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Taking a bath together with Kuro, sheās currently sitting on my left thigh, leaning against my chest with a happy smile on her face.
Trying to keep my mind off what I had been feeling on my left thigh for the time being, I continued my conversation with Kuro.
[Thatās right, since weāre at it, I guess Iāll use this one too.]
[Unnn? Whatās this? A stick attached to a toy duck?]
Kuro created a black vortex in the air and took out a stick with a magic crystal that looked like a magic tool with three toy ducks attached to it.
What did she take out now? I couldnāt understand what their purpose was.
[This is a toy to play with in the bath. Itās operated with magic, and when you press this buttonā¦ā¦ Look, the duckies depart and come back when they hit the edge of the bathtub.]
[Ohh, thatās interesting. Itās like a duck race.]
[Isnāt it? This is made by a toy company, but you need a big bathroom to use it, and being a magic tool, itās rather expensive, so I guess only the wealthy would be able to buy it.]
[You also have a company specializing in toys huhā¦ā¦ Come to think of it, I used to play with bathroom toys too.]
[Eh? Really? Iām curious to know what the toys from another world are like.]
My memory is a little hazy, but I think there were toys that changed colors when dipped in hot water, and toys that allowed you to do things like drawing in the bath.
When I explained this to her, Kuro looked very interested, especially in the toy that changes color when put in hot water, so she might make something similar one day.
[ā¦ā¦However, I see, the reason why Kuro brought that toy duck and that magic tool to the bathroom was that you were trying out your products.]
[Eh? Ahhā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ Yep, thatās right.]
It seems like it wasnāt the case. It seems that she simply brought them for herself to play with. Chuckling at how Kuro shows her childishness in strange ways, I enjoyed bathing together with Kuro.
As I got out of the bath and came back to my room, I suddenly noticed something out of place.
Kuro going back here in this room isnāt the problem. Itās natural since we were in the bath together. The problem isnāt thatā¦ā¦
[ā¦ā¦Hmmm, is it just my imagination?]
[Whatās the matter, Kaito-kun?]
[The clothing youāre wearing, Kuroā¦ā¦ those are sleepwear, arenāt they?]
[Kuro doesnāt usually sleep, right?]
[Almost never. Itās not like I needed it after all.]
[ā¦ā¦Whatās that under your right arm?]
Thatās strange? In the course of the conversation so far, and Kuroās appearanceā¦ā¦ It looked like sheās going to stay here for the night. Arehh? Have we talked about this topic earlier?
[Ahh, Kaito-kun! Letās go out on the balcony and watch the stars before we go to bed!]
[Eh? Y- Yeah, I guess so.]
While I was thinking about this, she called out to me and I nodded reflexivelyā¦ā¦ Arehh? Iit feels like itās already decided that sheās going to stay overā¦ā¦ Arehh?
I felt like I was being swept along by the momentum, but I just followed the happy Kuro out onto the balcony.
Thereupon, Kuro held up her hand and brought out a balcony tatami.
[ā¦ā¦This is kinda nostalgic, isnāt it?]
[Right? When Kaito-kun and I first met, we laid out a tatami here and watched the stars together.]
[Yeah. I remember that day well.]
After that, Kuro took me up to the skyā¦ā¦ and just as Kuro told me, it really felt like that day was when my story began.
It shouldnāt have been that long ago, but because of all the things that happened, I couldnāt help but feel nostalgic.
Sitting on the tatami mat, she began tapping her thighsā¦ā¦ I smiled once at the sign that she was going to give me a lap pillow, then nodded and laid down, laying my head on Kuroās thighs.
Her soft and warm touch, this intense relief Iām feelingā¦ā¦ Itās so comfortable that if Iām not careful, I might fall asleep right away.
Basking in the atmosphere of the quiet night, me laid down and looking at the sky, and Kuro stroking my headā¦ā¦ After a few moments of such peaceful silence, Kuro suddenly muttered.
[ā¦ā¦Do you remember? Our conversation back in Rigforeshia, at the shrine of the Spirits.]
[I remember. Come to think of it, I was also laid down on your lap on a tatami mat at that time.]
[Youāre rightā¦ā¦ At that time, you know, I really only had a faint hopeā¦ā¦]
Thereupon, Kuro turned her gaze from the sky to me, and muttered with an inexplicably gentle and happy smile on her face.
[ā¦ā¦āYou had found it, didnāt you?ā]
Ahh, I remember. Clearly at thatā¦ā¦ Kuro looked so lonely at that time. She said thereās something she wanted, but canāt haveā¦ā¦ and that if I had found it, she would be happyā¦ā¦ With a look that is hard to describe, as if she had given up and trying to bury down the slightest bit of hope in her heartā¦ā¦
When I heard Kuroās words, I felt a strange itchy feeling come over me. Looking at Kuroās happy smile, which was different from that time, I feel very proud that āI was able to findā that smile.
[Kaito-kun, I couldnāt tell you that time while you were awake butā¦ā¦ I love you, Kaito-kunā¦ā¦]
After telling me this in a gentle voice, Kuro gently brought her face closer to mine and placed her lips on mine.