Chapter 343: Terminal Stage Black-Belly, Incurable
Ren, of course, knew nothing of Albedo's circumstances. In the moments that followed, he never again brought up the name of the game, Yggdrasil. Some things, some vistas, some people, some feelings… they were meant to be buried deep within the heart, sealed away, never to surface again.
He let out a soft sigh, the sound barely disturbing the quiet of the shop. When he opened his eyes, a beautiful face was hovering just inches from his own. A playful smile touched Ren's lips as he reached out, gently pinching the smooth, porcelain cheek.
"Yuko," he murmured, his voice low and amused. "What are you up to?"
Ichihara Yuuko didn't pull away immediately. Instead, she simply held his gaze, her dark eyes searching his. After a long, silent moment, she finally leaned back, freeing herself from his touch and settling properly into her seat. A sly, knowing grin spread across her face. "Ren, were you just thinking about Albedo?"
Her words hung in the air, causing Ren to pause. A flicker of something unreadable passed through his eyes before he smiled, a slow, easy curve of his lips. "A little, perhaps. Though I'm more curious about when Jinx will finally get here."
Yuuko tilted her head, considering it. "That crazy girl… she probably won't show up until tonight at the earliest. It's just as likely she and Cerberus are off having too much fun somewhere."
"That part doesn't matter," Ren said, a hint of concern in his tone. "What I'm worried about is Jinx arriving and deciding the Kengan Matches are her personal playground. That could lead to some real problems."
Yuuko thought for a moment. "She'll be punished?"
Ren shook his head. "Not to that extent. The Kengan Association might look like it's bound by rules, but it's surprisingly casual about certain things. The 'trouble' I'm referring to is Jinx getting a wild idea, running off to some unknown corner of the city to cover it in graffiti, and getting herself caught."
A corner of Yuuko's mouth twitched. Good heavens, that was exactly the kind of thing Jinx would do. Though the girl always proclaimed herself a heinous supervillain, she rarely killed anyone. Her passions lay in spectacular destruction and elaborate, chaotic pranks.
"You'll be returning to your own world after the matches are over, won't you?" Yuuko asked, her voice suddenly losing its teasing edge. "How long will it be until you can come back?"
Hearing the question, Yuuko felt a sharp, unwelcome prickle of irritation. It was the same feeling as reaching the end of a long-awaited vacation after a year of grueling work—the looming return to routine felt deeply unjust.
Though the thought soured her mood, she masked it with a practiced, radiant smile. "What's this, Ren? You'll miss me? Or perhaps… you're already missing me?"
She had fully expected him to quickly deny it, perhaps turning the joke back on her. She was prepared for the familiar back-and-forth. But then, she froze.
Ren simply nodded, his expression completely serious. "Hmm. That's right. I'll genuinely miss having someone to keep me company in the shop at night."
A faint blush crept up Yuuko's neck, warming her cheeks. She shot him a glare that held more heat than malice. "I never said I wasn't coming back! And honestly, you have a real talent for saying things that put people on the spot without a shred of warning."
"That's what makes it interesting," he replied, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
"Tsk… You have a terminal case of black-belly…"
"Hmm," Ren agreed, a low chuckle in his voice. "Terminal stage black-belly, incurable."
Yuuko let out an indignant huff and said nothing more. As much as she enjoyed their verbal sparring, she didn't particularly relish the feeling of her blood pressure skyrocketing.
On the other side of the counter, Yuuka Kazami, who had stayed through the night, placed a single gold coin on the polished wood. Her voice was as soft as a rustling leaf. "When will you open the shop again?"
"One week," Ren answered.
"One week, is it? Understood."
With Yuuka Kazami's departure, the last customer of the day was gone. Ren immediately walked to the door and flipped the sign to 'Closed'. When he turned back, he saw Yuuko patting the seat next to her, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Ren, come here. I have something to ask you."
Without a trace of shyness, Ren walked straight over and sat down. Yuuko smiled, draping her arm casually over the back of his chair. "Interview time," she announced playfully. "Mr. Ren, are you nervous right now?"
"Hmm? Nervous? Of course," he said, his tone utterly placid. "After all, talking with you always puts me on edge, Yuko. So please, go easy on me, considering I have a match tomorrow."
Yuuko blinked, then threw her hands up in exasperation. "I meant are you nervous about the match! Not about being with me! And I don't see you being nervous at all! You're always stroking my hair like I'm some kind of cat!"
"But you've never resisted, Yuko."
"I'm giving you a chance for self-reflection and change!"
"Eh? So if I don't reflect," he mused, a thoughtful look on his face, "I can just keep doing this?"
Before Yuuko could form a retort, a figure appeared at the top of the stairs. Lucifer, clad in simple pajamas, descended with a lazy yawn. "Yuko, even though your relationship with Ren is progressing at a startling pace, I always get the feeling you two are just dating."
Yuuko huffed, annoyed. "Impossible. But Lucifer, what's this? Are you jealous?"
"Me? If I were to get jealous of Ren, I'd have to drink vinegar by the gallon," Lucifer said dryly. "Speaking of which, Ren, you're accompanying Kirari for her workout today, right? Is there anything you need to buy? For tomorrow, I mean. We can pick it up while we're out."
"It seems there are a few things," Ren replied. "I'll make you a list later."
Just as Lucifer had planned, Ren spent the day acting as Momobami Kirari's coach for her final training session. Meanwhile, Lucifer and the others went shopping, completely unconcerned with the time, since the shop wouldn't be opening that night.
In a well-appointed hotel room, Suzuki Sonoko finished tidying her luggage. She pulled out her phone, skillfully found a contact, and placed a call. It rang twice before connecting.
"Ran!" Sonoko chirped. "We're leaving tomorrow! Have you packed everything?"
"Eh? Oh, that's the easy part," Ran's voice came through the speaker. "It's still early, so let's go shopping! We can buy anything we're missing then. Still, it's such a coincidence that Dad is out of town on a case for a whole week."
"Alright! See you at the usual spot!"
Meanwhile, at Totsuki Academy, Kobayashi Rindou was humming a cheerful tune as she tossed items into a bag. Akanegakubo Momo, unfortunately, had been called away for an overseas research trip. Rindou hadn't bothered calling Erina and the others; they were only first-years, and even as members of the Elite Ten, they still had classes and other duties to attend to.
"Hmm… I'll just head to the Commercial Street and find Sonoko and the others," she decided with a grin. "I'm sure I'll run into them eventually."
With her deceptively light-looking backpack slung over her shoulder, Rindou headed out.
At the same time, Sōryūin Shion and Amou Kirukiru returned to Shion's sprawling mansion. Shion stretched languidly, the picture of aristocratic ease. "Kirukiru, any thoughts?"
"What thoughts?" Kirukiru replied, her voice flat. "Does the fact that your lipstick is a darker shade than usual count, Shion?"
"I really shouldn't ask you these things," Shion sighed. "But I'll be seeing Ren tomorrow. I told him I'd go before but ended up standing him up, so he might ask about it. Kirukiru?"
"Depends on my mood."
"That's so like you… Fine. We leave tomorrow, so let's relax to the fullest today."
As the sun climbed higher in the sky, countless people and countless businesses bustled with activity. In this brief window of time, the beasts enjoyed their last leisurely afternoon, basking in the warm sun.
When the next cold night ends, when the next dawn breaks…
The ferocious beasts will begin to fight, each for their own purpose.
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