Date-a-live: ーSpiritual Kinshipー

Volume 8- Chapter 98 - Natsumi - Witch

A week later, on the 15th of October, sunday. It was the time when the city's ornaments were filled with Halloween decorations. Syouji and Mayuri were heading towards the shopping district to buy ingredients for dinner.

"Ooh... So this is Halloween?"

"Yeah. Come to think of it, this is probably your first time seeing Halloween huh?"

Saying that, Syouji looked around. There were pumpkins and ghosts decorated in front of the general store.

"That's right. Aren't pumpkins delicious? Can you cook me a meal containing them?"

"I don't see why not. If I remember correctly, there should be minced meat remaining from back when I went grocery shopping with Kotori. Unless of course Shidou already cooked it for Tohka. If he didn't, then let's make it minced, boiled or in a croquette."

"Ooh!" Mayuri's eyes sparkled with glee and grabbed Syouji's hand and began swinging it back and forth. "Croquette is great, but why can't we have all of them?"

"O-Oi Mayuri... your Tohka is showing."

"Wh— How rude! How could you say that?"

"By forming words with my tongue and lips."

"Nnggh! Whatever, you idiot! let's just go buy the pumpkins..."

Mayuri pouted in defiance as Syouji showed a self-approving smirk. Then, after buying the pumpkins to use for dinner, he turned towards Mayuri who was happily walking beside him while holding his hand with an exuberant smile.

"Hey did you know that pumpkins are related to cucumbers and are actually the source of luffas? What's more is that there are about a hundred different kinds of varieties, the most recognizable one being the Jack o' lantern which are usually used in Halloween."

Syouji rambled on about pumpkins. If it were with anyone else, he would likely be laughed at or dismissed. Moreover, if it was that person she would most definitely reply with [I know] and fall back into silence, but with Mayuri, it was different.

She was silent yet, but she was also listening intently while nodding along with a smile and actually seemed to be interested in the topic.

When Syouji was absorbed in his discussion on pumpkins, he focused on Mayuri and paid no heed to his surroundings.

"Syouji, look out!" Mayuri warned, but it was too late. Around the time she said that, Syouji collided into a human shadow that came out from the side of the road and almost fell on his butt were it not for Mayuri catching him.

"They're also used for— guh!"

"Whoa..."

"Ah, look what you did... Hey are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine."

After helping Syouji stand up, he noticed the human shadow that collided with him just now as his face went pale.

It was a male around 50 years old sitting on a wheelchair and the one pushing him was a woman wearing glasses who looked like she was in her mid-twenties.

"I am very sorry for not paying attention. Are you hurt sir? come on, you apologize too idiot."

"I-I um... very sorry. Didn't look front, my fault it was..." Syouji's brain was scrambled up trying to speak English as he lowered his head apologetically. When he did that, the man swung his head while making a gentle smile and talked in Japanese probably to consider Syouji's current state.

"No, I am sorry too. That said, are you okay Syouji? Have you been keeping up with your Combat Realizer training?"

"Am I okay... I'm doing fine these days, sir. It's still a bit difficult to control a more condensed Realizer, but lately progress has been coming along nicely sir."