Chapter 960: A Very Old Special SS 4

<Author's Notes>

※ Please note that these stories were posted for the Light Novel's Volume 1 (from the beginning to around the date with Kuro)

※ This story is about Kuro and Shiro, around the time when they weren't dating Kaito yet, so they're rather innocent.

[……I feel that something's wrong.]

In the peaceful afternoon, while we enjoyed chatting with each other over a cup of delicious tea, Kuro suddenly said that and stood up.

Well, it isn't unusual for Kuro to say something out of the blue, but I don't have a good feeling about what she's about to say now.

[Something's wrong, you say…… What do you mean?]

[……The formation…… I guess?]

Ahh, this really would turn out into something troublesome. After all, she supposedly answered my question, but her answer is just filled with mysteries that it doesn't make any sense……

And in fact, besides me and Kuro, there was one other person who was drinking tea, as if she didn't care about what's happening around her.

[With that being the case, Shiro! Let's go with Plan B!]

[What's Plan B?]

[I don't know, but just go along with it!]

[I see.]

The one who proposed the plan also doesn't have any plan!? Heck, Shiro-san, why are you even nodding your head at her words?

Yes, as I had promised before, today, I was going to have tea with Kuro and Shiro at the floating garden…… but it doesn't seem like the day would end peacefully.

Just like that, making eye contact with each other, Kuro and Shiro-san nodded her head without any hesitation.

Thereupon, Shiro-san lightly waved her finger, and as the table and tea disappeared, the "shape of the chair I was sitting on" changed.

I was supposed to be sitting on an ordinary chair for one person, but for some reason, it turned into a long horizontal one, just like the benches in parks. It was as if someone would sit beside me…… Alright, let's run.

Arehh? That's weird…… My body won't move? What's happening here? They must have done something, right?  They used some kind of magic to pin me down in place, right?

As I had such a thought in mind, Kuro and Shiro-san sat down on the chair that became long enough for us three to sit together, with me in-between them.

[Unnn. Now this is perfect!]

[W- What is!?]

[……Operation R, I think?]

[Didn't you say that you're going with Plan B!?]

Kuro, who had definitely come up with this idea, sat down next to me and smiled. She looked so cute that it made my heart skip a bit.

Geez, since it's like this already, I guess it couldn't be helped. I knew very well that I couldn't escape here, so I just gave up on that.

However…… Why are you "hugging my right arm"!? It feels sof…… this isn't the time for that!

[K- Kuro!? W- What are you……]

[Hmmm~~, Kaito-kun's so warm~~]

[No, I'm not asking you how you feel……]

Kuro was clinging to my arm, rubbing her cheek against it. I could feel my face getting very flushed as I called out to her, but Kuro didn't seem to mind at all, seemingly enjoying herself.

T- This is bad. I don't really know what exactly is bad, but still, this is bad.

I could feel Kuro's body heat from the close contact, and my head started to feel fuzzy. It feels like my body is floating just like those times I had a fever. Even so, I managed to keep my cool, but cruelly kicking away such a thought, I was pursued with another attack.

[………………..]

[Wait! Shiro-san, what are you doing!?]

[Plan B.]

[Seriously, what the heck is Plan B!? Wait, they're touching me……]

From the opposite side of the arm Kuro is holding on to….. On my left arm, Shiro-san hugged me, imitating Kuro. This marshmallow-like feeling pressed against my arm, this is definitely Shiro-san's…… awawawa.

[Unnn, now this is perfect!]

[W- What is?]

[Eh? The current Kaito-kun is "holding a flower in each hand", so this should be the perfect formation, right?]

[Because there's that saying, you're going to make me a monster holding a flower in each hand!? No, in the first place, it was just a metaphor, so you don't have to physically cling onto me, okay!?]

[Is that so? ……Well, don't mind, don't mind. Now, let's resume our tea.]

My cries of panic at the situation of being sandwiched between a beautiful girl and a beautiful woman don't reach the smiling Kuro's ears. When Kuro announced that we should resume our tea, Shiro-san waved a finger and a long horizontal table appeared in front of us. ……The front was blocked too. Seriously, I can't run anymore.

[Fufufu, I've actually prepared a new baby castella for today.]

[……What is this? I have a really bad feeling about this.]

The usual baby castellas were tasty…… enough for me to think that Kuro's true identity isn't the Underworld King, and she's actually the Spirit of Baby Castellas.

Well, it wouldn't be a problem if the baby castellas coming out were the usual…… but the problem is how she called them "new".

When I heard that, I was immediately reminded of that wasabi-filled baby castella I had once eaten. It would be great if it isn't like that. At least, I hope that it's at least something proper……

[Why the heck is it "silver-colored"!?]

That's strange, the baby castella I know of is brown. No, it generally should be brown-colored.

Well, of course, I've seen orange-colored bread and the like, so I suppose it wouldn't be strange for something to be kneaded into the dough to change the color.

However, errr…… What ingredients did she use to have a "metallic silver" color? Did she mix mercury into it? It'll kill you, you know? Unnn, that definitely kills you. This is definitely something I shouldn't eat.

[Now, come on, Kaito-kun. Eat it~~]

[………………..]

The words she said with a big smile on her face sounded like a death sentence to my ears. No, no, this thing's no good. This thing has a color that humans shouldn't be eating, you know!?

I want to run away. But if I tell her that I don't want to eat it, Kuro will be sad. I don't want to see Kuro looking sad, but even if that's so, I don't want to put that horrible object in my mouth.

Damned if I do, damned if I don't…… I'm locked in a stalemate.

[……N- No, you see…… M- My hands are full so……]

Even though I said that in desperation, in fact, my right arm is being held by Kuro and my left arm is being held by Shiro-san. It doesn't seem like they want to let go of my hand, isn't this a good escape route for something I just thought of in an instant?

[Then, "I'll feed you".]

[…………….]

……Reality sure is ruthless. When Kuro heard my words, she smiled, picked up a baby castella and held it out to my mouth.

I now find myself in a wonderful situation where a cute and beautiful girl is holding out food to my mouth. This should have been a situation I'd be happy about. ……If only the food she's holding out to me is a one-way ticket to hell……

[Here, Kaito-kun. Ahhhn.]

[……A- Ahhhn.]

Overpowered by Kuro's cuteness, feeling chills all over my body, I slowly opened my trembling mouth.

Thrown into my mouth was the lump of silver, having incredible softness unimaginable from how it looks…… and a "bad taste" that made my hair stand on end……

[………………….]

[Kaito-kun?]

What the heck is this taste? It was as if it was boiled under muddy water, coated with chocolate, and topped with tabasco and whipped cream…… Bitterness, sweetness, spiciness and sourness…… All of them mixed together and spread in my mouth as a horribly bad taste.

My stomach felt like it was going to burst. My whole body is refusing to eat it. Let alone swallow, my will rejects chewing whatever it is in my mouth.

Even so, even when tears dripped down my eyes, even if I'm heading for my death, I desperately swallowed. Breathing hard, I managed to get over it and felt relieved, before I slowly asked Kuro.

[……K- Kuro…… Have you tasted this?]

[No. I thought I'd let Kaito-kun eat it first……]

[……I- I see…… You see, this…… Mghh!?]

……This tasted so bad that I felt like dying. The moment I was about to say those words though, for some reason, "another one" was thrown into my mouth.

The unprecedented bad taste that struck me once again triggered my brain's defense instincts, and my consciousness rapidly faded away.

[K- Kaito-kun!? A- Are you alright!? G- Get a grip!]

[……Kuro…… From now on…… taste…… it first……]

[Kaito-kuuuuuuun!?]

As my consciousness fades, I only glanced at her…… The culprit who had imitated Kuro and threw a silver baby castella into my mouth, curiously tilting her head at me.

Shiro-san…… You really are……