Part 2
The home goods store was much larger than Touma had expected.
High ceilings, soft background music, and endless aisles filled with furniture that looked straight out of a designer catalog.
Shizuki walked ahead of him with measured steps, as if she were inspecting an art museum.
With each sofa she examined, she narrowed her eyes in silent judgment, as if calculating the perfect balance between elegance and utility in her mind.
—Do you have something specific in mind? —Touma asked after several minutes of silence, noticing none of the options seemed to satisfy her.
—I'm looking for something that will look good in the club... but more importantly, something that won't hurt my eyes to see every day —she replied with complete seriousness.
…That sounds fair enough.
She stopped in front of a section with neutral-toned sofas: ivory, pearl gray, sky blue.
She placed a hand on the backrest of a velvet-upholstered one and pressed it lightly with her fingers.
—Too soft. It would ruin my posture while reading —she declared.
Touma began looking around as well.
After a few seconds, he pointed to a classic-style piece: deep blue with dark wooden details and elegant lines.
—How about that one? Good back support, fits the club's style… and it looks comfy for reading.
Shizuki approached.
She inspected it in silence, touched it, tested it… and then nodded once.
—Acceptable.
…So, that's a yes?
—Yes.
—Whoa! I'm learning your language —Touma joked.
She ignored him with elegant indifference and walked straight to the counter, where she addressed the clerk with utmost seriousness.
—I'll take the sofa set model 503, the oak table set 105 with matching chairs… and the individual armchair number 300.
Please deliver everything to Seisen Academy, Literature Club.
She said it so naturally, like it was a daily routine.
Then she pulled out a dark card, with no visible logo. Just a silver stripe on one edge and her name engraved discreetly in the center: "Tokisaki S."
The clerk froze for a second. Then swallowed hard and bowed deeply with practiced professionalism.
—R-right away, Miss Tokisaki. We'll have everything dispatched today, no additional charge, of course.
Touma blinked.
—Was that… a card?
—It's not important —Shizuki replied, tucking away the receipt with total composure.
—Maybe not to you, but that guy looked like he was ready to kneel —Touma muttered as they exited the store.
—He was probably overreacting. Don't pay it any mind —Shizuki said calmly—. Now, let's head to the bookstore.
—Alright… just try not to buy out the whole place.
After their purchase, they walked a few more blocks until they reached an old bookstore on the corner, with wooden window frames and a vintage-style sign.
In the display window, books on poetry, history, and world literature sat alongside special editions in both Japanese and English.
As they entered, the atmosphere changed.
It smelled of old paper, polished wood, and peace.
—Here it is —Shizuki murmured, as if she had just returned home.
While she wandered between the shelves with the same elegance she had used to judge furniture, Touma kept a respectful distance.
He watched how her fingers glided along the spines of the books, how her eyes narrowed slightly whenever something caught her attention.
—You can browse too, you know. You don't have to just follow me —she said suddenly, without turning around.
—Ah, how did you know I was watching you?
—I don't like being watched. But... I don't mind it when it's you.
Touma fell silent. He couldn't tell if that was a compliment… or a carefully laid psychological trap.
After a while, Shizuki approached with two books in hand.
—I'm done.
—Is that all you wanted to do today? —he asked as they paid.
She nodded, but for the first time that day, seemed hesitant.
—Yes… or at least, I thought so. I don't have any plans after this. What do young people usually do?
Touma raised an eyebrow.
—Don't say that like you're some old lady…
—It's just… I've never gone out walking like this. I don't know what people normally do in these situations —she admitted, lowering her gaze slightly.
Touma smiled confidently.
—Don't worry. How about we explore the city a bit? I know you don't like noisy places, so leave it to me.
Without saying more, he started walking at a relaxed pace. Guided discreetly by Ellie, he led Shizuki to the Tenryu Aquarium —an underwater observation tunnel built with reinforced glass that stretched along the coast.
Tenryu Aquarium was one of the city's hidden gems. It wasn't particularly large or touristy, but its glass tunnel structure that reached into the sea created a quiet atmosphere, as if the world itself had sunk beneath the waves.
Inside, a serene blue light bathed everything. Schools of colorful fish swam gracefully above and beside them. Small manta rays glided by with elegance, as if dancing in slow motion.
Shizuki walked at a gentle pace, hands clasped behind her back. Her steps were light, and her eyes moved with sincere curiosity, though she never lost that composed aura she always carried.
Touma glanced at her from time to time, saying little. Sometimes, silence was enough.
—It's strange —she said, breaking the calm—. I never thought something so simple… could be so beautiful.
—Right? If you ever want, we could go to the one in Tokyo someday. Though… it's a pretty noisy city. Not sure if you'd enjoy that.
—Of course… I'd love to see it with you someday —she replied, placing her hand gently on the glass as she admired the peaceful passing of the fish.
—Well then… on to the next stop —Touma said with an upbeat smile.
They left the aquarium in silence, walking together toward Tenryu's downtown district.
Their next stop was a small cinema on the ground floor of a shopping center. Shizuki chose a European animated film, "just because it looked calm," as she put it. Touma smiled as they bought the tickets.
During the screening, Shizuki didn't say a word. She kept her hands neatly folded on her lap, not touching the popcorn Touma had offered her. But her eyes never left the screen. Her expression never changed… but Touma could tell she was enjoying it.
As they left, she simply said:
—It was… pleasant.
And coming from Shizuki, that was practically a five-star review.
—Yeah, it was a good choice. The director's famous for making movies with solid stories and unique style —Touma said, a bit nervously—. If it had been up to me, we'd probably have ended up watching some terrible shark movie.
Shizuki turned slightly toward him, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
—So you know quite a bit about that kind of thing.
—Well… movies are one of my hobbies. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a film director —he replied, with a mix of pride and embarrassment.
Shizuki didn't respond immediately. She simply glanced at him, quietly, as if she had just uncovered a completely different side of him.
—And tell me, Shizuki… besides reading mystery novels, what else do you like? —Touma asked, genuinely curious.
She paused briefly, as if she actually needed to think about it. It wasn't something she often reflected on.
—Well… I like sweet things, enjoying a good cup of tea… and admiring works of art.
—Worthy of a British lady —Touma remarked with a smile.
Shizuki let out a soft, brief laugh.
—It has nothing to do with my nationality. I'm Japanese too, you know?
—Minor details… —Touma replied casually as they continued walking side by side along the sidewalk.
—Speaking of which… would you like to grab some lunch before we continue? —he asked, glancing around.
Shizuki looked down at her white dress with a thoughtful expression.
—As long as it's not something that will ruin my dress. What do you have in mind?
—Um… well, greasy burgers are out. How about that place? —he said, pointing to a small diner with a modest but welcoming storefront.
—It's not fancy, but it has great reviews. My treat.
Shizuki studied the place for a few seconds. Then, with a faint smile, she nodded.
—Not everything in life needs to be luxurious, Kisaragi. Sometimes, the simple things can be… nice —she added, giving him a quick glance before heading toward the diner.
Touma followed her, slightly surprised by the comment.
—Was that a compliment? —he muttered under his breath.
—Please don't say it out loud —Shizuki added without looking at him, as if she had read his mind.
They stepped into the diner, where the scent of freshly cooked food and the warm atmosphere created an unexpectedly cozy scene.
It was a simple outing. But for someone like her, someone used to distance and formality, the ordinary could feel almost… extraordinary.