A profound silence filled the room. Koharu was sitting up in bed. Her light orange, thin eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and her expression was immersed in deep thought. Her bright orange eyes darted between Velora and Yuu.
Yuu nervously met her gaze. He had roughly explained everything: that he was a reincarnated person and that Velora was with him because of it. In the coal-black spheres looking into her orange irises, there was worry, fear, and a hint of hope. Koharu immediately noticed the movement of him scratching the back of his head, a habit he always did.
Velora, meanwhile, was flying around, examining random objects, seemingly detached from it all. She had switched to her chibi form and was darting here and there like a small, silver baby bat. If it weren't for the absurd physical changes of Velora and her sudden appearance, Koharu would not have believed Yuu's words at all.
Koharu had her arms locked in her lap. When she finally looked at Yuu, her tone was hesitant.
"So... you have a kind of soul twin living inside you, and she's this girl. Is that it?"
When Yuu lightly nodded, Koharu fell silent once more. They had solved many of Yuu's problems together. Koharu had undoubtedly been very helpful in everything from soothing his strange dreams to helping him overcome his emotional detachment.
But the current situation was different from any confession or problem she had ever faced, or could ever face in her life. What could she even say to this? How could she help him with situations like him being reincarnated or his "soul being a girl"?
"Well... I guess... Great?" Koharu said, her voice completely devoid of meaning. The words spilled out but carried no significance. Velora giggled, as if mocking the ambiguity. She twirled gracefully in the room, the faint red sparkles shedding from her wings reflecting on the wall.
Yuu could clearly understand her bewildered, confused expression. Yuu finally voiced his concern:
"Should I tell the others about this, Koharu-neesan? I mean... I don't know."
To be honest, ever since he remembered his miserable life in his first life, he didn't want to hide anything from his family and the people he considered family. He wanted to be as transparent as glass with them.
On the other hand, the consequences were unpredictable. Without Velora, it would have been impossible to believe this situation.
Stuck between two possibilities, he asked for Koharu's help. This confession both relieved him and made him happy that he had told something so private to a trustworthy person.
Koharu thought seriously. The situation was unbelievable, to say the least. But the clarity and strangeness of his dreams made much more sense now that she knew. After thinking about the issue of telling the others, she shook her head.
"It would be better if you didn't, Yuu-kun," Koharu said. This sentence came with a soft tone but with firm determination.
She hesitated for just a moment before gently taking his hand and smiling slightly. No matter what, he was the boy she knew. He was Yuu-kun. The comfort of knowing this made her lightly squeeze his hand.
"Thank you for trusting me so much. But... if you tell someone else about this, they might be afraid of you being different from the person they know, and believe me... that's a very bad feeling."
Although Koharu tried not to let it show in her expression, the slight hesitation she had experienced was clear in her words. Yuu blinked slightly.
"But did you... were you afraid?"
Koharu smiled slightly, neither confirming nor denying. As her hair slightly fell forward, hiding her face, Yuu's heart pounded with excitement. Koharu kissed his cheek and whispered softly:
"I was afraid, but it didn't take me long to understand that you are still you."
Then she pulled back and brushed the hair that fell over her eyes. Her lips curved upwards with a motherly affection, and her orange eyes were filled with acceptance. There was still a slight trace of hesitation in her eyes, but this was more out of concern for Yuu. She continued speaking with the warmth of someone trying to reassure him.
"Still, not everyone will think like me. You know how impatient Yuka is. It would be best if this secret stayed only with you."
As the words echoed in the silence of the room, Koharu's face turned thoughtful for a moment. She touched her lips with her fingers, and a slight smile suddenly appeared. After making a zipping motion over her lips, she threw her fingers into the air. Seeing this small gesture, Yuu nodded with a faint smile.
"Your secret is safe with me."
This simple yet meaningful gesture once again reinforced Yuu's trust in Koharu. He slightly lowered his head and answered in a gentle voice.
"I understand, Koharu-nee. I... thank you."
Yuu moved closer to Koharu. Relieved by putting his feelings into words, he wanted to be closer to her. But just then, Velora jumped between them. With her tiny body, she stood like a figure stealing the scene. Her red eyes sparkled with curiosity, and she blurted out an unexpected question:
"So when are you guys going to have sex?"
These words instantly changed the atmosphere of the room. First silence, then a wave of red as both their ears turned crimson...
Yuu's face was completely red. With a mix of shame and surprise, he lunged at Velora. He grabbed the little bat with his hands and began to ruffle her hair.
"You silly, you can't just ask something like that! And also... also..."
Amidst Yuu's troubled protests, Velora puffed her cheeks. Her small body squirmed, and she whined in an annoyed tone.
"You're messing up my hair. You cruel person!"
Koharu didn't know what to do in the face of this absurd situation. However, Velora's words were echoing in her mind. With a sudden thought, the redness on her face deepened. She asked in a trembling voice:
"Wait... wait... you said something about watching me inside. Does that mean... you watched us? While we were d-doing things..."
Velora, miraculously escaping Yuu's grasp, giggled as she spun around the room. She spoke with a childish excitement, as if recounting her favorite television show. She fixed her flying hair, a mischievous smile on her face.
"Absolutely, Koharu-chan! Yours was the most fun and also the most boring sex! You were so emotional and sweet. But it was a shame it was cut short."
Koharu's face was practically burning. She had never been so embarrassed. Her usual composure completely vanished as she shook her head, trying to dismiss these words from her mind.
"I-I understand," she stammered, clearing her throat. She shifted uncomfortably, avoiding Velora's gaze. Yuu tried to catch Velora again, but his efforts were unsuccessful.
Koharu took a deep breath and turned to Yuu with seriousness:
"Yes, you definitely shouldn't tell the others. This would be too embarrassing."
Yuu, hearing these very serious words, understood why. He nodded quickly several times. Velora, looking bored, suddenly disappeared with a *poof* and returned inside Yuu.
Silence returned to the room. Yuu and Koharu looked at each other. For the first few seconds, there were only surprised blinks, then the atmosphere became strangely heavy.
Koharu shifted uneasily. She tightly clasped her hands in her lap and cleared her throat before looking at Yuu. She spoke with a faint smile:
"Well... then..."
She gently removed her glasses and placed them on the nightstand. Then she slowly opened her arms in an inviting gesture.
"How about we just hug for a while, Yuu-kun? Afterwards... we'll see what comes next."
This offer made Yuu's eyes widen. The warmth and peace in Koharu's tone made him feel a trust and affection that transcended embarrassment. He slowly moved toward her. They hugged for a while. Yuu rested his head on Koharu's shoulder, finding comfort in her warmth.
Koharu's hands gently stroked Yuu's back as she murmured calmly:
"Everything will be okay, Yuu-kun. No matter what, you will always be my, *our* Yuu-kun."
Hearing these words, Yuu couldn't help but smile. A tear slowly streamed down his cheek, reached his chin, and dropped onto Koharu's shoulder. He murmured in a soft, almost whispering voice:
"I know, but hearing it in person... feels so good..."