Chapter 123: Very Cute
"Wow!"
Kanna cupped her cheeks with both hands, her big eyes glittering as if stars were shining inside them. Her entire face lit up with the pure wonder only a child could show, and her soft voice was filled with awe.
"I want it!"
Vigne crouched down so her eyes met Kanna's. "Kanna wants to wear one too?" she asked gently, smiling like a big sister.
Kanna nodded eagerly, her small horns bobbing slightly. "I want to wear it."
"Alright then, let's rent one." Vigne chuckled warmly. It was rare to see Kanna's attention drawn away from food, so of course she wouldn't say no.
Kouya let out a quiet sigh of relief.
For a second, he'd honestly expected the little dragon to say, "I want to eat."
Wait a minute—why did he even think that?
Had he really started subconsciously associating this adorable dragon girl with food?
...
There weren't many kimono styles for children, so Kanna quickly found one that suited her, then followed Vigne and Rikka into the fitting room with small, graceful steps.
Naturally, Kouya stayed outside. He leaned against the wall, watching other customers pass by, and glanced at the reflection of himself in the window—he was still in his casual clothes, looking completely out of place in this sea of colorful yukata.
A few minutes later, Rikka's bright voice echoed from inside.
"Hero, hero! We're ready! You can look now!"
Kouya turned—and his mind went blank for a moment.
Rikka emerged, holding Kanna's hand.
The small dragon girl looked like a living doll. She wore a red-and-white kimono patterned with faint blossoms, her hair—which usually hung loose—had been neatly tied into a small ponytail. Her straight bangs framed her face perfectly, and a tiny white flower decorated her hair, matching her porcelain skin. Her round cheeks gave her a soft, innocent charm, and her blue eyes sparkled like the morning sky after rain.
In her little hand, she held a red oil-paper umbrella that was clearly made for decoration, not function. The way she turned it in her hand, twirling once in front of Kouya as the fabric of her kimono fluttered slightly, made her look like she'd stepped out of an old painting.
If words could describe it—it was criminally cute.
"Hero, not bad, right?" Rikka said proudly, her ahoge bouncing like a signal flag. "That umbrella is super rare! It's an eternal shield that can block any attack!"
Kouya sighed, rubbing his temple. "It's just a normal umbrella."
Even the youkai who loved standing under sunflowers wouldn't call their parasol an "eternal shield."
Kanna, however, didn't react to his teasing. Her expression remained calm and composed, but her eyes shimmered faintly as she turned the umbrella again. Then she walked over to the doorway, stepped into the sunlight, and spun in a small circle, the hem of her kimono lifting softly.
When she stopped, she tilted her head up to look at Kouya, her gaze steady and unblinking.
"Stare—"
"...What?" Kouya blinked. "Why are you looking at me like that? Don't tell me you're hungry again."
"What do you want to eat?" he asked.
But Kanna didn't respond. She simply continued staring at him, her big blue eyes unblinking.
Kouya was still trying to decipher that gaze when a cheerful voice came from behind him.
"She's really cute, huh?"
The shopkeeper, an older man with a wide grin, gave a thumbs-up. "Your little sister, right? She's adorable! That kimono suits her perfectly!"
"Stare—"
Kanna kept looking at Kouya expectantly.
Kouya's mouth twitched. He turned away slightly, his voice low and embarrassed. "Ah… very cute."
Kanna blinked once, then finally smiled faintly, satisfied.
"Hero, hero! What about me?" Rikka leaned forward, eyes shining.
"Ah, very cute," Kouya said automatically.
"Hehehe~ I knew it!" she giggled, her ahoge swaying triumphantly.
Just then, a quiet, hesitant voice came from inside the shop.
"Does this look… strange on me?"
Everyone turned to see Vigne stepping out.
She was dressed in a white kimono adorned with subtle cloud-like patterns and faint pastel flowers. A pale jade ribbon was tied around her waist, highlighting her slim figure. The simplicity of the outfit contrasted beautifully with her calm, elegant demeanor, giving her an almost ethereal grace.
Her fingers nervously pinched the edge of her sleeve as she looked around. "Is it weird? If it doesn't suit me, I can change back…"
"Ah," Kouya said without hesitation. "Very cute."
The air went still.
Vigne froze, her face turning a bright shade of pink. "W-what are you saying all of a sudden?!" she stammered, pressing her hand against her chest. "You can't just say things like that out of nowhere!"
Kouya blinked. "Huh? Isn't that normal? You say someone's cute when they look cute, right?"
"That's not the point!" she said, her voice pitching slightly higher, looking both flustered and annoyed.
He sighed quietly, scratching his head. "...Women are confusing."
...
Once everyone had finished changing, they paid the rental fee for the kimonos. Kouya had also swapped his outfit for a simple navy yukata, and without thinking too much about it, he covered everyone's fee.
Normally, Vigne would've argued, insisting on paying her own share. But this time, she only bit her lip and looked away, her cheeks still slightly flushed. She didn't say a word.
As they stepped back out into the street, the sound of festival music drifted through the air again. Paper lanterns swayed gently above them, and the crowd's laughter mixed with the scent of grilled food and summer air.
Yet somehow, the mood between them had grown awkward.
Vigne walked slightly behind, glancing at Kouya now and then, her expression unreadable.
Kouya finally broke the silence. "Something wrong?"
Vigne jumped slightly, shaking her head too quickly. "N-no! Nothing's wrong!"
Her voice cracked a little, and her blush deepened even more. Her eyes darted everywhere except toward him.
Kouya shrugged. "If you say so."
He didn't push further. They walked in silence for a few moments until the faint, mechanical clinking sound of claw machines reached them.
"Ugh! Why did it fall again?! Gabriel! You're cheating, aren't you?! Otherwise, how do you keep winning?!"
"Tch. Because you're just bad at it," Gabriel replied lazily.
"That's not true! I just slipped a little, that's all! Next time I'll win for sure!"
"But, Satania-sama, your coins are gone," Raphiel's cheerful voice teased.
"Ughhh!"
They turned toward the sound and found Gabriel, Satania, and Raphiel standing in front of a claw machine surrounded by stuffed animals.
"Hey," Gabriel said, holding up a small bunny plush. "Here. Take it."
"I-I don't want that stupid thing!" Satania huffed, crossing her arms and turning away dramatically.
Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You were staring at it pretty hard. You sure you don't want it?"
"I was only looking because it's ugly! I was going to grab it to, uh… dispose of it properly!" she said, her voice trailing off into a soft whimper.
"Sure you were," Gabriel said flatly. "Fine, I'll throw it away then." She raised her hand as if to toss it.
"W-wait!" Satania shouted, eyes wide, then immediately crossed her arms again. "I-I mean… do whatever you want!"
Raphiel clasped her hands together, smiling brightly. "Oh my, this is so entertaining~"
"Gabi, let me have it," she said sweetly.
"Sure," Gabriel replied with a shrug and handed it over.
Raphiel turned to Satania, her smile sharp. "Now, Satania-sama… this plush belongs to me. But if you agree to a little condition, I might give it to you~."
Satania stiffened. "W-what condition?"
"Oh, it's simple." Raphiel tapped her lip playfully. "The same one I mentioned when I stayed over at your place a few days ago."
Satania froze completely, her entire face turning crimson. "T-that—there's no way I'd agree to that!!!"
Raphiel giggled darkly, clearly enjoying her suffering. But before she could say more, a calm voice interrupted.
"Raphy, that's enough. Don't tease Satania too much—we're supposed to be having fun today."
The voice belonged to Vigne, who had just arrived with the others.