Kekkai City.
Per their plan, Sai Akuto and Amano Yuuma set out on a date.
The vibe here felt different from Kuoh Town, and that fresh contrast amused Akuto. By land area and population, Kuoh isn't small at all, so a cultural gap with Kekkai City was only natural.
Kuoh even has "Kuoh University." Plenty of cities have their own middle and high schools. But a city that runs its own university? Kekkai City doesn't.
—
Movie theater. Crane game corner.
Akuto deftly fished up a black-and-gray panda plush and handed it to Yuuma.
Gazing at the black mascot that weirdly suited her—and recalling her identity as a Fallen Angel—Yuuma froze for several seconds before accepting Akuto's gift with a smile.
Planetarium. The skybridge outside Kekkai City's exhibit hall.
One bench was free. On the other, Yuuma reclined with her head pillowed on Akuto's lap.
Under the boundless stars, thinking of how isolated she was now, Yuuma sank into silence.
Yesterday, the Grigori's "Son of God" Watcher had messaged her: reveal her Fallen Angel identity to Akuto, and ideally… make things irreversible with him.
Because the Fallen Angels were preparing peace talks with the Devils, Akuto's position mattered. He had to be won over, his favor raised.
And she—transferred to another Watcher squad—was the one sent to draw him in.
That same day, a bit earlier, Katerea had come in person, ordering her to lure Akuto to a designated spot.
If she disobeyed, the restraint Katerea planted on her would detonate at midnight tonight.
But… Yuuma truly didn't want to comply.
She'd realized that neither that other faction nor the Fallen Angels had ever valued her. What they valued was only her status.
She was just a tool for them to approach—or hurt—Akuto.
The moment she understood that, Yuuma fell into a loss and confusion unlike anything she'd felt before.
"Sigh~"
A soft sound. Warmth brushed her cheek.
She looked up. Akuto was smiling at her.
Before she could respond, he lowered his head again and stole her lips.
Yuuma knew he'd noticed something off in her mood and chose to comfort her this way.
After only a heartbeat of hesitation, she hugged him tight and responded with heat.
Only with Akuto did she feel the meaning of her own existence.
Ever since he accepted her confession, Akuto-kun had turned around and confessed back. He'd even taken the "boyfriend" spot she'd yearned for.
Only with Akuto did she feel the warmth of being alive.
—
Half an hour later, they finally stepped out of the theater.
After soaking up a lot of "energy" from Akuto, Yuuma barely steadied herself… and the date continued.
No matter what, I need this date to happen today.
Yuuma decided. At least for today—at least for now—she would not worry about anything else. She wanted to focus on enjoying her time with Akuto.
And so, through the rest of the date, Yuuma opened up with unprecedented enthusiasm.
"Akuto-kun, aaah—say ah~"
On the food street, Yuuma laughed as she fed him.
"Akuto-kun, did you notice anything strange?"
At the photo studio, Yuuma donned a dazzling Fallen-Angel-style outfit and asked Akuto to take her picture.
She didn't reveal her true form—only borrowed the studio's costumes to show a truer side of herself.
The harsher the pressure, the more living beings do what they normally wouldn't.
Back when she'd just started dating Akuto, Yuuma would never have risked something like a "Fallen-Angel-themed photoshoot"—that's basically self-exposure.
—
At a Chinese restaurant, Yuuma lifted a plate of mapo tofu, eyes bright.
"Akuto-kun, I heard this one's super spicy! Want to try it?"
"Mmh!—Mmm!!—"
The red-and-white bite went down, and Yuuma's fair face flushed at once.
A Fallen Angel with a palate close to the Japanese bite… and she didn't even realize she'd gone red in a second, just from mapo tofu.
As for Akuto, the instant he saw the dish, something in his DNA twitched. He reflexively scanned the room.
Not seeing a certain "Mapo Priest," he exhaled in relief. This wasn't the Fate/"Star-Moon" world—just because mapo tofu existed didn't mean he would appear.
At Yuuma's urging, they shared the restaurant's signature, fresh-off-the-wok mapo tofu.
The claypot's heat was nothing to Akuto.
Yuuma also seemed to forget to hide her identity, entirely focused on the dish in front of her.
"Mmn~ It's good. But I still think mine's better," Akuto judged.
"Eh? Better than yours? Akuto-kun, you can handle mapo tofu too?" Yuuma knew he cooked—he'd brought her breakfast before, after all.
"Yeah. Whether it's local 'Chinese-style' or gachi-Chinese, I'm good at both," Akuto said.
"Chinese-style" as localized by the region might carry the name, but it's tuned to local taste. Gachi-Chinese is the real deal—authentic ingredients and methods.
Truth be told, Akuto was good at nearly every major cuisine in the world—French, Turkish, Italian, washoku, Mexican—you name it, it was his forte.
"Akuto-kun totally has the makings of a house-husband~" Yuuma praised from the heart.
"A house-husband, huh?"
"If Yuuma-san is willing to support me after we get married, I can be a house-husband, you know~"
"What do you say?"
"Marriage, huh~"
At the word marriage, Yuuma fell silent again.
If she could really marry Akuto… that sounded… pretty wonderful.
As for Azazel, whom she once admired…
After spending time with Akuto, Yuuma realized that what she felt for Azazel was only admiration for an idol—not romantic love.
Thinking back on how she'd mistaken respect for "liking" made her want to laugh at her old self.
"Today, I have to settle this."
On the topic of marriage, Yuuma finally made up her mind.
She was going to lay it all on the table—today.
—
They wandered on, savoring the different flavors of Kekkai City and Kuoh.
In front of a love hotel, Yuuma stopped.
"Akuto-kun, I've always been curious about these places. Will you go in with me?"
She didn't really want to date anyone to the point of a love hotel.
But when a girl invites you in that directly, how could Akuto refuse?
"Is that so? I'm curious how they're set up inside too. Shall we take a look together?"
He took her hand and stepped into the hotel.
After a bit of discussion, they chose the "Campus Style" theme.
No wonder—Yuuma slipped into the same sailor-uniform-type outfit from when she and Akuto first met, all school-days mood with a hint of "accidental" dampness.
"Whoosh—"
The moment they entered the broad "Campus" room, Yuuma pushed Akuto down onto the desk-like table.
"Akuto-kun… will you hold me?"
Her black hair, violet eyes, and slightly parted lips gave the most direct invitation.
In Japanese, daku—"to hold"—can mean more than the literal embrace.
Before she put everything on the line with Akuto, Yuuma had decided to take one last step first—on her own terms. That was her final choice after a long struggle.
Whatever the outcome today—whether Akuto accepted her after she came clean or not—she wanted this before their talk.
"Yes—if you're willing, Yuuma-san."
He kissed her again, practiced and gentle, and Yuuma, just as practiced after these past two months of daily kisses, answered with unprecedented focus.
This time, she gave herself wholly.
The world fell quiet. Their hearts drew close. And they chose each other—freely, tenderly, and as adults in love.
—
Time slipped by.
Yuuma's long-suppressed tension—pressure from factions that saw only her title and not her self—finally melted.
Akuto let her lead the pace, watching the most beautiful, most honest side of the girl he held.
Even so, he sensed Yuuma hadn't released everything. Some part of her still held back.
He'd seen this many times with angels—Asia, Xenovia, Irina—whenever an angel truly let go, there was always that unmistakable freedom in their aura.
Yuuma, though trembling with emotion, still kept part of herself under wraps. She hadn't opened her wings.
And that was okay.
For now, he simply embraced her—firmly, warmly—as if to say: you don't have to carry this alone.
(End of Chapter)
[Get +20 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"]
[Every 500 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]