclaimed, half annoyed and half embarrassed, before turning to hide her face with both hands, trying to calm herself.

Kaoru, still smiling, approached her. "I'm sorry, Asuka. But your reaction was just too adorable," he said, his voice full of sincere warmth.

Asuka peeked from behind her hands, looking at Kaoru with eyes still full of mixed emotions, but this time with a small smile on her face. "You really know how to make someone uncomfortable," she replied softly, finally smiling broadly despite her still flushed cheeks.

Their breakfast that morning was simple but unexpectedly warm. After enjoying the meal, Asuka prepared to leave. Though mixed feelings still lingered in her heart, she knew she had to continue her day. Before she truly departed, they exchanged Line numbers, as a guarantee that Asuka would find someone to repair Kaoru's old smartphone.

"I'm quite sad, since there's no one left for me to tease," Kaoru pouted with a teasing smile, his eyes playfully watching Asuka.

"You!" Asuka nearly exploded again, but she took a deep breath, trying to control her easily ignited emotions whenever faced with Kaoru. "Forget it, I'm definitely not coming back!" she said firmly, though there was a slight tremor in her voice.

"Hee~ Are you sure?" Kaoru challenged her with a thin smile, as if knowing that her words might be harder to follow through than Asuka realised.

"Sure!" Asuka responded with determination, trying to convince herself as much as she was trying to convince Kaoru.

"Very well," Kaoru shrugged, pretending to give up. "Just make sure to contact me if you find someone who can repair my smartphone, alright? Don't forget!"

"Annoying! I know already!" Asuka answered quickly, slightly irritated by Kaoru's teasing manner. Despite this, a small smile lingered on her face as she turned and began to walk out.

As Asuka closed the door behind her, she couldn't suppress the small smile that appeared on her lips. Somehow, despite Kaoru's annoying tendencies, there was something enjoyable about their interaction. Something that made her heart beat faster.