Chapter 17: Couple Bond

Aaron stared at her expressionlessly.

’Wait. That’s a little too extreme. This isn’t a Couple Bond anymore. It’s practically a marriage bond!’

He did his best to maintain a nonchalant expression, but his widened eyes betrayed him. Velma, meanwhile, watched him expectantly, seemingly waiting for his response.

He hadn’t anticipated this. Not in his wildest imagination. But he knew he couldn’t remain silent forever. After all, Velma had just proposed something that went far beyond an ordinary confession of affection.

It was almost a love confession.

A love confession he wasn’t entirely sure how to respond to.

Aaron cleared his throat.

"Don’t get me wrong. I want us to form a bond, too. But considering the requirements and the fact that it’s irreversible, I think... I think it’s not something we should rush into. Besides, I don’t think you need my strength for anything."

Velma frowned.

"Of course I don’t need your strength."

She held his gaze intently before leaning closer to his face.

"I just want you for myself."

Aaron chuckled awkwardly.

"What’s that supposed to mean, Vel?"

Velma sighed.

"I’m leaving for the Dungeon soon. Maybe in two days. And considering how things work there, we might not see each other again for several years."

Aaron nodded slowly.

"And?"

For a brief moment, something possessive and almost desperate flashed across Velma’s face.

"I don’t want you bonding with or getting involved with another girl while we’re apart."

Aaron raised an eyebrow, thoroughly confused.

"What? We’re not even in a relationship! You don’t own me."

Velma’s eyes widened in disbelief.

"I don’t own you, but apparently, I’m good enough for you to fondle my boobs!"

Aaron immediately shifted away from her, putting a little distance between them.

"That... That was months ago! And you always acted like you hated it, so I stopped."

Velma moved closer, closing the gap he’d just created.

"If I hated it, I wouldn’t have let you get away with it for so long that your sister actually walked in on us!"

"Besides, who told you to stop?" Velma exclaimed, her voice rising louder than she’d intended. "You had so many opportunities to touch me or invite me to your room, but you never did! How is that not your fault?"

Aaron instinctively shifted away again.

"Velma, please lower your voice."

But she wasn’t listening.

"You just abandoned me after running your hands all over me!"

Aaron raised an index finger, looking as though he were about to correct a particularly serious factual error.

"The boobs. Just the boobs. I didn’t touch your entire body."

Velma froze.

For several seconds, she stared at him in utter bewilderment.

Then her expression changed.

"Do you honestly think I was asleep when you touched me months ago? Or that I didn’t notice you peeking whenever I was getting dressed or taking a bath?"

Aaron froze.

’Damn it! She knew all along and never said a word?!’

Without wasting another second, he lowered his head apologetically.

"I’m... I’m really sorry for everything I did. Please forgive me."

Velma stared at him, momentarily stunned. Then she frowned.

"Don’t apologize. I actually enjoyed it."

Aaron raised his head, a flicker of confusion crossing his face.

’What?’

A tinge of red appeared on Velma’s cheeks as she awkwardly averted her gaze continuing in a lower tone.

"I’m a person with feelings too, you know. Just like you enjoy touching me, I also enjoy being touched. Every time you squeezed my breast, I feel the overwhelming urge to rub my buttocks against your willy. Every time you touched me when I pretended to sleep, my feel vagina pulsate with wetness and my clitoris yearning to be touched. And every time I feel your eyes on me when I take a bath, I get extremely soaked down there. And when I say soaked, I don’t mean my body."

She smiled lewdly as she inched closer to him.

"Aaron, you made me feel this way, and you must take responsibility for it."

Aaron speechlessly stared at her with his jaw hanging open.

’She’s... She’s crazier and more perverted than I am!’

For the first time in a long while, he genuinely had no idea what to say.

Velma continued watching him with that curious, slightly mischievous smile, apparently enjoying his discomfort.

Desperate to say something—anything—Aaron blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"Then... you should’ve refused Abigail’s invitation and stayed here instead."

Velma raised an eyebrow.

"And let her think I’m a slut? No, thank you."

She fell silent for a moment before adding,

"Besides, I suspect your sister is a bit of a brocon. She’s unusually attached to you, in her own way. If I’d refused her invitation, she might have started suspecting me even more. For all I know, she could’ve tried to poison me or simply stopped cooperating with us."

She shrugged lightly.

"Accepting her invitation was the most sensible option."

Aaron nodded slowly.

He couldn’t deny that she had a point.

Abigail was extremely fond of him and held him in high regard. He knew perfectly well that she hadn’t arranged for Velma to stay in her room out of kindness or concern for Velma’s comfort. She had done it because she was wary of his questionable tendencies and didn’t want him getting too close to Velma.

From her perspective, her concerns were entirely reasonable.

Velma was a beautiful, suspiciously talented girl with an unclear background whom they’d only recently met. Abigail had no reason to trust her completely, much less encourage a relationship between her and her younger brother.

There was no way she’d willingly allow that to happen.

’But wait...’

Aaron stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"I know I touched you inappropriately, but are you absolutely certain these feelings aren’t just the result of the hormones in your teenage body? Maybe it’s just puberty?"

Velma stared at him expressionlessly.

"No, it isn’t. I’ve lived to nineteen before, Aaron. I know what teenage hormones feel like."

She sighed and drew in a deep breath.

"You remember what I said earlier about trusting you and believing in you?"

Aaron nodded.

"Well, I meant every word. I have a very strong intuition, and something tells me that if I leave without taking this step with you, I’ll eventually regret it."

She leaned closer and gently placed her palm against his cheek.

"Or..." Her voice softened. "Do you simply not like me enough?"

Aaron hesitantly looked away, unable to maintain her intense gaze.

After a moment, he reached up, gently took her hand, and lowered it from his cheek.

Velma’s expression paled.

"It’s not that, Vel. I really do like you."

Aaron hesitated before continuing.

"It’s just... my friend Ren. He’s hopelessly in love with you, and there’s a good chance we’ll run into him again in this world. I don’t want to do something that would make him feel betrayed."

For a moment, Velma simply stared at him.

Then her eyes widened in realization as a bright smile spread across her face. She gently slipped her hand free from Aaron’s grasp before reaching up to cup his jaw, guiding his face back toward hers.

This time, she left him with little opportunity to avoid her gaze.

She leaned closer, until their faces were only inches apart, and whispered softly:

"And how exactly is that supposed to affect us? We like each other, Aaron. That’s good enough."