Chapter 8: Inside the blindfold (Middle part)
Thunderbolt opened her eyes while hearing the sound of water splas.h.i.+ng.1
The head who faintly wake up recalls what happened and it revived her.
「…Wait, Yuuto-kun!!」
Her spine froze from her own blunder, Thunderbolt hurried and went up after her perception widened.
「Ah, great. Are you okay?」
A voice calls out to Thunderbolt who has her heart pounding. Turning around, Yuuto who holds a washbasin in his hand looks at Thunderbolt in relief.
Seeing Yuuto’s face, Thunderbolt’s eyes unintentionally blurred.
However, after a moment of relief, Thunderbolt’s heart felt shock from her own clothes.
Thin underwear. Thunderbolt felt confused for having only that as her clothes.
When she turned her consciousness to Yuuto’s hand in panic, the clothes she prepared for this day is drenched on the washbasin.
「Ah, sorry. I learned from Sasha that I should drop it on hot water so the blood won’t make a stain. …Look, you can’t see it anymore right?」2
Yuuto smiles and open the clothes filled with soap bubble to show to Thunderbolt. Thanks to her clothes stained with her nosebleed being treated immediately, you won’t see it stained at a glance.
Thunderbolt’s face dyed red from the situation where the man in her heart washes her clothes.
「Uwawawawawa! W-w-w-w-w-what are you doing Yuuto-kun! It’s fine! I don’t mind it in particular!」
「Eeh? That’s no good. This dress seems to be expensive. You probably chose it for me too」
Thunderbolt moved her hands meaninglessly as she’s perplexed from Yuuto’s voice.
Then, she finally arrived to a simple question.
The white sheets covering her. A bed under her a.s.s. Then, the s.p.a.ce for only the two of them.
「Where’s this…?」
Thunderbolt senses the location while muttering. It’s a building near the plaza. Without going out of the room, she used her demon eyes to read what’s written on the signboard in the building.
Thunderbolt opened her mouth in surprise before Yuuto could respond to her mutter.
「It’s an inn near the plaza. Thunderbolt-san fainted. We have to wash your clothes too. We can also take a rest here」
「I-Is that so? Thanks」
Thunderbolt’s voice was shaking while saying that.
Though Yuuto said it without meaning anything, Thunderbolt was familiar with this inn.
(I-It’s a love hotel!!)
Apart from lodging, this is a traditional love hotel with where a man and woman can go in with the purpose of resting. Though it’s a peculiar facility among the strict housing situation of the capital, it seems that Yuuto doesn’t know for some reason due to his reaction.
「I was also able to borrow hot water, I’m glad. …Okay! We should just dry this」
Feeling satisfied from was.h.i.+ng the clothes, Yuuto takes the dress in front of the fireplace. It’s off the season but it’ll dry just right.
Thunderbolt swallowed her saliva as Yuuto hums.
However, remembering that the date is spoiled, Thunderbolt’s head dropped dejectedly.
「U-Uhm…I’m sorry. Even though it’s the long awaited date」
Thunderbolt grasped the sheets while her tears float.
She’s always like this. She selfishly goes in high spirit and turns it into fruitless effort.
「I don’t mind」
Yuuto’s indifferent voice reached Thunderbolt’s depressed ears. Looking up, Thunderbolt’s lip tremble.
「R-Right. Yuuto-kun doesn’t care about having a date with me…」
Thunderbolt stopped speaking to herself. Thunderbolt was somehow able to stop her tears then, Yuuto approached her slowly.
Yuuto sits down on the side of Thunderbolt and she looked at Yuuto in surprise.
Where’s her groundless confidence from the beginning? Yuuto smilingly stared at the blindfolded girl that has become completely negative.
「Hey, were alone. Won’t this count as a date?」
If stretched, it’s a distance where they would touch immediately. Thunderbolt had her eyes inside the blindfold open wide.
Yuuto clenched her left hand firmly. Thunderbolt was surprised too from the right hand’s finger that stretched.
The heartbeat echoes in the room.
「I love you」
Thunderbolt’s true intention obediently came out.
Yuuto casts down his eyes as he’s troubled.
He knows. That’s why Thunderbolt said something unfair to Yuuto.
「Yuuto-kun, do you hate me?」
Yuuto stopped moving and Thunderbolt’s face closed meanwhile.
Scary. Scary. But, she can’t stop her helpless thoughts.
She’s in front of him. The world’s strongest in perception ability. She can take everything without touching.
‘Still, I want to touch it’
「…If you hate then decline」
Knowing that it’s helplessly unfair, Thunderbolt kissed Yuuto’s lip.
Different from perception, A definite touch.
Yuuto’s eyes opened but Thunderbolt didn’t stop.
Her heart simply heats up.
This boldness can’t be considered if it’s her normal self. However, she feels that she won’t have a chance if she missed this.
「I love you. Yuuto-kun, I love you」
She’ll work hard. Those are her only thoughts.
She’s touching the one she loves. It would be a lie if she doesn’t work hard.
「Please embrace me」
Thunderbolt delivered all of her courage in life to Yuuto.
◆ ◆ ◆
「P-Please」
Thunderbolt showed off her naked self to Yuuto after a few minutes.
She doesn’t wear anything but the eye mask.3 Her body is exposed.
This is the second time she showed her skin. But it’s different from that time as she fell for the man in front of her.
「Thunderbolt-san, are you …?」
「Yes」
Thunderbolt cuts Yuuto’s words
She felt a bit happy at the same time. Even though he did that at first.
「Do me as you like Yuuto-kun. I’ll do anything. I’ll accept anything」
True feelings. She knows. She understands her place.
Still, if he only looked for him even for a bit.
「I’ll do anything Yuuto-kun says」
Thunderbolt stared at Yuuto.
It’s the resolution of a pure-blood. Even the dull Yuuto knows it.
「You’ll do anything?」
Thunderbolt’s body trembled even though it’s just a small question, then she nodded.
She can even be treated severely. However, she received an unexpected word.
「Show me your face」
Short. Towards Yuuto that’s scratching his cheek, Thunderbolt instinctively responded.
「Eh?」
「Like I said, Thunderbolt-san’s real face I haven’t seen it properly yet」
Shaken, Thunderbolt held the eye mask with her finger. The real face that was exposed to tens of thousands of people now feels much more embarra.s.sing than being naked.
That’s natural. She’s living all this time hiding it.
「Ah, No. But…that, it doesn’t make the mood well…」
It’s not her usual face. It’s an eye that’s been crushed and damaged by herself a lot of times.
And above all, it’s a cross pupil.
Yuuto spoke firmly once again to the Thunderbolt that’s been averting her glance.
「Could you show me Thunderbolt-san’s real face?」
He’s telling that it’s okay.
Thunderbolt steeled herself due to his expression.
Slowly, she slowly gripped the eye mask.
‘Scary. Scary. I’m afraid to be seen by Yuuto’
Stillーー.
「…Ah, Aah…Auuu」
Among the mute shame, fear, and excitement, Thunderbolt turned her eyes towards Yuuto.
Her vision spreads out. Her demon eyes’ that had no limit.
His face laughs in front of her.
「It’s beautiful」
Yuuto’s finger quietly traced the golden cross’ surroundings.
Marks of repeated wounds. Her pitiful perseverance.
The cross eyes that aimed, but it swayed.
「No way. You don’t have to overdo it…」
‘I’m glad. I’m glad. I’m so glad that I want to cry, I’m so glad that I want to shout’
However, contrary to her nature, even though she knows that his words are real, she can’t accept such things.
「It’s true, It’s beautiful …I like Thunderbolt-san’s eyes and wounds」4
There’s no way he’d hate it.
He apologized at the scarlet girl in his mind as Yuuto stares straight to the girl in front of him.
Just how much she had worked hard?
There should be someone telling her.
Though it might be a mistake that it’s him, Yuuto spoke to the trembling girl.
「You did well. Good girl」
Words spoken to children. That’s fine.
The words she should’ve accepted that day should be given by him.
「Come here, Thunderbolt」
The girl jumped into the chest of the smiling boy.
She’s was praised. She should be asking for a reward even for a bit.