Shangri La Pt. 1

143: Homecoming

After staying the night in a cave without any worries after leaving the Faerie and the Infinite River of Wishes, Izumi and Katsuki got back to traveling through the forest until they reached the open fields. 

"That forest seemed a lot bigger than the last time I went through it, didn't it?" 

"Yeah... Did you sleep okay?" 

"Mn! I slept perfectly fine, did you?" Izumi happily asked. 

"Yeah, I was fine." the blond answered as he seemed like he had something he wanted to say. 

"Hm? Is there something wrong, Katsuki?" 

"Huh? Ah– No, I'm fine, we'll probably get back to the city by tonight." 

"Oh– Sounds like we've traveled a lot in just a few days."

"Yeah..." 

'We're not far from that place, so maybe... should I let her meet 'em?' Katsuki thought, as there was still plenty of daylight for them to make it to the city later on in the day.

Katsuki clutched the reins tighter and leaned his lips close to her ear to say; "Hang on tight." 

"Eh? Why do I need to– Wooah~!" 

He pulled the reins for the horse to react and then started running at full speed, causing the greenette to lean backwards but into the blond's chest, making sure she was safe. 

"Ah– Katsuki, do you want to go back to the city that badly?" 

"It's not that." 

"Eh? It's not? Then what is it?" 

"There's some place else we gotta go first." 

"Hm? Some place... first? It's not the city? What is it?" 

"I'll tell you when we get there." he answered as a smile started to grow on his lips. Izumi noticed this as well as his heart beating out of his chest that she could feel as she still had herself pressed against him. 

'He seems... excited about something, but what?'

So after running all the way through the open fields that stretched far and wide, they soon entered what could only be described as a little town. It wasn't really much of a town though, as there weren't that many houses to be seen. 

'Hm? I've never seen this place before? How did I miss it the last time I headed West?' Izumi thought, as it was possible that this little town is located just a bit South from the main city of the East. 

"Katsuki?" 

"Hm?" 

"Where are we?" 

"Just a little further and I'll tell you." 

"I-I never knew there was such a little place over here." 

"Yeah, not a lot of people do, but since I was raised out here, I know it pretty well." 

"Hm? Raised here?"

The blond didn't respond right away as he pulled the reins for the horse to come to a complete stop, just a few feet away from a house that seemed smaller than the rest. This small house was more like a little hut, only leading the greenette to want to ask questions. Katsuki released the reins and then jumped off the horse to then turn around and raise his hands out to her.