[Waaaaah, I don't want to die! Waaaaah!]
[Please, please, please!]
[He's only saying those things to trick you into giving him your body!]
[Believe me, I'm really doing this for your own good!]
[Waaaaah...]
No matter how much Metis screamed inside her mind, Mutsumi didn't pay her the slightest bit of attention. She continued with her methodical routine, wetting her body and lathering herself with body wash. Metis had no other way but to beg; she was nothing more than a stress-absorption tool.
In reality, neither Mutsumi nor Metis could switch personalities at will. Metis only appeared when the pressure became too great for Mutsumi to bear.
Amidst Metis's faint, desperate pleas, Mutsumi finished her shower.
She dried herself with a bath towel and wrapped her damp hair to soak up the excess moisture. Wearing only a thin, plain-colored nightgown, she stepped out of the bathroom.
Fresh from the bath, her skin was exceptionally hydrated, and her cheeks held a faint cherry-blossom flush from the steam. Though she remained expressionless, she looked less cold and significantly more alluring.
From Kaede and Suzu in his childhood to Mashiro now, Rin Ito had accumulated a wealth of experience in taking care of girls.
"Sit over here. I'll help you dry your hair."
Mutsumi didn't refuse. She sat on the chair exactly as Rin instructed. The whirring of the hairdryer masked the remaining static in her head.
From being near him at first, to sitting in his lap later...
The closer she was to him, the less noise there was in her mind. At zero distance, it was barely a whisper. What about "negative distance"? If their connection reached a negative distance, would the noise vanish completely?
Although she had never watched pornography, she had received health education at school. She knew there was a form of connection far more intimate than simply sitting on a lap.
Mutsumi was still in high school and hadn't studied statistics. If she had, she would know that correlation does not equal causation.
For example, a correlation between ice cream sales and drowning incidents doesn't mean ice cream causes drowning; it means the hot weather causes both to rise simultaneously.
The real reason the noise was fading was her internal sense of self-identification, not her physical proximity to Rin.
When the hairdryer stopped, Mutsumi parted her lips slightly.
"Did sitting in your lap make you excited?"
Hiss... Rin's words died in his throat.
Was this "Little Cucumber" that sensitive even while she was sleeping? He hadn't even reached a full erection in the KTV; he'd only felt a slight tingle, and she had still noticed?
But again... correlation versus causation.
Rin had been excited because he was looking at the photos sent by Juju and Shinju. He was well past the age where simply having a girl sit on his lap would give him an instant boner.
However, since she had noticed, it would be rude to deny it. Furthermore, a denial might make her feel unattractive and worsen her condition.
"Mmm, you're right. Mutsumi-chan is so cute that any man would get excited."
Upon hearing Rin's confirmation, Mutsumi turned around to face him. While Rin was wondering what she'd do next, her gaze drifted down to his crotch.
To Rin's surprise, she reached for his trousers. With her slender fingertips, she struggled a bit but managed to undo the button.
Just as she was about to pull down the zipper, Rin caught her hand.
"What... what are you trying to do?"
If any other girl did this, Rin would welcome it, but Mutsumi... well, he wouldn't even be shocked if she pulled out a pair of scissors after undressing him.
"I want to be eaten by you."
Phew... at least she isn't planning to snip it.
"Uh... why do you want me to eat you?"
While relieved, Rin was also confused. Dealing with Mutsumi required understanding her unique logic first.
"The closer I am to you, the quieter the noise in my head becomes. Negative distance... maybe the noise will disappear entirely. So... eat me." Mutsumi opened her arms toward him.
"I see..."
Through his contact with Mutsumi, Rin had learned a bit about Dissociative Identity Disorder.
This condition usually stems from severe childhood psychological trauma. it's a psychogenic wound, not a physiological lesion.
To use a computer metaphor, it's like a virus being quarantined into a separate operating system while the hardware itself remains intact.
Therefore, there is no specific medicine for it. Drugs can only alleviate symptoms like depression or anxiety.
A true "root cure" depends on talk therapy and the patient themselves moving past the trauma.
And now... Mutsumi wanted a permanent cure. She believed it was possible, and she wanted Rin to be the doctor.
Whether a "root" could actually provide a "root cure," Rin didn't know. But for psychogenic illnesses, sometimes the patient just needing to find a breakthrough is enough for a miracle.
She had found her breakthrough... at least on a physical level.
Since she wanted the treatment, he might as well give it a try.
Understanding her logic, Rin carried Mutsumi to the bed. Her green hair splayed across the sheets, making the petite girl look disheveled and fragile—a sight that made him want to bully her ruthlessly.
Rin suppressed the urge to be rough. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her ivory forehead.
He couldn't bully her. He had to guide her with absolute tenderness. If he failed to cure her and instead caused a new trauma, it would be a disaster.
Freshly bathed, Mutsumi smelled of light floral soap mixed with her own natural maiden scent, making her exceptionally intoxicating.
Kisses trailed from her forehead to her nose, then to her cheeks, finally settling gently on her delicate lips. His breath hitting her face made her let out an involuntary whimper.
While kissing her, Rin slowly unfastened her nightgown and lingerie. The kisses moved from her lips to her neck and collarbone.
Rin had never treated a girl with such delicacy, acting as if this fragile Little Cucumber were a priceless treasure.
The kisses soon found the slight mounds of her chest. While they weren't exactly a flat board, they were definitely in the "petite" category—one hand could cover her entirely with room to spare.
He didn't tease her too much, keeping the kisses soft and reassuring.
His lips moved further down to her flat, smooth stomach. The skin was so silky and hydrated that Rin felt the urge to give it a playful nip, but he restrained himself, offering only a trail of continuous kisses.
He didn't stop at her belly. Rin's kisses continued downward until they reached her most precious and delicate area. It was smooth and pristine, without a single stray hair.
"No... not there...!!"
Rin's kisses stopped there, transitioning into a soft, rhythmic licking.
"Be a good girl, Mutsumi-chan. If we don't prepare properly, it's going to hurt."
"..."
Mutsumi gripped the bedsheets beside her, her teeth digging into her lower lip as she endured an alien, electric sensation she had never experienced. She struggled to contain something that felt like it was surging from the depths of her body.
No matter how much she tried to endure, her body was honest. It didn't take long for the Little Cucumber to be "tasted," coating Rin's mouth in a layer of sweet "cucumber juice."