(So boring...)
In a certain room in the Spirit apartnt building, Tohka, who had just woken up from a nap, was rolling around on the sofa hugging her kinako bread body pillow.
Today was the weekend, so naturally, there was no need to go to school. Usually, at this ti, Tohka would run over to Shido's house next door. Although she didn't have anything particular she wanted to do, just being by Shido's side was the happiest ti for her.
But, she couldn't do that today.
Tohka knew that Shido had sothing very important to handle with Kotori. She couldn't put them in a difficult spot because of her own selfishness.
In fact, this kind of thing had happened several tis before. So, Tohka wasn't dissatisfied at all.
(Shido... will he be back for dinner?)
Laying lazily on her stomach on the sofa, swinging her legs up and down, Tohka couldn't help but wonder.
"Yahaloo—Hello everyone. I'm here to play!"
Suddenly, from the direction of the living room outside the door, ca a lodious and cheerful shout.
"Eh... Miku-san...?"
"Ooh~ Isn't this Miku-chan~ Welco."
"Y-You, why are you here?! S-Stop it—don't co closer!"
"U-Um..."
"Ufufu~ Yoshino and Natsumi-chan are really so cute~ nuzzle nuzzle~"
—Hm?
Sensing that it seed very lively over in the living room, Tohka felt a bit curious. She got up from the sofa and walked towards the living room.
Entering the living room, the LCD TV was currently broadcasting the latest soap opera from the afternoon drama slot. On the TV screen, a very flashily dressed adult man was holding two beautiful won in his arms, one on the left and one on the right, showing an ecstatic smile.
[How is it, President? Are you satisfied?]
[Mhm~ This right here is paradise—]
"Ah~ This right here is paradise~"
And on the sofa in front of the TV, Tohka saw Yoshino, who already had stars spinning in her eyes; Natsumi, who had turned pale and was foaming at the mouth; and Miku, who was holding them both in her arms, showing an incredibly blissful smile.
Looking at the scene before her, Tohka tilted her head blankly and asked tentatively, uncertain:
"...Acting?"
"How could this be acting!"
The pale Natsumi retorted instantly.
"Yo, Tohka-san. I'm here to play."
Miku's eyes instantly lit up. She let go of Yoshino and Natsumi, opened her arms, and pounced towards Tohka.
"I see, welco, Miku."
Watching the rapidly approaching Miku, for so unknown reason, an inexplicable sense of crisis suddenly surged in her heart, making her subconsciously sidestep to dodge Miku.
"Eh? That's so an, Tohka-san. Why did you dodge?"
Hearing Miku's dissatisfied complaint, Tohka scratched her cheek, at a loss for what to do.
"Sorry. It was a reflex... But, why did you pounce at like that?"
"Eeeh? Do you even need to ask? For a hug, of course. This is an expression of love, you know—"
"Is that so..."
"Mhm, mhm!"
Miku nodded very affirmatively. Seeing her open and honest attitude, Tohka couldn't help but sowhat believe the truthfulness of her words.
"Don't be fooled, Tohka!"
Seeing that Tohka was seemingly about to be deceived by Miku's lies. Natsumi hurriedly grabbed Tohka, simultaneously pulling Yoshino along to hide behind Tohka. Poking her head out, she glared warily at Miku.
"This person is definitely lying!"
"...! I-I knew it!"
Seeing Tohka stop in her tracks, Miku sighed with a bitter smile of regret.
"Eh—Don't be so shy, Natsumi-chan. I'll give you a passionate hug later."
"N-No need! If you dare co closer, Tohka will teach you a lesson!"
"Eh?"
Tohka looked completely bewildered.
"Hmph hmph~ That's hard to say. =w="
Looking at the blushing Natsumi shouting protests while hiding behind Tohka, Miku curled the corners of her mouth, revealing a smile of certain victory. She took out an exquisitely wrapped box from behind her back.
"Ta-da—I brought cake. Let's all have afternoon tea together~"
"Cake!?"
Hearing there was food, Tohka's eyes instantly sparkled.
"S-So despicable!"
Seeing her human shield take the bait just like that, Natsumi panicked.
"Eh—Bringing a gift when visiting soone's house is perfectly normal, you know—"
"Guh—"
Natsumi was at a loss for words. Just then, Yoshino raised her hand, and the rabbit puppet in her hand patted Natsumi's hair.
"Well... Let it go, Natsumi-chan. Miku-chan isn't a bad person either. Let's just leave it at that."
"Um... let's eat cake together... Natsumi-san..."
"Ugh..."
Under Yoshino's pitiful gaze, Natsumi instantly lost her montum. Looking at the highly enthusiastic Miku, she turned her face away sowhat unwillingly and replied quietly,
"F-Fine..."
"That's great, Natsumi-chan!"
"Don't pounce on ."
And so, a simple tea party unfolded in the Spirit apartnt.
"Ham~ Mhm, delicious."
Taking a bite of cake, the rich and fluffy texture spread across her tongue. Tohka couldn't help but hold her cheeks in bliss.
"Speaking of which, are Darling and Kotori-san, as well as Kaguya-san and Yuzuru-san, not ho?"
Miku asked curiously. Tohka swallowed the cake and answered.
"Mhm, Shido and Kotori seem to have sothing important to do. Kaguya and Yuzuru also seed to have sothing going on and went out early this morning."
Miku nodded in understanding.
"Is that so? Then let's save their portions."
_______________________
Evening, Akihabara. Inside a ubiquitous ran shop.
"Gulp gulp gulp—Phew—"
Placing the oversized bowl in her hands on the table, Yutsuki wiped the soup stains from the corner of her mouth. Looking at Yuzuru sitting across from her, who was still drinking her broth, a triumphant smile appeared on her lips.
"Looks like it's my win, Yuzuru."
"Unwillingness. It was just a little bit off."
Putting down her soup bowl, Yuzuru lowered her head with great regret.
To explain, Yutsuki and Yuzuru were currently challenging an extra-large bowl of ran in a ran shop that had a "Free if finished within half an hour" promotion.
Strictly speaking, Spirits have no need to eat. Eating is rely a sensory experience or enjoynt as humans. If they really put their minds to it, Yutsuki and Yuzuru could easily eat a restaurant out of business.
So what Yutsuki and Yuzuru were competing in right now was who could finish this extra-large ran in the fastest ti. And now, Yutsuki secured victory over Yuzuru with a margin of rely a second or so.
"Sorry. I lost, Kaguya."
"It's fine, my other half. I have truly received your fighting spirit. Leave the rest to ."
After smiling and comforting Yuzuru, Kaguya took a deep breath and looked at Yutsuki with eyes full of determination.
"Yare yare..."
Yutsuki sighed helplessly, closed one eye, and asked:
"The current record is nine wins and eight losses. As long as I win one more match, I win this duel, right?"
At noon, unable to dissuade her two stubborn bad friends. Yutsuki had no choice but to accept their challenge.
Perhaps considering the unfairness in numbers, Kaguya and Yuzuru proposed taking turns. If Yutsuki won two consecutive matches against Yuzuru and Kaguya, it would count as Yutsuki's victory. Conversely, if Yuzuru and Kaguya won two consecutive matches against Yutsuki, it would be their victory.
The content of the matches was unrestricted: playing kendama, baseball, karaoke, dancing, etc. Each side took turns proposing a challenge to compete in.
Although this rule was a bit unfair to Yutsuki, she didn't particularly mind. After all, looking at it from another angle, she just went from wandering aimlessly alone to hanging out with friends. She was actually having quite a good ti.
Moreover, even if she actually lost, she had nothing to lose.
"Hmph, you're celebrating too early, my comrade. Next is my turn."
Kaguya chuckled smugly and proposed the content of the next match.
—An arcade duel.
"..."
Yutsuki looked at Kaguya with an incredibly pitying look. If it were anything else, Kaguya might actually have a chance of winning. But in video gas, who could win against the most dangerous Spirit, Hacker? Even if her skills weren't up to par, she could just directly tamper with the data and use cheats to insta-kill her opponent.
Yuzuru seed to realize this too, her expression looking extrely stiff.
"Kaguya..."
"Don't worry, my other half. I've secretly practiced this ga hard for a long ti. Just leave it to ."
"Heart throbbing. Kaguya being so confident is also very cute!"
—GG.
Yutsuki thought with certainty in her heart.
But soon, Yutsuki felt a sowhat awkward and slightly pleading gaze coming from Yuzuru.
(Well, it's not a match I absolutely have to win anyway. There's no need to specifically cheat.)
Shrugging lightly, Yutsuki dropped a token into the machine and started the ga at the sa ti as Kaguya.
"Oh—?"
Yutsuki raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Contrary to Yutsuki's expectations, this arcade machine wasn't a traditional fighting ga, but a ga that challenged reflexes and rhythm, similar to a dance machine or Taiko no Tatsujin.
By the way, in a previous dance machine battle, Kaguya had actually beaten Yutsuki.
(I see, so she did put so thought into this.)
Looking at Kaguya beside her, who was staring intently at the screen, Yutsuki couldn't help but smile in excitent.
At first, the icons slowly slid down from the top one by one. In this phase, both Yutsuki and Kaguya handled it very easily.
But gradually, as ti increased, the icons fell faster and faster, and the variety increased as well.
At the sa ti, Kaguya and Yutsuki's hand speeds gradually increased. Unknowingly, the sound of keys being tapped beca as dense as a machine gun.
However, Yuzuru saw that both Yutsuki and Kaguya still looked like they had room to spare.
"Say—"
Suddenly, Yutsuki spoke up.
"Why are you so serious about this? Is going on a date with Itsuka Shido really that important to you two?"
"...Since you're asking that. Then perfectly, I also have a question I want to ask you."
Her rcury-colored eyes staring intently at the screen, Kaguya questioned in a deep voice:
"Why—when you yourself proposed letting and Yuzuru co find Shido, did you reject Shido yourself?"
"..."
"I don't understand! I don't understand at all! Just what exactly are you thinking? You clearly need salvation yourself, and you clearly gave a way to be saved, yet you shut yourself out of it. What is the aning of that? Are you looking down on ?! Shido too, agonized over your matter all night yesterday!"
"That idiot..."
Yutsuki couldn't help but sigh helplessly.
Seemingly talking herself into anger, Kaguya's voice beca passionate.
"So, I will definitely win! And then have Shido seal you!"
"Kaguya..."
Hearing Kaguya's resolve, Yutsuki was silent for a mont. Then, a playful smile appeared on her face.
"I see, as expected of Kaguya, who loves Shido the most most most most most. Such a passionate and unique confession. It's my first ti hearing it."
Hearing Yutsuki's teasing, Kaguya's cheeks instantly flushed a fiery red with a "poof—" sound.
"Wh-Wh-Wh-What nonsense are you talking about!! I-I don't have that kind of—Ah, crap!"
During her flustered retort, a large cluster of icons quickly swept across the screen. In an instant, the score gap between Yutsuki and Kaguya widened.
And then, ga over!
"The match is decided."
"S-So despicable!"
Kaguya loudly protested in dissatisfaction.
"Well, I didn't break any rules. And in a so called match, the result is everything. Your defeat was caused by your own carelessness."
Despite saying that, Yutsuki secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She turned her head and showed Yuzuru a wicked smile.
"Well, although I said I wouldn't cheat, I never said I'd go easy on you."
"Ugh..."
Seemingly unable to find words to refute Yutsuki, aggrieved tears flowed from the corners of Kaguya's eyes.
"Uuu... Yu-Yuzuru... I lost..."
"Comfort. Don't cry, don't cry. Kaguya tried very hard. In Yuzuru's eyes, Kaguya is the best."
"Ugh—Really?"
"Affirmation. Undoubtedly."
"Yuzuru!"
"Kaguya!"
"Ahem—"
Watching the two start showing off their affection in public again, Yutsuki coughed sternly twice.
"Well then, since the match is decided. As the winner, I should have the right to make one demand."
Yuzuru and Kaguya looked at each other and nodded helplessly.
"Guh—Although I am very unwilling. But as a Child of the Typhoon, I must abide by the contract I made."
"Unwillingness. But we will properly keep our promise."
"Well, no need to be so nervous. I don't plan to ask you for anything unreasonable."
Yutsuki shook her head with a bitter smile, held up her index finger, and said to the two of them:
"One ti. The next ti you two are angry with . No matter what, you must forgive ."
"Eh?"
Yuzuru and Kaguya looked at each other, seemingly very confused by Yutsuki's demand.
"Question. What does this an?"
"Well, maybe you'll find out soon."
Winking playfully, a sowhat cryptic smile surfaced on the corners of Yutsuki's mouth.
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