The birds were chirping, and the sun was already illuminating the roofs of all the houses in the entire town of Fixy. Like any other day, all the citizens were doing their own jobs and attending their own meetings with one another.

Naturally, it was the same for a certain white-haired girl, who appeared to be sleeping in freshly bought sheets on her bed. Despite the fact that the day had already started, she had fallen into the soft and warm sheets of her own bed.

“Hm~”

As soon as the first sunlight touched the shut eyelids of the girl, she quickly covered her own head to prevent the light from bothering her. However, that was also the first indication that something was wrong.

“Ah?” She immediately got up from the bed while releasing a gasping sound of confusion.

She looked around and realized she was in her own room, indicating that she had overslept. Her brain was still trying to wake up, which is why she couldn't form a question in her own confusion.

“Wasn't I….” She blinked twice, finally recalling the last thing she remembered. “Wasn't I fighting that guy?”

She fell into her own thoughts once again as she tried to think of what could’ve gone wrong. 

She knew that she had failed to meet her benefactors' expectations, resulting in her loss. And she assumed that after she had lost consciousness, Hiroki must’ve taken the situation into his own hands to solve this.

“So I lost...” 

She clenched the sheets of her bed while looking down in sadness at her own failure. She thought that even after this long time of exploring her own abilities and strengths, she should’ve at least managed to reach Hiroki’s expectations. But her own body had failed to do so.

She was a failure, which is why everything that happened in the past occurred because, no matter how hard she worked, nothing went as she wished.

“.......” 

Aya’s eyes dimmed as she realized how meaningless and pointless her work actually was. 

In the first place, does Hiroki even need her? He already has reached and managed to get a job in this town due to his imitation skill, so does she even have a place to be his right hand?

She let her negative emotions mess with her mind before her eyes relaxed in a halfway narrowing state. 

With that relaxed yet defeated state, she got out of bed and went downstairs to see where Hiroki was and perhaps hear what plans he had with her from now on.

While walking downstairs, she immediately assumed that Hiroki was going to be in the basement like usual. That's why she didn't bother looking around the first floor at all. 

However, just as she was about to open the wooden door leading to the basement, a white ghost walked through, startling Aya with its unexpected appearance. 

She knew right away that it was Hiroki, as he was the only one who would simply pass through walls or doors without the need to open them. She never understood how this worked, but right now, her mind was only filled with what Hiroki was going to say next about her loss.

“Sorry for startling you like that.” He apologized as he gave a quick glance behind him to make sure the wooden door was properly closed. 

“No, it's also my fault for suddenly showing up here….” Aya apologized, her head hanging low.

Hiroki, after seeing the quiet and defeated look in Aya’s eyes, immediately picked up on what was going on. Even if he let Aya fight that suspicious-looking knight, it was clear that her loss had affected her.

"No, I was actually on my way to wake you up. So no need to feel bad," he exclaimed with a smile.

Aya's head hung low, expecting to be scolded or left behind for her incompetence. She still wanted to help Hiroki out. She still wanted to repay his kindness for making her so independent and strong. 

She still wanted to somehow make herself wantable. But what bothered her the most was that she wished Hiroki would show her some... attention?

“I think there are some good places around this town that you might like. While we won't be able to walk around freely due to our hair, I think that we can still spend some quality time at some touristic places.” Hiroki suggested.

Aya looked up at Hiroki with an expression that wasn't sure of the meaning behind his words. 

She expected something different from her benefactor due to her failure, but from the way he was talking, it seemed like the thing that happened yesterday was just another nightmare.

“We’ve also saved up quite a bit of money, so that shouldn't be a problem for us.” Hiroki continued speaking to the dumbfounded girl.

“...I don’t understand………” Aya's voice trailed off into a confused murmur.

“What don’t you understand?” 

“What will you do... with a failure like me?” Aya questioned, her heart aching at the thought of being left behind. 

“Hm? I think I mentioned that we are going on a date around the town, didn't I?” Hiroki pretended to rub his own chin as he responded to her.

Aya, on the other hand, was dumbfounded once more, her eyes slightly open and almost frozen by the sudden revelation of Hiroki's intention. 

Her own mind was filled with nothing but intrusive thoughts that made her think of the worst possible kind of ending. She couldn't understand why but felt depressed that, despite working so hard, she still failed to fulfill one simple request that Hiroki had asked for.

And now, after she was at her worst, expecting to be thrown aside like she was used to, Hiroki’s response made her perplexed for the following seconds. 

“....”

“....?”

Normally, once her mind caught up with what was going on, she blinked once before her pure-looking face showed rose colors on her delicate and beautiful feminine cheeks.

“......eh?” 

Was all she could say at the most unexpected suggestion that her benefactor said. 

“A d-date?”

“Yes, are dates not common in this town?” Hiroki's calm, yet interested, gaze inquired.

“....no, they are…. But…..” She trailed off. 

She had never considered going on a date with anyone other than the person who had not only saved her but also given her a new purpose in life.

In the first place, she wasn't against the idea of going on a date with Hiroki. 

Until now, this was nothing more than a random thought that she had never expected to occur in her whole life because she was sure that she didn't deserve such attention from him. But just the thought of being looked at like that by Hiroki made her stomach flutter.

“...going on a date with someone like me? Is that really okay?” 

She asked, her voice laced with disbelief and a hint of nervousness. As she spoke, she could feel her thighs rubbing together slightly, a physical manifestation of the emotions that were coursing through her body.

“You’re forming that sentence as if you are the lowest of the low. That's the only thing that I don't like about you... Aya.” 

Hiroki responded to the insecure girl, earning a bit of nervousness from her. 

“However, let me tell you that you are more amazing than you think. The fact that you have accomplished this much despite being thrown aside more than once is something that I respect. Besides, if it weren't for you, I would have never been able to arrive here and settle down without being suspected by thousands of people at the same time. So don’t lower yourself so much.”

As she was listening to what Hiroki thought of her, a mix of emotions flew inside before she looked down once again. However, this time, a smile could be seen forming, making her small face reveal her cute side as the opposite gender.

But to this, Hiroki only gave a blank response while waiting for Aya’s final response about his suggestion.

* * *

In the lively town of Fixy, the streets were teeming with people eager to get their hands on a new, mysterious drink that promised incredible effects. Everywhere you looked, vendors were peddling the elixir, and it seemed like everyone had already taken a sip. 

Amidst the throngs of people, two figures cloaked in darkness strolled down the busy thoroughfare, their eyes darting around as if searching for something. 

One of them had a wide grin plastered across her face as she was practically bouncing with excitement. The other, however, wore a stoic expression and had piercing red eyes that seemed to betray no emotion at all. 

Together, they made their way through the crowd with a clear purpose on their minds. 

There were numerous tents selling accessories, which many young girls enjoyed exploring. 

And of course, Aya’s attraction to them was as expected, which is why she looked around with the hope of finding something. And this town wasn't to be left with disappointment, as there were many interesting things being sold. Especially for new adventurers that would come to this town.

“Ah.” Aya gasped once her eye caught something within the accessories that were presented at the outdoor tent on the mart street. They were a pair of small pendants of silver birds with their wings wide open.

The seller noticed the girl’s interest, which is why he took the pendants and carefully laid them on his open palm so Aya could get a better look.

“Ya have a special eye, lil’ miss.” 

The seller smiled as he moved the palm of his hand closer to her. 

"These pendants are something unique that you and your partner can wear all the time. It's a proof of trust, encouragement, but also love that shows that no matter the situation, nothing will take ya apart.”

Aya watched with awe at the description before her mind repeated the last sentence that the seller mentioned. If she wore these pendants, then that meant she could spend the rest of her life... with Hiroki?

‘W-wait, why am I thinking about that?’ She thought, trying to shake off her nervousness and the embarrassing thought that crossed her mind.

The seller, noticing this chance, grinned before taking both of the pendants closer together. 

"But what makes these pendants even more special is that if you place them close together, they will try to attract each other as if they were meant to be together." 

As he spoke, Aya and Hiroki couldn't help but be captivated by the pendants' movements. Slowly, the two pieces moved closer together, as if pulled by an invisible string. 

At first, the motion was imperceptible, but gradually it became more noticeable until the two pendants were hovering just inches apart.

Hiroki stood stoically next to Aya, his face showing no emotion as she marveled in awe at the seller's colorful display of goods. His eyes flicked over to a collection of magnets, and a small voice in the back of his mind posed the question. 

'Magnets?' He thought.

Although his curiosity was piqued, he remained outwardly impassive, unwilling to reveal his true feelings to anyone, even Aya.

While Hiroki seemed wary of the merchant's offer, Aya's eyes lit up with growing excitement. Her cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anticipation as she turned to Hiroki, hoping to share in the excitement of this potential purchase. 

As she fidgeted with anticipation, she caught a glimpse of Hiroki's expression. 

It was clear that he did not share her enthusiasm, and the realization slowly crept over her like a chill. For a moment, she felt embarrassed and foolish for getting so excited, but then she took a deep breath and tried to regain her composure

“...I wanted to buy these pendants… but I forgot that you can’t wear one….” She said, already giving up on accessories that she and Hiroki could share. 

Because Hiroki is a ghost, he can't touch anything without the help of his skill, so she knew she had to give up on getting something like that.

“You can buy them if you want.” Hiroki offered, seemingly to be engrossed in those pendants. “I'm not against them.”

“Are you… sure?” Aya asked, wanting to be considerate of Hiroki’s unfortunate situation.

“Hahahaha, ya folks’ are interesting.” The seller suddenly laughed, seeming to be listening to the duo’s conversation. “I’ll give these pendants a discount, so why don't ya go with it and buy them? I'm sure that ya folks will have good charm as a couple.”

“C-couple?” Aya’s cheeks blushed.

Hiroki noticed the rose-colored blush on Aya’s face and couldn't help but smile while lowering his head so his white hair and red eyes wouldn't be that visible to the public. He never showed any emotion when it came to their relationship, which left the white-haired girl feeling uncertain about her position. 

He had always valued Aya as a reliable asset to his journey in the new world, which was why he had no intention of discarding her easily. 

She was a hard-working and strong-willed girl, making her an even more valuable partner to him. However, he was also aware of Aya's struggles, and that was the reason he had suggested the date plan in the first place.

After getting convinced to buy the pendants, Aya looked at Hiroki, who nodded in response, before pulling out some coins from her dimensional pocket. 

While Hiroki couldn't touch anything since he was a ghost, he still accepted the gift that Aya wanted. However, he kept the pendant near his body while levitating it with his own skill.

Aya, on the other hand, wore the pendant around her neck, where it hung near her chest. She felt happy to have something in common with her benefactor, bringing their relationship closer than before. 

As she realized what the pendants could signify, her blush deepened, and she felt a warm sensation in her chest. However, she didn't want to blur out her true feelings to her benefactor due to the problems that could lead to it.

After exploring the town on foot, taking in the sights, and purchasing anything that caught Aya's eye, Hiroki and Aya eventually ended up in a posh-looking bar in a well-constructed zone. 

It was an entire white building at the top of a hill, with the first floor mostly for people dining and the third for those who just wanted to enjoy the view while sipping a drink.

Aya was hesitant at first, but after seeing how interested Hiroki had become in this particular bar restaurant, she also accepted.

However, this restaurant was a nice and quiet place that most people in this town couldn't afford due to the high quality of the food and drinks provided. 

And when two individuals with black cloaks entered the restaurant, of course the waitress tried warning them about the prices of this place. Because Hiroki and Aya were covering their heads like mercenaries, the waitress tried to be reasonable so they wouldn't be offended. 

Even the other diners who were watching the situation unfold in front of their eyes were looking at the cloaked duo. This was more of a reason that the waitress was trying to convince Hiroki and Aya to leave this place.

Aya had anticipated this outcome, which is why she was initially hesitant to enter a high-end restaurant.

“Hiroki, maybe we should just go for now?” Aya softly whispered, as many other waitresses were wryly smiling at the suspicious-looking duo.

Hiroki gave Aya a soft glance before walking towards the main head waiter and whispering something only he could hear. 

Aya was a bit confused by what Hiroki was saying. However, in the next moment, the head waiter’s eyes widened in surprise before he ordered the other waiters to show the duo in black where the third floor was located.

The other waiters that were on standby simply bowed before walking towards Aya and Hiroki with a straightened back and a professional manner.

“Your seat will be this way.” 

The waiter that was assigned to the duo served with a stern look before leading Aya and Hiroki to the third floor of this building. The stairs were also completely white, covered with a clean red carpet that showed how expensive this place was.

Aya’s shoes were a bit dirty, and she felt guilty that she was stepping on such a fancy and clean carpet. Her whole mind was just saying to her that she shouldn't be here. She didn't deserve to come into this kind of building.

Hiroki, on the other hand? He appeared completely calm and relaxed, to the point where Aya wondered how this could be. 

Was Hiroki very rich when he was in the secret civilization that he claimed to be?

When Hiroki and Aya reached the third and final floor, they were greeted by a stunning palace. 

The space was filled with tables, all positioned under a beautiful blue roof that provided shade from the sun and protection from the rain. 

Everything was pristine and elegant, from the sparkling clean floors to the ornate decorations on the walls. As they stepped out onto the balcony, the view was breathtaking and left them in awe.

“Right this way.” The waiter moved his arm to direct the duo in cloaks to a certain table of two that was near the balcony of this floor. 

From there, both Aya and Hiroki could see almost the whole town without any problem, thanks to the perfect place where his restaurant was built.

 It was as if this whole place was a majestic view that would attract many nobles to return no matter where they were. It was already afternoon, meaning that it was the perfect time of the day for someone to enjoy some fresh or warm drinks.

“Woaah….” 

Aya’s eyes, which were reflecting the amazing view from the balcony, shone in awe. She had never imagined in her life that she would be able to see this kind of view in the best restaurant in town.

On the other hand, Hiroki's expression remained the same. It was just like any other day, as if this scenario was nothing that would impress him. But that didn't stop Aya from enjoying the beauty of this place.

Once the waitress helped Hiroki and Aya sit on the tables, they were given two menus from which they could choose any kind of drink. 

Aya had never seen or heard of any of those drinks, which is why she was having trouble choosing one. Even the waitress was simply waiting with his eyes shut, surely expecting that these duo had no standards or common knowledge about the special dishes. However, his expectations were shattered the moment Hiroki began to talk.

“I’ll get the special drink of the week, and the girl will get the chocolate milkshake filled with sweet fruits.”

The waitress was certain he had simply ordered something off the menu, but the way he smoothly pronounced the new drinks that even the nobles struggled with surprised him for a moment. But since they were guests, the waitress slightly bowed before taking the menus and heading back.

Once they were left on their own, Hiroki and Aya fell into silence as if not knowing what kind of topic to start with one another. Aya was eager to start a topic, but she didn't even know where to start. Like, what kind of hobbies does Hiroki have? Does he have anything he likes?

“Are you nervous?” Hiroki broke the silence first.

“Ah…. Yes. is it that obvious?” She shyly responded, trying to hide the fact that she was struggling to calm down.

“Yes. You were like that the moment we got in here. But I don't blame you; this is my first time as well." Hiroki responded, his eyes focused on the small figure with a dark cloak over her white hair.

“You’ve never been into a place like this before... you know even in that place you mentioned?” Aya asked, a bit nervous to ask further into Hiroki’s personal life.

“No, they were always unpleasant.” 

He responded, his eyes now showing a bit of sorrow at being reminded of the past. 

“However, this place is very nice. I feel like a lot of effort and creativity went into this place, to the point where it needed a genius to make one."

Aya simply nodded, a smile forming on her face while she tried to avoid meeting Hiroki’s eyes. Even though they were strangely wearing cloaks that would cover their hair, she still felt like this was a special day for both of them.

Within a few minutes, the same waiter returned with the orders that Hiroki had requested. Aya was excitedly waiting for what she was about to get, intensely staring at the items that the waiter had brought.

In front of Aya, the waiter carefully placed a rather large, clean, and detailed glass with whipped cream, milk, melted chocolate, and other colorful stuff that seemed like it had been sparkled at the top. 

Aya couldn't understand why, but just from the looks of it and the smell that it gave off, she was impressed by this sort of weird drink that she had never seen before. But she didn't want to act out in this place, which is why she tried calming herself until the waiter would leave.

But she was still curious about what Hiroki had ordered, so she looked at his drink and saw a normal-looking glass filled with yellow liquid and a slice of lemon slid on top. 

She felt like she had seen that weird drink before, but she couldn't recall where and when. But she was still distracted by the colorful drink in front of her, which is why she did not question anything. She simply wanted to enjoy this drink to the fullest with this milkshake that was almost making her drool.

After checking to see if the waiter was fully gone, she took the glass and carefully tried drinking it as it was, together with the carefully made whipped cream. 

The moment the taste reached her tongue, she couldn't help but want more of it, almost becoming addicted to this new combination of flavors. And once she was done taking one long sip of the chocolate milkshake, she noticed that Hiroki was staring at her, giving a small smile as he had his arms crossed together.

“Did I… do something that I shouldn't have done?” Aya asked as she raised her head, revealing whipped cream around her mouth and a bit on her nose.

Hiroki pretended to rest his head on his wrist as his unusual smile never left his face. 

“No, but I think you should clean your face.” 

Aya’s cheeks immediately reddened once she realized the embarrassing situation she had put herself in once again. But she didn't feel this bad this time after seeing the calm, yet interested gaze on Hiroki’s face. 

She quickly wiped the cream off her face before noticing Hiroki hadn't touched his own drink. 

She knew that he couldn't eat or drink anything, but at the same time, she felt bad that he wasn't able to enjoy this amazing and sweet drink as she could. However, her eyes noticed something very strange about the drink that Hiroki had ordered.

“Is that….” She attempted to ask once she finally understood why Hiroki had ordered that strange yellow drink.

“You noticed as well?” Hiroki gave a small fake smile.

“But how?” 

Many thoughts were going on in Aya's head right now. She knew Hiroki was cautious and knew how to conduct his business as a merchant, which is why she was perplexed at first as to how his potion ended up as an exotic type of drink in this high-end restaurant. 

Did Hiroki already plan on selling it here? Or was something else going on that she hadn't realized yet?

Hiroki, however, gave a small sigh with a smile on his face before looking back at Aya.

“I guess we might have to ask a certain little boy behind this kind of surprising revelation.” Hiroki responded with the same kind of expression.

Aya, on the other hand, looked befuddled, trying to understand what Hiroki was trying to hint. But of course, before she could connect the dots of the situation, a small voice was heard one table behind the one that they were sitting in.

“Hee… so you knew it was me?” 

A voice spoke up, interrupting the silence and causing Aya to jump in surprise. The speaker's tone was curious and playful, but there was also a hint of mischief in his words. 

Aya looked around the room in an effort to locate the voice's origin when she caught sight of a young boy sitting at a table behind her. He appeared to be between the ages of ten and eleven. 

He wore fancy white clothes and had blonde hair and green eyes. He was holding a small book in his left hand, pretending to quietly read the whole time, while on his other hand, a silver coin was spinning around his little, delicate-looking fingers. 

There was no one in here when Aya and Hiroki arrived, which made Aya puzzled as to how this boy managed to walk near them without being noticed. And as per her instinct of being wide open, she immediately moved her hand closer to her dimensional pocket to get her daggers out.

“There’s no need for that, Aya.”

But before she could attempt to defend herself and Hiroki from this situation, she was immediately halted by Hiroki, who still seemed relaxed. 

However, this wasn’t the only reason behind Aya’s cautiousness. Something else seemed to be getting into her senses, alarming her that the three of them were not the only eyes that were watching.

“I'm sure that if this kid would’ve wanted us dead, he would’ve done so.” 

Hiroki glanced back at the kid, not wanting to show any sort of satisfaction or reaction to the other presences that were on the last floor. 

“However, I do want to state that I do not appreciate it when someone decides to watch over me.”

Naturally, after seeing that Hiroki was trying to get to the bottom of this, Aya relaxed her arm before getting up so she could stand by Hiroki’s side.

“Hahaha, I apologize about that. They are merely some guards who happen to follow me around in case something happens.” 

The blonde kid gave a small innocent smile before standing up and snapping his fingers, causing all of the hidden guards and assassins on the balcony and rooftop to jump off the building and disappear.

“And you aren't afraid that we might attack you now that you’ve left us alone?” Hiroki’s eyes narrowed, not moving an inch from the table he was pretending to sit on.

“I know that you won't attack me.” The blonde kid showed his innocent smile once again. “Because I know that you, as well, want something from me. Is that right? …..Hiroki?”

Aya looked back and forth between her benefactor who wasn’t giving any hints of the current situation. 

How come that this blonde boy had this much influence? How did he get here without getting noticed? Was he some kind of noble’s child? 

Those were Aya's first few guesses as she was trying to get into the common topic of what was going on.