Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume2 Chapter3 (section)

===Part 1===

The rarely used Japanese-style room, only brought back into use the day before yesterday, still carried the lingering odor of stale long sealed off tatami. Given a few more days, the room should be instilled with vitality that comes with being inhabited as well as trace amounts of air freshener one could only detect with a deep breath.

In this living space, the size of six tatami mats, the only furniture present was the dresser Haruaki moved from the detached accessory dwelling just yesterday. Other objects included various schoolbag articles, magazines, paperbacks and a spare uniform on a hanger&mdash;Indeed, this room was undergoing a transformation from "an empty room" into "someone's bedroom."

And the master of the bedroom was Muramasa Konoha, currently collapsed in bed.

"...Hah... Mmm... Haa..."

Her skin faintly reddened, her breathing irregular, she frowned from time to time. Even though she looked like that, it was not as if she was tormented on the verge of death, but more like suffering from a fever from a flu. It happened only rarely, but having acquired human traits, she did occasionally catch flus and colds. According to Fear's judgment: "...I don't really think illness affects our core. Anyway, just let her sleep it off."

Haruaki took out a towel from a washbowl and wrung it dry to replace the one on Konoha's forehead.

"Mmm..."

Seeing her brow relax slightly, Haruaki breathed a sigh of relief and took a look at her expression.

Her slightly open red lips released warm breath against his ear. For the very first time, Haruaki noticed how long and slender her lashes were beneath those glasses. Pressed against her neck, somehow her hair seemed especially gorgeous compared to normal. Tiny beads of sweat were currently flowing down her collarbone towards her chest&mdash;

"Ack, why am I staring...?! No way no way, this is too rude!"

He went and opened the sliding door to provide some air circulation. One advantage of Japanese style residences was the good ventilation. Yes! &mdash;Just as he swelled his chest proudly towards the breeze&mdash;

"...Haruaki... -kun...?"

"Oh, are you awake now? Are you okay? You should continue sleeping!"

He returned to her pillow side. Konoha looked up hazily at Haruaki.

"What happened to me... Ah yes, at school... Something was sucked out from me&mdash;then, then..."

"You can tell me once you recover your energy. You should rest properly now."

"Outside, the sky is still bright. Does that mean, I left school early...?"

"Yeah. The teachers know about our family situation, so they simply gave permission for me and Fear to leave as well. After all, we can't take you to a hospital&mdash;Sorry."

"I was just about to say sorry... For giving you trouble. Eh... Pajamas...?"

As if she finally realized her state of dress, Konoha suddenly stared at Haruaki awkwardly, her cheeks blushing instantly. She must have jumped to a mistaken conclusion.

"No! I asked Fear to help you change!"

"Ah, I see... However, I don't actually mind if it's you, Haruaki-kun... Even if I'm seen by you..."

Was it because of the fever? Nonchalantly, she made a rather problematic statement. In any case, Haruaki decided to pretend he did not hear it.

"Anyway, are you really okay? I've heard that other victims simply became lethargic, but none of them showed flu-like symptoms like you."

"Hmm... Presumably because we were born from 'human thoughts'... Any unusual conditions in mind or vigor will affect our bodies directly? But there's nothing to worry about, for I'm sure I will recover faster as well, conversely."

"I see. Then in any case, you should rest... I will bring porridge for you later tonight. Would you like egg or milk in your porridge? Any other requests?"

"Meat porridge."

"No such item on the menu. Isn't that bad for digestion? Denied! Denied!"

Haruaki feigned anger while Konoha shyly laughed "ehehe."

"Other than food, do you have anything else you want? If you want to sleep in peace, I can leave immediately."

"Anything I want...?"

Konoha gave Haruaki a slanting glance then immediately averted her gaze.

"Well~ I have this feeling... It's just a feeling, okay!? Perhaps I might recover if a certain act was performed... Not simply because I'm in the mood, but I really have this feeling..."

"Oh? Then go ahead and tell me."

She threw him another glance. This time she shyly pulled up the quilt to cover her face.

"Hey...? Konoha...?"

Childishly, she exposed one eye from beneath the quilt.

"...Hand."

"Hand?"

"Haruaki-kun's... hand. I want to... hold hands tightly... May I?"

This was even more childish. Haruaki felt even more embarrassed instead&mdash;However...

"Yeah... Something so simple... Sure."

Haruaki reached out with his right hand and Konoha held it tightly with both hands extending from the futon. Soft, warm hands. Although they had held hands before in many situations, perhaps due to her pajamas look and mildly watery gaze acting as catalysts to cause a chemical reaction, Haruaki felt his heart rate rise rapidly to incredible levels.

Even so, Konoha continued to awkwardly&mdash;

"Hmm&mdash;How should I say it? Not exactly like this... But further... Yeah!"

"Wha!?"

Suddenly pulled by Konoha, Haruaki fell over towards the futon. Entering his view was Konoha lying down with a shy smile. The hand that had been pulled, was now held in Konoha's hands&mdash;stuffed into her bosom.

"Woah...!?"

"I-I'm sorry, but this... This way... Makes me feel reassured... Sort of like finding something I had lost...? Don't worry, so... Just for now... Hoo..."

"S-She even fell asleep..."

This was quite a predicament. Of course, Konoha sleeping peacefully was a good thing, but Haruaki himself was in a predicament.

Haruaki's senses were being overwhelmed by the soft and warm sensation completely enveloping his hand. With just the slightest motion, that unfamiliar tactile sensation quivered and bounced. The gentle reassuring feeling evoked was comfortable beyond belief, causing Haruaki to wonder if he was melting and assimilated into one being. Strange sweat was dripping profusely.

(W-What should I do...?)

&mdash;Several dozen minutes passed.

Who knew if it was because he was straining his arm in a weird posture, his hand was beginning to cramp. Haruaki was at his limit. Konoha's breathing had become regular, so Haruaki attempted to escape.

"Fu... Mmm."

His hand gradually sucked into the bosom amidst sweat and body warmth, Haruaki moved cautiously like a bomb squad in action. A couple minutes later, he finally managed to extract his hand from her chest&mdash;

"Mmmmmm hmm..."

Konoha happened to turn in her sleep. Coincidentally, Haruaki's fingertip was caught on the pajamas, causing a button to pop loose. As the curve traced by her complexion entered his view, Haruaki could not help but gulp hard. But by this point he had no choice but to continue with his escape.

His hand was still being held by Konoha. Carefully disengaging her fingers, he managed to release one hand. Then at this moment&mdash;

"Why do I feel... so... hot..."

Konoha squirmed and kicked the quilt down beneath her feet. Somehow another button popped loose from her chest. The valley of exposed skin deepened. Due to departure of the quilt, Konoha's lower torso also came into view.

"...Pfft!"

Haruaki frantically covered his mouth as an emergency effort to stop the remark he almost let loose.

Perhaps due to friction with the futon, Konoha's pajama bottom had slid down slightly from her hips. Just by a few centimeters. But mere centimeters were enough to expose the edge of her pelvis as well as a body part that could either be her hip, thigh or butt, an ambiguous domain of skin that would scream for an arbitration committee to delineate clear boundaries. Besides, considering the vast triangular region of contention, this was undoubtedly&mdash;

(WHY!)

Haruaki screamed inside. The criminal was definitely the one who dressed Konoha. It was most likely the first time for that girl to help someone change? Was it because Haruaki had simply said "Help take off her clothes and put on pajamas" for his request? Instead of emphasizing "Help her put on pajamas AND underwear," is that the reason!? How could this be possible!? Even though she looked a little off, making this kind of mistake was really too clueless...!

"Mmm mmm.. Hmm... Ah mmm... Ah..."

Konoha tossed and turned greatly in her sleep. Yet another button popped loose on her chest. This was on the verge of a critical point. Just a little more movement... No, just one more deep breath and surely the half-exposed bulges lying beneath the precariously buttoned pajama top would be exposed in plain sight...!

The last button was about to pop. It was going to pop with a "Boing!"

"Ah... Ah..."

For some reason, Haruaki found himself unable to tear his gaze away. His entire body was frozen.

The pajama top's tension gradually lost equilibrium&mdash;
[[image:C3 02-153.jpg|thumb]]

Just as expected, it popped open with a "Boing!"&mdash;


Konoha returned to the form of a Japanese sword.