Feitan is Getting Lucky

Feitan stood rigid, the contrast of his dark aura and the delicate crown comedic to any onlooker. Phinx didn't hold back, his laughter booming through the streets.

Before Feitan could make a retort, the performer whisked Phinx into the scene, draping a scarf around his neck, the color of which matched the blush now firmly planted on his cheeks. "And for the jovial one, a splash of love to wear."

Haruto observed quietly, his own amusement clear in the slight quirk of his lips. Canary's hand found his again, her laughter mingled with the sounds of the city. Komugi clapped her hands, enchanted by the spectacle.

The sun began to dip, casting the city in a golden glow that seemed to heighten the ambiance. At a quaint little café, the quintet settled into a corner, the floral crown now resting on the table, tokens of their day's journey.

As they sipped on drinks, Phinx glanced at Feitan. "Admit it, you enjoyed the attention."

"Do not test me," Feitan replied, but the harshness was gone, replaced with a begrudging resignation. "At least those children were genuine. This city… it's like a bad joke."

"But you're keeping the balloon," Phinx pointed out, smirking.

Feitan's eyes narrowed, but he didn't let go of the string.

"And you," Feitan shot back, "wearing that scarf like it's some trophy."

Phinx touched the fabric around his neck, his expression softening. "Maybe it is. Maybe it's nice, for once, not to be the toughest in the room."

Haruto decided the course of their next action. "We will stay here for a while. Phinx, find us a hotel."

Phinx nodded and, in a gesture that blended both irony and a strange newfound fondness for the city's whimsy, threw the scarf dramatically over his neck as he walked away, his usual swagger turned into a performance for the passersby.

Feitan watched him go, then turned to Haruto, his eyes a mix of question and challenge. "Why?" The rasp in his voice was more pronounced than usual, a clear sign of his perplexity.

Haruto's lips curled into a smile, light and unburdened. "It seems fun."

A soft curse escaped Feitan, meant only for the ears of those who understood the depth of his character. Canary's and Komugi's giggles formed a delicate counterpoint to his gruffness.

In the whimsical streets of Aiai, the fading sunlight wrapped its golden fingers around everything, softening the edges of the day into a warm, dreamy haze. It was the sort of place where romance was not just in the air but seemed to be the very air one breathed. Feitan, however, sat at the quaint café with a scowl that could curdle milk, looking particularly out of place against the backdrop of giggling couples and troubadours singing ballads of love.

A rustling sound approached, the kind that only the flutter of light fabric could make. It was a young woman, one of Aiai's many hopeful romantics, her gaze locked onto Feitan's brooding figure. Her approach was cautious yet determined, as if she were approaching a wild animal rather than a man.

"Excuse me, sir," she began, her voice a soft melody that contrasted with the quiet intensity of the café's corner. "Could I trouble you for a moment of your time?"

Feitan lifted his gaze, the dark pools of his eyes holding the same sharpness as a sword's edge. "What do you want?" he asked, his words short, carrying the weight of annoyance.

The woman flinched slightly but recovered with a smile, one that seemed practiced, meant to disarm. "I saw you from across the square," she said, "and I couldn't help but notice that you seem to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders."

Feitan's scowl deepened. "Your point?"

Unruffled, she continued, "I thought maybe I could lighten your burden. They say a problem shared is a problem halved."

The table held its breath, a silent audience to the exchange. Haruto watched with a barely perceptible tilt of his head, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement. Phinx, having returned from his hotel search, leaned against a nearby wall, a sly grin etching across his features, clearly enjoying the scene unfolding before him.

"I don't share," Feitan replied curtly, almost a growl, but he made no move to shoo her away.

With the grace of a ballet dancer, the woman took the seat opposite him, her skirt billowing gently. "Everyone has something to share," she insisted. "Even a man with a crown of flowers."

Feitan's hand subconsciously touched the floral crown that now lay on the table, a stark reminder of his earlier encounter. "That," he said, pointing at the crown, "was a mistake."

"But a beautiful mistake, don't you think?" she pressed on, undeterred by his frostiness.

Canary's laughter, light and carefree, filled the space between them, and even Komugi leaned in with a curious sparkle in her eyes. "This is just like the stories!" Komugi whispered to Canary, her voice barely containing her excitement.

The woman leaned forward, her hands clasped together as if in prayer. "I believe that sometimes, it's the unexpected moments, the ones we think are mistakes, that bring us the most joy."

Feitan considered her, his expression unchanging. "And what would you know of my joy?"

Her smile never waned. "I'd like to find out, if you'd let me."

The line was so clichéd, so utterly predictable in its romantic intent, that under any other sky, it might have made Feitan snort in derision. Yet, here in Aiai, it hung between them, as substantial as the sweet-scented air.

Phinx chuckled from his spot by the wall, unable to resist commenting, "Looks like you've got an admirer, Feitan."

Feitan shot him a glare that could peel paint, but the woman seemed to find his friends' teasing endearing. "I admire anyone who can carry such strength and solitude," she said earnestly.

Feitan opened his mouth, likely to deliver a sharp retort, but Haruto's voice cut through, calm and smooth. "Feitan, why not indulge in the city's game? You may find some value in it."

The group turned their attention to Haruto, who, until now, had been a silent observer, his eyes reflecting a mirth that was uncharacteristic but fitting in the strange tableau of the city of love.

Feitan looked at the woman, then at the expectant faces of his companions, and let out a sigh that seemed to carry the weight of surrender. "Fine," he said, turning back to the woman. "You have my attention… for now."

Phinx settled into a chair near Haruto, his gaze shifting between the ongoing spectacle and his companions, a sly grin playing upon his lips. The scene had all the hallmarks of those romantic simulation games that lined the shelves of Aiai's arcade — the kind where every choice led you deeper into a heart-spun narrative.

"Could this place be any more cliché?" Phinx commented, the tease clear in his voice as he leaned back, watching the encounter between Feitan and the persistent local woman. "It's like we've stepped into one of those cheesy dating sims."

Feitan grunted, his usual impatience for such folly surprisingly absent, his gaze lingering a tad longer on the woman than his gruff exterior suggested. "It's like being trapped in a bad dream," he replied, though the lightness of his tone belied his words.