"Sure! Let's go! I've wanted to get out and wander around forever. I'm going moldy cooped up in this hotel!" Satoru Gojo answered immediately, grabbing the black jacket draped over a chair and slinging it over his shoulder as he eagerly charged toward the door.
Qingxiao tugged at his shirt and let out a helpless chuckle. He had no objections either and casually agreed. "No problem. It'll be nice to get some fresh air."
The three pushed the door open and left the room. They had only just reached the corner of the hallway when they ran into Shoko, who had already finished getting ready and was quietly waiting there.
She had changed into a fresh, casual outfit, her short hair neatly combed smooth and her expression relaxed. Seeing the three approaching, she greeted them with a faint smile in her eyes. They exchanged glances, joined up, and headed toward Shopping Street outside the hotel together.
A gentle breeze drifted along the afternoon street. The sunlight was soft rather than glaring, and the sweltering midday heat had faded, making it especially pleasant for a stroll.
The three tall, straight-backed boys walked side by side, each with a distinctly different presence, their height particularly striking. They unconsciously slowed their steps, naturally surrounding the petite Shoko in the middle.
Passersby and tourists out shopping could not help repeatedly turning to look, studying the group curiously. The four looked nothing like ordinary friends shopping together. They looked exactly like an escort protecting a mob boss's daughter.
With the three guarding her on every side, Shoko endured all sorts of looks from passersby along the way. Unable to take it anymore, she helplessly pressed a hand to her forehead, her shoulders drooping slightly. "Can you three act normal? You look way too much like a gang of street delinquents. People have been turning to stare the whole way."
"Who cares? As long as we look good!" Satoru Gojo paid no attention whatsoever to the looks from others and even grew more brazen. "We hardly ever get to go shopping. What's the fun if we don't stand out?"
Walking on the outside, Suguru Geto chuckled at that. He turned toward the helpless Shoko beside him and gently added, "We are drawing a little too much attention, but no one dares come bother us, either. Keeps things safe."
Walking on the other side, Qingxiao looked at Shoko beside him, both helpless and amused, and deliberately lightened his steps. He silently shifted half a step outward, quietly shielding her from the passing crowds.
They strolled along like that, past streets lined with shops, with dessert shops, cold drink shops, and general stores offering a dazzling variety. The breeze carried the sweet scent of baking, and the atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant, free of the tension of their mission.
Just as they reached the busiest central stretch of Shopping Street, Satoru Gojo, walking at the front, suddenly rolled his eyes, a trace of cunning flashing in them.
He quickly wiped the playful grin off his face, deliberately tightened his mouth, and furrowed his brows, forcing a grave, serious expression as though something urgent had happened. He offered an unbelievably flimsy excuse, his acting stiff and the amusement in his eyes not even fully concealed.
"Oh, right, Geto! I just remembered there was a mistake in one of the details in yesterday's mission wrap-up documents! We need to hurry over, check it, and fix it. If we're late, something could go wrong, and the supervisor will hold us responsible!"
His words were riddled with holes and utterly halfhearted, even his tone betraying a deliberately panicked air. Before Suguru Geto beside him could react, Satoru Gojo grabbed his wrist and dragged him around, sprinting in the opposite direction as though afraid that even a second's delay would let the other two expose his scheme.
Suguru Geto stumbled at the sudden tug and was dragged away before he could regain his footing. His face was full of resignation. He saw right through Satoru Gojo's clumsy, childish scheme, but could hardly expose it, so he could only play along.
As they ran, Suguru Geto could not help glancing back at Qingxiao and Shoko standing side by side, taking in the subtle, bashful atmosphere between them. He sighed softly, amusement in his eyes, and silently cooperated with Satoru Gojo's maneuver.
Their figures soon disappeared around the street corner, fleeing without a trace. The lively street suddenly fell quiet, leaving only Qingxiao and Shoko standing there.
Their sudden solitude instantly made the atmosphere delicate. Even the clamor of voices on the street seemed separated by a veil, growing distant and indistinct.
Watching the two hastily flee as though beating a panicked retreat, Qingxiao needed little thought to understand what they were up to.
Satoru Gojo, at least put some effort into your acting, you chovy, Qingxiao cursed inwardly, but things had already come to this, so he could only steel himself and go ahead.
His whole body stiffened, and his heartbeat suddenly sped up, pounding against his chest. A faint heat quickly spread across his cheeks, the tips of his ears turned completely red, and even his neck took on a pale flush.
He touched his nose awkwardly, suppressing the panic and shyness surging inside him. Taking a deep breath and summoning all the courage he had ever possessed, he turned toward Shoko beside him, whose eyes held a smile. With a barely perceptible rasp and nervousness in his voice, he softly ventured, "Then... shall we go shopping together, just the two of us?"
Shoko looked up, her clear gaze settling on him, taking in the boy's reddened ears, tense jaw, and awkward yet sincere demeanor.
She understood at once. With a teasing smile, she nodded lightly and readily agreed. "Sure. Just the two of us, then."
As she spoke, Shoko took two slow steps forward, putting a little distance between them, then turned sideways and tilted her head to look at Qingxiao, who was still rather stiff and thoroughly ill at ease.
"I never thought Satoru would care about a mistake in one of the details in the mission wrap-up documents." Shoko smiled faintly, her tone unmistakably teasing.
Her words made Qingxiao even more embarrassed. His gaze wandered, and he did not dare meet her eyes, managing only a quiet murmur of acknowledgment.
But just as her last words were trailing off, with the smile still lingering on her lips-
Boom-!!!
P.S. Thanks to Flying Koi for the five-star review. Here's an extra chapter for him.
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