...
Fortunately, it was all green lights, smooth sailing.
During the holiday, there weren't many vehicles on the road.
So Lucian maintained a fairly steady speed, avoiding camera shots and situations where stopping might lead to discovery.
But it wasn't until the car entered the underground garage that Lucian and Silence Suzuka got out right away.
She was waiting for Lucian to finish.
...
During the trip upstairs, Silence Suzuka clung to Lucian like someone drunk needing support.
But Lucian wasn't too willing to kiss her now.
"Wait wait... The suitcase is about to fall."
"Wait wait... I still need to open the door."
...
Silence Suzuka pouted, watching Lucian fumbling for keys in panic. "Lucian-kun, disgusted with me?"
"How could I? I'm disgusted with myself."
After some frantic turning, the door finally opened.
But the moment it closed, Silence Suzuka pressed Lucian against the door again. "Then I'll kiss somewhere else."
The impatient Silence Suzuka ignored Lucian's attempts to stop her, unleashing her long-accumulated longing on him.
Her hands roamed over his body, unbuttoning his shirt as she kissed down his chest, dropping to her knees. She took him into her mouth, her tongue swirling around the tip before taking him deeper, her eyes locked on his as she bobbed rhythmically, the warmth and suction building an intense pleasure that made his knees buckle.
Lucian groaned, his hand tangling in her hair, guiding her movements as the tension coiled tighter.
She pulled him to the bathroom.
In the mirror, there was Lucian's back leaning against the sink, and an arm wrapping around from behind him. Her head was lowered to the level of Lucian's chest height.
"Lucian-kun still unwilling to kiss?"
"Gulp—" A sound, Silence Suzuka swallowed.
Afraid he wouldn't believe, she looked up and opened her mouth. "Not clean?"
"How about you shower first?"
"I didn't expect Lucian-kun to be so particular about his own cleanliness." Silence Suzuka had to nod. "Then I'll get clothes."
"Then I'll just..."
"I'll get clothes for Lucian-kun too. Wait here."
...
Silence Suzuka leaned against Lucian, finally welcoming a moment of calm, with only the sound of rippling water.
Lucian rested his hands on the tub edges. "Actually, I showered this morning. Highest etiquette for meeting you."
"Lucian-kun unwilling to shower with me again?"
"Aren't we already in?" Lucian eyed Silence Suzuka's back and waist. "Looks like the food there was good. Feels like you got fa..."
Silence Suzuka turned her gaze, death stare.
"Uh, more robust. Can tell front and back." Lucian quickly corrected.
He reached under her arms. "Why so fierce? Been back so long, haven't seen you smile at me."
Silence Suzuka pursed her lips but gave Lucian a smile. "Lucian-kun, still tickling me."
Lucian chuckled awkwardly, his hands bypassing under her arms, almost fully embracing Silence Suzuka.
But he hadn't intended to embrace her fully anyway.
Silence Suzuka silently allowed his actions. "Have you been sleeping late lately? Why so many bloodshot lines in your eyes?"
Lucian thought. "I get sleepy around seven or eight, but later I get more energetic."
"This afternoon, let's buy some herbs to stew soup. Nourish Lucian-kun." Silence Suzuka tenderly stroked Lucian's face.
"Suzuka cooking tonight?"
"Mm, I learned a lot over there."
"Then I have to look forward to it. That bowl of 'salt' is unforgettable, lingering flavor."
"Th-that was an accident." Silence Suzuka didn't expect Lucian to remember her failure. "Weren't you going to tell me about this year's events? Go on."
"Actually, you know most of the races." Getting to business, Lucian stopped teasing and tightly embraced Silence Suzuka's body. "Spe-chan is much stronger than before. Seiun seemed to touch the edge of Zone at Arima Kinen."
"Zone?" Silence Suzuka's horse ears twitched.
"Mm, she collapsed from exhaustion after the race. Good it wasn't serious." Lucian never stopped researching "Zone."
"Suzuka, you likely touched Zone unintentionally back then, but your body couldn't fully handle the power, so that's why..."
Back then, Silence Suzuka was only in what Lucian defined as the first stage, so touching Zone cost her dearly.
Seiun Sky entered stage two, her physique transformed, so it wasn't as bad.
But this was Lucian's later analysis; during the race, he didn't know, so he was tense enough to vault the barrier to check Seiun Sky's condition.
He feared Seiun Sky following Silence Suzuka's footsteps.
"It just felt light, more focused than usual races, like I could keep accelerating, as if..." Silence Suzuka frowned, hard to describe in words.
Lucian thought of Silence Suzuka's title. "Like running into the next dimension?"
Silence Suzuka's brows relaxed, nodding. "God of Speed inviting me. No reason to refuse. Made Lucian-kun worry..."
"Alright, no more on this." Lucian didn't want the atmosphere heavy. "After a year dormant, this year's Suzuka can return to the track."
Abroad for a year, Silence Suzuka hadn't raced, just special training.
Silence Suzuka nodded with a smile; she wanted to match Lucian's mood.
Though racing was individual, Silence Suzuka never felt alone in races or training.
"Hurry and finish washing. After, take you out for lunch." Lucian splashed water on Silence Suzuka.
Silence Suzuka untangled Lucian's hands. Amid the steam, she rose, turned, and sank back in. "Can we kiss now?"
She knelt in the tub on both knees, hands propped, leaning forward and breathing on Lucian. "No smell now."
"Emmmmm, still going out for lunch?"
"Handling hunger below works too."
Lucian scratched his face, unsure if they were on the same page. "Eat noodles afternoon, evening then..."
Silence Suzuka interrupted. "I bought a new... outfit. Got one for Seiun too."
Lucian confirmed, not the same page. "Mm... What outfit?"
"She's xx, I'm xx... Lucian-kun is the patient." Silence Suzuka leaned further, finally kissing Lucian's lips.
Lucian let Silence Suzuka kiss, just feeling the role assignment was wrong.
What inverted logic? But he couldn't be that anyway.
...