After a long while, Shiina Mahiru was completely drained of strength.
She lay limply in Hayashi Maki's arms, her gaze filled with shyness, happiness… and just a hint of grievance.
She lightly balled her small fist and gave his chest a soft tap.
"You're the worst!"
Hayashi Maki chuckled, catching her tiny fist and gently stroking her golden hair with his other hand.
"What did I do this time to earn your hate, huh? I'll fix it, I swear!"
"Hmph, I just hate you." Mahiru buried her face in his chest, rubbing against him without realizing it.
"I told you no, and you still went for it…"
"If I can't get out of bed tomorrow, who's going to cook for you?"
Hearing that, Hayashi Maki burst into laughter. That's what she was worried about?
Too cute.
"No worries. If we can't get up, we'll just have a light breakfast. We can order takeout for lunch. It's the weekend tomorrow—no need to rush to school."
Only then did Mahiru remember it was Saturday. Her cheeks turned slightly red from embarrassment.
"Ugh… I've never had takeout before."
She mumbled under her breath.
Hayashi Maki looked at her in disbelief. "Never? Not even once?"
"Mm… My family hired someone to cook for us," she answered hesitantly, voice small.
But there was sadness in her expression.
Hayashi Maki knew she must be thinking about her parents again—those two who never cared about her.
Still, this was a rare chance, and he wasn't going to waste it. A chance to reach into her heart.
He grinned. "Wow, you had your own cook? You're seriously a rich girl, huh? I must be the luckiest guy ever!"
Mahiru rolled her eyes. "Yeah, my family's well-off. But if you think you can live off me, think again!"
She wanted nothing to do with that household anymore.
Hayashi Maki laughed awkwardly. "Wait a second… do I look like the kind of guy who lives off his girlfriend to you?"
Mahiru shook her head, but her cheeks turned red again.
What she really wanted… was to turn him into a lovable freeloader who belonged only to her.
Hayashi Maki found her bashfulness absolutely adorable.
He wrapped an arm around her soft, slender waist, breathing in her sweet scent.
Such a wonderful girl… and somehow, she was his.
He'd barely awakened his memories, and he already had her in his arms.
Hayashi Maki felt a surge of pride.
He kissed her gently on the forehead and murmured, "Alright, time to get some sleep. I'm not going to be a freeloader—I told you, I'll take care of you."
"Oh, by the way… my novel just passed the editor's review. I've got a meeting tomorrow to discuss signing the contract."
Mahiru's eyes went wide.
"Seriously?"
"Of course! I told you I'm not just some shut-in—I'm a creative shut-in!"
"Oh," Mahiru said with a pout, acting cool and unbothered.
That reaction made Hayashi Maki feel like a cat was scratching at his heart. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean? Are you secretly hoping I do become a freeloader?"
Mahiru looked away, flustered. "I am not—mmph!"
Hayashi Maki leaned down and kissed her before she could finish.
This girl really needed to be put in her place sometimes.
Sure, he liked living leisurely, but being a useless bum? Not a chance.
How else was he supposed to form contracts with more followers?
Mahiru looked at him with teary eyes, completely overwhelmed.
She couldn't help but question herself—someone as weak as her… could she really have him all to herself?
Hayashi Maki didn't push any further, just snuggled her close and drifted off to sleep beside her.
Of course, while holding his angel Mahiru, he also quietly channeled his magical energy into her.
After all, only by awakening her powers could he upgrade his own regeneration ability.
A win-win.
…
Meanwhile—
Asada Shino couldn't sleep, tossing and turning in her bed.
She kept thinking about what Hayashi Maki had told her, and her heart ached.
For so long, Shino had hidden the fact that she once shot and killed an armed robber.
But one day, someone spread the story across the school—and even posted it on the campus network.
Her former close friends vanished overnight. Classmates and even teachers began looking at her differently.
They treated her like a murderer, isolating and bullying her in silence.
Eventually, Shino had no choice but to move out of the dorms and live alone in a rented apartment.
No one supported her. No one stood by her.
When she got extorted, she had no power to fight back.
She didn't understand what she'd done wrong.
Back then, she was just a little girl—just trying to protect her mother.
She had picked up the robber's dropped gun in panic… and pulled the trigger in self-defense.
She hadn't done anything wrong. She protected herself, and the other people in the bank too.
So why was she treated like a criminal?
The pressure weighed heavily on her. She had constant nightmares—sometimes even seeing the robber's twisted, snarling face asking her why she killed him.
And now, she had found out the person who leaked everything… was her only friend, Kyōuji Shinkawa.
The realization made her skin crawl.
She clutched her chest and let out a cold laugh.
She would never let someone like that hurt her again.
Enough was enough.
She shook her head, pushing thoughts of that jerk aside.
Instead, Hayashi Maki's handsome face popped into her mind.
"I've got to find a proper way to thank him."
Words alone weren't enough to show her gratitude.
She figured she'd ask Mahiru what Hayashi Maki liked.
Maybe prepare a thoughtful gift to show how much his help meant to her.
…If Mahiru found out what Shino was planning, would she start getting defensive?
After all—you've gotta guard your man, your wallet… and your bestie.