Chapter : 10
The after-school chime rang out, and silence settled over the school building.
Akari was managing the handicrafts club all by herself.
She was sewing fabric spread out on the desk with a needle.
While tucking her hair behind her ear, she let out a sigh.
The clubroom was quiet—and a little lonely.
But today was different.
There was a knock on the door, and Yuu and Mio peeked inside.
“Akari-san, excuse us…”
The boy’s hair was tinted by the evening sun, and his eyes trembled slightly.
Mio raised one hand and smiled.
“Yo, Akari.”
Akari put down her needle, stood up, and invited them to sit.
“Well, come in. No one ever comes to the handicrafts club anyway…”
The three of them gathered around a small table.
The air in the clubroom became faintly tense, almost sweet.
But Akari’s gaze locked onto the boy, sharpening instantly.
She sat down heavily in front of him, crossed her arms, and glared.
“So you’ve been kissing Mio too, huh?”
Mio waved his hands in panic.
“That couldn’t be helped! We were just trying to turn bunny-ified Yuu back to normal… it was basically an accident!”
There was a hint of embarrassment on his face.
Akari shot him a glance and snapped,
“Shut up.”
Then she turned back to the boy.
The boy lowered his eyes awkwardly and replied in a small voice.
“…Yes. I’m sorry, Akari-san.”
His shoulders shrank slightly.
Akari sighed and continued.
“No matter how much of a prince you are, if you start putting your hands on everyone like this, the school’s morals are going to fall apart. Try to have some restraint.”
The boy’s expression clouded sadly, his eyes welled up, and he bit his lip in dejection.
He curled up like a scolded baby rabbit.
“…I’m sorry. I keep causing trouble for everyone…”
Seeing this, Mio felt a pang in his chest and stepped in to support him.
“Well, it’s not like Akari or I meant it either—it was an accident. It’s just Yuu’s condition, right? Nobody’s mad.”
He patted the boy’s shoulder cheerfully.
Akari shot Mio a sharp glare that pierced him like a blade.
But when she looked back at the boy’s dejected face, her chest tightened. She couldn’t just leave him like that.
Her mouth moved on its own.
“…Training.”
The boy immediately looked up.
“Training…?”
Akari quickly turned her face away, her cheeks slightly red.
“Yes. Training. If you stay like this—having no resistance to women—more and more ‘victims’… I mean, people you kiss are going to increase. You won’t even be able to function at school.”
Her voice rose slightly.
Mio narrowed his eyes in amusement.
“Training? What kind? Sounds interesting.”
His curiosity stirred the air.
Akari avoided his gaze and folded her fingers together, thinking.
“Well… I don’t know exactly. Maybe holding hands? Or… practicing hugs? If you gradually get used to it, maybe you’ll build resistance.”
Her voice grew smaller, the red of the sunset blending into her cheeks.
Mio chuckled.
“Akari, you’re surprisingly innocent!”
He teased her lightly.
Akari’s face turned bright red in an instant.
“W-what did you just say!? Innocent!? Idiot!”
The moment Mio’s words lightly pricked her heart—his attention had already shifted back to the boy.
In his eyes now was his usual playful mischief, mixed with a faint warmth.
The atmosphere in the clubroom slowly shifted, becoming sweet and heavy under the evening light. Everyone could feel it.
Mio leaned in slowly and gently placed his hand on the boy’s cheek.
His palm was strong from sports, yet warm.
The boy’s silver-white hair brushed lightly against Mio’s fingers.
Mio’s fingertips traced his cheek—like he was carefully confirming something precious.
“I’ll gladly help with that much.”
Mio’s voice was low, sweetened.
His usual energetic tone was subdued, falling like a whisper near the boy’s ear.
His breath tickled the boy’s skin.
Mio’s lips curved into a faint smile as his eyes locked onto the boy’s.
Inside them was both playfulness and genuine kindness.
With his other hand, Mio slowly intertwined their fingers.
The boy’s fingers were delicate like glasswork, but Mio’s palm gently enveloped them.
A warm sensation spread through him, fingers locking together like they were meant to be.
It felt like a lover’s promise.
Their heartbeats reached each other, syncing in rhythm.
“How about it? Does this still make your heart race?”
Mio’s voice dropped even lower.
His breath at the boy’s ear brushed his neck like feathers, teasing his senses.
Mio watched him closely, as if testing his reaction with gentle curiosity.
The boy’s eyes widened.
The warmth of Mio’s hand, the interlocked fingers, and his whispering voice overlapped, warping the world.
The heat of the palm on his cheek melted his skin, and the entwined fingers accelerated his heartbeat.
His vision wavered, his breathing grew shallow, and a storm raged in his chest.
The scent of Mio—sweat mixed with shampoo—stimulated his instincts.
No… I can’t take it…!
His body trembled with heat, ears tingling, vision blurring.
With a soft, almost cute yet heartbreaking “poyon” sound, the boy transformed into a rabbit again.
Silver fur shimmered in the evening light, long ears twitching nervously as he shrank in Mio’s hands.
His small eyes were moist with embarrassment and confusion, his tiny paws weakly gripping Mio’s fingers.
He looked like something fragile begging to be protected, instantly making the atmosphere in the room sweet and heated.
“Ahh… man…”
Mio gave a wry smile and lifted the rabbit.
Akari’s eyes widened as she stood up.
“What are you doing!? Of course he’ll turn into a rabbit if you suddenly touch him like that!”
The atmosphere in the room grew heated all at once.
Trying to hide his embarrassment, Mio pulled the rabbit close.
“Alright, I’ll turn him back…”
He kissed it.
His lips touched the small rabbit’s mouth.
A faint light enveloped the boy.
Akari quickly turned away.
Not again… Mio’s just doing it so casually…!
The light faded, and the boy returned to human form.
Still in Mio’s arms, he gasped for breath and hurriedly fixed his clothes.
His hair was messy, and he looked down shyly.
Mio stretched his arms toward the ceiling.
“I didn’t see anything this time—don’t worry, Prince.”
His voice carried a teasing tone.
Akari’s eyebrow twitched.
“What do you mean ‘this time’!? What exactly did you see before?!”
Mio looked at her from under his eyes and grinned.
“I think it’s the same thing you saw.”
There was a slightly teasing kindness in his words.
Akari remembered the scene from the infirmary and flushed bright red, lowering her head.
“S-shut up! Just forget it!”
She collapsed face-first onto the desk.
The boy finally finished getting dressed, steadied his breathing, and stood up.
“…This is going to be tough.”
He gave a self-mocking smile and looked between the two of them.
Akari lifted her head again.
“Don’t you dare say that! Training starts seriously tomorrow. Be ready, you stupid prince!”
There was a sting in her words, but kindness lingered beneath her gaze.
The evening sun stretched their shadows long across the clubroom, and faint laughter echoed softly.
