Shibuya 109 Department Store is located in the heart of Shibuya, drawing a constant stream of people and providing an endless source of customers.
Operated by a wholly owned subsidiary of the Tokyu Corporation, 109 is considered one of Japan's centers of pop culture.
Just how popular is it? It's practically synonymous with fashion itself.
The interior of 109 doesn't resemble the wide, well-lit layout of a standard department store. It feels more like a fashion bazaar, similar to a wholesale market in Yiwu.
Each merchant operates individually. While there are name brands here, most of the clothing is unbranded—or to put it kindly, "niche."
But it's precisely because of this that among these countless niche brands and uniquely designed fashion pieces, no one knows which outfit or style might become the next trend.
The store is packed with students, especially female students. The main reason is the diversity of styles and the relatively low prices.
Living expenses in Japan are high, but most of the clothing prices here are on par with affordable retailers like Uniqlo.
Clothing from big chains like Uniqlo may be practical, but they're far from trendy.
For those who care about individuality and fashion, this place is a paradise.
Toru accompanied the Yukinoshita sisters as they moved from shop to shop. Unconsciously, he thought of the poor young lady from the Toyokawa Group he had met the day before.
Her outfit had a good sense of style, but the materials and craftsmanship were lacking. She likely bought her clothes here too.
"Fujiwara-kun, what do you think of this jacket?"
Haruno lingered in a shop, holding up a jacket against herself in front of the mirror, spinning around with a cheerful smile.
Unable to decide, she turned and asked Toru for his opinion.
Toru glanced at it for a couple of seconds, frowned, and asked, "Do you want the truth or a lie?"
"What's the lie?"
"The lie is, 'Yukinoshita-senpai, you look beautiful in this jacket. I think it's great.' That's what most guys say when they go shopping with women."
"And the truth?"
"The truth is, Yukinoshita-senpai, your fashion sense is pretty bad."
After pausing for a moment, Toru looked at Yukino, who stood nearby with a cold expression, also sifting through clothes, and added:
"...Your sister's the same. Her taste in clothes matches yours. Although you're both beautiful, I have to deduct two points for style."
Yukino couldn't help glancing at Toru.
His blunt way of speaking gave her a strange sense of familiarity. This was exactly how she usually spoke.
She didn't care about the timing or the mood. She didn't know how to sugarcoat things and always said what she thought.
It was that straightforwardness that often left her isolated, like a snow lotus blooming on a mountaintop.
Fortunately, she was strong enough to back it up. Otherwise, a beautiful and aloof girl like her would have been a bullying target long ago.
Still, it was frustrating. Being told directly that her fashion sense was bad—of course she was angry.
Her cold eyes fixed on Toru, as if saying, You'd better explain what part of my style is bad, or I'm going to get mad.
Unlike Yukino, who wore her emotions openly, Haruno's thoughts were harder to read.
She smiled and said, "Fujiwara-kun, can't you be a little gentler? You're hurting my feelings."
"Lies don't hurt people. The truth cuts like a knife."
Toru's reply made Haruno deflate instantly.
When did I realize this guy had such a sharp tongue?
She narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Then explain, what's so bad about our fashion sense?"
"Yukinoshita-senpai, you have short hair and a confident vibe. Your style should reflect that, and it kind of does. But the pieces you choose are totally out of touch."
"Your sister is the same. She's got a strong girlish vibe. The inner dress she's wearing is fine and brings out her strengths, but the jacket? Just as outdated as yours."
"Guess it runs in the family. You're consistently out of fashion."
Toru sighed. He had always found Haruno's sense of style to be... disappointing. She was perfect in terms of looks, but the moment she put clothes on, it was a two-point deduction.
If she didn't wear any clothes, Toru would probably give her a solid twelve points.
"Well then, since Fujiwara-kun's such an expert, why not help us pick something? Yukino and I will be your models. Opportunities like this don't come often."
Laughing mischievously, Haruno grabbed her sister's arm.
Yukino frowned in displeasure. "If you want to be his model, go by yourself. Don't drag me into it. I'm not interested."
She shook off Haruno's hand after a couple of tries.
Haruno raised an eyebrow and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Fujiwara-kun. My sister's always like this."
Yukino stood off to the side in silence, like a beautiful ice sculpture.
People used to say she was obedient and sensible.
But Yukino herself knew she wasn't. Deep down, she was rebellious. It's just that if she stayed quiet and didn't express opinions, the adults would label her as sensible.
So she developed the habit of only speaking when absolutely necessary, minimizing the chances of being misunderstood.
In fact, she completely agreed with what Toru had just said: Lies don't hurt people. Truth cuts like a knife.
That was her, exactly.
It wasn't that she couldn't speak. She just liked speaking the truth.
A very chuunibyou way of thinking, but it was hers.
Haruno didn't take her sister's attitude seriously. She took another step closer to Toru, so close her curves nearly brushed his arm.
"Since Yukino's not interested, forget her. I'll listen to whatever you say. You can dress me however you like."
She blinked playfully, her smile teasing.
Yukino frowned slightly. In her memory, her sister wasn't usually this flirtatious.
She had always been surrounded by men but could easily keep them at arm's length. She never spoke with such a suggestive tone.
Could it be that she... liked this Fujiwara?
If that was the case, should she change her attitude? If he became her sister's boyfriend, he might become her brother-in-law in the future.
Yukino's mind wandered.
Meanwhile, Toru raised his hands helplessly. "I'm just an internet critic, talking nonsense. Don't actually expect me to match clothes."
"Sales assistant, I trust your sense of fashion more. Can you pick something out for her? Don't worry about the price, she's loaded."
Haruno laughed out loud. "So, Fujiwara-kun, you don't know anything either? Then what were you judging us for?"
She found that Toru was different from what she had imagined. He wasn't overly serious and had the youthful edge of a college student. Talking to him felt relaxing.
And for Haruno, that was rare.
No one understood her. Behind all her effortless charm was the constant pressure to maintain flawless poise.
The sales assistant smiled as well and immediately got to work recommending outfits. She had seen plenty of customers and could tell this group really intended to buy.
And her sense of fashion far exceeded Haruno's. With similar styles, she could make them look trendy and sharp.
After selecting a few pieces, Haruno went to the fitting room.
Toru glanced around and felt something missing beside him. Looking around, he noticed that Yukino had drifted over to another stall, her attention focused on the accessories.
Toru walked over. "What are you looking at?"
Yukino returned to herself and replied coldly, "Nothing."
With strangers, she always kept her guard up.
Even though Toru was familiar with Haruno, to her, he was still a stranger.
She left the stall and returned to where they'd been browsing earlier.
Toru watched her walk away, amused.
She really was a hedgehog. She sealed herself up, convinced she didn't need anyone, convinced she was the best.
"She's going to need a harsh lesson from the real world."
Toru muttered to himself.
Yukino might be exceptional, but she wasn't untouchable. If she stayed like this, she was bound to hit a wall one day...
He looked back at the accessory she had been staring at—a panda pendant.
Her bag had a matching panda charm. It was clear she adored pandas.
"Fujiwara-kun, what do you think of this outfit?"
Haruno came out wearing a light gray wool sweater over a white shirt, paired with a black denim jacket and a white knee-length skirt.
Simple black, white, and gray tones, but the style was fashion-forward.
Toru gave a thumbs-up. "Looks great. It's sharp and cool. Way better than that old jacket from earlier."
Haruno smiled. "Alright, I'll take this one."
She turned to her sister. "Yukino, do you want something too?"
"No need."
Yukino replied flatly.
She didn't want to spend her sister's money, nor did she want to owe her.
"Fine, your choice."
Haruno didn't press it. She never indulged Yukino's chuunibyou tendencies, which was probably why Yukino feared her.
After paying, Toru and Haruno walked on ahead, browsing more shops. With the sales assistant's help, she ended up buying two more outfits.
At noon, the three found a decent ramen shop in Shibuya for lunch.
After eating, since Yukino needed to find a book, and both Toru and Haruno didn't feel like walking anymore, they accompanied her to a large library that spanned several floors.
It was quiet inside. Some were reading or studying seriously, others watched videos with headphones on.
The three of them found a corner and sat down. Toru told the sisters to wait while he went to buy drinks from the library's vending area.
"Lemon tea, your favorite. Light on the sugar."
Toru handed a drink to Haruno.
Her eyes sparkled. "I didn't think you'd remember. Thank you."
He passed the other drink to Yukino. "I wasn't sure what you liked, so I got the same as your sister's."
"Thank you, Fujiwara-senpai."
Yukino replied reservedly.
Watching the two of them chat quietly, she stood up. "You two talk. I'm going to ask where the book I need is."
"Go ahead."
Haruno waved her off.
Toru and Haruno picked up random books and placed them on the table. Neither of them read. They were mostly there to chat.
Just then—
"Mitsuhiko, look! They have the Kamen Rider Setting Collection 4.2!"
A clearly overweight kid shouted excitedly.
"Genta, quiet down! This is a library."
"Oh!"
The chubby boy, Genta, quickly covered his mouth.
Watching this, Haruno shook her head. "Sometimes kids are just too much."
Toru nodded and looked over at the group of kids huddled around a book, whispering with excitement. He felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
His eyes landed on Conan, who was wearing glasses. Conan looked over at the same time.
Tsk, why is it always this guy?
Conan sighed the moment he saw Toru.
But Toru was even more annoyed. Every time he ran into this elementary school reaper, something bad was bound to happen.
Elsewhere, Yukino was speaking with the librarian.
"Excuse me, where can I find this book?"
"Just a moment. Let me check... It's in Section G, at the very back corner."
"Thank you."
Yukino walked toward Section G, which was filled with English books. Hardly anyone was there. The book she was looking for was even more obscure, tucked away in a completely deserted area.
Luckily, the shelves were clean. She dragged over a chair, stood on it, and reached for a book on the upper shelf.
Her hand grasped a thick-looking book. It looked heavy, but it felt strangely light.
Yukino tilted her head in curiosity and slowly opened the book.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)