I'm on top of Eli-chan. I'm grabbing both of her wrists with my right hand. While I have my left hand supporting and protecting her head.

Eli-chan is glaring at me as she struggles to free herself from my clutches. Because of our movement since earlier, her blouse is being worn off.

I can see her undershirt which is drenched in sweat that reveals her bra underneath. Her personalized bellyband that holds her knives are partially visible too.

Eli-chan's moist reddened collar bone entices me for some reason. Perhaps because I am stimulated from all the physical work but I'm kinda excited right now.

“Eli-chan, you're a little bit arousing me right now.”

“Ehh.....?!”

The ‘Eli-chan’ who looks like she'll eat me anytime if I let go of her is now replaced by an abashed little timid girl.

“You don't actually want me away do you?”

“..........”

She turns sideways trying to avoid eye contact while simultaneously struggling but it's pointless fufufu.

But bloody hell! Blushing Eli-chan is too adorable for me right now.

“Eli-chan, can you please forgive me?”

“..........”

She didn't answer. She bites her lower lip instead.

I see. I suck the blood out of her wounded lip.

“!!”

She stiffens. Eli-chan tries to break away but she seems to have her strength stolen away.

I increase the pressure on her wrists while clamping her thighs tightly with my legs to prevent her from escaping.

After seizing the prey, it's time to eat. I stick my tongue into her mouth. She clenches her teeth trying to prevent me from going in any further.

However, not even a minute had passed, she weakens even more. Her teeth gives in to me eventually. She can't do anything but only gasp for breath.

“hNnggg...”

Our tongues are intermingling with one another. She tastes sweet. It's a familiar chocolate candy. The type you could buy anywhere for only 1-peso each. It tastes slightly bittersweet but that's why I like it.

I can't help but lick her tongue because of her flavor. The bittersweet chocolate mixing with her own savor gives off a strange but addictive pleasurable sensation. My brain feels like it's melting.

Liquids keep flowing down from her mouth. It rolls down from her lips to her cheeks then to her neck.

Driven by the excitement, I kiss her porcelain smooth neck. It's wet with her sweat but she still smells fragrant. The scent of my seventeen years old Eli-chan went their way into my nasal to my brain.

Both of us pant and breath heavily. Are we tired because of our activities earlier or are we just excited? Perhaps both.

Regardless, we are both breathing heavily.

“Mmmnnhng...”

I am ignoring the heat from the hot setting sun to feel her up. I massage her chest which are still underneath a layer of fabric. A gentle knead on her soft breasts that will make her moan softly.

“..Uhnngg...”

She is trying to suppress her cries resulting into a cute groans exclusively for me to hear. Nobody else is our audience but the world. Nobody else hears her moans. Nor anybody watches our activity.

She and I are alone. We're the only sentient living organism above this building and these creatures are kissing each other.

I unbutton her blouse with my left hand. Doing it slow rather than in a hurry. It's much better this way.

Are we seriously in heat here?

Are we gonna do it here?

Under the heat of the sun? It's not as scorching than when it's noon but it's still hot. I'm already soaked. And I'm sure she does as well.

I don't care.

I'll succumb to my desire.

Her undershirt is exposed to me. Drenched in sweat, the contours of her bra and knives are visible for me to see.

But then the fire dies down inside of me. My excitement meter plummeted considerably down to zero. The heat I felt inside slowly dissipates away.

“Why are you wounded?”

Eli-chan's eyelids quiver. She is looking at me in silence. Her eyes moistened, brimming with subtle desire. She looks around with drooped eyes seemingly confused.

“I'm talking about your arm.”

I freed her then I sit on the ground. I am
waiting for her response.

“Uhhm... This.. is nothing..”

Eli-chan, still with a reddened face and dazed eyes gently sits up from lying down. She spoke in whisper. I could barely hear her.

“Is this job related? Did you get into a fight? Who fought you?”

“Ehmm.. no..”

“Then what...?”

“I did it...”

She looks sad.

“What?”

“...!!”

I sounded slightly louder than my default pitch which made her flinch.

“Well... Uhm, why..?”

“B-Because I was sad...”

She looks really timid right now, completely different to how I've known her. The Eli-chan at her present condition contrasts with the expressionless robot Eli-chan she tends to be.

“You hurt yourself because you were sad? Why?”

“Because...”

“Because what?”

“B-Because you lied to me..! And it hurts.. I don't want it!”

She's tearing up but she have anger in her eyes. She's glaring at me while trying her best to to stop her tears.

She said she was sad. That's why she made herself bleed. She wounded her beautiful skin just because she is sad.

No. For her, that sadness is probably significant. And she copes through pain.

I hurt her this much huh.

For me, to be honest, what I did shouldn't be that of a big deal. All I did is not watch her sing in person. That promise isn't much crying over with.

But, for Eli-chan, it's a something extremely important as we can see right now. I don't know why she's being sensitive this time than when she was in the past, but it doesn't change the fact that I hurt her.

“I'm sorry for breaking my promise.”

“...........”

She's surprised but then her face becomes gloomy.

“......No.”

She shakes her head lightly staring at the ground with lowered head.

“You won't forgive me?”

“No...”

“Because I broke my promise? Are you not going to give me a chance?”

“So... So you don't even know...?”

Why does she looks so sad?

“What is?”

“Nothing..”

“How am I supposed to know if you won't tell me? I'm not a psychic.”

“It doesn't matter anymore.”

“.........And why is that?”

“Because I'm.... I..”

“...........”

“....ing up... you...”

Her voice is so low and muffled I can barely hear her.

“What?”

“...........”

“Hey—”

I reach out to touch her shoulder but she flicks my hand away.

“Let's break up!”

You look like you're against that so why? You look hurt yet why would you suggest that?

“You don't really want that... That's not what you want. Can't we just solve this—?”

*Slap!*

I tried to touch her again but she slapped my hand away this time.

“Stay... STAY AWAY FROM ME! DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME!”

“Alright. Let's cool down for now. Let's not be so hasty with our decision. You're angry I get it. I broke my word and I apologize for that. But you're not even trying to listen to my explanations.”

I stand up from the ground too.

“Are you going to let our sailing relationship to sink just because of one setback?”

“...........shut up..”

“I told you that ma'am Iris ordered me and some of the boys to help bring the locker into our room. You've seen the new locker yourself! So why don't you just believe me?”

“Why?! Because you're a liar!”

“I am not lying about it Eli—”

“NO SHUT UP! I DON'T WANT TO LISTEN TO YOU ANYMORE! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOUR LIES ANYMORE! Stop trying to make any excuses! BECAUSE I'LL NEVER BELIEVE WHATEVER YOU SAY AGAIN! SO JUST PLEASE! LEAVE ME NOW!! Just... Let's just break up now...”

“No.”

“Yes we would!”

“I'll never accept that.” I reach out to touch her.

*Swish!*

“!!”

“...........”

That was so sudden...

“—! I....”

She is really fast.

“I'm sorry.... I didn't mean to...”

*Clank!*

The silver knife fell from Eli-chan's hand.

She looks really shocked. No, terrified rather.

“I'm fine.”

“I'm sorry...”

“Again— I'm fine.”

I walk closer.

“Please... Sniff... Stay away... We are done.. Please leave me.. I'm begging you.. hic..”

“We're not breaking up Eli-chan.”

I'm 1-metre away from her.

“I'm begging you... Please... Leave..”

“I refuse.”

*Swish~*

I stop walking.

She pulled out another knife. But not to threaten me directly. But she aims it at her own wrist. Threatening me with her own life huh?

Radial artery is inside there. Cut it off and you'll bleed to death.

“Please stay away... I'm begging you... Mark..”

Seriously... Just why are you doing this...?

However...

“Very well...”

I can't have you dying.

“Let's b-break up...”

“My answer still won't change Elizabeth: No!”

“But—”

“Don't threaten me with your life Eli-chan. I won't let you go even after you die. Eventually, I'll probably get arrested for necrophilia but I will still not let you go. So... Let's deal with this without threatening each other alright?”

“...........”

She looks surprised, then conflicted.

“But why...?”

“..........”

“..........sniff...”

“Well, because this decision is one-sided. And... We still have something to do, Elizabeth. I need you.”

That's right. I need her. I can't have her leaving me.

“...........”

“...........”

Eli-chan didn't respond. She has a lowered head so I can't see her expression. Is she contemplating right now?

Is it really so hard to forgive me that you rather end our relationship?

Or... Do you not want me anymore? No more uses for me?

“...........”

“Mark... I have two requests.. L-let's make a deal....”

Hmmm.. What is she planning this time?

“Let's make a deal.”

I don't understand what she wants but... It's better than her killing herself. This deal can ensnare her as well. Or at the very least, I can try to buy time with it.

“Very well Elizabeth. Why don't you tell me what is it that you desire?”