*** Whoops, sorry for the late post, it’s literally a hectic week, and I also forgot. But here you go, we finally start the 2nd chapter***
Part ①Rendezvous of Trust
In the city of Kyoto, crowded with residents and tourists.
"Please be careful not to get separated."
"Yes... Yuu nii-sama..."
Shindo Yuuji was walking with Hououin Sakura, the "Princess of Amazakura," the pride of Kyoto Headquarters.
Sakura was still a girl in her mid-teens. However, she had a beauty that made people turn their heads when she walked outside. Her body had grown to be close to that of an adult woman, and it was fresh and lustrous, but she was still in the development stage and her underwear soon became too small for her, and she always exuded a female pheromone. Her hair was shoulder-length, without a single split end. The charisma she exuded as a princess attracted people, no matter how dull they were.
In short.
If she just walked normally, it was obvious that she would be harassed by men everywhere. Sakura wasn't weak enough to be left behind by ordinary people, but she couldn't cause any trouble.
She hesitates to use her spiritual power carelessly, and if she uses concealment techniques, the person she wants to talk to won't notice her.
It's cruel to tell a girl of that age to stay quiet at the shrine. Although she is the most important person in protecting Kyoto, and by extension Japan, she should be able to ensure her livelihood.
That's why she takes someone with her when she goes out like this.
Especially since Yuuji came to Kyoto, Sakura has only requested him to accompany her. Yuuji has his own circumstances, but there's no way he could refuse an imperial command from the princess. Being a man also serves as a repellent. In fact, if it weren't for Yuuji, the number of times she'd been hit on could be counted on one hand.
Yuuji doesn't dislike Sakura. Rather, he respects her for shouldering a heavy responsibility at such a young age and yet never letting a single complaint slip through her fingers. He is determined to protect her at all costs.
But, to be honest--there are some things about her that he doesn't like. It's not that she's bad. It was a problem with Yuuji's mindset.
"Ah."
Sakura's shoulder bumped into a passerby and she stopped in her tracks. For a moment, she was separated from Yuuji.
"Are you okay, Princess?"
"Yes... Thank you, Yuuji."
Reflexively, Yuuji held out his hand to Sakura. Sakura took it and held it tightly. Yuuji had intended to let go immediately, but she didn't let him.
As a result, they ended up walking hand in hand. Sakura, who was originally a quiet person, lowered her head and said nothing. Yuuji couldn't even make a witty joke. From the outside, they must have looked like a fresh couple. In fact, there was a hint of sweetness in the jealous looks.
There was no particular purpose. After picking out a few books at the bookstore and visiting a few general stores and apparel shops, it was past noon.
Although it was crowded, we decided to have lunch at a nearby coffee shop.
"It's delicious..."
"Yeah, I just choosed randomly, but it was the right choice."
Sakura was really cute stuffing her pasta into her mouth. Even Yuuji, who spent a lot of time there, found himself captivated.
Yuuji told himself not to be conscious of it, and forced himself to look away.
Yuuji quickly finished his gratin and took a sip of coffee. He hadn't taken into account the speed at which the woman ate, and it was a rough response to the princess. However, it may have been an expression of his impatience, wanting the job to be over quickly.
The formal conversation suddenly came to an end.
Sakura suddenly put down her fork,
"Yuu-nii-sama."
"Y-Yes. How was it?"
Yuuji was worried that he had done something disrespectful.
However, the words she spoke were not of that nature.
"I somehow know that you, Yuu-nii-sama... see me as someone else..."
"!"
Yuuji was choked up by the sudden hit. He hadn't thought that she could see through him that well.
A friend that Yuuji had lost, a friend that was taken from him. A precious childhood friend. A girl who was a demon-exorcising shrine maiden.
As she grew up, Sakura began to resemble her in some ways. And it was only natural, as they were of the same bloodline.
"And I'm sure you're feeling pain because of that..."
As he looked at Sakura, he remembered that day, when the Kanto Exorcist League collapsed. The most painful thing for him was the words of farewell told to him by his beloved childhood friend and senior. Somewhere in his heart, he let his guard down, thinking that they loved him. Because of that, Yuuji lost everything.
If he continued to empathize with Sakura like this.
If he ended up losing her.
He would never be able to recover. It feels like it might break even now.
That anxiety has been with me ever since. I was thinking of refusing to accept the lunches she makes for me every day, almost on impulse.
As if she could see through Yuuji's worries.
"Eh?"
Sakura's hand rested on the one he had placed on the table.
"I don't mean to say anything bad about the people who betrayed you, Yuuji-nii-sama... But--"
Raising her captivating eyes to Yuuji, Sakura conveyed her feelings.
"I will never betray you, like those women. I believe that it was fate that I was able to meet you, Yuuji nii-sama... No matter what hardships come my way... No matter what despair awaits me... I will be with you, Yuuji nii-sama."
Finally, Sakura's cheeks flushed crimson, she looked away, and spoke in a faint voice. She almost said something she hadn't intended to say.
Yuuji was touched by the princess's sincere feelings. He was almost ashamed of himself for wanting to keep his relationship with her to a minimum if possible.
"Princess..."
"So, Yuu nii-sama... please"
She said with a smile that captivated everyone who saw her.
"Please protect me."
Oh, that's too unfair, Yuuji thought with a wry smile.
After being told this much, he couldn't just run away after making her the princess.
"I'm sorry, Princess."
"Yuu nii-sama..."
"Oh, sorry, it's not that!"
Mistaking the apology as a refusal, Sakura's eyes welled up. Yuuji hurriedly bowed his head, then looked her in the eyes,
"--Princess."
"Y-Yes."
"I'm still inexperienced. As an exorcist, I'm not even close to "that guy's." But I'll get stronger. I'll get stronger and stronger. So, you--"
Shaking off the images of his former companions, the exorcist priestesses, that flashed in his mind,
"Let me protect you."
"Yuuji nii-sama..."
As if overcome with emotion, Sakura covered her mouth with her palm.
"Sakura is a blessed person...I'm so happy..."
"P-Princess."
Yuuji realized that this was like a confession of love, but it was too late. He didn't even know if he had those feelings. He hadn't forgotten about his childhood friend whom he loved dearly--it was only natural since he'd decided to help her--but it was good that it was.
Until now, he wasn't protecting her because he was ordered to.
Yuuji resolved to become the princess's guardian in the truest sense of the word.
○
Three girls were watching Yuuji and Sakura from a seat at the far end of the same cafe.
One of them was Lina Alexander. She was an exorcist nun who had just returned from America, and an old friend of Yuuji. She was also one of the girls who had feelings for him. Today she was wearing a casual dress, exposing her sparkling blonde hair to the public.
"That's not fair, that's not fair, that's not fair," Lina complained, pouting like a child.
"The princess has got Yuuji all to herself. Maybe I should just barge in."
"Stop doing stupid things. We're in front of the princess."
It was Kagari Midori who reprimanded Lina in a strong tone.
Midori is the younger sister of Kagari Yui, captain of the Kyoto HQ First Division, and one of the exorcist shrine maidens. Among them, she is a member of a special kunoichi unit, and is one of the young ones who can already be entrusted with important missions.
Lina is quite free-spirited, and Midori is worried that she might actually do something, not just talk, so she grabs her arm tightly.
Today, they were guarding Sakura from a distance. Neither Yuuji nor Sakura knew about this fact. The pretense was that it was for the convenience of the guards, but Midori's heart ached at their behavior.
"Buu buu. Midori-chan's serious ninja."
"Seriousness and ninja are not words to belittle."
Bite the straw with her plump lips, Midori sipped her iced tea. All the while, she kept a close eye on Lina to make sure she didn't go out of control. What Midori hadn't expected was the statement of the third girl sitting at the same table. "But I understand how you feel, Lina-san." "Huh? What is Aria saying?" Midori couldn't help but interject in her natural voice at this comment. However, the person who made the comment just laughed and showed no signs of being bothered. Her name is Togaito Aria. In contrast to Lina, she has beautiful long platinum blonde hair and is a beautiful girl of noble Nordic descent. She is the student council president of Houju Academy and a leader among the young exorcists. She is a "knight" exorcist whose main weapon is a Western sword. With her un-Japanese appearance and voluptuous body, she has the mentality of a Japanese Yamato Nadeshiko, and has charisma in a different sense to Sakura. As another princess that Kyoto is proud of, she is so respected that she is called the "Princess Knight." And now she is interested in one boy. Even though they are both exorcists, this is a big deal. "He's good looking, gets good grades, is good at sports, and is kind to everyone without discrimination. But he has a dark side, which makes him seem a little dangerous."
"Hey, wait a second, Aria?"
"That's what my classmate said."
Aria let the flustered Lina down and laughed. Her attitude was as if she found teasing her friends more fun than love.
She just narrowed her eyes, looked at Yuuji, who was chatting with Sakura, and said.
"But... I think it's wonderful that even after being defeated so badly and in despair, he still try to get back up."
Those words carried weight.
The few survivors of the collapse of the Kanto Exorcist Alliance last year - that was Shindo Yuuji. The people he lost are immeasurable. Of course, he lost people that Midori and the others knew, but the depth of their relationships is different.
。
Aria is right, Midori nodded repeatedly in her mind.
Midori got to know Yuuji after he moved to Kyoto. So she can't say she knows him as well as Lina or Sakura do. But she has watched him work hard from up close. He defeated the evil sorcerer, and yet he doesn't try to get rid of his grudge just because of his own emotions. He is the most likeable boy she has ever met. Midori was quite popular with the boys at school, and they had often approached her, but none of them were as good as Yuuji.
Although she was happy to see her sister happily talking about the existence of a boyfriend, she had never been jealous.
But now she felt like she understood how her sister felt.
--But what was I thinking?
We're on a mission, and we're lost in thought too much. Midori shook her head, trying to regain her concentration. Meanwhile, the other two girls were laughing lightheartedly.
"Aria, you say the right thing! Yes, Yuuji is a wonderful boy! He's been kind since childhood, and he's always helped me out of danger."
"Well, is there ever a time when Lina is in danger? She looks like she'd beat up any thug."
"Heave-ho, heave-ho, heave-ho! I'm a young maiden too! Unlike Aria."
"Oh my, are you trying to pick a fight with me?"
They play around and lean forward.
Their large breasts are placed on the table with a thud, and Midori chokes up.
Maybe because they're of Western descent, Lina and Aria's breasts are big. Really big. Lina's breasts are over 90cm by any standards, and I heard that the male students don't know where to look after her soon after transferring to the school.
Aria's are even bigger. She had grown rapidly since middle school, and Midori had been left behind by her in the blink of an eye. When asked if this was just between us, she said that she was close to hitting the 100cm mark. It was a tradition for the girls to look at the boys bending over during the student council president's speech with disdain.
Midori knew that the princess Sakura's chest was also getting bigger and bigger.
It's not that Midori's bust size is particularly small. It's just that the people around her compare it to are just too impressive.
Although, it wasn't something she had seriously considered until recently.
The trigger was, of course, him.
--Does Yuuji really like bigger girls?
Realizing the thought that had passed for a moment, Midori shook her head. No, no, it's not like that. She's by no means the type of girl who easily falls in love like a loose-headed sister, but wouldn't that be rude to Yuuji in itself? -- Midori's thoughts couldn't come together, and her eyes spun around.
--This is not the time to be distracted by frivolous talk.
It seems that as a kunoichi, she will soon receive an important order to infiltrate. Ninja missions are very dangerous. One wrong move will put not only herself but also her comrades in danger. She cannot stay in this tension-free state forever.
"There's no need to worry, Midori."
"Eh?"
Suddenly, Aria turns the question on Midori.
"I really don't have any feelings for Shindou."
"I'm not worried at all."
"Fufufu, you did."
She's teasing her. Seriously.
At the same time, she sees Yuuji and Sakura getting up from their seats. Midori uses that as an excuse to run away. She had no choice but to run away.
○
As the student council president, and as a leader of young exorcists, she must be an exemplary presence. She must be pure and innocent.
No one had told her this, but Togaito Arias had always kept it in mind. It wasn't that she had to do everything she could and wait for fate to take its course, but she believed that in order to achieve good results, she had to make the appropriate effort.
So lying to a friend was out of the question. It was a completely different story to tricking curse users or demons. Words and actions that would cause a loss of trust and faith were unacceptable.
But she lied. She deceived. She said something completely different to what she really thought. It was a cowardly and underhanded idea, wanting to put her rival off her guard. Princess Sakura aside, she didn't want to be outsmarted by another woman. There was no doubt that Midori was attracted to Yuuji, just like Lina.
Still, she wanted her wish to come true. She herself never thought she would feel this way until she met him again.
"Shindo-kun, do you want to have tea with me?"
"Again? I have training scheduled in 30 minutes."
"If you work too hard, it will only make you less efficient. I've prepared some snacks in the lounge at the shrine office, so let's go."
Shindo Yuuji.
Aria had been thinking about him ever since he moved to Kyoto.
--No. She had been thinking about him for a long time before that.
"...I understand. I'll join you."
"Onee-san loves obedient boys.♡"
"Don't tease me."
"Hehehe."
Even though she was smiling, Aria was actually nervous. Even though it was half a joke, she had expressed her feelings. Embarrassed. It was all she could do to pretend to be calm.
But even his confusion was cute. Even though he's surrounded by so many girls, he's a pure boy. Aria likes that about him.
Hot matcha and yokan are served in the tatami-floored rest area. Yuuji, who is usually on edge, relaxes his shoulders.
"You seem tired after all. You're really trying your best."
"No, I'm not there yet. I still have a long way to go."
He tightens his grip on the hot teacup with his fingers.
"I have to get stronger. I can't protect the princess, or everyone else, like this. I can't get back what was taken from me."
Yuuji grinds his teeth painfully.
"That's not true."
"No. The truth is, I haven't done anything yet. I haven't helped anyone."
Yuuji looks down and says sad things. It feels like he'll burst into tears at any moment. Aria is ashamed of herself for praising him so easily. He had been worried about the incident that had happened in Kanto.
Although, Aria had been patient and tried to talk to him so many times, so he probably opened up to her.
Aria was overcome with emotion and impulsively,
"Ah, Aria?"
She hugged Yuuji tightly. Unintentionally, she buried his head in her huge breasts. It may have been embarrassing behavior for a young girl, but she didn't have the time to worry about it. She just didn't want to hide her feelings.
"It's not like I can't help you."
"What are you talking about..."
"Shindo-kun, do you remember?"
She whispered softly in his ear.
Memories that were supposed to be a part of the past that she wanted to erase.
To the person who rewrote them.
"The day we met."
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