The room felt a bit cold.
I wasn't sure if it was because the night was cold, or because I could feel a frightening aura.
I quickly hid my surprised expression and smiled at Helena.
"Why are you still awake this late?"
"And why did you come to my room?"
I tried to stay calm as I stepped closer and touched Helena's forehead.
"Can't sleep because of insomnia? Or is something on your mind?"
While saying that, I rubbed my temple and got ready to leave.
"I'll get you some warm water, okay?"
But before I could even move, Helena suddenly disappeared—then reappeared right in front of me.
She gave a faint smile. "Big brother always likes to avoid things, huh~"
"Hm?"
I pretended to be confused.
Helena narrowed her eyes, staring sharply at me.
"They say your first reaction never lies."
"When you saw me just now, you looked terrified… Are you scared of me?"
"If you really are afraid of me…"
She whispered softly, "Then everything you've shown me so far was just an act? You've been lying to me?"
I chuckled lightly and patted her shoulder.
"What are you thinking? How could I possibly be scared of you?"
"Anyone would be startled if a dark shadow suddenly appeared in their room!"
"First reaction…" I sighed. "If I were holding a gun, my first reaction wouldn't be to ask questions. I'd shoot first!"
After that, I noticed the suspicion in her eyes start to fade a little.
"Really…"
She muttered, lowering her head.
"Maybe I'm just being too sensitive… Sorry, Big Brother…"
"It's fine." I smiled softly.
I thought I had managed to calm her down and could finally breathe in relief…
But suddenly, I felt my hand trembling slightly.
Then Helena's shoulders and arms began twisting unnaturally.
A slick, crawling sound—like a snake slithering—echoed in the silent room.
Helena transformed. Five or six horrifying tentacles appeared in front of me.
"Helena… you…"
Two of them instantly wrapped around my body.
They slid past my pajamas and slipped under my clothes.
The moment my skin touched those slimy, writhing tentacles, goosebumps ran all over my body.
"Helena… what are you… doing…"
"Don't be scared of me, Big Brother…"
I gave her a bitter smile.
But Helena no longer looked at me gently like she usually did.
She just stared quietly, letting her tentacles coil tightly around my body—binding my arms, my waist, every fragile part of me—almost as if she wanted to completely wrap me up…
"Big Brother, are you scared of me like this?"
She asked softly.
"I…"
I froze, especially with one of her tentacles wrapped around my neck, making it hard to speak.
"Of course not! This is the real you… Why would I be afraid?"
Helena smiled sweetly again. "Then… Big Brother likes me like this?"
"Of course—"
My brain raced. If this were a normal moment—back when [Negotiation/Soothing] still worked—I could have answered honestly, maybe even asked her to loosen her grip. She might've felt guilty.
But not now.
"Of course I like you." I smiled. "I like you, Helena. No matter what you are, I'll always like you."
Her face instantly lit up, her whole body trembling with joy.
"Big Brother likes Helena!!!"
"Even though I'm a monster… you still don't mind! Amazing!!"
"Monster… monster… monster…"
"Wait, am I a monster?"
"Monster…"
I said nothing. As usual, she sank into her strange muttering again.
She didn't notice that my face was turning pale.
"Cough… cough…"
"Helena…"
I weakly tapped her tentacles.
Finally, she realized something was wrong. My face was red, and my eyes were spinning.
"Ah! I'm sorry, Big Brother!"
Helena quickly let go, and I fell weakly to the floor.
She caught my body gently with her tentacles.
"I'm sorry, Big Brother… I've been like this lately…"
She smiled apologetically. "Sometimes I can't control my feelings… I'm sorry, it's just because I love you too much…"
Seeing my pale face, an odd sense of possessiveness stirred within her.
Sometimes she couldn't suppress the urge to break me—an eerie, destructive impulse born from her own fear…
Helena was terrified of losing me again, of me leaving for another woman. Terrified of losing me.
So sometimes she thought, maybe only by doing that could she stay with me forever…
She lowered her head slightly, trying to suppress her emotions and hide her tears.
Big Brother likes me. He doesn't mind me being like this…
He wasn't lying…
So I shouldn't act like that again.
Meanwhile, I opened the window, took a deep breath of the cool night air, then poured myself a glass of water. Only then could I calm down a little.
That was terrifying…
I realized she hadn't truly changed.
That sweet, obedient Helena at dinner—that wasn't the real her!
Whatever hope I had left completely vanished.
A monster like this can't be changed.
The only way is to keep deceiving her… until I can truly control her.
"Big Brother, are you feeling better now?"
Her clear, lake-like eyes looked at me with concern.
Helena sat quietly on my bed, obedient as always…
As long as I didn't see those tentacles…
That angelic face, those writhing tentacles—a strange combination.
"I'm fine… I'm okay…"
I straightened my clothes, yawned widely, pretending to be sleepy.
"It's late… I'm going to sleep. You should go back to your room too."
I walked toward the bed to send her off.
But Helena had no intention of leaving.
"Helena can't sleep. Helena wants to sleep with Big Brother…"
"Huh… what?"
I froze, staring at her in disbelief.
Her big blue eyes blinked pitifully, gazing at me as if begging.
"Big Brother's going to reject me?"
I realized she was serious.
I leaned weakly against the soft pillow and patted the empty space beside me.
"How could I say no…"
That was true—because I was scared to death.
"Yay!!"
Helena jumped onto the bed like a little child.
But instead of lying on the empty side I pointed to, she wrapped herself around my waist, rested her head on my chest, and closed her eyes peacefully.
Staring at her calm face, I turned off the light helplessly.
The room fell into darkness again.
But I couldn't sleep at all.
I knew she had lowered her guard and wouldn't do anything reckless
…
And her small body felt warm and comfortable to hold…
But—
She was hugging me with six tentacles.
Who could possibly sleep like that?!
I shut my eyes, torn between annoyance and helplessness.
[TO BE CONTINUED]