Enchanted in the Moonlight ~ Shinra ~ Main Story

5.2 Ayakashi and panties

I'm at the bookstore with Shinra. He saved me from a big billboard. Suddenly he sees someone. "I have someone to catch. You wait here."

"Huh? Catch wh-" Shinra doesn't wait to hear the question. He's already running down an alley. And I'm left at the scene.

(How did such a sturdy sign like this fall...? If it hit me, by now I would be...)

Just imagining it makes me go pale. People who overheard the noise gradually begin to crowd around the sign.

(The commotion is getting worse.)

I quietly leave the area. Soon enough, Shinra comes back with a bad ayakashi in hand.

He looks at me. "What the heck? I told you to wait there."

"I'm sorry. It seemed like staying wouldn't be a great idea."

"Well, whatever. It's all this guy's doing." Shinra lifts the ayakashi up by the neck. "He's been after you all day. Pushing you on the platform, now this billboard thing."

(I-it was an ayakashi?!)

"You like going after my girl, don't you?" Shinra is growling. His hand tightens around the ayakashi's neck.

The ayakashi coughs. "L-let me go!"

Shinra glares mercilessly at the ayakashi as he writhes in agony. "Now you begin for your life?"

The ayakashi begs. "I-I'm sorry... rgh... I promise, I'll never do this again. Please, spare my life..." I've never seen Shinra look cruel.

(He's an oni after all... He's normally nothing like this... but this is who he really is.)

"P-please! Please!" The ayakashi whispers.

Shinra asks. "...Really? You promise you'll really never lay a hand on her again?"

"Y-yes! Never!" He insists. And with that, Shinra releases his grip on the ayakashi's neck.

The ayakashi coughs and says, "Th-thank you!"

"Now get out of here before I change my mind." Once again, he glares at the ayakashi.

"Eek!!" The frightened ayakashi crawls away.

"Are you okay?" Hearing Shinra's voice gives me a start and my whole body tenses.

"F-fine..." It's like I'm facing a totally different person. His expression is so stiff.

Shinra reaches his hand out to touch me. "You aren't hurt?" He gently touches my arm. "Your clothes got dirty."

"I'll come out in the wash."

"...You aren't afraid of me?" He quietly asks.

"I was, a little, but I'm not anymore."

"Oh." Shinra looks relieved and shows me a little smile. "I'm sorry I scared you..."

(Hey... Now that's the Shinra I know.)

"Did you get hurt?"

"You really think a pathetic ayakashi like that could do anything to me? You don't get how powerful I am, do you?" He grins.

"No, I get it..."

(He was awfully scary a second ago.)

"But why did you let him go?"

"I'm not here to get rid of bad ayakashi. I'm here to protect you."

"Shinra..."

"Besides, I got to see something good thanks to that guy." He smiles.

"Something good?"

He smiles broadly. "Your panties."

"Pa-?!"

"But you should wear sexier ones." He says as he draws me close. "Otherwise, where's the fun in taking them off?"

"...! Gross! Creepy oni!"

"Hey! I saved your life, you know!" Shinra looks shocked.

"That's entirely separate!"

(And I was just about to change my opinion of him.)

He suddenly laughs. "Alright, it looks like your getting back to your normal self."

"Huh?"

"You know, I don't know how long you will last if even a small fry like this scares you."

(Now that he mentions it... the fear I've been feeling up until a little bit ago is gone. So, the reason he was teasing me...)