Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 339: Arc 5, - 33: Someone Tell Me Already!

Kineko and Asobi sat at opposite sides of the dining table, both with papers in front of them. In between, in front of the stack of reference books, was Hotaru who read some other book of her own.

’Here we are; sitting still in one spot again.’ Jotou stared at them all as she sat with her legs curled up on the sofa. ’Hopefully once Fumeko’s graduation’s done and Asobi’s enrolled, we can go do stuff.

Maybe I should go paint something. This city does have a lot of inspiration to draw from. If I were to study in a place like this... Nah, studying’s the same anywhere you do it. Studying abroad is much more about the abroad and all the experiences other than studying.

Great, now I’m going on tangents.’ The blonde sighed and narrowed her sights on the redhead. A small grin crept up. ’It’d be nice to cuddle her from behind while she read a book.

Probably not the best to bother them for now though. ...’ Jotou’s lips lowered. ’In Asobi’s room that day... I have no doubt Hotaru wasn’t feeling well that day. Then after talking to Sobi, she seemed fine...

I’m glad she felt better, but was it really something she couldn’t tell me? Am I doing something wrong?’ Jotou shook her head—and with it, the unwarranted anxiety. ’Stop overthinking.’

Jotou gazed to her again... ’I still haven’t told her about it.’ The blonde’s eyes darted to Asobi. ’It doesn’t matter, does it? Then why haven’t I said it yet? Am I scared that Hotaru might not understand? Why would I need to think that?’

As usual, her thoughts spiralled the more she sat still doing nothing. With a subtle whine under her breath, Jotou stretched her legs out and got off the couch.

The morning light barely made it past the window as Jotou carried herself up the stairs. Hotaru’s ears pricked and she turned to catch a glimpse of Jotou’s ankles up the steps—the heels of her feet never touching the stairs.

How did she sneak away upstairs so silently? It was nothing new of course. "Housecat," Hotaru mumbled to herself with a smirk and glanced back to her book.

Jotou opened the door to her room and fell face first into the bed. She rolled around and picked up her plush puppy. "Hm..." she pouted to one side as she held it in the air above her. "I miss Orion. Hope he’s doing okay."

Jotou sat up in one motion and weaved her fingers through her ponytail. She brought the few strands that fell out in front of her eyes—pitch black; a couple of red strands probably from the bed.

She got up to throw it in the trash whilst she patted down her hair. Her eyes darted to the vanity that hosted various makeup products, brushes, combs and a purse. "Hey, you think Ana ever saw an armite?" she asked the plush puppy sat on the sheets.

...

"Thought so," Jotou picked up the purse and weighed it in her palm. "Doesn’t feel right to look inside," she set it back down. "But if I’m not mistaken," Jotou opened up the cupboard.

A yellow coat hung next to all the colourful clothing—a sword to the side of the cupboard’s floor within. She fished out an armite from the coat and flipped it before catching it in her grasp.

She opened her palm and smiled, a bit proud she caught it so swiftly. "Including this, our party’s total would be around fifty-two armite now—five hundred twenty thousand copper. That really is a lot, huh."

She placed it back into the coat pocket and shut the cupboard. "I guess that means, financially we don’t have to worry about much for now. Maybe we could get you a new eye," she smirked.

...

"Maybe not. It builds character. Still, it’s a shame if we don’t buy something with all this money. I don’t think a house in this world costs that much... not that I’d be an expert on that, it’s just a guess.

Hm, maybe a gift for Aru? Then again, her birthday’s not till May- Oh yeah, our date," Jotou’s brows knitted. "Well, I think you’re supposed to get a gift on the date... Wait, we don’t even know where we’re going."

Dinner date, park date, beach date, library date, stay at home date—the possibilities were endless! "Wait, I’m technically the one who asked her on the date... Does that mean I need to plan it?"

Jotou stared to the floor of the room in pondering... "Wait!" she said for the third time. "Meko’s birthday’s soon," she hushed down. "Her graduation’s the day after tomorrow. I need to get two gifts.

The hell do I get Meko besides food? Mystery novels? Nah," she quickly took the one armite back into her hand. "Daiyu’s birthday’s in March. Then again, do I need to get something for the princess who can get everything...? Probably should."

The blonde continued her multitude of dilemmas as she walked out the door. She strolled along to the staircase and peered up with a sigh...

She knocked her feet into the first stair and fell forward, catching herself higher on the steps with her hands; she proceeded to crawl up on all fours lazily.

"Knock-knock."

Fumeko turned her head from her desk, "Who is it?"

"Me."

"Me who?" the brunette laid her chin in her palm.

"I’ll tell Kineko you said you wanted to play with her-"

"Okay, okay! Come in," she surrendered.

Jotou entered the room with a smirk, "That easy huh?"

"Ugh, using that as a threat..." Fumeko shifted the papers on her desk; all of them related to the case it seemed. "What is it? You want to hang out or something?"

"Yeah, sure, I’m not up to anything today," Jotou shrugged. "I had a question though; it’s been bothering me for a bit," she knitted her brows.

Fumeko raised a brow, "And that is...?"

"What’s the 30th of February?" Jotou looked to her.

...

...

The brunette’s eyes widened every second; and every second her complexion went into a deeper shade of red. Her lips parted with no words... "I..." shadows appeared and she blinked onto her feet.

Jotou knitted her brows more with a tilt of her head.

Fumeko beamed, "It’s a date! You’d ask me over Hotaru? I can’t believe it- I," her smile vanished within an instant. Something wasn’t right here; she leered to Jotou.

"I already asked Hotaru, but she didn’t say anything and ran off. That’s why I’m asking you; I obviously know it’s a date."

"How dare you..." Fumeko’s nose scrunched. "I’m the second? Ugh," she rolled her eyes. "What happened between you and Aru? Did I miss something?"

"...Huh?" Jotou stared. "N-nothing happened, I genuinely don’t know what the 30th of February is. Is it some important day?"

Fumeko blankly stared back, fluttering her lashes.

...

Shadows formed and she blinked to her bed to grab a pillow, "GET OUT OF MY ROOM!" she threw it with all her might, then grabbed another.

"What? Hey!" Jotou blocked, but stepped back out the door.

"Slam!" Fumeko blinked forward and shut her door, "Don’t play with my heart ever again!!!" she locked it.

"What?" Jotou’s voice squeaked from the other side. "No, I wasn’t trying to do that. Seriously, what does that day mean? Detective!" she knocked on the door more.

"Go ask someone else," Fumeko stepped away. "Should’ve known you don’t know what that day is."

"Ai, ai, ai," Jotou uttered under her breath. ’30th? Heart? 14th’s Valentine’s Day, but I assume that doesn’t exist in this world. Even if it does, why’s that question related at all!? That’s it, I’m getting Hotaru to tell me one way or the other.’

Jotou stomped down two flights of stairs and set her eyes upon the dining table; only to see Hotaru and Kineko missing... "Well crap."

Asobi turned from her studying, "Hm? Hi Jotou," she waved with a pencil.

"Where’re the other two?"

"Oh, Detective Namora’s outside carrying groceries, so they went to help," she pointed to the shut front door.

"Hm. Hey Sobi," she walked towards her. "You wouldn’t happen to know what the 30th of February is, would you?"

"It’s a day of the month," she poked a pencil under her chin. "And also what fifteen plus fifteen is! I did that in my head!"

Jotou giggled, "Proud of you. Seriously though, is there anything important on that date?"

"Uhm, I’m not sure. I could ask Hotaru."

"She didn’t answer me last time," the blonde remarked.

"Maybe I can still ask her?" the elf giddied.

Jotou sighed, "Might as well try."

Asobi ran out the door and closed it before the cold could get in. Jotou walked up to it and stood with her arms crossed. ’Meko said she should’ve known I wouldn’t know. And she seemed really excited.

There’s no doubt about it, the day must have something to do with lovers. Which means, did I accidentally ask Fumeko out on a date?’ The blonde blushed.

The door opened up with an equally flushed Asobi—from cheeks to ear, "Jotou... it’s a date," she responded, wide-eyed.

Jotou squinted, "I know that! Is there anything important about the date?" ’Hold up, did I also accidentally ask Asobi on a date then?’

"What’re you up to~?" Hotaru entered with her tail swaying and grocery bags in her hands.

"Figuring out a mystery," Jotou glared.

"Aww, how cute~" Hotaru walked past and brushed her tail against Jotou. Asobi followed behind Hotaru, whilst hiding her face.

Jotou groaned and stepped out of the way for the Kineko zooming in. "Aunty Spauky-Eyes! Look, look! I got gummy beawrs!" she hopped with the medium packet in her gloved hands. It was already opened with several missing.

The blonde’s frustration concealed itself, "That’s nice! Are they tasty?"

"Wreally wreally tasty and chewy!" Kineko searched and picked out a yellow one, before she reached her arm up as far as she could. "Ahhh."

Jotou lowered her head and allowed Kineko to toss it into her mouth. ’I do love gummies. Something to chew the stress out.’ The gummy tore in one bite rather than a chew. ’...’ "Lemon!"

"Mhm, I knew aunty would like it. The chewiness is like wraw chicken!"

Jotou knitted her brows, "Don’t, do that..." ’How does she even...?’

Kineko giggled and ran into the house to take her shoes off.

Kazuo walked in right behind, several grocery bags—all of them in one hand. He noticed the blonde’s puzzled expression, "Is something wrong?"

Now was her chance. "Okay, no other connotations, I genuinely do not know what this day is, but what, is the 30th of February? The day of said date; I clearly don’t know what it means, because I’m from another world," Jotou waved her hands all over the place.

Kazuo stepped in further and shut the door, "Well, it’s nothing to do with you being from another world. It’s a Burntish thing. The Lune Rose Floraison—it’s a fairly old tradition.

Famously in Burnetrout, it’s the best day to ask the one you like on a date or for couples, to spend it together till the morning of March 1st.

You’d ask, ’What’s the 30th of February?’ and the recipient would either answer, ’It’s a date’ to accept or ’A day I’m not available’ to decline."

Jotou pouted, "I see..." she glared straight to the kitchen where Hotaru set the groceries on the counter. Hotaru looked back with her fangs glistening; Asobi glanced as well and giggled, removing the illusion of her blushed face. ’Those two little...’

"It’s a, silly tradition," Kazuo sighed and locked the door.

’That solves that then. ...’ "Then another question if you don’t mind?" Jotou looked him the eye.

Kazuo raised his brows, "These’re getting heavier by the second, so as long as it’s not long," he shifted the groceries to his other hand.

"Is there anything we should know about the case?"

He immediately closed his eyes.

Jotou kept her stare.

"I figured you’d ask," he opened his eyes to face her. "I knew none of you would be done with the case..."

Jotou’s eyes sparked as she gave a smirk and a shrug of her shoulder.

"Regardless, the warehouse is under investigation; that’s all you really need to know. I’d ask you to please, ask Fumeko to focus on her graduation for now."

"I’ll certainly try," Jotou hummed. "But you know we won’t give up," she walked past him towards the kitchen.

Kazuo looked up to the ceiling... took a deep breath and walked towards the kitchen with the groceries.