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𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥'𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭
𝐑𝐲𝐮𝐣𝐢𝐧 𝐱 𝐍𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐲𝐮𝐤𝐢
"I need just one date."
"You think you can woo me with just one date?"
"Absolutely."
Standing before the battered and bruised Apprentice was none other than the grinning teen that had found his way into the settlement's care. The way he had smiled with absolute confidence with his words, uncaring towards her fierce glare ticked her off to no end.
If he wanted to prove himself to be all that he says he is, then she was all the more eager to turn him down solely to wipe that smirk off his face.
"Fine," she'd grumble, digging the sharp end of her katana onto the frozen ground. "One day, if you fail, you're leaving me the hell alone."
His face beamed with joy at her begrudging agreement, almost like a Lillipup praised for a successful trick. "Don't you worry! It'll have you swooning for me in no time!" With the first step of his plan completed, he reached out to hold her hand, lifting it up to press his lips against it. "Tomorrow evening, there's that Lover's Festival in the city, no? I'll take you there and show you the time of your life~"
That made her scoff as she pulled her hand away to give him a backhanded slap on the cheek. "If you think cheesy shit like that would woo me, you're in for hell—"
"Hey now," he shook his head. "Don't judge a plan when you haven't even heard or seen it yet. Just wait that pretty head of yours."
Ryujin rolled her eyes at his comment, itching to drag her katana right through his skin. But she couldn’t, for a reason she couldn’t at all explain. Instead of trying to combat him with words, she spun around to withdraw her weapon and slowly began to walk away. “You can collect me by 3 pm, no later than that. Fail to make an appearance and you can kiss that ‘date’ goodbye.”
Simply smiling, Nagiyuki waved as her bruised figure disappeared within the foggy mist. Now in his lonesome, he couldn’t help but let out a longing laugh paired with a sigh. “Just you wait…”
The next day rose just as the days before. Ryujin sat above the branches of a tree, eyeing the people down below with a stern gaze. Her mind pondered about the upcoming years waiting for her to come— she would soon be the Priestess, sooner than what she had expected. With her parents’ sudden death, what more can she worry about other than her upcoming responsibilities? The weight she’d carry on her shoulders? She was not one to show her worries though; she knew more than anything that this was merely another task to endure and be rid of, it was much easier than the pain she bore in her heart.
The sound of a branch snapping into two beckoned her attention. Sharply turning her head, she’d glare downwards only to see a familiar person grinning like an idiot. She huffed at his lack of mannerisms or even adequate skills to sneak up behind her. Lowering herself to the ground, her arms crossed against her chest as her sharp gaze fell before him.
“Well then?” she inquired.
Extending out a hand, he gracefully waited for her to reach before pulling her close and kissing the bruises on her knuckles. “Shall we get going?” he’d ask with a courteous smile.
Flabbergasted by his sudden move, she’d knee him in the stomach and take a step back as he folded over in pain. “Don’t do that again!” she exclaimed with her cheeks red from embarrassment. “Just lead me there already!”
“Okay, okay,” he’d groan while sucking on his breath. Slowly easing himself up, he began to walk down the path with the flustered Apprentice following from behind.
It took them a few minutes before Ryujin forced him to take the easiest way around the region— flight. That experience gave Nagiyuki one new piece of information about the closed-off Apprentice: she was a very impatient person. And that piece of information became his new tease as they soared through the sky on the same three-headed Dragon.
Within a couple of minutes, Nagiyuki directed her attention down to the streets below. Immediately, Ryujin’s face lit with amusement and awe— it was a full-blown festival with lights, stalls, and people roaming back and forth. It was disgustingly pinkish and reddish but something in her brought that disgust into curiosity and excitement, especially when she stopped to take a glance at Nagiyuki’s bright expression.
He seemed overjoyed with his eyes glistening at the view. The way the luminescent lights hit against his sculpted face, the dips on his cheeks when he gave her that bright goofy grin, and the sheer child-like excitement he had over something so simple— it made the young Apprentice feel a certain way. But when he spared her a glance, her silver eyes shifted from his glistening figure to down below as if she was observing the scenery down below. Yet he'd chuckle, catching her heart going aflutter with her cheeks reddening to a hue he had never seen before. It was a sight, a sight he couldn't ignore.
Descending down by the outskirts, Nagiyuki was the first to descend. He spun around and extended his hand, flashing a smile at her sudden bashful expression. When his lips parted, she reacted with a harsh kick to the face, silencing him in a hurry before descending down with his help.
"Whatever that fool's mouth was going to say, keep it to yourself." Her gaze sharpened before walking ahead.
Nagiyuki could only stay behind for a moment; his eyes looked into her with adoration, admiring the upfront nature she held close to her. He knew there was something more stirring in that depressed expression he'd catch every now and then— but her impatient calls would sway him away from his thoughts. Hurriedly, he followed behind her before grinning.
"Now, let's make this a night to remember."
"Fine. This is your only chance, after all."
A prideful laugh left his chest, and that same adoring grin came to fruition. "I know that. I can already bet you're falling for me~"
In a second, he sucked his breath as a sudden punch was delivered onto his chest, leading him to hunch over in pain. Painfully, he'd spare a glance to find an irritated glare on the Apprentice's face. Though she was headstrong, he knew all too well, she just hated to admit it.