A/N
Hi, just a short note to apologize for the delay. IRL stuff get in the way, so I couldn't write for some time.
Thanks a lot for your feedbacks, I hope you'll enjoy this date as well!
"..."
Shidou, sitting cross-legged on his bed, had a conflicted expression.
His mind was just as much so.
After all... just a few hours earlier, he had recognized that deep down, he loved his adoptive sister, Kotori.
He had managed to put aside his doubts that their relationship was healthy, but another problem remained.
... he loved, and was already dating Kaguya.
Even though it was only two days old... it was a fact. He couldn't possibly tell her that he had changed his mind.
In fact, he hadn't changed his mind. When he questioned his heart, he knew that he loved her.
But he also loved Kotori.
"...Are Ai, Mai and Mii right? Am I just a predator?..."
Shidou caught his head in his hands and fell onto his bed on his back, his legs still crossed.
"Aaaaghhh! How could this happen?!"
No matter how hard he looked, he couldn't see a way out of this. He would have to tell Kaguya and Kotori the truth sooner or later.
At this rate, he was going to end up with... a harem.
"...But polygamy is forbidden in Japan. Does that mean we should move?..."
Shidou realized that his thoughts had greatly deviated, and sighed.
"...Still, it's up to me to find a way out. Those are my feelings, my weakness, that allowed this situation to take place... Haaa..."
After a few seconds, he straightened up then glanced at the calendar on his desk.
He had a date with Nia the next day.
Nia had arranged to meet him in Akihabara, early in the morning. She probably wanted them to go shopping again together.
"I just hope the next few days won't be so tiring... I might not be able to keep up..."
Shidou made sure that his alarm clock was set, as he had to leave early, if he wanted to go from Tenguu City to Akihabara.
The next day...
"AKIBA, HERE I AM AGAIN!"
"..."
Nia's shout, with her arms raised in a V, echoed in the morning light, but no one paid attention to her.
In the Akibahara area, after all, deviant behavior and abnormalities were commonplace.
And besides, Nia was not very attractive. She was wearing a cap, sunglasses, a hygienic mask, and her thick gray parka.
Basically, she looked like a stalker.
At her side, Shidou was silent. He had witnessed this scene before, on their very first date, but this time, the scene was much less impressive.
"Come on, Boy! Let's go!"
"Err... where?"
"Just follow me!"
Nia gave him a big wave with her arm and led the way. Shidou followed her lead, confused.
It wasn't very cold, he himself was only wearing a light jacket... yet Nia had opted for thick winter clothes.
(No... it's more than that... she's trying to change her appearance? But why?...)
Given her lack of shape, her short hair, and her concealed features, Nia could pass for a man.
Since her voice was muffled by the mask, one could not guess her feminine tone either.
"Nia... are you okay?"
"I'm suffocating from heat, if you want to know..."
Shidou easily believed her.
"But... I have no choice. I'm being stalked by the Organization, I have to be careful."
Shidou was reassured.
As long as Nia could joke around and make incomprehensible references, it meant she was fine.
On the other hand... besides the fact that he didn't know where she was taking him and that she had likely disguised herself, he wondered why she had asked him for his measurements the day before.
When he had asked her about it, he had received only a "tehe ~" as an answer.
"We need to find a secluded spot."
"Huh?"
Shidou gave Nia a surprised look.
Nia immediately took three steps back, holding her arms as if she was scared.
"Kyaa ~ I bet you just thought of obscene things... of all the things you could do to me in a dark alley, with no one to help me..."
" Who do you think I am?!"
"Hehe. Just kidding."
A few minutes later, after finding a suitable place, Shidou discovered the outfit that Nia had arranged for him.
"..."
"Boy, hurry up!"
Nia stood guard in front of the small dead end where Shidou was dressing.
"Yes..."
Shidou deemed any resistance unnecessary and quickly put on the clothes, stuffing the ones he was wearing into the bag.
He came out a few moments later.
Nia turned her head.
"Oh, oh, oh! Not bad at all, Boy!"
"Guh..."
"Don't make that face, you look great! Wait, let me take some pictures!"
Nia took out her smartphone and began to shoot Shidou from all angles.
Shidou was wearing a matching black suit with a white shirt and black tie. He also had sunglasses, and a dummy earpiece in his left ear.
He looked like a security guard or a bodyguard: the ensemble suited him surprisingly well, thanks to his slim stature and his blue hair.
The glasses that obscured his vision gave him a more severe look and partially concealed his young age.
Nevertheless, he could pass for a bodyguard to people who were (very) inexperienced in the private security matters.
"And why am I wearing this?..."
Nia resumed her walk, beckoning him to follow.
"I need backup on a case."
"I thought this was a date!"
"It's a date if you consider it a date, so make an effort!"
Shidou was stunned for a moment, then strangely enough, he agreed with Nia.
After all, they were together, and were going to do something together... so, it could be considered a date...
(No... I have to be careful. If I let myself get drawn in like that, things could get out of hand with Origami, or even Miku!)
"Anyway, to answer your question... I found out that someone was plagiarizing me!"
"What do you mean?"
"You heard me! My manga... my treasure... my masterpiece, [SILVER BULLET]... someone plagiarized it!"
Nia stopped dead in her tracks, and turned to face him: fortunately for them, given the time of day, the street wasn't very busy. Otherwise, they would probably have created a traffic jam.
Nia's eyes burned with rage.
"Some wretch copied and pasted my work...script, drawings, everything! He made a few changes, and then posted it on a fanworks site!"
"No..."
"Yes!"
Shidou was dumbfounded. On the one hand, he too was a fan of Nia's manga, but as an amateur ex-mangaka... stealing someone else's work represented the pinnacle of depravity.
Plagiarism was a mixture of theft, lies and laziness: it was in the eyes of people like Nia and Shidou the worst sin in the world.
"But... since [SILVER BULLET] is serialized, everyone must have realized it, right?"
"Yes, of course! It didn't take long for my dear, loyal fans to take it down! But despite that, that miserable rat keeps denying, and his plagiarism keeps collecting views because people are curious! Even though his reputation is in tatters, his copy is still online!"
Because of her mask, Nia's voice was muffled, but Shidou could sense her righteous anger.
"And so?..."
"And so this must be rectified."
"Uh... rectify it... like, make him an offer he can't refuse?"
"Ten points to Gryffindor for that reference, Boy. But no."
Shidou heaved a sigh of relief.
"No. He deserves worse. Death would be too sweet a punishment!"
Shidou gasped at Nia's hostility. He'd never, ever seen her so angry.
The part of him that was a manga fan understood her: but he was also afraid that Nia would commit an irreparable act.
"And... and what are you planning to do?"
Nia's gaze was so cold that Shidou felt like he was freezing.
"I'm going to crush him, destroy him, make sure he can never publish anything again, under any name, give up this business completely, can't even make a logo or a powerpoint!"
Shidou addressed a silent prayer for the poor unconscious person who had had the misfortune to plagiarize Nia's work.
Nia had, thanks to her Rasiel, found the address of her enemy.
She had then sent him a handwritten letter, as the author of [SILVER BULLET], telling him that she wished he would stop plagiarizing her work.
To top it all off, instead of bowing down, the arrogant individual called her in for a private meeting to discuss her letter.
The tone of his message, full of haughtiness and arrogance, despite the fact that he was at fault, was mostly responsible for Nia's anger.
The man didn't seem to regret anything, and on the contrary seemed irritated that the author of the work he had copied "dared" to complain and take apart his plagiarism effort.
It was like the world turned upside down.
While browsing through Rasiel, Nia learned that this was not his first time: he had already plagiarized other works under several pseudonyms and took great pleasure in doing so.
He even managed to convince himself that he was not at fault, when all he was doing was seeking attention.
When they met in a karaoke booth away from prying eyes, the man showed no signs of regret.
Instead of admitting his faults, he considered that he was simply inspired by Nia's work, avoiding the subject and the fact that it went beyond mere inspiration.
Obviously, Nia, who was hiding her anger, took apart point by point each of the pretentious man's totally illogical arguments.
The latter had not realized that Nia was a woman (as publicly, the author of [SILVER BULLET] was a man).
The man, out of options, then opted for provocation, insulting directly the work of Nia, but the latter, as if she had perfectly anticipated his attacks, did not react and just deflected them skillfully.
At this point, the tension was palpable and Shidou, despite his kind and forgiving nature, was burning to intervene.
If he didn't, it was because Nia had formally forbidden him to get angry: the other one had to be the first to snap.
And in accordance with her predictions, it was what happened.
Cornered, having underestimated his opponent, the man, in an absurd and desperate attempt to gain the upper hand in the conversation, accidentally confessed.
In the hope of pissing Nia off, of pushing her to the limit, he boasted that he had indeed plagiarized her work and that she could do nothing to stop him.
That even if she managed to get his account closed, he would reopen it on other sites or under another identity.
At that moment, Nia smiled for the first time. She pulled a smartphone from her pocket.
"I forgot to tell you... I recorded our entire conversation. Including what you just confessed."
"What... you piece of!"
Before Shidou could react, the man snatched the device from Nia's hands and smashed it on the floor.
Then he let out a nervous laugh.
"And now? What? What are you going to do now?!"
"Calm down."
Shidou stepped in between them. Fortunately, he knew Nia's plan, otherwise, he might have committed a regrettable act even on such a despicable human being.
"What do you want? Who are you in the first place?!"
It was Nia who, rising to her feet, answered.
"This is my precious bodyguard. And by the way, I didn't tell you but..."
She opened her jacket with a theatrical gesture, revealing a score of devices and voice recorders.
"The smartphone you broke was not recording anything. All of these, on the other hand, are."
"That..."
"So I have audio and video evidence that you not only plagiarized my work, but attempted to destroy the evidence of that offense."
Nia's voice was cold.
With a command, she muted the recording of all devices.
The man, noticing this, tried to lunge at her, but Shidou was in his way.
He did not lift a finger.
"Sit down."
Using Gabriel's power, he forced him to sit down.
"What... what?!"
"Silence."
Their opponent closed his mouth, overcome by the Angel's power.
He didn't understand what was happening to him at all. All his arrogance, his insolence, was gone.
Nia approached him and bent down. Her hidden face increased the pressure coming from her.
Shidou, on the other hand, stood on guard, ready to react to their victim's slightest sideways movement.
"Listen to me carefully. I know your name, your address. With this recording, I can ruin your miserable life. Even if you move, I will find you. Wherever you go, people will know what kind of person you are. You'll never have a place to call home again."
Each of Nia's words was unforgiving. She was literally crushing her opponent, who just minutes earlier thought himself untouchable.
"Instead of creating something, you chose to knowingly steal the work of others. I checked your background, and this is not your first time. You're way past your second chance quota. So here are my terms. You will never post anything again. You will never draw anything again. Not even a simple illustration or even a triangle in Paint. Nothing. You never created anything, after all, so you won't lose anything."
The man widened his eyes. He seemed to have realized that his mistake was more than just serious. He had awakened a sleeping giant.
"Just so you know, all my fans are keeping an eye on you. You didn't just piss me off, you know? If you ever change your computer, your line, they'll know. And if you post anything, if they find even the smallest drawing file on your computer... I'll post that recording and make sure it gets back to you. If you don't want your life to go to hell... you better respect these conditions. Understand?"
His victim was shaking with all his limbs, totally broken. He nodded miserably.
Of course, that was a lie. Nia had all this information from Rasiel.
She didn't usually use it for this, but such sacrilege deserved an exception.
"Come on. Get out of here. Remember, you should never have plagiarized a manga."
Shidou released him from Gabriel's grasp, causing him to flee in panic.
A few seconds later, Nia sighed and stretched.
"You were perfect, Boy... I was right to take you! Ah, I could use a drink! Get me a beer!"
"..."
"What's wrong?"
Nia didn't seem to notice that once again, her change in attitude was most unsettling.
She had been a veritable ice queen a few seconds earlier, but now seemed totally relaxed, as if the whole thing had been a formality.
Or maybe it was her way of taking the pressure off?
If Shidou didn't know that she revered manga, and hated plagiarism and spoilers with all her heart, he would probably have found her disturbing.
But that was probably part of her personality. Her kindness, her permanent good mood, but her ruthlessness against those who made her angry.
After all, it was said that people who were usually nice were the most frightening when they got angry.
"...Nothing. I was just thinking...I hope I never make you angry."
"Hehe...that miserable worm deserved it."
"I admit I don't particularly feel sorry for him, seeing how he was behaving..."
Shidou was opposed to conflict, but even he could make exceptions.
Nia cleared her throat.
"Don't worry, Boy. Even if you made me angry... I'd forgive you."
"!"
Nia blushed slightly as she said this, and turned her head.
An angel passed by, while Shidou blinked in disbelief.
"Well, go get me that beer!"
"Ah... yes, ma'am."
After Nia downed a cold beer in one gulp, she and Shidou left the karaoke bar for their next destination.
Shidou wanted to change, but Nia forbade him. Instead, she removed some of her disguise (including several layers of clothing, her mask and sunglasses), regaining a feminine appearance.
"Ahh, I feel better!"
Nia waved her arms, as if freed from a heavy shackle.
"I wish I could say the same..."
Shidou, meanwhile, was still in his security guard suit, which was starting to squeeze him.
"Mh? Aren't you comfortable? I ordered with your measurements though..."
"I guess this kind of suit isn't meant to be comfortable."
"Umu, umu... an interesting feeling, I'm writing this down for myself just in case."
Nia began to scribble on a notebook taken out of nowhere. Shidou smiled: she was really an artist at heart. She wrote down absolutely every detail and feeling she could find.
After all, since these accounts were real, they had a powerful sense of realism when put down on paper.
"Don't worry. Your next suit will be much more comfortable."
"What?!"
"Oops, I let a spoiler slip. Mmh... I didn't say anything! Forget it!"
"Like that's how it works!"
"If only I knew an amnesia spell... I better consult Rasielmon..."
"Don't use your Angel for that!"
Nia continued to tease Shidou, delighting in his reactions throughout their trip, which led them to a gigantic bookstore, one of the most popular and well-known in Akiba.
It was nothing like the stores he was used to. This one was spreading over several floors: each floor was dedicated to a genre (and of course, a whole section was forbidden to minors).
It was possible to find a lot of merchandise related to the series on display; many promotional operations took place there, not to mention the signing sessions.
Shidou entered the building, led by Nia, with a touch of apprehension.
(She said something about another suit, didn't she? So why this bookstore? Or is it for later?...)
Shidou didn't have to wait long to get the answers to his questions.
Nia led him to a floor dedicated to doujinshi; self-published works. While most of these works were known to be R18, many were fanzines for the general public.
If in normal bookstores, only the most well-known authors in the community had a chance to see their work on the shelves, in such a large bookstore, even the most obscure authors had a place.
This was a double-edged sword, however, because they were literally paying for their place, much like the booths at conventions. Also, in such a large space, they had little chance of readers browsing and buying their book.
So it was reserved for those who could afford it, or who took a calculated risk.
As the elevator led them to the doujinshi floor, Shidou immediately noticed that something was going on.
A group of several dozen people, mostly women or girls, stood there.
To be exact, they were all waiting in a line, forming a long queue that snaked around so as not to disturb the passers-by, in front of a booth that had been set up there.
Said booth was empty for the moment, but many books were already piled up on it.
Wooden panels had been placed behind and on the sides, probably to serve as backstage for the author to come and go in a more convenient way.
Apparently it was a book signing, but the author had not yet arrived.
Shidou then noticed the giant banner above the booth.
"[CHRONICLE]... Wait...what?..."
The pieces of the puzzle started to come together.
Nia, who was coming here.
Nia, who was a big fan of [CHRONICLE].
Nia, who was a manga author.
The empty booth.
"Nia..."
Nia looked back at him, a troubling smile on her face.
"Hehehe... looks like you got it, Boy. It's a book signing... for the doujinshi I did about [CHRONICLE]!"
"That's what I thought..."
Shidou had correctly put all the clues he had together.
It also explained the female-male disparity of the audience.
Tokiya, the attractive character in the show, had apparently been a hit with the female audience and had been voted "best husbando" many times.
"Oh, and before you ask... No, it's not R18."
Before Shidou could even respond, Nia clenched her fist.
"After all... it's everyone's duty to visualize their own fantasies with their waifu! I can provide hints, but it's up to the reader to bring their fantasies to life!"
Nia suddenly froze.
"Well, okay, that's an excuse. It's mostly that I didn't have time. My deadlines are tight enough already..."
Shidou sighed with a smile.
(She never changes.)
He was happy, however, that Nia did not draw a R18 doujin (yet)...
Nia and Shidou headed for what seemed to be guest quarters: after all, since the bookstore often hosted authors or entertainment, it had the necessary facilities.
After knocking a few times, a young man opened the door and led them to an office. On the way, they met many staff members who were busy moving boxes of books.
Once in the office, the floor manager greeted them enthusiastically.
"Welcome, welcome! We've been waiting for you, Honi-sensei!"
Shidou glanced at Nia.
"Honi-sensei?"
"Err... yes. That's my nickname... those are the first syllables of my first and last name."
Nia looked embarrassed. Shidou's piercing gaze gave her the chills.
"...Don't look at me like that, Boy! I hadn't slept or eaten for a week when I created my account to post my work! I didn't have the energy to spend on thinking of another screen name!"
"Yeah... no, wait! You went a week without eating or sleeping?!"
"You get used to it, after a while..."
"What do you mean, you get used to it?! How often does it happen?!"
"It depends..."
"On what?!"
"On the deadlines..."
"Come on!"
The store manager timidly raised his hand like a schoolboy, hesitant to interrupt Nia and Shidou's scene. After all, they looked like an old couple.
"Excuse me, Honi-sensei...but who is this?..."
"My 3D waifu."
"His assistant."
Shidou and Nia answered at the same time, but their answers were very different.
Shidou sighed at Nia's defiant smile, deeming it wiser to just give up.
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding! Indeed, he's my precious assistant... and more importantly, my main asset for today!"
"Ah?"
The manager hardly looked convinced.
He had agreed to Nia's request for a book signing because her doujin had created a buzz among the [CHRONICLE] community.
After all, it allowed him to ride the wave, and to liven up the day. He didn't really expect it to have any real impact on his business.
After all, during a signing session, it was natural to buy a copy on the spot in order to have it signed by the author, and not to bring your own.
As a result, the more famous the author was and the more fans he or she attracted, the more profit the bookstore, which received a commission on each sale, made.
At best, doujin authors managed to sell a few hundred copies at such events. At least, that was what the manager was used to.
But this time...
"Have you prepared the stocks?"
"...Yes, but... I have to ask you again, are you sure that..."
Nia nodded.
"Absolutely. I guarantee we will sell at least three thousand copies today."
At Nia's request, the manager had had three thousand copies of her doujin printed and shipped. This was the first time he had ever been asked for such a request. It was ten times more than the best authors could hope to sell.
He really didn't see how she could hope to sell them all. There were only a few dozen people waiting in the store in front of the booth.
To tell the truth, he had only agreed to this because Nia had written a commitment to pay for any unsold books from her own pocket.
The store was not risking anything, so he had decided to let her do it.
"Well... ah, I'll take you to the dressing rooms. This way, please."
The manager led them back through the premises, and led them to a guest locker room -separate for men and women, of course- before excusing himself and leaving.
Once alone in front of the locker rooms, Nia opened the door of her own.
"Wait here, I'll be right back."
"Eh?"
Before Shidou had time to wonder what they were doing there, Nia emerged, a duffel bag in hand.
"Right. I had instructed a courier to drop this off there this morning..."
Her blue eyes sparkled with mischief.
"Come on, Boy, go get changed. Hehehehe..."
"...You're scaring me, Nia."
"Don't be afraid! Come on, go go go! I'm going to get changed too!"
Shidou couldn't protest: Nia forcibly handed him the bag before returning to the changing room.
Surprised by the way things were going, Shidou sighed and went into the boys' room. He found several lockers, a sink and a toilet.
Then he opened the bag that Nia had given him.
"This is...!"
Shidou understood immediately. After all, if he gave it a second thought, it was obvious...
"...Nia..."
Shidou had a wry smile, then stripped off his clothes.
Kusakabe Ryouko, 27 years old, single.
Anyone who would have seen her under normal circumstances would have wondered "why" she was single.
Ryouko had an athletic but feminine figure, long and silky black hair, the same color as her eyes.
However, she could not find a partner.
Perhaps it was because of her activity: after all, she was the captain of the AST team of the JGSDF, which was actively fighting against the Spirits.
She herself wondered why she was always alone, while adamantly refusing to listen to her colleagues who criticized her for being too volcanic and unfeminine.
Some of the male members of the JGSDF had even called her immature; afterwards, Ryouko had broken their legs with a curtain rod, forcing them to get treatment in the Medical Realizer.
Still, despite the fact that she thought otherwise, Ryouko was a bit of a kid.
She was impatient, childish, got angry when she was contradicted, and had very particular tastes.
For example, very few people knew this, but Ryouko often watched anime on Sundays, and she read Jump every week.
She wasn't an otaku or an avid fan, but she did enjoy these media from time to time.
In particular, Ryouko had loved the series [CHRONICLE] and its lonely hero, Tokiya.
One day, while scrolling through Twitter, she saw that many people were recommending fans to go and read fan works, or doujinshi, drawn and written by fans for fans.
That day, Ryouko pulled an all-nighter, devouring all the content she could find and becoming a top fan of [CHRONICLE].
She especially loved the content created by the author Honi-sensei, who also seemed to be crazy about the series and started following her on social networks.
So when she heard that Honi-sensei was having a book signing, Ryouko took a day off to go there.
She still didn't see herself as a fan of manga and anime: she considered herself more of a casual fan, like a fan of a particular music band. No more and no less.
It was the first time Ryouko went to such a big bookstore. As an experienced military person, she had no trouble finding her way around the building, but she was surprised by its size.
"...our military barracks aren't as big as this..."
Ryouko grumbled in a low voice as she made her way to the escalators that led to the floor dedicated to the doujinshi. Apparently, that was where Honi-sensei was going to give her book signing.
"Right on time..."
With a sigh of relief, Ryouko immediately spotted the booth set up away from the registers in an open space, topped with several banners of [CHRONICLE] drawings.
Her heart was beating slightly faster than usual because of the excitement. Which was ironic, for a veteran of many battles...
A line had already formed in front of the booth: obviously, the author hadn't arrived yet. She noticed that many of the visitors were women, and that most of them were hiding their faces with masks or sunglasses.
Ryouko, on the other hand, was dressed simply in jeans and a light black jacket: she was not embarrassed to be here and did not feel the need to hide.
She quickened her pace to get into the queue, but, carried away by her momentum, did not see the person coming on her right and collided with her.
"Oh! Pardon-eh?"
As Ryouko reflexively apologized, her eyes widened.
She expected to see a customer, or even, an employee. But the one in front of her was none of those.
In front of her was a young man, with long, white hair, that looked pure as snow, yet with a bit of dirt on it as if he had been travelling for long.
His forehead, his arms were covered with bandages, like he was injured. Again, dirt could be seen on his face and limbs.
He was wearing a large worn-out mantle, smelling of sweat and dirt. There was a sword hanging at his hips.
The face of the young man was also dirty: he looked like a wild traveler, yet emanated a captivating beauty.
Ryouko felt her face turn red.
She recognized him instantly.
"To...kiya?..."
Yes.
The one she had bumped into was Tokiya, the lonely hero of [CHRONICLE], who was traveling the world to find the one who had murdered his sister, Hibari.
(This is... impossible...)
Ryouko's thoughts were confused.
She knew that Tokiya was only a fictional character. He only existed on paper.
The one standing in front of her was probably just a cosplayer. But... he looked so real. As if Tokiya had emerged from the pages of the book, to take human form.
His costume, his smell, his look and expression...everything was absolutely as Ryouko had imagined it, while reading [CHRONICLE].
"Out of my way, woman."
"!"
Tokiya's voice was full of cold indifference. Again, it was the voice Ryouko had imagined in her mind.
It couldn't possibly be a cosplayer.
Ryouko's childlike soul dismissed all logical sense.
The one she was looking at... it was Tokiya and no one else.
"Are you deaf, woman? Out of my way."
"Ah...Ah!"
She obeyed mechanically and took a step back. Tokiya contemptuously clicked his tongue, then went on his way.
Ryouko felt strange. Her heart was pounding, her face was red. Besides the fact that Tokiya's coming to the real world had disturbed her... she was surprised that she had obeyed his command.
If someone had talked to her like that, Ryouko would probably have sent her to the hospital.
Instead, she had obeyed submissively.
She didn't realize it, but deep down, the reason she was so strong with others was to find someone to stand up to her... or to take control.
Yes, Ryouko was basically one of those women who were attracted to men who despised them.
To put it bluntly, she was more of an M than an S.
Completely haggard, she saw that Tokiya was heading towards the signing booth: she didn't even think and followed him.
(This feeling... Is it... love?...)
Kusakabe Ryouko, 27 years old, single.
In love with a 2D character.
Meanwhile, Shidou, who was going on his way, was quite anxious, despite his confident facade.
(Ahh... Am I right to have done this?! It was Origami's superior, moreover?! The captain of the AST?!)
Nia had entrusted her with a cosplay of Tokiya, her first waifu.
On their very first date, Shidou had put on a similar cosplay, in order to try to seduce Nia with it... which had worked to a certain extent.
At events, it was common for doujinshi authors to hire cosplayers in order to attract crowds and promote their works.
So Nia decided that Shidou would dress up as Tokiya: thanks to his fairly plain features, Shidou could cosplay any 2D character as long as he had the right accessories.
After all, Shidou had even managed to pretend to be a girl.
The cosplay Shidou was wearing was apparently designed in collaboration with the otakus of Ratatoskr using the technology available in the organization.
It was light, very comfortable to wear, equipped with an internal cooling system (because all cosplayers suffer from the heat under their disguises) and infinitely more realistic than what even professionals could achieve.
He even had makeup to simulate mud, as well as a perfume that mimicked the smell of sweat and dirt of a wandering traveler.
Shidou felt a slight anxiety, however, as he had to mimic Tokiya's personality, which was... cold, to say the least.
Let's just say that he treated people with an almost hurtful indifference: it wasn't contempt, it was just a total lack of respect towards them.
Also, when he had been pushed by Ryouko, totally panicked at the idea of being recognized, he had by reflex adopted Tokiya's behavior.
And for a strange reason, it had worked: the captain of the AST had not noticed that it was him.
She knew him, at least by sight, because Origami had often spoken to her about him and they had sometimes crossed each other.
(One danger out of the way, at least. But why does Nia want me to come from here?...)
Nia was going to take a different path to get directly to the booth without going through the line. She would arrive behind the wooden panels that served as backstage.
She had given Shidou very clear instructions.
He was to go through the crowd and pass all the people who were waiting to get to the front of the booth.
Shidou's heart ached. Cutting in line, especially at a book signing, was a crime, a sacrilege.
But... he had to do it.
Moreover... he had to do it while calmly and coldly shoving people in his way, as if he really didn't care.
Like Tokiya would have done.
Shidou swallowed all his fears, all his embarrassment, then, after taking a deep breath, walked straight to the line.
A few steps later, he bumped into his first victim, a girl in her early twenties.
"Kyah! Pay attention-"
The girl regained her balance, and glared at him, before stopping, speechless, upon seeing him.
Shidou stopped, then gave her a look that was meant to be cold.
"Silence, woman."
"?! So...sorry!"
The girl blushed red and stammered an apology.
(What is this?! I shove her, tell her to shut up and she apologizes?! What's going on?!)
Shidou -Tokiya- had an impassive face, but was screaming inside.
Aware that if he stopped any longer, he would not be able to go back, he resumed his way, pushing and going past the participants, who were all women.
"Hey! What's wrong..."
"Out of my way."
"Ugyah?! Excuse me!"
"Are you out of your mind?!"
"Don't touch me, woman."
"Ikyuu?! Excuse me, Tokiya-sama!"
"Hey, there's a line, so..."
"Who gave you permission to speak, woman?"
"Uwah! Forgive this insolent woman!"
Before long, the commotion created by Shidou drew the eyes of the other people who were waiting. He looked back at them, and immediately, a literal guard of honor formed in front of him.
Shidou didn't understand, didn't want to understand why these women accepted, and even enjoyed, being verbally abused...
(...I feel that this is a door I should not open. Like the last one in the restaurant with many orders...)
Shidou took place next to the booth, and stood up there.
He adjusted his posture to match that of a real wandering warrior, resting one hand on the hilt of his sword, leaning on one leg.
He heard moans and muffled cries coming from the line. Feeling a drop of sweat on his forehead, he shook his head to get rid of it.
This movement made his long (fake) hair wave and triggered a torrent of excited screams from the fangirls.
(What's wrong with them?!)
While Shidou was mentally agonizing, a girl shyly took out her smartphone and aimed it at him.
Shidou remembered one of Nia's instructions, and reacted automatically.
He glared at the girl with contempt.
"What are you doing, woman? Don't you dare point that thing at me."
"Hiiii! Sorry! Sorry!"
She immediately put away her smartphone and bowed.
Everyone who had started to take out their smartphone put it away.
It was a well-known rule: taking pictures of a cosplayer against his will was forbidden.
Shidou had a strange feeling. He had the feeling that he was holding these women in his hand, that he could make them do whatever he wanted.
Yet...
(... something deep inside me tells me that I shouldn't get involved with this kind of woman!)
He could feel on him the dozens of looks of these female otaku. Some of them were panting strangely, with red cheeks...
Then, as if to save him, Nia appeared. She had put on a white dress that went down to her knees.
In spite of her lack of curves, it suited her very well and highlighted her blue eyes: Shidou was not used to see her dressed like that.
She had also kept her red glasses. Seeing her like that, she looked more like a TV presenter or a young woman from a good family than an otaku...
When she appeared, it took a few seconds for the participants to realize that she was there, and applause resounded.
Nia thanked them with a big smile and bowed, while glancing at Shidou as if to say "hmm, very good".
She took her place at the booth, while staff members joined her, one to set up a cash register, and others to stand by the line, to open the access to the booth as soon as she gave the order.
Nia cleared her throat, and spoke in a loud voice to make herself heard by the small number of people who were waiting for her.
"Hello and thank you all for coming! I am Honi, the author of the doujinshi Tokiya Chronicle."
Again, applause rang out as Nia bowed once more.
"Thank you, thank you! Without further ado, we'll start the book signing... but before we do, I still have something to add."
She glanced at Shidou, who was faking indifference.
"As you can see, we have a special guest... Tokiya himself, has come from his distant lands to bless us with his presence!"
"Tch."
Shidou, true to his character, looked away.
"Hehehe... sorry. Hmm."
Nia had started drooling unconsciously, and wiped her lips discreetly.
"You all know the rules: if you buy a copy of the doujinshi here, you'll not only get a dedication and a handshake from me... but also the right to take a picture of Tokiya!"
"Ooooooh!"
An enthusiastic exclamation rang out.
"Eeet, that's not all. Anyone who tweets with the hashtag #Tokiya and whose tweet exceeds 1000 retweets..."
Nia pointed at Shidou.
"...will have the privilege to take a photo WITH Tokiya!"
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
The hysterical scream that escaped from the line made Shidou wince.
"Then I'm counting on you! To come and claim your prize, all you have to do is show proof of your high achievement at the cash registers! Thank you, however, for not blocking the way!"
Nia paused for a moment before resuming.
"By the way, I would like to point out that we will stay here from now on, eleven o'clock, until eight o'clock at night, without a break. Are you ready? Let's go!"
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"
"What... what is going on..."
Barely two hours had passed since the signing session had begun. The floor manager stood, his jaw dropped, at the entrance of the staff area.
And in front of him, on the floor he was in charge of... hell was unfolding.
A crowd of women (young and middle-aged) had invaded the store. The line at the book signing booth had grown to grotesque proportions: it snaked through the shelves of the floor, continued up the stairs and elevators, down to the lower floors, and even extended outside. Hundreds and hundreds of people were waiting.
The signing booth was obviously affected: after all, the author could only sign one book at a time and exchange a handshake and a few words with one customer at a time.
Moreover, after that, customers would take a picture of a young boy in a costume next to the booth. More rarely, others would have their photo taken with him.
"At this rate... she might sell her three thousand copies!..."
The manager was neither annoyed nor delighted. He was simply, completely stunned by the situation.
"What have they done? Just what have they done?!"
On the booth side, Nia and Shidou were having a fierce battle.
"I love your work!"
"Ahhh, thank you so much! Here you go! Over here for the photo with Tokiya!"
"Kyaaah! Tokiya-sama, here I am!"
"Mpf. Boring."
"Gyahh!"
"Next!"
"I've been a fan forever!
"It's an honor!"
Nia was careful not to spend more than ten seconds on a fan, while responding to their compliments, shaking their hands and giving them a beaming smile.
This way, she was sure by her calculations that she would be able to sell her three thousand copies before the store closed.
Fans didn't mind it; they got their autographs, their handshakes, and could exchange a few words with the author. They didn't expect more.
Not to mention the fact that the Japanese were afraid of getting in the way of others: with the monstrous line behind them, none of them wanted to "block" the others any longer than necessary.
Nia and the staff had organized things well. There were several cashiers so the fans could buy their copy in advance before meeting Nia, and then three lanes after they got their autograph.
One led directly to the exit, for those who were only interested in the autograph.
Another one also led to the exit but along the booth; this offered the possibility to take a picture of Shidou -Tokiya- without disturbing the others.
And the third one led directly to Shidou, for the lucky people whose tweet exceeded a thousand RTs and could take a photo with him.
Thanks to this arrangement, the cooperation of everyone and the well-regulated flow, there was no traffic jam.
Nia and Shidou were in a daze.
Both of them were completely immersed in their roles, so much that they did not even have time to think.
Shidou didn't even have the opportunity to ask himself how he got there and why he was once again involved in something extraordinary.
Nia's strategy had paid off: the tweets about Tokiya (with Shidou's photo) had set the world on fire.
In a very short time, the word had spread all over Twitter and Akiba; Tokiya from [CHRONICLE] was present at a signing session.
It was the most realistic, real, shocking cosplay ever.
The hashtag #Tokiya shot to the top of the trends, and half an hour after the signing started, an almost exclusively female crowd of fans flooded through the store.
Many were desperately trying to boost their tweets for a chance to have their picture taken with their waifu (Tokiya had been voted best waifu in many magazines).
Some had contacted their friends, others created new accounts while waiting in line.
Ryouko Kusakabe, on the other hand, had used her influence so that her whole battalion retweeted her tweet.
Therefore, Shidou had to let himself be photographed with many women, but also some men (to his great surprise).
He was careful to always display a cold and distant attitude: which was not easy, considering his kind nature.
But the people he pushed away or ignored, or even verbally abused seemed ecstatic when he did.
He had accepted the fact that Tokiya's fanbase was very, very special.
"Tokiya-sama! Look at the camera!"
"You really dare to give me an order, woman?"
"Kyaa! So cool!"
"Tokiya-sama, could you record my voicemail message?"
"Hmpf."
"Ah, keep looking at me like I'm trash!"
"Tokiya-sama, may I cut a lock of your hair?"
"You're loud, woman."
"Urkk!"
There was such a crowd gathered outside the store that panicked bystanders called the police to report a disturbance.
A squad of officers in riot gear arrived on the scene, only to be met with an army of crazed fangirls.
The superintendent hesitated to disperse the crowd: technically, they weren't doing anything wrong, but there were so many of them that they blocked the street.
However, his direct superior was herself a fan of Tokiya and [CHRONICLE].
When she heard about the situation, she not only forbade her men to stop the event, but ordered them to help regulate the line, and to block the other streets so that the fans could move around more easily.
She then left with an escort to get in the book signing line herself.
The store's staff was surprised to see heavily armored riot squads literally directing the line with glow sticks in their hands. But at this point, nothing surprised them anymore.
Of course, Nia managed to sell her three thousand copies of doujinshi: the store made a significant profit, and photos of Shidou (Tokiya) flooded the social networks.
Honi-sensei's name became a legend among fans, booksellers and publishers.
Others tried to replicate her feat, or to lure her into their store, but failed.
The mysterious cosplayer, who was said to be the incarnation of Tokiya on Earth, never resurfaced but adorned the walls of many fangirls.
Thus ended the date of Nia and Shidou.
Exhausted, literally drenched in sweat after the bookstore closed, Nia and Shidou had to wait for the crowd to disperse before they could leave.
After debriefing with the staff and tidying up, they were able to leave the bookstore, but it was after ten o'clock in the evening.
They decided to go to a public bath to clean up and relax a bit, not feeling like they could wait until they got home.
Even the cooling system of Shidou's cosplay was not enough to cope with the atmosphere created by several thousand people.
After relaxing for a long time in the (separate) baths, Shidou and Nia met in the relaxation room provided for the guests.
Both wore bathrobes and laid in massaging chairs.
"AaaHhhH... that feels good..."
Nia let out a sort of groan, lulled by the vibrations of the chair. A can of beer was on a low table next to her.
"I agree..."
Shidou, with his eyes closed, had the impression that he could not feel his limbs.
Completely dehydrated, he had already downed two bottles of water.
"So, Boy, did you like it?..."
Shidou opened his eyes.
Nia looked at him with an interested look, her red glasses threatening to fall off her nose.
"...It was strange for a date, but...I'm used to it, by now..."
"You didn't answer my question."
Shidou allowed himself a moment of reflection.
Had he had a good time?
In any case, it hadn't been a bad time. Sure, he'd been a little scared of Nia when she'd confronted the copycat, but that was only fair.
The book signing, his cosplay as Tokiya, the hordes of fangirls and the role he had to play...
It wasn't all fun and games, but... they were unique experiences, experiences that you normally wouldn't get to live.
He had been able to join Nia in adventures that only authors could have. He had felt fear, excitement, exhilaration.
Were these good times or bad times?
Shidou couldn't tell.
Not everything could be categorized as "good" or "bad." But he had no regrets.
He decided to be honest with Nia; anyway, thanks to Rasiel, she could if she wanted to, find out the truth.
"I don't know, honestly. But, it was interesting, in hindsight. I didn't see the time fly, I... lived, all of it. And I think, that's the important thing, right?"
"Sasuga Boy... honest to the end, even when his answer means nothing."
"Hey!"
"I'm kidding. I know what you mean. That's what life as a mangaka is like. It's not always fun. Time flies by, deadlines are rarely met, and you have one sleepless night after another... yet, when you look back, you don't regret anything."
Nia took a long stretch in her chair, grabbed her can, and drained it in one gulp.
"Fuahhh..."
Then she looked up at the ceiling, thoughtful.
Shidou grabbed another bottle of water and took a few sips.
"Nee, Boy."
"Hmm?"
Shidou, still drinking, couldn't speak.
"Want to date me?"
"Gwuark?!"
Shidou half spat out his mouthful, choking, coughing, spitting.
"I mean...not just once. You know, something more...serious?"
Nia, who usually loved to joke and provoke Shidou, even about his feelings, looked embarrassed.
It was because of this that he understood she was serious.
Nevertheless, surprise and shock prevented him from speaking.
"Boy... that's very rude of you. To let a lady expose herself like that..."
Nia let out a sort of grunt and Shidou realized he had been standing with his mouth open.
"I apologize. It's just that..."
Nia waved her hand.
"No, don't say anything. Let me guess. You're wondering how I came to have this kind of feeling for you, since I've never shown any attraction to you before. There's also the matter of my age... even without the fact that Spirits don't age, I'm clearly older than you."
She concluded her argument with a small smile.
"I don't need to use Rasielmon to guess that. After all, I've read thousands of stories involving romance... So? Am I right?"
"...Yes."
Shidou wondered if he was really that easy to read, or if it was just that Nia was frightening.
"Hehe. I'll answer the questions you're asking, Boy. And then... I want you to give me your answer."
Shidou nodded.
"Good. First of all... the fact that you saved my life, and allowed me to have a pretty much normal life, played a big part. But it was basically gratitude and trust, at first."
Compared to other Spirits like Origami, Tohka or even Mukuro, it was true that Nia was more distant, and above all, did not express any particular interest in Shidou.
"Then, one day, while I was looking at you... I felt, this heat, that all light novels, all mangas evoke. This thing, deep in my chest."
Nia brought her hand to her heart, as if to illustrate her words.
"At first, I doubted it... I wasn't sure. Even for Tokiya, I hadn't felt that way. And Rasielmon refused to give me the answer...as if he wanted, for once, me to find it myself."
Rasiel, Nia's Angel, had the answer to any question, at least in theory.
"I spent a lot of time wondering, what my real feelings for you were. And, then, I remembered a piece of advice that a character in a romance manga gave."
Nia had a bright smile, which captivated Shidou.
"That advice was to ask yourself... when something happens to you... for example, when you drop a rare item. When you get two cans from the vending machine. Or you just barely miss getting your motorcycle license... all those joys, and mishaps of everyday life. Who is the person I want to share these with first? Who do I immediately think of? Who comes to mind, when I think: here, I have to tell them this?"
Her grip on her chest tightened.
"In my case, the answer came immediately. You, Boy. Shidou. You're the one I want to share my joys, my sorrows with."
"Nia..."
Shidou's throat tightened.
"I know I'm not that attractive. I talk a lot, I'm older than you. I'm very busy, because of my job. But..."
She hesitated, blushed.
"I love you, Shidou."
"...Why?"
The question Shidou was holding back slipped out. He realized it was blunt, and inappropriate, but...
He had to know why.
"The heart and the mind, Boy... No, I'm kidding. I know exactly why I love you."
Rasiel allowed Nia to know anything she wanted. When she had obtained this power, she had, consumed by curiosity, investigated her friends, her relatives.
Fatally, she had discovered their secrets, their dark side, that part that every human being hides from the rest of the world.
This had disgusted her so much that for a long time, Nia had only seen the humans as simple NPCs, without feeling any emotion towards them.
Shidou had managed to break through the shell she had built around herself.
In Nia's eyes, Shidou was the first human being who had been honest with her from the beginning to the end.
She had investigated him, of course, and he had turned out to be exactly what he looked like.
And more importantly, he cared about her. He knew what she had been through, and understood her pain.
Nia wasn't lying either. She knew she had nothing to hide from Shidou, and he wouldn't hide anything from her either.
"With you...I can be myself. Always. And I know, that you are yourself. Always..."
Nia could be herself with him, and she knew Shidou was doing the same.
That feeling, that sense of confidence, of freedom...
To know that she didn't have to lie, to hide, to hold back, that she could really be her, in his company...
That he would never betray her...
That was something irreplaceable and infinitely precious to her.
"It's... that kind of love, that I feel for you. That... trust, that connection. I know it's something, that I want to preserve. That I want to... live, with you. I realized, that I want to spend more time with you."
She knew she would never find someone like him again.
No one would ever understand her as much as he did.
"That's why I love you. And you... Shidou?"
Shidou noticed that once again, Nia had taken care to pronoun his name. This change, also showed how serious she was.
And him... what was his answer?
Nia's words had touched him. Something about what she had said resonated with him.
The usual way, how Nia played with him. Her jokes, her references... her way of life.
Her beauty, her very own.
Her world.
Shidou always had the impression, to see another world at Nia's side. An unknown world, yet familiar and warm.
Her presence by his side, the trust she put in him.
Nia and Shidou were similar. They had suffered from loneliness... or rather, they had, one way or another, lost some relatives at different degrees. That's why they were naturally attracted to each other.
But, also...
"My answer..."
Shidou's whisper made Nia tense up. It was also unusual, to see her like this.
"Recently, I feel like I'm finally becoming aware of my feelings. And... I'm sorry, for being so dense, for the rest of you to have to stimulate me so I can find them out."
"Hehe... it's a part of you."
"I know, but... it's still awkward."
Shidou laughed softly, then returned his gaze to Nia. Her blue eyes scanned him expectantly, with a hint of anxiety as well.
He cleared his mind. He ignored his rational side, which, as with Kotori, flooded him with logical reasons to reject this relationship outright.
Once again, he thought only of his feelings.
"I..."
His mouth was dry.
"I want to keep going, to see new things with you. I want to see you happy... I want to see you smile. I want you to keep laughing at me, being extravagant... I want to know you, more and more, I..."
Shidou realized what he was saying.
Or rather, he realized, there was a simpler way to formulate his thoughts.
A simple phase.
"I...love you too, Nia."
Nia's features froze.
Then...
"Uah...uah...uahhhh!"
"Nia?!"
Nia began to let out inarticulate cries, and flap her legs in her chair, like a child having a seizure.
"Aaaaah! What the hell is this?! My heart! My heart is going to explode!"
"Nia! Calm down?!"
It took Nia several minutes to regain control.
"Ah... sorry... it's just, that... I've never felt this... even in all my otome, never has a confession made me... Aahhhhhh!"
Nia was bright red and wiggling in her chair.
Shidou was looking for a way to stop her, when he decided to follow his instinct.
He got up from his chair, then leaned over Nia and grabbed her by the arms, preventing her from moving.
"Eh? What the-nnnh?!"
Shidou stifled Nia's screams with a kiss. She widened her eyes, before giving up.
They closed their eyes, savoring the contact.
After several seconds, they separated.
Nia was still crimson red, but didn't move.
"Shidou..."
"Are you feeling better?"
Shidou tried to display a confident attitude, but in truth, he was as embarrassed and excited as Nia.
"...Not really. My chest, it's going to explode..."
"Ah... sorry. I thought that would help...eh?!"
Before he could finish, Nia pulled him to him in her chair and hugged him. His head was buried in her chest.
"But right now...right now, this feels good."
Shidou could hear Nia's heartbeat, despite her bathrobe. Strangely, the steady, regular sound, soothed him too.
He awkwardly returned her embrace (which was not easy in his position), ignoring the embarrassment of being so close to a girl dressed only in a bathrobe.
They reluctantly parted moments later, fearing that someone would burst into the room and see them like this.
"Shidou... are you sure about this?..." said Nia shyly.
"Yes. I'm sure."
"...Thank you."
"It's more like I should be the one thanking you..."
"Ah, here we go again, having a talk worthy of a galge!"
"You started it, by the way."
Shidou chuckled, then winced.
Nia cocked an eyebrow.
"Hm? What's the matter?"
"..."
Shidou hesitated, but... after all, he could talk to Nia about it, or rather, he had to.
"To tell you the truth... you're the third person I've confessed my feelings to..."
"Huh?!"
"In three days..."
"HUH?!"
Nia's jaw dropped, as Shidou stammeringly explained his previous dates with Kaguya and Kotori.
Nia seemed more surprised than angry.
"Sorry... Do you still want to date me, despite the fact that... you know..."
Shidou let the rest of his thought (that he was probably a harem god/sexual presator) and bowed his head in shame.
Nia sighed heavily.
"...Yes. I mean, I don't mind too much... I guess. I had a feeling you'd choose this route, basically."
"Huh?"
"I am quite a fan of harems, after all. But, I have to warn you... that kind of road is always chaotic. So it's more like me asking you, Shidou. Are you sure you want to add me to your harem?"
Nia had regained her playful tone and teasing expression, which Shidou loved.
"...Yes, Nia. Please."
"Then it's a deal! The nun joins your party!"
She froze.
"Although I feel like we might be taking in a few more..." she muttered.
"Huh?"
"Nothing, nothing. But have you thought about how you're going to tell Kaguyan and Imogoto?"
"Imogoto... Err... no, not yet. But I'll have to do it..."
"My prayers accompany you. You'll need them."
Shidou shuddered as he thought of his sister's reaction.
(Not to mention that I have another date tomorrow...)
For a moment, Shidou wondered how he had gotten himself into such a situation.
Then he saw Nia's sweet, radiant smile.
That alone was worth the trouble.