Chapter 133

In the quiet room, a tall, dark-haired girl, wearing only a shirt on her upper body and underwear on her lower body, stared blankly at the woman in the room.

The clock ticked away.

Inside the room, the woman with a gloomy demeanor, holding a book, paused, momentarily at a loss. A hint of awkwardness appeared in her usually cold gaze.

After a long silence, Haihara calmly closed the book, feeling a little embarrassed to look up at her daughter.

"You... you should put your clothes on first."

Normally, it wouldn't be a problem for Kazama Kiriori to walk around the house wearing only her underwear, but in this situation, both Haihara and Kazama Kiriori felt an indescribable embarrassment.

In less than a minute, Kazama Kiriori had dressed in her home clothes.

Then, the two sat down in the living room.

Haihara was the first to speak and explain:

"At first, I just wanted to turn off the alarm clock... but unexpectedly, something happened, and I came across this book."

Even a woman like Haihara, who lacks morals, would feel guilty and embarrassed if she accidentally discovered her daughter's secret because of her own perverse sense of humor.

Ms. Kazama, who is usually lively and docile like a big dog, kept her head down and her face was flushed.

"Mom... Mom, let me explain. It's not like you think. I just..."

Even if she loved her mother very much, once she was exposed to such a vulgar novel, her only thought at that moment was to desperately deny it.

However, given that such a novel has been discovered, calling Haihara "Mom" again would only make Haihara feel even more ashamed and embarrassed.

Haihara raised her hand, signaling Kazama to calm down;

"I know... you're probably just curious about this kind of subject matter, right? This kind of thing is quite common, and I'm sure you wouldn't apply what's in the book to real life... right?"

This kind of parent-child theme, upon closer examination, isn't actually that uncommon.

Reading novels of this genre is probably just for fun. If it weren't for what happened today, Haihara might occasionally read things of this genre too.

After all, nobody would relate to this kind of thing, right...?

"..."

In response to Haihara, Kazama Kiriori remained silent for a long time.

Her face turned even redder with shame, and even her delicate, pinkish-white ears were now bright red.

This silence made Haihara somewhat insecure.

Just as she was at a loss, Kazama Kiriori trembled for a moment, then couldn't help but sneeze.

"--Chirp..."

The young girl's nose was bright red, and her eyes were a little watery.

Kazama Kiriori realized that she had caught a slight chill from being outside, especially since it was raining.

Just as she was about to grab some toilet paper to wipe herself, she suddenly felt a slightly cool but gentle hand touch her forehead.

Looking up, he saw Haihara approaching, her cold gaze unchanged.

Is it cold outside?

"Hmm, a little."

Kazama Kiriori's face was still hot.

After she wiped her nose, Haihara gently pulled her into her arms. Her two long arms pressed against her through her shirt, and somehow, the initial coolness turned into warmth. Kazama Kiriori realized that she was being held by Haihara like this.

After the initial surprise, Kazama Kiriori slowly came to her senses and felt the long-lost warmth of a woman. She reciprocated by reaching out her arms to embrace Haihara and gently touching her beautiful neck.

"Looks like you don't have a fever, but you should still take some medicine later."

Haihara said this, but she didn't let go of Kazama Kiriori; instead, she just kept holding him on the sofa.

Then, as if petting a dog, he stroked Kazama Kiriori's gentle and beautiful long black hair, and gently picked up a few unruly strands with his fingertips, playing with them casually.

Although it was awkward at first, Haihara to just pretend it never happened and let it go.

"I won't touch your things again next time, but you should also hide anything you don't want me to see."

Haihara said calmly in Kazama Kiriori's ear.

Kazama Kiriori's ears started to heat up again, and she secretly pouted, a little dissatisfied.

"But you don't often come back to sleep with me, and this time you didn't even tell me you were coming back."

Afterwards, Kazama Kiriori leaned affectionately on Haihara's shoulder, nuzzling the woman's hair and inhaling the intoxicating scent, a fragrance she hadn't tasted in a long time.

However, her nose twitched as she caught a faint scent that didn't quite match her mother's.

Kazama Kiriori lowered her head and whispered:

"My mother smells like another woman..."

A hint of jealousy crept into her tone.

It was the same before; she would always smell other women on her mother. Perhaps her mother was hugging or being intimate with some woman of dubious renown without her knowledge.

This time, the flavor was exceptionally clear.

Kazama Kiriori didn't know what that woman and her mother had done, but she hated that her mother had such a clear scent of someone else.

You really are like a puppy.

Haihara looked at her helplessly.

She clearly took a shower before having Kougami Kage yesterday. They did it once before and once after, so there shouldn't be any smell.

Or is it that even sleeping in the same bed at night can cause odors to transfer?

An hour later, both Haihara and Kazama tacitly pretended that nothing had happened.

Now that this incident is over, it's something that makes Kazama very happy that Haihara is back living here today.

Kazama had originally planned to have a simple dinner tonight, but after Haihara, she Haihara cooking it.

Haihara made sweet and sour pork with pineapple, a dish that was a bit too sweet for her, but Kazama Kiriori really liked it.

Kazama Kiriori once again acted as a caring and considerate daughter.

She picked up a piece of meat.

"Mommy, let me feed you."

Haihara glanced at her calmly.

"Can't."

She had no interest in being fed.

If it were a mature and beautiful older woman, she might consider it.

Kazama Kiriori was not discouraged:

"Then feed me."

Haihara raised her eyelids slightly, her almost completely black eyes staring at Kazama Kiriori.

She didn't say anything, but simply picked up a piece of meat and held it to Kazama Kiriori's lips.

"Open your mouth, my Little Princess."

"Ah." Kazama Kiriori let out a soft "ah," gently biting the meat that Haihara fed her, then a happy smile appeared on her face.

The sweet and sour meat almost melted in my mouth, even more delicious than it actually was, probably because it was fed by Haihara.

Haihara didn't mind being taken care of like this.

While feeding the big dog, Haihara gazed at her beautiful black hair and her increasingly radiant and charming face, and silently wondered if he should buy her some pretty dresses for autumn.

After a brief respite from the rain at night, it started pouring down again.

Beneath the gray curtain of dark clouds, the rumble of thunder echoed intermittently, mingling with the torrential rain as it fell upon the city, making the night seem even more silent and cold.

It's already bedtime.

Kazama Kiriori huddled in the blankets, pulling them up to cover the lower half of her face, revealing only her slightly fearful eyes.

Haihara slept right next to her.

Perhaps because she was trembling in bed, though only slightly, Haihara slowly opened her eyes and woke up.

Seeing Kazama Kiriori's appearance, Haihara knew what had happened.

Are you still afraid of thunder?

I remember when Kazama was in junior high school, he was terrified of thunder.

Every time this happens, she would turn pale and hide under the covers, then tremble with fear, looking unlike her usual self.

Kazama Kiriori, clutching the blanket and covering her face, nodded.

A hint of helplessness appeared in Haihara's weary eyes. She stretched out her arm and beckoned to Kazama Kiriori:

"Come to Mommy."

This time, Kazama Kiriori was unusually shy for a moment, then nestled happily into Haihara's arms, rubbing her face against Haihara's chest, feeling the woman's softness and warmth.

Haihara gently stroked her hair, from her slightly disheveled bangs to the ends that clung to her collarbone.

Another clap of thunder.

Kazama Kiriori trembled involuntarily and moved even closer.

Haihara patted her back and comforted her:

Don't be afraid.

Kazama Kiriori shrank back and whispered:

Can I kiss you?

So, Haihara kissed her forehead and cheeks.

After being kissed, Kazama Kiriori pressed her face against Haihara's and Haihara her cheek.

Haihara could faintly smell Kazama's scent.

It's probably a delicate and sweet fragrance, like the honey water that Kazama Kiriori often likes to drink.

I want to kiss.

Kazama Kiriori.

"Kiss?"

Haihara was somewhat confused for a moment.

Kissing is... lips touching lips.

Even considering it as a mother and daughter, it's quite rare for a mother and her adult daughter to do this.

Although when Kazama Kiriori was still in middle school, she would occasionally give in to her daughter's requests when she was annoyed by them.

For some unknown reason, Haihara blinked and then looked at Kazama Kiriori:

"When you were little, you also kissed Kato- senpai?"

Kato- senpai, who is also Kiriori's biological mother.

He was also Haihara's senior during her internship.

Even in the dim light, Kazama Kiriori's face showed a pale pink hue, like cherry blossoms.

"Won't."

She said it again in a low voice.

"Yeah?"

Upon hearing Haihara reached out and touched Kazama Kiriori's face.

The woman's and the girl's faces drew closer and closer, and just before they touched, Haihara closed her eyes.

Kazama Kiriori felt a soft touch on her lips. When it happened, her mind went blank for a moment, as if she had been electrocuted—numbing, yet incredibly sweet.

"Good night."