Chapter 41: Clingy? I’m About to Devour You!

Another heavy rain fell. The humidity drifting in through the windows gave the chocolate-colored silk stockings on Udo Kaya’s legs a slightly sticky feel.

"What do you want for dinner?"

"Hmm... can you even cook?"

Resting her legs on Udo Kaya’s lap while flipping through a manga, Fujie rolled her eyes at his question.

"I once read a line in a novel from an ancient land across the sea: 'To capture a man's heart, you must first capture his stomach.' Do you think I’m capable of that?"

Udo Kaya was stunned, finding it hard to believe. "I never took you for a literary girl."

Fujie gave his thigh a light kick, then offered a seductive smile, rubbing her chocolate-clad leg softly against him. She chuckled as she looked down at her foot, which Udo Kaya was gripping tightly, preventing it from moving any further.

"Do you know what the next part of that line is?"

"I don't know, and I don't want to know. Stop moving around, or I’ll spank you..."

"..."

In the end, Udo Kaya conceded. As Fujie got up to head to the kitchen, Udo Kaya looked through the wall toward the direction of Kayako’s house. He felt a vague worry—what if Kayako had been kicked out of her house again? What if she was huddled among the trash cans once more?

Glancing at Fujie, who was busy cooking in the kitchen, Udo Kaya thought for a moment before standing up and heading outside with an umbrella.

*Kaya-kun, what are you doing?*

Having just returned home from work, Kayako sat by the window, clutching her knees and looking toward Udo Kaya’s house. The door was open; she had seen Fujie walk into Kaya-kun's home earlier, wearing her silk stockings. Could it be that the two of them were already...

The thought of them being together in the room, whispering sweet nothings, filled Kayako’s heart with an intense, sour ache—mixed with a sadness she couldn't suppress. Why, why couldn't it be her? She wanted to go to Kaya-kun so badly; she wanted to be close to him. Even if it meant hiding under his bed, even if it meant just listening to his voice...

*Kaya-kun, I want to see you so much.*

As Kayako spiraled into longing, a vast expanse of darkness began to stir once more beneath the cabinet where she kept her diary.

"Meow~"

Xiao Hei, the cat, walked over, purring, and began rubbing against her calf.

"Xiao Hei..."

Picking the cat up from the floor, Kayako wore a lonely expression, burying her face in its neck.

"Woo?"

Xiao Hei's puzzled sound caught her attention. Looking in the direction the cat was craning its neck, she saw a black umbrella appear in the yard.

"Kaya-kun?"

Kayako watched him in confusion, wondering why he would go out, until she saw him slowly walking toward the trash cans.

A sudden conjecture sparked in her mind. *Kaya-kun is looking for me!*

But as soon as the thought emerged, she shook her head vigorously. *It’s possible he’s just taking out the trash... After all, Fujie-san is at his house. What reason would he have to come find me? Unless... he’s worried I was kicked out of the house again, just like last time?*

Recalling their meeting the last time she had been locked out, Kayako’s heart raced. *Kaya-kun is looking for me! He’s worried that I was kicked out again!*

With this thought, she could no longer suppress her yearning. Ignoring the fact that her father might scold her for taking the umbrella, she grabbed it and rushed out the door.

By the trash cans, Udo Kaya looked at the empty ground and felt a sense of relief. Just as he was about to turn around, the sound of footsteps in the puddles reached him.

"Kaya-kun... are you worried about me?"

Looking at Kayako, who stood there holding an umbrella and wearing a long black dress, Udo Kaya smiled and nodded. "Yeah. I’m glad you weren't kicked out. Go back inside now."

Kayako watched his back as he turned to leave, a strange, yearning ache welling up in her chest.

"Ka... Kaya..."

Hearing her call, Udo Kaya turned back, looking at her quizzically.

"Can... can you..."

"?"

"Pat my head..."

Udo Kaya paused, looking at Kayako, who had lowered her head in embarrassment but then summoned the courage to look back at him. What a sweet girl.

"Alright."

He stepped closer and patted her hair. Feeling the warmth of his palm, Kayako broke into a happy smile.

A few minutes later, urged on by Udo Kaya, Kayako reluctantly returned to her house. On the first floor, her father was still lying on the floor, dead drunk. Kayako carefully put the umbrella away and retreated to her room.

"Xiao Hei~~"

"Meow?"

The cat let out a confused meow at the sudden embrace, but nonetheless purred and rubbed its cheek against hers. Its owner hadn't been this happy in a long time.

Back at his house, Fujie rolled her eyes as Udo Kaya put away the umbrella.

"Worried she’d been kicked out again?"

"Yeah."

"What a soft-hearted pushover..."

She grumbled, but didn't press the issue. After all, Udo Kaya had risked his life for her today and even gotten hurt; she wouldn't make things difficult for him, even if she was a little annoyed. Besides, considering that certain possibility, she didn't feel as hostile toward Kayako anymore.

However, the "first serving" had to be hers! If not... she would just have to cut Udo Kaya up! After all, with her cells, he would just grow back anyway...

Feeling a chill from Fujie’s eerie gaze, Udo Kaya swallowed hard and sat down in the living room. Half an hour later, a very authentic Japanese dinner was served.

"Try it~"

Fujie propped her chin on her hands, watching with great interest as Udo Kaya sampled the food. He had expected something disastrous, but to his surprise, it was actually quite good.

"How is it?"

"It's pretty tasty."

"Hmph..."

After dinner, once Fujie had finished washing the dishes, she peeled back the bandage on Udo Kaya’s leg to take a look. "It should be healed by tomorrow."

Udo Kaya wasn't surprised. He had survived being stabbed in Yamazaki Lane; a small injury like this was nothing. It was just a shame about little Fujie—she had suffered quite a bit, and he hadn't had a chance to bring her dinner.

He looked at Fujie, who was leaning against his chest, slowly pulling off her black stockings to change into white ones.

"What’s gotten into you today?"

"What do you mean? You just saved me today; isn't it normal for me to be clingy?"

"..."

The black chocolate had turned into white chocolate. She turned around and sat on his lap, facing him.

"If it weren't for your psychological baggage, I wouldn't just be 'clingy'—I’d be eating you up~~"

Udo Kaya pinched her mouth shut. "Can you not be so lewd?"

"What’s wrong with being lewd? A lewd girlfriend is something every guy dreams of, especially one as pretty as me, right? Hmm..."

Pinning his hands behind his back, Fujie didn't wait for him to respond, silencing his retort with a kiss.