Ch.223223. Pure Desire

A woman’s voice wakes me from my sleep.

A familiar high-pitched voice enters my ears.

I’m certain I slept alone yesterday. Did someone get into my bed?

If I ask who, it would normally be Arin or Blanc coming in, which would be problematic enough, but the voice I hear now is…

“Hyewon.”

“Yeah. Wake up.”

“…It’s been quite a while since you came in here.”

“Well… I suppose it has.”

“Has Blanc been bothering you?”

“Since we have an agreement, Yoonseul couldn’t really say anything. So she let me in easily.”

“I’m glad my mind is clear after finally getting a peaceful sleep.”

“Hmm… is it okay to say that in front of me?”

“With you… well, I suppose it’s just like you to be unable to approach honestly despite everything.”

“…You always call me ‘dangshin’ (you/dear). Now that I hear it, it sounds really… how should I put it? A bit embarrassing, you know?”

“…What?”

“Isn’t that usually what lovers, or rather married couples call each other?”

This person.

She might be more innocent than I thought.

“…Dangshin.”

“Uh, y-yes…?”

“Your face is turning red.”

“Ah, n-no…! I just realized it now? Wait, that’s right? Um, t-that’s…? Right? Wait, my mother and father also…”

“Dangshin…”

“D-don’t call me that…”

Her reaction is quite amusing.

To think I’d wake up just from her calling me while I’m lying down.

Well, I suppose not doing anything strange at night and just falling asleep could be reason enough.

Hyewon’s unexpectedly innocent side.

If I think about how the person who unleashed those desires is actually truly innocent…

…Ah.

“Tsk. So that’s what you meant by ‘be prepared.’ I almost fell for it.”

“Uh, huh…?”

“It’s a fresh approach, different from Blanc’s. Now, what are you planning to do with me? Mercilessly, like Blanc did?”

“No, what are you…! I told you I like you, why are you making me out to be such a violent person…”

“A violent person? Ah. I wasn’t referring to Magical Girl Blanc, but… well, I suppose both of you are more violent than I expected. Though the feeling is different…”

“Anyway, I really wanted to go on a date.”

“Is that so.”

“Let’s go out for something to eat first? Let’s have a light brunch.”

As she says this, Hyewon helps me get up from the bed.

She takes the lead in this aspect.

…The gap between this and her flustered appearance earlier is too wide.

“Again.”

“Hm…?”

“Your warning to be prepared was true. This blow hurt quite a bit.”

“Huh…? But I haven’t hit you…?”

“Well, never mind. I won’t give in so easily anyway.”

I shouldn’t feel that the contrast between her clumsy side and her current dignified appearance is attractive.

She’s a crybaby, after all.

She’s a magical girl so weak that she’s not even a match for me.

A magical girl so weak that it would take about 20 of her kind launching a surprise attack to barely defeat me.

…To think I’d find her dignified.

Vine, you’ve grown quite weak.

Well, I only have a couple of occasions left to use my power. It doesn’t matter if I think this way.

Oh, or maybe not.

The scale of those remnants is larger than expected.

The penalty stickers, they wouldn’t be for each action, right?

I hope they count it per running away.

If not, well…

I might genuinely face a life-threatening situation.

Physical life and social life…

What remains, at least.

Yes, at least what remains of my social life within this place might be completely destroyed.

Of course… except for Arin and Seohyun, we’ve probably already seen everything there is to see about each other.

But even so…

To give up on being human, that’s a bit…

Even for a monster, abandoning one’s humanity seems a bit too much.

“What are you thinking about so deeply? Are you still half-asleep?”

“I told you earlier that I’m fully awake.”

“Did you? Sorry.”

“You mentioned going out to eat something delicious. But I think I’ve already been to all the places with the people who came before.”

“Hmm… but I bet you haven’t been here? In my opinion, it’s the best brunch place. Especially the coffee, I find it delicious.”

“Coffee… I used to be quite sensitive about that field.”

“Really? Then shall we get you dressed in pretty clothes first? We can’t go out in pajamas.”

“…Ah.”

How is it that all the women in this house are obsessed with dressing me up?

Now naturally, I relax my body and let Hyewon wash me and dress me.

The fact that I’ve gotten used to this and don’t find it that difficult…

Indeed, are humans creatures of adaptation?

“So…”

“Cute. Haah…”

Hyewon looks at me while breathing heavily.

That expression feels somewhat similar to Blanc’s dangerous moments, which gives me chills.

For now, I should be thankful that she doesn’t seem to have any intention of doing anything.

A black checkered skirt.

With a white shirt worn over it.

And even white pantyhose.

…Perhaps she’s the pervert here.

I didn’t expect her to dress me so meticulously.

“How can you be so cute even in simple clothes…”

“Simple seems a stretch when we spent over 10 minutes trying on and taking off clothes… No, it took ages just to choose the stockings.”

“Stockings are a critical matter.”

At Hyewon’s firm statement.

Whether black or whatever, it really doesn’t matter to me, but she insisted on trying them on again and again.

“So pretty… I almost want to keep you all to myself.”

“To that extent…?”

“Ah! You heard that?”

As if my skills have deteriorated to the point where I can’t hear Hyewon’s quiet mutterings.

“I am a monster, you know…?”

“Ah… yeah.”

Blushing just from hearing that one thing.

After already showing all her reactions while dressing me, to show such a reaction again is truly refreshing.

“Well, if you’re doing this while knowing everything, perhaps this is also part of what you meant by ‘be prepared.'”

“…Uh, huh?”

“Getting flustered and confused. Then when you come to your senses, you’re leading me again. Are you training me?”

“T-training…?”

“Well… it’s fine. I’m truly prepared. Fufu.”

Prepared.

To be prepared to this extent.

Really.

To be prepared to seduce just me.

…As if there’s any monster easier to seduce than me.

“Really. You’re so easy to predict. That’s why you always get counterattacked and end up crying like a crybaby.”

“Why are you suddenly bringing that up…”

“Fufu. It’s nothing. Please lead me confidently like before. I’m looking forward to it, no, I’m prepared for it.”

Really.

Her reactions are quite interesting too.

* * *

A bakery in downtown Seoul.

If asked if it’s familiar, I could say I’ve been here a few times.

A bakery where a faded brown-haired clerk moves busily, brewing coffee.

A bakery filled with the aroma of baking bread.

That clerk who was probably bright yellow originally.

The fixtures arranged for the line of sight of seated customers, and display stands spaced wide enough for several people to pass through.

A thoughtful store designed so that no place is out of reach.

“…! Unnie! Magic power again!”

“Ah… hehe. But I have to get up when my sister is coming.”

“Oh, really…!”

A girl wearing a gem emitting bright yellow light around her neck, struggling to stand on immobile legs infused with magic power.

Hyewon’s older sister, Hyein.

Citrus.

To be precise, the former Citrus.

Hyewon said she was taking me to a place with delicious brunch, but this place…

A place distant from both the association and the dormitory, I really didn’t expect to come here.

“Sit down. Don’t use too much power just because you have that gem. Do you want to get hurt again?”

“I didn’t expect this kind of birthday present. When did you prepare this?”

“I suddenly thought of it yesterday and sent it to you, so don’t get too excited about using magic power after so long.”

“There were so many things I wanted to do if my legs healed. Thank you so much.”

“Well, I’ve been making spares continuously. Sigh… call me if you need a recharge.”

“Sure, sure. Today I’ll get you anything you want to eat, Hyewon. What would you like?”

“Not me, here.”

With that, she pulls me in front of Citrus.

“Ah… so that’s how it is?”

“What? You knew?”

“I’d be disappointed if I didn’t. It was obvious, you’ve been like this more and more lately.”

“What do you mean ‘lately’?”

“Why? Are you embarrassed about being in that kind of relationship with the one you said you wanted to chew up and kill, our Hyewon?”

“When did I ever say that?”

“Always talking about revenge and whatnot. Well, I was glad if that gave you strength in some way. But honestly, I was worried. Worried that our Hyewon might cross a river of no return by drawing power from such negative emotions.”

“…In a different sense, I am facing a river of no return right now.”

“I recommend crossing that river.”

…Do these people think it’s okay to talk like this in front of me?

Well, not that I particularly mind.

But still, I am the person in question.

Of course, it’s true that I still feel guilty towards Citrus.

Especially considering what happened when I met Hyewon after a long time.

“Then what should I call you, unnie? Sister-in-law?”

“What are you talking about, unnie?”

“Hmm… I can’t call you brother-in-law either. This is awkward in its own way…”

“Um… are you really okay with this?”

“Hm? With what? Are you saying you won’t take responsibility after taking our Hyewon?”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Right? Then it’s settled. Hyewon is fine with it, so why? Are you feeling burdened?”

“…If I were going to be burdened, I would have already…”

“Ah, our Vine… I expected it, but… you’re even more… more popular than I thought?”

Citrus’s expression, seemingly flustered yet not, is quite something.

Where should I even begin to explain this?