Chapter 61 — Even More Effective Than a Technique
"Then," the short-haired blonde girl in a suit smiled teasingly, "I'll be ready to provide support for you at any time."
"—Can't you say something more encouraging?" Ren's expression immediately fell.
Akari Nitta gave his shoulder a light pat.
"Isn't it a good feeling, knowing someone's always got your back?"
"Keep it up, rookie sorcerer. I've got high hopes for your enthusiasm."
"…It's not like I'm doing this willingly."
Ren waved goodbye to her.
Then he turned to face Zenin Maki.
The girl's lips moved slightly as she looked at him with a complicated expression—embarrassment, irritation, gratitude, hesitation… a mix of emotions all written across her face, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't quite bring herself to.
"Don't worry," Ren said, reading her thoughts. "I won't tell anyone about what happened yesterday."
Maki visibly relaxed and nodded firmly.
"Thank you," she said softly.
After a pause, she added, "And… thank you—for last night… for not—"
"What are you thanking me for?" Ren cut her off, patting her shoulder. His gaze briefly met hers before he turned away and started walking ahead. "Did anything even happen last night? I don't remember."
Maki froze for a moment, then a faint smile tugged at her lips as she followed after him.
"Hey," she suddenly spoke again, a hint of dissatisfaction in her tone. "Am I really that unattractive?"
Ren instantly stiffened.
Women… troublesome
___
Today's activity was the Fuji Rock Festival.
The venue was packed with people. Ren led Maki through the sea of bodies, weaving between the crowd as he drifted from stage to stage, enjoying performances of all kinds.
Maki, on the other hand, seemed uncomfortable in such a dense crowd at first.
"Hey," she said, squeezing past shoulders as she followed closely behind him, struggling through the throng. "Is a gathering of this scale really a good idea?"
"You know cursed spirits are born from human negative emotions. With this many people gathered together, and emotions running high, it could easily give rise to new cursed spirits—or attract ones from afar."
"Say something nice."
"What?"
"I said, say something nice!" Ren grabbed a drink from a sampling booth and handed it to her, shouting over the roaring music.
Maki barely caught what he said. She took the drink, sipping through the straw, and replied quietly, "Okay."
"Louder! I can't hear you!"
"Okay!"
Ren jolted, nearly spilling his drink.
He had to admit—Heavenly Restriction really was something else. Even her full-force shout managed to drown out the crashing drums, clashing cymbals, and the lead singer's piercing screams from the nearby stage.
People around them covered their ears and turned to look, clearly startled.
Maki lowered her head and quickly pushed him forward, urging him to leave the area.
"Stay close," Ren said after they reached a stage where the music was slightly less overwhelming. Deciding to return the favor for all her pessimistic remarks, he added, "You can't see cursed spirits right now. If you stray too far from me and one suddenly shows up in the crowd, I won't be able to help you."
"You—"
Maki clenched her teeth, her face tightening as she followed right behind him—reluctant, yet unwilling to leave his side even for a step.
Night fell, but the crowd's energy didn't fade. The performances continued in full swing, as lively as ever.
She watched Ren moving through the crowd, swaying along with the rhythm like everyone else. His somewhat awkward, exaggerated movements made her burst into laughter. But as time passed, she gradually blended into the atmosphere as well, following him and moving with the music. What began as stiff, unnatural motions slowly gave way to complete abandon—she stopped caring how she looked, simply letting her body stretch and sway freely.
Under the hazy lights, their eyes met from time to time, and each time, smiles bloomed effortlessly.
Then, after who knew how many near passes and fleeting glances, their gazes suddenly locked.
Amid the pounding music and dazzling lights, Maki looked at the boy's face—damp with sweat, flickering with shifting shadows—and suddenly felt as though the entire world had gone quiet.
Her eyes fell to his slightly parted, glistening lips.
And then, without warning, fragments of the previous night flashed through her mind.
Her lips parted slightly. Almost instinctively, tentatively, she leaned forward a fraction—
—and just as she was about to retreat like a startled rabbit, a soft shadow fell over her.
Warm lips pressed against hers.
For a long, long moment, they remained like that before finally parting. Maki breathed heavily, her chest rising and falling as she looked at him. Ren, for his part, seemed slightly stunned, unsure what to do. A trace of apology flickered across his face as his lips parted, as if he were about to say something—
But before he could, Maki didn't know where she found the courage. She leaned forward again, wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing her lips back onto his.
When they finally separated again, their faces remained close, their noses touching as they lingered in each other's warm breath.
"Wouldn't have guessed," Maki teased softly, the corner of her lips lifting, "you're such a hardcore rock fan."
"Am I?"
"For you, rock music works even better than a cursed technique."
"That's not it."
The boy suddenly cupped her face, his eyes bright like scattered stars as he gazed into hers.
"It's just that… when you're being real, Maki—it works better on me than any technique."
Warmth returned to her lips once more.
---
By the time they returned to the inn, it was already late at night.
After another lingering kiss, Maki sat on the edge of the bed while Ren knelt in front of her, helping her remove her white tennis shoes and soft cotton socks.
Her bare feet rested in his hands, and she could feel the warmth of his fingers against her skin. A sudden wave of embarrassment made her shift slightly, her body fidgeting.
Ren leaned closer.
"Ah!"
The unfamiliar sensation sent a shiver through her body.
"Don't— it's dirty there!"
She trembled lightly, trying to pull her foot back, but she didn't have the strength.
"It's not dirty at all," he said softly, his eyes fixed on her feet, watching her delicate toes curl and twitch. "And… it's cute."
He pressed a gentle kiss to her toes.
"Do you not like it, Maki?"
She didn't answer.
But the deep flush on her face and the faint, uneven breath escaping her lips said everything.
That warmth returned again, brushing against her skin, slowly moving upward.
Not like it?
Maki bit her lip.
What kind of joke was that?
To have every inch of her body treated with such care, such attention—how could she possibly not like it?
This was the first time in her life that someone had affirmed the value of her body like this.
In that moment, she felt as though she had found something certain—something undeniable.
Her eyes grew unfocused, a soft breath escaping her lips as her body suddenly tensed, trembling like an electric current had passed through her.
This won't do…
She clenched her teeth, frustrated at her own lack of composure.
Nothing had even truly begun yet—so how had she already lost so completely?
Hadn't she just sworn to give the person before her a lifetime of happiness?
…