CH 108

Sharing Bed

TLN: Futon more like….

“Ahh, I’m tired…….”

Kisei said as he lazily stretched on top of his futon. After dinner, the two were led to a vacant room so that they can rest for the day. Since the children were pestering them with all kinds of questions throughout the dinner, it’s only reasonable for them to be tired out.

“Those children…….they are amazing aren’t they.”

“Yeah, well…….we Vuld usually have to take care of our immediate younger sister after all. I’m already used to it but is this your first time seeing a family like this, Kisei?”

Sitting cross-legged on her own futon, Saki asked with a smile. The family prepared 2 bedrooms for them at first but when Saki learned that Kisei was pushed down by the children, she requested to sleep in the same room with him. It appears that she regretted not being there to protect him as she was taking a bath at the time.

“I guess so. The only sibling I have is my older sister after all. I don’t have any relatives that are around the same age as me either. That’s why I don’t really have any chance to talk with children that age.”

Kisei replies while waving his hand. His father ran off somewhere from an early age and his mother was always sick so she had to stay in the hospital. For him, who is already used to a lonely family with only his sister, such a noisy dining table was almost alien to him.

“Rather, when they suddenly climbed on me, I was surprised you know. Is it normal for Vuld children to do that?”

“Well, yeah. My place was mostly like this too.”

Recalling what happened in the dining room, Kisei asked. There were so many mothers and children in the room so it felt like he was in a classroom at school instead of a common household’s dining room. Knowing that this is ordinary for a Vuld family, Kisei can’t help but feel shocked.

“That’s amazing……..”

“Hahaha, good job your own against them earlier.”

Saki leaned over to Kisei and gently stroked his head. She seems to be very familiar with this so perhaps she did the same to her younger sisters in the past.

“Ahh……”

Saki hurriedly withdrew her hand when Kisei groaned with an awkward expression.

“My bad, was I acting too familiar?”

“No, it’s not like that.”

After shaking his head sideways, Kisei stood up and grabbed Saki’s hand.

Having her hand grabbed all of a sudden, Saki’s cheeks turn red.

“I thought I always trouble everyone, you see.”

“L, Like who?.”

“Like you, Saki.”

After letting her hand go, Kisei looked out the window. It’s already dark outside and the starlight is illuminating the forest.

With a slightly disappointed expression, Saki holds her now emptied hand.

“You must have been troubled right, having to stick with me all the time. If we weren’t saved by the people here, we might have already starved to death.”

“Well…….”

Saki crossed her arms and frowned. She was about to tell him that he’s being too distant but before she could, Kisei continued.

“Most likely, there will be another battle before we can meet up with our allies. Most of our ammo and propellant are already gone so it’s definitely going to be harsh on us.”

“Seriously?”

Saki moaned with a sullen expression. Due to their reckless plan of breaking through the enemy formation, their strikers are mostly depleted of the necessary supplies. Even Saki’s signature move, the Electromagnetic Slash can not retain its accuracy. It’s not that big of a deal but they are not in a state where they can fight properly.

“The enemy commander is very capable. Moreover, I have her full attention. It’s strange that she didn’t show up yet. I’m sure that she is laying a trap for us somewhere.”

“Th, that woman’s no joke after all……”

“Well, all is good as long as we win. It will be super troublesome to deal with her but I’m looking forward to it………”

Said Kisei with a grin. He doesn’t seem to be discouraged at all. On the other hand, Saki’s expression turned even more strained.

“So, since you have to go along with my hobby, I’m feeling somewhat guilty you see.”

“No matter how much you like playing with fire, there should be a limit, you know.”

“Well, that’s true. Still, the next battle will be one that both I and her will give it our all. There aren’t many things that can excite me like this.”

“You really have a strange hobby. I do get excited by fighting a good enemy myself but you are just built different.”

When Saki pointed that out, Kisei shyly scratched his cheek. Naturally, Kisei himself is also aware of his bad habit.

“Just being alive is not that much fun after all. The only time I get to be someone that matters is inside a striker’s cockpit. I can move however I want, and I can seriously fight others too.”

“……..Don’t start spouting nonsense now. Inside a striker or not, you are still you right.”

Feeling that strangely unpleasant atmosphere, Saki faced Kisei. Kisei is still smiling but somehow, his smile looked strangely sad.

“Well…….until I started fighting in a striker, I couldn’t even earn my sister’s medical fee you know. I tried a lot of things before I decided to become a mercenary too………but it was all useless. My body is weak and I’m clumsy with my hand. It’s not like I’m good at using my head either.”

“……….”

Kisei’s words sound so meek that it doesn’t seem like they came from him, who’s always optimistic about everything. Unable to say anything, Saki can only look into his eyes.

“That’s why I was so happy that I’m so good at piloting strikers. As long as I’m in a cockpit, I can help anyone in need and fight anyone I want.”

“Stop it, talking like that.”

After clenching her teeth, Saki squeezed her voice out. To her, Kisei sounded like he only valued himself as a pilot. And that is unacceptable to Saki.

“But…..”

“Shut up.”

Interrupting his words, Saki suddenly stood up. She then turned off the lamp and hugged Kisei. Just like that, they get into the futon together.

“Who cares about you being a pilot. Just become my hug pillow tonight.”

“H, How did it come to that.”

Kisei was surprised and tried to wiggle out but he couldn’t escape Saki’s firm embrace. The soft-touch on his back also made him a little uncomfortable. He usually has his guard up and always puts on a poker face but due to his tiredness and Saki’s suddenness, he couldn’t fix his expression. That’s why, in this rare moment, his face turned bright red.

“I don’t want to hear you rationalizing everything anymore. Tonight you are my hug pillow! Any problem!?”

“N, No, ma’am…..”

If Saki’s willing to go that far then Kisei has no choice but to give up. He can’t escape her arms no matter what he does and it doesn’t seem like she’s going to do anything more than that either. That’s why he gave up resisting and decided to stay quiet.

“L, Let’s sleep then! We have to wake up early tomorrow. We wouldn’t want to bother the people here too much after all.”

“Yeah.”

Already giving up, Kisei indifferently shut his eyes. In the pitch-black room, the only sensation he felt was Saki’s body temperature. Thinking that this is not so bad, Kisei relaxed his body and eventually fell asleep.

“……..”

However, that is not the case with Saki. Since Kisei is trusting her not to assault him, she can’t betray his trust. However, asking her to not get excited at all is still impossible.

In the end, her eyes stayed wide open until midnight.