As both Reimu and Kenzaki were in the sky, the blonde was clinging onto the shrine maiden for his dear life despite the flier being a young woman who can apparently float and shoot energy blasts.
And while the idea of looking at the ground from a high attitude seemed like a good idea, in practice . . . the young man would rather look at the sky the same way as the shrine maiden to avoid panicking in fear or suddenly start to faint midflight.
To break the silence, Kenzaki looked at the shrine maiden. "Hey, Reimu, where exactly are we going?"
"We're heading to the Hakurei shrine," the young woman answered. "Given that you're pretty exhausted from being mysteriously transported into Youkai territory and needed some time to warm yourself and recover, I'll take you to the Hakurei shrine."
"Where's that?"
"In the hillside near the Human Village." The shrine maiden explained. "It has the red gateway on the front."
"There's a human village out there?"
"Yeah, but it's practically a safe haven for humans to live in without the fear of Youkai terrorizing them most of the time." Reimu replied. "However, since everyone had to stay indoors thanks to the weather, you may not go there until the snow clears up. But at least I can offer you refuge in my shrine to compensate for it."
Kenzaki sighed. "I guess it's better than nothing, I suppose."
Reimu chuckled lightly. "Perhaps."
For the rest of the trip, both Kenzaki and Reimu chose to remain silent as the shrine maiden carries the young man, either just to getting their bearings together, avoiding unwanted attention, or possibly wanting some time reflecting on their encounter.
"The shrine is within visible range," the young woman said, alerting her companion from his thoughts. "We'll land pretty shortly, so hold on tight."
The young man, hearing what the shrine maiden had told him, agrees by tightening his grip on her body without blushing in the process.
Once Reimu reaches close to the Hakurei shrine, she simply tilts her body to slow her momentum down gradually due to her passenger holding around her body, then gently landed at the entrance to the Hakurei shrine itself.
As Kenzaki can finally see the shrine for the first time, it appeared modestly built despite being a traditionally styled building with some trees around it with a large donation box in front of the shrine doors, a warehouse nearby that is modestly built, a well on the opposite side of the warehouse, and in front of the shrine itself is a red gateway that serves as the entrance.
"Okay, you can let go of me now, if you want to," the young woman stated to the companion, who respond by letting go of her body, though he couldn't help but blush over what he had did.
"Sorry about that, Reimu," Kenzaki said nervously.
"It's fine," the shrine maiden nodded. "I know you want an easy and safe way out of the forest near Misty Lake, so this is something I can do for you."
"Well, I guess."
As the shrine maiden and the young man look at the Hakurei shrine, the young woman looks at her male companion that is looking around the building she lives in.
"Do you want to go inside?" Reimu asked.
"Uh, sure, I guess," Kenzaki replied after taking some time observing the Hakurei shrine that the young woman lives in.
The young woman walks to the shrine door and opens the sliding door, letting herself in with the young man going inside as well before the former closes the door shut.
Inside the Hakurei shrine room, Kenzaki looks around and sees the interiors to be modestly built and tidy as well , aside from the kotatsu that has a pot holder in the middle of the tatami mat floor, an old-fashioned kitchen area, a washing tub near the stove that have a teapot on it, a few large vases that have food in them, a bathroom area, a medium-sized cabinet for tableware with a cooking pot and pan, and a small cabinet that have some extra clothes inside the chest.
"The Hakurei shrine is a unique place you got there, Reimu," the young man complemented as he takes off his jacket, boots, and earmuffs before placing them neatly on the floor near the wall, leaving him with a navy-blue sweater over a similar-colored collared shirt, black pants, and black socks.
"Thanks, Kenzaki," the shrine maiden nodded as she sits around the kotatsu. "Also, you're free to take a look around. Though, I would suggest to not break anything in the process."
"Alright," The young man replied as he decided to take a look around the interiors of the shrine itself, which he noted that they appeared to be old-fashioned in design.
Giving himself a few more minutes before feeling satisfied with his observations, the blonde decided to sit at the opposite side of the gazebo in a kneeling position, looking at the shrine maiden himself.
At first glance, both Reimu and Kenzaki basically stared at each other in silence, the two having a contrast between the blonde wearing modern clothing and the raven-haired wearing a modified shrine maiden outfit.
"Do you want some tea, Kenzaki?" the shrine maidem asked as she goes up to her feet and goes to the kitchen stove. "Because I plan to warm some up.
"Sure," the young man nodded, giving the shrine maiden a smile as she starts to warm up the stove.
After some attempts until certain that the stove itself is warm enough to heat up the tea pot, Reimu hums to herself while going to take some of the tea cups from the cabinet and placing them in the gazebo for herself and her visitor before sitting down to her respective spot, her humming tuned down once she sits.
"So Reimu," the young man said, deciding to answer a question that is bugging his mind. "Can you tell me where I'm located?"
"You're in the land of Gensokyo, Kenzaki" the shrine maiden answered.
"Gensokyo," the young man replied, raising an eyebrow. "I never heard about this place before."
"That's because it is cut out from the modern world you lived in," Reimu explained.
"But why?"
Reimu starts to explain why Gensokyo was blocked off from the modern, or as she and the other residents called 'the Outside World', by the use of the Great Hakurei Barrier, and that this place serves as a haven for Youkai and the native humans that want to live their normal lives unimpeded by the modern society, especially due to the circumstances back in ancient Japan, with the Meiji Restoration being one of the huge factors.
However, even as new folks somehow arrive to Gensokyo, the land itself isn't always a haven to everyone, humans included.
"So basically?" Kenzaki wondered, trying to piece together what Reimu told him.
"There are a number of Youkai that want to harm and/or eat humans, fairies that have tendencies to prank and or shoot energy blasts just for their form of entertainment, several human-like beings doing whatever they pleased themselves with, etc. etc."
The young man gulped nervously. "That bad?"
"And the only form of a law that is required is using danmaku, a form of nonlethal combat," Reimu added. "And while a number of them don't always abide by it unfortunately, most of them do it out of pure necessity, or just so they can fight nonlethally."
Kenzaki stared at the young woman as if she was crazy, which didn't help by her giving that kind of information like it was the weather.
"And do you have any family and/or relatives with the Hakurei line?"
Reimu remained silent about the question in regards to people related to the Hakurei line
"I guess you don't want to talk about that I suppose?"
"Indeed."
As things are starting to go, despite the young man being an Outsider getting a sort-of history lesson on Gensokyo by an actual Hakurei shrine maiden of all people, anyone else would have been amazed at this.
But the Outsider in question has a different take on it.
"Umm, that seemed nice and all to be here, but I need to leave right now and go to my hometown back in the Outside World," Kenzaki stated. "I don't want my friends and family worried about my disappearance, and I enjoyed living a normal life unharmed by hostile threats."
"Unfortunately, leaving Gensokyo is not an easy feat as you want it to be," Reimu said calmly.
"What do you mean?"
"There's going to be a number of Youkai and other beings that want to use that to their advantage to prey on unsuspecting humans, and given that you're an Outsider that is away from the Human Village, that makes you even more vulnerable to attack," Reimu explained. "And while I could help you get back to the Outside World, I can't leave the Village unprotected, as a number of Youkai could use my absence to terrorize the whole place with no one stopping them."
"Oh, that," Kenzaki acknowledged, knowing that the Human Village could be in big trouble if Reimu isn't there to protect it. "But how about anyone else who can protect this Human Village?"
"As much as I would like them to defend the Village, I rather stay as well because I have the experience and skill to back it up against hostile threats that could be much harder for them to handle. Plus, it's my duty to protect the Human Village," Reimu replied. "I'm sorry about that."
"Well that's just great," Kenzaki sighed as he looked at the windows of the shrine.
"I know, but at least you're safe from hostile Youkai," Reimu said in an optimistic tone, which didn't help the blonde at the very least.
Kenzaki gave Reimu a blank look on his face. "Is there anything for me to do without being targeted by Youkai and the like?"
"I may consider giving you instructions on how use danmaku." The shrine maiden suggested. "Though it will take some time to get use to, at least you have a chance at defending yourself."
"That can work," the young man nodded bitterly, recalling the fight between the shrine maiden and the little girl named Rumia with the power to control darkness. "Anything else?"
"With the possibility that you may not find a place for you to live right now due to lack of currency, I think you should live with me until you have enough money to financially support yourself," Reimu added.
"And what currency does the inhabitants of Gensokyo use?"
"Mon coins."
From what Reimu can tell him, Kenzaki is starting to realize his current predicament ever since being stuck inside Gensokyo to be bad news for him to deal with.
Not only that, since he's an Outsider from the Western world having US dollars wouldn't even interest any merchants without being seen as a con artist (which he would want to find out around the Human Village or any place for that matter.
Even with the horrific encounter with Rumia also counts as bad news since it's likely that there can be Youkai that can also eat people regardless.
However, Kenzaki knows that he needed to find a way to leave Gensokyo in one piece, but he may need to buy enough time and resources to improve his chances of survival, which means not using his actual money until he gets back to the Outside World as well.
And despite the possibility of Reimu not being able to help him return home, the young man knows that he has to being strong enough to survive without relying too much on the shrine maiden, even if she is the one who managed to beat the shadow-based Youkai on her own.
"Well, I guess I'm stuck here in Gensokyo, and stuck living with you, until further notice then, isn't it?" Kenzaki sighed reluctantly.
"I can understand that." Reimu nodded. "And I'm still sorry over your predicament."
Weighing in options in his mind, Kenzaki started thinking of something he can do when an idea came into his head, and since the Human Village is huge a warning to Youkai on not doing anything hostile to a safe location, that can help get enough funding for him to leave, or if necessary, adapt to Gensokyo on his own.
"Maybe I should start working around the Human Village, Reimu," the young man suggested.
The shrine maiden looked at the young man as he proposed this. "Are you sure about this, even if you aren't able to leave Gensokyo?"
Kenzaki just shrugged his head. "I know I might be stuck here for a while, if not for a long time, but I need to do something to keep myself from going stir-crazy. Plus, I can get enough money to support myself, and paying rent for living with you as well."
The prospect of him paying rent for staying at the shrine peak Reimu's interest, even with the lack of donations from the residing villagers. "I'll gladly support this. However, what skills do you have in particular?"
"I have experience in metalworking and woodworking," the young man explained, which brighten the shrine maiden's eyes. "I also have experience in hunting and fishing from my time with my dad outdoors alongside gathering food safe enough to eat and use when I was younger, and I have sufficient knowledge on using kyujutsu to help improve my chances at hunting. And I can play the guitar as a musician, so there must be some versions of the guitar I can use."
The list of skills has caused Reimu to barely contain herself from squeeing in joy over what the young man can actually do.
"And I'm more than willing to learn danmaku to help improve my chances of surviving in Gensokyo," Kenzaki added.
"Are you sure about it," Reimu wondered with concern in her face. "It may require time, practice, and discipline before you are efficient in protecting yourself."
"I can understand that, but I still need to learn regardless," the young man answered, knowing how much time he's going to be invested if he does this. "I already know how to defend myself, even having enough knowledge on swordplay and archery, and have some proper handling over firearms back in the Outside World, but I still need to learn how to fight and if necessary, incorporate these fighting skills into danmaku to better handle hostile threats.
"In other words, it may be long and difficult, but will it be worth the risk." Kenzaki ended his statement, aware of the hardships ahead of him, but not letting them holding him back.
What the young man had said pretty much struck Reimu's heart with joy that she has to restrain from tackling him all lovey-dovey, feeling that the request she made to Yukari completely worth it in spite of how much the shrine maiden had to suffer thanks to that Incident that still plagues her mind.
Not only that, his willingness to learn how to defend himself despite the requirements also help boosts the shrine maiden's determination to train in the art of danmaku.
"I'm glad you're wanting to survive in Gensokyo despite what goes on in this haven, Kenzaki," Reimu said with a bright smile on her face. "Once the snow clears up, I will take you to the Human Village to help get you started on getting a job right away."
"I know, but thanks anyway," the young man answered in defeat, but only for now. "Learning how to adapt in situations like this is hard, but I refuse to let myself be targeted like this, even in a place full of Youkai and other human-like beings out there."
"That I can respect," The shrine maiden places her gentle hands over the young man's firm ones as she expressed her concerns to the young man. "Still, I do want to help you better adjust to living and surviving in Gensokyo regardless. It is okay with you?"
"Of course, Reimu," Kenzaki nodded.
"That's great."
As Reimu is about to sigh in content, the tea pot starts to screech furiously from the stove, preventing her up from possibly daydreaming something romantic in her mind.
"I'll get that!" the young woman shouted in embarrassment as she races to the stove to get the tea pot before racing back to the gazebo and placing the tea pot in the middle of the holder.
"It's going to be hot, but at least you can still enjoy it," the shrine maiden said nervously.
"Of course," Kenzaki replied as he pours himself a cup of Reimu's tea, though he's going to have to put up with his current situation, even with him drinking bitter tea, if he has to escape from this haven for Youkai.
But as the shrine maiden pours herself a cup of tea and carefully sips it, the young man can't help but feel a strange yet concerning problem that comes to mind.
And while escaping Gensokyo seems to be a priority as of now, Kenzaki notes that, unlike his determined yet bright bluish eyes, Reimu's reddish eyes are not like Rumia's as they looked more faded if not turned into a blank-like color with an eerie sense of dread coming within her.
It doesn't help with that smile that is on the shrine maiden's face appeared content in a bad way.
A real bad way.
Feeling like something is not right with her yet not wanting to draw attention with his life at stake, especially with someone who has abilities to make his life difficult if she finds out his true intentions, Kenzaki shuts his mouth as he takes a sip of his tea.
Expecting it to be bitter like he smelled it, the young man mentally noted himself to make some heated water later. But for now, escape is slowly becoming a necessity now. Especially when the shrine maiden herself is hiding something she refuses to tell.
And the young man felt whatever it is, this can't be good news at all.