NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 43: Business and bond.
Yukari, Kusa, and Mima observed Reimu as she diligently attended to her chores.
Yukari, in her naughty manner, remarked, "Wouldn't Reimu look even more stunning in a maid outfit?"
Kusa couldn't help but picture Reimu in a maid outfit, and her face showed her amusement. "I can't disagree with that... She is cute after all," she thought, though she kept that last part to herself, "I prefer no clothes, though..."
Yukari, always one for playing pranks, suggested, "How about you create it and make her wear it..."
Kusa's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "Nice idea!" Without hesitation, she crafted a maid outfit with the same color scheme as Reimu's priestess attire.
Approaching Reimu, Kusa surprised her with a sudden hug.
Mima, observing the situation, asked Yukari skeptically, "Do you think she will agree to this, Yukari?"
Yukari expressed her confidence, saying, "I'm sure of it because it's Kusa, after all."
Reimu took the outfit from Kusa and quietly headed to a vacant room to change into it.
Kusa, somewhat surprised, commented, "She agreed. I didn't think she would accept it without qualms."
Yukari, who seemed to know Kusa quite well, responded, "I don't know if you are dense or just underestimating yourself."
Mima said, "Both if I have to guess."
Kusa shrugged off their comments, saying, "It's better than overestimating oneself."
As the door opened, Reimu emerged, now wearing the maid outfit.
Kusa's eyes widened, and her ahoge flailed wildly in sheer surprise.
Yukari and Mima, rather impressed, chimed in together with a cheerful, "Nice!!!"
Reimu, despite looking lovely in her maid outfit, seemed a bit embarrassed by the attention. She requested, "Please don't stare too much..."
Kusa, still entranced, promptly conjured tissues for herself and the others. She couldn't help but express her admiration, saying, "Honestly, you are so beautiful that I want to marry you..."
Reimu reminded her, "Didn't we already do that?"
Kusa, not deterred, replied with heartfelt affection, "I'm marrying you again because every time I see you, it makes me fall in love all over again."
Reimu couldn't help but let out an affectionate sigh, saying, "Mou..."
As the two of them closed the distance between them and shared a kiss, Yukari amusingly observed, "Did they forget about us?"
Mima, equally amused, shook her head, replying, "Nope, they just didn't give a damn."
--
Kusa and Yukari were on the hunt for a potential candidate to dress up.
Yukari suggested, "Let's go find Aya."
Kusa, curious, asked, "Why Aya specifically?"
Yukari explained, "Tengu and samurai mix well together."
Kusa couldn't help but be amused, stating, "Honestly, I don't know where you get these ideas."
Yukari, confidently, responded, "I'm well-versed in technology, so I know a thing or two about culture, my uncultured friend."
Kusa, playfully, teased, "Is that so? Then you'd agree with me if I said you look good when you're bound with vines?"
Kusa suggested mischievously, "Or wearing a tight apron."
Yukari, raising an eyebrow, responded, "I didn't think your taste is very heavy..."
Kusa, with a subtle, somber thought, whispered to herself, "It isn't mine but the two people that I killed."
Kusa, trying to change the subject, asked, "Want to try?"
Yukari playfully declined, her smile brightening, "Nope."
Kusa, a bit disappointed, said, "Fine..."
Together, they arrived inside Aya's house using Yukari's portal, surprising Aya.
Aya questioned, "Kusa and Yukari?"
Kusa, determined, replied, "Listen, Aya."
Aya was taken aback by Kusa's unusually serious tone, wondering, "What is it?"
Kusa, maintaining her seriousness, requested, "Wear these clothes."
Aya hesitated, responding, "Ehh?! But..."
Kusa implored, "Please."
Reluctantly, Aya agreed, saying, "Fine..." She then headed towards her bedroom to change into the clothes Kusa had in mind.
Kusa, with a sly grin, added, "I'll take 2% of the yield."
Yukari, not surprised by Kusa's request, teased, "As expected of a pervert..."
Kusa cheekily responded to Yukari's teasing, "I'll take that as a compliment."
With a bit of hesitation, Aya revealed herself in her new outfit, feeling rather restless about the situation.
Kusa reassured her, saying, "It's okay, Aya, sit down on that chair."
Yukari handed Aya a sword and told her, "And hold this sword for a bit."
Confused, Aya asked, "What is this?"
Kusa replied, "Don't question it, and you'll be okay."
Aya was left puzzled, wondering about their intentions.
Yukari exclaimed, "Perfect!"
Kusa added, "Let me see!"
Kusa continued, "Ohh!!! Such high quality, as expected of the latest model."
Yukari agreed, "Right?!"
Meanwhile, Aya was blushing furiously and on the brink of exploding from embarrassment.
Seeing this, Yukari looked at Kusa, who let out a sigh. Kusa then approached Aya and surprised her with a kiss on the cheek.
Aya was taken aback, exclaiming, "Eh?"
Yukari seized the opportunity, grabbed Kusa, and swiftly retreated, leaving Aya in flustered confusion.
Aya snapped out of her stupor and shouted furiously, causing the whole house to shake.
Ignoring Aya's outburst, Kusa asked, "How many buyers if you sell this in one day?"
Yukari replied, "About a thousand or so..."
Kusa grinned and said, "Glad to be in business with you."
Yukari agreed, and they continued to terrorize the locals with their business plan, leaving Aya fuming in the background.
--
Kusa and Mokou were sitting in the village square, observing children playing and laughing.
Kusa suddenly asked, "Do you want to have a child?"
Mokou was taken aback by the question and responded, "Huh?! What kind of question is that?"
Kusa shrugged, saying, "Nothing, I just thought you might be fond of children."
Mokou clarified, "It's not that I'm fond of them... It's more of a 'what if' thought. Like, what if I were normal and not immortal? Would I be able to smile and be relaxed like them?"
Kusa nodded knowingly and replied, "I'm pretty sure if you were normal, I wouldn't have a wife named Mokou today."
With that, Kusa playfully poked Mokou's forehead and said, "You're it!" before darting away.
Mokou, chuckling, commented, "Seriously, what a childish individual," and chased after Kusa with a smile on her face.
--
Kusa, Marisa, and Reimu strolled along the lakeside, admiring the serene scenery.
Kusa commented, "This lake is still remarkably clear despite the barrage of bullets it faces every day."
She added, "And I guess it's only misty if Cirno is around."
Marisa chimed in, "Now that you mention it, Cirno isn't here in the lake."
Reimu pondered, "Maybe she's headed to that pond in the mountains to freeze some frogs."
Kusa grinned and said, "She still goes there? I'm pretty sure she's been beaten several times by the god of that pond."
Marisa shrugged, remarking, "Do you think Cirno would surrender just like that?"
Kusa chuckled, "You're right. She's as immovable as a giant iceberg."
Reimu suddenly exclaimed, "I caught a fish!"
Kusa and Marisa both turned to see a rather sizable catch and agreed, "And it's a big one."
Marisa eagerly asked, "Let me hold it!"
As the two of them got closer, Kusa found herself looking away and deep in thought.
Kusa thought to herself, If I didn't exist, the two of them probably would've become a couple. It was a fleeting thought, and she quickly shook it off.
Approaching Marisa and Reimu, Kusa asked, "What do you want to do with the fish?"
Both Marisa and Reimu replied in unison, "Release it!"
Kusa smiled warmly at their answer. "Then gently put the fish back into the lake."
The fish swam freely as it was released into the lake, and the three friends watched it for a moment.
Kusa suggested, "Let's go back and watch the cherry blossoms at the shrine."
Marisa chimed in, "And let's drink!"
Reimu, being more reserved, remarked, "It's still early, you know."
Marisa, with her usual enthusiasm, responded, "There's no such thing as early or late. It depends on if you're happy or sad, and I'm very happy!"
Kusa agreed, saying, "I guess we can... just a little bit."
Reimu teased, "You spoiled her too much."
Kusa chuckled, "I spoiled you all."
As they continued walking side by side, with Kusa in the middle, Marisa shared, "And that's why..."
Reimu interjected, "We like you."
In a sweet gesture, both Marisa and Reimu kissed Kusa on the cheek.
Kusa playfully commented, "You two are making me die early with too much sugar."