Just as Kaito stepped out of the bathroom, he noticed a golden figure standing at the door. His mind was preoccupied with the thought of finding Maria to "heal" her, or perhaps seeking out Rin Tohsaka, Suou Yuuki, or Sakura Tohsaka to help him relieve his pent-up frustration. Caught off guard, he collided with the person at the door.
Though he hadn't used much force, the other person clearly couldn't withstand the impact. With a soft "Ah!", they stumbled backward. Instinctively, Kaito reached out and pulled them into his arms.
Looking down, he saw a head of flaxen hair.
"Mahiro-san?" he asked.
"Ugh..." Mahiro Shina, still shaken, clung to Kaito's chest. As she began to regain her composure, she felt something pressing against her lower abdomen. Glancing down, she let out a startled scream, pushed Kaito away, and stumbled back, ultimately falling to the ground with a thud.
"Ouch..." she whimpered, tears welling up in her eyes.
Kaito, feeling slightly awkward, asked, "Mahiro-san, what are you doing standing here?"
"I..." Mahiro couldn't help but glance at Kaito's pants. It was late, and after his bath, Kaito had changed into a loose, comfortable yukata. Despite her best efforts to look away, Mahiro found her gaze lingering. After a moment, she stammered, "I saw her kneeling at the door..."
After listening to Mahiro's explanation, Kaito understood her concern. She had been worried about the Kocho sisters and, while looking out the window, had noticed Shinobu kneeling in the pouring rain outside. Unable to ignore it, she had come to inform him.
"Oh, don't worry about her," Kaito said. He didn't have any strong feelings about Shinobu. While he found her interesting, he wasn't interested in taking on a disciple with a temper. If Shinobu wanted to become his disciple, she would need to show genuine remorse and sincerity. Otherwise, it would make his offer seem cheap.
"But..." Mahiro's gaze kept drifting downward.
Kaito teased, "Do you need me to give little Mahiro a 'treatment' too?"
Why did he have to add "little"?! Hearing Kaito suddenly switch from the polite "Mahiro-san" to "little Mahiro," Mahiro realized he had noticed her wandering eyes. But it wasn't her fault! That thing... it was just too terrifying!
"I'm not feeling unwell," Mahiro said, shaking her head and forcing herself to look away.
Kaito was about to say something more when he suddenly felt a burning sensation in his vision. The scene before him changed.
In the pouring rain, a familiar figure crashed through an entire building. It was Kanae Kocho, who had just left! Blood trickled from her mouth, and she struggled to hold onto her sword. With great effort, she stood up, glaring at a man with white hair and a calm smile as he approached her. She raised her sword again...
The vision ended.
Kaito's smile faded slightly. "Well, little Mahiro, if you ever feel unwell, you can come to me for a 'treatment' anytime."
"Oh, and one more thing," he added. "Could you let Maria know that I have something to take care of? I might be back late, so she doesn't need to wait up for me."
With that, Kaito left, leaving Mahiro sitting on the floor, her mind still replaying the scene she had just witnessed.
"A treatment..." Mahiro murmured, her thoughts drifting back to the sounds she had heard outside the bathroom earlier. She shook her head vigorously, trying to clear her mind. What was she thinking?!
Mahiro stood up and walked to the hallway, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself. Once she felt her face cool down, she went to Maria's room and knocked on the door.
"Coming," Maria's voice called out.
When the door opened, Mahiro noticed a flicker of disappointment in Maria's eyes when she saw her.
"Oh, it's you, Mahiro," Maria said, quickly masking her emotions with a gentle smile. "It's late. Is something wrong?"
"Kaito asked me to let you know that something came up, and he might be back late. If it's too late, he said not to wait for him."
"Ah..." Maria's disappointment was more evident this time. "I see. Thank you for letting me know, Mahiro."
Mahiro was about to leave when, for some reason, she blurted out, "Does it feel good?"
Maria blinked in surprise, then her smile brightened. "Yes," she said. "Why don't you try it sometime? You might find you enjoy it."
Mahiro quickly retreated, her face burning. As she walked away, she heard Maria murmur, "Mahiro is so cute."
Behind her, Alisa's voice rang out, "Sister, are you serious?!"
"About what?" Maria asked innocently.
"About wanting another 'electrotherapy' session!" Alisa exclaimed. "You're not even feeling unwell, are you?"
Maria tilted her head, pretending to be confused. "Well, I wasn't at first, but now that Kaito-san isn't coming back tonight, I do feel a bit short of breath."
Alisa groaned. She knew it! After last night's session, Maria had felt much better. There was no way she was still experiencing symptoms. Her sister just wanted another round of "treatment."
"Do you even realize what you're doing? Aren't you afraid of...?" Alisa's face turned red as she recalled the two scandalous scenes she had witnessed earlier that day. She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.
Maria simply smiled, tapping her chin playfully. "Alisa, do you want to join me next time?"
Alisa's eyes widened. "What?!"
"Don't look so shocked. Don't you think it feels good? Let's enjoy it together, sister."
"You're hopeless! Completely hopeless!" Alisa shouted, her face crimson.
"Don't say that. You'll hurt my feelings," Maria said, still smiling. "And judging by your expression, I think you want it too. It's okay to admit it. I won't tease you."
"I don't want it at all!!!!!" Alisa protested.
"Really? So you won't join me when Kaito-san gives me a treatment tomorrow?"
"Absolutely not! I don't like being electrocuted!"
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely! Positively! No way!"
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