Yet, Shido was not the type to let a woman easily manipulate him, so he pulled her waist, causing Kurumi to let out a surprised gasp.
"My~," she purred.
As if the world around them had quieted, the only sound that remained was the distant chirping of cicadas, carried by the breeze. The setting sun bathed them in its warm, orange glow, casting long shadows on the ground.
Two pairs of eyes locked, the silence between them stretching as the moment seemed to hang in the air.
Despite her left eye being hidden beneath her bangs, Kurumi's gaze didn't hinder her to gaze at Shido eyes.
Kurumi smiled at him after a brief moment of surprise, her expression calm and composed. Although she looked calm on the outside, Kurumi was quite nervous and a excited inside.
There was a chance that Shido might kiss her.
Kurumi was well aware of this ability of him since she got an information from someone trustworthy. She wasn't sure whether she should accept it if Shido wanted to kiss her.
Kurumi hadn't yet accomplished her goal. To lose her Spirit powers so easily, just like that, was simply unthinkable.
She wanted to save the world. To save her friend. And if it meant becoming a devil that shrouded the world in darkness, then so be it.
Kurumi needed time, time to go back to the past and kill the first Spirit and to do that she needed time, but Kurumi alone didn't have much time so she change her approach to devouring people's time.
That's why she became famous for killing 10,000 humans, but what everyone doesn't know was that Kurumi was only killing scums of the society, those bastards that will do more harm than good.
Her methods were extreme, perhaps even unforgivable. But in the end, was it truly as monstrous as they claimed? After all, she had only ever taken the lives of those who deserved it.
But then, a certain thought emerged in Kurumi's mind.
'What if I just let him kiss me? How wonderful would it be to stay by Shido-san's side every day, to take care of him, to go on dates with him?'
The mere idea made her heart flutter. Her golden eye grew distant as she gazed at Shido, lost in the possibilities that should have never crossed her mind.
On the other hand, Shido observed the subtle shifts in her expression.
Through his Observation Haki, he could sense Kurumi's true emotions, the whirlwind of conflict raging within her.
Nervousness. Excitement. Anger. Regret. And even… longing.
Each feeling fought for dominance in her mind, twisting and colliding as she stood frozen in indecision.
Seeing Kurumi's confusion, Shido sighed and reluctantly released her soft waist.
As much as he wanted to kiss her and seal her Reiryoku right then and there, he knew it wouldn't be right. If he took advantage of the moment, Kurumi might come to resent him for it.
Even if she didn't feel resentment, Kurumi might not feel the same way towards him as before, since he had sealed her Reiryoku in a sneaky way.
No, that wasn't how he wanted things to be.
Although Shido was eager to complete his quests and move on to another world, he refused to resort to underhanded methods.
If he was going to seal their Reiryoku, he would do it the right way, by winning their hearts, not by force.
"Let's go back." Shido sighed inside his heart and said to Kurumi waking her up from her thoughts.
Meanwhile, Kurumi was first startled when Shido let go of her but she also realized the situation and could only nod her head trying not to make a bitter expression.
"Then, see you tomorrow, Shido-san." After sorting out her thoughts, Kurumi's expression reverted back to how it was supposed to be, revealing her perfect smile that she usually wore to the public.
"Be careful," Shido said.
Kurumi chuckled at his concern, a playful glint in her eye. "Fufu~ Who would even dare to trouble me? But still, thank you for worrying about me."
Shido smiled, knowing full well that anyone foolish enough to cross her wouldn't meet a pleasant fate.
With one last glance, Kurumi turned and walked away, her figure gradually fading into the distance. Shido stared at her fleeting back for a moment before sighing and deciding to head home himself.
He still had to call back his clone, who was with Tohka.
...
Walking down the street, Tohka and Shido (clone) could be seen side by side. Shido carried a bag full of food supplies he had bought from the market, while Tohka happily munched on her favorite kinako bread, her expression was full of bliss.
Before heading off to find Kurumi, the real Shido had made an excuse to Tohka and slipped into a nearby alley. Shido made a clone and let that clone go with Tohka to the Fraxinus, while he go to Kurumi.
However, when he later called Kotori, she immediately scolded him. Apparently, she and Reine had decided to return home together to discuss Kurumi's sudden reappearance. What's more, Kotori was furious that he hadn't informed her about meeting Kurumi in the first place.
Shido could only smile wryly, wondering how on earth he was supposed to explain that he had met Kurumi while in his Spirit Mode.
After a brief round of scolding, Kotori seemed to grow tired and finally relented, ordering him to buy ingredients for dinner instead.
Shido let out a helpless sigh but agreed to her bossy demand with a small smile.
The moment Tohka overheard that they would be stopping by the supermarket, her eyes lit up with excitement. Without hesitation, she grabbed Shido's hand and eagerly pulled him along.
Shido could only smile wryly and shake his head, but he didn't resist, letting her drag him toward her next food-filled adventure.
And now, with their shopping complete, the two made their way back home.
But as the two arrived in front of their house, they noticed two figures standing at the entrance, it was a girl.
"Shido, there's someone in front of the house." Tohka said, pointing while munching on her bread.
Shido had already spotted them before they got closer, and the sight made his lips twitch
The moment the girl saw Shido, her eyes lit up with excitement. Without hesitation, she rushed toward him, leaving behind the short white-haired girl who seemed to be with her.
As the girl reached them, her face lit up with pure joy as she looked at Shido.
"Ni—"
"Ni?" 2x Shido and Tohka raised a question wondering what she was about to say.
Then, without hesitation, she beamed and leaped toward him.
"Nii-sama!"
Shido instinctively caught her as she threw herself into his arms.
It was none other than Mana.