"Kyaa~!!!"
Moegami's shriek rang out clearly from behind the changing room curtain.
A few customers glanced over, but Gabriel remained standing outside, his expression nearly unchanged.
Long story short—after the embarrassing incident at the herbal shop, they moved on to the clothing store. Moegami picked out several items with movements that… once again felt almost like autopilot.
"What's going on, Tobiichi-san?" Gabriel asked flatly, his curiosity sounding far too precise to be called natural.
"N-nothing!" Moegami replied quickly from behind the curtain. "J-just don't open the curtain! Wait a moment!"
"All right," Gabriel said calmly. "Take your time."
A few seconds passed.
Then the curtain opened.
Moegami stepped out with her head lowered, her hair covering part of her flushed face. In her hands—
A swimsuit.
And a set of animal ear accessories.
Gabriel looked at her and nodded slightly.
As if the puzzle from earlier, which hadn't been complete, was now finally whole.
"…I don't understand," Moegami muttered softly to herself. "Why did my clothing choices turn out like this…? I never even planned to go into this section…"
She looked genuinely confused at herself.
Gabriel opened his mouth, ready to say something like, "If you like it, we can buy it."
But suddenly, Moegami stepped forward quickly and grabbed both of Gabriel's shoulders firmly.
The movement was abrupt.
The clothes draped over her arms slipped to the floor.
She stared straight at Gabriel. Her face was still flushed, but now her expression was serious—or at least she was trying to look serious.
"I know the reason!" she said firmly.
Gabriel blinked.
"…Oh?"
"I-it must be because I'm hungry!" Moegami continued rapidly, as if she had just arrived at a grand theory. "Low blood sugar can interfere with decision-making and impulse control."
She nodded to herself, reassuringly.
"Yes. That must be it."
Her hands still gripping Gabriel's shoulders, she said,
"So, we should go to a restaurant right now."
Gabriel stared at her for a few seconds, analyzing.
"Very well," he finally replied.
He nodded slightly.
"But first, let's go to the cashier to pay for the clothes—"
"I'm hungry," Moegami cut in quickly. "Really hungry, and I want to eat now!"
Her tone was firm, as if that statement were the final decision.
A brief silence followed.
Gabriel looked at her, somewhat surprised.
"…Very well," he repeated calmly.
For now, it was probably more interesting to let this variable develop naturally.
***
The restaurant wasn't very crowded.
Daylight streamed through the large windows, softly reflecting off the wooden table where they sat across from each other.
Moegami sat up straight.
Too straight.
The shopping bag filled with herbs and tonics rested on the chair beside her—like evidence she was trying to ignore.
Gabriel sat casually, his elbow resting lightly on the table.
Between them, two glasses of iced tea slowly sweated, droplets running down and dampening the wood surface.
Silence.
Moegami touched her glass lightly.
"…Earlier," she spoke first, without looking at Gabriel, "you didn't seem surprised."
Gabriel lifted his gaze slightly.
"Surprised about what?"
Moegami pursed her lips, thinking.
"…About me."
A thin silence returned.
She raised her glass and took a sip of iced tea, perhaps to calm herself.
"Strange choice. Strange reaction," she continued softly. "Normally people would think… something."
Gabriel stared at her for a few seconds.
"I don't see anything strange."
The answer was far too simple.
"…Really?"
"Even so, no."
He took a sip from his glass.
"You look like someone staring into a mirror and not recognizing—"
He stopped.
Almost slipped.
The Ash persona nearly surfaced. Right now, he was being Gabriel!
This was all part of the scenario. He had to be careful.
Gabriel set his glass down calmly.
"I mean," he continued in a lighter tone, "you just look like someone who's confused."
Moegami fell silent.
For the first time since they had entered the herbal shop, her shoulders fully relaxed.
Her fingers traced the edge of the table, following the wood grain in small, unconscious movements.
"…For some reason, sometimes I feel like that," she murmured softly. "Like… I'm chasing something. But I don't know what. And when I try to remember… it feels like there's a part missing."
She offered a small, awkward smile.
"Funny, isn't it?"
"No," Gabriel replied immediately.
Moegami lifted her face.
Their gazes met.
Gabriel did not look away.
"Maybe it's not chasing," he continued calmly. "You just haven't found a place to stop yet."
The words hung between them.
Moegami didn't fully grasp the meaning right away.
But something in her chest felt warm.
Calm.
She quickly lowered her gaze, hiding the expression that was beginning to soften.
"Then…" she murmured softly, "…does today count as stopping?"
Gabriel tilted his head slightly. "Stopping?"
"Mm."
Moegami nodded faintly.
"Stopping from thinking about things I don't understand. Stopping from feeling like something's missing."
Just then, their omurice arrived. Warm steam rose slowly, carrying the scent of tomato sauce and butter.
The waiter placed the plates on the table, smiled politely, and left.
Moegami stared at her omurice as if it were the perfect excuse not to look at Gabriel.
"…You don't mind walking with me today?" she asked softly.
Gabriel regarded her for a few seconds.
"No," he replied simply.
He picked up his spoon.
"If this is your place to pause for a moment… then I can walk slowly."
Moegami fell silent.
Then, almost inaudibly—
"…Thank you."
And for the first time that day, her smile didn't feel awkward.
***
A few minutes passed.
Lunch was finished, and now they stood near the ice cream stall in front of the restaurant. A gentle afternoon breeze carried the sweet scent of sugar and milk.
Moegami held a two-layered ice cream—chocolate on top, vanilla below.
Gabriel chose chocolate and mint bubblegum.
Moegami scooped her ice cream with a small spoon, eating it slowly.
"…Funny, isn't it," she murmured suddenly.
Gabriel glanced at her.
"Our first meeting was because of ice cream too," she continued. "Back then… your ice cream stained my clothes."
Her face flushed slightly.
"Thinking back… it's kind of sweet too."
She quickly changed the subject.
"Do you like chocolate mint?"
Gabriel took a spoonful of his ice cream before answering.
"Not really," he finally said. "My favorites are strawberry or apple. This flavor… I just tried out of curiosity."
He looked at the ice cream in his hand.
"My older brother used to like this flavor."
Moegami blinked slowly.
"Your older brother?"
"His name is Rian Andromeda," Gabriel replied calmly. "Not by blood. Adopted. We were raised in the same orphanage."
Moegami gave a faint smile.
"That makes me curious about him. Could we… meet him someday?"
"Well," Gabriel said softly, "I hope we can…"
The sentence hung in the air.
Moegami remained silent.
Gabriel's voice just now—too quiet. Too distant.
She lowered her head slightly.
"…I'm sorry," she murmured.
Gabriel looked at her.
"For what are you apologizing?"
Moegami gripped her small spoon.
"I thought… he was gone."
Gabriel exhaled lightly.
"My older brother is just in a faraway place, that's why you can't meet him."
He gave a faint smile.
"And he really is the busiest."
Moegami quickly lifted her face.
"Oh—so it's not… like that?"
"No," Gabriel replied shortly.
Moegami looked relieved, but soon grew self-conscious, realizing she had misunderstood.
"I—I jumped to conclusions too quickly," she said. "Sorry."
Gabriel took another bite of his ice cream.
"It's fine."
A brief silence fell between them, but this time it wasn't heavy.
Moegami stared at her ice cream.
"What's he like?" she asked softly, genuinely curious.
Gabriel paused for a few seconds, as if choosing his words.
"More reckless than me," he finally answered. "Laughs easily. And also… far too fond of trying strange things."
His gaze softened slightly.
"Even with ice cream flavors that make no sense."
Moegami smiled faintly.
"So… you two are pretty close."
Gabriel didn't answer immediately.
"Yes," he said finally. "Pretty close."
The afternoon breeze blew gently.
Moegami studied Gabriel's face for a moment.
"I'm glad he's still around," she said sincerely. "Someone like you… should have someone who remembers you from long ago."
Gabriel glanced at her.
For a moment, his expression was unreadable.
Then he returned his gaze to his ice cream.
"And right now," he said lightly, "I'm walking with someone who remembers me from a spilled ice cream."
Moegami choked back a small laugh.
"D-don't remind me of that again!"
Gabriel gave a faint smile.
The afternoon felt lighter than before.
Moments later, without drawing attention, Gabriel subtly increased the output of Gigan.
His visual perception expanded.
On top of a nearby building, he saw a familiar figure standing casually at the edge of the roof. Kurumi twirled a red soda can in her hand before setting it down on the concrete floor.
A faint smile curved her lips.
A signal.
Ash had awakened.
The long-awaited scenario was finally beginning.
All the pieces were in position.
Gabriel pulled a pocket watch from his trouser pocket and opened it slowly. At the same time, he connected his visual field with Kurumi's—sending a visual signal that the countdown had reached zero.
A small vibration stirred within him.
Excitement.
For him, a moment like this felt… cool.
Very cool.
_____
Author' Note:
Support me! Don't forget to leave comments, your best reviews, add it to your favorites, and give all your power stones~!!!