"Kotori... what's up with you?"
At the breakfast table, Itsuka Shidou glanced suspiciously at Kotori, who was quietly shoveling food into her mouth with unusual intensity.
Her delicate, snow-white cheeks were still tinged with a lovely blush.
Her eyes were locked—somewhere between embarrassed and furious—on Nagami, who sat across the table wearing the exact same calm expression as always.
Her bowl had already been empty for a while, and she hadn't even noticed.
Suspicious. Very suspicious.
"It's nothing! Nothing at all!"
Kotori's sudden loud outburst felt more like she was trying to cover something up.
Not just Shidou everyone at the table turned to look at her, curiosity written all over their faces.
"Ara~ Looks like Kotori-chan had a very good morning~"
Kurumi, seated beside Nagami, flashed a knowing smile as she eyed the flustered girl, her voice teasing and playful, with just a hint of smugness.
Then her gaze shifted to Nagami, locking eyes with him.
Her seductive crimson gaze met his, but he only responded with a gentle smile.
As expected…
"A good morning? Wh—Ow! Kotori, what the heck?!"
Shidou turned to Kurumi, hoping for answers—but instead got elbowed hard in the stomach by his little sister.
Kotori definitely hadn't held back the way she did with Nagami.
Shidou doubled over like a prawn, his face contorted in pain.
"Eat your breakfast. No—hurry up and finish it! It's almost time for Itsuka Shiori's appearance. Ratatoskr's completed gathering intel on Miku Izayoi, and the spirit-sealing operation starts today."
Unable to vent on Kurumi, Kotori redirected all her frustration onto Shidou.
"Ugh... You fall in love, and suddenly your brother's invisible…"
His voice dripped with bitter sarcasm.
But the moment those words left his mouth, Kotori froze.
"Shidou-nii… what did you just say?" Her face held a bright and adorable smile, but the shadow falling across her eyes made it look almost sinister.
"Nothing! I didn't say anything!" Shidou shook his head wildly like a bobblehead, frantically waving his hands in denial.
Was he crazy?!
If he kept pushing it, Kotori might find a way to kill him during today's spirit encounter.
He couldn't risk it—he'd fold faster than a cheap umbrella!
"Hmph."
Letting out a small huff, Kotori turned away with a tsundere pout, grabbed a glass of cold water, and casually splashed a bit of it onto Shidou's hand.
A soft poof later, standing there was a beautiful girl with waist-length, vibrant blue hair—Itsuka Shiori.
Only then did Kotori's tense expression ease a bit.
"Nagami…"
Nagami met the silent, sorrowful gaze of the now-transformed Shiori.
Her aura screamed resentment.
"Look, don't blame me," he said, shrugging. "What happened this morning... well, I couldn't help it."
I mean, of course Kotori would be pissed—he did steal her first kiss.
The smart move here? Throw your teammates under the bus.
No way was he gonna take aggro right now.
A dark shadow swirled around his feet, pulling lightly at him.
With a tired sigh, Nagami began pouring time's essence into it.
He glanced over at Yatogami Tohka, who was still devouring her food like it was a battlefield.
As expected from the first gluttonous spirit of Date A Live—she was in a league of her own.
Meanwhile, sitting quietly at the side was Yoshino, the doll-like beauty with blue hair and a serene expression.
Every now and then, she would look down and whisper to the little rogue rabbit plushie in her arms.
Honestly, Nagami felt Yoshino's age was… kind of awkward.
If she were a bit younger, like Klee, she could easily pass as a daughter-type.
If she were older, maybe she could just barely fit into a romantic role.
But now? If Shidou made a move, wouldn't the FBI kick his door down?!
[TL Note – You to my man -_-]
After breakfast, Kotori and Shiori left together to begin preparations for the ninth Sephira's sealing.
The two other spirits in the Itsuka household tagged along as backup in case Miku Izayoi went berserk.
Having spirits on hand was the best countermeasure if things got out of control.
Nagami lounged on the sofa for a bit before boredom crept in.
"Yuzuriha, let's go on a date today too."
He gently took Inori's delicate white hand and gave her a warm smile.
"Mhm."
As always, she didn't say much—but the subtle lift in her voice hinted at rising excitement.
"I wanna go on a date too!"
A lively voice echoed from the entrance.
Nia Honjou came bounding into the living room, her long, shapely legs practically glowing with energy.
Though she was a shut-in at heart, Nia was still a spirit.
And that meant she could stay up all night without batting an eye.
Her sleep schedule was completely out of sync with the rest of the house.
Despite needing to attend school, Itsuka Shidou and Yatogami Tohka had only met Nia Honjou once—back when Nagami first introduced her.
At best, they could be considered casual acquaintances.
"You're actually stepping out today? That's rare! And also…"
Nagami gave Nia a quick up-and-down glance.
Maybe it was because she wasn't wearing her usual square red-rimmed glasses, but today she looked far more feminine and delicate, shedding her usual androgynous aura.
Her outfit—a snug-fitting camisole that hugged her snowy skin, paired with ultra-short denim shorts and a semi-transparent sleeveless jacket—was certainly not what he expected.
A thin blue strap looped around her pale neck, trailing down along her elegant collarbones.
"You even dressed up for this?"
"Hmph~ Of course I did! So, how do I look?"
Nia struck a playful pose, her slender legs crossing as she spun around lightly.
As the saying goes: girls dress up for the ones they like.
While some might do it for their own enjoyment, most girls want to show their best side to the person they care about—hoping to earn a sincere compliment.
Even someone like Nia Honjou, who almost never put effort into dressing up, wasn't immune to this feeling.
To her, all it took was a genuine compliment from one person—that was enough.
And in this case, "stepping out" literally meant leaving her room.
But…
"Overall, it's great. The only thing I'd say is a bit lacking would be…"
Nagami's subtle smirk faded a bit.
His eyes took in how the outfit perfectly showcased her long, beautiful legs—but his gaze then drifted upward, resting without disguise on her chest.
He raised an eyebrow, but swallowed down the sarcastic remark bubbling in his throat.
"Ugh… Like I have any control over that! Ever since becoming a Spirit, my body's been permanently set. No matter how much papaya I eat or milk I drink, this is the best I can do!"
Nia clutched her head, clearly frustrated by the undeniable reality.
Then, as if suddenly struck by inspiration, she raised a delicate finger and smiled hopefully.
"Unless… maybe you could try massaging them for me from now on, Nagami~? What if that works and they actually get bigger?"
Ah yes… classic Nia.
Aside from maybe "Doctor," there was probably no one else shameless enough to say something like that so directly to Nagami.
Not even Kurumi dared go that far—she knew all too well that Nagami might actually take it seriously.
While Nagami was still hesitating for a few seconds, Yuzuriha Inori glanced at Nia's chest... then lowered her head to look at her own.
As if she'd just discovered a new secret of the universe, she muttered to herself, "Massage... to make them grow…"
Though her voice was barely audible, Nagami caught every word.
"W-Wait, what are you even saying to Inori?! Don't listen to her nonsense!"
His voice was firm and righteous—but in truth, if it weren't for his fear of corrupting sweet Inori, Nagami might've really given Nia a taste of the consequences of her big mouth.
"Ehhh~"
Nia let out a soft sigh, pouting ever so slightly. It was hard to tell whether it was disappointment or teasing.
"Alright, alright. You wouldn't have come out for no reason. Something happened?"
Nagami took the freshly brewed tea Kurumi handed him, sipped it slowly, and exhaled with a faint mist.
At the mention of actual business, Nia's tone became noticeably more serious—though still not entirely solemn.
"Ellen Mira Mathers—the world's strongest magician has arrived."
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