Despite all the attention, Kuro himself didn't seem to care at all.
He calmly continued pushing the shopping cart.
It was already filling up—basic cooking ingredients, spices, household staples, drinks, instant food, and various simple necessities that had somehow quietly ended up inside the cart.
Meanwhile, Tamamo stood near the meat refrigerator, examining several cuts with an expression so serious it was almost professional.
From time to time, she compared the quality as if she were making an important decision about the future of a household.
On the other side, Kuro looked relaxed, though his iris still carried a faint blood-red hue.
His gaze casually swept across the surroundings in a natural, almost unnoticeable motion.
He glanced at a promotional shelf.
"45% discount on 1kg eggs," he muttered inwardly.
His eyes shifted again.
Interesting.
Yet his thoughts were not really in the supermarket.
Instead, he looked toward another aisle in quiet contemplation.
…But why haven't I seen Saitama yet?
That question surfaced again.
Even after arriving in this world yesterday, the bald-headed absurdity of a man still hadn't shown himself.
Kuro let out a small sigh.
Maybe I should've just gone to his house from yesterday?
He considered the idea for a few seconds.
Then he shook his head slightly.
No.
Showing up at someone's residence without a clear reason sounded like stalker behavior.
An image formed in his mind—him standing in front of Saitama's apartment.
The door opens.
Saitama stares at him blankly.
"Who are you?"
And the door closes.
Kuro could already imagine that scenario with far too much clarity.
Yeah. That would most likely end badly.
He casually glanced around the area again.
Even saying I'm a fan would sound suspicious.
Kuro paused for a moment.
Technically… I am his fan.
After all, to Kuro, Saitama wasn't just some absurd figure with impossible strength.
He was an existential singularity.
A human standing at the strange intersection between comedy and anomaly.
No complex technique.
No legendary bloodline.
No ancient artifact, divine blessing, or strange system.
Just someone who trained too hard… and somehow broke the world's logic.
And that was exactly what made him interesting.
Kuro narrowed his eyes slightly.
Besides… recruiting someone like Saitama would clearly be beneficial.
His thinking remained purely practical.
In any scenario—interdimensional conflict, abnormal threats, or situations requiring a simple yet overwhelming solution—having someone like Saitama on his side would be invaluable.
Not just because of his strength.
But because Saitama himself was an unquantifiable variable.
An asset almost impossible to replicate.
However, beneath all those rational reasons, there was one simpler truth.
Kuro fell silent for a moment.
"…No," he finally answered.
Tamamo let out a small, satisfied chuckle.
A few moments later, both packages of meat were placed into the shopping cart.
Tamamo brushed her hands lightly, as if concluding an important decision.
"Good. Then focus on the important things, Master."
Kuro gave a faint glance at the cart, then back at her.
"In a strange way, I feel like I just lost an argument."
"You did," Tamamo replied immediately, smiling sweetly.
Kuro exhaled softly through his nose, but didn't refute it.
The cart rolled forward again.
For a brief moment, the atmosphere returned to something almost normal—just a couple shopping in a supermarket aisle, discussing dinner like any ordinary pair.
But then Kuro's gaze drifted again, unfocused.
"…Still no sign of him."
Tamamo tilted her head slightly.
"Hmm? That bald hero you keep thinking about?"
Kuro nodded once.
"I was hoping he'd appear somewhere in a place like this."
Tamamo blinked.
"Supermarkets are not exactly hero summoning circles, you know."
"…Fair point."
Tamamo tilted her head.
"…Eh?"
She followed his walking pace again, clearly caught off guard by how casually he changed direction.
"I already have enough clothes, don't I?" she asked, genuinely curious.
"You do," Kuro replied without hesitation.
"Then?"
Kuro looked straight ahead, still pushing the cart.
"I just want to see you wear different outfits every day."
The answer was too direct.
Too calm.
And because of that, Tamamo stopped walking for a fraction of a second.
A faint blush rose to her cheeks.
"Oh?"
A mischievous smile slowly formed on her lips.
"So my husband is secretly interested in dressing me up now?"
"We're not married," Kuro replied automatically.
Tamamo let out a soft laugh.
"I didn't hear a denial for the rest of it."
Kuro still looked completely at ease.
"The local fashion in this world is also quite interesting," he added. "I'm curious how the clothes here would look on you."
That line somehow felt more dangerous than the previous ones.
Tamamo covered her mouth with one hand, trying to hold back a small laugh that slipped through.
"You know," she said while stepping a little closer beside him, "the way you say sweet things is really strange."
"Is that a compliment?"
"More or less."
Tamamo glanced at him from the side. Even though her fox tail was hidden by illusion, her improved mood was almost visible in the way her steps grew lighter.
"Alright," she said cheerfully. "Then I'll come along."
She paused, then added in a deliberately casual tone:
"Underwear included?"
Kuro's steps stopped for a fraction of a second. He turned his head.
"Yes."
The answer was too flat.
Tamamo froze.
"Eh?"
For the first time since earlier, she looked genuinely caught off guard.
"W-wait a second."
Tamamo pointed at herself, her mischievous smile slightly faltering.
"You said that way too normally!"
Kuro frowned slightly.
"Isn't that just part of clothing?"
Tamamo stared at him for a few seconds, then covered her face with both hands.
"…Sometimes," she muttered quietly, "you're way more dangerous than you look."
***
Some time had passed.
All the groceries, clothing, and other purchased items had been temporarily stored neatly by Kuro inside the Gate of Babylon.
Now, they were inside a lingerie store not far from the previous shopping complex.
The interior of the shop was dominated by soft colors and warm lighting, with neatly arranged racks filled with various underwear, sleepwear, and lingerie.
Kuro sat casually on one of the waiting chairs provided near the fitting rooms.
His legs were slightly crossed, one hand holding a phone, his expression as calm as ever.
He looked far too comfortable for someone in a place that would normally make most men feel at least a little awkward.
Next to him stood a store employee who had been assisting them since earlier.
She had long black hair, a fairly attractive face, and wore a neat and professional shop uniform.
Even though she tried to maintain a formal demeanor, a faint blush was difficult to hide on her face.
After some time had passed.
All the groceries, clothes, and other purchased items had been temporarily stored neatly by Kuro inside the Gate of Babylon.
Now, they were inside a women's lingerie store located not far from the previous shopping center.
The interior of the shop was dominated by soft colors and warm lighting, with neatly arranged racks of various types of underwear, sleepwear, and lingerie.
Kuro sat casually on one of the waiting chairs provided near the fitting rooms.
His legs were slightly crossed, one hand holding his phone, his expression as calm as ever.
He seemed too comfortable being in a place that would normally make most men feel a little awkward.
Beside him stood a store employee who had been assisting them.
The woman had long black hair, a fairly attractive face, and wore a neat, professional shop uniform.
Even though she tried to maintain a formal attitude, a faint blush on her face was hard to hide.
Occasionally, she would steal glances at Kuro.
It was hard not to.
The man was just sitting there quietly using his phone, wearing a simple white shirt and black pants, yet somehow still drew far too much attention.
His calm aura only made him stand out even more.
A moment earlier, absurd thoughts had crossed her mind—introducing herself, asking for his contact number, or even starting a casual conversation.
But all of those intentions collapsed the moment she remembered the beautiful woman who had come with him.
Different level, she thought in resignation.
She could only let out a small sigh.
At that moment—
"Husband~"
Tamamo's voice came from behind the curtain of the nearby fitting room.
Kuro stopped what he was doing and lifted his gaze from his phone screen.
"We're not married," he replied calmly, almost automatically.
Soft laughter came from behind the curtain.
"If that's the case…" Tamamo's voice sounded again, a little sweeter this time.
"Darling?"
Kuro let out a small sigh.
Even though the wording had changed, the meaning was nearly the same.
"What is it?" he asked flatly.
"Can you come here for a moment?" Tamamo requested.
Her tone sounded slightly hesitant, as if she needed a second opinion.
"I need help."
Kuro stared at the fitting room for a few seconds.
Then he turned his gaze toward the shop employee beside him, his expression calm but clearly asking a silent question: Is that okay?
The employee was slightly startled by suddenly receiving his direct attention.
Her face immediately turned a shade redder.
"E-eh?"
She quickly composed herself, returning to a professional expression.
"Oh, it's fine, sir," she replied quickly with a polite smile.
"As long as it's just help choosing sizes or giving an opinion, it's fairly common."
She paused for a moment, then added lightly in an attempt to ease the atmosphere:
"Besides, female customers usually trust their partner's opinion more than the size label anyway."
Kuro seemed to process that for two seconds.
"I see."
He stood up from his seat casually.
"Thank you."
The employee nodded.
"You're welcome."
As soon as Kuro walked toward the fitting room, the employee watched him leave for a moment.
Then she let out a long sigh.
"…So men like that really exist," she muttered quietly to herself.
_______
Author's Note:
Creating something, even a fanfic, is not easy! Please support me! Leave comments, reviews, and some (or all) of your Power Stones! 😎