Tails and True Love
Nine tails, white as fresh snow. Watching them sway gently before my eyes, it was obvious—a yokai was a yokai. ".. Gulp."
With her back turned to me as if inviting me to do as I pleased, those lush tails I had always wanted to touch swayed defenselessly. Without realizing it, my fingers twitched and my arm rose.
Even pets out for a walk show obvious signs when their fur is well-groomed. Her tails, despite usually being hidden, clearly received meticulous care—smooth, glossy fur with not a single tangle or clump, flowing like silk.
Unlike Nero’s tail, which always made me want to grab and pull, these were covered in thick, fluffy fur. Stroking them would surely feel satisfying, the softness filling my palm and slipping between my fingers.
"Ooh..."
".. Wait."
"Oh?"
Just as my hand was about to make contact, the Field Team Leader suddenly turned her head and shot me a glare. I froze, heaven within reach yet unable to take another step.
"I need an answer first."
"An answer.. sir?"
What answer? Nothing came to mind, leaving me with a blank expression—which only sharpened her gaze.
"You know.. that time. On the bed, just like this."
"Ah?"
Truthfully, the only time I had been in bed with the Field Team Leader was the night before last, so the memory surfaced quickly. Yet I didn’t recall her asking for any specific answer..? I had heard something like a confession, but it was barely that.
"So.. Field Team Leader, you have.. feelings for me?"
Hard to believe, but was that it? Before I could even finish the question, her eyes told me I had said the wrong thing.
"What? Don’t talk nonsense. Why would I like you? Are you crazy?"
".. I thought so, right?"
Still, asking if she was crazy seemed excessive.
"You just get on my nerves! Everything you do annoys me for no reason. Got it?"
"I don’t understand.. I’m sorry.."
It might have been nice if she were hiding affection behind that sharp tongue, creating a fresh, youthful atmosphere. But her mouth and mind were brutally honest—no room for my subjective interpretations.
Even when we first met, I didn’t think my treatment was this bad.
".. This is just.. well, a transaction, I suppose."
"A transaction.. sir?"
"Because you’re the one who can show me what real love actually is."
"Real love.."
I muttered it softly myself, but the words still felt foreign. How could she say something as embarrassing as “true love” so casually?
"But if it’s a transaction, shouldn’t I get something out of it too?"
".. Ah, of course you will."
"Oh?"
So this time it really would be her chest..? I was letting my ridiculous fantasies take flight when the nine-tailed fox’s fierce eyes flashed like a bloodied dagger, locking onto me. Her red lips parted with a chilling whisper that stabbed straight into my ear.
".. I’ll let you live."
"..."
That wasn’t quite the kind of deal I was familiar with. It sounded extremely dangerous, and I didn’t seem to have any right to refuse.
"What should I do..?"
In the end, my soft-hearted answer was complete acceptance. Yet her response went beyond imagination.
"I don’t know either."
".. You don’t know?"
"Do you love me?"
What.. Wait, suddenly? I was about to complain that she said she didn’t know, but the follow-up question wiped every thought from my mind.
Love? That wasn’t something I could lie about, even to flatter her.
"Well.. I don’t think I love you.. sir."
"But I’m pretty."
"..."
This was the first time anyone had left me speechless so many times in such a short conversation—aside from the Team Leader herself. Saying it so confidently—“But I’m pretty!”—did she even realize what she was saying?
"Plus, my chest is big just like you like, my waist is slim, my hips are wide, my legs are long, and my skin is smooth enough to make you want to touch it. Yet you don’t love me?"
She was being unnecessarily specific with her self-promotion. Beautiful people really did understand their own beauty better than anyone. After all, they saw themselves in the mirror every morning—if they didn’t know, something would be wrong with their eyes or head.
Still.. if I had to answer,
"I do like you.. Yes, that’s definitely true. But I don’t love you. That’s different."
"..."
Her expression looked serious, so lying didn’t feel right. I answered honestly. I thought she might hit me, but instead she wore an “I knew it” look. It was unsettling, but maybe this was the correct answer after all?
"See? You’re in a room filled with my scent, staring straight into my eyes, and you can still say you don’t love me. How many other males could do that?"
"Well.. if I looked hard enough, maybe one or two?"
Grind.
".. Sorry, I mean.. excuse me?"
"Haa.. So how can you be so sure?"
"Sure about what..?"
"Love. How do you know whether you love someone or not?"
No matter how I thought about it, this sounded like a topic for middle-school girls at a pajama party. How to be certain of love..?
"That’s.. um.."
"Tell me. What is it?"
"Ugh.. It’s a bit difficult.. Give me a moment."
I thought I could answer right away, but when I tried to put it into words, nothing convincing came out. Even though the Field Team Leader was stunningly beautiful and sexy enough to always catch my wandering eyes, I was certain I desired her but did not love her. It seemed exceptional looks could help spark love, but looks alone weren’t enough to create it.
Even with equally beautiful women.. the difference between someone I loved and someone I didn’t love was..
"Ah?"
A fitting sentence suddenly flashed through my mind. But..
"What? Did you think of something?"
"Ah.. Well, um.. Yes, I did think of something."
"Then hurry up and say it. Why are you hesitating?"
Ugh.. It was a pretty clear distinction in my head, but saying it out loud felt too explicit and awkward.
"I’ll count to three. One.."
"I’ll say it..! I’ll tell you, okay?"
Ah, why was her personality so childish sometimes?
"If I imagine that person..!"
"That person what."
"That.. person.. um.."
".. Two."
Haa..
"If I imagine that person doing.. that with another man.. I get so angry I can’t stand it."
"..?"
"..."
I said it. But what was with that pure, almost idiotic reaction?
"Doing what? Say it properly."
"I mean.. you know.. in bed.."
"Ah."
She finally understood. It was just my personal opinion, but I thought it was a decisive difference.
"Actually, this might fit ‘deeply liking someone’ more than actual love."
When I heard she once had a first love, I had felt indifferent too. Even if something had happened, it was just an old story from before I was born. And even now, while I agreed there weren’t many women as charming as the Field Team Leader.. if she truly loved someone and spent every morning, noon, and night with them.. well, I’d feel a bit selfish and greedy, but not particularly bothered.
".. I get really annoyed when I see you with other women."
"That’s exactly what I’m curious about. You don’t even like me that much."
"Of course not..!"
.. She cut it off so firmly. That actually hurt a little.
"Let’s set that aside for now. Anyway.. that’s how it is.."
‘When I imagine that person rolling around in bed with someone else, I get incredibly angry, right?’
"I’m not angry either. It just feels incredibly irritating and annoying."
"I.. see."
I still didn’t really understand why it irritated her, but whatever.
"Fine. From now on, let’s meet in my private room like this and talk often."
"Eh.."
"What? You don’t want to?"
"N-no.. It’s not that I don’t want to.."
If I came too often, the Team Leader would probably butt in..
".. Got it. Then while you’re in my private room.. I’ll let you touch my tail."
"...!"
"What’s with that reaction? I know my tail is impressive."
‘Is he really that happy..? It’s kind of annoying..’
Her genuinely contemptuous glare hurt. I hadn’t even been hit—I had just talked for a bit—yet why did my heart feel so tattered?
Besides, I had come here today to receive compensation for saving her life, but I still hadn’t even touched it with a fingertip.
"From now on, you have to fall in love with me for real. If it’s cooperation toward that goal, I’ll do it."
"That’s unreasonable.."
"Didn’t you want to touch my chest..? Who knows. Since what I want to know is real love, maybe I’ll let the person who loves me touch my chest as thanks."
...
"Please take care of me."
"..."
That sudden change in attitude was probably disgusting even to me.
".. Today it’s only the tail. If you touch anything else, I’ll break it right then and there."
"..."
"You just now.. thought breaking something might be worth it, didn’t you?"
Flinch.
If it was just an arm breaking, I figured it was a sacrifice I could endure with Mini Undine’s protection. Of course, it was only a thought. I would never try to touch someone’s body without their consent.
"Hee.."
Yet the Field Team Leader’s thoughts seemed slightly different.
"..?"
Why was she looking down there? I was already nervous because I wasn’t wearing anything under my pants.. Ah, surely not.
"I haven’t decided yet.. which part I’ll break."