Chapter 490

For some reason, Kazama Kiriori breathed a sigh of relief. She sat back down at her desk, wanting to read something to calm her mind.

After entering the house, neither of them said a word. It was as if they had simply opened the door for their family naturally, and then continued with their own tasks.

Haihara, carrying the melon, went to the kitchen.

Not long after, the sound of chopping came softly from the kitchen.

For some reason, since returning home, Haihara hasn't said more than a few words, and then she went to cut a watermelon. It's really strange.

This brief period of time is neither long nor short.

Until the sound of chopping disappeared.

Kazama Kiriori suddenly heard a notification sound from her phone.

She only had one contact set to receive notifications, and that was her mother, so she knew perfectly well who had sent the message.

They're clearly in the same room?

She glanced at the text message.

I cut up a honeydew melon; it's quite sweet. Want some?

[Want some? #Sendaheart]

Are you angry with me? #CatWinks

Angry?

No.

Kazama Kiriori wasn't sure if she was angry, but she didn't think she should be.

And why not just ask directly?

She replied:

'Food.'

Soon, Haihara, carrying a plate of sliced melon, came over.

Fortunately, there were indeed two chairs in front of Kazama Kiriori's desk.

Although in the past, Haihara basically didn't need to guide Kazama Kiriori's studies, nor could she guide her much, Kazama Kiriori really liked the feeling of her mother being by her side back then.

She enjoys company.

In other words, they don't like being alone.

Haihara handed Kazama Kiriori a fork, then picked up a fork herself and started eating a piece of melon.

Kazama Kiriori also joined in, slinging her leg up.

The honeydew melon was soft and sweet in her mouth. Kazama Kiriori liked soft and sweet things like this, but she didn't remember her mother liking them much.

After tasting the sweet fruit, Kazama Kiriori felt a little more comfortable speaking.

After hesitating for a moment, she asked—

Did I not do well a few days ago?

She said in a low voice.

The next moment, Haihara coughed from the side.

Honeydew melons are so sweet that they can be choking you.

Haihara covered her mouth, paused for a moment, and then immediately explained:

"No, no... you did very well, uh... that's not right either."

"What you did wasn't exactly good, it was actually pretty bad—but that's not what I meant."

Even Haihara was practically screaming inwardly at this moment, wondering what she had just said.

She had absolutely no intention of bringing up the topic immediately.

Hearing Haihara's words, Kazama Kiriori was not discouraged. She looked away and touched the hair that fell to her neck.

"... Then, could you give me a few more chances? I'll be good and won't bore you."

At that moment, she secretly glanced at Haihara with a serene gaze, like a puppy sizing up its prey, but with an unusually cold demeanor.

Haihara fell silent again.

Should she give him this opportunity?

That seems a bit inappropriate.

Not giving it to me isn't a good idea either, is it?

Okay, calm down and answer properly.

After all, this is what she came back to do.

"That's not the issue... but you, aren't you angry with me?"

"Angry? Why?"

Haihara said softly--

"That was it, that day."

"Not only did I evade your questions, but after we did that, I ran away without explaining anything."

"Because at that time, I was very scared, very panicked, my mind went blank, and I couldn't make a decision."

In one breath, Haihara blurted out the words she had been gathering her courage for.

She herself made the seal of the spirit flag seven four (five) Liu Yue -- clothing. As an adult, she was quite shy to say these things.

Especially Kazama Kiriori.

However, Haihara knew very well that Kazama Kiriori was just as scared and nervous as she was at that time.

For a moment, Kazama Kiriori revealed a variety of emotions.

It seemed like surprise, confusion, a touch of grievance, and shyness about what had happened... The child lowered her head, seemed to think for a while, and then answered very seriously---

"It's okay. Actually, I knew from the beginning that you needed some time to think these things through."

"After all, it's me who's being willful."

Kazama Kiriori not only mustered up her courage at the time, but also made many mental preparations beforehand.

If Haihara speaks properly, then giving Haihara a few days to think it over is perfectly normal.

However, Haihara didn't offer a single explanation at the time.

Haihara realized that she really was that bad.

On the other hand, she couldn't help but feel that her eldest daughter was incredibly understanding.

If her daughter weren't Kazama Kiriori, she doesn't know how many mistakes she would have made as a mother.

"..."

Haihara looked at the cantaloupe she had cut.

"Now, I've made up my mind."

"Huh?"

Even Kazama Kiriori herself didn't realize what Haihara meant.

Haihara picked up the plate of melon and gently took a bite.

Under the light, the woman casually ate a piece, then calmly and preparedly said---

"Ask me your question again. This time, let me answer it slowly, okay?"

Volume Four Does This Count as a Magical Girl??: Chapter 14 The Most Loyal Lover

What exactly happened a few days ago?

Actually, Haihara was so drunk at the time that she didn't remember anything, and maybe this incident never even happened.

That would be great.

But Haihara remembers very clearly what she said and did that day.

Moreover, it was she who brought it up herself.

If you were to ask Haihara why she was the one to bring it up, what happened that seemed so unlike her, Haihara might pretend. "I don't really know either, so maybe I shouldn't ask?"

But Haihara actually knows very well.

I know why I said those things.

However, Kazama Kiriori doesn't seem to understand at all.

When Haihara said she wanted to answer that question again, the two of them turned off the lights for some reason.

Does this seem to calm people down?

In the cool, clear darkness, Kazama Kiriori calmly cleared her throat, her eyes, as similar to the night, gazing at the woman beside her.

She asked, word by word—

Would you consider becoming my lover after I graduate and come of age?

Just as Haihara had hoped, Kazama Kiriori asked the question again.

When the surroundings truly quieted down, Kazama Kiriori's voice actually sounded quite desolate.

This time, Haihara is going to ask all the questions she wants to know:

Why?

"What do you mean?"

"You should know why you want to be my lover: I adopted you, and I am your guardian."

They were about ten years apart in age.

Kazama Kiriori thought for a moment. If it were a few days ago, she might have given an exaggerated and heartfelt answer, but now, she wanted Haihara to hear her simplest thoughts:

Because I like you very much, I like you a lot.

That's exactly right.

"I want to be your lover, I want a sweeter kiss, and I want to marry you."

She looked somewhat shy in the darkened living room, yet her loyal and intelligent eyes, like those of a dog, never escaped Haihara's gaze.

So, what about Haihara?

"... oh."

She simply gave a casual reply.

The woman seemed to be deep in thought.

She seemed to be casually picking at her fingers with her nails, and after a moment of hesitation, she asked another question---

People can come to like people they wouldn't normally like because of their experiences.

"If I hadn't adopted you, hadn't reached out to you back then, you probably wouldn't have fallen for someone like me, and our lives would never have intersected."

After saying that, Haihara herself probably regretted it a little.

These words are too cold-hearted; they seem completely unlike those of a parent.

But no matter what, she wanted to hear the answer to this question from Kazama Kiriori.

It's perfectly common to fall in love with someone because of shared experiences or chance encounters.

However, Haihara felt slightly saddened by that kind of affection.

She waited for Kazama Kiriori's answer. Originally, she thought that the child in front of her would go along with her wishes and say that the two of them were actually destined for each other and fell in love at first sight.

"Um..."

Haihara saw that Kazama Kiriori had been pondering for a while:

"Perhaps you are right."