Even though Ryuji felt that Mai had completely lost her mind, there were still things he needed to learn from her.
So, once morning arrived and Shinobu had hurried off to work, Ryuji once again found himself standing outside Mai's door, ready to knock.
Staring at the door, he half-expected Mai to throw a tantrum or make some kind of dramatic comment. But when she opened the door… her demeanor was surprisingly casual—almost lazy. There was none of the strangeness from the night before.
"Hey. Morning," she said breezily.
Seeing her acting like absolutely nothing had happened, Ryuji raised his fist.
"Morning, my ass! I'm here to settle things with you. If I don't crush your boobs today, then I'm not—!"
He didn't even get to finish the joke before Mai suddenly straightened up, sticking out her chest toward him, her expression completely calm.
"Go ahead. Grab them if you want."
Ryuji was stunned for a moment.
This wasn't the wary, sharp-tongued Mai he was used to. This sudden casualness threw him off.
"You running a fever?" he asked subconsciously.
"Hah, after what we've already done? What's left for me to care about?" Mai replied with a sigh, her tone uncharacteristically resigned.
She was a traditional type. The reason she had resisted Ryuji so fiercely before was because, in her mind, even something as seemingly small as a kiss—or anything beyond—meant being claimed by someone.
What Ryuji had done with her before, even if it hadn't gone all the way, had already crossed that line in her heart.
Besides…
"Being around you is strangely… relaxing," she added. "So if you really want to touch me, whatever. You're just a pervert without the guts to follow through anyway."
Mai folded her arms as she said it, a smug look on her face.
But those words? They hit Ryuji in a very particular way.
"Now you've done it."
Without hesitation, he reached out and cupped her breasts.
The moment his hand made contact, he finally understood why these "assets" of hers were so famous. The softness, the smoothness—he'd touched many women before, but few could compare to the sheer perfection of what he was feeling now. There was substance beneath the softness, a sense of fullness that was almost too much to describe.
If an average sized woman can feed two children, then the size of Mai's boobs is enough to feed four! That's right, Mai will have plenty of milk!
Even though he'd barely applied pressure, he could practically smell the sweet scent of milk in the air. It made him wonder if, with the right kind of stimulation, Mai might produce it even without being pregnant.
He gave the slightest squeeze. The sensation was so exquisite, so overflowing, it felt like her curves were about to spill between his fingers. He had to admit: in terms of sheer quality, Mai was near the top of the list.
Too bad I can't touch it more.
Regret tinged the edges of his thoughts, but Ryuji smirked smugly.
"So? Regretting that bold little offer of yours, Mai? You didn't expect me to actually take you up on it, did you?"
He was bracing for a punch—but to his surprise, Mai didn't lash out. She looked at him with that same mixture of exasperation and disdain… but also something calmer.
"You really are that kind of guy, huh…" she muttered, sighing again.
If Ryuji had been the type to stay loyal to one woman, maybe she'd feel differently…
As she felt the warmth of his palm and the strange tingling sensation spreading through her body, Mai realized her heart was racing. Her breath came quicker, and to her surprise, her body was reacting more strongly than she expected her nipples were starting to get hard—her chest felt like it was burning, her skin sensitive in ways she didn't know were possible.
No way… Is it really happening this fast?
Blushing slightly, she brushed his hand away, trying to calm herself.
"Enough of that," she said, forcing her tone back to normal. "Why'd you wake me up this early? If it's not about learning Shiranui-ryu techniques, I'm going back to my reading. The breathing techniques here may be risky, but they're worth researching."
Mai slipped easily back into her usual, serious self.
She had accepted her fate.
Ryuji was annoying, unpredictable, and shameless… but somehow, being around him felt easy, even comforting. He made her laugh. He made her mad. But he also made her feel seen, which made her happy.
And when he looked at other women, it did make her jealous.
The intimacy they had shared—even if it had been awkward, even humiliating—had left her with a strange sense of belonging. Like she'd already been claimed.
She had no better path forward.
And Ryuji… was someone who still believed there was a future. Someone filled with reckless energy and hope.
So if he wanted a harem, if other girls liked him—fine.
She didn't care.
But that didn't mean she wouldn't get angry.
That was just part of who she was.
Ryuji looked at Mai, who merely stared at him with a disdainful expression rather than outright attacking him. And his first thought wasn't, "She likes me." No. It was, "She's really lost it."
He was honestly confused.
He didn't understand her well enough to know why she was suddenly acting like this. It made no sense.
Is she trying to kill me?
That was his very first thought.
And the more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. After all, her life had basically been destroyed by him. He had stirred up her painful memories just last night. If she were overwhelmed by shame and anger and wanted revenge—well, it wouldn't be out of the question.
In fact, that might be the most logical explanation.
But… something felt off.
Logically, it all pointed to her wanting to kill him.
But his instincts… told a different story.
So, Ryuji reached out his hand. And under Mai's nervous gaze… he touched her butt.
Mai blinked at him in stunned silence, then let out a long sigh. In her eyes, Ryuji finally saw it—not rage, not passion, but a kind of resignation.
His hand rested firmly on her shapely curves, feeling the smoothness and firmness through the fabric. The soft but springy sensation reignited something primal inside him, and he felt himself reacting again.
But when he saw Mai's resigned, almost calm expression, the realization finally hit him.
He didn't know why, or how exactly she felt, but…
She likes me…?
No—more than that.
She's acting like she's already decided to marry me…?
"You…" he muttered, cautiously.
"I've given up," Mai replied bluntly. " I've decided to marry you. You pervert. You bastard. You absolute scumbag. Satisfied now?"
She swatted his hand away. But it was too late. That single touch had set her whole body ablaze, an irritating heat spreading under her skin. She didn't want to lose control right now—not when she had no intention of letting Ryuji take things further.
Because…
Ryuji wasinfuriating.
"But why?" he asked, genuinely confused. "We haven't even been through life-or-death battles together or anything. You just had a bit of a meltdown and and now… this?"
Mai rolled her eyes. "Because you've already… claimed me. And you're the kind of guy who takes responsibility. Also…"
She glanced at his face, sighed again, and said softly, "I don't dislike you."
She didn't really understand her own feelings, either. What she felt for Ryuji was completely different from what she used to feel for Andy.
With Ryuji, she'd get annoyed just thinking about him. But at the same time, she didn't feel like yelling at him or hitting him. Yet seeing him flirt with other girls made her want to punch him—but in a weirdly possessive way.
It was… complicated.
That second reaction—jealousy—had happened with Andy too. She'd always been afraid of losing him.
But now…
If I can't revive the Shiranui-ryu, and I can't get revenge… then what am I doing?
The thought struck her suddenly, and Mai found herself frozen. Wait... Do I even like Andy as much as I thought I did?
Maybe all that relentless pursuit had been more about momentum than love. Ever since she'd stopped throwing herself at Andy, she didn't feel nearly the same kind of urgency or longing anymore.
No… When I heard he got married, what I felt wasn't heartbreak. It was… betrayal?
Her mind blanked for a moment.
It made sense. Andy had never pursued her. Even when she'd undressed in front of him, he didn't even glance her way. He never once talked about a future with her. It was always her, all alone, chasing that future.
Did I even have a real relationship with him...?
As she stood there, lost in thought, Ryuji's hand once again reached toward her chest.
His logic was simple: if Mai had accepted her fate, then he wasn't going to hold back. In fact, if things went well, he could reach home base within an hour—and she'd be on maternity leave in ten months.
But as soon as his hand moved, Mai's fury ignited.
Here I am reflecting on my past and questioning my own feelings for Andy, and you, my supposed "future husband," only care about groping me?!
She slammed her fist into Ryuji's chest, sending him flying across the hallway.
"You perverted idiot! Are you that desperate?!"
She yelled, cheeks flushing, not just from anger—but because there were other Demon Slayer Corps members nearby! How could he be so shameless?!
"Don't you even know what shame means?!"
Ryuji rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Shame? What's that?"
At that moment, he had nothing in his mind but boobs.
"You absolute—!"
A vein popped on Mai's forehead as he tried to rush towards her again. She slammed the door shut with a bang.
"IDIOT!" she screamed from behind it.
She swore to herself she wouldn't talk to him for three whole months.
And yet… Ryuji still managed to enter her room later.
Though this time, it was for a legitimate reason.
~~~~~~~~~~
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