Date-a-live: ーSpiritual Kinshipー

Chapter 11 - An impossible encounter.

Meanwhile, with Kotori and Reine.

They were sitting in a booth with sweets and the like in front of them. They had set their devices on silent as it was a time where they could relax, unaware of the current situation. It was quiet inside the booth as Kotori stirred a cold drink with her straw.

Then, Kotori leaned forward, breaking the silenceー

"Ah, Reine~ If you don't want that then let me have it." Kotori said pointing at the raspberry on Reine's plate.

"...Right, okay. Go ahead." she said with a nod, sliding her plate closer. Kotori extended her fork, and stabbed it into the raspberry, then slowly brought the fork into her mouth, savoring the sweet and sour sensation.

"Mmm, yum. Why don't you like this, Reine?" Kotori asked as Reine shrugged.

"...Isn't it sour?" Saying this, Reine downed the apple tea filled with plenty of sugar in one gulp. This woman seemss to really like her sweets.

"...Oh, this is a perfect opportunity, so tell me." Reine opened her mouth as if remembering something.

"Wh~at?"

"...Sorry that it's such a basic question, but Kotori, why did you choose your brothers and why did you choose Shin and Shun to negotiate with the spirits?"

Reine threw several questions. Her expression unchanging.

"Mm..." upon this, Kotori was saddened, but she lowered her head and leaned forward.

"You won't tell anyone?"

"...I promise."

In a low voice, Reine nodded. Seeing this, Kotori nodded and replied. After all, she trusted this woman. Once she's said something, she'd follow through it no matter what.

"Actually, I'm not related by blood with my brothers, It's a super galge-like setting. Like a love triangー nevermind."

"...Hrm?"

Upon hearing this, Reine tilted her head slightly and made a pose that seemed to be asking 'what does that have to do anything about my question?'

"That's why I love you, Reine~"

Kotori said, smiling. However, Reine seem to have a mystified expression.

"Nevermind~. ... Then, to continue. I wonder how old I was then, it was during a time that I don't even remember, but they had been abandoned by their real mother, and our family took them in, or something like that..."

Saying so, Kotori giggled as she then put on a melacholic expression before continuing,

"It was so long ago that I don't really recall, but it seemed like Shidou was quite trouble some when we first took him in. It was at a level where it seemed like he might just go and commit suicide."

Kotori said as for some reason, Reine's brows moved in surprise, which shocked Kotori as it was rare for her to even react to anything..

"What's wrong?"

"...Nothing, please continue."

"Nn. Well, there was nothing we could really do about it. They weren't even ten years old, a mother was an absolutely essential existence, so to Shidou, it was probably a big event that completely denied his whole existence. -But, Syouji was unrelenting with his attempts to comfort Shidou. He had even put aside his own pain and had developed a weird or perhaps down right strange coping mechanism. Howeverー it seemed that after around a year Shidou's condition had stabilized, but Syouji is... well, that's what the bracelet is for." Exhaling audibly, Kotori continued, narrowing her eyes.