Tsuki Tsuki - Volume 3 - Chapter 4

Chapter 04: Way home through the rain

Leaving the house and walking for a while, we reached a huge mansion.
…Could it be Gogyou-san was a rich missy?
I went inside astonished when offered. What I saw there was an entrance hall thrice as big as our, a large hallway and
“Welcome home, Miss.”
An elegant figure appeared from the hallway: A maid.
A black long skirt with a snow-white apron. On her head a hairbow.
She looked lightly older than Gogyou-san and me. She had an outstanding style with extremely finely chiselled features like a model. Her black hair was cut semi-short and a little shaggy on the side.
Her beauty amazed me, but she didn’t show any kind of expression.
She was completely expressionless.
The maid glanced at me and said still expressionless.
“Miss, who might this delinquent be? I cannot appreciate that you bring home trash with you.”
What cruel words. Actually, I got the feeling that she really looked at me like I was trash. Quite strangely, considering that was our first meeting.
I inadvertently made a wry smile, when Gogyou-san said in a rare angry tone.
“Kaoru-san, Nanjou-kun is my friend. Don’t tall him trash, even as a joke.”
Upon Gogyou-san’s word, the maid lightly bowed her head.
“I beg your pardon. I only had intended to please the guest in my own way, but it appears I did not succeed.”
The maid said, not reflecting on her actions at all.
Gogyou-san made a sigh, then faced me.
“Sorry, Nanjou-kun. Don’t mind her and come in.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
I took my shoes off and entered the house, when the maid opened her mouth still expressionless.
“Miss, you are quite bold to bring over a boy when your family is out. Should I lprepare you a sure-working aphrodisiac?
The moment the maid said so, Gogyou-san turned bright red.
“N- No! That’s not what I brought Nanjou-kun over for! Stop saying weird things! Nanjou-kun will misunderstand!”
Gogyou-san hastily denied. It was kind of cute.
But I didn’t hear anything of her parents being absent before.
“Should I really stay over when your parents are gone? I can go back if it’s a bother.”
“Ehm, go back where to?”
“…Into someone’s arms?”
I remembered how I couldn’t return home and gave a random answer, when Gogyou-san grinned.
“It’s not a bother, so stay. You let me stay at your house before too.”
Reminded me, before I nursed Gogyou-san at my home, when I found her wounded after an exorcist mission. But Machina was the reason for that, so Gogyou-san really didn’t need to mind it.
I told her that, but Gogyou-san continued with a “Still” and a smile.
“I was happy. So let me repay you now.”
After she said that much, it was too awkward to decline.
“Thanks. Then I’ll take you up on your words.”
“and jump in your arms.”
Gogyou-san and me turned surprised to the cutting in third voice. Expressionless as ever, the maid winked while she said.
“But I must say I am surprised. It is pretty big news that the Miss stayed over at a boy’s house. I have to inform the Mistress of this.”
“S- Stop it! My mother will misunderstand!”
“Then the Master—”
“Even worse! Just stop it!”
Gogyou-san started to panic, when the maid said unchanged expressionless.
“Miss, if you desire me to stop, please give me an order.”
“E- Ehm, I want you to stop.”
“That phrasing is not good. Please say it more strongly, like you are scolding me.”
“Don’t tell them!”
“…*blush*”
For some reason the maid blushed on Gogyou-san’s order.
….What a weirdo. I averted my gaze from her, but Gogyou-san lined up besides the maid with a wry smile and explained.
“Nanjou-kun, this is Kaoru-san. She works here.”
“Nice to meet you, trash… I made a mistake. Nanjou-sama.”
I thought what a cruel mistake that was, but didn’t retort. My instincts told me to keep low. So I left just a neutral “Hello” as an answer.
There the maid bowed down.
“Nanjou-sama, casually call me Kaorun—and I’ll air your guts.”
“Then don’t tell me that, Kaorun.”
…Aw, shit. I retorted on reflex. Even though I wanted to keep low.
I regretted it, when the maid, Kaorun suddenly flipped her skirt. Just when I saw her brilliant thighs and black stockings…..she pulled out a knife from a hidden holster beneath her skirt and shoved it to my throat without hesitation.
When I looked down, the dagger knife, over ten centimetre long, suspiciously shined near my carotid artery. I looked at Kaorun surprised, when she said while still not changing her expression at all.
“So, any last words?”
“No need to bury me. No need for funeral offerings. Don’t let the living mourn for the dead. Actually, seeing you so close-up, you sure have long eye-lashes, Kaorun.”
When I replied with my hands still in my pockets, Kaorun’s expressionless brighten up a bit and turned into a slight surprise.
Then Gogyou-san hastily got between Kaorun and me to stop her and lowered her head.
“Sorry, Nanjou-kun. That’s her idea of a joke.”
“Yeah, I could tell.”
I could tell that she wasn’t serious by watching her movements. She showed no expressions, but when I looked into her eyes, I understood that she had no intention to kill me.
Since they completely lacked willingness, I knew it was a joke.
“Well, it was a lame joke though.”
“…Should I have said ‘I’ll kill you and then myself!’?”
“No, ‘I love you so much that I want to kill you’ would have been better.”
Since it didn’t really matter, I gave an appropriate reply, when Karorun made an impressed expression for some reason.
“As you would expect from a friend of the Miss. I am impressed. Please do call me a dirty pig.”
“Ohh, you’re one of the rumoured perverts?”
“Pervert Maid…..That sounds like the title of some lewd video, but please do not let yourself get excited. It would be disgusting.”
“—-Okay, Gogyou-san, I’m imposing on you.”
“Yeah, come in. I’ll show you the living room.”
Together with Gogyou-san, I ignored Karoun. Upon that Kaorun raised a surprised voice saying “You two are ignoring me!?” while she followed after us.

“…But is it really okay? Your parents won’t say anything about it?”
“It’s fine. Besides, I was a bit insecure without everyone out of the house. So I’m happy with you here, Nanjou-kun…”
A bit taken aback by Gogyou-san’s shy words, I faced Kaorun.
“Hey, Maid. She said she’s insecure.”
“How regrettable. Even though I am present.”
“Isn’t it because you are here?”
“I cannot deny that. Miss, I do feel hungry.”
“Yeah, I’ll go make dinner soon. Go wait with Nanjou-kun in the living room.”
Maybe it was a usual thing, but Gogyou-san paid no attention to the maid abandoning her work and simply lead me into the huge living room. Then she left again.
She was most likely heading to the kitchen. This maid was totally useless.
She sat down at the table in the living room together with me and made no attempt to go help Gogyou-san. I was astonished, when Karoun suddenly opened her mouth.
“By the way, Nanjou-sama, I heard that when you visit someone in Kyoto and they serve you rice with green tea, it is a sign that they want you to leave.”
“Mhm.”
“Nanjou-sama….Would you like some rice with green tea?”
“Nah, just give me tea.”
“How impudent!!”
After Karoun said astonished, she left the room and came back with a tablet filled with tea and snacks. She put the tea in front of me and said expressionless.
“Please go home once you finish your tea.”
“Kaorun, fetch me the remote control of the TV.”
“You are not reacting to me at all!?”
While leaking an appalled voice, Kaorun handed me the remote control. Then she said expressionless, yet with somewhat hopeful eyes.
“Nanjou-sama, please turn on channel 6.”
“Make do with channel 8.”
“Who do you thin you are!?”
“The great Shinobu. And you?”
“A maid.”
“See now. That’s the difference between us.”
“There is no longer any reason to it!?”
Despite my words, I switched to channel 6.
Channel 6 showed a program about aliens or whatever that I didn’t really understand.
Watching that program, Karoun dainty ate the snack rice crackers and said.
“Quite amusing, these people.”
An humourless evaluation. Actually, don’t eat snacks before dinner. To begin with
“You’re a maid, so shouldn’t you help with cooking?”
When I added on what she was hired for, suddenly Karoun purposely covered her face with both hands and imitated a crying.
“Usually I work as hard as a workhorse, so at least when the Master and Mistress are gone, I want to rest my wings at ease….”
SOB, SOB. Kaorun imitated a crying, then she suddenly raised her head with an “Ah” and continued with a nonchalant face.
“Just to tell you, when I say rest my wings, it does not mean that I actually possess wings. Please do not misunderstand that part, just because I am as beautiful as an angel.”
“….Karoun, want to go see a doctor?”
“Such pitying eyes!?”
I looked at Kaorun with desultory eyes, when she said sulking.
“Nanjou-sama, even when you think that, you do not put it into words. At this point, you should have complimented me about it. After all, women always like to dream.”
“Well, my bad.”
Reflecting on my actions, I cleared my throat with a COUGH, then said while looking at Karoun.
“I wonder if God has noticed that you ran away from heaven.”
“Oh my, how flattering…. I take it that you have fallen for me?”
“No, what are you taking it serious for?”
I said wearily to the blushing Kaorun. Upon that, Kaorun hit on the table and shouted.
“What a cruel joke!”
“What are you getting angry for? You’re so weird…”
I grumbled. Then Kaorun said advising.
“Nanjou-sama, I am a hidden conquest character, you know? If you do not raise my affection points or flags, the Kaorun route will not appear. Please be careful of that.”
“….Dinner still not ready?”
“Are you paying attention to me!?”
I mumbled while looking at the TV, when I heard Kaorun’s shocked voice.
“Hey, you’re noisy, Kaorun. I’m watching TV here, so pipe it down.”
“You are no longer interested in me!?”
When I warned her, Kaorun groaned sorrowful, then stared at me and continued with an incomprehensible preface of “Are you sure about this?”.
“Nanjou-sama, if you do intend to conquer the Miss, you also need to raise my affections points. That is because I am an reliable asset. I have watched over the Miss growing up, since she was small. I do know a lot of things about the Miss.”
“Hee, that’s amazing.”
“Yes, it is amazing. Well, that was all a lie though.”
“Mhm~ Whatever. Anyway, the commercials started, so can I switch the channel?”
“You practically ignored what I said!?”
Kaorun leaked a surprised voice while still being expressionless. Then she fell silent for a while, only to suddenly start to stare at me.
“…Something’s up?”
I really couldn’t ignore her gaze now, so I shifted my gaze from the TV to Kaorun and asked. Then she made a slightly serious expression and opened her mouth.
“…Nanjou-sama, who exactly are you?”
“Just an handsome guy.”
I tried a frivolous answer, but Kaorun made a big sigh.
“Should I have said I’m an English gentleman?”
“…If I were to turn two blind eyes to it, you would be an handsome English gentleman.”
“What’s the point if you turn both eyes blind? Anyway, so what?”
Kaorun hesitated for a short moment, then opened her mouth.
“Someone who did not even flinch when a knife is pointed at his throat, is far from normal. Who are you to the Miss? Are you really just a friend?”
“Yes, a friend. I got her cell phone number and mail address. Moreover, I know of her profession.”
Upon my reply, Kaorun silently stared at me for a while. I had nothing to feel guilty about, so I firmly stared back, when Kaorun said with her cheeks flushed for some reason.
“Please do tell me your cell phone number and mail address too, Nanjou-sama.”
“Wait, how did it even get to that?….I don’t mind though.”
While surprised, I pulled out my cell phone from my pocket and exchanged addresses with Kaorun.
“Please do save me under ‘My angel’ in your address book.”
….Whoops. Reminded me, I didn’t tell any of the others that I left the house.
“Excuse me, Nanjou-sama? Did you perceive what I said?”
Mh, I should contact Luna or Nazuna later on…
“Could it be you are feeling ashamed, Nanjou-sama? Well, I do can understand why. After all you exchanged addresses with such a beauty.”
“Okay, ‘Pervert Maid’ saved.”
“…Please wait. Nanjou-sama, did you do just save my address under a weird name? Please let me have a look at your cell phone.”
“Don’t let it bother you, Pervert Maid.”
“…I will cut you.”
Kaorun gave me a fierce glare while staying expressionless.
It was quite scary. With no other choice, I opened my address book and changed “Pervert Maid” into “Kaorun”.
“Nanjou-sama, what about the ‘My angel’?”
“You’re so impudent…”
Spending the time by speaking with Karoun about this and that, I waited for Gogyou-san’s home-cooking.
After a while, the dishes were lined up on the dining table and their appetizing smell spread to the living room.
The dishes were fried stuff, salad and snow-white rice with miso-soup.
“Okay, Nanjou-sama, please do try my self-made cooking. I worked my hardest to prepare it for you, so please do not make any leftovers.”
Kaorun, who had lined up the dishes together with Gogyou-san, openly declared her lies. Gogyou-san once again didn’t say anything and just gave a wry smile. But I had to retort once.
“…No, you didn’t do anything, Kaorun.”
“No, actually I was also cooking. Moreover, I gave you chocolates on valentine’s day this year. Therefore this fried one belongs to me.”
“Don’t fabricate such lies! And don’t take my fried one! Actually, we met for the first time today, so how could I have gotten any chocolates from you!”
“Then please do look forward to it next year. Also, please eat your tomatoes.”
She probably hated them, as Kaorun pushed her tomatoes to me.
“Such a sloppy maid…”
I turned unmeant weary, when Gogyou-san said while scratching her cheek.
“Sorry, Nanjou-kun, that she’s such a weirdo…”
For some reason, Gogoyu-san appeared to be really embarrassed.

…After dinner, I relaxed watched some TV in the living room together with Kaorun. Then Gogyou-san encouraged me to take a bath, so I had her lead me to the bath.
The anteroom was rather spacious and I was surprised at it’s size, when Gogyou-san with a smile and Kaorun with a giggle said.
“Now then, Nanjou-kun, take your time.”
“It is truly regrettable that you cannot go in after us, right, Nanjou-sama. Let me give you a piece of advice beforehand. Please do not drink the bathwater after we get out of it.”
For now I ignored Kaorun and said my gratitude to Gogyou-san.
“Thanks. I’ll take you up on your words and take me time.”
“Yeah.”
Gogyou-san nodded and left the anteroom, while Kaorun took one step forwards and said mindful.
“Nanjou-sama, no one will come to wash your back, so please do not raise your hopes.”
“Oh, Karoun, you were still here?”
“Now you are treating me as air!?”
Now I said to Kaorun, who had widened her eyes, mindful.
“Kaorun, I know I’m quite attractive, but don’t peep on me.”
I said so with a smile while closing the door of the anteroom, when I heard a mumbling voice from beyond the door.
I was somewhat interested in it, so I perked up my ears.
“…Miss, this is a rare chance, so how about you take a peep? It is a good chance to get a look on various parts of a male.”
“Wh- What are you saying? If I do that, Nanjou-kun will hate me!”
I could hear Kaorun’s monotone and Gogyou-san’s flustered voice.
“It will be fine, Miss. You just do not have to be found out.”
“No means no.”
“If you say so. Then in your stead, I will…”
“That’s a no, too!”
“Ah, Miss, please do not pull on me! Ahn. No.*crash*”
“D- Don’t raise such a weird voice!”
…I knew it, Kaorun was a weirdo.
While listening to the fading voices, I plenty enjoyed the glorious wooden-built bath.
Then I got out of the bath and returned to the living room, to find Kaorun there.
“Kaorun suddenly stood up, grabbed my arm and dragged me to the guest room without consent.”
“No need to thank me.”
“Kaorun said with a nonchalant face, but she couldn’t hide her excitement for the coming event, as her cheeks turned red. She closed the sliding door with an erotic smile and drew closer.”
“Do not tell the Miss about it.”
“She was a pervert maid after all. Kaorun made a playful smile and reached out for her maid clothes—wait a minute! Don’t seriously take off your clothes!”
I stopped my monologue, regained my senses and warned her hastily, when Kaorun giggled.
“Just now you were excited, right? What were you expecting, you pervert.”
“Sh- Shu up, idiot.”
“What do you mean with idiot!”
Since she hit a bulls-eye, I gave a curt reply. Whereupon Kaorun said angrily and then coughed to change the topic. Her expression stiffed up a bit.
“Nanjou-sama, the Miss will take her bath now.”
“I see.”
“Yes, the Miss does trust you, Nanjou-sama. That is why she, although in a different room, defenceless exposes all off her body, even though a male is present under the same roof. Her voluminous breasts, her tight waist and firm bottom will be exposed in the bath.”
Why would she phrase it so that I got an unnecessary fantasy?
I wished she would stop it, when Kaorun got a step closer to me and said warning.
“Nanjou-sama, please do not betray the trust the Miss has placed into you. If you do happen to betray her trust, peep on her bathing or sneak into her room….I take you know what will happen?”
“Yeah, she actually might confess to me.”
I seriously affirmed Kaorun, who gave me a fierce glare. Upon that, her glare got even fierce and she said.
“Then shall we bet on it?”
“Wait, why are you going along? You should reprimand me. Reprimand.”
“You good-for-nothing.”
“Call me a gentleman.”
I shrugged my shoulders, when Kaorun made a serious expression and said.
“Gentleman.”
There I likewise made a serious expression, pointed at Kaorun and said.
“Maid.”
“We two get along.”
“Hey, don’t decide that on your own. Don’t get into my mattress. Get out already.”
“All you do is complain. I laid out this mattress, you know! If you have a complain, state it after you defeated me!”
Kaorun said while pulling out a card game from under her skirt.
“…I would like to sleep already, since I’m lacking some sleep.”
“Then you must defeat me quickly.”
“You’re such a pain…”
I played cards with Kaorun against my will…

It was late at night with an heavy downpour. Kaorun finally stood up.
“I feel satisfied now, so I am taking my leave.”
“…After hours of playing cards, it’s more like you get sick of it rather than satisfied.”
Midway Gogyou-san came in to check upon us and joined our card game, but since it was late, she had returned to her room earlier.
Despite that Kaoru, who was probably frustrated about repetitive losses against me, just remained here….and before we noticed it, it was the dead of the night.
I, who was forced to accompany her, said complaining.
“I’m tired. Go away already.”
Maybe due to the fact that I ate Machina’s cooking when I was already feeling bad, but my body felt somewhat dull. I wanted to sleep quickly and recover my strength.
I waved my hand with a SSH, SSH to chase out Kaorun. Upon that, Kaorun lightly puckered her lips.
“How nasty of you, considering we happily played late into the night.”
Then Kaorun elegantly dropped a maid-like curtsy.
“Then rest well, Nanjou-sama. For eternity….”
Leaving some ominous words, Kaorun left the room.
“…She really is a weird maid.”
I mumbled while nonchalant approaching the window and looked outside.
Outside the rain was coming down heavily while sometimes a thunderbolt flashed and it’s thunder sounded.
“It’s pretty close by…”
“Soon enough it will hit your head, Nanjou-sama.”
I surprised turn to the sudden voice coming from side. Beside me stood Kaorun, whenever she even came back.
Astonished about Karoun, whose presence I didn’t sense at all, I said wearily.
“…Are you that bored? Get out of here already.”
“So unfriendly. Now then, Nanjou-sama, this time for sure I wish you a slumber from which you will never—Aw, please let me finish. Please do not drag me on my neck. Such harassment~”
Throwing Kaoru, who was giving off a strangely erotic voice, out of the room, I once again looked outside the window.
“….Nanjou-sama, if you mumble mama now, you will be like Sune-chama.”
“Give it a rest already! Get out!”
I chased away Kaoru, who peeked in her head through the sliding door, and made a big sigh. I was tired and wanted to sleep quickly, but that maid might play a prank on my for revenge while I sleep. For a while I alarmed watched the thunderbolts, but…there were no signs of Kaoru coming again. Thinking I could finally sleep, I turned off the lights relieved, when I suddenly heard a knock on the sliding door.
She got some nerve. I better tell Kaoru off fiercely once. I pulled open the sliding door and shouted.
“What time do you think it is! If you don’t stop it, I’ll spank your ass!”
“S- Sorry! I know coming so late is rude! Please forgive me!”
….Huh? Why was Gogyou-san right in front of me? Where was Kaoru?
I faced Gogyou-san with my head tilted. Gogyou-san was wearing a sleeping kimino, but it looked like a yukata and she was hugging onto a pillow.
For now I lowered by head with a “Sorry, I mistook you for Kaoru”, then asked.
“What’s up so late?”
“E- Ehm, can we talk inside?”
“Yeah, I don’t mind. I mean, it isn’t even my house.”
I nodded and let Gogyou-san into the room.
But what could she want in the middle of the night? Wondering, I sat down on the tatami mat.
Then for some reason Gogyou-san sat down exactly next to me and fell silent while hugging onto her pillow.
….Mh? Pillow? I had only noticed now, but why was she carrying a pillow with her? Did she want to have a pillow fight? But with just us two it would turn out to be quite lonesome.
I thought about that, when a thunderbolt stroke nearby. A loud noised sounded and soon enough the thunder followed.
In that moment, Gogyou-san tightly hugged onto my arm.
“Eh? Hey, Gogyou-san?”
When I faced her, Gogyou-san’s eyes lacked their usual dignity. She had an anxious expression and whenever a thunder sounded, her shoulders trembled.
“…Could it be you’re scared of thunder?”
I asked, when Gogyou-san nodded powerless after a short pause.
“Sorry. I know it’s pathetic, but I have been bad with thunder since I was a kid. It’s scary…”
While mumbling that, Gogyou-san was lightly trembling like a small animal.
I placed my hand on her hand and petted it gently.
“Don’t worry about it. Everyone has one or two things he’s bad with.”
When I said that, Gogyou-san showed a somewhat relieved expression and clung to me even stronger.
“Thanks, Nanjou-kun.”
“S- Sure…”
I wasn’t so low as to get funny ideas with a frightened girl. Or so I was supposed to be. But then what about the current situation where I lay back-to-back with Gogyou-san in the same mattress, before I noticed it.
Moreover, when a loud thunder sounded, Gogyou-san clung to me from behind…. Recently I was experiencing similar situations, wasn’t I? Judging by my previous experiences, I wouldn’t get any sleep tonight either… What to do?
Puzzled, I decided to get an afternoon nap tomorrow and spent the night without sleeping.

* * *

SPLAT, SPLAT. Someone was slapping my cheeks.
“Damn pig. This is what you want, right, you damn pig?”
A monotone voice with no feelings in it. The hand slapping my cheeks wasn’t exerting much strength either.
…Who was that? I opened my eyelids, whereupon I saw a maid.
“Just Kaorun, huh. Let me sleep some more. I barely got any sleep yesterday.”
“Hah. Does that mean you had plenty of fun last night?”
“One of your usual jokes? Sorry, but I’m sleepy. Save it for later…”
Somehow my body felt heavier than normal and my head hurt. Moreover I felt a chill. I turned over to escape with my still dizzy consciousness. There was a black-haired girl sleeping. Her innocent sleeping face was extremely cute that my heart raced… then I turned pale at once.
“…Kaorun, this is a misunderstanding.”
“Rape?”
“No, really, that’s not it. There’s a reason why Gogyou-san is sleeping here.”
“Because you took her virginity.”
“I said no! The thund….”
While I pulled up my dull body, I stopped my sentence half-way. It could be that Gogyou-san was keeping her fear of thunder a secret from Kaorun.
Then how should I explain it? A cold sweat started to break out on my forehead and Kaorun giggled.
“It was just a humorous remark. The Miss believes that I do not know about it, but I am aware that she is scared of thunder.”
Then Kaorun gently patted the head of the sleeping Gogyou-san. She looked way more charming than with her usual expressionless look.
Kaorun gazed at Gogyou-san with a smile, then shifted her gaze back to me and lowered her head.
“Nanjou-sama, thank you very much for helping the scared Miss last night.”
“Ehm, it wasn’t anything special…”
I was embarrassed, so I averted my head unmeant, when Kaorun said quietly.
“If you only had pushed her down then….”
“That was one remark too much. Actually, should you be saying that as her maid?”
“On a demand?”
“Nope.”
I rejected her flat out and tried to get out of the mattress, but my legs got tangled up and I fell down perfectly.
“…What are you doing, Nanjou-sama? Is that a new kind of play?”
“Yeah, an original play where you trip like this. I call it the human vacuum cleaner.”
I joked while I tried to get up, then staggered and for a moment my vision momentarily became cloudy, maybe due to a fever. Like that I fell flat down onto the tatami matt. I hastily tried to get up, when
“Nanjou-sama, excuse me for a bit.”
Kaorun’s hand reached out for my forehead. Her somewhat cold hand felt pleasant on my hot forehead.
“…You have a cold.”
“No, I’m faking it.”
I played though, but Kaorun said wearily.
“That is what you get for running around naked yesterday.”
“Who did such a thing? Don’t say—”
“Bam.”
Cutting into my words, Kaorun flicked my forehead.
As pathetic it was, that forehead flick send backwards onto the tatami matt.
“You weakling. So troublesome. Please be aware that if it not were for an excellent maid like me, you would have been dead.”
She said triumphing, then dragged up my body and put me back into the mattress. Incredibly she then pushed Gogyou-san, who was sleeping besides me, onto the tatami matt. She pulled her up and began to move her.
“H- Hey, what are you doing….”
I dumbfounded watched Karoun expressionless dragging the sleeping Gogyou-san. She shrugged and said free from any guilt.
“My form of expression affection. Well, that was a lie though.”
“….Actually you’re just a freeloader wearing maid clothes, aren’t you?”
“How rude!”
I said wearily, when Kaorun continued indignant.
“Despite all this I am a proper maid. My dishes are on a professional level. Cooking and making the laundry is a piece of cake for me. Moreover I can handle swords, knifes and pistols. I am a perfect maid.”
Talkative and somewhat confident, Kaorun explained, then faced Gogyou-san, who was sleeping tightly even while being dragged around, and opened her mouth.
“I am well aware that it is my duty to wake my master. But the Miss has a hard time waking up. Therefore—”
“You can play various pranks on her while she sleeps?”
“Yes. The Miss is so cute that you want to mess with her. Nanjou-sama, will you join me?”
“No, I won’t. Why are you inviting me so casually? I turned you down, but you really are the lowest.”
“When the value is the lowest, it cannot decrease any further. Fufufu.”
Kaorun smiled suspicious and dragged the sleeping Gogyou-san out of the room.
After a few seconds, I could hear Gogyou-san’s scream, so I faced the closed sliding door.
“…What’s Kaorun doing?”
The moment I said that, the sliding door opened and Kaorun showed her head.
“You called for me?”
“No, I haven’t!”
I denied on reflex, since I was surprised, but Kaorun made a doubtful face.
“You just told a lie, did you not?”
“…Yeah.”
I sat up straight, when Kaorun said monotone while still expressionless.
“Well, you are scary when angry. So please do forgive me with this.”
Now Kaorun threw me something that she had held in her right hand.
I casually predicted the trajectory of the thrown object and caught the light blue thing.
What was this? It felt strangely warm. I looked at it with my head tilted…The thing in my hand was a light blue brassiere
“…Eh?”
Inadvertently I looked at it once again, but without doubt it was a brassiere.
Why was a brassiere in my hand? I stared at it in confusion, when
“N- No, Nanjou-kun! Please give it back!”
Gogyou-san’s flustered voice sounded and in the next moment, the brassiere was snatched away by an incredible fast hand.
When I raised my face, I saw Gogyou-san, whose clothes bared open widely. She wore her yukata-like sleeping kimono, but it was in a complete mess and she hid her breasts with one arm. Everything else though was in plain view.
Her tight waist and light blue panties pinched in between her brilliant thighs. Moreover Gogyou-san held onto the light blue brassiere, which she took from me earlier, with a bright red face.
Gogyou-san had worn that brassiere?
I was at a loss for words in my surprise, when Kaorun said expressionless.
“By the way, the Miss has an E-cup.”
“K- Kaoru-san!”
Gogyou-san lost her head, when Kaorun sharpened her gaze for some reason.
“Miss, Nanjou-sama…Please do sink it deep into your memory that the bigger is not always the better. It is the enemy to women.”
Kaorun said somewhat resentful and closed her eyelids. Now Gogyou-san lowered her head to me and then turned her back to me, heading for the sliding door.
I watched over this dumbfounded, when Gogyou-san shouted angrily after she opened the sliding door.

“What are you doing so early in the morning, Kaoru-san!”
“A physical exanimation. You sure have grown, Miss. Now please hurry up and change. You have an appointment today, right?”
“Y- Yeah, I have, but….I want you to stop doing these things before Nanjou-kun.”
I listened to the fading voices of Gogyou-san and Kaorun, then sprawled and groaned quietly.
“…I think my fever went up with that….”
I put my own hand on my forehead, when it was hotter than expected…

Gogyou-san frowned lightly when she looked at the thermometer.
“It’s high. 38.6°C.”
Upon Gogyou-san’s words, Kaorun also peeked at the thermometer, then faced me and said.
“What a surprise. Even Nanjou-sama can catch a cold.”
“I’m actually a quite sensitive guy. It’s probably because it was a different pillow.”
“For a sensitive guy, you sure slept well in someone else’s house.”
“I’m nearly dying, so sorry I am.”
I said with a sigh, when Gogyou-san reached out her hand and gently petted my head.
“Nanjou-kun, for now rest well. I’ll call your family for you.”
“No, I can’t be pampered like this. Actually, what time is it now? What about school?”
“Nanjou-sama, the current time is half past twelve. Please take a paid leave for today and rest from school.”
“Paid leave?”
“Yes, the Miss has an appointment. Well, she has work. She’s going out soon.”
Kaorun answered, when Gogyou-san nodded apologetic.
“Yeah, I have to go now.”
“I see. Then it’s about time I also head—”
“Bam.”
When I was trying to straighten up, Kaorun flicked my forehead.
I fell down back on the mattress by this weak attack.
“Do not overexert yourself. You should take advantage of the Miss’ good-will.”
“But she’s going out. Staying here when nobody is home is…”
“It poses no problem.”
Cutting into my words, Kaorun said with her chest puffed.
“I will be present, so it is fine. You just have to concentrate on getting better, Nanjou-sama.”
“She’s right, Nanjou-kun. Kaoru-san will nurse you, so rest assured.”
No, that worried me even more. I stood up, grabbed Gogyou-san’s hand and begged.
“Don’t go, Gogyou-san. Don’t leave me alone!”
“No, I am present, you know?”
Kaorun raised her hand and Gogyou-san nodded.
“It’s okay, Nanjou-kun. Kaoru-san is here.”
“No, well, that’s not it…”
“…Could it be you will be lonely?”
I said reluctant, when Kaorun looked at me and said teasing.
Upon that Gogyou-san got surprised, then smiled gently and patted my head.
“That’s so cute, Nanjou-kun…”
“Wait a minute. It’s a misunderstanding. I just—”
“Yes, yes. Mommy is busy with work, so please be a good boy and sleep.”
Once again cutting into my words with a flick to my forehead, Kaorun then faced Gogyou-san.
“Miss, please leave this to me and ready yourself.”
“Ah, yeah.”
Gogyou-san nodded and returned her gaze towards me.
“Nanjou-kun, please tell me your home phone number. I’ll contact them for you.”
“O- Okay.”
I no longer had any strength to resist, so I told Gogyou-san the phone number. Then I entrusted my cheek to the pillow. I waved Gogyou-san, who was leaving the guest room, and closed my eyes.
“*Stare!*”
I felt an immense glare.
I opened my eyes. Kaorun was staring at me.
“…Uhm, what?”
“No, just wondering how your condition is.”
“Condition? Mh… I feel a bit cold.”
“Is that a roundabout way to say ‘Warm me up with your body’?”
“…I feel like throwing up.”
“Wh- What a thing to say! That will hurt even me!”
“No, that’s not what I meant. I really feel sick.”
“…You do not have to hate me this much.”
Kaorun felt despondent.
“No, that’s not! I meant I’m feeling a nausea. I don’t hate you!”
“Well, I realized that.”
I hastily made a follow up, when Kaorun said smoothly.
D- Damn you…I straightened up my body as to give her a chop, but I couldn’t muster any strength and fell back down.
“…What are you doing? Please refrain from doing strange things and sleep obediently. Do you even realize that you are sick?”
“Right back at you, do you realize you’re nursing me?”
“You want me to warm you up with my body after all?”
For some reason Kaorun blushed.
…Yeah, let’s ignore her. I got back into the mattress and closed my eyes.
Soon enough I dozed off, probably because I was tired, and my consciousness faded.
“Your sleeping face is unexpectedly cute.”
Kaorun said something, but I couldn’t hear her. I fell asleep just like that.

* * *

My body was suddenly shaken in my sleep and a gentle voice called out to me.
“Brother, wake up. Brother.”
“…Nazuna?”
“No, the maid.”
“—Pft!”
The moment I opened my eyelids, Karoun’s expressionless face entered my vision and I snorted unmeant.
“Nanjou-sama, this is not a time to be surprised. We have an emergency.”
“No, you were the one, who startled me….”
I wearily retorted, scowled on my headache and straightened up my body.
“So, what’s the emergency? Did aliens attack or so?”
“Please save your sleep-talking for when you sleep. A devil attacked.”
“Eh? Devil?”
“Yes, you do know of the Miss’ profession, right?”
“Y- Yeah.”
Overpowered by Kaorun, who had changed her expression into a serious one at some point, I nodded.
“She told me she’s an exorcist.”
“To be more precise, the Gogyou Household has a high status amongst the exorcists. Well, to put it simply, they are an elite.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Along with the Kamo, Tsuchimikado and Tachibana, they are called the four Deva.”
“That’s a cool name.”
“It makes you laugh– Excuse that. Please pretend that you did not hear that.”
While saying that, Kaorun took my arm.
“Well, as you can see, the Gogyou Household has earned themselves the grudges of devils like that. In precaution to that, charms are placed all around the mansion, but…”
There Kaorun made a sigh.
“It appears the charms were ripped off. Disguised as a guest, the devil invaded openly from the entrance hall. I was careless too. I did not realize it it was a demon, so I opened the door and let it into the house, since it claimed to be your acquaintance.”
“…My acquaintance?”
“Yes, a blonde big-breasted devil. There was also a red-haired and silver-haired one. I could not really confirm their presences, but they are not human.”
…Huh? That really rang a bell.
“These three claimed that I let them meet you, but I cannot obediently hand over a guest to a devil. So I threw a smoke bomb at them.”
“How cruel…”
I sighed unmeant, when Kaorun gently clapped onto my shoulder.
“Nanjou-sama, I do not know what is going on, but the Miss entrusted you to me. I will protect you at all costs.”
Kaorun probably felt uneasiness from me and misunderstood.
“It will be fine. Please trust in me. Just consider yourself of board of a sinking ship.”
“…No, it’s not good when it’s sinking, is it?”
“We will swim together when it comes to that.”
Seriously or joking, Kaorun said with her usual expressionless face. Then she pulled me up on my arm. I was surprised how unexpectedly strong she was. Kaorun lent me a shoulder while we started to walk.
“Ehm, where are we going? If possible, I would like to see the devil, who came to visit me.”
Most likely the blonde, big-breasted devil Kaorun spoke of was Luna while the red-haired one was Machina and the silver-haired Elni. They most likely got a call from Gogyou-san and came together to pick me up. And it was probably Elni, who destroyed the charms.
“What you saw was a blonde devil, right? So I can presume.”
“…Presume? So your life is in danger after all.”
“Hey, hey, don’t say such dangerous stuff. She’s my friend. Friend, you hear. I’ll go see her, so you wait here, Kaorun.”
“Nanjou-sama, you will face them alone…?”
“Yeah, you would only complicate things.”
When I said that, Kaorun stopped as she understood.
“…I am well aware of your intentions now.”
“Ohh, you understood.”
“Yes. To think you were thinking about me to that extent…”
“…Huh? What are you suddenly saying?”
I didn’t understand what she meant, so I asked with my head tilted. Kaorun answered while her cheeks turned lightly red for some reason.
“You do not need to play dumb anymore. You want to sacrifice yourself, so that I can get away. As you would expect from the man that the Miss trusts. I am about to fall for you.”
“Uhm, that wasn’t—-”
“Please rest assured, Nanjou-sama.”
Cutting into my words, Kaorun raised the volume of her voice and said.
“I might not look like it, but I am somewhat different from a normal human.”
“…Well, you are pretty.”
“Eh?”
My unexpected comments made Kaorun widen her eyes in surprise on a rare occasion.
“…*blush*”
“Oh my, you’re embarrassed.”
Kaorun averted her red face from me.
I thought for sure she would reply “Of course”.
I thought how unexpected that was, when Kaorun moved.
“Excuse me, Nanjou-sama!”
As quick as her words, I was pushed down on the spot. In that moment,something swept over our heads.
I was familiar with that attack. It was Machina’s air bullet.
Immediately tried to call out. But when I was pushed down, I had hit the back of my head and grimaced in pain while Kaorun pulled on my arm and dragged me along the hallway.
“Ow! I’m grinding on the floor!”
I unmeant raised a scream, when Kaorun said while dragging me.
“Please endure a bit of pain. It is better than to die.”
“I’m about to die right now!”
“Humans do not die from just that. We are running!”
Kaorun increased the running speed, when I heard an angry voice from behind.
“Hey! What are you doing to Shinobu! Let him go!”
“Help me!”
Inadvertently I sought help from Machina. But Kaorun reacted to it.
“Do not worry. I will not let them put a finger onto you, Nanjou-sama.”
“That’s not really something a person that exerts violence in the very moment says!”
“Please do not speak! Or you will bite your tongue!”
“First let go off me!”
At the moment I was exactly treated like a human mop. Maybe because I was sick, but I couldn’t raise up my upper body and was still being dragged around.
I was about to faint for real as my vision turned snow-white. Then Kaorun stopped with a small scream
“…What‘s up?”
I staggeringly got up and followed Kaorun’s gaze. There stood a beauty with her silver hair tied up in twintails.
It was Elni. She had sat down on the table in the living room and nonchalant ate snacks while watching TV.
That alone was shocking, but there were a couple of tags scattered around her.
Apparently it really was Elni, who ripped the charms around the mansion.
That probably was what Kaorun was shocked about. With wide open eyes, she looked at Elni.
“That…are the snacks I was looking forward to!”
“You’re shocked about that?”
I inadvertently retorted, when Elni noticed us. She turned to us, looked at me and smiled happily. Then she approached us while holding the snacks in one hand.
“Shinobu, these are really good!”
“…Hey, don’t just go off eating snacks in someone else’s house!”
I wearily reprimanded her while I gave Kaorun a side-glance. She was watching over Elni with a blank expression.
“…Could it be she really is you friends, Nanjou-sama?”
“Yeah, that’s right. She’s—”
“Shinobu-san!”
A beautiful voice cut into my words.
I turned to the voice, where my gaze fell onto a blonde beauty with a dynamite body.
“Ohh, a goddess.”
“It is a devil, Nanjou-sama. Besides when she is a goddess, I am an angel.”
“…Aren’t you embarrassed saying that?”
I asked, when Kaorun lightly blushed, but changed into a serious expression. Then she opened her mouth while glimpsing at Elni.
“It appears this person is your friend, but what is your connection with the devil over there?”
“Ehm, she…”
Before I could answer, the blonde beauty called Luna shouted.
“—I’m Shinobu-san’s slave!”
After Luna’s exclamation, Elni took advantage of it and said with a loud voice.
“And I’m Shinobu’s lover!”
Upon Luna and Elni’s words, Kaorun puffed her chest for some reason and answered.
“Then I am Nanjou-sama’s maid!”
“No, why are you guys competing!”
Inadvertently I dropped a light chop on Kaorun#s head and retorted.
Then Kaorun said somewhat sadly.
“You have a slave and a lover, but you have no need for a maid…”
“Hey, don’t get the wrong idea here. They aren’t my slave and lover. They are my family. Family, you hear.”
“…Family it is?”
Kaorun showed a confused expression, then looked at Luna and Elni alternately.
“Nanjou-sama, these two are not human. The blonde girl is a devil while this silver-haired girl is…”
Kaorun faced Elni and frowned.
“She does not appear to be a devil, but she feels different from a human. You, what are you?”
“Mh? Me? I’m a Goddess.”
“…A certain philosopher claimed that God is dead.”
“I’m surprisingly tough.”
Elni proudly puffed her chest, whereupon Kaorun made a small sigh.
“Either way, she is not a human either. And she is still your family?”
“Yeah. It doesn’t matter if devil or non-human. They are my family.”
“…Is that so.”
I affirmed sedulous, when Kaorun faintly smiled and Luna smiled whole-heartedly.
—But Elni was different.
Elni showed a perplexed expression and smiled awkwardly when she made eye-contact with me.
“Anything wrong?”
“…Nothing.”
Elni averted her eyes from me and said distracting.
“Anyway, Shinobu, who’s this maid? A friend of Hijiri?”
“Mh? …Yeah. She works here as a maid…”
I faced Kaorun while I said that—when
“Get away from Shinobu!”
Suddenly I heard Machina’s angry voice along with a sharp wind sound.
I faced to it, when a wind bullet came at Kaorun. I hastily clenched my fist and stood covering in front of Kaorun.
But because I was feeling unwell, I couldn’t move as I wanted to and the wind bullet directly hit my face. I flew spinning through the air and clashed on the floor like that.
“Are you okay, Shinobu-san?”
“Nanjou-sama, hang in there!”
“Wh- Why are you getting in-between! Stay with us!”
I heard everyone’s voices, but I lost my consciousness there.

* * *

My head hurt. My body was still dull and wouldn’t stop shivering.
…After that, Kaorun had brought me from Gogyou-san’s house over to mine with the car, but my cold took a turn for the worse due to the ruckus and I quietly groaned in my bed.
Then there was a knock on my door and Elni peeked in her head.
“Shinobu, are you okay?”
“No, I’m done for. Once that tree loses all it’s leaves, I’ll surely…”
I coughed on purpose, but on a rare occasion Elni didn’t play along with the joke and smiled faintly.
“Shinobu, it’s just a cold, so you’ll be fine.”
….Somehow the aura around her was different. I kind of felt something was out of place. Elni approached my bed and reached out her hand to my forehead.
“You still have a fever.”
“I would be dead if I hadn’t.”
I didn’t want her to worry too much, so I cracked a joke, but it didn’t seem to work.
Elni sadly cast down her eyes.
“…Sorry, Shinobu. It’s my fault.”
“Mh? What’s up so suddenly?”
Elni didn’t had her usual cheerful smile, but made an expression somewhat close to tears.
“I’m sure you got the cold from me. Yet I only fought with Machina and caused you trouble.”
“I don’t really consider it trouble. Don’t worry about it.”
I smiled at her, but Elni continued with her clouded expression.
“Sorry. I was so happy that you invited me over… that I let myself pampered to much by you.”
“Hey, hey. That’s so not like you. Acting a bit spoiled is fine. I don’t mind it, okay?”
That were my honest feelings. But Elni shook her head powerless.
“…I can’t cause you any more trouble…So I’ll go home.”
“Home?…Your house was blown away by the typhoon. You have no place—”
“It’s okay.”
Elni kindly cut into my words and reached out her hand for my head. She patted my head in a regretful parting and then waved her hand lightly.
“Bye, bye.”
With a sad smile, Elni turned around.
“Hey, wait. You can stay here until you found a place to stay at. There’s no reason for you to leave so suddenly.”
“It’s not sudden. I had considered it for a while now. The house with Luna, Machina, Nazuna and you was so warm that I merely prolonged my stay here. Besides—”
Her small back trembled and Elni said over her shoulder.
“I can’t… become your family.”
Her words sounded just like a rejection and painfully tightened my chest.
“Sorry, Shinobu. I like… being alone. Being with everyone is fun too, but in the end I prefer to be alone…”
I immediately knew it was a lie.
When she had a cold, she had told me that she hated the rain, since she would be alone then.
And when she watched the evening sun, she looked incredible lonely.
Good morning, good night. She said she was happy about such trivial words.
“Elni…”
I reached out my hand to stop her. But Elni left the room without saying anything.
Just before she left the room, she turned around once… and smiled.
“Shinobu, it’s not like this is farewell forever. When I’m in trouble, I’ll rely on you again. Please take care of me then.”
Now her smiled looked her usual one.
But I felt that it was somewhat forced and I searched for words to stop her.
But I couldn’t find the right words…In the end, I couldn’t say anything.
I just watched over Elni leaving.
“…Nothing to be done.”
Having Elni around was fun. So I had considered to let her stay here forever.
But that were just my own selfish thoughts. Elni had her own circumstances. I couldn’t keep Elni in the house forever just for my own selfishness.
I tried to convince myself like that, when Elni’s sad smile that she showed me earlier floated in my mind…and wouldn’t disappear.
“Hah…”
I sighed and got off the bed, it started to rain outside.
“Will Elni be fine?”
I mumbled and dragged my dull body out of the room.
I was a bit thirsty. I went to the living room to get something to drink, when there Machina sat on the sofa with a displeased expression.
“What’s the matter?”
I called out to her. Machina looked at me worried, then turned away in her bad mood and answered.
“It’s nothing, really. More like, what’s up with you? You have a cold, you should properly rest.”
“Well, I was kinda thirsty.”
I answered like that, when Machina stood up from the sofa and said.
“Then just sit down. Will tea be fine?”
“Eh? Yeah…”
I nodded confused. Machina went into the dining kitchen and came back with a cup of tea.
“Here, Shinobu.”
“Y- Yeah, thanks.”
I was surprised at Machina’s kindness while I moved the cup to my mouth. Then I asked while looking around the living room.
“…So, where’s Luna?”
“Sister went shopping. She was in high spirit to make you something that recovers your energy.”
“I see. Did she take an umbrella with her?”
Outside the rain was falling quietly. I asked while looking through the window. Then Machina said while she looked out of the window like me.
“No problem. She did take an umbrella with her.”
“Good…”
I nodded and blankly stared outside.
…After a moment of silence, I opened my mouth.
“So Elni left for real?”
I asked to confirm, when Machina strongly clenched her fist. For a moment, she showed a sad expression, but soon enough she frowned and said displeased.
“…That idiot left. I feel better now with her gone.”
“Are you seriously saying that?”
“Of course. That idiot never listened to me, was arrogant and only said selfish stuff…Yet, yet she was liked by everyone…”
Machina looked down and her voice trembled.
“She really is an idiot. Why would she leave? I don’t understand it. She said ‘Bye, bye’ with a teary face…She could have just stayed here…”
Machina mumbled while resting her still clenched fist on her knee.
“To hell with ‘I’ll be fine alone’. That idiot…”
Suddenly, I remembered Elni forcing herself to smile, even though she was close to tears….She said she liked being alone.
I knew it was a lie, but Elni had her own reasoning. It might not be my place to stick in my head. But it didn’t seem like I could her alone like that.
For a while now, Elni’s sad smile on the parting wouldn’t leave my head.
I wanted to talk to her once more.
I stood up from the sofa and headed for the front door. I could hear footsteps from behind me and turned around, when Machina made an expression like she wanted to say something.
But Machina didn’t say anything and just lined up beside me. Together we stepped outside.
Inadvertently I formed a smile, whereupon Machina blushed and said.
“….Let’s hurry and drag that idiot home.”
“Yeah, let’s.”
I nodded and Machina and I spread out umbrellas. Then we started walking through the rain. My body felt heavier than I thought and soon enough I began to stagger and gasp for air.
“Shinobu, are you okay? You look pale. Wouldn’t it be better when you go bac—”
“I only go back with Elni.”
I said sharply. Machina showed a troubled expression and sighed.
“You idiot…”
While saying that, Machina took the hand of me, who was staggering.
Being pulled on that hand, I dragged my heavy body along while I continued to walk with Machina towards the riverbed.
Before, Elni’s house had been at the riverbed. By now it had been blown away by the typhoon, but I felt that Elni would be there.
Embracing that hunch, I continued my walk, when I spotted Elni ahead of us.
She stood on the bank of the riverbed and just blankly watched over the river without doing anything. Even now her appearance looked so fragile and close to tears that my chest hurt.
“…What are you doing?”
A voice leaked unmeant from my own mouth. Elni reacted with her shoulders trembling.

“Shinobu? And also Machina?”
When she turned to us, Elni momentarily made a happy expression, but it vanished soon enough.
While averting her eyes from Machina and me, Elni opened her mouth.
“What’s the matter, you two? Taking a stroll in this rain? That’s not good. You have a cold, Shinobu, so you shouldn’t get out at a time like this.”
Elni spoke talkative.
…Actually she must have realized it. That we came to fetch her up.
Yet, Elni continued to talk distracting while feigning ignorance.
So I wanted to tell her straightforward. I approached Elni.
“Elni, we came to get you. Let’s go home together.”
I offered her my hand.
But Elni didn’t took my hand.
She took a step backwards as scared by something and lightly shook her head.
“Sorry, I can’t go with you. I’ll stay here.”
“…Why? What’s the point of being alone here?”
I once again reached out my hand, when Elni shook if off powerless.
“I told you earlier.”
Forcing herself to smile, Elni said.
“I like being alone. So… let me be alone.”
Then Elni turned her back to us, when Machina suddenly raised her voice.
“Why are you telling such a lie?”
Upon Machina’s words, Elni’s shoulders trembled lightly.
“…I’m not telling a lie.”
“Then you really want to be alone? Even though Shinobu said it was okay to stay, you want to stay all alone from now on?”
“Yeah. To begin with, I was living alone. That won’t change now. I’ll be fine, even alone.”
“That’s a lie. I can easily tell that it’s a lie.”
“…It’s not a lie. I—”
“Then! Why were you crying?”
Cutting into Elni’s words, Machina continued.
“You thought I wouldn’t notice? I was in the same room. You were always crying in your sleep. Yet when morning came, you forced yourself to smile…Actually you hate being alone… So why are you leaving by yourself?”
Machina raised her voice further while shaking her fist.
“Unlike me, you’re being liked by everyone. Everyone gives you a smile. Yet…why are you letting go of that! Was it not fun for you? To you, are we just… unimportant existences that you separate yourself from immediately?”
“—No!”
Upon Machina’s words, Elni denied in a loud voice that echoed around.
“That’s not it! It was fun! Everyone was there, it was warm and I always wanted to stay there! But it’s no good…”
When Elni turned around, she was no longer smiling. She was just making a teary expression and biting on her lips like she was enduring something.
“I’m different from everyone. I can’t be with you forever. So when I stay with people I like… the parting will just be painful.”
With her voice trembling, Elni made a face of resign and faked a smile.
But it was far away from being called a smile. Rather it was warped in tears.
“One day, everyone separates from me. It’s always like that. And that won’t change. That’s why I’ll stay alone. Then—”
“What stupid things are you saying…”
Machina didn’t let Elni finish and shouted while her eyes filled with tears.
“Everyone separates? You’ll be alone? Why are you thinking like that? I… I’ll stay with you! I’ll stay by your side! So stop your stupid talk… and come home with us already!”
“What… are you saying? Didn’t you hate me, Machina?”
“Yeah! I hate you! You’re stupid, selfish and carefree! Everyone likes you! The complete opposite of me. That’s why I hated you!”
Machina continued with a crying voice.
“In that house are Shinobu, my sister and Nazuna. That should have sufficed for me….yet…”
Machina shouted pleading.
“I hate it when you’re gone! Come home with us! Elni!”
Ekni desperately tried to endure. But she couldn’t.
“You’re… not being fair…”
Elni mumbled while big tears rolled out of her eyes.
“Actually I didn’t want to return…. But when you say all that…”
Elni trembled on her whole body and anything further was said in a crying voice.
“It makes me want to go back to everyone. Stupid Machina….”
Slowly, Elni hugged onto Machina.
In that moment, a tear run down Machina’s cheek…and both of them cried together.
Machina tossed aside the umbrella and tightly embraced Elni.
I approached the two of them and held the umbrella over them so that they wouldn’t get wet.
“…Let’s go home.”
When I said that, Elni and Machina hugged onto me. I accepted them with a smile and wiped away the tear in my own eye.
…Then we three started walking under two umbrellas.
On our way home.
Reminded me, Machina had called Elni by her name properly for the first time.
I was thinking that, when Elni said forlorn.
“…Rain might not be so bad after all.”
Yeah. When going home together like this, rain wasn’t all too bad.
The street was hazy from the graceful June shower. We slowly made our way home.