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"Cute girls really are adorable from head to toe…"
Blake let out a quiet sigh of admiration.
Under the streetlight, the girl's shyly extended right hand looked especially delicate. Her skin was pale and smooth, faint blue veins visible beneath it. Her fingers were slender, like freshly peeled scallions, her nails neatly trimmed and painted a soft pink. It was basically a perfect piece of art. Hand fetishists would lose their minds.
Blake wasn't one of them… but even he couldn't help sneaking a couple extra glances before pulling himself together and gently taking Mahiru Shiina's hand.
Soft.
That was his first thought.
So the phrase "soft as if boneless" wasn't exaggerated after all. Some girls' hands really were that soft, to the point you could barely feel any bones at all.
The second thing he noticed was how smooth it was.
Whether it was her palm or the back of her hand, her skin felt tender and silky, like it might slip right out of his grasp if he wasn't careful.
"…Mm."
Mahiru's flaxen hair trembled slightly, and the blush on her face deepened. Even her pale neck was tinged pink.
In the dark, other senses sharpened.
Right now, that only made everything feel more intense for her.
(So warm… a boy's hand can actually be this warm? It's almost hot.)
(And so big… my whole hand is completely wrapped up…)
And then there was the embarrassment.
In all sixteen years of her life, this was her first time holding hands with a boy. Even if it was out of necessity, she couldn't stop herself from feeling shy.
Her heartbeat was picking up, thump-thump, loud enough that she could hear it clearly in her ears.
"…Looks like the rain's getting heavier. Want to take shelter somewhere nearby?" Blake spoke up, breaking the silence.
"Okay."
Mahiru agreed without hesitation.
"You're agreeing just like that?" Blake raised a brow. "Aren't you worried I might take you somewhere weird?"
Mahiru smiled faintly. "Blake is smart. So I don't think you'd do anything stupid."
"…Please, say that again. A couple more times if possible."
"..."
A light drizzle fell around them.
Still holding her hand, Blake led her into a nearby dessert shop.
"…"
The sweet scent of cream filled the air, mixed with the low murmur of customers chatting with staff. Mahiru quietly let out a breath.
Even though she'd tried to stay calm, being led around by a boy while she couldn't see anything had been… nerve-wracking.
"No seats left," Blake said after a quick glance around. "Let's just stand in the corner for a bit?"
"Alright."
She nodded lightly, not objecting.
"When did you awaken your time-stop ability?" he asked curiously once they settled in the corner.
"Three days ago. I woke up, and it was just… there."
Her face was slightly pale, like a porcelain doll. Raindrops still clung to her cheeks, her hair faintly damp, making her look fragile and pitiful in a way that tugged at the heart.
"…As expected of an angel. You're ridiculously kind," Blake murmured after listening to her explanation.
Three days since she awakened the ability.
The first day was accidental. The second, she used it to save a falling cat. And just now, she stepped in to help that unlucky mother and daughter.
Every time she used it, it was to help someone.
A textbook lawful-good angel.
"Just call me by my name," Mahiru said softly, pressing her lips together, clearly not fond of the "angel" label. Then she asked, "Blake… is there any way to turn back into a normal person?"
Blake froze in shock.
"You don't want the time-stop ability?"
"I don't," she said calmly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and revealing a small, delicate ear. "Strange abilities like this only disrupt my life plans. And every time I use it, there are… troublesome side effects."
That was time-stop we're talking about. Even with weird side effects, who could possibly refuse something like that?
Blake studied her expression. Calm. Distant. She wasn't joking.
"…Sorry. I can't help with that," he said, shaking his head. "I have no idea how to turn you back to normal. At best, I can deal with the side effects."
"…I see."
She let out a small sigh.
Then—
Grrr…
A faint sound reached his ears, like a tiny pigeon cooing.
Mahiru instantly covered her stomach, her face turning bright red at a visible speed.
The side effects from her previous uses had taken away her sense of taste, so she'd barely eaten over the past two days, forcing down just enough to get by. Now that her energy was gone, her stomach was loudly protesting.
Blake glanced down. "Was that just—"
"It wasn't! I didn't do anything!"
Her face flushed deep red as she turned away, completely losing her "perfect angel" composure.
Her stomach growled from hunger… and a boy heard it…
Too embarrassing. Way too embarrassing!
"…Alright, I'll drop it." Blake wasn't the type to tease her over something like that. "Three more minutes. Hang in there. The purification will be done soon."
"..."
A few minutes passed in the blink of an eye.
The darkness in Mahiru's vision gradually faded, and clarity returned.
"I—I can see…!"
Her face lit up with a bright, sweet smile as she excitedly grabbed Blake's left hand.
"Two hundred experience points… time-stop witches really are something else."
Blake looked just as pleased.
Then—
The soft warmth in his hand slipped away like a fish.
Mahiru pulled her hand back, cheeks flushed, hiding it behind her as she bowed slightly.
"Thank you so much for today, Mr. Blake."
"No need to be so formal," he said casually. "If anything, I should be thanking you for the treat."
"…Mm."
Her cheeks puffed slightly for a moment, but she quickly put her "angel" mask back on, smiling gently.
"I'm a bit tired today, so I'd like to go home and rest. I'll properly thank you tomorrow."
"Tired" was just an excuse.
Hungry and wanting food was the real reason.
Seeing that she was politely ending things, Blake didn't linger. With 200 experience points in the bag, all he wanted now was to go home and grind skills.
"Then I'll get going. If you need help next time, just tell me."
"I'm sorry, but I've decided not to use time-stop anymore," Mahiru said, shaking her head.
Blake didn't believe that for a second.
She was obviously the kind of person who couldn't ignore others in trouble. If someone was in danger, she'd definitely step in.
"See you."
He waved and turned to leave.
Outside, the rain had already stopped at some point. The air was fresh and clean.
Carrying his things, he walked home quickly. But just as he reached his door, he noticed something strange—
A petite, flat-chested blonde girl stepping out from next door.
Under the bright streetlight, her skin was dazzlingly pale.
More importantly…
She wasn't wearing clothes.
Well… not entirely. There were two palm-sized pieces of underwear.
"…Did I just run into a female pervert?"
Blake stood there, completely stunned.
You heard about creepy guys in trench coats all the time, but a half-naked blonde girl casually walking outside? That was a first.
"Staaare—"
Noticing his gaze, the blonde girl didn't get embarrassed. Instead, she put her hands on her hips and walked right up to him with quick little steps. Leaning forward, her beautiful eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"You… can see me?"
"....."