The three sisters were whispering among themselves when a familiar voice sounded behind them.
" What are you talking about?"
They whirled around.
Rei Ao stood there with his hands in his pockets, Tsuruyama Shirahi beside him, and—apparently brought along by his teleportation—Amagami Chiharu in an apron.
Shirahi looked about, bewildered. The moment her gaze fell on Chiharu, her pupils tightened; the gentle woman before her emanated the same uncanny aura she had sensed from last night's female ghost.
"This is Tsuruyama Shirahi," Rei Ao said. "I brought her to meet the shrine's kami."
He stepped forward and wrapped an arm around Chiharu's waist.
Chiharu—a kami in human guise—shivered lightly, cheeks flushing, but she nestled obediently against him.
"Yes—this is Amagami Chiharu."
Shirahi's mouth fell open.
"S‑she's the kami? But… she looks completely normal!"
"This is what a shrine's kami looks like," Rei Ao explained, idly stroking Chiharu's shoulder. "Chiharu, would you introduce yourself to Shirahi?"
Chiharu lifted her head and smiled warmly.
"I am Amagami Chiharu, guardian spirit of Amagami Shrine. As you can see, I now exist in a spiritual form."
Shirahi was too stunned to speak.
Memories of Rei Ao's battle with the ghost flashed through her mind; faced with this serene woman, her worldview was once again upended.
The three Amagami sisters, seeing Rei Ao hold their mother so intimately, felt another surge of mixed emotions.
"Um…. Rei Ao-san," Yae began hesitantly, "did you bring Shirahi-san here only to see Mother?"
"Not only that."
Rei Ao raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over the sisters.
"I plan to let Shirahi stay at the shrine for a while. She's very interested in the supernatural, and the place is close to her school—convenient for her."
"What?!" Shirahi and the three sisters cried out together.
"I‑I did think about that," Shirahi stammered, flustered, "but… wouldn't I be a burden?"
She tried to wave the idea away, yet Rei Ao caught her wrist. The warmth of his palm against her skin made her heart skip a beat.
"I don't think Chiharu will refuse," he said with absolute certainty. "And you'll like it here."
Chiharu nodded with a gentle smile. "No need to be nervous, Shirahi-san. Treat this as your own home."
Remembering how Rei Ao had protected her the night before, Shirahi found herself nodding almost against her will.
Though surprised by the sudden "guest," the three sisters still offered polite welcomes.
"In that case," Rei Ao said, taking Shirahi's hand, "let me show you around."
The girl's cheeks flared crimson; her heart thundered in her chest.
She had no idea why this man she'd met only yesterday could provoke such a strong reaction—his touch felt electric.
After the pair left, the shrine fell quiet again.
Chiharu, noting her daughters' anxious faces, laughed softly. "Don't worry—Mother knows what she's doing."
Yae bit her lip. "But, Mother, he—"
"I know what concerns you."
Chiharu walked to the cherry tree and gazed up at the swirling petals.
"Rei Ao is frighteningly strong, yes, but he bears no malice toward me—or toward any of you."
And besides…
A blush spread across her face. "With him, for the first time since my death, I feel truly alive."
Seeing the happiness on their mother's face, the sisters swallowed the protests on their tongues.
Perhaps, after the loneliness of dying, she really did deserve such a blazing affection.
And Rei Ao—mysterious and powerful—had barged into all their lives and was reshaping their fates in ways they could hardly refuse.
…
Elsewhere, Rei Ao strolled along a winding shrine path with Shirahi.
The setting sun gilded the girl's white hair with a golden rim.
She trotted behind him, stealing glances every few steps.
"What are you looking at?"
Rei Ao stopped so abruptly she nearly collided with him.
Flustered, she backed away—only for his arm to circle her waist.
"N‑nothing!"
Her face burned; she dared not meet his eyes.
He chuckled, let her go, then intertwined his fingers with hers.
"Relax. I'll be here from now on."
The words dropped into the calm lake of her heart like a stone, sending ripples everywhere.
Staring at their joined hands, she suddenly felt that staying in this mysterious shrine might not be so bad after all.
Rei Ao, watching her shy expression, smiled with quiet certainty of victory.
…
Petals drifted across the winding lane, laying a pink carpet at their feet.
Shirahi fixed her gaze on Rei Ao's broad back; her heartbeat pounded ever louder in her ears.
She could not shake the images of Maihiru and Rei Ao from her mind.
Clenching her skirt so hard her nails bit into her palms, she finally mustered her courage.
"Rei Ao‑kun… I want to ask about Maihiru‑nee."
He halted and turned slowly, rainbow irises gleaming in the dusk.
A faint, unreadable smile touched his lips. "What do you want to know?"
Shirahi swallowed, her voice scarcely above a whisper.
"Last night… I saw Maihiru‑nee go into your room. Now, what… what is your relationship?"
The words were out before she could stop them. She ducked her head, afraid to see his face.
"What answer do you want?"
Rei Ao advanced, each step echoing on the stone and hammering against her heart.
"No connection at all? A one‑night affair? Or just simple coupling?"
The final two words hit her like a blow.
Shirahi's head snapped up, panic and denial flickering in her eyes.
Yet, in that instant, an uncontrollable yearning surged inside her—she wanted to hear him say "no connection."
Realizing that wish, her cheeks burned still hotter.
~~~
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