Pokémon, but cultural invasion

Quanshu looked back and saw a huge crowd of people coming from the direction she had come from.

Although he and Kiju often wandered around Golden City aimlessly, that was only after their clothing styles had changed.

From cyberpunk to cute homey style, plus changes in hairstyle and headwear, it's hard to be recognized unless you're a true fan.

What would happen if someone saw them?

Qi Shu was baffled. He wasn't a wanted criminal by the Alliance, so being seen was just a matter of being seen.

"..." He climbed onto the swallow's back.

Big Electric Seagull turned its head and glanced at him. This thing was not skilled. Every time it came up, it would kick it.

If it weren't for the fact that he's a trainer, I would have electrocuted him long ago.

"Gah!"

With the two of them on board, Da Dian Haiyan returned to the owner's residential area without any trouble.

After changing clothes in the detached villa, Qi Shu, wearing little boots, hopped out.

"That outfit is pretty, but it's not convenient for walking or running."

Qi Shu clapped his hands, turned to look at him with bright, clear eyes, and said, "What would you like to eat for lunch? It's on me."

Does winning a bet mean you have to treat everyone? What kind of bizarre thought process is that?

It's worth noting that this guy had been eating and drinking for free throughout his time in Golden City, so it was quite rare for her to treat him.

Quanshu gave up trying to synchronize with her thoughts, thought for a moment, and said, "Ramen, I saw a nice one last night when I passed by, I want to try it."

"Then let's hurry up and go."

In a good mood, Qi Shu walked ahead, occasionally turning back to urge him on.

...

"Do you think it's too bland? Would you like some vinegar?"

Two steaming bowls of ramen were served, and through the wisps of white smoke, Qi Shu asked in a serious tone.

Sitting opposite her, Izumi asked uncertainly, "It seems a little bit?"

"Then I'll add it for you, you're welcome."

Qi Shu poured a few drops of vinegar for him.

The noodles were sandwiched with pork chops. Quanshu took a bite and found it a bit sour.

...

Just as he stepped out of the store, Qi Shu grabbed him and pointed to the Juice Juice stand across the street, saying, "Are you thirsty? I'll treat you to an iced drink."

"I'll treat you this time, since you've already treated me to dinner."

"No, so you mean you want to drink it?"

Qi Shu firmly refused, and she went into the store and bought two bottles of chilled juice.

"You even know what flavors I like to drink?"

Quanshu peeled off the straw; he probably hadn't told anyone.

"That's what Naz said."

He paused, a chill running down his spine as he pondered the matter.

...

The two of them whiled away the afternoon watching the game and playing games, but what bothered him was Qishu's inexplicable insistence on treating them to a meal.

What's with this strange attitude?

But Kiju's behavior was always eccentric, so Izumi no longer cared. It was a rare trip to the Quartz Convention, so I made sure to have a good time and enjoy myself.

The moon rises above the willow branches, and the lanterns are lit.

Shouting that they should "save room for local delicacies," Qi Shu dragged him to a pedestrian street in a night market near the athletes' village.

Tourists thronged the streets, and couples strolled along the brightly lit streets.

"Hey, I'm going to honor my bet."

"...Want me to go shopping with you?"

"No way!"

Qi Shu clutched a piece of his clothes, looking conflicted.

Seeing Izumi's bewildered and indifferent expression, she gritted her shark teeth, making a cracking sound, and said in a defiant tone, "I've always wanted to try..."

Qi Shu pointed to the couples strolling hand in hand around him: "...holding hands."

Was her inexplicable behavior that afternoon actually an attempt to please someone? Izumi was stunned, realizing the truth only after the fact.

She mistook this moment of distraction for a sign of rejection.

"A bet that has been agreed upon cannot be taken back."

"There are so many people holding hands around, I just wanted to give it a try."

"It didn't mean anything by it..."

The girl's cheeks flushed a rosy pink, and the tips of her ears looked as if they had been kissed by the sunset, with even her earlobes tinged with a light pink.

Judging from her flushed face and clenched teeth, Quanshu was worried that if he didn't agree, she would rush up and bite him to death with her shark teeth.

"Ah."

Quanshu took Qishu's right hand, which was clutching the hem of her clothes.

A slight tingling sensation crept up her fingertips and down to her elbows. Her hands were much smaller than she had imagined, with delicate knuckles that seemed soft and boneless.

When his fingers were grasped, Qi Shu's fingertips curled up subconsciously, like a frightened little animal, but he didn't pull away.

Their palms slowly touched, creating a wonderful warmth in the evening breeze.

A crackling electric current surged from the palms and backs of my hands to my heart, a surge even stronger than the 100,000 volts of an electric frog.

Qi Shu opened his mouth wide. So this is what holding hands is like. How amazing.

The surrounding noise seemed to fade away all at once, and all that remained in my ears was the pounding of my own heart.

Chapter 112 Night Market

The night sky over the Quartz Plateau is like an indigo curtain, enveloping the earth, while the streetlights, like a fiery dragon lying on the ground, illuminate the crescent-shaped lake.

Looking from the entrance, crowds stretched along both banks of Moon Lake, with all sorts of open-air stalls set up, creating a festive atmosphere.

As he descended the stone steps, Quanshu subconsciously tightened his grip on Rouruo, worried that she might be swallowed up by the surging crowd if she wasn't careful.

The heat generated by the 100,000 volts of electricity seemed to melt away any ability to think. Qi Shu's voice became hoarse with tension: "Wow, catching goldfish."

She spoke bluntly about what she saw, hoping that doing so would calm her wildly beating heart.

Along with my pounding heart, an indescribable mix of emotions surged through my chest: tension, joy, unease, anticipation...

This must be...very abnormal, right?

Quanshu looked in the direction she was pointing and circled a small area of ​​the lake shore, where a few goldfish could be seen swimming.

Are you going to use the cheap nets provided by the vendors to catch goldfish? This is truly a celebratory and entertaining activity for the people of Kanto.

Fortunately, Qi Shu's attention was soon drawn to a string of food stalls in front of him.

Glistening, translucent candied apples, chocolate bananas sprinkled with seven-colored sugar beans, snow-white shaved ice drizzled with matcha sauce, and fragrant stir-fried noodles.

Which one should I choose?

Kishu, who was determined to skip dinner in order to visit the night market, forced himself not to drool.

Did you ultimately choose candied apples?

Qishu held the wooden skewer in his left hand, occasionally feeding the apple candy a bite.

Normally, people would eat the sugar coating with their first bite, but she was different; she took a bite and exposed the pit.

The sugar coating mixed with fruit pulp crunched and rolled around inside the shark's teeth, then it was swallowed with a "gulp".

"Give--"

Shyly turning her head away, the candied apple she offered almost poked Izumi's face.

The crispy sugar coating is neither too thin nor too thick, and it tastes sweet.

"Is it tasty?"

Qi Shu turned to look at him, and the two were closer than usual, so he could easily see the warm night view reflected in her beautiful eyes.

Shoulder to shoulder, the warmth transmitted through their hands stirred their hearts.

Quanshu subtly shifted his gaze and said, "Very good."

He initially thought that holding hands was a novel idea that the girl had suddenly decided to try, and he did not give it any meaning.

But the fine sweat on her palms, the genuine shyness in her eyes, and the occasional blank stare and thoughtful expression all spoke of a different kind of emotion.

This was just a normal hand-holding...right?

The fist-sized candied apple disappeared completely with his unhurried pace.

In the night market games, it's not just ordinary people showing off their skills, but mostly Pokémon.

The long-tailed monster who hits the ring toss target every time, the soldier with the perfect aim in target shooting, the crow leader who wins first prize in a rope-pulling lottery...

The successor to candied apples is a box of takoyaki.

The steaming hot batter coats the octopus tentacles, tops them with bonito flakes and seaweed flakes, and then drizzles them with a sweet and sour salad dressing. The aroma rushes into your nose.

"The bamboo skewers are in the box..."

Seeing that she was holding the cardboard box in her left hand, Izumi instinctively wanted to let go of her clasped hands.

But just as she was about to pull her fingertips away, Qi Shu hurriedly gripped them tightly, and she glared up at the instigator: "You can't break the bet."

The moment her eyes met his, it lasted no more than three seconds before she lowered her head as if she had been burned.

"But how will you eat with one hand?"

Qi Shu secretly regretted his retreat.

Normally, he could leave Izumi speechless with his glare, but today, after holding hands, both his subtle masculine aura and his calm, gentle gaze acted as catalysts for my racing heart.

Just looking into each other's eyes was enough to make the heat rising in her cheeks and heart evaporate the courage she had painstakingly built up.

"You guys move the fireworks over there, we'll test them out later."

"The closing ceremony must not go wrong."

Several workers carrying goods walked along the shore.

The crowd was noisy. Quanshu looked out over the pedestrian street and saw wooden benches in the open space under the night sky.

"Go sit there, so I can feed you."

Hearing the word "hello" made my heart race again, which had been slowing down, and an inexplicable heat pounded around my cheeks.

"I... um... this..."

Kiki's voice was barely audible; she mumbled something, trying to express that she simply didn't want to let go, not that she wanted Izumi to... feed her.

But when the steaming hot meatballs were put into her mouth, the warm batter melted on her tongue, and the chewy texture of the meat combined with the sweet and sour salad dressing made Qishu suddenly feel that whether it was true or not was not so important.

She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and said sincerely, "It's delicious. It's the best takoyaki I've ever had."

Would you like another one?

"Ah."