A Cheery Blossom Is Also in The Forest, So He Finds Out

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[Hikigaya Hachiman's POV]

Kokorowatari was a weapon closely associated with the amazing Vampire hunter Shishirui Seishirou. He was Kiss-Shot's friend whom she held dear. That must be the reason why she kept his possession after after his passing. She considered it part of her precious friend and the fact that she wanted me to wield it meant that she saw the same manifestation in me. In other words, she wanted me to be her friend.

So, why do you look so disappointed? Did I say something I shouldn't? Is it wrong to say that friends don't need offerings? I swear this friendship thing is getting confusing. I sighed and then accepted the sword. Kiss-Shot also sighed but her disappointed look was soon replaced by a small smile that was sweet enough to make my heart skip a beat.

I turned my head away and asked the important question, "So, how am I supposed to keep it? I don't think I can replicate how you do it."

"Unfortunately, you have to keep it the way I have always done it. You can't keep Kokorowatari in the sub-space as it is a special sword that was made to counter every Vampire's ability," Kiss-Shot stated.

"How do I learn to use the subspace?" I asked a bit too enthusiastically.

Kiss-Shot chuckled before saying, "You just have to extend your hand and imagine you were rummaging a pocket."

As soon as the instruction ended, I had already stored my plate in the subspace. An ecstatic grin threatened to split my face as childish excitement washed over me. I had thought it was some form of advanced sorcery. I was glad that I could use the ability this quickly. Noticing the amused look from Kiss-Shot, I cleared my throat and looked at her stoically. I sneakily pulled out my plate from the subspace, relishing how it made me feel cool.

Kiss-Shot shook her head faintly before finishing her meat. She extended her hand toward the roasted meat lying on the ground and a blade-shaped metal came out of her arm. Cutting the meat with it, she put it on her plate and resumed eating. I didn't know she could do that, so I tried to imitate her. Surprisingly, it worked. I just thought that I needed a weapon, looked at my arm, and the blade immediately appeared.

Observing it, I realized that instead of producing the blade, my arm morphed into it. After noting how sharp the blade was, I returned my arm to normal. Then, I got back to the more urgent matter: how to keep Kokorowatari. I fiddled with the sword for a few moments before noticing the bewildered look Kiss-Shot was shooting me.

"How did you do that?" she asked.

"I just imagined that I needed a weapon and my body gave me that," I answered truthfully.

"Do you think you can manipulate the shape?"

"I haven't tried but I guess I can. I mean, everything has worked the way I imagined so far."

"A strange one, aren't you?" she mumbled.

I pretended not to hear it and asked, "So, is there no alternative?" I pointed at Kokorowatari.

"Just open your mouth and put it in. You won't feel pain. It will be stored in your spiritual body after all. It just needs access to the inner part of your body."

Looking at the Kokorowatari skeptically, I slowly opened my mouth and pointed its tip at my mouth. Believing in Kiss-Shot, I pushed the sword inside and quickly found out that she wasn't lying. I didn't even feel the sword sliding down my throat. It felt like it had gone somewhere.

When I had 'gulped' everything, the appearance of Kokorowatari was clear in my mind. It was shining brightly, illuminating the dark space around it. I instinctively knew that thinking of using it would allow me to take it out. Turning to Kiss-Shot, I found her focused on eating the meat. She wasn't interested in what I was doing this time.

Enjoying the meat that we cooked, I soon found out that I could eat all of the meat we cooked. It was by the time when the fourth deer was cooked. When I put it on the impromptu plate that was made by a cleanly cut trunk, I had thoughts of swallowing it whole. I decided to hog it all for myself and devoured it immediately. I was both amazed and embarrassed that I finished it all by myself.

I looked at Kiss-Shot and found her still enjoying the deer that we shared. She smiled at me warmly and offered me another whole deer. Shamelessly, though I still had the decency to blush, I accepted the deer and devoured it. Even though I still could stuff myself some more, I felt full by the end of it. We decided to keep the boars for breakfast and then got into our tent. As if something we had practiced for years, we cuddled each other and fell asleep.

….

I felt very refreshed when I woke up in the morning. A good meal at night did that to me. I lightly nudged Kiss-Shot who was still wrapping her arms around, waking her up. Her eyes fluttered before slowly opening. A yawn escaped her mouth as she stretched while lying. She sat up and blinked a couple of times before taking out a sunscreen from her bag. She immediately applied it on her skin which prompted me to do the same.

As we got out of the tent, a realization hit me. "How are we going to clean ourselves?"

"Vampires don't smell. We can get our clothes dirty but not our bodies, unless you purposely bathe in a mud pool," she explained. "But, of course, I get you. We are going to bathe and that will be tonight. For now, let's just gather enough photos to show off to your family. After we have our breakfast, of course."

I took a sniff at my body and found what Kiss-Shot said true. Vampires didn't smell indeed. Damn, those lazy Otakus must be jealous of me. As Kiss-Shot prepared to cook the boar we had saved from last night, I returned to the tent to change my clothes. I might not smell but I didn't find it comfortable wearing the same clothes I had slept in.

After changing my clothes, I watched in fascination as Kiss-Shot cooked our food. She didn't look the type, but she cooked like a professional chef. I guess you could be good at anything with enough time. As if hearing my thoughts, Kiss-Shot glared at me. I looked at her curiously, masterfully feigning my ignorance.

"Don't you realize that as your master, I can read your mind? I know when you are thinking about something rude."

I blanched and Kiss-Shot immediately scowled.

"That was a lie, but I am glad to know my instinct was right."

My skin turned two shades lighter at the twist. I chuckled nervously before softly saying, "Sorry."

"Well, aren't you lucky to be mine? I forgive you."

I am not your slave, right? That title is just for the sake of formality, right? Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade, answer me! Don't just smile cheekily like that!

My mental plea went unheard—as it should—so I just sighed in resignation. The breakfast was ready not long after and we finished it in a comfortable silence. After that, we went to finish our next agenda: taking enough photos to brag about to my family.

We walked through the area that we had explored during our hunting but only then I could appreciate the surroundings. We were moving too fast during our hunting, so I could barely glimpse at the surroundings. We found some cool spots and took photos there. I only had one photo of me alone for each spot and the rest were selfies of Kiss-Shot and me.

We talked about how she could summon animals with her clapping as we walked to another spot. She said that it had something to do with extending one's will toward another being which was something that took a long time to master. She confirmed my guess that I just had to mentally command the animals I could sense to do my bidding.

Unfortunately, it wasn't as instinctive as my other ability as I only managed to summon a pair of bunnies. They were cute, though, so I didn't feel down at all. I asked Kiss-Shot to take a photo of me with the bunnies and she gladly did it. As I did a few silly poses with the bunny, I heard someone squealing in delight.

"Awh, there are little bunnies!"

Kiss-Shot frowned but she wasn't interested in whoever it was as she didn't even bother to look. I was, however, not the same. As the girl approached us, I smiled wryly. I knew the girl. Fortunately, she didn't seem to recognize me. At least, that was until her eyes lit up in recognition.

"Hachiman-kun! You look healthier than you did the other day! I thought you were someone else."

"…what a coincidence meeting you here."

A wild Sakura had appeared!

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Honorary Mention:

Venerable Immortal AsheCrow