They passed by storage crates and tall shelves with artifacts wrapped in protective cloths. The sterile, dimly lit atmosphere made everything feel more secretive, like she was sneaking into something forbidden. Finally, Daiya stopped before a large case, gesturing toward it with a dramatic flourish. "Ta-da," he said, his voice full of smug satisfaction. He leaned back against a nearby wall, arms crossed as he watched her reaction.
Inside the case, illuminated under soft museum lighting, was a pristine, incredibly rare artifact—a Mesopotamian clay prism covered in ancient cuneiform script. But this wasn't just any artifact. It was one of the few surviving Kudurru boundary stones, an object so rare she'd only seen photos of it in textbooks. The markings depicted land grants from a Babylonian king, and its historical significance was monumental.
"No way," she breathed, moving closer to the display in awe. "That's a Kudurru." Yurina could hardly contain her excitement as she traced the faint outline of the script with her gaze. "I can't believe they have one of these here. This is incredible. Do you know how rare these are? Most of them were lost or destroyed!"
Like the history enthusiast she was, she immediately started gushing over the historical significance, the details of the inscriptions, and how they were used to mark land boundaries in ancient Mesopotamia. She pulled out her notepad, fully prepared to jot down every little detail, but it quickly became apparent that writing wouldn't be enough. "Can I take a picture?"
"Have at it, freshman."
Pulling out her phone, she snapped a few pictures from different angles, trying to capture the inscriptions as clearly as possible. "This is amazing," she whispered, more to herself than Daiya. She crouched down a bit, angling her phone to get another shot. "I mean, this is history right in front of us. Thousands of years old. Can you imagine the stories tied to this thing? The people who saw it back then? What it meant to them?"
Daiya didn't respond right away. When Yurina glanced up at him, he was still leaning against the wall, his eyes fixed on her with an odd intensity. "You're really into this, aren't you?"
She nodded, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she stood straighter. "Yeah, I mean… it's all connected, you know? Anthropology is about understanding people—their histories, cultures, and why they do what they do. And if I can understand that, I can use it in law to help people." She felt her cheeks warm as she continued, but she couldn't help it. Talking about her future plans always did that to her, made her more animated than usual. "Like, I know it sounds kind of far-fetched, but understanding the past helps you understand how to deal with people now. It can make me a better lawyer, more empathetic, you know?"
She glanced at Daiya to see how much of it was sinking in, expecting him to be bored or uninterested. But to her surprise, he wasn't just listening—he was really listening.
Why is he staring at me like that? Her face grew warmer, and she shifted her weight, unsure what to do with her hands. Then, with that same smooth, confident ease, he spoke. "You're really pretty, you know that?"
The words hit her like a punch to the gut, knocking the breath out of her for a second. "I'm still mad at you." Maybe if she said it enough, she'd believe it more.
"Yeah, I'm aware of that. But you've gotta admit, I'm trying pretty hard to make up for it." Yurina opened her mouth to retort and tell him that she wasn't buying it, but nothing came out. Instead, she swallowed hard, suddenly feeling too warm in the room, like the heat was blasting directly at her.
"Well... thanks for this, I guess," she muttered, glancing away as she gestured toward the rare artifact he'd shown her. "That's the least I can do, even if I'm still furious with you."
Daiya's hand suddenly reached out, and before she could react, he pulled her in closer. "I want to make it up to you even more."
She could see exactly where this was going. And as much as she wanted to be angry, to push him away, her body betrayed her. Why wasn't it easier to say no?
His hand slid up her skirt, his palm warm against the skin of her thigh. "How about it, freshman? Want to let me make things right?"
A shudder ran through her body, and her eyes darted toward the door, worried someone might see. "Here? Seriously?"
"Yeah, seriously." He silenced her with a kiss, drowning out her protests as his hand smacked painfully against her bare thigh. His teeth dug into her bottom lip, and he gave it a harsh tug before pulling away, leaving her mouth hanging open. "I'm willing to bet no one is gonna come back here. So stop worrying so much, and let me make you feel good."
Wet kisses trailed down her neck, igniting a trail of warmth wherever his lips touched. His hands squeezed and explored, making their way under her skirt as he lowered himself to his knees. Her leg was lifted onto his shoulder, giving him easy access. "W-Wait—"
"Quiet, sweetheart." She was still mad at him, wasn't she? Then why was it getting so hard to think straight?
Teasingly, Daiya dragged his tongue along the fabric covering her, feeling the dampness through the cotton. He pressed a few soft, chaste kisses to her mound before taking the thin strip of cloth between his teeth and slowly tugging it aside. "I barely touched you, and you're already this wet." He grinned, his breath hot against her skin. "That's cute."
With the fabric pulled aside, his tongue darted out to lick a slow, broad stripe up the center of her slit. She let out a shaky breath, her legs quivering at the stimulation. The fact that they were doing this in a museum, in public, where anyone could walk in at any time, was enough to get her pulse racing. It was a bad idea.
A really, really bad idea.
But somehow, the danger only made it sexier. Her hands slid into his hair, grabbing fistfuls of his buttery locks as she ground her hips against his face. The gasps that escaped her lips turned into full-blown moans as he swirled his tongue around her sensitive skin, lapping at the sensitive nub in the most maddening way.
"Oh my god." The words came out as a whimper from Yurina, her eyes squeezed shut. Daiya was doing something with his tongue, tracing some kind of pattern that she couldn't quite follow, but it had her melting against him. He seemed to know just where to touch her as if he had memorized every inch of her body from the other night. His grip tightened on the meaty flesh of her thighs as his tongue worked tirelessly, devouring her in every sense of the word.
She thought she heard a noise—something like footsteps. But the sound only heightened her inevitable orgasm, making her grind harder against his face in search of the pleasure that was just within reach. Yurina's eyes stayed locked on the area where she thought the sound had come from, continuing to buck and grind against Daiya's face until finally, with one last flick of his tongue, she came.
Whimpering, her hands tightened in his hair, pulling him against her as the waves of her orgasm rolled through. Her knees buckled, and she would have collapsed if Daiya hadn't held her up.
"Holy shit," she gasped, eyes wide as the aftershocks coursed through her. That was way more intense than she'd expected.
Daiya's bright blue eyes looked up at her, and he grinned, satisfied, as he watched her chest rise and fall, trying to catch her breath. "So, am I forgiven?" he asked, kissing and rubbing her thigh tenderly. "Please, baby? I'm on my knees, practically begging here. Forgive me?"
"F-Fine! Just let me down!"
He kissed her thigh one last time before standing up, his lips lingering a second longer than necessary. "I wasn't lying when I said you were beautiful."
"Stop sucking up to me," Yurina muttered, quickly fixing her skirt and smoothing out her clothes. Her hands shook a little, her pulse racing from the situation. She needed to get out of here before things spiraled further out of control.
Daiya, however, didn't seem the least bit concerned. "I'm just being honest," he said with that cocky smile, brushing a stray lock of hair from his face. "Besides, no one's gonna come back here. We're fine."
"We should leave, though. Before we get caught." Yurina's voice was still shaky, her mind not fully recovered from the rush of it all.
"Relax. No one's looking for me—"
"Daiya! Where the hell have you been?"
Daiya sighed dramatically as his father's voice echoed down the hall. "Speak of the devil…" he muttered, rolling his eyes as if this happened all the time. Yurina, on the other hand, felt her blood run cold. This was a nightmare, the absolute worst possible timing. Her legs felt like jelly, and she wasn't sure whether to bolt or try to act casual. Act casual? After what just happened? No way.
From a distance, his father's voice grew louder with exasperation. "Goddammit, Daiya. Is this where you've been hiding?" His gaze fell on Yurina, and his expression darkened immediately. "Is this another one of your hookups? In public? For the love of God, son." Yurina felt as if she'd been doused with cold water, the weight of his father's words sinking in. He looked between them, clearly disgusted, insinuating—no, outright stating—that she was just some random girl his son had picked up.
"She's not," Daiya snapped. Though, technically… they had just—
"How much will I have to pay you to scram and keep this indiscretion under wraps?" His father said it so casually as if he were discussing an everyday transaction. Humiliation washed over Yurina, his words cutting deeply. He genuinely believed she was some kind of escort or gold digger.
"Dad, what the hell? She's not—Jesus, you're unbelievable."
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Yurina managed to speak up despite the trembling in her voice. "I wasn't here for your son in the first place," she said, lifting her chin to regain some composure. "I came here on my own. I just wanted to see the exhibit. That's all."
His father raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Really? Did you now?" The disbelief in his voice only tightened the knot in her stomach. He glanced between Daiya and Yurina, clearly trying to decide if she was telling the truth or just saving face. "And this sort of thing interests you, does it?"
"Yes," she replied, her voice steadier as she straightened her posture. "I'm majoring in anthropology, actually. I go to the same university as Daiya."
There was a pause as he sized her up, his gaze shifting to something more thoughtful. "Is that so?" His tone was less condescending. After a moment, he extended his hand to her, his grip firm. "I apologize for being so rude earlier. I didn't know."
"It's…fine," Yurina managed, shaking his hand.
Moments ago, he'd practically insulted her, and now he was apologizing? Perhaps mentioning her major had shifted his opinion. "So, what did you think of the exhibit?" he asked. "I imagine it was interesting for someone studying anthropology."
Yurina blinked in surprise but quickly recovered, eager to discuss a topic that excited her. "Oh, it was incredible! The presentation of the artifacts is impressive, especially the way they integrated the cultural significance of each piece. And that collection of ancient pottery—they had examples I've only ever read about in textbooks. It's rare to see such well-preserved pieces in one place."
As she spoke, she noticed his expression shifting to something resembling admiration. He nodded, listening intently. It felt strange but satisfying to be taken seriously in a conversation she was passionate about. "I especially appreciated how they highlighted the everyday life of these civilizations, not just the grand events. It really helps humanize the past, you know?"
"Exactly," Daiya's father replied, his eyes gleaming with interest. "Most people overlook that. But it's those small details, the day-to-day things, that bring history to life."
Daiya watched the two of them, arms crossed, his face twisted in mild disbelief. When his father finally turned to him, he spoke with unexpected approval. "This," he said, gesturing to Yurina, "is the kind of person you should associate yourself with, Daiya. Bright. Ambitious. Someone with their head on straight."
Daiya's father nodded to himself, clearly impressed, then turned back to his son. "You should invite her to the family home one of these days. We've got an entire collection of artifacts from the early dynasties of China and some rare Aztec relics that I think you'd find fascinating."
Yurina blinked. "I'd love that." Did he seriously just invited me to their mansion?
His father continued, seemingly oblivious to his son's silence. "Good, good. Don't take too long, Daiya," he added with a pointed look. "Meet me by the gallery entrance. We still have some people to greet before the event concludes." Turning back to Yurina, he added, "Please, enjoy the rest of the exhibit," before striding away, leaving her and Daiya alone.
When Daiya's father was out of sight, Yurina took a long breath, her shoulders sagging in relief. "I knew something like this was going to happen," she muttered, rubbing a hand over her face. "I swear, I thought I was going to piss myself."
Daiya leaned in and kissed her cheek quickly, making her blush. "You're such a fucking turn-on. The way you handled the warden—" He smirked, his lips brushing against her ear. "That was hot as hell."
"Daiya—" Yurina let out a breathy laugh, attempting to playfully push him away, but he held her firmly, catching her wrists and pulling her against his chest.
"Don't pretend you don't like it." He kissed the corner of her mouth, making her squirm. "If it weren't for my father breathing down my neck, I'd fuck you right here. On top of the display case. But duty calls," he said, finally releasing her.
Yurina tried to regain her composure, tucking a stray hair behind her ear as she huffed, "R-Right. I get it. I won't keep you."
Just when she thought he'd finally leave her to recover from whatever that was, he tilted his head and regarded her curiously. "Before I go, give me your number."
"My number?"
"Yeah, your number. This isn't the first time we've run into each other, and let's be honest, it probably won't be the last." She stared at him, genuinely wondering what she'd gotten herself into. His interest in her was unsettling—not in a bad way, but in a way that made her stomach flip for reasons she couldn't quite put into words. "Look, I could always get it from the school admins if I wanted to. Do it the dirty way, you know? But I figured I'd ask nicely." His lips curled into a smirk. "Come on, baby."
With a huff, she dug her phone out of her bag and handed it over, allowing him to enter his contact info while she entered hers. "There. Happy?"
"Ecstatic." He pocketed his phone, clearly in a good mood now. "See you around, freshman."
And just like that, he was gone. Yurina knew Daiya was trouble from the moment she met him, but now things were escalating, and she wasn't sure if she should be excited or terrified.