Bang! Bang! Bang!
Shido! Get up! You lazy pig! What time is it, and you're still sleeping!
The sound of knocking, which was highly penetrating —or perhaps more accurately, kicking —accompanied the words.
Kotori's energetic, or rather, furious, shouts came from behind the door, dragging Itsuka Shido back to reality from his slumber.
He groggily opened his eyes; the sky outside the window was only just starting to lighten.
"Ugh... Kotori... just five more minutes..." he mumbled indistinctly, pulling the blanket over his head.
"I —t —s —u —k —a S —h —i —d —o!"
With a loud "Bang!" the bedroom door was roughly shoved open.
Itsuka Kotori stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips, still wearing her cute pajamas, but the black ribbon symbolizing the "commander mode" was already tied in her hair!
The stick of the precious jewel she was sucking on bobbed dangerously, and her large eyes blazed with raging fire.
"How dare you sleep in today?! Have you forgotten what day it is?! It's the day you have a date with that beautiful transfer student! That was an opportunity we fought hard to get! This is a crucial step concerning Ratatoskr's future strategy! Are you planning to go on a date with a beautiful girl looking like a sleepy idiot with dark circles under your eyes?! Get up! Now! Roll out of bed!!"
Kotori darted forward and unceremoniously yanked Shido's blanket off, the cold air instantly making him shiver.
"Waaah! Kotori! It's cold!"
"Cold is good! It'll wake you up!" Kotori grabbed Shido's ear.
"Hurry up and wash your face! Reine is already waiting for you in the living room! Breakfast is ready! We're just waiting for the main character to make his slow entrance!"
(Reine is here too?)
Shido instantly sobered up, scrambling into the bathroom.
When he finished washing up at top speed, changed into his clothes, and walked into the living room with some trepidation, he saw Murasame Reine sitting quietly at the dining table.
A simple Japanese breakfast —miso soup, rice, grilled fish, and tamagoyaki —was laid out on the table, seemingly prepared by Reine.
She still looked sleep-deprived, her heavy dark circles particularly noticeable in the morning light, but her gaze was as calm as ever.
"Good morning, Little Shido," Reine greeted him in her somewhat ethereal voice.
"G-Good morning, Reine! Thank you for coming so early to prepare breakfast..."
"...It's nothing. Replenishing energy is necessary preparation before a battle," Reine replied calmly, motioning for him to sit.
At that moment, Kotori stomped over and sat down opposite Shido, grabbing her bowl and chopsticks, but not before shooting Shido a fierce glare.
"Alright, now that everyone is here, let's hold the meeting while we eat!" Kotori bit fiercely into a piece of grilled fish, as if she were biting the flesh of her disappointing older brother.
"First, Shido, let me reiterate today's highest directive: You must have a successful date with the target, Phoenix-in Chinatsu, one that effectively raises her affection level! Do you understand?"
"Y-Yes..." Shido quickly nodded.
"According to the latest analysis from Fraxinus, and yesterday's unexpected intervention by Origami..."
Reine took over, gently tapping the table with her chopsticks as if highlighting key points.
"...Today's situation will be more complicated than anticipated. The probability of intervention by the variable 'Tobiichi Origami' has been raised to over 90%. She may appear near you under the pretext of'surveillance,' 'protection,' or any reason you can or cannot imagine."
"Huh? Classmate Origami..." Shido felt a headache coming on just thinking about that scenario.
"Exactly! That's why your response strategy is crucial!" Kotori emphasized.
"Our advice is: Do not actively drive her away, but do not overly indulge her either. Maintain a natural demeanor and keep your attention primarily on Chinatsu. Any provocative actions by Origami, as long as they don't endanger personal safety, should be resolved gently, showcasing your tolerance and generosity! Remember, your target is Chinatsu; don't let Origami throw off your rhythm!"
"...Furthermore," Reine added.
"The target Chinatsu's traits exhibited during the cooking showdown yesterday —'obsession with technique' and 'lack of Understanding of feelings' —as well as her slightly 'tsundere' reaction at the end, are the main focus of today's capture strategy."
"You can try asking her for advice or engaging in discussion in areas she excels at or is interested in —not necessarily cooking —to satisfy her desire to show off and her technical pride. At the same time, when she might act 'contrary to what she truly feels,' don't expose her; give her a way to save face."
"Simply put, just pet the donkey's fur!" Kotori summarized.
"Listen more, agree more, and appropriately show your 'clumsiness' and'sincerity.' For her type of technically-focused tsundere, sometimes showing weakness is more effective than showing off! As everyone knows, a straight pitch defeats a tsundere!"
Shido struggled to digest the information; it felt harder than solving a math problem. "So... where exactly are we going? What are we doing?"
"Here are the backup plans." Kotori pulled a tablet computer from somewhere and quickly swiped through it.
"An amusement park creates shared memories and opportunities for appropriate physical contact; an aquarium provides a romantic setting suitable for deep conversation; strolling through a shopping district allows you to observe her preferences; or go see a movie... You can discuss the specific choice with her; respecting her opinion is a bonus point!"
"Remember, Shido," Reine put down her chopsticks and looked at Shido with eyes that seemed to pierce his soul.
"...The essence of a date is mutual Understanding and companionship. You don't need to overly pursue a 'perfect routine' —in fact, there is no perfect date. Natural interaction and genuine concern often move people more than deliberate planning."
"Fraxinus will provide option support throughout, but ultimately, you need to use your 'heart' to feel and respond."
Just then, the living room television screen suddenly lit up on its own, displaying the background of the Fraxinus bridge and the words [Communication Link Stable].
Clearly, remote support was already in place.
"Looks like everything is ready." Kotori stood up and clapped her hands, her expression finally shifting from anger to anticipation and a hint of seriousness.
"Well then, Shido, let's go! Go seize victory in this 'Date War'! We will be your strongest backup!"
Shido looked at his sister and the analyst, feeling the support from Fraxinus, took a deep breath, and shoveled the last mouthful of rice into his mouth.
"I'm heading out!"
He stood up, pushed open the door with nervousness, anticipation, and a heavy sense of responsibility.
The morning sun shone on him, illuminating his path toward the "battlefield."
(Classmate Hōōin... I hope everything goes smoothly today...)
What he didn't know was that after he left, Kotori and Reine exchanged glances.
"Hey, Reine, do you think... my brother can pull it off?"
"...Shido possesses potential he hasn't even noticed himself. And..." Reine looked out the window at Shido's retreating back.
"...Miss Chinatsu doesn't seem as'simple' as she lets on. Today's 'date' might be more interesting than we imagine."
A "date," seemingly sweet but secretly fraught with hidden undercurrents, and watched by multiple factions, officially began.
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