The Butler Residing in the Shrine (1)

"I'm back~," Reimu announced as she entered the shrine and made her way to the living room.

"Hello Reimu, welcome back. I've got some fresh green tea ready for you," I said with a smile.

Reimu's gaze fell upon the cup of green tea on the table before returning to me. "I see... Well, did you manage to finish cleaning?"

"Yes, everything is spotless now."

"Good." She picked up the cup of green tea and took a contented sip. "Ah, there's nothing quite like a cup of tea after a little stroll."

"Hmm, were you out for a walk?"

"Yeah, just looking for someone."

I tilted my head in curiosity. "Did you find the person you were looking for?"

"Yes," she replied after another sip. "Didn't take long, though."

A comfortable silence enveloped the room, but Reimu soon broke it. "Anyway, I'm going to do some laundry. Shun, you can go for a walk or do whatever you want."

"Hm? Laundry?"

"What, is that a problem?"

Unintentionally, my face turned bright red, and I averted my gaze. "N-No, it's just... I might have accidentally done your laundry."

"You... what!?"

Reimu's eyes widened in surprise as she stared at me, clearly taken aback by my whispered confession.

"Did you just say you accidentally did my laundry?" she repeated, her voice a mix of disbelief and amusement.

I shifted uncomfortably, my face still a shade of crimson. "Y-Yeah... I didn't mean to... It was a mistake, I swear."

Reimu chuckled, her amusement evident. "Well, I appreciate the gesture, even if it was accidental. Just make sure to ask next time, okay?"

"Of course, Miss Reimu. I apologize for not asking beforehand."

She grinned. "No need to apologize so much. It's just laundry."

I nodded, feeling a bit relieved by her reaction. "Thank you for understanding."

Just then, she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible. "Uwah... So this is what it feels like to have a butler... That means I don't need to do any chores, right?" Reimu's expression turned mischievous, and she cast a sidelong glance at me.

"Erm... Miss Reimu... Your smile is a bit...?"

She quickly turned around, her grin widening. "Oh, don't worry about it! Just thinking out loud."

I blinked, not entirely sure what to make of her sudden change in demeanor. "If you say so..."

With a dismissive wave of her hand, Reimu headed for the exit again. "Well, I'll leave you to it. Have fun cleaning!"

"Thanks, Miss Reimu." I watched her leave the room.

Just then, a sudden realization hit me like a bolt of lightning. I rushed over to Reimu, my footsteps startling her as she turned around. I grabbed her by the shoulders with a serious expression.

"W-What is it!?" she exclaimed, clearly taken aback by my sudden intensity.

"Reimu... Let me cook."

"H-Huh?" Her confusion was evident in her voice.

"Let me cook," I repeated, my tone firm but not forceful.

"O-Okay! Don't be so rough!" She appeared a bit flustered, and I quickly released my grip on her shoulders.

"S-Sorry..." I stammered, realizing that my urgency might have come across as overly aggressive. I took a step back, feeling a little embarrassed.

She chuckled, waving her hand dismissively. "No need to apologize. You're acting pretty strange today."

I cleared my throat, "I just thought... I can contribute in some way, and cooking is one of my skills."

Reimu's expression softened, and she smiled warmly. "You're really something else, you know that? Sure, you can cook if you want to."

"Then please expect a good meal later!"

"I-I see... Ahahahaha..."

With that exchange, I bid her farewell and headed toward the village.

As I wandered through the village, my mind was already preoccupied with thoughts of what to cook for the upcoming meal.

I wanted to make something that would express my gratitude for the warm welcome I had received like... miso soup?

Lost in my culinary musings, I suddenly noticed someone familiar among the crowd – Sakuya. She had also apparently come to do some shopping.

Sakuya noticed me and gave me a smile, then started walking towards me. "Shun," she called out to me.

I averted my gaze, my steps faltering slightly as I walked past her. I didn't want to face her right now, not after everything that had happened.

"Shun?" Sakuya's voice was tinged with concern as she looked back at me.

I sighed inwardly. I knew I couldn't avoid her forever. I stopped and turned to face her. "Miss Sakuya..."