"You're late," she said, her voice flat. "Seven minutes."
[Affinity (Mai Sakurajima): -5 (Breach of Trust)]
"Kaito! Quick!" Fia's voice was hysterical in his mind. She materialized beside him, floating in a panic. "Tell her! Tell her you're a hero! You saved a lost child from the clutches of... of... nothing! And that you were assaulted! She'll love the drama!"
Kaito ignored the Goddess. He was in pain, he was tired from the run, and now he was being scolded. The effort required just to exist today was already hitting critical levels.
He looked at Mai. She was expecting an excuse. A stammered apology, a lie about traffic. He didn't have the energy for any of it.
He went with the apathetic truth.
"My System," he began, his voice flat and a little breathless from the run, "activated a 'Human Decency Quest' while I was on my way. A lost kid."
Mai arched an eyebrow. "A... quest?"
"Yeah," Kaito continued, rubbing his lower back where the kick had landed squarely. "I was forced to help. While I was crouching, some random high school vigilante showed up, yelled 'lolicon,' and gave me a flying kick to the ass."
There was a second of absolute silence on the train platform.
"What are you talking about?" Fia whispered, confused.
Kaito looked directly at Mai. "It hurt. A lot. It was humiliating. That's why I'm late."
The story was so specific, so nonsensical, and delivered with such deadpan honesty that it was impossible not to believe. Mai stared at him, her violet eyes scanning his sweaty face, his wrinkled hoodie, and the uncomfortable way he was standing.
The corner of her lip twitched.
"You... were kicked?" she asked, her voice wavering dangerously. "In the ass."
"Yes," Kaito confirmed, looking deeply annoyed at the memory. "She was surprisingly strong. And then she ran away."
Mai brought a hand to her mouth, but she couldn't hide it. A small sound—pfft—escaped.
[Affinity (Mai Sakurajima): +5 (Sadistic Amusement)]
"I see. Well, if I find out you're lying," she said, composing herself, though her eyes were still shining. "You'll have to eat an entire box of Pocky. Through your nose."
"Understood," Kaito said, impassive. "Can I pick the flavor?"
A smirk threatened to play on Mai's lips, but she suppressed it. "Don't test me, Kaito. You're already seven minutes late."
She turned, her dark hair swishing. "Come on. The train's here."
The Enoden line train was small and cream-and-green, looking like something from another era. They got on and found seats side-by-side. Kaito sat down with a careful stiffness, wincing. Mai, beside him, pretended to look out the window, but he could see her reflection in the glass, and she was still smiling.
"So," she said, her voice low under the rattle of the train. "A lost child. And a 'vigilante'."
"A 'plot hook'," Kaito corrected, tiredly. "A 'trigger event.' The girl who kicked me is the next problem. Fia called her 'Paradox User Number Two'."
Mai's amusement vanished, replaced by the same sharp focus she'd used at the supermarket. "So... there are others. Other girls like me."
"Apparently," Kaito sighed. "Which means more unpaid labor for me."
"And you were just going to ignore her?" Mai asked. "The child."
"Yes," Kaito said, honestly. "But the System has a very annoying 'Human Decency Quest.' The penalty for failure was a one-hour 'Guilt Paralysis,' which the System described as an 'excruciating headache that simulates a conscience.' The kick was the path of least effort."
Mai turned from the window to stare at him. Her expression was one of pure astonishment. "You're unbelievable. You calculated that getting physically assaulted was logistically preferable to feeling guilty?"
"Headaches linger," Kaito said, as if it were obvious. "A kick is quick. The logic is sound."
Mai just shook her head, but the smile returned. "You are, without a doubt, the strangest person I have ever met, Kaito-kun."
"THAT WASN'T A COMPLIMENT!" Fia shrieked in his head.
They got off at Kamakura and followed the flow of tourists. Mai led the way, seeming to know the area. They didn't go to the Great Buddha. Instead, she led him down side streets to a smaller shrine, nestled into a hillside. It was quieter here.
Her invisibility problem came up again at the small stall selling omamori (good luck charms). The elderly monk behind the counter looked right through her.
Mai stopped, her expression faltering for a moment. She glanced at Kaito.
He didn't wait for a request. He just sighed, walked up to the counter, and pulled out his wallet. The monk noticed him immediately.
"Which one do you want?" Kaito asked her, over his shoulder.
"...Academic success," she said, surprised by his efficiency. "And... one for 'safe travel'."
Kaito bought the two small, silk charms. "Two. One for academic success, one for safe travel." He paid.
Kaito turned and handed the charms to Mai. She took them, her fingers brushing his.
They walked over to a quieter area of the shrine, near a small koi pond. The afternoon sun filtered through the trees.
"Thank you, Kaito," she said, tying one of the charms to her bag.
"Whatever."
"It's strange," she said, looking out at the people across the pond. "Being here. Seeing all these people... and knowing none of them can see me. Except you."
"Must be peaceful," Kaito offered.
"It's lonely," she corrected, softly. "And scary." She turned to him, the brim of her hat shadowing her eyes. "Am... am I still fading?"
Kaito sized her up. "No. You're 'stable.' Anchored." He paused. "But you're not 'fixed.' You're still, technically, hiding from your mother."
The tension that had dissipated snapped back in an instant. Mai's face grew serious.
"I know," she said, surprising him. "I... I called her this morning."
Kaito blinked. "What?"
"She called?!" Fia shrieked. "That's a 'Plot Resolution Event'! Kaito, she's finishing her own arc! You're the best lazy protagonist ever!"
"I left a message," Mai continued, ignoring Kaito's silent twitch (which was a reaction to Fia's screaming). "I told her I'll come back to work. But that I'm also going to finish high school. That I'm doing things on my terms. Like you said."
Kaito processed this. "Right. Good." Genuine relief washed over him. "So my job is almost over. You'll go back to normal. I'll get my beanbag chair back."
"You and that beanbag," Mai said, shaking her head. "But yes. I hope so."
They left the shrine and started walking toward the beach. The sun was beginning to dip lower, painting the sky in orange and purple.
"So, why Kamakura?" Kaito asked, finally asking the obvious logistical question. "It's far."
"I used to come here as a kid," she said, looking out at the ocean. "With my father. Before... everything. Before my mom became my manager. It was the one place I wasn't 'Actress Mai Sakurajima'."
They stood in silence for a while. It was peaceful. Kaito admitted to himself that, if it weren't for the throbbing pain in his tailbone, it would be almost pleasant.
"She's so pretty," Fia whispered, floating next to Kaito. She wasn't being loud; her voice was reverent. "Kaito, look at her. The way the sun is hitting her hair... isn't she the most beautiful person you've ever seen?"
Kaito glanced at his guide-goddess, who was staring at Mai with a spectral blush and shining eyes.
"Fia," Kaito muttered under his breath. "You're drooling."
"I am n-not!" Fia sputtered, whipping around to face him, blushing furiously. "I'm just... appreciating the mission's assets! It's professional!"
"Right."
They took the train back as the sky turned dark. The euphoria of the outing had worn off, and the tiredness of the day settled in.
"So... that girl who kicked you," Mai said, breaking the silence. "Tomoe Koga. 'Paradox User Number Two'."
"The next problem," Kaito confirmed.
"Are you... going to help her?"
"Only if the System blackmails me with a headache," he replied.
"She sounds... troublesome," Mai said, an odd note in her voice.
Kaito looked at her. "You all are."
They arrived at their station. The night air was cool. They walked outside, stopping on the sidewalk where their paths split—his to his old apartment, hers to her new, luxury one.
"Well," Mai said, adjusting the strap of her bag. "Kaito. Thank you. For the 'assistant outing'."
"Whatever," he said, already turning to go home. "Today's quest is complete."
"Hey."
Her voice made him stop. He looked back.
"Are you... going to school tomorrow?" she asked.
Kaito thought about it. His bed. His beanbag. "Probably. It's a good place to sleep."
A genuine smile lit up Mai's face. "See you there."
She turned and walked toward her building. Kaito watched for a second before turning and limping toward his. He was exhausted.
He got into his apartment, locked the door, and didn't even bother to turn on the light. He face-planted onto the beanbag chair.
[SIDE QUEST COMPLETE: The Kamakura Date That Isn't a Date] [+20 Affinity (Mai Sakurajima)] [CURRENT AFFINITY STATUS: +50 (Friendly)] [PARADOX STATUS (MAI SAKURAJIMA): 80% Resolved. Awaiting 'World's' (Mother's) Response.]
"Great," Kaito mumbled into the beanbag. "Now, silence. I'm sleeping for a week."
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