Chapter 65: Yume Minami: "Face me head-on… don't chicken out."
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Yume Minami had a beautiful dream.
In that dream, she returned to her childhood.
Her sister still disappeared on that promised day without a word. Her relationship with her parents remained cold and distant.
But this time… there was someone else.
Someone who stayed by her side.
Someone who made her heart flutter.
Kihara.
He took her away from that cold, suffocating home and brought her somewhere smaller… yet far warmer.
They bathed together. Cooked together. Slept together.
Even without stepping outside, that tiny world gave Yume a warmth she had long forgotten.
Every night, she would lie against Kihara's chest, listening to his deep, gentle voice telling her bedtime stories until she fell asleep.
She was like a seed trapped in drought—unable to break through the hardened soil.
And now, she clung desperately to him, drawing from him the attention and care she had always craved.
Even the shadow of her sister, Minami Kano—the one that had been deeply etched into her heart—began to fade.
The noise of the city outside the window slowly pulled her out of the dream.
She frowned.
Her body felt… tight and uncomfortable.
Opening her eyes.
She found herself lying in Kihara's bed.
Wearing a tiny, pale pink nightdress that barely covered anything.
"KYAA—!!"
Her scream jolted Kihara awake.
He shot upright—then froze.
Yume had returned to her original size.
A smile of relief appeared on his face.
"Yume, you're finally back to normal—"
Thud!
A soft pillow smacked him in the face.
Yume clutched the blanket tightly around herself as faint tearing sounds echoed—her already-small nightdress clearly not designed for her restored body.
Her whole body trembled with embarrassment, tears shimmering in her eyes.
"Calm down! I'll go outside—just… think through what happened these past few days!"
Kihara fled the room at top speed.
Meanwhile—
Fragments of memory began resurfacing in Yume's mind.
She hugged her knees, burying her flushed face in them.
And then—
Her lips curved upward uncontrollably.
"…So I didn't die…"
There was no denying it.
Yume Minami liked Kihara.
Because of her childhood, she lacked confidence and carried a deep sense of inferiority. She had never dared to express her feelings.
Instead, she could only joke around with him—hiding behind a personality she mimicked from her sister.
Otherwise…
There was no way she would have risked her life to protect him—especially when she didn't even know he was immortal.
Then she remembered.
During those few days, when her mind had regressed to childhood…
She had said anything and everything without restraint.
Every night before sleep, she had seriously asked him:
"Do you like me?"
And he hadn't brushed her off like she was a child.
Instead, he answered earnestly:
"I like you. But you're still too young right now. Eat well, sleep well, grow up properly… and when you do, be my girlfriend."
"KYAA—!!"
Yume buried her face into the pillow, kicking her legs wildly against the bed.
Her heart was a chaotic mix of joy and nervousness.
She didn't know how to ask him if he still remembered that promise.
Girls were like that—when it came to things like this, they always hoped the guy would take the first step.
But thinking carefully.
He had already confessed properly.
And yet she was still waiting for him to say it again.
"…That's not fair to him."
She suddenly sat up.
"I have to respond!"
She slapped her cheeks lightly, trying to calm herself.
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
Just thinking about confessing made her throat tighten.
Knock knock.
"Yume, I left your clothes at the door. Change into them!"
"O-Okay!"
Just hearing his voice made her heart tremble.
It felt like sweet honey was bubbling up inside her chest.
She took a deep breath, calming herself, then tiptoed to the door and quickly grabbed the clothes.
While changing, she whispered to herself:
"D-Don't panic. It's just a confession. What's the big deal? You already know he likes you. Just go out and say, 'I like you. Please be my boyfriend.' That's easy… right?"
"The worst that could happen is… he pushes me down right there… right? …Wait, why am I not against that?!"
Her face turned bright red.
She stood at the door.
One deep breath.
Then another.
One minute.
Three minutes.
Ten minutes.
…She still couldn't open it.
Her insecurity crept back in without warning.
"I'm bad at housework… my personality is weird… what right do I have to be with him?"
"Even if I risked my life for him… if I wasn't there, he wouldn't have been in danger in the first place…"
The courage in her heart slowly faded.
Her grip on the doorknob loosened.
Just as she was about to give up.
Kihara's voice came from outside.
"Yume, breakfast's ready. I'm heading out to buy groceries."
"NO! Don't leave me!!"
As if pushed forward by something invisible.
She yanked the door open and threw herself into his arms, tears streaming down her face.
"I like you, Kihara! Don't abandon me! I'll do anything!"
"…Wait, I'm just going to buy groceries, not leaving you forever."
He laughed helplessly.
But before he could say more.
Yume suddenly raised her head and pressed her lips against his.
Her first kiss—burning with all her emotions.
Kihara froze for a moment…
Then gently returned the kiss.
After a long moment.
They parted.
Yume touched her slightly flushed lips and smiled foolishly.
"…We kissed. My first kiss tastes like bread."
Bonk.
Kihara flicked her forehead lightly.
"Go brush your teeth. That may be a 'bread-flavored' first kiss for you, but for me, it's a 'didn't-brush-all-night' version."
"My breath doesn't stink! Hah—smell it!"
"No thanks. Go brush your teeth, then come with me to buy groceries."
She bounced around in his arms.
"Smell first, then I'll go!"
"…Why are you still this childish?"
"So what if I am? It doesn't mean I can't do adult things!"
The moment those words left her mouth.
She froze.
Her face turned bright red instantly.
Covering her mouth, she slowly backed toward her room.
But—
The fire igniting in Kihara's eyes made her both scared and excited.
Worried he might just walk away, she recklessly added one more line.
"…Then come at me properly. Don't tell me you're scared?"
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Thank you for reading.