Shiki and Ai were still walking through the street. Ai still clingng to his arm. Occasionally pointing toward shops, and the stuffs she found exciting.
She would also, occasionally look at him, her cheeks dusted red, from the closeness. Still thinking about how much she is falling for him, smiling at him.
Then a voice call out to them.
"Oh-ho, you two! You look like you could use something nice!"
They turned. It was a stall tucked between two larger shops, run by a sweet-faced middle-aged woman with a warm smile. Her table was covered in glimmering things — hairpins, clips, earrings, necklaces, all laid out on soft cloth.
"C'mere, c'mere," she said, waving them closer. "Got just the thing for a lovely couple like you."
Ai's bro twitched at the word couple. Suprisingly, she knew what that word meant. But she didn't comment, didn't let go of Shiki's arm, just pulled him toward the lady.
"They're pretty…" she murmured, almost to herself. But then the shopkeeper mentioned prices and that was when Ai froze.
"Money?" she repeated, as if tasting the word for the first time.
Shiki glanced sideways at her. "Yeah. Currency. You don't exactly have any."
She pouted faintly but didn't argue, just kept looking. Her eyes turned past gold chains and silver bracelets before pausing on something simple... a small hairpin shaped like a butterfly, its wings painted in a soft gradient of blue and purple.
Shiki noticed. Then without saying a word, picked it up. Before Ai could back away, he slid it gently into her hair. His fingers brushed against her temple for half a second longer than they needed to.
"W-what are you doing?" Ai squicked, touching the clip.
"Making you look better." Shiki teased, smiling toward her.
Ai's cheek warmed instantly, "You can't just..."
"Yes I can, kitten."
The shopkeeper clapped her hands softly. "Ooh, what a perfect choice. You know, legend says whoever gives that hairpin to their lover… they'll always be together."
Ai's blush deepened so fast it was almost comical. She looked down, fiddling with her fingers, and definitely didn't meet Shiki's eyes.
In his head, Shiki muttered, *Right… I forgot I even added stupid legends like that.*
Ai touched the hairpin lightly. "How much?"
Shiki didn't even hesitate... he paid without comment.
"Come back again." The lady called cheerfully, as they walked away. Ai's hand lingered at her temple the whole time, brushing against the pin like she was trying to remind herself it was real.
They barely walked half a block before Ai's tummy made a sound. She touched her tummy.
"Ne, ne, Shiki..." Ai called, pulling his arm.
"Yes, kitten?"
"I' am hungry."
Shiki sighed but scanned the street. A bar caught his eye... wooden sign swinging overhead, the faint murmur of voices spilling out. Without warning, he took her hand and led her straight toward it.
---
The moment they stepped inside the atmosphere shifted.
The light was dimmer here, warm and smoky. Men hunched over tankards of beer, dice clattered on wooden tables, and every now and then, a loud burst of laughter cut through the low murmur.
They got looked at. A lot.
Shiki didn't flinch, just walked deeper in, finding a table near the wall. He sat across from Ai, who was too busy taking in the scene to notice some of the stares lingering on her.
Then a waitress came toward them. The moment Ai laid eyes on her, her jaw dropped. Her cleavage, her huge cleavage was in front them. The woman looked riped. She leaned down towards their table, pushing it enough to emphasise they were their.
"Master... What can I get for you?" Her voice was seductive.
Shiki didn't even flinched. He just stored at her cleavage, "Porridge and meat for her."
She nodded, giving him a knowing smile, then took the order and walk toward the counter, her hips swaying in every motion.
Ai, oblivious to the stare she was getting, and was practically bouncing at her sit, "Meat." She whispered to herself.
But the moment didn't last long.
A shadow fell over their table. "Hey, young lady," a voice drawled. "Why don't you come with us? Ditch that loser."
Ai froze. Her eyes slid to Shiki immediately, a silent help.
The man. big, broad-shouldered, smelling faintly of ale, reached toward her arm.
He didn't make it.
Shiki's hand clamped around the guy's wrist like a steel trap, his chair scraping back as he stood.
"Pretty boy," the man sneered, leaning down. "If you don't want your face smashed in-"
"—then what?" Shiki cut in, voice flat. "You'll breathe beer at me until I die?"
That earned a couple of laughs from nearby tables. The man's buddies didn't like that. Chairs scraped, mugs slammed onto tables, and suddenly there were five more idiots surrounding them.
One guy — tall, bald, tattoo creeping up his neck — cracked his knuckles and said, "You're dead, kid."
Shiki just looked bored. "Yeah, yeah. Heard that one before."
The first punch came flying from Baldy. Shiki leaned back slightly — and the guy's fist missed by a mile, crashing into another man's stomach instead. That man doubled over, wheezing, and Shiki casually helped him fall by nudging his foot out from under him.
Another guy charged from behind. Shiki didn't even turn. He just reached back, grabbed a beer mug off the nearest table, and smashed it into the guy's forehead without looking. Foam and glass went everywhere.
Ai gasped.
A third idiot came running, yelling something about "teaching this brat a lesson." Shiki sidestepped, hooked his leg out, and the man went flying into a waitress carrying a tray of drinks. The tray went up in the air, did a full spin, and miraculously landed perfectly upright on another table. The customers there cheered and started placing bets right then and there.
"Five silver on the kid!" someone yelled.
"Oh, screw you, he's gonna get flattened!" another shot back.
Meanwhile, Shiki grabbed the fourth guy's shirt, yanked him forward, and slammed his face right into the edge of their table. Ai squeaked and leaned back just in time to avoid getting splattered.
One of the maids — busty one from earlier — was leaning against the bar counter, watching with her chin in her hand. "Not bad," she commented, loud enough for Ai to hear. "Could probably toss me around like that, too."
Ai's jaw dropped. "Wha—?!"
The last guy tried to grab Shiki from behind, but Shiki spun, caught him by the collar, and yeeted him over the bar. The man crashed into the shelf of liquor bottles with a spectacular CRASH, and the bartender, without looking up from cleaning a glass, muttered, "Add it to his tab."
By now, the floor was a mess — spilled beer, unconscious men, overturned chairs. Shiki, still breathing evenly, straightened his clothes, brushed nonexistent dust off his shoulder, and strolled back to his seat like he'd just gone to fetch water.
He sat, leaned back, and asked Ai, "You good?"
Ai's cheeks were pink, eyes wide. "That was… wow."
On the floor, one of the men groaned, "Fuck… you…"
Shiki didn't even look. "You're welcome."
"Shiki... Thank you." Ai said, blushing.
Shiki just smirked toward her.
The busty waitress came back with the order, placing the steaming food on the table, "Here you go, Master."
Ai grinned, picking up her spoon, "That was the most fun I had today."
"Cute." Shiki teased.
Ai just ignored him, taking a spoonful of porridge I. Her mouth. Between a mouthful, she look up at him, "Ne, ne, Shiki, aren't you going to eat."
"You know I am not actually her." Shiki explained, "I only eat I'm the real world."
She chewed, frowned slightly. "Still… it's sad to eat alone."
"I have no need."
She made a face — then, without warning, scooped up a spoonful of porridge and shoved it toward his mouth. "Say 'ah."
Shiki blinked but let her feed him. He didn't taste a thing… but it hit him a second later — indirect kiss. She was completely oblivious.
She kept eating, and every now and then, she'd push her spoon toward him again, like it was no big deal.
Shiki didn't say a word about it. But the corner of his mouth… yeah, it was curling upward just a little.
And inside her head, *Shiki... I love you. Thank you for saving me.*
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END OF CHAPTER : 9 : HAIR PIN AND THE BAR FIGHT!
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