"Slippery shoulders, cunningly enormous... the ancients truly did not deceive me."
Looking at the snow-white, delicate shoulders the blonde girl had unconsciously exposed, Natsuki openly admired the view.
After waiting a while and seeing that this airhead still hadn't noticed, Natsuki could only remind her:
"Your shoulder strap."
"Hm?"
"It's slipping down."
"..."
Kitagawa Marin looked down and quickly hooked her finger around the shoulder strap to pull it back up, covering her shoulder:
"That was close—I almost had a wardrobe malfunction. Amamiya-kun, remind me earlier next time."
You're actually expecting others to remind you? After having one experience as a lesson, you should pay attention yourself!
"Sleeping straight through to morning felt amazing."
Kitagawa Marin then raised both fists above her head and stretched happily. "Ever since I could see evil spirits, I haven't slept this comfortably."
"Tidy up the futon. I'll go prepare breakfast." Natsuki stood. "Milk and bread, or omurice?"
The blonde girl blinked and quickly made her choice:
"I want both."
"..."
Natsuki had barely entered the kitchen when the doorbell suddenly rang.
"Someone ringing the doorbell this early..." Natsuki walked toward the entryway. "Aside from Miko, it couldn't be anyone else."
Sure enough.
After opening the door, a Miko appeared outside.
"Natsuki, good morning."
The childhood friend next door sported dark circles under her eyes, her tone listless, her entire body radiating the aura of a salted fish.
"Good morning." Natsuki stepped aside to let her in, asking with curiosity: "What brings you over so early?"
Miko's face was full of displeasure: "I came to use the bathroom."
"Hm?"
"I was about to use the toilet just now. I looked down and there was an evil spirit's head in the bowl." Miko puffed out her pink cheeks. The more she spoke, the angrier she got. She couldn't help but clench her fists. "Hiding in the toilet—that evil spirit was definitely a pervert when it was alive!"
With an evil spirit hiding in the toilet, Miko truly couldn't accept it. More than fear, she felt humiliation—so she could only come over first thing in the morning.
Natsuki pressed the bridge of his nose and spoke with gravity:
"I just remembered a manga. Apparently there's a creature in the world called the Tokyo Shit-Eating Ghoul..."
"It's 'Tokyo Ghoul'!" Miko couldn't help but shout in complaint. "What even is a shit-eating ghoul?! Even if someone drew it as a manga, no one would publish it!"
That's not necessarily true.
As long as it's cute, even a cockroach girl would have fans!
Miko spoke as she walked into the entryway and changed into slippers. Suddenly, she heard a bright, pleasant girl's voice coming from the bathroom.
"Amamiya-kun, I forgot which towel I can use for my face."
Natsuki said offhandedly:
"The white towel hanging on the left."
"That voice..."
Yotsuya Miko's footsteps halted. She couldn't help but press her lips together as she raised her eyes to look at Natsuki.
"It's Kitagawa." Natsuki didn't hide it. He told the truth. "Last night..."
Before he could finish, the blonde gyaru's voice came from the bathroom once more:
"Phew~ My back is so sore. Let's go to bed earlier tonight—we can't keep going that long again."
"G-going... that long?"
Yotsuya Miko's eyes widened at the words. Not knowing what she was thinking, even her waist-length black hair trembled slightly.
Who was going at you?! Stop saying weird things in there!
Natsuki's expression turned solemn:
"What does your sore back have to do with me?"
Last night we were completely innocent—I didn't touch you with a single finger! Don't sully my good name!
Kitagawa Marin's voice was muffled and unclear: "Of course it's because... gargle gargle... the living room floor was too hard. My first time... in the living room... of course my back and waist would hurt..."
"First time?" Miko's hair trembled slightly. "A-and it was in the living room?"
"I'm going home."
Miko drew in a deep breath, bit down on her lower lip, and turned to leave.
"Don't go."
Natsuki grabbed Miko's hand in one motion.
If he let Miko leave now, he wouldn't be able to clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River!
"Kitagawa, what are you doing in there?"
Natsuki tightly held onto Miko with one hand while asking.
"Gargle gargle... brushing my teeth..."
When you're brushing your teeth, don't talk! Spit out what's in your mouth first!
"I'm truly sorry about the sore back and waist." Natsuki continued. "Then tonight you sleep in the bedroom and I'll keep sleeping in the living room."
"That won't work. What if that evil spirit catches up?"
"..."
"Did you hear that?" Natsuki looked at Miko and spoke in a low voice. "It's because of an evil spirit that I'm sheltering Kitagawa."
Miko furrowed her brow lightly: "What evil spirit?"
Natsuki said:
"It's the scythe-wielding evil spirit we ran into on the train yesterday."
"What happened?"
"Wait for Kitagawa to come out. Let her tell you."
"..."
Before long, Kitagawa Marin finished washing up and emerged from the bathroom.
"Eh, Miko?"
"Kitagawa, good morning." Miko greeted her. "What was that about an evil spirit just now?"
Kitagawa Marin hadn't thought much of it. She quickly pulled Miko aside and began venting her grievances: "Last night when I got home, I was collecting laundry on the balcony. I looked down and that scythe spirit had actually followed me all the way to my apartment building..."
After hearing the full story, Miko's expression quickly grew serious.
"You really should come stay together. If that evil spirit is sentient, being alone would be too dangerous."
"Fujiwara went on a family trip. She's not home." Natsuki added from the side. "I asked yesterday—she won't be back for three or four more days."
"I see..."
Miko nodded lightly, indicating she understood.
Natsuki walked into the kitchen: "I'll make one more serving of omurice. We'll eat together in a bit."
A moment later.
"Thanks for the meal."
Kitagawa Marin put her hands together and made the pre-meal declaration. "The omurice looks really delicious."
Complimenting someone else's cooking was basic social etiquette for Japanese girls. Whether or not it actually tasted good, you had to say it did.
"Let's eat." Natsuki took a sip of miso soup, not treating the blonde gyaru like a guest at all. "You'll wash the dishes after."
Miko shot him a look: "How can you make Marin wash dishes?"
"No problem—leave it to me." Kitagawa Marin raised her hand in a salute, her voice bright. "I'm super good at washing dishes. After all, I occasionally cook for myself too."
Natsuki looked over: "You can cook?"
"We learned cooking in home ec class, so of course I know a bit." Kitagawa Marin's face suddenly showed a teasing smile. She extended a single finger and twirled it lightly in the air. "The dark cuisine I make is super delicious."
Miko asked curiously: "Eh? Dark cuisine?"
"That's right. I'll make it for you both at lunch. Look forward to it."
Something called dark cuisine doesn't sound appetizing at all.
After eating breakfast.
Kitagawa Marin hummed a tune as she cleared the dishes and headed to the kitchen to wash them.
The blonde gyaru hadn't been exaggerating—she clearly did housework often. She quickly cleaned the kitchen spotlessly.
"All done." Kitagawa Marin planted her right hand on her hip, her smile bright. "What do we do now?"
"Now is charging time."
Mrs. Kaguya reminded them with a tone of resentment from the side.
Natsuki looked at Miko. "In the living room, or my room?"
"Let's go to the room..."
Miko answered reflexively, but halfway through, she suddenly pressed her lips together.
These past few days, she'd been the one helping with the back-stepping to charge his energy. It had become a habit.
But doing it in front of someone else still felt embarrassing, didn't it?
"Charging..." Kitagawa Marin looked over with curiosity. "That's the passive skill where you get stronger by lying down, right? I'll help too."
Natsuki said decisively:
"Miko alone is enough."
Yotsuya Miko turned her face away: "...If Marin wants to help, that's fine too. It's pretty tiring doing it alone anyway."
"Stepping on someone's back makes you tired?"
Kitagawa Marin was confused.
"Because you have to carefully keep your balance..."
The three spoke as they walked into the room.
Natsuki laid down flat on the floor with practiced ease.
"Go ahead—I'm watching." The blonde girl's eyes widened, her face full of curiosity.
"..."
Miko's pretty face flushed slightly red. Looking at Natsuki's back, her eyes were hesitant.
Embarrassing!
Stepping on a boy's back in front of someone else—it was super embarrassing after all!
Yotsuya Miko quietly drew in a breath and suddenly turned: "Kitagawa, you do it."
"Eh?"
"Try experiencing what back-stepping feels like first."
"Then I'll go first."
Kitagawa Marin agreed without hesitation, completely unaware of what embarrassment even was.
The blonde girl, wearing black knee-high socks, quickly raised her right foot. Her stocking-wrapped jade foot gently stepped onto Natsuki's back.
"Amamiya-kun, how's the pressure? Does it hurt?"
"It's fine."
"I'm going up now—don't move around."
"By the way, how much do you weigh?"
"Weight is a girl's secret. Don't ask, Amamiya-kun."
"I'm mainly worried about my back."
"..."
Watching Kitagawa Marin go from clumsy at first to gradually mastering the technique and carefully moving around, Miko's feelings suddenly grew complicated.
Did this count as... cuckolding myself?