[Let's meet up at the subway station in Y City. I'll head there and wait for you.]
Lily and Shinji had just agreed on a place to meet.
[Why don't you just tell me which school you're at? I can get there pretty fast.]
Shinji wasn't interested in wasting time on a train ride all the way to Y City station just to meet up.
[Alright then, come to Sobu Middle School. That's my school.]
[Got it...]
He paused for a moment, mildly surprised. He had already suspected it, but to see it confirmed that Lily really was a middle school student... it still threw him off.
Honestly, if he hadn't already had a general sense of her age, he never would've guessed. The way she dressed and carried herself, always in a formal uniform and high heels, projected a far older image. Her figure was also more developed than most girls her age, and it was clear she still had room to grow. Not that he had any guesses.
Without delay, Shinji used Flying Thunder God to teleport instantly to a previously marked location in Y City. Pulling out his phone, he looked up the general location of Sobu Middle School, then began jumping through space with short-range teleportation until he was near the school.
It didn't take long to find it.
[I'm already here. Where should I wait for you?]
[So fast?! I only just left. It'll take me another thirty minutes or so. How about you wait at the milk tea shop I mentioned earlier? It's the only one near the school gate.]
Lily was once again reminded that Shinji was no longer a B-class rookie. He was now an S-class hero among the upper ranks of the Association.
[Okay.]
Shinji replied shortly, scanning his surroundings until his eyes landed on the shop. It was just as Lily described: two storefronts, a second floor, and a polished interior that gave off a cozy atmosphere. Since it was Sunday and school wasn't in session, the place was still packed with students enjoying their day off.
In Japan, Sunday marks the beginning of a new week, so each week runs from Sunday to Saturday. That explained why Lily had picked today. The milk tea shop was the only one nearby still in business, most likely because it had absorbed all the foot traffic and driven any smaller competitors out not long after opening.
Shinji stepped inside and picked an empty seat without much thought.
[Want something to drink? I can order for you first.]
[Thanks, I'll have a jasmine milk green tea. I'll pay you when I get there.]
He went to the counter and placed the order for her drink, grabbing a classic milk tea for himself before heading back to his seat. But the moment he stepped into line, his presence caught the attention of nearly every student around.
"That guy looks really familiar. Where have I seen that face before?"
"Oh come on, you say that about every good-looking guy."
"No, seriously! I think I've seen him too. Isn't he an S-class hero or something? Let me look him up."
"I already checked the hero registry. He's S-Class Rank 5, Kamui. No wonder he looked familiar."
"Can't believe we're actually seeing an S-class hero here. And he looks so young! He barely looks older than us!"
Shinji could hear every word of the chatter swirling around him. Out of politeness, he offered a small smile to the boys and girls who greeted him with a shy "hi." That simple, casual gesture was all it took to set off another ripple of excitement.
"He smiled at me! And he really does look so young!"
"Hmph, such shallow girls. They don't even realize those blood-red eyes are the coolest part. There's probably a terrifying demon king sealed within them!"
Middle school boys were right at the peak of their chuunibyou phase. In fact, the whole concept of "chuunibyou" basically came from the exaggerated behavior of Japanese eighth graders. Shinji could only smile helplessly as he overheard the ridiculous arguments breaking out among the students.
"Middle school boys should really keep their mouths shut. Aren't you afraid people will laugh their teeth out?"
...
Despite the nonsense, Shinji stayed silent and just waited patiently. That said, he really could summon an outer-path golem if he wanted to. That alone would be enough to silence all the demon king talk, because in terms of presence and destructive power, it truly was a monster fit for that title.
He remained seated, waiting quietly for Lily to arrive.
While he sat there, the staff brought over both milk teas. Just then, two girls approached his table. One of them hung back with a grin while the other, clearly more nervous, stepped forward.
"Um... Mr. Kamui, could I add you on LINE?"
The two girls looked like typical high school delinquents, more specifically, the flashy, self-indulgent kind often referred to in Japan as "gals."
Coincidentally, Lily arrived at that exact moment.
She wasn't in her usual work uniform today. Instead, she wore a soft white dress, had swapped her heels for simple white canvas sneakers, and applied a light touch of makeup. In Japan, it was basic etiquette, when a girl went out with a guy, showing up without makeup was sometimes even considered rude. So even naturally pretty girls would at least wear a little.
Just as Shinji was about to reply to the LINE request, Lily spotted the scene and strode over quickly. Without hesitation, she stepped between Shinji and the two girls and faced them head-on.
"Excuse me, but you're in my seat."
Though Lily smiled, there was no warmth in her eyes. Her tone was calm, but her expression made it clear that she wasn't in the mood for small talk.
"Ah... oh, sorry! We'll move right away."
The two girls backed off almost immediately, assuming Kamui already had a girlfriend. They awkwardly returned to their seats, whispering as they went.
"Wow, he actually has a girlfriend already? Who is she? Could she be a really strong hero too?"
"To be dating the S-Class Rank 5, she must at least be an A-Class hero, right? I haven't seen her on the S-Class list..."
"Ugh, what a shame. If I'd pulled that off, it would've been so cool. He's literally number five on both the S-Class hero list and the weekly popularity rankings!"
"Seriously! Way more impressive than any of your last few boyfriends."
They were typical gal girls, flashy, self-confident, and impulsive. Not necessarily bad people, but not particularly subtle either. They just wanted to enjoy themselves and chase excitement.
Shinji could hear everything they were saying, but he simply shook his head. None of it surprised him. Lily's appearance had saved him the trouble of dealing with the situation himself.
If she hadn't shown up, he probably would've accepted the LINE request without thinking too much of it. He wasn't the kind of person who judged someone just because they looked like a gal.
Lily sat down across from him.
She didn't say anything about what had just happened. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and her nervousness was obvious. A vague tension hung between them.
She hadn't meant to react so strongly. It wasn't like her to act that impulsively. But seeing those girls hovering over him like that, she had moved without even thinking.
Now that she replayed it in her head, her behavior seemed too obvious. Too possessive. Too unlike her usual self.
What was going on with her...?
Could it be...