Ch.116116. Two Villains in Black and White (6)

“Vine.”

“What.”

Clearly yesterday, and the day before.

This bathtub, isn’t it unnecessarily spacious?

Why is it big enough for two people with room to spare?

“Vine, you like taking baths in the tub. But why that expression?”

“It’s natural to get tired of bathing in a tub after a few days.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Who did you bathe with?”

“How many days has it been until today? Hmm… Crybaby, Unemployed, Redhead… and you make four. Four days.”

“Isn’t four days of bathing in a tub fine?”

“Not when the bath isn’t peaceful and alone. Like with you.”

…

I wish you wouldn’t touch there.

Just hug me instead.

Please, just that.

I wish you’d just stay still.

Why do you keep touching only the ticklish parts?

“Me? I’m being perfectly peaceful.”

“Then remove your hands first before speaking, Ellie.”

“Where? Which part are you talking about?”

…Yeah.

Every time I take a bath, I notice.

People seem to get weird when they get in with me.

“Why are you touching my stomach?”

“It’s so soft. Hehe… Should I move a little higher?”

…?

“Y-you’re crazy!”

“Why? When we first met, you let me touch it, hehe…”

“Police, I need to call the police…”

“Oh my. Would I go to jail then?”

“Ugh…”

“Hehe… Vine, if you stay still, it’ll just end like this. But if you move even a little…”

“Get out.”

“Sorry.”

*Sigh*

Well…

I guess touching my belly is… acceptable.

Yeah, it’s just my stomach, not some weird part.

Is it okay to just place a hand there?

Really, is it nice to hug someone from behind while bathing?

I don’t even know.

“So, what’s happening?”

“About what?”

“It’s in two days.”

“Oh, that. Hmm… we’re proceeding with it? Sigh. It’s gotten so strange.”

“Well… even if things are complicated, they’ll handle it on their side, right?”

“That’s true, but, sigh… that day is Arin’s day.”

“Right. You know the location. How to get there by 10 o’clock. What to do with this necklace.”

“Well… there must be some plan, right? They must have changed the schedule after contacting us.”

“Sigh. Yeah, that’s probably it.”

“…Honestly, I’m a bit worried.”

“About what?”

“About you.”

“Why? Afraid I’ll fail?”

“No, how should I put it… I’m afraid you’ll regret it.”

“Regret what?”

“…Never mind. Forget it. Let’s just soak in this warm water for now.”

After saying something incomprehensible, Ellie just hugs me tightly.

This makes it even more confusing.

Why is she acting like this toward me?

Why…?

“Vine, your hair is so soft.”

“Everyone says that.”

“Even after going through such hardships. It’s still so soft.”

“…You’re a weirdo. Your hair is pretty soft too.”

“No. Even softer than mine. It feels special somehow.”

“Special feeling?”

Honestly, I’ve never felt anything special when touching my own hair.

It stays clean even when I don’t wash it for a long time, and it’s maintained well enough that people don’t complain.

Just saving money, that’s all.

Besides, sigh.

That woman tormented me so much in prison.

Making me bathe only when cold water was available.

And alone at that.

What kind of special schedule was that, damn it.

She just came near me to do whatever she wanted.

“Vine? Are you okay?”

“Huh?”

“No, it’s just… your expression suddenly darkened.”

“It’s nothing. Just thinking about the past.”

“…That won’t happen anymore.”

“…I guess.”

“It won’t.”

“…What if we fail?”

“We won’t fail. Who do you think we are?”

“…But the risk.”

“Risk. Yes… risk. You might end up next to the boss.”

“…Yeah.”

“…Right. Sigh… we need more time to think. But time is too short.”

“I know. For now, I’m thinking we should go ahead with it.”

“But you’re still worried?”

“Yeah.”

“What about your luggage or things like that? Or… your weapons that you brought here.”

“Those… I can just abandon them. They’ll have weapons for me there.”

“What about the tail?”

“They’ll have spares.”

“The gun?”

“They’ll have spares. Sigh… they will, right?”

“They should…”

Ellie hugged me tightly and said:

“Don’t worry. I’ll take responsibility for everything.”

“…What does that mean?”

What I’m worried about is losing you. That’s the problem.

If only it was just the necklace around your neck. That might be okay.

But that contract magic…

“…They contacted us because they must be confident. Right? They must have a way to remove this necklace, that’s why they reached out.”

“I guess.”

“So for now, let’s just enjoy this warmth without thinking. Who else would give you a free bath like this? Hehe… using the magical girl’s money to do all sorts of things with Vine…”

The hands embracing me start moving all over.

It’s ticklish, but because of my heavy heart…

No, it’s really ticklish.

“Ellie!”

“Hehe… forget everything, forget!”

“St-stop, pfft, pfft…! Stop…!”

The warmth and softness continued as time passed, and later in Ellie’s room while drying my hair.

“Ugh… I can dry it myself.”

“No way. If you dry it alone, you won’t brush it and will just do it carelessly.”

“But my hair stays fine anyway.”

“No, I’m the one who can’t stand it.”

“Ugh… what is this…”

Sitting in front of the mirror in Ellie’s room, getting my hair dried.

She puts various hairpins in, saying they’re pretty, and takes pictures.

Eventually, ponytail, braided hair, twintails.

Sigh…

She did say my hair was nice.

But that makes it your toy…

Well, whatever…

It’s not like Ellie doing this is anything new.

Better than those days when it happened every day…

Ah, if I go back to Eden, will it be like that again?

I finally got out after being tormented like that.

“Kyaa…! So pretty! Vine, what’s that?”

“…Ellie forced me to do this.”

Blanc was the first to encounter me.

“Ooh…! Vine! That’s it, right? What Ellie likes!”

“…Yes.”

“Ooh… so her taste hasn’t changed?”

“As if Ellie’s taste would ever change…”

“Vine is so cute… hehe… wait, let me get my phone to take pictures…”

The Unemployed one is inexplicably excited.

Ignoring her, I sit on the sofa.

“That’s a new hairstyle? I haven’t seen this except in very old times.”

“…Because I don’t like these things. And they interfere with combat.”

“Isn’t long straight hair more of a hindrance?”

“Twintails tap against my head and distract me. I personally dislike them… and I’m not cute at all.”

“No, you’re super cute. Wait. I need to take pictures and send them to Hyein unnie.”

“Don’t send them to Citrus…”

“I don’t want to.”

Crybaby takes pictures repeatedly.

“Oh…”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because I’ve never seen this hairstyle before?”

“Ah, you wouldn’t have seen it… Wait, don’t you look at reference materials at the Association? Don’t you review them a few times before combat?”

“I don’t bother with that stuff, it’s too much trouble.”

“That’s why you… sigh. What am I even saying?”

“It’s in Association videos…? Hmm… I should look it up. I’ll ask for old videos when I go to the Association.”

“You can access them directly from your phone… and please don’t watch them… Do you enjoy mentioning other people’s embarrassing past?”

“Why not? It’s fun. Yuri unnie!”

“Hmm?”

“Can you connect your phone to the TV?”

“Hmm? Why?”

“Let’s find videos of Vine with twintails and watch them together!”

“Redhead. Stop that right now.”

“No. Unnie! Connect it quickly!”

“Hey, you. I said stop it.”

“Twintails? Oh, that? She was even cuter then! Wait, I’ll do it right away.”

“You there, Unemployed. You should stop too.”

“Hehe… unnie is super knowledgeable about information. Hehe…”

…The Redhead planning something strange.

Maybe I should really change her nickname to Idiot.

I need to seriously consider it.

Amidst the commotion, Arin comes down from upstairs.

“Arin…”

“Oh, Vine unnie! Gasp.”

“…Arin?”

“Unnie!!! You’re so cute! Wow, wow…! Twintails? Those are twintails, right? You’re so cute! Your hair is so soft and long and nice, and with twintails! You’re super super cute! Gasp… I want to squish your cheeks and raise you as my little sister! I should beg my parents to adopt you…!”

“…If even Arin isn’t normal, who can I rely on…”

“You have me.”

“…Blanc, you’re a bit different.”

“Why? Am I not reliable?”

“Well, Blanc is a bit…”

“Tch.”

“You… do know that you’re the reason I got hurt the most, right?”

“I got hurt a lot because of you too, you know?”

“Well. That’s your duty, isn’t it?”

“…Can’t you rely on me a little?”

“No. You’re a bit… different…”

Why is Blanc getting sulky?

“Don’t look at me with that expression… It would be better if you teased me like those excited three over there.”

“Hmm… I just want you to rely on me. But knowing your personality, you won’t rely on someone weaker than you.”

“Still… not yet. I shouldn’t forget what position I’m in with you.”

“Is that still important at this point?”

“It is important.”

“…Ah, right. That’s how it was. The bet.”

“…Right. The bet. I’m going to win.”

“Well… that remains to be seen. If that’s why you’re avoiding me… well, I understand. Still, know that I’m always behind you.”

“You behind me? Then I always have an enemy with a sword at my back. Perfect way to die.”

“What do you mean, die?”

“Isn’t that right? Having an enemy behind me.”

“Ha, really. You’re impossible.”

While I was focused on Blanc:

“Oh, it’s working!”

“Hehe… Vine? Thank you?”

“Huh…? Is that unnie? Wearing that black dress… Is that Blanc, Yunseul unnie?”

“There’s our unnie next to her. How old is this video?”

“I don’t know? I just put on twintail Vine.”

“You all!! What are you playing?! Turn it off! Arin! You shouldn’t watch this! It’s embarrassing!”

“Arin wants to see too? Hehe… this is from when Yunseul was cute.”

“…Wait, unnie, what did you say?”

“Oh, Yunseul! You were cute back then too. Yes yes. Come on, let’s watch!”

“Unnie!!”

“Yuri! What are you…! Turn it off now!”

“Arin! Catch the remote!”

And so, another small day passed with an impromptu battle in front of the TV.

D-2.