Chapter 23: It’s just a small worry. If you’re going to worry about it, just rub it!

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Translator: Soafp

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Mari gripped my hand tightly, and I was utterly confused by how obviously strange she was acting.

I had started wondering whether there might be something more to the hypnosis app. Since I wasn't really in the mood today, I told her that we would skip it this time…

But Mari's demeanor completely changed. She looked like an abandoned puppy.

“…”

No, calling her a puppy would at least make it sound cute.

Her eyes were fixed solely on me. It felt as though, not just in this moment but in the entire world, nobody besides me existed for her. As though I was the only person she could rely on…

Maybe I was just being self-conscious, but that was the overwhelming thing I felt in her gaze.

“Mari… um, what's wrong?”

She was under my hypnosis, so she should answer anything I asked.

“I don't want this… Hey, why? Why aren't we doing anything? Are you tired of me? Is there something wrong with me? What don't you like? Tell me what I should change—I'll change everything I can… Please… please, please, please, please?”

“Th-That's scary…”

Honestly, there was no denying how serious and unsettling the atmosphere had become.

Still, considering that she was hypnotized and that I held absolute authority over her in that state, I had enough composure to make light of it.

“Um…”

This was the first time Mari had reacted like this, so I didn't know how to respond.

But I hugged her tearful body in front of me. As I stroked her head, trying somehow to reassure her, I spoke softly.

“You don't need to change anything. And I'm not tired of you.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah. I mean it.”

Mari held onto me as though she never wanted me to let go.

“…It's just that a few things happened, and I wasn't in the mood. I only meant today, but… ah…”

Even though I'd said I wasn't in the mood, being close to Mari made my desires rise again.

Mari seemed to notice. She glanced downward for a moment, then looked back at me and moved her face closer.

“I'm going to kiss you, Mari.”

“Okay.♪”

Worrying really didn't suit me.

What was the point of dwelling on something that might not even be real? Compared to the warmth right in front of me, it felt like such a small concern.

“Mmm… ah… I like you… I really do…”

There should have been plenty of things for me to worry about.

Mari's unusual behavior just now, the changes that had been happening over time—not only with her, but with Honma and Agatsuma too.

But I really was a simple guy.

When I was surrounded by this kind of happiness, I could almost convince myself that none of it mattered.

“Alright, Mari. Heal me like we planned.”

“Leave it to me. I studied up on all kinds of things, you know?”

“…Studied?”

What did she mean by “studied”?

Before I could think about it, I accepted Mari's attention.

Afterward, feeling remarkably refreshed and fulfilled, I rested with my head in her lap.

“How was it?”

“…You were watching my face the whole time. You already know I was satisfied, you little punk!”

“Eek.♪”

I lightly tapped the ample chest hanging right in front of me.

The soft, springy sensation was as wonderful as ever. And Mari's cute voice scored a lot of points with me too.

The phone in my pocket had gotten quite hot, but it should still have enough battery. It probably wasn't a problem.

“…Ahh.”

Pure bliss. She had given me a truly incredible time.

I still didn't fully understand what she meant about practicing, but apparently she had prepared a new combination of affectionate techniques.

“This could become addictive. Can I ask you again sometime?”

“Of course. I'll get even, even better—and besides… hehe.♪”

At least the emotional instability I had seen earlier was gone, which reassured me.

If the reason her mood had recovered was because of being close to me, then… well, that wasn't exactly an unpleasant thought.

“Say, Mari…”

“What is it?”

She was hypnotized, so it was fine. With that casual thought, I decided to tell her.

“Actually, I looked into hypnosis apps last night. While I was searching, I found something about a guy who got arrested for sexually assaulting multiple women.”

“Mm-hm.”

“The man who got arrested kept talking about a hypnosis app, but nobody believed him. I don't know whether it was true, but it got into my head, and I wasn't feeling very enthusiastic today.”

You might think I shouldn't be telling her this much.

But there was no problem. I already knew that even if I talked to the girls about this while they were hypnotized, they would not retain these memories afterward.

“I got worried that if I went too far with you all, I might end up getting arrested too. But then I got close to you, Mari, and that worry just disappeared.”

I said it with a laugh.

The moment I realized it was probably a trivial concern and not worth thinking about, I dropped it completely. That really proved how simple I was.

“…I see.”

Mari muttered quietly.

But more than anything, I was sleepy.

There were about fifteen minutes until lunch break ended. Alright—maybe I could take a quick nap.

“Mari, can I sleep like this for about ten minutes?”

“Sure. I'll keep taking care of you.”

“Thanks.”

Maybe I was tired after all the excitement. Or perhaps staying up late the night before was finally catching up with me.

With my head resting in a beautiful girl's lap—the best situation imaginable—and the soothing feeling of her gently stroking my hair, I fell asleep.

“No operation has been detected for a set period, and the user has entered sleep. The hypnosis app will temporarily suspend operation. It will resume once the user awakens.”

“…Ah… Kai-kun?”

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By the time school ended, the hours had passed.

Apparently, Mari had continued giving me a lap pillow just as she promised. Waking from that nap had felt amazing.

Without doing anything intimate, simply relaxing together like that was nice in its own way. It gave me a new perspective.

“See you, Kai. Tomorrow.”

“Yeah.”

“Later!”

“See ya!”

I had planned to go home with my friends, but a teacher had called me over, so I told them to leave first.

It wasn't because I had caused trouble. It was simply one of those career-guidance discussions that became more common in the third year of high school.

“Alright, that should do it. Masaki, your grades are decent enough. If you work a little harder from here on, I'm sure you can get into a good place.”

“Seriously? I'll do my best.”

Hearing that from my homeroom teacher put me in a good mood.

I hummed as I returned to the classroom. I thought everyone would be gone already, but there was one figure sitting alone inside.

“Huh? Mari?”

“Oh, welcome back, Kai-kun.”

It was Mari.

I wondered why she had stayed behind alone, but she slung her bag over her shoulder and came over to me.

“Want to go home together?”

“…Were you waiting for me?”

She nodded.

Her suggestion caught me slightly off guard, but I had no reason to turn her down, so I nodded too.

When we left the school building, we could hear the voices of students working hard at their club activities.

Mari and I walked side by side amid those sounds. Once we were a certain distance away from the school, I asked her something that had occurred to me.

“Did something happen again?”

“Huh? …Ah, did I make you worry?”

I knew about her situation apart from the hypnosis, and she knew that I knew.

When she asked to walk home with me, I wondered whether something had happened again and whether she had invited me because she felt anxious.

But apparently, that wasn't the case.

“Ahaha, sorry. It's nothing like that. I just wanted to be with you, Kai-kun. I wanted to spend more time with you.”

“…I see.”

I was relieved that my concern had been unnecessary.

But being told something like that with such a radiant smile made me embarrassed.

I was becoming an idiot, thinking about putting her under hypnosis again and enjoying a sweet moment with her before we parted.

Then Mari asked me something.

“Kai-kun, you really do worry about me, don't you?”

“Huh? Of course I do. We're talking about you, Mari. I'd worry, and if something happened, I'd want to help you.”

After all, she had always been good to me.

Helping her was the least I could do.

“And with that, hypnosis!”

“…Ah.♪”

Afterward, I led Mari somewhere out of sight, and the narrative skips over an intimate encounter.

“…Phew.”

After parting from Mari, I walked home alone, feeling calm and detached.

It was important to think things through, but I had come to feel that there was probably no need to worry so much about the hypnosis app. Worrying about it would only exhaust me.

“Yeah, it really is a small concern. When there's something warm and comforting right in front of you, it's pointless to dwell on it.”

To begin with, I had decided that I would use this power however I wanted.

Then all I could do was press forward, guided by that desire.

“Just wait, you beautiful women I haven't met yet.”

Seeking even greater excitement beyond Mari, Honma, and Agatsuma, I kept walking.

Like someone pushing onward into the fading light of the evening, I had no intention of stopping yet.