The sun gradually set, painting the sky behind the curtain-covered window with orange, purple, and indigo colors before finally becoming completely dark. Night enveloped all of Japan with its cold and silent blanket.
Inside a wooden house that had long been uninhabited in Niigata Prefecture, the atmosphere was warmer. Azlan and Akane were still lying on one bed, sharing warmth under a pile of blankets.
"Akane..." Azlan's voice sounded tense in the darkness. "How long are you going to keep hugging me like this?"
After all, he was a healthy 15-year-old teenager. Beside him lay a beautiful girl without a single thread, her smooth skin touching his directly. Natural urges were hard to avoid.
Fortunately, his Senjutsu training and strict mental control gave him the ability to control... his lower body's reactions. But that didn't make his situation any less tense.
"Fufufu~" Akane's voice sounded spoiled, she even rubbed her face against Azlan's chest. "Just a little longer, Azlan-kun. I'm doing this so you won't get cold. Didn't the doctor say skin-to-skin contact is the best way to fight hypothermia?"
Her rhetoric was perfect, and given Azlan's condition which was indeed severe several hours ago, he had no strong basis to argue.
"Haaah..."
Azlan sighed deeply, trying to focus his thoughts on something else.
Suddenly, a loud and clear sound broke the tense silence of the room.
*GROWL...!*
That sound came from Azlan's stomach. The epic battle and use of Balance Breaker had drained his energy extremely, and his body was now demanding fuel replenishment.
Akane giggled hearing it.
"That's right, we haven't had dinner at all. Alright then, I'll cook you something warm."
She sighed as if it was very heavy, then reluctantly released her tight embrace.
As soon as Akane got out from under the blanket and got down from the bed, the cold night air immediately attacked.
"Hufttt... the temperature at night is even colder." She murmured while shivering, her hands rubbing her naked arms and shoulders seeking warmth.
Behind her, from the bed, a quite audible sound of swallowing was heard.
"Gulp..."
Hearing that, a small and triumphant smile appeared on Akane's lips.
(So, Azlan-kun isn't uninterested in a woman's body. He just hides it very well.)
With that thought, she turned to face the bed, her slender naked body standing fully exposed in the dim moonlight that slipped in.
"How about it? Have you seen enough?"
That question was like a whip awakening Azlan from his trance state. He immediately turned his head sharply in another direction.
"S-Sorry! I didn't mean to!"
"Ahaha, it's okay." Akane answered casually, starting to look for her scattered clothes. "I don't mind being seen by you, Azlan-kun. If it's you, look as much as you want, I wouldn't even mind letting you touch me."
"Don't. Tempt me like that." Azlan interrupted quickly, his voice still sounding tense and his face still turned away. "Respect yourself. You're not that cheap. Never let any random man see or touch you like this."
Hearing those words, instead of being offended, the smile on Akane's face grew wider and warmer.
"Azlan-kun cares about me." Her voice was soft and full of emotion. "Don't worry. Without needing to be told, I will never degrade my own dignity. But..."
She paused briefly, then continued with a smaller voice, but full of conviction.
"Azlan-kun is special, and only Azlan-kun has the right to see and touch me like this."
Azlan: "😐"
He could only remain silent, his face trying to hide the storm of emotions inside over Akane's bold statement that he was "special".
While Azlan was still digesting the meaning, Akane had already started moving. She took her underwear and put it on quickly. Then, she took a bra. She held it, then turned to face Azlan who was still lying down, extending the bra toward him.
"Azlan-kun, please hook this in the back for me."
"C-Can't you do it yourself? I... I don't know how to do it."
For some reason, Azlan felt Akane was becoming more aggressive lately. Or perhaps, since the snow incident, something had changed.
"Usually I can, but usually I need to see a mirror to make sure it's hooked properly. You can see for yourself, right, there's no mirror in this room."
Akane looked around the gloomy room to reinforce her reason.
"If I try it myself, it might end up backward or too loose. Please help, Azlan-kun? Just this once."
Her eyes sparkled pleadingly, combined with logic that sounded reasonable (although actually she could do it by feel alone), making Azlan finally give in.
"...Alright."
With careful movements due to his wounds, Azlan slowly sat on the edge of the bed. Akane immediately turned around, showing him her back, revealing her smooth and slender back, as well as the dangling bra straps.
Azlan extended his hand, his fingers feeling stiff. He tried to focus only on the two small hooks at the end of those straps. With full concentration and trying desperately not to notice the curve of Akane's spine or the softness of her exposed skin, he managed to hook the two parts together on the first try.
"Done."
Immediately, he pulled his hand back as if electrocuted.
"Thank you so much, Azlan-kun~" Akane replied with a cheerful voice, still facing away.
(Azlan-kun's embarrassed reaction is really adorable.) She thought to herself, a small smile blooming on her lips.
Akane decided not to tease Azlan further for now. Deftly, she continued putting on her clothes.
The rustling sound of fabric was heard in the room. The sound of a wool sweater sliding over skin, the sound of pants buckle, then the sound of fine silk as she put on a pair of long black stockings. Those stockings gently wrapped her slender legs and thighs, adding an elegant touch to her charming appearance.
After ready, Akane turned to face Azlan, who was still sitting on the edge of the bed with a calm face.
"Because I usually store fresh food ingredients in the fridge to keep them fresh, here we only have canned food and instant noodles available. Azlan-kun doesn't mind, right?" Akane asked while opening her 4D Pocket, looking at him with a bit of guilt.
"I told you before, I'm not picky about food. Whatever you cook will definitely be delicious." Azlan answered while leaning against the pillow.
A small smile appeared on Akane's lips hearing that answer she could have predicted.
"Alright then."
With practiced movements, she began taking out various equipment from her 4D Pocket.
First, a portable oil stove that still looked new. Then, a small non-stick coated pot, a stainless steel water kettle, several packs of chicken onion flavored instant noodles, a can of corned beef, a can of sweet corn, and a small bottle of cooking oil.
Finally, she took out a rechargeable LED lamp that could adjust brightness, illuminating the dark corner of the room with bright white light, chasing away shadows and making the atmosphere feel more alive.
In that lamp's light, Akane began working. She poured water into the kettle and lit the stove.
A small hissing sound and stable blue flame immediately warmed the atmosphere. While waiting for the water to boil, Akane opened the cans with a simple can opener, pouring the corned beef and corn into a small bowl.
"Ready soon."
The aroma of corned beef beginning to heat in the pot soon filled the room, mingling with the spice aroma of instant noodle seasoning she poured into another bowl.
"..."
Azlan sat quietly, watching her. In the bright lamp light, Akane's silhouette busy at the makeshift kitchen was very clear.
The sound of bubbling boiling water, the sizzle of oil, and the aroma of simple food beginning to smell created an illusion—an illusion of normalcy, a home, a household.
At this moment, a quote from his father echoed in his thoughts: "A place without family cannot be called a home, only a resting place."
(Family, huh...)