Seraphim is a Bystander

School Trip Day 2: First Destination
 

 
After finishing in the restroom, I quickly head back to where the elderly gentleman is waiting outside with Yuzu. It hasn’t been that long, but I still feel bad for leaving Yuzu with someone else and want to hurry.
As I step outside, I immediately spot the gentleman holding Yuzu. He seems to be talking to her about something. It's honestly impressive that he's holding her at all—she usually doesn't let people get close.

“Sorry for the wait!” I call out as I jog over.
“Oh? All done already?” he replies kindly.
“Yes, thank you so much for watching her.”

“Not at all. It’s been quite a while since I got to hold an animal. It was refreshing.”
“I appreciate it. Yuzu, time to go.”
“Meow,” she responds softly.

Yuzu leaps from the gentleman’s arms back onto my shoulder. Even after being left with a stranger, she seems completely at ease, curling up and preparing to nap on my shoulder. I still don’t get how she decides who she likes.
“Well then, I’ll be on my way,” he says politely, turning to leave.
“Ah—wait! Can I offer you something in return? It’s not much, but…”

“There’s really no need,” he smiles. “As I said, I truly enjoyed getting to hold an animal again. That’s more than enough for me.”
“But still…”
As he turns his back to me, I look around for anything I could do to thank him—and spot a vending machine nearby.

“Ah! Um, how about a drink, at least? Please let me treat you!”
“My… well, if you insist. It would be rude to refuse. In that case, may I have this tea?”
“Yes, absolutely—thank you!”

“Heh… this feels a bit backwards, doesn’t it?” he chuckles.
I manage to get him to accept the tea I bought, feeling at least a little better. …Come to think of it, I never asked his name. But maybe it’d be rude to pry since we barely know each other.
“Thank you again!” I say with a grateful bow.
He waves with a smile, and I head back to the bus. I check the time—it’s only been about 15 minutes. Did I forget any souvenirs? I open my messaging app to double-check who I told about the trip.

Let’s see… I already bought souvenirs for my family, Yuna-san, my master, and Katagiri-san… Oh right, I forgot something for Ichijou-sensei. Maybe I’ll get her something to eat—but wait, what if she has allergies?
“…Do you have any food allergies?” I type and send.
It shouldn’t take long to get a reply, and I can buy something afterward. Oh, there it is already: “Nothing in particular, why?” Whew, okay. That makes it easy.

“Just curious. Don’t worry about it,” I reply with a smile.
I better go grab something quickly. Hmm? Another reply: “It’s good to be curious!” Yep, sounds just like her.
After grabbing a snack as a gift, I return to the bus. Only a few minutes have passed, and some students are still out. Soon, everyone returns, and the bus starts moving again.

As the scenery of Kyoto rolls by, I take in the fresh air and the unfamiliar view—so different from /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ home. Time flies.
“Prepare to get off,” the teacher announces, snapping me back to the present. I glance to the side—Ken is fast asleep next to me.
“Ken? We’re almost there, wake up.”

“Mm… huh? Aoi? Morning already…?”
“We’re on a bus, remember? We’re almost at the Divine History Museum. Get ready to get off.”
“Ah, right… my bad.”

Ken rubs his eyes and gathers his things just in time for the bus to come to a halt. One by one, we step off.
What greets us isn’t a traditional wooden building, rare for Kyoto—instead, it’s a massive, modern structure that towers over its surroundings.