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Meeting a childhood friend again after years apart was undoubtedly fortunate—especially when that friend still held the same pure, untainted affection from childhood.
Honestly, Bokue Keikain had never expected to run into Tokoyogi Yuuma in a place like this.
Of course, Asagi Aiba was equally blindsided.
The three of them had known each other since childhood, though compared to the pure "childhood playmates" relationship between Bokue and Yuuma, the dynamic between Asagi and Yuuma was more like "rivals."
As mentioned before, Asagi's mother had been sickly during her childhood, requiring constant care at home. This meant Asagi couldn't go out and play freely like normal kids—she could only stay home, with gaming as her sole entertainment.
Yuuma's personality, on the other hand, leaned more toward Shidou Irina's type—always enthusiastic about dragging Bokue out to play.
Because of this, if young Asagi wanted to invite Bokue over for weekend or holiday gaming sessions, she had to beat Yuuma and Irina to the punch.
Even being slightly slow meant missing her chance.
Though more than ten years had passed, those feelings of victorious joy and defeated regret still lingered in the girl's heart.
Now, faced with her childhood rival again, Asagi's first reaction wasn't nostalgia or relief—just a massive golden exclamation mark above her head.
Oh hell, not this bitch again. After all these years, she's still trying to steal Bokue? Well too bad—you've already lost!
"Tokoyogi... why are you suddenly here?"
As the fiery sunset gradually sank below the horizon, Asagi grabbed her boyfriend's arm possessively, glaring at the short-haired girl with full wariness.
This was her marking her territory!
"Hmm~"
But compared to Asagi's high alert status, Yuuma remained completely relaxed, one hand in her pocket while the other tapped thoughtfully at her lip.
"I'd say it's just coincidence. I've been visiting Itogami Island recently—just landed this afternoon, actually. Thought I'd check out downtown, and while walking around, I spotted two very familiar-looking people ahead."
Familiar my ass...
Asagi mentally ranted.
They'd been called from behind—how could she see their faces from that angle?
"But anyway—"
Yuuma shifted gears, refocusing on the pair before her, her gaze lingering meaningfully on the young man's captured arm.
"I never expected your relationship to develop this far. Is this childhood sweethearts finally getting together?"
"...Eh?"
Asagi froze slightly.
She hadn't expected that response. Back in the day, they were either fighting over Bokue or on their way to fight over Bokue—neither willing to back down.
Yet now Yuuma was asking if they'd gotten together...
Did she see their relationship and decide to give up? Or had she genuinely let go after all these years?
It might sound dramatic, but it gave Asagi the feeling of Naruto and Sasuke's first meeting at Orochimaru's base in Shippuden—except Sasuke immediately said "I was wrong, you're stronger Naruto, I'll come back to the village quietly."
But Asagi wasn't as hardheaded as Naruto. After that compliment, all her earlier hostility melted away, and she became unexpectedly bashful.
"Well... 'finally getting together' is a bit... I mean... it's not that dramatic."
Though they had confirmed their relationship.
After all, they'd done everything they should—and shouldn't—have done.
"Oh right, right."
As if struck by inspiration, Yuuma clapped her hands together with a smile.
"You're going to dinner, right? What a coincidence—I'm looking for somewhere to eat too. But I'm really not familiar with Itogami Island, so I don't know which restaurants downtown are good. Since you're here, maybe you could recommend something? We could all have dinner together—my treat~"
Dinner... together?
Hearing this, Asagi hesitated momentarily.
Honestly, she'd rather have dinner alone with Bokue. Even if they'd known each other since childhood, even knowing about their relationship, Yuuma was still technically an outsider.
With outsiders present, she couldn't really let loose.
Things like mouth-to-mouth feeding would definitely be off the table.
But thinking about it differently—since Yuuma wasn't competing for Bokue anymore like when they were kids, they could actually be considered friends now.
As the saying goes, how delightful to have friends visit from afar. Meeting again after years, with old conflicts resolved, having dinner together seemed like a good choice.
With that thought, Asagi's mood brightened considerably. She even felt like the lady of the house entertaining guests, a small smile appearing on her face.
"Sure, let's go together then."
"Great! I'm really curious what kind of demon specialty foods Itogami Island has."
With Asagi's permission, Yuuma happily nodded, then right in front of her, circled around to Bokue's other side. Hands in pockets, leaning forward slightly, she tilted her head with feigned curiosity.
"But speaking of which, weren't you both from Kyoto? Why did you move to Itogami Island?"
"Eh? Oh... my father's a city councilman on Itogami Island now, so Mom and I moved here with him."
Asagi explained casually, then glanced at the young man beside her.
"As for Bokue, it's family business. He's been on Itogami Island monitoring the Fourth Progenitor... well, more like babysitting really."
"I see, so it's related to the Fourth Progenitor."
Yuuma nodded with apparent understanding and amazement.
Though this perfectly matched the intelligence she'd received.
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