Chapter 353: Thoughts
On a quiet mountain path, a young man and woman were walking hand-in-hand, treading carefully. No, to be precise, only the young man was being careful.
As for the young woman… she was probably completely out of the loop, her cheeks flushed red as she was led forward by the young man.
[So this is some new way of taking advantage of me!!]
Looking absently at her right hand being held by his thick, broad one, Kazumi’s inner state could only be described as chaotic.
Who knew what Sato Shinichi was imagining with that serious look on his face? He’d been babbling a string of strange, incomprehensible words to himself before firmly taking her hand.
Feeling the rough touch and faint warmth of his palm, Kazumi awkwardly wanted to pull her hand away. Because if he held her this close, she wouldn’t be able to focus enough to gather information on Mai Shinomiyai’s Shikigami.
But unexpectedly, Sato Shinichi, who had always been compliant, was unusually firm this time. As if sensing her intention to break free, his broad hand pulled her small, tender hand back and tightly grasped Kazumi’s right hand.
[?!]
The young man’s unexpected action surprised Kazumi, even to the point of being taken aback. In her eyes, Sato Shinichi was merely a pet she could command, lacking any personal will.
After all, given the gap in their psychological ages and his attitude towards relationships, it was easy for her to guess and control his thoughts and feelings.
But now, it seemed a subtle change had occurred. The “pet” underfoot was starting to develop its own thoughts. Although his intentions were still for her sake, it was enough for Kazumi to feel a sense of caution.
Looking at the blond young man ahead of her, his face now devoid of fear and full of seriousness, and recalling the way he had forcefully taken back her hand just now, the young girl lowered her head. The blush on her cheeks slowly faded, and with a complex expression, she fell into thought.
…
Was Sato Shinichi really afraid of ghosts?
The answer was actually no. Putting aside his secret identity, which the girl didn’t know about, even as an ordinary young man, Sato Shinichi wouldn’t be this afraid of so-called ghosts.
Humans are afraid of the unknown purely out of physiological instinct. However, if one knew they were participating in a game designed to instill fear, that fear would be significantly reduced.
While there might have been a hint of fear on the young man’s face, Kazumi could see that it was more a fear born from being embarrassed in front of the person he liked.
This was perhaps a common trait among all virgins, or guys who didn’t know how to interact with girls. They often had a chauvinistic desire to show their best selves to the opposite sex, unwilling to reveal any timidity.
But such methods were often very crude. Overly deliberate pretense could be seen through at a glance, and the end result for men who tried too hard to maintain an image was to be labeled as “frankly,” or “putting on an act.”
No one can be perfect in all aspects, and the points that men cared about were often not understood by women. Rather than clumsily maintaining a facade that only they knew about, it was better to honestly present themselves and win affection.
Of course, if he had such awareness, Sato Shinichi wouldn’t be Sato Shinichi.
The simple-minded young man desperately tried to display the concern he approved of in front of her, being almost completely used for this burgeoning young love.
However, this kind of concern seemed to be starting to cross the line.
The complete breakdown of his abilities seemed to be an opportunity for renewal. With this period of rest, his recovered abilities had become even stronger and smoother.
His body might still be influenced by his emotions, but it was no longer dictated by his body’s desires. Kazumi could fully receive the young man’s concern and affection, but likewise, she could now calmly see what these actions represented from behind.
Reality in the third dimension and the single-threaded paper figures in the virtual world were ultimately different.
Perhaps Sato Shinichi’s persona at the beginning was that of a foolish, obedient boyfriend, but people grow. The young man was merely simple-minded, not stupid.
He wouldn’t maintain his persona like an NPC, completing meaningless repetitive tasks, but rather had his own joys and sorrows, his own pursuits.
In their interactions, Sato Shinichi was constantly learning and growing, striving to achieve the goal of being with her.
Although Kazumi hated to admit the authenticity of their current relationship, even she, who considered herself male, had to admit that this seemingly simple young man was indeed a very charming person to be around.
Serious, passionate, motivated, responsible.
It was as if the shining points of humanity were gathered in one person, so dazzling that one couldn’t help but want to get closer.
Even if a large part of this was to show a bright and positive side to his “introverted” and indifferent girlfriend, the fact that he could maintain this energetic facade in front of her for so long was enough to be considered real.
He was someone worth entrusting one’s life to.
The young man, like a fool, attempted to use his radiance to dispel the gloom around the girl, gently and carefully approaching her heart, wanting to share that painful darkness with her.
Wasn’t it beautiful? Just like in fairy tales.
But as absurd as fairy tales, hiding beneath the physical form the boy liked was a soul that was destined to not fall for him.
As if guided by some phantom force, she lifted her head and saw the young man walking with a determinedly serious expression on the path, moving a ghost prop that had suddenly appeared by the roadside with one hand to prevent the girl behind him from being startled, while with the other hand, he firmly held her as if afraid she would escape.
His previously resolute gaze rippled slightly at this moment, finally turning into a sigh and a yielding to the right hand the young man held.
[Let’s just say, it’s for the last time.]
The force trying to pull away from his palm finally turned into a pulling force with her palm as the pivot. Her steps quickened slightly, and she moved a few steps closer to the young man, pressing against his side.
Her other hand obediently grabbed the arm he let fall behind, her head tilted slightly forward, her complex expression leaning against the reassuring shoulder.
“Kazumi?”
“Just leaning for a bit… I’m scared.”
(PS: I feel the rhythm is a bit off, please check for any issues.)
