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Author's Note: Thank you for the support, my little angels. Mwah 0330
Chapter 68
“..”
Kisaragi Chiyo fell silent. She said nothing, just as she was about to turn her head away, the Dark-purple-eyed Wraith forcibly turned it back. Cold fingertips pinched her chin, the Dark-purple-eyed Wraith lowered his head, strange colors flowing within his dark-purple irises, like a burning, dark nebula.
"Hmm? Why aren't you speaking?" Hara Kenji asked the question again, staring intently at every minute expression on Kisaragi Chiyo's face. He saw the other person's pupils shift subconsciously upon hearing his words, his long eyelashes trembling slightly, as a look of mixed conflict and contemplation flickered across his face.
"Have you just not thought of how to make it up yet?" the Dark-purple-eyed Wraith asked with a beaming smile, as if, in a trance, black lilies were blooming all around him.
"Even though I've given Chiyo-chan plenty of time," the Evil Spirit said, drawing out the end of his sentence in a sticky manner.
"Of course," the Dark-purple-eyed Wraith released Kisaragi Chiyo's chin, his fingertips landing on the human's cheeks and exposed neck with the flexibility of a wandering snake.
He gently stroked the pale blue veins on the side of the young man's neck, his voice laced with a faint trace of amusement. "I believe you, Kisaragi, wouldn't be so cruel as to deceive me."
You wouldn't have the heart to deceive a cute, innocent, loyal Bernese Mountain Dog, would you?
Kisaragi Chiyo: ".."
"What a severe accusation." Kisaragi Chiyo revealed a smile, his misty-gray eyes gazing at Hara Kenji; the unease and jealousy hidden within those dark-purple irises were found by him without the slightest effort.
Or rather, he had no intention of hiding it at all. The Evil Spirit was the type to be honest and act according to his own heart; having calculated that Kisaragi Chiyo would fall for this, he laid all these emotions bare without a moment's hesitation.
Kisaragi Chiyo truly liked this kind of Hara Kenji; just like how a fluffy Bernese Mountain Dog puppy would waddle toward him and nuzzle its head against his palm, he always found himself unable to help but soften a little.
Please, that's just a puppy. What harm could a puppy mean by biting someone out of jealousy or acting spoiled?
I should have mentioned it before, right?" Kisaragi Chiyo frowned, a look of reminiscence crossing her face. "I come from a small place in the countryside.
"No." A third-party voice rang out from the other side, Kisaragi Chiyo instinctively turned her head to look, only for Matsuda Jinpei's face to suddenly loom large before her eyes.
Thick, black eyebrows with sharp curves at the ends combined with his features to create an outward sense of aggression, yet it did not make him seem fierce.
The wide sunglasses perched on his high nose bridge should have been an ordinary style, but framed by Matsuda Jinpei's face and aura, they gave off a distinct Matrix-like vibe.
At this moment, the sunglasses were sliding down because their owner was lowering his head, revealing a pair of beautiful teal eyes.
You didn't say it." The owner of those beautiful eyes stared at him, her voice tinged with seriousness as she spoke each word clearly, "I am certain you didn't say it.
At least you didn't say it during our conversation," Matsuda Jinpei added after a pause of a few seconds. "You have always been stingy when it comes to revealing things related to your past.
Just like a miser guarding his treasure." Hara Kenji's eyes crinkled as he lightly tapped Kisaragi Chiyo's heart with his finger. "Chiyo-chan hasn't told me anything either.
"Did I not say it?" Kisaragi Chiyo searched through his memories and realized he really hadn't told them.
"It's not too late to say it now, anyway." Matsuda Jinpei patted Hara Kenji's shoulder to signal him to move aside, then reached out and took Kisaragi Chiyo's hand, pulling him up from the bed.
"You've finished your submission too, so you have plenty of time to tell us your story now." Matsuda Jinpei pulled over a chair and sat down. He had taken off his coat at some point, revealing the warm-colored crewneck sweater underneath.
Kisaragi Chiyo also had one in the same style; to be more precise, the three of them each had one of the same sweater in different sizes.
Even though one was an Evil Spirit and the other was a Yokai, Kisaragi Chiyo still couldn't resist Hara Kenji's spoiled requests and ultimately pulled out her wallet, buying three of them during the seasonal sale.
*
Where should the story even begin?
Was it the shrine where only a decaying old priestess remained, along with the child she had adopted? Or the mountains that rolled and surged like endless waves? Or perhaps the obscure books and runes that occupied his childhood?
Kisaragi Chiyo opened her mouth, but suddenly fell silent. She had been prepared long ago, but when she wanted to reveal a little information about her past, she didn't know where to even begin.
I am an adopted child," Kisaragi Chiyo finally said. "Before being sponsored by the Mechano Family, I never went to school; I spent all my time in the shrine, following my grandmother, who was a shrine maiden, studying those incomprehensible ancient books.
Before she passed away, Grandma entrusted me to the Mechano Family. At that time, the head of the Mechano Family told me that I needed to at least have the basic common sense required to function in society—math, foreign languages, biology.. People in modern society can't be startled by a ringing telephone.
Kisaragi Chiyo said, unable to stop herself from laughing.
That was the first time I came into contact with a technological product, seeing a telephone ring really gave me a huge fright. Looking back, it was quite embarrassing; fortunately, I didn't show my emotions very clearly back then. Even years later, when he told this story as a joke to his close friend, the friend expressed surprise that such a thing even existed.
".." Setting aside whatever Hara Kenji was thinking, Matsuda Jinpei fell into a long silence after hearing it.
He looked at Kisaragi Chiyo with a complicated expression, suddenly remembering that when the Mechano Family sponsored Kisaragi Chiyo to complete her studies, she was already sixteen years old.
In other words, before she was sixteen, Kisaragi Chiyo had never attended school, or rather, had never been exposed to modern technological society; otherwise, she wouldn't have been startled by the sound of a telephone ringing.
"And then?" Matsuda Jinpei's eyes held a hint of affection, an emotion that made him want to give her a hug, purely and without any other ulterior motive.
Did you make any friends at school after that?
After hearing Matsuda Jinpei's question, Kisaragi Chiyo's expression became somewhat hesitant; she nodded slightly and then shook her head.
"Perhaps?" In truth, Kisaragi Chiyo couldn't figure it out herself.
The place where he went to school was also not a large city. When he first transferred in, his classmates were quite enthusiastic due to curiosity, but after a few days of close contact, they were all repelled by his cold attitude.
Kisaragi Chiyo could not understand the topics they were discussing, nor was he interested in them. He had no desire to join their noisy crowd, nor was he willing to answer probing questions just to satisfy other people's curiosity.
Kisaragi Chiyo felt very vexed, but it wasn't because of social interactions. Over the past sixteen years, he had little contact with people his own age due to special reasons, so even if he was intentionally or unintentionally ignored or sidelined by those around him, he wouldn't feel any sense of loss or sadness.
But what gave him the biggest headache was still his schoolwork.
"Literature is okay.. but math and foreign languages.. they're simply a nightmare." Those symbols and letters were even harder to understand than talismans.
"What about university?" Hara Kenji leaned his head against Kisaragi Chiyo's shoulder, his tone languid, like a large dog resting peacefully and relaxedly at its owner's feet.
“And what about that junior who asked Chiyo-chan to pick up books from the Shimizu family?” Hara Kenji took the young man's hand and toyed with it, massaging from the fingertips up to the webbing between the thumb and index finger.
"It seems like your relationship with him is quite good too." The Evil Spirit revealed a smile, adding that if Kisaragi Chiyo didn't want to talk about it, she didn't have to. He truly wasn't curious at all, didn't care in the slightest, had no desire to know exactly how many special people were in Chiyo-chan's social circle.
Kisaragi Chiyo: ".."
"Matsuda, look at your childhood friend.." Kisaragi Chiyo tried to seek help from Matsuda Jinpei, hoping to make the Dark-purple-eyed Wraith stop the baseless associations in his head.
When he turned his head, he only saw the curly-haired man sitting in the chair, resting his chin on one hand with a pensive expression on his face.
There's actually a junior too?" Matsuda Jinpei murmured softly, ".. At least the situation isn't as bad as I imagined.. There are quite a few people with good relationships.
"Cough.. cough." Kisaragi Chiyo cleared her throat, interrupting their diverging thoughts, clarified with a solemn tone that her relationships with the editor, her close friends, her junior were absolutely pure and untainted.
The close friend was because of the academic sponsorship provided by his family; the junior was because of their shared experiences of hardship and a similar past; as for the editor..
He has given me immense help with my writing.
Kisaragi Chiyo was very grateful to her current editor; from another perspective, it would not be an exaggeration to describe him as a guide.
The publication process of *Tale of Yahara* was not smooth at first. Aside from some man-made obstacles, many parts of the original manuscript required revisions and rewrites. If it hadn't been for the other party's constant encouragement, Kisaragi Chiyo might have given up because it was simply too much trouble.
Anyway, at the beginning, he only wrote it as a private record, collecting stories out of curiosity about yokai and personal interest.
He and I don't have any relationship beyond friendship.
"But special," Hara Kenji added with a slow, leisurely smile.
".. You two are special too." After saying this, Kisaragi Chiyo looked at the two people whose eyes had suddenly turned burning with intensity, finally realizing what those two fellows wanted to hear.
"At least I won't kiss my friends, nor will I feel *** about them," Kisaragi Chiyo pursed her lips, letting out a scoff as she looked at the cat and the Bernese Mountain Dog that had crowded close to her with sparkling eyes.
Or is it that, even after I've done that to you, you still feel like you aren't special enough?
"It's because I wasn't the first one, wasn't it?" Hara Kenji's breath brushed against her ear, his furry head nuzzled against her again. On the other side, Matsuda Jinpei's cool persona was still a bit too heavy to maintain, so he merely lowered his gaze to look at Kisaragi Chiyo's flushed, slightly swollen lips.
Clearly, he could tell at a glance what had just happened there.
Little Jinpei is truly cunning." Hara Kenji childishly puffed out his cheeks and accused him discontentedly, "Including yesterday, that makes it the second time. You have to let me have my way once in a while.
"At least next time." The Evil Spirit wrapped his arms around Kisaragi Chiyo's shoulders, kneeling on the bed behind her and pulling her into an embrace, pressing the weight of his body down.
Soft lips lightly brushed against the outer ear, "Don't forget to let me go first."
"We'll talk about that when there's an opportunity," Kisaragi Chiyo replied coldly.
"Why were you so angry during that time at the villa?" Matsuda Jinpei asked.
He narrowed his eyes, looking at Kisaragi Chiyo with a gaze as piercing as a torch, his expression filled with scrutiny and contemplation.
Matsuda Jinpei was not as easily fooled as Hara Kenji.
Driven by some beast-like instinct and sharpness, he always felt that the stories Kisaragi Chiyo told were somewhat vague. All the crucial clues were brushed aside in just a few casual words.
"Oh, that." Kisaragi Chiyo stroked Hara Kenji's head and looked toward Matsuda Jinpei with a smile.
As for that question, you'll have to wait until the next storytelling session.
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Author's Note: Thanks for the support, my little angels. Mwah! 03330
Chapter 69
Kisaragi Chiyo was woken by the heat. He buried his face in the soft pillow encased in a fleece pillowcase, his eyes tightly shut. His body felt heavy, as if pinned down by a large, fluffy mass, making it impossible for him to move.
The familiar ceiling, from beside his ears came two light, shallow breaths—one on the left and one on the right, one rising and one falling, as harmonious as a duet between a piano and a violin.
Kisaragi Chiyo did not want to get out of bed, not only because she didn't want to come into contact with the cold air outside the covers, but also because of another reason.
That was because of the cat and the dog lying on top of him, which left him with just enough room to move his fingers.
"Sigh." Kisaragi Chiyo let out a long sigh; after lying there for five minutes, he felt he still couldn't bear it.
Because the fur of the large Bernese Mountain Dog was simply too hot, he felt as if he were in the middle of a summer in September in a daze, the sticky, sweaty sensation on his body was truly becoming unbearable for him.
“Hara, Hara.” Kisaragi Chiyo called out to the sleeping Bernese Mountain Dog. After several calls, the little Bernese Mountain Dog, who hadn't slept enough, finally opened its eyes with a groggy expression. Although its brain wasn't fully awake yet, its body had already begun to move.
"Good morning, Chiyo-chan." The Bernese Mountain Dog rubbed its wet nose toward Kisaragi Chiyo, its tail wagging happily under the covers.
Just as the warm breath was about to brush against her ear, Kisaragi Chiyo moved her head aside a step ahead of time. Having learned from experience, she didn't want to have her face poked by that dog's snout first thing in the morning.
But while dodging Hara Kenji, Kisaragi Chiyo neglected Matsuda Jinpei, who had been awakened on the other side by their commotion.
Good morning.
The cat first tucked its limbs together, arching its body into an N-shape, let out a comfortable stretch. Its long, powerful tail stood high, its triangular little nose gently bumped against Kisaragi Chiyo's nose, before its furry head rubbed against her cheeks and chin..
The cat's flexibility made Kisaragi Chiyo wonder if Matsuda Jinpei intended to turn himself into a furry scarf and hang it around her neck.
"There." After finishing everything, Matsuda Jinpei sat down elegantly and reservedly by Kisaragi Chiyo's pillow, slowly grooming his own fur.