Chapter 5: Heat In The Hallway
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The next morning started like most cursed mornings do—with me waking up to my cursed phone floating two inches from my face.
> System Reminder:
All soulbonds active. Intensity growing. Physical expressions increasing.
New behavior mode: Touch Trigger
"What the hell is ’Touch Trigger’?!" I snapped.
The phone vibrated ominously.
> Your body is now 92% more likely to attract casual contact.
Side effects may include: blushing, clumsy accidents, steamy misunderstandings, and clothing malfunctions.
"Oh great," I muttered. "I’m basically anime catnip."
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School was... worse.
It started small.
Mei greeted me at the gate with a cheerful hug—but her hand slipped under my blazer when she leaned in too far.
She blinked, blushed, and whispered, "You’re... warmer than I imagined."
"You imagined?"
"I mean—I was just thinking! Like, body temperature-wise!"
She didn’t let go right away.
> System: Mei physical proximity—triggered. Attraction: 91%.
---
In the classroom, Ayaka had apparently forgotten how personal space worked.
She sat beside me—closer than usual—her thigh pressed against mine under the desk.
I pretended not to notice.
She leaned over and whispered, "You smell like cinnamon."
I blinked. "I haven’t even eaten cinnamon."
"I know," she murmured. "I wasn’t talking about food."
> System: Ayaka flustered but in denial. Libido: rising.
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Akane, true to form, acted totally normal—until lunch.
We were sitting under a tree, and I passed her a juice box.
She looked at it. Then at me. Then said, "You know in some countries, this counts as a proposal?"
"That’s... not true."
"Shut up and just let me pretend for a second."
She drank it. Slowly. While holding eye contact.
I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to be terrified or turned on.
> System: Akane’s defense mechanisms breaking down. Desire masked with aggression.
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Then came Elira.
She met me in the library after school, practically glowing.
"I read a book on human intimacy," she said calmly.
"Oh no."
"Chapter three suggested that physical contact accelerates emotional bonding."
"Let me stop you right—"
She placed both hands on my chest.
"You’re warm," she whispered. "My heart reacts strangely around you. Is this the prelude to coupling?"
"I—WHAT?!"
She tilted her head. "Is there a ritual involved? Or do you simply pick a room?"
I nearly fainted.
> System: Elira’s species is highly attuned to pheromonal shifts. Intimacy threshold nearing breach.
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After surviving all four encounters by the skin of my sanity, I returned home and locked myself in my room.
The phone floated again.
> WARNING:
You are approaching Soulbond Peak. All current bonds will reach critical emotional/physical synchronization within three days.
"...What happens then?"
> That depends. On how far you’re willing to go.
I stared at it.
And for once... I didn’t know if I was scared of the system.
Or myself.
Because some part of me...
Was starting to enjoy it.
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It started with a notification at 3:00 AM.
> System Alert:
Emotional saturation reached. Soulbonds destabilizing.
Countermeasures in effect.
> You must now engage in mutual emotional exchange.
Failure to reciprocate = target deterioration.
"...What the hell does that mean?" I whispered.
The phone didn’t answer.
But I already knew.
I couldn’t just dodge anymore.
I had to feel back.
Or they’d suffer.
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The morning was worse than expected.
Elira had taken to humming outside my room every morning like a beautiful, ethereal alarm clock.
Only now, she wasn’t humming.
She was waiting.
In my room.
Wearing one of my button-down shirts.
Which barely reached her thighs.
"Good morning, Master Ren," she said softly, sitting cross-legged on my bed. "I read that borrowed clothes create intimacy. Do I look appealing to you?"
I choked. "Wh—what are you doing in here?!"
She tilted her head. "Practicing closeness. Would you like to teach me something physical?"
> System: Elira’s seduction instincts awakened. Desire: 94%
"I—NOPE. Leaving. Now."
I bolted from the room and straight into Akane.
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Akane caught me mid-sprint.
Her hair was up in a high ponytail, sweat glistening from a morning workout. She was in a sports bra and joggers, boxing tape still on her hands.
"You running from a ghost, or just trying to flash me?" she asked casually.
"Elira. In my shirt. No pants. Wants... physical lessons."
She blinked.
Then cracked her knuckles. "Right. That’s it. I’m confiscating your hormones."
Before I could argue, she grabbed my hand.
Held it.
Looked at me.
"Tell me honestly," she said quietly. "Do you want them to stop?"
I didn’t answer.
Because I didn’t know.
And she saw it.
> System: Mutual tension detected. Akane’s barrier dropping.
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School was no better.
Ayaka barely said a word.
But during lunch, she sat down beside me... and placed a bento box on my lap.
"I cooked," she said without looking at me. "Shut up and eat."
"...This isn’t poisoned, right?"
She looked at me with burning eyes.
"If I wanted to kill you, I’d use seduction."
I blinked.
Then blinked again.
She blushed. "That came out wrong."
> System: Ayaka’s dominance play activated. Emotional confusion: 88%.
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Mei was the real problem.
Because Mei had crossed a line.
She cornered me after class.
Held her phone up.
And showed me a text draft she never sent:
> Mei: I know I joke a lot...
But I think about you every night.
I wonder what your lips feel like.
I wonder if you’d ever want to know what mine feel like too.
I froze.
She smiled.
Not goofy. Not clumsy. Serious.
"I like you, Ren. More than I should. And if this curse kills me... I’d rather die after kissing you than never getting the chance."
My heart stopped.
> System: Mei’s threshold breached. Urge for intimacy nearing overload.
I didn’t know what to say.
So I did something worse.
I said nothing.
---
That night, I stood on the rooftop of the mansion, wind in my face, cursed phone in hand.
> System:
You cannot remain passive.
Your indecision is now part of the curse.
> Choose:
Return their feelings.
Or risk emotional decay.
"But what if I start to like it?" I whispered.
> Then you’re not cursed anymore. You’re in love.
And love... was more terrifying than any curse.
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