Chapter 7: Insatiable

"Keep in mind. The Spirits that you saved by your own hand, at least they can stay here and live a happy life." — Itsuka Kotori

Origami woke up with a start. Her breathing was heavy, and her body was covered in sweat.

She spared some moments to regain her composure, and then she let out a large sigh.

Days had gone by since her scuffle with Minato, and to be frank she was not over it yet. She was frustrated with the blue-haired Spirit, but she was frustrated with herself most of all. She was beginning to doubt her confidence as there were unanticipated trump cards these Spirits had that accentuated how the AST wasn't well-equipped for every scenario. Origami and her fellow Wizards at least had the saving grace that was their own armor and technology to survive so far.

But only surviving wouldn't suffice. She wanted to defeat Spirits and kill them. It was the whole point of her enlistment with the Anti-Spirit Team.

"Do you think more violence will solve everything?"

Origami's eyebrows furrowed as his voice echoed in her mind. What else was she supposed to do? She had come too far to turn back now. And although the three Spirits she knew weren't causing any immediate disturbances, one wrong move could be the deciding factor. They still had access to their powers after all. She was willing to play along for the time being, but she was watching them closely.

The Wizard also needed to become stronger to fare better in combat. But how exactly outside of her own training regimens and equipment was what eluded her.

That was a matter she would have to solve for another day as she glanced at the time on her phone.

Today there was apparently going to be a new member added to their ranks due to the rise in Spirit activity in Tengu City. And if the rumors from the other girls were true, this person had actually killed a Spirit. Origami would have to ask how such a feat was accomplished, considering she wanted an edge over Spirits.

Especially with him as a thorn in her side.

"Mother... Father... One day, I will avenge you both."

Yoshino couldn't help but stare at Minato as he prepared breakfast.

Donning an apron, Minato was already in the kitchen by the time Yoshino woke up. As she sat at the table in his room with Yoshinon, she recalled Reine informing her that it was thanks to Minato that her rescue by Shido was possible during her examinations.

When Shido came to her amidst all that chaos with Yoshinon, she was elated to see him keep his promise. Back then, she didn't realize the presence of another hero who was protecting her behind the scenes. She found herself curious about him ever since he and Tohka discovered her searching for Yoshinon in rubble. Both of them being Spirits helped ease her mind as well.

'He's brave and strong...' She thought. While she was running away from those AST girls, Minato had stood his ground fearlessly and fought to protect her. She didn't see everything, but she saw brief glimpses of him. He summoned a white being, and then he gained those wings of his.

Wings like his were eye-catching. To her, he looked cool. He was like an angel that was sent to save her.

Yoshino wanted heroes like Yoshinon looking out for her, and she felt very fortunate to have gained two other heroes now.

"Yoshino?" Minato's voice brought the small girl out of her thoughts.

"Y-Yes?" She stuttered, noticing his gaze was on her.

"I was wondering if there was anything you'd like to do today," he said.

"A-Anything I'd like to do?" Yoshino hesitated. She hadn't expected this.

Minato nodded.

"Mm. I figured we could do stuff today since your examinations are over, like walking around the city. I'm sure the others would want to spend time with you too."

"That sounds like fun!" Yoshinon sounded gung-ho about the idea. "Let's go go go!"

"Is it really okay?" Yoshino still was unsure.

"Yes, let's make that happen," a different voice chimed in.

Yoshino whipped her head to the front door and saw Kotori with Shido and Tohka behind her.

"How did you get in?" Minato asked, frowning. "My door was locked, Kotori."

The redhead brought out a key from her pockets and spun it with her index finger.

"I got this in case of emergencies," she said nonchalantly.

"You could just knock or ring the doorbell."

"I could, but I choose not to," Kotori retorted with a shrug.

Minato's frown deepened. Shido laughed.

"You get used to this, Minato..." He said. "But I agree with your idea. We should unwind today."

Tohka smiled as she clung to Shido's arm.

"To-Tohka?" Shido was spooked a bit from her affection.

"Hey, Shido? Why don't we go out to eat for dinner at one of those buffets I heard about on TV?" To no one's surprise, Tohka's mind was occupied with food.

"Yeah, we can do that," Shido replied, patting the girl's head. Tohka's smile grew brighter.

Yoshino noticed how happy Tohka looked from the gesture and remembered that she received a pat from Minato the other day. It admittedly felt nice. Would it feel nice to be patted again?

"Well since you're all here at my place, let's have breakfast first," Minato suggested as he resumed cooking.

"Let me give you a hand with that," Shido offered as he joined the other bluenette in the kitchen. As for Tohka and Kotori, they seated themselves at the table with Yoshino.

"Food from Shido and Minato tastes so good, Yoshino!" Tohka told the blue-haired girl. "And eating together is fun too! I always ask for seconds."

"Oh Tohka," Kotori mused from the Spirit's innocence. "But she's right, Yoshino. Those boys are pretty good with cooking."

"I-I see," Yoshino said with a small smile.

The tiny Spirit began to feel relaxed from the atmosphere. She was looking forward to the long day ahead of her.

The forecast for today gifted Tengu City clear skies, and people were taking advantage of it as they took to the streets.

Minato noticed how the population was behaving casually. He chalked it up to them being used to emergency protocols. After having rain and spacequake evacuations recently, it was no surprise they were eager to go outside.

"Because of that photo Shido had of Tobiichi Origami, I used my powers to change my Spirit outfit to match our school clothes before he took me out on a date," Tohka reminisced to Minato.

He had been meaning to inquire about the details of Tohka's first encounter with Shido, as he didn't meet either of them until after their first date, and finally remembered to do so.

"You're saying Spirits can just change how their clothes appear whenever they want?" That particular piece of information stuck out to him.

"Yup!" Tohka confirmed.

"Hm..." This he didn't know previously, so he kept it in mind. Could be useful someday.

While their group was walking, Yoshino seemed to be rather fidgety. She might be uneasy about the amount of passersby.

"Stay close, Yoshino," Minato said, not wanting to accidentally lose the girl.

"Y-Yes!" Yoshino hurriedly sped up her walking to be next to Minato.

"Yoshino gets anxious when around lots of people," Yoshinon informed. "Why don't you hold her hand so that we don't get lost, Minato-kun?"

"Huh? Y-Yoshinon?" Yoshino was flustered by the suggestion.

Conversely, Minato held her hand without a second thought. Yoshinon had a point. It was safer this way.

Yoshino looked at him in awe, touched by the action.

"It's nice to see you two get along," Shido remarked, smiling. "As for me... I'm kinda tied up."

Shido's own hands were occupied by Tohka and Kotori as the group strolled together. Tohka was beaming without a care in the world while Kotori appeared almost as sheepish as Yoshino.

"Someone has to look after you so that you don't get separated," Kotori tried defending herself. The faint blush on her face made it obvious that it was in fact the opposite.

"Yes yes, little sister," Shido sweatdropped. "Incidentally, where are we going?"

"Nowhere in particular for now," Kotori answered. "I thought it would do Yoshino some good to get used to the city, like how we walked around with Minato that one time. But if we need a break, the park is nearby."

"Um, I am feeling a little tired," Yoshino spoke up.

"We're gonna need to recharge our batteries!" Yoshinon added.

"We have been walking for quite a bit," Shido mentioned. "I'll get us some drinks from vending machines while we're there."

"I suggest getting light lunches too," Minato stated. "Tohka may be getting hungry."

Without missing a beat, the aforementioned girl's stomach growled loud enough for the rest of the group to hear.

"Heh heh..." Tohka rubbed the back of her head.

Well, it was lunchtime after all.

Peaceful. That was how Minato would describe the view in front of him.

The park today was busy as young kids and their parents were here. A soccer ball here, hide and seek there, and playful dogs frolicked with their owners. Several activities were happening. Kotori had climbed to the top of a jungle gym and fiddled with her phone, perhaps taking care of Ratatoskr business? Shido was pushing Tohka at the swing set.

"Higher, Shido! Higher!" Tohka insisted gleefully as she swung back and forth.

"Haha, you got it!" Shido obliged.

As for Minato and Yoshino, they were sitting at a bench. Minato had presumed Yoshino would've went to join the fun, but she was content being next to him. He didn't want to prod her too much. If she was satisfied, then that was what really mattered.

The two Spirits sat together in silence for a while until Yoshinon spontaneously popped up in his face.

"Boo!" The rabbit wished to scare him.

"Hm?" Minato tilted his head in response, unfazed by the attempt.

"Wow. You're a tough nut to crack compared to Shido-kun, Minato-kun." Arms crossed, Yoshinon had been entertained nonetheless. "Cool as cold steel."

Yoshinon was rascally, which counterbalanced Yoshino's bashfulness. Minato had to admit, the shtick kept things lively even after Yoshino's power-sealing.

"Minato-san?" Yoshino said softly.

"Yes?" He turned his head. Her glum expression told him something troubling was her.

"What if... we never get our memories back?" Yoshino murmured.

Strange. He didn't see this coming.

"What brought this on, Yoshino?" He asked her.

Yoshino's gaze turned to the scenery in front of her, and then she looked down.

"Seeing all these people here made me start wondering. Do I have parents or siblings? I can't remember anything from before meeting you and everyone else besides my name, Yoshinon, and my powers. When Reine-san was analyzing me, she said you were like me and that recovering from amnesia wasn't easy. It could take a long time, or something traumatic, to trigger a memory. She also said some people might live the rest of their lives with amnesia. It all sounds really sad."

So it wasn't just him who suffered from oddly specific amnesia. Yoshino was in the same boat. For one to recall just his or her own name and powers was bizarre. He didn't consider himself an expert in this field of study, but such specificity still sounded unnatural. This mystery served to further frustrate him.

He empathized with her, as he shared those same worries. He was able to hide his feelings well, however for a child like her, he understood how overwhelming their situation can be.

"I'm nervous," Yoshino admitted. "What do we do?"

There was no simple answer to her question. Minato contemplated on what to say until eventually he found his answer.

"We'll create new memories."

"Eh?" Puzzled, Yoshino looked at him.

Minato remembered what he previously said to Shido and decided to be honest with her.

"It would be sad, never finding out what our pasts were like and if people are waiting for us somewhere. But looking at the bright side, I've met you and the others. Shido and Kotori took me in when I had no place to go to, and I want to repay them for their kindness by helping them save other Spirits that might be suffering like us. I can't say I'm bored either. I've made some new memories I possibly wouldn't have gained otherwise."

"New... memories..." Yoshino uttered.

He scratched the back of his head, feeling not entirely positive that his words would satisfy her.

"We don't know what the future will bring. Whether or not we'll remember anything, let's make each day count by doing stuff to look back on. What I'm saying may not be what you were hoping to hear, but whatever happens, I'm here for you, and so are Shido, Tohka, and Kotori."

She didn't respond immediately, and to be fair it was a lot to take in. He was given plenty of opportunities to quit while he was ahead by Shido and Kotori. Though he made his own choice rather quick, it was not one that he made lightly. Under Ratatoskr's protection, she would be able to live comfortably, but how she wished to live beyond that was a choice only she could make.

He wasn't certain if it was empathy, Kotori nudging him to assume responsibility for Yoshino's well-being, or a combination of both, but he found himself concerned for her in any case.

After a while, Yoshino lifted her head to meet his gaze.

"I think... you're right, Minato-san," she said. "I might not have met you or Shido-san if things were different. And that would be really frightening. I'm thankful to you all."

"Hear, hear!" Yoshinon tacked on. "It's because of you guys that we don't have to run anymore."

He nodded.

"Thank you for listening to me. I'm feeling a bit better now." Yoshino's expression turned tense. "I'm not... a bother to you, am I?"

The blue-haired Spirit then gave her a sudden pat on the head.

"No, you're not one at all. We Spirits should stick together."

Although she was taken aback initially, Yoshino beamed, infectiously causing him to smile as well.

This new member joining Origami's team was young but also peculiar.

Her resemblance to Shido was remarkable. Her amber brown eyes and the shade of blue from her ponytailed hair instantly raised flags the minute Origami saw her.

Origami held her own tongue during introductions and the mock battle they participated in at the AST training grounds.

'Second lieutenant, Takamiya Mana,' Origami thought. 'She's strong.'

Including Origami, it was ten Wizards versus Mana. A handful of girls had called it unfair due to the imbalanced numbers, but Mana proved herself to be a highly capable fighter by defeating Origami's whole team single-handedly. The second lieutenant's instincts were sharp, and her Combat Realizer Unit was nothing to scoff at. Mana's CR-Unit was most likely created for her specifically given the additional bells and whistles Origami noticed that weren't typically incorporated with standard CR-Units.

It was yet another crushing loss Origami experienced, reinforcing her goal to become more powerful. But unlike her loss dealt to her by Minato, she didn't feel as bitter with Mana.

Origami had approached Mana after the two reviewed battle footage with the rest of the AST, desiring answers.

"Oh! You're Tobiichi Origami," Mana greeted. "I didn't get a chance to say this earlier, but you fought well. I'm eager to see how far you'll go after you train more."

"I appreciate hearing this." Origami bowed her head. "What are your thoughts on the video data we watched, if you don't mind me asking."

"Sloppy," Mana stated bluntly. "From the looks of it, it was your team's first time dealing with two Spirits simultaneously, so I'll cut you all some slack. It's tough dealing with even one Spirit. But you're all alive, so that's a victory in my book."

Mana's praise was acknowledged by the high school student with a nod.

"And your thoughts about Mi- that male Spirit?" Origami corrected herself.

"This new Spirit guy - Divine, was it?" Mana mused. "He's caught my eye for sure. Never saw a Spirit that wasn't a girl before. He seems to be a meddlesome angel, protecting Hermit the way he did. And those entities he summoned by shooting himself make him very unpredictable. Sorta reminds me of another Spirit I know..."

A momentary pause permeated the air before the blue-haired girl continued.

"In any case, we definitely need to be extra careful around him," Mana concluded.

Again, Origami nodded.

"I agree with your assessment. Ever since that day, I've been trying to think about what I must do to best a Spirit like him. And I've also heard you were able to kill a Spirit before. Could you tell me how you did it?"

"Huh, so you already know about that tidbit." Mana was pensive. "Hmm, technically you're correct, but... it's complicated."

"Complicated?" Origami inquired.

Just as Mana was about to go further into details, a notification sound from Origami's phone went off. Origami had picked a particular sound for text messages from Shido, and she swiftly checked her phone to view what he sent her.

[Hey Origami! Just wanted to let you know I'll give back the book I borrowed from you tomorrow at school. I went out to do stuff today, and I left your book at my house. My bad!]

[That's fine. I'll see you tomorrow.] Origami texted back, smiling lightly.

"What's this? You've got a boyfriend you're messaging?" Mana's had been curiosity piqued. "Let me see what he looks like!"

Thinking there was no harm in showing off her boyfriend, Origami shared Shido's profile picture.

What Origami didn't expect was how Mana reacted afterwards.

"Brother?"

Sunset had already expired before Minato realized it. Perhaps it was better to have left the buffet a bit sooner since school was in session tomorrow. Then again, Minato wasn't one to talk as he was partly the reason why he and his friends were walking home this late. The buffet turned out to be operated by Ratatoskr, and Kotori affirmed that their dinner would cost nothing.

And thus he had accepted the redhead's treat by eating to his heart's content. Tohka happily indulged herself as well.

"Phew, I didn't know Minato-kun and Tohka-chan could devour so much food," Yoshinon stated in awe.

"I was very surprised," Yoshino added.

Tohka rubbed her abdomen, satisfied.

"I can't believe how tasty those lobsters were!" The poor crustaceans in tanks never stood a chance against Tohka once she got a taste. "What did you think of them, Minato?"

"Good, especially with sauce," Minato replied.

"I swear, you two and your bottomless pits for stomachs will never cease to amaze me," Shido commended.

Kotori had been amused.

"Fortunate for us that I'm a commander," she noted. Minato could scarcely imagine how much the bill would have actually been without being affiliated to Ratatoskr. He supposed this would be considered a case of friends with benefits. "We'll consider tonight's dinner as a reward for everybody's hard work."

The group continued to make their way home through the dimly lit streets of Tengu City. As their destination came into view, under one street lamp's light was a girl with blue hair, simply standing there and looking in their direction. Considering she was alone and how young she appeared to be, it was a weird sight.

Then she stepped forward, seemingly wanting something.

"Um... Can we help you?" Shido asked.

"No way... You're really here. Origami was right," the unknown girl said in disbelief.

"A friend of Origami?" Kotori arched an eyebrow. "Who are you?"

Kotori's words fell on deaf ears as the blue-haired girl closed the gap between herself and Shido. The awkward silence was staggering until their stranger unexpectedly glomped Shido.

"BIG BROTHER!" She exclaimed blithely.

...

"WHAT!?" Each person except Minato blurted out.

'Another sister...' Minato was lost in thought. 'That explains the physical similarities between her and Shido.'

Everyone had assembled in the Itsukas' living room shortly after the bombshell that was dropped spontaneously. Tohka and Yoshino sat down on the sofa, as did Minato. Smiles were plastered on the two female Spirits' faces. The Itsuka siblings were leaning by the dining room table, facing the guest of the hour. Shido was still mildly in shock from the prospect of having an additional sister. It was sort of difficult to tell what expression Kotori had though. If Minato didn't know better, it was as if she was more bothered than happy. Now that he thought about it, Shido did tell him a while ago that he was adopted.

Shido's ostensible sister, Takamiya Mana, didn't seem to notice Kotori's discomfort as she shook the redhead's hand eagerly.

"Sorry for not properly introducing myself," Mana apologized. "Once I saw my brother, I was practically on auto-pilot. It's great to know that he's living in a nice home!" Her eyes surveyed the room and landed on the three Spirits. "And that he has so many friends!"

Minato could feel Mana essentially staring into his soul due to her lengthy focus on him. It was perplexing.

"Is something the matter?" Minato couldn't help but ask.

"You look awfully familiar..." Mana remarked. She took a moment to think but quickly shrugged it off. "Nah, never mind. Anyway, I'm happy that my brother has a friend like you to hang out with! I was beginning to worry he was a player, haha!"

Shido chuckled nervously. It was better that she didn't know his secret.

"Hey, uh, Mana?" Shido began. "Don't take this the wrong way, but... I don't have memories of you."

Minato was waiting for a negative reaction from Mana, yet she didn't appear to be fazed whatsoever.

"Don't worry about it," Mana responded. "Neither do I of you. In fact, I can't remember much beyond the past two or three years. Sounds silly, huh?"

Even Minato let out a noise as there was a resounding chorus of astonished sounds.

"What the heck? You're saying you have amnesia?" Kotori was the first to express her confusion. She then followed up with a logical question. "If that's the case, then how do you know Shido's your brother?"

"It's because of this." Mana retrieved a silver locket from her hoodie's pocket and opened it, revealing a black-and-white photo of a younger Mana and Shido smiling together. "The past for me may be hazy, but I know that Shido is my brother. I have faint memories of him going somewhere, and I was so sad. But now we've reunited, and I couldn't be happier."

A scowl darkened Kotori's face as Mana gave Shido a second hug.

"So what? You're just gonna whisk Shido away now that you found him?" Kotori angrily pointed at Mana. "As if I'll let that happen! Shido's been my older brother for years. I won't let anybody separate us, including you, Mana!"

This was the first time Minato had seen Kotori be so defensive about anything. She clearly loved Shido, which made him smile softly.

"Kotori..." Shido was touched.

Mana broke off the hug and turned to Kotori.

"No no, I'm not going to take him from you," she clarified. "I'm just ecstatic he's alive and well after all these years. And since he has you for a little sister, I'm sure he'll be in good hands."

"O-Oh," Kotori said with flushed cheeks.

"That being said," Mana continued, "I wonder what things would be like if Shido grew up with a real sister."

Uh-oh.

"Excuse me?" Kotori became incensed again.

Shido was sweating bullets. Sensing this could get ugly, Minato chose to intervene.

"Huh, look at the time. It's getting late."

"Goodness, you're right, Minato." Shido was grateful for that save. "And tomorrow's a school day, so we should all start getting rest." He then glanced at his biological sister. "I can walk you home if you want, Mana. I'm curious to see where you live and if there are people taking care of you."

"Ah..." Mana suddenly looked hesitant. "I live by myself. The place where I live doesn't really allow boys."

"Do you live in a girls-only dorm or something?" Kotori surmised.

"Y-Yeah, that's it!" Mana answered. "But uh, I'll be fine walking back alone." She hurriedly made her exit. "It was wonderful meeting you all! Good night!"

And just like that, Mana left through the front door as swiftly as she came.

"That was... sudden." Shido was flabbergasted.

"What's her deal?" Kotori pondered.

A thought had been on Minato's mind ever since they met Mana. Given her abnormal behavior when she departed, the thought was reinforced.

"Mana could be a part of the AST," he said aloud. All eyes were on him after that.

"Wait, seriously?" Shido was astonished by the likelihood.

"What makes you say that, Minato?" Tohka asked.

"Earlier she mentioned Origami, and there was her agreeing to Kotori's assumption of living in a girls-only dorm." Minato shrugged. "But I could be overthinking it."

"No, you might be onto something," Kotori admitted, raising her hand to her chin. "If Mana does turn out to be a Wizard, things could get problematic in the future."

"Does that mean we'll have to fight her?" Yoshino wondered, sounding dejected.

Shido sighed somberly. It was rough dealing with Origami, but having a sister of his in the AST as well? He did not like this at all.

"I sure hope not, Yoshino."

Night passed, and morning soon followed. School was about to begin, and Shido hoped things would slow down a bit for once. The past couple of days had been rather hectic - maybe too hectic for his liking. Alongside the others, he was simply going to see how events would unfold as time marched onward and resume his daily life.

Shido was seated at his assigned desk, forever sandwiched between Tohka and Origami. Tensions were slightly higher now ever since Yoshino was saved. Origami had been giving Minato the cold shoulder, sometimes acknowledging him with nods and short vocal responses, and her rivalry with Tohka raged on. Yet despite this, Origami still retained her composure and hadn't openly lashed out, which made for an unsteady contrast. She was like a ticking time bomb. Shido really wished he could help her, but didn't know how.

A few minutes later, he saw his homeroom teacher enter the classroom, signalling the students of 2-4 to take their seats and quiet down.

"Good morning, everybody!" Okamine Tamae greeted jubilantly. "I'd like to make an announcement before we start! As you all know, Yatogami-san and Arisato-san transferred into our class not too long ago, but now another student will be joining us today!"

Idle chatter enveloped the room, with the students being both addled and intrigued by the announcement.

"Wow, a third transfer student?" Shido was pleasantly surprised. "What are the odds of that happening this fast?"

"Low, I'd say," said Minato in his seat ahead of Shido.

"You may come in now!" Tamae beckoned towards the door. Each student became silent once more.

In the next moment, wearing the standard Raizen High uniform, a girl with long black hair tied in twin tails entered the classroom and walked to the front to write her name on the chalkboard.

'Oh, a girl,' Shido noted indifferently.

And lest his hearing was deceiving him, he heard Minato sounding startled right now upon seeing this girl. How odd. Not a lot of stuff caused Minato to react strongly, least of all be startled. Shido supposed his friend was probably enamored by her looks, which that presumption in and of itself sounded extraordinary considering Minato's personality.

The girl had finished writing her name and promptly introduced herself.

"Hello, Class 2-4. My name is Tokisaki Kurumi."

Her smile dazzled the entire class in the same vein as the reactions Minato and Tohka's first day garnered when those two transferred. Some boys were instantly charmed by her appearance, and some girls commented that she was pretty. She certainly had people's attention off the bat.

It was what she said afterwards that caused everyone to be struck silent.

"By the way, I happen to be a Spirit."

Shido had nearly fallen out of his own chair.

Of course, no normal person would comprehend the gravity of those words, and one might as well assume that she was eccentric.

But to those affiliated with Ratatoskr and the Anti-Spirit Team, such a declaration was quite alarming, as their facial expressions indicated appropriately.

"A-Alright then," Tamae broke the silence, "that is... one way to make an intro! How about we get you seated?" The brunette adult faced forward. "I believe there's an open spot to Arisato-san's right back there!"

"Ara ara," Kurumi locked eyes with the aforementioned boy, "you're in this class, Minato-san?"

Minato blinked. She then approached his desk, while he felt ardent gazes concentrated on him and her.

"I'm happy to see you again. Do you remember our promise? To show me a good time?"

The number of gasps and angry grunts he heard around him was boisterous.

"I do," he replied, nodding.

Kurumi's smile widened as she took her seat next to him.

"It must be my lucky day, being here with you."

He was doing his best to ignore his classmates, but these stares the pair received were somewhat vexing. He believed he finally understood Shido's position, regarding unwanted attention.

Today was not going the way Minato originally expected. School had wrapped up, yet the time it took to arrive at this point felt much longer.

Kurumi had behaved like any other student during their classes together, but her frequent glances aimed at him didn't go unnoticed. Nonetheless, he was able to get through the taught subjects like he normally would. At lunch, she had offered to feed him his food, which he declined. Her moxie was exceptional.

Kurumi being a Spirit did weigh on his mind. What was her objective? He couldn't determine yet what she had to gain from her stunt. There was no doubt Origami had already informed her organization. Kotori had been briefed recently by Minato and Shido, and according to the data gathered in Fraxinus, Kurumi was not lying.

She was a bonafide Spirit, which meant saving her before harm befell her. As such, Shido would have to romance her.

"Minato-san?" The blue-haired Spirit turned to see Kurumi smiling at him. "Shall we start our tour?"

"Gotcha," he said. He did promise her back then after all, and thus they left the classroom. Meanwhile, Shido, and Tohka watched them carefully, keeping their distance.

But the strangest thing was that Kurumi didn't seem to be invested in the Casanova operative of Ratatoskr. Shido already made a handful of attempts prior to grab Kurumi's attention, but he was dismissed as effortlessly as the other guys in the class. For whatever reason, Minato was her primary focus.

"You seem to be an interesting boy, Shido-san," Kurumi had stated and resumed fixating on Minato.

Needless to say, everyone's feelings were mixed about this ordeal. Kotori had instructed him to play along for now to discern her intentions and that he would stand in for Shido until further notice.

"So how are you liking Raizen High?" Minato initiated.

"It has been intriguing," Kurumi replied. "I believe I have a grasp of the materials we went over. I'm impressed you were able to keep up."

He shrugged.

"Minato," Kotori's voice ringed in his ear, "our team voted that you should take Kurumi to the rooftop."

He never did see how Shido was instructed to do certain things by Ratatoskr. Actions were determined by voting from the Fraxinus crew apparently. He supposed this system was functional enough. Even he couldn't think of every possibility. Having immediate input could be useful, as long as his options weren't too outlandish.

"What's our first destination, Minato-san?" Kurumi inquired.

"The roof," he answered.

"Ara, a daring choice," Kurumi giggled.

They climbed the stairs of the building and reached the empty space that was the rooftop. Students usually loitered here for eating and relaxation, but there currently was no soul in sight. This worked in Minato's favor. They walked to the tall fence that prevented people from accidentally falling, giving them a view of Tengu City.

"This view is quite nice." Kurumi gazed at the city landscape as a breeze welcomed them.

"Mm." Since his transfer, he would occasionally come to the rooftop and find himself taking in the sights. It put him at ease, seeing how peaceful this urban scenery was.

It also seemed familiar to him, as sometimes he could sense something within him stirring akin to nostalgia, almost as if he had done this sort of thing before. Maybe that meant it was another part of his past he had forgotten.

"Minato-san?" He was called back to reality by Kurumi's voice. He noticed that the black-haired girl was mere inches away from his face, staring intently.

"Kurumi?" Minato blinked at her in surprise.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I just couldn't help but admire your pretty face," Kurumi said, smirking bewitchingly.

If Shido were in his position, Minato had a hunch the boy would be bewildered.

"I see," Minato took her compliment in his stride.

"Well, aren't you slick?" Kotori said sarcastically. "No one else is nearby, so now would be a good time to start asking about her being a Spirit."

He mentally steeled himself. There was no telling what was going to happen after this. This girl was far unlike Tohka and Yoshino - mysterious, and her acts so far underlined a brave modus operandi.

"Kurumi, this morning you said that you were a Spirit. Could you elaborate?" Minato asked straightforwardly.

"Heh heh, you don't have to pretend anymore, Minato-san," Kurumi responded. "After all, you're a Spirit like me."

"Eh?" Minato was caught off guard.

Kurumi enjoyed his reaction as she slowly stepped closer to him.

"Yes, I am aware of your true self. I even know about Shido-san and his special ability."

"How...?"

She put her finger to his mouth for a moment.

"Classified information," Kurumi teased. "Now that we're finally alone together, I can say this: from the day I first learned about you, I've found myself greatly captivated. I just can't stop thinking of you and wanting to spend time with you."

His hand had been gently seized by hers as her visible right red eye looked directly into his left gray eye. And his mind had only just registered his back was pressing against the roof's fence.

"Would you be willing to accept this one request I have, Minato-san?" Kurumi's smile grew.

The blue-haired boy didn't know what to make of her fascination with him. She was more aggressive than he realized. He was honestly taken aback, and with a tinge of uncertainty he remained silent, awaiting.

It was then the sound of the door that led to the stairs being opened, and Tohka revealed herself.

"There you are, Minato!" Tohka exclaimed.

Still holding Minato's hand, Kurumi's smile didn't waver.

"Ara ara, you're Tohka-san, right? Did you need something?"

Tohka advanced towards them, her expression serious.

"I just wanted to know what you're doing to my friend." Tohka crossed her arms.

Was she worried about him? If so, it was flattering.

Minato felt Kurumi's grip on his hand becoming tighter.

"Nothing improper, I assure you," Kurumi answered playfully. "Minato-san was kindly in the middle of giving me a tour of the school."

"Uh-huh," Tohka eyed their hands holding, "but don't you think you're a little too close to him? It's not like you two are dating."

"Maybe not officially yet," Kurumi turned back to him, "though he did offer me a dinner date some time ago."

Tohka's features partially softened upon hearing the word "date".

"A date?" Tohka wondered.

After a moment of reflecting, Minato did recall asking Kurumi to come over for dinner on the day prior to rescuing Yoshino.

"Indeed." Kurumi nodded. "Another one of Minato-san's promises to me that I look forward to."

Tohka stared at Minato with an expression he assumed was awe, while he faintly heard Kotori groaning.

"Craaap," the redhead whined.

In his defense, he hadn't been aware of Kurumi's Spirit nature until this morning.

Next: Chapter 8: For Faith

A/N: And now it's Kurumi's time. About 7 years ago, Kurumi made her official debut in the anime. It was a combination of that fact, me revisiting the P3 movies, and me reading the 22nd Date A Live light novel volume that gave me motivation and some neat new ideas for the future. I was worried about a few of my ideas, but seeing how things went in the DAL light novels, I don't feel as apprehensive. Hopefully I can flesh them out.

I appreciate you guys' enthusiasm for reading and pointing stuff out. However, I can't reveal everything quite yet, haha. I do have a general plan about approaching events and characters. What does Elizabeth's presence in Minato's dream signify, for example. Wait and see.

I keep forgetting to mention this, but this fanfic has been added as a recommendation to Date A Live fanfics on TV Tropes some time ago. I frequent the site often, so it was a pleasant surprise; thank you, Tsukiki, if you're reading this.

Once again, stay safe, everyone. Till next time.