Chapter Text
"So, Mafuyu. Have you found a rich man to marry yet?"
Mafuyu's eyes were downcast. "Nobody has caught my eye yet, mother."
Mrs. Asahina's eyes narrowed. "Time is running out, Mafuyu. You know you must marry rich."
"I understand, mother." Mafuyu replied. "May I please be excused?"
"I suppose, for now. And remember, don't chase those wolfkin. They're disgusting."
"Yes, mother."
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"Why does it matter who I marry?"
Mafuyu said under her breath, as if worried her mother could hear her. Mafuyu never knew what her mother heard about her.
"Does it really matter as long as I love them?"
She heard a rustling behind her, then a growl. Mafuyu tensed.
"Stupid ass mosquitoes-!"
Mosquitoes...
Of course, anyone could agree that those things suck (haha.) So she decided to see what the fuss was about.
Behind a bush, being attacked by mosquitoes, was a scruffy looking wolfkin boy with bright orange hair.
The boy looked up from his frantic swatting, looking at Mafuyu with desperation. "Finally, someone came! Please help me..."
Mafuyu tentatively took The boy's hand and pulled him away from the bush and behind her house.
"The mosquitoes over here are really bad, so I always have ointment and repellent in my bag." Mafuyu opened her purse, pulling out a small bottle of ointment for his bites. "Can you roll your sleeves up?"
"Don't need it." The redhead's ears flattened against his head. "It'll interfere with my pheromones."
"Right." Mafuyu sighed. "Because you're..."
"A wolfkin." He finished her sentence. "Why are you even helping someone like me, you human...?" He blushed slightly
"My mother raised me to be compassionate."
"Makes sense."
"But at least tell me your name." Mafuyu crossed her arms.
"Akito. Akito Shinonome." Akito growled, still weary.
"Mafuyu Asahina." Mafuyu nodded. "What are you doing around here, Shinonome?"
"My sister's an artist." Akito groaned. "She needed some specific flowers for her paint but she couldn't get off her lazy ass to get it herself. Then I got ambushed by those tiny demons."
"I see." Mafuyu said, secretly a little bored with this random wolfkin's backstory. "And what type of flowers do you need? I think I can help with that."
Akito shrugged. "I dunno. Think it was some kind of marigold. I'm not a flower person."
Mafuyu helped him up to his feet again. Damn it, whenever she holds my hand...
"I know a place where a lot of marigolds grow. Come with me."