Translator: Reflet

Editor: ryunakama

“Are you not cold?”

“Mm-mm . I be so hot from Dannsama that I could get burned . ”

“Oh my G.o.d…you are such a character . ”

He embraced Kohaku’s small body under the moonlight . She said that she could get burned, but if anything, her body temperature made him feel like he was burning . Not only that, but their feelings were burning hot . Large droplets of bullet-like sweat dripped down from her bangs, falling onto Taiyou’s collar .

“The moon be beautiful this night . ”

“Yeah, well I can’t see it . ”

“Heeey, Dannsama . ”

“What?”

“I love ye . ”

“Yes, I know . ”

“More than anyone else in the world, ja . ”

“I know that too . ”

“Yer the first one I ever loved . ”

“Now that’s something new . ”

Taiyou was astonished . He never had any inclination of prying into her past, so he had never had such a conversation with her .

It would be crazy to have nothing happen in over 80 years of life . She had told him before that he was the first person that she offered her everything to, but Taiyou hadn’t thought that it also included love . a.s.suming that she had been through a lot only made this revelation more shocking .

“Indeed, I just decided that now . ”

So that was what she meant…He smiled wryly .

“Indeed . I have just determined where love truly started for me, ja . And doing that has helped me find out that Dannsama is the clear winner for first love, ja!”

“Well, I am truly honored for you to say that . ”

He didn’t make any exaggerated response, thinking it to be insensitive .

“To think that I was able to be your first love…I must be the happiest man on earth . ”

“Then I be wanting ye to do ye best, Dannsama . Make this love bear fruit and carry it out for the rest of ye life . ”

“You can count on me . ”

He tightly hugged Kohaku . Their two naked bodies pressed together . The evening wind in the fall was chilly on their skin to be sure, but they paid it no heed . Suddenly, Taiyou remembered something, getting up .

“Mm! I don’t want ye to go, ja!”

Kohaku said, half-pouting .

“I’m not going anywhere . There’s something that I need to get . ”

“And what be that?”

“Wait a moment—-Here, it’s this . ”

Taiyou took out a ring case from his discarded clothing, holding it out to Kohaku .

“This is for you . ”

“…Oho, for the triplets and then Youran, I see . ”

Kohaku said after some momentary surprise . Taiyou was shocked .

“You heard already?”

“Nay, it was just that those two have been rather merry as of late and I was wondering as to why . It seems that my question has been answered . ”

“Well, it’s great and all that it’s been answered, but could you maybe be a little more surprised?”

“I am surprised, ja . ”

Kohaku took Taiyou’s hand, pressing it against her chest . With no particular undulation to speak of, it was easy for his palm to directly feel her heartbeat .

Dokun dokun dokun dokun—- .

He could clearly tell that Kohaku’s chest was reaching a high frequency beat .

“What do ye think?”

“You got me there! Your face just looked so normal . ”

“Comes with the years, lad . ”

“So will you take it?”

“…Gladly . ”

Kohaku softly outstretched her hand . Taiyou opened the case, taking the ring out and slipping it through her dainty ring finger . This was a ring made specifically to fit Kohaku, smallest amongst all the brides and a childlike size that would normally be unthinkable, but there it fit snugly onto her finger .

“I shall treasure this, ja . ”

“For what it’s worth, this is an engagement ring . Once I’ve gathered all the brides, I fully intend to exchange them for wedding rings, okay?”

“All of them, eh . ”

“Yes, all of them . ”

“Then ye’d best find another one quickly, lad . ”

“Not to mention my level as well . I’ve been doing it infrequently, but it still isn’t enough to catch up to s.h.i.+rokiyami . ”

“Yer level be…24, eh? Ye went up a considerable amount, ja . ”

“Yes, that’s because I’ve been doing it little by little whenever I have the time . ”

“How about ye confine yerself to a mountain for some training? Ye can leave the house to us . ”

“Well, there might be some sort of level that I can’t reach without being in the city, so mountain training is probably out of the question . ”

“Then maybe confine yerself to yer room . ”

“I struggle to comprehend why you think that’s the next logical step . ”

“How would ye like to confine yerself inside of me, then?”

“Are you trying to make a dirty joke!?”

“And I shall birth ye out from me clothes . ”

“By this point I no longer understand what you’re saying . ”

Although he said it that way, it was clear that Taiyou was enjoying this exchange; sometimes understanding her and not understanding her at other times; sometimes holding a conversation but not able to hold a conversation at other times . This was very much akin to her nature, and Taiyou liked it .

“Today be a fine day, ja . Not just our late-night date, but receiving something as amazing as this too!”

Kohaku spread out her hands and began spinning around in a dance . Perhaps she was quite happy, since she continued to twirl around and around on the spot .

“Is someone there?”

Light accompanied by a voice illuminated them . It was so dazzling that it took them a few seconds to realize it was a flashlight . It took them a few more seconds to recognize who was looking at them .

“You kids—-”

Their astonished visitor so happened to be the young police officer they had met earlier . His eyes opened wide, he stared at them .

“What are you doing in a place like this?”

“Kohaku-san!”

First, Taiyou pulled Kohaku’s hand, hiding her behind him before glaring at the policeman .

“Was that what I think it was?”

“…”

Taiyou furtively raced through his thoughts . It wasn’t like he had to defend what they were doing, but sheesh, what a predicament . He really wanted to figure out a way to escape . However, the police officer approached before he could wrap up his thoughts .

“Now just wait a—-”

But he had fallen with a thud in the middle of making his way over .

“Now what?”

Taiyou was shocked, but once he looked more closely, he saw the familiar face of another constable . He crouched quickly .

“Miyas.h.i.+ta? Hey, what the heck is wrong, Miyas.h.i.+ta?”

At least he sounded concerned for his colleague, but he was tightly gripping a baton in his hand . What made it more obvious was just how satirical he sounded .

“Honestly, I even told you to stop playing so many games late at night, kid . d.a.m.n you’re hopeless . ”

He said as he lifted up the younger colleague and went off, his eyes never meeting with Taiyou or Kohaku .

“Pfft, ahahahaha!”

“Haha…”

“I feel a bit sorry for him, ja . Mayhaps I will apologize sometime soon . ”

“I’ll come with you . Also, you can put your clothes back on now . Let’s go back . Any more casualties and even we might get in trouble . ”

“Aye . ”

Kohaku picked up the discarded clothing, slipping it back on . After that, the two of them linked arms and returned home while having a nice long pillow talk .