Yushiro, regaining his senses, watched the bouquet of roses in his hand, his eye twitching slightly. His grip gradually tightened, his face scrunched up, and he spoke hoarsely, gritting his teeth.
"I already told you I..."
Before he could finish, Tamayo, standing nearby, smiled and interjected.
"Yushiro, hurry up and thank Mr. Yoizumi."
"Ugh... I... Th-thank you!" Yushiro suppressed the anger on his face, forced himself to produce a small smile, and squeezed out the words of thanks through his constricted throat.
"They are very beautiful roses," Tamayo said, leaning closer to Yushiro and gently stroking the soft petals with her raised hand, a hint of admiration appearing on her gentle and tranquil face.
Yushiro looked at Lady Tamayo right beside him and, much to his chagrin, blushed. His dark purple eyes awkwardly looked away, only to immediately meet Yoizumi's gaze.
After instinctively glaring at Yoizumi, he caught sight of Shinobu's teasing eyes. Yushiro pulled back his gaze, and seeing how pleased Lady Tamayo looked, he couldn't help but crack a small smile himself.
"Later... I should find a vase and put the flowers in it..." "Shinobu, it seems Yushiro likes them after all," Yoizumi said to Shinobu with near certainty, watching Yushiro's smile.
Shinobu looked helpless but didn't say anything, merely chuckling softly.
That's not liking them... that's just loving something because it's associated with someone he loves.
Oh well... it's not wrong, actually.
What can you expect when Yoizumi is such an idiot.
After the brief interlude, the group took their seats, and Tamayo instructed Yushiro to brew tea.
"Then let's try the tea prepared by Miss Kochou."
"It would be wonderful if it suits your taste."
When two women skilled in medicine and pharmacology meet, there are always many things Yoizumi can't understand... He sat quietly beside Shinobu, listening to the two of them discuss recent problems they had encountered, eating a chestnut cake, when a bowl of tea, dark red to the point of being nearly black, was placed in front of him.
"Please drink all of it thoroughly."
Yushiro said with a beaming smile.
"..."
In the end, Yoizumi did not take a single sip.
"Clink..." As the teacup landed on the table with a crisp sound, Shinobu looked across at Tamayo, her tone full of seriousness.
"The time for catching up is over. Now we should discuss the real business."
"I understand, Miss Kochou."
Tamayo picked up a cloth napkin and dabbed her lips, understanding dawning in her crescent-shaped light purple eyes. She looked at Yoizumi, then stood up.
"Yushiro."
"Yes!"
"Go bring that over."
"Understood!"
"...?" I feel like I've seen this scene before... Tamayo spoke with a gentle smile on her face.
"Just in case..."
"Let's draw some blood and check first."
As expected... Fortunately, it was no longer the arm-thick syringe from before, but one of normal size.
As his blood was being drawn, and while Tamayo took it away for analysis, Yoizumi stroked Chachamaru, who had rubbed up against his hand.
"Hmm?"
Yoizumi looked confusedly at Shinobu, who had suddenly moved away from him. Why was she standing so far away?
"Shinobu? What's wrong?"
"Nothing at all, nope~" Shinobu replied with her usual beautiful smile and soft voice.
"Then... why are you standing so far away from me?" Yoizumi looked at Shinobu, who was practically standing in the corner of the room, tilting his head, his sapphire eyes full of confusion.
He walked towards Shinobu while holding Chachamaru, but Shinobu called out to him, stopping him.
"Yoizumi, don't come closer."
Yoizumi stopped blankly. Seeing the tense expression gradually appearing on Shinobu's face, could it be...? He looked at Chachamaru in his hands, then looked at Shinobu, who was warily staring at Chachamaru.
Yoizumi seemed to understand.
So... Shinobu is afraid of cats?
"Chachamaru, go play outside by yourself." Yoizumi carried Chachamaru out of the room, patted its head, then returned and closed the door.
Seeing Shinobu visibly relax, a trace of amusement entered Yoizumi's eyes.
"So Shinobu is afraid of cats."
Walking over to Shinobu, Yoizumi felt a sharp pain in his side the moment he finished speaking.
"Oof..."
"What did Yoizumi say? I didn't catch that~" Shinobu said innocently, smiling brightly while pinching the soft flesh around Yoizumi's waist.
"Well..."
"Hm?"
"Nothing."
Yoizumi silently swallowed his words.
How surprising... Yoizumi lowered his gaze, looking at Shinobu's expression, which was a mix of annoyance and embarrassment over her momentary lapse. Fragments of tenderness shimmered in the depths of his sapphire eyes.
Hmm... noted.
Also... Shinobu like this... is cute.
Raising a finger, Yoizumi tucked the strands of Shinobu's purple hair that had fallen loose behind her ear. He bent down, leaning in slowly, and placed a soft kiss on Shinobu's cheek.
Liking someone... this is how you express liking someone.
Yoizumi straightened up, a gentle smile appearing on his otherwise placid face. He took Shinobu's hand, holding it lightly, and his clear, pleasant voice conveyed happiness.
"I understand Shinobu a little better now."
Blushing, Shinobu buried her face in Yoizumi's chest, her voice muffled.
"I told you it's not..."
..."Crack..."
Yushiro stared at the two of them, his eyes bulging with rage. The glass cup in his hand was nearly crushed, and small cracks appeared along the rim.
Flirting in someone else's house... Go home already!
And... seriously, this guy is naturally infuriating!
"What's wrong?" Tamayo emerged from the laboratory holding the finished analysis report, looking at the expression on Yushiro's face with confusion.
"No! Nothing at all," Yushiro replied in a low voice, gritting his teeth.
"After testing, Mr. Yoizumi's condition is very good, and no changes have occurred."
Tamayo looked at the values on the report and analyzed them deliberately.
"I also performed a rejection test, and the Human Transformation Drug can be successfully used."
"Therefore..." Tamayo slowly pushed the tube of pale blue medicine towards Yoizumi.
"Mr. Yoizumi, are you ready to turn back into a human?"
He reached out and took the vial, staring at the pale blue liquid inside. Yoizumi then immediately opened the stopper without hesitation and drank it.
The slightly cool liquid flowed down his throat. Wiping the residue from the corner of his lips, Yoizumi smiled at Shinobu.
He had always been ready... "Are you going back now?" Tamayo asked Shinobu.
"Yes, it's time to go back. Otherwise, the others at home will start to worry." Shinobu walked to the door and nodded to Tamayo.
Tamayo called Yushiro over so they could say goodbye together.
"I see... Please have a safe journey..."
"Miss Kochou... Mr. Yoizumi."
Yoizumi, who had been half-crouching and stroking Chachamaru nearby, raised his head, stood up, and came to Shinobu's side.
"Mm."
Watching the backs of the two as they left, Tamayo looked up at the sky and sighed with a sense of melancholy.
"Now, it really is over..."
"Yushiro."
"Yes... Lady Tamayo."
Yushiro's dark purple eyes fixed on the retreating, yet still noticeable, golden-haired figure.
The last demon in this world... has also disappeared... From this moment on, there are no more evil demons among mankind... "Go and prepare, Yushiro," Tamayo said, returning inside to change into her white lab coat.
"My sins have not yet been fully atoned for..."
No matter how long it takes, I will stay by your side.
Lady Tamayo.
Now they were nothing more than a simple, ordinary... doctor and her assistant.
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