The purchase of the Cullinan was completed with a simple swipe of a card, though the salesman could barely hold the Black Card without his hands trembling.
With a carefree gesture, Marin gathered the girls and filled Kaguya's extended limousine. Within minutes, they were on their way to Akihabara.
By the time evening fell, Akihabara shone like an ocean of lights.
The light pollution was so intense that the sky itself seemed to have vanished beneath a veil of neon.
Among the crowds mixed the chatter of otaku slang, the sounds of video games, and the exaggeratedly sweet greetings of maid cafés: "Welcome back, Master~!"
"Uwaah—!" Rin took a step back the moment she stepped out of the car, blinded by the giant screen of a virtual idol dominating an entire building. "This… is way too noisy."
"You'll get used to it, cousin." Marin grabbed her by the arm with a mischievous grin and dragged her into the crowd. "Today's goal is to turn you from a digital caveman into a modern surfer!"
Kaguya, on the other hand, stopped at the edge of the crowd, frowning slightly. Ai, performing her duty with perfect efficiency, gently pushed away anyone who got too close while her lady watched the chaos of figure shops, electronics stores, and posters of anime girls in absurd poses with visible discomfort.
All of it felt so foreign, so un-Shinomiya.
"Kaguya-chan!" Marin caught her wrist and pulled her firmly into the human current. "Don't fall behind!"
The first stop was a massive electronics chain store.
"Look, Rin-chan, pick one!" Marin pointed enthusiastically at a row of new smartphones. "Your foldable relic can finally retire with honors!"
Rin frowned, staring at the ultra-thin screens. "...How do you turn this on?"
"With the side button!" Marin and Sakura shouted at once.
Rin tapped the screen.
"Not the screen, the button on the frame!"
"Oh."
Meanwhile, Artoria had already found her target: a small stand at the back of the aisle emitting an irresistible aroma of freshly made crepes. Without hesitation, she marched toward it with steady steps and determined eyes.
Kaguya, for her part, stopped in front of a display case with a gaming console. She watched the trailer playing on the screen with a mix of curiosity and confusion.
"Miss, this is a PlayStation," Ai explained. "It can be connected to the television to play video games."
"Video games?" Kaguya repeated, glancing at the huge TV beside it.
"Eh… something like strategic simulations," Ai improvised, trying to make it sound more respectable. "You control it with this." She handed her a controller.
Kaguya took it in her hands, weighed it, turned it over, studied it… and still didn't understand a thing.
Marin, who turned around just in time to see her, nearly choked trying to hold back her laughter.
After several failed attempts, Rin finally chose a flagship phone model, and Marin, not giving her any choice, forced her to accept a pair of Bluetooth noise-canceling headphones.
"This way you won't complain about the noise!"
"Good! Now comes the important part!" Marin exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she pointed toward a building covered in posters of cosplay costumes. "My battle outfit resupply station!"
The moment she stepped through the door, it was as if she had entered her own personal paradise.
She moved like a dancer between aisles packed with extravagant, sexy, and adorable outfits, holding up costumes in front of Rin and Sakura while mumbling to herself.
"This elven archer one would look perfect on Sakura-chan… Rin-chan, why don't you try this magical knight one? Super cool! Ah, here it is!"
From a pile of fabrics, Marin pulled out a garment in classic black and white—a frilled apron with a large bow tied at the back.
The idea had come to her the moment she saw Ai's uniform: a maid outfit!
But this time, it was a premium version, made of genuine silk with a fitted cut that accentuated every curve.
"Tada!" Marin held up the outfit and winked at Rin and Kaguya with a mischievous smile. "What do you think? With this sweet treat, Damian-kun won't be able to resist~."
When she said "sweet treat," her tone was deliberately suggestive, and she accompanied the word with a meaningful glance toward Kaguya.
Kaguya's face turned red instantly. She averted her gaze awkwardly, pretending to examine a cat-ear headband on the nearby shelf, though her breathing had already quickened.
In her mind, the image of the previous night appeared unbidden, and her heart began to pound fiercely.
Rin, meanwhile, looked at the lace trim with disdain.
"Childish. I wouldn't wear something like that."
"Oh, it's not for you to wear!" Marin rolled her eyes, hugging the outfit like a treasure, and leaned toward Kaguya. "Kaguya-chan~ would you like to see Damian-kun… hmm?"
She made a hand gesture mimicking a nosebleed and grinned even wider.
Kaguya didn't answer, but her face grew even redder, and her fingers nervously twisted the strap of her purse.
Marin watched her for a moment and let out a satisfied giggle.
"Hehe, I'll take that as a yes."
She ran toward the register, clutching the outfit against her chest, and without the slightest hint of shame, pulled out the Black Card again. "Sir! This one! Wrap it up! And with the best box you've got!"
A little later, Artoria returned with three freshly made crepes—strawberry, matcha, and chocolate. Seeing the limousine already packed with shopping bags, then looking at the warm desserts in her hands, she nodded with satisfaction.
"Supply complete."
She handed the matcha one to Kaguya, whose cheeks were still glowing.
Under the neon lights, the girls and a mountain of shopping bags settled into the limousine. Marin hugged her paper bag with a mischievous smile. Kaguya slowly bit into her crepe while gazing out the window, watching the bright landscape of Akihabara, and amid all the noise and laughter, she felt something different… a new warmth swirling deep inside her.
Rin played with her new phone while Sakura patiently explained how to use it.
The engine roared, and the vehicle disappeared into the river of lights.
…
Bunkyō District.
Yukino's small apartment was almost empty. The boxes with the Express Moving logo were neatly stacked in a corner, and the silence filled the room with an unusual calm.
Damian was resting on the sofa, eyes closed, his arms draped lazily over the backrest. The faint light of sunset filtered through the window, casting soft shadows across his face.
"Yukino, what time is the moving company coming tomorrow?" he asked without opening his eyes.
"The appointment is… tomorrow at ten," she replied from below, her tone calm, almost absentminded.
Damian opened his eyes and found her in front of him, kneeling on the carpet. Her hair was slightly disheveled, a few drops of sweat glistened on her forehead, and her cheeks showed a faint blush that the sunlight made even more noticeable.
When she felt his gaze on her, Yukino paused for a moment, then quietly sat back on her heels and, without saying a word, leaned forward, resting her face against his neck.
Her warm breath brushed against his skin.
"…I'm a little scared," she whispered.
Damian smiled and gently ran his fingers through her hair.
"Are you afraid of Marin?" he asked softly. "Don't worry. She's happy you're joining us."
Yukino pressed her lips together, still blushing. She didn't quite understand how she had come to accept it. Maybe it was the way Damian spoke to her… or how his hands seemed to read her body… or those kisses that left no room for thought.
Perhaps it was his voice in her ear, deep and patient, slowly unraveling her doubts one by one until she found herself nodding without realizing it.
For a brief moment, she thought it might be a mistake.
But when he intertwined his fingers with hers and smiled at her with that serene expression, all her doubts faded away.
"I asked Satoru to find a big house," Damian said in a light tone. "It doesn't make sense to live alone in an empty place. I want you to be there."
"..."
Yukino stayed silent, burying her face in the hollow of his neck, seeking his warmth as if it were the only refuge left.
They remained like that for a few seconds, until her voice came again, muffled against his ear.
"I want to drink my milk."
"All right." Damian nodded, his hand slowly tracing her back. "I'll take you home in a bit. Tomorrow I'll come get you, and we'll move in together."
Yukino nodded quietly, and then, without thinking much, she slid down between his legs with the same ease with which one closes their eyes when surrendering to sleep… or to desire.
Kneeling between his thighs, she lifted her gaze to his amber eyes.
________
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