CHAPTER 124: CHAPTER 124: PAYING THE PRICE!

The night passed without incident.

Dawn arrived in the blink of an eye.

When Sosuke opened his eyes in the morning, Kanae was nowhere to be seen.

Hearing the rustling sounds, Sosuke propped himself up and saw Kanae tidying his clothes.

Noticing he was awake, she began explaining which outfit he should wear today, which was for changing into later, where to put the dirty clothes, and that she would wash them for him when they were brought back.

Sosuke gazed at Kanae before him, then at the bright sunlight streaming through the window, and couldn’t help but grin softly.

He threw back the covers, rushed over, and swept Kanae into his arms, spinning her around several times.

Dizzy and disoriented, Kanae stared blankly at Sosuke. "What are you doing?"

Then she saw him lean down, his face drawing closer.

This kiss was longer and more intense than any they had shared before. At first, Kanae seemed startled. Though they had slept in each other’s arms every night, they had never experienced anything like this.

She felt overwhelmed, as if he had broken through her defenses and was crushing her resistance.

Instinctively, she gripped his arm, but her body grew weaker.

Gradually, she became lost in the moment, wishing it could last forever!

Finally, Sosuke lifted his head. Kanae’s eyes still held a lingering daze. When she regained her senses, her face flushed crimson as she nestled in his arms, unable to resist a playful scold: "What are you doing? So annoying, especially this early in the morning!"

Sosuke chuckled softly, holding her close. "Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon."

"Hmm," Kanae nodded deeply, then looked up at him. "That’s still no excuse for treating me like this! You’ll have to pay the price!"

Sosuke was torn between laughter and exasperation. "Alright, alright, whatever price you demand, I’ll pay it!"

"Kiss me again," Kanae whispered, her face burning red.

Thinking he must have misheard, Sosuke instinctively asked, "What?"

Kanae had no courage to repeat herself. Biting her lip, she buried her face in his chest, feeling utterly mortified.

As if waking from a dream, Sosuke leaned back slightly, gently cupping her chin with his left hand to make her look at him.

The moment their eyes met, emotions surged. Sosuke was about to lean in for a kiss when footsteps echoed from outside the door.

Though the footsteps were faint, they struck like thunder!

In an instant, the dazed couple sprang apart, each retreating to opposite sides of the room as if separated by the vast Milky Way.

They practically wanted to slap signs on their foreheads proclaiming, "We weren’t doing anything!" and "We were miles apart!"

A perfect example of "protesting too much"!

Shinobu’s voice called from outside, "Are you awake yet?"

Kanae snapped out of her reverie, cleared her throat to regain her composure, and replied softly, "I’m up."

She then went to open the door for Shinobu.

Shinobu peered inside, startling Sosuke, who quickly ducked under the covers.

Seeing this, Shinobu couldn’t help but scoff, "What are you hiding for? As if I haven’t seen it all before."

Sosuke stared, speechless, desperately wanting to ask, ’young lady, exactly what have you seen?’

But then he thought again: this girl had indeed changed his bandages more than once. Back then, he couldn’t move, so he had no choice but to let her observe and learn.

Kanae rolled her eyes at her younger sister in exasperation. "What brings you here?" she asked.

"I’m delivering something and inviting you both to dinner," Shinobu replied, handing over a neatly folded haori.

Kanae’s expression softened as she accepted the garment with both hands. "You go ahead," she told Shinobu. "We’ll be right there."

"Alright." Shinobu glanced at Sosuke, their eyes locking in a fierce glare. She shook her fist, a clear warning and threat.

Sosuke’s lips twitched. Only after Kanae closed the door did he throw back the covers and start dressing.

As he finished dressing and reached for the haori, Kanae spoke up hesitantly. "Um..."

"Hmm?" Sosuke looked at her. "What is it?"

"I made one for you," Kanae said, standing up awkwardly. "I don’t know if you’ll like it."

"You made... what?" Sosuke’s eyes immediately lit up when he saw the haori in her hands. "New clothes!"

"Mhm, mhm," Kanae replied, instantly relaxing. From the look in his eyes, she could tell he would love anything she made for him.

Whether it was clothes, a haori, or even a simple knot tied with her own hands, he would treasure it like a precious heirloom.

She stood up and shook out the haori.

On the black fabric, two Hammer-Swords were embroidered on the front, one on each side. Turning it around, the back featured a Big Hammer engulfed in flames, while butterflies adorned both sleeves.

Sosuke stared in bewilderment, finding the overall design rather peculiar.

’If I wear this, will I end up becoming the Hammer Pillar?’ he wondered.

He shook his head, quickly dismissing the unsettling thought.

Kanae suddenly grew anxious. "Do you... not like it?"

"Of course not!"

Sosuke hurried over. "I’m just too happy. Help me put it on."

"Mm-hmm!"

Kanae smiled brightly and gestured for Sosuke to extend his arms. She draped the haori over him.

The fabric was clearly carefully chosen—softer, more comfortable, and lighter than any he’d worn before.

The large hammer emblazoned on the chest and back was one thing, but the butterflies on the sleeves... those must have a special meaning.

Sosuke couldn’t resist taking Kanae’s hand. "Thank you."

Kanae scrutinized him from every angle. "Hmm, it fits perfectly. After all, it was precisely measured!"

"When did you do that?" Sosuke asked, puzzled. "I don’t remember you ever taking my measurements!"

"That’s... a secret!"

Kanae glanced at the neatly packed bundle. "Let’s go. We’ll eat first, then you should set off."

With that, she stepped out the door.

As Sosuke followed her out, he grumbled, "She must have secretly measured me while hugging me. Why didn’t you just ask? I would have let you get even more accurate measurements. Why be so sneaky?"

The pair stepped out of the door, where Big Hammer, the large white wolf, was napping. The wolf yawned, opened one eye to glance at them, and perked up an ear.

"Big Hammer, let’s go eat!" Sosuke called out. The wolf immediately sprang to its feet and rushed to his side. With a low bow, Sosuke leaped onto its back.

The white wolf seemed barely to notice Sosuke’s weight as it swiftly caught up to Kanae. With another bow, Sosuke reached out and scooped Kanae into his arms. The wolf then bolted through the Butterfly Mansion, heading straight for the dining hall.