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“Chiyuki-san…”
The black-haired woman turned at the sound of his voice, the slightest hint of emotion lingering in it. For an arbiter who was not supposed to feel, that was far more than enough.
“Yes, Decim?” She tipped her head to one side inquisitively.
“I do have one more question that I wanted to ask you.” He seemed almost hesitant, making him even more endearing to her.
“What is it?”
She had already showed him everything there was to know about her. There really was no hiding now…
“Could you…teach me about love?”
Of the thousand and one questions he could have asked, why did it have to be that one!? It was so unexpected that it caught Chiyuki off guard, and for a moment she could only gap at him, as though he had grown a second head.
“E-Excuse me!?” She squeaked in a small voice, a faint blush painting her cheeks.
“It’s an emotion that arbiters are forbidden to feel,” he explained, as though he was talking about a topic as mundane as the weather. “But…I want to learn about it…with you…”
“Oh.” She blinked at him as she tried to take in his words.
Was he saying that he was interested in her in that way!? She couldn’t dare begin to hope…
“Love is…an emotion that is hard to explain,” she barely managed to mumble in reply, her heart somersaulting wildly in her chest. “Perhaps it’s easier to show you…”
“You mean like the way an arbiter receives the dead’s memories?”
He was so innocent, so endearing that she itched to throw her arms around him right then and there. That was what she loved about him, after all. She shook her head, sucking in a breath to steady her heart. “No, what I mean is this…”
And slowly…
Hesitantly…
Closed the distance between them.
Since realizing that she had developed feelings for him, she had longed, more than anything in the world, to kiss him.
And she knew that this was the one chance for her to grant that selfish wish of hers.
Since arriving at Quindecim and experiencing a turmoil of emotions, Decim was the one source of comfort to her in this strange, strange place.
She gently brushed her lips against his in a featherlight kiss, pouring all the emotions that she felt into him.
Gratitude…care…love…joy…sadness…
She longed for him to feel them all.
As their lips touched, Decim stiffened, not knowing what to think.
Even though he was an arbiter and she was human, he could feel her warmth seeping into him. It was nothing like he had ever felt before.
In that second, his mechanical eyes flashed with emotion.
Ah…so this is what love felt like…
He had never once in his life as an arbiter experienced something so incredibly wonderful. Not even the rush of adrenaline from alcohol could replace such a precious feeling.
Now he finally understood.
What Machiko and Takeshi were going through…
Shigeru and Mai…
Perhaps even Mayu and Harada, but that was a topic he’d rather not think about right now.
He wished that he could have what they had for Chiyuki.
He wanted more, more, more…
Without thinking, he automatically pulled her closer to deepen the kiss. He wanted to touch every bit of her warmth. He was so desperate to never let go that he was subconsciously wrapping the spider threads between them.
Chiyuki ran her fingers through his silky silver white hair, relishing in the feeling of him. She was startled by his passion, but she welcomed it wholeheartedly.
If only they could stay like this, forever in their own, private world…
But alas, he was an arbiter and she was human.
And soon…they would have to say goodbye.