Stepping into the relatively intact interior area of the department store, although it was still covered in a layer of dust and some shelves had collapsed, one could vaguely discern the shadow of its former prosperity.
Mannequins in the clothing section wore outdated garments, dolls in the toy section peered out of their boxes, and notebooks in the stationery area were scattered across the floor... This space, surviving the catastrophe, had now become a peculiar dating venue.
Yoshinon seemed unusually excited; she was as if she was filled with curiosity about everything.
"Whoa! Brother Shidou! Look at that!" Yoshinon commanded in her sharp, comical voice, pointing towards a display rack holding an exaggerated hat.
"That hat is so interesting! Doesn't it look like something you'd see in a circus!" Shido followed the direction she was pointing. It was a wide-brimmed hat adorned with massive feathers and glittering sequins, completely out of place in the ruins, yet possessing a tenacious quality, an attempt to preserve a sense of joy.
"Hmm, yes, it's very extravagant." Shido nodded cooperatively, walked forward, and carefully took the hat off the tilted mannequin head, gently brushing away the dust.
He hesitated for a moment, not handing it directly to Yoshino, but rather offering it to the hand puppet controlled by Yoshino.
Yoshino immediately "received" it with the puppet hand, then deftly turned and tried to place it on Yoshino's head.
Yoshino flinched slightly but did not refuse, allowing the extravagant hat to settle gently upon her blue curls. The hat was a bit large for her, almost covering half her face, leaving visible only her small chin and slightly reddened lips.
"How is it, how is it? Yoshino, it suits you, doesn't it~!" Yoshino bobbed proudly.
Yoshinon did not speak, but Shido could sense a subtle, novel gleam flashing in the sapphire-like eyes beneath the brim. She nodded gently.
They continued forward and arrived at the toy section. A giant teddy bear doll wearing a lace dress lay sprawled in the middle of the aisle. Yoshinon was immediately drawn to it.
"Ah! It's Mr. Bear! Did he fall down? Poor thing~" Yoshinon commanded, "Shido, quickly help him!"
Shido stepped forward and carefully helped the teddy bear, which was nearly as tall as he was, stand up and lean against a stable shelf.
The teddy bear's simple, honest expression looked somewhat comical amidst the dust. "That's great! Mr. Bear is saved!"
Yoshino cheered excitedly, and then she suddenly lowered her voice and spoke to Shido in a mysterious tone.
"Brother Shidou, did you know? Yoshinon actually really likes these big, fluffy guys~! She's just too shy to say so!"
"Yo-Yoshino!" From beneath the hat brim came Yoshinon's mosquito-like protest, laced with embarrassment and annoyance. This was the first time she had directly reacted to something Yoshinon had said.
Shido couldn't help but laugh: "Is that so? That's a very cute preference."
Next, they passed a music box counter. Most of the music boxes were damaged, but one small, shell-inlaid music box had only been shaken onto the floor and seemed to still be functional.
Shido picked it up and gently wound the spring a few times.
Ding-dong, ding-dong—the clear, ethereal, yet slightly off-key melody flowed through the silent ruins. It was an old, unknown nursery rhyme.
The moment the music started, Shido noticed that Yoshino, wearing the hat, paused slightly.
She quietly raised her hand and pushed the brim up just a little, revealing those clear blue eyes, listening quietly and intently to the simple, incomplete melody.
In her gaze, a pure, almost nostalgic, gentle light shone forth, as if the music had touched a soft corner deep within her heart.
Even Yoshinon, who had been chattering incessantly, temporarily quieted down.
(... She truly is a very gentle, yet very lonely child.) Seeing Yoshino like this, Shido's protective instincts and his resolve to help her grew stronger.
When the music stopped, Yoshino seemed to snap back to reality. Realizing Shido was watching her, she immediately pulled the brim back down, retreating into the shadow.
"Ahem!" Shido coughed lightly, breaking the brief silence and interrupting Yoshino's awkwardness.
"Speaking of which, a date can't be complete without a gift. Let me help you two choose one."
He pointed towards a glass counter nearby, where some jewelry, though dusty, still sparkled. "Eh?" Yoshino lifted her head from beneath the brim, looking at Shido with some surprise.
Shido walked over. The counter was already shattered, and he carefully avoided the glass shards, retrieving a simple star pendant necklace inlaid with blue rhinestones from inside.
That blue color reminded him of Yoshino's eyes.
"This... is for you, Yoshinon." This time, he didn't go through Yoshinon, but spoke softly directly to the girl beneath the hat, handing the necklace over.
Yoshino's body visibly stiffened. She didn't immediately take it, but instead peered through the gap beneath the brim, secretly looking at the blue star sparkling in the faint light in Shido's hand, and then looked at Shido's sincere gaze.
After several seconds, a slightly trembling small hand slowly extended from beneath the cloak, cautiously taking the necklace from Shido's hand as if touching something fragile. She clutched the necklace tightly in her palm, pressing it against her chest, and for the first time, spoke directly to Shido in a barely audible voice:
"...Tha... Thank you..." Although faint, the voice was incredibly clear.
"Oh my, oh my~! Yoshino actually thanked him on her own! Brother Shidou, you really have a way with her!" Yoshinon immediately teased him loudly, and the atmosphere relaxed again.
This peculiar date, conducted in the ruins and led by a hand puppet, seemed to be slowly prying open that frozen, shy heart in an unexpected manner.
Shido knew this was only the first step, but it was undoubtedly a hopeful beginning.
And what he needed to do next was continue this "date" until she could fully trust him and be willing to listen to the future regarding "sealing" and "coexistence."
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