Chapter 63: Shidou Itsuka’s Reputation Takes a Hit

“…Hm… your fashion sense is unexpectedly plain, Shidou.”  

Fingertip resting on her chin, Kyoumi casually flipped through the clothes hanging in the wardrobe and let out a slightly regretful sigh.

What exactly did you think I’d have in there…

“What’s wrong with having simple taste…”  

If he asked that, he’d probably get an answer that wasn’t very kind to the Itsuka household, so even though he was curious, Shidou didn’t continue the topic.

“Hm? With such nice skin, I thought you’d at least dress up a little in private. But not only does Kotori not have any, I don’t see any cosmetics here either. Doesn’t that feel like a waste?”

“Putting aside whatever weird expectations you have for boys this age, makeup isn’t allowed at school…”  

He was secretly glad he hadn’t asked. 

Just listening to her, Shidou could already imagine what would happen if he responded; something like being asked why he didn’t own any strange clothes.

“Oh? Normally isn’t it girls who aren’t allowed makeup and boys who aren’t allowed to dye their hair?  

From your friend… Tonomachi? Judging by that hairstyle, even hair wax is fine, so a little makeup wouldn’t hurt. At least try growing your hair out~”

“It’s Tonomachi… Just braiding Kotori’s hair is already troublesome enough, and guys with long hair…”

“Would it look bad?”  

Holding a hanger, she pulled out a set of clothes from the wardrobe. 

Kyoumi held the shirt against her front and stood straight.

“Which one are you asking about?!”

“I’m asking both.”

“…Normally guys don’t grow their hair long, and taking care of it feels like it’d be a huge hassle…  

Also, it’s hard to judge looks from just a single shirt…”  

First denying the possibility of himself having long hair, Shidou looked at the shoulders hidden beneath the blue shirt stretched taut by Kyoumi’s figure and scratched his cheek.

“Is that so? Do you have a mirror in your room?”

“There’s one in the bathroom and in Kotori’s room… Do you really need to try on so many things just for pajamas?”

“Hmm… this one doesn’t really match my hair color. What about this?”  

Finding the boy’s opinion unhelpful, Kyoumi hung the hanger back in the wardrobe, rubbed the collar between her fingers, then pulled out a light-gray T-shirt and held it against herself. She looked completely natural, like she was shopping in an actual clothing store.

“…Uh… it looks good?”

Honestly, beautiful people rarely look bad unless they wear something truly bizarre, so the answer wasn’t exactly perfunctory.

“Hmm… the fabric is decent, feels nice to the touch, not some cheap discounted bulk item. Then I’ll take this one~”  

Surprisingly, she didn’t nitpick further. 

Kyoumi nodded, removed the hanger, returned it to the wardrobe, and closed the door.

“I’m glad you’re satisfied… Hm?”

Just as he sighed in relief, wanting nothing more than to shoo Kyoumi out of the room, the T-shirt was suddenly pressed against his chest.  

Kyoumi looked serious as she measured it against him.  

“W-What is it?”

“You hold it for now, or try it on yourself.” 

She answered casually, handed the shirt to him, took a few steps back, and openly appraised Shidou’s figure.

“…If I’m going to change, you need to leave the room first…”  

Sensibly holding the shirt in front of himself, the boy made a troubled sound.

“No need then.”  

As if she had confirmed something, the girl walked forward with satisfaction, took the shirt back from Shidou’s hands.  

“As expected of a boy, Shidou…”

“Hm?”  

It’s my shirt to begin with. What does that have to do with being a boy?

“Shoulders are nice and broad too.”  

She shook the shirt against her shoulders, then pointed at the hem that would reach past her thighs.  

“Tie a belt around the waist and it could work as a dress. Too bad the neckline is too loose; it would slide down, so I can’t wear it outside. Sleepwear will have to do.”

Where exactly were you planning to wear it?!  

If you’ve chosen, go back to Kotori’s room first. I’ll get the bedding ready…

Trying to picture the shirt on the girl who was still wearing her Divine Raiment was, in a way, quite a test of imagination.  

Shidou wasn’t very good at that and couldn’t produce much of a mental image.

Besides, for the boy right now, there was something far more nerve-wracking.

“You’ve been standing in front of the bed this whole time. Hiding something?”

So sharp!!

“…It’s written all over your face, Shidou. From a while ago you’ve been acting like you want to get rid of me.” 

She folded the T-shirt in half, rolled it up, tucked her chosen sleepwear under her arm, then raised a finger with great interest.  

“Let me guess…”

“There’s no way! What could I possibly be hiding, ahahaha…”  

Don’t guess, just leave already!!!

“…I see. If you won’t tell me, fine.”  

She stepped closer, staring straight at the boy’s face until cold sweat nearly broke out on Shidou’s forehead. 

Unexpectedly, the purple-haired spirit didn’t press further. Instead, she reached out and adjusted the black-and-purple bandage wrapped around his palm. 

“It’s fine even if it gets wet while washing up. After all, it’s a piece I took from my own Divine Raiment, so it’s at least a little waterproof.”

“Ah, yeah…”  

Logically, that small wound should heal in a day or two. Wrapping it felt like overkill.  

“But a tiny injury like this should be almost gone in a day or so…”

“Just keep it on. Otherwise I’ll flip up your bed board and see what you’re hiding.”

…?!

Whether it was sharp intuition or incredible observation, either way, Shidou needed to protect his dignity as a normal human being. 

So—

“I’ll wear it for three days, okay!”

“Mm, three days should be enough. Spiritual power is far more useful than you think; it even handles antibacterial cleaning.”

“Is that so…”  

Convenient or not aside, when wounds were mentioned, Shidou’s gaze moved from the bandage on his own hand and finally settled on the bandage wrapped twice around the girl’s forehead, covering her left eye.

He couldn’t ask… 

That was probably a painful topic for Kyoumi.

But it bothered him a lot.  

He even wanted to reach out and touch it…

Yet how could the girl possibly miss such an obvious stare?

“You’re really curious about this?”  

She lightly lifted the bangs on her forehead, showing the diagonally wrapped bandage to the boy. 

Kyoumi’s face carried her usual playful smile.

“Yeah… I’m really curious…”

“Want to see?”

“…”  

How could he possibly say that out loud? 

Asking someone to reveal their scars; Shidou knew he didn’t have that right yet.

“If you don’t say you want to see, I won’t show you, okay?”

“Kyoumi.”

“What? Suddenly so serious?”

“There won’t be a next time.”  

Instinctively, he brought his palm to the left side of the girl’s face, carefully avoiding the bandage.  

Shidou felt Kyoumi’s body stiffen.

“Eh~ Just you?”  

She stepped back, escaping the boy’s slightly warm palm, and narrowed her eyes slightly.

“Yeah. I swear. As long as you’re in front of me, I absolutely won’t let anything like this happen again—”  

Even though he had no power, even though he hadn’t regained his healing ability, just as an ordinary human, the boy boldly declared with a loud voice.

“Mhm, mhm… got it, got it.”  

She turned her gaze away, spun around, rolled the sleepwear into a bundle, and turned her back to him with a relaxed posture.  

“I’m going to take a bath. Please prepare the bedding. I hope the ero manga under your bed board give you sweet dreams~”

Kyoumi stepped out of the boy’s room and gently closed the door, leaving the boy with a strange expression on his face standing there dumbfounded.

“It’s not ero manga…”