Hayashi Maki was a little stunned.
When he woke up and saw the golden hair of the girl in his arms, he'd assumed it was Mahiru, unable to bear leaving him and curling up affectionately in his embrace.
He hadn't expected that the one clinging to him, nestled in his arms, would be Mashiro Shiina.
She lifted a hand to wipe her tears; her delicate body trembled slightly. Balling her small fist, she tapped Hayashi Maki's chest once, then pressed her lovely cheek to him.
"Hayashi Maki, it hurts."
He let out a long sigh. How could it not? It had been her first time—and he'd thought she was Mahiru, with whom he was already familiar and at ease.
What was done was done; no use dwelling on it. He would simply take good care of her.
Hayashi Maki gently stroked her hair and bent to kiss her lips.
"There, there, Mashiro. It'll feel better soon."
"Mm…"
Being kissed, she felt much calmer. With tear-bright eyes she looked at him.
"Really? You're not lying?"
"Really—no lies. It was like this for Mahiru, too."
Smiling, he sat up against the headboard with her in his arms, one big hand lightly holding her slender calf. He dipped his head again to kiss her.
At first her brows were knitted. Under his gentle touch, they slowly relaxed. Hayashi Maki didn't hesitate; he began teaching Mashiro "new knowledge."
…
A little later, Mashiro, face flushed, nestled softly in his arms. Hayashi Maki contentedly ran his fingers through her damp, sweat-tousled golden hair.
"Mashiro, this is something you do only with me. It's meant only for a husband and wife."
"From now on, like Mahiru, you're my fiancée. Remember that."
"Fiancée?" Mashiro repeated, eyes shining as she looked at him.
Smiling, Hayashi Maki explained, "It means I'll be your 'handler' for life."
"Okay. Then Mashiro will be Hayashi Maki's fiancée forever."
"Uh… we're supposed to get married someday—so you can't be a fiancée forever. Do you know what 'marriage' means?"
"I don't want to know. Mashiro just wants to be a fiancée."
Mashiro answered with firm conviction.
Hayashi Maki was speechless for a moment—clearly she didn't really understand marriage. He figured the "handler for life" explanation was what she grasped best.
Only… that wasn't all. A sly glint flashed in her otherwise guileless eyes. She wasn't as silly as she looked. Rita had once told her that after marriage men might stray and stop cherishing a woman; so if she stayed a fiancée, Hayashi Maki would cherish her the way he cherished Mahiru. Perfect. Marriage? No thanks.
…
After breakfast, Hayashi Maki asked Aoyama Nanami to take Mashiro to Mizutaka High, while he and Mahiru and Gabriel headed for the train.
Hayashi Maki didn't hide anything; he told Mahiru frankly about mistaking Mashiro for her that morning. Mahiru's mouth fell open, then she rolled her eyes at him. Hugging his arm, not angry in the least, she said very seriously:
"Since it happened, you have to take responsibility. Treat Mashiro well."
"I will, Mahiru. Thank you."
"Dummy—why are you thanking me?"
She shot him a sidelong look, heart sweet. He hadn't sneaked around behind her back; that was the greatest sign of respect. Besides, she'd long known Mashiro would end up being his; it wasn't a big deal. After all this time together, feelings had grown—and Mahiru wouldn't trust Mashiro to anyone but Hayashi Maki.
Listening to them, Gabriel gave a huge yawn, completely uninterested. An angel through and through, she'd never considered finding a human boyfriend; obsessed with games as she was, she had no sudden urge to date. For things she wasn't interested in, Gabriel let them go in one ear and out the other.
…
A few hours later, far away in the UK, a voluptuous blonde with wavy hair couldn't sit still any longer: Rita Ainsworth, Mashiro's former roommate—the one who'd looked after her and, if she was honest, helped turn her into a helpless homebody.
Rita stared, stunned, at the message on her phone.
Mashiro Shiina: "Rita, I have a fiancé. I'm a grown-up now."
Out of the blue, Mashiro had shared the "good news." For Mashiro, yes—good news. For Rita, it was a bolt from the blue.
She typed quickly: "Mashiro, what's going on? You're in love? Who is he?"
Mashiro: "My new handler—Hayashi Maki."
Then came a photo: a handsome black-haired young man, sitting on a sofa with a faint smile; his dark eyes gleamed with something that was hard to forget.
…Okay, he was pretty handsome. Mashiro had good eyes—
No, that wasn't the point! Rita shook her head to clear it. The point was that Mashiro had "abandoned" her and gotten a boyfriend! For Mashiro to acknowledge a fiancé, to say she'd "become an adult"—just how much did she trust this person?
Rita felt a stab of jealousy. She had been the one Mashiro trusted most—her former handler. And Mashiro, who understood so little—surely this handsome boy had tricked her and taken advantage!
Angry and deeply self-reproachful, Rita thought, I never should have pushed her to draw manga overseas and let her travel alone. She had to bring Mashiro back.
Decision made, Rita clenched her little fist.
Then she messaged:
Rita: "Mashiro, I'm coming too. Wait for me!"
Mashiro: "Okay."
Mashiro was delighted that Rita was coming. Rita had been her former handler and one of the people she trusted most; she'd helped with passports, tickets—everything. Without Rita, Grandfather might never have agreed to let her come alone to draw manga.
Rita Ainsworth bought her ticket and headed for the airport. The thought of Mashiro—so naive—having her purity "taken" by a man filled Rita with burning regret.
~~~
100 Powerstone = 1 Bonus Chapter! Please Vote for more Chapters!
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— Currently You can Read 220+ Chapters Ahead of Others!