The Blood's Elegance

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

SPRING IS FOR FESTIVAL VI

Hand in hand, we sailed along the sea of a crowd going in different directions. Some were stuck in their locations, overlooking the good and temporary night landscape, filled with happiness and enjoyment, the same that I was currently feeling in this moment that I can cherish.

“Are you not feeling cold?”

I was literally stopped by his question. He realized it and looked away. I just chuckled, and he did, too.

“Why do you look so tense?” I asked.

He faced me again with an uncertain smile that I could tell he was trying to show as genuine. “Did I make you feel awkward with what I said?”

“Not really.”

“So this is not your first time hearing a confession?” He stared at me. Then, he brushed his hair and sighed frustratedly. “Of course, I should have known.”

“You're right, but this is the first time that I feel the same as what the person confessed.” I break free from his hold and reached for his soft hair just to brush it. This would be my new hobby. “Is this your first time confessing?”

“Yes, you are my very first... in everything.”

It was obvious, but it still surprised me. Seth could have anything and anyone. He was nearly perfect. What else were the girls searching for him?

I brought my hand to his and smiled. “Let's go?”

The familiar warmth ran down our hands, and I gladly enjoyed the feeling of being near to him. A few minutes later, we were now standing in front of a*****e. He opened the door and greeted the store owner. There were a couple of people inside, probably like me who didn't know about the water bath.

“What do you want?”

I pointed to the red bikini. “Red is seductive.”

He looked down on me. “Are you planning to seduce anyone?”

I shrugged. “Maybe, I do. Maybe, I don't.”

He rolled his eyes, and I laughed at that. He chose red trunks and also bought us flip-flops and sarong. He carried the paper bag all the way.

The establishments got fewer and fewer as we approached a park lined up with lampposts and benches for people to mind their own benches. I let go of Seth’s hands and tried to untie the ribbon of my mask, but he stopped me.

“Don't!”

I frowned. “It's hot.”

He removed my hand from my head and stilled it on my side. He ribboned the mask again before he stood in front of me to nag me like a mother. “You can't remove your mask once you have worn it in this festival. It is disrespectful. The only place where you can remove it is inside the house.”

“What?” I groaned and fanned myself. My body was also starting to feel sweaty despite the cool wind. “Even in the waterfalls?”

He nodded, causing me to utter another complaint.

“What about gloves?”

This time, he shook his head.

“I'm never going to this festival again.” I held his hand and dragged him to the road of mixed darkness and light. Realizing I had no idea where we were going, I froze on my track only for me to see that he was delighted and not confuse by my action. I flicked his forehead. “You really let me pulled you, huh? Do I look like I know where the waterbath is?”

He grinned under the mask. “Don't worry. No matter which path we take, it will still lead us to the waterfalls.”

“Oh... Alright.”

In a calm way, I took his passiveness as a reason to lead him to take the middle road. My quick steps, as if rushing to meet someone, slowed down to match his lazing speed and chose to feel the lovely green environment. Soon, I heard the sound of water hitting the rocks and the lively noise from the people, but we hit the end of the road, and there was no other way.

I turned to Seth, and he shoved away from the branches of leaves that block the path earlier. I raised my head; lanterns were hanging on the branches of the trees and giving a relaxing vibe. Lights were also installed under the water that gives a clearer view of the bath. The water falling from the top was also glowing because of the light attached to the rock or wall behind. Some people were relaxing on the chairs and tables scattered everywhere. My mouth released an amazed sound; Seth glared at me.

“What is that for?”

“What? This place is amazing.”

“It sounded so sensual.”

“It's not my fault that you felt it that way.”

“Any person who hears that sound would take it as a moan.”

I suppressed my laugh. My friends already told me about this characteristic of mine whenever I am amazed or I ate something so good, and my expression usually, according to them, sounded like a moan, and it seemed that I was doing something that shouldn't be done in public. Rose said that it's one of my attractive traits, my way of seduction.

“So, where can we change this outfit? I want to get rid of these clothes as soon as possible.”

He pointed to the tent standing from afar. “There.”

“For boys and girls?”

“Yes,” he said, “do you want to go in there first?”

“No, no,” I uttered with a shake of my head and hand. “As if you won't see me wearing a bikini later, that's no use. I also need a hand to remove this complicated dress. There were a lot of ribbon here, and I don't want to get pissed just because it was hard to remove.”

The rocks were hard underneath my flat shoes. Seth assisted me as we go to the tent. Just right on time, a group of friends exited. Good, this could fit six people at most.

Seth and I entered. He zipped the tent and placed the paper bag that contained our clothes for the swimming.

I walked to him and whispered, “Can I remove the mask here?”

“Of course.”

No more words were needed, I hurriedly untie the ribbon in the back of my head. Upon removing the mask off my face, there I breathed a heavy unreleased sigh.

“Thank, goodness!”

I also took off the gloves and placed them together with the mask inside the paper bag. Seth and I looked at each other.

“Who goes first?” we asked in unison.

He pointed me. “You. You seemed so uncomfortable.”

“That was a fact.” I also got rid of the overgown. I folded it and put it beside the bag. I turned my back against him and gestured the ribbon of my petticoat. Next were the bodice and the stomacher. The moment I felt I was released from a tight prison attached to my body, I felt so much happiness and gratefulness, and as if my body was tired after ensuring it only for a short time, I collapsed on Seth’s arms. He hugged me from behind to keep me from falling. He kissed the top of my head, and his kisses went down to my temple. I caressed his arms wrapped around my stomach and leaned my head more on his chest. His lips kissed my earlobe then my cheek. He buried his face on my neck and put his lips on it.

“Don't you dare leave marks on it.”

I felt his smirk on my skin. He pushed his nose closer and hugged me tighter, sniffing my scent out of my body. He gently swayed me.

“Seth, there might be people who needs to use this tent.”

“Let them wait. We waited for this opportunity, too.”

“No, you waited.” I slapped his hands on my stomach. He bit my neck and distanced himself from me. “I will go change now, so turn around.”

“Yes, babe.”

“Not your babe.”

He turned around to change, too. Using the overgown as a cover for my body in case someone is out there and made a hole in this tent to peep, I changed my bra under into the bikini top. After, I used it as a cover for my bottom part. Both Seth and I were done changing. We put our clothes inside the paper bag, and unfortunately, they didn't fit, of course. How stupid we are to forget where we should put these clothes.

He smiled at me awkwardly.

“Dude, it's okay. Both of us forgot.” I removed all and put our undergarments inside before topping them with my overgown. I folded his clothes and carried them outside the tent. “Where should we put it?”

“We can place it anywhere. It's not like someone's going to steal it.”

I flicked him. “These are expensive, and we're placing it everywhere? Don't you know someone here?”

He shook his head. Then, his eyes lit up. He pointed to the waterfalls. “There's a space behind that.”

“Won't it be wet?”

“Isn't it better than being stolen?”

I rubbed my face with my palm.

“Just kidding. Seriously, just put it anywhere, and no one will steal it.”

I squinted my eyes at him. “If these got stolen, it won't be my liability.”

He placed his hands on my shoulders and softly pushed me. “Only if.”

We let it sit beside the trunk of the tree. This man abruptly grabbed my hand and pulled me with no words towards the water. As a result, we fell into it. The coldness instantly ran down through my whole body. I ran my hand through my face and coughed. I held Seth's arm and punched him in the gut.

“You're a sadist.”

My eyes dropped down on my hand. I looked up at him, eyes wide from the realization. “Oh, my goodness! I'm so sorry!”

He laughed to ease my nervousness. “It's okay, babe. It was like a kid hit me.”

I glared at him. I raised my hand in the air but prevented it from hitting him again. Suddenly, his arms snaked around my waist, and he used it to close the space between us. Because of surprise, my hands were in his chest to help myself. His one hand touched my face; his thumb stroke my cheek. He leaned and damped my lips with his. At first, it was quick, but he went for another and kissed my upper lip. I returned the same gesture until his lips weren't contented on mine, it traveled down to my neck. I was ticklish in that spot.

I clutched on his arms and whispered, “Seth, there are people everywhere. They could see us.”

“Everyone's doing the same.”

I looked around, but people were busy doing other things.

“No, they're not.”

“Everyone's busy minding their own business, babe.”

He took my legs to wrap around his hips. His hand, from my waist, moved to the middle of my back. His other hand was on the back of my head, preventing me from leaning backward.

“Seth, stop.”

He obliged. His lips put up a contented smile and stared at me. “It's addicting. You know, when I kissed you that time, my lips told me that I want it again. I have to do it again. The first and second were memorable.”

“And so our third.”

“And fourth,” he said. “Thank you for letting and stopping me.”

He hugged me. He once again rested his chin on my shoulder and drew circles behind my back.

It's not that I wasn't ready. I was ready to give him our relationship felt so right as if nothing could ever go wrong. I was ready to commit and give him what I gave the boys I hook up before, but then, there was something inside me that stop me. It's not yet the right time.

I brushed and curled his short hair using my hand. “Remember when you brought me roses? When you noticed that something's wrong with me?”

“Yeah?” he moaned in my ear. “I didn't know how to cheer you up. You built a wall I can't enter easily. It was like we were back being strangers, but I kept showing that we're not because maybe you needed me. You weren't crying nor irritated. You didn't show any other signs aside from silence.”

“My friends and I went on a festival...” I trailed off. “Andy and I almost got raped.”

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