Date a phantom (Date a live fanfic)

Chapter 34: let's make you stronger

Shido stood motionless, his mind swirling with a whirlwind of emotions. Confusion and astonishment battled with a strange sense of anticipation and curiosity. The lingering taste of Hikaru's kiss danced upon his lips, leaving him bewildered yet strangely invigorated.

"Shido, can you hear me?" a voice called out through his earpiece, breaking his trance-like state.

Shaking himself out of his stupor, he managed to respond, his voice still tinged with uncertainty. "Yes... What happened to Hikaru all of a sudden?" he inquired.

"We're not entirely sure yet, but it appears she has returned from her Inverse form..." Kotori's voice explained.

"Inverse form?"

"Inverse form occurs when a Spirit is exposed to severe negative emotions. They undergo a transformation, becoming an Inverse Spirit." Kotori elaborated.

"But she didn't exhibit any strong negative emotions except for that brief moment of losing control. And even then, her appearance and behavior remained unchanged. How did she become Inverse?" Shido pondered aloud.

"There could be numerous explanations, but we can't pinpoint the exact answer. After all, there's still much we don't know about her, Shido," 

"..." he was about to say more, but the words did abay to leave his mouth. after all, kotori was right he don't know anything about her.

Silent contemplation enveloped Shido as he realized the extent of his ignorance regarding Hikaru. "I chose not to involve myself too deeply in her affairs because she never seemed to require it. I was wrong," he muttered, his grip tightening, nails digging into his palms. "Damn it!"

"Shido, are you alright? What happened?" Tohka stepped forward, concern etched across her face.

Taking a deep breath, Shido loosened his grip and offered a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Tohka," he assured her.

"Don't dwell too much on it, Shido," a voice from his earpiece reassured. "You've already sealed her power, so everything should be alright, especially now that she has returned from her Inverse state."

Shido nodded, though his mind still swirled with unanswered questions. He had sealed Hikaru's spirit, but it was clear that there was much more to her than he had initially assumed. 

"Anyway, let's focus on the mission at hand," Kotori's voice snapped him back to reality.

"Yes," Shido replied, his gaze shifting to Tohka, who had been uncharacteristically silent throughout the turmoil.

"Tohka, are you alright?"

Tohka blinked, her expression momentarily confused before she shook her head, "Ah, don't worry, Shido. I am fine," she replied, her gaze meeting his.

"I see... anyway see you later, I have something to do now," Shido said, raising his hand in a wave as he prepared to depart.

Tohka nodded, returning the gesture with a wave of her own. "Yeah..."

As Shido disappeared from sight, Tohka's gaze fell to the ground, her voice barely a whisper as she spoke to herself. "She called me by my name..." Her words hung in the air.

(...)

 "hmmmm~~mmmm~~"

A symphony of laughter and chatter filled the air as Hikaru stepped into the bustling festival grounds. With a skip in her step and contagious energy, Hikaru's eyes danced with anticipation, eagerly taking in every vibrant detail that adorned the festival grounds.

Tengu Square, the venue for the Tenou Festival, was a large convention center located in the heart of Tengu City. The layout was a central stage in the middle, with large exhibition halls spreading out around it. For the festival, they were mainly using halls numbered one through four in the eastern block.