Time quickly arrived at nine o'clock on the morning of the second day.
Shikime Natsu woke right on schedule from his dreams, and after a simple wash-up, he changed into a fresh and comfortable set of casual clothes.
He walked over to the bedside and looked at Kamuro Masumi, who was still fast asleep. He didn't disturb her—he only gently left a good-morning kiss on her forehead, then turned and left the dormitory, heading straight for Keyaki Mall.
Although the time had only just pointed to nine in the morning, when Shikime Natsu stepped into Keyaki Mall, he discovered that quite a lot of people had already gathered inside the mall at this hour.
Shikime Natsu hadn't expected that this fortune-teller, so miraculously renowned in the rumors, would actually have such drawing power, attracting so many people to come and line up so early.
He casually swept a glance over the crowd and found that the people queuing up still appeared to be mostly girls.
Of course, the majority of them were probably second- and third-year upperclassman seniors.
Just as Shikime Natsu was about to find a conspicuous spot to wait for Amikura Mako.
Very soon, he heard a crisp voice carrying a touch of cheer and delighted surprise come from behind him.
"Shiki-san! Good morning!"
Shikime Natsu turned around.
He saw Amikura Mako striding briskly from the direction of the entrance, walking toward him, and she greeted him quite happily.
Amikura Mako today had clearly dressed up with great care.
Her beautiful head of long purple hair had been carefully tied up into a lively, full ponytail, the ends trimmed neat and even, with the base of the ponytail adorned by a pure white ribbon hair accessory that swayed gently behind her head as she walked.
As for her outfit.
She hadn't chosen anything overly mature or revealing, but instead wore an exquisitely designed light-colored pleated skirt, paired with a simple, clean short-sleeved top.
The length of the skirt's hem was just right, revealing exactly the right amount of her fair, slender legs. And at her calves, she had deliberately matched it with a pair of white knee-high socks suited to a maiden's air.
The whole of her gave off a feeling that could be called quite fresh and adorable, brimming with the youthful vitality unique to a high school girl.
After walking up in front of Shikime Natsu.
Amikura Mako lowered her head slightly and looked at Shikime Natsu a little bashfully.
Those small hands that were usually never still were now placed somewhat restlessly against the wispy bangs over her forehead, lightly fiddling with them.
Those bright, big eyes blinked and blinked, as if quietly waiting for something.
Looking at the girl's charming, delicate appearance, Shikime Natsu naturally understood what Amikura Mako was anticipating in her heart at this moment.
He gave a slight smile and frankly looked Amikura Mako up and down.
"Good morning, Amikura-san."
Shikime Natsu's voice was gentle, and he praised her without the slightest stinginess.
"You look very beautiful in that outfit today."
After hearing this blunt compliment from Shikime Natsu.
Amikura Mako's heart, which had been a little nervous and uneasy, was instantly as sweet as if it had been filled to the brim with honey.
A bright blush flew up onto her cheeks, the light in those big eyes grew even more dazzling, and her whole self radiated a joy she couldn't conceal.
She covered her burning cheeks with both hands a little shyly, but the smile at the corners of her mouth was impossible to suppress no matter what.
"R... really?"
Amikura Mako was so happy she was almost incoherent.
"Thank you for the compliment, Shiki-san!"
After receiving the affirmation she'd wanted.
Amikura Mako took a deep breath, doing her best to calm her emotions.
Then she lifted her head, those smile-filled eyes speaking to Shikime Natsu.
"Since both of us are here now, then let's hurry up and head over to the fortune-telling place! If we go too late we might have to queue for a long time."
Shikime Natsu nodded and naturally agreed.
After that, the two of them headed side by side toward the mall's elevators.
According to the information Amikura Mako had obtained earlier, the floor where that famous fortune-teller's stall was located was the fifth floor.
As the elevator doors slowly opened on the fifth floor.
The moment Shikime Natsu and Amikura Mako stepped out, they saw the already considerably long queue in the corridor.
However, when Shikime Natsu observed the composition of the queuing crowd a little, a flicker of amusement flashed in the depths of his eyes.
He discovered that the people lining up here to wait for fortune-telling were basically all queuing in the form of "groups of two."
And moreover, among these pairs, combinations of one man and one woman made up the overwhelming majority.
Only a very small portion were two boys paired up alone, or two girls queuing arm in arm.
Seeing this scene, Amikura Mako, walking beside Shikime Natsu, couldn't help but stiffen slightly.
She didn't immediately let her gaze land on Shikime Natsu, but instead deliberately cast her eyes toward the display window beside the corridor, as if trying hard to act like she knew nothing at all.
But her faintly reddened earlobes had already betrayed the lack of calm in her heart at this moment.
After all, the situation was already quite obvious.
These combinations of one man and one woman lined up together—anyone who wasn't blind could tell that they were basically all couples deep in passionate love, or in the midst of a budding flirtation.
And right now, this very moment, Amikura Mako and Shikime Natsu, although they too were standing side by side in line like those couples.
But between the two of them, they had not actually yet established that sort of couple relationship.
In her own heart, Amikura Mako naturally yearned to take a further step.
But she didn't know what kind of attitude Shikime Natsu would hold upon seeing this situation that seemed like a "couples-only queue."
Would he feel awkward? Would he think she was deliberately using this method to hint at him, or to back him into a corner?
Amikura Mako thought anxiously in her heart.
However, what made Amikura Mako relax a little was that Shikime Natsu didn't seem to have any special reaction to this.
After Shikime Natsu walked to a spot slightly toward the front of the queue and stopped.
Amikura Mako then cautiously used the corner of her eye to observe Shikime Natsu's profile.
After confirming that there really was no displeasure or awkwardness on his face, the girl's hanging heart finally settled back into place, and she obediently queued up at the tail of the line alongside him.
During the wait in line, Shikime Natsu's and Amikura Mako's gazes very naturally fell upon a conspicuous notice board standing at the entrance of the fortune-telling stall not far off.
On it, written in extremely eye-catching font, was a hard-and-fast rule:
[This establishment's fortune-telling only accepts groups of two entering at the same time. Single-person fortune-telling is declined.]
Seeing this rule.
Amikura Mako, as if to mask that subtle feeling inside her, turned her head, looked at Shikime Natsu, and said with a somewhat playful smile.
"Oh my, good thing I invited Shiki-san to come along with me today."
"We happen to be exactly two people."
She blinked her eyes, her tone carrying a hint of relief.
Faced with these seemingly casual words from Amikura Mako, Shikime Natsu merely nodded, the corners of his mouth carrying a gentle smile in response, and didn't go and expose that little scheme of hers.
As time passed second by second, the queue ahead advanced slowly but in an orderly fashion.
It was right at this moment.
Shikime Natsu turned his head and looked toward Amikura Mako beside him.
"Come to think of it, Amikura-san."
"Once we go in later, what topic of fortune-telling are you planning to ask that fortune-teller about?"
A trace of mischievous amusement lay in the depths of Shikime Natsu's eyes.
"Do you want to ask about that kind of reading like the 'Void'? Or do you want to take a look at some other type?"
After hearing these words from Shikime Natsu, Amikura Mako's already small face instantly turned even redder.
She couldn't help grumbling coquettishly in her heart.
"How did Shiki-san turn so mischievous at a time like this?!"
He even knew a professional-sounding fortune-telling term like the "Void"!
And yet, he had pointedly gone out of his way to avoid that "love fortune" thing that every man-and-woman pair queuing here would surely choose!
He was absolutely doing it on purpose!
Of course, Amikura Mako thought to herself secretly.
If Shikime Natsu hadn't deliberately gone around in circles just now, but had instead bluntly and directly asked her "whether she wanted to have a love fortune told."
Then, in this current ambiguous state where the relationship still hadn't been confirmed, how was she supposed to answer him? Admit it outright? That would be way too embarrassing!
Amikura Mako didn't know how to handle that kind of blunt question.
But facing Shikime Natsu's current teasing where he deliberately played dumb, Amikura Mako didn't need to answer those awkward questions.
With a red face, she lowered her head slightly, not daring to look into Shikime Natsu's pale golden eyes.
"Once... once we go in later."
Amikura Mako's voice became soft and sweet, carrying an obvious trace of shyness.
"Later, Shiki-san, you... you'll find out."
She lifted her head and shot him a quick glance; those bright, big eyes had now welled up with a faint layer of moist luster, making her look extremely captivating.
Looking at the girl's shy, adorable appearance.
Seeing this, Shikime Natsu didn't continue to tease her any further.
He thought to himself that a girl's heart really was hard to fathom at times.
She'd even worked up the courage to invite him to come queue at this fortune-telling stall that was obviously a couples-only affair, yet when it came to the final crucial step, she was still too shy to even say the word "love."
Of course, Shikime Natsu merely smiled inwardly and didn't say anything more on this topic, instead considerately turning his gaze back toward the front.
Before long, a female shop attendant dressed in mysterious attire walked out of the fortune-telling stall. She checked the number of people, then handed a number tag to Shikime Natsu and Amikura Mako, who were near the front of the line.
On it was written "Group Three."
The female attendant politely reminded them that each group of customers' fortune-telling would take about ten minutes.
In other words, they would still need to wait about twenty minutes here before it was their turn.
Twenty minutes—not long if you call it long, not short if you call it short.
In this corridor where wandering about freely wasn't allowed and one could only stand in place in line, how was one to pass twenty minutes?
Obviously, apart from playing on one's phone, the only option was for the two of them to chat with each other.
In order to keep the atmosphere from going cold.
Shikime Natsu took the initiative to bring up a topic, looking at Amikura Mako.
"Come to think of it, thank you, Amikura-san, for taking the initiative to invite me out today."
"If it weren't for you, I might have spent the whole day bored in the dormitory today."
Suddenly hearing Shikime Natsu say this.
Amikura Mako was instantly made a little embarrassed by his words.
She hurriedly waved her hands, her cheeks slightly red as she responded.
"Not at all, not at all! Shiki-san, you mustn't say that."
"You being willing to agree to accompany me to queue in a place like this—I'm the one who should be thanking you properly."
Shikime Natsu looked at her, the corners of his mouth carrying a smile as he continued.
"This is my honest feeling. Every time I go out to play or chat with you, Amikura-san, I feel very happy, and very relaxed."
Faced with this direct expression of emotion.
Amikura Mako's heart couldn't help but pound violently once.
She hurriedly lifted her head, those moist eyes looking at Shikime Natsu as she earnestly said.
"I... me too!"
"When I'm together with Shiki-san, I also always feel very, very happy!"
The two of them chatted on and off in the corridor, the atmosphere appearing harmonious and warm.
During the conversation, Shikime Natsu noticed.
When the group ahead entered the fortune-telling room and the heavy door curtain was lowered, the people queuing outside couldn't hear a single word of what was being said inside.
It seemed this fortune-telling stall paid quite a lot of attention to protecting its customers' privacy.
Thinking of the topic he'd just used to tease Amikura Mako.
Shikime Natsu glanced at the girl beside him and casually asked another question.
"Since this place only accepts fortune-telling in groups of two."
"Then, this time, are there many types of fortune-telling that this fortune-teller offers?"
Shikime Natsu analyzed.
"After all, if the rule is that only groups of two may enter, in this kind of specific setting, it's really hard not to make people's thoughts drift toward that other direction, the one about love."
Hearing Shikime Natsu finally steer the topic onto the right track.
Amikura Mako hurriedly spoke up to explain.
"Yes... yes, there are many of them!"
"Not only is there that 'Void' thing you mentioned earlier, Shiki-san, but there's also fortune-telling about academic luck, or about future career development."
Saying this, Amikura Mako secretly shot a glance at Shikime Natsu, and then her voice involuntarily became as tiny as a mosquito's.
"And of course... there's also... there's also fortune-telling about love."
...
Very soon, the twenty minutes passed amid the two of them chatting idly.
As the previous group of customers walked out from inside with satisfied smiles.
It was finally Shikime Natsu and Amikura Mako's turn to enter the fortune-telling room.
Lifting that heavy purple velvet door curtain, the two of them walked into this temporarily set-up fortune-telling space.
After going in.
The lighting inside had been deliberately adjusted to be somewhat dim. In the very center of the room sat a round table draped with a black tablecloth.
On the table was placed a crystal ball emitting a faint glow, and beside the crystal ball were scattered several ancient-looking, somewhat thick fortune-telling books.
Behind the round table.
Sat an old woman dressed in a black robe, a hood worn over her head as well.
Due to the hood's obstruction, it was hard to clearly make out her true features, but the kind of aura she gave off did indeed make the entire room look very much like it had the atmosphere of fortune-telling.
And on this side of the round table—that is, in front of the crystal ball—two comfortable round chairs had long since been prepared.
Seeing the two of them enter, the hooded old woman didn't immediately speak to ask anything, but first stretched out a withered finger and tapped a fee plaque on the table.
The fortune-teller first demanded the fee for this fortune-telling.
Seeing this, Shikime Natsu naturally took out his phone, and without letting Amikura Mako pay, directly paid the fortune-telling fee for both of them.
Seeing Shikime Natsu's decisive action, Amikura Mako softly voiced her thanks to him.
After accepting the fee.
The hooded old woman then slowly raised her head, those eyes hidden in the shadows looking at the two seated across from her.
"So then, young boy and girl."
The fortune-teller's voice was somewhat hoarse, carrying a unique cadence.
"Tell me, what is it that you have come here today wishing to have divined?"
Faced with the fortune-teller's question.
Amikura Mako's cheeks instantly turned bright red.
She didn't answer right away, but with a red face turned her head to look at Shikime Natsu, seated beside her.
Amikura Mako took a deep breath, then turned her head and looked at the hooded old woman.
"We... we want to have a fortune told about..."
The girl bit her lip, hesitating and stammering, but in the end she still mustered the courage to say that word.
"We want a fortune told about... love."
Hearing Amikura Mako finally speak this heart-racing word with her own mouth in this somewhat dim room.
Shikime Natsu chuckled softly.
At this point, this shy girl wasn't being so evasive after all.
"Love? Heh heh, youth really is a wonderful thing."
The fortune-teller let out a low laugh.
Then she stretched out both hands, placing them above that faintly glowing crystal ball, and began the fortune-telling ritual.
The hooded old woman closed her eyes, muttering incantations under her breath, and the glow within the crystal ball began to ceaselessly shift its colors.
After quite a while.
The fortune-teller slowly opened her eyes and looked at Amikura Mako, and on that face hidden beneath the hood she seemed to reveal a trace of a smile.
"Your love fortune will, in the near future, arrive at a major turning point."
"If... you can set aside the worries in your heart and bravely, actively take that step forward."
"Then, I can tell you with certainty that you will gain a love that belongs to you—and what's more, the process will go even more smoothly than you imagine."
Hearing these definite words full of encouragement and affirmation given by the fortune-teller.
Amikura Mako's face instantly turned red all the way down to the base of her neck.
But amid the shyness, her heart was filled with an unprecedented happiness.
Smoothly!
The fortune-teller said the result would be smooth! As long as she took the initiative, she would surely gain that love!
This was simply the answer she had most wanted to hear upon coming here today!
Amikura Mako clenched her little fists hard in her heart, secretly cheering herself on.
Since even this super-accurate fortune-teller said so.
Then once the fortune-telling was over and she walked out of this room.
She absolutely had to muster all her courage and confess to Shiki-san to his face!
Just as Amikura Mako's mind was entirely occupied with planning the confession for after they went out.
The fortune-teller, after finishing resolving Amikura Mako's doubts, turned her head to look toward Shikime Natsu.
"So then, what about you?"
Faced with the fortune-teller's question.
Shikime Natsu didn't show that he cared too much about it.
After all, toward this so-called mystical fortune-telling, he had always held an attitude of watching a show.
But when his gaze swept over Amikura Mako beside him—her face full of excitement and her cheeks flushed red from having received good fortune.
The corners of Shikime Natsu's mouth curved slightly into a smile.
"I'd like to know."
"The love fortune between me and this Amikura-san beside me—how will it turn out?"
The instant Shikime Natsu spoke these words naturally and without the slightest reservation.
The air in the entire fortune-telling room seemed to suddenly freeze for a moment.
Amikura Mako froze completely on the spot, and that already flushed little face now turned so red it looked about to drip blood.
She widened those bright eyes and, in disbelief, turned her head to look at Shikime Natsu's handsome profile so close at hand.
Shiki-san, he... what did he just ask in front of the fortune-teller?!
He actually directly asked about... the love fortune between the two of them?!
Didn't this mean that he actually... he actually also held that sort of feeling toward her?!
The moment she thought of this possibility.
Amikura Mako's heart was instantly overcome by a rush of joy and sweetness! She felt as if she was about to faint from happiness.
And the hooded old woman seated across the round table, after a brief moment of astonishment.
She quickly came to her senses.
After all, as a fortune-teller who had knocked about in society for many years.
Although Shikime Natsu's question was somewhat abrupt, it wasn't as though she had never encountered couples who deliberately came to her place to flaunt their affection or test each other under the guise of fortune-telling.
Looking at this pair of well-matched, ambiguous-atmosphered young boy and girl before her.
On the fortune-teller's wrinkle-covered face appeared a knowing and goodwill-filled smile.
She once again suspended both hands above the crystal ball, pretending to gaze at it earnestly for a while.
Then she looked at Shikime Natsu and Amikura Mako and gave a result that suited the current atmosphere.
"Heh heh."
The fortune-teller said with a smile.
"This crystal ball tells me."
"The love fortune between you two is like the rising morning sun, full of infinite possibilities. As long as you treat each other with honesty, the bond between you will grow deep and far-reaching."
After obtaining this perfect fortune-telling result.
This fortune-telling experience could be considered concluded.
Shikime Natsu politely voiced his thanks to the fortune-teller, then, leading the still dizzy and joyful Amikura Mako, lifted the door curtain and left the fortune-telling room.
Leaving the fortune-telling room, walking along the bright, wide corridor of Keyaki Mall.
At this very moment.
Amikura Mako felt that her heart was like a little deer locked in a cage, pounding violently "thump thump" inside her chest, as if it might leap straight out of her throat at any moment.
She walked at Shikime Natsu's side, her fingers nervously twisting at the hem of her skirt.
Several times she wanted to speak up, but each time, out of too much nervousness, she swallowed the words back down.
Finally, when they reached a relatively quiet corner.
Amikura Mako at last summoned up her courage.
She stopped in her tracks, lifted her head, those moist eyes looking at Shikime Natsu.
"Um... Shiki-san."
She bit her lip and cautiously spoke up to ask him.
"You... that question you just asked the fortune-teller granny in the fortune-telling room... the one about the love fortune between the two of us."
"That... what exactly did it mean?"
Faced with the girl's adorable manner—clearly already having an answer in her heart, yet still wanting to hear him confirm it with her own ears.
Shikime Natsu stopped walking.
He turned around and looked at this girl before him, her face flushed red, waiting for his answer.
The smile on Shikime Natsu's face gradually faded, replaced instead by a trace of earnest tenderness.
He looked at her and answered with a smile.
"Amikura-san, as clever as you are, could it be you still can't guess?"
"Today you specially got up bright and early, dressed yourself up so beautifully, and then took the initiative to invite me to this fortune-telling stall."
"Wasn't it precisely in order to... hear that result the fortune-teller gave about the two of us?"
Hearing Shikime Natsu's answer that directly laid bare her little scheme.
Amikura Mako felt that her face was already hot enough to fry an egg.
She nodded a little bashfully.
Those bright, big eyes sparkled with dazzling light as she looked at Shikime Natsu.
Then she took a deep breath, and all the courage she had stored up earlier in the fortune-telling room burst forth in this moment.
She looked at Shikime Natsu and spoke up in a crisp voice.
"Shiki-san!"
"Just now... just now the fortune-teller granny said it too."
"She said... as long as I take the initiative, the love between us two will go very smoothly!"
The girl's eyes were filled with unreserved love and anticipation.
Looking at this girl before him who had become incomparably brave for the sake of love.
Shikime Natsu nodded with a smile.
"Mm."
"That fortune-teller really is very accurate."
Having said this, Shikime Natsu naturally turned around, stretched out that slender, good-looking large hand of his, and without the slightest hesitation took hold of Amikura Mako's small hand.
Then he lowered his head, looked into those eyes full of pleasant surprise, and earnestly asked.
"So then, Amikura-san, just as the fortune-telling said."
"Are you willing to be my girlfriend?"
Feeling that reassuring warm strength transmitted from her hand.
Hearing this confession she had anticipated for countless days and nights.
Amikura Mako's eyes instantly turned red, moved tears welling and spinning in their rims.
She gripped Shikime Natsu's hand back tightly, without the slightest hesitation.
"I'm willing!"
____
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