"So weak!"

  Ryuji patted his stomad sighed in disappoi.

  Not only did the strange creature fail to satisfy him, but Ryuji didn't even feel half full. He wasn't sure if the creature was just too weak or if he had grown much stronger.

  "Amazing!" Miko excimed. Even though it was the sed time she had wit, she still couldn't help but be in awe of Ryuji's power.

  Turning to face Miko, Ryuji saw the admiration in her eyes and couldn't help but chuckle.

  "Well, where else are there straies in your house? I might as well take care of them all while I'm here," Ryuji said, a pyful grin on his face.

  On their way to her house, Miko had mentiohat there was more tharahing lurking in her home. Ryuji had e directly because he was hungry, but now that he had taken care of o seemed like there were more to deal with.

  "The bathroom... and the study too!" Miko excimed, leading Ryuji to the locations.

  Maybe it was because Miko was the protagonist of this strange world, but supernatural enters seemed unusually on around her.

  ---

  Half an hour ter, Ryuji patted his stomad let out a satisfied burp.

  "Finally full!" he said, stretg. After dev the remaining spirits in the house, he felt much better. While the creatures weren't all that strong, at least there had been enough of them to sate his hunger for now.

  "Is that all of them?" Miko asked, her voice tinged with worry.

  Ryuji hen noticed Miko looking a bit anxious.

  "Ryuji-kun, are you sure this... won't hurt you?" she asked, suddenly realizing that dev spirits might have some sort of ive effe him.

  Ryuji burst out ughing at her . "Don't worry!" He waved his hand dismissively. "If anything, the more I eat, the stronger I feel. Not only that!"

  As he spoke, Ryuji raised his arm. Under his mental trol, his ordinary looking arm suddenly glowed with a faint blue light.

  "I noticed something iing," Ryuji said, looking at his arm with curiosity. "It seems like this soul dev ability gives me more than just strength. I think I'll gain new abilities as I absorb more souls. I'm not sure what this light is yet, but I'll figure it out soon enough."

  "So powerful!" Miko gasped, marveling at his abilities. She couldn't help but pare herself to Ryuji, feeling a bit down.

  "All I do is see these things. I 't do anything useful like you…" Miko said, her voice trailing off. She looked at Ryuji, feeling a bit like a burden. pared to him, she felt pletely powerless.

  "That's not true at all!" Ryuji said firmly.

  "Um?" Miko looked up, surprised.

  "Because, Miko- is still very cute!" Ryuji said with a mischievous grin.

  Miko's face immediately flushed bright red. "N-no way!" she stammered, feeling her heart rabsp;

  Ryuji chuckled at her rea. "I'm serious! Every time I see you, I feel happy. Isn't that a special ability in itself?"

  His teasing tone only made her blush harder. Firl who had never experienced love before, Miko didn't know how to hahe emotions Ryuji was stirring in her.

  In truth, she had been feeling a bit insecure around Ryuji. He was strong, capable, and seemed to handle everything with ease, while she was just… Miko. Ordinary, powerless Miko. But hearing his pyful wave her a little ce.

  "Actually," Miko said softly, gathering her resolve. "When I'm with you, Ryuji-kun, I feel safe too." She looked up at him, her eyes shimmering. "You've saved me so many times already. I've never felt this way before."

  Her heart ounding, and the unfamiliar feelings she had toward him were bubbling up. She wao say it out loud to fess how she felt.

  "I…" Miko began, but just as she was about to speak, they heard Touko's voice calling from downstairs. (of course)

  "Dinner's ready! Miko, Ryuji-kun, e down a!"

  The moment was shattered, and Miko defted like a balloon. Her fession caught ihroat, and her ce evaporated in an instant.

  "I… let's go eat first," Miko mumbled, her face burning with embarrassment.

  Ryuji found her rea endearing and couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright," he said. As they headed for the stairs, Ryuji casually reached out and took Miko's hand.

  "Let's go together," he said, his tone warm ale.

  Miko's eyes widened in surprise, and her heart skipped a beat. She felt a little shy but didn't pull her hand away.

  "Mm-hmm!" she murmured, nodding softly as she followed him dowairs.

  ---

  Touko stood at the bottom of the stairs, watg with a bemused expression as Ryuji and Miko came down hand-in-hand. For a moment, she was stunned, but then a wide, knowing smile spread across her face.

  She didn't o meddle. It seemed like things were progressing just fine on their own.

  ---

  After diouko offered to let Ryuji stay the night, so he wouldn't have to rush bae. But Ryuji politely deed. As much as he enjoyed spending time with Miko, it was frustrating to be around her and not be able to take things further. He figured it would be better to wait for a future opportunity to be with her more privately.

  "I'll head baow," Ryuji said, standing up to leave. It was getting te, and he didn't want to impose.

  "I'll walk you out!" Miko said quickly, rushing over to follow him out the door. She didn't want him to leave just yet, even though she knew he had to go.

  "Girls really 't stay home ohey're grown," Touko murmured with a soft sigh as she watched them walk out together. Humming a little tune, she cleared the diable, feeling a happiness she hadn't felt in a long time. Sihe loss of her husband and son, this was the first time she'd truly felt at peace.

  ---

  At the door, Miko hesitated, her face full of uainty. She looked like she wao say something but was too nervous to say it.

  Ryuji noticed her hesitation and couldn't help but ugh. "You want to ask me something, don't you?" he said, reading her easily.

  Miko's eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know?" she asked, her cheeks flushing pink.

  "You want to know if I like yht?" Ryuji said with a grin.

  Miko's face turned bright red, her heart pounding. That was exactly what she had wao ask but had been too embarrassed to say. Before she could get the words out, Ryuji had already answered for her.

  "I... you..." Miko stammered, flustered and unsure of what to say.

  Ryuji stepped closer, closing the distaween them. Without aation, he pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.

  "Of course I like you, Miko," Ryuji whispered into her ear. "I've liked you from the start."

  Miko's breath caught ihroat, and she felt her heart skip a beat. For a moment, she stood there in shock, but then she ed her arms around him, hugging him back.

  "Mm… yeah," Miko murmured, her voice soft and full of emotion.

  As she buried her fa Ryuji's chest, the shy girl finally allowed herself to embrace her feelings, knowing that Ryuji felt the same way.