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In the grove of thick, lush branches, plump and fresh apples hung in abundance. Looking up through the emerald leaves, the autumn sky was crisp and cool, and the drifting clouds resembled a flock of sheep.
"They look delicious," I murmured involuntarily. Noticeable of where my eyes were directed, Piccolo-san shifted his gaze slightly upward. Intending to give me one, no doubt, he plucked a single, well-ripened apple from the branches and examined it in his hand.
"The one you gave me in the wasteland, Piccolo-san... that was a poison apple, wasn't it?"
"Where did that come from, out of the blue?"
Since these trees grew wild along the mountain range rather than in an orchard, the apple he had just picked was a tiny fruit, small enough to be held with just a few fingers.
"Calling it poison is rather ungrateful, considering I was helping you."
"No, it was poison. Because ever since that moment, I've been desperately in love with the person who gave me that apple, and I’m still suffering from the illness even now."
Piccolo-san made no effort to hide his disdain, turning away to resume walking with the apple still in hand. He could at least indulge me in a little romantic conversation, couldn't he? I aggressively wrapped my arm around his in an attempt to hold him back, but I couldn't stop his pace. We were heading to the waterfall further ahead to get a drink of water during a break from our training.
"Hey, you know what it was that revived the person who died from the poison apple, don't you?"
"I don't know."
"Liar. Since you're the one who poisoned me, you must have the antidote, right, Piccolo-san?"
Being practically dragged along, Piccolo-san finally shot a brief glance at me and came to a halt.
"You really are an impudent brat, calling it poison... Well then, since this apple might be poisonous too, I suppose you don't want it? It would be a shame to throw away something I've already plucked, though."
"No, I’ll have it. But before that, I'm going to be in trouble if you don't neutralize the poison from the apple I ate before. Because of that poison, I can't even sleep at night."
I couldn't help but smile, thrilled that he had finally stopped. Toying with the apple in his hand, Piccolo-san shoved me away as I gripped his arm, letting out a sharp scoff.
"If you want the antidote, come get it yourself."
The apple grove was dazzling beneath the late autumn sun, and leaning casually against one of the trees, Piccolo-san looked utterly fearless and provocative. The apple held in his right hand gleamed glossily, as if it had been polished.
With the hand that had just been brushed off, I grabbed Piccolo-san’s arm once more. Having just finished training, his skin felt slightly warmer than usual. His challenging eyes didn't waver in the slightest, even as I stepped in this close. Kicking off the ground just a fraction, I floated up to where I could reach... and stole a fleeting kiss.
As I descended slowly before him, Piccolo-san handed me the apple from earlier. Though small, it felt much heavier in my hand than I had anticipated.
"Are you satisfied now? That apple isn't poisonous."
"I wonder if that's true... I might just end up begging for the antidote again."
When I took a bite of the apple and spoke playfully, this time Piccolo-san grabbed my arm. Pulled in forcefully, my gaze locked intimately with his as he bent his body down. The scent of the apple I had hastily chewed rushed up through my nose.
"Do you really think that if I were to poison you, I would use such a roundabout method as lacing an apple? There are far more certain, inescapable ways to do it."
With my arm still gripped, his other hand slipped behind my back. I see, this is indeed inescapable... Feeling a surge of stubborn frustration, I reached around to the nape of Piccolo-san’s neck and pressed my lips to his. As I gently slid my tongue inside, he responded without resistance. Surely, Piccolo-san could taste the apple too. Apples grown wild in the mountains weren't very sweet; they tasted as though the fragrance of blossoms was gliding directly across the tongue. A breath, belonging to neither and both of us, was dampened by the quiet sunlight filtering through the trees.
How far would he allow me to go? I slowly slid the palm of my hand down from the nape of his neck, tracing it gradually from his back to his waist. The kiss, tasting faintly of apple, was a busy affair as both of us tried to seize the initiative. The exact moment my hand reached his waist and tried to tug out the hem of his gi, my body was pushed back by his hands.
Piccolo-san, who seemed to have been breathing heavily just a moment ago, was now smiling with an impossibly cool, serene face. Having the rug pulled out from under me so suddenly, my dissatisfaction evidently showed on my face.
"What is with that look?"
"...Because... But, if you do it this way, you end up drinking the poison too, don't you, Piccolo-san?"
Despite my resentful words, Piccolo-san’s smile didn't fade.
"That is simply how it goes when you poison someone... Just as you say, perhaps I, too, have been suffering from the poison ever since the day I gave you that apple in the wasteland."
Straightening up from the apple tree, Piccolo-san began walking toward the waterfall once more. Watching his retreating back, I slowly chewed over the meaning of his words.
In my hand was the apple Piccolo-san had plucked for me. In the end, for me, this was nothing less than a poison apple. Understanding this perfectly, I bit into the apple once more and followed after Piccolo-san as he walked ahead.