... As for the unusually high level of affection she displayed toward Shido-kun, that is the most difficult variable to analyze.
We cannot determine if it is a disguise, a condition for activating some ability, or a peculiar preference of the individual itself... Or perhaps, is it some kind of instinctive attraction to the spiritual power inside Shido-kun?
Attraction?
Shido was startled.
"Mhm." Reine looked at Shido.
"The power of Spirits attracts one another, and it might also react specially to the power that can contain them. This 'affection' might not be directed at you personally; perhaps it is aimed at the'sealing' ability inside you."
This made Shido feel inexplicably uneasy.
"In any case!" Kotori concluded, pointing her lollipop at Shido.
"Before we figure out her goal, Koushi's whereabouts, and the authenticity of that 'affection,' you are not allowed to be led around by her anymore! You can maintain friendliness on the surface, but you must remain vigilant at all times! Every word she speaks, every action she takes, might have an ulterior motive!"
She stared at the dish sizzling in the pan, as if she were staring at a certain Spirit:
"'Wants to be a younger sister'? Hmph, she might pull out a particle cannon and blast you away the next second! Starting tomorrow, intensify observation, especially regarding any connection she has with the Koushi family! We must figure out what is truly going on with these two 'Phoenix-in' individuals!"
Shido silently stir-fried the dishes, his mood growing heavier.
The mystery surrounding his friend's disappearance, the Spirit's unpredictable goal, that affection of unknown authenticity... all the clues were intertwined, pointing toward the "Younger Sister Chinatsu" with the sweet smile and mysterious identity.
(Chinatsu... who exactly are you? Koushi... where exactly are you?)
The kitchen was filled with the smell of slightly burnt food, but also with deeper confusion, suspicion, and a hint of anxiety.
This review session, far from solving the mystery, had instead brought up more worrying possibilities... [Itsuka Shido's Room]
The night was deep, and all was silent. Itsuka Shido lay flat on his bed, eyes wide open, staring at the vague patterns on the ceiling, yet unable to find any sleep.
The scenes from the day played uncontrollably in his mind, clearer and more striking than any Galgame CG.
Those long legs, blindingly white and astonishingly straight in the setting sun, seemed to step in time with his heartbeat as she moved.
The gym uniform, stretched to a breathtaking curve, traced an elastic path as she ran, every bounce challenging his poor sanity.
While playing basketball, the occasional concentration and slight boyish frustration she revealed—a stark contrast to her cold, beautiful exterior—created that damnable juxtaposition that made his heart skip a beat.
Finally, there was the short, bashful cry of "Ah!" and the sight of her red earlobes and incredibly fragile figure when she suddenly hugged herself and crouched down... "Ugh..."
Shido let out a pained groan and yanked the blanket over his head, as if this could drive those images out of his mind.
But in the darkness, his senses only became sharper, and the images grew clearer.
(What am I doing...) He felt his cheeks flush, and his heart, against his will, began to beat faster again.
(That's Koushi's younger sister... My friend is injured at home, yet here I am... fantasizing about his younger sister's figure... Itsuka Shido, you're a scumbag! A beast!)
A strong sense of guilt surged over him like a tide. He felt he was letting down Koushi, who was "recovering" at home, and even more so, Younger Sister Chinatsu, who looked aloof but seemed troubled by the situation.
But immediately afterward, another scene intruded into his mind—she actively leaned in, holding his arm, looking up at him with her small face and those watery blue eyes, saying softly:
"...It feels very warm... completely different from those boys..." "Can I treat you as an older brother too?"
The sensation, the scent, and the reliance in her words from that moment rushed through his heart like a faint current, unexpected, bringing a strange, tingling flutter.
(Was she... was she telling the truth? Or was she just flattering me, like Reine said?)
(But... her eyes at the time... they seemed so sincere...)
(And... the way she hugged me... was so soft... Ugh! What am I thinking!)
(Her appearance at the end... it didn't look faked... If she really is with Koushi, is Koushi in danger?)
(What exactly am I afraid of... I clearly promised to find out Koushi's whereabouts...)
(Whatever she is, she looks like she needs help right now... and I'm here having inappropriate thoughts...)
Kotori's serious command also drilled into his mind at that moment: "...Your primary mission is self-preservation and confirming Koushi's safety... Every word she speaks could be a trap..."
(How is that even possible?!) Shido wailed internally.
(Just looking at her makes me incredibly nervous, I can barely speak properly, and I'm supposed to 'capture' her? I'd be lucky if she doesn't run away thinking I'm a pervert! Find the truth inside a trap? And she's a Spirit!)
Spirit... That word complicated his feelings further. Such a beautiful girl, who gets shy and even acts spoiled (though possibly fake).
Is she really the disaster that causes a Spatial Quake? Kotori and Reine's words were in massive conflict with his own gut feelings.
He tossed and turned, his thoughts tangled like a mess of thread. Awe, excitement, guilt, responsibility, confusion... all these emotions intertwined, leaving him distracted and troubled.
(Tomorrow... what should I do tomorrow?)
(Should I greet her like normal? But I feel like... I can no longer treat her normally...)
(But if I act too strangely, won't that make her more wary? How will I gather information about Koushi then... and Kotori definitely won't let me off the hook...)
Finally, looking at the moonlight spilling in through the window, he reached an incredibly conflicted conclusion:
(In short... I'll try to act normal first... At least, I can't make her uncomfortable... I need to protect her...)
(But... what exactly is "normal" anymore...)
Finally, looking at the moonlight spilling in through the window, his tumultuous thoughts, after struggling, were forcibly organized into a direction by his almost instinctive good-natured personality and sense of responsibility.
(No... I can't keep thinking like this.)
(Koushi might need help... And Younger Sister Chinatsu... regardless of who she is, she currently just looks like a girl who gets shy and scared.)
(What Kotori and Reine said is certainly logical, but what I saw with my own eyes is also very important...)
(My mission... is to confirm Koushi's safety, and also... to protect her. At the very least, I can't let her be harmed by the AST.)
He remembered the fragile way Chinatsu had crouched down at the end, and his protective instinct quietly overcame some of his scattered thoughts.
(Yes... that's it. Tomorrow, I'll go to school just like normal.)
(Observe carefully, test cautiously... but most importantly, I must trust my own eyes and judgment.)
(If she really needs help... I absolutely cannot ignore it!)
(Regardless of Chinatsu's identity, the vulnerable side she showed is real.)
The boy was burdened with immense worries, a subtle flutter of excitement, and a heavy sense of responsibility, but this time, amidst the chaos, there was an added clumsy yet firm resolve that belonged to him alone.
He let out a long sigh. Although he still tossed and turned, he was no longer a headless chicken; instead, armed with a clear (though difficult) goal, he slowly fought against sleep.