Chapter 44: Embrace

Carmilla tried to pull her hand free, but Yuriko’s grip was firm.

With her strength, she couldn’t break away at all.

“Why are you still stopping me? I want to go home… Are you afraid I’ll tell others about you? If you’re worried, you can do anything you want to me, as long as it reassures you.”

‘I would never do that to you!’

Yuriko wanted to say that to Carmilla, but did she really have the right to? Could she still call herself a friend?

As someone from the underworld, someone who had personally hurt countless people, did she really deserve to be Carmilla’s friend… to continue staying by her side?

Carmilla held her arm and lowered her head, like a wounded fawn.

“If possible, please don’t hurt me. If something like that happens, the Academy will investigate, and it won’t be good for you.”

At that moment, Yuriko felt her heart being tightly clenched.

Even now, Carmilla was still thinking about her.

She was so gentle, so kind… and yet Yuriko had hurt her.

She didn’t want to see Carmilla sad.

She didn’t want this gentle girl to wear such a sorrowful expression.

So Yuriko opened her arms and gently hugged her from behind.

“I’m sorry.”

Carmilla’s body trembled slightly as she struggled weakly.

Even though she was so weak, was she still afraid of hurting Yuriko?

“Ruri didn’t do anything wrong. I was the one who misunderstood. I’m the one who should apologize.”

‘That’s not true.’

“I like you.”

Carmilla’s struggle stopped instantly.

A trace of surprise and confusion appeared on her face, but it quickly turned into loneliness.

“I know. Ruri is kind and likes everyone…”

“That’s not it!”

Yuriko cut her off anxiously, not even realizing her voice had become too loud.

“I liked you from the very first time we met. You’re so beautiful, your voice sounds so nice, and your personality is so soft—soft like a cream puff. I like everything about you!”

The loneliness on Carmilla’s face began to fade, replaced by a blush that spread from her cheeks to the tips of her ears.

“When we became desk mates, I was actually really happy. It meant I could stay with you and talk to you more often. When you said you were my friend, my chest felt warm. It was the first time I ever felt that way!”

“It’s because I like you so much that I didn’t want you to know. I didn’t want you to see my violent side. I was afraid of disappointing you. I didn’t want you to hate me… I didn’t want you to be afraid of me!”

“Please… just pretend you don’t know anything, okay?”

Yuriko collapsed to the ground.

Her arms loosened and released Carmilla, no longer stopping her.

If Carmilla still didn’t want to accept her, she could leave right now.

That final plea was so humble, like a small dog begging its owner for mercy, making Carmilla’s heart ache.

“So Ruri, you like me this much… I’m really happy.”

Carmilla knelt down and pulled Yuriko into her arms.

She gently stroked Yuriko’s head, letting Yuriko bury her face in her embrace, soothing her softly.

“I like Ruri too. The feeling you give me is completely different from my previous friends. Maybe it’s because you smell nice, maybe it’s because you’re very gentle to me, or maybe it’s because you rely on me. I can’t say exactly why, but just seeing you every day and talking to you makes me happy.”

‘And when you begged me like that just now, my heart was beating so fast. I really wanted to agree to everything you said.’

Yuriko lay quietly in Carmilla’s arms, letting herself be stroked.

The faint fragrance around her made her feel at ease.

“So, I won’t accept your request.”

“Huh?”

Yuriko raised her head, confusion on her face.

“Why? Didn’t you say you like me?”

“That’s right. Precisely because I like Ruri, I can’t accept it.”

Carmilla pressed her forehead against Yuriko’s and continued:

“I actually noticed it a long time ago. Ruri has been acting all this time, forcing herself to appear perfect. You want to play the role of a model student in front of everyone and surpass Olesia in popularity, right?”

“How did you know? I clearly…”

“Maybe it’s because I observe carefully. I know the real Ruri isn’t as perfect as she seems on the surface, but I don’t dislike that. I understand how you feel. Ruri must have her own reasons.”

“As your friend, I want to understand you more and support you, instead of being just another person you act in front of. So I want to know the real Ruri. Is that okay?”

Yuriko opened her mouth.

After a long pause, she softly replied, “Okay…”

A smile bloomed again on Carmilla’s face.

She let go of the hug and extended her pinky finger.

“Then let’s make a promise. Ruri has to treat me as a real friend, and when we’re alone, don’t play the perfect Ruri anymore, okay?”

Yuriko looked down at her finger, then slowly extended her own and hooked it with Carmilla’s.

“Once we make this promise, you can’t go back on it, or I’ll get angry~”

“Mm…”

Phantom, sitting on the sofa, yawned as it watched the two reconcile.

Looks like it’s resolved.

No need to use magic to erase Carmilla’s memory.

Yuriko stood up from the ground and looked at Carmilla.

“Can I hug you?”

“Anytime.”

Carmilla opened her arms in welcome.

Yuriko embraced her, holding her tightly.

Feeling the warmth in her arms, she finally realized this wasn’t a dream, even though everything that happened today felt so unreal.

“Thank you… for accepting someone like me.”

“Isn’t that what friends are supposed to do—understand and help each other? But…”

Carmilla suddenly let go and said:

“Now that I know such a big secret, shouldn’t you give me some hush money?”

Yuriko blinked, not expecting Carmilla to suddenly ask for compensation.

“Hush money… is one hundred thousand enough?”

The number Yuriko said startled Carmilla, and she quickly waved her hands.

“I don’t want money. What I want isn’t something material.”

“Something else? But right now, the only thing I can give you is money. If you like anything in my room, I can give that to you too.”

“Not that either. What I want is—”

Carmilla looked at her and smiled gently.

“A closer way of addressing you. As the price for keeping your secret, I want to call you by your name directly. Is that okay… Yuriko?”