“Well, that was an interesting development. It went well, I say,” Nadea remarked as Henry left the building and walked down the street.

“What am I getting myself into?” Henry muttered absentmindedly.

“You managed to snatch the virginity of your mate, shouldn’t you be happy?”

“What’s there to be happy about? I will just be leaving her here after I finish the assignment. I’m just setting myself up for an inevitable heartbreak and separation.”

“Oh, I didn’t mention that now, did I?”

“Mention what?”

“You can take people with you back to Ulrum.”

“I can?”

“Well, I can, to be precise. But there is a condition, that person has to consent.”

“So you’re saying that I have to tell Yula everything and get her consent first?”

“Yes.”

“How am I gonna do that?”

“That is up to you.”

Henry sighed. “Of course, it is.”

Henry shove those thoughts of love to one side and shifted his focus back to his mission. He took out the phone Yula gave him from his pocket. It was an old brand but it was still within the touchscreen period. The phone came to life when he pressed the power button. It was at fifty percent battery life, to Henry’s surprise.

Old phones do last longer.

He dialled the only number he knew, which was Chloe’s. The call was answered on the fourth ring.

“Hello,” Chloe greeted merrily. “Who is this?”

“Chloe, it’s me, Henry.”

“Oh, Henry. So you got yourself a phone.”

“I suppose I did.”

“So, why did you call? Don’t tell me you want to take me out for dinner, do you?”

“I have something I want to ask you and I prefer not to talk about it over the phone.”

“Okay… sounds serious.”

“It is a serious matter. It’s about last night, the Demons.”

“I see… Shall we meet over dinner?”

“What about now?”

“Can’t do. I have two more classes to go to.”

“Can’t you skip?”

“I have a scholarship. I can’t miss a single class. Unless you’re willing to pay for my tuition for this semester and the next and also my allowance, then yes, I can skip.”

“...Fair enough. We shall meet over dinner. But where? When?”

“The pizza parlour in front of my place. Seven o’clock. Sounds good?”

“Yeah, sounds good. I’ll see you there,” Henry said and ended the call. He looked at the time. It was only three o’clock. There were still four hours to spare. He thought about what he could do in the meantime. He didn’t come up with any good ideas.

Well, anywhere but out here in the streets, breathing in these toxic fumes.

He quickly put on his face mask and earplugs. Immediately, he was breathing easier. His desire to return to Ulrum as soon as possible was reignited. The modern world was convenient but the downsides far outweighed the benefits in his perspective as a beast with senses that were considerably sensitive. This was simply no place for a monster like him to live. The food absolutely sucked, most of all.

Thus far, putting aside Yula, there was nothing and no one he would miss upon returning to Ulrum. The convenience of bath and shower did make him hesitate but only a little. He considered Chloe a pleasure to be around but not someone he was reluctant to part with. The food he used to like now tasted like crap, so he certainly wouldn’t be missing the food like he thought he would.

Yula…

Her face reappeared back inside his head. He tried to banish the thought but he couldn’t. She kept reappearing. He just couldn’t get her face out of his head. He was even getting aroused just from thinking about her. He wanted to do it with her again but she had a sprained foot and he fucked her hard just a while ago. He didn’t think she would be up for another round.

“What the hell am I doing…?” Henry mumbled to himself as he leaned his body against a light pole on the side of the street.

Wait. Why am I even thinking so hard right now? I can just spend these good four hours with Yula. Might as well make as many memories as I can with her while there’s still time. And who knows, I might just even be able to convince her to come back with me to Ulrum.

Henry broke into a laugh at that thought. He was laughing at himself.

Yeah, right. Like that would happen. Way too optimistic about your chances there, Henry.

Henry sighed and began back the way he came from, backtracking his way to Yula’s room. On the way there, he decided to call her to let her know he was coming back. There were barely any numbers on the phone, so it didn’t take him long to find Yula’s number. He pressed the call button and waited with a nervous lump in his throat, which he swallowed.

His call was picked up on the third ring.

“H-Henry?” came the stammering voice from the other side of the phone call.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

“W-what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just… I just want to spend some more time with you. I know I just left but… if you don’t mind… would you be willing to accept my company?”

“....”

“Yula?”

“I-I’m here. I-I… Look, Henry, don’t get me wrong, I like your company but… I don’t think now’s a good time.”

“Oh, okay then…” Henry tried his damndest to not let his disappointment ooze into his tone. “Well, then I—”

And then a loud and obnoxious voice could be heard in the background. “Open up, you fucking bitch!” The crude request was followed by a series of bangings.

“Yula, what was that?” Henry asked, clutching the phone tighter.

“N-nothing. It’s nothing. It’s just the next-door neighbour—”

Her words were interrupted by more bangings and then the voice resumed his shouting. “Yula, I say open the fucking door right now! Open it, you fucking bitch! Don’t make me ask again!”

“I-I’m sorry, Henry. I gotta go. I-I’ll call you later.”

“Yula, wait—” And the call went dead. Henry swallowed another lump in his throat.

“Well, don’t just stand there, lover boy,” Nadea scoffed at him. “Your woman is in need of you. Run!”

Henry didn’t need to be told twice. He didn’t need to be told at all. He was going to go to her room regardless if she had said yes or no. With her being in a plight right now, his reason became more justified than ever.

He hadn’t walked far and he was back in the building in minutes. He forwent the elevator and took the stairs. With his prowess, taking the stairs was much faster. He didn’t climb or walk up the stairs. He hopped up the stairs. He burst out of the stairwell when he arrived at the right floor and dashed down the corridor, towards Yula’s room.

There.

Henry saw it. In front of the room, there was a tall man in a white shirt and black trousers. He gave off the feeling of someone who tried their hardest to appear rich on the surface. The man was still shouting and banging on the door as Henry approached him. The neighbours had peeked out of their rooms to watch the commotion. Some even tried to tell the man off but he glared and threatened them in return.

“Open up, damn it!” the man continued to shout as he banged the door with his fist.

“Leave me alone, Greg! It’s over between us!” shouted Yula from inside her room.

“It’s over when I say it is. Give me back my money, you damn whore! I deserve my money back, you unfaithful whore! I spent so much on you and you dare to—”

“Shut the fuck up, Greg! Don’t pretend like you are better than me. I know you were cheating on me with Millie, so fuck you and your money and your morals.”

Greg clenched his fists tighter than before and gritted his teeth in chagrin and anger. “You fucking— Y-you… So what if I was cheating on you?! You only have yourself to blame! You won’t let me fuck you. You won’t even let me kiss you unless you want it. A man has needs. I wouldn’t have cheated if you had just let me—”

“Piss off,” Henry cut in with a shivering tone.

“Huh?” Greg gave Henry a sidelong stink glance. “Who are you supposed to be?”

“The guy who’s banging your ex-girlfriend.”

“I see.” So it’s you…” he scoffed and eyed Henry up and down. “What does she even see in you? You dressed like a hobo and your muscles look so fake. Well, I supposed this is to be expected of Yula’s—”

Henry punched him right in the face before he could spout any more shit. Henry made sure to hold his strength back to avoid killing him.

Greg bounced back up with a face filled with rage. He lunged with a snarl and a swing but Henry simply dodged low and countered with a punch to his guts. While he was retching and clutching his belly in pain, Henry grabbed his arms and twisted to his back.

“Listen here, you assfuck.” Henry whispered firmly. “This is the least I could do to you. If you don’t leave her alone from now on, I will make sure you won’t ever get to fuck anyone else in the future. Got it?”

Greg whimpered and instantly nodded, gone was all of his bravado from before. After Henry let his arms go, he quickly scampered to the elevator, out of sight.

Henry sighed in relief. “That could have gone terrible.”

“Not likely. You are a Dragon. Your presence alone, concealed or not, would make those you deemed your foes trembled in close proximity.”

“Still, it would have been terrible if he had bigger balls.”

“What would you do then?” Nadea asked.

Henry shrugged and knocked on the door of Yula’s room.

“I said go away, damn it! I’m calling the cops!”

“Yula, it’s me. Everything’s fine now,” Henry said. “Can I come in?”

The door creaked open slowly after a few seconds. A face was peeking through the gap. “H-Henry?”

Henry smiled, nodded, and waved his hand.

Yula swung the door wide-open and pulled Henry in, before slamming the door shut. Once inside, she tossed Henry against a wall and slammed her palms beside his face. “A-are you alright?” she asked. Her gaze was swimming, scouring his body for any injuries.

Her feverish sweet scent immediately cleansed his nose of the filth and chemicals he had inhaled on the streets. It was hard not to just groan in pleasure but he managed to hold herself back. “I am fine, Yula.”

“Y-you came back…”

Henry ignored the corniness and responded in kind. “I’m back.”

“What happened to Greg?”

“I took care of him. He won’t be bothering you anymore.”

Yula frowned in disbelief. “Are you sure?”

“You don’t trust me?”

“I barely know you but… I feel like I can trust you.”

He smiled dazzlingly at her. “That’s good enough for me.”

“Y-yes…”

“Why did you hang up the call?” Henry asked, his smile disappearing. “You could have asked for my help.”

“I wanted to but… I couldn’t possibly get you involved in my affair that would result in you getting hurt.”

God fucking damn it… Why is this girl so sweet?

“Besides, we’re not dating or anything. It feels wrong to ask for your help. We’re just friends with benefits.”

“We’re still friends, are we not? And don’t friends help each other?”

Yula giggled. “Not this kind of friend silly… but thanks. I’m glad you’re here.”

His smile returned. “You are most welcome, Yula.”

“A-anyway, would you like some tea?”

“Thanks but no.”

“Eh?”

“I came back not for tea, but for you, Yula.” Henry leaned forward.

But Yula held him back with a hand. “Don’t. I-I’m still sore down there… Sorry.”

Henry chuckled. “I should be the one apologising, Yula. It’s your first time but I was so rough on you.”

“It’s your first time too, idiot,” she retorted with a pout but her sulking lasted only for a few seconds. “S-sorry. I didn’t mean to call you an idiot. That was uncalled for. It just came out of my mouth. I didn’t—”

“It’s okay, Yula. I don’t mind.”

“You don’t?”

“I much prefer you act the way you want to, not the way people expect you to.”

“I-I swear a lot and my words are often… hurtful. Isn’t that uncouth for a lady?”

“Uncouth to who? Others or yourself? If it’s the former, I don’t see why you should change for their sake. They don’t pay your bills or anything and it’s not as if they would treat you any better just because you conform to their opinions. They’ll just think you’re an easy target if you did.”

Yula had a smile that was slowly turning wry. “You don’t have any friends, do you?” she asked.

“I don’t.”

She simpered, strutting to her bed. “Figures. With that tongue of yours, I don’t see you getting along with anyone.”

Henry frowned slightly. “Is this how you really are?”

“It is.” She sat down on the edge of her bed with a glare and her arms crossed. “Now, don’t you dare tell me you don’t like it.”

“I’m just a bit surprised, that’s all. And I quite like this side of you more.”

Yula raised an eyebrow. “Do you, now? That’s not what they normally say.”

“They?”

“The other students on the campus who had a glimpse of this side of me.”

“And what did they say?” Henry asked, joining Yula by her side.

“Bitch.”

“They’re not wrong.”

Yula cast a deadly piercing glare at him.

But Henry smiled in response. “I’m just being honest here. “Bitch” was the first thing that came to mind but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.”

Yula narrowed her glare.

“Take me for example. I find this bitch side of you incredibly hot.”

“Oh, really?” A small grin crept to her face.

“Really.”

She giggled. “You sure are honest and if we’re being honest here, I find your brutal honesty incredibly hot too.”

“In that case, shall we go for another round?”

Her smile turned forlorn. “I would love to but sadly,” she rubbed her hips and crotch, “I’m still hurting.”

“Yeah… sorry about that.”

“Don’t be. I quite like this ache. It feels like I’m being marked. For some reason, I find that notion so… exhilarating. Does that make me weird?”

“Depends on who you ask. But me? I would say no.”

“Then… I hope you won’t find it weird for I’m about to ask.”

“Ask away.”

“Can you go down on me and eat my pussy out until I faint?” Yula asked with an upturned feverish gaze as if she was a kid asking for candy from her parents.

“Oh, dear,” Nadea muttered.

Henry didn’t even hear Nadea’s musing as he lost all of his restraint upon hearing Yula’s request. He obeyed her without question or hesitation and ate the fuck out of her pussy until she screamed till she passed out. Henry lay beside her, watching her sleep, until it was time for him to leave. As Yula was still sleeping even after more than three hours, Henry left a note before he left.