Tsunagari

Chapter LXVI.

In the evening...

'Hime, is it you who has prepared all of it?' Saien Natsume-sensei asked me, just after we had finished taking dinner, his expression amazed.

We were all siting at the same table in the communal dining room. Shunsui was not very happy that the red-haired male was sitting with us, and he had been sulking during the whole meal. In fact, he still was.

Lowering my head and blushing a little, I nodded in answer.

'It was really, very delicious!'

I blushed even deeper.

'Th-Thank you.'

As I got to my feet, preparing to carry our plates back to the kitchen, suddenly, the red-haired male proposed to help me. And even before I could say anything, he had already started to clear the table.

I was extremely surprised by his sudden change of attitude, and bowing down, I thanked him again.

'You're welcome,' he told me, smilingly.

I couldn't help but watch him out from the corner of my eyes as he accompanied me to the kitchen. When we had entered the room, we made directly for the sink to put all the plates and glasses we were carrying in it. But he didn't leave it to this. He also helped me collect all the other utensils that I had used to put them in the sink as well.

He took a box of cigarette out of his pocket after that and open it.

I didn't know that he smokes.

'Do you mind if I smoke one?' he asked me, and I shook my head rapidly in answer, telling him, 'Please don't deprive yourself because of me.'

At this, his eyes widened at me a little, and he gave me a smile, before he brought one of the cigarettes to his mouth and lit it up.

I had been about to thank him again for his help when, suddenly, I noticed that the red-haired man was fixating me with a strange look.

I scratched my cheek, feeling a bit intrigued.

Against all expectations, he slipped his hands under my armpits to lift me up, as if, I was a toddler.

I panicked; my face reddening.

'Wha- Wha- What are you doing?'

'You really have no weight!' he stated, when he had set me down onto my feet on the floor again.

He- He picked me up to check my weight?!

I cringed.

Why did he do that?!

'Hime, I wanted to tell you that... I'm sorry for having been so rude with you school,' he declared. 'I have not stopped behaving like a real jerk!'

'It's okay,' I told him, sincerely. 'It's already forgotten.'

A large grin spread over his face.

'Hime, I promise you that from now on, you will always be able to count on me to protect you in every situation whatsoever, and that whether it is at school or in your life. From this moment onwards, you may consider me as your god-father! If one day, you find yourself in any problem or situation of danger, you can count on me to run to your rescue! It's my promise to you!'

My eyes went wide at him.

'Natsume-sensei...'

'Ah, don't call me like that! We're not at school right now. You may call me Saien.'

Eh?

'But- But I can't do that!' I asserted, fervently, before I lowered my eyes and murmured, with a blush, 'But I could call you Saien-sensei if you want!'