149 Her Feet Are a Treasure [50 PS]

Yukino Yukari's Home

The sliding doors of the main house were completely open.

Yukino sat behind a low table, resting her delicate face in her hands, elbows propped on the table, gazing expectantly at the entrance.

'Why isn't he here yet?'

'What kind of delicious food will Hojou-kun bring?'

'Should I prepare some drinks?'

'Oh, I already have orange juice. Will the new cushion be uncomfortable to sit on…?'

Waiting was agonizing.

Every little movement outside, like a stray puppy trotting past the entrance would make her heart leap with excitement, only for disappointment to settle in when it wasn't him.

When Kyousuke finally arrived at Yukino's home, the sight that greeted him was a breathtaking woman staring at the doorway, her expression reminiscent of a little girl eagerly awaiting her father's return with a birthday cake.

"Good morning, Yukino-sensei."

Only when he approached did he realize that she was completely lost in thought.

"Ah, Hojou-kun!"

The familiar voice pulled Yukino from her dreamy state.

The sweet yet tormenting longing she had felt moments ago lingered, leaving her cheeks flushed a rosy red.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

As Kyousuke stepped onto the veranda, Yukino quickly got up and took the food container from his hands.

After removing his shoes, he settled onto the cushion that had clearly been prepared just for him.

He picked up the damp towel Yukino had set out and wiped his hands.

"I'll eat one first, then feed you."

Without further ado, Kyousuke picked up a salmon and sesame rice ball and took a big bite.

Having woken up early to cook and then walked all the way to Yukino's house, he was starving.

"Mhm, take your time. I'm not in a hurry," Yukino said, watching him chew with a satisfied smile.

"Phew… I'm alive again."

Kyousuke let out a deep breath after swallowing the rice ball and washing it down with a big gulp of the orange juice Yukino had prepared.

'Mitsuha's body really is weak.'

'If it were me, I could go two days without food and still have the energy for extra training sessions with my subordinates.'

"Alright, thanks for waiting, sensei."

After wiping his hands again, he picked up another rice ball this one filled with thick tamagoyaki and cucumber.

"Ah~"

A soft blush spread across Yukino's delicate features.

Without the slightest hesitation, she leaned forward, lips slightly parted, ready to be fed.

'Wait… I get this kind of reward just for feeding her?'

Kyousuke carefully extended the rice ball towards her, doing his best to keep his eyes from wandering anywhere inappropriate.

Yukino was still wearing her oversized T-shirt from the night before.

As she leaned forward, the neckline dipped, revealing a breathtakingly fair expanse of skin from his angle.

'Oh, crap… she noticed.'

Even though he quickly averted his gaze, the moment was enough.

He could see that Yukino's face, already red, had deepened in color as she slowly chewed her food.

"Um… sensei, maybe you should change into something else?"

As she leaned forward again, waiting for another bite, even the usually composed Kyousuke felt a tinge of embarrassment.

"Hm? No need. I'm not cold."

Forcing down her own shyness, Yukino feigned calmness.

If the esteemed "God" enjoys looking, then I suppose it can be an offering to him.

But her thoughts betrayed her.

She couldn't help but recall the images that had flooded her mind earlier when she was lost in the poem's emotions.

The memory made her face flush even deeper, and her voice took on an unnatural pitch.

"…Alright then."

Though he maintained control over his gaze, some things were simply beyond his control.

Bit by bit, the rice ball disappeared between her soft lips.

As Kyousuke watched the contrast between the white grains of rice and her fair skin, he found himself unable to decide which was whiter.

Yukino's way of eating reflected her shy nature—small bites, slow and careful.

When it came to the last bite wrapped in nori, Kyousuke instinctively reached for his chopsticks to feed her.

But before he could act, Yukino had already leaned in, lips parting, and took the final bite directly from his fingers.

A soft, damp sensation.

A faint stickiness from the rice.

A fleeting graze of her teeth.

'So… this is what Yukino-sensei's lips feel like?'

Kyousuke's fingers tingled.

Before he could react, Yukino had already sat back down.

Seemingly to hide her embarrassment, she turned her head slightly to the side, cheeks puffed as she continued chewing.

The wind carried the scent of fresh greenery from the mountains.

It rustled the trees, brushed against the lake's shimmering surface, and whispered through the grass outside the house before sweeping into the room.

Kyousuke watched as the breeze played with Yukino's short hair. With a soft motion, she tucked the stray strands behind her ear, revealing a delicate, rosy-cheeked profile.

"Hojou-kun, I want more."

Those dark eyes, filled with expectation, gazed at him.

Kyousuke chuckled, picking up another rice ball and offering it to her once again.

Thus, the "exciting breakfast" came to an end.

Yukino got to enjoy the rice balls handmade by her "God," and Kyousuke… well, he got to savor something just as sweet.

After finishing their meal, Yukino wiped her lips clean, the slight sheen from the food making her cherry blossom-colored lips appear even more enticing.

As she watched Kyousuke tidy up the food container, her eyes landed on his roughly tied ponytail.

A thought crossed her mind, making her heart race slightly.

"Hojou-kun… would you like me to braid your hair?"

"Huh? Sure!" Kyousuke agreed immediately.

Setting the food container aside, he sat cross-legged, not too worried about appearances since he was wearing leggings under his outfit.

Even though her hands hadn't touched the food directly, Yukino still meticulously wiped them clean with a fresh towel again and again, before nervously shuffling behind Kyousuke on her knees.

"I'm starting now."

Having kept her hair in a bob for years, Yukino was uncharacteristically anxious.

"Relax, sensei. No way it can turn out worse than it already is."

Kyousuke chuckled, sensing her tension.

Hearing that, Yukino's lips curled into a small smile.

The stiffness in her shoulders eased, and with delicate fingers, she carefully picked up a strand of his hair and began weaving it into a braid.

 ...

"Alright." Yukino secured the last strand of hair with a rubber band and patted it gently with her small hands.

"Not bad at all. It looks just as beautiful as in Mitsuha's photo," Kyousuke remarked as he glanced at the picture Yukino had taken.

"As long as you're satisfied, Hojou-kun." Yukino smiled softly before tilting her head in curiosity. "But why do you always call her 'Mitsuha' instead of just 'Miyamizu'?

It seemed odd to her.

After all, weren't the divine guardian and the shrine maiden supposed to be sacred relationship? Yet his way of addressing her felt so intimate.

"Well… why indeed?"

Why had he always used such a informal name?

He knew Mitsuha so well by now, and they had both become deeply entangled in each other's lives, altering the relationships around them.

And yet, it still felt like they had never truly communicated.

That sense of detachment always lingered, as if they were nothing more than "intimate strangers."

"I'm going to check on the tree I planted earlier. Call me when you're ready."

Avoiding the topic, Kyousuke packed up the bento box, still filled with leftover rice balls, planning to share them with Teshigawara, Sayaka and the others at lunch.

"Alright," Yukino replied, picking up the glass pitcher of orange juice and a few cups to bring them to the kitchen.

Stepping outside, Kyousuke walked to the left side of the house.

To his surprise, the land he had previously restored had now expanded, someone had cleared an equally large patch of weeds, leaving the area completely spotless.

Crouching down, he ran his fingers through the soil beneath the apple tree.

It was still moist, and dew glistened on the leaves.

The tree was thriving, it had truly taken root.

"Maybe it'll bear fruit next year," Yukino remarked softly as she approached, now dressed in her work clothes.

"Did you clear those weeds yourself?" Hojou Kyousuke stood up, dusting off his hands as he stepped out of the garden.

"Yes. Every evening when I come back, I stop by to check on it. A bit of labor really helps refresh the body." Yukino smiled gently and took a handkerchief from her pocket, offering it to him.

"Let me check if you got any cuts from the weeds." He accepted the handkerchief and wiped his hands while glancing at her in concern.

"I'm not an idiot, you know. Of course, I wore gloves." Yukino held out her pale, slender hands, her delicate fingers unscathed.

Kyousuke chuckled dryly and quickly changed the subject.

As they walked, they began discussing what other fruits they should plant next.

"Mitsuha~~!" Sayaka's familiar voice rang out.

At the crossroads near Yukino's and Mitsuha's houses, two of Mitsuha's friends stood waiting.

"Where are the rice balls?" Sayaka asked eagerly.

As Kyousuke and Yukino Yukari approached, Sayaka first greeted Yukino-sensei politely before immediately turning to Kyousuke, unable to contain her curiosity.

Since he had already mentioned the food to Yotsuba, there was no way he'd leave out these two.

"Are you a pig? Didn't you just eat bread and milk earlier?" Teshigawara teased.

"That bread was tiny—it wasn't enough! Besides, aren't you at least curious about what Mitsuha's rice balls taste like?" Sayaka argued confidently.

"It's not very ladylike to eat rice balls on the road, you know. What if you spill on your clothes?" Teshigawara countered.

"I'm not a child! I won't spill food on myself!" Sayaka huffed, already preparing to launch a physical attack.

"Alright, alright. We'll have them together at lunch," Kyousuke quickly intervened, stepping between them.

Behind him, Yukino Yukari covered her mouth, laughing softly at their amusing banter.

"Ugh, this is your fault, Teshigawara! Now Yukino-sensei has seen my unrefined side!" Sayaka broke past Kyousuke's defense and delivered a "loving" punch to Teshigawara.

———————————————————————

After a long day of school, Sayaka, Teshigawara, Kyousuke, and Yukari, headed to the shores of Itomori Lake.

"Are you sure there are crabs here?" Kyousuke asked skeptically as Sayaka thumped her chest confidently.

"Of course!"

"Well, sometimes kids catch crabs in the mountains and release them here, but naturally, Itomori Lake doesn't have any crabs," Teshigawara explained.

"That still means there are crabs!"

"I see. But there are definitely fish, right?" Kyousuke asked.

"Obviously! We're catching enough for dinner tonight!" Teshigawara declared, waving the net he had borrowed from an elderly passerby.

"Me too, me too!" Sayaka chimed in.

"Sensei, are you sure you don't want to change into something more comfortable?" Kyousuke glanced at Yukino, still dressed in her formal suit.

"No, no, I'll just watch from the side. I'm not very good at things like this," she admitted, her face turning red.

Not only was she bad at catching fish—she was practically hopeless at any physical activity.

If Kyousuke hadn't wanted to see the lake up close, she would never have come near the water, given that she couldn't swim.

"Hey, don't ignore me!" Sayaka's voice finally broke through the conversation.

"Hahaha!"

Seeing her frustrated expression, Kyousuke and Teshigawara burst into laughter, and even the gentle Yukino couldn't help but giggle softly.

"Alright, alright. If we catch plenty of fish, I'll let you have an extra one for dinner."

As they finally reached the lakeshore, Kyousuke was taken aback by its sheer size.

At first glance, it almost felt like they had arrived at the ocean.

But for such a vast lake to exist high in the mountains—it seemed almost unnatural.

"Teshigawara, how did this lake form?"

The shimmering surface of Itomori Lake stretched before them, the wind rustling the water like a gentle sea breeze—except there was no scent of salt.

"Huh? Because of the comet, of course. Mitsuha, shouldn't you know this best? Your family's shrine is literally built around a meteor crater."

Wait… what?

Kyousuke's eyes widened.

So, this lake was formed by a comet impact? And there was another crater, one that Miyamizu Shrine worshipped as sacred?

A small town like Itomori not only had two heroines but also frequent visits from celestial bodies?

"Oh, of course I knew that. I was just testing you."

"Is that so?" Teshigawara rubbed his shaved head, looking doubtful.

"Enough talking! If we don't start now, we won't have dinner!"

In the end, only Sayaka and Teshigawara actually tried to catch fish—though whether Sayaka was helping or just causing trouble was debatable.

"Sayaka! I told you to step lightly! You're scaring all the fish away!" Teshigawara yelled in frustration.

"Oh, come on! There are plenty more!" Sayaka shrugged.

 ...

"They seem to have a great relationship."

Yukino Yukari and Hojou Kyousuke walked side by side in the crystal-clear waters of the lake, their shoes held in their hands.

Yukino had rolled up her pant legs, revealing a portion of her smooth, fair calves.

"Yeah, they've been bickering like that since they were kids. If anything, it's only made their bond stronger."

Kyousuke kept his head down, making sure he wasn't staring at Yukino's feet.

Though he had to admit, her small, pale feet looked even more delicate and adorable in the clear water almost tempting enough to hold and admire.

But his real concern was the sharp stones along the shore; he didn't want Mitsuha's equally fair feet to get hurt.

"Actually, I know a bit about the origins of Itomori Lake," Yukino said, lowering her head slightly as they approached a large, smooth rock and sat down.

Although the afternoon had already passed, the water still carried a pleasant warmth. Walking barefoot in it was nothing short of refreshing.

Yukino rolled up her pant legs a bit more, letting her slender legs sink slightly into the water.

The moment she stopped moving, the tiny fish that Sayaka and Teshigawara had been desperately trying to catch began to swim up to her, gently nipping at her feet.

Under the sunlight, Itomori Lake shimmered like a field of scattered diamonds.

The water's reflections danced across Yukino's radiant face, and the sensation of the tiny fish tickling her feet was clearly getting to her.

Kyousuke could tell she was trying her best to endure it, her delicate face now tinted with a faint blush, but her small feet still twitched slightly in response.

Startled by the sudden movement, the tiny fish darted away.

However, just as Yukino was about to breathe a sigh of relief and continue speaking, the persistent little creatures returned, surrounding her once more.

Through the crystal-clear water, Kyousuke saw everything in vivid detail.

These little fish… must have been some kind of mischievous troublemakers in their past lives.

With that amusing thought, he asked, "Sensei, how do you know about Itomori Lake's history?"

Yukino had only arrived in Itomori this semester, so he assumed she knew just as little about the town as he did.

"Yotsuba told me."

Her voice carried a hint of suppressed laughter, though she was still at the mercy of the tiny fish.

She didn't have the heart to chase them away, but as soon as she managed to say those few words, a small gasp escaped her lips.

Embarrassed, she quickly covered her mouth, momentarily forgetting her growing curiosity.

The moment Hojou asked about Itomori Lake's formation, a wave of questions had surged through her mind.

"Miyamizu Shrine's head priest told me that the shrine's sacred object—the goshintai—is actually a crater formed by a fragment of the Tiamat comet."

"Itomori Town was originally built by people who came here to mine the meteorite."

"That's also when Miyamizu Shrine began worshipping the comet as a star god, treating the crater as its sacred ground."

This was what the shrine's priest, Miyamizu Hitoha, had told Yukino when she visited a few days ago.

After finishing her explanation, Yukino subtly turned her head to observe Hojou's reaction.

She was so focused on him that she had even forgotten about the fish at her feet.

"I see. And what about Itomori Lake?" Kyousuke asked with genuine interest.

Yukino froze for a moment.

Why would a divine being not know about their own sacred land?

A chilling thought passed through her mind—what if Hojou wasn't a star god at all, but actually the deity of literature, Takahata no Mikoto?

"Later, when the comet passed by Earth again, it broke apart once more, and another fragment crashed into Itomori, completely destroying the original town."

"That impact is what created Itomori Lake. Because of this, Miyamizu Shrine changed its main deity to Takahata no Mikoto, the god of weaving, in order to suppress the malevolent star god."

As she finished speaking, Yukino once again studied Hojou's expression intently.

He was gazing at the shimmering waters of Itomori Lake, deep in thought.

"I see… What a coincidence," he murmured.

Yukino's heart pounded.

So he isn't the god of weaving either?

Then why did he choose to possess the shrine maiden of Miyamizu Shrine?

Her mind buzzed with endless questions.

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