Steam gently swirled around them, the surface of the hot spring calm except for the occasional ripple. Kallen sat stiffly at the edge of the pool, arms crossed tightly over her chest, muttering incoherently under her breath. Her cheeks were still tinted red—not from the heat, but from a mix of flustered frustration and embarrassment.
Beside her, Yae Miko leaned back with a satisfied sigh, clearly enjoying herself. Despite the small bite mark on her arm and the visible bump on her head courtesy of a very annoyed Kallen, she wore a smug expression, as if she'd just won some unspoken game.
"Kallen~ you're so mean to me," Yae said dramatically, pretending to dab away nonexistent tears.
"You deserved it!" Kallen snapped, casting a sharp glare her way. "You have your own chest—stop grabbing other people's like that!"
Yae tilted her head, pouting in mock innocence. "I just wanted to compare our sizes, that's all~" she said while sneaking a side glance at Kallen's flustered face.
Kallen's eye twitched. "Compare?! You grabbed it like there was no tomorrow!! Who in the world touches like that?!"
Her voice cracked at the end as the memory flashed through her head. The red on her face deepened.
Yae, undeterred, leaned in with a sly smile. "Well~ If Kallen's really mad at me… how about this? You can touch mine to even things out. Fair's fair, right?"
Kallen's head snapped toward her, eyes wide in disbelief. "Y-You're shameless!"
But even as she turned away, her gaze briefly drifted downward.
Yae caught it.
"Hehehe~" she giggled, thoroughly enjoying Kallen's flustered state.
Kallen groaned, sinking a little deeper into the water, letting the steam hide her burning face.
"Kaaallen~," Yae's voice cooed playfully, drawing out her name like a mischievous melody.
Only the top of Kallen's head was visible above the surface of the hot spring, her silvery-white hair floating like mist across the water. Upon hearing her name, she sank even deeper—now, just her eyes peeked above the rippling surface, glaring like a suspicious koi.
Yae leaned in slightly, resting her arms on the edge of the pool, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "Teasing you is so much fun, Kallen~ You're just too cute when you get flustered."
Kallen slowly rose back up until her shoulders broke the surface, face damp and cheeks puffed in frustration. "So you admit it!"
"Pervert," Kallen muttered under her breath, arms crossed as she turned her head away with a huff.
Yae giggled without shame. "It's not perversion~ it's just playful affection between friends."
A moment passed, steam curling lazily in the air.
Then, suddenly, Kallen felt something soft and warm press lightly against her side.
"H-Hey—!" she flinched, looking down to find Yae casually leaning against her.
Before Kallen could protest, a sudden puff of warm breath tickled her ear.
"Fuh~"
"E-eak—!" A strange squeak escaped Kallen's throat as she jerked away with a shudder, flailing slightly as her face turned crimson.
Yae burst into laughter, her hand covering her mouth. "Hehehe~ That sound was adorable!"
Kallen, now glaring with renewed embarrassment, slid a little further away, her face half-hidden behind the rising steam. "You..."
Yae just winked. "Guilty as charged~"
"I swear, if you do that again—I'm leaving!" Kallen snapped, pointing a finger at Yae with flushed cheeks and narrowed eyes.
"Okay, okay! I won't do it anymore. Come, relax~ I promise," Yae said, raising her hands in mock surrender, a sheepish grin on her face.
"Hmph," Kallen huffed and slowly eased herself back into the hot spring, turning her body slightly away as if still annoyed—but not enough to leave.
Steam gently curled around them, rising lazily into the air like soft ghosts. For a while, the only sound in the onsen was the faint trickle of flowing water and Yae's soft humming as she played with ripples at the water's edge.
Kallen stared down at the surface, her reflection shimmering and breaking with each ripple. The warmth seeped deep into her muscles, washing away tension she didn't realize she carried.
She felt her body grow heavier… her eyelids fluttered…
Lack of sleep from the night before was finally catching up to her. Her head tilted slightly, and her breathing began to slow.
Yae paused mid-hum. She turned her head and blinked. "…Oh? Did she fall asleep?"
She was just about to rouse Kallen—sleeping in a hot spring wasn't exactly safe—but then she saw Kallen's expression shift.
Her brow furrowed, lips parting slightly as if murmuring in distress. Kallen's voice came out in a whisper, barely audible through the drifting steam:
"…Otto… why…it's not my fault...."
Yae's playful expression faded. Her eyes narrowed slightly as concern took over. "Otto…?"
She stared at Kallen, brows knitting in thought. The name had come up more than once now—always when Kallen was most vulnerable.
"Just who is this Otto…?" she thought, her gaze softening with a hint of something protective. "What did he do… to make her look like that even in her dreams?"
For the first time, the playful fox was quiet…
------------------------------------
Outside the Royal Hot Springs
Steam still clung lightly to the air as Yae stepped out first, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. Behind her, Kallen followed slowly, her skin slightly red from staying in the hot spring too long.
"Wuuu… Note to self: never soak that long again," Kallen muttered under her breath, gently fanning her cheeks with her hands.
Yae turned around with a playful grin, clapping her hands once. "Come, come! Don't drag your feet~ We've got somewhere fun to go!"
Kallen blinked and raised a brow. "Where exactly are we going?"
"We're going to see something nice," Yae replied, swaying a little as she walked backwards, eyes gleaming with mischief.
"…Nice?" Kallen echoed, squinting suspiciously. Then her eyes widened. "You… You vulgar woman! What are you plotting now?!"
Yae gasped dramatically, one hand flying to her chest while the other covered her mouth. "Kallen! How could you think such scandalous thoughts? I was talking about visiting my Publishing House to look at some wholesome novels!"
Kallen gave her a flat stare, clearly unconvinced.
Yae leaned in closer with a mock-wounded look. "Don't tell me… you were imagining that kind of thing? Where has my sweet, pure Kallen gone~?" she said in a theatrically sorrowful tone.
Kallen's eye twitched. She didn't say a word. She just… stared.
Yae giggled, walk ahead down the path.
As they strolled through the bustling streets of Inazuma City, the early morning sun cast a golden hue over the tiled rooftops and vibrant stalls. The scent of sweet dango and grilled seafood drifted lazily in the air.
"Good morning, Miko-sama!""Ah, good morning, Guuji-sama!"
Several residents greeted Yae Miko with warm smiles and respectful bows as she passed by. She returned each one with a nod, grace flowing effortlessly in her every step.
Kallen walked beside her, watching the exchanges with a curious glance. "You're really popular, huh?"
"Hehe, of course," Yae replied with a sly smirk. "Are you proud, Kallen? You're walking with the famous Yae Miko, after all."
"Hmph, why would I be proud?" Kallen said, crossing her arms, her expression unimpressed.
Yae gasped in mock offense. "Wait—don't tell me you're jealous that everyone's paying attention to me?" She leaned in closer, a teasing gleam in her eyes. "Oh, Kallen, no need to be envious~ I'm always by your side."
"I'm not jealous!" Kallen snapped, her cheeks tinting ever so slightly.
"Sure, sure," Yae said, clearly enjoying herself as they continued walking through the cobblestone paths.
After a few more turns through the lively streets, Yae pointed ahead. "Just a bit more—we're almost there!"
Kallen followed her gaze toward a building nestled between a bookstore and a tea shop, its exterior decorated with elegant banners.
They finally arrived at the grand entrance of the Yae Publishing House.
Yae cheerfully led Kallen through the aisles, picking up books here and there.
"Here, Kallen. Try this one," she said, handing her a thick, glossy novel with a dramatic title on the cover.
Kallen read aloud, "'That Time I Got Reincarnated as Shogun-sama...'" Her brow twitched. "What the heck? How is the author still alive after publishing this?!"
Yae was already digging through another shelf, not hearing—or ignoring—Kallen's protest.
Still curious, Kallen sighed and flipped open the book. Might as well.
A few pages in, she blinked. Okay... not completely terrible, she admitted. But the deeper she read, the more absurd it became. Wait—why is the main character suddenly a god of mankind? And why is the world ending the next day?
Then, out of nowhere: a future son appears from a time rift to save the world... and ends up fighting the protagonist because she abandoned him as a child?!
Kallen squinted at the page, deadpan. Is this just... self-insert fanfic on steroids?
With a sigh, she closed the book and set it aside. "I've read enough chaos for today."
Just then, Yae returned, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Oho~ I found something even better."
She handed Kallen a slim novel with a delicate, pink flowery cover. Its title sparkled in fancy script:"How to Handle Gently."
"Huh?" Kallen frowned and cautiously peeked at the first page. Her eyes quickly scanned a few lines.
Her expression shifted rapidly—confusion, disgust, and then pure embarrassment.
She slammed the book shut with a snap and pointed at Yae. "Isn't this just porn?!"
Yae grinned innocently, fanning herself with a folded paper. "Oh? But it's a bestseller. I thought you might appreciate the... literary merit."
"You—!" Kallen's face burned red as she turned away, trying her best to disappear between the shelves.
While Kallen stood politely flipping through a few books, Yae remained in full spirit browsing, making exaggerated pitches about each novel, and insistently urging Kallen to give them a chance.
"Kallen, this one's perfect for you," Yae beamed, holding out a dramatic-looking romance novel with a glint in her eyes.
"I'm starting to think your definition of 'perfect' is wildly skewed," Kallen muttered, eyeing the title suspiciously. Despite that, she took the book—more out of defeat than curiosity.
Just as Yae launched into a passionate explanation of the novel's deep themes (which Kallen strongly suspected involved questionable romantic tropes), a calm, dignified voice approached from nearby.
"Guuji-sama. How are you today?"
Both Yae and Kallen turned. A woman with striking indigo hair cut into an uneven bob stood before them. Her presence was composed, exuding discipline and grace.
Yae's face lit up. "Oh~ is this little Sara? I'm doing well. And how about you?"
Sara straightened her posture slightly, a faint blush of embarrassment on her cheeks. "Ahem—Guuji-sama, there's no need to call me that. I'm well, thank you."
Her sharp eyes then shifted to the silver-haired girl standing beside Yae. "And this is…?"
"Ah, this is Kallen," Yae said cheerfully, nudging her slightly forward. "A good friend of mine."
"Hello," Kallen greeted politely. Her outward demeanor was calm, but internally—she was spiraling.
Ohhhh—isn't she the number one Raiden Shogun fan? She looks so serious…
Then her eyes unintentionally flicked down to Sara's outfit. Okay—Why is it so much more erotic in person?! Ahem—focus, Kallen. Focus.
Pushing the thought aside, she forced a polite smile.
Sara returned it with a graceful nod. "Hello. I'm Kujou Sara. A pleasure to meet you."
Before any more formalities could unfold, Yae smoothly cut in. "So, Sara~ how is Raiden these days?"
Sara's expression softened, her voice filled with reverence. "Her Excellency, the Almighty Narukami Ogosho, God of Thunder, is doing well, Guuji-sama."
"Ah, that's good to hear." Yae's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Do tell her I'll be paying her a visit soon."
"I will," Sara replied with a small nod, then cast a curious glance between them.
(A/n: why you smile by yourself????)