Mash-up Anime World: Creating the SCP Foundation to Contain Anomalies

Night slowly descended.

When it comes to an onsen ryokan, the highlight is naturally the hot spring bath after dinner.

Come to think of it, this was actually Haruto's first time visiting a hot spring in Japan.

Before, he had been busy with his studies, securing his spot as the top student.

After that, he had been constantly on the move due to anomalies, occupied with establishing the foundation.

At heart, Haruto was a laid-back person who loved a simple daily life and enjoyed taking it easy.

But he had been forced to work hard.

Truly, a sad story.

Now, however, he finally had some time to relax and enjoy himself.

"Click."

Haruto looked at the hot spring and clicked his tongue. Behind him, Mitsuha, carrying a wooden bucket, was a bit confused.

"Haruto, is something wrong?"

Hearing Mitsuha's voice, Haruto quickly adjusted his expression.

"Nothing, my throat just feels a little uncomfortable."

It definitely wasn't because there was no mixed bathing here that he clicked his tongue!

Definitely not!

Stepping into the hot spring, Haruto walked towards the water source, allowing the warmth to envelop him.

Even though his highly evolved body meant that different water temperatures didn't make much of a difference to him...

At this moment, he still felt a hint of comfort.

Just beyond a thin wooden wall, the sound of girls chatting and laughing could be heard.

That made it even better!

This was the kind of everyday life he wanted!

All those days of running around, there must have been a mistake somewhere!

'Once I recruit more people and establish the Central Finite Curve completely, I'll retire!'

Haruto thought to himself.

At the same time, he casually took out two spheres—one pink, one blue—and tossed them into the air.

The intertwined fate and the encounter fate.

As soon as they left his hand, they transformed into two streaks of light, shooting toward the sky.

Then, two meteors streaked across the night sky, dazzling and brilliant.

"Wow! Mitsuha, look! A shooting star!"

"It really is a shooting star! Quick, take a picture... Damn, my phone's outside, I won't make it in time!"

The amazed voices of the two girls came from the other side of the wall. Watching the meteors fade into the distance, Haruto clasped his hands together.

"I vow to eat a balanced diet for life, please let me summon a little chef!"

The shooting stars disappeared, leaving only faint trails in the sky.

Haruto didn't dwell on it further.

The fate ties didn't take effect immediately, they required the passage of time and the right moment to arrive. As for whether he'd really summon a little chef—that was just a hopeful wish, with a very slim chance.

After soaking in the hot spring for a while longer, Haruto stepped out of the water and shook himself, instantly evaporating all the moisture from his body.

A little application of the Blacklight Virus.

After putting on a yukata, Haruto left the bathhouse.

At the same time, Mitsuha and Suzume also stepped out together.

The two girls were chatting and laughing, but when they saw Haruto, they both froze for a moment, their cheeks flushing slightly.

Late at Night.

Haruto had a vague feeling that tonight was not meant for sleep.

So he left his room and went to the hot spring courtyard to admire the moon.

However, he had barely taken a few steps when he heard the faint sound of a door opening behind him.

Turning around, he saw Mitsuha carefully peeking out from her room, scanning the surroundings as if checking for something.

Then, her gaze met Haruto's.

In an instant, her face turned completely red, as if dusted with a layer of bright rouge, truly a stunning sight.

However, whether it was due to maturity brought by age or the longing from three years of separation…

Mitsuha didn't flee in panic like a shy schoolgirl.

Instead, she boldly tiptoed out of her room and ran toward Haruto.

Then, even more daringly, she hugged his arm.

As the saying goes:

"Undressed and ready to sleep, the moonlight entered my room. Delighted, I rose—no one to share it with. So I sought out Haruto next door. He was also awake, and together, we strolled through the courtyard."

Under the moonlight, the only sound in the garden was the soft steps of the two.

Before coming out, Mitsuha had so many things she wanted to say.

After all, it had been three years, they must have accumulated countless words unspoken.

Yet now, as they walked together, Mitsuha fell silent instead, forgetting everything she had planned to say.

Tonight's moon was bright and full, hanging high in the sky like a perfect treasure.

Step by step, Mitsuha's gaze gradually became dazed.

"The moon is beautiful tonight."

Haruto suddenly spoke.

Mitsuha's body trembled slightly but quickly returned to normal.

In Japanese, the pronunciation of "moonlight" and "like" was nearly identical, only a tiny difference between tsuki and suki.

That's why, in many youth novels, authors used the moon and love as themes to depict the unspoken feelings between the protagonists.

Over time, "The moon is beautiful tonight" became a poetic way to express affection.

However, Mitsuha had clearly heard Haruto's words, so there was no room for misunderstanding.

Yet, when she looked up...

She saw that Haruto wasn't gazing at the moon.

Instead, he was looking directly at her.

Mitsuha: !

Saying "The moon is beautiful" but not looking at the moon, his intention was crystal clear.

"You know, I'm from China, so I don't understand Japanese that well. If my pronunciation was wrong, I hope you can correct me and teach me the proper way to say it."

Haruto said with a smile.

Mitsuha's eyes widened. After a long pause, she finally stammered, 

"T-then… repeat after me. Not tsuki, but suki. Say it like this, 'I like you. I like you.'"

Haruto nodded.

"Suki. Did I say it right?"

Mitsuha nodded vigorously.

"That's right! I like you too!"

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As the saying goes: A mountain does not need to be tall; if it shelters an immortal, it will be famous. A river does not need to be deep; if it harbors a dragon, it will be spirited. Even in the wilderness, warmth can still be found, as the girl sings softly and the night deepens in romance.

Later that night, Haruto carried Mitsuha in his arms, quietly sneaking back into her room through the other side's window.

Placing the already fast-asleep girl onto her bed, he gently covered her with a thin blanket.

Before leaving, he softly kissed Mitsuha's forehead.

Perhaps from exhaustion, Mitsuha's brows were slightly furrowed.

But as Haruto kissed her, they slowly smoothed out.

Activating the Blacklight Virus within her body at a low power state, Haruto allowed it to repair her body.

After making sure everything was in order, Haruto walked toward the door.

This time, it was his turn to tiptoe, opening the door cautiously and scanning the surroundings.

Thankfully, the hallway was empty, shrouded in the night's silence.

With a quiet chuckle, Haruto walked toward his own room. With his level of perception, there was no way he'd get caught!

However…

Just as he placed his hand on the doorknob, he suddenly froze.

Inside his room, he could hear soft footsteps.

Realizing something, Haruto gently turned the knob and pushed the door open. Sure enough, inside his room, a girl sat on the tatami, staring at him with burning eyes.

Haruto stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

Looking at Suzume, Haruto smiled sheepishly.

"So… why is Suzume in my room in the middle of the night?"

Suzume, at this moment, had a face full of suspicion.

"Rather than worrying about trivial matters, why were you sneaking out in the middle of the night, Haruto? Could it be that you went to ambush some girl?"

Haruto cleared his throat and waved his hand with a righteous expression.

"Absolutely impossible! I am an upstanding person; how could I ever do such a thing?"

After all, they had just happened to meet outside, how could that be considered an ambush?

Suzume, however, didn't seem convinced.

But after staring at Haruto for a while, she gave up on pursuing the matter.

She stood up, walked to the door, and pulled Haruto to sit down beside her. The two leaned against the wall, without turning on the lights, sitting in the darkness of the room, illuminated only by the moonlight streaming through the window.

"Three years ago, I wanted to sit with you like this and properly thank you."

Suzume looked at the patches of moonlight scattered on the floor and spoke softly.

Haruto was taken aback, a little puzzled.

"Thank me? For what?"

Suzume took a deep breath, then smiled and said:

"Because of you, Haruto, I was finally able to reconcile with my past and understand my aunt. In my life before, I was always trapped in the disaster of my childhood, unable to accept my mother's passing."

Hearing this, Haruto immediately understood.

He gently wrapped his arm around Suzume's shoulders and said softly:

"We can't always be stuck in the past. We have to look forward and keep moving ahead."

Suzume nodded.

She had come to understand this three years ago, during that journey.

If she kept dwelling on past suffering, she would only continue to bring trouble to herself and those who cared about her.

After realizing this, Suzume felt both relieved and frightened.

If she had never figured it out and kept enclosing herself in the thorny shell of her past...

Then what would have happened to her aunt?

She would have been utterly exhausted, wouldn't she?

Luckily, she realized it in time. There was still plenty of time to embrace the aunt who loved her and to step toward the future.

And in this relief, a thought emerged—"I'm glad I met Haruto."

Leaning against Haruto's shoulder, Suzume felt lucky and at peace.

Then, after their heartfelt conversation...

Suzume suddenly pounced on Haruto, pinning him down beneath her.

Haruto: !

"Suzume, don't mistake gratitude for other emotions. Listen carefully to your own heart, or you'll regret it," Haruto advised seriously.

However...

"My heart tells me..."

Suzume smirked, deliberately leaving her sentence unfinished. She was never the obedient type.

Now that she had resolved her inner conflicts, Suzume could hear her true feelings more clearly.

And she was also someone who followed her heart more than anyone else.

So, Haruto ended up getting smothered by her embrace.

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T/N: No smut, fuck that.