Hikari nodded, "Don't worry, I am fine."
Yukino asked again, "Then… what about Kaede-chan?"
Hikari thought for a mont, "She is… probably fine. I guess."
Just superficial wounds, a bit of bleeding, that shouldn't really count as being injured.
Hearing Hikari's words, Yukino didn't doubt at all and nodded in belief.
Then, with her gentle and considerate nature, she helped Hikari tidy up the "battlefield" in the living room that hadn't been cleaned yet.
After cleaning up, she even tied on an apron and went into the kitchen alone to start cooking.
———
[Inside the Room]
Kiriryuin Kaede was sitting by the head of the bed, hugging her knees with both hands, looking a little tense.
At this mont, she had already washed clean her delicate body that was covered in sticky wet filth, and put on a fresh set of clothes.
But her body was still trembling slightly.
Part of it was the burning sting that still lingered in a certain place after losing her virginity.
And part of it was from emotional tension.
The trembling of her body, in the end, was mostly from the latter.
From the mont she heard Yukino's door opening, she perked up her ears and stayed completely still, listening to the sounds outside.
She kept listening for a while, but didn't hear any noises of things smashing, or a heated quarrel.
Nor did a furious Yuki-onna barge in and scold her head to toe.
Only then did Kiriryuin Kaede breathe a sigh of relief, her tense body slowly relaxing.
But right at that mont, from the doorway suddenly ca a hurried knocking sound.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Kiriryuin Kaede jumped like a thief caught by the owner, almost letting out a scream.
But from outside the door ca a gentle voice, "Kaede-chan, are you okay? I finished cooking, co out and eat?"
Hearing this, Kiriryuin Kaede's tense body eased a little, but she still buried her head under the blanket.
Outside the room, Yukino heard faint movent inside, but since there was no response, her face showed so puzzlent.
She waited a mont. The inside stayed quiet, no movent.
Yukino could only raise her hand again and knock gently.
Another seven or eight seconds passed.
Finally, a response ca from inside.
"Yu… Yukino-chan?", Kiriryuin Kaede's voice was lazy and weak, as if she had just woken up.
Hearing that voice, Yukino repeated again that the al was ready.
From inside, another reply ca.
"Ah, I don't really have much appetite today, you… you all go ahead and eat."
Hearing Kiriryuin Kaede say that, sounding indeed unwell, Yukino expressed so concern, then had no choice but to turn back to the table.
Seeing Yukino's face carrying so worry and doubt, Hikari scooped her so food and said casually with a laugh, "Don't worry about her, Yukino-chan. Let's eat. She probably snuck sothing earlier, I bet she's still full."
Hearing Hikari's words, Yukino, though still a little worried, smiled and nodded, accepted the food he passed over, and sat down beside him. The two of them began eating together.
Just like usual, you feed a bite, I feed you a bite, eating and chatting, laughter filled the al with happiness and harmony.
That atmosphere of happiness seed as if it could pass right through the door, drifting into the room.
Hearing the sounds outside, Kiriryuin Kaede, sitting on her bed, couldn't help clenching her little fists, cheeks puffed up.
"Damn bastard, truly shaless, humans really are scum!"
"Just now he was doing that with … and now he can chat and laugh with Yukino-chan like nothing happened, shaless bastard, shaless bastard, AHHH!"
Kiriryuin Kaede punched and kicked at her teddy bear pillow.
"And saying I snuck food, I… I didn't sneak any! It was you shoving it in my mouth! I'm so mad, AHHH!"
As she said this, her hand couldn't help but stroke her still high and swollen belly. Her words of protest sounded weak and powerless.
Kiriryuin Kaede actually really had eaten plenty, and even secretly learned sothing, her stomach at this mont was very full indeed.
Hikari, on the other hand, had eaten lots of fried eggs and the high-protein seafood Yukino brought back.
Seeing Hikari eat so happily, Yukino also smiled with joy, "Hikari-kun, eat slowly, I'll peel the shrimp for you."
"Mm, thank you, Yukino-chan."
"No need to thank . Just… just be gentler tonight."
The two of them, quite happy and content, finished their dinner.
But even after Yukino had washed the dishes, Kiriryuin Kaede still hadn't co out of her room.
Though a little surprised, and glancing several tis at her best friend's door, Yukino didn't say anything.
After leaning against Hikari's chest to watch a bit of TV, she, as usual, pulled him quickly into their room.
Only after the living room was completely quiet did Kiriryuin Kaede secretly open her door a crack. After checking carefully, she stuck her head out.
Seeing Yukino wasn't standing outside with arms akimbo, furious, pointing at her face and yelling things like "You seductress, how dare you seduce my boyfriend, shaless—", and so on, she finally relaxed.
This afternoon's matter, she was still very afraid of Yukino finding out.
After all, she was the one who voluntarily ca to stay at her good friend's house.
And then ended up doing that with her good friend's loving boyfriend… Even though it was an accident, if such a thing happened, no matter how you explain it, it wouldn't make sense.
No matter what, she was in the wrong…
"Sigh, what a headache…"
"Hikari, that guy, doesn't seem the least bit worried, even dared to threaten . What am I supposed to do in the future…", Kiriryuin Kaede rubbed her temples.
She took the bread she'd quietly grabbed from the fridge, eating while wearing a heavy expression.
What happened this afternoon troubled her a lot, because it wasn't just about Hikari and Yukino's relationship.
Just what happened between her and Hikari alone was already giving her a headache.
Because demons had a tradition: a demon woman's entire life must follow the man of her first ti.
In other words, if she had her first ti with a man, she had to marry that man.
That custom, maybe from the human world's perspective, was odd and unreasonable.
But to Kiriryuin Kaede, who was a demon and had heard this since childhood, it wasn't strange.
Her plan before had always been to spend her life with the man she willingly gave her first ti to.
But this ti's situation was truly special, that was why Kiriryuin Kaede felt so troubled.
Her first ti, very clearly, had been lost to Hikari. But it was entirely because of an accident.
There… there was no love between them.
Even if that human looked pretty good, and was strong, in many aspects.
But… but it was still an accident.
And before, Kiriryuin Kaede hadn't had much good opinion of Hikari at all. She was even angry at him, her favorability toward him never high.
So after this happened, Kiriryuin Kaede was quite unhappy.
But then she thought about the custom her parents had drilled into her since childhood, that she absolutely must follow.
The two sides conflicted, giving her a splitting headache.
"Even though the oni rule can't be broken. But… but Hikari is so annoying, and he's also… also Yukino-chan's man."
"So I can't imdiately obey this rule, nor can I tell him about it, otherwise he'll get cocky…"
Kiriryuin Kaede made a plan: she wouldn't tell Hikari just yet, but she also wouldn't abandon this custom altogether.
She decided to stay a few more days at Yukino's house, observe Hikari a bit longer, and then… then make a decision.
Just then—
From the other side of the wall, Kiriryuin Kaede suddenly heard faint strange noises.
That suppressed yet high-pitched sound, all too familiar to her now, made her pretty face flush red, then clench her fists tight.
She bit her silver teeth, glaring at the wall as if she could see two figures moving up and down.
She almost couldn't resist smashing the wall with one punch.
"How dare he?"
Kiriryuin Kaede punched her teddy bear, teeth gritted, brows raised in fury.
"Don't get mad! Don't get mad! Yukino and him were already together. I was the accident, I was the latecor…"
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Humans are selfish, demons are too.
Even though Yukino and Hikari were the legitimate couple, Kiriryuin Kaede's heart couldn't help but flare with anger and resentnt.
But along with the anger, strong regret also welled up inside her.
If only… if only she had t Hikari first instead of Yukino, how great that would've been.
Then she wouldn't have been so conflicted over this.
If only, the human she'd t back then wasn't Takahashi, but Hikari, how great that would've been.
Then her first impression of Hikari wouldn't have been so bad, and later their relationship wouldn't have gotten so strained.
Now, she wouldn't have to be caught in this custom of the demons, so tornted…
'Ahhh!'
The sharp cries, with or without sound, struck Kiriryuin Kaede's ears and heart, making her heavy emotions swirl and sink further.
'So noisy! So noisy!'
'Yukino-chan's voice, it's… it's awful!'
'Can't she stop calling out? It's so noisy, so infuriating!'
In the darkness, her eyes shimred with tears, Kiriryuin Kaede fuming so much her tears poured.
After enduring two or three hours of irritation and noise, at last the air grew quiet again.
Exhausted from anger, Kiriryuin Kaede collapsed onto her damp pillow and sheets, falling into a deep sleep.
In her dreams, she seed to find a way to resolve her dilemma, her tightly furrowed brows slowly loosening.
———
The next day, morning.
Hikari pushed open the master bedroom door, stepping out full of energy.
Behind him, Yukino's beautiful face carried a trace of weariness, but even more so, satisfaction.
While Hikari washed up, Yukino quickly prepared breakfast.
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