Gradually becoming addicted to feeding Mochi, Mahiru Shiina didn't notice at all that Ren was already standing behind her.
"Stop feeding her. If you keep feeding her, you won't have anything left to eat."
The chopsticks, having just picked up another noodle, froze in mid-air. Mahiru's body stiffened.
Ren had specifically told her to watch Mochi, but she had turned into the primary offender in feeding her...
Mahiru was now like a child who had made a mistake, quietly waiting for Ren's punishment.
"The diet thing was just a joke. Put her down and let her go eat by herself."
Ren noticed the few noodles remaining in Mahiru's bowl and asked another question: "Are you full?"
"I'm full."
Mahiru nodded and immediately moved to take on the task of washing dishes. "I'll go wash the dishes."
"No need. Take the medicine first."
Stopping Mahiru's next movement, Ren handed her the glass of water and the cold medicine he was holding.
Looking at the cold medicine Ren offered, Mahiru hesitated. "I'm fine..."
"Take the medicine."
Ren's voice became firm.
"Oh..."
Taking the cold medicine from Ren's hand, Mahiru put it in her mouth and took a sip of the warm water that had been brought to her lips.
This feeling was very novel; Mahiru couldn't quite describe what it was.
She just felt... warm?
Living alone, Mahiru had always toughed it out by herself, whether in daily life or sickness. This was the first time she had relied on someone else.
Even if she was forced by the other party.
"After taking the medicine, it's up to you whether you want to play for a while before sleeping or go to rest directly."
"Your room is next to mine on the second floor. The bed is already made."
Pointing to a room on the second floor, Ren took the empty bowl in front of Mahiru and headed toward the kitchen.
"Then... can I play with them for a while?"
Mahiru pointed to the three cats still burying their heads in their food, hesitantly voicing her thought.
The feeling of holding Mochi just now was really good; she wanted to hold her more.
"The big cat is Koharu, the small black one is Candy, and you already know who Mochi is."
"Koharu might not be okay, but the other two are very well-behaved. You can play with them."
After introducing the names of the three cats to Mahiru and reminding her that she couldn't touch Koharu, Ren let Mahiru do as she pleased.
After washing the dishes and walking out of the kitchen, Ren saw Mahiru squatting in front of the cat tree, holding a cat teaser and playing with the two kittens with great relish.
Koharu, who had been guarding outside the kitchen, stuck close to Ren as soon as he came out.
"Good girl~"
Stroking Koharu as a reward, Ren led her to the living room.
With Ren's arrival, the living room scene, which originally featured a heartwarming cat-playing moment, split into two tableaus.
In one, a girl played with kittens with a smile on her face. In the other, a boy sat quietly on the sofa scrolling through his phone, with a large cat resting its head on his lap.
The joy of the mood made people unaware of the passage of time.
In the blink of an eye, it was already eleven o'clock.
Patting Koharu's head, the sensible tiger jumped off the sofa.
"My fiancée-san, it's getting late."
Turning off his phone screen, Ren reminded Mahiru that it was time to sleep.
"Okay, Ren."
Mahiru responded to Ren casually.
After speaking, Mahiru's expression froze. Why did I call Ren by his given name so naturally?
After tidying up, the two returned to their respective rooms.
Turning off the lights, the room plunged into darkness. Mahiru's body curled up unconsciously.
The events of the evening were too beautiful—so beautiful that Mahiru felt it was all a dream.
Now the dream was over...
Being alone in the darkness was the reality that belonged to Mahiru Shiina.
Hiding her entire self under the blanket, Mahiru pressed her head against her knees, looking just like a hedgehog in self-protection mode.
Knock, knock—
A knock sounded on the door.
"My fiancée-san, are you asleep?"
Ren's voice rang out from outside the door.
Ren? Why is he knocking on my door so late?
The voice breaking the darkness caused Mahiru, who was in her self-protection state, to poke her head out of her shell.
Regarding Ren, her fiancé, Mahiru didn't know how to describe him.
If she said Ren was a good person, he had traded for her from her mother, making her his fiancée.
If she said Ren was a bad person, he hadn't used the fact that he bought her to treat her unscrupulously.
This left Mahiru very confused inside; she didn't know what Ren's intentions were.
"Ren, is something the matter?"
Mahiru knew very well that she couldn't stop any of Ren's actions, even if he wanted to do bad things to her.
"May I come in?"
"The door isn't locked."
Hearing Ren ask if he could come in, Mahiru wrapped the blanket covering her tighter, her heart filling with a sense of despair.
Sure enough... is he going to make a move on me after all?
Squeak—
The door opened.
"Fiancée-san, do you mind if I turn on the light?"
"Go ahead."
Click—
The light switch was flipped, and warm light instantly filled the entire room.
Mahiru saw,
Ren standing at the door, holding a nightlight in one hand and carrying Mochi, whose big innocent eyes were wide open, in the other.
"Fiancée-san, I'm sorry. This little guy is too clingy and insists on sleeping on the bed."
"I had no choice, so I had to come to you for help."
As Ren spoke, he lifted Mochi and shook her towards Mahiru.
Meow~
The cat was aggrieved; the cat vocalized.
Ren continued to pretend he didn't hear, and Mahiru still didn't understand.
Tossing Mochi onto Mahiru's bed, Ren walked to the bedside, plugged in the nightlight, and placed it on the nightstand.
Having done all this, just as Ren was about to leave the room, he heard Mahiru speak: "Ren gave Mochi to me, but what about Ren?"
Mahiru understood Ren's kindness, but if she took Mochi, what would Ren do?
"Me? I'll be fine with whatever." Ren said casually.
In a place Mahiru couldn't see, Koharu was guarding outside the door, her tail wagging back and forth.
At Koharu's feet, Candy was mimicking Koharu, wagging her tail as well.
"Goodnight, fiancée-san."
After speaking, Ren turned off the main light and left the room.
The room dimmed once again.
But unlike before,
The nightlight Ren had turned on in advance projected a brilliant starry sky onto the cold ceiling.
The light wasn't glaring; it was just right.
Lying on the bed, Mochi tilted her head and locked eyes with Mahiru.
Meow~
A pair of hands reached out from under the blanket and pulled Mochi inside. One person and one cat hid under the covers, looking at each other.
Rubbing Mochi's forehead with the pad of her index finger, a shallow smile hung on the corner of Mahiru's mouth.
"Goodnight, Mochi."
Turning Mochi over,
Mahiru held Mochi in her arms like a plush toy. This time, the girl's sleeping posture was no longer curled up.
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