A year.
This is how long Yuto was gone, leaving to go on a one-year adventure to suppress his demonic nature.
Now that he's achieved that goal, he has come back, different from before.
He was somewhat taller, his build a bit more muscular, and the air of arrogance that once influenced him had seemed to disappear, but not entirely.
And not to brag, but his looks seemed to have leveled up as well.
["Heh… I can't wait to see them"]
The group stood at the gates of the dragon kingdom, their gazes sweeping over how above they were from the ground.
Yuto took a deep breath, a nostalgic feeling washing over him.
He glanced at his sword.
["Especially Mizuki"]
He walked over to the gates, telling them all to step back.
He puffed out his chest before he spoke in his highest voice.
"I'M BACK!!!"
The sound of his booming voice echoed through the air, breaking the calm silence of the kingdom.
For a moment, nothing seemed to happen.
Then, a chorus of voices, followed by the sound of running feet and excited murmurs reached the group, growing louder and louder as they approached.
"He's back!"
"Yuto's back!"
"He came back!"
The gates swung open, and a group of familiar figures burst through.
First was Mizuki, her eyes wide and excited, a bright grin on her face.
Right behind her was Freya, her hair bouncing as she ran, a big smile on her face.
And bringing up the rear was Kana,
Her dragon tail wagged in excitement.
Meanwhile, Kaz had a grin on his face which seemed to confuse Yuto.
The girls were on him in an instant, their arms wrapping around him in a group hug that almost knocked him over.
"Yuto!"
"You're back!"
"We missed you!"
They practically smothered him in affection, their voices in a gleeful chorus, talking over each other, each one trying to be heard.
Kaz chuckled, watching the scene with a knowing smile.
Yuto smiled as he pulled them into a tight hug.
"I missed you three"
The girls squeezed him tighter in response, their arms squeezing him from all around.
Mizuki nuzzled her face into his chest, her voice muffled.
"You were gone for so long..."
Freya's ears fluttered.
"We missed you so much…"
While Kana wrapped her tail around them.
"It's good that you're back"
It took them a minute, but eventually, the girls stopped squeezing him like he was some sort of stuffed toy.
Mizuki was the first to pull away, her eyes sweeping over him, her smile still bright.
"You look different…"
Freya nodded, her ears perking up, "You look more… muscular?"
Kana nodded as she felt his back muscles with her tail, "It's true…"
Before he could respond, they heard a cough from the back.
"Oh, right," he said with a grin.
Mizuki looked behind him, noticing Catherine, Luna, Lola, and Lilith.
"Yuto, mind explaining?"
Yuto nodded.
"Right, so this is Catherine. She's a priestess"
"Luna, a cardinal"
"Lola, ex-princess of Thornwild"
"As for Lilith... we can talk about it later"
He turned to face them, a dumb smile on his face as he scratched the back of his head.
"I met them over my one-year journey"
"..."
"..."
"So," Mizuki crossed her arms, "I'm hearing that you decided to bring even more people into this?"
["Something's off... I feel like I shouldn't answer"]
He nodded his head slowly.
Kana and Freya walked closer to him as Mizuki cracked her knuckles.
"I see"
<- System ->
[ It's been an honor, Master ]
...
Yuto awoke and found himself lying on the ground.
He looked up and saw the girls talking amongst themselves.
["...Good...to see them... getting along"]
He heard footsteps approaching him, and he turned to see Kaz.
"Seems to me like you never change"
"Kaz... what did I... do?"
Kaz cracks his knuckles, "Was my daughter not enough?"
Yuto sighed, putting his head back down on the ground.
"Fuck me…"
...
After a while of talking, they all agreed to head back inside.
Kana picked Yuto up from the small crater and held him.
Kaz chuckled at the sight of Kana carrying Yuto in her arms as if he were a sack of potatoes.
"He'll live," he said, his voice amused.
Freya snickered at the sight, her ears flicking in amusement.
"Looks like he got his ass kicked again"
Mizuki shook her head, a small smile on her face.
"He never learns, does he?"
The group started walking back towards the castle.
Catherine, Luna, and Lola were walking a few steps behind the rest.
Their gazes occasionally shifted to Yuto, who was currently being carried bridal style by Kana.
A mix of bemusement and amusement was on their faces.
Meanwhile, Lilith simply walked quietly, her expression stoic.
An Hour Later
Yuto woke up in the same bed he had slept in a year ago.
He felt a slight tingle coming from his head.
"Ugh"
The room was silent, the only sound was the soft rustling of the sheets as Yuto sat up in bed.
A moment of silence passed before the door suddenly swung open.
Kana, Freya, and Mizuki stood in the doorway, concerned looks on their faces.
"You're finally awake," Mizuki said with a sigh of relief.
He rubbed the temple of his head.
"Yeah but I feel like shit"
"Yeah, well, it's because of your dumb decisions," Mizuki said with a roll of her eyes.
Freya snickered, nodding in agreement.
"Well, of course, you were flat on your ass"
He chuckled as he pointed at the three of them.
"Yeah, I wonder who landed me on my ass?"
There was a brief pause before the three of them shrugged in unison.
"Who knows," Mizuki said with a grin.
Freya looked away, whistling innocently.
And Kana just smirked, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
He smiled as he patted the bed.
"I miss this… the three of you and our playful conversations"
The girls grinned at the comment, the tension in the atmosphere fading a bit.
Mizuki was the first to move, walking over and sitting down on the bed next to him, her hip bumping his gently.
"We missed you too, idiot," she said, a small smile on her face.
Freya followed suit, walking over and sitting down on the opposite side of the bed.
She leaned against him, her expression slightly softer than Mizuki's.
"Yeah, we did," she murmured, her ears folding slightly forward as she nuzzled her head against his shoulder.
Kana moved as well, her tail wrapping around his waist as she sat behind him, the tip of it lazily flicking back and forth.
Her arms went under his shoulders as she leaned against him, her eyes fixed on his face.
"It was too quiet without you"
For a moment, the room fell into a comfortable silence as they all sat there in a sort of tangle of limbs, the girls all leaning close to Yuto in one way or another.
Then, Mizuki spoke up.
"Although," she said, a sly smirk on her face, "You did bring back some very unexpected people with you"
A sweat drop fell as he tried to look away.
Freya snickered as she noticed the look on Yuto's face.
She leaned closer to him, her ears perked up as she gave a soft, teasing grin.
"You look funny when you're trying to avoid something"
Mizuki chuckled softly, poking his cheek with her finger.
"Yeah, you're terrible at hiding things," she teased, her hand going to flick his ear.
She leaned in closer, her voice lowering to a mock whisper.
"Or more like, you're terrible at hiding how you feel"
He chuckled as he raised his hands.
"You caught me, I added four new members to our little group~"
Freya snickered as she leaned back, a playful twinkle in her eyes.
"'Four' huh?" she repeated.
Mizuki, on the other hand, smirked, her hand still on his cheek, her fingers gently pinching his ear.
"Yeah, four very beautiful members"
Kana tightened her tail around him.
"You fucked them, didn't you?"
Mizuki and Freya snickered at Kana's blunt question, amused grins on their faces.
Freya's ears flicked forward as she nodded in agreement,
"Yeah, you definitely did"
"Mhm," Mizuki added, her hand moving to pinch his other ear.
"You wouldn't be avoiding talking about them otherwise"
Meanwhile, Kana's tail was slowly wrapping around his waist even tighter.
"K-kana t-too tight"
["Ah… My stomach…"]
Kana's tail paused, slightly loosening around him, though it remained wrapped firmly around his waist.
"Sorry"
Mizuki chuckled at the sight, her fingers leaving his ear, instead, moving to ruffle his hair.
"You're too easy to embarrass," she teased.
["Embarrassed? I was dying"]
Yuto made himself comfortable, using Kana's thighs as a lap pillow.
"So, how was training?"
A faint pink tint appeared on Kana's cheeks, but she didn't protest to him using her thighs as a pillow.
Instead, she gave a small, fond smile.
Mizuki and Freya glanced at each other, soft snickers escaping them as they saw how comfortable he was.
"Training was fine," Mizuki said, her tone casual.
"Kaz is as strict as ever"
Freya nodded in agreement, her ears perking up slightly.
"Right, I swear he's even more strict after you left"
Mizuki chuckled, her hand still playing with Yuto's hair.
"He doubled our training hours just because you weren't here"
Yuto chuckled, "Well, I came with good news"
The three girls immediately perked up, their gazes focused on him.
"Good news?"
Mizuki echoed, interest and curiosity clear in her voice.
He nodded.
"Well, one, we're leaving for the mermaid kingdom. I just came to pick you three up"
"Two, I managed to stop my demonic nature from consuming me any further"
The three girls all let out a collective breath of surprise, their eyes wide and jaws slightly open.
Mizuki was the first to regain her composure, her expression shifting to awe as she spoke.
"You- you managed to suppress your demonic nature?"
He nodded as he planted a small kiss on her cheek.
["Does she taste sweeter?"]
The act made Mizuki go slightly pink, a hint of a flustered expression crossing her face.
She quickly recovered, clearing her throat as her hand went to pinch his cheek again.
Freya snickered at the sight, her cheeks turning slightly pink.
Kana, on the other hand, let out a soft huff, her eyes narrowing slightly as her tail gave a small, almost possessive squeeze.
He chuckled as he planted a kiss on Kana and Freya.
"But first, I want you three to get to know the four I brought with me"
Mizuki took a deep breath, composing herself and pushing aside the slight hint of a flustered feeling.
"Right," she said with a nod, her expression regaining its usual sharpness.
"We should get to know them"
Kana and Freya nodded in agreement, their cheeks still slightly tinged pink.
Yuto clapped his hands.
"I'll leave you to it"
A Week Later
They had spent every day getting to know their new companions.
Mizuki was a bit skeptical at first, but after a few days, even her expression softened, and she started to feel more comfortable and at ease with the four new women.
Freya was always more easygoing, and she quickly found common ground with Catherine and Luna.
Kana, on the other hand, was a bit more reserved and guarded, but she didn't show open hostility anymore.
The talk about Lilith didn't go as Yuto had planned, as things quickly went south.
He had to fight off Kaz when they found out she was a demon general.
Surprisingly, Yuto won.
Finally, the day came when it was time to leave.
…
They stood at the gate of the kingdom, their bags and supplies ready.
Mizuki, Freya, and Kana were chatting amongst themselves, their voices hushed as they snuck glances at Yuto, who was talking to Kaz at the side.
Catherine, Luna, and Lola stuck together, their expressions a mix of curiosity and slight nervousness.
While Lilith stood apart, her arms crossed as she watched everything silently.
The conversation between Yuto and Kaz seemed to be somewhat intense, their voices low and their expressions serious.
The girls couldn't hear what exactly they were saying, but they all caught the gist of it.
Mizuki shifted her weight, her gaze flickering back and forth between the two men, a concerned look on her face.
"Is it me, or do those two seem like they're arguing…?"
Before anyone could answer, Kaz swung at Yuto.
Yuto took the blow, cracking his knuckles and sending Kaz flying towards the gate.
He spat a bit of blood on the ground, turned back to his group, and walked over, putting their things in his storage ring.
"Let's go"
Mizuki and Freya both had slightly concerned looks on their faces, while Kana's expression was a mixture of annoyance and amusement.
Still, they didn't protest, and they soon left to head to the kingdom of Aqualis.
…
After hours of silence, Mizuki spoke up.
"So, not on good terms with Kaz anymore, are you?"
Yuto chuckled lightly, a hint of a resigned smile on his face.
"Not really, no"
Mizuki hummed softly, a small frown on her face.
"I'm guessing he's still not over that whole Lilith being a demon general thing, I'm guessing."
"..."
He stopped, pulled out eight chairs, put them down, and sat on his.
He pointed at the chairs, signaling for them to sit.
They glanced at Yuto and the chairs before nodding and making their way over.
Mizuki was the first to take a seat, her expression curious as she looked at him.
Freya and Kana followed suit, seating themselves on either side of Yuto.
Meanwhile, Catherine, Luna, and Lola all took the other chairs, sitting down in them with slight confusion and curiosity on their faces.
Lilith glanced at the chairs, her expression as unreadable as always.
She gave a small huff before she approached and took a seat on the last chair, her gaze going towards Yuto.
"As you all know, I have the soul of the first hero, a demon prince"
They all nodded silently, their expressions showing they were listening intently.
Catherine and Luna, who were already aware of this, had faint smiles on their faces.
Lola was confused, which was expected.
["Right… I do need to have that talk with her later"]
"Cough… and I feel extremely grateful that all of you accepted me despite the truth"
Their expressions softened slightly at his words, a hint of warmth in their gazes.
Mizuki, Freya, and Kana all had faint smiles on their faces, their eyes fixed on him.
Catherine's smile widened a bit, a small hint of proudness on her face.
While Luna simply looked at him with affection.
"And I am hoping that you three," he pointed at Mizuki, Freya, and Kana.
"To be able to accept Lilith as well, for these four already did"
Their expressions shifted back to a more neutral state, a hint of uncertainty mixed with wariness.
Mizuki, being the bluntest, spoke up first.
"You want us to accept Lilith, a demon general who's probably done countless heinous things and has likely caused countless deaths"
Lilith chimed in, "I never killed anyone"
Kana shot back, "Bet your soldiers did"
Lilith shrugged.
"Nope, they stay in the demon realm. None has ever seen a human, except my succubus who take a small and I mean very small bit of their vitality"
Freya chuckled, "Totally not killing them"
She shook her head, "They don't kill"
"Enough"
It was clear from his tone that he wasn't in the mood for this type of fighting.
["... I promised Lilith…"]
His gaze swept across the group, his usual calm demeanor now tinged with a hint of seriousness.
"I know this isn't easy for all of you," he began.
"But I hope you can look beyond what you think and come to know who she is as a person"
Mizuki was about to respond, but Yuto's eyes met hers; it was his turn to speak.
"She's not the same as the other generals, Mizuki," Yuto continued, his tone softer now.
"I know that's hard to accept. Believe me, I've had my doubts too. But I trust her now"
Lilith remained silent, her hands folded in her lap, her gaze neutral but thoughtful.
Everyone was quiet for a moment as they processed his words.
"Why should we?" Freya asked, her voice laced with skepticism.
"What makes Lilith any different from the others?"
Yuto glanced at Lilith before answering.
"Over the year I spent with them, she has fought with us, laughed, and eaten with us like any other person"
"And she has sworn her love to me as have the rest of you, and in turn, I gave her my love as well"
Lilith looked up, meeting Freya's eyes.
Her voice was calm but carried a hint of pain.
"I've had my battles. It wasn't a choice for me. But thanks to Yuto… I can make my own decisions"
Kana's eyes narrowed slightly, still unconvinced.
"Have you ever killed anyone?"
"No," Lilith replied, her voice firm.
"Hurt, yes, but I have never killed anything besides other demons"
She looked between the three of them, "I am not asking you to forget who I am but to at least give me a chance"
Mizuki leaned back in her chair, still processing everything.
"You expect us to trust you?"
Yuto sighed, rubbing his temples.
"I know it's not easy. Trust takes time. But we're all here for a reason, and Lilith… she's with us because she's one of us now"
Catherine spoke up, her voice steady and reassuring.
"We've seen it firsthand. Lilith's not just a demon general anymore. She's an ally. And if Yuto trusts her, then you should at least give her the chance"
Luna nodded softly, a small smile on her face.
"I agree. We've been through too much together. Maybe it's time to stop judging based on the past"
"..."
"..."
Finally, Mizuki spoke up, "Fine… I guess we could give her a chance"
Yuto stood up, his chair scraping against the mud.
"We have matters to deal with, and I need all of you to be united. No more divisions"
"Right… you're right," Mizuki said, her expression somewhat resigned.
Freya gave a small nod, her gaze on Lilith.
["I need more reassurance"]
Yuto walked towards Kana and planted a quick kiss.
"Can you give her a chance?"
Kana's expression softened slightly, she huffed, a hint of a pout on her face.
"You're playing dirty, you know that?"
He grinned as he planted more on her neck.
A soft, involuntary squeak escaped from her lips as he continued.
Her cheeks immediately flushed pink as she attempted to keep her cool.
"Y-Yuto, stop it-"
The other girls snickered at the scene, amused by the way Yuto was making Kana flustered with his affection.
Freya called out with a teasing tone.
"Looks like someone is losing her cool~"
Yuto stopped, walked over to Freya, pulled her by her hip, and proceeded to kiss her as well.
Freya's eyes widened slightly, a small gasp escaping her lips.
Her cheeks turned slightly pink, but she quickly composed herself and returned the kiss.
Meanwhile, Mizuki gave an exaggerated huff, amused by the display.
"You're going to make them all jealous at this rate, idiot"
He stopped again, walked over to Mizuki, hoisted her up in his arms, and barraged her with kisses.
Mizuki's eyes widened, and her cheeks immediately turned a deep red.
As she tried to protest between kisses.
"H-Hey, put me down! Stop- mmph~"
Her protests were cut off by a deep, wet kiss, and her cheeks flushed an even deeper red.
She tried to maintain her cool and aloof demeanor, but the kiss quickly took away all that control.
Her arms wrapped around his neck as she melted into the kiss.
"Mmh," a low grunt escaped Yuto.
He had missed this.
The taste of her lips.
How sweet her voice sounded.
And how good it felt to hold her.
Mizuki's arms tightened around his neck, and she made a soft, slightly desperate sound as the kiss deepened.
The other girls, still watching the scene, were all snickering at the sight.
Freya called out teasingly, "Get a room, you two"
Yuto chuckled as he pulled back, "So... Can you accept her... for me?"
Mizuki's expression was still slightly flushed, and she was breathing slightly heavier.
She managed to regain her composure, her cool demeanor returning.
She gave Yuto a small huff, a hint of a pout on her face.
"That was… unfair…you idiot…"
Despite her feigned annoyance, Mizuki knew that she couldn't deny him anything, especially not when he played it like this.
With a small, resigned huff, she gave a small nod.
"Fine, I'll accept her... for you"
Both Kana and Freya nodded.
Catherine and Luna squealed, hugging Lilith.
Lola let out a low laugh as she hugged her as well.
"We have a good man, don't we?"
Lilith looked at Yuto, a small pink shade forming on her cheeks.
"We do, don't we~"
Yuto chuckled, putting down the now slightly flushed Mizuki.
"Okay, now let's keep walking. We're almost at a village"
The air was now a bit more lighthearted as they continued the journey.
Mizuki looked at Yuto with a small huff, still slightly embarrassed but slightly amused.
Freya, on the other hand, had a knowing smirk on her face.
"Looks like someone knows how to get you to agree to anything, huh?"
Yuto chuckled with a sly smile, knowing he had indeed used Mizuki's weakness to get her to agree.
Mizuki, slightly flushed, shot him a quick glare but couldn't fully hide the amusement in her eyes.
Kana spoke up.
"You know, you're pretty good at manipulating us like that, Yuto. I suppose we're too weak against you when you pull that stuff"
Catherine and Luna were still happily clinging to Lilith, while Lola let out a soft chuckle, nodding.
"He sure knows how to play us. We can't deny him anything when he uses his charms like that"
Yuto flashed them all a cheeky grin, and Mizuki rolled her eyes, still trying to maintain her cool demeanor but failing somewhat.
Freya raised an eyebrow with a small smirk.
"Is it fun to have us act like this?"
He shrugged, "I mean the bed is where I really–"
Mizuki's cheeks instantly turned a shade of red, and she let out a soft, "S-Shut up! You... you idiot-"
Freya, on the other hand, burst into laughter, thoroughly amused.
Catherine and Luna snickered, letting go of Lilith, as she couldn't hold back her laugh.
Kana seemed slightly embarrassed, a slight pink shade on her cheeks.
Lola let out a low wolf whistle, clearly enjoying the scene.
Eventually, Freya managed to calm her laughter, a wide grin on her face.
"You enjoy making us all blush, don't you, you devil"
A small pout formed on Mizuki, "Hmph, you're such a... a jerk sometimes, you know that?"
Yuto chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Hey, you love it, and you know it"
Mizuki gave a small huff, still flushed, but a small smile tugged at her lips.
"Shut up and keep walking, idiot..."
They chuckled, enjoying how playful the conversation felt.
It was exactly how Yuto remembered, these stupid conversations, the small jabs in between.
All of it was worth fighting for.
15 Hours Later
The village was a quaint seaside village nestled along the shoreline.
The sea breeze blew in, carrying the salty smell of the ocean and the sound of crashing waves.
Small boats were docked nearby, bobbing gently against the current.
People bustled about, going about their daily business, while children ran and played carefree.
Yuto looked around, taking in the sight with a small smile.
"Alright, so should we stay at an inn for tonight, and tomorrow we look for someone who can guide us to the mermaid kingdom?"
The group nodded in agreement.
Mizuki spoke up, her usual no-nonsense tone peeking through.
"That sounds like a good plan. We're due for a rest anyway after walking all day"
Freya chuckled softly, a hint of exhaustion on her face.
"I could use a bed to collapse in"
"Same," Kana chimed in.
Catherine and Luna both nod in agreement.
Lola didn't say anything, but the others could see the tiredness on her face.
Lilith, who also had a slight fatigue in her expression, spoke up.
"I think some rest would be good for all of us…"
Yuto nodded as he led the way, and the group started looking for an inn to spend the night.
Their footsteps echoed on the cobblestone streets, and the sound of distant conversations floated by.
Catherine looked around, her eyes widening in excitement.
"Wow, the town is so beautiful! Can we explore, Yuto?"
Yuto chuckled as he spotted the inn. "I mean you can do so right now, but I'm sure the others want to rest"
The other girls nodded in agreement.
Kana, slightly tired, spoke up.
"Yeah, we should get some rest for now. We've been walking all day"
Lola also chimed in, yawning slightly.
"Agreed, exploring can wait until tomorrow. We need some rest and a good night's sleep first"
Catherine pouted, her excitement slightly dampened.
"Mmm... okay, I suppose you're right."
Freya, looking at Yuto, spoke up with a tired yet amused expression.
"Good. Now let's check in and get our rooms. I'm too tired to stand much longer"
10 Minutes Later
Yuto rented each of them a separate room, letting them have their own private space.
Which they were all thankful for as they collapsed onto the bed upon merely spotting it.
…
He sat at the edge of his bed, looking at the shore.
"It's… peaceful…"
He closed his eyes, enjoying how the wind felt.
He remembered how much of a hassle it was having to deal with Kaz.
His violent reaction and having to restrain him like an animal.
"Goddamn lizard…"
Yuto let out a small chuckle, "Still, it was funny seeing Kana smack him in the head"
He laughed, but a knock on the door soon interrupted his train of thought.
"Cough… Come in!"
The door opened, and Mizuki stepped inside, closing the door behind her as she floated to the bed, sitting next to Yuto.
Without saying anything, she leaned her head against his shoulder, the gesture speaking louder than words.
She closed her eyes, the sound of the sea breeze filling the room.
After a moment of silence, she spoke up in a soft, almost whispering tone.
"Are you doing okay...?"
Yuto froze for a moment before sighing, letting his body relax.
Mizuki, his first lover, his ego sword, his partner.
She always knew when he was hiding things, especially when it came to... personal thoughts.
"As expected, I can't hide anything from you"
Mizuki chuckled softly, the sound barely above a whisper.
"You know you can't, dummy. I know you too well for that"
She paused for a moment, letting the silence settle before speaking again.
"So, don't lie to me. How are you doing?"
He bit his lip.
Lying would be pointless because she could feel what he was feeling.
Yet, he didn't want to worry her, but he knew he needed to be honest with her.
"At some point, you must have felt my heart stop, right?"
She nodded, her voice low but firm.
"Yeah... I did. It was like your heart stopped for a moment. I... I felt it through our bond. It..."
She paused, her voice faltering for a brief moment before continuing.
"It scared me... a lot"
Yuto could hear the slight quiver in her voice, the fear she had felt when she felt his heart stop.
He shifted slightly, turning to face her.
He placed a hand on her cheek, his touch gently caressing her skin.
"Hey... look at me"
Mizuki lifted her head to meet his gaze.
"I'm looking at you... idiot"
She said it with her typical no-nonsense tone, but the hint of worry in her gaze betrayed her true emotions.
He planted a kiss, "I'm sorry," and another, "I'm sorry," and another.
Mizuki's eyes widened slightly as he showered her with kisses, his apology repeated in each gesture.
She could feel the genuine remorse in his touch, the way he was trying to convey his feelings through his actions.
She let out a soft exhale, her body relaxing as she leaned into his kisses.
"Shut up, idiot... you're apologizing too much"
He chuckled as he pulled back, resting his head on hers.
"It's because I forgot how connected we are"
"We made a contract, so you must have felt the amount of agony I felt at times"
Mizuki's eyes, she nodded her voice now a barely audible whisper.
"Yeah, I felt it. Every time you felt pain, I felt it. And... this time was different. It was..."
She trailed off, her voice wavering slightly.
The feeling of Yuto's heart-stopping still haunts her memory.
Yuto gently caressed her cheek with his thumb, trying to soothe the anxiety he could sense from her.
"Hey, hey... I'm alright, okay? I'm right here."
He pulled her into a loose embrace, his arms wrapping around her.
She melted into his embrace, burying her face in the crook of his neck.
She let out a shaky exhale, her body trembling ever so slightly.
The relief of feeling his heartbeat and having his arms around her was a comfort.
"Damn, idiot... you always get yourself into trouble, don't you...?"
He chuckled as he pulled her down.
A small grin formed on his face while Mizuki continued to bury her face in his chest.
"Yeah... but you love me for it"
She let out a soft huff, her voice slightly muffled by his shirt.
"Stupid idiot... I do love you, despite how reckless you are..."
She paused, her voice quieting to almost a whisper.
"Just... please don't scare me like that again..."
"Yeah," he pulled her closer, "I promise"
She let out a deep sigh, wrapping her arms around him.
"Now, can we please get some rest?"
Yuto chuckled, his expression filled with the need for sleep.
"Yeah, we need rest"
He ran his fingers through her hair, gently massaging her scalp.
"But, you just want me to cuddle you, don't you?"
Mizuki's eyes fluttered shut at the feeling of his fingers in her hair, enjoying the soothing sensation.
Her body, still pressed against his, didn't show any signs of moving.
"Mmm... is it so bad to want cuddles...?"
She muttered, her voice slightly sleepy.
Yuto laughed softly, a warm smile on his face.
"No, not at all..."
He continued to run his fingers through her hair, enjoying the way she leaned into his touch.
After an hour of gentle cuddling, they finally fell asleep in each other's arms.
And just like that, it was morning again.