"I am hom---!" Nagisa opened the door, attempting to announce his return.
"Nagisa!" Emi leaped and hugged him immediately without letting him finish.
An unknown silhouette appeared behind him that was unfamiliar to her.
"Oh, I did not know you had a girl in your room! Hu-hu-hu!" Chisa hinted with a chortle.
Emi rapidly took cover behind Nagisa and sought shelter behind his back. She slowly peaked out with her head to stare at Chisa cautiously.
"This is Emi, and this is Chisa," Nagisa introduced the two to one another.
"Oh my! I did not think you owed a werebeast, she is just so exceptionally cute!" An immediate reaction came from Chisa once she spotted the fluffy ears and tail peeking out behind Nagisa.
She hastily shoved Nagisa aside to crunch down and hug Emi.
"Ca… nnot… bre.. ath…" Emi suffocated underneath Chisa's bossom.
Nagisa stood dumbfounded and still for a second before separating the two, and Emi gasped for air.
"I do not own her, I freed her," Nagisa corrected Chisa on her earlier remark and proceeded to head for the kitchen.
Emi trailed closely behind him protectively.
Chisa inspected the room,"I think mine's larger…" She commented, then noticed the bed.
"Mmmm…" Chisa dragged her voice on.
Her loud remark made Nagisa instantly figure out what she was thinking.
"Do not even think out about it, we sleep together in pajamas, I did not purchase her for any lecherous exploitations," Nagisa immediately denied any room for funny ideas inside Chisa's head.
"Exploitations?" Emi tilted her head and Nagisa panicked and averted her attention by showing her a couple of steaks.
Her eyes sparkled and she began to slightly drool, this made Chisa laugh and approach her.
"You are just so cute!" Chisa tried to pounce on Emi with her hands.
A failed attempt at another hug as Emi successfully managed to evade her arms and returned right back behind Nagisa. Chisa hushly hummed by the small table while the food was being prepared and Emi trailed much like yesterday and gazed upon the meat.
"This is amazing!" Chisa was completely flabbergasted and in awe of taking but a single bite.
"We must make this a daily thing!" She smiled suggestively and Nagisa shook his head in response to it.
"It is only reserved for two girls, and you are neither," Nagisa smugly smiled and acted all superior, after all the teasing he had to put up with, this time he felt he could pull one back on her.
Emi hugged his arm tightly, "Mine!" She had an attempt at a serious facial gesture and stared at Chisa.
"Are you sure you two…?" Chisa hinted after witnessing Emi's actions.
"NO!" Nagisa gave off a quick denial on Chisa's persistent remarks about inferring something.
The dinner continued with a bit of a silence until Chisa looked up to meet Nagisa's gaze.
"Excited for class tomorrow?" Chisa asked.
The question struck him as a poor reminder. Tomorrow he would finally be reunited with a lot of people he harboured nothing but hate and displeasure against.
"Sure, I get to see my old friends," Nagisa replied, a clear emphasis was put on the 'old friends' part.
"Returning troubles of your past?" Chisa delicately asked and he nodded then they left the topic.
She knew better than to pry as she had seemingly tried all day on different occasions. She arose from her chair and stretched her left arm up while yawning and covering her mouth with the right one. At least some of her upbringings were showing as habits.
"I will see you tomorrow, okay? I have to prepare and take a long and nice bath!" Chisa took her leave.
She thanked both of them for dinner, then waved good-bye to Emi who decided to wave back. The bath idea did not seem so bad, it made Nagisa consider it while tending the dishes.
He approached the bathroom doors and undressed then sat down to wash himself on a bucket before heading into the bathtub. However an abrupt and alarming sound of emergency had made him turn his head, hence the door gave off a noisy and creaky sound once the handle had been turned.
"Pardon me…" Emi shyly said and entered with a bath towel barely held above to cover her delicates.
Her small and timid posture approached the frozen Nagisa who still had to react to his panicky thoughts.
"Wh-whaaat do you think you are doing?!" Nagisa's late reaction and slightly high pitch scream managed to frighten Emi.
Emi took a step back, and closed her eyes advertently for a few seconds.
"Sorry, I did not mean to yell at you!" Nagisa apologized.
Emi opened her eyes and carefully met his gaze.
"I thought I would help wash your back," She fidgety rubbed her toes and feet together nervously and Nagisa sighed then gently smiled.
"Fine, thanks for the help!" He grinned and Emi immediately cheered up.
She began scrubbing his back while he sat on the bucket. After a while she halted and Nagisa turned around, it appeared she was hesitant if he could do the same, but her eyes and fidgety motions clearly indicated it. Nagisa cracked a smile and silent laugh.
"Let's switch, then turn around," Nagisa told her and began scrubbing her back.
Her skin was incredibly delicate and soft, it was nothing like Risa's or any other's he had felt before.
"Do you mind doing my hair?" A shy Emi asked in a very hushed and embarrassed shrieky voice.
"Not at all," Even Nagisa was surprised by his calm response.
Nagisa began washing her hair carefully, even the hair was something else, the very definition of softness had to be redefined if one were to touch this. His fingers slowly moved from the hair roots down to her bangs and down her short silver hair.
The sudden thought dating back to the library which mentioned werebeasts concurrent growth made Nagisa derive into dangerous thoughts.
"Do not get excited, this is cute little Emi we are talking about!" He slapped both his cheeks after silently moving his lips for her to not hear his thoughts.
Emi turned around however, alerted by his sudden action and to see if he was alright.
"Are you oka…?" Emi attempted to say before an event unfolded.
Her towel suddenly dropped on the floor and it was too late for he had seen enough. Nagisa covered his eyes quickly.
"Please put the towel back on!" he pleaded.
"Why?" Emi asked.
"Just do as I say!" Nagisa rapidly said.
A part of her had already seemingly had begun to mature and Nagisa opened his eyes to find a teary Emi. He patted her head.
"I am sorry, it is just…" Nagisa was at a loss for words.
Emi looked at him, wiping the forming teardrops at the edge of her eyes. Nagisa got up and walked towards the door however. It was too much for him to deal with. He then felt a small tug at his towel and held it tight, turning his head.
"Do not leave me!" Emi cried out.
Nagisa now understood it all. The backwashing, the hair, this was something she used to do with her mother, meanwhile he had other thoughts in mind. He relaxed and crunched down to pat her head once more calmly then hug her tightly.
"It is okay, I am not leaving you, ever…" Nagisa whispered softly into her ears and the two got into the bath together.
The bathtub was barely enough to fit the two of them, therefore Nagisa suggested they sat back-to-back against each other. Both of them stared at the ceiling while hearing slight drops of water dripping from the shower head.
"Do you miss them?" Nagisa faced the ceiling while posing the question.
He felt Emi nod and that she was slightly crying all to herself, but wanted Nagisa not to notice. Nagisa sought her hand to hold it underwater and quietly let Emi deal with it on her own terms while being there for her.
The two of them got out of the bathtub later and Nagisa wore his towel and closed his eyes while drying her slowly, but also very carefully. They prepared for bed and got changed into their pajamas. Nagisa looked at Emi for a second.
"Do you think you can manage to sleep in them for tonight?" Nagisa wanted to make sure and hoped what happened this morning was a one time thing.
"I will try my best!" Emi declared once more.
"What did I tell you about ever saying that again?" Nagisa sighed with a smile.
Emi apologized. Nagisa faced towards the balcony, but felt his hand being pulled, she had grabbed it with both of hers, tightly.
"Good night Emi,"
"Night, Nagisa,"
A blushed Emi responded in a hushed tone. Nagisa knew at that moment, she was just a frightened little girl, all he had to do was take care of her and keep that innocent smile of hers intact.
Perhaps tonight, he will receive some quality sleep and by the looks of it, she can not undress by holding his hand. It was a win-win situation and happy ending in order to fully prepare and be rested for what was to come tomorrow when classes commence.
The sun shone like always through the curtains during early morning, and Nagisa was shakingly awoken by a much familiar voice with her arms rocking him sideways.
"Wake up, or else we will be late!" Chisa shook with full force the drowsing Nagisa for him to wake up.
She had jumped from her side of the balcony to his and unlocked the door from outside to enter the apartment.
"Now wake up!" Chisa fully pulled the covers and Nagisa woke up to find Chisa unraveling Emi all snuggly, hugging him.
And to make things worse, there were no signs of Emi wearing her pajamas, once the covers were completely removed from the bed.
"I had a lingering suspicion all along…" Chisa sneered at Nagisa who got up and got dressed in panic.
"It is not what it looks like!" Nagisa cried out in desperate need to explain.
The loud endeavour first thing in the morning had now awoken Emi, slowly rubbing her eyes awake.
"Mornin… Nagi… sa…" Emi innocently smiled and hugged Nagisa, then took notice of Chisa and rapidly hid anew.
Chisa shook her head in disbelief, "I am not interested in your fetishes, now let's go!" She chose to exit before him.
Nagisa looked at Emi who tilted her head and failed to figure out what was wrong or why Nagisa seemed fighety.
"I can expl… ah! Why bother! Chisa… wait!" Nagisa hurriedly finished dressing up and told Emi to wait for him again and she nodded to see him off with a smile.
Nagisa closed the door after retrieving his swords then bag of notes, pen and books.
"Chisa!" Nagisa screamed after her and chased her down the stairs until he had reached the first floor all out of breath.
"Perhaps you are out of practice, werebeast lover?" Chisa coughed discreetly with an obvious intent at her final remark.
"I told you! It is not like that!" Nagisa complained and hoped to clear things up.
Nagisa began to explain lengthy about Emi and her background, and everything else he could think. The two of them left the premises of the dormitory to walk on the rubbled, glass-like path and head towards the academy to attend their very first day of class.