/jp/ - Otaku Culture

"I don't-" She began, but I cut her off by saying that I needed to know the truth. "I..." She muttered, her fingers stopping to rest in my hair. "You're conflicted." She finally said. "I can see it in your eyes." I knew that much. I'd been stuck on this crossroad for a long while now. I finally asked Reimu the question I'd been dancing around this whole time. I asked her what she thought of me. I couldn't see her properly, but she was still. "...You're asking if I like you, er, romantically?" She finally said. I told her that I was. "I...Um, maybe? I don't know. I don't spend much time with men. It's all a bit...new to me." I hadn't spent all that much time with women before I'd gone to Marisa, so I understood that much. I asked her what she wanted from me. "I- Oh, it's Kasen's fault. She kept pulling me aside and telling me weird stuff, like how I should practice these weird stretches to 'make the movements easier'. I - I don't really deal with this sort of thing." Lady Kasen had gone to fairly similar lengths with me, which had been confusing at the time and doubly so in hindsight. She had been far, far too interested in how any exercise I did could relate to Reimu. I started to wonder about Reimu's behaviour even more. If she didn't know how she felt, then why...?

I looked over my shoulder at her, studying her face. She looked about as conflicted as I did. It was in the way she bit her lip. The way she frowned, and the way it made her eyes gain a certain intensity. But I felt like there was something else there. It was hidden deep down, somewhere behind her eyes. Before I could ask, she shook her head and took the warm water, tilting my head back to rinse my hair. "L-Let's just get in the bath, right?" I looked forward with a frown. I'd almost had it, I was certain. It had just slipped my fingers. I told Reimu to get in first, and I waited until I heard the rippling of the water to look around. She was almost fully submerged, up to her neck in the steaming water. I told her to close her eyes, and once she had, I clambered in.

The water was almost unbearably hot as I sank into the ofuro, and it took a few moments before I felt myself begin to acclimate. There was a small ledge that ran around the interior, so I sat, letting my feet rest at the bottom. With my height, I didn't come as deeply submerged as Reimu, though I did slouch down a little to try and compensate. After a moment, I felt something touch my leg, and I jumped slightly before I realised that it was Reimu's foot. She stood, sending water streaming down to her waist where she was still submerged, then came round to sit next to me. I shifted slightly so she had room, but she still shuffled up next to me and took my arm to serve as a pillow. I could feel her body pressing against my side. Suddenly, everything Lady Hecatia had told me clicked, and I knew that I'd arrived at the crossroads.

This was the moment.

I could turn my head right now. I could kiss Reimu and do all the things that would follow. I could forget about all my troubles with youkai and be the Shrine Maiden's husband. I wouldn't have to think about any of those problems again. I wouldn't have to think about panic attacks or darkness or Yamame or-

Yamame. I felt it again. My heart was being constricted, like there was something inside my chest squeezing it. And suddenly, it all slid into place. Lady Hecatia had told me to not discount my emotions. Well, here was me, listening to my emotions.

I stood at the crossroads. I looked to the left. I looked to the right. And then, I made my decision.

>>42387213
The one and only grumpy shrine maiden

So as you can tell i'm not longer really rangebanned as of the 1st of this year, we'll see how long it lasts but since I can i'm posting the rest of the story here first and i'll simply format it and revamp some scenes before posting on Ao3.
Thank you all for your patience, getting some of the arcs all formatted took up more time then I thought as this and that came up and naturally I wanted to greatly expand some scenes, especially the lewd scenes and descriptive tidbits here and there.
Thank you for reading and I hope you'll look forward to Reimu's redemption, despite her competition Anon-kun will never abandon his vows and miko wife! Lets all luv me mu!

I wonder what adult Reimu's life is like. Hopefully it's a happy one.