Chapter 157: Smile

Ephnel and Yukina went to many places.

A fragrant baking experience studio, a lively game center, a famous nearby parfait shop, an interesting aquarium, a crowded commercial plaza…

And then they went to see a popular movie together.

By the time the night grew hazy and a damp, cool breeze carrying the faint scent of flowers swept in from the end of the street, Ephnel and Yukina left the movie theater.

It was already past eight o’clock at night.

“How was the movie?”

“…It was pretty good.”

Yukina hugged the unfinished popcorn, her gaze drifting over the posters they passed, seemingly still immersed in the film.

“I was so busy watching that I didn’t even finish the popcorn…”

She mumbled, making Ephnel laugh.

“Isn’t that a good thing? You got your money’s worth. It’s been a while since we’ve spent a whole day playing, so we have to have fun.”

“Just being with Naoko makes me very happy…”

“Me too. Just being with Yukina makes me very happy. There’s nothing that could make me happier.”

Ephnel smiled softly and, intentionally or not, gently hooked her fingers around Yukina’s.

Yukina tilted her head slightly, leaning closer to Ephnel.

Their ten fingers slowly intertwined under the cover of night.

“Naoko, can we… can we be like the people in the movie, and stay together forever in the future?”

“Of course.”

Ephnel replied softly, feeling Yukina’s warmth from her fingertips.

“Whether it’s spring or summer, autumn or winter, we’ll always be together. At this time next year, let’s come back to the aquarium we went to today.”

Yukina lifted her eyes to look at Ephnel.

From her angle, she could only see Ephnel’s bandaged right eye.

She couldn’t see Ephnel’s expression clearly, but she had a vague feeling that Ephnel wasn’t smiling.

“…”

She averted her gaze and moved a little closer to Ephnel.

“No matter what, I will stand by Naoko’s side. I won’t leave Naoko, and I won’t let Naoko leave me.”

Ephnel slowly came to a stop.

“Yukina… want to take one of those?”

Yukina looked in the direction Ephnel was pointing.

It was a self-service photo booth shop.

“Do you operate it like this?”

“What is this… it’s not cute at all!”

“I’m going to write this!”

“Ah, we’re almost out of time…”

“Okay… Yukina, I’m going to take the picture!”

“Mhm! Just like that…”

Click—

Ephnel was seriously making a hand gesture, forming a heart with Yukina.

The moment she pressed the shutter, Yukina’s face moved closer.

In the final photo, Ephnel was staring with wide, dazed eyes, while Yukina had her eyes closed, gently kissing her.

“Ah, not enough time… we can’t retake it.”

Ephnel resentfully pinched the printed photo and shot Yukina a glare.

Yukina just stuck out her tongue and gave a playful smile.

“What does it matter?”

“It doesn’t, really.”

Ephnel said, then took out more coins.

With a light laugh, she fed them into the coin slot, clink, clink, clink, then turned back to look at the stunned Yukina.

“I have plenty of money anyway. We can just take a few more.”

“Eh, eh!? Wait! You can’t just waste money like that! The money will cry!!”

Yukina wanted to protest more, but in the next second, she was gently pulled into an embrace by Ephnel.

The force of the arms locking around her waist made it impossible for her to escape.

She tilted her chin up and was gently pressed down.

“Wait… Naoko… here…”

Falling along with Ephnel’s hair were smooth, fragrant strands and that light blue ribbon.

Yukina was instantly captivated.

“Mmph…”

Their breaths mingled.

Yukina squeezed her eyes shut, her hands with nowhere to go, gently resting on Ephnel’s shoulders.

Then Ephnel gently took them, and their ten fingers naturally clasped, rubbed, and intertwined, transmitting the warmth of their palms to each other.

After a good while, Ephnel finally let her go, smiling triumphantly.

By then, the new set of photos had been taken.

Their pose in the picture made Yukina’s face flush with embarrassment.

“Naoko… you, you, you’re so shameless! You…”

But the flag of her protest had just been raised when it was immediately broken against her lips by Ephnel’s kiss again.

“Is there anywhere else Yukina wants to go?”

“At this time… probably… there aren’t many places left to go, right?”

Yukina kept her head down, the blush on her face not yet faded, and answered in a muffled voice.

She deliberately walked very slowly.

It was already nine o’clock at night.

Most of the shops had closed, and the streets had become much quieter.

Even if there were still places to go, the atmosphere for having fun was gone.

But she didn’t want to go back just yet.

She tugged at her collar, burying her chin.

Time with Naoko always slipped away so quickly.

Before she knew it, night had fallen, but she didn’t want their time together—playing and laughing—to end just like this.

Ephnel saw through Yukina’s thoughts, smiled gently, and swung their linked hands.

“If not, I suddenly have a place I want to go!”

“Where?”

“Come with me!”

Yukina was stunned for a moment, then was pulled forward by Ephnel.

They left the pedestrian path of the commercial street and cut through a narrow alley beside it, Ephnel pulling Yukina into a light jog.

“This way~”

Ephnel laughed softly, the ends of her swaying hair catching in Yukina’s eyes.

She felt the softness and warmth of Ephnel’s palm from her fingertips.

The clear night wind lifted the light blue hair ribbon.

Yukina stared, entranced, then stumbled and fell into Ephnel’s arms.

“Be careful…”

Ephnel held her fingers tightly, their breaths inches apart.

“No one will see us here. Let’s enter sync right here.”

“Here?”

“Mhm…”

Yukina didn’t quite understand, but she wouldn’t question Naoko.

She closed her eyes.

A silvery-white glimmer flickered, and when she opened them again, Ephnel before her was also draped in silver hair.

Moonlight-like bangs fell from between her brows, covering Ephnel’s right eye.

“Naoko, you too…”

“It’s fine, it’s just for a little while.”

Ephnel took Yukina’s hand.

“Let’s go!”

A faint light flashed under her feet.

Ephnel leaped into the air.

Yukina gripped Ephnel’s hand tightly, the strong feeling of G-force and the empty, unfamiliar sensation under her feet making her hold her breath unconsciously.

Then, her vision soared past the tall buildings, suddenly becoming wide and open.

The jagged buildings, the scattered pinpricks of light—Seikyo City at night was quieter than she had imagined, yet dazzlingly bright.

“The night, is it beautiful?”

“Mhm…”

Yukina replied softly, but her gaze never left Ephnel’s face for a second.

She rarely saw Naoko smile like this.

“You can only see a night like this in the city.”

Ephnel’s gaze drifted over as she spoke softly.

She leaped again, pulling on Yukina’s hand, and the two collided in mid-air in a full embrace, then both burst out laughing.

Ephnel held Yukina until their forms were falling through the air before letting go.

“Try to condense your Order energy into a ‘Stairway’. Can you feel your five senses extending?”

“A little…”

“Then try to maintain that feeling. I’m taking you somewhere.”

Ephnel held Yukina’s hand tightly, her light laugh like a ringing bell.