Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume3 Chapter2 (section)

===Part 3===

After eight in the evening, when the "Dan-no-ura" closed for the day, a simple celebration party was held with the shopkeepers in the shopping street. A few long tables were moved into the shop where food and drinks had been prepared in the style of a buffet party.

"Allow me to express my gratitude, everyone. It's all thanks to your efforts that so many customers came today. I'll try my best from now on, so please treat me well. So... Cheers!"

"Cheers! Hurray&mdash;!"

Spearheaded by Kuroe, the scene instantly became lively and bustling. With the superintendent's gift of alcoholic drinks opened generously, the adult-oriented smell of alcohol filled the narrow confines of the shop.

Drinking juice from a paper cup, Fear leaned her back against the wall, already changed out of the Chinese dress. She was thinking about the matter of Alice&mdash;The culprit is me. What did she intend by saying that?

Incomprehensible. However&mdash;In a certain sense, it did not matter at all. If anything happened to threaten her companions, she would put a stop to it; if it turned out to be harmless, she would simply ignore it. Besides, no matter what threats the enemy made, Fear had no intention of going along with that woman. Alice's efforts were meaningless from the very start.

Fear's home was here. She would live here in order to lift her curse. This was already decided.

Indeed... To lift her curse.

Fear looked up. Konoha, who had mentioned on their first encounter that her curse was almost lifted, was currently harassing Haruaki with tears glistening in her eyes.

"Hey, what are you thinking, what are you thinking right now, Haruaki-kun? Do you wonder if that woman makes my character redundant!? Or perhaps you are thinking, wouldn't life be wonderful to be embraced by someone like that, a gentle big sister type who speaks using polite language!?"

"Wait... What are you talking about? Hmm, I guess her manner of speaking does resemble yours a bit, but that woman is someone to be wary of, why would anyone want to be embraced by her..."

"Liar! While we were monitoring her, that was what your eyes were saying, Haruaki-kun! Oooooh~ Am I no good? Clearly I am always close by your side, caring for you, hoping to embrace you tightly... How heartbreaking. Too heartbreaking! And come on, this place is too hot! You're not going to be satisfied unless I strip, is that it!?"

Go, sistah, go go go! An irresponsible clamor started up in the surroundings.

"Wah&mdash;! Woah, I was about to ask why you're acting weird...  But isn't that souchuu highball<ref>'''Souchuu highball''': often abbreviated to ''chuuhai''(チューハイ), a Japanese alcoholic drink traditionally mixed from shouchuu liquor and carbonated water, flavored with lemon.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C5%ABhai]</ref> in your cup!? Did you mistakenly drink that by accident or on purpose!?"

"Ooh... Another refill please... Is there any plum brandy here~ I love that stuff."

"No! A-Absolutely no plum brandy for you! I already know you enter a special drunken madness whenever you drink that!"

"Eh&mdash;That's not true... Well then, top or bottom, which would you find more exciting to strip?"

"Don't strip at all!"
[[image:C3 03-099.jpg|thumb]]

What a commotion. Meanwhile, Kuroe, whose curse was already lifted, was&mdash;

"Kawasaki-san, the lunchboxes were very tasty, thank you."

"R-Really? I'm so glad to hear that from you, Kuroe-chan! Would you say that my shop's food was the most valuable contribution this time? I-If that's the case, please rub my head as a reward...!"

"You're the greatest. You're the greatest."

"Ah... So soothing... You look even younger than my kid at home, how unbelievable..."

"Oi! That's totally unfair, Kawasaki bastard! Say, Kuroe-chan, do remember that food is gone once it's eaten. But beautiful flowers not only soothe customers' souls but also keep their gazes captured, so my flower shop's contributions should be the most...!"

"Hey, Kuroe-chan said just now that my shop's eggplant with miso beancurd is very delicious! So after a day's work, the one responsible for the most soothing is me instead!"

Surrounded by the biggest crowd, Kuroe seemed to be slightly relaxing her always expressionless face, apparently delighted. Everyone was chatting happily while smiling in bliss.

It looked like a joyous occasion. So this was a social circle of "humans." Here, Kuroe "who was originally a doll" had naturally become a part of them, getting along in harmony. This made Fear feel... exceptionally&mdash;

(If I lift my curse and become even more human than now... Will I be able to smile like that? To be able to live among crowds naturally like that?)

Fear admitted she was quite impressed.

At the same time, she was also quite jealous.

(Jealousy? How inane.)

But before her eyes was a wonderful sight that she desired very very much. However, it was something she could not obtain the way she was currently. And whether or not she could achieve it in the future, she had no idea&mdash;Well then, the sight of something enjoyed by someone else and this tightening feeling in her chest, perhaps calling it jealousy was right after all.

"...Fear? What's with you, why are you staring off blankly over here?"

Haruaki approached at this time. Fear turned back to find Konoha dozing off, hugging a table.

"Umm... Nothing much."

"How strange, I was expecting you to rush over for authentic rice crackers from the Japanese snacks shop? And there's so many things I don't think you've ever eaten before. They'll be gone if you don't hurry, you know?"

"You're... right. Go over and just pick out some rice crackers and the like for me."

"Go get them yourself, don't be so lazy... Oh I see, you..."

Haruaki made a face as if he realized something, then sighed and scratched his head.

"I see what's going on now... Okay, see as that's the case! Shoo shoo, if you want food, then get it yourself!"

"Mwah, don't push, okay!?"

Pushed from behind, Fear found herself coming into close proximity with Kuroe's adult crowd that she had difficulty joining in. Then one of the shopkeepers, reeking of alcohol, turned his red and drunken face towards Fear:

"Oh yeah! By the way, let's not forget this child's hardworking efforts! You showed us something really nice!"

"Eh?"

"That's totally right! Come over here! Whaddya wanna eat? I recommend this sashimi from my shop!"

"Try these pickled vegetables as well! My store's vegetables are always very fresh!"

"That Chinese dress of yours, would you like to have it washed at my shop? Also... Maybe you could work part-time at my place next time? After all, the bookstore stole Kono-chan from me. The special perk of working at my place is that you get to wear all sorts of cute outfits I've collected&mdash;"

"You'll end up in all sorts of photos if you go to that guy's shop, so I'd advise against it! My place sells only croquettes, so why not come to mine? In fact, I'll even take you in as my child!"

Shouting one after another, the crowd started speaking to Fear with intimidating enthusiasm. Fear anxiously turned to look at Haruaki, only to discover that he had turned his gaze away as if the situation did not concern him.

"Umm... Uh, what should I say..."

"Yes, Ficchi, I am also much indebted to your efforts, thank you."

Kuroe brought forth a bottle of juice and refilled Fear's empty cup with what she had been drinking.

"I'm sure everyone loves Ficchi already, so there's no need to think too much. Just be happy."

Kuroe discreetly whispered in Fear's ear, prompting her to look back at Kuroe. Incredibly, the color of profundity could be seen from her blank eyes. Indeed&mdash;come on over&mdash;Kuroe seemed to be silently inviting her.

The pain was not gone. Painful emotions had not disappeared. Yet only at this moment&mdash;

Fear felt that even given her current self, she at least had the right to step one foot into this crowd.

Slowly, Fear poured the contents of her paper cup into her mouth.

Despite clearly being the same juice, somehow it tasted much sweeter than before.



That night, while Fear was in the bath, the glass door was slid open again, accompanied by someone's strange declaration of "Hello, I am the steam thief!" Obviously, the new arrival was blank-faced Kuroe.

"...You're here again."

Fear sighed and shrank herself into a corner of the bathtub. Kuroe inclined her head and said:

"Eh? You're not going to protest?"

"You're still entering even if I protest, right? I already learned my lesson yesterday."

Hearing Fear's answer, Kuroe relaxed her face slightly.

"Yes, but today is different. I just want to scrub your back as thanks&mdash;Come on out! I will be very gentle, dear customer."

"Nwah?"

Fear was grabbed by the arm and forcibly pulled out of the tub. By the time she realized, she had already spun several times and was seated on the plastic stool. She did not know why, but she arched her back without feeling any intention to resist. She could feel Kuroe's outstretched hands touching her back&mdash;the sensation of tiny palms. Her back was lathered with soap suds while her skin was gently scrubbed.

"How is it?"

"Mmm... Hmm, not bad."

To be honest, it was quite comfortable. Fear even started feeling sleepy at some point and blinked. Had the person behind her noticed?

"...Are you tired today?"

"It's okay, after all, it was my first time... But it was a very good experience. Speaking of tired, you must have worked a lot harder than me, right? Because it's a service industry&mdash;you have to face human strangers..."

"It's nothing once you get used to it."

"Used to it... huh..."

Arching her back, Fear sighed. Who knew if it was because of the palms she felt on her back, the steam pervading the bathroom, or the sleepiness&mdash;Fear found her lips speaking on their own.

"You're so amazing..."

"Hmm? Did you say something?"

"...Nothing much."

Fear tried to cover it up. After finishing with the back scrubbing, Kuroe proceeded to do Fear's hair, generously offering her professional hair washing technique, saying it was a return favor for yesterday.

"Fufu... Silver-colored and silky smooth, how pretty. Although I like my own hair a lot, it still makes me somewhat jealous."

Jealousy. That was what Fear actually wanted to say.

Indeed, what she tried to cover up, was her admiration for Kuroe as well as the jealousy she felt during the celebration party.

But now, as her sleepiness intensified during the process of hair washing, what Fear felt was neither admiration nor jealousy, but a subtly different emotion. Through Kuroe's hands which gently caressed her hair, the two emotions were combined, diluted and blended into a new emotion. That was what Fear felt.

What was it? A sense of embarrassment and itching in her heart, this feeling directed towards Kuroe&mdash;what on earth was it?

Fear did not know the words to describe this feeling. Without resisting her heavy eyelids, she comfortably succumbed to the beckoning of sleep.

Then she fell asleep, casting all thoughts from her mind. This included the doubts she felt and the sensations of the finger gently caressing her hair.

Also including something warmer than admiration, more genuine than jealousy&mdash;

One might even name it "aspiration"&mdash;An answer.