Chapter 1The Kiss of Life

I will die if I don't kiss my mortal enemy.

To survive, I became a master of emotional whiplash.

One second, we're screaming at each other. The next, I'm pinning him against the wall, locking lips.

One second, I'm sneering and telling him to get lost. The next, I'm pulling him back for a desperate make-out session.

Day after day, more punctual than a 9-to-5 job.

Chase Sterling started looking at me like I belonged in a padded cell.

I had no choice but to lean into the "psycho ex-rival" persona.

Until one day, the System shrieked in my brain:

[SYSTEM ALERT: Bad news, Host! Kisses aren't enough to sustain your life force anymore!]

My world collapsed.

* * *

Survived another day.

I looked down at the man beneath me—swollen lips, shirt in disarray.

Explaining this was getting harder.

Since I couldn't change myself, I had to change him.

Chase Sterling was getting used to it.

He lay there, sharp brows furrowed, high nose bridge catching the light, expression unreadable.

I scrambled off him, backing away two steps, laughing nervously. "Haha, oops. Just... stumbled. My bad."

Chase clearly didn't buy my BS. He twitched his mouth and hissed in pain.

Guilt pricked me.

I rushed it. I definitely busted his lip.

Chase laughed, a cold, sarcastic sound. "You're strong."

I didn't dare speak.

He stared at me flatly. "So you come over here, cuss me out, just so you can eat my face? Is that the play?"

I stood there, forcing calm.

[System, I sacrifice so much for myself.]

The System comforted me: [It's not your fault. You just love living too much.]

Ever since I started relying on Chase's lips for sustenance, I lost the moral high ground in our arguments.

Chase sat up, straightening his clothes. He was tall, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. Even fully clothed, the muscle definition was obvious. He looked... aggressive.

Afraid he might deck me, I backed toward the door, hand finding the knob. I pressed down.

It didn't budge.

Right.

This was Chase's room.

Haha.

Why did he lock the door? Paranoid much?

Chase finished adjusting his collar, leaned against the wall, and crossed his arms.

He smirked, terrifyingly. "Running away again?"

The System trembled in my brain:

[Host, I'm scared... maybe we should kneel and apologize? Maybe he'll get possessive, grab your waist, and give you his life instead...]

I mentally cursed: [Where did you learn that trash? Fanfiction?]

I chose silence.

Chase chuckled softly.

He walked toward me slowly, his shadow engulfing mine.

"Nothing to say?"

I gritted my teeth. "I'm sorry, I was wrong, I didn't mean to. You know my life hasn't been easy. Einstein invented the apple, Newton said pool tables falling from trees kill people, but nobody knows that today, the person I should thank most is you..."

I stopped because Chase lifted my chin.

He was undeniably handsome.

But I swear I had no designs on him.

I've hated his guts since kindergarten. The man is the King of Pretension.

But yeah, assaulting him daily wasn't exactly cool.

Chase's thumb pressed hard against my lip. "You owe me a lot more than an apology."

"..."

My bad.