Haruto was deep in sleep, sprawled out on the floor with a thin blanket barely covering him. The exhaustion from the night's events had drained him completely, and for once, he wasn't plagued by dreams or restless thoughts.
But his peace didn't last long.
"Haruto!"
Mai's sharp, urgent voice shattered the silence.
Haruto's eyes snapped open, his mind sluggish as he tried to register what was happening. He rubbed his eyes groggily, pushing himself up on his elbows. "Wha—? What is it?" he mumbled.
Mai stood in the middle of the room, her expression tense. Her gaze was fixed on the empty bed where the little girl had been sleeping just hours ago.
"She's gone," Mai said, her voice edged with concern. "The child isn't here."
Haruto jolted fully awake. The haze of sleep disappeared in an instant as he scrambled to his feet. "What?!" He turned to the bed, his heart pounding as he took in the sight of the crumpled blanket and empty space where the girl had been.
Without wasting a second, he began searching the house, his movements frantic. He threw open cupboards, yanked open the wardrobe doors, and even checked inside cabinets. Mai did the same, looking under the bed and behind the furniture.
Nothing.
"She couldn't have just disappeared!" Haruto muttered, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "There's no way she could've left on her own… right?"
Mai was already heading toward the door. "Let's check outside."
Haruto nodded and followed her. The cool night air greeted them as they stepped out of the hut, the moon casting a pale glow over the quiet surroundings.
Then, just a few steps away, they saw her.
The little girl was sitting on the ground, giggling softly as she played with a small dog. The tiny creature wagged its tail happily, running in circles around her as she clapped her hands.
Haruto let out a deep breath, the tension leaving his body all at once. He glanced at Mai, who had already relaxed, shaking her head in disbelief.
The girl looked up at them with bright, innocent eyes. "Pooch!" she chirped, pointing at the dog with excitement.
Haruto blinked. "Pooch?"
Mai crossed her arms. "So, she just… wandered out and found a dog?"
The girl nodded enthusiastically, stroking the dog's fur. "Pooch is my friend now!"
Haruto sighed, rubbing his temples. "We nearly had a heart attack because of this…"
Mai chuckled. "Well, at least we know she's feeling better."
Haruto stared at the girl and the dog for a moment before shaking his head with a small smirk. "Alright, come on. Let's get you back inside before your grandfather finds out you went missing and gives us a heart attack too."
The girl pouted slightly but stood up, picking up the tiny dog in her arms. "Can Pooch come too?"
Haruto exchanged glances with Mai, who sighed. "Fine, but he stays outside."
The girl beamed, hugging the little dog tightly. "Yay! Pooch, you get to stay with me!"
Haruto sighed again, muttering under his breath, "This is going to be a long day…"
Haruto let out a tired sigh as he stepped inside the house, rubbing his neck. The events of the night had completely drained him. First, waking up to Mai screaming. Then searching the whole house in a panic, only to find the little girl playing outside with a stray dog she called "Pooch."
Now that things were calm again, he could finally relax. His body still ached from the injuries he had barely recovered from, and the sweat and dirt clinging to his skin made him feel uncomfortable.
"I need a bath," he muttered to himself.
He grabbed a towel and a fresh set of clothes before heading toward the bathroom. As he turned on the water, steam began filling the small space, making the air warm and comforting. The gentle sound of running water made him feel at ease. He hadn't had a proper bath in days, not since he had nearly died. The thought made him pause for a moment, his mind flashing back to that painful night—then to Mai, who had saved him.
He sighed again, letting the warm water wash over him. His muscles slowly relaxed as he leaned one hand against the wall, closing his eyes. This feels nice…
What he didn't realize, however, was that in his exhaustion, he had forgotten to lock the door.
Mai had been casually tidying up the house when she noticed the bathroom door slightly open. A sly grin appeared on her lips.
Oh? He left it unlocked? She tilted her head slightly, her playful nature taking over. That's unlike him… Guess I'll have to take advantage of this opportunity.
Without hesitation, she stepped forward, pushing the door open just enough to peek inside. The sight of Haruto standing under the water, his toned back facing her, made her smirk widen.
"How careless," she whispered to herself.
A mischievous idea popped into her mind. She quietly removed her clothes, replacing them with only a towel wrapped around her body.
With slow, silent steps, she entered the bathroom, the steam making the air thick and warm. She got closer and closer until—
She suddenly hugged him from behind.
"Darling~," she purred, her voice soft and teasing.
Haruto froze.
His entire body stiffened as he felt the warmth of Mai's body pressing against his back. His mind blanked out for a moment before panic set in. His face turned bright red.
"M-Mai?! What are you—?!" He tried to turn around, but she held him in place.
She rested her chin on his shoulder, her breath warm against his skin. "You've been so tense lately," she whispered. "How about I wash your back… and you can wash my front?"
Haruto's eyes widened. His face somehow turned even redder. "I—I— That's not— I mean—!!"
Mai giggled, completely amused by his reaction. "What's wrong? You always act so serious, but now you can't even say a full sentence?"
Haruto swallowed hard, his brain working overtime to process the situation. "Mai, this— This isn't—!!"
She tightened her hug just a little, pressing against him teasingly. "Come on, it's just a bath. We're married, aren't we?" She let out a soft laugh, clearly enjoying herself.
Haruto, on the other hand, felt like he was about to explode from embarrassment. This woman… she's going to be the death of me.
Taking a deep breath, he carefully grabbed her hands and gently pulled them away from his waist. "Mai… Please, just let me take my bath in peace."
She pouted, pretending to be disappointed. "Aww, you're no fun, darling~."
He sighed in relief when she finally stepped back. "Go. Out."
Mai raised her hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll leave… for now." She flashed him one last teasing smile before turning around and walking toward the door.
But just as she reached the exit, she paused. "Oh, and Haruto~?"
He hesitated before responding. "What now?"
She looked over her shoulder with a smirk. "If you ever change your mind… just let me know~."
And with that, she walked out, leaving Haruto standing there, his face still bright red.
He let out a deep sigh, running a hand through his wet hair. "She's impossible…"
As much as she flustered him, though, he couldn't deny one thing.
He didn't really mind it.
Haruto finished his bath, taking extra care to make sure Mai wasn't lurking around for any more surprises. After drying himself off and getting dressed, he stepped out of the bathroom, still feeling a little flustered from earlier.
He walked into the main room, expecting to see Mai preparing breakfast or checking on the little girl, but instead, he found her casually sitting on the couch, brushing her hair with a satisfied smile. She glanced up at him and smirked.
"Enjoy your bath, darling?" she teased.
Haruto sighed. "I would've if someone didn't decide to play games."
Mai let out a soft laugh. "Oh, come on. You liked it, didn't you?"
He quickly looked away, clearing his throat. "Let's just focus on the kid, alright?"
Mai pouted. "Fine, fine. You're no fun in the morning, Haruto."
Ignoring her playful complaints, Haruto walked over to check on the little girl. She was still outside, playing with "Pooch," the small stray dog she had apparently adopted in just a few hours. The girl giggled as the dog ran around her in circles, its tail wagging excitedly.
Haruto leaned against the doorframe, watching them for a moment. The sight was… oddly peaceful.
Mai came up beside him, crossing her arms. "She looks happy," she said softly.
"Yeah," Haruto agreed. "It's hard to believe she was struggling to breathe just last night."
Mai nodded. "That medicine helped, but we still need to keep an eye on her. Her lungs might not be completely clear yet."
Haruto sighed. "I know… and that old man better keep his promise to quit smoking. Otherwise, this whole thing will just repeat itself."
Mai gave him a reassuring pat on the back. "Let's not worry about that for now. We should focus on making sure she stays healthy while she's with us."
He nodded. "Speaking of which, we should probably get some food in her. She hasn't eaten anything since last night."
"Already on it," Mai said with a wink. "Breakfast is almost ready. Why don't you go call her inside?"
Haruto nodded and stepped outside. The little girl looked up as he approached, hugging the dog tightly.
"Hey," he called out. "Come inside. Breakfast is ready."
She hesitated for a moment, looking down at Pooch. "Can he come too?" she asked, her voice small.
Haruto glanced at the dog. It looked thin and a little dirty, but overall, it seemed healthy. He sighed. "Fine. But only for now."
The girl's face lit up with joy. "Thank you!" she cheered, standing up and leading Pooch toward the house.
As they walked inside, Mai glanced at Haruto, raising an eyebrow. "So we're adopting a dog now?"
"It's temporary," Haruto muttered.
Mai chuckled. "Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that."
The three of them (and Pooch) sat down for breakfast. Mai had made a simple meal—rice, eggs, and soup. The little girl ate happily, occasionally sneaking bits of food to the dog under the table when she thought no one was looking.
To be continued...