"…You really gonna act like nothing happened back there?"
Ai kept her eyes straight ahead. "Nothing did happen."
"Uh-huh. So you didn't see you yanking me away like a jealous girlfriend?"
Her cheeks flushed, and she turned her head just enough for him to see her glare. "I am not—"
"Jealous?" Shiki interrupted, smirking.
"I'm not your girlfriend!" she snapped, a little too loud. A passing old man gave them a funny look before moving along.
Shiki tilted his head, voice dropping to a lazy drawl. "Mm. Sure. So when she leaned in and touched my hand—"
"She was all over you!" Ai barked, finally stopping in the middle of the street. Her eyes were narrow like a cat about to swat something off a table. "Her chest was right there! What was I supposed to do? Just sit and watch?!"
"…That's exactly what you did before you got up."
"That's because I didn't think you'd be stupid enough to let her!"
Shiki grinned, leaning just enough to get in her space. "You think I'm stupid?"
"I know you are."
"…Says the girl who nearly stabbed her porridge earlier."
Her mouth opened… then closed. She looked away with a muttered, "Shut up."
They started walking again, Ai still clinging to him — except now, instead of iron grip, she was pressing her side against him. And yeah, her chest was definitely right there on his arm.
Shiki glanced down at her. "…You do realize you're doing the same thing she did, right?"
"This is different."
"Oh?"
"She was a stranger. I'm… me."
"…You're me?" Shiki deadpanned.
She smacked his arm with her free hand. "You know what I mean!"
"I do. You're basically saying it's fine when you do it."
"Exactly."
Shiki chuckled under his breath. "At least you admit it."
---
They reached the fountain Eline mentioned — a massive stone circle with a lion statue in the center, its mouth spouting a thin stream of water into the basin below. Lantern light reflected on the rippling surface, giving the whole square a warm glow.
Ai slowed down, finally letting go of his arm to lean over the fountain's edge. "Ooh… pretty."
Shiki leaned on the stone beside her, watching the water. "Now straight past this fountain, three buildings down, huh?"
Ai dipped her fingers into the fountain water, shivering. "Cold."
"Don't fall in," Shiki said absently.
Ai pouted, "Baka."
Shiki just chuckled.
"Ne…" Ai said after a while, voice softer.
"What."
"That maid…"
Shiki raised an eyebrow. "Eline?"
"Mm." She looked away. "…She's pretty."
"…You're fishing."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"…Fine, maybe I am. Do you… like girls like that?"
Shiki didn't even slow down. "Not answering."
Her pout returned instantly. "Why not?"
"Because you'll sulk either way."
"I won't!"
"Yes, you will. You're sulking now and I didn't even say anything."
"…Shut up."
---
Shiki's eyes flicked past her toward a street branching off to the left. He turned without warning, hands sliding into his pockets.
Ai blinked, still half-leaning on the fountain. "Eh? Where are you—"
"Guild first," he said casually over his shoulder.
Her head whipped toward him. "W-Wait!"
The sound of her quick footsteps slapped against the cobblestones, and before he'd gone more than five steps, she was right there, hooking her arm through his again like a grappling hook locking onto prey.
Her chest pressed firmly against his bicep. "You can't just walk away like that!"
Shiki gave her a side glance, lips twitching. "Pretty sure I just did."
"That's rude."
"I'm not running away, I'm walking toward something."
"Without telling me!"
He smirked. "I figured you'd follow."
"…You're annoying."
"And you're clingy."
Her grip tightened. "Then deal with it."
Shiki exhaled through his nose, half amused, half done with the whole jealous energy she was radiating.
"You ever been to a guild before?" he asked suddenly, mostly to break the silence.
Ai shook her head, hair brushing his arm. "Never even heard of it until you said the word earlier."
He hummed. "Think of it like… a job board, tavern, and bragging hall all mashed together."
"Bragging hall?"
"Yeah. Adventurers love showing off. You kill a slime the size of a dog and they'll tell it like they fought a dragon."
"…Sounds like you," she muttered.
"Excuse me?" Shiki gave her an incredulous look.
"You do that. You keep acting like you're not showing off, but you are."
Shiki snorted. "I don't show off. I demonstrate superiority."
"That's the same thing."
"It's different when you're actually superior, kitten"
Ai rolled her eyes, but her small smile betrayed her.
---
The guild building loomed into view — a tall, wide structure with an open front and huge wooden doors propped on either side. Even from here, she could see people coming and going: some in armor, others in worn travel clothes, all carrying weapons of some kind. The sound of chatter, laughter, and clinking mugs spilled into the street.
Ai slowed a little. "…Looks noisy."
"It is noisy."
She hesitated, glancing up at him. "Do we have to go inside?"
Shiki shot her a look. "What, scared they'll flirt with me too?"
Her cheeks immediately turned pink. "N-No! I just…" She bit her lip. "I don't know these people."
"You didn't know Eline either."
"That's different."
"Mm-hm." He didn't stop walking. "Come on."
---
Inside, the air was thick with warmth and the smell of roasted meat. The main hall was filled with long tables, a quest board at the far end covered in papers, and a counter, though the receptionist was not in view but the person was clearly dealing with three loud adventurers arguing over payment.
Ai stayed close, eyes darting everywhere — from the laughing group of drunk mercenaries to a pair of women arm-wrestling near the fireplace. The constant noise was overwhelming, but her curiosity kept her gaze moving.
Shiki walked straight toward an empty space near the wall. "We're just here to get some info, then we're out."
Ai gave a small nod, still holding his arm like it was an anchor in a storm.
---
"Oi, Shiki!" a voice called from somewhere to their right.
Shiki froze for a split second before glancing over. A tall man with short dark hair, wearing mismatched armor, was grinning at him from a table.
*What In the bug...*
Ai's eyes narrowed instantly. "…Who's that?"
"Random NPC," Shiki muttered. Then louder: "Don't know you."
The man laughed like that was the funniest thing he'd heard all day. "Still a cold bastard, huh? Come have a drink!"
"Busy," Shiki said flatly, turning away.
Ai smirked a little. "So it's not just women who flirt with you."
"That wasn't flirting."
"…Sounded like flirting."
"You're ridiculous."
---
END OF CHAPTER : 11 : JEALOUS WALK!
---