"So Mr. Yoizumi was the one who extended the invitation," Tamayo said with a light chuckle, her words tinged with teasing.
"Yes," Shinobu replied softly, her head bowed. Her expression remained as calm as ever, but the slight flush on her earlobes inadvertently revealed a hint of her inner shyness.
"She's still a young girl after all," Tamayo sighed inwardly at the sight.
The joys of youth are always so simple and pure, without many impurities, like clear spring water. And she herself, had she not experienced such feelings?
"I sincerely wish you both well, Mr. Yoizumi and Miss Kochou," Tamayo said with a smile, her blessings evident in her eyes.
"I can finish up here; Miss Kochou should go get ready," Tamayo's words were gentle yet firm, as if encouraging Shinobu to bravely embrace this date.
"But…" Shinobu looked at Tamayo with some hesitation, her gaze meeting Tamayo's light purple eyes.
Tamayo's eyes held a gentle smile, a soft smile that made one feel incredibly at ease.
"Thank you, Miss Tamayo."
"Have fun."
Every moment spent with the person you love is undoubtedly a happy one.
So… Tamayo thought.
The future holds too many uncertainties; no one knows what might happen.
So cherish the present.
Cherish those around you.
Don't leave any regrets… Shinobu changed out of her white lab coat, tidied her rainbow-colored haori, and left headquarters.
Returning to the Butterfly Mansion, she found that Yoizumi was not there.
Had he gone out?
In the courtyard, only Agatsuma Zenitsu was wailing as he swung his nichirin blade.
He kept muttering.
"One hundred… eighty."
"One hundred eighty… one."
"Ah! I'm going to die! I'm going to die…"
Zenitsu is working hard to train~
Returning to her room, Shinobu decided to take a good bath.
(Splash, splash…)
Her loose black-purple hair fell freely to her collarbone, water droplets trickling down her strands onto her neck. Shinobu, wrapped in a pure white bathrobe, her fair face flushed with a faint red, held a towel to dry her wet hair.
Sitting in front of the dressing table, Shinobu was at a loss for a moment. In the past, she would occasionally only use lip balm; she wasn't very skilled in makeup.
But… after getting ready, would that blockhead Yoizumi even notice?
If he did, he'd probably just compliment her on looking good.
Her fingers caressed the wet ends of her hair as she stared at the bottles and jars on the table. Still, she honestly picked them up and opened them.
She should try a little harder… Even if he just said she looked good, Shinobu would still be happy.
Because Yoizumi said it… She slowly extended her hands and gently picked up the exquisite lip balm.
The color of the lip balm was like ripe cherries, vibrant and luscious.
She carefully applied the lip balm to her already rosy lips, then gently pressed her lips together to spread the lip balm more evenly.
Her already delicate lips became even more vivid, like a blooming flower, radiating captivating brilliance.
Shinobu gazed at herself in the mirror, feeling a little dazed. Today, she looked somewhat different from usual, with an added touch of unique allure.
Would Yoizumi like her like this?
A wave of apprehension rose in Shinobu's heart.
She hadn't applied heavy makeup, only a slight touch-up. Her makeup was light and fresh, highlighting her innate elegance and grace.
Shinobu slowly stood up, carefully adjusting the dark purple kimono she was wearing. The kimono was adorned with exquisite butterfly patterns and pink and white petals, and a sky-blue obi was wrapped around her slender waist.
At this moment, Shinobu exuded a girlish splendor and sweetness, a quality she displayed to its fullest.
Finally, she sprayed on a floral-scented perfume, lightly inhaling the rose scent in the air. It wasn't too strong, just perfectly pleasant.
Shinobu sat back at the dressing table, looking at herself in the mirror. She never thought that one day, she would change into this appearance for someone.
She recalled a line from an Eastern book she had once read.
"A woman adorns herself for her beloved."
At that time, she didn't agree, but now… Shinobu sat upright, her fingertips playing with the butterfly necklace at her chest, quietly waiting for her lover's arrival.
"Knock, knock, knock."
She stood up and opened the door, a serene smile gracing her face, her eyes sparkling with joy. Her lover had arrived.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Shinobu."
Shinobu looked at Yoizumi before her. Different from usual, he had changed into a black kimono with white stripes, which suited his skin tone very well. What surprised her even more was that Yoizumi's obi was tied very well this time.
Noticing Shinobu's gaze, Yoizumi explained.
"I learned what Shinobu taught me."
The winter sun set quickly; it was only around four in the afternoon when the sky began to grow dim.
Yoizumi lowered his eyes, gazing steadily at Shinobu.
They stood very close, so close that Yoizumi could easily smell the fragrance emanating from Shinobu, different from her usual scent.
And Shinobu's lips were more vibrant than before.
Today's Shinobu… beautiful, so beautiful that just looking at her, Yoizumi's heart began to beat uncontrollably faster.
Being stared at so intently by Yoizumi, Shinobu radiated joy, and in her good mood, she moved even closer to Yoizumi.
Her soft voice entered Yoizumi's ears.
"Do I look good? I dressed up especially for Yoizumi~"
"Beautiful…" Just "beautiful" seemed insufficient to express Yoizumi's current feelings, an indescribable emotion.
His sapphire eyes reflected only Shinobu's image, as if he wanted to engrave her in his vision forever.
Indeed~
Yoizumi's answer was exactly that~
But Shinobu forgot that Yoizumi always had a way of being quiet until he said something astonishing.
Yoizumi slowly took Shinobu's hand, lacing their fingers together.
His usually indifferent, unruffled tone became incredibly soft and tender, a lingering affection reserved only for Shinobu.
"I don't know why…"
"The Shinobu now…"
"Makes me unable to look away."
He wanted to kiss Shinobu… but because he didn't want to avert his gaze, and he wanted to express his inner affection so much, Yoizumi slowly raised their clasped hands, and a gentle kiss landed on Shinobu's hand.
To express affection, this way should be acceptable, right?
Shinobu met Yoizumi's eyes, witnessing his every action.
She heard Yoizumi say.
"I like it."
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