A Hug, A Blush, and A Slap

A Hug, A Blush, and A Slap

Emma stood before me, but she wasn't the shy, quiet girl I knew from school. No, this was someone entirely different. Her posture was strong and confident, her eyes glowing with an unfamiliar, otherworldly energy. The staff in her hand radiated the same brilliant light, pulsing with power like it had a heartbeat of its own.

The monsters that had been terrorizing the streets—ripping through people, homes, and anything in their path—were now nothing more than piles of ash scattered by the wind. Emma moved with grace and deadly precision, striking down the beasts effortlessly. It was like watching a scene straight out of a fantasy movie or an anime.

Is this really Emma?

She dispatched the last monster, its body disintegrating into dust. The street grew eerily quiet, the silence almost louder than the chaos that had filled it moments ago. She finally turned toward me, her fierce expression softening instantly. The glow in her eyes faded, replaced by tears welling up.

Without warning, she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into a tight hug.

"Sob… I'm happy you're safe," she cried, her voice trembling. "I was so scared, you know… I-I thought I'd lose you…"

My face turned red. I'm being hugged by a girl… for the first time in my life.

But this wasn't the time for romance. I cleared my throat, gently patting her back to calm her down. "Hey… it's okay. I'm safe now. But Emma… what's going on? What happened out there?"

She kept crying, her grip tightening slightly. The strong, confident girl who had just obliterated an army of monsters had now melted back into the shy, fragile Emma I knew.

She couldn't even form proper words through her sobs.

Well, I guess I'll carry her back home.

I picked her up in my arms, her face still buried in my chest. As we made our way back to my shattered house, I noticed the trail of destruction left behind. The door was gone, the walls splintered, and blood stained the floors. The monster I'd stabbed earlier was now lying dead near the entrance, its body crushed and mangled.

The world today was drenched in blood—mine, my family's, and countless strangers'.

In my arms, Emma still clung to me tightly. Her face was red, and from the warmth against my chest, I was pretty sure she was blushing.

"My hands are getting tired, Emma," I muttered, hoping she'd let go.

Instead, her grip tightened even more.

Great. That worked well.

I carried her upstairs to the room where Mom and Lina were hiding. The door was still locked.

"Emma," I whispered, "I need you to stand on your own now. My mom and Lina are in there, so… you know, just—try to act normal."

She hesitated but finally let go, stepping back with a soft nod. I unlocked the door.

The moment it creaked open, Mom and Lina rushed toward me, relief flooding their faces. I didn't hesitate—I wrapped them both in a tight hug.

"Thank God you're safe," I whispered, my voice shaking slightly.

Lina's curious eyes darted past me. She spotted Emma, standing awkwardly behind me, still blushing.

"Brother," Lina grinned mischievously, "who's she? Is she your girlfriend?"

Emma's face turned an even deeper shade of red. She quickly hid behind me, stammering, "N-No! We're not—n-not yet!"

Not yet? I blinked. What do you mean by "yet"?

I cleared my throat. "She's not my girlfriend. She's just a friend—a classmate. She saved me from the monsters."

Mom stepped forward, her expression softening as she looked at Emma. "Thank you for protecting my son."

Emma mumbled something shyly, still hiding behind me.

I scratched the back of my head. "Mom, Lina… me and Emma are going to the next room. Please don't disturb us."

I didn't mean anything weird by it. I just wanted to talk to her privately about what had happened.

But judging by the look on my mom's face, she definitely thought otherwise.

Mom smirked. "Well, you're at that age… Enjoy yourself, but be careful. You know, teenagers can get a little wild."

Emma started sweating nervously, her face practically steaming.

Why do moms always say the most embarrassing things at the worst times?

Dragging Emma along, I entered the next room and locked the door behind us for privacy.

Emma fidgeted, her face still red. She glanced around, avoiding eye contact, then muttered under her breath, "T-This is my first time… P-Please be gentle…"

I stared at her, completely confused.

What is she talking about?

Before I could process it, she started to undress herself.

My brain short-circuited.

"W-Wait! Wait, wait, wait!" I waved my hands frantically. "What are you doing?! I just wanted to ask you about your powers! How did you kill those monsters alone? What's going on here?"

Realizing I wasn't reacting the way she expected, her face went from embarrassed to furious in less than a second.

SLAP!

The sound echoed through the room, leaving a burning sensation on my cheek.

"You pervert!" she shouted, her face still bright red.

I rubbed my cheek, blinking in disbelief. "I'M the pervert?! You're the one who started undressing!"

She crossed her arms, glaring at me. "Y-You locked the door!"

"For privacy, not for… whatever you thought this was!"

We both stood there, faces red, avoiding eye contact.

What the hell just happened?

From the past few hours I don't know just what is happening.

But it is far from normal.