In the morning, bright sunlight shone through the gap in the curtains onto Yutsuki's face.
"Ugh..."
Yutsuki frowned uncomfortably. She sluggishly climbed out of bed and rubbed her sleepy, hazy eyes.
"...Where is this?"
Looking around groggily, the 1LDK (one bedroom, living room, dining room, kitchen) apartnt was furnished with various essential appliances and furniture. Posters of various ani characters adorned the walls, and a large bookshelf in the corner neatly held gas, ani, and so CD albums.
This wasn't a hotel business room, but inside the Spirit apartnt building owned by Ratatoskr.
(...Those things just now were a dream, huh.)
Yutsuki scratched her ssy long brown hair, picked up her phone, and checked the ti.
—Sunday, November 12th, 8:43 AM.
"Right... I'm already back."
Muttering softly to herself, Yutsuki sighed in relief.
After things wrapped up last night, Kotori sent people to Akihabara to bring Yutsuki's luggage over. She had to admit, the Fraxinus's efficiency was astounding. In less than two hours, they had completely set up the room according to Yutsuki's requests.
"Heave-ho—"
Throwing off the blanket, her slender bare feet touched the ground. Yutsuki walked to the mirror hanging on the wall and looked at herself.
Beneath the long brown hair, slightly ssy from just waking up, were a pair of clear, amber eyes. A delicate nose and rosy cherry lips outlined breathtakingly beautiful features. A slightly oversized T-shirt served as pajamas, simply wrapping the girl's delicate fra. Through the wide collar, one could see delicate collarbones and faintly discernible jade rabbits...
"Well... it's whatever once you get used to it."
Yutsuki sighed flatly. If it were soone else seeing this scene, their blood would have boiled long ago. But to Yutsuki, who had been looking at this body for over a year, she was already entirely accustod to it.
Stretching lazily, Yutsuki quickly changed her clothes, brushed her teeth, washed her face, and after a simple grooming, walked out of her room.
In the hallway, Yutsuki happened to run into Yuzuru and Kaguya.
"Good morning."
"Good morning, my com—No! —Hmph!"
Kaguya reflexively greeted Yutsuki first, then realized what she was doing, turned her head away, and stomped off angrily.
"Remark. Yuzuru and Kaguya are not angry, we just simply decided to ignore Yutsuki for now."
After providing an supplentary explanation for Kaguya, Yuzuru also turned her head with an "Hmph" and walked briskly past Yutsuki.
(Setting aside the fact that this doesn't count as ignoring at all... they're clearly angry.)
Seeing her two bad friends's easy to understand attitudes, Yutsuki couldn't help but smile bitterly.
Although she knew from Shido that they had recovered their mories of the previous world and would be dissatisfied with her actions back then, her whim yesterday to set a victory condition for them was probably adding fuel to the fire for the highly prideful Yamai sisters.
(Well, they did say it's only 'for now.' I'll apologize properly after they calm down.)
Walking out of the Spirit apartnt, she arrived at the Itsuka house. Yutsuki used her key to open the door. The house was currently empty.
"No one's here... Did they go out?"
Yutsuki took off her shoes and put them in the shoe cabinet. Coming to the living room, there was a sticky note pressed under a mug on the table.
[Yutsuki, Tohka and I had to go out for sothing. Kotori and Reine-san seem to have so cleanup work to do and went to the airship. I left breakfast in the pressure cooker, rember to eat when you wake up.]
"I see, those two went on a date."
Yutsuki wasn't particularly surprised; Shido going on dates with Spirits wasn't anything strange. Entering the kitchen, she turned off the pressure cooker's keep-warm function and took out miso soup, white rice, and side dishes. A piping hot, delicious aroma imdiately wafted up.
"Itadakimatsu~"
After putting her hands together in prayer before the al according to Japanese etiquette, Yutsuki began eating breakfast with relish.
(Delicious.)
Yutsuki couldn't help but sigh in her heart. Although it wasn't any special ingredients, compared to the rice balls she used to buy casually at convenience stores, it was more delicious and warm. With every bite, she could feel the other person's care and consideration.
(As expected, having a ho is the best.)
As this thought surfaced in her mind, a blissful smile brimd on Yutsuki's lips.
"Thanks for the al~"
______________
(Well then, what should I do next?)
Yutsuki wondered.
Today is a day off—though she says that, Yutsuki still isn't a student at Raizen High School, so she wouldn't need to go to school even on a weekday.
While pondering what to do to pass her free ti this weekend, Yutsuki suddenly noticed Yoshino and Natsumi standing at the door to her room.
"Ugh—We've been knocking for so long and there's no response. Is Yutsuki-chan still sleeping in?"
"Or maybe... she's already gone out..."
Yoshino said softly. anwhile, the rabbit puppet "Yoshinon" on her left hand had its arms crossed and its head tilted, looking very puzzled.
"Say, Yoshino, Yoshinon. Maybe we should just forget it and go back."
Natsumi couldn't help but shrink back.
She hadn't told Yutsuki beforehand that she was coming. Even if they got the cold shoulder, it wouldn't be strange. Besides, soone like her coming to visit was a bother in itself, and she even made an angel like Yoshino accompany her and waste her precious ti.
The more she thought like this, the more Natsumi lowered her head in self-loathing.
(Ugh... I really am the worst... Hm?)
Suddenly feeling two light taps on her shoulder, Natsumi turned her head in confusion. Imdiately after, Ryougi Yutsuki's face clearly occupied her vision.
"—Aaaaaaah!"
Natsumi let out a terrified scream and hurriedly hid behind Yoshino.
"Hey, hey, there's no need to be that scared, Natsumi."
Looking at Natsumi's overreaction, Yutsuki said, caught between laughing and crying.
"Anyone would be scared if soone sneaked up silently behind them! Why do your footsteps make no sound, Yutsuki?!"
"It's just a habit I've developed. It makes a lot of things very convenient, like not having to worry about being discovered."
"That sounds even scarier!"
Hearing Yutsuki's words, Natsumi shouted with a pale face.
"Good morning... Yutsuki-san..."
Yoshino wasn't scared by Yutsuki like Natsumi was, and greeted Yutsuki very politely.
"My, my, Yutsuki-chan, you're finally back. Yoshinon thought you had already gone out."
"Not at all. I just woke up a bit late and just got back from eating breakfast."
"I see~ Yutsuki-chan is a sleepy~head~"
"Hey, hey, it's a rare day off, it's fine if I slack off a bit, right? Take this~"
"Ouch!"
Annoyed, she lightly flicked Yoshinon's small forehead. The rabbit puppet feigned pain and squird, making Yutsuki burst into laughter.
"So, did you guys co to play?"
"Mhm... yes..."
Yoshino nodded gently.
"It was Natsumi-chan's idea. She said she hasn't played gas with Yutsuki-chan in a long ti and invited us to co play together."
"Yoshinon, didn't we agree not to say that?!"
Hearing Yoshinon actually expose her, Natsumi instantly fell into a panic. Then, feeling Yutsuki's gaze turn her way, she turned her head away in embarrassnt and muttered,
"Sorry, um... I ca to play with you..."
"That's nothing you need to apologize for, right? Didn't I say before? If you want to play gas, I'm ready anyti."
Yutsuki chuckled lightly.
She knew Yoshino and Natsumi were caring for her in their own way. Considering Natsumi had thin skin, Yutsuki didn't point it out. After nodding, she opened the door and invited them in.
"W-Wow, this is amazing..."
Yoshino couldn't help but widen her eyes in surprise.
"Really, it was an empty room just a few days ago, and today it's completely transford. Yutsuki-chan, did you use magic?"
"If anyone used magic, it would be Kotori-chan."
"You... are really amazing..."
Natsumi also had a shocked expression on her face. However, her reason for being shocked was slightly different from Yoshino's. A room like this that instantly exposes the owner's personal hobbies completely... If it were her, she would absolutely never have Yutsuki's courage to invite others in.
"So, what do you guys want to play?"
After preparing juice and snacks for the two, Yutsuki looked at her ga collection and asked Natsumi and Yoshino.
"Um... I'm not very good at gas... If possible... sothing everyone can play together..."
"I'm fine with whatever Yoshino wants."
"I see."
Thinking for a mont based on Yoshino's request, Yutsuki looked through her collection and took out an older console and its corresponding ga disc.
The ga was a digital version of Sugoroku. This kind of ga requires no complex controls and is very suitable for killing free ti.
(Well, I've been playing mostly single-player gas recently, so this is pretty nice too.)
Knock knock—
Without knowing how many rounds they had played, a light knocking sound suddenly ca from the door.
"The door is unlocked, co in."
Hearing Yutsuki's voice, the door was gently pushed open, and a white-haired girl walked in.
"E-Excuse ."
"Tobiichi Origami."
Yutsuki widened her eyes in surprise.
"T-Tobiichi Origami?!"
Perhaps because the mory of being hunted down by the inverted Origami was still vivid, Natsumi's hair stood on end the mont she saw Origami, and she fearfully shrank behind Yutsuki.
"Um... I'm sorry. Because of , I caused everyone a lot of trouble."
Seemingly noticing Natsumi was a bit afraid of her, Origami hurriedly bowed and apologized to Yutsuki.
"Mhm, it's fine."
Natsumi nodded sowhat stiffly.
"Um, is your physical checkup finished, Origami?"
"Mhm, there are no more problems. Thank you for your concern."
"Thank you for your concern... Well, that's good. Is there sothing you need?"
Probably because her impression of Tobiichi Origami was still stuck in the previous world, Yutsuki subtly couldn't adapt to this polite Origami, letting out an awkward, bitter smile.
"Um, actually, I ca today to see Yutsuki-san."
"See ?"
"Yes."
Origami nodded, then said to Yutsuki very solemnly,
"Please go out with ."
Ti seed to freeze as absolute silence descended upon the entire room. Yutsuki could completely imagine that Natsumi and Yoshino behind her were already too shocked to speak.
"...Excuse , Miss Origami. It seems I'm too tired and misheard you. Could you please repeat that."
"? Please go out with ."
Yutsuki couldn't help but clutch her forehead in distress.
Can you imagine? A dinosaur from the Jurassic period suddenly ti-traveling to the modern era and saying to you, "Let's mate." That's how it felt. Although Yutsuki knew this analogy was inexplicable and very rude to Tobiichi Origami, in reality, these words impacted Yutsuki's worldview just as strongly.
Calm down! Calm down! Yutsuki's reason constantly warned herself.
Undoubtedly, Tobiichi Origami confessing to her—even if the sky fell and humanity went extinct, it couldn't possibly happen. Moreover, this phrase clearly couldn't be taken literally. After all, too many Japanese light novels use this quirk of Japanese pronunciation as a trope.(tl note: "Tsukiatte kudasai" can an both "Please have a date with " and "Please accompany /hang out with .")
"Phew... I see, so that's what it is."
After taking a slow, deep breath, Yutsuki finally cald down from the confusion. Pushing up non-existent imaginary glasses on her nose, she calmly, coolly, and wisely deduced the truth.
"Did the world line... change again?"
Origami: "...?"
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