Chapter 13: The Purpose of Amano (Additional Update 2/9)
Kanade looked at Amano with a sincere and humble expression.
For a moment, he couldn’t think of a reason to refuse her.
Since a junior had worries, as a senior, he should help her out.
With this in mind, Kanade sat back down.
This was the second time he had met this junior named Amano.
The first time was when they met in the courtyard of the school’s teaching building.
Her outstanding appearance and elegant demeanor left a good first impression on Kanade.
“Is there anything you want to drink, Senpai Tsukimi? Let me treat you.”
“Ah, no, you don’t have to be too polite… and you don’t have to use honorifics either.”
“That’s not possible. Senpai Tsukimi is my senior, and you’re willing to accept my request, so please accept this small gesture of mine.”
Amano gently shook her head, her every movement exuding excellent upbringing and etiquette.
She was simply an impeccable young lady… Hmm?
Thinking this, Kanade saw Amano come to the coffee shop’s counter and promptly pulled out a credit card.
“Um, please give me one of everything—”
“—Wait a moment!”
Kanade hurried to Amano’s side and interrupted her order.
“Uh, um, Amano-san? Are you planning to drink that much?”
“No, this is so that Senpai Tsukimi can pick her favorite drink.”
“Then why not let me come with you to order?”
Amano tilted her head in confusion at his words.
“That would be too rude and lacking in common sense. Since I’m treating, I should present all the options in front of you for you to choose.”
“How could all those drinks possibly fit on this table?”
“Indeed… Is this the shop’s mistake?”
“It clearly is your mistake!”
Kanade accidentally slipped into his usual banter mode.
At the same time, he began to understand a bit more.
This silver-haired girl was a true naïve young lady, entirely unaware of worldly matters.
“Anyway, I just want a regular… black coffee,” Kanade said at the last moment, for some reason wanting to show off.
He ordered a black coffee that he would never typically choose.
“I understand.” Amano nodded and then turned back to the sweating shop clerk.
“Then for me, please give me one of everything—”
“—Please wait a moment!”
Kanade interrupted again.
“Senpai Tsukimi, is something wrong?”
“Ah, no, I just want to ask, is Amano-san ordering so much for—”
“Because it’s my first time visiting this shop, and I didn’t know what to drink, so I thought I should try everything.”
“While this reason unexpectedly makes sense, couldn’t you just ask for recommendations here?”
Ordering so much would not only waste drinks but also trouble the shop clerk, Kanade thought to himself.
At the same time, he secretly glanced at the clerk, who looked like she was struggling to maintain a professional smile.
“I see, there is that option. Could Senpai Tsukimi recommend something for me?”
Amano showed a gentle smile.
Kanade couldn’t help but feel that the distance between them had suddenly closed a bit.
“Then, um, how about a coffee with milk?”
“I understand, one black coffee and one coffee with milk…” The clerk threw a grateful glance at Kanade, but the situation was not over yet.
“However, I’m really sorry, but this shop is aimed at students… so we don’t accept credit cards…”
“Um, it can’t be used?” Amano seemed a bit flustered upon hearing this.
“…Then let me treat you, Amano-san.”
Kanade looked at Amano, who had the grace of a refined lady and totally seemed like someone who wouldn’t carry cash.
After they placed their orders, they returned to their corner table.
“I’m really sorry to make Senpai Tsukimi pay. I will definitely repay you later,” Amano said, lowering her head with a face full of remorse.
“No, Amano-san, you don’t need to worry about it…”
Looking at the seemingly slightly clumsy young lady in front of him, Kanade suddenly thought of Nagi.
Could it be that cute young ladies all have a natural charm?
Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Amano’s actions inexplicably drew her closer to Kanade’s heart.
While waiting for their drinks, Kanade, as a senior, took the initiative to open a topic.
“So, is there something Amano-san wants to discuss with me?”
“Yes.” Amano sat upright with an elegant posture: “Senpai Tsukimi, you are a member of the Super Research Club at school, right?”
An unexpected topic.
Kanade nodded honestly in affirmation.
At the same time, he thought to himself, wouldn’t it be another lady like Nagi who loves evil spirits?
But Amano’s next sentence made the atmosphere slightly colder—
“May I ask if you have heard the terms ‘White Spirit’ and ‘Special Circle SEMA’?”
If Amano’s previous actions were to lower his guard, Kanade had to admit that her plan was quite successful.
Faced with Amano’s questioning, Kanade, immersed in the relaxed atmosphere before, was completely unprepared, so he couldn’t manage his expression well.
Amano’s words were like a sharp knife.
They cut through Kanade’s memory veil in an instant.
Pulling him back to that evening long ago.
Priests, shrines, white spirits…
Bizarre supernatural scenes.
Kanade locked eyes with Amano’s beautiful purplish-red eyes that resembled gemstones.
For a moment, he felt as if his soul was being scrutinized.
“I’m sorry, Senpai Tsukimi. I may have been a bit bad.” Having obtained the answer she wanted from Kanade’s expression, Amano averted her gaze first and apologized softly.
“Um, um, is White Spirit referring to our city’s White Spirit Shrine?”
Kanade tried to struggle one last time:
“And is Special Circle that environmental organization?”
“Senpai Tsukimi, do you know the history of the White Spirit Shrine?”
“History?”
“Yes, before it was named the ‘White Spirit Shrine?'”
“There was only a very dilapidated unnamed small shrine; there were no rumors about ‘blessing marriage or romantic relationships.'”
“The current site of the White Spirit Shrine was once a very small orphanage.”
“Sixteen years ago, a baby was abandoned by their parents and left at the orphanage’s door, but it seems that the parents did not realize that this orphanage had long since been closed.”
“The baby spent a cold night at the door until someone found them the next day.”
“However, people unexpectedly discovered that the baby was not hurt at all; instead, they seemed particularly lively.”
“This led people to believe there was a spirit protecting the newborn.”
“Thus, the later White Spirit Shrine was thought to have special effects on marriages.”
“And that baby, who was later adopted by the Amamiya family—”
“Is the previous president of the Super Research Club, ‘Amamiya Chika.'”
“I tried to contact Ms. Amamiya, but she didn’t show any signs of weakness.”
“So I think if it’s a member of the Super Research Club, maybe they will know some insider information.”
“Senpai Tsukimi, thank you. Your reaction tells me I guessed correctly.”
Amano’s previously gentle and natural expression transformed into a serious one.
Kanade felt like he was being overwhelmed by her momentum.
As if it had been calculated.
Just then, the clerk happened to bring over their drinks, easing the tension in the atmosphere.
“I’m sorry for suddenly speaking to Senpai Tsukimi in this manner.” After the clerk turned to leave, Amano lowered her head to apologize.
“Actually, I didn’t mean any ill will towards you, Senpai Tsukimi. Rather, I came here to seek your help.”
“My… help?”
“Yes, I came here for my father.” Amano lifted her head, her expression serious, not looking like she was lying.
“My father is ill, seriously ill, and I want to save him.”
Hearing this, Kanade couldn’t help but show a serious expression as well.
His intuition told him that Amano in front of him was not lying.
“I learned these few keywords from my father—”
“White Spirit,” “Spirit,” “Kawano City,” “Special Circle SEMA.”
“I want to know what these terms mean when combined, so I tried to investigate and eventually focused on the Super Research Club at Hoshikage High School.”
“If you know what these terms represent together, could you tell me?”
Amano once again lowered her head and earnestly pleaded.
