Souta looked at the options floating in his vision. The system was finally being useful, but at this point, he was starting to get a feel for Kushina's moods himself.
He made his choice.
"You should laugh more. It suits you."
Kushina raised an eyebrow, but there was a slight curve to her lips. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah," Souta said, leaning back. "You look more relaxed when you do. Less like you're carrying the whole world on your shoulders."
Kushina scoffed lightly, shaking her head. "I didn't realize I looked that miserable."
"You don't," Souta shrugged. "But you do seem tired. So, if I can get you to laugh a little, I'll take it as a win."
She let out a small chuckle, almost amused by his words. "You're different, I'll give you that."
She picked up her cup, taking a slow sip.
Souta smirked. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Kushina exhaled through her nose, setting her cup down. "You'd take anything as a compliment, wouldn't you?"
"Only when it's true," he replied smoothly.
She rolled her eyes, but there was no annoyance in it. Just familiarity.
A comfortable silence followed.
Finally, she stretched slightly and stood up. "Alright, I should get going."
Souta didn't stop her—he never did. She always left, and she always came back.
Before stepping out, she glanced back. "See you tomorrow, Souta."
"Yeah," he said. "See you."
And with that, she was gone.
Souta leaned back, running a hand through his hair.
She was getting too comfortable here.
And that was exactly what he wanted.
[+1 Charm (Passive)]
Souta exhaled slowly, staring at the notification in the corner of his vision. It wasn't a massive boost, nothing game-changing, but it was exactly what he needed.
Charm worked best when it was natural—when someone felt drawn to you without understanding why.
And Kushina was already coming back every night.
He glanced at the empty seat where she had been just moments ago, a small smirk playing on his lips. It's only a matter of time.
The Next Night
Just as the lanterns flickered to life, the teahouse door creaked open.
Right on time.
Kushina stepped in, her movements a little slower today, as if she was more at ease. Her usual frustration and exhaustion weren't as obvious.
Souta had been expecting her, and before she could say anything, he was already pouring her tea.
Kushina scoffed as she slid into her usual seat. "You're getting ahead of yourself, aren't you?"
Souta set the cup in front of her. "Figured I'd save you the trouble of asking."
She huffed, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "Not bad."
She picked up the tea and took a slow sip. Unlike before, she didn't immediately drop her guard or sigh in exhaustion. Instead, she just… sat there. Relaxed.
Souta leaned against the counter, watching her. "Long day?"
"Not really," she admitted, swirling the tea in her cup. "I guess I just… wanted to come by."
[Ding! Passive Charm Activated]
- Kushina sought out your presence for no specific reason. Progress toward deeper familiarity has increased.
Souta's smirk widened slightly.
"You must really like this place," he teased.
Kushina rolled her eyes but didn't deny it. "Maybe I do. The tea's decent."
"And the company?"
She exhaled through her nose, a small chuckle escaping. "Tolerable."
Souta took that as a win.
For the first time, she hadn't come just to unwind—she had come for him.
And she didn't even realize it yet.
...
The evening was peaceful—or at least, it was supposed to be. The warm glow of lanterns cast long shadows across the wooden floors, and the faint sound of chatter from other customers blended with the soothing aroma of freshly brewed tea.
Souta was behind the counter, casually polishing a cup when the door swung open—not with the usual creak, but with force.
A group of rough-looking men stepped inside, their eyes scanning the room before landing on him.
"Tch." The leader, a broad-shouldered man with a jagged scar across his cheek, sneered. "So you're the pretty boy my wife keeps yappin' about."
Souta barely spared them a glance. "Didn't realize I was so famous."
That only pissed them off more. The scarred man took a step forward, rolling his shoulders. "We don't like some punk makin' our women swoon behind our backs."
Souta sighed, setting the cup down. This was the kind of thing he should've expected. He wasn't just some background extra—his looks, charm, and the occasional system boost made sure of that. And now, he was dealing with the side effects.
The air in the teahouse grew tense. Other customers shuffled uncomfortably, some slipping out the back before things escalated.
The scarred man cracked his knuckles. "Let's see if you're still handsome after we're done with you."
Souta remained calm, but internally, he was already calculating his options. He wasn't exactly helpless, but fighting inside the shop would only cause problems.
Before he could act, a familiar voice cut through the tension.
"I'd rethink that if I were you."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
All eyes turned to the entrance, where Kushina stood, arms crossed.
The men froze.
The scarred guy paled. "Miss K-Kushina?"
One of his friends grabbed his sleeve. "Oi, are you stupid?! You wanna fight the Red Hot-Blooded Habanero?"
Kushina cracked her knuckles. "I suggest you guys turn around and walk out before I make you regret it."
The entire group looked like they'd rather be anywhere else.
Scarface swallowed hard, forcing a shaky laugh. "Tch… whatever. This place ain't worth the trouble."
With that, they practically tripped over themselves getting out.
The teahouse remained silent for a moment before the tension finally eased.
Souta smirked, glancing at Kushina. "You really do have a way with people."
She rolled her eyes before stepping forward and flicking his forehead. "And you have a way of causing problems."
Souta chuckled, rubbing the spot. "Not my fault I'm irresistible."
Kushina sighed but didn't argue. Instead, she plopped into her usual seat.
"Tea."
Souta grinned, already pouring her a cup.
Just another night at the teahouse.