Now, a more important point is
"How did you know I found a puppy?" Like a child showing off a toy to others, Kisaragi Chiyo held up the puppy in her hands, sharing it with the ghosts that were hanging from the ceiling alongside the magnificent crystal chandelier as Halloween decorations.
But unfortunately, the ghosts did not give Kisaragi Chiyo the reaction she wanted; they were far too lifeless. Aside from the aggression they showed when they first met, they were more like puppets without any individual consciousness at other times.
This couldn't compare to Hara Kenji at all, Kisaragi Chiyo thought, she couldn't help but stroke the little dog's head in her arms with affection.
The fur felt sticky, the smell of blood had not dissipated; instead, because it was held in her arms, the scent rushed straight into her nostrils.
But Kisaragi Chiyo did not care about these.
Oh dear, if he also shows a look of disgust toward the other person, what will happen to the poor little puppy?
*
"Let me think about what I should call you?" Kisaragi Chiyo placed the Bernese Mountain Dog puppy on the sofa cushion, attempting to teach it how to sit upright.
Unfortunately, it seemed that Hara Kenji had no experience being a dog. Having not yet fully tamed his new body, he could only lie limply on the cushion without Kisaragi Chiyo's support, looking like a cute, fluffy puppy plushie.
Of course, that is if one ignores the dried, congealed bloodstains on the puppy's chest and body.
"Maybe I should give you a bath first." Kisaragi Chiyo chuckled, reaching out to stroke the puppy's head.
Although it was a puppy less than two months old, given the Bernese Mountain Dog breed's build, it was still large enough to fill an entire embrace.
“What do you think of Qiuqiu?” Kisaragi Chiyo said to herself, crouching down to look the puppy in the eye, as if she wanted to peer through those round pupils to see that pale, ever-smiling Hazama.
Is Qiuqiu not good?" Kisaragi Chiyo said to herself, "Or do you prefer the name Yuanyuan?
Can't I just use my own name?
Watching his own name slip away, Hara Kenji had no desire to choose between two terrible names.
But unable to speak, he could only let out a few whines to express his dissent.
"Does this mean you agree?" Kisaragi Chiyo blinked slowly. The person and the dog stared at each other, only to find that neither of them could understand what the other meant.
"You really can't change back right now?" Kisaragi Chiyo asked again after a moment of silence.
As expected, he responded with a string of pitiful whines.
Kisaragi Chiyo: ".."
"Alright then." Kisaragi Chiyo shrugged her shoulders and rose from her semi-squatting position. Her gloved hand landed on the puppy's head, with just a little force, she rubbed the poor little dog until it was wobbling all over the place.
Until we find a solution to the problem, you can only listen to me.
"Now." Kisaragi Chiyo looked down from her height at the puppy, who was tilting its head up in confusion, its fur just as dirty as a stray dog's, a smile curling at the corners of her lips.
"Roundy.. no, I mean, Hara-kun." Hearing the low, growling threat coming from the puppy's mouth, Kisaragi Chiyo tactfully corrected herself.
Now it's time to give you a bath.
Upon hearing Kisaragi Chiyo's words, the puppy, perhaps acting on pure instinct, almost subconsciously tried to struggle and crawl away by wriggling with his unfamiliar limbs.
After a tenacious three minutes of effort, it managed to crawl from one end of the sofa to the other. Then, in the very next second, Kisaragi Chiyo grabbed it by the scruff of its neck and carried it into the bathroom, leaving it with no power to resist.
*
[How Beginners Can Bathe a Puppy]
Looking at the Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, which had turned into a groundhog after its fur got wet, Kisaragi Chiyo, not knowing where to start, rested her chin in her hand and fell into thought.
He first sought help from the internet in a last-minute panic, after five minutes of rapid reading and learning, Kisaragi Chiyo felt that she had mastered the general techniques of washing a dog, now only lacked some practical experience.
I'll be gentler with you the first time, Hara-kun.
Kisaragi Chiyo lowered his eyes, his tone carrying an irrepressible hint of amusement; even now, Kisaragi Chiyo himself might not have realized that the curve of his lips had never faded since it changed from Hara Kenji's to that of a puppy.
"First, we need to comb through the matted fur." Kisaragi Chiyo specifically put on a pair of waterproof gloves. To make things more convenient, he took off his haori, his shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his two arms that rarely saw sunlight.
Pale blue veins were exceptionally visible on the fair arms. Even though he had possessed a dead puppy, Hara Kenji could feel that the power of being an evil spirit had not been lost; he just didn't know why he was temporarily unable to detach from this body.
His gaze traveled up from his hanging arms, Hara Kenji tilted his head back, looking at Kisaragi Chiyo, who had her eyes half-lidded and a cold, serious expression on her face.
He didn't know if it was his imagination, but it seemed that after he possessed this Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, Kisaragi Chiyo's attitude had become somewhat more enthusiastic and affectionate.
Intimate embraces and head pats were kinds of treatment that Hara Kenji, being an evil spirit, could never enjoy.
Hara Kenji frowned in thought, though the gesture only made him, now a puppy, look even more adorable.
Even though he still hadn't completely figured out what had happened or why he had possessed a dead Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, none of this prevented him from understanding one thing at a single glance.
That was, quite clearly, that Kisaragi Chiyo really liked being a dog.
Hara Kenji thought this, so he tilted his head and put on a very innocent and pure expression.
enough, just as expected, once he struck that pose, the expression on Kisaragi Chiyo's face softened instantly. To use internet slang to explain it, she was completely captivated by his super-duper cuteness.
So as long as he becomes a puppy, even the cold and aloof Chiyo-chan will have to surrender to the charm of the almighty Lord Hazama, right?
Hara Kenji thought mischievously, but such malice was impossible to see on that furry face; after all, how could a puppy do anything wrong?
So, seeing Kisaragi Chiyo looking conflicted while holding a comb, wondering where to even begin, Hara Kenji took the initiative to place his wet paw into her hands.
*
Washing dogs is hard labor.
Kisaragi Chiyo had come to this conclusion.
After experiencing nearly three hours of combat, Kisaragi Chiyo was so exhausted that he could barely straighten his back.
After blowing the last bit of moisture from the Bernese Mountain Dog's fur, Kisaragi Chiyo finally collapsed from exhaustion, burying her face into the soft pillow. Just as she closed her eyes, she felt a fragrant, furry thing lean against her from the side.
When she opened her eyes, it was indeed Hara Kenji.
The Bernese Mountain Dog puppy looked noticeably a whole size larger after its bath. Its fur was fluffy and carried the scent of shampoo, the same scent used on Kisaragi Chiyo.
The puppy nudged closer, first nudging Kisaragi Chiyo's side with its head while making whining sounds, then followed by pressing its warm, damp nose against Kisaragi Chiyo's hand.
"I'm sorry, I don't have the energy to play with you right now." As Kisaragi Chiyo said this, her eyelids could not stop drooping. She felt a heavy, uncomfortable sensation in both her body and her brain; she felt lightheaded, as if she were lying in a small boat drifting on the ocean waves, bobbing up and down.
In the end, Kisaragi Chiyo still could not resist the drowsiness. After pulling the puppy into her arms, she closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly before she fell into a deep sleep.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Thanks to all the little angels for adding this to your collection, mwah 03330
Chapter 28
His head felt heavy and hot, as if it were burning from the sun. Kisaragi Chiyo was completely submerged in the soft bedding, with only his fuzzy head peeking out. His face was flushed, his breathing was uneven; although there were signs of him wanting to wake up, his eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, making them nearly impossible to open.
The light in the room was dim, the heavy curtains were drawn tight without a single gap. Unless one judged by the exact time, it was truly difficult to tell whether it was currently night or day.
A slender figure stood by the bedside, back straight, silent as a shadow in the dim environment. He kept his eyes lowered, his ink-black hair cascading down his back, his pale, handsome features remained calm, revealing no emotion.
But those dark purple eyes embedded beneath his eyebrows were as piercing as torches, like two clusters of ghostly phosphorescence burning in the night, staring intently at the young man on the bed who lay with his eyes tightly closed, still lost in sleep.
From the closed eyes to the bridge of the nose, then to the lips that appeared somewhat dry due to dehydration, Hara Kenji's throat swallowed instinctively. He clasped his hands together in front of him, his gaze focused and restrained.
This is a good time, isn't it?
Sharp canines bit into the soft flesh of his mouth, Hara Kenji pursed his lips, the thirst of his soul giving rise to an incessant, clamoring desire. His gaze fell upon the patch of fair skin on the other's nape revealed after they turned over, bringing back the memory of when he had possessed a puppy and was carried to the bathroom by the nape of the neck without any resistance.
He should get some interest in return, shouldn't he?
No, this should be called a fair exchange.
The evil spirit narrowed its eyes, white mist surging around its body, gradually condensing into the shape of pure white, translucent tentacles, appearing restless.
After staring at Kisaragi Chiyo for three whole hours, Hara Kenji finally decided to make his move.
Although he had not yet figured out his current state, he was unsure why he had suddenly possessed a dead puppy, nor why he had gained a physical form after waking up.
He could be certain that he was still not alive.
His body was still cold, his breathing and heartbeat were both simulated through his ability.
But none of that was what mattered most. With such a golden opportunity lying right before him, even if it were a bright and tempting poisoned apple, Hara Kenji decided he had to take a bite.
With this thought in mind, a pale, slender hand reached toward the unconscious Kisaragi Chiyo, landing softly and cautiously on her burning forehead before covering it.
The human's excessively high body temperature transferred without reservation into Hara Kenji's palm. This continuous heat reminded the evil spirit of a winter brazier; it should be this warm, possessing a kind of magic that fascinated him.
Sleeping, Kisaragi Chiyo was unaware of Hara Kenji's actions or his emotions; she only subconsciously nuzzled against the source after feeling a cool temperature that made her feel better, letting out a faint, indistinct sigh.
Even though he knew Kisaragi Chiyo was unconscious when she made this movement, making it almost an unintentional act, Hara Kenji was still startled by the heat, his eyes widening slightly, as if a crack had been struck into a cold, hard shell, revealing a soft interior.
A sense of pleasure, which he was somewhat reluctant to admit, spread through the depths of his heart.
Since the first step had been taken, the subsequent actions followed naturally.
Hara Kenji maintained a serious and rigorous attitude as he leaned down. His long black hair fell along with his movements like a meticulously woven spiderweb, enveloping Kisaragi Chiyo within his shadow from above.
Pale hands brushed aside the slightly long bangs covering the young man's forehead, exposing his entire face to view.
It was a face that was difficult to describe with a limited vocabulary—hot and soft, quiet and.. delicious.
Beneath the thin eyelids lay a pair of unique heterochromatic eyes, with thick eyelashes that curled slightly upward, lips of just the right thickness, dry and soft. Prying the index finger in slightly, one could see tightly closed, neatly arranged teeth; unfortunately, the health of the inside of the mouth could not be thoroughly examined.
Hara Kenji had no choice but to give up for now, turning instead to toy with her earlobes, which were adorned with silver earrings. His cool fingertips rubbed against them repeatedly, generating warmth. Once satisfied, he moved on to his favorite target: her neck.
Hara Kenji wrapped both hands around Kisaragi Chiyo's neck, his thumb pressing gently against the other's protruding Adam's apple, which felt so submissive and fragile. Looking at Kisaragi Chiyo, who still had not woken up, Hara Kenji suddenly had the thought that he might be able to do something even more excessive.
But this thought only rose in his mind for a single second before he dismissed it.
It wasn't time yet. Hara Kenji released Kisaragi Chiyo's neck with a hint of amusement and reached out to fiddle with her dazzling silver earrings.
"You said it, didn't you?" Hara Kenji's eyes curved as he smiled, slowly bringing his face closer until their noses were almost touching, he pressed an index finger against Kisaragi Chiyo's lips.
After death, I'll do with you as I please.
Then until then, I will be watching you constantly.
Her beautiful dark purple eyes held a thick, viscous obscurity that could not be unraveled, concealing a certain heart-pounding, paranoid emotion.
Liars must swallow a thousand needles.
*
When Kisaragi Chiyo woke up, the physical discomfort had already vanished. By the time he sat up from his bed with a slightly messy head of hair, it was already afternoon. The edges of the twilight peeked through the half-drawn curtains; looking out from here at the half-burned orange-red sky and the sun made Kisaragi Chiyo think of molten cheese and poached eggs.
To be honest, he was hungry.