Before I could think of anything.
"Let me pay."
Huh?
I turned to look at her.
"No, le—"
Before I could continue, she spoke.
"You've helped me so much today… let this be my treat."
I paused.
She gave a small nod, not meeting my eyes.
Did she notice?
…She's a thoughtful girl.
"…Alright," I said. "But next time, it's my treat."
She didn't respond.
The payment was done quickly, and we stepped out of the café into the cool air.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then a sudden impulse came over me, and before I could think properly, I said, "You know… I forgot to bring money today."
She glanced at me for a moment, then looked away.
"…Oh? Really?"
I smiled.
"Yeah."
…What a girl.
Without thinking, I reached out and lightly patted her head.
"So ...thanks for noticing."
She looked up at me, wide-eyed.
I tilted my head slightly.
…Huh?
Then her entire face flushed red.
"T-This–."she stammerd.
That's when it hit me.
…Wait..
I froze slightly, hand still mid-air before quickly pulling it back.
"Ah—sorry, I didn't mean—"
"No, no—it's okay," she said quickly, still flustered, waving her hands a little.
A brief, awkward silence settled between us.
I cleared my throat lightly.
"…Yotsuya-san–"
She spoke in a low voice
"…You can just call me by my first name."
I paused for a moment, then gave a small nod.
"…Then you can just call me Emiya."
"...Miko-chan."
".....Emiya-kun."
Silence settled between us again, this time lingering a little longer.
We walked like that for a while, neither of us saying anything, the quiet stretching naturally between us. I followed a step behind, lost in my own thoughts, until she suddenly came to a stop—making me halt as well.
"This is the gym," I heard her say.
In front of us stood an old building.
The signboard above it was damaged, with several letters missing or hanging loosely, and the building itself looked worn down and neglected—its faded exterior and quiet, lifeless presence making it seem almost abandoned.
I know better than to judge a book by its cover… but this isn't looking very promising.
I squinted slightly at the signboard.
"…Fushi**** Fitn*ss *nd Marti*l Arts."
I turned to look at her.
"This…?" I muttered.
She quickly waved her hands.
"Don't judge it by its appearance," she said. "My mom is friends with the owner's wife, and she always says it's a really good gym… and that the coach here is the best."
I stayed silent for a moment, then gave a small nod.
Well… it's not like she knows much about martial arts. She's probably just going off what her mom told her.
Still… she went out of her way to bring me here.
My gaze shifted back to the building.
And…maybe it's better than it looks.
We stepped inside.
The interior was… better than expected. Not impressive but definitely not as bad as the outside made it seem.
The first floor was divided into two sections.
Near the entrance was a small reception area....a simple counter, behind which a woman was sitting, with a few chairs placed nearby, and what looked like a compact office at the back on the left side.
The rest of the space was dedicated to basic gym equipment—dumbbells, benches, and a few machines. A very handful of people were scattered around, lifting weights and doing reps, completely focused on their workouts, the quiet clink of metal filling the room.
As we stepped further in, the woman behind the counter looked up and her face lit up.
She had long eyelashes that framed her bright eyes, and ink-black hair that fell neatly over her shoulders. She looked to be in her late twenties, maybe early thirties, with a natural kind of beauty that didn't feel forced or overdone. There was a warmth to her expression, a soft ease in the way she carried herself.
More than anything, it was her energy that stood out—friendly, lively, and almost infectious, like the kind of person who could brighten a room just by being there.
"Miko-chan?"
Miko blinked, then her eyes widened slightly.
"…Aunty?"
The woman immediately walked over and pulled her into a warm hug.
"It's been such a long time!"
"Look at you! You've grown up so much!"
Miko stiffened for a second before awkwardly returning the hug.
"T-Thank you…"
"How is your mom? Is she doing well? It's been ages since I last saw her!" the woman continued without pause, her voice bright and full of energy. "And what brings you here all of a sudden? Did you come to visit? Or are you joining?"
"Ah—she's doing well,"Miko replied, a little overwhelmed, trying to keep up. "I just came by to show him—"
Then the woman's gaze suddenly shifted toward me.
"Oh?" she said, a playful smile forming. "And who is this? Your boyfriend?"
Miko's face turned red instantly.
"N-No—!"
Before she could panic further, I stepped forward.
"I'm her friend," I said calmly. "I recently moved to this area, so I don't really know much around here."
"I was looking to join a place to learn martial arts, so I asked for her help."
The woman looked between us, clearly amused—but this time, her expression shifted slightly, a more thoughtful look replacing the teasing smile.
"Ohh, so you want to learn martial arts, hmm?" she said, tilting her head.
A small pause.
"Is there any problem?" I asked.
"No, no—it's not that," she replied, waving her hand quickly. "It's just… this gym is run by me and my husband. I handle the finances and the gym side of things, and he takes care of the martial arts training."
Her tone softened just a little.
"But his training fees are… quite expensive," she added with a small, awkward smile. "So… there isn't anyone currently learning martial arts here."
I thought about it for a moment.
Good coaches usually charge more. If he's built a name for himself, the price makes sense.
And money isn't really a problem right now…
The image of the nurse curse spirit flashed briefly in my mind.
I did get paid for exorcising that… Shoko even refused her share, saying I did all the work and even saved her.
I looked back at the woman.
"So… is he a well-known coach?" I asked.
"Well—not exactly famous," she said quickly, shaking her head. "But he's really, really good! Like—actually good," she added, her energy picking up again. "It's just that he doesn't have much of a reputation, so people don't come… especially with the fees being that high."
She let out a small sigh, then immediately smiled again.
…She talks really fast.
And she's way too lively—her tone shifts in an instant, and her expressions change just as quickly, like she can't stay still even for a moment.
I was still pondering that when a voice called out from the entrance.
"Shizuku-chan! I'm back! Who are they? New members?"
We both turned toward the entrance—and I froze, wide-eyed.
A tall figure stepped in, a scar etched at the corner of his mouth giving him an even more intimidating air. His presence seemed to fill the entire room instantly. Every movement he made was controlled and effortless, like someone who had complete mastery over his own body.
Even the gym equipment and the people scattered around seemed to pause, as if subconsciously acknowledging him. He had that quiet confidence that didn't need words to command attention.
I swallowed hard.
…I take it back. We shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
This isn't subpar gym at all—it's easily the best gym in the entire damn world.
The bubbly lady practically leapt toward him, her energy undimmed by his imposing presence.
"Toji-kun! You're back!" she exclaimed.