Weird. I clearly remember taking my first outfit photos a little after 8 o’clock.
So why on earth is it already 2 AM when I finally check the time…?
Even worse, the outfits still aren’t finished! I overheard that there are still six more to go between the two of them… What should I do with my greedy friends who suggested we continue tomorrow?
Next to me, Nagisa was sleeping soundly, lying sideways and holding my hand tightly.
Despite being successful at breaking records by taking turns with Hina, anything more than that was realistically pushing it.
Whether or not my partner was off into dreamland, Hina was sitting on my stomach, hugging my neck and rubbing her face against me. I still had some stamina left, but we agreed to hold back on the passionate acts since Nagisa was completely out.
Sure, I could keep going if I wanted, but I really didn’t want to disturb her sleep.
Well, today happened to be a perfect opportunity for a Filo talk.
“Hina-chan, you already know since we saw it yesterday, but… Nagisa-chan is preparing her proposal for me.”
“…To be honest, I thought it would be the other way around.”
“Ahaha, right? Yeah, I thought the same too.”
Was it impulsive? When Nagisa asked for assurance, I blurted out something about how I’d accept her if she brought a ring… that was the kind of conversation it was.
Originally, I figured that as someone fundamentally male, I’d propose after graduation…
But with four lovers now, and the prospect of more with Nagisa, what could I do?
With my greedy personality, I had no intention of breaking up with the kids I formed a bond with unless a major conflict arose.
If they were to love me for a lifetime with a commitment on my part, I certainly wouldn’t just let them go.
In that context, a slightly early proposal, and the issue of marriage… Was there really any problem with that? Marriage is a sacred ceremony where those who love each other pledge to be together for life, right?
If I’m certain I want to be together forever, putting off a wedding would be due to very realistic concerns, and I have no such issues… So I think I can get married quickly after graduation.
If there are problems, they’d probably be about how many or when to have the ceremony.
“Uh, this might sound a bit rude, but… Nagisa-chan wants only the ring she gave me on my hand. So… ahaha.”
Oh, it’s hard to say this. Aside from loving Nagisa most, I generally try to treat everyone as fairly as possible without prioritizing one over the other.
It feels awkward to say this directly.
Declaring that Nagisa means a little more to me is essentially saying I’m prioritizing her—though I know that all my kids are kind enough to say they understand, it’s still natural for them to feel disappointed inside.
“Mika, among us, there’s nobody as clueless as Nagisa about how important she is to you. In that vein, I’m sure you’ve never felt even once that you loved us less than Nagisa.”
“Hina-chan…”
“You might have heard this before, but we’ve all compromised and made concessions among ourselves… If Nagisa wants something, we’ll respect it as much as we can. Although, I’m a bit sad about the ring…”
“Hey, I’m fine with gifting you guys rings…”
“…Ah. If that’s the case, I’m fine. But even if I say this, you’ll still be apologizing… If you’re sorry, just pet me like this… if possible, um.”
“Ahaha… I already know without you saying it. Yeah, our beloved Hina-chan. You’re too cute today. Your heart is so kind, I can’t believe how lucky I am to receive such overflowing love. I love you so much, Hina-chan.”
It’s amazing how Hina’s face lights up with happiness when I give her compliments. Right now, she’s buried her face, so I can’t see it, but her lips are definitely forming a smile.
“Umm… I want to roll around like this every day…”
“Ahaha, well, in a way, that feels a bit irresponsible as a human. Not that it’s impossible, but…”
“I know we shouldn’t, but… someday, we might… have a child. When that happens, I want to be a proud person who’s not ashamed in front of our child.”
“Wow—oh… Uh, saying that makes me feel awkward…! Yeah… Not joking.”
With one arm tightly wrapped around Hina, I slowly felt her heartbeat.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t too fast or too slow; it maintained a gentle, steady rhythm, which made me happy. Doesn’t that mean she feels at ease with me?
“Hina-chan, we have some things to discuss… right?”
“…Things to discuss? Or is it about… our relationship?”
“Ahaha… Well, it does feel a bit strange to bring up work while having fun, right? Rather, it’s more about our relationship, and I also want to confess a secret I’ve been keeping…”
As I slowly sat up from lying down and scooted back, Hina adjusted herself and confidently took a seat right in my lap.
I decided to leave my hand holding Nagisa’s, who was still fast asleep, as it was.
The violet eyes looking up at me… gazing into those mischievous gems, I thought about what would happen if Hina’s feelings changed after hearing everything… So, carefully, I wrapped my arm around her delicate waist to keep her close.
Honestly, I didn’t think Hina would run away, and I believe she won’t. But this made me feel more at ease.
I figured this would make it easier to talk too. So I held Hina tighter.
“Where should I begin…?”
This would be a different conversation from the one with Nagisa. She knew the real Mika.
On the other hand, Hina probably didn’t know much about who the real Mika was.
In that sense, I doubt talking about this would change our relationship dramatically. I’ve grown close to Hina as myself, evolving into this relationship.
…Even if my appearance isn’t truly mine.
“Hina-chan… I’m actually someone from outside Kivotos, like Teacher. I’m not sure if I should call myself an adult…”
“…?”
Hina blinked without saying a word. If she understood my words right away, that would be more surprising. This isn’t something one can just accept so easily.
“Last April, I suddenly inhabited the body of a girl named Misono Mika, and since then, I’ve been living in her place. So, yeah… I’m not the true owner of this body.”
“…Keep talking. I’ll think about it as I listen.”
“Um… This is only the second time I’ve brought this up. Nobody knows except Nagisa. Not even Seiya-chan, the other president of T-party.”
Come to think of it, I should talk to her too; she’s been avoiding me for a while now. I need to corner her for a chat soon…
“Mika. No, wait. If it’s not Mika, what should I call you…?”
“Just call me Mika like you always do. For now at least. Later, it might change a bit, but that’s something to think about then.”
“Then, Mika. For now… I assume there’s a reason you brought this up.”
“Yeah, there are two reasons. I don’t think this will change our relationship greatly, but… you are my lifelong partner…”
“…For me, that’s true, but I can’t guarantee that it’s the same for you.”
“Ouch. That stung a bit, Hina-chan.”
Being a flirt means I can’t say things like that without unintended consequences…
Ah, well, maybe it’s just my karma.
“Ahaha, anyway. Since you’re such a precious person to me, I wanted to keep the secrets to a minimum. And I plan to tell the others when the chance arises. You see, when the original owner of this body returns, I don’t want you guys to be too confused.”
“The original owner… So, if I understood you correctly, you’re talking about the real Misono Mika?”
“Yep. That kid is currently asleep inside here. For some time now, she hasn’t even acknowledged me, but I’m planning to wake this sleepy princess up in my own way.”
“…I don’t know how to react to this. If you hadn’t said it, I’d be inclined to think it was a rather bad joke.”
“That’s what you get for your good behavior, right? ☆”
“I’ll say it’s the case for now.”
As Hina said this, she traced the countless marks she had left on my collarbone with her fingertips. It made me feel a little ticklish, and I drew in a quiet breath.
“If that’s the case, this body…”
“She doesn’t want it back. That kid hates devils from Gehenna more than anything in the world. But this body has been so colored by Hina-chan that… yeah, she probably won’t want it back unless it’s forcibly taken away.”
I might consider that direction if needed. But respecting Mika’s wishes, I’m thinking of transferring her to a new body while handing over about 90% of my Shinpi to her…
I’m not sure if it’s possible to hand it all over, but it wouldn’t be too strange for me to end up dead like Teacher if I did. Plus, I don’t have a protective item like Shiddim’s box here, making it even riskier.
“So, there’s a possibility that a twin just like me might be born someday, so just a heads up~”
“You mean Mika times two…”
“…Huh?”
“Never mind, it’s nothing.”
…I definitely heard something that was not nothing, didn’t I, Hina?
Is it just my imagination?
