"That was delicious! Shido's food really is the best, umu!" Tohka praised. Food still in her mouth, she handed the empty plate to Shido. "More!"
"Yes, yes, right here. Make sure to chew your food properly."
"Of course!"
Shido smiled wryly as he watched Tohka devour his food quickly. He went all out today, cooking a buffet but in just ten minutes, over half of the dishes were already gone. Thankfully, he already restocked grocery ingredients this morning but it looked like he'd be shopping again tomorrow as well.
"Hey, Shido."
"What is it?"
Tohka's eyes looked out the window. Indiscernible emotions were in her eyes as she stared off into the distance. "I'm glad I met you. I won't ever forget the wonderful things in this place."
Shido was taken aback. There was a meaning beneath the surface of her words but he couldn't tell what it was exactly.
"Tohka." Shido grabbed her hand with firm determination. "The Itsuka family is always open for you. That will never change. So, please don't talk as if you're not going to be here."
"That's…" Tohka's hesitation only distressed Shido further. When he saw the sadness in Tohka's eyes, he felt she would slip away from him at any moment.
"Tohka, I…"
Shido wanted to say that he loved her but couldn't complete the sentence. He didn't want to impose his own feelings as a shackle on her. But, he wanted to convey how he felt towards her. In the end…
"Tohka, I want to cook for you now and forever. So, no matter what, I'm always waiting for you."
"Shido…" Tohka was shocked at first but after a moment, gave a bright smile. "Umu!"
This happened two days before Tohka got hospitalized.
"Onii-chan, good morning."
Shido was sitting at the dining table with a cup in his hand when his sister came to him. She was a small girl with red eyes and long, light red hair that was tied in a twin tail with a black and white ribbon. A Chupa Chups lollipop was in her mouth.
"Kotori, how many times do I have to tell you not to have lollipops in the morning?" Shido berated her but as usual, she acted as if she didn't hear him. Although she was usually obedient, she was always stubborn about this matter. Ever since he became her older brother, he had never seen her without a lollipop.
"Well, your Onii-chan made breakfast for you so just wait a bit." Standing up from his seat, Shido brought the prepared plate of sausages and eggs and put it before Kotori once she was at the dining table.
However, despite the plate in front of her, Kotori made no signs to start eating, only looking at him to Shido's confusion.
"What's wrong?" He asked. "You should eat while it's still warm."
"Onii-chan, you look much better," Kotori suddenly said.
"Huh?"
Kotori explained more. "I mean, you used to have this gloomy aura, similar to when you first came here. You know, when you first became my brother."
Shido immediately knew what she was talking about.
He was adopted into the Itsuka family because his mother died in a tragic accident. Needless to say, when Kotori first met him, he gave off an aura that made him hard to approach. Thankfully, as time went by, he was able to become the Itsuka Shido that she knew today.
However, it seemed that when Tohka died, he went back to how he was previously. He wondered how Kotori must've felt to see him like that.
"Kotori, sorry to make you suffer."
"Eh?" Kotori was taken aback. "No, no, I'm just glad that you're all right now. If anything, I'm more curious about what you did overnight at Tonomachi's house. You didn't tell me that you were going to sleep over."
"Sorry. Tonomachi didn't tell me either so it just happened that way." Shido nervously chuckled. He never told Kotori of him and Tonomachi going to the brothel that night so she still thought that he had only slept over at Tonomachi's house.
Naturally, he didn't tell her about Kurumi.
"Huh, is that so?" In a nonchalant tone, Kotori played with the eggs on her plate. "Well, that's fine." Kotori simply replied. She then started her breakfast while Shido finished the drink in his cup.
Kurumi's tea really is good. Shido thought back again to that day.
When Tonomachi first told him about the rumor of a monster who masqueraded as a beautiful courtesan, he merely regarded the rumor as false and threw it to the back of his mind. But, now he couldn't help but wonder.
Was Kurumi Nightmare? Looking back, he finally realized why he felt so nervous around Kurumi. His instincts were telling him that if he was alone with her, he would've been eaten by her.
After thinking it over though, he realized how ridiculous he sounded. In the end, it was just a rumor. If she was a monster, she had plenty of opportunities to eat him but wasn't he still here?
Shido packed his bag for school and after saying goodbye to Kotori, he headed toward his school.
"Is Itsuka Shido here?"
Shido didn't know how to respond when the chancellor of the school stepped into the classroom, interrupting the lecture. He was a middle-aged man dressed in a well-dressed black suit and black tie. His eyes looked around the room as an indescribable atmosphere was created. The professor and students together collectively went quiet upon the chancellor's arrival.
"Yes, Chancellor," Shido answered while raising his hand. Despite answering at a moderate volume, his voice felt especially loud in the silence.
"Itsuka Shido, please come to my office after this lecture." With that, the chancellor curtly left. He had only stayed for half a minute at most yet the room continued to remain silent even after the door had been closed.
"Le-let's continue from where we left off. As I was saying, if you look at your textbooks, you'll find…"
The professor resumed his lecture yet the aftermath of the chancellor's presence could still be felt in the room. Shido could especially feel it as his classmates were eyeing him, wondering why the chancellor himself came for a single student. Needless to say, there was no way Shido was able to focus on the rest of the lecture.
After the lecture finished, Shido made his way to the chancellor's office. After he knocked on the door, he heard the chancellor's voice from inside. "Itsuka Shido?"
"Yes, Chancellor."
"Come in and take a seat, then."
Shido opened the door and saw the chancellor sitting at his desk. He took a seat across from the chancellor.
"Itsuka Shido, do you know why I called you here?"
"No, Chancellor."
Anxiety swirled in Shido's stomach painfully as the chancellor observed him with unreadable eyes. For some reason, he had a feeling that he wasn't here to be rewarded.
The chancellor finally opened his mouth.
"We found that you and your friend went to the brothel around a week ago."
"!"
"There's a picture from your friend's social media of you in the area and one of your professors coincidentally happened to come across it." The chancellor gave him a look. "You should know that going to the red-light district is a strict breach of the student code and requires disciplinary action depending on the severity."
Come on, Tonomachi! You screwed me over! Shido gulped, doing his best to stay calm. "Uh, may I ask what kind of action would be the case of this kind of situation?"
"Most likely, we'll be retracting some of our scholarship from you."
Shido's face fell. "Chancellor, is there any other alternative?" His family wasn't exactly rich and he didn't want to burden them.
Unfortunately, the chancellor shook his head.
"Our school is not one where we easily dismiss a student's poor demeanor. Even if it's only one percent, if word got out that our students attended such a place, it would tarnish the reputation of our university greatly. I'm afraid there's no other choice."
Just as all hope was lost…
"Chancellor!"
The door slammed open as Tonomachi stumblingly made his way through. The chancellor frowned and commented, "Tonomachi Hiroto, please conduct yourself and take a seat."
However, Tonomachi ignored him and slammed his hand on the chancellor's desk. "Chancellor, I'll admit I went to the brothel of my own free will but that's not the case for Itsuka-kun!"
Hearing this, the chancellor raised his brow. "Itsuka Shido was clearly accompanying you. Do you think such a blatant lie would suffice?"
Tonomachi didn't back down, however. "It's true that he accompanied me but he didn't want to go initially. He only went there because I forced him to! Even though he wanted to leave, I literally blackmailed him, telling him that if he did, I would tell the staff that he came to a brothel. Please, Chancellor. If you're going to punish someone, please punish only me! Itsuka-kun is innocent!"
Tonomachi deeply bowed his head, his face parallel to the floor.
"Tonomachi…" Shido didn't expect his friend to stand up for him. Of course, he didn't recall the blackmailing but he wasn't going to correct him on that.
The chancellor furrowed his eyebrows, tapping his finger on his desk. "Even if that's the case, it doesn't change the fact that both of you went to the red-light district."
"Chancellor-!" Tonomachi tried to open his mouth but the chancellor cut him off.
"I'm very intrigued, however." The chancellor held his hands together in front of his face. "Tonomachi Hiroto, for what reason would you forcefully insist on making Itsuka Shido accompany you?"
Tonomachi, realizing there might be a chance to still get out of the situation, didn't hold back. "A year ago, Itsuka-kun's best friend, Tohka-chan died. I knew her as well but Itsuka-kun knew her the best. He was the one most hurt by her death and no matter how much I tried to cheer him up, I never saw him smile again! That's why I took him to a brothel in hopes that another girl would catch his fancy!"
Seeing that the chancellor wasn't responding, he took out his phone. "Look, I even have a picture of her if you don't believe me! You can search up her name if you want!"
When the chancellor saw the picture, he went into deep thought. Then, to both Tonomachi's and Shido's surprise, the chancellor let out a light sigh.
"For such a young, beautiful girl to die early is truly tragic." He turned to Shido. "You said you were close to this girl?"
Shido didn't expect the chancellor's question. "Yes. But, don't worry. I'm better now."
The chancellor pondered for a moment before coming to a decision. "Very well. Let's simply say then that this incident never happened."
"Huh?" Shido wondered if he heard that correctly but when he saw Tonomachi's shocked face, he knew he didn't hear wrong.
"Itsuka Shido, your records show that you don't have any previous disciplinary behavior marks and your grades are well-maintained. While attending a brothel is not looked well upon, in truth, plenty of students have made trips there. It becomes a problem however when someone uploads a picture of it on their social media."
When the chancellor said that, he gave an eye to Tonomachi who nervously laughed before he continued, "Well, it seems your friend here cared very much about you and only had your best interests in mind. I'm also not so cruel as to punish you when you were grieving over a loss of a loved one."
Shido's face brightened. "Thank you, Chancellor!" he said but the chancellor merely dismissively waved his hand. "Don't be. If anything, you should thank your friend. You made a good friend."
Tonomachi scratched his cheek in embarrassment when he heard that.
"Ah, that reminds me." The chancellor acted as if he just remembered something. "Our Saito University prepared a gala tomorrow for our students. If you're free, you should come."
Tonomachi lit up. "Oh, I also heard about that! It's every two years, right?"
The chancellor nodded with a smile. "Our student council made great efforts to set this event up. I'm also planning to be there. Feel free to invite anyone you know as well."
After discussing with them the specific details, the chancellor finally allowed the two of them to leave. When Shido was about to exit the room, however, the chancellor called out his name.
"Itsuka Shido."
"Ah, yes?"
"Does the word, Spirit, mean anything to you?"
Shido's eyes slightly widened. He remembered when how Kurumi had described Tohka as a spirit. It was such a unique answer that Shido remembered it very clearly. When he saw that the chancellor was waiting for his answer, he shook his head, however.
"No, I don't believe so."
The chancellor looked at him for a small moment. Then, he smiled. "I see. Sorry for making you go along with a whim of mine. You can go now."
Once Shido exited, the man leaned back on his wheelchair.
"Ellen."
"Yes, Ike." A young-looking woman with light Nordic blonde hair and purple eyes immediately replied. If Shido was still here, he would've been shocked to see that there was another person in the room. However, the man's face remained passive as he continued.
"I'm sure that I don't need to explain what you need to do."
"Of course."
"Sorry, Itsuka-kun! I was drunk and forgot that I uploaded the picture! I'll make it up to you one day!"
Tonomachi put his hands together in an apologetic manner, feebly kneeling in front of Shido. Shido, who was initially angry with him, couldn't help but just give a heavy sigh when seeing how earnest his friend was.
"I'll hold you to that." Shido decided to let him off. He knew that Tonomachi didn't mean ill intent, especially after how he had seen him talk to the chancellor.
Once Tonomachi saw Shido forgive him, he let out a big smile. "Man, I still can't believe we were able to get out of the situation scot-free. I thought that the chancellor seemed strict based on his appearance but he's actually a pretty nice guy, huh?"
Shido didn't answer. He thought about the question that the chancellor had asked him.
Spirit… In hindsight, Shido didn't know why he lied. However, he felt it was too much of a coincidence that both Kurumi and the chancellor had used the word Spirit. Now that he thought about it, the chancellor didn't seem to have any intention of pardoning them but once he heard about Tohka's story, he quickly changed his tune.
"Oi, Itsuka-kun~?" Shido jolted upon hearing Tonomachi waving his hand in front of his face.
Shido put on an apologetic smile. "Sorry, what did you say?"
"I asked if you were coming to the gala the chancellor told us about. I'm planning to go. You?"
Shido checked his phone to see his schedule. Seeing that he was available tomorrow, he said, "Sure, why not?"
"Nice!" Tonomachi looked at Shido with a happy face. If it was before, Shido wouldn't usually attend such social events. It would only be after Tonomachi had forced him to and even then, Shido wouldn't be too enthusiastic. So, the fact that his friend was able to smile like this again let Tonomachi realize that the old Shido had come back to a certain degree.
After talking to Tonomachi a bit more, Shido took the train. However, not to his house but…
Sigh, to think that I would be heading again to this place of my own volition this time.
After getting off the train and walking for a while, the familiar sight of bright lights and sweet perfumes met him. It was the red-light district, the place where he just got into trouble for going.
Making sure that he had the scarlet invitation Kurumi gave him, he quickly made his way to the brothel. Like last time, there was quite a line forming at the entrance but Shido still got in line. His gut feeling told him that Kurumi may have the answers that he was looking for about Tohka and Spirits.
"Welcome, dear customer! Do you have your invitation?" Once the line got to Shido, an unfamiliar courtesan welcomed him. Shido nodded in response and reached into his pocket to take out the scarlet invitation.
When he handed the invitation over, however, the courtesan immediately had a puzzled expression. "Dear customer, I don't believe that this is the correct invitation?"
"Huh?" Shido was surprised as the courtesan explained. "Our brothel only hands out white invitation cards but dear customer's is red. See?"
The courtesan held out another invitation card and Shido saw that it was indeed white. He remembered Tonomachi's invitation card was also white.
Shido shook his head and responded, "But, this invitation was given to me by one of the courtesans inside. Her name is Tokisaki Kurumi."
The courtesan pondered for a moment. "I've been in this line of business for a few years and never have I heard of a courtesan of that name."
"Huh? I'm pretty sure that was her name though." Shido said.
She observed the invitation once again. "I don't recognize this scarlet invitation but this insignia, I feel I've seen this before…" Her finger hovered over the corner of the invitation, to which Shido realized that there was indeed a small image. Was it his imagination or did that look like a black cat?
The courtesan pondered for a moment before saying, "Please wait a moment, dear customer. I'll be right back after checking something."
Shido watched as the courtesan headed inside with his scarlet invitation, leaving him by the entrance momentarily.
Due to his conversation with the courtesan, he gathered some attention from his surroundings and although the people behind him were quiet, Shido could still feel their dissatisfaction with him for holding the line.
Shido sighed. He hadn't expected it to be this much of a hassle to meet Kurumi.
"I-I'm so sorry!" After a few minutes, Shido was surprised to see the courtesan rushing back with heavy breaths. Shido could tell that she had run here as fast as she could but the courtesan didn't take a second to catch her breath as she deeply bowed her head toward him.
"To think that I wouldn't be able to recognize young master's invitation! Please have mercy on me and this servant's incapability!"
"Wha…?!" Shido was completely shocked by the shift in the courtesan's tone toward him. It was almost as if she was scared of him. Also, young master? What was the change of address for?
He could feel the change in atmosphere as the crowd also were in shock. Never had they seen a courtesan never act this way towards a customer unless they made a huge mistake. They looked at Shido, this time with curiosity and confusion, wondering who this person could be.
Of course, Shido was just as confused as the rest of them.
Seeing that the courtesan was still bowing, Shido said, "Ah, um, so, I can go in now, right?" He raised his hand in an attempt to get the courtesan's attention.
"Yes, please follow me right away!"
The courtesan immediately picked herself up and led Shido inside the building. Shido could see the courtesan practically shaking in her kimono as she was walking Shido couldn't help but say, "You don't need to show me the way. I know where to go from here."
The courtesan insisted, however, "If something happened to young master while I was gone, I would never be able to forgive myself! Mistress would kill me if she heard I left her lover unattended!"
Lover?! Shido felt his jaw drop. "Um, you have the wrong idea. Kurumi and I aren't that close."
Hearing that, the courtesan hesitated for a moment before asking tentatively, "Then, what is young master's relationship with mistress? For mistress to give out her invitation is not a common thing. Is young master testing me?"
Shido felt a sweat drop run down his head. "I met her only one time. We're just acquaintances so please relax." Seeing that the courtesan was still hesitating, Shido added, "If something happens, I'll stand up for you. So, don't worry, and just be yourself."
"…" She looked at him before gracefully bowing her head. "Thank you, young master." Her tone had noticeably become lighter. "I appreciate the sentiment but I'm afraid that mistress won't be as lenient as you. I do not wish for young master to get into trouble as well."
The courtesan grabbed his hand. "Instead, if something does happen to me, may young master spend the night comforting me? If it's young master, I feel he'll be gentle with me…"
"Wha…?!" Shido opened his mouth in shock at the unexpected statement. "Er, that's a bit…"
"Pff…"
Shido saw the courtesan with a hand to her mouth, trying to restrain her smile. It was then Shido realized she was messing with him as her eyes had a joking tone to them.
"You…"
"Haha, forgive me, young master. But, you said I should just be myself, right?"
"Ugh…" Shido groaned. Maybe he should've just kept quiet.
When the courtesan saw Shido's complicated face, she finally couldn't hold it in any longer and giggled uncontrollably. She understood a little bit now how this person might've gained her mistress's favor. Shido who initially had a helpless expression smiled at the sight.
"You look prettier."
"Huh?"
Seeing the courtesan's startled expression, he realized what he just said. "Ah, I wasn't trying to… it's just, you look prettier when you smile like that. You should smile like that more often." Shido had seen her smile at the entrance but that had looked more professional and stiffer compared to the natural one that he just saw.
"Oh…" A light blush appeared on the courtesan, not knowing how to react. The embarrassment was contagious as Shido also began to blush a bit. She was still holding his hand and he noticed that the way she was looking at him had also changed a bit.
"Ara ara, it seems Shido-san is having quite some fun?~"
Yet, before Shido could ponder how to respond to the situation, a playful voice resounded behind him. Both the courtesan and Shido immediately turned to see a beautiful courtesan in a crimson-red kimono with white lotus patterns. She had the skin of porcelain white and her black hair was tied into uneven twin tails. A sweet fragrance emanated, adding to her alluring charm.
Tokisaki… Kurumi. Shido immediately recognized the ravishing beauty in front of her. Even though this wasn't his first time seeing her, he couldn't help but inwardly sigh in admiration. She really was beautiful.
The accompanying courtesan immediately separated from Shido. Although she heard of her mysterious mistress's great beauty, she merely regarded it as an exaggeration. As a courtesan herself, she took pride in her own beauty. But, seeing Kurumi for the first time now, the courtesan felt all her confidence shatter into pieces. A huge sense of inferiority filled her yet she couldn't find in herself to be jealous when seeing such a gorgeous beauty.
Kurumi put a hand to her face. "Sob, even though we spent such a passionate night together, to see Shido-san flirting with another girl is going to put poor me to tears. When you told me that you loved me and would take responsibility, was that all a lie?"
"Hey…"
"Ufufu, I'm joking." Kurumi lightly laughed, putting away her crying act. "But I really did miss Shido-san, you know?"
Shido's face also relaxed into a smile. "It's good to see you, Kurumi."
Kurumi's smile brightened and approaching with open arms, she hugged him. Shido was caught off guard but after some hesitation, chose not to push her away. He didn't want to disrespect Kurumi in front of the other courtesan.
Sigh, she's lucky that I'm being so considerate. Shido could only inwardly sigh. He was reminded of when Tohka would hug him in public such as during class or on their dates. Thus, he was somewhat used to being hugged out of the blue as he returned the hug with one arm around her waist while resting the other hand on Kurumi's shoulder.
The courtesan accompanying Shido looked at the scene before her with wide eyes. She heard that the mistress was somebody who toyed with the hearts of men but never would she let any of them take advantage of her, let alone even touch her. So, what was this situation in front of her?
The courtesan felt wronged by Shido. Young master, what do you mean, "just acquaintances"?! Do acquaintances hug so intimately like this with each other? Lovers! You're clearly lovers!
"So, who's this person?" Kurumi asked Shido as she turned to look at the courtesan. The courtesan shivered as Kurumi ran her gaze over her. Although Kurumi was smiling, the courtesan felt as if she was saying, You're in the way.
Shido answered, "She's the courtesan who was helping out at the entrance. She offered to guide me when she saw I was having trouble."
"Oh?" Kurumi probed further. "Trouble? Was there perhaps a foolish courtesan who couldn't recognize my personal invitation and made you wait longer than expected?"
"Um…" Shido gave an eye to the courtesan who was shaking in fear after hearing Kurumi's question. He shook his head. "No, there was another person at the entrance who tried to get into a fight with me but thankfully, she was able to resolve it. That's why she was guiding me as compensation."
The courtesan immediately sent a grateful look toward Shido. He really did keep his promise.
"Mm, if you say so," Kurumi replied. She turned to the courtesan. "Thank you for accompanying Shido-san. I can handle it from here so you can leave."
"Y-yes." The courtesan humbly bowed to her. Not without giving a deep bow to Shido as well, she quickly left. As a courtesan who was able to survive till this point, her intuition allowed her to read Kurumi's hidden message.
If you touch what's mine again, you're dead.
The courtesan gripped the hems of her kimono with trembling hands to walk faster. She could only hope that the mistress had truly forgiven her for getting so close to her lover.
"Now, Shido-san, come in." Kurumi raised her arm, gesturing for him to enter her room. Her room was just as he remembered as Kurumi took out a teacup and a pair of cups for the both of them. Setting them out on the small table, she quickly had the two of them comfortable.
As before, she took her seat right next to him and poured a cup of tea for him. Shido took the cup but didn't drink it immediately.
"You could've been nicer with her." Shido didn't miss Kurumi's cold attitude when dealing with the courtesan.
"Ara, is Shido-san trying to tell me how to do things? Please know that was me being nice. If it wasn't for Shido-san, that courtesan could forget about ever working here again."
Although Kurumi said that, it didn't sit well with him on the inside. But, he didn't argue as he watched Kurumi play around with the cup in her hand, swirling the tea inside.
"Kurumi, I came here today to ask about Toh…"
"Wait." Shido paused at Kurumi's order. "It's not every day that I get to meet Shido-san like this. We can talk business later. More importantly, Shido-san, how was the tea I sent you that day?"
Shido hesitated. To be honest, he had wanted to quickly get this over with. However, he was already here, and, he found it hard to say no to Kurumi. He considered himself greatly indebted to her and he missed talking to Kurumi.
Shido found himself relaxing in his seat as he said, "It's very soothing. I drink it every morning."
"Ara ara, I'm glad to hear that." Kurumi also relaxed when she saw Shido making himself comfortable. "Wait a moment. I have some cookies that go well along with them. You must try them."
While Kurumi was searching her cabinet, Shido asked, "Kurumi, are you the hidden boss around here? There's no way you're just a courtesan with that kind of authority." Shido believed that if this was the case, the brothel keeper's reaction when he first came here and the courtesan's reaction just now all made sense.
Kurumi didn't deny it. "I suppose it's no surprise that Shido-san figured it out but my situation is a bit special so I try not to reveal myself to the public. Ah, here it is." Taking out a box of cookies, she got a small plate and put a handful of cookies in the shape of cute cats on them. While she was coming back to the table, she playfully said, "Unfortunately, that means that if Shido-san was planning to take me out for a date, it'll be a bit hard."
"Haha, that's disappointing. I was rejected before I could even ask." Of course, Shido didn't actually feel that way, just playing along with the mood.
Kurumi laughed as she took her seat next to Shido. She said, "Well, I never said no," making Shido laugh as well. Seeing the plate of cookies, he put one in his mouth and after a few bites, said "You're right. They really do taste good."
Kurumi smiled. "Thank you, I baked them myself."
"That's amazing. Do you cook?" Shido didn't expect to hear that as he asked with an eager tone.
Kurumi couldn't help but chuckle at Shido's innocent, childlike air. "Yes, I do. Does Shido-san have experience as well?"
"Of course!" As an older brother who had to take care of his little sister, he was naturally familiar with the area of cooking. Seeing a fellow expert in the same field, Shido began to discuss eagerly with her what ingredients she used and what foods she usually made which Kurumi gladly shared.
The two of them soon moved on to different topics but their conversation never came to an awkward silence. With tea in one hand and cookies in another, Shido found the atmosphere extremely fun and soothing as he let out a lively smile. Kurumi wasn't an exception as well as she cutely giggled from time to time.
As time passed by, the two of them inadvertently got closer. Eventually, Kurumi was leaning her body against his arm, almost embracing him. It was only when her hands lightly played over his chest did Shido realize how close they were to each other.
Shido's heart began to pound furiously. He suddenly became very aware of Kurumi's fair white skin and the faint sweet scent coming from her body. Shido hadn't realized they had gotten so physically intimate while they were talking.
"Shido-san, is there something wrong?" Noticing that he was shifting uncomfortably in his spot, Kurumi asked in a concerned voice. Yet, Shido's head only began to spin even more when she leaned in more toward him. His brain suddenly decided to remind him then that her lips looked moist and full.
He wanted this too much. "Kurumi, you're too close." Shido tried to defuse their ambiguous situation as he looked away from her.
Kurumi opened her mouth in realization before a teasing expression covered her face. Smirking, she wrapped her arms around his neck before spinning herself a bit to take a seat on his lap.
"Say, if I were to kiss Shido-san, I wonder what his reaction would be?" Kurumi whispered softly as she lifted his chin with her finger.
"That's…" Shido's face became slightly red but he quickly shook his head. "I thought we discussed this already. I can't let Tohka down-"
"You've done more than enough for Tohka-san and I'm sure Tohka-san would agree," Kurumi interrupted softly. "Tell me honestly, Shido-san. Do you really not want me or are you just holding yourself back?"
Shido closed his mouth. He felt if he answered, he would say something he wouldn't be able to take back. He would be lying if he said he didn't feel any attraction to Kurumi but after having just lost Tohka, he felt it was wrong to just move on.
"I know Shido-san is a person with much self-control." Kurumi lightly caressed his cheek. "But, you also tend to be too strict with yourself. You care for others but in turn, you neglect your own wants." Kurumi paused for a moment before adding, "They say that those type of people tends to hold more perverted thoughts due to the pent-up stress."
"There's no way that's true!" Shido replied indignantly.
"Ara ara, is that so?" Kurumi tilted her head with half-lidded eyes and a taunting smile. "Shido-san never thought how it would be like to kiss me? How amazing it would be to feel my skin against yours and have our bodies go back and forth with each other? Is Shido-san telling me he truly never had such thoughts?"
"… that's not a fair question," Shido mumbled. He would argue that any person who met Kurumi would think like that at one point in time.
"Fair?" Kurumi whispered. "You say you don't want to let Tohka-san down but aren't you letting me down? How is that fair?"
"Then, what would you consider fair?" Shido asked. "Show me."
Kurumi thought for a moment before saying, "Shido-san, if you tell me to stop, I'll stop. But…" Shido went alert when he felt her hand slip inside.
"Kurumi…" He tried to interrupt her, but his breath hitched when her smooth fingers wrapped around him.
"How is it?" Kurumi asked softly. She gave a little squeeze, sending a wave of pleasure across his entire body. "Does it feel good?
Shido's thoughts were thrown out of the array as a heavenly sensation filled his entire body like never before. He barely heard it when she whispered in a sultry voice, "This is just a small taste. I can do much more if you want me to. All you need to do is relax."
Shido's eyes became dazed with arousal at the implication. Thinking was already becoming a hassle as her hand felt so good, his bones melting under her touch. The way her seductive voice had that arousing allure to make his soul tremble. The way her soft fingers maddeningly stroked him with that inexplicable dexterity to make his body hot and rigid. Oh, how he wished he could just close his eyes and surrender himself to her.
And this is just a small taste…?
"St-stop…" At the last moment, Shido restrained himself and shook his head, pushing back the dangerous thought. He knew that if he allowed that to happen in reality, the aftermath would be more severe and he couldn't let that happen. "Please, any more and I think I'll…"
Shido didn't finish but Kurumi understood the rest. After all, she was having a hands-on experience.
"Sorry, I suppose the mood carried me away a bit too much." Chuckling in a lighthearted manner, she withdrew her hand away.
A bit? Shido felt that was a huge understatement. Granted, the experience ended as quickly as it started, only lasting a few seconds. Yet, Shido had to take a whole minute to relax, having experienced the most intense sensation in his life.
Kurumi smiled when she saw the accusing look Shido was giving her. "If I'm being honest, I can easily make Shido-san mine. It would be a simple matter to break you and make you hopelessly obsessed over me."
Shido wanted to argue but after what he just experienced, he knew deep inside she was correct. If she didn't stop when he told her to, who knew what they would be doing right now?
"But," Kurumi grasped his chin lightly. "I want you to do so of your own free will. So, I'll wait patiently and won't go past your limits. But, the moment you give in to me," Kurumi's eyes filled with voracity. "I won't let you go. I'll make sure to savor you fully."
Shido shivered. He admitted that was very arousing to hear but it also reminded him of another thought.
"Kurumi."
Shido locked gazes with her.
"Are you Nightmare?"
Kurumi's face went still at the sudden question. Then, amusement went over her face.
"Ara ara, what an interesting question to ask." She got off his lap and smoothly returned to the seat next to him. "If I'm not Nightmare, then I'm going to say no. But, if I am Nightmare, do you think I'll just say yes? Even if I do say yes," Kurumi chuckled. "Well, I'm sure Shido-san can imagine what will happen."
Kurumi's smile didn't leave her face but her eyes narrowed a bit. "There is no benefit for Shido-san no matter my response. Despite knowing this, do you still want to hear my answer?"
Shido gulped as fear clenched his stomach. At this point, Shido already knew what her answer was. He was one hundred percent sure that Kurumi knew that he knew as well. Yet, she wasn't doing anything to him, giving him a choice.
But why? However, Shido immediately berated himself after thinking that. Once Kurumi gave her answer, there was no going back and their relationship would change. He hoped he wasn't assuming but Kurumi wanted to prevent that and for their friendship to remain. Shido felt the same. There wasn't a moment with Kurumi that wasn't boring and he hoped to continue their friendship. That's why she was giving him this chance.
This girl… she's actually very kind.
"Thank you, Kurumi." Kurumi was taken aback by Shido's sudden gratitude. "But, I want to hear your answer. I don't want to have regrets as I did with Tohka."
"Regrets…." Kurumi murmured. Closing her eyes briefly, she went into a deep ponder. She identified with the sentiment of not wanting to leave regrets too well. "I see. I can't say I'm surprised. It's a choice that's very much like Shido-san."
All playfulness left her expression as she opened her eyes. The atmosphere in the room changed to a more serious one.
"Shido-san," Kurumi opened her mouth. "I'm …"
Slam!
A loud sound filled the room before Kurumi could finish and a dark red-hair figure in a dark pink and gray skin-tight military suit rushed into the room.
The intruder drew out what seemed to be a large laser blade and after quickly confirming the two of them, she swung her blade toward Kurumi's direction. Before Shido realized it, the sword connected with Kurumi and sent her flying across the room.
Bam!
The impact of hitting the wall knocked Kurumi unconscious.
"Kurumi!" Shido yelled. The situation had abruptly changed and he didn't know what was going on. However, he intervened when he saw that the intruder was trying to attack Kurumi again.
"What are you doing?"
Moving quickly, Shido stood in the space between the intruder and Kurumi, not allowing the intruder to approach Kurumi.
The intruder paused. Then…
"Hahahaha, Itsuka Shido! It looks like the chief executive was right! I didn't believe it at first but you actually do know a Spirit!"
Shido was shocked by the sudden outburst from the red-hair girl. Spirit… there's that word again. However, he put that aside due to the pressing issue. "Who are you?" Shido accused.
The woman smirked. "Jessica Bailey. A person specialized in capturing Spirits." Jessica waited to see Shido's shocked reaction but she never got it as Shido only stared at her with a blank look.
Jessica got angry. "Hey, don't tell me you don't even know what Spirits are!" Sure, Spirits were a matter that was kept a secret from the public but did this person not know a single thing about them? That wasn't what the chief executive told her!
Shido was already beginning to not like the girl's aggressiveness but he needed more information. "Are you saying Kurumi is a Spirit? Is she that dangerous that you would attack her without any discussion?"
Jessica snorted. "Please, don't act like she's human, or any Spirit in that regard. They're monsters with unthinkable powers and if left alone, will bring unprecedented disasters that will bring danger to many lives on earth. Do you know how many times I almost died because of one?! Shit! It would be better if these bitches didn't exist!"
Jessica glared at Kurumi, who was still lying unconscious. "To think a Spirit with the codename, Nightmare, would be here playing around with men! She's just pretty!" As a woman herself, she put great emphasis on her appearance but a sense of inferiority filled her when looking at the Spirit. No number of cosmetics would let her emulate that kind of natural beauty. Tsk, she's just a slut. Who knows how many men she already slept with? She began to feel a bit better as her jealousy subsided a bit.
"Now, step aside and don't get in my way. Now that you know the truth, you don't have any problems, right?" Jessica demanded.
…Kurumi really was Nightmare. Even though Shido had his suspicions, he didn't want to believe it. He won't deny that he felt a bit betrayed by the fact.
Then again, what did he know about Kurumi? He only knew her for two days. There were many things he still didn't know about her.
But, to call her a stranger or acquaintance was too distant. Rather, he would say that she sometimes got too close to him; some of their interactions had already gone beyond being friends.
In the end, it boiled down to one thing. How did he feel about Tokisaki Kurumi? It didn't take long for him to get his answer.
When Jessica saw that he wasn't moving but instead steadied his stance, she frowned.
She stated in a cold tone. "Even after knowing the truth, you're still going to protect her? There's nothing good that will come out of it. You're better off cooperating with me. If not…"
Immense pressure radiated from Jessica but Shido didn't budge. Instead, he replied with a sure smile, "Sorry but I was planning to go on a date with her. If I let you take her, that won't be possible anymore."
"What…?!" Jessica was taken aback for a second. However, her anger immediately flared. "You must think your life is worthless if you can joke around right now!"
In an almost blind fit of rage, she began to charge at him. Shido quickly grabbed a pillow and threw it toward her head. Jessica snorted as she slashed through it easily but the stuffing inside the pillow exploded out, obstructing her view for a moment. Shido didn't miss this opportunity as he ran and tackled Jessica to the wall.
Jessica grunted from the impact of the wall as her sword fell out of her hand. Seeing the opportunity, Shido quickly grabbed the sword from the floor and swung the sword upward, hitting her left hand.
"Agh!" Jessica cried out loudly, her right hand clutching her injured left. Blood could be seen seeping out, causing Shido to hesitate a bit. No, this person tried to kill Kurumi. Shido swung the sword again but Jessica was ready this time.
"Don't underestimate me!" Jessica sent a hard kick to Shido's chest, stealing the air from his lungs. Shido felt the force rattle his bones as he went into a fit of coughing, clutching his chest in pain. Jessica punched the side of his head then, almost knocking him out.
"You bastard! You son of a bitch! That hurt! Who do you think you are?! Shit! This fuckin' hurts!" Jessica proceeded to stamp on Shido, yelling curses and insults. Shido could only raise his arms feebly to cover his head but there was nothing else he could do except weakly endure as Jessica's foot mercilessly rained down on him. By the time Jessica stopped, Shido's body was feeling all sore and aching.
Jessica was heaving heavily but anger was still present in her eyes. "How's that, you son of a bitch? I'm sure you regret going against me now!"
"No." Shido's rebuttal took Jessica by surprise. She was shocked to see that he was still conscious as she was met with clear blue eyes. "Right now, regret is the last thing I'm feeling. If anything, I'm glad that I didn't listen to an insane woman like you. To me, you're more of a monster than Kurumi."
A speck of killing intent flickered in Jessica's eyes. "The chief executive told me to keep you alive but," She leaned down to pick up the sword. "I'll just tell her I was too late and that the Spirit had already killed you. Even if she suspects me, if I hand in Nightmare for my efforts, I'm sure she'll let it slide."
Shido tried to move but Jessica's foot descended to pin him down by the stomach. She raised the sword high for an overhead swing. "Farewell, Itsuka Shido."
"Kihihihihihi, that won't do."
A disturbing laugh resounded as the lights in the room flickered before turning off, unsettling both Jessica and Shido.
Bang!
Jessica let out a small grunt when a bullet burrowed into her shoulder.
Nightmare! This is bad…! Jessica grimaced. The bullet tore into the muscle, causing pain to flare whenever she tried to move her arm. She was too careless. She shouldn't have let Nightmare out of her sight, assuming that she was still unconscious.
Shido, who couldn't see anything because of the darkness, became quickly alarmed when he felt a person grab him by the waist. He instinctively tried to fight back but was stopped by a soft whisper. "Don't worry. It's just me."
Shido widened his eyes as his eyes finally adjusted to the lack of light. Her current attire was a stark difference from what he was used to seeing but that was definitely Kurumi. Kurumi was wearing a crimson and black gothic dress that was generous with the skin exposure around the shoulders and back. She had a red and black collar on her neck and a big crimson net bow to hold her uneven twin tail up. More importantly, her left eye, which was usually covered up with her bangs, was now revealed. However, instead of being red like her right eye, it was an inorganic golden clock.
Beautiful… Shido couldn't help but be entranced as the shadows rippled around Kurumi. It wasn't as if she wasn't beautiful before but her current appearance had a different touch to it.
"Make your appearance, Zafkiel!" Two guns in the form of a flintlock pistol and a musket appeared in Kurumi's hands as her smile became a bit more psychotic. "Jessica Bailey, was it? That sword strike from earlier hurt quite a bit so I'll be returning the favor."
"Damn it!" Seeing that Kurumi was in fighting condition, Jessica saw that the situation had already turned for the worse. She was no match for a Spirit by herself and with Kurumi keeping Shido close in her arm, there was no way to force a hostage situation.
"Damn it! Damn iiiitttt!" Jessica rushed towards Kurumi, swinging her sword in reckless abandon but Kurumi easily evaded, despite having Shido on her.
"Ara ara, is this all you're capable of?"
"Shut up!"
Kurumi could only sigh. She found it embarrassing that she had been hit by such an amateur. Seeing that her opponent had nothing else hidden up her sleeve, she aimed her gun at Jessica.
Bang!
"What a mess." Kurumi dropped her guns but instead of them hitting the floor, the guns disappeared into a small shadow portal that closed shortly after. The red-hair girl, who was on the floor, met the same result as she slowly sank into the shadows. The room was a disaster due to the recent battle and although she wished to tidy it up again, she didn't want to waste her time.
She turned to Shido, who was still in her arm and giggled. "Ara ara, I wonder how long Shido-san intends to take advantage of me?"
Shido, who had his arms around her, immediately separated with a red face. He had instinctively done so to not fall while Kurumi was fighting Jessica and didn't realize how it looked until now.
"I-I didn't mean to."
"Ufufu, you say that but you were holding on to me so tightly. Did you enjoy hugging me that much?"
Admittedly, he did but he wasn't going to admit that. "Who was she? Jessica, I mean." Shido deflected the question by changing the topic. It wasn't every day that a girl with a laser sword tried to attack him.
"Who knows?" Kurumi shrugged her shoulders. "I have my suspicions but until I have more information, I can't make any confirmation."
"More importantly," Kurumi sharpened her gaze, "despite knowing my true identity now, you didn't run away. That makes things quite convenient for me."
Shido's breath stopped as her eyes narrowed. He had just seen Kurumi deal with Jessica. He should've considered that he might've been next.
Kurumi laughed at his expression. "Ara ara, where's the boldness that Shido-san exhibited just earlier? Didn't you say you would ask me out on a date?"
Ah. Shido recalled the moment when he told Jessica that he was going to take Kurumi on a date. She heard that? Shido's face turned red. "I was just trying to distract the other side. I didn't mean anything by it.
"Hm?" Kurumi tilted her head. "You're not going to ask me out?"
"No, I wasn't-"
"You're not going to ask me out?"
"Um…"
"You're. Not. Going. To. Ask. Me. Out?"
Shido had never been more scared of Kurumi than he was right now.
"…there's a party my school is holding tomorrow. Do you want to go with me?"
Kurumi put on a "shocked" face. "Ara ara, if Shido-san insists, then I guess I'll accompany him."
No, why are you acting like you just didn't coerce me?! Besides, aren't there more important things to discuss than planning dates?
Shido put a hand to his face, unable to understand the situation's lucidity. At the very least, Kurumi didn't plan to hurt him right now. Thinking about it rationally now, there was no reason to save him from Jessica if she had planned to do so.
"Shido-san." Shido turned his attention back to Kurumi, who had a small smile. "Let me reintroduce myself."
Kurumi gestured to herself. "My name is Tokisaki Kurumi but I'm also a Spirit with the codename, Nightmare."
"Codename?"
"Yes, all Spirits have a codename specific to themselves. It's also a way to prevent our true names from being leaked out, hiding it from even fellow Spirits. But, there's a Spirit who goes by the codename, Princess, and Shido-san should already be well acquainted with this person."
"Princess?" Shido questioned. He suddenly had a premonition. "Don't tell me…?"
"Yes," Kurumi confirmed his suspicion.
"That Spirit was Yatogami Tohka, Shido-san's dear friend."
Author's Note: This early release is an exception. I already had this chapter done when I posted chapter one because I'm still working on chapter 3 and am not sure when I'm going to finish it. It took basically 2-3 months finishing both chapter 1 and 2 and I'm going to be really busy from now on so I don't know when chapter 3 will be finished. However, I figured that I might as well just post this chapter since it's already completed, even though I'm basically cornering myself to finish this story now.