Like a stone thrown into a calm lake, it stirred up ripples.
With his deep, dark purple eyes, Hara Kenji gazed at him with serious and focused intensity, his gaze so profound that it sent a chilling shiver down one's spine.
Kisaragi Chiyo frowned slightly, looking at the other man in confusion, unable to understand for a moment what exactly Hara Kenji was laughing about.
Kisaragi." Hara Kenji's eyes curved as his thin lips curled into an upward arc. His lips parted and closed slightly as he asked in a seemingly casual and nonchalant tone, "Why are you wearing gloves indoors today too?
Once this question was asked, it was Kisaragi Chiyo's turn to fall silent.
"Because I think it is my freedom," Kisaragi Chiyo gave this answer slowly.
But clearly, this answer was not enough to convince the sharp-witted Hara Kenji.
So, did something happen between you and Little Jinpei after I fell asleep yesterday?" Hara Kenji continued his speculation in a leisurely tone. "You're not speaking? Then it must be something you don't want me to know about, right?
"Of course, I'm not trying to pry into your secrets." Hara Kenji approached step by step with a smile, his hands resting on Kisaragi Chiyo's shoulders, his cold, faint fragrance slowly seeping into her warm presence.
"I'm just a little curious," Hara Kenji said, lifting his hand and using two fingers to indicate such a small distance.
"I don't mind at all if Chiyo-chan has a little secret that's just for her and Little Jinpei," Hara Kenji said in a lowered voice, resting his head on Kisaragi Chiyo's shoulder.
So, can I?" Hara Kenji asked in a clingy, coaxing tone. "Can I know?
"Is your curiosity really that strong?" Kisaragi Chiyo shot him a sidelong glance, his attitude remaining unmoved.
"Because I want to know everything about Chiyo-chan." Hara Kenji fluttered his long eyelashes; listening to Kisaragi Chiyo's heartbeat, he felt that the other person likely really enjoyed it when he used this face of his to act vulnerable.
Is that so?" Kisaragi Chiyo let out a scoff, answering with implication, "But sometimes, the whole picture isn't as beautiful as the surface appearance suggests.
“Do you think that is what you want?”
"To rule me out without even seeing it first, that's not fair," Hara Kenji grumbled, nuzzling his head against Kisaragi Chiyo's shoulder before burying his face in her neck and taking a deep breath.
"Do you really think so.." Kisaragi Chiyo's voice grew lower and lower, her eyes downcast, a flicker of indistinguishable emotion flashing through her misty gray eyes.
“Perhaps, there will come a day when I will let you see all of me.”
"But not now." Looking at Hara Kenji, who had suddenly lifted his head, his eyes beginning to shine, Kisaragi Chiyo threw cold water on him first.
"Alright." Hara Kenji showed a disappointed expression, but he soon leaned his head back against her, appearing as if he wanted to hang his entire body on Kisaragi Chiyo.
"Then can you tell me first what happened to you two yesterday?" Hara Kenji settled for a compromise, shifting his attention back to the previous question.
"About that.." Kisaragi Chiyo didn't even know why he was feeling so guilty. He turned his head and gave a cough to mask his embarrassment.
He didn't think there was anything worth hiding between him and Matsuda Jinpei; Hara Kenji would find out eventually.
"It's nothing.." Kisaragi Chiyo sighed, casually reaching out to remove the glove from his right hand.
Even though the lighting in the room wasn't very bright, that ring of red thread on her ring finger was still piercingly clear.
Hara Kenji stared at that ring of red, which looked like a claim of sovereignty, slowly raised his head, asking through gritted teeth with a smile, "What is this? Wasn't I the first one here?"
-----------------------
Author's Note: Thank you for the support, my little angels, mwah m way mwah m de mwah m much mwah
Chapter 52
"I suppose this is a form of binding the two of us together." Hearing Hara Kenji's questioning tone, which seemed to imply that he hadn't arrived first, Kisaragi Chiyo gave a slight, uneasy cough. She shifted her gaze away, avoiding his piercing stare.
"Kisaragi." Hara Kenji gripped that hand tightly, his face pressed very close, one hand forcefully pinning down the shoulder of Kisaragi Chiyo, who was trying to lean back to escape.
At a distance where their noses almost touched, Hara Kenji's forehead pressed against the other's forehead, as he watched the young man's eyelashes, which were half-veiled by misty gray eyes, trembling slightly.
The rosy lips were slightly parted due to rapid breathing, as if he were not quite used to his forceful approach.
"I say," Hara Kenji opened his mouth, his sharp canine teeth faintly visible between his lips, as his crimson tongue flicked across his upper lip.
Hara's gaze fell heavily and slowly upon the pale blue veins on Kisaragi Chiyo's slender neck.
"What?" Kisaragi Chiyo raised her eyes, not knowing what kind of mood she should be in right now, or rather, what kind of expression would be more appropriate to put on.
The dangerous aura radiating from him made him tremble uncontrollably.
But that was definitely not because of fear.
"You actually prefer this way better, don't you, Chiyo-chan?" Hara Kenji said with a smile as he stroked Kisaragi Chiyo's cheek.
The cold fingertips moved upward bit by bit, pressing against the other concealed, dark red eyeball. Through the thin layer of the eyelid, Hara Kenji stroked that eye carefully and gently.
"What exactly are you trying to say?" Kisaragi Chiyo looked at Hara Kenji, feeling somewhat bewildered, he didn't dare make any large movements. This was because they were standing so close to each other at this moment—so close that if he tilted his head up just a little more, they would be at kissing distance.
"Don't you understand yet, Chiyo-chan?" Hara Kenji smiled, his eyes curving into crescents, his dark purple eyes looking like two obscure, rusty crescents.
Or is it that you haven't even realized it yourself?
A light chuckle drifted down from above. Kisaragi Chiyo felt something soft yet firm wrap around her waist; like a fish suddenly ensnared by an octopus, Kisaragi Chiyo was pulled backward, stumbling before falling onto the soft bed.
Her body sank under the weight, finally becoming trapped within his arms.
"Hara," Kisaragi Chiyo's voice carried a hint of embarrassment. He pressed one hand against the other man's descending chest, his heterochromatic eyes staring deeply at him.
“You.. mgh.." Kisaragi Chiyo couldn't help but gasp, his narrow, willow-leaf eyes instantly widening. His body trembled slightly, his other hand gripped Hara Kenji's arm tightly.
Just now, while he wasn't paying attention, a cool, soft tentacle had slipped beneath the hem of his clothes, crawling slowly and unmistakably against his skin, winding around him.
“Wait..” Kisaragi Chiyo controlled his somewhat rapid breathing, trying his best to speak to Hara Kenji in a tone that was relatively calm.
“Do you know what you're doing right now?”
"Oh?" Hara Kenji blinked with a hint of amusement. He lowered his head, his long, smooth hair trailing behind him like black seaweed, some of it hanging down, while a few strands were pressed beneath Kisaragi Chiyo.
However, that little bit of trouble didn't affect Hara Kenji's movements in the slightest.
"Of course I am." Hara Kenji's eyes crinkled as the tentacles wrapped around Kisaragi Chiyo's waist slowly tightened. Beyond that, even more pure white, translucent tentacles followed the spreading white mist, gathering like predators to entwine the young man on the bed.
Climbing up from his ankles and pulling his legs apart, he was now like a pure lamb being sacrificed to an evil god.
“Chiyo-chan,” Hara Kenji smiled as he unbuttoned two of her buttons, “you actually like being treated a little more forcefully, don't you?”
Don't worry." Hara Kenji lightly patted her cheek, his touch carrying a hint of teasing and ambiguity. "I won't do anything out of line; I'm just claiming a little interest for myself.
“Since I can't have a full meal, then having a bite of dessert first should be acceptable, right?” Hara Kenji said with a slight smile.
He looked at the somewhat dazed Kisaragi Chiyo, his fingers gently stroking her fair neck as he searched for the perfect spot to bite.
“I'll be gentler this time, Kisaragi-kun.” Hara Kenji opened his mouth and buried his head.
As her shoulders were held down and a series of marks were left on her neck, Kisaragi Chiyo frowned slightly from the pain.
He always felt that Hara Kenji's last sentence sounded somewhat familiar.
It wasn't until a bite was clamped onto his collarbone, Kisaragi Chiyo reached forward to pull on Hara Kenji's long hair, that he finally remembered.
That sentence was something he said on purpose while he was helping Hara Kenji, who had just turned into a puppy, take a bath.
"Your vengefulness.. is truly strong." Kisaragi Chiyo panted slightly, his gaze somewhat dazed. His face was flushed, which gave his features a touch of beauty.
Although he had never had the thought of wanting to be with anyone, Kisaragi Chiyo knew a fair amount about matters regarding sex; he did not reject it, nor did he find it loathsome.
If it were someone he could accept, Kisaragi Chiyo actually wouldn't mind their interaction becoming a step closer, though of course, it would stop right there.
"Thank you for the compliment." Hara Kenji took Kisaragi Chiyo's words as praise with a hint of pride; for a moment, his expression made one hallucinate a little puppy wagging its tail.
So," Hara Kenji asked, twirling Kisaragi Chiyo's hair around his finger while resting one hand beside her head, looking down at her with a smile in his eyes, "Did I make you enjoy it?
*
Kisaragi Chiyo sat on the edge of the bed, tidying her clothes that had been messed up by Hara Kenji. When she touched her collarbone, a sharp sting pulsed beneath her fingertips.
Kisaragi Chiyo frowned. She stood up and walked to the mirror, observing her neck, which had been bitten all over by the dog.
Bright red marks were scattered across it, blooming like tiny, ambiguous flowers upon the snow-white skin.
Kisaragi Chiyo saw the bloody bite marks on her collarbone, glaringly asserting their presence upon her snowy skin.
That bite was indeed driven by a sense of retaliation and jealousy on Hara Kenji's part.
Just as Hara Kenji himself had said. He had clearly arrived first, he had known Kisaragi Chiyo even earlier than Little Jinpei, so why did she accept Little Jinpei's approach so easily?
Of course, Hara Kenji didn't have any issue with Matsuda Jinpei.
Regarding Matsuda Jinpei, Hara Kenji instinctively felt a sense of familiarity; even though his memory was a complete blank, the trust and warmth emanating from his heart could not deceive him.
Therefore, it was difficult for Hara Kenji to go against his own heart and hate Matsuda Jinpei; besides, he didn't hate him at all.
It was just that.. he only felt a subtle sense of bitterness and heaviness spreading through his chest, heavy and damp like water-soaked cotton.
Why? Could it be that anyone else would do? Or was he actually not that important to Kisaragi Chiyo? Hara Kenji felt somewhat dejected, thinking self-mockingly, as even darker thoughts uncontrollably surged within his heart.
If that was the case, then wouldn't it be fine if he were even more excessive? It wouldn't be bad if he left her so disheveled and confused that she could no longer think about anything else.
Hara Kenji thought this way, yet he never allowed the relationship between the two to cross that line; they didn't even intend to kiss each other.
Because he keenly sensed that doing so would instead limit the relationship between him and Kisaragi Chiyo to just that step, if that happened, he would have no way of possessing the other completely.
That was simply too hateful—an irresponsible Kisaragi Chiyo.
What he greedily desired and craved was not just her body; he wanted to possess everything from that lighthearted heart to her very soul.
But if one day Kisaragi Chiyo truly intended to abandon him, then he would devour her before that could happen.
*
"What's wrong?" Hara Kenji opened his arms from behind, wrapping them around Kisaragi Chiyo's waist, rested his head on her shoulder, smiling as he watched the expression on the young woman's face as she frowned in the mirror.
A silver-tongued liar.
Saying things like "I'll leave myself to your mercy after death" or "let's go to hell together".. deep down, you've never actually given up on the plan to help me achieve my wish and reach Buddhahood, have you?
Sever the connection between us, then cast me far away.
"You bit too hard." Kisaragi Chiyo looked at the bloody tooth mark with a less-than-pleasant expression, wondering if she actually needed to go to the hospital after being bitten by Hara like this.
Because the Bernese Mountain Dog had only received two vaccine shots, it still needed one last one to be completely finished.
"Mm.." Hara Kenji lowered his eyes, looking at that bite mark, as an extraordinary sense of satisfaction surged within his heart.
It would be wonderful.. if I could leave my mark on every single part..
"Then, do you need my help?" Before Kisaragi Chiyo could notice, Hara Kenji tucked away his little schemes. He rubbed his furry head against Kisaragi Chiyo's cheek, his tone sticky and full of coquetry.
“You? Help?” Kisaragi Chiyo raised an eyebrow, staring at Hara Kenji with a skeptical gaze.