Please Play Fatego With Me

"Yukino, look, they really can't see you." Shirou waved towards that direction.

The other party's gaze remained fixed on the destroyed school wall, completely failing to notice the oddly dressed guy waving at him.

"Hmph... Well, let's go somewhere less conspicuous for now." Yukino had finally calmed down a bit. She stood up, tugged on Shirou's sleeve, and led him towards the small grove within the campus.

Mash hurried to follow. When they reached the grove, Yukino stopped and looked at the pink-haired girl.

"So, Mash, please explain properly! Since there are extenuating circumstances, I won't pursue the matter of you calling me here without permission. However, since I've been dragged into this, I have the right to ask for all the details, don't you agree?" Yukino Yukinoshita stated logically.

"I understand, senpai," Mash replied obediently.

Shirou also tried to mediate, saying, "Mash is doing this to protect everyone. After all, we can't just leave monsters like that alone. Yukino, don't be angry. Let's all sit down and talk."

"Shut up, you ignorant person! Anyway, even if you knew there was danger, you'd probably rush in without regard for your own safety, you awkward good-for-nothing! And this time! You're the one who dragged me into this! Are you even aware of that, Shirou-kun!" Yukino seemed even angrier, showing the boy a chilling smile.

"Yes, I'm sorry." The boy was speechless and honestly lowered his head in admission.

Didn't she just say she wouldn't pursue it? She's a little scary. Where did that shy, cute girl from earlier go?

If he had known beforehand that this close friend was Yukino, he would have definitely chosen someone else. He hadn't expected that the summoned support would not be a Heroic Spirit, but that he'd summoned the person along with it.

But then again, if a big guy in Ushiwakamaru's attire had jumped out of his phone, Shirou would have clutched his face in despair.

The boy thought with respect, 'Although I'm truly sorry, Lady Yukino, please guide me well in the future. Consider it an extension of our Service Club's work.'

Yukino watched Hachiman bow his head in apology, her anger finally subsiding a little. She also knew the seriousness of the situation and couldn't just stand by and do nothing. However, before that, she had one life-or-death question that needed clarification.

"First question, Mash, if the Heroic Spirit's wish is fulfilled, what will happen to me? Will I stay here? Or return to where I was originally?"

"Because Yukino-senpai appeared as a friend's support, you will be sent back to where senpai was originally," Mash explained.

"Is that so? That's good." Reassured by Mash's promise, Yukino breathed a sigh of relief, her tense expression finally easing.

"Then now, Yukino-senpai, please fulfill the wish first. We can discuss the rest later. If we don't respond to a Heroic Spirit's wish for too long, we might be punished. If we encounter a Heroic Spirit with a bad temper, the consequences could be dire, like with Marshal C, Gabrielle, or Kiyohime..." Mash shuddered just imagining it.

"Ah... it really is like that. The consequences are terrifying." Shirou communicated with the will of Saint George within his soul. Fortunately, the request made by the other party was not difficult to fulfill.

As expected, even Heroic Spirits from mobile games are still Heroic Spirits, and they are all terrifying existences.

"Yukino, hurry up and state the Heroic Spirit's request," Shirou urged. However, she appeared hesitant and fidgety.

"I want..." Noticing Shirou's gaze, Yukino lowered her head and quickly whispered. Her current attire was embarrassing, but the wish she had to fulfill was embarrassing in a different way.

"What? You're too quiet, I can't hear you. If Yukino doesn't say it clearly, I won't know how to help you," Shirou asked confusedly.

"Ugh! I want someone like my brother to gently pat my head and praise me!" Yukino shouted loudly, her face flushed, having given up on herself.

"Ah... oh." Shirou was stunned by Yukino's words. He hadn't expected the "ice beauty" Yukino to show such an expression, and to make such a cute request...

His mind couldn't help but wander, imagining what it would be like to have a sister like Yukino and live together. He then thought about what it would be like if she wasn't his sister, and suddenly felt a little shy himself.

"Shirou! Are you going to do it or not!" Yukino glared angrily at the boy who was shyly lost in thought. She should be the one feeling shy.

"Yes! Leave it to me! I'm quite good at patting heads." Shirou didn't dare to hesitate any longer and agreed, nodding. After all, he had a sister at home who loved to act cute and spoiled.

The boy reached out his hand and placed it on the girl's head. He felt the smooth texture of her hair and gently stroked it back and forth, saying softly, "There, there, good girl. You were amazing. Thanks to your help, we protected the school."

"Waaah... this is too embarrassing..." Feeling the warmth on her head, Yukino's already flushed face turned so red that her earlobes seemed almost ripe. At this moment, the girl began to glow with white light, indicating that the Heroic Spirit was satisfied.

"Forget everything that happened today!" the girl threatened the boy amidst the glow.

"Well, when we get back, remember to contact me. Goodbye, Mr. Aipan's Snow Cat~!" the boy replied with a mischievous grin.

The light surrounding the girl intensified, eventually turning into particles and dissipating into the air. Only her school uniform jacket fell to the ground.

The boy walked over and picked up the jacket. He could still feel the lingering warmth and faint scent left from when the girl had held it tightly.

A moment later, his phone buzzed with a new message.

He opened his phone and saw it was a private chat.

"Stand where you are and wait for me! I'm coming right over! And... forget everything that just happened! Everything!"

"She tells me to forget, but this shocking scene keeps replaying in my mind," the boy said helplessly.

Every action the girl had taken, her fair skin, her slender, smooth back, all flashed through his mind. His memory was incredibly clear. Sometimes, having too good eyesight wasn't a good thing.

The boy hesitated for a moment, then typed three words and sent them.

Chapter 15: A Visit to Yukino's House

At this moment, in a room in a high-rise apartment, a pale yellow desk lamp illuminated the living room. The empty sofa, the dark TV screen, and the spacious area seemed exceptionally quiet. Suddenly, a sound echoed from within.

"Splish splash!" Accompanied by the sound of water being stirred, a girl's laughter could be heard, echoing for a long time.

After a while, the door to the inner room opened, and a black-haired girl walked out. Her cheeks were flushed from a long bath, her face rosy and radiant, and a faint warmth emanated from her body.

The black-haired girl looked at the words 'Who am I?' on her phone, which was in a waterproof bag. The boy's act of feigning amnesia came to mind. She then recalled the scene of her head being patted, and a beautiful smile curved her lips again. She felt inexplicably better.

Although the previous experience was embarrassing, thinking that the person who saw it was him made her feel a strange mix of shame and joy. What was this peculiar feeling? Yukino Yukinoshita didn't quite understand it yet.

In the room the girl had just emerged from, the lingering mist had yet to dissipate. Water droplets dripped from the faucet, splashing and creating a ticking sound.

The surface of the water in the steaming bathtub, which had just returned to calm, was once again disturbed.

The girl pondered for a moment, sent another message, and turned to walk into her bedroom.

The girl lightly brushed her long hair, which cascaded down, releasing the sweet and tangy scent of fruity shampoo.

Meanwhile, back at school.

"Alright, Shirou-senpai, stop playing on your phone. You should deactivate your Heroic Spirit possession state too," Mash, the pink-haired kouhai, said to Shirou with a hint of teasing.

"Right, then Mash, come here for a second," Shirou beckoned the girl to approach him.

"What is it?" Mash walked forward, confused.

"Mhm, make a V-sign like this," Shirou instructed.

"Like this?" Mash followed her senpai's instructions, raising both hands. She felt a bit embarrassed.

"Exactly! Say cheese!" Shirou stretched out his arm, placing it on Mash's shoulder and pulling her closer. With his other hand, he raised his phone and pressed the shutter button! The boy and girl appeared on the phone screen.

Thus, Teacher Qiao's wish to take a photo was fulfilled. The armor on Shirou dissolved into light, reverting him to his original school uniform.

What the boy didn't know was that in the very instant the photo was taken, on the image of another man with silver hair and white robes that lit up in his mobile game, the transparent compatibility bar surged with golden light, increasing from less than one percent to ten percent.

"Thanks, Mash," Shirou said with a smile to his junior after returning to his normal human form.

"It's nothing..." Mash, with her shoulder still being held, blushed and thought to herself that she would never tell her senpai that she actually wanted to increase her compatibility with him. The day Archer Shirou returned and Saber Shirou was added to the gacha pool would be the day she'd defy fate with a single summon, finally becoming a European who possessed a max-NP golden card man!

"MailMail!" At that moment, his phone vibrated, and he received another message from the girl: 'Meet me at my place.'

"Indeed, there isn't a good place to talk here either," Shirou said to the pink-haired girl after looking at the message. "It seems we'll have to go find Yukino. Let's go."

"Eh? Oh..." Mash blinked in confusion and followed Shirou out of the school gates.

After emerging from the alternate space, the trees outside the school gates that had been burned down were all intact. Only the school gate's wall, which had been heavily damaged by the Chimera that time, had a large chunk smashed.

After that, Shirou and Mash took the subway and arrived at the upscale apartment building where Yukino lived.

"Senpai? Where is this?" Mash asked, confused.

"This is where Yukino lives," Shirou said as he walked into the apartment building. Living alone here without outside disturbance was indeed more suitable for discussing such private matters.

Shirou walked to the building's intercom panel next to the security door and pressed the apartment number. Soon, it connected, and the girl's somewhat cool and quiet voice came from the speaker: "Yes?"

"Yo, Yukino, we're here," Shirou greeted through the camera.

"Come in," the girl said and immediately hung up.

The closed security door slid open to both sides. Shirou gestured for Mash to follow him.

The elevator happened to be on the first floor. Shirou took Mash inside and, without needing to look, pressed the floor number. The green digital display above the elevator door continuously rose, finally stopping at fifteen, and the doors opened.

Yukino's place was number seven on the fifteenth floor. After exiting the elevator, they walked about fifty steps to the right and arrived.

"Wait! Shirou-senpai, why are you so familiar with this place?" Mash asked, her face full of surprise. How could he be so at ease, as if he were coming home?

"No, I just came here once during the school festival for something," Shirou replied as he stepped forward and rang the doorbell.

To maintain such a calm and composed demeanor when visiting a girl's home, how many times had he done this before? Twice, three times... or more than ten times!

The image of Shirou-senpai in her mind collapsed and was rewritten once again!

The door was opened quickly. Inside stood Yukino Yukinoshita, wearing loungewear: a fluffy, off-white long-sleeved shirt that revealed her fair neck and delicate collarbone...

"Please come in, Mash, and you too, the one with the blank stare," Yukino opened the door and invited them.

"Yes, Yukino-senpai, sorry for the intrusion," Mash replied obediently and walked into the house.

"Oh..." Shirou followed her into the room and noticed a black ribbon tied like a bow around Yukino's waist and lower back. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be an apron with a cat pattern. Her dark, thick hair shone like freshly polished black pearls, with some slightly damp strands seeming to glimmer under the light.

'Her hair is still damp. Did she just come out of the bath? Meaning, I might have... No... Did I do something terrible?' Shirou's eyes widened, once again troubled by his keen eyesight.

"You two sit down for a while and watch some TV. I'll start making dinner," Yukino said with a smile as she walked towards the kitchen. She took a knife from the shelf, which gleamed coldly under the light.

Shirou's expression changed. He lunged forward, snatched the knife from her hand, and said with a smile, "I'll help!"

"..." Yukino glanced at the boy as if he were an idiot and then said, "Then I'll trouble you with washing and chopping the vegetables."

"Okay! Leave it all to me!" Shirou agreed cheerfully. To get his life back, he'd do this for the rest of his life if he had to.

Yukino took broccoli out of the refrigerator and handed it over.

Shirou took it, placed it on the cutting board, and brought the knife down along the stem, first cutting off the tough parts. Then, several flashes of the blade cut the broccoli into small pieces, clean and swift, leaving no crumbs. The broccoli separated into evenly sized pieces, like tiny green trees.

At this moment, Yukino handed over a basin. The timing was perfect.

Shirou took it, swept the broccoli into the basin with his knife, turned on the faucet, and rinsed it clean, setting it aside.

When the boy picked up the knife again, Yukino placed the beef on the cutting board.

The blade tilted slightly, and the beef was sliced into crystal-clear pieces.

With their tacit cooperation, the preparations before cooking were completed smoothly, almost in one go.

"Wait! Senpai, why are you so naturally helping out with cooking at a girl's house?" Mash, who had been watching them with wide eyes due to their perfect coordination, snapped back to reality and asked in surprise.

"Eh? Classmates of the same grade, kouhai from the same club, coming over to help with breakfast or dinner is quite normal, isn't it?" Shirou asked Yukino, looking confused. He didn't have many friends, so he always thought it was ordinary.

"What reason made your brain cells mistakenly think I could answer that question? But cooking with friends should be pretty normal, right?" Yukino retorted, looking at Shirou with disdain. She didn't have many friends either, so she didn't have much experience in this regard, but she did enjoy teaching Yuihama how to make sweets.

"No! It's not normal at all!" Mash strongly objected. What was wrong with these two? Their brains were so synchronized in their lack of common sense! Even an artificial human knew this, so why didn't these two?

Chapter 16: Da Vinci Appears

In the luxurious high-rise apartment, the range hood was humming as the boy tossed stir-fried ingredients in a wok, preparing tonight's dinner.

Shirou had initially just offered to help, but as they chatted, he complimented the girl's cooking, which somehow ignited Yukino's competitive spirit.

She insisted on dragging the boy into a cooking competition. The boy and girl stood on opposite sides of the stove, each making one dish.

Hot oil sizzled, smoke rose, and after about ten minutes, the dishes were plated on bowls adorned with cat patterns and brought to the living room table.

Shirou made a Chinese-style stir-fried beef with radish, while Yukino prepared broccoli with pan-fried steak. In the pot, there was also a tofu miso soup with bonito flakes and kelp, exuding the aroma of soy products. It was not only delicious but also rich in nutrients.

"Judge, please eat," Shirou said, handing the bowl and chopsticks to Mash.

At this moment, Yukino also gazed at Mash, anticipating her verdict.

"I understand, I'll start tasting now." Mash seemed infected by the atmosphere. She carefully took off her glasses, put them away, glanced at the two seniors, and nodded.

Her chopsticks first reached for the sliced steak. The dark red steak was pan-fried to a perfect crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Taking a bite, the meat juices overflowed, and the tender beef combined with the flavorful sauce, completely satisfying the carnivorous part of a human.

Then, she picked up a piece of bright green broccoli, dipped it in the steak sauce, and put it in her mouth. It was crisp and tender.

It was like riding a bull to the grassy plains of a great mountain, the bull's hooves treading through flowerbeds, attracting butterflies to dance around.

Mash's appetite was completely stimulated. She finished the steak and broccoli on the plate, clearing it clean.

"Lady Yukino's cooking is delicious! Professional chefs probably can't beat this," Mash exclaimed with great satisfaction.

"Thank you for the compliment," Yukino replied with a smile, glancing triumphantly at the boy. Ever since Shirou had shown more skill than her when teaching Yuihama cooking before, she had secretly practiced, vowing to win back her pride.

"Then, next is Shirou-senpai," Mash said, looking at the other plate of stir-fry, which also emitted a fragrant aroma. The white radish was crystal clear, layered with slices of beef, making it look very appealing.

But she had already fully satisfied her craving for both meat and vegetables with the previous dish. Even with the lingering taste of that delicious meal, could she properly savor the next dish?

With this doubt, Mash picked up a slice of radish, wrapped it around a piece of beef, and took a bite. The girl's doubt vanished instantly.

It was incredibly delicious. The sweetness of the radish and the tenderness of the beef instantly filled her mouth, like a sudden gush of clear water, washing away the richness of the steak, the crispness of the broccoli, and the intense flavors from her mind.

This was a taste the girl remembered. She had eaten similar dishes at Chaldea before, but Heroic Spirit Emiya's cooking was perfect, reaching the pinnacle of home-style cooking. And now, within that perfection, this dish seemed to have added a touch of 'happiness.'