Chapter 7: The Sweet Suffocation of Care

“Purity” and “honesty”—these qualities in Kazami Jin were no mere fleeting disguise. Rather, they were a survival wisdom, meticulously cultivated and emanating from her very soul, especially after she had endured that failed escape and personally witnessed the terrifying prowess of her two “roommates” as they utterly shredded elite shadow beasts.

Having been “escorted” home that night, her immediate action was to carefully replace every item in her escape bag, untouched and with an almost reverent solemnity.

She then embarked on a profound self-reflection regarding the sheer folly of her attempts to “resist” and “flee.”

Such actions, she realized, were no different from tap-dancing before two dozing lions—a blatant invitation to an early demise.

She had naively believed that by feigning submission and docility, she could revert to their former “balanced” dynamic.

Yet, she soon discovered the extent of her own innocence.

That attempted escape, however, proved akin to a colossal stone plummeting into a seemingly calm (?) lake, generating ripples that vastly exceeded her expectations.

This unsettling aftermath manifested as an escalating, all-encompassing “care” from the two magical girls.

This particular brand of “care” initially manifested in their physical proximity.

Whereas Lin Wan’s prior acts of physical affection had possessed a degree of spontaneity, they had now escalated into an unyielding, all-encompassing “conjoined twin” dynamic.

From the instant Jin awoke until she finally retired for the night, a human-shaped attachment seemed perpetually affixed to her side.

Lin Wan, it appeared, was utterly resolved to wholly envelop Jin with her body heat and very essence, as if, should her vigilance waver for even a moment, Jin might again dissolve into the shroud of night.

“Xiaojin~ Cuddle!”

“Xiaojin~ Hug!”

“Xiaojin, let me sniff you, just to make sure you’re still here…”

Such pronouncements, invariably accompanied by physical contact, had gradually faded into mere background noise.

Jin had progressed from initial stiffness, through a phase of numbness, to a point where she could now complete her math homework, utterly unfazed, even as Lin Wan’s arms were wrapped around her waist—a testament to her astonishing adaptability for survival.

Xia Yue’s methodology, conversely, proved to be considerably more “meticulous.”

Without Jin’s knowledge, Xia Yue had, at some indeterminate point, augmented the apartment (including Jin’s own room) with several small magical contraptions that, while appearing to be mere decorative items, very likely harbored surveillance functionalities.

Jin’s daily routines, her dietary habits, and even the subtle undulations of her mood appeared utterly incapable of eluding Xia Yue’s “all-seeing eye.”

Xia Yue would “coincidentally” materialize precisely at moments when Jin might experience a flicker of unease or find herself lost in private contemplation.

A perfectly warmed cup of milk or a seemingly innocuous “What’s wrong?” served as her chosen methods for asserting her pervasive presence.

This relentless “surveillance” had effectively obliterated any remaining sliver of space Jin might have had for solitary emotional introspection.

They appeared to have forged a tacit agreement: they were to meticulously fill every conceivable void in Jin’s existence with an abundance of “intimacy” and “attention,” thereby eradicating any potential for “unsuitable thoughts” to take root.

Moreover, this particular brand of “care” permeated every conceivable facet of her daily existence.

The incident during gym class, involving Lin Wan’s magical candies and Xia Yue’s specialized beverage, proved to be merely the prologue.

In the aftermath, Jin found her physical training—a decidedly compulsory endeavor—catapulted to an unprecedented intensity.

Lin Wan would enthusiastically coax her into “amusing” physical games, while Xia Yue meticulously crafted a detailed “Physical Enhancement Plan.”

The contents of this regimen included, but were not limited to, specially prepared, nutritionally balanced meals served thrice daily; scheduled “mana channeling” sessions (allegedly to rectify her “trashy physique”); and morning stretches personally “supervised” by none other than Xia Yue herself.

Jin increasingly perceived herself not as a witch, but rather as a meticulously nurtured and trained… rare pet.

The slightest display of weariness or reluctance on her part would invariably be met with Xia Yue’s placid, unwavering gaze, swiftly followed by Lin Wan’s puppy-dog eyes, which would instantly well up with a wounded expression and the silent accusation, “Are you trying to leave us again?”

This dual assault would compel Jin to immediately rally every fiber of her being, forcing a smile that was “sweet as honey” to her lips.

The weekend excursion to the arcade, moreover, propelled this “excessive affection” to an unprecedented crescendo.

Xia Yue’s “hands-on guidance” and Lin Wan’s “intimate instruction” alternated seamlessly.

Jin, much like a meticulously dressed doll, found herself “invincible” within the gaming realm, deftly maneuvered by her two “masters.”

Trapped within the cool embrace of Xia Yue and the fervent warmth of Lin Wan, a commingled fragrance enveloped her senses.

Her mind, utterly overwhelmed by the relentless intimacy and an acute sense of shame, had all but ceased to function.

She could discern the subtle, yet undeniable, pressure of Xia Yue’s fingertips as they clasped her hand, a force concealed beneath the veneer of a calm gesture.

Concurrently, she perceived the accelerated beat of Lin Wan’s heart, transmitted from the chest pressed intimately against her back during a rear embrace.

It appeared they were employing this very method to repeatedly validate her existence and solidify her “belonging.”

Simultaneously, they were enacting a punishment for her previous “unannounced departure”—a retribution so tender it was utterly suffocating.

That evening, as they walked home, Jin burdened with an armful of trophies she could scarcely manage, Lin Wan remained effervescent, already charting their next “group outing.”

Xia Yue listened in silence, yet her gaze would intermittently settle upon Jin, carrying an ineffable, profound intensity.

Jin walked between the two, her body languid with fatigue from the day’s “ordeal,” yet her mind drifted in a peculiar state of serene detachment.

The streetlights cast their three shadows, stretching and intertwining on the pavement, as if destined never to be disentangled again.

Her gaze drifted to Xia Yue beside her, whose exquisite profile, sculpted by light and shadow, conveyed an almost ethereal haughtiness and… a hint of barely perceptible tension?

She then turned her attention to the effervescent Lin Wan on her other side, pondering if, beneath that dazzling smile, there too resided an apprehension, a profound fear of being “left behind” once more.

‘Resist? Flee?’

When this once-urgent thought resurfaced, Jin found it had receded into an incredibly faint and remote possibility, now tinged with an almost comical absurdity.

Her gaze descended to the enormous Rilakkuma plushie cradled in her arms—a prize Lin Wan had secured for her.

Simultaneously, she became acutely aware of the surging energy still coursing through her veins, an undeniable gift from Xia Yue’s specially concocted beverage.

A profound, almost numb tranquility settled over her, a complex emotion interwoven with helplessness, resignation, and a faint, even self-surprising, undercurrent of peace.

‘What’s the point?’ she thought.

‘I can’t escape, nor can I hope to win a confrontation.

Moreover… while their “attention” is undeniably suffocating, those candies truly are delectable, the drinks genuinely effective, and the arcade was, undeniably, a great deal of fun…’

‘Most importantly, beneath this “impenetrable” “care,” it seems I haven’t genuinely worried about being discovered and “purified” by other magical girls in a very long time.’

‘To be a witch “kept” by magical girls, though utterly devoid of dignity, at least offers a high degree of personal safety, and my quality of life appears to be steadily improving?’

Kazami Jin, having endured attempts at resistance, faced the harsh reality, and been continuously deluged by “excessive affection,” finally began to abandon all pretense of fighting back.

She now slid headlong down the path of “completely giving up and attempting to find comfort within her current predicament.”

Her witch life, it seemed, was destined to stray further and further along this meticulously paved, pink-trap-laden yuri road, courtesy of the two magical girls.

‘Giving up is truly glorious.’