He looked back and saw the woman pressing herself against his back. Her arms wrapped around his waist, and he could feel her fingers tracing his body.
It felt just like Nemuri teasing him.
Her cheerful, in-love voice whispered in his ear. "Hey, Maki~ When do you want to get engaged?" she asked.
He froze, unable to think for a moment.
Then, in a blink, Nemuri dashed toward Mei and tapped her on the head. "Enough with your fanatics," she said, pulling Mei away from him. Nemuri knew Mei wouldn't stop at just touching Maki's abs—she was going to go further, and Nemuri had to stop it before it happened.
Maki blinked and regained his senses. He watched Nemuri and Mei, like two cats hissing and taunting each other. He didn't dwell on it further.
Then he remembered the examination and slapped his forehead.
"Nemuri, what about the exam? Did I… get disqualified?" he asked.
Nemuri paused mid-scuffle with Mei, hearing him ask. She walked over to him, clearly worried, and said, "Well… we'll discuss that tomorrow, but…" She stopped, her eyes on him.
"But what?" he pressed.
She hesitated. "You know, when you said you filled out your informal… it seems like they need to do more questioning about you."
He studied her worried expression and asked, "Ask me?"
"Yes… they need to ask some questions about…"
He thought for a moment. It must be because he hadn't caused any trouble here, and his personal information was unclear. Being inside a school where children study, they might be concerned about his identity. He'd encountered this kind of situation before, so it made sense. "Well… it's okay," he said calmly.
Nemuri looked at his composed, reassuring expression. She stepped closer and hugged him, her head resting against his chest.
"I'm sorry for bringing you here, even if you didn't want to," she whispered, her voice shaky.
He patted her head gently. "No need to worry. You know me—I wouldn't really have come here if I didn't want to, right?" he said, trying to ease her guilt.
Nemuri just buried her head against him, silent.
He added lightly, "Well… I should be the one apologizing if I forgot to store those appliances and got them destroyed," he joked. Still, she didn't respond.
Then he crouched, wrapped his arms around her waist, and lifted her up, placing her on the floor.
He saw her eyes red and glistening with tears. "What? Why are you crying over something like this?" he asked.
She didn't answer, only sobbed quietly, blaming herself. But he wasn't blaming her. He held her gently, trying to ease her guilt. She knew how kind and honest this man was and that makes her feel more heavy inside her.
She stayed quiet, giving no answer. Then, she cupped his face with her hands and stared into his eyes. Without hesitation, she kissed him. Their lips pressed together, and a wet, sticky sound echoed as they kissed deeply. She pulled back slightly, her cheeks flushed red, and looked at him. "Thank you, Maki," she whispered.
He gazed into her eyes and replied, "No worries."
Then Mei's voice rang out. "Hey! That's unfair… what about me?"
Nemuri looked down at her and said firmly, "No… you're the third, for now." Mei pouted, crossed her arms, and looked away, irritated. "Just for now," Nemuri added softly, feeling a twinge of guilt herself. She couldn't disturb their moment while blaming herself.
Maki cleared his throat. "Well… have you eaten? I'm kind of hungry."
"Oh, are you going to cook for us?" Mei asked eagerly.
"Well, if you want me to," he said.
"That would be fantastic," Mei said, twirling strands of her hair between her fingers.
He glanced at her, then asked, "Uh… I forgot to ask your name earlier because you suddenly disappeared."
"Oh, that~ You can call me Mei… and you," she pointed at him, "you've defiled me, touched my body, and that should only be for my future husband. If you won't take responsibility, you better start praying right now… or else I'll melt you." Her red eyes made it clear she meant every word.
They stared at each other, neither backing down.
He finally spoke. "I'll follow where the sea goes. Let fate decide for itself… and if you want to sail with me, who am I to stop you?"
She smiled and said, "You're lucky to have me."
"Hey, when did I approve this?" Nemuri interjected, listening in.
Mei giggled. "Come on, darling, I want to taste your cooking."
"Darling? You're moving too fast," he said.
"Well, I need to, Mister Magnet," she teased.
Still carrying Nemuri, he followed her out of the room. He didn't think much beyond her teasing—he assumed she was joking. He didn't realize she was serious.
None of them noticed—or perhaps didn't think about it—but they weren't talking to a teenager. Shakuyaku, Unohana, Mei, even Nemuri—they were all interacting with someone who carried himself like an older brother, a mature presence, not a teen. And, for the record, Maki was 16. ( + 21 years and 7 months )
( ＾ω＾ )