Asuka of the Scarlet Sky

Chapter 7: Inside the blindfold (First Part)

「Huh? Yuuto. What are you doing?」

Asuka asked surprised as she see Yuuto standing in front of the mirror in the morning.
The Yuuto that usually sleeps till noon. Asuka stared at Yuuto as he straighten his attire properly.

「No, Just a bit. I’ve got a date. That’s why I’m dressing up a bit」
「Hmmm…Wait, D-d-d-date!? W-With whom!?」

Yuuto answers while looking at the mirror and Asuka unconsciously raised her voice. Yuuto continued to speak without minding the eyes of Asuka that completely woke up.

「It’s Thunderbolt-san. I promised her the other day when we met in the castle」

Saying that, Yuuto arranged his bangs. Asuka panics and speaks to that sort of Yuuto.

「D-Date you mean, Where are you going? Or rather, why?」
「Hmm, didn’t the three of us do a study meeting the other day? Thunderbolt-san seems to have wanted to partic.i.p.ate too. Isn’t she pitiful? Then, when we talked it turned out to be a date without me knowing how」

Listening to Yuuto’s explanation, Asuka grit her molar.
If it’s Thunderbolt then, it’s that Thunderbolt. She’s a fellow hero she fought to death but that’s a different story.

(E-Even I hadn’t done a proper date with him!)

Imagining the face hero with an eye mask, Asuka felt sweat from her back.
Not just Asuka. Even Risty and Sasha had gone to work or shopping with him and having love affairs incidentally but they hadn’t dated with him properly.

“Why is Thunderbolt stealing the march?”, Asuka draw cloeser to Yuuto.

「W-Why did it come to you scheduling a date without knowing how!?」
「Even if you ask me, she asked me 『Please have a date with mee!!』」 Don’t you think it’s bad to decline? It’s my first time being invited to a date after all」

Hearing Yuuto’s extremely honest words, Asuka fell on her knees.1 Certainly, she never invited Yuuto for a date.
She fawned too much. For some reason she turned to be a partner. Asuka cursed her own carelessness.

(No, why I’m receiving shock? It’s not like it matters to me who he takes on a date. Or rather, why does he not invite me to a date? Can’t he just gloss it pervert-like when doing it?)

It’s all Yuuto’s fault.2 She turned a blind eye on her own carelessness and Asuka calmed down her spirit somehow.
However, Asuka’s still jelly. ‘It must be nice’, she stares at Yuuto but with her eyebrows frowning.

「W-Well, It’s not like it matters to me who you date. Really, that’s not how I think…But, you see, It’s that? If you really want to take me to a date by all means, I’m going to think a bit about it or rather…」
「Ah, s.h.i.+t! It’s already this late!? I’ll be going!!」3

Asuka murmurs. However, Yuuto began to run in panic after looking at the clock on the wall. He has to go so he won’t make Thunderbolt wait.4

In the living room where Yuuto left, Asuka looked up trembling.
Sasha who showed up pats her master’s shoulder.

「You were forestalled」
「B-Betsuniー」5

Sasha giggles at Asuka that bluffs happiness.
◆　　◆　　◆
「…What’s that?」

Capital’s center plaza. Yuuto instinctively frowned on the strange spectacle in front of the fountain. The people in the plaza are sending fluttering glances.

Eye mask and Usamimi6 ribbon That’s the usual.

She’s frilly. White and pink frills. ‘Was it called sweet lolita?’, Yuuto doesn’t know the details but Thunderbolt with a girlish taste of clothes was there.

It’s not intended to be a goth loli or a sweet loli at all. However, the courteous leather belt is a usual trade and Gungnir is shouldered on her back of course. In addition, her trademark eye mask.

「What should I do?」

It’s too suspicious. Yuuto would call her out if possible but he can’t.
After all his partner is the the world’s strongest when it comes to perception. As a matter of course, he’ll be caught the moment he stepped in the plaza of the capital.

Yet, Thunderbolt looks at the clock at the plaza without noticing him.

「Ah, he’s late. Did something happen to Yuuto-kun?」

She muttered. Yuuto sighs as his name was dropped.
He has to prepare himself as he came this far already.

Towards Thunderbolt who straightened her tension, Yuuto steeled himself and approached.

「Sorry, Thunderbolt-san. Did you wait?」
「Y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-…Yuuto-kun!!!?」7

She’s too surprised. Thunderbolt shook her arm towards the smiling wryly Yuuto.

「Not at all! I didn’t wait at all! I just came here now!!」8

Thunderbolt loosens her mouth happily, Yuuto scratched his cheeks. He doesn’t think that it’s worthy to wait but he’s still glad about it.

「Wasn’t she here when we came here?」
「Or rather, I saw her standing there last night」9

The conversation of the men sitting on the bench reached Yuuto’s ears.
Sweat flows from Yuuto’s forehead and Thunderbolt’s face dyed red.

「Uhm…Yesterday?」
「T-That’s not it! I was looking forward to it! I heard that you have to wait in dates!」

Seeing Thunderbolt getting shaken, Yuuto can’t help but laugh.
He’s glad but he’s worried about yesterday after all. That means that Thunderbolt is waiting for him in this frilly dress since yesterday.

「That’s no good, waiting in the middle of the night」
「I’m sorry. B-But, I waited here selfishly, or rather…」

Thunderbolt shook both of her hands towards Yuuto’s remark. ‘However, that’s not the problem’, Yuuto scolds Thunderbolt

「That’s not it. Thunderbolt-san is a woman too. Aren’t you worried being alone in the middle of the night?」
「Eh?」

Thunderbolt stopped moving and asked 「Not good?」and Yuuto confirmed
He can’t warn the hero with an alias that much but it’s not about the demons or killers that are dangerous.

Yuuto smiled wryly again at the naïve『Certain Hit』Hero.

「Shall we go then?」

Thunderbolt blankly stares at the stretched right hand.
Having that girl as his partner, it’s not strange to be nervous. Thunderbolt took the right hand of Yuuto being thankful for dissolving the tension.

Thunderbolt’s unrest reached it’s limit due to the clasped palm.

「Eh? Fue? Ah, afu…」

Thunderbolt smiles and her her face seems to have steam coming out, Yuuto gently pulled her.
Thunderbolt’s body was drawn into Yuuto.

「Your clothes suit you」

Yuuto said with a smile. It was written on the weekly magazine in j.a.pan that he should praise her clothing first of all.
But, coming up to it, she really looks cute. What’s this combination. It’s not Thunderbolt-like.
The moment she heard Yuuto’s words, his feelings transmit through Thunderbolt’s demon eyesー she looked upward from too much happiness and excitement.

Yuuto had a bad feeling but it’s already too late.

「Y-Yuuto-kun…I-I lov…bufuu!」

Thunderbolt fainted happily while making a fountain of nosebleed in the plaza.