Very soon, the freshly fried tofu were ready. Yu Xie brought the dish to the table.
Yae Miko was momentarily stunned, her thoughts pulled back to the present.
The past could never be revisited; the only thing one could do was cherish the present.
"All done! Give it a try while it's hot," Yu Xie said, handing her a pair of chopsticks.
Taking the chopsticks, Yae Miko hesitated slightly before slowly picking up a piece of tofu puff and bringing it to her mouth.
In that fleeting moment, the taste and sensations from centuries ago surged back vividly.
"It hasn't changed at all," she said softly.
"What hasn't?"
"The tofu you made back then... they tasted just like this. Delicious."
She smiled, but for some reason, her eyes glimmered faintly with tears.
"Yae Miko..."
Before Yu Xie could make another move, Yae Miko realized the tears that had unknowingly welled up in her eyes and quickly wiped them away.
"It's been so long since I last had your tofu, so I got a little emotional without realizing it... Oh, right, the noodles you made earlier must be cold by now. Let me reheat them for you." With that, she was about to get up, but Yu Xie gently stopped her.
"No need for the trouble; I'll just eat them quickly," Yu Xie said with a slight smile. "Afterward, we should both get some rest."
The light in the kitchen flickered softly, while outside, the moonlight was bright and clear.
The two sat facing each other, quietly eating their noodles and fried tofu.
A gentle night breeze brushed past, and everything was tranquil, much like the nights from long ago.
"Good night. Rest well," Yu Xie said to Yae Miko before they parted.
Yae Miko nodded. Many words lingered on the tip of her tongue, but all she managed was a simple "Mm."
Then, the two turned and walked in opposite directions.
Under the picturesque moonlight, their silhouettes gradually grew distant.
"Yae Miko, wait!" Yu Xie suddenly called out to her.
Yae Miko stopped immediately, turning around with an involuntary sense of anticipation.
"What is it?"
Yu Xie quickly approached her, squinting slightly. "You went to Watatsumi Island today, didn't you?"
The question caught Yae Miko off guard. She gave a somewhat awkward smile. "N-no, of course not. I've been working at Narukami Shrine the whole time—I didn't have the time to go to Watatsumi Island."
"Oh... is that so? Then how did you go to Watatsumi Island?" Yu Xie asked again, thoughtfully resting his hand on his chin.
"By boat, of course."
The moment the words left her mouth, Yae Miko regretted it deeply.
Why couldn't she hold her tongue?
The atmosphere grew awkward. Yae Miko looked at Yu Xie, forcing an equally awkward smile.
"You didn't go to Watatsumi Island just to 'spy' on me, did you?" Yu Xie asked again.
"If I said I went to enjoy the scenery of Watatsumi Island, would you believe me?" Yae Miko countered, testing the waters.
Yu Xie didn't respond, only gazing into her eyes.
"Fine, I was worried that you might not be able to resist... certain charms," she finally admitted.
"..." Yu Xie felt a twinge of helplessness. "So you all think I'd fall prey to beauty..."
"Of course I want to trust you, but... you know the saying, 'Even heroes have a hard time resisting a beautiful face.'"
"..." Yu Xie didn't know what to say. Without thinking, he blurted out, "Well, why don't you try seducing me then? I think my self-control is pretty strong."
Yae Miko froze for a moment, then her eyes seemed to light up with an almost mischievous glint.
"R-really?"
This time, it was Yu Xie's turn to be stunned. He immediately regretted his impulsive words. He should have thought before speaking...
Facing Yae Miko's expectant gaze, Yu Xie found himself at a loss for how to refuse her.
What's said is said—there's no taking it back. He had to take responsibility for his words.
"Yes," he nodded.
Hearing the affirmation, Yae Miko's ears twitched, and a soft blush spread across her face, like a budding flower just beginning to bloom.
At some point, her tail had also appeared, swaying gently behind her.
A fluffy pink fox tail swayed behind her.
"Then... here I come!" Yae Miko moved behind Yu Xie and, after a moment of hesitation, wrapped her arms tightly around him from behind.
Rising onto her tiptoes, she rested her chin on his shoulder, nuzzling gently against his neck and cheek like a little fox.
Yu Xie didn't dare move. He could smell the faint, captivating fragrance emanating from her and feel the ticklish sensation on his neck and face. But more than that, there was the soft, irresistible pressure against his back.
Yae Miko held him tightly, as if clinging to something she'd lost and finally recovered, determined never to let it slip away again. She poured every ounce of her strength into holding onto the present moment.
After a while, she stopped her fox-like nuzzling. Slowly turning her head, she exhaled softly against Yu Xie's neck. Then, leaning close to his ear, she whispered:
"Just say the word, and I'll do anything for you. You'll have to take responsibility~."
Her murmured words seemed to carry a kind of magic, bypassing his ears and resonating deep in his mind, stirring his very soul.
At this, Yu Xie took a deep breath.
The saying "Even heroes have a hard time resisting a beautiful face" suddenly took on a whole new meaning for him.
What's more, Yu Xie didn't see himself as any kind of hero. He was just an ordinary young man.
While he could still handle things at this level, if it went any further…
No, if Yae Miko continued like this, it might get a little dangerous.
"Yae Miko... let go of me for now," Yu Xie said.
"No."
"Just let go first..."
"I won't! I finally get to hug you—I'm not letting go."
In this moment, Yae Miko had none of the usual authority or dignity of the high priestess of Narukami Shrine. Instead, she was like a willful little girl, simply wanting to hold on tightly to the person in her heart.
"Yae Miko, listen to me. Just let go for a moment..."
"Could it be that your self-control has already reached its limit, and that's why you're asking me to let go?" Yae Miko teased, her lips curling into a playful smile. Instead of releasing him, she placed her hand over Yu Xie's chest, feeling his heartbeat.
The rhythmic thump-thump had quickened.
"See? That's exactly why we went to Watatsumi Island today. If Sangonomiya Kokomi were to act like this with you, and we weren't there to stop it, you might have fallen for her charms," Yae Miko said smugly.
"Alright, alright. I admit it—I've lost. Now, will you let go?" Yu Xie said helplessly.
Only then did Yae Miko reluctantly loosen her grip.
"But there's one thing I need to clarify," Yu Xie said, his tone turning serious. "If it were some stranger behaving this way toward me, I wouldn't react like this. It's only because it's you that I..."
Hearing this, Yae Miko's eyes widened, trembling with emotion. She stood frozen, as if time itself had stopped for her.
In the next moment, she suddenly lunged forward and hugged Yu Xie tightly again.
The faint fragrance enveloped him, and her embrace was filled with tenderness.
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