'Husband… and wife?'
Olivia was perplexed. Her Japanese wasn't the best, but she mulled over the word, 'Did it mean what I thought it did?'
She furrowed her brows, confused. It didn't make sense. She thought about it some more, and then some more, until she finally looked up… only to meet Logan's eyes, who also seemed at a loss for words.
"Sumika, you… this…" Logan, who was normally calm and composed, was now flustered, his hands gesturing awkwardly in a rare display of panic.
"It's fine." Sumika reassured him instead.
Olivia blinked, 'Alright, so I hadn't misunderstood the words.'
The sudden out-of-nowhere romcom development hit her hard, 'But judging by the reaction of the supposed male lead, he seemed just as inexperienced.'
'Was it just my imagination?'
Almost as if it were an illusion, Logan coughed lightly, composed himself, and turned back to Olivia with a proper, polite smile, clearly about to say something, "Huh?"
That gentle prompt came from Sumika. Her soft, warm smile remained unchanged, but something about it felt… off.
"What were you going to say?" Olivia tentatively asked as she glanced between the two, sensing the pressure in the air.
"Nothing." Logan immediately sat upright, silent as a chicken.
Seeing this, Olivia is speechless, 'Such an incredible survival instinct.'
With that episode over, any serious discussion was impossible, and the conversation soon ended.
For now, their visit was over. Sumika obediently walked them only to the door, offering a few words of advice before parting.
As Logan stepped out onto the street, he exhaled a breath he didn't realize he was holding. For some reason, he felt much more relaxed.
He turned around, only to see Olivia staring at him with a strange, gossipy expression. One second, two seconds, three seconds… Even with Logan's steady composure, he couldn't help but feel a bit awkward.
Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Olivia raised her hand to cut him off.
"No need to explain. An explanation is just an excuse."
"I haven't even said anything yet. How do you know what I was going to say?" Logan said, feeling a headache coming on.
"What else can you say?" Olivia was confident, crossing her arms as she stood tall in the street. She paused for a moment before asking curiously, "Alright then, what were you going to say?"
This conversation was starting to feel like a listening comprehension test. Logan shut down that train of thought immediately, "Senior, none of that is important. The real issue is about getting her an identity..."
Olivia shook her head, "I think it's very important. But as for the identity thing, if everything is truly as you guarantee… no dangerous background, no evil organizations chasing her down… then it's not impossible."
Logan felt relieved… but only for a moment. Now came the tricky part, 'How was I supposed to respond to that?'
Luckily, Olivia didn't press too much and continued, "But it it's not as simple as just getting some documents. If she really wants to integrate into society, she'll need more than just a certificate. There have to be supporting records, like her education, skills, and interests. You'll need to provide more details."
As they walked back, Olivia laid everything out in an organized manner. Logan had no objections, as she was absolutely right. One obvious issue was Sumika's unique eye color.
Medically speaking, red eyes were rare and usually associated with health conditions. However, her agate eyes didn't give off any sickly vibes. Instead, they were pure and vibrant like polished garnets, which are clear, bright, and undeniably beautiful. That alone should be enough to pass any medical check for her health insurance registration.
Besides, as a great man once said, good-looking people are always kind-hearted, so Logan wasn't too worried.
On the way back, they learned that the rest of the group had already moved on to another scenic spot. He flagged down a taxi, took out his wallet, and sat in the front passenger seat as a sign of goodwill.
Honestly, aside from her mild streaks of naïve chuuni tendencies, Olivia had been reliable the entire time. Even though their cooperation was based on an equal exchange, her straightforward approach cut through unnecessary complications. They understood each other better now, and Logan knew he had to be even more open about the 'supernatural' abilities she was expecting. If it meant solving this major issue, he figured it was well worth it.
"For musical instruments, songs, and traditional culture, she's highly skilled in those areas, huh..." Olivia jotted down notes.
"Married."
"No relatives or family members."
Logan was watching the scenery pass by when his eyelid suddenly twitched, 'Wait… what did she just say?'
"Hold on. Senior, what did you just write?"
Olivia feigned ignorance, "Hmm? What's the matter?"
Under Logan's sharp glare, Olivia caved, grudgingly changing the entry. With a flick of her hair, she turned to look out the window.
Then, Logan caught some faint mumbling, "What are you muttering about now?"
Logan asked persistently, making sure she wasn't trying any more sneaky tricks.
"Nothing." Olivia snorted coldly, her long hair covered her face, but the reflection on the glass revealed a slight smirk.
…
And just like that, the arrangements were made.
Olivia's connections in Japan must have been fairly significant. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to get school exchange paperwork approved so quickly.
With her instructions in place, the main procedures were taken care of, and the smaller details would be handled automatically.
The day after a heavy snowfall brought clear skies and warm sunlight. With the snow crunching underfoot, Logan spent the rest of the trip walking and sightseeing with the still-unaware group. Time felt enchanted… one moment, it was day, and the next, the sky was streaked with orange as the sun set over the ocean.
When they returned to the hotel for dinner, the lively chatter about their journey carried a subtle undercurrent of departure.
Later that night, an unexpected drizzle fell. The cold air was kept at bay by the warmth of their rooms, and as the students and teachers listened to the raindrops tapping against the windows, their seven-day trip came to a quiet close.
Then the next day, Logan stood below, watching an United Airlines plane roar into the sky.
Everyone returned to where they came from. But Logan? He was staying behind for a few more days… something he had planned long in advance. Now that the identity issue was settled, there was only one thing left to take care of.
That mysterious drawing tablet, after being struck by lightning, seemed to have finally reached its limit. Though its internal electronic components remained bizarrely undamaged, all traces of the Space-Time Formula had been forcibly erased, reducing it to an ordinary object once more.
This seemed to signify the disappearance, and end, of something Logan had been fixated on for years. Naturally, he felt a sense of loss. He took it back to Paulownia Forest and handed it over to the Elder, confirming that it had truly reverted to an ordinary item. His emotions were complicated, but as time passed, like snow melting in the sun, they gradually settled.
One quiet night, he returned to Kishimoto's place and returned the tablet to its rightful owner. Whether the man could still draw another world into existence, whether his pen could still create vivid and captivating stories… Logan no longer knew, nor did he seek the answer.
Meanwhile, Olivia arranged for Sumika to work at a shrine, which is a perfect match for her skills. The location and supervisor had already been checked, and the girl seemed to adapt quickly upon seeing something familiar.
With that settled, everything was moving in a good direction.
As the year approached its end, occasional snowflakes drifted down, and the skies were often bright. With the New Year just around the corner, Logan made his way to Shibuya once more.
He had one last task, which is helping Sumika adjust to modern life.