As soon as Rito stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him, Mikan stood frozen for a moment before her body suddenly shuddered slightly.
"W-What was that?" She mumbled under her breath, her hands pressing against her still-warm chest.
Her heart was pounding.
Rito had never touched her like that before. It was an accident; she knew that much, but...
That warmth, that touch...
Mikan's face flushed an even deeper red as she shook her head vigorously.
"Nope! Nope! Stop thinking about it!" She scolded herself, slapping her cheeks to calm down.
But no matter how much she tried, the sensation still lingered in her mind.
The next morning, Rito and Mikan prepared to leave for their trip.
Their mother, Ringo Yuuki, had already booked their flights, so all they needed to do was head to the airport. With their bags packed and the house locked up, they called a taxi to take them to the station.
As they sat in the backseat, Rito suddenly thought of something.
'My system lets me create skills just by doing things, right?'
The past few days had proven that to be true—he had gained cooking, writing, and even hairdressing by simply practicing them.
Then… what if he tried something new right now?
Rito quickly pulled out his phone and searched for a piano game to download.
It was a popular rhythm game that allowed users to tap on the screen to play piano notes, replicating famous classical pieces.
Ding!
[New Skill Acquired!] —[Piano (Lv. 1)]
'Nice!' Rito smirked, already feeling the slight tingle of improvement through his fingers.
He put on his earbuds and started playing. The game supported his progress, and within just an hour of practicing on their way to the airport, he found himself getting better and better.
Ding!
[Skill Level Up!]—[Piano (Lv. 2)]
'Whoa, I actually leveled it up already?'
Rito blinked, impressed by his own progress. His fingers moved much more fluidly now, and he could even hear the notes in his head before pressing them.
'Man… if I had this skill in real life, I'd probably become a piano prodigy or something…'
He chuckled at the thought.
But before he could get too carried away—
"Oi, Rito."
He looked up to see Mikan narrowing her eyes at him.
"We're here. Stop playing and grab your stuff."
Rito quickly shut off his phone and nodded.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it."
The airport was bustling with travelers. People were moving around, announcements echoed over the speakers, and luggage wheels rolled across the polished floors.
Rito and Mikan quickly made their way to the check-in counter, confirming their tickets.
As they waited in line, Rito thought to himself—
'Alright… maybe I should try playing an actual piano next time. If I can already reach level 2 from a game, what happens if I play a real one?'
The idea excited him, and he was already itching to find an opportunity to test it.
But for now, he had a flight to catch.
And unknown to him, this trip was about to change everything.
At the airport, the siblings navigated through check-in and security smoothly. Seated in the waiting area, Rito continued practicing piano on his phone, his fingers dancing over the virtual keys. Mikan watched, amused by her brother's newfound interest.
Once onboard the plane, they located their row of three seats. Mikan took the window seat, Rito settled in the middle, leaving the aisle seat vacant. As passengers continued to board, a girl with a medium-bob hairstyle adorned with a ribbon-style hairpin approached, struggling with a sizable bag. Recognizing her as Yuiri Haba, a Sword Shaman from the Lion King Organization, Rito offered a polite smile.
"Would you like some help with that?" he asked, gesturing to the overhead compartment.
Yuiri returned the smile, though a hint of caution flickered in her eyes. "Thank you, but I prefer to keep it with me."
Before Rito could respond, another girl with short black hair approached. Shio Hikawa, a Shamanic War Dancer and Yuiri's close friend, fixed Rito with a sharp gaze. "Is there a problem here?" she enquired, her tone edged with suspicion.
Rito raised his hands defensively. "No problem at all. I just offered to help with her bag."
Shio's eyes narrowed slightly, but she nodded, taking the aisle seat beside Yuiri. The two girls exchanged a glance, a silent conversation passing between them.
As the plane taxied and took off, Rito couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to his new acquaintances than met the eye. He glanced at Mikan, who had already donned her headphones and was immersed in a movie. Deciding to follow suit, he plugged in his earbuds and selected a playlist, though his thoughts remained on the enigmatic duo beside him.
Hours into the flight, turbulence jolted the cabin. Yuiri's bag slipped from her grasp, and without thinking, Rito caught it mid-air. "Got it," he said, handing it back to her.
Yuiri's eyes widened in surprise, and she offered a genuine smile this time. "Thank you."
Shio observed the exchange, her expression softening. "Seems you're quick on your feet."
Rito chuckled. "Just lucky, I guess."
As the flight continued, Rito leaned back in his seat, enjoying the rare moment of peace. Mikan was flipping through a magazine, while Yuiri Haba sat beside him, occasionally glancing his way.
A few rows ahead, a group of foreign passengers appeared to be struggling with something. Their voices carried over the hum of the aircraft, a mix of English and another language. Rito could make out snippets of their conversation—it seemed like they were confused about the meal options and how to request something from the flight attendants.
Seeing their trouble, he instinctively stood up. "Excuse me, do you need any help?" he asked in fluent English.
The passengers turned to him with relief. "Oh! Yes, actually. We were trying to ask for—"
Rito listened carefully and then helped translate their request to the flight attendant. The interaction only took a few minutes, but it left a strong impression. The foreigners thanked him profusely before he returned to his seat.
Yuiri, who had been watching the entire exchange, finally spoke up. "You speak English really well."
Rito chuckled, scratching his cheek. "Just lucky, I guess."
Yuiri narrowed her eyes slightly, as if seeing through his modesty. "No way. That was fluent. How did you learn it so well?"
Rito thought for a moment before answering. "I guess… I practiced a lot? Reading books, watching movies, and writing helped too."
Yuiri crossed her arms and huffed lightly. "That sounds way too easy when you say it like that. I've been trying to improve my English, but I always mess up when speaking."
Rito tilted his head. "Really? You don't seem that bad at it."
She sighed. "I can read and understand some things, but speaking is hard. The pronunciation trips me up. And then there's Shio—" She gestured to her partner, Shio Hikawa, who was seated beside her, listening with mild interest. "She keeps teasing me whenever I mess up!"
Shio smirked. "That's because it's cute when you do."
Yuiri shot her a glare. "See what I mean?"
Rito couldn't help but chuckle at their interaction. "If you want, I can help you practice a little. Just a casual conversation, nothing too serious."
Yuiri blinked, caught off guard by the offer. "You'd do that?"
"Why not? Practicing with someone helps more than just studying alone."
She hesitated for a second before nodding. "Alright, but don't laugh if I mess up!"
Rito smiled. "I won't."
As their conversation shifted into basic English practice, Mikan glanced over at Rito, silently observing. She didn't comment, but a small, knowing smirk played on her lips.
The plane finally touched down with a gentle jolt, the hum of the engines shifting as the aircraft taxied to the terminal. A voice over the intercom announced their arrival, and passengers slowly began gathering their belongings.
Yuiri stretched slightly in her seat and glanced at Rito with a small, amused smile. "That was a long flight, but it wasn't too bad, thanks to you."
Rito rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I'm glad to hear that."
She nodded before glancing at Shio Hikawa, who had been unusually quiet. Unlike Yuiri, who had opened up over the course of their conversation, Shio had simply observed the interaction between them without much comment. Even now, as Yuiri casually chatted with Rito, Shio's gaze remained fixed on him—silent, but clearly scrutinizing.
Rito felt a bit awkward under her sharp gaze. 'What's with her? Did I do something to offend her?'
Before he could say anything, Yuiri grabbed her bag and stood up. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Rito. Let's talk again sometime."
"Yeah, sure," he replied with a friendly nod.
Shio, on the other hand, merely glanced at him, then turned and walked away without a word.
Rito exhaled. 'That girl seriously doesn't like me, huh…?'
As he and Mikan stepped out into the airport, stretching their limbs after the long flight, Mikan suddenly turned to him with a teasing smirk.
"So, how does it feel to become a full-fledged playboy?" she asked.
Rito blinked. "Huh?"
Mikan giggled. "Oh, come on, don't act dumb. That Yuiri girl was totally interested in you, and you were just casually chatting with her like some natural charmer." She folded her arms and gave him a knowing look. "I never knew my dear brother had such a talent for picking up girls."
Rito groaned. "It's not like that. We were just talking."
"Sure, sure." Mikan's teasing tone didn't let up. "First, you're getting all smooth with girls at school. Then you're chatting up a cute girl on the plane. At this rate, you're going to have a whole fan club by the time we get back home."
Rito sighed. "Mikan, you're seriously overthinking this."
She giggled again but didn't press further. Instead, she walked ahead, swaying her bag over her shoulder. "Well, whatever you say, Onii-chan. Just don't come crying to me when you have too many girls chasing after you."
Rito could only shake his head, knowing that no matter what he said, Mikan wouldn't let this go anytime soon.