Originally, Kiana had only acted out of stubborn pride—unwilling to play the role of a starving ghost or a convenient scapegoat.
But this time, something was different.
A strange and unexplainable impulse surged from deep within her chest, urging her forward, compelling her beyond reason. And so, without a second thought, she finally resolved herself… and kissed her.
Yes—kissed her.
What Kiana didn't expect was just how close she would come into contact with Seele in that exact moment.
Oh… this scent… this softness... Is this what it feels like to kiss a girl?This feeling is… far too good… terrifyingly good…!
In an instant, a dizzying, intoxicating pleasure overwhelmed her senses. The sweetness of the moment seized her so tightly that she almost gave in to it completely—almost deepened the kiss in a mad, irretrievable way.
After all, how could anyone resist kissing Seele—her adorable, unfairly perfect little wife?
That scent alone… It was the kind of fragrance that made you want to kiss her forever, to never stop, to devote your entire existence to tasting it again and again.
Seele's really a little fairy… a dangerous, bewitching one at that... (☆′3｀)
But despite her desire, despite the heat rising in her chest, Kiana still hesitated. There was a fear—deep and nagging—that Seele might suddenly awaken and catch her in the act. And that fear, more than anything, restrained her.
So, unwilling though she was, she forced herself to pull back. This secret kiss, stolen while Seele slumbered peacefully, had to end as nothing more than a gentle brush—nothing more.
But to speak plainly… Kiana was being far too cautious.
According to the rules—or the lack thereof—any beautiful girl who met the vague "requirements" could approach the sleeping Lunelle. And unless someone went overboard, no one would say a thing. No one would notice.
So what if Kiana's lips had grazed Seele's for just a moment?
Even if she had taken things a little further, placed her hand somewhere bolder, it wouldn't have disturbed Lunelle's blissful rest in the slightest.
Of course, Kiana couldn't have known that Lunelle was in an artificially-induced deep sleep, assisted by the simulator. There was no way Seele would wake up.
"…Huh? Mei's still not here?"
Kiana blinked in surprise. Her stolen kiss had already ended, but the sound of the door opening—Mei's entrance—still hadn't come.
Wait a second… Does that mean I haven't been caught yet?!
A glimmer of hope flashed through Kiana's heart.
She had been so sure she would be discovered—caught in bed with her 'other' lover, just like last time. But now that Mei still hadn't appeared, wasn't this her golden chance to escape?
Maybe… maybe she could get away with it after all.
Yes, she had snuck into Seele's room without telling Mei, her official, dignified first wife. Yes, she had kissed another girl behind her back. But if she could just hide—just avoid being seen—then maybe today's near-miss wouldn't count. Maybe it would be as though nothing ever happened.
With that desperate thought, Kiana's gaze swept the hospital room in search of a hiding spot.
And there—beneath the bed—a perfect little space called out to her like a saving grace.
A space tight and dim and unseen. The ideal place to disappear.
"Mm… a perfect place for… Tibetans," she muttered under her breath, thinking back to a certain friend next door who once said: 'If they can't see it, it's not a crime.'
And truly, if given the choice, who in her right mind would want to be caught red-handed by her own wife while sneaking off to seduce another girl?
Especially when that "seduction" involved borderline indecent intentions?
Convinced that this escape plan was full of promise, Kiana crept toward the bed and slowly lifted the white sheet hanging down from the frame. But the second she did—
"!!!∑(?Д?ノ)ノ"
All the hope in her expression instantly shattered into stunned disbelief.
Because the moment the sheet was lifted, Kiana found herself staring into the dark, brooding eyes of a small duck-faced girl—curled under the bed like a shadow with a tragic past.
Bronya?!
When did she get here?!
That duck-like frown, her arms folded tightly across her chest, made Kiana feel as though her soul had left her body.
It was as if she had become an old woman roaming the streets of Egypt—only to finally pry open a manhole cover and discover someone already hiding inside.
Bronya's signature deadpan expression, staring up from the darkness, seemed to wordlessly mock her:
"This space is already full. Give up, Di—er… Kiana."
But before Kiana could even process how surreal the situation had become—
Knock knock.
A soft knock echoed from the ward door.
"If there's no one else inside… I'll be coming in, then?"
It was Mei.
And with those gentle words, the calm, composed footsteps that followed sounded like the tolling of a funeral bell.
Mei hadn't come in immediately before—only because of her ever-polite nature. She always knocked first, always announced her presence.
But now… she was truly coming in.
Panic surged through Kiana's veins. Bronya's presence under the bed was already more than she could handle. But if Mei walked in now—if she saw this—
There would be no saving her.
Teeth gritted, nerves taut, Kiana did the unthinkable.
She shoved herself under the bed beside Bronya.
Yes—Bronya, the person she disliked the most. And yet, at this critical juncture, even Bronya's annoying presence was better than being caught.
Because if Mei saw her now—saw her squeezed under the bed like some shameless adulterer…
And if Bronya tattled—if she revealed even a fraction of what she'd just witnessed…
Then her image in Mei's heart would be ruined forever. Maybe even Seele's unconscious heart would condemn her.
So, in pure desperation, Kiana pressed herself tightly into the cramped darkness.
A moment later, Mei stepped inside, a faint trace of worry etched into her features.
She looked around and, seeing Lunelle peacefully asleep on the bed, let out a quiet sigh.
"…She's sleeping already? I still need to explain things to her… but I guess I'll wait."
There was a heaviness in Mei's tone, as if something weighed on her conscience.
She quietly pulled a chair next to Lunelle's bed and sat down, choosing not to disturb the girl's rest.
However, her sudden appearance—and the fact that she now showed no sign of leaving—put Kiana and Bronya in a particularly miserable position.
Crammed beneath the bed, eyes awkwardly meeting in the darkness, both girls had countless questions.
Why was the other here?
What were they hiding from?
But neither dared to speak. The risk was too great.
In truth, if they hadn't hated each other quite so much…
The sight of the two girls, curled up together beneath a bed, holding their breath as they waited for danger to pass…
Might have looked strangely… yuri-like.