Ichiro took the stack of pictures; they had taken more than anticipated.
"Here." Ichiro gave Azura half of the pictures and kept another half; they both put the pictures on their bags.
"Thanks." Azura smiled sweetly and looked at the pictures with a smile and gentle eyes.
Ichiro smiled, but then he saw their surroundings and saw there were far more people than previously.
"Shall we go?" Ichiro said.
Azura nodded and followed behind Ichiro to a nearby bench where there weren't any people.
They both sat down, their legs almost touching.
"You know what?"
"Hmm?" Azura tilted her head curiously.
"We have been followed sometime now." Ichiro wryly smiled and pointed in a certain direction.
Azura sneakily peeked and saw her mother peeking behind the wall.
"Ah." Azura lowered her head out of embarrassment; her cheeks started reddening.
Ichiro chuckled, "Your mother?"
"Mm…" Azura nodded shyly.
"Should you talk with her?" Ichiro asked curiously.
Azura thought for a moment and nodded; she stood up and started approaching her mother with quick steps.
Her mother, Alena flinched seeing her daughter coming towards her, she quickly hid behind the wall, but Azura appeared in front of her.
Azura put her hands on her waist, "Mom!"
"Heh… What a coincidence." Alena pretended to be shocked.
Azura narrowed her eyes, "Mom! Are you stalking me?"
"What, stalking?! No." Alena shook her head.
*Sssszzzzz*
Azura started at her without blinking.
Alena sighed, "I was only worried."
Azura crossed her arms which made her breasts look slightly bigger; she pouted and said, "You embarrassed me in front of him!"
"I thought he was only your friend." Alena looked serious all of a sudden.
"He is… For now." Azura smiled and said.
"You don't know anything about him!"
"Hmph." Azura humphed and said, "I know everything about him."
"What do you mean?" Alena looked at her strangely.
"I know everything. I know his family members, I know which school he went to, I know who his friends were, I know where he lived, I know everything!"
Alena looked shocked, "Did you stalk him?!"
Azura shook her head, "I was just curious."
"No, that's definitely stalking." Alena was sweatdropping.
"It's not!" Azura pouted.
"Why do you even like him. There have been thousands of young princes courting you before." Alena asked.
Azura smiled and pointed at Ichiro.
Alena looked at him.
"See?"
"See what?" Alena asked.
"Mom, are you blind?" Azura looked at her mother with worry.
"What?! No." Alena shook her head instantly.
"Then look at him." Azura and Alena both looked at Ichiro's handsome figure.
Ichiro turned his head towards them; he smiled and waved.
Azura instantly blushed.
Alena also slightly blushed; that smile was destructive.
"See?" Azura asked.
Alena nodded, "I think I know what you mean."
"Heh." Azura giggled and crossed her arms proudly.
"Mom, you can go home. I will be fine."
Alena sighed and nodded, "Come back home before 3 P.M."
"Yes~.¨ Azura left her mother behind and saw a group of girls giggling while debating whether they should approach Ichiro.
She narrowed her eyes and sped up her walking.
She arrived at the bench and sat down very near Ichiro; their legs were touching.
The group of girls got instantly disappointed.
Ichiro smiled and asked, "How was your mother?"
"She is fine; she only happened to be shopping," Azura replied.
Ichiro nodded, "I heard an interesting thing; apparently, there are two groups of Idols here in the Mall to talk about their new albums."
"Here?! Why?" Azura was shocked.
Ichiro shook his head, "They do this thing for publicity, and it is free for them. The Mall gets free as well, it's win-win for both of them."
Azura nodded.
"Wanna go see them?" Ichiro asked.
Azura smiled and nodded.
Ichiro stood up and offered a hand to Azura.
Azura smiled sweetly and took the hand with a slight blush.
Both of them started walking towards the area where Idols were while still holding hands.
Once they arrived there. The place was bustling; hundreds of people were gathered while two different groups were on stage.
Another group had 3 extremely handsome-looking young men, while the other group had 3 extremely beautiful-looking young women.
Ichiro took his hand from Azura's and crossed his arms.
Azura was saddened because the warmth in her hand disappeared, but she hid it.
The Idols were discussing their new albums, while the crowd of people was excited.
Ichiro's face was neutral, he was never a fan of Idol's, but he thought Azura might be interested.
But neither is she interested, but she doesn't mind because she is with her crush.
They listened with boredom, but then one of the girl Idols noticed Ichiro.
She elbowed her group members and pointed towards Ichiro.
They were shocked as well.
One of them took a microphone and said loudly, "It seems that we weren't only celebrities here. "
The crowd looked confused, but then one of the Idols pointed towards Ichiro, "Kurogami Ichiro, the Third King."
The crowd looked shocked and turned their heads towards Ichiro.
"I-It's him!" The crowd became noisy instantly.
Ichiro looked confused, 'Since when did I become a celebrity? What the shit?'
The girl group arrived at Ichiro's place, they bowed at the same time.
The leader of the group said with a blush, "C-Can I have an autograph?"
"Sure..?" Ichiro was fucking lost.
They gave him three papers, and he gave his signature and gave the papers back.
"Thanks!" The leader of the group got instantly excited, "D-Do you perhaps want to g-g-go for a drink?"
Ichiro put his palms together, "Sorry, I am busy currently with my girlfriend, goodbye." He grabbed Azura's hand and left the area instantly.
Leaving the shocked girl group behind.
"Sorry." Ichiro scratched his head out of embarrassment after they walked a few hundred meters away from the Idols.
Azura shook her head gently, "No need."
Her palm was slightly bleeding; she dug her nails on it; otherwise, she might have broken the nose of the girl idol.
'She dared to flirt with him?!' Azura was about to go rampage, but then Ichiro grabbed her hand and told them that she was his girlfriend, and her mind went instantly blank.
'Calling her as my girlfriend… Fuck my impulsive decisions; she must be creeped out. Seriously, did my dad drop me when I was a baby or what?' Ichiro was regretting ever being born.
Azura was daydreaming; her mind kept echoing the words girlfriend.
But then their thoughts were interrupted because her phone started ringing.
"Excuse me," Azura said shyly and took her phone and saw her mother calling.
"Mom?" Azura answered.
"It's me." She heard a powerful voice from the phone.
Azura was shocked; with a shaky tone, she said, "D-Dad?"
"I am with your mother. Can you come over?"
Azura's body trembled, "W-Why?"
"I have something important to say, see you in 30."
After that phone disconnected.
Azura's hand trembled.
"Is everything alright?" Ichiro was worried.
Azura bit her lip, "I-I have to go."
Ichiro became serious, "Need help?"
Azura shook her head, "No… I will be fine; this was fun… I loved every second of it." After those words, she turned around and started walking away with shaky steps.
Ichiro grabbed her hand, "Please tell me… What is wrong?"
Azura stayed silent, feeling the warmth in her hand; she turned her teary eyes towards him, "M-My dad is here…"
"Dad?" Ichiro was slightly shocked; Azura told her in WorldlyTalk app that her dad wasn't around. He thought that her dad was dead.
Azura nodded and lowered her head.
Ichiro's heart clenched seeing her sad, "Can I come with you?"
Azura looked shocked but shook her head, "T-Thanks, but I don't want to disturb you with this…"
Ichiro shook his head and started walking towards the Mall's exit while Azura was still holding his hand.
"Let's go!" Ichiro said powerfully.
Azura went blank, but then tiny teardrops trickled down her cheeks; she smiled and focused her concentration on the warm hand.
Azura shortly afterward started telling the directions to her house.
While holdings hands, they looked like a dream couple and received hundreds of envious sighs from passersby's.
They exited the busy streets and arrived at a neighborhood with poor-looking houses, with many homeless-looking people.
Azura was embarrassed, but Ichiro didn't mind.
They arrived at a small building with 2 floors.
Azura dragged Ichiro behind her and arrived at one of the doors; with a rapid heartbeat, she opened the door.
She entered the house with Ichiro and saw a powerful-looking man sitting on the couch while an angry-looking middle-aged woman was looking at him.
There was also a young man standing next to the powerful-looking male.
They all turned their heads towards Azura and were surprised to see someone unknown to them.
"Azura," Alena said gently and nodded towards Ichiro.
The powerful-looking man looked at Ichiro, but then he widened his eyes in surprise.
He stood up; that single motion brought immense pressure towards everyone in the room.
Ichiro felt the pressure most; his forehead was drenched in sweat.
His body screamed for him to bow in front of the mighty man, but his willpower didn't allow him to!
The man walked closer towards them, he looked emotional while looking at Azura, but then he turned towards Ichiro.
"Kurogami Ichiro… What a coincidence." The powerful man said, his voice almost making Ichiro fall down.
Ichiro used all his strength to look the man in the eye.
His body was at breaking point.
The powerful-looking man put his hand forward for a handshake.
Ichiro gritted his teeth.
[Iron Demon]
Ichiro's body bulged massively, and he used all his strength to put his hand forwards for a handshake.
Ichiro grabbed his hand and shook it; his face was morphed into pain.
"DAD! STOP IT!" Azura cried out.
After those words, the pressure disappeared.
Ichiro fell down on his knees; his willpower was spent.
Azura's dad was impressed, "Excellent."
"Let me introduce myself."
"My name is… Abyss Nightside."
