After a mere five minutes of having that thought, Louise was in disbelief. She finally realized it: You can trust all people in the world, but you can’t trust Ian Audmonial.

“I shouldn’t have believed you!”

Ian lifted a finger to his lips to signal her to be quiet. He looked around carefully, then retrieved a key from his pocket and unlocked the Academy’s food warehouse. He swung open the door, and cool air rushed out. Maybe it was colder after sunset.

He poked Louise in the back. Why aren’t you going inside?

She looked back with frustrated tears in her eyes.

“…Really? “

He nodded his head with a stern look.

Oh my G.o.d. He said he was going to teach her how to write a statement, but he didn’t say anything about this!

Because she couldn’t protest loudly here, Louise took a step inside the warehouse, and Ian followed after her. The door closed, and the room turned dark.

“There’s a candle somewhere…”

He sifted through a drawer and found a candle to light their view. Louise looked around. The food warehouse was the caretaker’s domain. Of course, it was Louise’s first time sneaking in here like this.

“Is it okay to—what are you doing?”

“Taking my jacket off.”

Taking it off! Why the h.e.l.l was in doing that in the dark? He wasn’t in plain sight, but…!

“W-why are you taking off when it’s so cold?”

“Because it’s cold.”

Tug.

He dropped his jacket on her shoulders.

“Ah…”

Louise was nestled warmly in his clothes.

“Cute.”

He smiled and immediately began perusing the warehouse. It was full of fresh produce from the autumn harvest season. Maybe it was Louise’s head that was rotten in here.

“Here it is.”

Ian set the lit candle down on a large table in the corner. On the table were several gla.s.s cups, and Ian picked up one of them.

“Wow…”

He came back with the cup and she gave a low sound of admiration. And where did he find that small teaspoon?

“Open your mouth.”

“Me?”

“Who else is here but you?”

“What are you going to put in…?”

Louise shot him a suspicious look.

“Don’t worry. It’s not alive. At least, I don’t think it’s alive.”

That wasn’t rea.s.suring.

“Come on.”

But when he urged her, Louise moved her trembling lips.

“Open up a little.”

“Aaaaah–“

As soon as she opened her mouth, he placed something cold inside, something that almost seemed alive. It was thick on her tongue and then gently melted away.

“….Pudding? “

Louise blinked her eyes, and Ian waved the small gla.s.s in front of her. She saw the smooth surface of the lightly jiggling dessert.

“You like it. It’s delicious, isn’t it?”

“I course I like–ub.”

He placed another spoonful in her mouth.

“I can tell by the look on your face when you eat.”

And he scooped up the rest of the pudding.

“You also like to eat a lot. You’re always stuffing your face.”

Of course Louise liked to eat a lot, but there was a rule that there would only be one serving of pudding per person. Louise swallowed and asked,

“How did you know it was here?”

“Simon didn’t want his pudding.”

So Ian must have stashed the pudding in the corner.

“You’ll have to open your mouth wide this time. Like a snake swallowing a frog whole.”

“That’s a terrible example.”

Who compared their partner to a snake? A snake eating a frog, no less.

“Why not? You should eat more. I like seeing you eat with your mouth wide open like a snake.”

“Even though I’m in the last stage of growth?”

“Yes. You should eat.”

He held the large spoonful of pudding to her mouth, expecting Louise to open it. Louise managed to gulp the pudding down all at once, feeling really like snake.

Umul umul.

Louise’s brain circuits must be so simple to derive so much happiness from a pudding. She had definitely been depressed a while ago, terrified that she was being led into the original story. The original Ian had looked at Louise with such a cold face. She had become obsessed with this friends.h.i.+p and…

Ian wordlessly brought her another cup of pudding, then held it out to her without a hint of mischief.

She hoped that he didn’t notice that there was something seriously wrong with her today. He had always watched her closely.

“Why…”

Louise managed to broach the subject in a small voice.

” …won’t you ask?”

“Because.”

He set down the gla.s.s cup and teaspoon in a nearby cupboard.

“You know.”

And he answered in an unwavering voice.

“That I’m always waiting for your words.”

His fingers, a warm safeguard against the cold air, brushed her lips. Louise gazed at him. The sweetness and warmth melted her lips.

“I don’t know what to say…”

She soon shook her head.

“There is something I have to say.”