After fuming for a moment, Shiina Mahiru couldn't resist quietly opening the door again.
When her eyes met his fiery gaze, she let out a cry of surprise and quickly slammed the door shut.
"You, why haven't you gone back to your room? What are you doing standing at my door?" Shiina Mahiru asked, leaning against the door, feeling utterly exasperated.
Lin Mu shrugged and casually replied, "Couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd look at the moon. The moonlight is quite nice tonight. The sun will probably be out tomorrow."
Shiina Mahiru retorted, "Go look from your own doorway. Don't block mine and get in the way."
Lin Mu: "But I still want to sleep with you. What should I do?"
Shiina Mahiru: "I'm really calling the police! If you keep harassing me, the consequences..."
Lin Mu: "Then call the police. I can't sleep tonight if I don't hold you!"
"Ah! Be quiet, lower your voice!" Shiina Mahiru quickly stepped out to cover his mouth, looking around frantically.
This jerk! Does he have to be so loud? Does he want everyone else, like Aoyama Nanami next door, to know about our relationship?
Feeling the soft, delicate hand covering his lips, Lin Mu swiftly wrapped his arm around her slender waist and, amidst her cry of surprise, lifted her up and entered her room directly.
When Shiina Mahiru realized what was happening, she immediately began to struggle violently, hammering his chest with her little fists.
"Pervert, scoundrel! I already said no... Let go of me... Get out!"
Lin Mu took in all of her struggles, letting her hammer away at his chest. After stepping into her room, he directly occupied her soft, fragrant bed and pulled the covers over them.
"Mmph... What on earth do you want? Haven't you bullied me enough?"
Shiina Mahiru looked at him, heartbroken, as crystal-clear teardrops slid uncontrollably down her cheeks.
Lin Mu, however, held her tightly with a serious expression and said in a deep voice, "I don't want to bully you. I was just afraid you might get lost in dark thoughts, so I want to watch over you."
"Besides, if I don't hold you, I really won't be able to sleep tonight."
"You... you scoundrel!"
Shiina Mahiru was at her wit's end with him. Furious that he had invaded her space, she grabbed his arm and bit down hard.
The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, but she didn't let go. She bit him while tears streamed down her face.
Lin Mu frowned from the pain but didn't struggle, instead gently stroking her soft, golden hair, giving her the same fervent embrace as the night before.
Shiina Mahiru finally let go of his arm and suddenly burst into tears, burying her face in his chest.
"You bastard! You're a bastard! We've only just met, why do you have to bully me?"
Lin Mu didn't answer her question. He just slowly leaned in, kissed the girl's soft lips, and then continued to stroke her hair.
Shiina Mahiru fell silent. She just kept her face buried in his chest, sobbing ceaselessly and venting her emotions. Bottling it up would only make it worse; letting it all out was better.
Half an hour later, Shiina Mahiru gave him a little push.
"Let go of me."
Seeing that he had no intention of releasing her, she said with a blush on her face, a hint of resignation in her voice, "I need to bandage your arm."
Only then did Lin Mu reluctantly let her go.
Shiina Mahiru frantically wiped away her tears, as if she didn't want him to see her in such a wretched state. But then she remembered he had already seen her crying, and in even more embarrassing situations, and she felt a sense of relief.
She gave up caring.
Finding the first-aid kit, Shiina Mahiru, dressed in a white nightgown, knelt on the bed and carefully dabbed a cotton swab with alcohol, cleaning the wound on his arm that she herself had inflicted.
Looking at the bloody teeth marks, Shiina Mahiru's heart raced, and she couldn't help but say resentfully, "Why didn't you dodge? Doesn't it hurt?"
Lin Mu smiled faintly. "I already made you cry, so it's only right that I feel some pain. Besides... I've made Mahiru feel pain too, haven't I?"
"You shut up! Don't say another word!"
Shiina Mahiru cut him off, her face red as she glared at him fiercely.
"I already told you to forget about it! I don't need you to take responsibility, what more do you want?"
Lin Mu naturally made himself at home on her fragrant pillow, looking like he was enjoying himself.
"I just want to sleep here. Mahiru has already slept in my bed, so I have to sleep in Mahiru's bed. That's only fair."
"Fair, my foot! Who acts like you? You're a pervert, so thick-skinned!"
Though the girl's words were sharp, her hands never stopped, continuing to carefully clean the wound on his arm. She only breathed a sigh of relief after she had applied a bandage.
Shiina Mahiru was just that kind of gentle and kind-hearted girl. Even though she was the one who bit him, she was now the one feeling guilty.
Perhaps she had sensed that he was here to comfort her, that he wanted to care for her, and a soft spot in her heart had been touched. But a girl's modesty and self-respect still made it impossible for her to be proactive in getting close to him.
Therefore, Lin Mu had to be the one to take the initiative.
"The bandage looks very nice. Well then... it's time for bed, Mahiru. Come here."
Faced with his demand, Shiina Mahiru stared at him, grinding her teeth, not saying a word.
Lin Mu didn't say any more either. He proactively pulled her into his arms, lay down, and covered them with the blanket. He didn't like giving the cold shoulder to a beautiful girl, nor could he stand her ignoring him, so he could only go on the offensive.
Although he got his arm bitten, the outcome seemed pretty good.
Held in his arms once again, Shiina Mahiru's delicate body trembled slightly, her small hands nervously clutching his shirt. Thinking about what was about to happen, she had no idea what to do.
She knew she should refuse, that she should call the police and kick him out of her room. But as he stroked her hair, her nose tingled, and her eyes began to moisten again.
This jerk.
Why does he have to be so gentle?
Can't he just be a straightforward pervert, a proper bad guy?
That way, she could continue to hate him, ignore him, and then gradually forget about this whole incident. He had said it himself, time would make her forget everything.
Just as she was feeling tense, unsure how to face his intimacy, Lin Mu kissed her on the forehead.
"Be good now, sleep. I won't bully you anymore."
Biting her lip, she stole a glance at him, and her body went soft.
Perhaps... I can trust him, just a little?
After all, he's being so gentle right now.
In a daze, Shiina Mahiru snuggled into Lin Mu's embrace and fell into a deep sleep.