Aika Kiryuu's intelligent golden eyes, magnified by her spectacles, widened further. "Excuse me," she repeated, her usual teasing confidence momentarily faltering. "How do you know my name?"
Rin maintained his calm, neutral expression, a subtle smirk playing on his lips internally. "Asia mentioned you," he replied smoothly, watching her reaction.
Kiryuu blinked, a new wave of surprise washing over her. "Asia? You're acquainted with Asia Argento?" Her mind raced. Asia is such a cute girl. Is he… targeting her? Oh, Issei, you poor soul. In terms of status and looks, Rin has a definite advantage. She sighed inwardly, a pang of sympathy for the hapless Perverted Trio leader.
Rin, hearing her every thought, felt a flicker of amusement. He chose not to address her internal monologue directly. "Indeed," he confirmed. "I'm also a member of the Occult Research Club."
Aika's eyes widened, then a slow understanding dawned on her face. "Ah, I see!" she exclaimed, a faint blush rising. "That makes perfect sense! So that's how you know me!" Her previous suspicion vanished, replaced by genuine belief. "Is there something I can help you with, Rin-kun?" she asked, her voice regaining a hint of its usual playful lilt.
"Do you like manga, Kiryuu-san?" Rin inquired, gesturing vaguely towards the shelves.
"Manga?" she mused, tilting her head slightly. "I mostly read light novels, to be honest. But I do read manga sometimes, so it's not like I dislike them. I'm just more accustomed to light novels." As she spoke, Rin's gaze drifted to the shopping basket she held, and his eyes landed on a familiar cover. A yaoi novel. Ah, just as I expected, he thought, a sense of satisfaction. She really is my favorite side character. Even with her short appearance in the series, it established exactly what kind of person she is.
Aika, noticing his lingering glance at her basket, blushed even deeper. "Oh! Are you… are you also reading this kind of book, Rin-kun?" she asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes, clearly misunderstanding his interest.
Rin immediately denied it, a quick shake of his head. "No, no, not at all."
Kiryuu chuckled, her eyes sparkling with renewed teasing energy. "Oh? Are you sure? Because there's a rumor going around, you know, about you and Kiba-kun…" she trailed off, leaning in conspiratorially. "It's not very popular, but among girls like me who love yaoi, our imaginations run wild!"
Rin, hearing her thoughts, decided to nip the rumor in the bud. "Kiba and I are just quite good friends," he stated simply, his voice calm.
To his surprise, Aika Kiryuu nodded, her teasing expression softening. "I see," she said, genuinely believing him. She didn't press the issue, a stark contrast to her usual nature. Rin felt a twinge of disappointment. One of his favorite things about her was how she teased people, treating them like close friends even upon their first meeting. Seeing that aspect of her disappear towards him, he felt a strange sense of loss, a disappointment in himself. However, he thought, steeling his resolve, since I've already set this in motion, I will continue and take responsibility for it.
Aika Kiryuu might not possess breathtaking beauty or a voluptuous figure, but she was undeniably cute. Rin decided to do what he always did.
With a swift, fluid motion, he stepped forward, placing his hand flat against the bookshelf beside her head, effectively kabedon-ing her.
Kiryuu gasped, her eyes widening in astonishment. She couldn't comprehend his sudden change in demeanor, the unexpected intensity. A flush crept up her neck, coloring her cheeks a deep crimson. This… this only happens in the books I read! she thought, utterly embarrassed, her heart beginning to pound. "What… what's wrong with you?" she managed to stammer, her voice barely a whisper.
But as she continued to look at him, something shifted within her. Her gaze became locked with his, unable to tear away. She knew he was handsome, but now, in this moment, Rin seemed too handsome, so overwhelmingly captivating that her eyes refused to obey her. Her heart began to flutter wildly, a frantic drumbeat against her ribs, and her eyes widened further. She reviewed the cascade of sensations, the dizzying rush of emotions, and she knew, with a sudden, undeniable clarity, what this was.
A sign of affection.
She had never expected to fall for someone like him.