EP.12.5 A Fox's Day
EP.12.5 A Fox's Day
A refreshing morning. The fragrant smell of doenjang and the savory aroma of grilled mackerel, rising to match the lively hour.
Today, too, I was carefully preparing breakfast, hoping my husband would spend the day full of energy.
Before we moved here, this had been his mother's task, but now that we lived on our own, it was my privilege alone.
Among his companion animals, I was the only one who could cook, so that was only natural.
So I poured all my affection for my husband into every single dish.
If he ate the food I'd put my heart and soul into and made a face that said it was delicious... that alone would make me so happy I could die!
"Husband! Breakfast is ready!!"
The cooking was done.
I decided to take the chance to see his sleeping face while he was defenseless, so I flung open the door to his room and went in.
"Mmn...?"
"Husband! Before it gets cold, please get up and have a meal filled with my lo...ve..."
Huh...?
But that was strange. Why was there another lump beneath the covers on my husband's bed—and why was it right beside him...?
"Miho?"
"Husband, what... is this situation...?"
"Huh? Ah...! Ahh! Th-this is, well...!!"
My husband started flustering and panicking, as if he'd just grasped what was going on.
I thought that side of him was cute too, but I didn't think I could smile under the present circumstances.
"I clearly recall sending the wolf to you yesterday for nothing more than simple assistance, but I don't remember ordering her to spend the night with you...?"
"I-it wasn't Kor's fault! I seduced her first, so it's all my fault!"
An obvious lie.
My completely exhausted husband, who'd passed out first, had seduced the wolf first? That was impossible.
Surely that wolf had seduced him first last night, but my husband had made up that lie to protect her however he could.
A kind person. But right now, that kindness only gouged at my heart.
"And the scent of night-blooming flowers filling the room... you even did that sort of thing, didn't you?"
"We didn't go all the way! Believe me!"
"Which means you did do some sucking and licking, right?"
"Urk! Y...yeah."
"Husband."
"Yeah?"
"Are you perhaps doing this because you want to see me go insane and rampage?"
"That's not it! I'm really sorry about this! I sincerely apologize, Miho...!!"
He lowered his head and even pressed his forehead to the sheet in apology.
It wasn't his fault alone, so why did he have to apologize like that?
And did he even realize that acting this way was instead making my brow furrow?
Really, I wanted to just erase everything in this world except for my husband.
"Please forgive me! In return, I'll do anything today!"
"Anything...? Do you mean that?"
"Of course! I mean it!"
I had been considering just comfortably flipping everything over, but my mind changed at that tempting proposal.
He'd even said he'd do anything I wanted, so there was no reason not to let go of my anger.
"Fufu...!!"
Somehow, it felt like it was going to be an enjoyable day.
***
"So what you want me to do is a date?"
"Yes! I wanted to go on a date, just the two of us!"
The streets we'd come out to after finishing both breakfast and preparations to go out.
I was already starting to look forward immensely to the time I would spend with my husband!
"Before that, may I ask why you want a date?"
"Do you know how upset I was when you went out to play alone with Tia the other day?"
Of course, I'd been thoroughly loved by him that night, so I was satisfied to some degree...
Nevertheless, the memory of that day still remained in my heart as a sorrow.
I wanted to spend the day happily wandering around with my husband and no one else!
"Ahh, so it was because of that."
"Besides, it feels like you've been neglecting me too much lately, husband."
"That's a misunderstanding. There's no way I'd discriminate among my precious companion animals, right?"
"That's true, but... anyway, it's a fact that my share of you has gotten smaller! So just for today, I intend to monopolize you!"
"Yeah, I promised I'd do anything, and I already groveled to the Director for one more day off, so let's enjoy today to the fullest."
"Yes!!"
"So where should we go? The zoo..."
When I was already by his side, why did he want to look at other animals on a date with me?
"...is probably no good. The aquarium..."
Did my husband really want to see brainless things that couldn't live without water more than me?
Seriously...?
"...is also no good. Sorry, but could you decide instead?"
"Okay!"
The place we ended up at was a large park near the neighborhood.
I'd thought a park on a weekday afternoon would be quiet, but as befitted the capital's famous large park, there were a lot of people inside.
I'd wanted to spend a leisurely time with my husband at the park... I found myself considering just casting an illusion on every last one of them and sweeping them out of the place.
"Mmm... it's gotten pretty chilly. Is it autumn already?"
"By the calendar, it is."
"I've been so slammed by one thing after another that I hadn't even realized it had come..."
Crisp, crunch.
Fallen leaves crunched beneath our feet, announcing the arrival of autumn.
The day I first faced my husband had been summer, and it was already autumn... time seemed to pass far too quickly.
I wondered if my husband felt the same way.
"If you feel chilly, I can materialize a coat for you. How about it?"
"It's fine. If anything, I'm more worried about you."
"Huh?"
"Aren't you cold in what you're wearing right now, with this chilly weather?"
"Ah..."
Today, I'd wanted to show him a different side of my charm, so I'd come dressed in something other than the reformed hanbok I often wore.
A sleeveless blouse and a skirt that only came down to my knees.
I'd worn it because a women's magazine I read avidly said it was in fashion, but it seemed I'd only caused needless worry.
"Seeing you in a different look is charming too, but please dress appropriately for the weather. If you caught a cold, it'd be a big deal, right?"
"Ah...!!"
Just as I was thinking it had been a careless choice of clothing and was about to berate myself.
At my husband's action of taking off his cardigan and draping it over me, I couldn't help but sink down right there on the spot.
"Hahh...!!"
"Huh? A-are you okay? What's wrong, all of a sudden!"
"Ah! It's nothing...!"
The effect of the cardigan, mixed with his tender consideration and the strong scent of a male, was extremely powerful.
My tremblingly twitching body, my underwear becoming soaked with warmth, and even my lips kept curling into a curve.
My body, pierced through by the sensation of happiness, automatically went into heat...♡
"S-sorry, husband...? Could you help me up?"
"I can do that much easily enough... but are you sure you're okay?"
"Yes...! You don't need to worry. I just tripped for a moment, that's all!"
The urge to pounce on him then and there surged through me, but I ground my teeth into my lower lip and somehow held back.
A two-person date with my husband didn't come around easily.
I did not want to waste even a second of such a happy day merely satisfying my lust.
"Okay. Here, my hand."
"Th-thank you, husband!"
I tried my best to act like nothing was wrong in front of him.
Today, of all days, I intended to fill our time together with fresh and memorable experiences.
"Um, husband. Would it be alright if I went somewhere alone for a moment?"
"It's fine! Don't mind me, go ahead comfortably."
"Thank you for understanding..."
I'd have to change my thoroughly soaked underwear and wipe off the bodily fluids running down my thighs, so it seemed I needed to visit the restroom first.
"Haah...! When I grudgingly can't afford to lose even one second...!!"
At times like this, I felt truly pathetic for wasting time like this about myself.
Would I be able to have a proper date today...?
***
A certain group was watching my husband.
Even though quite a bit of time had passed since I'd left my spot, they were solely watching him.
At a glance, they seemed to be what you'd call terrorists.
They were disguised as ordinary civilians, but the guns hidden beneath their clothes and their murderous bloodlust were plainly visible to my eyes.
Dangerous individuals who might try to harm my husband at any time in any way...
"Of course, right now, they're my prey."
"Gurgk...! Gwrghk...!"
"Hurrghk...!!"
-Crunch!!
Four humans and four animals expired along with the sound of bones being crushed.
Ordinarily, the proper method would be to kill them more painfully, but today of all days, I'd handled it as cleanly as possible.
A simple and convenient method: coiling my tails around the pests' necks and applying strength, snapping them outright.
The unclean flesh of the pests touching my tails was somewhat unpleasant, but having the pests' blood get on the clothes my husband had complimented was even more unpleasant.
Moreover, cleaning up splattered blood would waste precious time again, so I'd had no choice but to choose this method.
Anyway, the extermination work was now finished, so I cast an illusion in advance so the corpses would be discovered tomorrow morning, and returned to my husband's side.
"Husband!! I'm sorry! Did I keep you waiting too long?"
"It's fine. I was just idly counting clouds."
Up until just moments ago, he had been targeted by pests...
He really was so carefree. Though, of course, I loved that about him too.♡
"Shall we keep going, then?"
"Yes!"
A park stroll with my husband.
Nothing special—just walking along a path covered in fallen leaves and gazing at the autumn scenery—and yet my heart was racing wildly.
The reason was so that I could take hold of his empty right hand...!
I had learned that, for a couple in love, it was an unwritten rule to walk around with fingers interlaced on a stroll like this.
So surely there would be no problem with me taking my husband's hand!
Slowly... ever so slowly... I brought my left hand toward his right...
"Husband? Could you tilt your head this way for a moment?"
"Huh? All of a sudden?"
"There's a leaf stuck in your hair. I'll take it out for you!"
"Really? If that's the case, please do!"
As he ducked, I swept my tail around and blocked every sharp object fired at us.
What my tail stopped were dart-shaped syringes that humans called tranquilizer rounds.
It seemed a few pests I hadn't managed to deal with were still around.
"Are you almost done...?"
"Sorry! The leaf got tangled up in your hair, so it's taking a while! Just a little longer, please!"
They must have planned to knock him out with something like a tranquilizer gun and then abduct him, but regrettably for them, my presence rendered that meaningless.
Besides, I was a Divine Beast of Illusion. Drugs or abilities that affected the nervous system could never work on me.
So...
Please stop interfering with my date with my husband!!
"All done!"
"Ah, thanks."
"Shall we keep going, then?"
"Sure."
I cast an illusion on the remaining pests to make them take their own lives, and as a bonus, I made it so their bodies wouldn't become visible until tomorrow morning.
Honestly, this was my commemorative first date with my husband...!!
And I was disgusted by how the interference kept coming!
"Come to think of it, it seems like everyone passing by has been staring at you for a while. Are you not hiding your appearance today?"
"Yes! Since it's my first date with you, I wanted to be out in the open. Does it bother you?"
"Not exactly. I guess I'm just happy to be on a date with a woman so attractive that everyone turns to look... Haha."
"I-is that really true...?"
"Yeah, it's true."
Haaah...! This was too much!!
Just the fact that I was on a date with my husband was already enough to make my heart pound...
And when he said something that wonderful... a hot tingle ran through me, and I grew even wetter...♡
I loved my husband...! I loved him so much...!! Just hearing his voice felt like it might make me come...♡
"Um, husband...?"
"Hmm? What?"
"Seeing that truck over there suddenly made me want ice cream...! If it's alright, would you mind buying me some?"
"Oh! An ice cream truck, huh? Man, that brings back memories. Got it! I'll go buy some, so why don't you rest on a bench for a bit, Miho!"
"Yes...!!"
My husband ran off toward the ice cream truck with a bright smile.
As I watched him go, my hand naturally found its way beneath my skirt.
If I slipped my fingers inside my underwear right now, it would feel good...
But it was an act that would break my resolve to enjoy a wholesome date with him, so I hesitated.
"Ugh...!! Honestly, husband!! To make my heart flutter this much...!"
My emotions had never been so easily stirred before...
It seemed the very fact of being alone with my husband was, in itself, something extremely arousing.
It frightened me, not knowing when I might lose control and pounce on him.
"Excuse me! I've had my eye on you for a while now...!"
"Get lost before I gouge those eyes out."
"Could I maybe get your number..."
"I don't have one, so take your phone and scram."
In contrast to before, this time it was bugs gathering one by one who were targeting me.
They were better than the pests targeting my husband, but that was still a distinction without a difference.
If I had to name one thing they were good for, it was that they instantly cooled down my heart, which had been heated to a boil by my husband.
Thanks to that, I felt the arousal that had nearly made me pounce on him draining from my body.
So I wished the bugs would stop buzzing around and get lost too...
But no matter how firmly I refused, the bugs kept trying to cling on somehow.
I held still because I didn't want to cause an incident, but as the bugs kept multiplying, my blood began rushing to my head.
I had no choice but to cast an illusion on them and show them hell. It was just then that—
A familiar hand reached out from within the crowd and pulled my arm.
"Miho!! Are you okay? Those men didn't do anything weird to you, did they?"
He pulled my arm and drew me right into his embrace, my husband.
The voice that followed was thick with anxiety; he had truly been worried about me.
"...Yes, I'm fine."
"Thank goodness...!! Ah, but I'm sorry! I was standing in line to buy ice cream, but things suddenly got noisy over here, and before I knew it, I'd thrown it all aside and came running..."
He had been worried, then suddenly flustered, and now he was looking troubled—showing a colorful array of reactions.
I'd been watching him all along, but his many expressions always felt fresh, and I couldn't help but let out a laugh.
"Pfft...! It's fine!!"
"W-well, if I get back in line..."
"There's no need~"
"You really don't need it...?"
"Yes!"
Even without the ice cream, I was already savouring something sweet...!
***
"Time really flies."
"Time does tend to vanish in an instant when you're having fun."
Before I knew it, the sun was sinking low.
Regrettably, it was now time to head back home.
Of course, I had planned to fully savor a delightful date with my husband in the time we had...
The pests and insects that kept appearing at every turn prevented us from truly enjoying ourselves.
I should have swept them all away before the date started...!!
Uncharacteristically for me, I seemed to have made a grave mistake.
"Let's hurry back. Everyone will be waiting."
"Yes..."
It would have been far too disappointing to end the date like that.
I wanted to create a memory with him, even just a little something, no matter how small.
"Husband!!"
"Hmm?"
"As a last thing...!"
"A last thing?"
"Would you... give me a kiss?"
If I said this, my husband would now get flustered and ask why I was suddenly making such a demand.
Then, right at that moment, I would launch a surprise kiss of my own, and he would surely remember this event vividly, wouldn't he?
Aaah! I was already starting to look forward to it...!
"Sure, okay!"
"Huh...?"
However, an unexpected miscalculation occurred.
He closed the distance in a single step and gave me a short but intense kiss on the lips.
Then he immediately spun around and began walking on his way again.
"Ah...!!"
It went differently than I intended, but my happiness was the same. After all, there was no way I'd feel bad receiving my husband's love!
But... this happy feeling didn't last as long as I thought it would.
It was because of the doubt living inside me.
Before, whenever I asked him for overt displays of affection, he would always get embarrassed and flustered.
Yet seeing him do it so casually now left me hurt.
My heart was still pounding, but it seemed the same wasn't true for my husband.
The reason was probably because he was sharing his love with other companion animals besides me...
His love, which should always be hot, had been divided into several portions and had cooled as a result.
Perhaps being unable to love only one person had made him less attentive about showing affection.
"That's... too cruel...!"
Originally, I was my husband's only companion animal...!
I was the first, and he was the companion keeper who only I loved...!
Why did I have to share my husband's love with other companion animals?
Why...? Why...? Why...? Why...? Why...?
A reality that didn't change no matter how many times I asked.
I'd rather just take him and run far, far away.
If I made a deserted island where no one else was, and imprisoned my husband there so he would look only at me, and love only me... how happy would I be?
But surely he would resist and say no.
So it would be better to just... completely disable his limbs so he couldn't do anything...
...
...
...
That really was an insane thought...
But as the days went by, my jealousy kept growing larger, and I felt that someday I might actually do it.
What in the world should I do when that time came...?
"Miho?"
"Yes?!"
"What are you doing? We have to go back together."
"Ah..."
My husband was still speaking with his back turned, heartless as ever.
But I noticed something about him, and it let me erase the anxiety that had been welling up.
His ears, still bright red as if he were embarrassed.
Hidden by the fading light of the setting sun, I hadn't noticed it until now.
"How foolish of me..."
To doubt that my husband's affection remained unchanged...
His love might have been divided among us, but its warmth had never faded.
"Miho...?"
"Yes! I'm coming now!"
"What's up? Why are you smiling like that? Did something funny come to mind?"
"Ehehe! Something like that!"
"What is it? Now I'm curious."
"It's a secret~!!"
Perhaps one day, I really would kidnap my husband.
But until that day comes...
I fervently hoped that we could create memories that would make everyone happy.