/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>45022345
The attractions were still shut down. Ran and Toutetsu probably already gave Okina information about the internal affairs of the HSE, and Aya had lots of pictures anyways. Still, she regretted not being able to see the leaderboards. The shrouded patron leaving definitely wasn’t Alice, but there may have been some clues. No matter, since she was here for pleasure, not work.

Heading over to the shrine, the beauty of fall caught her eye. From afar, a brilliant tapestry of red, brown and yellow tempted the soul. On closer inspection, every leaf lacked the small veins that become visible in the sunlight. It seemed the shrine could emulate the seasons, flora and fauna, just not as well as the genuine articles. Maintaining the barrier and it’s quirks must be taxing. But how well could it stand up to the power of the Secret Sage when the time came?

Pushing heavy topics aside, Aya knocked on Anon’s shrine. She could feel her arms shaking and legs wobbling. Her pill lasts hours and should have kicked in by now. Was she really… No, she was an elegant, mature woman! She was already a mother, even! Visiting a man was no big deal for someone with as much (reporting) experience as her!

“Welcome ho-” Before he could finish his sentence, the tengu wrapped her arms and legs around Anon’s upper body. He must have been used to such greetings, as he quickly spread his legs and fortified his center of balance. Her weight was nothing unusual, and the feeling of her soft chest was only a little distracting. It was the speed she rushed at him with that left Anon reeling.

Only a second into the hug, she lifted her head away from his shoulder, pouting. “Well? Aren’t you gonna hug me back? Squeeze reeeeeal tight!” Embracing her, Aya’s face melted in satisfaction. Taking a whiff of his hair, she was reminded of the comforting feeling from her dream that swept away any worries about barriers, anarchy or blonde man-stealers. “For today, I wanna spend the whole day touching each other, at all times! No letting go of me until time’s up, okay?” The tengu’s expression was dead serious: Answering “no” to her would have untold consequences.

“Alright, alright, we aren’t going to let go of each other. That means you can’t do anything sneaky either, okay?” Beaming, Aya agreed to Anon’s terms. Hopping off the man and grabbing his hand instead, the red-white tengu sat next to him at the table as they drank tea and enjoyed light snacks. Yet, something was missing. The snacks weren’t bad: She enjoyed something savory after eating all that dango. It was the tea! After enjoying her own brew for the past couple visits, the HSE standard wouldn’t cut it anymore.

Aya stood up, carrying Anon’s hand with her. “We’re going to the kitchen!”

“What for? Did you want something sweet today?”

“No, silly, your snacks were perfect as usual~. Remember telling me you didn’t know which herbs came from the mountain? Well, today you’re getting Aya Shameimaru’s crash course!” Right, that seemed to put a smile on his face! Pulling Anon off his pillow and into the kitchen, the tengu flitted around, smelling unlabeled bottles and inspecting various powders at breakneck speeds. “Now this one only grows in the spring, so you gotta collect a lot to last the year. Oh, and this one is really rare, but it’s gives you the perfect smoothness. Ah ha! This one gives off that nice aroma! You can tell when the tea’s sweet because it’ll always have this!” Bombarded with too much information in too few seconds, Aya dragged Anon to the living room as she quickly transcribed her lecture on a sheet of paper, then yanked him back into the kitchen. Aya’s visit was quickly becoming a contender for the most exercise he had while holding hands while standing.

After a whirlwind adventure in tea-making, Anon finally got a chance to sit down and enjoy the end result of his lesson. Aya gazed at him intensely. This was her favorite blend to drink during the fall: Sweet, spicy, and a little rich. It reminded her of watching the falling leaves dance around the setting sun as she reclined after a day’s work. When he sipped, Aya took her own sip. It was actually quite good, for a human.

“Mhm. This is great. So, how close to the real deal did I get?”

“Hmm. In an honest article on the Bunbunmaru, this would get an 8/10. Remarkable for a first try, but you still need a little bit of practice to really copy the tengu masters.” Counting herself as a master, of course. “Now then, how about a little bit of baking to round out your recipe book?”

Fearing for his limb, the human respectfully declined. “Sorry Aya, but not today. I think I need a bit more practice before moving onto the big dishes.”

“That’s fine. I wouldn’t mind cooking for you in the future.” Realizing what her words meant, the tengu’s face turned a shade redder, but her smile stuck firmly to her face.

(Part 30)