The rain had unknowingly stopped, the sky began to clear, and Minoru closed his umbrella.
He’d said he’d walk her part of the way.
In the end, he walked her all the way to her doorstep.
Minoru glanced at the time on his watch.
He still had time to catch the train ticket he’d bought.
Mahiru took a deep breath of the fresh post-rain air.
She suddenly felt much lighter, just like the weather after the rain had cleared.
“I’m here.
That’s the place.”
Mahiru gave a slight nod, pointing to a apartment building ahead.
Her voice regained its previous polite composure.
“I was rude earlier, not using polite speech.
Gomen nasai.”
She unconsciously tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
This subtle gesture revealed her current unease.
In the language culture of Japan, polite speech is almost ubiquitous.
Only among friends is its use reduced.
To give an example…
‘Gomen nasai’ is the formal, distanced polite form, often used with strangers or in situations requiring respect.
Among friends, ‘gomen’ is typically used to express apology.
“Why use polite speech with me?” Minoru shook his head slightly.
“Hmm…”
Hearing this, Mahiru was slightly taken aback, her hand pausing mid-air as she tucked her hair, momentarily at a loss for how to respond.
“I never really liked these rigid rules and formalities much anyway.
Maintaining that kind of posture all the time must be exhausting, right?”
“If you’d like, you can think of me as a not-very-close ordinary friend.
Between friends, we don’t need so many formalities, do we?”
The corners of Mahiru’s lips unconsciously curved into a faint smile.
That deliberately maintained polite distance faded significantly.
“Understood.”
Ordinary friends…
That doesn’t seem bad.
[Ding!
Mahiru’s sense of identification with the “friend” relationship has increased.
Shiina Mahiru’s Favorability +5.
Current Plunder Progress: 28%]
[Luck Points +100]
The two stopped at the main entrance of the apartment building.
Mahiru turned to face Minoru, clasping her hands in front of her.
After a slight hesitation, she slowly looked up at him.
“Today…
thank you very much, Shibata-kun.
If you don’t mind, tomorrow you could come visit my home.”
A hint of cautious expectation shone in Mahiru’s eyes, the tips of her ears turning red.
She tilted her head slightly, her voice softening a bit as she continued, “I could make some dishes to treat you…
as thanks for today.”
As she said this, Mahiru’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she lowered her gaze, as if unable to meet Minoru’s eyes.
Minoru saw the cautious anticipation in Mahiru’s eyes and subconsciously wanted to nod and say, “Okay.”
But as the words reached his lips, he remembered the train ticket to Sendai and the inherent danger of the trip.
A clear trace of hesitation flashed across his face, and his brows unconsciously furrowed.
This was the expression of someone contemplating a major problem.
‘What should I do?’
Minoru couldn’t bring himself to disappoint a girl.
Today’s trip to Sendai concerned Sukuna’s Finger and was a crucial step on his path to becoming stronger.
He wasn’t sure when he would be back.
He didn’t even know if he could return safely.
Seeing Minoru’s suddenly serious and hesitant expression, Mahiru’s heart tightened.
This was the first time in her life she had mustered the courage to invite someone of the opposite sex to her home, even proactively offering to cook herself.
Could it be that she was about to be rejected like this?
Was it too abrupt?
Just as Mahiru’s eyes dimmed slightly, Minoru finally finished weighing his options.
He took a deep breath and threw out a question that caught her off guard.
“Okay.
But…”
Minoru paused, his tone filled with genuine confusion, and asked, “Aren’t you afraid I might have ill intentions?
We’ve only just met, haven’t we?
Safety awareness is very important.”
Neither the expected answer nor a rejection appeared.
Instead, it was a rhetorical question about her own safety?
“…”
Mahiru was stunned.
She looked at Minoru’s serious and earnest expression.
The little emotions in her heart were instantly replaced by an inexplicable sense of absurdity.
Within that absurdity, there was also a subtle sense of reassurance.
He was actually worried about this?
At a time like this?
The next second, she lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly, and let out a giggle.
Mahiru realized that Minoru was an insensitive jerk.
But strangely, his insensitive, even somewhat clumsy, response, reassured her more than any grand promise.
Mahiru raised her face, deliberately putting on a stern expression, even with a hint of playful defiance.
But the smile in her eyes couldn’t be hidden at all.
“I think if it’s Shibata-kun, there’s probably no need to worry about such problems.”
Mahiru slightly lifted her chin and waved her fist.
“And if you dare to harbor ill intentions towards me, I’ll kick you to pieces.
On a physiological level, so you can never recover.”
After saying these words, her cheeks flushed slightly, feeling her threat was a bit too over-the-top.
But she still tried to maintain a “I’m fierce” expression, attempting to make her threat more credible.
“I think you should be well aware of my status in school.”
Watching Mahiru gesticulate, not at all menacing but rather somewhat cute, Minoru stroked his chin, thought about it very seriously, and then nodded.
“That does sound terrifying.
Physical castration and social death.
In order to enjoy Shiina-san’s cooking completely intact, I will definitely remember the principle of safety first and absolutely dare not harbor any improper thoughts.”
The phrases “Shiina-san” and “safety first” sounded like he was deliberately teasing her about her earlier bold declaration.
Mahiru’s face turned even redder, this time from embarrassment.
She realized Minoru wasn’t clueless at all, he understood a little.
And then he used his straightforward logic to tease her back.
“J-just know it then!”
Mahiru ended the topic somewhat flustered, her heart inexplicably beating a little faster.
Minoru continued, “However…”
The light in Mahiru’s eyes dimmed slightly again.
“I have to go to Sendai tonight to take care of some things.
This matter is urgent.
How long it will take to deal with…
I can’t say for sure right now.
I’ve already taken leave for tomorrow’s classes.”
Minoru looked at Mahiru, his expression was very serious.
Minoru was all too familiar with Mahiru’s cooking skills.
This was an anime heroine personally cooking for him.
He didn’t want to miss out like this nor did he want to disappoint Mahiru’s kindness by being late or for any other reason.
“I see…
it’s okay.
Shibata-kun’s matters are more important.” Mahiru tried her best to maintain a smile.
Was she still being rejected?
Although it wasn’t a direct rejection, it was more disheartening than one.
“Tomorrow at 12 PM, I will definitely give you a definite answer.
By then, don’t you dare complain about me bothering you.”
Minoru noticed Mahiru’s change in mood and added, his eyes particularly serious.
The sense of disappointment in Mahiru’s heart quietly faded, transforming into a clear anticipation.
Minoru’s tone, and even his gaze, conveyed abundant sincerity to her.
“Mhm.”
Mahiru nodded, her smile this time much more genuine, though still with a hint of invisible disappointment.
“Then it’s settled.”
“Alright, it’s a promise.
I will definitely come.”
After exchanging contact information with Mahiru, Minoru put away his phone.
He took half a step back and waved at Mahiru.
“Well then, I’ll be off first.
As soon as I’m done with things in Sendai, I’ll contact you immediately.”
Mahiru nodded.
“Be careful on your way.
May everything go smoothly in Sendai.”
“Mhm, see you later.”
Minoru turned and left.
Standing at the apartment door, Mahiru watched Minoru disappear around the street corner, unconsciously touching her flushed cheeks.
“Jerk…”
Mahiru muttered softly, but the slight upward curve of her lips couldn’t be suppressed.
For the first time, Mahiru felt a clear anticipation for ‘the next meeting’.
[Ding!
Achieved ‘Homemade Meal Promise’ with Shiina Mahiru.
Shiina Mahiru’s favorability +10, current Plunder progress: 32%]
[Luck Points +200]
[Ding!
Congratulations, Host, your current Plunder progress has reached 30%.
Special Reward Issued!]
[Obtained: Fujimiya Amane’s Core Trait – Detailed Observation Ability (Beginner)]
[Able to more keenly notice subtle details in the environment and on others.]
Minoru, walking on the road, checked the sudden Plunder progress reward, his eyes lighting up slightly.
Minoru tried to concentrate and use this ability.
He glanced around.
‘The surrounding airflow feels more distinct.
The details captured by my vision have also increased a bit.
This feeling…’
Minoru frowned slightly, carefully experiencing this subtle perception and a term flashed through his mind.
‘Could this be the legendary Observation Haki?
Although it’s the most rudimentary form.’
Minoru was somewhat surprised by his own imagination, letting out a light chuckle to himself.
‘However, this does open up a new way to become stronger.
As long as the progress increases, I can still become stronger, without just focusing on critical events.’