It was a cold dawn. Cold air flowed from the tightly closed window, and the weather was chilly enough to make the body shiver the moment the blanket was lifted. The moon had long hidden its form, and only the floating dark clouds cast shadows in the moonlight.
"...Seia?"
The clouds moved with the wind. Moonlight seeped through a hole in the clouds. Blue light passed through the hospital room window and illuminated the inside. Only then could Kenji see Seia's face clearly.
"What, what happened to your face?"
Seia's face was a mess. Her hair was disheveled, and red marks were etched on her cheeks, forehead, and eyelids. It looked as if she had fought someone. Fortunately, they weren't severe scars, but they were still wounds unbecoming of her appearance.
"...Kenji."
She whispered his name softly, then buried her face in his chest. She didn't cry. She didn't tremble either. She just reached out and embraced him. Because she didn't want to show her ugly face to him.
Although he had many things he wanted to say, Kenji first stroked her hair. Her ears, which flinched every time his hand touched her head, were quiet this time. She must not have the leisure to enjoy the touch. Kenji let out a deep sigh and maintained his silence until she lifted her head. At the same time, he gently stroked the back of her head.
'...Did she fight with Nagisa.'
He could roughly guess. The two who left saying they'd talk hadn't returned for hours, and now one of them had returned with wounds on her face. It would be stranger if he couldn't predict it. Moreover, if the cause of that fight was himself, not knowing would make him an idiot.
Kenji cursed inwardly and patted Seia's back. After a few minutes like that, Seia raised her head. Her pink and lime-green mixed eyes turned toward Kenji. She mumbled her lips a few times, then wriggled and crawled a little closer to Kenji's face. As she did, she spoke.
"...Sorry for waking you."
"It's fine. More importantly, are you okay?"
Kenji asked while tracing the wound on Seia's forehead with his finger. Seia let out a soft "Ngk" at the stinging pain. The wound from rolling on the ground was covered with scabs as if it had been scraped on gravel. It meant some time had passed since the wound was made, but it would still hurt all the same.
Kenji let out a small sigh and stretched his hand to the side. The first-aid kit prepared by Aomori Mine was grasped in his hand. Contrary to her peculiar personality and antics, Mine was surprisingly meticulous. Since he had become her patient, she insisted on taking perfect care of him or something. The first-aid kit was also placed there for that reason. To prepare for any unforeseen situation, she said.
It was a level of care that was almost burdensome, but the result was good.
Kenji opened the first-aid kit and took out a large bandage and ointment. Seia immediately understood what Kenji intended to do and fixed her disheveled bangs with her hand.
"It might sting."
"...I understand."
Seia answered with slightly reddened cheeks. By now, the moon had long hidden behind clouds, so Kenji couldn't properly see that face. Still, his eyes, accustomed to the dark, were sufficient to identify the wound on Seia's forehead.
"Ngk..."
Kenji applied the ointment on his finger to the wound. The transparent-colored medicine seeped into the wound. Since it was an ointment that allowed disinfection and regeneration simultaneously, there was no need to add anything else. He roughly wiped the ointment off his finger onto his clothes and stuck the bandage over the wound.
With that, the most severe wound was gone. There were still minor bruises and scratches, but if he stuck bandages on all of those, he'd clearly look like a critical patient. So he only applied ointment to the remaining wounds.
"...My face feels sticky."
Seia grumbled. It was only natural since almost her entire face was painted with ointment, but Kenji cut off her complaint by flicking her forehead with his finger.
"Endure it. Who came here injured?"
"...When you put it that way, I have nothing to say."
"That's the point."
Kenji spat that out, then chuckled and traced Seia's fair forehead with his finger.
"We could play tic-tac-toe here."
"...You."
Seia's brow furrowed. Kenji smiled wryly as if joking and gently grabbed her hair. The texture of her hair, which had always been smooth, was quite rough now. Either she didn't have the leisure to fix it properly, or she was so upset she didn't even think to do so. Considering her state, the latter seemed more likely.
"Did you fight with Nagisa?"
Kenji asked with a bitter smile. It wasn't an interrogating or accusatory tone. At his soft, child-admonishing voice, Seia pursed her lips. She remained like that for a while longer, then buried her face deep in Kenji's chest.
"Yes."
An uncharacteristically short answer returned. Although her voice was completely muffled, he didn't need to think to know it was affirmation. Kenji suppressed a rising sigh as much as possible and continued.
"Can I know why?"
He could roughly guess, but he asked anyway. But the answer didn't come immediately.
Silence flowed again. Seia took ragged breaths and hugged Kenji a little tighter. The pressure felt on his back and stomach increased, but Kenji didn't show it and waited until her mouth opened. A few minutes later, she began to speak with her head turned sideways.
Although he secretly hoped not, what she said was no different from what Kenji had expected. The story came from Seia's lips—that Nagisa's surprise kiss made Seia's jealousy pierce the sky, leading to a fight. There were probably more detailed stories within, but Seia didn't go that far. Probably because there were things she wanted to hide.
He was curious but didn't press further. Instead, he patted her back and smiled bitterly.
"I'm sorry. Because of me."
"...It's fine. And it's not your fault."
"It happened because I'm indecisive. I could apologize a hundred times and still have nothing to say to you all."
"No, we understand your circumstances well. Why you don't choose anyone, that is."
Seia's head turned toward Kenji again. She crawled up to a position where her face touched Kenji's nape. Kenji flinched, but Seia paid no mind. Soon, their faces were close enough to feel each other's breath.
"As much as I hate to admit it, in matters related to you, the two of them have similar tendencies to me. So if you become involved with someone, I can't help but know what will happen afterward, even if I dislike it."
"...."
"War will surely break out. It wouldn't be strange if someone forcibly takes you. Even I can't be sure if I could endure it."
"...That's a bit scary."
Kenji muttered with a troubled expression. Seia let out a small 'pfft' laugh at that ridiculous expression.
"Don't worry. To prevent such a thing, to ensure my man isn't taken from me, I made contact with the Tea Party. I chose power instead of superior force. Both Nagisa and I."
There were a few more reasons besides those two. First, to prepare a basic framework to seize Kenji if she wasn't chosen, and second, because she could obtain facilities to protect him. Just belonging to one of the Tea Party's three factions would cause her status to skyrocket.
But Seia didn't bother to mention those facts.
"Anyway, so don't blame yourself. I don't know about the other two, but I don't resent you."
"...Thank you."
Kenji smiled bitterly. Seia nodded once, then pressed her face against Kenji's nape. His scent emanating from skin, not clothes, was much stronger, intoxicating enough to paralyze thought. But Seia didn't show it. She subtly savored the fragrance while maintaining her usual expression.
"So, what's the reason for visiting at this hour?"
Kenji asked, unaware of Seia's thoughts. Seia pondered briefly, then answered honestly.
"I missed you."
"...What?"
"I missed your face so much. I was hurt and miserable, and in pain, so your face came to mind first. I tried to endure, but it was simply impossible. So I sneaked in. And I thought I did well. You may not know, but the face of a loved one melts the heart into mush just by looking at it."
"...."
"Did you understand? This is a confession."
Seia smiled brightly. Although the room was dark, only her face shone beautifully like a polished gem. Kenji couldn't give any answer and only smiled apologetically. It wasn't so much a meaning of rejection as it was that he couldn't answer. But Seia didn't mind. Like Nagisa, she also had no intention of forcing an answer from Kenji.
That didn't mean she intended to do nothing. Her visiting Kenji in the late dawn was an impulsive act born from feeling miserable and missing him, but that meaning had long faded. Receiving his care and concern was quite pleasant, but now that she had confessed her heart, she wanted something else more.
"Kenji, you may think of me as an old soul, but I also like to act spoiled like Mika. So from now on, please don't say anything. This is just simple... me being spoiled."
"What? Hey, wait... Mmph!"
Before Kenji could finish speaking, Seia stole his lips. Their breaths mingled, and saliva of unknown origin transferred between their lips. Seia inserted her tongue into Kenji's mouth with dazed, unfocused eyes. It was a kiss similar to what Nagisa had done, but rougher.
"Hahp, slurp, I must, hahp, clean it thoroughly."
Your mouth dirtied by that woman's saliva. I must paint over it to make it clean.
Seia interlocked her fingers with Kenji's. That alone sealed his resistance. Seia explored every corner of Kenji's mouth with ecstatically unfocused eyes. Her slightly longer-than-average tongue scraped his palate and traced his teeth as it passed. When her tongue finally touched his, she unhesitatingly wrapped her tongue around his.
The sounds of slurping and sucking filled his mouth. Seia devoted herself to the kiss without even noticing the drool flowing down her chin. No, it was closer to predation than a kiss. The roughly squirming tongue ruthlessly violated Kenji's mouth.
The sharply pointed tip of her tongue poked his gums. Then it rose to his palate and drew circles. Kenji's brow twitched as if ticklish. Seia confirmed his expression and laughed silently. It was a bewitching laugh.
Eventually, the attached lips separated. A line of saliva stretched long between their mouths. The areas around both their mouths were smeared with unswallowed spit.
"...Satisfied?"
Kenji asked. Seia shook her head and brought her lips close again.
"It's still far from enough."
Smack.
Their lips collided again. Seia explored his mouth for a while longer, then pulled her lips away when she was almost out of breath. Then she bit or sucked on his neck while catching her breath. When red marks remained clearly on his nape, she again licked, bit, or sucked his lips, tongue, nose, and ears.
Kenji was also a man. It was only natural that blood would rush to his lower body with this repeated behavior. He tried his best to endure, but his vigorous body, contrary to his will, was utterly faithful to instinct.
Seia was aware of something poking her buttocks but didn't show it. Because she couldn't advance to such acts yet. But she felt good. Feeling Kenji aroused by her heightened her own excitement.
"Kenji... Kenji...."
Seia called his name plaintively. Even while doing so, her tongue and mouth didn't know how to stop. Now she rubbed her cheeks against him and even sniffed the scent of his ears and nape. For Kenji, resistance was impossible. His hands were held, and with his legs shattered, he couldn't even twist his body.
The only thing he could do was yell for her to stop. But since she wouldn't listen to that either, there was nothing he could do. So eventually, he gave up resisting and went along with Seia's movements.
It was a night of ecstasy.
The fox sucked the vital essence of her beloved man until the sun rose.