Honestly, she looked way cuter when she was angry like this than when she was expressionless. That gap was kind of charming in a tsundere way. Yoru Moonshadow couldn't help but chuckle.
"You're seriously laughing right now? Don't tell me… you're one of those freaks who actually enjoys getting yelled at?"
Yukinoshita's brows furrowed. Then, as if she suddenly understood something deeply disturbing about him, her gaze became disgusted.
"Come on. Who the hell would have a perverted kink like that? Yukinoshita, I know you always act cold and sharp-tongued, but deep down, you're a pretty caring person. That's… actually kind of cute."
Yoru braced himself for a vicious verbal barrage. As expected, her face went completely emotionless, even more devoid of expression than before.
"Cute? I see."
She crossed her arms and took a full step back, her gaze turning ice-cold, like she was looking at trash.
"You were totally eyeing me lecherously just now, weren't you? No wonder your smile looked so freaky!"
"Maybe try softening your tone a little, huh? I mean, come on, do you even have any friends?" Yoru asked, lifting an eyebrow and letting out a sigh.
A girl this perfect beautiful, elegant, and untouchably icy was bound to scare people off. Add in her sharp tongue and zero social skills, and it was easy to imagine her having zero real friends.
"Friends? Let me think. First, we should define what counts as a friend…"
"Okay, okay, I get it. That's a no, isn't it~"
Yoru cut her off. The fact she needed to define it said enough.
At that, her cheeks puffed out slightly, clearly annoyed.
"Who says I don't have friends? And even if I don't, it doesn't affect me in any way whatsoever~"
"That explanation just makes it even more obvious you're friendless."
Yoru shook his head, unimpressed. She was obviously grasping at straws.
"Hah? Aren't you the same? I bet no one at school dares go near a freak like you. Anyone who did would probably die socially~"
That usual merciless venom came out again, and her eyes narrowed with superiority. She looked downright smug, thinking she had won this verbal spar.
"Nonono, I do have some friends, thank you very much."
Yoru raised a finger and wagged it, although most of those were fellow otakus he knew online.
Suddenly, some old memories flashed through his mind faces of people he'd fought beside across many different worlds. A twinge of guilt softened his expression.
"And then… there's them."
He murmured those words with a touch of melancholy. In his journey through countless worlds, he'd left behind the few friends who'd truly had his back. They were strong. They'd survive. But still…
He could still see their reluctant faces when he said goodbye. It weighed heavily on him.
Yukinoshita noticed the shift in his expression. His dark eyes no longer seemed to be looking at this world. It was as if they stared into another, faraway place.
So… his friends weren't in this world anymore?
She'd been ready to fire off another jab, but seeing him like that, she held back. Just a little.
Yoru quietly downed the digestive pills with lukewarm water. Actually, come to think of it, he was already feeling better before taking them.
"Don't move!!"
Yoru's voice suddenly rang out sharply.
Yukinoshita froze. She had just been about to pick up the glass to wash it. Why did his tone suddenly turn so serious? And was he ordering her?
"If you take that next step, you'll regret it!!"
His eyes were filled with the kind of pity usually reserved for people who were about to suffer deeply.
Her dainty white foot hovered in midair.
She looked down.
…Nothing seemed off?
What the hell was this guy talking about?
But then… her blue eyes contracted sharply.
Right beneath her heel barely visible at the edge of the shadow were what looked like two strands of moving hair.
Moving hair?
She swallowed hard.
And then the thing began to slither into view, crawling out from the darkness underfoot.
It was exactly the kind of grotesque horror that made most girls scream on instinct.
In that instant, Yukinoshita's calm mask shattered. Her face turned bone-white, genuine fear twisting her features. She stumbled her body unbalanced from the shock.
She felt something slimy and coiling brush against her bare foot. Goosebumps exploded across her skin.
With a desperate cry, she launched herself off the ground with everything she had.
In a split second, her slender frame flew straight into Yoru Moonshadow like an octopus clinging to a rock.
"Get it out get it out get it out!!"
Her shrill scream was almost panicked.
Yoru's mind, however, had gone completely blank.
Her soft body was pressed right up against him. Her scent clean and delicate invaded his senses and nearly short-circuited his brain.
This was the first time in his entire life that a girl his age had hugged him like this.
Wait, was that… was something… touching his face?
Before he could process it, she pulled away.
And hit him with a glare so intense it could freeze lava.
She clutched her chest, shielding it instinctively.
Ah. That's what that was. Bit of a shame, honestly
As if reading his mind, Yukinoshita's face turned thunderous. She raised her hand like a pair of scissors.
Yeah. He had no doubt she'd actually stab him with her fingers if she got the chance.
"Ahem. You're kind of clinging to me, so how am I supposed to get rid of it?"
She glared a moment longer, then quickly stepped away, putting plenty of distance between them.
"Kill it. Now. And this is clearly your fault. Take responsibility!"
Her apartment was always spotless. There was no way something like that came from her place. One hundred percent, it had snuck in from his apartment.
After a whole lot of screaming and chasing, Yoru finally managed to take care of the monstrous creature girls universally despised.
"Alright, I'm head "
Yoru turned to leave, but stopped. Yukinoshita's face was pale. Her lips were trembling, and sweat glistened on her forehead.
She wasn't moving. No she couldn't move.
What was going on? He'd already taken care of it. She even saw it happen. Why did she look like she was about to pass out?
Wait… could it be… another one?
No. Something was off.
Her lips were moving ever so slightly, like she was trying to say something.
He leaned in closer.
"S… Skirt…"