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Although Itogami Island was an artificial island, it was still one of the few designated Demon Districts worldwide with direct access points to the Underworld. Naturally, it boasted an excellent public transportation system.
About fifteen minutes later, the two left Yukina's apartment building and arrived at another apartment complex near the bustling city center on the western side of Itogami Island.
"My place is right here."
Asagi Aiba skipped cheerfully ahead, clearly happy to reunite with her childhood friend. It felt as if she'd returned to those carefree childhood days once again. Without hesitation, she reached back, impatiently grabbing Bokue's sleeve to pull him toward the apartment entrance.
"Come on, hurry up! It's scorching outside!"
Bokue Keikain remained silent.
Indeed, today was exceptionally hot, easily reaching 35°C beneath the blazing sun—a rather intense temperature for an island city like Itogami.
Compared to the building where Yukina Himeragi had just moved in, the apartment complex Asagi lived in was visibly more upscale.
Apart from being taller and boasting a modern architectural style, the fact that one needed a keycard just to enter the building emphasized its exclusivity.
Asagi's apartment was located on the very top floor.
Interestingly, Japan's preferences regarding apartments differed somewhat from other countries. While in some places, top floors or corner units were less desirable due to concerns about leakage or structural issues, Japanese real estate was the exact opposite. Corner units were highly favored for better natural lighting, while top-floor apartments symbolized prestige and status. Moreover, exclusive outdoor parking spaces near mechanical garages at the ground level were typically reserved solely for top-floor residents.
In short, in Japan, the penthouse floor represented the most luxurious, coveted position.
Ding~
After a brief ascent, a gentle elevator chime sounded. The heavy elevator doors slid smoothly open, unveiling an impressively luxurious duplex penthouse, reminiscent of those lavish penthouses atop Eclipse Towers in Los Santos—complete with an enormous open-plan area combining the spacious living room, dining room, and modern kitchen.
Directly opposite, a massive floor-to-ceiling glass window presented a breathtaking panoramic view of central Itogami, stretching all the way to the distant coastline.
"Wow, not bad at all."
Bokue let out a small, genuine exclamation of admiration.
Not because he'd never seen luxury before, but simply because he distinctly remembered Asagi's childhood home being nowhere near this lavish.
Had they… gotten wealthy?
"Well, it's alright, I suppose~"
Asagi shrugged casually.
Yet despite her best attempt to seem indifferent, the slight, irrepressible upward curve at the corner of her lips betrayed the blonde girl's hidden pride.
"Alright, come on in. Let's see… slippers… ah, Bokue, you can just wear mine. I'll borrow my mom's slippers instead. She's out until evening anyway, so when she comes back she can just use dad's."
"Then, what about your dad when he returns…?"
Bokue cautiously pointed out this rather important flaw in her logic.
But, completely unfazed, Asagi didn't even glance back:
"Oh, my dad? Don't worry about him. Knowing his schedule, he'll probably come home late at night."
"…Huh?"
Pausing momentarily at the entrance to remove his shoes, Bokue was taken aback.
Coming home late at night? What kind of exhausting work schedule was that?
However, Asagi had already turned around, heading into the open kitchen area on the left side of the spacious living room. Out of sight behind a dividing wall at the entryway, her distant voice drifted back:
"My dad is currently serving on Itogami City's council. Almost every evening he's out entertaining guests at various dinners and drinks. If he manages to start heading home before eleven, that's considered early."
That bad, huh…
Bokue sighed inwardly.
Just as he finished slipping into the slippers and stepped into the living room, a sudden, loud clattering noise erupted from the kitchen.
The cacophony sounded like the kind of chaos one might hear during an epic battle scene from a cartoon—if translated into comic sound effects, it might sound something like:
Clang-crash-bang-clatter-clunk!
!?
Bokue spun sharply toward the sound. In the immaculately clean kitchen stood Asagi behind the cooking range, arms spread nonchalantly atop a freshly wiped-down countertop that still shimmered with traces of water, a perfectly innocent, charming smile plastered on her face as if nothing had happened.
"Did something just… happen?"
Bokue asked in genuine confusion, tilting his head slightly.
Behind the counter, Asagi's foot was frantically pressing down on the lid of the overflowing garbage bin—so stuffed with yesterday's leftover takeout boxes that it threatened to burst open at any moment. With determination, she firmly slammed the lid shut and locked it in place, her smile never wavering.
"Nothing at all~ I was just thinking about what I should cook for you. It's been so long since we last met, I want to prepare something nice."
"…Never mind. Let's just order delivery. Or we could even head downstairs and find a restaurant nearby."
After a one-second pause, Bokue decisively turned back toward the entrance elevator.
Asagi immediately protested:
"Eh? Why? Don't you trust my cooking skills at all?"
"Actually, it's precisely because I trust your cooking that I'm worried…"
Bokue glanced back at her, a helpless expression on his face.
It had happened way back during their kindergarten days. They were in the same class, and there had been a special activity: their teacher carefully supervised them to bake cakes from scratch.
Under careful guidance, with absolutely no problems regarding the ingredients or instructions, young Asagi had miraculously managed to hospitalize their entire class of twenty-eight students.
Only two had escaped unscathed: herself and Bokue. Bokue survived solely due to his extraordinary spiritual power providing immunity against poisons and toxins.
Even though he'd avoided hospitalization, Bokue vividly remembered the sensation of his throat and respiratory tract feeling like a chimney afterward—an experience he absolutely never wanted to repeat.
That cake had been catastrophic—a nuclear-level culinary disaster.
"Ah…"
Recalling her childhood embarrassment upon seeing Bokue's skeptical expression, Asagi's face slowly flushed crimson.
"Fine, fine, we'll order delivery. Take a look at the menu, then. I'll go upstairs and turn on the gaming console."
"Gaming console?"
"Yeah, what's the matter?"
Already halfway up the stairs leading from the living room, Asagi paused, her pretty face suddenly showing a rare moment of uncertainty.
"Isn't this exactly how we used to spend our days? Every time you visited, we'd eat and play video games at my house… Or could it be… you've already quit gaming?"
"No, that's not it at all."
Bokue waved the phone still in his hand, screen open to the takeout ordering app.
"It's just been so long since I've sat down to eat while gaming like this, I momentarily spaced out."
"Ah, I see…"
Visibly relieved, Asagi beckoned cheerfully.
"Then hurry up and come upstairs. You can take your time and pick what you want in my room. Don't just stand around down there. Food delivery on Itogami Island is notoriously slow."
"Seriously? Your apartment is literally right next to the city center!"
"Even so, it's slow!"
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