After ten minutes of slow walking through the bustling streets of Tokyo, they stopped in front of a small yet cozy café with stained-glass windows and a sign that read "Sakura Veil."
"Allow me," Akito said, stepping forward.
He opened the door for Rei. She raised her eyebrows slightly in surprise, then smiled and walked inside. The café smelled of vanilla and fresh berries, with a soft melody playing through the speakers.
They picked a table by the window.
"Ice cream, maybe?" Akito suggested, taking a seat across from her.
"Great idea," Rei replied, leaning back in her chair. "It's pretty hot today."
A waitress approached.
"I'll have strawberry," Rei said.
"And I'll take chocolate, please," added Akito.
The waitress nodded and left. A small pause followed before Akito asked:
"So… how long have you been working as a detective?"
"Not exactly working yet," Rei shrugged. "Still in training. I'm only eighteen, but I've already earned two 'Employee of the Month' awards. My boss seems happy so far."
"Impressive," Akito said with a small smile.
"What about you? What do you do?"
He looked away for a moment, as if weighing his words.
"I used to work construction, but… now I've got the strongest, most photogenic relative who became a model," he smirked, tilting his head as if Targus were right there.
Rei let out a soft laugh. Just then, the waitress returned with their order — two glass bowls, neatly filled with colorful ice cream.
"Looks delicious," she said, digging her spoon into the strawberry scoop.
They ate quietly for a bit, then Rei, a little more softly, asked:
"What about your family, Akito? Why do you live alone?"
The question caught him off guard, but he didn't flinch. His face grew slightly more serious.
"My family died in a car crash. Mom, dad, and my older brother. I was the only one who made it."
Rei quickly looked down.
"Sorry… I didn't mean to—"
"It's alright," Akito nodded. "It was a long time ago."
"And mine…" Rei took a breath.
"My family was murdered when my brother and I were kids. One of the killers got caught. The other… disappeared. Even my brother thinks he's dead. But I still believe he's out there. And I won't give up."
Silence hung between them, but it was a soft kind — understanding, not awkward.
Then Rei smiled gently and offered:
"Let me try yours. I'll let you try mine."
"Trade?" he asked.
She nodded. They scooped a bit from each other's bowls and, almost at the same time, tasted it.
And only after swallowing did they realize what had just happened.
Their eyes met.
Rei blushed slightly and looked away with a smile. Akito kept his composure, but inside his heart was pounding.
"That was… basically a kiss…"
"He's… like me," Rei thought. "No parents. Strong… but hurting inside."
They finished in silence. When the bill came, Akito quickly stood up.
"My treat."
A minute later, they stepped outside. The city swallowed them again — cars, footsteps, noise all around.
"Let's go somewhere nice now," Akito said, raising an eyebrow slightly.
Rei looked at him, curious — but there was a sparkle of interest in her eyes.
Half an hour later, they were walking along a path in Shibuya Park, surrounded by greenery.
Leaves swayed gently in the breeze, a violinist played somewhere in the distance, and sunlight filtered through the trees. It was peaceful — as if time itself had slowed down.
Rei walked slightly ahead, occasionally glancing back at Akito.
"It's beautiful here," she said, breathing in the scent of blooming trees.
"Do you come here often?"
"I used to," he replied.
"When I was a kid, my family would come here every week. Picnics, walks, feeding ducks by the pond… It was a special place."
They reached the railing by the water. The pond's surface was smooth like a mirror, reflecting the blue sky and soft clouds.
"There was a lot of laughter here," Akito said, leaning on the rail with both hands.
"I used to think it would last forever. We'd sit over there—" he pointed to a small meadow nearby.
"Mom always brought rice balls, and Dad… silly stories. Even my brother was calm… though he did annoy me."
Rei listened silently. There was something in his voice — that quiet calm, a touch of nostalgia — that moved her. She was about to say something when a child passing by accidentally bumped into her elbow.
She lost her balance — and fell straight into Akito's arms.
For a few seconds, everything froze.
She was pressed against his chest. Akito instinctively caught her, his hands on her shoulders. Their eyes met — close, focused, breathing in sync.
Rei felt her heart skip a beat.
A rush of warmth spread across her cheeks. She quickly looked away.
But the moment shattered as a sudden low beep echoed in Akito's vision —
A crimson-blue message flashed before his eyes:
[SYSTEM UPDATED]
[NEXT ATTACK IN: 07:59:03]
"What…? Eight hours left?!" The thought raced through his mind.
His heart jumped. There was no time to waste.
"Sh*t," he muttered under his breath and slowly stepped away from Rei.
She backed off too, confused. Her eyes were wide, lips slightly parted — as if she wanted to speak but couldn't find the words.
"Sorry…" Akito said, lowering his gaze.
"I have to go. There's a problem… at home."
Rei didn't answer. She just nodded, still caught in the glow of that warm, accidental moment.
Akito pulled out his phone — a few quick taps, and a taxi was already en route to Shibuya Park.
"Here, enter your address," he said, handing her the screen. She quietly typed it in.
Akito paid for the ride.
"Sorry it ended so suddenly. But today was… really great."
He took a step back. Then another. He turned — and ran.
"Oh, and—!" he called out over his shoulder,
"You're really beautiful!"
His words faded into the park's sounds — the voices, the birds — but she still heard them.
Rei stood in the middle of the path, watching him go.
A soft smile touched her lips.
"…So are you," she whispered, barely audible.
She turned and walked toward the park exit, her heart beating just a bit faster than usual.
[Noxveil]
Hey there, reader!
If you've made it this far, thank you so much. I'm writing this story in Russian and translating it into English — so I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Even one small comment gives me huge motivation 💬💙
Let me know who your favorite character is so far!