Chapter 98: The Angel and the Devilish Smile (2/2)

“Eh, can I?”

“Of course.”

“The ‘kick Amane in the back’ group will gather then.”

“Oy, what strange group are you talking about?”

“Who knows?”

Itsuki smirked, and Amane tugged at his cheek. Kadowaki was first speechless, only to smile in relief.

“Say Mahiru…erm. What do you mean by working hard for those who work hard?”

Once the others left, Amane stood at the door, and without hesitation, asked whatever was on his mind.

Actually, he hesitated over whether he should ask. Before Itsuki left, Amane asked what he should do. “Alright, just ask.” Itsuki then kicked him.

Amane never expected to be kicked, and slapped him back in retaliation. It appeared he did not learn from this lesson. It was pointless.

Once she heard that question, Mahiru blinked away a few times, and slowly curled her lips.

“What do you think it means, Amane-kun?”

“…That you can’t leave a rotten guy be and want to take care of him?”

After all, he dared not go overly egotistic in saying that she liked him.

“Fufu, that is true. I dare not lose sight of you, Amane-kun. You will cause a mess in the house if I do not keep an eye on you. Your nutrition too will be horribly imbalanced.”

‘Ugh.”

“You are hopeless without me after all, Amane-kun.”

“Well, I can’t argue with that.”

Amane was truly well cared of by Mahiru. Without her, he would never be able to live this lifestyle.

“…That is fine, you know? I do like taking care of you, Amane-kun.”

“You’re spoiling me rotten…you’re making it such that I can’t live without you, Mahiru…”

“Fufu.”

The terrifying thing about Mahiru was that if she was not present, Amane’s life and mind would be completely wasted.

He was her slave, in more ways than one, and could not break free from her easily; rather, he could not break free at all, and did not want to. Of course, the most important reason was that he liked her.

If he was dumped after he confessed, it would not be an understatement to say that Amane’s mind and life would be dead.

That’s why I can’t take a step forward, he quietly mocked himself. One had to wonder what Mahiru was thinking when she leaned onto Amane.

She did not lean too closely, just lightly, up front. She looked up at him―and put her index finger on his lips.

“…I will make you a good-for-nothing, so please go ahead and do so, no?”

She bashfully narrowed her eyes, as though she was pulling a prank. Amane stared at her, and forgot to breathe.

It was a smile he had never seen before, one so sweet yet so exciting…and a little alluring. She was practically a little devil. As she said, this smile could reduce him into a good for nothing, and more than capable of shocking Amane’s heart completely.

He felt his heart pounding wildly, his blood rushing.

He had seen an angelic smile, an innocent, fleeting smile, and various other smiles. None of them were as alluring at this Mahiru however.

Mahiru looked at a stupefied Amane happily, and regained her usual smile, “I shall prepare dinner then.” She went to the kitchen. As Amane watched her leave, he felt his face burning.

And after that, Mahiru was huddled in a corner of the kitchen, remaining still, for she did something she was unused to.