As soon as Yusei finished speaking, footsteps sounded. He looked up to see Utaha emerging from around the corner ahead.
"Senpai, you haven't gone home yet?"
Utaha's expression was complex, mixed with some hesitation as she looked at Yusei.
Seeing this, Yusei smiled and nodded, then glanced at the overcast sky.
"It seems you have a lot you wanted to say, Senpai. Let's find a café... sit down and talk slowly. I did promise to spend the day with you, but I got delayed because of some matters."
"That's fine too."
Utaha nodded. Soon after, she and Yusei found a nearby café and sat down.
Yusei and Utaha each ordered a coffee. Drinking the hot coffee warmed their bodies.
It was drizzling outside. Because Tokyo's weather had been so erratic lately, people generally carried umbrellas when going out.
So, this time, there was no scene of pedestrians frantically running for shelter from the rain.
Yusei watched this scene, took a sip of coffee, set the cup down, and looked at Utaha with a smile, "I wonder if you brought an umbrella, Senpai?"
Utaha, who was looking out the window, glanced at Yusei upon hearing his words, then quickly averted her gaze. She suddenly sighed.
"It seems I have one more rival I need to defeat."
Yusei was momentarily stunned, then quickly understood. He couldn't help but laugh.
"She's my employee."
"Do you believe that?"
"Of course I do."
"But I don't."
Utaha stirred a sugar cube into her coffee cup, one hand propping up her chin as she quietly looked at Yusei.
"As expected, Yusei-kun is different."
"Can I take that as you complimenting me?"
"Of course. Because that's also complimenting myself. Complimenting my own good taste." Utaha chuckled.
Yusei nodded thoughtfully, quickly grasping the meaning behind her words. He couldn't help but smile, "Senpai, you also surprise me. An ordinary person encountering that situation... shouldn't they be screaming 'monster' and running to find a police officer for help?"
"Don't treat me like a coward." Utaha shot Yusei a glare, then met his gaze seriously, "So, Yusei-kun, are you a monster?"
"No."
"Then that's settled. Yusei-kun is human. A good person who helps his employee and stands up to gang bosses. So why should I be afraid?"
Hearing Utaha's words, Yusei was slightly taken aback, then found himself agreeing.
"Senpai, you seem to be quite... fond of this sort of thing?"
Utaha took a sip of coffee, " 'Fond' is too strong a word. I don't dislike it either. It's just simple curiosity."
"I see. So, a novelist has a wildly imaginative mind, but also possesses a curiosity that seeks the essence of things?"
"Then why didn't you ask? Ask about the blue skeleton? Ask about me coldly giving the order for them to kill?"
Yusei looked quietly at Utaha, waiting for her answer. Her reaction had been unexpected.
He had thought she wouldn't be able to resist asking what that blue thing was.
It had blocked the attack, appeared out of thin air, and vanished into nothingness.
Probably anyone seeing that would be shocked and surprised, unable to resist asking about it, right?
Especially when that person was an acquaintance.
Just like Yusei and Utaha now. They clearly shared a certain ambiguity, and she was aware of it. There was no reason for her to hold back.
Utaha smiled faintly, her delicate fingers tracing the rim of her coffee cup. She admitted frankly, "I really do want to know. But I also know that if Yusei-kun wanted to tell me, he would naturally do so. If he doesn't want to tell me, asking is useless."
"Moreover, based on my calculations, there are probably pros and cons, right? For example, Yusei-kun probably doesn't like others prying too much into his private affairs."
"Just like how you left in a hurry this afternoon after saying just one sentence to me. You wouldn't change your mind because of me."
"With such a strong-willed personality, you naturally dislike others interfering in your matters. So, if I asked about things you'd prefer not to answer, that would definitely be a con."
Yusei glanced at the umbrella-carrying pedestrians outside the window and said, "You're thinking of me as too serious. I just act on whims. It's nothing as calculated as you say."
"However, one thing is true. The blue skeleton isn't something to be casually told to others."
"But, Senpai, your answer is indeed satisfying. Didn't I still owe you a gift today? How about using that as your return gift?"
"What gift? You mean telling me what that blue skeleton is?" Utaha looked at Yusei curiously.
Yusei gently shook his head, revealing a mysterious smile.
"Mankind's dream: to soar freely through the skies."
"..."
"Flying freely... that's something only birds can do, right? Forget it. It's better if I know less about this matter. But, Yusei-kun, what did you mean earlier by 'shoot to kill'?"
Seeing that Utaha didn't believe him, Yusei simply shrugged. She'd believe it once she experienced it herself someday.
When Utaha brought up that matter, Yusei didn't elaborate, only glossed over it vaguely.
After all, Utaha was just an ordinary person. She didn't need to know about the affairs of gangs and police.
After finishing her coffee, Utaha left. As she was leaving, she seemed to sigh in relief, and her gaze towards Yusei held significantly less... something.
This made Yusei curious about why she was looking at him like that.
Utaha replied, "I've finally confirmed that Yusei-kun isn't a monster."
Although he knew she was joking, the corner of Yusei's mouth still couldn't help but twitched. He pinched his Senpai's cheek firmly in retaliation.
After Utaha left, Yusei remained seated in the café.
After thinking for a moment, he took out his phone... scrolled through his contacts, found the number in his call history, and dialed.
The call connected after a moment. The first sound was an aged voice, it was the Miko, Haruko.
"Hello? Is this the Shinomiya young man? Are you ready to send over the weather-changing girl?"
"I can, but there's a small problem. Her body is becoming severely transparent. I'd like to treat her first before sending her over. Do you have any methods?"