After leaving the Sealed Door, everything was rewritten.
Hayashi Maki took Emilia back to the Frozen Forest. He encouraged her gently. "Go on, Lia. Start."
Emilia was still nervous. "Can everyone… really come back? They've been frozen for so long, and there's still the Black Serpent's corruption…"
"Silly girl." Hayashi Maki smiled. "When have I ever lied to you? Lia, you only need to lift the ice. Leave the rest to me."
"I got it, Maki. I believe you!" Emilia nodded, eyes firm.
She closed her violet eyes. Magic surged through her, and under her control the snow and ice melted away. The trees—and the frozen people—slowly returned to their original forms.
Strangely, every one of them was wrapped in a thin layer of golden light, shielding them from any harm.
Hayashi Maki snapped his fingers.
In an instant, the golden glow dispersed, and everyone who had been sealed slowly woke up.
"Where… are we?"
"Wasn't I dead?"
"What happened?"
"I remember an attack… the Black Serpent swallowed so many people…"
"Fortuna—!" Emilia couldn't hold it in anymore. She rushed forward and threw herself into the arms of a short-haired woman.
It was Fortuna—Emilia's aunt, and the woman who had raised her.
"You're… Lia?" Fortuna stared, eyes wide.
"You've grown so much… These years must have been so hard on you."
Fortuna glanced at Hayashi Maki, tears spilling as she gently stroked Emilia's hair, overwhelmed with emotion.
Hayashi Maki gave Emilia and Fortuna space. He took Beatrice up to a higher spot and quietly admired the restored forest.
That night, to thank Hayashi Maki for helping her fulfill her dream of saving everyone, Emilia poured her whole heart into taking care of him.
Holding the silver-haired half-elf in his arms as she smiled in contentment, Hayashi Maki's lips curved.
"It's time to go."
He kissed Emilia softly, and his figure began to fade.
If he returned, it would be to the same instant he left—so it wasn't a problem.
Aqua was still sleeping soundly, so he took her along too. As for the other girls—he'd bring them back another time, when he had the chance.
Back home, Hayashi Maki smiled.
It was nighttime.
Doing nothing didn't suit him.
So… who should he surprise?
Angel-like Mahiru?
Mafuyu-sensei?
Or Yukino, who had grown so attached to him?
What a headache.
He tossed Aqua onto his bed, then vanished.
When he reappeared, he was already in Mafuyu Kirisu's room.
Mafuyu wasn't there—she was soaking in the bath.
Girls loved being clean, and a bath could easily take half an hour.
Hayashi Maki didn't rush. He sat on the bed, casually texting the others on his phone while he waited.
Soon, Mafuyu came out of the bathroom in slippers, humming to herself, a white towel wrapped around her.
The moment she saw him on the bed, she yelped.
"Ah! You little brat—when did you get in here? Don't you know how to knock?!"
Hayashi Maki lifted both hands innocently. "I knocked, Mafuyu-sensei. You didn't answer."
"That doesn't mean you get to sneak in and scare me!" Mafuyu snapped—then noticed his gaze and hurriedly hugged herself, cheeks burning. "Don't look at me like that! Don't you dare think anything weird!"
Hayashi Maki chuckled and stood, walking toward her.
Mafuyu flushed and backed away on instinct.
Before she knew it, she was pressed against the wall with nowhere to run.
"Y-you… what are you doing?" she stammered, face bright red.
Fresh from the bath, her skin looked luminous, and a faint, clean fragrance clung to her—sweet enough to make Hayashi Maki's throat go dry.
He gently tipped her chin up, leaning closer.
"Mafuyu-sensei… I missed you. What do you think I'm here for?"
"N-no… don't…" she protested, soft and shaky. "This… isn't right…"
"Don't what?" Hayashi Maki murmured, sliding an arm around her waist and pulling her against him.
He kissed her without hesitation.
"Mmm—!"
Mafuyu's eyes widened. She pushed at him reflexively, but he didn't budge.
She felt wronged—this was unfair. And yet, as the kiss deepened, her body betrayed her, melting against him.
By the time she came back to herself, she'd already been swept onto the bed.
Her arms had slipped around his neck on instinct.
When they finally parted, Hayashi Maki looked down at her flushed, dazed face, then asked softly, seriously:
"Mafuyu-sensei… can I stay tonight?"
"N-no!" Mafuyu turned her face away, too embarrassed to meet his eyes. "You… you should go. I'm going to sleep!"
Her heart was pounding. He was too intense—too close—his presence making her head feel light.
Hayashi Maki brushed her hair gently. "Then I'll at least dry your hair before I go."
"Huh?"
Before she could process it, he lifted her and settled her on his lap. A warm breeze—his magic—carefully dried her hair.
Mafuyu went quiet.
When he finally finished and stood as if to leave, Mafuyu grabbed the edge of his shirt without thinking.
"Mafuyu-sensei? What's wrong?" Hayashi Maki asked, playing innocent.
Mafuyu glared up at him, eyes full of complaint, jaw tight. "Idiot. After all that… you really want to leave?"
Hayashi Maki took her hand, gaze burning. "Of course I don't want to. But you look like you hate me, and I—yeah, I'm not exactly a saint—but I don't want you to hate me."
"…I don't hate you," she muttered, voice tiny.
"What?" Hayashi Maki exaggeratedly misheard. "You hate me? Fine. I'll go."
He turned as if to walk out.
Mafuyu panicked.
She scrambled up, ran to the door, and spread her arms to block him.
"Don't go!"
"Hm? Why not?"
Mafuyu looked like she was on the verge of tears. She stared at him stubbornly, eyes shining.
"You still have the nerve to ask? How far are you going to push me? Do you really need me to say something that embarrassing before you're satisfied?"
"I'm not trying to push you," Hayashi Maki said softly. "You're just… too cute, Mafuyu-sensei."
And without more teasing, he scooped her up and carried her back to the bed.
He kissed her again—gentler this time, meant to soothe her more than anything.
Mafuyu stopped fighting. She wrapped her arms around his neck and responded, quietly, honestly.
Her heart had already been stirred into a mess—how could she really bear to make him leave?
Much later, Mafuyu lay in Hayashi Maki's arms, drained and warm, cheeks flushed with a soft, womanly glow.
Hayashi Maki stroked her cherry-colored hair with a smile. "Mafuyu-sensei… be honest. Did you miss me too?"
"Tch. As if." Mafuyu pinched him weakly. "You just like bullying people."
Then, like a timid little bird, she buried her face in his chest and refused to look up.
She was completely, painfully embarrassed.
Hayashi Maki didn't push her further. He only kissed her forehead and murmured, "Good girl. Sleep. You've got class tomorrow."
Mafuyu shot him a resentful look, then fell quiet.
In her head, she couldn't stop complaining: You know I have class tomorrow, and you still wore me out…
…And yet, no matter how much she told herself he was shameless and way too flirtatious, she couldn't deny it anymore.
Little by little, she was starting to depend on him.
~~~
This Fanfic is Dropped.