Aoto and Mukiwa simultaneously withdrew their gaze from each other, focusing on the enemies surging around them.
"Miss Kinoshita."
Aoto quietly positioned his Ghost-Slaying in the Kasumi Stance before him.
"Could I trouble you to protect my back?"
Mukiwa did not verbally respond to Aoto's request.
She merely raised her gaze, gave Aoto a charming smile, then turned her body and stood behind Aoto in a "back-to-back with Aoto" stance, spreading her feet apart, her right hand forming a fist in front, her left hand forming a palm behind, ready for battle.
Because their backs were pressed closely together... Aoto could clearly feel the elasticity of Mukiwa's skin and the warmth of her body.
The warmth emanating from Mukiwa's back spread throughout Aoto's body, giving him an inexplicable sense of reassurance.
No.
It should be said… just now, when his vision was filled with the sight of a bright red kimono fluttering from a high kick, Aoto felt a strange sense of reassurance.
