In this anime crossover, who stole my module?

However, the unease that had long lingered between his brows had clearly dissipated considerably, and there was even a faint smile playing on his lips. His appetite also seemed to have improved a lot.

These subtle changes naturally did not escape the eyes of Touko Yotsuya, who was a mother.

Thinking back to her daughter's earlier action of pulling Natsume Ryo upstairs alone, and her current obviously relaxed and happy state, she realized that...

Touko Yotsuya's suspicions about the relationship between the two were almost entirely confirmed.

then.

"Here, Natsume-kun, try this. It's one of my specialties."

At the start of dinner, Touko Yotsuya smiled broadly and placed a large piece of stewed potato and meat, cooked until soft and flavorful, into Ryo Natsume's bowl.

"And this tempura, it's freshly fried, it's best eaten while it's hot."

"And this miso soup, I added extra seaweed and tofu, it's very nutritious."

"Boys need to eat more when they are growing, and they can't neglect themselves."

As she spoke, Touko Yotsuya kept adding food to Natsume's cool bowl.

Chapter 35 A chuunibyou girl can't possibly have a dominant older sister!

Touko Yotsuya's enthusiasm was almost overwhelming, with an attitude that seemed to want to stuff all the delicious food into Natsume's bowl.

It's less about hospitality and more like a mother-in-law looking at her son-in-law, becoming more and more satisfied the more she looks at him.

A small mountain quickly piled up in Natsume Ryo's bowl.

"Mom, Mom! Senior's bowl is almost overflowing!"

Finally, Miko Yotsuya, who was standing nearby, couldn't stand it anymore. Her face turned red and she protested in a low voice, trying to stop her mother's overly "attentive" feeding behavior.

She secretly glanced at Natsume Ryo and saw that although his face remained calm, he seemed to be showing a hint of helplessness in the face of his mother's enthusiastic offensive. This made Miko even more embarrassed and want to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

"Oh dear, boys should eat more."

Touko Yotsuya, however, paid no attention to her daughter's protest and instead smiled as she placed another piece of golden and crispy tempura on Natsume Ryo's plate.

"Natsume-kun is growing, how can he not eat more?"

“Unlike Jianzi, who eats so little, I’m really worried that she’s not getting enough nutrition.”

"!!!"

"mom!"

Hearing her mother's almost explicit words and her teasing gaze, Yotsuya Miko felt her cheeks flush with heat again, her ears burning red.

After meal.

In the entryway.

Just as Natsume Ryo was about to put on his shoes and leave.

Yotsuya Miko suddenly looked up as if she had remembered something of utmost importance.

I still don't have the contact information for my seniors!

Thinking of this, as if she had made up her mind, her face flushed red as she looked at Natsume Ryo, who was about to put on her shoes.

"Th-that...senpai!"

"Hmm?" Natsume Ryo stopped what he was doing upon hearing the sound and turned to look at her.

"It's...that one..."

"For the convenience of the future."

"What if I run into any more trouble?"

"C-Can I...can I exchange contact information with you, senior?"

Facing the gaze that Natsume Ryo cast at her, Yotsuya Miko's eyes darted around, not daring to meet his gaze. Her fair fingers nervously twisted the hem of her clothes, and her eyes subconsciously glanced quickly at her mother and friend Yurikawa Kaname standing beside her—they both had that knowing smile on their faces, as if to say, "I knew this would happen."

Jianzi even noticed his father's spirit's gaze, and the dog spirit's half-head peeking out of the living room...

"..."

Natsume Ryo read a pleading look in Miko's eyes, and of course, he had no reason to refuse.

"Phone number or Line?"

"Huh? Anything is fine!"

Seeing that Natsume Ryo had agreed so readily, she hurriedly pulled out her own phone, her fingertips trembling slightly with nervousness, and finally managed to open the add friend interface.

The two exchanged phone numbers and added each other as Line friends. When they saw the name "Natsume Ryo" added to their phone contacts and the simple profile picture in their Line friend list...

Jianzi finally breathed a sigh of relief...

Ryo Natsume put away his phone.

"Well then, Auntie, Jianzi, we'll be going now."

Yuri Kawana waved her hand energetically.

"Okay, be careful on the road, Natsume-kun, Hana, Rikka-chan!" Touko Yotsuya waved with a smile.

"Goodbye, senior!" Jianzi said softly, her face flushed.

……

We said goodbye to our warm and welcoming family.

The three of them walked out of the Yotsuya house.

Night had fallen, and the streetlights cast long shadows of the three people.

After walking some distance.

"Goodbye Natsume-kun! Goodbye Rikka!"

Yurikawa waved goodbye to the two of them because she had to take another route home.

……

After Yurikawa Hana left, Natsume Ryo raised his hand and glanced at the system interface in his mind—the time remaining until the [Parasyte] module holder, Kurashiki Rena, might be attacked.

[Time remaining until Rena Kurashiki's first parasitic attack: 1 hour and 52 minutes.]

There are less than two hours left.

There is still plenty of time.

Thinking of this, Natsume Ryo turned his head to look at Takanashi Rikka, who had clearly changed since seeing the altar of Miko's father.

"I'll take you home."

"Huh? Are you going to personally escort me back?"

Upon hearing this, Rikka Takanashi's eyes lit up, and she switched back to her chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) mode.

"..."

"almost."

This time, Natsume Ryo did not deny it.

"Understood! Escort mission begins!"

Rikka immediately straightened her little body, her energy rekindled, and nodded vigorously.

soon.

The two retraced their steps and soon arrived at the apartment building where Rikka lived.

Just as Natsume Ryo was about to take Takanashi Rikka downstairs and say goodbye.

A cold, clearly displeased voice suddenly rang out.

"Rikka? You're back so late?"

"And... who is this?"

Follow the sound.

I saw.

Under the glow of a streetlamp, there was a woman with a tall and straight figure, her long, jet-black hair neatly tied up at the back of her head, revealing a smooth and full forehead and a beautifully shaped neck.

When she saw a strange boy standing next to her younger sister.

Although her face showed undisguised fatigue, her calm and capable aura remained undiminished.

She was carrying a convenience store shopping bag, inside which were vaguely visible everyday items such as milk and eggs, clearly indicating that she had just finished a day's work.

"what!"

"It's the Holy Healer!"

Almost the instant she saw the person's face, Rikka Takanashi, who had been somewhat relaxed, immediately bristled.

Without a doubt, the "Saintly Herbalist" that Rikka mentioned is her older sister, Takanashi Touka, who works as the head chef at a high-end restaurant.

"Run! Contractor!"

Upon seeing Takanashi Touka, Rikka immediately, as if by conditioned reflex, flung open the black umbrella she usually used as a "magical tool".

With a "whoosh," he blocked Natsume Ryo's path.

"She's an assassin sent by the Bureau to hunt me down!"

"Run away!"

Rikka was still calling out urgently.

result.

next second.

Boom!

"—!"

She had only uttered half of her poignant lines.

A crisp knocking sound was followed by her cry of pain.

Takanashi Touka had approached without anyone noticing, her face bearing an impatient expression that seemed to say, "What are you up to now?" With swift and precise movements, she used the long-handled metal ladle from the shopping bag she was carrying to lightly tap her younger sister on the head.

It fell to the ground with a thud.

"Fool."

Toka put away the soup spoon, looked at Rikka who was squatting down with her head in her hands, and scolded her impatiently.

“I saw you two separate from another girl from the street corner, acting all suspicious.”

After scolding her younger sister, Toka turned her gaze back to Natsume Ryo.

"Speaking of which, judging from your school uniforms, you must be students from Soubu High School, right?"

"Did you have dinner together at another classmate's house just now?"

"Um……"

Natsume Ryo nodded slightly.

Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Takanashi Touka's sharp gaze softened considerably.

after all.

Zongwu High School has always had a good reputation.

Thinking this through, Takanashi Touka was no longer so hostile. She looked Natsume Ryo up and down, assessing something, and finally nodded slightly to him, retaining her inherent aloofness while her tone returned to the polite and courteous manner befitting an adult:

"In that case, thank you for bringing Rikka back so late."

"I just didn't expect that this guy would make friends at school so quickly."

Takanashi Touka glanced at her younger sister, who was still covering her forehead, angry but unable to speak, and a very subtle smile seemed to appear on her lips, as if she were talking to herself or to Natsume Ryo.

It was clearly more of an unexpected and unbelievable element.

……