"Shido, where are we?"
Tohka looked at the house in front of her before turning around to ask Wu Yan about the building behind her. Is this where she is going to stay from now on?
"It's my house!"
"Shido's house…"
Her eyes brightened up and she got into a chirpy mood.
"So, Shido lives here, huh?"
"Well yeah, it's my house so naturally I live here."
"My house…"
Tohka jumped in joy and she quickly pulled Wu Yan into Shido residence like she owns the joint.
"Whatcha waiting for? Let's go in!"
He got helplessly pulled along with her. He can't help but smile when he saw how elated she is behaving at the moment.
Tohka's not wearing her armor anymore. She's in casual clothes and she had a bracelet on her wrist, it's a red power sealing bracelet and Wu Yan had another white bracelet added to his wrist which already had a white bracelet to begin with.
On the way back to the Shido residence, Wu Yan bought a pair of sealing bracelet, he explained the bracelets to Tohka before putting it on Tohka.
The people in Fraxinus scolded him for being so rash and hasty. Even Kotori chastised him for his behavior.
They thought it was downright foolish to try sealing a spirit's power without raising her familiarity to the max. Which spirits in their sane minds would willingly do something like that without completely trusting someone?
Just as the control panel members expected to see a drastic decrease in familiarity, something shocking happened.
Tohka put them on without any hesitation.
It's a matter of course for her, rather than her spirit powers, Tohka is more interested in this place to which one belongs. It doesn't help that she's also very innocent and thinks in a simple wavelength.
She places a lot of trust in this person who brought her warmth. She believes that he can offer her a place to reside without all the killing and fighting from her life as a spirit.
Wu Yan suggested that this sealing bracelet can seal her spirit powers thereby evading detection from any hostiles looking to fight her. This was all she needed to hear to agree in putting on the bracelet.
The people over at the operation control center can't believe the Princess would get done in so easily. They were about to share their wisdom as masters of love but they didn't get their chance to shine at all.
Their tunnel vision of raising a spirit's familiarity before asking unreasonable requests like sealing power led them to make mistakes in their judgment. Then again, her favorability with Shido is pretty high as well.
"Shido…"
Tohka pushed at the door obstructing her entry as if it's a final boss standing between her and the final destination. With her powers sealed, she couldn't rely on her strength to destroy the door. Hence, she turned around with a defeated look, she looked like a very sad puppy at the moment.
"This door, it's not letting me in…"
Wu Yan laughed out loud as he approached the door.
"It's locked, you aren't getting in unless you have the key, ring the bell, or knock."
"Ring the bell?"
Tohka had multiple question marks above her head. She rubbed her chin trying to figure what object he's referring to.
"Shido!"
Shiori peered out from the door which is not ajar. She looked happy to see him in one piece, she quickly ran towards Wu Yan, glancing left and right, she panicked with a pale expression.
"Shido! Where's Kotori?! Did you not locate her?!"
"Calm down, Shiori…"
He motioned for her to calm down. He continued.
"Kotori is fine."
"Where is she then?! Where?…"
Shiori is still too anxious to calm down.
Tohka tugged at Wu Yan's sleeve. She frowned at Shiori.
"Shido, who is she?…"
Tohka's voice attracted Shiori's attention. Flinching, she asked the same question as her.
"Shido, who is she?…"
"Well, let's continue the introductions inside the house…"
Shrugging, he pulled Tohka by the hand and he started making his way into the house. But, a sweet voice diverted everyone's attention.
"Onii-chan, Onee-chan, I am home!"
She skipped her way over to them. A white ribbon-wearing Kotori greeted everyone like she just came back from a vacation. She waved at them with a happy look.
"Kotori!"
Shiori yelled with joy. She examined Kotori all over to make sure she's not hurt in any manner.
"Kotori, are you okay? Hurt anywhere?…"
"I am fine, Onee-chan!"
Kotori stuck her tongue out while taking steal a few glances at Tohka now and then. She raised a thumbs-up at Wu Yan. Of course, he knew what she meant.
Shiori missed her action but she still scolded Kotori for her actions.
"Kotori! Where were you? Don't you know how worried I was?!"
"I am so sorry, Onee-chan…"
Kotori lowered her head in a regretful manner.
"I was hiding out in a shelter but I got tired so I took a small nap, that's the reason why I am so late…"
"You were at one of the shelters?"
Shiori frowned at her.
"I tried locating you via GPS, however, according to that, you were waiting at the family diner place!"
"Oh…"
Kotori said in an embarrassed manner.
"I kinda panicked when the alarm blared and I sorta dropped my phone…"
Shiori relaxed and she released a sigh of relief.
"If that's the case, I don't blame you. Good good, you properly headed to a shelter. I was worried sick for you…"
Kotori gave Shiori a cheeky grin. She also pulled off a fantastic arm glomp on Shiori, this is good enough to significantly diminish Shiori's bad mood. Shiori pursed her lips at Kotori but said nothing more.
Someone should give her an Oscar…
Wu Yan can't believe her acting skills, she's completely in character. Imouto mode Kotori had this kind of skillset huh.
Tohka pouted before she grumbled with Wu Yan.
"Say, Shido, who are they? Suddenly making their appearances just like this…"
Shiori and Kotori exchanged looks before looking at Tohka. Shiori is the first one to gasp.
She was too worried about Kotori's safety, she didn't notice Tohka's presence. After getting a good look at her, it's clear to Shiori that this girl before her is a beauty in her own class.
"What a pretty girl…"
Shiori said out loud without any conscious thought. Kotori laughed in an amused manner.
"Yea yea, even Onee-chan thinks so too right? This pretty lady over here is Oniichan's girlfriend ya know~~~"
"What?!"
Wu Yan and Shiori cried out at the same time. Shiori is surprised that Wu Yan reacted in such a manner…
Kotori hugged Shiori's arm again.
"Onii-chan's girlfriend is going to live with us from now on…"
Shiori is even more confused. Wu Yan tried to laugh it off to spare him the ordeal of explaining. Tohka opened her mouth first.
"Say, Shido, what is a girlfriend?"
Wu Yan decided to continue laughing like an idiot out of this one…