Date a Live:This is not the date I wanted! Chapter 218 218: Past and Present

By the ti Shido returned ho from Akihabara, it was almost 11 o'clock.

"Just what exactly are you thinking!? Idiot Shido!"

The mont he entered the house, what Shido saw was a furious Kotori.

This wasn't hard to understand. Originally, he promised to explain everything properly after school. Instead, he suddenly sent a text ssage and ran off to Akihabara, returning in the middle of the night. If Shido were in the sa position, he'd probably be very angry too.

"I'm sorry..."

Shido lowered his head and apologized to Kotori.

"..."

Seeing Shido looking downcast, Kotori frowned, scratched her cheek, and finally let out a slow sigh.

"Forget it, I'll let you off this ti. Anyway, co in first."

"Mhm."

Entering the living room of their house, several pizza delivery boxes were placed on the table. It seed everyone ordered pizza for dinner tonight.

Although he felt it was a bit unhealthy, knowing he was in the wrong, Shido couldn't say much.

"Welco back... Shin..."

On the other side of the sofa, Murasa Reine looked at Shido, still appearing groggy.

"Why is Reine-san here?"

"Well... don't worry about it... sort of a secretary feel..."

Reine answered slowly.

"Then—"

Kotori sat across from Shido, placed a recording terminal on the table, crossed her legs, and with a lollipop in her mouth, her playful face showed a hint of seriousness.

"What exactly happened? You will explain it to properly now."

"Y-Yes..."

Feeling like a criminal being interrogated, Shido smiled bitterly. After slightly adjusting his mood, he told Kotori everything he had experienced in detail.

That he and Tobiichi Origami knew each other.

That on November 8th, Tobiichi Origami was turned into a Spirit by Phantom, inverted imdiately after, and started destroying the city.

That he cooperated with a Spirit nad Ryougi Yutsuki and Kurumi to change history that day.

And that in this changed world, Shido discovered that Tobiichi Origami and Ryougi Yutsuki were the Spirits Devil and Hacker.

"I see..."

Hearing Shido's words, Kotori nodded thoughtfully.

Normally, based on common sense, Kotori would definitely treat Shido's story as a wild, chuunibyou induced fantasy. But coincidentally, not long ago, a surveillance cara Kotori sent to Raizen High School happened to capture the mont Origami turned into an inverted Spirit and attacked Shido and Kurumi.

This undoubtedly proved that Shido's words were true.

Imdiately after, with "history changing" as a premise, Kotori and Reine naturally began discussing a question.

Why were Shido, Origami, and the others able to retain mories of the previous world?

Just as Yutsuki had told Shido, the two quickly deduced the two conditions for retaining mories: "being hit by Kurumi's Yud Bet" and "possessing Spirit power."

"However, if those are the conditions. Then how did the Ryougi Yutsuki you ntioned, who wasn't hit by Yud Bet in the previous world, retain mories of the previous world?"

Kotori said with a confused face. To this, Shido suddenly rembered sothing.

"Speaking of which, Yutsuki said earlier that her situation is more like receiving them rather than retaining them..."

"Retaining... receiving..."

Hearing Shido's words, Reine fell into deep thought, then nodded in realization.

"I see... With her Angel, it is indeed possible..."

"Do you know, Reine?"

Shido couldn't help but ask, intrigued.

"Well... I wouldn't say I know... Since she decided that... it would be a bit tactless of to say..."

For so reason, Reine didn't seem to want to dwell on this question. After whispering to herself, she changed the subject on her own.

"Shin... Rather than Ryougi Yutsuki, you should be considering Origami's problem right now, right?"

"Ugh..."

Shido was instantly left speechless. Recalling what Yutsuki had said to him at the station, he nodded with a bitter expression.

Subsequently, Shido told Kotori the information he had learned that Origami will invert upon detecting Spirit power, and proposed a plan to date and conquer Origami as long as they didn't reveal their Angel. After thinking for a mont, Kotori nodded in agreent.

However, when she heard that Shido had already agreed on a date and ti with Origami on his own, Kotori looked at Shido with an incredibly surprised look.

"Alright, next I'm heading to the Fraxinus to discuss tomorrow's date strategy with my subordinates. Shido, go rest first."

Walking to the hallway and putting on her outdoor shoes, right before leaving, Kotori suddenly turned around and said with so concern:

"Shido, although I don't know what kind of relationship you and Yutsuki exactly had in the previous world. But if you really care about what she said to you, please make sure to tell . I will think of a way to help you."

Looking at his sister in surprise for a mont, Shido then smiled and nodded.

"Mhm, thank you, Kotori."

After waving goodbye to Kotori, Shido didn't rush back inside but stared blankly at the night sky.

Amidst the glow of the tropolis, all the stars were hidden, leaving only a bright, lonely moon hanging in the dark night.

Shido couldn't help but mutter to himself sowhat absentmindedly:

"Reason...? If a Spirit doesn't need to worry about spacequakes or being rejected by humans, and won't fall into despair because of it, what reason do I have to seal her Spirit power..."

"Shido! Welco back!"

Suddenly, a girl with night-colored long hair stepped out of the Spirit apartnt next door. Seeing Shido, her athyst like, crystal clear eyes blood with joyous light.

"Tohka? What's wrong? Why are you up so late?"

Shido couldn't help but ask in surprise.

"Mhm. Although Kotori-chan told us to rest early. But not seeing Shido return made uneasy, and..."

Grumble——————

"Waaaaaah!"

Hearing the growl from her stomach, Tohka's face instantly turned bright red, and she hurriedly clutched her stomach.

Seemingly understanding what happened, Shido chuckled softly and gently patted Tohka's head.

"True, just eating pizza isn't enough. I'll go prepare a late-night snack. Tohka, do you want so?"

"Mhm!"

Tohka nodded cheerfully.

Considering it was late at night, overly greasy food wouldn't be easy to digest before sleep. So Shido dug out so vegetables and son noodles from the kitchen and made a simple noodle soup.

"Mhm—Delicious. As expected, Shido's cooking is the best!"

"Thanks."

Although it wasn't anything special, seeing Tohka's blissful and satisfied smile made Shido smile as well.

"Hold on a second, you got so soup on the corner of your mouth."

"Eh? Where?"

"Wait, don't move. I'll wipe it off for you."

Seeing Tohka about to wipe it with her sleeve, Shido hurriedly took out a handkerchief and reached out his hand.

"N-No need, I'll do it myself."

For so reason, Tohka's face suddenly turned as red as a boiled lobster. She hurriedly took Shido's handkerchief and wiped the soup from the corner of her mouth.

"Tohka?"

Shido looked at Tohka in surprise.

"I'm not a child. I'm already an adult! Yoshino's magazine said that troubled boys will confide their worries to mature won." Pouting her cheeks slightly, Tohka took a deep breath, "So—if you have any worries, Shido—just discuss them with the adult !"

"Tohka..."

Shido looked at Tohka in surprise.

Although she was very clumsy, Tohka was still trying her best to help him in her own way.

I really am an idiot... Everyone is worried about , why did I go out of my way to hide it.

Patting his head sowhat regretfully, Shido looked at Tohka again and said earnestly:

"Tohka. Actually..."

"Mhm mhm—I see. So Hacker's na is Yutsuki..."

Hearing Shido's story, Tohka looked like she half-understood.

"So what you're saying is, because Yutsuki said she had no reason to be sealed, Shido is so troubled...?"

"Mhm."

Shido nodded with a bitter smile. Looking at his hands, he said sowhat helplessly:

"Honestly, I didn't know how to refute Yutsuki's words back then. Also, back when I was attacked by Origami and couldn't summon Yutsuki's Angel, I did think that it would be great if I had Yutsuki's Angel."

In other words, wanting to seal Yutsuki's Spirit power might just be his own selfish desire. No longer having to worry about spacequakes and the AST, and possessing a calm and rational mind, she naturally wouldn't cause any trouble.

Yutsuki is a Spirit capable of living normally on her own. This is also why Kotori and the others prioritized conquering the highly dangerous Origami when dealing with Spirits.

"Maybe I'm just planning to use Yutsuki, that it's restricting Yutsuki's freedom. This thought has been hovering in my mind... How should I say it, I feel a bit lost."

"Mhm—Although I don't really understand things that are too complicated."

Scratching her hair sowhat confusedly, Tohka spoke.

"But, I think what Shido is thinking must be wrong."

"Eh?"

Shido showed a puzzled expression.

"Because the reason you want to use Yutsuki's Angel, Shido, isn't to satisfy your own desires, but to protect us, right."

Saying that, Tohka seed to think of sothing and showed a gentle smile.

"I was very happy. Back then, when Shido ca to , who knew nothing, even though he had no power, he affird more than anyone else. And after that, to rescue when I was captured, he swung Sandalphon."

"Tohka..."

"I don't know what Yutsuki is thinking, but I don't think she's deliberately trying to make things difficult for Shido. Mhm... how should I put it—"

Seemingly not knowing how to express her reasoning, Tohka thought hard for a long ti. Finally, she looked up and showed Shido a very cheerful smile.

"Anyway—Shido will definitely figure it out!"

"Why do you have so much confidence in !?"

"Because Shido can do anything!"

Hearing Tohka's highly affirmative answer, Shido was slightly stunned, and a smile appeared on his face.

She was right. Even if he agonized over it here, it wouldn't help. Just like in the previous world, even knowing that Yutsuki was going to fight Origami to the death, what Shido had to do hadn't changed.

Although the distress in his heart wasn't completely resolved, what he should do now was focus all his energy on Origami.

If he couldn't even accomplish this, then just as Yutsuki said, not sealing her might actually be a good thing.

"Thank you, Tohka. I feel confident now."

"Umu—That's great!"

...

Outside the door of the Itsuka house, two dark figures were each holding a glass cup, quietly pressing them against the door.

"Kuku—I see. So my possession has been worrying about this matter recently. My other half, what do you think?"

"Dissatisfaction. Shido is treating us too much like outsiders."

______________

"...Aaaaaahhhhh."

At night, Origami was curled up on her bed, hugging a pillow and rolling around constantly.

Although the other party invited her first, thinking back on it after calming down, the way she answered was way too maiden like. Moreover, bumping into each other again in the crowd at the station after that... Origami couldn't help but want to retort: 'which shoujo manga heroine am I supposed to be?'

Breathing out softly, Origami lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Tomorrow... we're going on a date..."

The mont she thought of this, Origami instantly felt her cheeks burning hot again.

What was wrong with her? Although the other party looked exactly like the savior of her parents back then, and knowing he was that person's younger brother made Origami very excited.

But would re feelings of gratitude make her turn out like this?

She wanted to hear his voice.

She wanted to sll his scent.

She wanted to touch his skin.

She wanted to taste his bo—

"Am I a pervert?!!!!"

Origami sat up and shouted at the air.

"Seriously... what's wrong with ?"

Wiping the sweat from her head, Origami muttered in confusion.

Ever since eting Itsuka Shido, an indescribable strong emotion had been spreading in her heart.

"Could this be..."

Ring ring ring—

Just then, the phone by her pillow suddenly sounded a notification for an incoming email.

"I-Itsuka—"

Seeing the caller ID displayed on the phone, Origami felt her breathing stop for an instant. On the contrary, her heartbeat was inexplicably loud and violent.

The content of the email was an apology for the sudden invitation today, expressing honor at being able to see her again, and it also included the ti and place for their eting on Saturday.

"Wawawa—Wh-What should I do?"

As if holding a scalding hot stone, the phone was passed back and forth between Origami's left and right hands, and she rolled around on the bed in a panic.

"R-Right—! I have to reply quickly—"

Suddenly waking up, Origami took a deep breath and started typing on her phone.

[I have noted the ti and location for our eting.]

"Mhm... too plain."

After hesitating for a mont, Origami pressed the delete key several tis in a row, straightened her posture, and started typing again.

She replied to every word and sentence of Shido's email. Shido seeking her out made her very happy. She was looking forward to Saturday. Whenever she thought of Shido, she couldn't help but feel a strange mood, etc., etc...

"Ah—"

When she snapped out of it, the email reply had beco an elegant love poem full of romantic sentint.

"...Are you a maiden??!"

Gritting her teeth to squeeze out that sentence, she blushing deleted the email again and started rethinking the words she needed to string together.

(Speaking of which, Itsuka-kun seed to have said he was looking for soone.)

After hesitating for a mont, Origami typed a few words and pressed the send button.

[Understood. I will look forward to tomorrow. By the way, did you find the person you were looking for?]

Soon, a reply ca through the phone.

[I found her. Sorry for making you worry.]

"That's great. If he hadn't found her, asking that would have been too rude."

Origami couldn't help but sigh in relief.

After replying with a ssage of congratulations and goodnight, Origami put down her phone, turned off the light, and prepared to sleep.

(Family... huh...)

In a hazy half-sleep, Origami couldn't help but recall herself crying continuously out of sadness when her parents died in a car accident four years ago.

No matter the circumstances, losing family is absolutely a sorrowful thing.

Origami back then was the sa. She rembered that for a period of ti, Origami locked herself in her room, refusing to interact with anyone.

But, whether it was an auditory hallucination or sothing else, two people's voices rang in Origami's ears.

[Live well, and grow up happily.]

[You absolutely must—live on well!]