If that were all, it would be mundane. But the magic lay in the fact that these two springs jetted out from the left and right, crossed in mid-air, and—instead of continuing past each other in an 'X' shape—they merged into a single, thicker stream, forming a 'Y' shape. The water the tourists collected was the base of that 'Y.'
What amazed Sū ěr was that he couldn't see any man-made traces. It was a natural wonder—small, but perfectly fitting for the deity worshipped here.
The person who built this shrine had an incredible eye.
Soon it was Sū ěr and Jibril turn. Sū ěr hadn't prepared a cup, but he just reached into his "pocket" and pulled one out when no one was looking.
"You first or me first?" Sū ěr asked, holding the cup of water.
"Why not both?" With a smile, Jibril reached out and wrapped her hand around Sū ěr on the cup. Her other arm hooked around his neck, pulling him close to her face.
Their cheeks were pressed together. This bold move drew hushed gasps of excitement from the young couples in line behind them.
Jibril pressed her lips to the rim of the cup between them.
Sū ěr gave a bitter smile. Feeling her grip on his neck loosen slightly, he was finally freed from being cheek-to-cheek and pressed his own lips to the rim.
He could feel the wide-eyed stares from behind. Even for someone who had seen it all, Sū ěr felt a bit of stage fright. The breath from his nose hit the water's surface and bounced back, mingling with Jibril breath... she must have felt it too.
While lost in thought, Jibril tilted the cup. The clear, sweet water was bone-chillingly cold, yet left a slight, tangy aftertaste on the tongue.
Drinking from the same cup simultaneously was difficult. Translucent droplets spilled from the rim, tracing paths down Sū ěr and Jibril cheeks and necks, dripping away.
Pink hair. At this distance, Sū ěr could see his reflection in her amber eyes. Even without her non-human traits, in Sū ěr eyes, she still looked exactly as the Flügel girl should.
The feathers at her ears, the halo, the delicate wings, the cross-pupils...
The growing whispers of the crowd snapped Sū ěr back to reality. Casting an apologetic glance behind him, he reached out, his thumb gently brushing the moisture from Jibril face... leaving a faint blush.
Even ten meters away, Sū ěr and Jibril could hear the couples behind them excitedly whispering. They wanted to try the same thing—sharing a single cup of water.
Sū ěr didn't know if Jibril whim would add a new "unofficial ritual" to the shrine, and he didn't blame her. After all, wasn't Jibril a part of him too?
They quickly walked to a wooded area where tourists rarely went. The shrine was built against a mountain, so such spots were easy to find.
Allowing Think to manifest in the physical world, Sū ěr raised the cup and shook it. "Want some?"
"Hmph."
Think didn't answer. She just snorted and snatched the cup from his hand. She took a massive gulp—but didn't swallow. She stood before Sū ěr with puffed cheeks, and as he instinctively tried to step back, she clamped a hand onto the back of his head. Then—lips met.
The clear spring water should have been freezing, but what entered Sū ěr mouth along with Think tongue was a warm current, just as sweet.
After a long moment, Think released him. She turned a provocative look toward Jibril and lifted her head triumphantly.
Unexpectedly, Jibril wasn't angry. She just leaned against an ancient tree with her arms crossed, a mocking—but not sharp—smile on her lips.
"...You guys," Sū ěr licked his lips and sighed.
A headache, but not entirely an unpleasant one.
"Let's go. This shrine seems more interesting than I thought." He interlaced his fingers with Jibril. In his pocket, another translucent hand interlaced with his other one.
"Don't worry. I'll help you regain a physical body as soon as possible."
He squeezed her hand.
[Actually, this isn't so bad. I don't mind... at least that bird-brain can't be this close to you, sharing heart and soul.]
Sū ěr let out a long sigh.
These women and their constant competition...