Starting With The Sefirah Castle In The Anime World

(5/5)

"Shinomiya!"

Sonoko approached Kaguya with a loud voice that immediately drowned out all other chatter in the classroom.

"Why did you suddenly transfer to Teitan?"

"Why? Am I not allowed to transfer here, or does Teitan High School fall under the Suzuki family's domain?"

"Tsk, I never said anything like that."

Although the Suzuki family's industry was deeply tied to education, Teitan High School wasn't part of their holdings.

And Sonoko had no interest in studying at one of her family's schools either.

After all, attending a school managed by her family would mean being under her parents' watchful eyes all the time.

Why subject herself to that kind of scrutiny when she could enjoy her freedom elsewhere?

"Weren't you doing fine in Shuchiin? Why leave your territory to come here of all places?"

"I just wanted a change of scenery."

"Hmm… something about this seems off."

Sonoko's instincts were sharp.

"It was already strange enough when you showed up at Tropical Land over the weekend and were linked to Sanzenin. Now, you've taken over a major position in your family, yet you're suddenly transferring schools?"

It was a gut feeling, but Sonoko couldn't shake the sense that Kaguya was up to something.

Her sudden transfer didn't sit right with her, and Sonoko couldn't help but feel like there was a hidden motive behind it all.

"So, are you here to interrogate me?"

"Not really. I just have a strong feeling you'll bring trouble wherever you go."

Sonoko crossed her arms, her tone becoming more direct.

"From what I know about you, you'd never willingly leave your comfort zone. Someone must've forced you out."

"…This woman is sharper than she looks," Kaguya thought, her expression remaining calm despite the implications of Sonoko's words.

Even though Sonoko hadn't outright said who might be behind Kaguya's transfer, her deduction was unsettlingly close to the truth.

"So, what's your conclusion, Miss Suzuki?"

"Hmph~"

Sonoko smirked, her tone laced with sarcasm.

"It's exactly as I thought. There's no way someone as icy and calculating as you would leave your cushy environment without a reason."

"You can play dumb all you want, but sooner or later, I'll figure out why you're here."

"And the reason you're working with that arrogant Sanzenin kid."

With that, she turned and left the classroom, her sharp observation leaving Kaguya momentarily speechless.

Sonoko's tentative conclusion was clear.

Kaguya's transfer had a purpose, and that purpose was likely tied to her mysterious cooperation with Sanzenin.

Whatever their plan was, Sonoko knew it hadn't been Kaguya's decision to transfer, someone else had pulled the strings.

"There's definitely something going on," Sonoko muttered as she exited the classroom.

Just as she stepped into the hallway, her eyes fell on a familiar figure.

It was the boy she had bumped into earlier.

A gentle breeze blew through the open window, lifting his bangs slightly and revealing his face.

Behind the thick lenses of his glasses was a mature, handsome face, its subtle charm more apparent now in the natural light.

"Delicious!"

As someone who prided herself on her taste in appearances, Sonoko silently rated him.

Shinichi had always been her gold standard, scoring a solid nine out of ten. But she deducted a point because of his obsessive love for mysteries.

The boy in front of her, however, had a "hidden" charm that boosted his score significantly.

While his outward appearance might only score a six at first glance, the hidden depth in his expression easily added three points, making him a solid nine.

"I never noticed we had someone like this at school…"

"Why are these quiet types always the ones with hidden charm?"

She couldn't explain why, but she felt intrigued by him.

If it weren't for the circumstances today, she'd already have invited him out to hang out and get to know each other better.

For now, though, she had to let it go.

Sonoko took a deep breath, gathered herself, and walked over to the boy.

"Amamiya, are you free this weekend?"

"Eh?"

"Let's go on a date. What do you think?"

"Date…"

Ren blinked in surprise. "I don't go out much except for work."

"Do you have a part-time job this weekend?"

He pulled out his phone and checked his schedule.

"No, I don't."

"Then spend the day with me. What do you say?"

"…I'm not very good at talking."

"I figured as much," Sonoko said with a grin. "But dating is about spending time together. The more time we spend, the easier it'll be to talk."

"So, how about it?"

What could he say to that?

"If you don't find it boring…"

Sonoko's smile grew brighter.

"Then it's settled. I'll handle all the planning. Just follow my lead this weekend."

"Okay."

"Great! I'll contact you the day before to finalize everything."

With their plans made, Sonoko turned and walked away.

As soon as she turned her back, she couldn't suppress her excitement.

"Ahhh~ This is my first date with Amamiya, the boy with hidden charm!"

"My taste is as sharp as ever!"

Meanwhile, Ren remained in the hallway, gazing out the window as Sonoko disappeared into the classroom.

"Well, it's pretty clear now that Sonoko doesn't have the diary."

The next step would be confirming Ran's situation.

But a date?

Ren glanced at the sky, watching the clouds drift by, and let out a sigh.

"Dating, huh? How does that even work?"

"I've never been on one before…"

"…Actually, I've never even been asked out before."

Ren had a clear sense of self-awareness.

He wasn't someone who stood out in a crowd. Quiet, reserved, and filled with inner thoughts, he lacked the social experience to handle situations like this.

Especially when it came to interacting with girls he had just met.

In his sixteen years of life, nothing like this had ever happened to him.

"This is way more stressful than working."

Still, his diary required daily entries, and having new experiences might lead to better rewards.

"Maybe spending time with Sonoko will help me learn more. That wouldn't be so bad."

The only problem was his tendency to clam up in conversations.

"Honestly, dating sounds more exhausting than a full shift at work."

But for now, he reasoned that a first date would likely just be casual, maybe a simple outing.

Though, in a place like Beika City, weekends were rarely uneventful.

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