Strike the Blood: The Fourth Progenitor Can't Fall in Love
The Fourth Progenitor Can't Fall in Love
Three months ago, Akatsuki Kojou's life went off the rails. He inherited the power of the world's strongest vampire—the Fourth Progenitor—and now he can't sleep at night, dozes through class, and gets nosebleeds at the slightest provocation. All he wants is a quiet, peaceful life. Too bad the universe has other plans.
When a beautiful transfer student named Himeragi Yukina moves in next door—and then declares herself his watcher, sent to monitor the Fou
Strike the Blood: The Fourth Progenitor Can't Fall in Love - A Table for Four ~Minestrone and a Feeling Without a Name Yet~
The hotel breakfast hall was filled with a different atmosphere than usual.
Standing in front of the buffet table, Akatsuki Kojou tilted his head, tongs still in hand.
"What's with this vibe...?"
He scratched the tip of his nose after saying it out loud.
A four-person table. Between the three girls seated there, a strange tension hung in the air. No—it wasn't just the three of them. Their classmates around them kept glancing at the table, whispering to each other.
"Hey, Akatsuki. You pull something again?"
His best friend Yaze, standing beside him, spoke with an exasperated tone.
"I didn't do anything. And why do you just assume I did?"
"Your life's always like this, man."
Yaze snatched the tongs from Kojou's hand and deftly began piling bacon onto a plate.
"Aiba-san, Himeragi-san, and that ponytail girl. All three of them are staring at you."
"Staring?"
Kojou turned around. Sure enough, all three gazes were directed his way. No—more precisely, the three of them were keeping each other in check while sneaking glances at him in between.
Seated at the left end of the table was Himeragi Yukina. Her black bob swayed softly in the morning light. Back straight, she was meticulously folding the napkin on her lap.
"...Senpai, please sit down. We're running out of breakfast time."
Yukina's voice was polite as always. But her eyes flicked toward Asagi, who stood beside Kojou.
"It's fine, isn't it? Just eat slowly. Kojou, the seat next to me is open."
Asagi, sitting across from Yukina, brushed back her long blonde hair as she spoke. Her turquoise earrings caught the light from the window and sparkled.
"Hey, you. Yukina said it first. There's such a thing as order."
Sayaka, seated beside Yukina, sharpened her amber eyes. Her long brown hair was gathered in a ponytail, her tall frame held straight.
"Huh? Order? What, are we playing a seat-grabbing game?"
"That's not the issue. Yukina isn't yielding to you—she's just saying your behavior is getting out of hand."
"Yukina-chan didn't say anything. You're just speaking for her on your own."
"Excuse me?"
Invisible sparks flew between the two. Yukina let out a small sigh.
"...Both of you, you're so noisy in the morning. Senpai is troubled."
"I'm not troubled!"
Kojou threw both hands up.
"Everyone's sure energetic today! Is it because it's the last day of the school trip?"
He laughed carelessly.
In that instant, all three froze. Asagi's mouth fell open. Yukina's eyes went wide. Sayaka furrowed her brow. And then, all three sighed—deep, deep sighs—in unison.
" "...Haaah." "
"W-what's with that reaction?"
"You really don't get anything, do you."
Yaze clapped him on the shoulder.
"Don't get what? What are you talking about?"
"That's something you figure out yourself."
Yaze walked off to his own seat.
Still tilting his head, Kojou lowered himself into the empty seat—across from Yukina, beside Asagi.
(Something's off.)
Kojou looked at each of the three in turn. Yukina was staring down, tearing her bread into tiny pieces. Asagi downed her orange juice in one gulp and set the empty glass on the table. Sayaka had her arms crossed, glaring at him.
(Well, Sayaka's always glaring.)
Kojou brought bacon to his mouth. The saltiness of the crispy bacon spread across his tongue.
(But Yukina and Asagi being this on edge—that's weird.)
He stabbed a piece of scrambled egg with his fork.
(Whatever. Thinking about it won't help. I'm hungry. Let's eat.)
Kojou dug into the food before him. Three gazes watched him, each with its own temperature. He didn't notice. He didn't notice that something invisible was swirling between the three of them, all around him. He never noticed—not until the very end.
――――
The journey home from Miyako Island to Itogami Island.
The plane cut across the blue sea. Outside the window, the artificial outline of Itogami Island gradually came into focus.
"We're back."
Kojou pressed his forehead against the window, gazing at the island below.
"Man, that went by fast."
"You just floated in the ocean the whole time."
Asagi, in the seat beside him, spoke with exasperation.
"Even just floating was fun. The ocean's the best."
"Well, the ocean was pretty."
Asagi looked out the window.
"...But somehow, it feels incomplete."
Her voice sank just a little.
"Incomplete? Why? You ate all that yakisoba."
"The yakisoba has nothing to do with it! You really don't understand my feelings at all, do you."
"Feelings? The yakisoba's feelings?"
"Wrong!"
Asagi smacked Kojou's arm.
"Ow! Why'd you hit me?"
"Because I felt like hitting you!"
Asagi turned away with a huff. The tips of her ears were faintly red. Kojou tilted his head.
(Why's she mad?)
He scratched the tip of his nose.
(Well, Asagi's always like this.)
Kojou leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. The engine hummed steadily. The pleasant vibration drew him toward sleep.
――――
The day after returning to Itogami Island.
The moment the after-school chime rang, Kojou bolted out of the classroom.
"Akatsuki! Wait!"
"Hm? Asagi. What is it?"
Kojou turned to see Asagi chasing after him, breathing hard. Her long blonde hair was a mess from running.
"I'm coming to your place today."
"Huh? My place?"
"Yeah. I'll make you dinner."
Asagi put her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest.
"Dinner? You?"
"What, is that a problem?"
"No, not a problem, but... can you actually cook?"
At his words, Asagi froze for a moment.
"...I can. Probably."
"Probably?"
"Just drop it! I'm saying I'll cook, so just accept it graciously!"
Asagi pushed Kojou's back.
"O-okay, okay. Stop pushing."
Kojou let himself be pushed toward the school gate. Asagi's heart was pounding.
(Like I'm gonna let it end with another rejection!)
Asagi stared at Kojou's back.
(I failed my confession again on Miyako Island. But this time, I'm going to make him understand how I feel.)
Her resolve was firm.
(I'll show off my feminine side with home cooking. I'm not great at cooking, but that's where Kojou comes in—that's the plan. Standing together in the kitchen, cooking happily, getting a nice mood going...)
Asagi nodded to herself internally.
(Perfect.)
She grinned.
――――
They arrived at Kojou's apartment.
"Pardon the intrusion~"
Asagi kicked off her shoes and stepped inside.
"Sit wherever. I'll get you something to drink."
"Oh, thanks."
Asagi looked around the room. A boy's bachelor pad. But cleaner than she'd expected.
"Surprisingly tidy."
"Nagisa comes by sometimes to clean. When I do it, I can never find anything afterward."
"You rely on your little sister way too much."
Asagi hugged a cushion and sat on the sofa. Kojou set a glass of barley tea on the table.
"So, what are you making for dinner?"
"Minestrone!"
Asagi declared with gusto.
"Minestrone, huh. Nice. What ingredients?"
"Ingredients? ...Vegetables and stuff."
"Vegetables and stuff—like what specifically?"
"Um, tomatoes, cabbage, and... carrots?"
"That's just stir-fried vegetables."
"Shut up! I'm the one cooking, so I decide!"
Asagi stood up and headed for the kitchen.
"Hold on. Can you even use a knife?"
Kojou hurried after her.
"Of course I can. Who do you think I am?"
Asagi pulled vegetables from the fridge. Tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, onion.
"See, I'll cut this onion."
She placed the onion on the cutting board and gripped the knife.
"...Hey, the way you're holding that."
"What?"
"The blade's backwards."
"Huh?"
Asagi looked at the knife. The blade was indeed facing the wrong way.
"S-shut up! This is my style!"
Face bright red, Asagi regripped the knife. Then she brought the blade down on the onion.
Squish.
"...Asagi, that's more mashing than cutting."
"I know that! It's just a little hard to gauge the pressure!"
Asagi mashed and mashed the onion, somehow reducing it to smaller pieces. Beside her, Kojou started peeling carrots.
"See, you peel carrots thin like this with a peeler."
He demonstrated.
"Huh. You're surprisingly handy."
"I'm good at cooking. I make Nagisa's lunch every morning too."
"Huh... Your sister's lucky."
Asagi stared at Kojou's hands.
(Kojou's hands are big. His fingers are long. ...Cool.)
She caught herself and shook her head vigorously.
"What's wrong?"
"N-nothing!"
Asagi turned back to the onion.
That was when it happened.
Ding-dong.
The intercom rang.
"Hm? Who's that?"
Kojou headed for the entrance. When he opened the door, Yukina stood there. Black bob. Serious expression.
"Senpai, I heard noises, so I came to monitor the situation."
"Monitor? The noise is just cooking."
"Cooking, you say?"
Yukina peered inside. Her eyes landed on Asagi standing in the kitchen.
"...Asagi-san."
Yukina's voice dropped just slightly.
"Oh, Yukina-chan. Perfect timing. I'm about to make Kojou some minestrone."
Asagi spoke with a triumphant look.
"Minestrone, is it."
Yukina surveyed the state of the kitchen. The mashed onion. The thickly peeled carrot. And the knife gripped backwards. Yukina's face went pale.
"Asagi-san, the way you're holding that knife is dangerous!"
Yukina stepped inside and smoothly produced a combat knife from beneath her skirt.
"W-wait, Yukina! Where were you even keeping that?!"
"The usual place. More importantly, Asagi-san, this is how you hold a knife."
Yukina raised her combat knife, about to teach Asagi the correct grip.
"I said put that away!"
Kojou let out a shriek.
That was when it happened.
Bang!
The front door flew open.
"Yukina! Are you all right?!"
Standing there was Sayaka, out of breath. Her brown ponytail was in disarray.
"Sayaka-san? Why are you here?"
"You suddenly left the room, so I thought something happened and chased after you. And then—you're in this man's apartment..."
Sayaka scanned the room. Asagi in the kitchen. Yukina gripping a combat knife. And Kojou standing between them.
"...You. What are you making Yukina do?"
Sayaka's amber eyes pierced through Kojou.
"I'm not making her do anything! Yukina pulled out the knife on her own!"
"I don't want to hear your excuses. Yukina, I'll protect you, so relax."
Sayaka planted herself in front of Yukina.
"No, seriously, nobody's attacking Yukina."
"Silence. I'll deal with this man myself."
Sayaka glared at Kojou.
"Sayaka-san, Senpai isn't at fault. I just—"
"Yukina, be quiet. Stay behind me."
"...Yes."
Yukina obediently hid behind Sayaka.
"Hey, Yukina! You too?!"
"Senpai, I'm sorry. Once Sayaka-san gets like this, I can't stop her."
"Then stop her! That's your job!"
"My job is to ensure the safety of my surveillance target. Right now, Sayaka-san perceives Senpai as a danger, but my own safety is secured."
"What about my safety?!"
Kojou's scream echoed through the room.
"Ugh, enough! You're all so loud! You two, just shut up and cook something!"
Asagi finally snapped.
"I'm making Kojou minestrone! If you're going to get in the way, go home!"
"I'm not in the way. I'm protecting Yukina."
"Protecting from who?!"
"Yukina from this man!"
"Kojou hasn't done anything!"
"Of course he has! Yukina's this shaken up!"
"That's because you barged in!"
"Excuse me?!"
Asagi and Sayaka glared at each other. Yukina fidgeted helplessly between them. Kojou let out a deep sigh.
"...Enough. All of you, sit down."
Kojou shooed the three into the living room and took his place in the kitchen.
"Senpai?"
"I'll make dinner. For four."
"Huh? You?"
"I came here to eat your cooking, not—"
"Quiet. Just sit. You three, watch from there."
Kojou put on an apron and began cutting vegetables with practiced ease.
Chop-chop-chop.
The rhythmic sound of the knife filled the room.
"...Fast."
Asagi murmured. Kojou's knife work was impressive. Onion minced, carrots sliced into ginkgo shapes, cabbage roughly chopped. In no time, the vegetables were neatly prepared.
"Amazing... Senpai, you really are good at cookin
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