Impulse and Correction (1)

Erica supported Aureli to sit on a bench and then crouched down in front of her.

She rummaged through her pocket and found a handkerchief. She wiped Aureli’s tear-stained face somewhat roughly with the handkerchief.

“Stop squirming and stay still.”

“I can do it myself.”

“Are you throwing a tantrum now?”

“Yes.”

Erica ignored Aureli’s resistance. After pinching her cheeks a few times, seeing her become docile, she finished wiping the blood stains on her face.

“That’s better now.”

“Who are you to…”

“What?”

She still had something to say?

“Who are you to suddenly treat me so well?”

Certainly.

As she had shown so far.

She was someone who would be obedient when embraced, but occasionally seemed to realize her situation of listening well and would whine.

And now was one of those times.

“If I treat you well, you should just accept it and say thank you. What’s there to be so dissatisfied about?”

“You didn’t used to be like this.”

“I wasn’t before. But why does that matter?”

Aureli glared at her as if trying to emphasize that she was angry.

“Do you perhaps like me?”

“Ha.”

It’s unbelievable. Erica paused for a split second before immediately opening her mouth.

“No?”

“Then why.”

“You’ve treated me well before too.”

“Back then, I did that because I pitied you.”

At that moment, as she was wiping the blood stains on her skin along her neckline, Erica moved her hand roughly.

“It hurts.”

“Are you going to keep talking like that? You’re such a child.”

“I’m not a child. You’re the child.”

Erica ignored her and moved her hand.

Only shallow breathing and the sound of the handkerchief brushing against skin could be heard between the two.

“It’s dirty.”

“…We can clean it.”

“It’s too dirty.”

Erica unconsciously stopped her hand.

“It won’t clean off.”

She saw lifeless eyes.

There was a clear disconnect from the image she had known so far. The vibrant appearance was gone, and even that face that used to smile well was nowhere to be seen.

But wasn’t Aureli that kind of person? Because she was someone with severe mood swings, or perhaps because of her illness that Erica had somehow started to notice… No.

Because she’s different from me. Because she’s far from being an ordinary person. Because her species, appearance, and even that gaze are all different.

She couldn’t just dismiss it as something incomprehensible.

She.

In dealing with Aureli so far, she hadn’t been hung up on such differences.

She accepted it. She embraced and acknowledged it. She spent unremarkable daily life sharing time with her, who was broken somewhere.

Erica slightly straightened her knees and, meeting Aureli’s eyes, opened her lips.

“It’s okay even if it doesn’t clean off.”

Aureli raised her head.

“You don’t have to try to clean it off.”

Don’t you have the strength to hold yourself? Do you think you shouldn’t spend such daily life with me? Saying that you should hate me.

Vaguely belittling yourself, lowering and disparaging yourself. Showing sad eyes that shine through occasionally.

While I could accept spending daily life with you like that, I couldn’t accept you suffering like that.

“Even if your clothes are dirty, we can still go eat dessert.”

She just wanted to say something like that.

Aureli said nothing.

“I don’t particularly want to hold hands.”

“Whining again.”

She avoided the outstretched hand and walked ahead.

And then she was overcome with regret.

I needlessly put my pride forward. I should have knelt down and begged to be held, given my position.

I was stupid again this time.

“Only kids hold hands.”

“Adults hold hands too. Only kids pretending to be adults refuse to hold hands.”

“……”

When did you develop a taste for teasing me?

Well, I guess it’s not bad to be teased by Erica.

This situation of becoming awkward due to the suddenly close distance felt foolish.

“…I want to hold hands.”

“What?”

“……”

You clearly heard that but are pretending not to know.

“I said I want to hold hands.”

“I can’t hear you well.”

“……”

Originally, I was the one leading this relationship…

“Give me your hand while I’m asking nicely.”

“Is that how someone asking a favor usually acts?”

“Does this look like I’m asking a favor to you?”

“Yes.”

Please. Please hold my hand.

…My mouth, which was about to say that, chose my meager pride instead.

“You’re not going to hold my hand, is that it? Just wait until we get to that store. You’ll deeply regret it.”

“Is that so?”

“I’m going to grab people and pull out my knife.”

“Who are you going to grab? Do you think there are that many people in this city?”

I pondered for a moment. Most stores are either closed or not operating because the buildings have collapsed and are destroyed.

Even the dessert café we’re going to now, which also serves coffee, is receiving support from the Association, so at most there are only a few people.

“If there’s no one, I’ll grab the clerk and cause a scene.”

“What if it’s an unmanned café?”

Oh.

I hadn’t thought of that.

Seeing her chuckle, I pouted.

“Hold my hand.”

I held out my hand too.

“It’s not an unmanned café, though.”

And then our fingers intertwined. I felt a soft touch. Is this what they call a fresh sensation?

I blinked.

Fresh between her and me?

It doesn’t suit us.

We’ll need a countermeasure.

“Does it feel good to hold hands?”

“Not particularly?”

“Oh, geez.”

…She immediately let go.

Opening the store door. Watching Erica’s eyes light up as she alternated between looking at macarons and cakes.

I exhaled and wiped off the blood that had flowed down my body so it wouldn’t be visible.

Well. I roughly understand the intention.

Trying to continue the conversation, casually teasing me, trying to cheer me up, I get it.

But that shouldn’t be. You shouldn’t forget your true role. Your role at the end of this plan that I’ve been setting up for so long.

Whether it stems from simple sympathy, or if it’s your fondness for me that you’ve been avoiding.

It didn’t matter.

In the end, I felt the need to give a sense of crisis.

So let’s act more fervently. So that this daily life doesn’t seep into me.

Not particularly.

I didn’t want it.

I nod my head several times and bite my lip.

And then I focus.

I drop a few drops of blood on my hand and blow, puff.

Behind Erica, who seemed to be deeply thinking about something, the wind stirred slightly.

The blood drops that had grown larger floated in the air, connected each other with lines, and drew out a devil’s body.

Wings that could be seen anywhere, a large scythe, and a red body, a ferocious monster’s face.

“Be-behind you!”

A roaring sound and shaking interior. And a small scream.

Every time the devil swings its scythe, surrounding objects burst and create noise.

An extraordinary being the size of a human figure intrudes into her and my daily life,

And I nod like that and slowly walk away, leaving the battlefield.

“I just took my eyes off for a moment!”

That’s right. You should have been careful.

You know we can never be in a peaceful position.

I just hope you understand. I’ve just been living like that, repeating it to myself. That I can never have this kind of thrillingly sweet smile of yours, and this cozy daily life surrounded by pleasure.

I’ve brainwashed myself like that. I’ve accepted it like that.

But you. You who are so pretty. As if it shouldn’t be that way, you break through and enter my surroundings so many times.

Because I knew all too well that I would crumble in an instant.

So this time, how should I put it.

Impulsively.

I just chose a way to welcome you.

The commotion died down.

Unlike the clerk who was slumped in a corner with weak legs, the devil was turning to dust with its neck completely cut off.

And in front of it, Erica… was glaring at me.

“I think you’re right, Erica. Eating chocolate cake while watching you out of breath is pleasure beyond entertainment.”

“…You brat.”

“That’s a bad word. That. I’m not a child, you know.”

And so, I smiled gently.

“Is the child the one leisurely savoring dessert in a wrecked store, or is it you whining on the floor with your body stained with blood in this store?”

“The child would be the one who created this situation.”

I picked up a fork and pointed at my body.

“Me?”

“Who else could it be?”

I tapped my fingers a few times and then pointed at the clerk with a knife.

“Say that again.”

“…Yes. I’m the child.”

“That’s right, that’s right.”

I ate a piece of cake that had started melting in my mouth and swallowed it with a frown. No matter what, it’s too sweet.

“You look quite perplexed. Why, you were obedient just a moment ago, you looked weak. Why are you suddenly acting like this, are you thinking that?”

“Yes. You know well. The person who was whining like a child and floundering with my handkerchief. I wonder what wind blew to make you act like this.”

“That’s only natural, isn’t it?”

I picked up the fork and stabbed it into a piece of cake.

“This is the kind of woman I was.”

Acting as if it’s eating. Pretending to be pitiful countless times.

“Don’t think about trying to change me. Don’t think about forcibly stuffing unnecessary daily life into my mouth. Just let me break. I enjoy it.”

“You’re lying.”

“If it were really a lie, would I have done this even to the point of wrecking my body?”

With that, I revealed my burst chest.

She probably already knew, but anyway, summoning a devil required blood. It wasn’t enough to just cut my wrist a few times; I had to split open my chest completely.

“Your gaze is lewd.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Yeah, well. I’m sorry.

“Do you think I didn’t see all those drugs you were hiding in your house?”

Ah.

You’re talking about that?

“Well. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Breaking down? The person who cried and clung to me like a child in front of me, who whined like a child asking to be stroked because it hurt, are you now trying to resist my kindness?”

I didn’t particularly have anything to say.

“Are you trying to get angry?”

“I hate lies.”

“That would be good in its own way. Because then I can receive punishment from you. Ah, this seems a bit erotic.”

I smiled slightly as I watched Erica stand up.

“Stay relaxed like that. I’ll correct you.”

Wow.

I’m scared.