Inside a women's clothing store, Shido stood awkwardly near the changing rooms, waiting for Kurumi, who was trying on outfits behind one of the curtains. Surrounded by racks of dresses and the soft hum of pop music, he couldn't help but feel completely out of place.
He felt quite awkward in this situation because he could see that the female customers and even employees are staring at him with strange looks.
A few women even approached him, trying to strike up conversations or flirt outright. Although Shido was dressed casually, he was still handsome and was clearly catching attention. With a gentle smile and polite tone, he declined each advance, explaining that he was on a date. Surprisingly, none of them reacted with annoyance. Instead, they simply nodded, looking a little dazed, clearly charmed by his mesmerizing smile.
Actually, it was the first time Shido had ever been openly hit on by older women. He had to admit, it felt kind of nice. After all, most of the time, he was the one watching guys hit on girls, not the other way around.
Still, when Shido casually glanced to his right, he noticed the silhoute of two suspicious figures lurking nearby. They quickly ducked behind a mannequin, striking stiff, awkward poses in an attempt to blend in with the display.
Shido blinked. 'Were they… trying to pretend to be mannequins?'
Sure enough, the two girls had frozen mid-pose, their limbs locked in unnatural angles as they imitated the mannequin's stance. One of them even had a purse balanced on her shoulder like a prop. It might've been convincing, if not for the fact that one of the "mannequins" was breathing heavily from the effort, and the other's shoe was sticking out from behind the display stand.
Shido was truly at lost for words when he saw their clumsy action, even Origami who was pretty clever and cool headed was doing this dumb way of hiding. However, he didn't expose their location since for now, he had to give all his attention to Kurumi who he was having a date with. Shido was afraid that a little mistake would make this Spirit explode and trigger a Spatial Quake.
"How is it, Shido-san?"
Kurumi's voice floated from behind him, pulling Shido out of his thoughts. She had changed into the outfit he'd picked for her earlier—something he'd thought would suit her, but even in his wildest imagination, he hadn't expected this.
When he turned around, his breath caught in his throat.
There stood Kurumi, posing elegantly in front of the changing room curtain, the soft lighting of the store catching the subtle sheen of her outfit and making her look like she had just stepped out of a dream. Her hair flowed over her shoulders in silky waves, and her crimson eye sparkled with playful amusement as she watched his stunned expression.
Even the female customers who had been flirting with Shido earlier paused mid-step, their jaws practically dropping. Now it made sense to them, of course he had been turning them down. With a girlfriend like that, they couldn't even compete.
Not that Shido noticed their reactions. In that moment, the rest of the world faded away. He didn't know or care what anyone else was thinking. Before him stood the most gorgeous, most captivating girl he had ever laid eyes on, and nothing else mattered.
Kurumi was wearing a long white sleeveless dress. Unlike her usual attire which consist of only black and sometimes red which gave her the air of a dark temptress, like a charming succubus who might steal your breath with a single glance. But this… this was entirely different.
The white dress softened her aura completely. She looked pure, graceful and almost angelic. The color gave her the appearance of an innocent, gentle girl, someone who couldn't possibly hurt a soul. To complete the transformation, she had undone her signature twin tails, letting her hair fall straight and smooth down her back, the silky black strands shimmering softly under the lights.
Shido was too stunned to say anything.
"Beautiful..."
That single word slipped from his lips that was barely louder than a whisper. But it was all he could manage. The simple elegance of her appearance had left him utterly captivated, as if the very image of her had stolen all other thoughts from his mind.
"Ara ara~ You'll make me blush if you keep staring at me like that," Kurumi giggled, watching the dazed expression on Shido's face with clear delight. She had to admit—it felt good to catch him off guard like this.
"Ah, sorr." Shido said quickly, rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish smile. "It's just… you're so beautiful, I couldn't help but gawk."
Kurumi's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Am I beautiful, Shido-san?"
"Very!"
A soft hum escaped her lips. "Then I suppose I'll pick it."
"Alright, I'll pay for it." Shido said instantly, without hesitation.
Kurumi blinked, then looked at him quietly for a moment. She could tell from the firmness in his voice that he wouldn't take no for an answer. A small smile tugged at her lips, and she gave him a helpless nod.
"My, my… Shido-san being so assertive, but I like it." she murmured to herself, just loud enough for him to hear.
Without missing a beat, Shido gently took her hand, the motion so natural it made Kurumi's heart skip, she could help but pout when he didn't even reveal a change in expression when he held her hands. Still she didn't shake his hand away and also held it tightly. Together, hand in hand, the two of them walked toward the register, drawing more than a few envious stares, from customers.
...
After leaving the women's clothing store, Shido and Kurumi spent the next couple of hours strolling through the shopping district. They wandered from one store to the next, picking up little things here and there whenever something caught their eye. Whether it was a cute accessory, a snack from a street vendor, or a quirky trinket, the two enjoyed the slow, easy pace of their time together.
Eventually, the rumble of their stomachs reminded them of the time. They exchanged a smiles then made their way into a nearby fast food chain for a simple lunch.
Both of them ended up ordering the same combo meal, completely by coincidence, or maybe not. Either way, they laughed about it and settled into a booth by the window. With hunger setting in, they began to eat with quiet satisfaction, enjoying the comforting taste of hot fries and crispy chicken.
Then, just as Kurumi reached for her drink, Shido suddenly leaned forward.
"Wait, don't move!" he said sharply.
Startled, Kurumi froze mid-reach, blinking at him in surprise. "Ara...?"
Though puzzled, she obeyed, not moving a muscle, curious as to what had caught his attention.
Under Kurumi's curious gaze, Shido suddenly leaned forward, closing the distance between them.
Her eyes widened slightly in surprise, but then softened with a touch of anticipation. For a brief moment, her heart skipped a beat. 'Could it be…?'
As Shido drew closer, Kurumi instinctively closed her eyes, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush. Her mind ran wild with possibilities, her expectations rising with every inch between them that vanished.
But instead of the warmth of a kiss, she felt the gentle pressure of something soft brushing against her cheek.
"Eh?"
Kurumi opened her eyes in confusion, only to see Shido calmly dabbing at her face with a napkin.
"You've got sauce on your cheek." he said with a helpless smile. "Geez… you're not a kid anymore and you're still quite a messy eater."
Kurumi froze for a second. Realizing what she had expected and how far off the mark she'd been, her cheeks warmed slightly. Still, she maintained her perfect smile, masking her embarrassment behind her usual elegance.
"Ara~ I didn't even notice. Thank you, Shido-san," she replied sweetly, as if she wasn't flustered at all.
"It's okay," Shido said with a gentle smile. "You're cute when you make those kinds of clumsy mistakes."
"Geez, don't tease me, Shido-san..." Kurumi pouted slightly, her lips forming a soft curve of irritation.
The sight made Shido chuckle, unable to hold back his laughter. Seeing the usually composed Kurumi flustered over something so small was, frankly, adorable.
Meanwhile, at the far end of the restaurant, two familiar figures sat in a distance from Shido and Kurumi, quietly observing the scene.
Origami calmly twirled her pasta, her expression unreadable as she watched the pair's flirtatious banter. But the way she paused with every laugh Shido shared with Kurumi didn't go unnoticed.
Tohka, on the other hand, was less subtle. Much less. Her side of the table was completely covered in food, burgers, fries, nuggets, milkshakes, and even a suspiciously large parfait. She devoured her meal like a girl possessed, each bite laced with envy and frustration.
"Why… why does she get to laugh with Shido like that...?" Tohka muttered through a mouthful of fries, glaring toward the couple while crunching aggressively. Her cheeks puffed up like a squirrel's as she stuffed more food in, clearly venting her emotions through her stomach.
Shido and Kurumi was lost in their own little world, chatting, laughing while enjoying their lunch.