Spring Fades
“Really... Noah kept insisting I show her... j-just this once, okay...!”
Ichinose opens her mouth wide, as if inviting me to feed her.
She looks just like a baby bird waiting for food.
“Come on! Come on!”
Noah keeps gesturing for me to hurry up, so I chuckle and open the chopstick case.
I pull out a fresh pair of chopsticks.
I pick up a mushroom from the hot pot, snip it into small pieces with scissors, and blow on it to cool it down.
“Whew!”
At the sound of me cooling it, Ichinose's ears twitch just like a beastkin's.
“Here it comes.”
I approach with a light tone.
Ichinose's tongue stiffens with tension.
“Eep!”
My chopsticks place the food down, lightly pressing her soft tongue before pulling away.
The ticklish sensation draws an embarrassed sound from her mouth.
“Too hot?”
“N-no...”
She instantly switches to a serious face and chews slowly.
Too easy. The moment she chews once, Ichinose knows the answer.
“Deer... butt mushroom...”
“Correct!”
“See? I told you Nose knows.”
Noah's proud reaction on her behalf brings a smile, but...
Hearing butt mushroom from Ichinose's mouth adds a whole new flavor.
“My turn!”
This time, Noah opens her mouth wide toward me, but...
Recalling the prank Ichinose fell for in the past, I end it by feeding her a raw garlic clove.
We chat idly like that, enjoying a more leisurely lunch than usual.
Then my phone buzzes.
Rare for her to call instead of text.
Worried something might be up, I jump to my feet.
“Be right back. Gotta take this.”
“Sure.”
“Hurry back~”
...
...
“Got it. Yeah. Let's go out for dinner. Hanging up.”
I finish the call in the grassy front yard and head back inside.
Thank goodness it wasn't anything serious.
It was just Sion and Clara checking if I'd eaten lunch properly.
Relieved that nothing was wrong, I confirm they ate too while chatting briefly.
We even discuss making this place our next group outing spot since it's so good, then hang up.
Lunchtime's nice and relaxed like this.
Mulling over the dean's words from assembly about savoring everyday happiness, I head back to the room.
But I stop short at the counter, spotting unexpected figures checking out.
My eyes widen.
“...Instructor?”
“Enjoying your lunch?”
Juyeon doesn't flinch—she must've sensed me coming from the start.
And beside her, a familiar face.
Her long rabbit ears demand attention, so I greet her first.
“Instructor Carrot! Hello!”
“Hi!”
“Here for lunch too, Instructors?”
“No need to worry. We're just leaving.”
A quiet, tasty spot—makes sense Juyeon would know it.
This Ansimjeong place...
Perfect for Samhwa Nation folks in Academy City.
Maybe Abyss City will patch it in as an arube spot someday.
“Rohan Cadet, you're pretty popular, huh?”
“Pardon?”
“Which one's your girlfriend?”
The rabbit beastkin makes a heart with her hands and winks.
Carrot Instructor's out-of-nowhere words and gestures.
I'm so baffled my throat catches for a second, but her playful eyes relax me instead.
She already knows it's Noah and Ichinose.
Instructors like her can read situations without prying.
But! Teasing like this doesn't work on someone who's rolled through the gutters.
I meet her gaze and smirk back.
“Just bonding with my battle buddies who went through hell together.”
“Oho~?”
For curiosity-driven types like Carrot, playing coy is like pouring oil on the fire.
Best to deflect with something neutral.
“For real? With girls that pretty? Rohan Cadet... don't tell me you like guys!?”
“Nah, guys are a no-go. Regular straight dude—girls all the way.”
I figured Juyeon would rein her in by now, but...
She's looking at me with oddly worried eyes.
“Rohan.”
“Yes, ma'am!”
“To avoid woman troubles, the one being pursued needs to make their stance clear.”
“...”
Even Juyeon saying this leaves me speechless.
Unlike Carrot, this doesn't feel like a joke.
It's dead serious. I can tell.
“There's a reason they call woman troubles a kind of disaster. When someone courted by many handles it ambiguously, it often escalates dangerously. Be careful.”
Juyeon may lack direct dating experience herself.
But she's seen plenty, so she can say this with certainty.
“...I'll keep that in mind.”
I answer earnestly, and Carrot drops the teasing, stepping back.
Juyeon, realizing she'd worried needlessly, quickly clears the way.
“Your group's waiting. Sorry for holding you up with heavy talk.”
“No, ma'am. Thank you for the sound advice.”
She said it out of concern, so no issue. I'm just grateful.
“See ya~ Bye, Rohan Cadet!”
“Eat up. Don't be late for afternoon class.”
After confirming they've left, I return to the room.
I tell Ichinose and Noah, who are finishing up, that I ran into the instructors.
Both girls react with surprise.
They've never bumped into anyone they know here before.
We finish eating and head out of the private room.
Ichinose reflects on the news I shared.
“Instructor Juyeon must miss Samhwa Nation flavors sometimes too.”
“Yeah! I get days when I crave Tigrova food too!”
Noah smacks her lips like she's still hungry, drawing my eyes.
Despite eating that much, her stomach's flat, abs still sharp.
Makes me suspect a black hole inside.
At the counter at the corridor's end, I thank them once more.
“Great meal.”
“No need. This hardly repays you.”
Ichinose offers a shimmering gold card, but the staff smiles brightly.
Without taking it, they bow politely.
“Instructor Juyeon already paid.”
“!”
We all exchange looks.
It's big money to me, pocket change to them, but that's the style of a successful adult.
Only one thought: gotta thank her properly.
“Thanks are a given—maybe grab drinks to go?”
“Tricky. Instructor Juyeon won't accept from cadets...”
“Work hard in class?”
“Let's all go to the staff room and sing a thank-you song!”
“Noah, we'll get kicked out. Best bet's throwing ourselves into class.”
As we step outside to hail a taxi...
Noah suddenly declares she'll grab strawberry smoothies and hops across the crosswalk like a long jumper toward the cafe.
Left alone with Ichinose by her usual impulsiveness...
She seizes the perfect moment to speak up.
“Rohan.”
“Yeah?”
“Th-this lunch... Instructor paid, so it doesn't count as me treating you, right...?”
“That how it works?”
Hard to say definitively.
We're the ones who got a free meal—affirming it outright feels off.
“Instructor handled the bill, so it's not wrong?”
“Well...”
I hedge while eyeing Noah wagging her tail at the cafe.
“Focus on talking to me.”
Ichinose tilts her head and lightly bumps my shoulder.
“What I mean is... let's eat together again next time. I'll pay for real then.”
I'm impressed by Ichinose mustering courage despite her hesitation, promising next time.
“Baby Yui...!”
So cute—you just wanna stamp a gold star on her notebook saying good job.
“Shh! Shh! What if Noah hears...!”
“Say 'baby' just once. Then I'll stop.”
“Wh-what's that even mean!?”
Look at her blushing and flustering.
This is why I call her Baby Yui.
...
...
Quite some time has passed since midterms.
April's chill evenings have faded, and finals schedule pairs with warming weather to make its presence felt.
In such days, my morning routine.
As usual, prepping for the training room.
Thanks to the elixirs from Ichinose and Noah, my recent training efficiency feels up.
And the third sword form's starting to settle in decently.
Peaceful.
Is this the calm before the storm?
The main storyline, my milestone, has gone quiet.
No clue how the world'll turn next.
Moments like this, run harder.
I know it.
Now that dimensional rifts are old news even for Academy City folk...
This lax air is when to stay sharpest.
So today, perfect prep as always.
The custom scabbard I ordered arrived yesterday, so Light of Glory finally has a proper home.
My pistol, the Brand, sits snug in its tough leather holster.
Unsettled by the quest alerts going silent after constant noise, I even carry weapons stepping out front.
Doing my utmost never to be unarmed.
Because that moment when it shines is surely coming.