Chapter 72: The Angel and the Doll (1/2)
On this day, Mahiru was wearing an apron, her hair was tired in a bun as she welcomed him home.
She would usually tie her hair when cooking, and as expected of a girl, she would sometimes tie it in a ponytail, or a bun like this. She would seek practicality as much as cuteness.
It appeared she was done cooking dinner. When Amane returned home, she gave a look of relief.
Amane did inform her that he would be a little late, but it seemed Mahiru was still worried. Amane was late as he just had coffee with Kadowaki, and heard that latter’s troubles. It appeared Mahiru was worried about Amane being late.
“Welcome back, Amane-kun…that bag is?”
“Went to the game center. Well, here’s my prize.”
Amane brought out a few things other than the bunny doll, and the large bag was stuffed to the brim. It seemed Mahiru too could tell how packed it was.
“…That is quite a lot.”
“Just spent money for two cafeteria set meals.”
“Erm, what is inside?”
“I’m hungry. We’ll talk later.”
He could give it to Mahiru at this point, but he wanted to enjoy her reaction slowly, so he decided to leave it be.
Also, he was really hurry, and wanted to have her dinner early.
“Do wash your hands and change clothes then. Do not forget to rinse your mouth too. I shall serve dinner in the meantime.”
“Got it.”
Amane would usually do so even without her saying that, but he was happy about how worried and concerned she was for him.
While thinking that Mahiru was acting like his mother, he never said it out, and went to the washroom as Mahiru had told him to.
“…What is with this many items?”
After dinner, Mahiru showed her curiosity as she glanced aside at the prizes next to the sofa, asking Amane.
“Hm? Dolls.”
Amane did not intend to hide the spoils from her, so he put the bag on his knees, and tore the tape as he answered.
“Dolls?”
“You like them, right?”
“Y-yes, I do.”
“There’s quite a lot, I feel you’ll really like them, so I got them. Here.”
The biggest prize for the day was probably the bunny doll about the size of the bear.
It was rather large, but Amane was rather proud of himself as he only used a coin.
He lifted the white fur, round eyed bunny, and put it on Mahiru’s lap.
He was unsure what character it was, but he had a feeling Mahiru would like it, so he grabbed it. However, Mahiru merely stared at the bunny on her lap.
“You dislike bunnies?”
“…It is cute.”
“That’s good.”
Mahiru embraced the bunny doll with both hands, and brought it to her face, just as she usually embraced the cushion. For a moment, Amane had the urge to frisk his cellphone, but he decided not to.
Once he saw her smile, he captured the sight in his ind as he rummaged for the other dolls inside the bountiful bag.
“And we have a cat and a dog.”
The crane arms were rather powerful, and thus he could capture most of the items cheaply. He caught a lot of things Mahiru might like.
He put a beige and white colored kitten doll that had a strange resemblance to Mahiru, along with a shiba dog mascot. Mahiru then clearly showed a perturbed look.
“E-erm, so many…?”
“Will that cause you trouble?”
“Not at all! I have no decorations at home, and they are all cute. I am happy.”
“That’s good.”
The sight of Mahiru being surrounded by various dolls was as cute as Amane had imagined.
Mahiru had yet to put the bunny down as she stared at the cat and dog excitedly, seemingly at a loss of which to choice.
Amane smiled at her as he found her expression comforting. Mahiru seemed to have noticed Amane’s stare as her face turned red, before covering half her face with the bunny.
The bunny’s white, and Mahiru’s reddened face was obvious.
One could see her moist eyes through the gap between the bunny ears. Amane continued to stare at Mahiru, as the sight of her was strangely alluring and cute.
Mahiru might have had enough, for she clung her head onto Amane’s elbow, and buried her face. Or rather, she was slamming her head on Amane, ostensibly throwing a tantrum.