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CHAPTER 09
❝ DON'T YOU KNOW TOO MUCH ALREADY? ❞
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡︎♡︎♡︎ EVERYTHING WAS A rush and a blur. My hands trembled as I hugged my girls closer to me, but I acted calm every time they'd look at me. Hazuki was clutching onto my yukata, frantically looking back and forth from my face to the open balcony. Hizuki, on the other hand, held onto my arm while hugging her bag that was filled with her clothes.
It was already an hour past ten, exactly the time Akaza had told us to wait at the balcony. I was not certain if this plan of ours will work, especially since we had two children with us. It took me a lot to convince Hizuki that Akaza can be trusted, though I understand her skepticism. Demons are demons, we should always be cautious around them, but the thought of being so wary around the man I love felt so hurtful inside.
A few minutes have passed and I began to worry. My girls were starting to get a bit restless, thinking that the plan wouldn't go through, and I was starting to think so too.
That is until Akaza suddenly appeared, leaping on the railings of the balcony while panting softly. Since Hizuki was the last to meet him, she quickly hid behind me, feeling quite hesitant to greet him. I didn't push her or force her, but I smiled at Akaza and gestured for him to come closer.
"It's okay, Hizuki," I spoke softly to her, petting her hair and waiting for her to move. She did after several seconds, peeking behind my clothes and waving timidly at him. Akaza bowed to her in response.
The shy greetings soon came to an end as a noise came from outside my room, alerting all of us. I hurriedly nudged my girls to Akaza, giving him our luggages.
"Get them away from here! Quickly!" I ushered them out of my balcony with my heart banging against my chest and a sound ringing in my ears. There was a moment of hesitation as the girls and Akaza looked at me, Hazuki had her hand on my yukata, pulling on it with a terrified look.
I hurriedly knelt to her height, gently taking her hand off with a reassuring smile. "Akaza will take care of you, okay? He'll make sure to keep you safe while big sister distracts Ririko."
Before I could close the door to my balcony, Hizuki grabbed my hand. "Will Akaza get you after?"
I hesitated, my eyes flicking from my demon lover to Hizuki. I gulped.
"He will."
.
.
.
My hands continued to shake as I resumed my knitting, my heart still pounding inside of me. Approximately four minutes have passed since Akaza had left with my girls. I was certain that he would take care of them while I stay behind for a few more hours, just to make sure my adoptive mother was distracted and I could come up with an excuse why they were out. Although there was no need for that since soon I'll be leaving too, I just didn't want to leave this place without showing my face to her one last time.
No more noise came from outside of my room, though there was a faint smell of alcohol and smoke. I assume it was her since she was the only one in the house that was consistently smoking and drinking every night. It was why she hardly notices if there was a sound from my room, she would be drunk and most likely already fast asleep by the time Akaza arrives.
After nearly half an hour of waiting, there was the sound of someone landing that came from the balcony. I stayed in my spot, knowing that if it was Akaza then he would either knock first or he'd open the doors himself.
Soon my doors slid open once more, Akaza stepped in, even more breathless than before.
"Are the girls okay?" Was the first thing I asked as he took my hand and led me to my balcony. He looked back at me with a reassuring gaze, nodding wordlessly before swiftly taking me off my feet.
My arms found their way to his shoulders, preparing myself for the sudden impact once he jumps off. But before he could depart, I looked at the inside of my room for one last time, sighing softly.
Not only will I leave behind my life as a courtesan, I'll be leaving Mitsuki behind too. She will no longer be part of me once Akaza leaps away, and I'll finally be myself.
I could not help but shed a tear, burying my head into the crook of Akaza's neck and sighing once more.
Goodbye, Mitsuki.
And Akaza finally jumped.
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END OF CHAPTER
A/N : Extremely short chap lol. I was thinking whether I should kill Mitsukuni off by having a random demon appear and kill everyone in the house or should Douma suddenly appear in the forest that the small house the girls were staying in and he'd kill them.
