September 21st.

That was the day her troubles began.

In terms of weather it was actually rather nice, to be frank. Her, onee-sama, Saten, and Uiharu. That day was the day where they agreed upon meeting up in a park for a picnic with some dangos as a snack.

Her first careless oversight was volunteering to be the one to pick up the dangos. Her second blunder, though in no fault of her own, was running into him. That same monkey who was a continual line-stepper in his attempts to seduce onee-sama.

"Bghh," the noise of distaste already exhaled from her mouth upon her spotting him. "That ape," she mumbled as she watched him roaming near her. He appeared to be looking for something. "What is he doing here? Unless-"

Perhaps... he was looking for onee-sama.

As if she'd ever let that sort of stunt slide.

"I ought to keep my eyes on him..."

Eventually, Touma noticed those familiar set of pigtails in turn.

"Shirai-san," Touma greeted with a surprised expression.

"Mr. Kamijou," Kuroko stiffly replied.

In Kuroko's mind, her glare was filled to brim with distrust and suspicion. But to Touma and every other observer, it appeared almost playful. Who knows why that was.

"...Didn't really expect to see you here," Touma chuckled with a forced smile on his face.

"Neither did I," Kuroko replied, theories as to his reason for being here flying in her head.

"Index wanted to enjoy the weather outside, you see..."

Apparently there was no need to ask; he was confessing on his own volition...

Yes... confess, and continue to confess, you underhanded ape, Kuroko snarled in her head, confess and reveal your intentions to find and ensnare onee-sama with your guile!

"...I'm trying to find the dango stand I heard was near here because she was hungry... say, Shirai-san, are you here with friends of your own, also?"

"-I, too, am enjoying this weather outside as well with one of my coworkers from Judgment, yes." Trying to pry with a sudden question to gain some sort of information? Nice try. As if I'd tell you that onee-sama also came along with us...

Dangos, hmm? How... coincidental. Kuroko's suspicions rose further when she wondered as to why this apeish gentleman was seeking dangos at the same time when she was out here walking toward the dango stand as well. To be fair, Kuroko admitted, the dango stand nearby was rather renown for their quality.

Her main concern was the possibility of this ape encountering onee-sama. Under no circumstances would she allow that to happen. To her, this man-ape, Mr. Kamijou, appeared to have nigh-supernatural ability when it came to ensnaring unsuspecting maidens. In that respect, he was to be feared more than a castle-dwelling dragon. If she let this ape-man go out of her sight, the possibility of him somehow running across onee-sama along with Saten and Uiharu and using his guile to become cozy with all three of them... that was not an unlikely possibility.

It was decided, then. She ought to keep a close eye on him, to make sure he returns to his friend with his dangos; to make sure he stays far, far away from onee-sama.

"You're in luck, Mr. Kamijou," Kuroko replied to the surprised teen. "I, too, am looking to buy dangos; we shall head toward the stand together."

Touma, surprised by this sudden show of unexpected hospitality, stood silent for few moments before remembering his manners. "-I see," he belatedly replied. "Thanks, Shirai-san."

Humph.

With a swift spin of her heel Kuroko spun around toward the direction of the stand and began her brisk pace, sparing not one glance behind her. Touma, still surprised at the rapid turn of events, followed behind her after a tentative pause.

An awkward silence fell between them on their walk. Kuroko was not interested in an extended conversation with Touma, and Touma couldn't think of much small talk suitable for someone like... well, her, either.

He did, however, see something to talk about when they reached the dango stand. About a dozen people were already on the queue, waiting to buy a dango themselves.

"-I guess others wanted a dango, too," Touma muttered.

"-So it seems," Kuroko deadpanned.

And silence fell between them again. They stood in their queue, waiting.

Certainly a scenario I did not expect myself to be in, Kuroko remarked to herself. One could possibly mistake them being together. Kuroko snorted. As if. They were both interested in someone else, that someone else being onee-sama, for her... and, presumably, for him, also.

She felt her mouth thin at such a thought.

Well, it was a presumption at best, and a presumption she hoped it was. Though, anyone and everyone ought to pursue onee-sama. She was certainly popular enough; people were not dull enough to be unable to recognize her beauty and... sheer allure. Fu fu fu fu.

That surely ought to be the reason why this monkey was attracted to her as well, Kuroko considered, casting a sidelong glance at the highschooler standing next to her. While she was right there with him - a rare event to be sure - why not ask for his reasoning? She was not completely sure why, but she wished to hear his own reasoning as to why he was courting her as well.

"Mr. Kamijou," Kuroko spoke up, "do you like onee-sama?"

Touma choked in response.

"It's a simple question, Mr. Kamijou," Kuroko mercilessly pressed onward, turning and facing him directly. "A yes, or a no..."

Silence. A troubled expression now graced his face.

"...Well," he replied after some pause. "To tell you the truth..."

"Yes?" Kuroko pressed further.

"It's-"

Then their attention was suddenly taken by a shout, from above.
When Kuroko and Touma looked up, they saw a blue paint can falling toward them.

Teleport, Kuroko thought to herself. But when she grabbed Touma's arm to teleport, her ability suddenly refused to function...

Just like last time, she belatedly recalled. Why can't I... teleport...?

By the time she thought of teleporting on her own or leaping aside, the paint can was already a mere foot above them; a little too late.

But Touma had just as much time to react as her; and his methods were more simple. In one fluid motion he pushed Kuroko to the side and enveloped her with his entire body in a tight embrace.

SPLASH!

The blue paint covered Touma's entire head and back. The can smashed and bounced against the concrete a foot or two away from them.

...

...

...

T-this feeling, this impression of being enveloped in this sort of physical intimacy...!

His body type was such that he was capable of the physical impression of which her onee-sama, what with her small frame, was not capable of.

(Not that her onee-sama voluntarily hugged her all that much, anyhow.)

The sheer emotions sparked by the impact she received from his embrace... it terrified her.

Me, becoming enamored by that ape's apelike physicality...? NO!

...

...

...

The lips of the construction worker that came down to apologize were white as a sheet.

The back of our unfortunate high school boy anyone can find anywhere was now completely drenched in the color of royal blue. But Touma didn't even appear annoyed, much to Kuroko's surprise. With a blasé expression he reassured the apologetic worker.

The fact that he did not lose his temper perplexed Kuroko.

An ape, but still a gentleman at the end of the day, hmm?

Normally, by this point, Kuroko ought to be mercilessly accusing this monkey who dared to besmirch her thus with his flesh of somehow orchestrating this entire event in order to gain a chance at that repulsive physical skinship, but oddly, her mind at that moment was rather preoccupied with other mix of emotions.

Mainly, as to just how...

...

...soothing it felt, that embrace of his.

She disliked the degree to which she, well, enjoyed that hug. It now began to concern her immensely.

They say he has a disease women are susceptible to... Kuroko remarked to herself, her mouth gradually becoming drier with tension. I can see why they say that.

This was no time to be succumbing to that disease of his, Kuroko decidedly judged. It was paramount that she kept her mind sharp and focused, especially at moments such as these; her attention ought to be on her onee-sama and her only, not on that man-ape-

"Miss? Miss," the dango stand worker snapped her out from her internal struggle. "Four Mango Dangos. That'll be 2,000 yens."

"A-ah," Kuroko rushed to take out her purse. "Of course. My apologies."

Focus, Kuroko berated herself.


It was now nighttime.

Usually, when she was awake, and when onee-sama was asleep, she took that opportunity to drink in her onee-sama's deep-in-slumber, beautiful countenance with her yearning, ravenous eyes.

And that was what she was attempting to do at that moment.

However, this night, her mind was far, far elsewhere, focused on a completely unrelated sensation...

Namely, the gentle sensation of comfort she felt while being enveloped by his arms.

With silent cries of rage she twisted around in her bed, throttling her pillow. Why!? Why!? How did the turn of events end up in this direction!?

Kuroko grit her teeth. This was all that ape's doing. Surely, this was purposeful. By inflicting his accursed disease upon her, surely his plan was to keep her distracted thus while using all his wile and guile to charm onee-sama into his filthy grasp!

She did not get much sleep that night.


Uiharu was late today.

It was unusual for her to be this late... it has already been an hour and it still was just her in the Judgment 177 Branch Office, filing away civilian data.

Perhaps she was out sick... ill health was the only reason someone committed like Uiharu would miss responsibility over. As playful and, at times, air-headed as she could be, Uiharu was very much serious when it came to responsibilities.

Then, in middle of her thoughts, she heard the office door opening.

Must be Uiharu, Kuroko thought. "Are you alright?" Kuroko inquired as she turned around to see-

That ape standing in the doorway.

"-Mr. Kamijou," Kuroko resumed after a prolonged pause. "Are you in need of Judgment assistance?," Kuroko sighed, turning her attention back to her computer monitor.

Really, visiting me even into the Judgment Office... this boy...

"Well, yes, actually." Touma gave a weak smile. "I wanted to talk to you, Shirai-san."

It took Kuroko several beats to process that statement. After another prolonged pause - her gaze still firmly fixed on her monitor - she finally replied:

"Regarding what subject, Mr. Kamijou?"

"Well, about how I tackled you to shield you from that paint can."

Khh, Kuroko inwardly grimaced. Had this boy no tact?

"I suppose I am indeed overdue in receiving an apology," she decidedly declared while turning around again to face Touma. "Though, I am skeptical as to if I should expect to receive any suitable apology that would restitute the amount of personal boundary you crossed; as to whether you are even capable of delivering such an apology in the first place... but that is all fine, really, Mr. Kamijou. Out of my own substantial magnanimity, I accept your apologetic feelings... so let us leave it at that."

"...I... see." Touma, admittedly taken aback by the sudden speech, still continued on regardless, with a hesitant smile on his face. "I guess I should apologize, for invading your personal space, and all that... But, mainly, I wished to talk to you. About that event, sure, but, well, the focus being.. more on how I felt, I guess."

What is he even saying...?

Kuroko, now outwardly, grimaced. "-And, by that, you mean... what, to be precise?"

"Well." Touma paused, then placed his fingers on his chin in contemplation.

At that exact, precise moment, Kuroko was struck by how suddenly, well, dashing Touma appeared right then and there. His cheekbones appeared sharp and his eyes became penetrating.

No, no, no- focus, Kuroko admonished herself. Do not be distracted thus.

But it became worse. For some unfathomable reason, Touma became more bold and forceful in his words and mannerisms.

"When I hugged you back there, it felt... pretty amazing, to be honest."

"!?"

"At that moment, I felt a pretty strong urge to protect you, Shirai-san. You felt like a delicate little doll that only comes into this world once a millennia, a rarity that ought to be cherished and protected at any cost. That, if I were to fail to hold on to you, I'd regret it and would continue to regret it. That, I would set my face against the entire world if it meant protecting you."

Kuroko's face became increasingly pinker and pinker as Touma went on and on; now, it was crimson.

"W-what?" She stammered.

Suddenly he swooped upon her; suddenly his face was now mere inches from her. "I want to feel that amazing feeling again, Shirai-san. Let's hug in that position again. I hope you don't mind."

Of course she did mind! But at the same time, she was completely, utterly lost and unsure. Her mind was now a colorful fusion of anxiety and... more anxiety. She pushed herself back until she felt the monitor come in contact with the back of her head; her view was now fully focused on Touma, whose - excessively - determined expression was somehow almost hypnotizing.

It approached the point where her breathing became irregular. Panicking, she snapped her eyes shut, her senses going into overdrive-

"Kuroko!"

She snapped her eyes open. Onee-sama!

"Come on; we'll be late."

It was broad daylight.

"...Ah."