The Little Merman Demands Legs from the Sea Witch - Chapter 37
VI.
Every night, Kashmir didn’t stop tormenting Iko until sunrise, causing Iko’s days and nights to be reversed for a week. Normally, even if Iko woke up in the afternoon, she would have been horrified at the delay in her schedule and gotten out of bed immediately. But lately, she hadn’t done that.
“Iko, are you still sleeping?”
Even when she woke up in the middle of the day, Iko pretended to be asleep and clung tightly to Kashmir’s waist. Then, Kashmir would pat her back, telling her to sleep a little more. As long as she was asleep, he would never push her away.
So, Iko continued pretending to sleep to keep him from leaving. She would stretch and get up only when it was almost dark, pretending she had just woken up. But today, that would change.
“Can’t you just act as cute as you do when you pretend to sleep?”
The argument that started over whether to put two or three slices of ham in a sandwich escalated to the point where Kashmir mentioned her usual behavior.
“…You knew?”
“Did you think I wouldn’t notice? You shut your eyes tightly and cling to me like that.”
She thought he was completely oblivious, but to know he was aware of it all along made Iko’s face flush with embarrassment.
“Why, why did you pretend not to…”
She wanted to ask why he hadn’t said anything if he knew, but she was so shocked that she couldn’t get the words out. The thought that he must have been silently mocking her for her obvious behavior made her heart sink.
Her pride was shattered. But the bigger problem was that now that he knew, she couldn’t use the same trick to keep him close anymore.
When Kashmir tried to put his hand on her waist, Iko slapped his hand away and frowned. Seeing her angry expression, Kashmir raised his hands in surrender.
“You were being so adorably clingy. Why would I ruin it by asking why you were pretending to sleep?”
Kashmir confessed honestly. He enjoyed the times when Iko was particularly affectionate. Those were the moments when he could hold her as tightly as he wanted without her complaining. So instead of suspecting that this witch was up to something, he simply wished she would do it more often.
“Adorable?”
Kashmir smiled as he looked at the confused Iko. This witch, who could throw quite a punch when she wanted to, was so cute when she smiled. She was equally adorable when she was bewildered, her eyes darting around.
“When you make that cute face while dressed like that, it’s a real turn-on.”
Kashmir lamented as he glanced at Iko’s chest. She was wearing a torn nightgown that exposed her chest, along with the marks he’d left from the previous night.
Seeing her like that made him feel a familiar stirring below. He had planned to refrain today since they needed to leave early for the market tomorrow, but now he was torn.
‘Maybe just a little taste wouldn’t hurt?’
Even though it never stopped at just a little, Kashmir found himself thinking that.
“You did this to me.”
Iko, startled, quickly crossed the torn nightgown to cover herself. As she said, her one and only nightgown had been reduced to rags because Kashmir, in his excitement, had torn it apart the previous night.
“How dare you tear a witch’s clothes.”
“I’ll buy you a new one at the market tomorrow. You can pick out whatever you like.”
Kashmir, feeling a pang of regret as Iko hastily covered herself, tried to console her.
“What money do you have to buy it…?”
She was about to scoff at his ridiculous claim when she realized something odd about what he’d said. He spoke as if she would be going to the market with him.
“And why do you keep saying you’re going with me?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
Iko looked up at Kashmir in disbelief. He had never even considered that she might not go with him. His brazen confidence was almost admirable, and Iko found herself throwing her arms around him.
Iko looked up at Kashmir with a flushed face. Surprised by her sudden action, Kashmir’s eyes widened. She had often snuggled up to him in her sleep, but she had never embraced him so eagerly before.
“Kashmir!”
And to call his name with such an excited voice. Kashmir felt his heart flutter in a strange way. He felt like he had to hug her back just as tightly.
“This isn’t the time for this. If we want to leave early tomorrow, we need to get ready.”
As Kashmir tried to embrace her back, Iko pushed him away. She began tidying up the dishes she had left out and preparing for bed, her torn nightgown fluttering as she moved around.
Kashmir watched her busy herself. He felt an urge to pull her back into his arms, but she seemed so happy that he felt he should let her be. It was the first time he had seen her so excited.
