CH 28.3

"Hey."

I call out to Spica, who continues to cling tightly to my back.

"What?"

"How long do you continue to stay like this?"

I mean, she is hugging me for some time.

“...Are you really asking me this?"

"I do.”

Because it's hard to move. If there are no people in this place, I'm still concerned when we stay like this outside.

“...Sun-kun, you're such a disappointment sometimes.”

"That's me.”

"I know. ...More than that, you are sly."

...I don't know, but I feel like it's not a bad word. 

Spica sneaks out from behind my back. As I watch in a daze, Spica, realizing she is being stared at, covers her face with my cloak again.

I point to her and say, "You look terrible, all swollen and crying.

“...Spica."

My voice is softened.

"Hahaha!"

Spica laughs.

She steps out of her cloak, stands in front of me, and gives me a big smile. It is a carefree, crumpled smile all over her face.

While her face is swollen from crying, and part of her face is red from pressing her face against mine.

Even so, the smile is as clear as the blue sky, with no hint of cloudiness.

It is more impressive than any other expression I've ever seen.

Seeing this, my heart fills with something like a sense of relief. If I’m not careful, I might say something unnecessary.

"Your hat is off and your hair is a mess."

I point it out as if I’m embarrassed.

Spica turns her head away in disbelief, flashes her red ears at me, and fumbles to fix her hair.

"It's not there. ...Not there either."

In order to give a helping hand, I reach out to her as she struggles, but my hand is quickly avoided.

...Hey.

I reach out my hand. She avoids me. I reach out my hand again and she does it again.

Her silver hair swings left and right as if to agitate me. Spica laughs and runs around me, oblivious to her hat being out of place.

...Haha, let's do it. 

In the beginning, I can only depend on my physical abilities as a human, but I just can't beat the dragon-man.

As my body wraps in mana, Spica raises a voice of complaint.

"It's not fair!”

I don’t care what she says. The result is all that matters in this world. Hahaha.

I chase after her at a much faster speed than before and reach out her hand. I’m able to catch Spica so easily that I’m taken aback.

I grab her arm, but the impact causes her to almost fall down.

It’s dangerous. I grab her firmly with both hands and hold her tightly from behind.

This is much more embarrassing than the former ones.

My heart beats violently. I can hear it thud, thud, thud.

I feel a soft sensation in my hand. The faint scent of a girl. Her face is bright red, but she didn't seem to be displeased.

This makes me even more nervous as time passes silently.

“...Hey you"

“...What" 

"Catch me properly"