Chapter 151 151: To clear things up
"W-Where... am I...?" Hina mumbles.
She slowly opens her eyes and looks around in confusion.
She's lying in a bedroom, and Chris is sitting on a chair beside her.
The moment she sees him, the memories of what happened before she lost consciousness come rushing back.
That yakuza-affiliated man calling Chris a vampire. Then transforming into a massive silver-furred werewolf.
Hina immediately starts trembling.
Terrified, she begins babbling incoherently.
Her frightened eyes quickly fill with tears.
"Oh, you're finally awake," Chris says with a reassuring smile.
"Y-You... what are you?! And that man... what the hell was he?! He turned into... a werewolf! And he called you a vampire... so does that mean you're some kind of monster too?!"
Chris looks at her in confusion.
"A werewolf...? What the hell are you talking about, Hina? Oh, man, you must've hit your head pretty hard. You do remember passing out after that guy pulled a gun on us, right?"
"A gun...? I don't remember any gun..."
"That's normal. The mind does weird things when you're terrified of getting killed. He threatened to kill us because he thought I belonged to some rival group. But luckily, after you passed out, we cleared up the misunderstanding and he let us go, after warning us not to tell the police anything."
"So... you're not involved with the yakuza or any shady business...?"
"If I were, do you really think that guy would've let me walk away?"
"Y-Yeah... I guess you're right..."
"Anyway, we need to get to school soon. You should probably take a shower, don't you think? I've already laid out some clean clothes and one of my sister's school uniforms. Everything's in the bathroom."
"T-Thanks, Chris... you're really sweet..."
Hina gets out of bed and, before heading to the bathroom, gives Chris a long kiss.
"...if you feel like joining me in the shower, don't let me stop you..." she murmurs with a mischievous smile.
"Uh... I'd love to, but my sister's home. I don't think that's a good idea..."
"What a shame... I would've loved to finish what we started last night. If you change your mind, you know where to find me."
With that, Hina heads to the bathroom and steps into the shower.
Whew... thank God Hina bought it. Otherwise, that would've been a mess.
She really is gorgeous... and knowing she's naked in the next room right now... I'm not saying I should join her in the shower, but maybe just one little peek...
"Finish what you started last night, huh? And what exactly would that be?"
Mia's voice, coming from the doorway of his bedroom, instantly kills any thoughts Chris had of sneaking a peek.
"A guy and a girl hiding out in a park in the middle of the night... what do you think we were doing?"
Mia blushes immediately.
"T-That was a rhetorical question! And you actually have the nerve to admit it so casually? You're seriously the king of horny idiots!"
"No, I'm just a perfectly normal guy having fun with a perfectly normal girl. Has it ever occurred to you that maybe you're the weird one?"
"Oh, I'm the weird one? That's rich! I didn't realize having dignity and modesty was considered weird in this world!"
"That's not what I mean. I'm talking about how you keep tabs on me and judge me every time I do something with a girl. It's almost like... it bothers you."
"O-Of course it bothers me! You're a Valakys now, and I can't exactly sit back and let my family's good name get dragged through the mud like this!"
"That's the only reason, then?"
Chris rises from his chair and slowly walks toward Mia.
"You know what Ren Toya thinks? He thinks this attitude of yours comes from jealousy. At first, I thought that idea was ridiculous, but the more I think about it, the more everything starts to make sense..."
As Chris moves closer, Mia takes a step back.
"...the only reason I agreed to go out with Hina was because Ren told me to, to test his theory. And judging by how you're acting right now, I'm starting to think he was right. You're jealous of me, Mia, aren't you?"
"Me, jealous...? D-Don't be ridiculous, Chris..."
Mia retreats again until her back hits the hallway wall.
Chris keeps advancing, his stride steady and his gaze unwavering.
When he finally reaches her, Mia tries to slip past him. But Chris blocks her path, planting both arms against the wall.
"C-Chris... what's gotten into you...? Why are you acting like this...?"
Mia's face is completely red.
Her breathing is ragged, and her heart is pounding so hard it feels like it might burst from her chest.
"I'm tired of this whole situation. We're not children, Mia. So if there's something you need to tell me, then tell me."
Unable to meet his gaze any longer, she lowers her eyes.
Chris is standing so close that the tip of her breast is almost brushing against his chest.
"I... I don't have anything to tell you... really..."
"Well, I do... there's something I've wanted to tell you for a very long time..."
Chris closes the distance even further, nearly pinning Mia between himself and the wall.
He slides a knee between her thighs, pressing it up against her beneath the skirt of her school uniform.
"C-Chris... please stop... if you keep this up, I..."
Mia's breathing is so heavy and uneven that she can barely get the words out.
Chris cups her cheeks and gently lifts her face until it's only inches from his own.
Mia's lips are so close to his that he can feel her warm breath brushing against his mouth.
Despite the confidence he's projecting, he's even more nervous than she is.
The effort it takes to speak to her this directly and act this boldly around her is pushing his courage to its limits.
But he knows he has no other choice if he wants to settle things with Mia once and for all.
"S-So... what is it you want to tell me, Chris...?"
As she speaks, Mia's trembling lips brush against his for the briefest instant.
That fleeting contact leaves her so wet that warmth spreads through her panties.
"M-Mia... I... I lov—"
A split second before Chris can finish the sentence, he abruptly pulls away from Mia when he hears the bathroom door swing open.
Just in time to avoid being caught by Hina with his lips only inches from his sister's.
Hina steps out wearing nothing but a towel barely covering the essentials.
"Chris, where's the hairdryer? I can't find it."
He freezes at the sight of Hina, still damp and half-naked, peeking out from the bathroom doorway.
"I-It's... in the second drawer under the sink..."
"Oh, thanks a lot, Chris. And if you feel like helping me dry my hair, don't be shy — the door's open."
Hina gives him a wink, then disappears back into the bathroom and closes the door.
Instinctively, Chris turns to look at Mia.
She's still red in the face. This time, however, it's from anger.
"I-It wasn't my fault, Mia! I didn't do anything!"
"And to think... to think I was actually about to..."
Mia clenches her fists.
"...Chris, you damn perverted heartbreaker... I'm going to kill you!"
