Shirou Emiya. A major concern for the four ladies currently occupying the room. The guy was as dense as a well-made two-handed sword. It seemed that every advance that they made on him fell into pieces no matter how romantic or how lewd. And so, they have conducted this meeting, a meeting among love rivals, to take the heart of the man they all desire; whether that is individually or as a team – even if they had to share.

'So, I am sure you all know why I gathered you all here today?' Illyasviel von Einzbern asked her sisters in arms. She cutely flipped her snow-white hair in an effort to look mysterious.

'Yes.' 'Mmm.' Illyasviel's companions nodded their heads in affirmation.

'Good. That way I wouldn't have to explain why we are here; but, just for the sake of clarification, I will anyways,' Illya cleared her throat. 'Valentine's Day is approaching and Onii-sama needs to get laid.'

'Yes.'

'Mmm.'

'Onii-chan will get to feel the love this coming Valentine's Day!' Illya said.

'Is this going to be a group mission?' Rin Tohsaka said. 'Or are we going at this as individuals?'

'I would prefer if we did this individually,' Sakura Matou said, agreeing with Rin.

'I want Shirou to be mine,' Rin continued. 'And mine alone. He would make a very good partner. He cleans, he is strong, he is responsible–'

'He cooks,' Artoria "Saber" Pendragon butted in.

'He cooks,' Rin repeated. 'He is handsome, he has a Reality Marble! he is pretty smart–'

'He has some nice abs,' Sakura spoke.

'He has some nice abs— Sakura! What are you making me say?' Rin shouted with a blush on her face. The other girls in the room also turned a nice shade of red at the mention of Shirou's heavenly abs. They too have laid their heads and hands on his abs and felt their firmness. It was glorious.

'He has though!'

'Arrgh,' Rin groaned. 'Moving on… He has… nice pecs.' She covered her face in embarrassment.

'That he has,' Sakura said, her eyes glazing over a little at the mention of Shirou's pectorals. 'He also has a muscular chest…'

Even Saber was affected as Sakura trailed away. She had seen and felt how strong Shirou was. He was also reliable in a fight… when he wasn't being suicidal. Although after she trained him, he did get better at judging when to jump in or not, saving her with his rock-hard abs from a spear or sword— Saber shook her head, trying to remove the savory thoughts that plagued her.

'Onii-chan gives good head pats!' Illya said out loud, done with the blushy business.

'That he does,' Rin still didn't stop blushing but at least removed her hands from her red face. 'Can we stop talking about his good points now?'

'On to business then,' Illya nodded. 'I too would like Onii-chan all to myself; but if that doesn't work, we would have to collaborate. Is that good with you girls?'

'Mmhmmm.' 'Yes.' 'Aye.'

'Good. Now, for our plans on February 14…'

Shirou felt a chill go up his spine. He sneezed. 'ACHOO!'

'Feeling sick?'

'I have been feeling bad for the past few days.'

'That's not good. You should get some rest.'

'I will,' Shirou said. 'Or else I will get yelled at again.' He thought to himself. He didn't mind getting yelled at if he was able to do some good to other people. Sure, Rin might tear his ear off or Sakura might give him the sad puppy face, but what is done is done.

Speaking of Rin and Sakura, they have been avoiding him for days. Saber and Illya too. They would meet occasionally and during meals, they lived under the same roof after all, but other than the necessary moments of greeting and eating he hasn't seen them. Maybe that was why he was feeling bad…

That didn't seem to be the case, Shirou thought to himself. Perhaps it was because he stayed up too long last night. Anyone under the cold weather would get a cold, mage or not. Shirou concluded that to be the case for him rather sickly today. It definitely wasn't that he missed the four girls, no.

Shirou wiped his nose a bit and then finished fixing the air conditioner of the student council. Maybe he was feeling bad because of the dust accumulated by the AC? That was sure to give anyone a good sneeze if they breathed the dust in.

Shirou tested the screws once again before he put the AC upwards. 'All done.'

'Thank you again, Emiya-kun. I am sorry for bothering you once again.'

'I don't mind,' Shirou nodded to Issei Ryuudou, 'I am always here to help people in need.'

'You are a true saint. But don't let anybody take advantage of that,' Issei said, not minding that he just did.

'Good afternoon, Shirou,' a feminine voice greeted them, 'Hyoudou Issei-san.'

'It's "Ryuudou" you seductress!'

'Good afternoon, Rin,' Shirou said. 'What brings you here?'

'Indeed,' Issei adjusted his glasses, 'What brings you here? You don't frequent the student council very much.'

'I was here for Shirou if you must know,' Rin crossed her arms.

'What did you need me for?'

'Nothing much. Just come to the mall after dinner, I'll be waiting by the entrance.'

'I'll be there.'

'Good,' Rin smiled, happy with the response she got. 'Now if you will excuse me. Good day Hyoudou-san, see you later Shirou.' She flashed Shirou a beautiful smile that sent his heart ablaze for some reason before she left the two.

'It is "Ryuudou!" '

Shirou packed up his things, and all the tools he used and got up. 'Well, then, I'll be going then. See you on Monday,' Shirou said as he left the muttering Issei. He walked down the stairs and out of the school building. It was already pretty late and the students left on the school campus were those cleaning up and the club captains who had some last-minute work. It was a common sight for Shirou since he always helped around the school grounds till past dusk at times.

'Senpai,' a soft voice called out to him. Shirou glanced to find Sakura, an underclassman he saw as his younger sister, waiting for him at the school gates.

'Sakura,' Shirou said. 'You haven't gone home yet?'

'I just finished cleaning up the archery grounds,' she said. 'I was also waiting for you,' Sakura fell into step with Shirou's strides.

'You didn't have–'

Sakura brought a soft and cold finger to his lips, silencing him. Her touch sent electricity from the place she touched to the rest of his body. Shirou stopped walking and Sakura put her hand down.

'Is it wrong for me to wait for senpai?' she asked.

"SHE'S SO CUTE WHEN SHE TILTS HER HEAD!" a voice echoed out in Shirou's head. Sakura's slight pouting face made things even cuter. Her eyes conveyed a sense of pleading like she would cry if Shirou said no.

Shirou caved in. 'Only if it doesn't hurt you…'

Sakura's eyes brightened up and her lips curled into a pretty smile that made Shirou's heart beat like crazy. Sakura once more walked beside him as they resumed their trip back home.

Shirou nearly bolted when he felt something or somethings soft encase his arm. Sakura wrapped an arm around his own and pulled it close to her chest. And seeing how large her assets were, they nearly encased Shirou's whole bicep. Shirou felt a rise in heat in his face like a burning sun.

'Senpai?'

'I-It's nothing.'

They felt so soft…

And so that was how both students walked back home. Soon, Shirou had gotten used to the feeling of Sakura's soft boobs on his arm. Well, not used enough that he felt no sense of arousal but used enough that he wasn't a blushing mess.

'Ah, Senpai, have you already watched the latest episode of Food Spars?' Sakura asked.

'Not yet. You recorded it right?'

'Of course! I know how much you love it.'

'Thank you, Sakura.'

'Tohsaka-senpai was going to record it but…' Sakura trailed off.

'Let us never let her hold an electronic device ever again.'

They laughed at Rin's expense, who wasn't there to defend herself.

'Have you watched the latest episode yet?'

'Yes. But I was cooking so I wasn't able to watch some parts of it.'

'Let's watch it together, later.'

'Yes. That would be nice,' Sakura nodded.

They talked about sweet nothings as they continued their trip.

They arrived home. Shirou opened the door for Sakura and she entered the house. They both removed their shoes and set them upon the shoe rack. 'I'll prepare dinner,' Sakura said as she disappeared into the hall that led to the dining room while Shirou walked to his room to change.

Shirou put on a pair of jeans and his favorite sweater before heading to the dining room. Sakura looked halfway done with prepping the ingredients they needed; peeling the carrots, potatoes, and such. The white rice had just started boiling.

'Sakura,' Shirou said. 'Let me take over.'

'I don't mind finishing.'

'I insist so you can go freshen up.'

'If senpai says so,' Sakura relented and untied her pink apron before hanging it on the hook. 'Thank you.'

'Is this only for two people?'

'Yes. The others said they would skip dinner for today.'

'I see,' with that Shirou took over the kitchen and Sakura went to take a shower. Shirou wielded his knife and quickly cut the onions and garlic into tidbits, dicing them perfectly. With grace, he set off to frying the onions. Judging by the ingredients set on the countertop and the pan on the unlit stove, Sakura was going to cook beef stew: a simple dish.

Shirou lit the stove. He poured a little olive oil and heated it up. When the oil was hot enough, he put in the garlic. Once the garlic was light brown he pulled them out and put in the onion. Once the onion was nice and withered Shirou put in the beef strips that Sakura had cut and seasoned.

The beef turned a nice shade of brown and the aroma of fried onion mixed with beef filled the house. Shirou added the garlic, milk, and potatoes. Once the potatoes were soft, he put in the mushrooms, corn, and carrots.

The rice was done and Shirou switched that off. In two minutes the stew would also be nicely cooked.

'I'm done.' Sakura said as she entered the dining room. She stood beside Shirou. 'That smells good,' she said, sniffing the aroma of the stew.

'It just needs a minute more, then it will be done.'

'Understood. Shall I set the table?'

'Go ahead.'

Sakura set the table and hummed along to a song. With grace, she took out the plates and utensils that they would use. She perfectly laid them out on the low Japanese table, complete with napkins and an intricate design.

She would make the perfect wife, Shirou thought to himself. He stared at Sakura for a moment, wondering where that thought came from. He shook his head. What was he thinking?

'Senpai?' before he knew it, Sakura was in front of him with a worried expression on her cute face.

Shirou saved face immediately. 'Ah, the food is done.' With a "click" the stove was turned off. Shirou placed their meal and rice into serving bowls and carefully carried them to the table.

Sakura took her seat on the cushion. Shirou sat opposite her. ' 'Itadakimasu!' ' they said in unison before they started eating.

'What school are you going to?' Sakura asked between bites.

'There's this school in Tokyo that sent me a scholarship offer. They have a culinary course, I'm thinking of taking that after high school.'

'I see. I would also like to go there.' To follow you.

'I hear that their entrance exams are pretty hard,' Shirou said. 'Although. I am confident that you could ace them.'

'I'll do my best.'

'I know you will,' Shirou smiled.

'Thank you for your vote of confidence.'

'Of course. I believe in you.'

Sakura blushed lightly and continued eating with a smile on her face. 'Have you taken their entrance exams yet?'

'Next month.'

'Do your best!'

Shirou gave Sakura a thumbs-up. 'I will be sure to.'

They continued talking until they finished their meal. Once they were done, Shirou took all the dishes and laid them on the sink. Sakura joined him in cleaning the dishes.

'Two pairs of hands are better than one,' she reasoned.

They were done in a flash and they went back to the table to turn on the television. Sakura inserted the disc that recorded the show they wanted to watch. By the time the show was done, Shirou got up to meet Rin at the mall since it was nearly time.

Sakura turned off the television and put the CD back while Shirou put on his shoes.

'Shirou.'

That took Shirou's attention. Sakura never called him by his name. It was always 'senpai.' He turned to her. She stood by the edge of the entrance.

'Yes, Sakura?'

'Could you please close your eyes for a moment?'

Shirou closed his eyes. He heard Sakura's barefooted steps toward him. He smelled her scent, her oh-so-sweet scent. He felt her arms wrap around his neck and her sweet aroma felt so very close.

Shirou felt his heart beat anxiously. Seconds felt like hours. He felt Sakura's hot breath upon his lips.

Shirou gulped.

Sakura finally pressed her lips against his own. It was a kiss that lasted mere seconds, but it felt like an eternity for Sakura and Shirou. There was nothing special about the kiss, just a regular kiss on the lips. No tongue or biting involved. But to Shirou and Sakura, it lasted years. Electricity seemed to dance between them, magnetizing them together.

Sakura drew back, her face was flushed red and her eyes were in a daze. She smiled. Her smile was so bright and so happy. 'Come home safely,' she whispered. Shirou caught her soft voice.

'I will,' he managed to say in his daze. He put on his shoes and exited the house. He nearly got run over– the driver shouting at Shirou.

He blinked. Did that just happen?

'Ah, there you are,' Rin turned to find Shirou. She uncrossed her arms and put them on her hips. She bent her hips slightly to the right before straightening up. She walked towards Shirou. 'I have been waiting for you.' She checked her watch to find that there was still some spare time until the time she set.

Shirou smiled. 'I'm here. Did you wait long?'

'Long enough,' Rin said. She brought her hand to her chin in a thinking pose. 'Illya was right. You keep wearing the same shirt, sweater, pants…' Rin trailed off as she looked at Shirou's attire.

'What's wrong with this?'

'You need more variety. So, venerable lil old me shall treat you out to some clothes.'

'What's wrong with my clothes?'

Shirou never got an answer as his hand was taken and he was dragged along with Rin. They were in the mall and she led him into a men's fashion store.

'Now, what style would fit you the best?' Rin muttered as they browsed the clothes. Shirou obediently followed. Something caught his eye. He pulled it out and showed it to Rin.

Rin's eye twitched when she saw the offending clothing. 'No! Absolutely not! That thing is just a hoodie version of what you are wearing now.' She playfully kicked his calves as she said so.

Shirou put the white jacket with blue sleeves back on the hangers. They went around for some time, with Rin picking out some clothes and Shirou offering his opinion on them from time to time.

By the time they stopped walking, Rin set down a mountain of clothes that reached the heavens. The [Clothes of Babylon], an S-rank Noble Phantasm that contained clothes from The Land of the Rising Sun to the Mediterranean Sea and from the Mediterranean to Vinland. And Rin was using this on Shirou Emiya.

'Now, what should we try first?' Rin asked, in her thinking pose. One foot forward, her butt slightly angled to the left, one arm below her humble chest, and a hand clasping in her chin.

Shirou looked in… dread? as Rin picked out his first outfit. This was going to be a nightmare to go through.

'Here,' Rin shoved a pair of clothes into Shirou's arms. 'Now go and change!' she pushed him into the changing room. 'I'll be waiting,' she grinned as Shirou closed the door behind him.

Shirou laughed silently to himself at Rin's reaction to everything he did. He was sure she enjoyed their banter too. It was all friendly banter that made Shirou smile. Sometimes he feared he would go too far in teasing her but those fears would be swept away when he saw her playful grin as she beat him up. It was all good fun.

Shirou exited the changing room. He was dressed in a blue tracksuit with white highlights– 'If you like blue and white that much, I think this would fit you,' he remembered Rin's words when she pulled it out. He also remembered her devilish grin as she said that.

Speak of the devil, Rin was seated next to her Noble Phantasm: Clothes of Babylon, in a cross-legged position. Shirou posed in his tracksuit for his audience.

Rin laughed a short laugh. 'No.'

'I agree. It reminds me of Lancer. On the other hand,' Shirou did some stretches and moved around in his tracksuit. 'It is very good for movement. I'll take it.'

'I definitely won't,' Rin said, regretting that she ever offered the tracksuit. 'Next.'

The next outfit was a set. Black long sleeves, dark pants, leather boots, and a red jacket that reached his thighs.

'It looks good on you.'

Shirou looked at the mirror. He nearly saw a man with tanned skin and white hair before he blinked and saw himself. 'No.'

'Why not?' Rin got up and walked all around him, patting him down. She pulled his hair back. 'Oh.'

'I look like Archer.'

'Uhhh… Next one then.'

The next outfit was a purplish leather jacket and dress pants. No shirt so Rin was able to see Shirou's nice set of abs—

Rin shook her head. No lewd thoughts allowed!

'Isn't this a bit too revealing?' Shirou asked as he raised his face mask. 'Um, Rin?'

'Nothing! I said nothing!'

Next clothing! Sagarel had to come in and move things forward lest Rin keep staring at Shirou's rock-hard abs and Shirou trying to figure out why Rin's face was red.

The next set of clothes was a white dress shirt and blue formal clothes. To top it all off was a ribbon necktie.

'I like it,' Rin gave her approval.

'I also like it,' Shirou agreed. He raised his arm and flexed his muscles. 'It's good.'

'Why do you have to test it?'

'Ah, if for example, I had to save someone, this is still good to wear and move around in so I could save them.'

'Of course. Why did I even ask?'

'The tracksuit is also good—'

'No tracksuits!' Rin shot that idea down before it could gain traction.

'I'd like more of this then.'

'Sure, sure, let's go through the next outfit then.'

The final set of clothes glittered. Not literally of course but one glance at it and you could tell the quality of the clothes. It was pompous without looking silly and made out of the highest quality. You could hear the richness coming from the clothes, simple as it was: A white button-up long sleeve, a blazer over that, and black formal pants was how simple the set was but the sheer quality of the fabric used and how it was sewed together would put the most expensive suits to shame.

'...'

'...'

'Should we?'

'I honestly don't know.'

'It feels like I am looking at Gilgamesh class clothing.'

'You're right.'

And so ended their shopping trip. Rin paid for the clothes that they did pick. Shirou picked up the hoodie once again and Rin relented with a sigh. They started touring the mall even though they have been frequenting it often, knowing all the nooks and crannies of it all.

Shirou didn't know when, but his hand had intertwined itself with Rin's hand. Unlike Sakura's, which was firm from working in the house yet felt like silk, Rin's was rather smooth and soft like butter. It was also smaller, despite Rin being older than Sakura. The warmth it gave Shirou though was about the same.

Shirou felt a smile creep to his face.

'Now, that looks to be the end of our date,' Rin said as she turned to Shirou. All good things had to come to an end.

'Why?'

'You have another one with Illya,' Rin pouted. Shirou felt like he knew what to say to lift her mood.

'Let us have another one.'

'Huh?'

'Well,' Shirou awkwardly scratched the back of his head. Saying it once took a lot of courage. He would have to rephrase. 'I enjoyed this date. Do you want to have another one?'

Rin smiled. 'I would love– Ah-!' a person bumped into Rin who lost her balance.

Shirou reacted quickly and dropped the newly bought clothes. He moved forward to catch Rin. He caught her from falling. The result was a hug.

'Are you okay?'

'Y-Yes.'

'Uhm, you could let go now.'

'Can we… Can we stay like this for some more time?'

Shirou was unsure how to answer that at first. But then realized what she meant. He felt Rin's arms wrap around him in her own hug. It felt… good. Like very relaxing. Shirou felt all the nerves he felt earlier vanish with the hug he shared with Rin.

'Sure. We can stay like this for a couple moments more,' Shirou wrapped his arms tighter around Rin. She felt so light in his arms as if she was a feather. Shirou feared that if she was blown, she would fly far, far away from him. He enjoyed being with her. If Rin disappeared, he had no idea what to feel.

'I… I don't want you to leave for Britain,' Shirou managed to say. Clock Tower was just so, so far away. 'I want you to stay. I… enjoy being with you.'

'I will be back. You don't have to worry,' Rin whispered. 'I won't be leaving until next year either.'

Shirou wanted to tighten his hug. He felt he would break Rin if he did so. She felt so fragile in his arms. This was the girl that shouldered looking over the City of Fuyuki. A young girl who lost her whole family as a child shouldered a heavy burden that she carried on her own.

Rin was the first to push away from the hug. 'I also enjoy talking with you, no matter how idiotic you are. It's fun. I will be back,' Rin patted Shirou's shoulder. 'Don't worry,' she gave him a smile.

'I will be waiting for you then.'

'Hmph! You better. You also better not get yourself into any crazy situations while I'm gone. Got that?' Rin emphasized her point by hitting Shirou's chest with her pointer several times.

'I got it,' Shirou said. 'Although if a person really needs help…'

'Think of yourself too. Just because you want to save someone, doesn't mean you should kill yourself in the process,' Rin said. 'Remember: you could save even more people if you live.'

Shirou nodded and Rin smiled that her words got to him. It was good that their talk had concluded there because it was about to be interrupted by a whirlwind of purple.

'O–nii—chan!' Shirou got glomped. 'Okay, Rin! I will take it from here!' she gave Rin a thumbs-up and proceeded to push Shirou out of the mall and onto the cold street. They left a flustered Rin with the bags of clothes in her hand.

At this point, Shirou was starting to get the gist of what the girls were doing. Each one had something they all wanted to do with him and they had been planning this for some time, ever since he started seeing less of them. 'So, where are we going?'

'Just a stroll,' Illya said. They started walking.

Shirou was unsure of how to break the ice with his "older sister," Kiritsugu's daughter. Not that the silence was bad, it was quite relaxing even. It's just that it was always her that approached him. He barely knew her, come to think about it. Sure, he knew plenty of what she liked and some of her dislikes and her bubbly carefree personality; but her didn't know how to connect with her.

This was supposed to be another date right?

Illya stopped humming her song. 'I heard that you're going to Tokyo for culinary arts,' she said.

'Yes. Did you hear it from Sakura?'

'Oh, I have my ways,' Illya laughed to herself.

'Keep your secrets then,' Shirou said.

'Oh, I will,' Illya replied. She hopped around, her light purple dress floating along with her.

The night was pretty quiet as they walked. The wind rustled the grasses, the frogs sang their nightly songs, and Illya hummed what seemed to be a lullaby.

Shirou found himself humming along with her. It felt like he knew the song but didn't know where it came from.

They continued, walking in peaceful silence. Shirou thought that Illya would be talkative during their stroll, but he was wrong. It was a relaxing walk up through the lesser crowded part of the city and up a hill.

Illya stopped humming, the song coming to an end. 'That song came from our mother, Irisviel von Einzbern. She used to hum it to me when I was small,' she looked down at herself. 'Even smaller than this,' she giggled.

'I never heard much about Mother. Kiritsugu never talked about her much,' Shirou said.

'But you know the song enough,' Illya said. 'Well, I don't remember much about her anymore. She left a few years after I was born.' Illya skipped and looked over the city, they were high enough to see over plenty of houses but not yet over the tall business buildings and hotels. 'She was a beautiful woman and a caring mother. Mother would treat me around and play with me. Ah, we had a game when I was younger, where we would count the number of acorns we could find,' Shirou drew close to Illya and he looked over the hill like she did.

For some reason, he felt pretty bitter. A little happy as well. He got to know the wife of Kiritsugu and the mother of Illya. Shirou wondered if this was what they meant by bittersweetness.

'Do you miss her?'

Illya picked up a stone. She threw it over the road rails and onto the grass that covered the hill. 'I hate her! I hate Papa too! Why did they have to leave me behind?' Illya shouted into the night. She took in a breath. She turned to Shirou. 'But I do miss them.'

Shirou nodded at that, not knowing how to respond. Illya continued trekking up the hill.

'I'm sorry,' Illya said.

Shirou raised an eyebrow, not that she could see it since he trailed behind her. 'Why?'

'I look like an annoying brat to you, don't I?'

'No, you don't.'

'Are you sure? I'm not being super annoying am I?'

'Not really.'

Illya stopped but Shirou carried on until he overtook her.

'I feel like I am being super clingy.'

'You aren't.'

'Is it wrong for me to cling onto my last remaining family member?' Illya asked out of nowhere. Shirou stopped and turned to look at her.

Shirou had two options. The first was a no-go. It was to say 'yes' to her, 'yes, it is wrong for family members to cling to one another.' Shirou felt that this would make her cry though. He… hated that. He would hate to see Illya cry. His older sister was like a younger sister to him. Didn't matter though, he didn't want to make her cry. Not to mention that that answer was just stupid.

So that left the other option. 'No. It isn't wrong for you to want to be with me.'

'That's good,' Illya said. Shirou expected her to jump on him like she always did. However, instead of pouncing onto Shirou, she turned around to look away from him. 'I have… something to tell you.'

Shirou waited patiently for Illya to continue.

'I probably won't live until next year.'

That alarmed Shirou. He opened his mouth to protest.

'To fight in this Grail War, modifications had to be done to my body. Even as a homunculus, I had more modifications done to me. All… for…' her voice started shaking. 'Revenge.'

Shirou wanted to approach her. To console her. But Illya still wasn't finished talking.

'I want to spend my days here. With you. But I'm such a bad person… I… I…'

'You are not a bad person! Illya!' Shirou stepped in before she could bad-mouth herself even more

'But I killed all those homunculi–'

'You were forced to kill them. And they were trying to kill you first! You are not in the wrong!'

'E-Even if I tried to kill you?!' Illya turned to Shirou and shouted. 'I tried to kill you! My only family left!'

'You were lied to for years,' Shirou said. 'I forgive you for that too. Do not let it burden you anymore. Let me protect you. You are family after all,' Shirou gave her a soft, reassuring smile.

Tears dripped from Illya's face as her grim frown turned into a wry smile. 'Shirou!' she wept as if all the pressure put on her was finally released and hope was given to her.

Shirou hugged her in his arms. He let her weep on his chest. 'I will also find a way to heal you. I want you to live. You're my sister after all,' Shirou whispered.

Illya wiped her tears on Shirou's jacket. 'Thank you.'

'Mm, we're family after all.'

They continued their walk in serene silence, this time with Shirou walking ahead and Illya following him. Shirou was humming the same tune that Illya was humming earlier. After a few moments, Illya started singing the German lyrics of the songs. Her voice was beautiful and melodious. It wasn't strong and was rather soft.

It sounded like a bittersweet song, even though Shirou didn't understand German. The lower of music surpassed language after all, the tone and way the song was sung was pretty melancholic with a bit of hope in it. Or that was Shirou's impression of it.

The song ended once again and the song of silence once again rang in the air. The howl of the wind and the rustle of the grass was all the two heard. The world was at peace.

'Hey, Shirou, say that again to me. Just one last time, please?'

Shirou turned around and gave her a sincere smile. 'I will protect you.'

Tears once again appeared on Illya's face. Tears of joy. A wide smile was on her lips, like the smile of a person who has found that her life has been saved. That everything was right with the world.

'I love you. My little brother,' she said.

'What happened to "Onii-chan?" ' Shirou raised his eyebrow.

'Let me be the older sister this time.'

Shirou relented and Illya hopped towards him. 'Hey, hey, bend over a little bit, you're too tall,' she said.

Shirou bowed towards Illya. She raised her dainty little hand and pat his head. 'It's the job of the Nee-san to dote on her younger sibling. Be a good boy, Shirou, okay? I love you.'

'I love you too,' Shirou said, shocking himself. They reached the top of the hill. A party looked to be going a little way away, with bright lights and the squeals of children from where Illya and Shirou stood.

'I'm happy to hear that,' Illyasviel drew back. she smiled at Shirou. 'Now, go on. You'll find Saber. She's waiting.'

'How about you?'

'Stella is coming to pick me up. Now go,' Illya said.

'I'll see you later then.'

'Bye-bye!'

With that, Shirou walked forward. On the top of the hill looked like an amusement park. The Ferris wheel made that apparent. He looked back, Illya was watching over him like any older sister would. She waved and Shirou waved back before continuing his journey forward.

Shirou saw Saber standing there, waiting for him. It was a breathtaking sight. Her petite yet beautiful form getting showered by the thousands of carnival lights. Her golden hair, tied in a bun, dazzled brightly like the sun. She turned to face him.

Saber smiled and held out her hand towards Shirou, asking him to take it. Shirou took firm strides towards her. He took her awaiting hand into his own. Her fingers were warm despite the cold wind. They brought comfort to Shirou.

'Shall we?'

'After you.'

A grin appeared on Saber's lips. 'I always wanted to ride one of these,' she looked up at the Ferris wheel. She walked past it though. 'I want to save the best for last though.'

'Where first?'

Saber scanned her surroundings. 'Bump cars.'

Shirou simply kept in step with her.

It wasn't like the walk with Rin earlier, where she basically pulled him along with her. Nor was it like the stroll with Illya earlier where it was either Illya or Shirou who was leading the way. The way Shirou walked with Saber was like equals on the same footing. They both wanted to go to the same place. It wasn't like walking with Sakura either, where she followed Shirou's lead wherever he went. With Saber, it felt like they both knew where the other wanted to go and agreed. Like birds of a feather.

'So, how do you drive this noble steed?' Saber asked. She picked a car with a lion design. It was a two-seater so Shirou decided to get into the car with her.

'You use this to guide it where you want to go,' Shirou pointed to the wheel. 'And you press that pedal to move forward.'

'Understood,' Saber nodded.

'Fasted your seatbelt,' Shirou said.

'Mmm,' Saber nodded once more and put the bump car's seat belt around herself. 'So what is the goal of this thing?'

'To bump other people's cars.'

'Is that so? That seems rather vacuous,' Saber said before she pressed the gas. The car jerked forward and Shirou and Saber lurched forward along with it. 'Huh.'

Saber pressed the gas a little less than she did earlier and the car went forward at a turtle's pace. She put in more pressure and the car started moving at an acceptable speed. She floored it and the car went forward.

Shirou gripped on for dear life as the bump car sped up. Saber laughed as she went around. The car did a 360 and Saber whooped. They bumped someone else's bump car making both Shirou and Saber jerk forward.

Saber was laughing while Shirou was pretty scared at the speed they went and the people they bumped. To be honest, Saber was a pretty good driver it was just that the whole thing about bump cars was that you were supposed to bump cars.

After a few more minutes, the timer on their bump car was up and Shirou was allowed to breathe. Saber was laughing as she got out, a bit ditzy but very happy.

'Let's do that once again! This time, you drive your own,' she said as she went back to the counter to pay for another drive.

Shirou looked on with a shaky smile. He was dizzy. But maybe driving one's own bump car was less crazy than when Saber was driving. He got out and looked for his own bump car since Saber returned to the lion-themed one.

Soon, the bump cars started bumping once again. Shirou had absolutely no idea what he was doing but—

He bumped into Saber, jerking forward as he did so. He saw her bright smile and smiled himself. Her hair was a mess and her smile of pure joy was contagious. Soon, Shirou found himself laughing along as he drove in random shapes. Each time he bumped into Saber, they would burst out laughing as they drove away again. At one point, they had a race around the place, laughing all the way.

They finally left the bump cars after a few more tries. Saber and Shirou were laughing without a care in the world, far from their usual demeanors. Shirou took Saber's hand in his own and they went around, looking for more rides. The merry-go-round, a train, a drivable lion, and so on. No matter how slow or fast the rides went, Saber and Shirou found ways to smile and laugh together.

Saber leaned her head against Shirou's shoulder as they walked, hand in hand. Shirou smelled Saber's golden hair, and how good she smelled. She smelled like flowers in a green field. It brought a sense of serenity to him. Like everything will be alright just as long as she was beside him.

They arrived at the Ferris wheel, the final ride that they haven't tried yet. Saber released herself from their intertwined hands and sat on the chair opposite Shirou. She looked in wonder as their car rose to the top.

'You could see all of the city!' she said in wonder.

Shirou nodded but said nothing. He also basked in the beauty of the city of Fuyuki, with all its bright lights and tall buildings. He looked at Saber and was entranced by her beauty. The moonlight clashed with the golden light of the amusement park, giving her a mystical look. She looked beautiful, exactly like the night he saw her. Shirou was entranced by how beautiful she was, it was unreal.

'I always wondered what I should do now that I have been granted a new body– a new life by the Holy Grail. I have decided!' Saber said to Shirou. She turned her eyes from surveying the city to look Shirou straight in the eyes. 'In my previous life, I had played the part of a leader, now I shall play the part of a servant,' Saber took to one knee and bowed before Shirou. It almost looked like a confession. 'Master Shirou, do you accept this maid to be yours?'

So she was playing the role of a maid now. Shirou wanted to say "No!" but knowing how headstrong Saber was, she was not giving him the option of saying "no" and was only willing to say "yes." Shirou sighed. What a troublesome Servant.

'Yes. I will accept Saber to be my servant.'

Saber nodded and stood straight up. She had a wide smile on her face. The cold king was no longer there. Only a graceful maid that served the Emiya family was left.

'With that, would my Master start calling me by my real name? Artoria Pendragon.'

'Only if my servant Saber would not call me "Master," I have no intention of treating you as a lesser person.'

'Mu. Very well. Would Shirou-sama call this lowly maid of his, "Artoria?" '

Shirou sighed. What a troublesome servant. Maybe she would be the one eating the food instead of the one cooking it tomorrow. As expected of a king. 'Artoria.'

Just then, the carriage jerked, sending Artoria tumbling toward Shirou. They bumped heads.

' 'Owwwww!' 'they both groaned out as they nursed their bruised foreheads. They then laughed together despite the tears in their eyes.

The carriage door opened and both of them came out. The night breeze was not as strong as it was from the top of the Ferris wheel, but it was strong enough to blow a mighty gust. The night was getting late and soon enough, only Saber and Shirou were left in the park since they walked at a comfortable snail's pace.

Shirou hailed a taxi to drive them back home. He opened the door for Saber, letting her in. He entered after her.

'Shouldn't it have been me to open your door? Shirou-sama?' Artoria asked.

'As I said, I will continue to treat you as an equal. That means opening the door for a lady,' Shirou said with a rather smug smile that was very unlike him.

'Hmph,' you're on. Shirou could hear the voice of challenge from Artoria.

'That was fun,' Artoria said as she looked out the window.

'It was indeed.'

'While the Holy Grail has given me information about the wonders of this modern world, experiencing them in person is much more different,' Saber said.

'I could imagine,' Shirou said. He had been to a few amusement parks, brought there forcefully by Taiga, but this was the first time that he truly felt the enjoyment that they came with. It was like a whole new different world had opened Shirou's eyes.

Artoria yawned.

'You could rest. I'll wake you up later.'

'I could still…' Saber trailed away and leaned her head against Shirou's shoulder. She slept soundly despite the bumps on the road.

They arrived at the Emiya estate and Shirou paid the driver. With a sigh and a grin, he heaved Artoria out of the car in a princess carry. She didn't stir in his arms and he carried her straight to bed, managing to open the door and remove his shoes while carrying Artoria.

Shirou lay her on the bed and went about the house. He locked the gate, and the doors, and closed the windows. Once he did his rounds of the house, he washed his face and prepared to sleep.

Shirou collapsed on the bed with a long sigh. If it was a sigh of fatigue or a sigh of pleasure, only he knew. He wasn't sure himself if it was one or the other. It sure has been a long day for him (although the events took place at night.)

His heart was happy. A sort of happiness that he didn't know he could achieve. Or maybe the happiness he hoped to achieve when he got to save someone, like how Kiritsugu saved him. Shirou was sure that he was happy. What else would you describe the feeling of flying? Like your feet could jump around even though they were already tired— like they could grow wings.

Shirou smiled to himself. This was a day to be remembered. He would be sure to treasure each and every memory. How Saber— Artoria, he corrected himself— smelled like when she leaned her head against his shoulder and the feelings that swirled in him as he held her hand. How Illya brightly smiled when he promised once again to protect her. How soft and fragile Rin felt when she hugged him. How Sakura's soft lips felt like when they kissed.

They were all important to him. Saber was a woman who Shirou wanted to stand beside. Illya was someone who Shirou wanted to protect at all costs. Rin was a girl who would hold him back from doing crazy things. And Sakura was a precious someone who provided Shirou with a place to return to.

Shirou looked up from his bed when he heard his door creak open. 'Senpai.' Sakura boldly, yet gently, entered his room. Rin, Artoria, and Illya were with her.

'Yes?' Shirou asked. The four girls shared smiles of excitement, anxiousness, and embarrassment. It looked like Shirou's long day wasn't going to end tonight; more like tomorrow morning.

I am the bone of my sword.

Hola. Sagarel no Debiru dayo.

Will there be a chapter 2? Who knows? I am tempted to write a few more chapters of this, but for now, it shall remain a one-shot.

Please review and, if you're interested, join the Discord server. This chapter was/is a submission for an event, so here you go. Link is: [discord. gg/5TaUq3brxa] you could find me there and several dozen more writers.

Also... late Valentine's to ya'll. Twas gonna post this on the 14th but irl stuff got in the way.