Moegami tensed.
"That's not something you can just call 'cool' so casually," she said firmly. "It was a dangerous situation. Ordinary people should have taken shelter as soon as the sirens went off."
Gabriel tilted his head.
"Oh? So you actually understand that, Tobiichi-san?"
Moegami paused for a moment. Then she replied in a calmer voice, though still serious.
"Yes. Because I've worked there before."
"Then… if I may ask, who exactly are they?" Gabriel asked again, feigning genuine curiosity. "Those girls."
Moegami fell silent. Her gaze lowered slightly, as if weighing how much she should explain. A few seconds passed before she finally spoke.
"The ones you saw in combat gear are members of the AST—Anti Spirit Team," she explained calmly. "A special unit formed to deal with Spirits."
"Spirits?" Gabriel repeated, pretending the term was unfamiliar.
"Beings with extraordinary powers that cause Space Quakes," Moegami continued. "Every time they appear, they can bring about massive destruction."
Gabriel nodded slowly, his expression showing genuine admiration.
"Hee… pretty cool," he said casually. "If Tobiichi-san used to be part of the AST… does that mean you've worn a suit like that before?"
He looked at Moegami innocently.
"No wonder you picked that model at the clothing store."
Moegami's face flushed faintly.
It wasn't a dramatic reaction, but it was clearly visible under the dim lights of the 24-hour minimarket.
"Michaelis-san," she said flatly, her tone slightly firmer than usual. "That's not a swimsuit."
Gabriel blinked.
"It's called a Wiring Suit," he continued. "Basic manifestation gear used to operate a CR-Unit—Realizer Unit. Its function is to stabilize and channel maryoku so it's compatible with the system."
She stared straight at Gabriel.
"And the swimsuit I picked this afternoon has nothing to do with that."
"Oh?" Gabriel sipped the rest of his ramen broth. "So it really was just a coincidence?"
Moegami paused for a fraction of a second.
"…Yes."
Her answer was brief.
Yet the faint flush on her face hadn't completely faded.
A moment later, Gabriel stood up.
He strolled casually to the trash can beside the vending machine and tossed his ramen cup in. The plastic lid creaked softly as it pressed down into the bin.
Then, he inserted a few coins into the machine, pressed a button, and two bottles of green tea dropped almost simultaneously with a soft thud.
Gabriel walked back over to Moegami.
Meanwhile, the faint flush on Moegami's face had completely faded. Her expression returned to calm—though there was still something lingering in her eyes.
"Michaelis-san," she said quietly. "Earlier this afternoon… were you the one who found me unconscious?"
"Yes," Gabriel replied casually. "I found you unconscious. I assumed you had gone to the shelter, not that you were looking for me. Turns out I was wrong."
Moegami fell silent.
The night wind blew gently, stirring her hair.
"Michaelis-san, do you remember our conversation at the restaurant earlier today?" she finally asked.
"About how I've been losing consciousness lately for no clear reason."
Her gaze lowered slightly.
"That's what I meant."
A few seconds of silence passed.
"That's also why I left the AST."
Gabriel didn't interrupt.
He just listened.
Then, without saying much, he placed one of the green tea bottles on Moegami's lap.
The bottle was still cold, a thin layer of condensation clinging to its surface.
Moegami flinched slightly.
"…Thank you," she said softly.
Gabriel opened his own bottle and drank from it without hesitation.
A few seconds later, he glanced at Moegami, who was still holding her bottle unopened.
Gabriel tilted his head slightly.
"Relax," he said casually. "I'm not going to charge you for it."
Moegami blinked.
"Charge…?"
"The tea bottle," Gabriel continued lightly. "You're staring at it like you're calculating the debt."
(Note: lol~)
Moegami remained silent for a fraction of a second, then opened her bottle with a soft click.
"It's not because of a debt," she said calmly. "I was just… thinking."
She took a slow sip of her tea.
Gabriel drank from his own bottle, then leaned lightly against the vending machine behind him.
"Well… if you keep collapsing like that, maybe you'll need a part-time bodyguard from now on."
Moegami studied him for a moment, her expression unreadable.
"Who would need a bodyguard like you?"
"As far as I remember," Gabriel replied, "Gabriel Michaelis has never officially submitted a job application to Tobiichi Origami."
A brief silence followed. Moegami let out a soft laugh.
"…You're strange," she finally said.
Gabriel gave a faint smile.
"Is that a compliment?"
Moegami shook her head gently.
"Sometimes I don't know if you're truly oblivious… or just overly perceptive."
Gabriel took a final sip of his tea and twisted the cap back onto the bottle.
"Maybe both."
The night breeze drifted softly along the now-quiet street.
The night was calm again, only the hum of the minimarket's cooling machines filling the space between them.
***
The next day, Raizen High School was in the middle of break time.
On the rooftop, Shido stood awkwardly. His right hand scratched the back of his head, even though it wasn't itchy.
In front of him, Moegami stood calmly, watching him without much expression.
"Um… Origami—I mean, Tobiichi-san. Do you have some free time?"
Silence hung between them. Moegami's head tilted slightly downward, some of her bangs partially covering her eyes.
She understood the direction of the conversation.
And so, she remained silent, weighing her response.
Shido stayed quiet as well. For some reason, his heart was beating much faster than usual.
A few seconds felt longer than they should have.
Finally, Moegami gave a polite bow.
"I'm sorry," she said calmly. "I can't, Itsuka-kun."
Shido blinked, as if he needed a moment to process her answer.
"Eh? Ah… I see…" He let out a small, stiff laugh. "It's okay!"
"I was just thinking maybe we could have lunch together or something. Nothing big."
Moegami slowly straightened her posture.
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks. She averted her gaze slightly from Shido.
A memory flashed in her mind—black hair, a relaxed expression, and a calm voice under the lights of that nighttime convenience store.
"Because…" her voice lowered, almost a whisper. "There's someone I like…"
After saying that, she turned and walked away, leaving Shido frozen in place.
The rooftop breeze blew gently across the school.
Shido stood stiffly.
It was as if he had just been struck by an invisible slap.
"…Eh?"
A few seconds later—
"Fufufu~"
A very familiar voice came through the hidden communication device in his ear.
"Our prince has just been rejected by the princess. How tragic, Onii-chan."
Shido jolted.
"K-Kotori?! Don't tease me at a time like this!"
"Didn't I already say? Origami Tobiichi's difficulty level is high," Kotori continued casually. "But this is interesting development. 'Someone I like,' huh?"
Shido stared at the blue sky above him, his expression a mix of shock and confusion.
"Who…?" he murmured softly. "Since when…?"
Then he slowly clenched his fist.
"But… if that's true, at least she can express her feelings honestly."
He let out a long sigh.
"Though… it still hurts a bit, doesn't it…"
A moment later, Shido shifted his gaze to the empty air above the rooftop.
To anyone else, there might be nothing there. But he knew the Fraxinus' surveillance drones were hovering invisibly in the area.
"So… what's our plan?" he asked quietly.
A few seconds of silence.
In the Fraxinus command room, Kotori paused, fingers folded in front of her face.
"Hm…" she murmured thoughtfully. "For now? Let's just hope Origami doesn't go berserk."
Shido immediately stared blankly at the air.
A bead of cold sweat ran down his temple.
"Kotori…"
"Hahaha, just kidding~" Kotori replied casually. "I was just trying to lighten the mood."
"That 'joke' isn't funny," Shido muttered wearily.
Kotori completely ignored his comment.
"The fact that Origami likes someone is a new variable," she continued, her tone now much more serious. "And we can't ignore it."
Shido frowned. "You mean…?"
"Simple," Kotori replied. "We find out who she likes."
"What?!"
"Don't worry. It's not to interfere with their relationship," she said quickly. "But to make sure the situation stays stable."
"Besides being a Devil, Origami is also a former AST member. Her mental and emotional state can't be taken lightly. If that person gets involved in something dangerous, we need to know."
Shido fell silent.
Kotori continued in her characteristic strategic commander tone.
"Step one: observation. We'll analyze Origami's movement patterns over the past few days. Her social interactions. Any changes in her routine."
"The past few days…?" Shido repeated quietly.
"Yes," Kotori replied lightly. "Feelings like that rarely appear out of nowhere."
Shido let out a long sigh.
"So now we… spy on Origami?"
"Tactical observation," Kotori corrected quickly. "Sounds more professional that way."
Shido rubbed his temple.
"For some reason, I feel like this is going to get complicated…"
From the other end of the communication, Kotori smiled faintly.
"Onii-chan," she said casually, her voice sweet, "when has anything around you ever been simple?"
___
Author's note:
How about the "innocent act" of the Pale Mist? Pretty smooth, right?
And what about Shido getting rejected by Origami? 😎 Sometimes getting turned down by a girl isn't a big deal, right? Besides… for some reason, the girls in Date A Live (except Kurumi) are pretty easygoing 🤣
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