Dust motes danced in the faint sunlight filtering through the window of the girl's pink and white bedroom, a soft halo surrounding the two figures standing near the wardrobe. Despite the room's cozy décor, the air between the young man, Alain, and the girl, Mita, was thick with tension, heavy as a stagnant marsh.
Unexpectedly, it was Alain, not Mita, who held the conversational knife. "Is it someone else?" he asked, his voice low, his gaze fixed on the floor.
Mita, the target of his accusation, clutched at the fabric of her clothes over her chest, speechless. The question had stolen her voice, her mind reeling.
"Eh—?!" A soft, disbelieving cry escaped her slightly parted lips. She couldn't fathom how Alain had arrived at such a conclusion.
But Alain felt his suspicions were justified. If he were the husband in this scenario, Mita was the wife. Picture it: a wife desperately trying to keep her husband from looking inside a wardrobe that was making noise, claiming it was just underwear. Who would an objective observer believe? Alain was confident he'd have the majority's support, which emboldened him to press Mita on this sensitive point.
"Tell me clearly what's hidden in there."
"I... I told you, it's just underwear..."
"Underwear? That's a flimsy lie." Alain feigned a headache, leaning against the wall and rubbing his temples. "I need to reconsider our relationship, Mita."
"No... no, that's... I, you..." Mita stammered, flustered and unable to articulate a coherent response. Alain observed her struggle. Still not going to let me see? he thought. Mita's resolve was unusually firm. Even when accused of infidelity, even when their relationship was threatened, she wouldn't yield. This was a stark contrast to her usual yielding nature.
His tone softened slightly, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Just tell me what's inside."
Still no? Alain's curiosity intensified. Wait, could it actually be someone else? A flicker of panic crossed his mind. He'd been playing a game, imagining a scenario, never truly believing it was reality.
He silently chided himself to remain calm. The immediate objective was to discover the contents of the wardrobe. If Mita wouldn't let him look now, perhaps later? Alain didn't believe Mita could avoid showering indefinitely. When that time came... he would open it and see for himself.
For now, he needed to maintain the charade... and increase that system progress bar. The recent exchange had boosted it significantly, from 30% to 40%. He needed to keep the pressure on.
"Forget it..." Alain sighed, feigning resignation. He looked at Mita with an expression of understanding, then turned as if to walk towards the living room.
But Mita's hand shot out, grasping his.
"No..." Her eyes pleaded with him. Despite knowing she might be acting, Alain couldn't help but find a strange charm in this agitated, almost frantic Mita. Simultaneously, he wanted to break free from her grip.
"I have nothing more to say to you."
But even as the words left his mouth, their hands remained locked together. Alain had momentarily forgotten the girl's surprising strength.
"I won't let go." She abandoned her usual gentleness, her gaze locking onto his with a determined intensity.
You won't let go? Then I'll make you! Alain subtly scratched at Mita's palm with his nails, two or three times. The sudden ticklish sensation caused her to gasp and instinctively release him.
"What are you doing?!" Mita, momentarily believing it was a playful gesture, a sign of reconciliation, was stunned to see Alain walking towards the living room without a backward glance.
"She's quite ticklish," he muttered to himself, "a weakness discovered."
Mita's belated cry echoed behind him. "Wait a minute!"
Then, her arms, strong as shackles, wrapped around his arm, effectively halting his progress.
What kind of monstrously strong woman is this...? Alain inwardly groaned, but his face remained a mask of icy composure.
"There's nothing for you to explain. Now, immediately, take me back to the game." He turned his head to look at her.
"I'll say it again. I have nothing to say to you."
Mita's voice fell silent for a beat, then softened. "That wardrobe, you really can't open it. Inside... there's something very scary."
"...Something very scary?" He repeated her words, intrigued. Assuming she wasn't lying, something that could frighten a game character... It had to be a bug, right?
"What will happen if I open it?"
"Then, our relationship might..."
"Change? You're still saying it's not another man?!"
"It's not like that, believe me! Anyway..." Mita reached out, placing her hands on Alain's cheeks, gently turning his face to meet hers. "It's definitely not what you're thinking, I can guarantee it."
Alain realized this was Mita's final concession. He sighed, his tone softening with a hint of weary resignation. "You still need to tell me the consequences of opening it, right? To at least give me a reason to be concerned."
"Okay!" Mita shifted her feet, pausing for a moment to gather her thoughts. "If you open it, you are very likely to die."
"Then what will happen to you?" Alain's ingrained gaming instincts kicked in, prompting the follow-up question.
Mita pondered for another two seconds. "You will never see the current 'me' again."
"Okay." Alain closed his eyes, calculating his next move. Being so easily dissuaded by Mita's words would make him look weak.
"...Even after hearing all that, it's still difficult for me to accept this, Mita." Alain considered his lines, his thoughts drifting back to the wardrobe. "I need some kind of proof."
He kept his eyes closed, waiting. This was his best way out. In Alain's mind, "proof" meant a few sweet nothings, or perhaps a small detail about the wardrobe's contents. Easy for Mita, easy for him.
Speaking of which, was he standing a little too close to Mita? He could smell her perfume, and he estimated the distance between their faces was less than a palm's width, a result of Mita still holding his face.
"Eh? Proof?" Mita also became aware of their close proximity. Considering the argument they had just seemingly resolved, it felt remarkably like a scene of a couple making up, and with Alain's eyes closed...
A sudden realization dawned on Mita. She understood what kind of "proof" Alain was seeking. Proof of her feelings, of course.
"Hmm." And while there was a slight hesitation, she knew she was the root of this entire issue. So, Mita made a decision. She narrowed her eyes, tilted her head up, and slightly pursed her lips.
Hey there! I'm Wallnut-chan! 🌸 I'm translating this fanfic and restoring some +18 scenes that were cut from the original work—since explicit content isn't allowed in China. I went through everything carefully and reinserted the scenes while staying true to the story! Hope you enjoy it!
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