Chapter Text
Houtarou and Rinne had agreed to meet up at a nearby mall to begin their first act as a couple. Rinne had chosen to wear something more on the casual side but still wanted to give off the girlfriend aesthetic.
She sat at a mall bench, awaiting her fake suitor’s arrival. While being there, anticipation nipped at her fingertips, she was doing this. Going on a date with a boy… sorta… okay, not actually.
Was this all too much? Did she put on the right amount of perfume? Was she underdressed? What did Houtarou think of her hair? Her hands frantically clawed at her locks, combing them in hopes that the stress that was eating at her would ease away.
That is until.. A soft voice crept out.
.
.
“Hey babe, I didn’t keep you waiting for too long, did I?”
Her spine shocked into place, her posture snapping while her head whipped to the source of the outrageous statement, her breath caught mid-gasp. Babe? Her brain short-circuited for a second.. She knew who the owner of the voice was, but she couldn’t believe that came with it.
And he just stood there, like nothing had just happened. Houtarou flashed a soft grin with his hands sheathed into his pockets as he relaxed into the public space, his usual charm radiating off of him.
“Oh. Uh. No. Not at all,” she replied, a little too fast, her voice an octave higher than usual. She coughed. “You’re… on time.”
She stood, brushing invisible dust off her skirt, trying to collect the pieces of her composure. She didn’t know what was more jarring—the word babe or the fact that he said it so easily, like it was already second nature.
Houtarou noticed the unusual nerves that his friend carried with her, holding up a hand in defense and using the other to scratch his nape. “I’m.. I’m sorry, Kudo, was that a little too much?” he said, wincing slightly in the process.
“It’s–it’s fine, honestly, I get that it was hard for you to say that too,” she mustered.
They lingered together for a moment, the sounds and echoes that traveled behind and around them from the other shoppers who took up space in the open area. Houtarou continued to scratch the back of his neck, Rinne's hands played with the hem of her dress.
“Ichinose I–.” she began, but—
“Shall we?” He cut in as he held out his hand. She blinked, then exhaled slowly—the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. With a hesitant nod, she slipped her hand into his.
His grip was warm. Steady. Fake relationship or not, she knew very well that this was Houtarou’s grip.
And with that, they took their first steps together into the shopping mall, Rinne quietly deciding to at least try and make the most of it.
.
.
.
.
They walked hand in hand for a few minutes, eyeing the various stores and stands that stood around them.
While walking, she noted the calluses of Houtarou’s right knuckles that had formed recently from his training with Spanner. Her left hand tightened around his, hoping that she still wasn’t burdening him with too much of the load of protecting humanity and that he’d share it with her.
As they strolled past a boutique, Rinne’s grip on Houtarou’s hand tightened, not hard, but enough to jolt him.
“Over there. It’s a couple. Nine o’clock,” she surveyed.
Houtarou blinked. “You make this sound like a surveillance op.” He followed her gaze to a pair standing by a bubble tea kiosk. The guy had his arm lazily slung around the girl’s shoulder. She was laughing into her drink. Comfortable. Natural.
Rinne whispered. “We need to replicate that. Quick, wrap your arm on my shoulders.”
“This again? I thought you didn’t like it the last time we–” He started
“I never said I did!” he exclaimed shortly.
Seeing her vigor, he let out a breath he had been holding. This thumb, still tucked against the back of her hand, began rubbing it back and forth, trying to ease her.
“I don’t think we should rush it…
If we do, it won’t look right, and we’ll be caught. I’m sure we’ll accomplish what we need to today, we just need to let it be, Kudo.” he said, smiling.
She didny want to admit it but he was right, she exhaled a breath she had been holding in
Rinne saw the numerous couples that were around both of them, she also saw the different acts of love they performed while being with each other. They had all seemed so natural with it.
She saw a couple hold hands gingerly as the girl stared endearingly at her boyfriend while he wasn’t looking or talking about something, she didn’t hear exactly.
She saw a girl kiss the hand of her girlfriend as they shared a fruit parfait that seemed delicious in her gaze of hunger, but her eyes were fixated on something else.
One couple sat together on the bench, just enjoying each other’s company. Another couple, two people, fighting over who gets to pay for their cookies. A couple decided to get it on prematurely before being “gently” escorted out by the mall security… yuck.
Houtarou blabbered about some food cart that had seemed amusing not too long ago when they passed by the food court. His hands moved animatedly, describing the ridiculous shape of the takoyaki or the over-the-top toppings.
Rinne’s eyes tracked the features of his face as she hesitated.
Should I…?
That was it, enough hesitation, she was going to go about all this by her own rules! She wasn't going to wait for permission. Not from him, not from her nerves.
They walked with a healthy distance between them, enough to fit another person, but slowly, curving the direction of her steps, she closed this distance before her right hand rose upwards towards the inner space of his elbow.
Her fingers gently coiled around his lower bicep and pulled her body toward his arm, and with a quiet breath, she leaned in, resting her cheek against the edge of his shoulder. Her touch was light, uncertain—yet deliberate.
Her heart pounded against her ribs like it wanted out. Her fingers twitched at her sides.
Houtarou fared no better, his voice faltered mid-sentence.
He blinked. “Takoyaki–uh… uh-uhh uh.” his trailing off like low-tide. Okay, maybe he wasn’t all that enthusiastic about the food at the food court, but he surely couldn’t focus now.
His mind scrambled for an explanation.
Does she want something?
Is this a sign?
Is this real?
Did she get convinced by his takoyaki talk and want to try some with him?
So many questions… So little time.
He looked down at his shoulder to find her already looking up at him, but this did not help whatsoever.
His breath caught.
Her gaze softened toward him after a moment of tension. Her eyes, clear like crystals, her focus unwavering as she steadily fixated on him. There was a gentle tenderness to her pupils as they slowly dilated with each second. He saw the ambient lighting flicker in the reflection of her irises
The mall, the people, the dumb food cart—it all faded. There was only her hand on his arm, her cheek against his shoulder, and the silent storm in her eyes pulling him in before he could brace himself.
Left speechless or more than with every effort to say something out loud, came a failsafe set to stop him from doing so. The words hung low on the tip of his tongue but didn’t weigh heavy enough to fall out. Every sentence was yanked back by his brain begging him, demanding him, yelling at him
Don’t you dare embarrass us right now on this date!
Her eyes kept pulling him with every time she blinked, a quiet tug, if you will. He really tried to say something—anything. How was it possible for someone’s stare to feel so loud? So bold?
She blinked slowly, almost challenging him to react. To say it didn’t mean anything. That it was all part of the act.
But he couldn’t.
Not with her looking at him like that .
His eyes fell like stars shooting into comets that couldn’t hold themselves up anymore. She could see the confusion between them and the thoughts that ran rapidly behind. She tilted her head slightly away from his arm, hoping that this wasn’t making him uncomfortable, and that maybe, just maybe, he liked it a little even.
“Uh.. uh… uhm.. Are you feeling hungry?” he finally settled on after mentally kicking himself the moment it left his mouth.
Really? That’s what you came up with?
She peered down, cheeks slightly pink. Truthfully, she had skipped breakfast. Too nervous. Too focused on making sure her eyeliner was even and her perfume wasn’t overkill. But admitting that felt… weird.
“Erm, a little. But maybe we should go browse a bit more, y’know, to study more before we sit down and eat,” she replied
“Hmm, alright if you say so,” he pondered.
They passed a few stores before Houtarou’s steps slowed. His gaze snagged on the display window of a nearby clothing shop. Racks of outfits—casual, trendy, minimalistic and comfortable—just his speed.
“Ooh,” he said, pointing with his free hand. “Do you wanna go into this store? Couples shop together, right? Maybe this could be good for us.”
Rinne looked at the displays before looking back at him.
Hmm, this does fit him…
“Oh.. uh yeah sure, if you want to, then I don’t see how it could hurt us.” she replied, hesitantly.
Upbeat, Houtarou and Rinne walked into the store gingerly. The treasure boy grinned and tugged her along. They stepped inside, the soft pop music overhead immediately swallowing them whole. The store was a wave of textures, colors, stacked jeans, oversized sweaters, mannequins wearing sunglasses indoors—and couples laughing near the fitting rooms. They peered at the many different kinds of shirts and sweaters consisting of different colors and fabrics that all had various benefits and backstories.
Rinne was fine walking in. And then it hit her. The noise. The casual chatter. The way some girls easily tried on cardigans and joked about taking matching mirror selfies with their friends.
Her chest tightened.
“Uhm…” she whispered, pulling her hand back from a hanger. “I don’t know about this anymore, Ichinose. Maybe I’ll just wait outside, and you can come out when you're done. Take your time. I won’t rush you.”
Houtarou stopped, turning to face her fully. His smile faded, just a touch. Now slightly replaced with a look of concern.
“This isn’t about clothes, is it?”
She hesitated. The question lingered in the air like a truth she hadn’t expected to be seen.
“I’m sorry,” she said, eyes downcast. “It just all feels so… different.”
She was uncomfortable because this —this-this ordinary, teenage thing—was unfamiliar territory.
Rinne wasn’t the typical teenage girl who went to Furasu High, she enjoyed coffee, tea, and… studying. But her second life of saving the world as her alter ego didn’t leave much for her to relate to the women around her, who were acting so… normal. Now, if she weren't a rider, she’d probably enjoy shopping and doing all sorts of girlish things too, but this was all too farfetched for her. Her life was full of stakes. Of secrets. Of battles no one saw. There wasn’t room for browsing for fun or wondering what looked “cute.”
She didn’t want to say all of that; she just couldn’t
Houtarou understood though.
He stepped a little closer—not too close—and offered her a soft smile.
“If you want to leave, then I don’t mind going, Kudo, but you know,” he said, voice low and warm, “you don’t have to be like them to enjoy this.”
“…Okay,” she murmured. “I’ll try. Just… don’t expect too much out of me…”
They walked together down the aisles, Houtarou practically grabbed each shirt and pressed it against his chest, pleading for her approval. Each one earns him a questionable look from Rinne, almost as bad as when she tries his cooking.
“It looks kind of…off?”
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
He momentarily drops to his knees with a shirt that says “Don’t Go Baking My Heart” furiously in his grip.
Houtarou’s eyes suddenly light up, looking up from his weakened state.
“Hey Kudo, I think I see something,”
Rinne blinked, watching him scramble to his feet and walk with purpose toward one of the racks. He carefully pulled out a volume sleeve dress, soft blue with a bonnet-style floral pattern. It had shirred waist contours, detailed gathers that added taste to the neckline. It was flowy, elegant without trying too hard, and best of all—
“…It has pockets,” he whispered, awed.
She raised a brow. “You sound more excited than me.”
“I am excited! Besides, this could be really good for you.” he reassured.
She gave him a look. “I don’t know Ichinose, are you sure?”
“Mhm mhm.” He nodded eagerly.
“…You really think it’d look okay on me?”
There was something vulnerable in her voice—like she was asking more than just a fashion opinion. Like she needed to be told it was okay to be seen.
Houtarou tilted his head. “I think it’ll suit you.”
Rinne hesitated, eyes flicking to the dressing rooms, then back to the dress. She reached out slowly, brushing her hand over the fabric before finally taking it from him with both hands, like it might float away if she didn’t hold on tight.
“…Alright. I’ll try it,” she said, voice barely above a whisper. “But please don’t laugh if it looks weird.”
Houtarou’s grin softened. “I won’t, I promise.”
.
.
.
Houtarou waited outside the fitting room, gently swaying on his heels. When the curtain finally shifted, he glanced up—
He froze. The world around him slowing down.
She stepped out of the fitting room, her arm stiff at her sides, gripping her elbow anxiously, her gaze fixed somewhere near the floor. Every step she took out of the curtain, revealing more of herself in the new dress, felt unsure to her.
“Ichinose…Don’t just stand there,” she mumbled shyly, cheeks dusted pink. “How…do I look?”
Her hair, usually so prim and tucked behind her ears, now fell a little looser from changing. She looked a little more relaxed, even if her stiff arms and downcast eyes suggested otherwise. But remaining cautious
He scratched the back of his neck, fumbling hard. His brain malfunctioned, short-circuiting at how well the dress worked for her. The dark blue fabric meshed well with her brown hair and eyes, a nice, refreshing change from her usual orange, earthy tones.
The dress wasn’t flashy or overly styled, but it worked . It really worked. That deep blue—rich and understated—hugged just enough of her frame while flowing gently past her knees. And as
she walked toward him, the sway of the fabric caught the light in soft, deliberate ripples.
Words died on his tongue. His heart skipping a beat
“I, uh—wow. I mean—not wow like—just—uh…”
He liked the way that the bottom length of the dress swayed with each step she took. The movement, the flow, made her seem softer.
The dress gave her a new air, a confidence that radiated off of her, a confidence that made his breath short and his knees weak.
“Is this…Is this alright?” she asked, carefully.
Great Ichinose. Ugh, nice work! Just say something! Anything, please!!!
“It looks… nice. On you. I think it works well Kudo.”
Rinne finally looked up at him, lips pressing together in a tight line. The color in her cheeks deepened, but she gave the faintest nod—barely there.
She, uh… looks like a different version of herself. Not in a bad way, this Kudo is nice.
“…Thank you,” she said softly. Something so simple, but it meant everything to her, to be seen, to change for once. To decide her own rules…
He still stood in awe.
Turning away from him a bit, her hands fiddling with the hem of her dress.
“…You’re being weirdly quiet,” she murmured, looking up at him a bit. “Is this…off?”
Houtarou’s eyes widened. “No! No, not at all. It’s not bad. It’s actually… really good.”
Rinne's hands came together behind her. “Are you sure?”
He let out a small half-breath, this time trying to speak without tripping over himself.
“Yeah. I mean it. It’s still different from what you usually wear but I think it works really well for you..”
She blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in his voice.
“…Oh.”
“And the color’s good on you,” he added, a little more relaxed now. “I like how it complements your hair.”
Rinne looked away, unable to face him. “…You’re just saying nice things.”
“I’m really not.” His face relaxed into something gentler, his smile now a warmer grin. “I mean it, kudo,”
She paused, fingers fidgeting slightly, then glanced back at the mirror. “Okay. I guess… maybe it’s not that bad.”
He laughed softly under his breath. Rinne gave him a quiet look—but this time, it lingered.
The dress felt weird, but she eventually fell into it. The fabric was soft but supportive; it was flowy and breathable, and it had all the bells and whistles. She felt empowered by it; it was different, but it worked for her. It was even on sale; she had saved up a good sum of money from her shifts at Flower Power, so it was then and there that she decided to make her first “big” purchase.
.
.
.
Rinne stepped out of the store with a quiet vigor, her heart slightly tired but still palpable. They made strides together in furthering their fake relationship, and she was happy with the progress.
She glanced at the bright-eyed boy who was walking carefree, eyeing the glitz and glamor of the food court. Rinne thought to herself for a moment, eyeing the ground as if it were a source of courage.
An index finger and a thumb reach out and pinch at Houtarou’s outer sleeve. He feels the quiet tug a step or two later, halting only to look back.
Turning back, he sees her. Again.
“…Thanks,” she mumbled.
“Huh? For what?”
“For making me try it on,” she said, eyes down again. “It… wasn’t as weird as I thought.”
“Oh…it’s no problem.” He said chuckling, “Besides, I think it suited you.”
That last bit earned him a faint rosy tint blooming on her cheekbones.
He’s being so normal about all of this..
“Anyways, food court is just up ahead, wanna grab a bite? My treat!” he offered eagerly.
She nodded surely before taking his hand again, before blurting, “Hey! Why do you get to pay?”
Houtarou thought to himself for a bit. His stomach was rumbling. He didn’t mind paying; he was super hungry, but he continued.
“Well, my mom always told me…” he said, reminiscing. "Be the kind of man who makes her feel taken care of, not taken for granted..." His mother said—the words reverberating through the wires in his brain.
“And well, if we were dating, I’d want you to feel that way too, wouldn’t you?”
Rinne stood in place, she had never really put it to much thought before.
“You know,” he started, eyes drifting upward like he was piecing it together mid-thought, “I was up kinda late last night watching videos—don’t laugh—it was like, couples talking about what makes a good relationship and stuff.”
Rinne blinked. “You… researched?”
“Yeah, I didn’t want to be the reason why this whole thing messes up for you. We said we’re doing this fake dating thing, so I figured I should, y’know…be prepared.”
She tilted her head, already suspicious of where this was going.
“And a bunch of them kept saying stuff like, ‘I married my best friend’ or whatever. And that kinda stuck with me.” He scratched his cheek, not quite looking at her. “Like… maybe we don’t need to act like anything. The best couples are really just good friends. We have the “good friends” part down; if we lean on that, I think we should be fine. ”
Maybe…maybe he’s right.
A beat passed as Rinne flashed a soft grin.
They walked into the loud, bustling food court, the sounds of swirling messes of rice and noodles sizzling against pans and bowls echoing to no end. Workers yelling orders and calling out to customers filled the air. Rinne was used to the steady rhythm and calm atmosphere of a small cafe; her stomach queazed rather than rumbled at the chaotic environment of the mall.
But for the sake of their “research,” she pressed on.
They settled on a tonkatsu shop tucked near the edge of the food court, the aroma of fried pork cutlets was strong but oddly comforting. Houtarou helped pick a booth tucked in the corner, far enough from the kitchen that the noise dulled into background chatter.
They ordered, Houtarou, clearly the more famished of the two, settled on a hearty pork katsu with side dishes, while Rinne opted for a calmer shrimp katsu set with a salad.
All that shopping had drained Rinne; there had been enough shopping and studying done for the day, and all she wanted was to eat well and then head home to rest as much as possible. She’d need it, considering her long weekend ahead of her.
Their trays arrived a few minutes later—hot, crispy, and almost too good-looking to eat. They spent the first few moments letting it cool, chatting in between sips of miso and idle pokes at the shredded cabbage.
Rinne leaned back, chopsticks hovering in mid-air. “I…I don’t know, Ichinose…”
He glanced up, mid-bite.
“What if we’re doing all of this and it doesn’t work out?” she asked. “Like… what if this whole plan flops?”
He opened his mouth, but she didn’t stop.
“What if we’re doing all this and he didn’t mean it that way?” Her voice dropped slightly, as if even speaking it out loud was risky. “What if we do all of this… and he still tries to—you know…”
She trailed off, sighing hard, lowering her chopsticks back to her tray. “Ughhh, I’m gonna go nuts.”
Houtarou didn’t speak right away.
Instead, he leaned back a little, arms loosely crossed, staring down at his curry like it held the answer. It was rare to see him that quiet—not the kind of quiet that came from zoning out, but the kind that meant he was actually chewing on her words.
He tapped his chopsticks against the edge of his tray once, then looked up.
“…I mean, yeah. It might not work out.”
Rinne couldn’t blink.
“But, like… we won’t know unless we actually try, right?” he reassured.
“Look. I know I joke around a lot, but…” He scratched the back of his head. “You’re not doing this alone. If it gets weird, I’m right there. If it doesn’t work, we’ll figure it out together. Real couples do that already, but that’s kind of the point, isn’t it?”
Rinne looked down at her shrimp poking at them still, unsure on how to answer him.
None of this was going to be easy.
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.
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Soon after finishing their food, they made their way home, figuring that the date had reached a conclusive end for the day.
(Rinne’s social battery blew out way before this.)
But amidst showering and getting ready for bed, Rinne realized that they had made tremendous progress today.
Letting the towel tussle in her hair. She let out an exasperated sigh, the water absorbing into the fabric as they each pulled an individual worry from the back of her mind.
Almost getting lost in this seemingly mundane routine, her eyes suddenly open as they notice a smartphone notification
A text message notification shone brightly from the screen; it was from Houtarou, of course.
“Hey, how’d you feel about today?”
“ I think…” she typed out. How was today? She thought to herself.
The thought of the warm katsu shared between the two of them reaches her mind first.
The compliments from him, seeing her in the new dress for the first time, the other couples they saw on their little adventure soon followed.
“ I think we took a step in the right direction…for now.”
She stared at the words on her screen, hesitating for a moment before hitting send.
The reply came back sooner than she expected.
“I’m just glad you let yourself enjoy it a little. You deserve it after how hard you’ve been working lately.”
Her breath caught just slightly. It wasn’t flirty. It wasn’t dramatic. But it was real.
Rinne's attempt at blocking herself from blushing was nothing short of pitiful. The prickly heat nipped at her cheeks mercilessly for the time being.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard before she quietly typed:
“Thanks, I’ll try to remember that,” she began.
“Goodnight, Ichinose.”
She hesitated for just a breath—then hit send. And with that, the night ended.