Chapter 287: How About A Massage?

Fauna looked down at her sleeping daughter for a long moment. Then she let out a quiet sigh and turned to Mika, her tone wistful.

"Well." She said. "What are we going to do now?"

"Do?" Mika raised a brow.

Fauna nodded eagerly, brushing her hair back with a bright smile.

"I was thinking the three of us could watch a movie or play a board game—something fun, you know? It’s been forever since we all did something together. But now that Anya’s completely knocked out..."

She gestured helplessly toward her daughter.

"...we can’t exactly do that."

She puffed her cheeks in mild frustration, crossing her arms.

"So what should we do? It’s not even time for dinner yet, and I don’t want to just sit around doing nothing."

Her mood perked up again as she began listing ideas.

"I’ve got a bunch of board games in the cabinet we could try. Oh! And that new video game console I bought because all the kids in the hospital wouldn’t stop talking about it. We could finally test that out!"

"Or maybe karaoke! We haven’t done that in ages. You love karaoke, right? Singing with me is always fun—come on, pick one!"

Mika nearly choked back a laugh. The mental image of Fauna with a microphone, dancing dramatically to pop songs like she used to, made him feel both nostalgic and amused.

He was about to agree to karaoke—because it had, indeed, been a long time since he’d heard her angelic singing voice—but then he stopped himself.

He had come here for a reason.

He had a mission to make her see him differently, to change her mind about him.

He couldn’t get distracted.

So, schooling his face into an innocent smile, he leaned slightly closer.

"Actually..." He began slowly, his tone thoughtful.

"I was thinking of something else. After seeing how much work you’ve done today, and all those hours you must’ve spent bent over files and hospital records...I figured your body’s probably a bit sore. Your joints stiff. Maybe even a few muscle aches, hmm?"

Fauna blinked, caught off guard.

"I mean, even though you’re a Battle Angel, you’re still human, you know? And you’re growing older every day. You’re already forty, so—"

"Hey!" Fauna pouted instantly, swatting his arm. "That’s not something you say to a lady, Mika! Especially not her age!"

She huffed, crossing her arms.

"And I’ll have you know I’m perfectly fine and still just as young as ever!"

Her offended tone only made her look even cuter, which made it hard for Mika not to laugh.

He then pretended to ignore her indignation and shrugged.

"Oh, okay then. If you’re perfectly healthy, then I guess there’s no need for the massage I was going to give you."

"Massage?" Her entire demeanor froze.

Mika smirked slightly.

"Yeah. I figured since you’ve probably been tense all day, I could help you relax a little. A shoulder rub, maybe something to ease that tension in your back."

"But if you’re fine, then I guess I don’t have to—"

"Wait! Stop, stop!"

Fauna quickly grabbed his wrist before he could step away, her voice turning pleading.

"I never said that! I never said I didn’t want one!"

Mika looked back at her with a deliberately blank face. "Oh?"

"Yes!" She said quickly, nodding like an excited child. "I do want a massage! I really, really do!"

Her tone softened, almost shy now.

"I haven’t told anyone this, but...sometimes when I wake up, my back hurts so bad I can barely stand straight for a few minutes."

"That’s probably because of how you sleep." Mika said dryly. "You toss and turn so much that half the time you’re hanging off the bed. I’ve seen it."

"Don’t talk about that!" She scolded, blushing slightly. "That’s not the point!"

Then, clasping her hands together and looking up at him with her most adorable pleading eyes, she said,

"Please, Mika. Please give me a massage. It would mean the world to me."

He looked down at her, doing his best to hide the smirk tugging at his lips.

"Alright, alright." He said with exaggerated reluctance. "Since you’re begging me so much, I can’t say no, can I?"

"Yay!" She squealed, immediately perking up—then quickly covered her mouth when she realized her daughter was still asleep nearby.

"Shh..." Mika whispered, chuckling softly.

Fauna nodded hurriedly, then grabbed his hand and whispered.

"Let’s go, let’s go! Before she wakes up!" She gently tugged him along, leading him out of the room and down the corridor.

As they walked, she started humming to herself, half-singing in excitement.

"I’m getting a massage from Mika~ I’m getting a massage from Mika~"

It was utterly childish and completely adorable.

Mika could only shake his head, hiding a devious smile as he followed her toward the living room.

But as they entered, he noticed the television still on—the screen flashing with breaking news.

The broadcast anchor was talking fast, her voice sharp and serious.

"...reports confirm multiple high-ranking Parliament members have jumped off the roof of the building they were in, when the news of their activities arrived. Many others have been found hanging in their own homes, committing suicide out of the sheer shame of—"

Mika’s eyes narrowed and he immediately walked forward and switched off the TV before Fauna could process what she’d just heard.

"Wait—Mika?" She said, blinking. "Did you just hear that? I think the news lady said something about the Parliament—"

"It’s nothing." Mika interrupted quickly, his tone calm and casual. "Just a horror movie. I know how much you hate horror movies, so I turned it off for you before it got scary."

"Really? Oh thank goodness!" She let out a huge sigh of relief, as she patted her chest. "You have no idea how much I hate those things."

"Anya drags me to watch them all the time! She loves them, but I get nightmares every time. You’re such a good boy, thinking about me like that."

She reached up on her tiptoes and patted his head affectionately.

"Yeah." He murmured under his breath, his eyes flicking briefly toward the dark TV screen where his own reflection smirked back at him.

’But it’s all going to change now.’

Mika then looked around the cozy living room, tapping his chin.

"Hmm. If I’m going to give you a proper massage..." He said thoughtfully. "...you should probably lie down somewhere comfortable. Maybe the sofa? No, wait, the bed might be better."

He turned to her, half-smiling.

"What do you think, Fauna? Sofa or bed?"

But before he could even decide, Fauna perked up, her eyes bright with excitement.

"Oh! There’s no need for that." She said, grabbing his wrist. "I’ve got something much better. Come with me!"

Without giving him a chance to ask, she began dragging him down the corridor.

"Wait—Fauna, where are we going?" Mika asked, half-laughing.

"You’ll see!" She replied cheerfully as she pushed open a door—and revealed her bedroom.

It was spacious and warm, illuminated by soft daylight from the tall windows.

A massive bed sat in the center, its headboard wrapped in silver metal filigree, the covers an explosion of pastel pillows and stuffed animals—everything from little bunnies to tiny winged cats.

The whole room felt so her—a mix of mature elegance and childlike innocence.

"Wait here!" Fauna said, pointing a finger at him before dashing out.

Mika sighed and looked around. The air smelled faintly of lavender and honey.

His gaze moved from the plush mountain of pillows to the framed photos scattered around the room—on the desk, the nightstand, even on the wall.

And to his horror, almost every single one of them was of him.

There were photos of him as a kid, him with Anya, him sitting at the dinner table, even one of him yawning on the sofa.

"Oh for heaven’s sake..." He muttered under his breath, running a hand over his face. "There’s more pictures of me rather then her duaghter."

Just then, Fauna came rushing back in, a big grin on her face.

"Look, look, Mika!"

He turned and blinked in surprise.

Fauna was rolling in a massage table.

A proper one—portable, cushioned, complete with adjustable height.

"Ta-da!" She announced proudly.

"You...have a massage table?" Mika asked, staring.

She nodded enthusiastically.

"Yep! Someone gifted it to me a few years ago. Anya and I used to take turns massaging each other, but we haven’t used it in a while." She patted it fondly. "It’s still in perfect condition though—you can use it now!"

Mika raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything.

Fauna, however, wasn’t finished.

"Oh, and—wait, wait, wait—I have something else too!"

She said as she hurried over to her shelf. She opened a small cabinet, pulling out several small glass jars.

"Aromatic candles! And masage oil as well!"

Before Mika could say anything, she had already begun setting them around the room, on the desk, the dresser, near the bed. She struck a match and lit them one by one.

A soft yellow glow filled the space, and the air was instantly infused with a calming scent—lavender and vanilla with faint traces of citrus. The entire atmosphere shifted, becoming warm, soothing, and faintly sensual.

"There!" She said proudly, placing her hands on her hips. "Now doesn’t that feel nice? It’s exactly like a professional spa!"

Mika blinked, half-amused, half-impressed.

"Well...I was just planning on giving you a little leg and shoulder massage." He said wryly. "Maybe a bit of a back rub if you were lucky. But now..." He gestured to the setup, chuckling. "With all this, it looks like you’re expecting a full-body treatment."

Fauna clasped her hands together and jumped once in excitement.

"Yes! Yes, exactly! That’s what I want right now!" She said eagerly. "A full-body massage sounds heavenly!"

As Fauna turned away, happily humming to herself while arranging the last few candles, Mika’s eyes lingered on her back. His smirk deepened, quiet and knowing.

She really had no idea.

Every playful move she made, every bit of trust she showed, every innocent smile she gave—

—was pulling her deeper and deeper into his carefully woven trap.