Why did you have to be so handsome?! I can't even think straight.
"Kotori, lead the way," Kaito says, adjusting his grip on me slightly.
Kotori nods, turning and heading towards the left passageway.
I feel Kaito walking forward.
*thump*
*thump*
His heartbeat is normal.
(How can he act so normally…?)
As we journey through the tunnel,
Kotori is silent, always vigilant.
But Kaito begins speaking.
"So, Horikita, tell me,"
"What was a beautiful lady like you doing in a place like that?"
I stiffen. He just won't let up, will he?
"It's… a long story," I mumble, trying to avoid eye contact.
"And I don't really feel like talking about it."
"Hey, no pressure," Kaito replies, his voice softening.
"Just trying to make conversation. We've got a bit of a walk ahead of us, and I figured you might be bored."
I remain silent.
"…Alright," Kaito says after a moment, chuckling lightly,
"I'll take the hint. But if you change your mind, feel free to share."
And just like that, he ceases to say another word.
The silence in his presence is a welcome one.
I'm still exhausted, so I let myself rest in his arms.
The walk through the underground tunnel was uneventful—my thoughts, however, are not.
Eventually, we reach a metal door.
Kotori walks up to it and presses a button on its side.
A few seconds later, the door opens.
Kotori heads inside the door, and we follow.
It's just a space.
When Kotori presses another button,
The platform suddenly drops downwards, and I cry out, instinctively hugging Kaito in a panic.
"K-Kyaa!"
My arms wrap tightly around Kaito's neck, pushing my breasts tightly against his chest.
*Squish*
Caught off guard by my swift motion, Kaito instinctively steps back.
"H-Horikita?!" Kaito stammers, his face flushing slightly.
"Sorry!" I shout, quickly pushing myself away from him.
Heat rushes to my cheeks again.
"I just got scared!" I explain, avoiding eye contact.
"...It's fine," Kaito says, his voice a bit strained.
"Just… try not to do that again."
Kotori, of course, remains unfazed.
"Involuntary physical contact is a natural consequence of unexpected acceleration," Kotori states matter-of-factly.
"However, the pressure exerted by your breasts against Kaito's chest may have exceeded optimal levels, potentially causing discomfort."
I glare at her, my embarrassment reaching new heights.
"Kotori!"
Before I know it, the door opens.
"We reached the deeper level." Kotori states with a neutral expression.
"Deeper level?" I repeat, confused.
"What do you mean?"
"Intel on this facility is need-to-know, and I guess I don't need to know. All I've got is that it's pre-Calamity." Kaito replies and adjusts his arms around me, settling me more comfortably.
"Right now, the only mission is getting you patched up."
With that, we step into the new environment.
A long, spacious hallway...
Unlike before, lights illuminate the surroundings.
We walk down and eventually reach a massive door.
The door begins to automatically open, revealing a woman waiting for us on the other side.
"Haruka," Kotori states, her voice carrying a rare hint of recognition.
Haruka smiles, and it's so genuinely warm and welcoming that it instantly lowers my defenses. I feel a breath I didn't know I was holding release.
"Welcome back, Kotori, Kaito," Her voice is like a perfectly forged blade that sings when struck—clean, sharp, yet surprisingly beautiful.
Her gaze then shifts to me.
"Ah, so this is her," Haruka says▬
Her stare is so focused, it feels less like she's looking at me and more like she's looking through me.
Haruka moves toward me.
"Hmm," Haruka mutters, more to herself than to anyone else.
"Jet-black hair, high saturation... near-zero light diffusion. Excellent."
"Eye's color hex code somewhere between sakura petal and rose crystal. Rare. Delicate, but not fragile."
I stiffen, bewildered by her strange terminology. What is she talking about? My hair? My eyes? Is she… analyzing me?
Her gaze drifts downward, and she tilts her head just slightly.
"And the form... Structural integrity is superb. Perhaps trained extensively from a young age. The curves are—"
Haruka's eyes become fixated on my chest.
"Analyzing breast density and volume… The kimono interferes with the full data set, but the primary visual estimates are… F-class? Possibly G? Demons are exceptional..."
F-class?! My face burns bright red. Is she seriously talking about my?!
And she knows I'm a demon!
"Excuse me?!" I exclaim, struggling uselessly in Kaito's arms.
My body stiffens, completely taken aback by Haruka's blatant examination.
"What are you talking about?!"
My embarrassment boils over into desperation, and I strain uselessly against Kaito's arms.
This woman, Haruka, is just as bad as onee-chan! Worse, maybe! She's doing it in front of Kaito!
"Her analysis is merely an objective appraisal of your physiological attributes. While unconventional, her data collection methods are often accurate," Kotori states, completely deadpan.
"I-I don't care if it's accurate!"
"I'm leaving!" I shout, flailing my legs against Kaito's hold, trying desperately to escape.
"Whoa, easy there, Horikita!" Kaito says, tightening his arms around me.
"She's just... enthusiastic about data. She means well, honestly."
"Let me go!" I hiss, ignoring Kaito and glaring at Haruka.
Haruka, however, merely smiles, completely unbothered by my outburst. Her eyes sparkle with amusement, and she even adjusts her own revealing top slightly.
"Fascinating," Haruka mutters, seemingly to herself.
"Rapid onset of acute embarrassment, high facial vascularization. Heart rate increase detected. Standard 'tsundere' physiological response patterns. Excellent data."
"Tsundere?!" My mouth drops open.
"What are you talking about?!"
"Oh, it's a personality archetype from pre Calamity data—specifically, old narrative files," Haruka replies, her tone bright and academic.
"Characterized by an initial cold, hostile, or embarrassed exterior that gradually softens to reveal a warmer, often affectionate, interior. Your current data points align perfectly with preliminary tsundere modeling. Very efficient, actually."
My jaw clenches.
"I am not a… a 'tsundere'! I'm just… annoyed!"
"Haruka, she's still recovering," Kaito interjects, a hint of exasperation in his voice.
"Maybe save the… diagnostic for later?"
Haruka pouts slightly, but nods.
"Very well," Haruka says.
"Kaito, and Kotori - good job retrieving our guest. Please proceed to the infirmary with her. And Kotori, prepare substance for our guest."
Kotori inclines her head.
"Affirmative."
Kaito, still carrying me, begins to move through another large door behind Haruka, toward what I assume is this "infirmary."
I sigh—defeated.
The whole situation is just… overwhelming. I'm being carried by a handsome stranger, dissected by a walking encyclopedia of anatomy, and labeled a "tsundere" all in the span of a few minutes.
And somewhere, in the back of my mind, a tiny, perverse part of me almost… enjoyed it.