Chapter 20

"Is there anything else you want to ask properly?"

My mother asked while I lay slumped over the table, too drained to even lift my head.

"N-no, I'm good now..."

...Sex education during adolescence should definitely be taught by a third party. Absolutely not by your own mom, thank you very much...

Then I suddenly remembered that newlywed lady who first told me about “mating season.”
All of her explanations were about what happens between real, bonded partners.
It was my fault for assuming “mating season = being horny,” and asking her questions based on that. It wasn’t because she was a newlywed and had a one-track mind or anything... probably.

As I wallowed in mild despair, unable to raise my head, I heard my mother’s soft chuckle above me.

"When you were little, Mimosa, you always said, ‘I’m going to leave the village and become an adventurer!’ You’d camp out in the yard or empty lots around the village to practice, but I never thought you’d actually go through with it."

"Huh?"

I lifted my head instinctively.
That story sounded familiar somehow—but I was sure it wasn’t about me.

"Wait, aren’t you talking about Huey?"

"Huey? Oh, no dear, I mean you, Mimosa."

Mom narrowed her eyes, smiling wistfully.

"That boy was such a quiet child back then. He was always following behind you, remember? You’d call it your ‘camping training,’ and somehow, he’d always end up tagging along."

Then, like a flood, a forgotten scene surged back into my mind—

"I’m gonna leave the village when I grow up and be an adventurer!"

"Wow, Mimosa-chan, that’s amazing! I wanna go too!"

A small version of me, with dog ears and a tail—still half animal like all children before coming of age—stood proudly before a cute little boy with soft black hair and bright blue eyes, his wolf ears twitching and his fluffy tail wagging as he clapped his hands in excitement.

Oh my god—tiny Huey was adorable! Like, unbearably cute!
An actual little angel!

And in comparison, I looked so smug and cocky...
Not to mention, the one dreaming about “adventure” wasn’t Huey—it was me.

So that’s why everyone still thinks I’m some chuunibyou weirdo even now...
Guess I’ve been a “cringe kid” since I was tiny.
Ugh, I really didn’t need to remember this particular bit of my dark past...

But the images in my head kept playing, ignoring my protests—

"But Huey, you cry too much. You can’t be an adventurer like that, okay? Adventurers have to be strong. You have to live out in the wild and fight scary monsters! Crybabies can’t do that."

"Then I’ll try really, really hard and get stronger! So take me with you when you go!"

After that, I dragged him into all kinds of “training” sessions.
So when he said he was practicing survival skills, that was just him going along with me, huh?
I’m glad I didn’t tease him about it back then...

And apparently, Huey had been working hard behind the scenes too—

"Hey, Mimosa-chan! I got stronger! Now I can be an adventurer with you!"

Huey’s face shone as he said that. His features were still soft and girlish, so I’d thought of him as delicate and unreliable.

"Really, I did! So let’s race! If I win, you have to grant me one wish!"

Back then, I was bigger than him, and I’d never lost to any other kids in a race.
So I accepted his challenge with full confidence.

We both took our beast forms and started running.

Huey must’ve practiced a lot in secret—he launched forward like a spring at the start, his speed catching me completely off guard.
I’d thought I’d win easily, but I hesitated for just a second, thrown off by his momentum.

I’d never had to chase after anyone’s back before.
Yet now I was staring at Huey’s tail flicking ahead of me, struggling to catch up.
In the end, I couldn’t. Huey won that race.

I was still dazed from losing to “Crybaby Huey” when I was pulling my clothes back on. Then he came running over, beaming from ear to ear, his shirt buttons mismatched and his hem untucked.

"Mimosa-chan! I won, so you have to keep your promise!"

With a smile so bright it hurt to look at, he said—

"Take me with you on your adventures! I wanna be with you forever!"

I remembered now.
That race I saw while running behind him before—it was this one.

So this was what Huey wanted me to remember.

And—

Huey had liked Mimosa ever since they were little.

"Mimosa, what’s wrong?"

My mother’s voice snapped me back to reality.

"Ah, n-no, it’s nothing. I just zoned out—I guess I’m a little tired."

"I suppose so. A lot has happened today. Why don’t we call it a night?"

"Ah—what about Dad?"

He had probably stepped out so Mom could talk to me privately about, well… girl things.
At my question, Mom giggled softly, covering her mouth with her hand.

"He’s probably drinking with Huey’s father tonight. I wouldn’t be surprised if they stayed up till morning."

"I see..."

For some reason, I could easily picture my dad getting drunk and being comforted by Huey’s uncle after too many emotional drinks.

"Well then, good night."

"Ah—Mimosa."

"Yes?"

Just as I stood up to head back to my room, Mom winked at me.

"Starting tomorrow, you’ll get to spend time alone with Huey, just the two of you."

"Eh!? Why!?"

"Because it’s mating season, of course. Whether you’re a temporary pair or a true one, this month is a special period where you’re allowed to do nothing but spend time together."

"Huh... I didn’t know that. But we’re not even a temporary pair."

"What!?"

Her reaction made me blink. Mom closed her eyes and let out a thoughtful hum.

"Ah, right. I told the whole village to exclude you from the mating lists this year. That must be why Huey’s been holding back. I see! Don’t worry—tomorrow, I’ll explain everything to Huey’s family and the village chief!"

"U-uh..."

"There’s nothing to be embarrassed about, dear. Enjoy your mating season!"

My mother seemed oddly fired up about it, so I just gave her a vague answer and made my way to my room.
All the fatigue from the day caught up to me at once. I changed into my sleepwear, swayed a little, and fell onto the bed.

I let out a long, heavy sigh.

Starting tomorrow, it would be just Huey and me.
Instead of excitement, the thought filled me with a strange, heavy gloom.

Honestly speaking, I am attracted to Huey.
I can’t say I love him—not when I still have a man’s consciousness—but I do know I don’t want him to become someone else’s mate.
So the idea of being allowed to spend this season alone with him makes my heart race.

And it’s not vanity. Huey does like Mimosa.
Not the me I am now—but the Mimosa he grew up with.

That realization made my chest ache sharply.

Since I woke up, he’s been so gentle with me—because he’s always loved Mimosa since they were little.
He doesn’t want the me who has the mind of a man and no memories of that childhood.
He wants the Mimosa who used to play with him, laugh with him, dream with him.

That means... I’m trampling on the pure, innocent love he’s carried all this time.

The thought made tears well up in my eyes.
I pressed my face into my pillow, muffling the sound as I cried quietly.

Tomorrow, I’ll tell Huey the truth.
That it’s not some chuunibyou story or delusion—that I really do have the consciousness of a man.
That I don’t have the right to be his mate.

And for his sake, I’ll try to recover Mimosa’s memories.
Even if doing so means losing myself completely—if it brings him happiness, then that’s enough.

With that resolve in my heart, I drifted off to sleep.

…

I felt a presence nearby, and my consciousness slowly surfaced.
The sensation of fingers combing gently through my hair was so soothing that I forgot to open my eyes.
They weren’t the thin, delicate fingers of my mother, who always brushed my hair. These were larger—rough, hesitant fingers that moved as if afraid of breaking something fragile.

I slowly opened my eyes.
In the darkness of the room, a tall figure loomed beside the bed.

It was my father.

He didn’t notice that my eyes were half open, and continued to run his hand slowly through my hair, again and again.

"Just when you finally wake up… you’re already old enough to have a mate. Kids sure do grow up fast..."

His voice sounded damp, heavy with emotion.
Pretending not to notice, I closed my eyes again.
A tight ache welled up behind my nose.

Would Dad be happy if he found out I didn’t become someone’s mate tomorrow?

No... knowing him, he’d probably be disappointed, even if he never said it out loud.

That was my last thought before I fell back into sleep.