Chapter 12 –  The Return of Chacha

Chacha returned a day later than planned. Even on the eighth day of the potion’s effect, Chloe was still staying at Dante’s house.

“By the way, Chloe. Why did you laugh back then?”

Dante asked as he brushed Chloe’s hair. The scent of soap rose from her freshly bathed body. Chloe tilted her head, not knowing which time he meant, so Dante quickly added,

“When you saw Pierre’s gift. I wondered what was so funny.”

“Oh, that.”

Even thinking about it again, Chloe giggled.

“I thought it would be a ring or necklace, but it was a dried unicorn genital. Tied up with a pretty red ribbon, even.”

“……As a confession gift?”

“Chacha will love it. She’s wanted one for ages. Maybe she’ll use it for making a truth potion.”

If people knew what went into that, they’d confess before even drinking it.

Dante looked a bit sick. Seeing his reflection in the mirror, Chloe burst out laughing. Dante’s hand gently stroked her nape.

“……Anyway, we should get ready. You need the antidote.”

“Yeah. But Dante, you know……”

Chloe trailed off, smiling shyly. She pulled his hand and smiled with her eyes, and Dante, understanding her meaning, began to unbutton her shirt, one button at a time. In just a few days, his hands had grown skillful at undressing her, but every time Chloe signaled, the tension in her shirt front was just as intense as the first time.

“Should I just tell them not to give me the antidote?”

“What are you saying?”

“I can just let you take care of it.”

Dante kissed her exposed shoulder. Her bare skin was mottled with the marks he’d left over the past days.

“What nonsense…… hmm.”

Chloe giggled and shook her head. Dante laughed with her and slipped his hand inside her open shirt. A low m*an spread.

* * *

After returning from the seminar, Chacha stopped by her dorm briefly, then headed straight to her lab. She sorted the materials and samples from the seminar, and wiped the week’s dust from the table.

On the table was the pink potion bottle she’d inspected before leaving for the seminar. Chacha shook the bottle a couple of times and set it on the shelf. It was in the spot labeled ‘Potion for Growing Fur on Soles’.

“……I have no idea why anyone would order something like this.”

Chacha stretched and sat in her chair. Soon, there was a knock at the door. 

‘Chloe?’

She quickly got up and opened it. In front of her stood Chloe and Dante, holding hands like a loving couple.

“Welcome, you two. Something good happened?”

Chacha pretended not to know anything. Even after a week, seeing them holding hands like this, it seemed the plan had worked. She hadn’t expected Chloe to actually use the potion. Chacha snickered to herself. Chloe spoke up.

“Chacha, you gave me the wrong potion.”

“Huh?”

Chacha’s eyes widened. 

‘Was it okay to talk about the potion in front of Dante? Or did Chloe confess without giving him the potion?’ 

Looking confused, Chloe pulled a bottle from her pocket.

“The one you gave me wasn’t a love potion—it was an aphrodisiac.”

“……What?”

“What if you keep making mistakes like this? What if you fail to graduate again?”

Chacha shook the bottle in the sunlight and sniffed it. Her expression grew puzzled.

“Just give me the antidote. I ended up taking it by mistake……”

“You took it?”

Chacha asked, surprised, and Chloe nodded a bit awkwardly. Seeing the red marks on Chloe’s neck, Chacha narrowed her eyes as if she’d figured out what happened, then burst out laughing.

“I didn’t make a mistake, Chloe. This really is the love potion.”

“What?”

“If I made a mistake again, Professor Rosen would k*ll me. There’s a similar-looking potion, so after you left, I double-checked.”

At Chacha’s words, Chloe and Dante stared at each other. Chloe’s lips moved in confusion.

“B-but Chacha. The symptoms were definitely……”

“I told you, the love potion doesn’t move your heart—it just triggers the physical reactions you’d have if you were in love. If someone who’s already in love takes it, they’ll just react more strongly. And in that case, after one release—whether through s*x or m*sturbation—it’s over, so I never made an antidote.”

“……”

“If you still have symptoms, you’re just imagining the effect, or maybe you’re just naturally passionate. If you want a suppressant, I can make one for you.”

Chacha offered generously, but Chloe couldn’t say a word. Dante and Chacha both looked at her. Their expressions were slightly different, but both seemed to be holding back laughter. Chloe’s face flushed as if it might burst.

“Why, why didn’t you tell me that?”

“Well…… I thought Dante would take it.”

Chacha scratched her cheek awkwardly. Chloe couldn’t take it anymore and covered her face, while Dante slipped his hand around her waist. Just then, there was another knock. Chacha got up and opened the door.

“Welcome, Pierre.”

In the doorway stood Pierre, holding a bouquet and a gift box. Pierre looked visibly nervous, but Chacha seemed oblivious. Dante realized he should give them space and quickly helped Chloe up.

“We’ll get going. We’re off on a date.”

“Oh, okay. Congratulations, you two. Pierre’s finally confessing? Who on earth is it that he’s kept secret even from me…….”

The door closed, and the clueless voice cut off. Chloe still covered her face in silence. Dante asked gently,

“Chloe, are you mad?”

“……”

“Is it because I laughed?”

As they walked down the long hallway, Dante kept glancing at Chloe’s face. Chloe turned away from him and muttered,

“…I’m not mad. I just… feel like I might die of embarrassment.”

‘So after one release it’s over—did that mean the potion’s effect ended when Dante used his mouth on me?’ 

She hadn’t known, and kept pulling his pants down, begging for more, asking him to do this and that while staying at his house……

“It’s okay, Chloe. That kind of thing doesn’t k*ll people.”

“What?”

Chloe jerked her head up at his words. Dante didn’t miss the chance and kissed her lips.

“I didn’t hear anything, Chloe. Except that there’s no antidote.”

“……”

“Too bad, but nothing we can do. There’s no antidote.”

Despite his words, he looked like he was dying to tease her. Chloe glared at Dante, then couldn’t resist and kicked him hard in the rear. Dante, even after being kicked, couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“…You’re the worst.”

Chloe kicked him again, then strode ahead. Dante stopped laughing and quickly caught up. His warmth wrapped around Chloe’s back.

“I love you, Chloe.”

His sweet voice rang in her ears. Chloe pretended not to hear, but her lips kept curling up.

“I love you too, Dante.”

 〈fin〉