CHAPTER 54: LINGERIE SHOPPING WITH STALKER?

The next morning arrived with a soft glow bleeding through the curtains.

Kentaro stirred on the couch, his blanket bunched around him like a cocoon. Except... This wasn’t his blanket. It was thicker, fluffier, and smelled faintly of lavender.

"Wait... This is Serica’s blanket," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

Before he could think much of it, a sound came from the kitchen, clattering pans and a faint aroma of something... Edible. Not burnt, not smoking. A miracle.

Kentaro shot up in a panic, his mind flashing to Serica’s last cooking "attempt" that nearly summoned the fire brigade. But when he peeked around the corner, it wasn’t Serica.

"Oh... It’s Yura," he whispered in relief.

Standing in a frilly apron, Yura was perfectly focused on an omelette recipe that Serica had shown her on an online blog. She moved with quiet precision and immense concentration; it was nothing like the chaos Serica usually unleashed in the kitchen.

"Good morning, Kentaro," Yura said with a warm, soft smile as her eyes met Kentaro’s.

She began plating the dishes as her cooking had come to an end.

Kentaro yawned and stretched his arms high. "Morning. I think I just had the best sleep of my life..."

"Good," Yura replied with a small nod, pleased to hear Kentaro had rested well.

Just as Kentaro got up and began to walk towards the table, he stepped two steps before something soft pressed against his back, and two arms wrapped lazily around his neck.

"Morning, Kentaro~" Came a playful whisper. "I saw you getting cold last night, so... I gave you my blanket hehe."

Kentaro froze. He didn’t need to turn around. That warmth double D’s clinging to his back? Definitely Serica.

"R-right. Thank you, Serica," Kentaro said, patting her head awkwardly.

Serica practically melted under his touch, wagging like a happy puppy.

After cleaning up and getting dressed, Kentaro returned to the table where Yura and Serica were already eating.

"Oh wow, Yura, this is amazing!" Serica happily said, stuffing her cheeks like a chipmunk.

Kentaro sat down before taking a bite and nodded in agreement. "Yeah... Yura, maybe cooking is actually your thing. This is amazing!"

Yura’s cheeks flushed pink. She glanced around before meeting Kentaro’s gaze. Noticing he was watching her, she tilted her head slightly towards him, her small purple ribbons twitching as if seeking attention. Kentaro blinked, then let out a soft chuckle.

"You want a head pat, don’t you?" He said with a soft smile.

Yura’s only response was a shy nod. Kentaro, with no other choice but to oblige, gently pats her head. She gave a soft, almost cat-like hum of approval before returning to her meal, a small smile lingering on her lips.

Despite the cosy and carefree morning, Kentaro’s thoughts drifted again to Tokyo, Siren, and the weight of what was to come. His stomach tightened until:

*KNOCK KNOCK.*

"KENNNN! ARE YOU AWAKE OR DO YOU NEED ME TO BUST YOUR DOOR DOWN?!"

That voice. That unnecessarily loud, building-shaking voice.

"Why is Tenka so loud!" Kentaro shouted.

He bolted to the door like a man trying to defuse a bomb, flinging it open before she could yell again.

"Hey, Tenka," he said, slightly out of breath.

Tenka tilted her head. "Wow... For a weekend morning, you sure woke up late."

Kentaro glanced at the clock behind him.

10:00 a.m.

"Ten o’clock is not late," he said, pouting like a sulky kid.

Tenka smirked as she stepped inside. "Mhm. Keep telling yourself that."

She walked in, slipped off her shoes, and her eyes lit up when she spotted Serica and Yura at the table. "Oh, breakfast? Don’t mind if I do!" she said, her voice bright with excitement, almost like a delighted child.

Grabbing a plate, Tenka helped herself, taking a bite and letting out a satisfied hum. "Wow... Kentaro, your cooking has improved."

Kentaro shook his head with a smile on his face. "It wasn’t me, it was Yura." He said, smiling at Yura.

Tenka turned to Yura with wide eyes and a proud grin, giving her a big thumbs up. "Nice job, Yura! Maybe you should handle all the cooking from now on. Save Kentaro from Serica’s culinary disasters."

Serica gasped, dropping her fork. "Hey! I’m not that bad!"

Tenka raised an eyebrow. "Serica... The last time you tried boiling water, it froze. Then exploded."

Serica folded her arms with a pout

"It was only the one time..."

Yura and Kentaro giggled softly into their plates.

After breakfast, Kentaro sat at the dining table with Tenka and Yura while Serica cheerfully washed plates, humming a tone-deaf song that made Kentaro flinch every third note.

"So, Tenka," Kentaro asked, raising an eyebrow. "Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be buried in reports or yelling at soldiers or something?"

Tenka placed a hand on her chest in mock offence. "Oh, so now that you’ve got two gorgeous girls hanging off you, there’s no time for little old me?"

Kentaro sputtered. "Wha-No! It’s just... You’ve been busy, that’s all."

Tenka stretched her arms behind her head, a smirk creeping in. "Finished early. But more importantly, and also kind of why I’m here, is to tell you the mission to Tokyo has been moved up-we leave in two days."

Kentaro and Yura exchanged a glance.

"Two days?" Kentaro muttered, his stomach tightening.

Tenka nodded. "Ship repairs went faster than expected. We need to beat Reiden’s people to the punch."

Yura, now sitting primly with her hands folded, looked up at Tenka with calm resolve. "You know we’re coming too, right?"

"Yep," Tenka replied. "As much as I’d rather keep you safe, we’ll need your powers limited or not."

Serica turned from the sink, flicking water off her hands. "But since Kentaro sealed mine, I can’t even use mine like before."

Tenka wagged her finger. "Your powers only resurface during desperate moments. Even then, it’s a trickle. Slowly, over time, they’ll return until they’re unstable again and need resealing."

Yura and Serica shared a knowing look.

Kentaro scratched his head. "Is it even safe to bring them along? What if Reiden-"

"If we leave them here," Tenka cut in, her voice firm, "If Reiden finds your apartment. Then it’s game over."

Kentaro clenched his fist. "That bastard... What’s his endgame? World domination? Or something worse?"

Tenka shrugged. "Whatever it is, it involves the Alberlines’ power. That much is obvious."

Before Kentaro could sink further into his thoughts, Tenka clapped her hands. "Enough moping! Time to shop, our dear Yura needs proper clothes."

Yura hesitated, twirling a strand of her hair. "I... Need new underwear too..." She whispered, her cheeks red, as she glanced at Kentaro.

Kentaro’s brain flatlined. His face went crimson, and he stammered like a broken machine. "I-I... S-sure... Essentials... Yeah... Hahaha..."

Serica and Yura headed out first, leaving Kentaro alone with Tenka, who patted him on the back with a wicked grin."Consider this mission training. Yura’s seal strengthens with happiness... And lingerie shopping makes girls very, very happy."

Kentaro didn’t respond, just walked off.

"Aww, little Kentaro’s shy to see some lingerie", Tenka mockingly spoke in a baby tone.

As they walked down the street toward the shopping centre, Kentaro couldn’t shake a strange feeling crawling up his spine. Every few steps, he swore he heard a faint rustle or saw a shadow flicker in his peripheral vision.

He stopped, suddenly unable to ignore his senses any longer, and spun around sharply.

Nothing there was nothing out of the ordinary, just a couple making out on the bench.

"I shouldn’t be watching that", Kentaro muttered, quickly turning back around.

Tenka raised an eyebrow, seeing Kentaro’s weird behaviour. "What’s with you? You look like you saw a ghost."

Kentaro rubbed the back of his neck. "Just... Felt like we were being followed."

Tenka clicked her tongue. "Please. If someone were tailing us, our sensors would’ve picked it up."

Still unconvinced, Kentaro glanced over his shoulder one more time before they entered the mall.

The shopping centre was lively, full of chatter and flashing lights. Serica tugged on Tenka’s sleeve. "Oooh, a game shop! Can we go!?"

"Perfect excuse," Tenka said with a sly grin, "Yes, Serica, let’s have some fun while they do the boring shopping." She said, pulling Serica along. "We’ll leave the lovebirds to their private... Mission."

Now walking side by side, alone together, Kentaro realised that any random stranger would think they were a couple. Flushed red as a tomato, Kentaro glanced at Yura. "S-so... Essentials?"

"Yes," Yura said, her composure hiding a faint blush. She leaned in slightly, her voice dropping. "You’re picking them out for me."

Kentaro’s brain exploded. "Wha-No way! I can’t-I don’t know what I’m doing!"

Yura gently grabbed his hands, eyes sparkling like a quiet storm. "You don’t need to be an expert, silly. Just choose what you think... Would suit me."

Kentaro swallowed hard, his face going even redder. "O-okay... But only because you’re forcing me..."

Kentaro stammered but nodded reluctantly, stepping inside with Yura. The store was quiet, save for soft music and the faint rustle of lace.

From behind a nearby pillar, a shadow moved.

A girl followed their every step from the apartment to the mall, precision so sharp even Tenka’s trained sensors wouldn’t have noticed her. She stayed hidden when the group split up, silently tailing Kentaro and Yura into the lingerie shop.

As she approached the entrance, her eyes narrowed, and she whispered under her breath:

"...Another home-wrecker and she’s forcing Kentaro to choose her underwear."

Kira entered the store...