Chapter 32: A Most Unusual Date

At this moment, there were few people in the park. Su Mo glanced around and found that the park’s facilities were pitifully sparse—there was only a stone bench for resting, two swings, and a slide. The place looked rather childish, which explained the lack of visitors.

Yet to Su Mo’s surprise, he noticed that Yoshino’s mood seemed to improve greatly after arriving here. Though she still appeared timid and shy, her eyes shimmered with an inexplicable light.

Recalling Yoshino’s nature as a Spirit, he knew that to avoid troubling humans, she would always try to keep her distance from others whenever she appeared. Thus, every time she came into this world, she was always alone. This park had become her refuge, one of the few places where she could play and find solace.

“So, you’d like to play for a while, Yoshino?” Su Mo walked over to a swing, gesturing for her to come and sit.

The timid Yoshino looked at the swing before her, her eyes revealing a longing she dared not voice. But when she saw Su Mo’s encouraging smile, she mustered her courage and stepped forward.

Sitting on the swing, Yoshino was very quiet. Su Mo didn’t push her; he simply watched as she swayed gently with the breeze. It seemed that just like this, the Spirit girl could find true happiness.

Accompanied by Su Mo, Yoshino tried the slide as well. Again and again, she slid down from the top, tireless and delighted. During all this, Su Mo simply watched her quietly, always by her side, offering silent encouragement.

Time passed without notice.

As the evening sun gradually set, wrapping the earth in a golden cloak, Yoshino hopped up and down a small staircase of only a dozen steps, leaping from the bottom to the top, then carefully back down again.

It looked terribly childish—something only small children would do again and again. Yet Yoshino was, after all, a child herself. The thought made Su Mo chuckle. To outsiders, these games might seem immature, but to this Spirit girl, they brought immense satisfaction.

This experience gave Su Mo a taste of a uniquely gentle kind of date. When he was with Tohka, their dates were filled with hearty feasts; with Yoshino, there were fewer dramatic surprises, but the peaceful, serene atmosphere was especially enjoyable.

Perhaps this was what set Yoshino apart from the other Spirits.

Sitting on the park bench, he watched as the sky darkened. Yoshino bounced over to him, and she had changed so much from before. Though still a bit shy and timid, her face now blossomed with a radiant smile.

“Mr. Su Mo, thank you…for staying with me!” Yoshino stammered out, summoning her courage.

“I should be the one thanking you for letting me accompany you.”

Su Mo shook his head, looking at Yoshino. “But congratulations are in order—you’ve learned to make choices for yourself.”

“Really? Can I…really make my own choices?” Yoshino was still in disbelief. Had she truly made a decision?

“Of course. After all, it was you who brought me here, wasn’t it?” Su Mo smiled. “Wasn’t it your decision to come to this park for our date?”

“Yes, it was my decision,” Yoshino replied, covering her mouth. This was the first time in her life she had taken the initiative, the first time she had made a choice for herself. In the past, Yosina always made decisions for her, and she would simply obey without question. But today, she had chosen for herself.

Thinking of Yosina, Yoshino stretched out her left hand. Usually, her rabbit puppet would be there, but today it was gone. Staring at her empty hand, she felt as if she were dreaming. It turned out she could make choices on her own, even without Yosina by her side.

Or perhaps, Yosina was no longer her only hero.

No—

Rather, Yosina was no longer her sole hero; she herself could become the ideal hero in her own heart.

Lifting her head, Yoshino looked at Su Mo before her and, for the first time in her life, declared with certainty, “And, Mr. Su Mo, you are also my great hero!”

He had helped Yoshino gather her courage and learn to make her own choices. Though it was a difficult step, Su Mo had finally helped this Spirit girl take her first stride forward.

If the maximum favorability rating on the Main System was one hundred, Su Mo was certain that Yoshino’s affection for him had already surpassed the limit.

Seeing Yoshino take her first step, a joy in helping others out of their troubles filled Su Mo’s heart, overflowing and beyond words. With this feeling, he slowly took out the rabbit puppet Yosina from his coat and handed it back to Yoshino.

With Yosina back on her hand, the rabbit puppet seemed to come alive again.

“Yosina, let me tell you a secret—I finally learned to make choices on my own.” Like a child eager to be praised after getting a perfect score, Yoshino wanted to share this with her closest companion.

“Really? Yoshino, you’re so brave, making your own decisions!” The puppet opened its mouth, its words exaggerated, though tinged with a hint of melancholy. “But, if that’s so, does it mean you won’t need me anymore? That I won’t be able to help you again?”

“No, that’s not it at all! Yosina and Mr. Su Mo are both great heroes in my heart. As long as you’re with me, I’ll always have courage. So please, Yosina, Mr. Su Mo, don’t ever leave me!” Yoshino hastened to explain, tears welling up in her eyes as if terrified they might not believe her.

“All right, all right, I understand. Yosina will never leave you.” The rabbit puppet patted Yoshino’s head cheerfully, then looked at Su Mo. “I’m sure you agree, don’t you, Su Mo?”

“Of course. I promise I will protect you both.”

Su Mo nodded firmly. Just as he finished speaking, as if on cue, Kotori’s voice sounded in his earpiece.

“My foolish, wicked brother, everything on my end is settled. The Japanese government has agreed that as long as there’s no sign of Spirit activity, they won’t send the AST Spirit Combat Unit to hunt Spirits. So from now on, Tohka, Yoshino, and the other sealed Spirits will no longer be in danger. The dormitory for Spirits has also been completed. You can take Yoshino back to the Itsuka residence for now—I’ll be waiting for you at the door.”