The atmosphere shifted as we continued our stroll through the daily goods section of the Night Market. Before long, the shops lining both sides of the path were replaced by stalls overflowing with food and drink.
"The stalls around here seem to focus on ingredients and groceries," I noted.
"That is correct," Illness-san replied in her characteristically soft, drawn-out tone. "Some shops offer snacks to eat on the go, while others sell raw ingredients for home cooking."
"I see. By the way, Illness-san, what exactly were you looking for?"
"Bloodberries. They are perfect for making jam, so they are quite versatile."
"Wait... is that the bright red jam we usually have for breakfast?"
"It is indeed."
I recognized the one she meant. It was a delicious staple that often accompanied our morning bread. It looked exactly like strawberry jam, but the flavor was unique—not quite strawberry, but close enough that I’d always been curious about its origins. It turned out to be Bloodberry jam.
"Is it a rare ingredient?" I asked.
"In a manner of speaking, yes. Since they do not grow in the Human Realm, one has to travel to the Demon Realm to acquire them."
"So they aren't exclusive to the Night Market?"
I had assumed she meant that these were items that could only be found here, but her explanation suggested otherwise.
"That is right. While there are a few items exclusive to this market, Bloodberries are not one of them. However..." She gestured toward a nearby stall. "The 'Drops of Evernight' over there would be a perfect example of a market-exclusive item."
"Drops of Evernight? That sounds intense."
"The flavor of the fruit deteriorates rapidly when exposed to sunlight, making them incredibly difficult to cultivate. Naturally, they cannot be displayed under the sun, so they are only sold at night through venues like this one."
"Interesting. Are they good?"
"When pressed into juice, they are quite refreshing and delicious. It so happens they are selling some right over there."
Following her gaze, I saw a stall with a sign advertising Drops of Evernight juice. A few of the fruits were displayed as samples; they were shaped like figs but were a deep, pitch black.
Hearing that I could only get them here piqued my curiosity. It was just human nature, I suppose. I decided to buy some.
"Since we’re here, I’d like to try some. Would you like one too, Illness-san? My treat."
"That is kind of you... but a full cup would be a bit much for me. If you would not mind, I would be perfectly satisfied with just a few sips of yours."
"Sure, I—" I started to nod, but then I froze. "Wait, sorry, Illness-san. I might have misheard. Did you just say you wanted to share mine?"
"If it would not be a bother to you, Kaito-sama."
"I... I mean, I don't mind, but... are you sure you're okay with that?"
"Is there a problem?" she asked, tilting her head innocently.
"No, no! Not at all. I'll go buy it."
Wait, wouldn't that basically be an indirect kiss? The thought flashed through my mind for a second, but then I reconsidered. It wasn't like we were guaranteed to be using a straw. Illness-san seemed perfectly calm, so it was probably a standard cup. In that case, I could just drink from the other side. Simple.
"Excuse me, I'll take one," I said to the vendor.
"Sure thing. We've got small, medium, and large. Which'll it be?"
"Medium, please."
"Right. That’ll be four R... and here you go."
"Thank you... Oh, it has a lid?"
"Hm? Is this your first time having a Drops of Evernight drink? Light—not just sunlight—can spoil the taste, so we keep them in sealed containers. See that little hole in the lid? You drink directly from there."
"I-I see... Thank you."
The cup I was handed looked exactly like the ones from a modern coffee chain, with the mouthpiece built directly into the lid.
This was bad. This design made the indirect kiss aspect even more unavoidable than a straw. And since the lid was fixed, I couldn't even take it off to pour some out.
Pushing the thought aside, I took a sip to moisten my suddenly dry throat. The flavor was a bit like ramune—a crisp, refreshing sweetness that washed over my palate. It was good. I liked it. But that wasn't the issue.
"U-Um, Illness-san? Would you like some?"
"Thank you. I shall have just a little, then."
I nervously offered her the cup, watching for her reaction. She took it with a polite word of thanks and, without a moment's hesitation, pressed her lips to the mouthpiece and drank.
I didn't know why I was getting so worked up. It wasn't like this was my first indirect kiss, but maybe it was because Illness-san wasn't my girlfriend? I found myself hyper-fixated on her lips as she tipped the cup back.
"Thank you, that was lovely. That is plenty for me, so please finish the rest, Kaito-sama."
"Right. Thanks."
Dammit. If she only wanted one sip, I should have let her go first. Then again, the result would have been the same. Why was I feeling so embarrassed? I wasn't some hormonal teenager. Illness-san clearly didn't give it a second thought, so I was definitely overthinking it.
Just stay calm, I told myself. Act natural.
"Kaito-sama."
"Agh! Y-Yes! What is it!?"
"Oh?" She blinked in surprise.
"S-Sorry! I was just lost in thought and you startled me. What is it?"
"The Bloodberry stall is just ahead. Would you mind if we finished our shopping there?"
"Of course not! Let's go."
Man, that gave me a real heart attack. It wasn't like I was doing anything wrong, but my heart was racing like crazy. I needed to use the walk to the next stall to get my head back in the game.