One Punch Man: Heroics Start with Dual Kamui

Chapter 180 180: Living Together

"Of course not," Shinji said firmly, shaking his head.

"So you're saying you seriously confessed to me?" Tatsumaki's voice was hesitant, her tone carrying a mix of curiosity and expectation. A faint flush colored her cheeks as she asked.

"...Ah." Shinji hesitated for a moment. She was clearly overthinking things, but for some reason, admitting it outright didn't feel like such a bad idea.

"Yes." He nodded, steady and sincere.

"I knew it. Honestly, you're impossible. I guess I'll just have to reluctantly accept..." Tatsumaki's eyes flickered but avoided looking directly at him, her embarrassment obvious.

"If you're really that reluctant, you don't have to accept," Shinji said with a small smile, teasing her gently and testing her tsundere tendencies. Even now, he still found it hard to believe that Tatsumaki didn't dislike him, but actually liked him instead.

At that, Tatsumaki shot him a sharp look as if he were a fool. "Shut your mouth and just date me properly!"

"Alright, alright," Shinji laughed, then sighed softly. "Still, I didn't expect you would actually like me..."

"Huh? When did I ever say I liked you? You're the one who suddenly confessed, and I only reluctantly decided to give you a chance…!" Tatsumaki crossed her arms, letting out a short huff of irritation.

"But normally people don't accept confessions from someone they have no interest in, right?" Shinji asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Ugh..." Tatsumaki choked on his logic, flustered. "Anyway! You should be grateful you get to date me!"

"Alright, alright." Shinji relented again, humoring her.

....

By now, the students had long since been dismissed, and it was nearly six in the evening. Shinji figured it was about time to head home. Just as he was about to leave, Tatsumaki suddenly grabbed his hand.

Turning to her, he asked cautiously, "Is something wrong? If not, I was about to head back for dinner."

"Do I really have to spell it out?" she snapped back, her voice carrying both impatience and expectation.

"...?" Shinji blinked. He had no idea what she meant. He paused to think.

"You want me to walk you home first?" he asked tentatively.

"Are you stupid? The first step in dating is living together, isn't it? Why should I have to say that myself..." Tatsumaki's words came out with more heat than usual, and the red in her cheeks deepened noticeably.

"Wait... when did living together become the very first step in dating?" Shinji muttered, half in disbelief, half in amusement. Despite her assertiveness, he found her unexpectedly endearing. She was already twenty-eight, yet in many ways still surprisingly immature.

"Then tell me what it is. If you can't, then we'll do it my way." Tatsumaki's patience was thinning, and her glare could have frozen water.

"Nothing," Shinji chuckled softly, realizing he hadn't been direct enough. "If it's living together... by the way, have you moved out of the hotel yet?" He remembered she had been staying at a hotel in City B not long ago.

"Not yet," she admitted reluctantly.

"Then just come to my place. Bring your things with you." Shinji offered simply, his tone gentle but firm.

"Hmph." Tatsumaki let out a short huff, but inwardly, she thought this was more like it. Without another word, Shinji teleported with her to the hotel, and together they entered the suite she had rented.

He carefully stored all of her belongings in his Kamui space to make the move easier.

"My things… where did they all go?" Tatsumaki asked, her eyes widening as she watched her luggage disappear into thin air.

"They're in my personal dimension. Don't worry, not a single item will be missing." Shinji tapped his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan as he spoke, calm and confident.

"Really now… you sure have a lot of strange abilities," Tatsumaki muttered, half in complaint, half in awe.

Shinji only smiled silently, offering no reply.

...

Moments later, Shinji teleported them back to his own place and released all of Tatsumaki's belongings from Kamui space. She looked around his bedroom, surprised. "Your room is surprisingly tidy."

"Go ahead and unpack your things. I'll go prepare dinner," Shinji said, stepping toward the kitchen.

"Easy." Not long after he left, Tatsumaki used her psychic powers to arrange her luggage neatly in an instant, every item falling perfectly into place.

...

"Shinji, did you invite anyone else to dinner tonight?" Saitama asked curiously, noticing Tatsumaki in Shinji's home for the first time.

"No, no one else," Shinji replied, shaking his head.

"Oh, I see. Guess she wants to try your cooking too," Saitama said with a small smile.

"Cooking? Now that you mention it… it really does smell delicious. Shinji, so you have talent in this area too?" Tatsumaki sounded genuinely surprised.

"Shinji's cooking is amazing. Once you try a bite, you'll fall in love with his—" Saitama stopped mid-sentence, leaving the word unfinished.

Immediately, Tatsumaki misunderstood. "I-I haven't fallen for him! He's the one who confessed to me first!" Her cheeks flushed red as she protested.

"Confessed…?" Saitama blinked, momentarily lost. Once he processed it, he gave Shinji a curious look. "Shinji… I didn't expect you to have that kind of kink…" He leaned closer and whispered, "She's still underage, you know. Though I guess if you both feel the same way…"

Tatsumaki's temples bulged with veins, her patience snapping. "What nonsense are you spouting, baldy! I'm already twenty-eight! I'm not a kid!"

If this had been anywhere else, she probably would have exploded on the spot. Yet she restrained herself, as this was Saitama. Even if he wouldn't harm humans, she wasn't about to lash out recklessly.

"For realzies?" Saitama looked genuinely surprised.

"I've told you more than once! Why are you acting like this is new information?" Tatsumaki snapped, clearly annoyed.

"Look…" Saitama didn't argue. He simply raised his hand, comparing their height. Even seated, Tatsumaki's petite frame left her noticeably shorter than him. Her feet didn't even reach the ground.

"!!" Tatsumaki immediately felt insulted, veins bulging again. "Shinji!" She called out his name and climbed onto his lap, bringing her almost to Saitama's eye level.

"..." Shinji couldn't help but think, 'Don't tell me she's actually going to eat dinner sitting here…?'

But that was exactly what happened. The dishes and chopsticks floated into her hands under her psychic control, glowing faintly green. Shinji felt a wave of awkwardness settle over him. Dinner while trying to suppress his reaction… this was going to be a long meal.