The Worst and Best Birthday

"What are you doing, mom! Get away from him!" Shion who got jealous, dragged her mother back.

Until then, Kuro finally regained his mind and calmly thought that something was weird. What is this woman doing by hugging him?

Kuro gently pushed the witch.

"Why not, Shion-chan? I can adopt him and make him your brother, you know?" The mother teasingly said.

""What?"" Almost simultaneously, Kuro and Shion sounded out.

While Kuro tried to complain, no words came out from his mouth. It was like, he unconsciously was fine with her. Well, that'd be 2 years from now on. Although she can just kidnap him right now—by the name of adopting.

Shion, who synchronised with Kuro, just stood there, silently. After all, the first person (excluding her mother) she met, may get adopted and turn into her brother. For a children at Shion's age, it was too much.

Due to that, her usual habits came in, as she unconsciously searched for a warm drink—she found it. The milk-cocoa on the top of table.

She took it as she… drank the remaining milk-cocoa. In contrast to her expectation, it wasn't warm as her mother usually prepare for, but it was rather delicious.

"Ah, wait…" Kuro tried to stop her, but was too late.

Fortunately or unfortunately, it was exactly the spot where Kuro drank to—meaning that it was indirect kiss… out of the many other untouched area, she had to place her lip there.

'… whatever.' Kuro was a child. Although 21 once story-told her that indirect kiss is too lewd, and embarrassing—Kuro, who was barely 5, of course had not that much differences, and treated the boy and girls, rather same.

Shion's mother, wasn't the same though… "how broad."

She teased her daughter, hiding her mouth with her hand, with purposely widened eyes.

Since Shion didn't understand what was embarrassing, the discussion went forward, and it was late at night, when they ended.

Out of her own will, the Sin of Pride, Arin, teleported Kuro, Hanabi and Shion to Nagisa's house. The reason why also dragged Shion, was for her daughter to experience the outside world, even if a short time.

-----

With his percentage decreased, the darkness covering his body has lessened. Although the multiple person's sudden appearances inside the building caused alert, it was… rather a little late.

Kuro moved his back-hand, to cover his neck. Suddenly, a silhouette, that was barely visible, began to form, turning into a figures and into appearances.

'He noticed me…? Did I unconsciously let out a killing intent?' The blue-haired wo- man, thought mysteriously to himself.

But once he noticed who he attacked, he sweated hard and became worried, with half-apologetic.

Arin, who was just looking at the scene unfold, started healing Kuro's hand. "Hello Nagisa-kun… I am sorry about before. You see… I was pissed off and vented my anger on you…"

Kuro was geniunly embarrassed. 'Useless piece of shit, fucktard…' such a word traveled inside Kuro. That's not the type of word he should be using…

"Ah, no… it's okay…" although quiet, Nagisa's fear toward Kuro lessened a bit.

"Ah, right. Please keep today's matter secret to Matsuri-chan." Kuro gently lied Hanabi by Matsuri's side.

The Hanabi he lied, was perfectly normal, even the wounds, nor scar existed. It's as if, nothing had happened. "Wha-!?"

Before Nagisa even questioned Kuro, the three disappeared from the spot, leaving no traces.

-----

"Thank for bringing me out here, Arin-san…" With tired voice, Kuro spoke to the SIn of Witch, in the wood near the Agrenoria.

"Sure. You gave up your talent to my daughter, so why not?" The Witch just smiled, as if it was no big deal.

"That was but our agreement. Bringing me here, wasn't in so, thank you." Kuro insisted making Arin accept in the end.

"Shion-chan, I'll be waiting for you guys to come by, and play with us." Kuro then, although tired—looked at Shion straightly and invited her.

"hyuu~ hyuu~♡ making a move on my daughter, quite a courageous one, aren't you?" Meanwhile, Arin whizzed, as if to tease the two of them.

That's not it… I just tried to make it as possible as to not make it a death flag. Kuro thought of a complaint, but as he was too tired, he didn't.

"Good bye then, the both of you." With a tired motion, he waved his hand toward them, not expecting to return his intention, he turned his back as he went toward the direction of tree house.

"Shion-chan, are you sure you don't need to farewell him?" The witch played with her daughter's hair.

"He, he don't need it!" Shion, completely in her thought, didn't feel a trace of her mother playing with her hair.

"…goodbye…" although weak, she said it, embarrassingly.

Kuro who barely heard it, slowly lifted his hand—with his back faced, he waved it to her.

Then, they disappeared, as if they weren't there to begin with, in this green world.

-----

"…I can't muster a single strength…" Kuro, whose hand was shaky, struggled climbing up the tree—due to the lack of his grip, his arm slipped, and fell to the ground—bearing a strong impact.

Although his body healed up, his fatigue weren't. Just the impact from falling from the tree, caused him to damage his organ, spewing some salivas—hurting him.

Kuro, then stood up again, and tried to muster his left strength, and the possible demon technique he can do, right now, use as small force and control it the most efficient way. For a brief moment, he mastered the way of laziness, as he hugged the tree, put small strength in his wrist, as he carried himself up, with leg.

Due to relaxation, it was rather easier for him to suddenly exerts a strength—like this way, he climbed up to the top of the tree.

With the little strength he have, he opened the door as, the three girls waited there, and with a loud sound, a confetti flew around—launching toward Kuro with safe speed.

"""Happy birthday, Kuro!!"""

"Ah, that's right… it was my birthday…"

The three celebrated him—the confetti, was obviously hand-made, it must've been Ayame's idea. When he was left out, angry at her, she've been thinking of of me…

Kuro couldn't help but tearing up, but held it, as it was rude to cry instead of smiling to their celebration.

'My own birthday…someone was willing to celebrate it for me even without asking…'

"Thank you the three of you." Kuro let out his feeling, and genuinely thanked the three of them.

"If it wasn't for Okayu I wouldn't have done it!"

"As long as Kuro's happy…"

The most important person, didn't let out a single sound.

With a tired face, Kuro looked at Okayu, as he let himself taken out by the moment, he launched forward, and embraced Okayu deeply.

"I am sorry, Ayame-chan. I was caught up with the situation's momentum, and got angry at you, even left out."

"The truth is… I don't want to leave you! Please stay with me forever."

The 'Okayu' which Kuro was supposedly embracing, turned into a smoke, as the disguise came off, revealing the two horn—silver haired, female. The other two's disguise has also come undone.

While the two was surprised at the sudden spurs or Kuro, the Oni was stood, silently, her face a little reddened

After a moment, she managed to bring her courage, as she opened her mouth, and a shaky voice came out. "I, it's… it's okay…"

While she expected Kuro to speak once more, she noticed that Kuro was now, slightly snoring, inhaling and exhaling in a rhythmical manners.

'It's beating…' Ayame, who was just now, under the embrace of him, for the first time, made aware the importance of Kuro's existences.