note: This scene takes place after Chapter 27, it was originally intended to be Chapter 28. While reviewing the chapters, I realized I forgot to post this one. My apologies to everyone. This won't count as today's chapter. I will be posting the next one after I finish the revision
Kaito sat in his beanbag chair, the TV guide forgotten beside him. The apartment was quiet. Fia, following her punishment, was silent in her closet. Mai was reading at the kotatsu, her presence a constant hum in the back of Kaito's consciousness.
The problem was, the silence didn't bring peace.
Kaito's gaze moved from the dead game console to the cracked television screen. They were the pillars of his sanctuary. The portals through which he could retreat from the troublesome world. Now, they were just useless plastic and glass. Monuments to the chaos that had infiltrated his life.
The plan was to wait until tomorrow. Wait for the festival. Wait for Futaba's elegant solution to work and for his life to return to normal. Only then would he replace what was lost. It was the logical sequence.
But, as he looked at the wreckage, a new, more urgent logic took hold. Tomorrow would be a day of effort. He would have to go to school. He would have to observe. He would have to manage Mai and Fia's ethereal form. When he got back, he would be exhausted. The last thing he wanted was to have to go out again to shop.
Peace couldn't wait. The promise of peace needed to be tangible. Now.
"How troublesome," he murmured, standing up.
Mai looked up, startled by the sudden movement. "Kaito?"
"I'm going out," he said, grabbing his wallet and keys. He checked the clock on the wall. 7:47 PM. The stores closed at 9:00 PM. He had time. Barely.
"Going out? Now?" Mai asked, concerned.
"Peace has been damaged. I need to acquire replacement parts," he explained, as if talking about a car.
Before Mai could say anything else, the closet door creaked open. Fia peeked out, her eyes red. "A... a night mission? The System offers bonuses for activities under the moon!"
Kaito pointed a finger at her. "Rule. Now."
Fia pouted. "But..."
"Now. Or you stay in the closet."
With a dramatic sigh, Fia's physical body flickered. The particles of light that composed her dissolved into the air, leaving behind only the faint scent of bubblegum.
"'Ethereal Form' Directive activated," her voice sounded, now back in his head, sounding a bit grumpy. "This is terribly limiting."
Mai watched the scene, a mix of guilt and admiration on her face. "Kaito... about the TV... and the console... I can pay. It's my fault... our fault."
"No," Kaito said, already putting on his shoes. "This is an investment. In my sanctuary. The responsibility is mine." Accepting her money would make peace a shared asset. His peace was non-negotiable and exclusively his.
He opened the door. "Are you coming?" he asked Mai, without turning around.
Mai stood up in an instant, grabbing her bag. The idea of being alone in the silent apartment, even for an hour, was clearly more frightening than a forced shopping trip.
The night air was cold. The streets glowed with the lights of signs and cars, a sensory assault Kaito detested. He walked at a fast, determined pace, with Mai struggling to keep up.
"We are moving at a speed 20% above your normal walking pace," Fia observed in his mind. "This indicates a state of 'urgency.' Are you feeling emotions, Chosen One?"
"I'm feeling the annoyance of having to spend money and energy because of your incompetence," he thought back.
They arrived at the electronics district, a canyon of neon lights and loud advertisements. Kaito ignored it all. He wasn't there to sightsee. He entered the first large multi-story store, the warm air and the hum of hundreds of screens hitting him like a wall.
"Wow! So many 'mundane artifacts'!" Fia exclaimed in his head. "Kaito, that TV has a 120Hz refresh rate! That confers a +5 bonus to 'Visual Clarity' for your games!"
Kaito went straight to the television section. He didn't look at the most expensive models. He scanned the price tags, found a model identical in size to his old one, from a reliable brand and at a reasonable price. It was the most efficient solution.
"That one," he said to an approaching salesperson.
While the salesperson went to get a boxed unit, Kaito went to the video game section. He picked up the same console model Fia had fried. No upgrades, no special editions. Just a direct replacement.
Mai watched him in silence. She saw him pay at the register, the amount making her eyes widen slightly. It was a considerable investment. He didn't hesitate.
"Thank you, come again," said the cashier.
Kaito now faced two large, heavy problems: a TV box and a console box. He tucked the console box under one arm and tried to lift the TV box. It was awkward.
"I can help with one," Mai offered, stepping forward.
Kaito looked at her, then at the boxes. Accepting help was a social effort, but carrying everything alone was a greater physical effort. It was a quick calculation.
"Take the console," he said, handing her the smaller box.
They left the store and began the walk back, carrying the components of his future peace. It was a strange sight: the apathetic young man and the beautiful invisible girl, walking in silence through the Tokyo night, carrying expensive electronics.
Back at the apartment, they placed the boxes in the middle of the room. They were large, white, and looked like monoliths from a more peaceful civilization.
Kaito didn't open them. That was for tomorrow. For after the problem was resolved.
"Thank you, Kaito," Mai said, her voice soft in the silent apartment. "For... everything."
He just shrugged, collapsing into his beanbag chair. He was exhausted.
Fia's presence shimmered in the air and she materialized, sitting on the floor with a sigh. She looked at the boxes with curiosity.
Kaito checked the clock. 9:34 PM. He looked at Mai, who looked exhausted from anxiety. He looked at Fia, who looked exhausted. He looked at the boxes.
Tomorrow.
Everything depended on tomorrow.
"Go to sleep," he said to the room. "Tomorrow is going to be troublesome."
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