118 George Takei is crying as you read this

Shin and Shiho stood down on a bench in the hall leading to the separated lockers, an awkward silence falling between the two teens.

'God, that guy was angry at me.' thought Shin. 'I sort of expected such a reaction from most people after I confronted Yaldabaoth, but to see it directly... And after all that work I put into improving my image around school...'

Shin might've seemed disappointed, but the reality was that he never took action to make himself look better in the eyes of the student body. It was moments like these that would've otherwise made him grateful to Saki, who was spreading positive rumours about him around, but he really couldn't care less what a bunch of nondescript high schoolers thought about him. What could they do to him anyways? Cancel him on Twitter?

The teen had to hold in a snort at the ridiculous thought, mainly because he didn't want to ruin the atmosphere around and make himself look like he didn't take it seriously, but also because he hadn't even tried touching the hellhole that is Twitter in this life.

'Good riddance, I say.' thought Shin.

At the same time, Shiho was waiting for Shin to speak up while also having an internal meltdown.

When Shin texted her that morning, during one of their early classes, asking her if she wanted to start their martial arts, and she, as out of it as she was at the time, said 'yes' immediately. She would've regretted taking that course of action as soon as she thought about Shin's question again, had it not been for a piece of chalk sent flying straight at her forehead, thrown by none other than Mr. Ushimaru.

As almost everything regarding Shin, she had to brace herself for whatever might happen. She could certainly say that light teasing and flirting would be involved, but not to this extent.

'And when he was on top of me, it was like that time when- No! Control yourself, Shiho!' she thought, shaking her head as she focused on anything else but that scene that happened in chapter 17.

But the more she tried thinking about something else, the more those memories were pushed at the forefront of her mind, and, much to her embarrassment, she also reminded herself of the time she and Shin were about to kiss at the Phantom Thief inauguration.

'It wasn't a kiss! It was just-I had something on my mouth and he tried to wipe it off! Standing really close to me! While taking a look at me with those beautiful dark eyes- Oh goddamn it, Shiho!'

While the girl kept cursing herself in her mind, Shin took a look at her, and while he thought that her shaking her head every 10 seconds was a bit weird, he was then distracted by something that was also moving along with Shiho. Specifically, her ponytail. It kept moving and moving and soon enough, Shin felt a sudden urge to play with it.

Much to his dismay, though, he didn't get the chance to do anything, as Shiho turned around to face him. She took a long look at his face; longer than the usual, anyways. The girl took a deep breath, and despite feeling as if her heart was about to jump out of her chest, she still asked.

"Shin, w-would you l-like to go out with me?"

-

Confidants:

0. Yaldabaoth (The Fool) - Rank 3

I. Morgana (The Magician) - Rank 3

1. Takuto Maruki (The Councillor) - Rank 1

II. Makoto Niijima (The Priestess) - Rank 3

IV. Yusuke Kitagawa (The Emperor) - Rank 3

Odd man - Rank 1

V. Sojiro Sakura (The Hierophant) - Rank 3

VI. Ann Takamaki (The Lovers) - Rank 7

VII. Ryuji Sakamoto (The Chariot) - Rank 7

VIII. Goro Akechi (The Justice) - Rank 3

IX. Futaba Sakura (The Hermit) - Rank 3

X. Maemi Maeda (The Fortune) - Rank 1

XI. Caroline & Justine (The Strength) - Rank 10

XIII. Tae Takemi (The Death) - Rank 5

Reaper - Rank 1

XIV. Sadayo Kawakami (The Temperance) - Rank 5

XVIII. Saki Yoshiko (The Moon) - Rank 3

XIX. Sho Minazuki (The Sun) - Rank 2

Toranosuke Yoshida - Rank 1

XX. Sae Niijima (The Judgement) - Rank 2

Shiho Suzui (The Hope) - Rank 9

Marie (The Aeon) - Rank 1