Naughty

And the tomorow–

It was already seven in the evening when they got home, and he shot a sharp look at his niece, who seemed unbothered by how late it was. She just flashed a sweet smile, which, annoyingly, he had to admit was pretty cute. But he wasn't going to be swayed by that. He got up, still glaring at her, his arms crossed.

"Where have you been? It's late," he tried to sound intimidating, hoping she'd be scared this time. But instead of reacting like most girls caught coming home late, Salvia calmly walked over to him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, leaving Devan stunned.

"I was hanging out with friends, so I got back late. Sorry, Uncle," she said with a sweet smile, showing no sign of guilt.

"Next time, let someone at home know. But it'd be better if you didn't do this again," he said, turning to leave, leaving Salvia smiling in place. He had wanted to scold her, but that urge vanished the moment her soft lips touched his cheek.

Devan couldn't understand why he felt like a teenager getting his first kiss when he was a grown man who'd been with more than a woman. That brief kiss from Salvia last night still lingered in his mind, making him uneasy. He knew he had to keep his distance from her. His niece was dangerous. Or rather, her boldness was.

Devan couldn't imagine what would happen if he stayed too close to the teenage girl for too long. Just thinking about it made him shiver, though he was also a bit curious.

"Go shower and have dinner," Devan added before leaving Salvia, who still hadn't moved from her spot.

To Salvia, his words were a sign of his care, making her smile even wider and her heart swell with joy. She loved her uncle's concern, though she didn't want to admit it, as it wasn't a familial bond she wanted with the handsome older man. She wanted something more romantic. Why not? After all, she and Devan weren't related by blood. And she wants him like a cup of ice cream.

But could he ever be interested in her? A month had passed, yet he showed no sign of attraction towards her. Her attempts to seduce him fell zonk every time, sometimes leaving Salvia frustrated but unwilling to give up. It seemed like she needed to try harder.

"Let's see how long Uncle can resist my charms," Salvia murmured with a meaningful smile as she cheerfully walked towards her room upstairs, directly across from Devan's room where he had been staying for the past month. Finding him absent, she decided to follow his earlier instructions: take a shower. Afterwards, she planned to come back downstairs and join him for dinner.

Though she wasn't really hungry, Salvia wouldn't miss dinner with Devan. It was another opportunity to playfully flirt with her step-uncle, especially since he often locked himself in his room. Sometimes, he even locked the door, preventing her from barging in like she had tried to do the previous night. So as long as there was a chance, she wasn't about to waste it.

"Uncle, your eyes are glued to that laptop, aren't you?" Salvia smirked, appearing in the kitchen to find he was already seated at the dining table, his attention fixed on the screen.

His slender and large fingers danced gracefully across the keyboard, making Salvia envy that object. Besides, it seemed more enjoyable if those fingers danced somewhere else. In her chest, for example. Ah, just imagining that makes her feel hot, even her lower body reacts quickly.

It made her even more impatient to win over her stepmother's younger brother. Devan didn't respond at all, choosing instead to ask her to eat soon because he wasn't lying that his stomach had growled.

Actually, he could have eaten first, but it didn't feel polite even though it really wasn't a big deal considering the host wasn't around, and Salvia was just a high school girl not much older than him. Still, he couldn't bring himself to do it. No matter how much age difference he respects her, it wouldn't change the fact that he was just a guest in the house. he had to maintain his manners,

"Uncle, can you take me to school tomorrow? My motorcycle broke," Salvia wasn't lying. When she returned from her friend's house earlier, her bike suddenly broke down, so she had to rush to the repair. Since it was getting late, Salvia decided to take a taxi home and leave her bike there.

She could use a taxi or call her friend for a ride, but suddenly the idea crossed her mind, and it didn't seem like a bad idea. Who knows, maybe she could use it as an excuse. He gave a brief cough in response, which made her so happy that she reflexively hugged him, startling , he choked.

she felt regretful, and she sincerely apologized. It brought a strange pang to Devan's chest, previously tight from choking.

"Uncle, are you okay?" she asked anxiously, patting his back gently and offering him a drink to soothe his throat. Devan didn't refuse, as he truly needed it. "Sorry, I didn't mean to," she apologized again, feeling genuinely guilty.

"Seriously, don't go hugging out of the blue like that. Lucky I didn't choke to death!" he grumbled irritably, though it was mostly to cover up his own nervousness.

Little did he know, Salvia was truly troublesome. Not only with her aggressive behavior, but the teasing girl was also so delighted in testing his endurance. Especially now. When she stood by his side with the intention of helping to relieve his cough, he instead faced something that made him hold his breath.

Whether Salvia realized it or not, one thing was certain: the girl's rounded chest successfully broke his concentration, though he hadn't intended to glance at that at all.

But because she was right beside his face, unavoidably when he turned his head, it was the first time he saw it, and the bad luck was that he could not stop staring at it.

Something hanging on her chest really tempted him. His hands even itched to reach out. But as much as he could, he held back. He didn't want to disrespect his step-niece. because his task here isn't to try to look after the house,

to protect the daughter from the owner of the house

*"Overreacting!" she rolled her eyes, then leaned back into her seat when she realized her uncle was perfectly fine. "Besides, I've never heard of anyone dying from choking. You don't have to exaggerate, Uncle!" she added with a soft snort.

"Well, who knows, I might be the first," Devan replied dryly, turning his head back to the plate in front of him.