Seeing Chisato obey her so readily, Kazusa couldn't help but let out a small smile, but she quickly forced a neutral expression, unwilling to let him notice any other emotions.
When she stepped out of the room, she was momentarily stunned.
Her mother was leaning against the hallway wall, and upon seeing her come out, she wordlessly handed over a first-aid kit.
Although slightly surprised, Kazusa took it without a word. However, just as she turned to leave, she inexplicably paused.
"Just use a disinfectant wipe to clean off the blood. The wound will heal on its own soon enough."
Youko spoke softly, then added in a slightly chiding tone,
"The nasal cavity is one of the most fragile parts of the body. No matter how angry you get, don't hit that area again."
"If you break such a nice-looking nose, won't you be the one regretting it later?"
Kazusa said nothing in response. She simply carried the first-aid kit back into the room, this time shutting the door behind her.
She doesn't want me watching, huh? Well, I can pretty much predict how things will unfold from here.
Youko casually brushed her hair aside and slowly walked downstairs.
Inside the room, Kazusa turned on the light, instantly illuminating the previously dim space.
Now that visibility had improved, she noticed that Chisato—whom she had unintentionally injured—looked even worse than when she had left.
When she had told him to sit still, he had obediently done so, without moving an inch.
Blood was still seeping from one of his nostrils, having already trailed past his philtrum and onto his lips.
Kazusa pressed her lips together and knelt in front of him. She opened the first-aid kit, found the disinfectant wipes her mother had mentioned, and approached him gently.
Chisato cooperated completely. Though it might sound inappropriate, he actually felt much lighter in spirit.
If this little accident allowed Kazusa to calm down and lose the aggressive resistance she had shown earlier, then all it cost him was a few drops of insignificant blood—a trade far too advantageous.
Neither of them spoke. Kazusa's expression remained neutral, her gaze fixed as she carefully and wholeheartedly wiped the blood off his upper lip.
Once she finished cleaning the blood near his nose, she pulled out another disinfectant wipe and took his hand.
Earlier, he had casually wiped his nose with the back of his hand, and because of that, the blood had already dried into scabs, making it much harder to clean.
Chisato carefully observed Kazusa's expression and said,
"I can just wash it in the bathroom."
Kazusa shot him a glare without replying. Instead, she tightened her grip on his hand, making her intent clear—don't move.
Understanding her meaning, he fell silent and let her continue.
Once Kazusa finished treating him and let go, Chisato immediately grasped her wrist in return.
Kazusa looked at him coldly. Compared to earlier, she was much calmer and didn't resist much, but her voice was still devoid of emotion.
"What just happened should serve as a warning. Do you really want to experience that again?"
"My feelings haven't changed. As long as it helps Kazusa vent her anger, I don't mind what you do to me."
"..."
Kazusa felt uneasy under his intense gaze. She instinctively averted her eyes, but when she tried to pull her hand away, she found she couldn't—his grip was too firm.
Yet, she couldn't bring herself to struggle as she had before. She feared that in an emotionally unstable state, she might lose control again and hurt Chisato once more.
"Kazusa…"
His eyes were burning with intensity. As he leaned forward slightly, a certain realization struck Kazusa—one that drew closer and closer in her field of vision.
Something deep inside her, once withered and dull, came alive the moment she sensed his emotions.
She watched as he steadily shortened the distance between them.
With her back already pressed against the bed frame, there was nowhere left to retreat. His hand cradled the back of her head as he slowly leaned down.
Their lips met.
Even though she had seen it coming, when he truly followed through, Kazusa's pupils contracted sharply. Something in her mind seemed to explode.
A searing numbness, like an electric shock, rushed down her spine, spreading through her veins and across her body.
It was as if every pore on her skin had begun to tremble—all from the faintest of actions by the boy in front of her.
Before she could fully grasp the meaning of the kiss, Chisato had already pulled away.
He was cautious enough to avoid giving Kazusa too much time to overthink things—especially considering her current emotional fragility.
That included ensuring his technique was not too polished.
Their foreheads touched as they caught their breath.
Kazusa could feel his heated breath, his warmth, the redness of his ears—everything about him.
And after that kiss, she was struck with a dreadful realization.
A long time ago, she had already been poisoned by this person. And the only antidote was him.
It had to be him. No one else.
She couldn't even imagine herself in the arms of another man, nor could she bring herself to try.
"Chisato…"
Her voice was barely a whisper, trembling in a way completely different from before—almost pleading.
"Break things off with those other girls. From now on, let it just be the two of us. I'll listen to you. No matter what you want, I'll do it. Okay?"
Hearing that, Chisato's heart trembled.
But he couldn't give her the answer she wanted.
"…I'm sorry."
Kazusa wasn't as strong as she thought. The moment she heard his response, her eyelashes quivered, and tears spilled down her exquisite face.
Just like her mother had once described behind her back—despite her icy demeanor, she was nothing more than a little girl prone to crying.
A girl's tears were the deadliest weapon.
For a moment, Chisato felt utterly helpless.
No matter how he tried to wipe them away, Kazusa's tears continued to fall. In the end, he could only open his arms and pull her into an embrace.
As he gently patted her back, murmuring words of comfort, he allowed her to soak his shoulder with her tears.
The melancholic atmosphere persisted for nearly twenty minutes before it gradually subsided.
Kazusa, her eyes still red, showed no intention of leaving his embrace.
It was unclear whether she was simply embarrassed by her earlier outburst or if she just wanted to hold on to the moment a little longer.
Until his phone, tucked in his pocket, vibrated noticeably.
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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