"Jeez, I'm coming, no need to yell so loud…"
Nao grumbled to himself as he set his swords aside and jogged lightly to the base of the wall—though his body moved far more obediently than his mouth did.
I'm here, Bunny!
He leaped effortlessly onto the five or six-meter-high wall, sitting down about half a meter from Gion.
Tonight's crescent moon was exceptionally bright and clear, its silvery brilliance spilling over the ground and onto Gion's shoulders.
Under the moonlight, her face, soft yet tinged with a heroic spirit, was turned quietly toward Nao, making his heart pound.
It was like there really was a little pink bunny curled up in his chest, setting aside her carrot, and suddenly bouncing wildly around inside his ribcage.
"Why are you sitting so far away? Scoot closer."
"I feel like this is—"
"Less talking. Move."
"...Okay."
Nao obediently shuffled closer.
Gion seemed strangely assertive tonight. Sure, she'd always had a bit of an edge, but this felt different somehow.
She uncapped a small glass bottle filled with a thick, reddish liquid that shimmered faintly in the moonlight. Dipping her fingers inside, she looked up at him with a serious gaze.
"This might sting. Bear with it."
"Ah, it's fine—ghh!"
He didn't even get the words out before her cool fingertips pressed against his chest.
The semi-solid balm spread across the bruises and welts under her gentle kneading, and Nao instinctively sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth.
He wasn't sure whether it was from the pain or from the sensation of her fingers on his bare skin, each motion sending an odd chill straight into his bones.
Above, the stars twinkled across the night sky, moonlight poured down like polished glass. He looked down again at Gion, bent over his chest, focused completely on her task. And he couldn't help but smile, quietly, to himself.
It hadn't even been a full month yet.
Back on that warship, when they'd first met, he'd looked up at her—the proud, sword-wielding beauty—thinking she was untouchable, like a flower growing on some distant cliff.
Who would've thought they'd end up here?
Maybe he'd misjudged that little tanuki after all. Maybe, instead of blaming it, he should be thanking it.
Sorry, tanuki-kun.
If I'd known it would lead to this, I wouldn't have snatched your fish jerky.
A faint, elegant fragrance drifted from her, inexplicably reminding him of a crystal-clear lake, mirror-like and deep within a quiet, deserted forest at the break of dawn.
It was a little familiar, but mostly, it was foreign.
Nao frowned slightly and sniffed again.
He and Gion had spent enough time around each other—used the same soaps, bathed in the same showers—that he knew her scent by heart. She usually smelled soft, like gardenias.
Why did it feel completely different now…?
Did she change shampoo?
Or was it a different body wash?
His thoughts drifted aimlessly until something pulled him back to reality. His eyes widened. His lips parted slightly.
Wait… Bunny, what are you doing!?
Her delicate fingers were still rubbing balm into his chest… and now his eyes were definitely locked on her.
She looked up slowly, her gaze hazy, cheeks flushed red beneath the moonlight.
So cute. She really did look like a bunny.
"This is…"
He tried to speak, but his throat felt dry, like someone had swapped his voice out for dry leaves. He couldn't get a single coherent word out.
But as that strange sensation faded, his thoughts returned—and something felt… off.
"…"
He stayed quiet for a long moment, then suddenly noticed something—her neckline, where her collar had shifted a little.
There was no mole.
Nao knew for a fact that Gion had a tiny, red mole just beneath the base of her neck. It was usually hidden under her uniform, but he'd seen it before.
And he had no doubt about it.
After all, aside from Gion herself, no one in the world knew her body better than he did—thanks to that accidental swap, of course.
So—
Nao shut his eyes.
From the moment they met tonight until now, all the subtle ways she had acted differently from her usual self flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern. When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was faintly grim.
The complex mix of joy, shock, and confusion he'd felt earlier had vanished without a trace.
He stared coldly at the girl beside him.
You could maybe explain away the personality shift. Maybe she was in a strange mood. You could handwave the scent as a change in soap or perfume.
But a mole doesn't just disappear.
Whoever this was—it wasn't Gion.
Which only left one question:
What the hell was this impostor trying to do?
Nao didn't act immediately. He waited. Let her keep playing her little game, rubbing on balm and bandages. He wanted to see what she would try next. When she slipped up—then he'd make his move.
Turned out, he didn't have to wait long.
—
"All done, young man," the not-Gion said with a satisfied smile.
She carefully finished applying the balm, then pulled out a roll of bandages and… a large pair of scissors. The metal glinted ominously in the moonlight.
"Now for the bandaging. Arms up, no sudden movements," she said sweetly. "Some of your injuries are under your arms, so I'll need a good angle—"
"To sneak in an attack while I've got my arms raised, right?"
His cold voice cut her off.
She froze.
By the time she looked up, all she saw was a hand flying at her face.
Snap!
A powerful hand clamped around her slender neck like an iron vise, forcing her still. His expression was cold and deadly serious.
"Let's skip the games," Nao said flatly. "Who the hell are you?"
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin