Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume1 Chapter4 (section)

===Part 10===

Quietly, she grabbed the black device. The instant she made contact with that icy-cold sensation, fear ran along her spine uncontrollably. Unlike the times when she was assaulted by enemies, or when she realized she was planning to hurt someone she had no wish to harm, this was another sort of fear. Gripping the device tightly, shrinking her shoulders, she endured it.

After deliberating, she slowly pressed the buttons on the keypad of the device.

This is fine. This will be fine. Such thoughts ran through her mind.

After pressing eleven digits, she finally pushed the big green button. Trembling, she pressed her finger down.

"..."

Nothing happened. How strange, wasn't this the way it was done? During the day, she had asked him in a roundabout manner to teach her. Once again, she tried. She still remembered the numbers, once more—

"I forgot to mention, if there's no dial tone, the call won't connect."

"...!"

The boy, who appeared out of the shadows in the corridor, watched Fear with a calm expression.

"You're... awake?"

"After something like that happened, how could I possibly fall asleep immediately? Let me ask you the same question. You've been up ever since?"

"...Yes. Because I've been thinking, what kind of expression I should face you with..."

"So you heard the telephone number as well. Since Class Rep memorized it too, I guess it was easy enough for you who was able to learn Japanese in a matter of days."

Fear returned the cordless phone to the charger silently, her head bowed. Haruaki glanced at the phone.

"I know you two went outside, so I secretly followed. I saw and heard everything. Konoha probably noticed me. Then I had this ominous premonition, so while you were hanging your head in low spirits, I went home and pulled out the telephone cord."

"...I see."

"You're going to look for those people?"

Passive turned into active. Silence gave way to words. Everything changed as if reflected backwards.

"That's right! I-I... am too dangerous. That's what she said, and I know it of course—ultimately, I'm just a tool for murder! It is only natural for her to tell me not to fight. Who knows when I would act like on the roof back then, going insane and attacking you! But now, I'm simply a protected existence... No, rather, something even worse than that! I am simply... An existence that embroils you into danger! In that case, I might as well—!"

"What kind of joke is this...! When did I ever say I felt troubled or annoyed? Don't you want to stay here?"

"Of course I do! But it won't work out! You will come to harm! I hurt people when I'm insane, and even when I'm not insane! This is only natural, because I am a tool created for the purpose of hurting others!"

"Who says it won't work out, don't decide that on your own..."

"Don't come near!"

Fear took out the Rubik's Cube, instantly transforming it into her virtual self. It was the great long axe she had used to repel the intruder.

"—Idiot! What are you thinking, taking that thing out?"

Haruaki said. Fear looked down at the bladed weapon with hollow eyes.

"Ah... yes. I will use this, might as well swing it at my own neck. Or maybe I should climb into the Iron Maiden, that would work too. Within that person's proposal, there should be this option."

"Stop it... You're not acting normal!"

Haruaki stepped forward. Surprised, Fear held out her weapon in fright.

"The one who's not normal is you! No matter how you look at it, abandoning me is the proper decision. Why? Someone like me, someone who might go insane at any time... Aren't you afraid...?"

"—Of course, if I were afraid, would I do all this?"

"!"

Calmly approaching her, Haruaki grabbed the blade of Fear's axe. Of course, he did it barehanded.

«A Hatchet of Lingchi» was the form taken for slicing humans to pieces. Cutting off ears, noses, breasts, slowly dismembering human bodies, meanwhile savoring their painful screams, this was the executioner's axe that sentenced victims to a slow death—hence this blade was capable of turning Haruaki's fingers into mere scraps of flesh straight away, in accordance with its reason for existing—All it required was a minute flick of her wrist.

"I-Idiot, what are you doing...!"

"See, there's nothing to be afraid of, right?"

"Hands off!"

"If you want me to let go, promise me never to do anything stupid, dummy!"

Threatened in this incomprehensible manner. Submitting to the force of his will, one she could not understand, Fear was mentally overwhelmed.

As if waiting for this opportunity, only now did Haruaki smile.

"Back in the bathroom, I already mentioned, right? It's fine if you want to stay. There is no need to be concerned with anything else. That's all there is to it. I am not afraid of you, so stop saying that you are causing me trouble."

"B-But..."

"I will be at risk, but in reality, didn't we easily repel the enemy? Even if you didn't do that, I believe Konoha more than likely will... By the way, I forgot to tell you, try not to make her angry. Although I was only watching from afar, once she really switches to that mode, it's no joking matter."

As if speaking ill of someone behind their back, Haruaki furtively looked around as he spoke. He was completely right—Fear was finally able to understand—only at this time did she relax her tense shoulders.

"I... Am quite a burden..."

"I am truly the burden."

"I can't do anything."

"You came here for the purpose to learn how to do many things, right? Sweeping, laundry, cooking, as well as common sense, there's tons waiting for you to learn. If you give up halfway, I'm not going to be pleased. If you don't want to be a burden, then work harder!"

Even though she did not completely accept his words yet, she finally abandoned the notion of escaping from this home.

The reason was Haruaki's overwhelming stupidity. In order to escape here, she must pay the expensive toll of his finger. Too expensive! She could not afford to pay that.

"Got it... I got it. I'm not going to run away. So take your hand away..."

"Really?"

"Really."

Haruaki moved his hand away. Fear breathed a sigh of relief and turned the weapon back to its toy form. But at this very moment, she noticed Haruaki nonchalantly hiding his hand behind his back.

"Show me that!"

Forcefully, she grabbed his hand and pulled it out to see. His finger was bleeding slightly.

"Oh, it's nothing really. Completely not your fault, it's my carelessness! It doesn't hurt either, so if it wasn't so visible, I wouldn't even have noticed. Sigh, I didn't even notice~~ Not even one tiny bit!"

What a poor liar. He must have hurt himself when he was holding the axe blade. Even without Fear making any movement, simply the slight shaking of his arm by a few millimeters was enough to cause this kind of wound.

(What a moron... This guy...)

What she found the most stupid about him was not the fact he got hurt but his trying to hide it. His expression did not change a tiny bit, nor did he moan at all. He simply smiled as he tried to cover it up. Why?

(Was it for me...? ...He hurt himself for my sake, so he didn't want me to feel responsible... To avoid screaming and making me go mad...)

The possibility of going crazy from a scream caused by this level of injury was extremely low. Nevertheless... Nevertheless, he still hid it. Fear felt a warm yet painful sensation surge in her heart. Hence—

"This was just my clumsiness, you don't have to mind... Ah, hey!"

Sucking on his finger, she tried to lick the wound. Not for a crazy reason like a desire for fresh blood, but because she felt like doing so for no particular reason. She simply wanted to soothe his wound with some affection.

Her soft tongue and lips surrounded the flesh of his finger. The sound of saliva sucking could be heard as she focused on licking. Feeling his finger twitch in her mouth, she mobilized her tongue further to reassure him.

"Hmm... Like this... How do you feel...?"

"Umm, ah... Hmm mmm. Thanks—It'll be fine with a band-aid next! Uh—"

"I know. I won't make any phonecall, nor will I go anywhere."

"I... I see. Good. Then go to sleep!"

For some reason, Haruaki was blushing and he seemed frantic as he went to the living room. Noisily, he searched through the compartments of the first aid box. Standing on the side, Fear watched from afar as he wrapped a band-aid around his finger.

At the same time, she recalled the sense of immorality she tasted on her tongue—as well as the warmth from his finger.

Then.



Only today. Just only for today.

A great deal of unease lingered. Could she really stay here? What should she do?

There was no solution that could completely satisfy her. As soon as she thought too deeply, she felt an overwhelming feeling as if being crushed.

To be honest, it was quite scary. So only for today.

She wanted to rely on something to fall asleep.

She wanted to experience with her entire body that warmth lingering on her tongue—

"Hmm... Huh?"

"Tsk. You woke up?"

"......! Fear! Why are you squeezing your way into someone else's futon—Yo!"

He was getting noisy, so she used her hands to cover his mouth.

"So noisy, shut up. I'll curse you, moron! Listen here, this is... This is... Yes, this is to protect you! Don't get the wrong idea! It is an emergency measure only for today! Just in case, the enemy side might think they tricked us into thinking they won't come again, so they could appear any time unexpectedly!"

"I-I don't get what you mean...?"

"Like I said, that... In case the enemy appears... If I hide in the futon, they will be very surprised!"

"Definitely, it will be very surprising... Namely, I will jump in surprise!"

"S-Shut up! It's not like I want to do this, but I can't leave things to that rotten cow-tits. I am left with no choice but this less than ideal solution—So that's the situation. You hurry and sleep! Hmph!"

Then Fear refused all conversation and curled herself into a ball with her back towards Haruaki. Sighing helplessly towards her silver hair, Haruaki's heart was filled with worry.

"It can't be helped... But only for today."

Then he turned around. Fear could tell they were now back to back.

A rhythm was transmitted. Thump. Thump.

Was her own heartbeat transmitted over to him in the same way? Thinking that to herself, somehow Fear felt a sense of reassurance.



Feeling uncomfortable in his sleep, Haruaki suddenly opened his eyes wide. Somehow, Fear had fallen asleep soundly while clutching his chest tightly.

(Ooh... Things have gotten worse...)

He tried to pull her off but did not succeed. After struggling for a while—

"Mmm... Mmm~~"

She was uttering strange words in her sleep. He looked downwards.

What he saw was a face with tears in the corners of her eyes. Like a lost child who finally found the mother, holding tight desperately as if never letting go, fearing wholeheartedly of getting lost again and separated again—that was the kind of expression she had, that of hope mixed with worry.

(Well well...)

Haruaki lightly caressed her silver hair with his fingertips. Such softness to the touch.

Mmm hmm—Fear moaned in her throat as she tightened her grip slightly.

Haruaki silently smiled wryly—and gave up freeing himself from these shackles.

Truly powerless, an ordinary human who could not do anything. Or—

An ordinary human who could at least act as a substitute body pillow.

Which one was superior, the choice was obvious.

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