“By the time I wake up, the ritual will have already concluded successfully.”
Kisaragi Chiyo's voice was very calm, but Hara Kenji could feel that her fingertips were somewhat cold.
That was the first time I knew what a human corpse looks like after being soaked and swelling up.
After finishing the story, Kisaragi Chiyo felt as if a weight had been lifted from her heart.
Although he can still recall that scene even now, perhaps because there was someone else by his side this time, the fear and nausea that had remained hidden in his heart seemed to have faded considerably.
Hara Kenji said nothing; he remained silent for a long time. Just as Kisaragi Chiyo thought he wouldn't speak again, a furry head leaned gently against his shoulder.
"I'm sorry.." Hara Kenji's voice was somewhat muffled. He seemed to feel that it was because of his own request that Kisaragi Chiyo had forced herself to recall the past and those unpleasant things, that he had once again stirred up those fears.
You didn't do anything wrong." Kisaragi Chiyo felt a bit strange about Hara Kenji's self-reproach. "Everything just now, I did it of my own free will.
“It has been so long since then, I am no longer afraid."
Kisaragi Chiyo's words failed to comfort Hara Kenji; instead, they only made him look even more depressed.
A long time passed.. Doesn't that mean Kisaragi Chiyo had been exposed to such things since she was very young?
Hara Kenji rubbed his head against Kisaragi Chiyo's shoulder, wanting nothing more than to wrap her entire body in his arms.. he also wanted to use his tentacles to coil around her and hide her away in Hazama, so that she would never be harmed by anything else again.
But he couldn't do that, so.. Hara Kenji became even more sulky.
*
By the time Matsuda Jinpei returned with the Oden, he saw Kisaragi Chiyo, looking helpless but comforting Hara Kenji, a very large, pitiful Hara Kenji curled up beside her.
"What happened to him?" Matsuda Jinpei raised an eyebrow, asking curiously.
I don't know." Kisaragi Chiyo was also very puzzled. "After listening to me finish telling the story of the past, he has been in this state ever since.
"Past events? Yours?" Matsuda Jinpei became interested.
He first placed the Oden on the table, then pulled over a chair and sat down to the side, looking at Kisaragi Chiyo with great interest.
Can you tell me one more time?
"Of course, no problem," Kisaragi replied readily.
Then, the number of sulking people increased to two.
Kisaragi Chiyo: ".."
"Are you two still eating the Oden?" Looking at the Oden, which was already almost cold, Kisaragi Chiyo felt very worried.
"Eat!" the two replied in unison, looking up.
Watching them bite into the bamboo rings so ferociously, as if they were venting something, Kisaragi Chiyo found it quite incomprehensible, yet she still chose to respect it.
He hung his head, stuffed a mochi lucky bag into his mouth with a loud gulp, squinted his eyes, revealing an expression of pure bliss.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Thanks to all the little angels for your support, mwah 0330
Chapter 81
After eating and drinking their fill, the three of them took turns washing up and prepared to go to sleep.
Kisaragi Chiyo, who originally had a good routine, was the first to succumb. He was so sleepy that his eyes were almost squinted into slits, both his head and his steps were swaying like a pendulum, making it impossible for him to walk in a straight line.
If it hadn't been for Matsuda Jinpei pulling on his arm in time, Kisaragi Chiyo would likely have walked straight into the wardrobe on the right while in such a disoriented state.
Go to sleep quickly.
Watching Kisaragi Chiyo, who was so sleepy she looked as if she might collapse into a deep sleep at any moment, Matsuda half-dragged and half-carried her to the bedside. While tucking her in under the covers, he did not forget to grab the lop-eared rabbit plushie lying on the other side and stuff it into her arms.
"Lord Cat God.. goodnight." Kisaragi Chiyo forced herself to fight through her drowsiness and said goodnight to Matsuda Jinpei.
Of course, he also did not overlook Hara Kenji on the other side.
However, his consciousness had already blurred into a haze, the words he spoke were so muffled that the content was inaudible.
Hara Kenji hadn't even reacted before Kisaragi Chiyo lost consciousness and closed her eyes.
"Goodnight." Even though he knew she couldn't hear him, Matsuda still earnestly completed this bedtime ritual. Just as Kisaragi Chiyo had clearly realized long ago that Matsuda Jinpei was not the Lord Cat God she offered sacrifices to, yet still insisted on using that title for him.
This sense of ritual in such small details, especially the expression on the other's face when being serious, made Matsuda find the other person incredibly adorable.
Thinking of this, Matsuda Jinpei's expression couldn't help but soften. He lowered his eyes, within his teal irises, his dark pupils narrowed into thin, vertical lines.
A slightly aggressive gaze swept over the youth's youthful features. As the boy's eyes closed, his breathing gradually became steady, in less than a minute, he had fallen into a deep sleep.
With fingertips carrying a hint of coolness, his movements cautiously reached toward the youth's tranquil face, but he hesitated for a moment just before making contact, changing course to rest upon the other's head instead.
Fifteen-year-old Kisaragi Chiyo looked truly so young.
Matsuda Jinpei had more than once had this thought.
If the six-year-old Kisaragi Chiyo was, to Matsuda Jinpei, like a newborn cub with just a bit of fuzz who needed protection in every aspect; then the fifteen-year-old Kisaragi Chiyo was like a bird whose wings were gradually filling out, learning to fly. After stumbling and tripping through it all, there would eventually come a day when she would leave the nest.
This kind of change and growth left Matsuda Jinpei feeling a sense of worry and disbelief, while simultaneously stirring an inexplicable sense of secret joy within his heart.
It was as if he had truly participated in Kisaragi Chiyo's past life..
“.”" Matsuda Jinpei shouted, his expression unchanged as he reached out his hand, accurately grabbing a tentacle that was acting restless and slowly wriggling toward the direction of the quilt.
The captured tentacle, seeing its movements exposed, immediately went still, becoming limp and letting its tip hang down as it began to play dead.
"What are you trying to do?" Matsuda Jinpei turned his head, looking at Hara Kenji, who was sitting not far away, looking at the sky and the ground, refusing to look him in the eye, with a guilty expression on his face.
“I didn't do anything.” Seeing that he couldn't dodge it, Hara Kenji blinked, putting on an innocent expression. Even though he had been caught red-handed by Matsuda Jinpei, he remained stubborn and intended to make an excuse.
At Hara Kenji's answer, Matsuda Jinpei let out a chuckle. He released his grip, allowing the tentacle to fall from his palm.
The freed tentacles instantly recoiled with a whoosh, as if even a second's delay would have seen them fall back into Matsuda Jinpei's demonic clutches.
The pure white, translucent tentacles twisted their rootless bodies, reluctantly retreating back into the shadows of the corner. They continued to lurk in places Kisaragi Chiyo could not see, watching silently and for a long time.
Even if the inner longing was as restless as a burning flame, one still had to maintain silence and restraint at a time like this.
Hara Kenji rested his chin on one hand and let out a long sigh; it was truly a sweet yet agonizing period of indecision.
On one hand, he was intoxicated by the sense of fulfillment that came from being with Kisaragi Chiyo; on the other hand, he longed for Kisaragi Chiyo to return to her original self, wanting to be close to her, wanting to ask for more—to be caressed, to be kissed..
*
Want to chat?
Matsuda Jinpei extended the invitation first. He pushed open the glass door to the balcony, which was a perfect place for a chat. It allowed him to observe everything happening around the bed area without reservation, while simultaneously isolating the sounds of the room from the outside.
"Such a strong scent of rain, looks like it's going to rain heavily tomorrow.." Hara Kenji closed the glass door behind him, frowning instinctively as he caught that unmistakable scent in the air.
He looked back into the room. The harsh, sleep-disrupting lights on the ceiling had all been turned off, leaving only a small, warm yellow mushroom-shaped lamp placed by the bedside table.
He had bought them on a whim when Hara Kenji was buying clothes for Kisaragi Chiyo. He had picked up a lot of things at the time; although most of them would never be put to use, the mere thought of the image of Kisaragi Chiyo using them made him unable to resist buying everything.
Even just imagining it gave him a sense of satisfied anticipation.
"Yeah." Matsuda Jinpei leaned against the railing and tilted his head back.
Tonight's night sky was covered by thick clouds; no stars could be seen, the moon was nowhere to be found.
Yokai have sensitive senses; even before the heavy rain arrived, Matsuda had already smelled the scent of rain being carried by the wind.
Damp and oppressive.
Kisaragi Chiyo seemed to particularly dislike rainy days; even without being told, Matsuda Jinpei could sense that her mood would become more irritable than usual whenever the rain arrived.
On rainy days, Kisaragi Chiyo also tends to become more extreme. This extremity doesn't mean she develops any dangerous behaviors; rather, on rainy days, unless there is a special need to go out, Kisaragi Chiyo will choose to stay indoors the entire time.
Either she would wrap herself in blankets and huddle on the bed, barely moving or eating anything all day; or she would lock herself away in a closet, endlessly repeating the cycle of writing and tearing up manuscript paper, until someone appeared and forcibly dragged her out of that state.
Matsuda Jinpei did not understand, he was equally angry and worried.
Because of Kisaragi Chiyo's behavior, it seemed more like a stress reaction triggered by certain past events within a specific environment.
He had once asked Hara Kenji, who had spent more time with Kisaragi Chiyo, about such things.
Asked the question, Hara Kenji fell into deep thought, recalling Kisaragi Chiyo's behavior when she was at the Shimizu residence.
When others are around, Kisaragi Chiyo actually makes a conscious effort to restrain this kind of behavior." Hara Kenji pondered for quite a while before speaking. "But I think the rain really does make people become melancholy and give rise to more extreme emotions, just like a full moon.
"To put it simply, I don't know either." As Hara Kenji spoke, he spread his hands, indicating that he was just as curious about this matter but had failed to find any clues.
Unable to get an answer, Matsuda Jinpei's mood became as gloomy as the sky during the rain.
It wasn't that he hadn't thought about seeking an explanation from the person involved, but whenever he pressed for why they hated the rain, he would only receive perfunctory answers like it would get their clothes dirty or the air was too humid.
*
"I have a hunch." Matsuda Jinpei lowered his eyes, standing right beside her, their shadows merging into a blurry mass in the dim darkness of the night.
The night here was quiet; aside from the 24-hour convenience store in the distance still being awake, only the cold streetlights along the roadside continued to glow on their own.
I am not qualified to judge whether Kisaragi's life before the age of fifteen was a happy one.
As Matsuda Jinpei spoke, he suddenly felt a sudden urge to smoke. Clearly, this thought hadn't crossed his mind once since he had woken up again.
But at this moment, Matsuda Jinpei wanted to indulge himself for a bit, seeking a brief reprieve from the unease and anxiety in his heart through nicotine.
It was just like a parent waiting for a child's admission notice, no.. perhaps even more impatient.
Having received no formal schooling, being required to stay in the shrine most of the time, having only had a few brief encounters with the outside world over the past decade.. forced to learn and deal with those things since childhood, what about the eyes? We still haven't figured out what's going on with the eyes!
"Even though Chiyo-chan has never said it, I can probably guess, right?" Most of Hara Kenji's face was hidden in the shadows, the usual smile was gone from his pale, handsome face. His dark purple eyes gazed at the person in the room, his originally cold expression softened slightly.
Isn't there a saying that children who can see those things from a young age are more likely to attract them?
Just like you and me," Hara Kenji's voice was very soft. "Our appetites are still restrained, but others might not be quite so friendly.
"In these two days, I've been working hard to deal with a few sightless fellows who are trying to plot something," Hara said, lifting his face and flashing a brilliant smile, though that smile carried an excessive sense of possessiveness and something sharp.
Ah, just the thought of some inexplicable thing popping up from nowhere and eyeing my precious treasure makes me feel incredibly unpleasant.
Matsuda Jinpei glanced at the fake smile on Hara Kenji's face and said nothing.
"Really, even during this time, Little Jinpei has been working very hard to act cool in front of Chiyo-chan, hasn't he?" Although Hara couldn't remember things from the past clearly, he could still easily see through Matsuda Jinpei's intentions.
On the surface, he acts all calm and collected, maintaining that mature and steady cool guy image, but in reality, he's incredibly attentive to how Chiyo-chan treats him.
As Hara Kenji spoke, he let out a few huffs of dissatisfaction; he truly cared about how special Kisaragi Chiyo was to Matsuda Jinpei, to the point where he was so envious he could roll around while clutching tentacles.