Tsuki Tsuki - Volume 2 - Chapter Epilogue

Epilogue

Warm.
With my dizzy consciousness I felt a warmth like from being embraced.
When my consciousness cleared, I couldn’t only feel a warmth, but also a softness on my body, along with a sweet fragrance. That sensation was just so pleasant that I wanted to feel the warmth some more, so I unconsciously reached out my hand to envelop it.
“Kyaa”
An adorable scream raised up and a elastic and soft sensation attacked my palm.
“Mmh?”
I opened my eyes out of curiosity, when the first thing I saw were amber eyes. Flushed cheeks. And soft pink lips—–wait a minute.
Why was Machina sleeping right next to me? And judging by the soft and warm sensation, she was clinging to me….What was going on?
My head filled with question marks, when Machina said shyly while her cheeks got red.
“U- Uhm, how long are you going to touch my butt?”
“Eh? Ah, s- sorry!”
So the sensation on my palm was her butt! Because I didn’t know what it was, I had ended up caressing it! She’ll blow up!
Thinking that, I hastily pulled back my hand, but
“Ah, don’t move yet.”
Against all odds, I could hear a gentle voice from Machina’s mouth.
Wh- What? That was even more terrifying! What happened?
When I slowly straightened up my body while perplexed, a bright white room span before me.
“….Where am I?”
This obviously wasn’t my own room. I looked around anxious, when I noticed that I was in a hospital. And in a single room at that. That’s going to cost a fortune— or rather, why was I in a hospital?
When I looked down on my own body, I saw that a bandaged was wrapped around my chest region.
“Ah, right, I was cut, wasn’t I?”
Inevitably Gogyou-san had cut my chest and I had lost consciousness due to the enormous amount of blood loss.
Hey, Shinobu. You collapsed, how pathetic.
With dropped shoulders I stood up from the bed.
Upon that a pain ran through my chest, but it wasn’t so bad that I couldn’t walk. Grimacing due to the pain, I took a step towards the door, when
“H- Hey. I told you not to move yet. Where are you going?”
“Eh? Home, why?”
“Wh- Why are you saying something stupid while looking like it’s only obvious? You have to rest.”
Machina said worried from atop the bed, when I smiled and answered.
“Wolves don’t rest. That’s my answer.”
“S- Stop. Don’t go.”
“Even if you want to stop me, sometimes men just have to go.”
Besides, I wasn’t really fond of hospitals.
Ignoring her try to stop me, I walked on. Also, Machina’s words “Don’t go” from just now sounded somehow erotic. I had this stupid thought, when suddenly my arm was grabbed.
“Hey, don’t stop m—“
I said while turning around, when I inadvertent fell silent.
What my eyes saw was bright white skin. Two beautiful, swaying swellings. Dressed like she was born. Directly put, naked.  It was Machina’s naked body.
“E, Ehh? Y- You, that, ehh?”
When I perplexed made the smart move of staring at her
“D- Don’t stare at me so much…. Idiot.”
Machina got bright red and mumbled with a quietly while covering her breasts with her arms.
“W- Well, but you’re so pretty. I hardly ever get such a chance…”
If Nazuan were here now, she would call me a failure as a gentlemen again, since I had not a shred of tactfulness just now. I just smitten looked at Machina’s naked body, when
“…Geez, you idiot.”
It was too embarrassing for her. Machina turned her back to me and covered her body with the blanket.
Still perplexed, I pondered. Was that a F-cup? They looked sof….no, wait. I was too perplexed. I ought to wonder why Machina was naked. And also why she was sleeping with me. And not to forget why she became so meek.
…Mhm, as a result, I could only imagine indecent stuff.
Could it be, I had to take responsibility? Even though I had no memories of it? Even though I got nothing from it? Th- That was just too unfair!
“….Shinobu, I’m not sure, but are you thinking of something weird? We didn’t really do anything, you know? It’s just that you lost a lot of blood and your body became cold, so I, I warmed you up.”
“Really? You said that, but until recently you were sucking the life-force of the patient in the hospital. I can’t trust you.”
“I, I feel bad about that!”
I said it half jokingly, when Machina explained flustered.
Crossing the barrier to the human world had taken a lot of her power, so she mostly unconsciously had sucked the life-force of the patients. Afterwards she had sent gifts to the patients secretly. And obviously, she hadn’t tried to suck my life-force.
“Mh, I certainly seem to be fine except for the wound on my chest. You better not be lying.”
With a nod and “But”, I continued.
“I still can’t discard the possibility that you trampled over my handsome body out of your own ambition….”
“I- Idiot! I would never do that to an injured person!”
Machina interrupted me while turning even redder, then mumbled something on the lines of “A- And I wouldn’t even want that when we two haven’t confirmed our feelings for each other…” in a quiet voice, which I couldn’t hear well.
But, well, gratitude comes first.
It would have been bad if I had caught a cold because of my low body temperature. I wouldn’t stand for it when I even caught a cold while injured.
I returned to the bed and sat down besides Machina with my back to her. Then I said while turning around.
“Thank you. Your body was pretty warm.”
I called out to her with a smile, but for some reason Machina looked down with a sad expression.
“…I’m sorry. You were hurt so bad because I did all that and you had to cover me….”
“Nah, it isn’t that bad. I’m completely fine, you know?”
“You’re, not fine…”
Even though I answered gentle, tears piled up in Machina’s eyes.
“The doctor said that the wound on your chest will…. leave a scar. Because of my stupid actions, you—-“
“I don’t really mind a scar or two, you know?”
I interrupted her and smiled.
“My body is scarred anyway, so another big one isn’t much of a deal.”
I acted tough,  but I was a bit scared of swimming class….well, it was a trivial problem.
“Anyway, I’m glad you didn’t get hurt.”
I slowly reached out my hand and patted her hand. Upon that Machina had to hold back her tears again, but gently grabbed my hand and put it against her cheek.
“….How mysterious. Your hand is completely different, but it feels like my mother’s or sister’s.”
Saying that, Machina made a happy expression and entrusted her cheek to my hand.
That behavior was unbelievable cute, so my heart skipped a few beats. I felt her cheek turning red, so I hastily averted my gaze from Machina, when—- suddenly a knock on the door echoed.
“Shinobu-san, how are you feeling….”
Luna entered the room with a worried expression, but once she saw Machina and me, she stopped moving at once.
“Mh? What’s up?”
“What, what?”
Along with these words, Elni and Nazuna showed their heads from behind Luna and looked at me.
Elni gave a normal “Yahoo~ Shinobu”, whereas Nazuna froze up immediately like Luna.
I shifted my gaze back to Luna.

“M- Machina, is, n- naked….and close with Shinobu-san….”
Luna received a heavy shock and mumbled.
“S- So you two were in such a relationship! S- Sorry that I interrupted!”
With wet eyes she sprinted out of the room. Soon afterwards a “Fueeeeeeh~!” cry could be heard….She certainly misunderstood.
I sighed, when
“Luna-oneechan, wait!”
Now Nazuna left the room in a hectic state. She must have been going after Luna….
“…Luna-oneechan, huh.”
I smiled inadvertent.
It seemed that these two properly made up.
Luna misunderstood, but that could be cleared up later.
While I thought that, Elni closed the door and came over to the bed.
“Shinobu, here are some fruit as a gift.”
Elni didn’t seem to misunderstand about Machina and just handed me a fruit basket normally. When I peeked into the basket, I saw a big melon and nice apples.
“What’s up with these?”
“They’re from Hijiri. She’s busy and couldn’t come, so she wanted us to at least bring a gift over.”
“Mhm~ I see. That melon sure looks expensive.”
I just gave a nod and looked at the melon, when Elni said in an unusual angry expression.
“Shinobu, Hijiri feels pretty guilty about having cut you! She even bowed her head to the exorcists and gave her best, so that Machina would be left alone. Shouldn’t you be more grateful?”
“…Is that so?”
I asked surprised, when Elni nodded with a serious expression.
By that I understood just how Gogyou-san worked. Then Elni continued frowning.
“Also, don’t do such reckless things. Just to tell you, when you collapsed all bleeding, I cried waterfalls!”
Don’t say that yourself.
I watched Elni weary, when Machina, who was silent so far, opened her mouth.
“Speaking of, when Shinobu collapsed, you cried together with Sister.”
“Yeah, without end.”
Elni admitted honestly.
“But you were making quite the fuss with your ‘Nanjou is going to die~ No~’ crying, Machina.”
“D- Don’t lie! I didn’t say that! P- Probably….”
When I looked at Machina, Elni continued with “And that wasn’t all”.
“Shinobu, you also mumbled ‘Elni, my beloved Elni. I love you!’”
“Now that’s a lie! A big fat lie! Don’t make such weird lies! I’m gonna get angry!”
Why would she get so angry about just a joke?
I tilted my head, while I looked at Machina, who was red of anger. Then Elni suddenly clapped my shoulder lightly and asked with a slightly worried expression.
“Are you alright now?”
“Yeah. Sorry to made you worry.”
“Indeed. But I’ll forgive you with a kiss.”
It must have been one of Elni’s usual jokes. But for some reason Machina hastily got between Elni and me. Then while she hugged on the blanket, she started to glare at Elni warningly…..What was up with her?
I tilted my head once again, when Elni approached Machina, who was glaring at her, and pressed a kiss on her cheek. Needless to say, Machina jumped back hastily.
“Wh- Who’s this weirdo?”
“Elni. Nickname: Mad Dog. She’s strong.”
I answered, when Elni cutely growled a “Gaaar!” to impend her. Then she took out the melon from the gift basket.
“Shinobu, I wanna eat the melon!”
“Hey, that’s Shinobu’s melon! It’s not for you to eat!”
“Ehh~? But it such a big one. Don’t be a meany and share it with me. I wanna eat it.”
Machina shot down Elni’s request with a “No!”.
Upon that, Elni dropped her shoulders.
“Hey, don’t cry just because you can’t eat a melon.”
“Just because? Melons are amazing! They’re expensive and I can rarely eat them. Since I’m not used to expensive food, I even brought a stomach medicine with me as not to upset my stomach….”
Elni’s eyes got wet. What a pitiful girl.
“I’ll give you some, so eat your fill.”
“B- But Machina was being mean.”
“Mh? It’s no problem, is it?”
I asked, when Machina slightly nodded a “…If you say so”.
Immediately after, Elni smiled.
“Then feed me this melon!”
“Do it yourself! You have a knife, don’t you! Don’t make an injured person do that for you!”
Elni became despondent again after Machina got angry at her.
“Calm down. Let’s eat it with everyone. Elni, sorry, but could you bring Luna and Nazuna back? Then we can eat it together, okay?”
When I said that, Elni stood up, saluted a “Mad Dog, roger!” and headed for the door.
“Mad Dog, good luck.”
I sent a salute after Elni, then took a breath and turned around to look at Machina on the bed.
Machina took my gaze and sent a “What?” back with her eyes.
On that I answered with a smile.
“Well, just thinking it turned out good. I mean with Gogyou-san. The exorcists will surely leave you alone now, so you can live here now.”
On my words Machina looked down for some reason and bowed a “I’m sorry”.
“I misunderstood about you, Shinobu. Sister told me a lot about you in the demon realm, but I didn’t believe you to be the kind guy she described. And even when I came here and observed you, you were getting along well with other girls, even though you had sister already. So I hated you…”
Observed, huh. It seemed these looks I felt were from Machina.
Then Machina raised her head, looked at me and continued with a “But”.
“You were strong like my sister had said. You even broke free from my charm. A strong will and….kindness.”
While turning slightly red, Machina slowly reached out her hand.
“I never understood why sister would want to be with you. But, I think I understand now.”
Machina placed her extended hand onto mine.
“Hey, will you really protect me?”
Her eyes, which were worried and somewhat filled with expectation, looked straight at me.
I returned her look, nodded firmly and said.
“Yeah, I’ll protect you too.”
When I nodded, her amber eyes narrowed happily.
Then Machina sneaked a peek at me.
“Hey, Shinobu. When you’ll always protect me—-“
Her well-formed, pink lips moved slowly.
“I wouldn’t mind becoming your slave, you know?”
She said.
While I was taken aback by her wicked smile, I only noticed now that Machina was casually calling me “Shinobu” now.
Anyway, like that the amount of people I wanted to protect increased by one.