Case 27: Living together with Marigold.
''Hello!''
''Oh, my. What a cute girl~!''
''I'm Haruno Himeko, nice to meet you, Miss Kisaragi.''
''No need to be so polite. Just call me 'mother.'''
''Yes, mother! I'll be in your care from now on!''
Moeka was speechless as she watched her mother warmly welcome Himeko, who was set to move into their house. In light of the recent kidnapping, Miss Casey decided to assign a personal bodyguard for Moeka. Someone reliable, powerful, and who could stay beside the coveted Omega around the clock.
A volunteer who matched every conceivable criterion was Haruno Himeko, or Magical Marigold. In any other case, Fumiko would have taken on the job. After all, she was Moeka's girlfriend and a powerful magical girl herself. Yet, she was occupied with developing suppressants. Moeka was a little nervous when Miss Casey broke the news to her, though learning it was Himeko did put her at ease.
'She's a good kid.'
Moeka nodded inwardly, seeing the girl comfortably conversing with her mother; they seemed to get along well. Soon after, Himeko turned to Moeka, ''Hello, senior!'' She smiled, ''I'll be in your care, too!''
At the girl's earnest attitude, Moeka could not help but smile back, ''Likewise.''
Then, on Yuzuki's suggestion, the three proceeded to the living room for a light afternoon tea. It would help them get to know each other better, the socialite mom thought. Besides, as someone with a magical girl daughter and being very much involved in the scene, how could she resist talking to the famous Magical Marigold? If she did not have to keep their identities a secret, Yuzuki would have bragged about it to her friends for at least a month.
Himeko, on the other hand, was ecstatic as she rolled her suitcase inside. Although what happened to Moeka was horrible, she could never have expected such a heaven-sent opportunity resulting from it. Of course, she was committed to protecting her favorite senior, though it would be dishonest of her to say she did not have other designs.
'Living under one roof with senior...!'
Being together in a house meant more time with one another, and more time meant more chances to score points! Furthermore, school had been canceled for some time because of the attack, so Moeka would likely stay home in the meantime. Himeko even had the perfect excuse to stick to Moeka all day!
Yet, the moment she stepped into the living room, a gloomy presence greeted her. It was none other than Uehara Fumiko, whose crimson eyes were sharpened to the point of pricking blood out of whoever she was staring at. And, in this scene, only Himeko could be the victim.
''Good afternoon.'' Fumiko softly said, though her demeanor betrayed a vastly different attitude.
''G-Good afternoon, senior...'' Himeko actually trembled a little under that pressure. She felt as if she were the thieving cat trying to snatch the prize right under the owner's nose. After all, this was Moeka's girlfriend. But thinking of their situations... she was the one who got to spend time with Moeka, not Fumiko!
In an instant, Himeko's confidence surged. She sat opposite Fumiko, beaming. Fumiko, in return, narrowed her eyes slightly.
Nearby, the two pink-haired women could sense the faint friction between the two Alphas. Moeka did not know how to feel about this. Her mother, however, looked quite intrigued. Her instincts were flaring up—this was good drama!
Nevertheless, when the four settled down and began talking, the mood relaxed considerably. After all, feelings aside, Himeko's extended stay in this house would indeed inspire safety for both Moeka and her mother. Fumiko could only grit her teeth and allow another Alpha to live with her girlfriend—a feat she had not even achieved yet. Granted, she could have easily done it if not for the suppressants.
'...I'll burn that stupid criminal if it means getting those suppressants done.'
Fueled by an indescribable amount of rage and motivation, Fumiko reluctantly turned down the offer to stay for dinner and prepared to head back to the lab. Before leaving, she did not forget to assert her dominance over the rival.
''Miko...?''
Fumiko boldly held Moeka's waist, then planted a kiss on her lips right before Yuzuki and Himeko's eyes. Moeka was rightfully shy, though she never resisted. As Himeko's head turned blank from the scene, she soon faced Fumiko's cold words, ''I'll leave my girlfriend in your care, Marigold. I trust you'll understand what to do and what not to.''
At that moment, something within Himeko snapped. She, who was often known for her keen sense of justice and morals, felt alien to this ugly, boiling sensation, yet she had found herself utterly determined to possess Moeka—even though the Omega was someone else's girlfriend.
'What's wrong with me...?'
Composing herself, Himeko forced a smile, ''...Of course, senior.''
Only after Fumiko left did Himeko ease up. Then, she was shown around the house by Moeka while Yuzuki prepared dinner.
''We only have a spare room on the second floor. It might be a little small, but the furniture is ready. I just cleaned it, too.''
''No, no, I'm grateful for any room at all...''
Because she was living in another family's house, Himeko was satisfied as long as she had a space for herself. Besides, the actual room, when she walked in, was surprisingly nice. Unlike the spacious but empty spaces she was used to, this one felt quite cozy. And...
''Senior, is the room next to this one...''
''It's mine.''
Moeka calmly responded, and Himeko never revealed a shocked expression, though the latter was throwing a huge party inside her mind. Unaware of this, Moeka continued her explanation, ''It's better to stay as close as possible, so if an emergency happens, we can coordinate immediately.''
''Mhm, mhm!'' The blond girl nodded like a baby chicken, ''You are so right, senior!''
Chalking Himeko's unusual enthusiasm to her love of the job, Moeka spotted a smile on her face as she led the junior to the floor's bathroom and balcony. Afterward, they briefly visited the rooftop as well.
''Sorry if our house isn't to your liking,'' Moeka said somewhat guiltily. After all, Himeko was a noble-born lady, and the Kisaragi's ordinary house in this rural town was nothing too impressive.
Instantly, Himeko shook her head profusely, ''It's really nice! I like it a lot!''
Beyond trying to score points, Himeko genuinely loved this vibe, at least more than the usual style she had been living with. And once she uttered those words, Moeka brightened up again, ''Thanks. This is the house that my dad left for us. We do cherish it.''
From the third floor, they could see the property's backyard, well-maintained and decorated with a few pots of bonsai, ''Mom used to live in the room I just showed you, actually. After my dad passed away, she moved down to his room on the first floor so she could take care of the garden in his stead.'' Moeka smiled bitterly.
Thankfully, Moeka was a magical girl. She earned enough to support both of them while gradually saving up decent money over the years, which ceased the need for Yuzuki to work herself. Moments like this made Moeka feel grateful to Cherry, who appeared when their family was at its lowest.
On the other hand, Himeko could hardly interrupt the mood. She, while researching her senior's biography, found out how a young Moeka had lost her father to an attack by a rogue criminal. The incident made headlines at the time since dozens were also killed in the incident. Of course, the criminals were caught and sentenced to death, though they had caused wounds that would never heal.
Seeing how Moeka had turned out to be a proper, strong-willed woman despite the enormous loss, Himeko could not help but admire her even more.
''S-Senior, could you take me to your father?'' Himeko asked, gathering her courage.
In return, Moeka smiled softly, ''Sure. A quick trip, and we'll return for dinner, alright?''
''Yes!''