'Even though she said things like "Sakiko is about to break," actually, isn't the one most broken is she?'
'Clearly looks like a cold and indifferent emotionless girl, but this strange sense of depression, it's simply like a bottomless black hole.'
'Speaking of which, aren't there too many problematic girls around me?'
'Yumiko, who's obsessed with being a tragic heroine; Nijika, who lives on grass for twenty-something days every month; and the soft but tsundere Sakiko who's all mouth and pride… It's almost enough to gather a full table of cards.'
'In comparison, little Bocchi who's just socially anxious can really be called pure and kind.'
But, Kaito's silence was misunderstood by Wakaba Mutsumi as rejection.
Thinking about it, that's understandable, right? After all, she hasn't given anything, and yet asked him to give happiness to Sakiko. If he's unwilling, it's only natural emotion.
'But what can I give?'
'I am just a delicate doll controlled by mom and dad, have no power, and no wealth.'
After thinking and thinking, 'The only thing that maybe still has some value is this body carefully maintained since childhood.'
Wakaba Mutsumi's thin lips pressed together, and she silently began unbuttoning her pajama top.
"What are you doing?", Kaito frowned, and with a thought, stopped her movement.
'What are the schools teaching every day? Why is it that every time something happens, these girls' first reaction is to offer their bodies?'
'Isn't this the 21st century?'
'Why is this more feudal than the cultivation world?'
"But I… only have this," Wakaba Mutsumi blinked her eyes, looked at him aggrieved, "Don't you like it?"
'As if, even this only valuable body cannot arouse his interest...'
A trace of loss flashed through the girl's golden eyes, she didn't know how to get Kaito to agree to her request. Her cherry blossom-like lips moved a few times, but still couldn't say a complete sentence.
'Not only can I not witness Sakiko's happiness, now I'm even going to be disliked, right?'
'Sakiko, in the end... I really can't do anything...'
Seeing the green-haired girl in front of him lower her head, like a wilted cucumber, Kaito sighed.
"Of course I'll take care of Sakiko, but that's because, she's my employee, and also my friend."
He looked straight into Wakaba Mutsumi's eyes, his calm tone like stating an undeniable truth, "A person's value is never limited to the body. You are you, an independent individual. So, don't treat yourself as a bargaining chip."
"I believe, Sakiko wouldn't want to see her friend, in order to bring her happiness, humiliate herself like this."
'I… am not a bargaining chip?'
Used to being manipulated like a doll, mechanically executing mom and dad's commands, obeying their arrangements, trying hard to be the daughter they are proud of.
And now, someone tells her, you are you, not a doll, not a tool, but yourself.
'So strange.'
Clearly already lost the ability to cry.
The petite girl lightly covered her chest, dumbly looked at him, yet the tears poured out in big drops.
———
[May 10th, Sunday]
It's the last day of the holiday, a rare sunny day. Akihabara is full of people. Kaito stood in front of the train station, waiting for someone.
Since that pouring rainy night, a full day had passed.
Kaito rarely uses the mouth-talking skill, usually he prefers to correct people's twisted thinking with an iron fist directly.
But Wakaba Mutsumi is, after all, Sakiko's friend, a genuine childhood companion, so he couldn't go hard on her.
That means he could only use a more peaceful method, verbal healing.
Just pure talking may not be effective, but what if he added a bit of spiritual power guidance into it?
Wakaba Mutsumi's condition is actually not complicated. It's just too much pressure, too much stuff bottled up inside, and she doesn't know how to talk to others. Over time, it's stranger if she doesn't get depression.
Originally it hadn't reached the limit, but unfortunately, she ran into that nightmare evil spirit trouble...
Kaito used spiritual energy to guide out the black sludge accumulated in her emotions, and after she cried it all out, little Mutsumi got so tired she fell asleep.
Clearly only took one exorcism job, and yet still had to do psychological counseling...
'Forget it, just consider it for the sake of secretary Sakiko.'
"Sir, our new store is opening, we're having a promotion right now, and you can take pictures with the maids inside. Want to give it a try?", A sudden female voice interrupted his thoughts. Kaito looked up and saw a young girl in a black-and-white maid outfit in front of him, holding flyers. Her face full of enthusiasm, and when their eyes met, both were briefly stunned.
'Beautiful… very beautiful…'
"Sorry, I'm waiting for someone," Kaito declined her invitation. On normal days, he wouldn't mind trying the maid café experience. But since he had already made an appointment with Suse to meet nearby, he definitely couldn't ditch her.
"N-no problem!", The maid-dressed girl finally recovered, her contact-lensed eyes full of excitement, "Is it a friend? I can wait with you!"
'This service is a bit too enthusiastic?'
Kaito was already used to this kind of clingy situation. With a blank face, just about to refuse, a gentle female voice suddenly spoke up.
"Excuse me, can you please stay a little farther from my boyfriend?"
'Boyfriend?'
The maid girl turned toward the voice, and saw not far away, a girl in a floral dress standing there. Her brown long hair gently draped down her back. Though she was smiling, there was no trace of smile in her blue eyes.
Looks like a girl with strong housewife vibes, yet somehow very imposing...
Nagasaki Soyo still maintained her smiling face, but inside she sighed in relief.
'Just in time…'
She was already worried Kaito would get entangled with shameless bad women, and now it really happened.
It had only been a short while and already a maid café staff was trying to pull him in. She didn't even dare to imagine what would've happened if she arrived later.
Soyo took two steps forward and unceremoniously grabbed Kaito's arm, tilting her head, "We're not interested in maid cafés, okay?"
"S-sorry for disturbing…", The maid-dressed girl eventually backed off under her overwhelming pressure, and fled.
Only after her figure completely disappeared did Soyo look at Kaito and gently smile, "Waited long?"
"Just five minutes, not long at all."
Kaito shook his head, glanced at the girl's outfit today, "This outfit suits you."
"Sorry, something delayed me when I left this morning~"
Soyo winked at him, her smile bright, "But still, thank you Kaito-kun for the compliment."
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