“Himiko...I love you.”

The silence that resulted from those words was deafening. It was like throwing a nuclear bomb.

Himiko had a hard time believing what she was hearing. It was like being told that in reality, Santa Claus did exist.

Right now, the words Kuroha delivered were repeated infinitely in her heart and her head. Each time it was like taking damage to her HP. Finally,

“Himiko....Hey, Himiko?”

Kuroha, look incredulously at the slumped Himiko in his arms,

“She...Did she faint?”

Kuroha couldn’t help but let a little laugh. He took out his phone and took some pictures of her. Normally it was always her taking photos of him. He knew about her secrets folder, but never cared, now it was time for some payback.

----

“Hum…”

Himiko couldn’t help but let out a groan as she slowly came back back to her senses. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel that she was laying down. Still, she could also feel a light pressure on her head, as if someone was petting her.

Her eyes slowly cracked open and the sight that greeted her was one that would always stay in her memory.

Kuroha deep red eyes were gazing at her with deep affection as he slowly caressed her head.

It didn’t take long for her to understand that she was on a lap pillow.

“Oh~? Seems like the sleeping princess is now awake. I thought I would need to give a kiss~”

Himiko blushed hard, and it wasn’t her usual blush that seemed to naturally happen when she was having fun.

Right now she felt so ashamed she thought she could die.

I seriously fainted?

She covered her face with her two hands as she let out a scream in her gut.

“*Pfft* Ahaha. You don’t have an idea about how cute you’re right now.”

“Muuu~!”

Himiko puffed her cheek in annoyance at being mocked so openly. It was usually her who teased Kuroha, not the opposite. As if he had read her thoughts, he smiled and said,

“How the world turns. Right?”

She was once again dazzled by his smile and couldn’t help but avert her face.

This is not fair.

It was like facing a completely different Kuroha. The one in front of her seemed lighter. As if he was freer.

The usual Kuroha always acted as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulder. It wasn’t that he acted as a wannabe hero, but, even though he would smile from time to time, those smiles were as scarce as the rain in the Sahara. Even when he did smile, those were generally small smiles which never lasted.

“You must be curious right?”

Himiko was surprised at those words. She turned to face him, but Kuroha didn’t face her.

“Himiko you know...I always felt like I didn’t have the right to be happy. That my life was one who was destined to be filled with pain and struggle.”

“Kuroha…”

She wanted to retort, but a finger on her mouth stopped her from doing so,

“*Shh*...Just stay silent and listen. You know I am not good at monologue.”

Himiko could only nod in acceptance. He resumed caressing her hair as he continued,

“You see. Until now, my sole goal was revenge. I even named myself after this fact. But, I didn’t know what I would do after that. I didn’t have a dream, didn’t have any aspirations, and had no vision of the future. I was simply empty.”

He sighed,

“I didn’t tell you this, but when I went away after the entrance exam I nearly died in an explosion. Back then, the thought that made me refuse to give up wasn’t my revenge, but you guys. You, Momo, Nighteye and all those who managed to slowly worm their way in my heart.”

He let out a chuckle,

“Of course, you know how I am. After this incident, I shelved those memories deep in my heart. After all, wasn’t it too cheesy? Saved by the power of friendship and love.”

He shook his head at this thought,

“Now, I understand that I was simply in denial. I wasn’t as empty as I thought. I wasn’t without a dream. I just never accepted it because I thought I wasn’t worthy because I feared that I would lose it all. In the end, deep down, despite all my bravado, I was nothing more than a scared little child. Hehehe!”

A derisive chuckle escaped his lips as he said so, Himiko couldn’t help but raise her hand to caress his cheek. Kuroha looked at her affectionately and took her hand in his,

“Himiko. You are the one who knows me the best in this world. You now know how imperfect I am. How pitiful I am. Despite that. Despite all my weakness, all my default, do you still love me?”

Himiko could feel Kuroha tremble slightly as he asked that question, for the first time in her life, she really realized how emotionally weak Kuroha was. She was sure that only one word from her would be enough to send him to the depths.

Tears began to gather on the corner of her eyes, she slowly raised the upper part of her body and pressed her forehead against his as she said,

“At first, I fell in love at your perfection... Then I saw your different parts and more than that I saw how imperfect you were… which made me love you even more.”

More than anything, those words were exactly what Kuroha needed to hear. As such, and for the first time in many years, Kuroha let his tear fall.

Those weren’t tears of sadness, but rather tears full of happiness and tears of relief. He now knew that he had more to look forward to. He had people who will wait for him, people who will grieve for him, people who were ready to die for him.

He gathered another resolves deep in his heart. It was time for him to get back the memory he had lost. Fleeing from them would change nothing. He had to confront them head-on.

Now, Kuroha was ready to turn a new page of his life…

But before that, his gaze heated slightly as he looked at Himiko. She, on the other hand, understood the meaning of his gaze and smiled as she opened her arm wide,

“Please Kuroha. Even though I am not first, it doesn’t matter...Love me~”

Kuroha didn’t need to speak, his kiss was an answer,

“Nn~!”

If their first kiss was a light one, the current one was a particularly deep one. When they separated,

“Ah...Ah...Ah.”

Himiko was breathing so hard she felt like her chest would burst. Kuroha, seeing her like that couldn’t help but smile in a teasing manner,

“You know that you don’t have to hold your breath while kissing right~”

The look on her face was truly a sight to behold. Kuroha couldn’t hold back anymore, he pushed her head aside before raising himself, then he bent down and took her in a princess carry,

“Kyaa~!”

Himiko didn’t have time to react and could only let out a cute scream as Kuroha carried her until they reached her bed. Once there, Kuroha slowly and carefully put her down.

Himiko was wearing, a transparent babydoll. Even though it wasn’t the first time he saw such a sight, the difference in perspectives was clearly great.

Seeing her flustered and feverish look, her clothes, and her lithe and beautiful frame, Kuroha couldn’t help but ask in awe at the sight in front of him,

“How can you be this lovely?”

Himiko didn’t answer and simply turned her head aside. Kuroha didn’t mind, rather he found this even more cute and lovely. Seeing the usually bold Himiko act so meekly was truly a gap moe of epic proportions.

Now Kuroha was faced with an existential dilemma.

Should I let her keep her babydoll or should I make her naked?