Stepping out of the airplane cabin, she walked down the stairs step by step, her high heels touching the soil of this foreign land.
"—Phew!"
The first thing to do—as expected, was a deep breath.
Different from the scent of her hotown, the air here was a bit drier and the temperature much colder. Perhaps because the airport was built near a suburban forest, she could faintly sll the scent of natural soil.
Though unfamiliar, She didn't hate this sll. It felt like stepping into an unknown world for an adventure, and her heart was full of excitent.
She couldn't help but want to hum a little tune. But she quickly realized that doing such a thing in public was a bit embarrassing. Collecting her thoughts, she straightened her posture and walked out of the airport.
Greeting her was a foreign woman with pale blonde hair.
So beautiful, she couldn't help but admire in her heart.
Her outward beauty went without saying. Whether it was her face or her figure, she was absolutely top-tier. Even as a fellow woman, she couldn't help but feel a bit envious.
However, the "beauty" she spoke of didn't just include those things.
Eyes, eyebrows, nose, lips, ears, dimples... the place that best reflects a person's character and soul is none other than the face. Every minute and second a human passes undoubtedly leaves a mark there.
At first glance, she noticed it.
Coldness, grit, pride. And hidden deep beneath those layers of indestructible armor was a childish stubbornness and innocence.
It was like a ticulously polished diamond, a purity forged after crossing through countless brutal battlefields.
No matter how beautiful an exterior is, at the mont it reaches its end, it turns into white bone and skull without distinction. But this purity was unique.
Even in the surging crowds of the airport, her presence was so striking.
Truly beautiful, she marveled once more.
Beautiful things always touch the heartstrings. She couldn't help but be srized, unable to look away.
If that pride were crushed and trampled by an irresistible outside force, what kind of sight would that be?
If that innocence were cruelly and ruthlessly dug out, thoroughly ravished and denied, what kind of picture would that paint?
She couldn't help but imagine it.
Surely, the mont this purity shattered into pieces would also be indescribably beautiful.
—"Let's go."
The other person spoke only a simple sentence before turning around and leaving on her own.
She snapped back to reality.
—No! No! What on earth am I thinking!
She knocked her head in frustration and scolded herself. Suppressing the wicked thoughts rising in my heart, she quickly followed the foreign woman.
If one doesn't know how to restrain their desires, they are nothing more than a fickle slut. Not to brag, but she is very conservative and devoted; her previous boyfriend often said he liked that most about her.
Though the woman before her was very charming, unfortunately, her heart already belonged to soone else.
Although she had only seen a photograph, she was certain that person was the most beautiful and pure creature in this world.
She ca to this city for nothing else but that "her" whom she have yet to et.
__________________________________________
December 26th, Tuesday.
Ryougi Yutsuki leaned against the wall of a building, watching the crowds co and go on the street, and sighed with emotion.
"Is it already New Year's right after Christmas... they sure move fast."
The sa location, but completely different scenery. In just one day, the street decorations had changed from Western-style to Japanese-style. The Christmas trees at shop entrances were replaced by kadomatsu (pine decorations) and straw ropes for the New Year. The Santas and reindeer seen everywhere yesterday could now only be found on the embarrassing packaging of leftover cakes.
"Sorry. I kept you waiting, Yutsuki."
Footsteps approached along with the sound of an automatic door opening. Yutsuki straightened up and turned to look at the boy behind her.
"It's fine. More importantly, how were the check-up results, Shido?"
"Mhm, alright," Shido nodded.
Since the last Spirit power rampage, Kotori had been paying even more attention to Shido's physical condition than before. For nearly half a month before the holidays, Shido had to go to the Fraxinus for checks every day. Although Reine had already said the Spirit power paths between Shido and the Spirits had stabilized, Kotori clearly hadn't fully set her mind at ease.
In fact, just for using Spirit power once yesterday, Shido was required to undergo another physical examination.
By the way, Mana, who appeared not long ago, was also caught red-handed by Kotori in the city today. She was currently undergoing a forced examination under Kotori's intimidation.
"As long as you're okay. After all, you used Spirit power for my sake yesterday. I'd have a guilty conscience if sothing went wrong because of that."
Hearing Shido's reply, Yutsuki let out a visible sigh of relief.
"I told you it was fine. Kotori is just making a mountain out of a molehill."
Recalling Kotori's forceful attitude, Shido waved his hand with a bitter smile.
Because the ingredients at ho were used up for yesterday's party, Yutsuki and Shido decided to head to the shopping district to buy food before going ho.
"It's like this every year... this speed of change. You can really feel the business spirit," Shido remarked as they entered the shopping district, feeling the lively year-end atmosphere.
"Is it like this every year?" Yutsuki asked curiously, looking around.
"Yeah, here it enters 'New Year mode' the very next day after Christmas. When I first saw it, I couldn't help but think, 'They sure move on fast huh?!'"
"Ah, I get it, I get it!" Yutsuki nodded in sympathy. "Still, it's a good thing the streets are lively. Besides, I actually want to experience the Japanese way of celebrating the New Year."
Unlike Christmas, Yutsuki's eyes sparkled with excitent at the approaching New Year.
"Well... actually, I welco this too. During this ti, high end ingredients that aren't usually sold will appear, and there are more clearance items."
"That is a typical househusband's way of thinking, Shido."
"Shush. Aren't you the sa, Yutsuki?" Shido retorted with so dissatisfaction.
"True~" Yutsuki smiled and shrugged noncommittally. "So, what do you plan to make for dinner, Shido?"
"Let see..." Shido put his hand to his chin, looking thoughtfully at the surrounding shops. "We just had a birthday party yesterday, and it'll be New Year's Eve and New Year's Day soon. It's not good to keep feasting. Let's make a simple Japanese al today... how about fish for the main course?"
"Understood." Yutsuki gave an "OK" gesture.
Since it was winter, they didn't have to worry about food spoiling as easily as in sumr, so they didn't need to save the raw at for the very end. The two confird the necessary ingredients, browsed through their usual shops, and finished the grocery shopping for dinner.
"By the way, Yutsuki. Have you heard of Silver Bullet?"
"Hm? Yeah. It was a manga serialized in Weekly Shonen BLAST, right?"
On the way ho, hearing Shido bring up an otaku-related topic was rare, so Yutsuki raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Weekly Shonen BLAST was a unique manga weekly in this world, with fa not far behind JUMP. It was very famous among people in Shido's age group.
In fact, Yutsuki had read a few manga from it, and Silver Bullet was one of them.
"What about that manga? Wasn't it axed?"
"It wasn't axed, it was put on hiatus."
"Is there much of a difference?" Yutsuki pouted unpleasantly. "It hasn't updated for years, leaving a bunch of readers waiting until their eyes go dry while the author mysteriously vanished. Hiatus and axing are the sa for an author like that. They probably ran off to so mahjong parlor to play with that old thief Togashi."(TL: hunter x hunter author)
"Haha..." Feeling a mysterious grudge radiating from Yutsuki, Shido let out a dry laugh and continued. "Actually, while I was being checked earlier, I heard Nakatsugawa-san say that Silver Bullet... updated today."
"...What did you say?!!"
Hearing Shido's words, Yutsuki's eyes widened in disbelief. She grabbed Shido's shoulders and shook him with a terrifying montum.
"Really?! Is it true? There's actually a sequel to Silver Bullet?! You aren't teasing , are you Shido? If you are, I'll hang you on the balcony clothes rack as a sunny doll tonight!"
"It's... it's true. Stop shaking , Yutsuki. I'm carrying bags in my hands."
Shido replied with swirling eyes. Wait, what was that about a sunny doll? Too scary!
"Ah... sorry." Realizing she had gotten overexcited, Yutsuki awkwardly let go.
"It's... it's fine." Feeling a bit dizzy, Shido shook his head and offered a bitter smile. He knew that as an otaku, Yutsuki would be excited, but this reaction was still beyond his expectations.
"You really like that manga, don't you?"
"Well, it's alright. The art style and plot really fit my taste. Honestly, after finishing the last chapter and looking for the next one, only to find Honjou Souji went on hiatus, I almost flipped the table. And the person just vanished into thin air; I couldn't find anything no matter how much I searched. I can handle slow updates, and there's nothing to be done about a lack of inspiration, but 'Hiatus Laziness' is absolutely unforgivable!!"
"Well..." Shido echoed vaguely.
As she spoke, Yutsuki paused slightly and proposed to Shido.
"Shido, can we take a little detour before going back? I want to go to the bookstore to buy this issue of Weekly Shonen BLAST."
"Sure." Looking at the expectant look in Yutsuki's eyes, Shido didn't want to be a killjoy. It was still early anyway, so a little detour was no big deal.
Besides, he personally wanted to see the continuation to that manga as well.
"...Hm?"
On the way to the bookstore, as Shido and Yutsuki turned a street corner, they stopped at the sa ti.
The reason was simple: not far ahead of them, a girl was lying on the road, looking like she was on her last breath, reminiscent of a dried-up salted fish.
Seeing this, Yutsuki frowned slightly. She folded her arms and thought for a mont before seemingly realizing sothing. She clapped her hands and said:
"Let's go, Shido. It's a scamr."
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