Finally, Ichika emerged from the crowd, her steps relaxed and confident.
Unlike her sisters who wore yukata, Ichika looked stylish in a thick cream coat, fitted jeans, a beret, and large sunglasses. She raised her hand and waved a greeting, her signature smile shining through.
"Sorry, sorry, I'm late, the traffic was terrible." Ichika said cheerfully, with no visible guilt.
"You always have an excuse, Ichika." Nino huffed lightly with a smile.
"Why aren't you wearing a yukata, Ichika? It's a shame, I wanted us to dress alike." Yotsuba looked a bit disappointed by this.
"Sorry to disappoint you, Yotsuba. But... if I don't wear a disguise, it would cause a commotion." Ichika said helplessly.
Since her popularity soared and her career took off, she could no longer walk in public without a disguise. Otherwise, she would be swarmed by people asking for photos or autographs.
"Being famous is such a hassle." Itsuki said, pleased to have stopped her food blogging activities and fully devoted herself to being a teacher.
"You must be Kamiki Eiji-kun~, whoa... You look more handsome than in the photos. Are you interested in the entertainment industry? I can discuss it with my agent if you want."
Ichika stood in front of Eiji, extending an olive branch. Even for her, who had seen male actors and models in the entertainment industry, the young man in front of her was top-notch!
"Thank you for the invitation. But I decline." Eiji refused without hesitation.
"Can you tell me why?" Ichika asked while twirling her hair beside her ear.
"..."
Eiji glanced at Nino and Miku, who were eagerly listening for his answer.
"Simple, I don't want to. That's it."
"Oh... What a shame, you could become famous quickly."
Noticing his small actions, Ichika could guess the real reason.
'It seems this little guy has feelings for Nino or Miku. That's why he declined.'
Before Ichika could continue the conversation, Nino interrupted.
"How much longer do we want to chat here? Let's go to the shrine to pray; more people will come later, and we'll have to wait in a long line."
"Nino's right. Then let's go." Ichika smiled shyly.
Thus, they lined up in front of the shrine, the atmosphere around them filled with solemn silence.
The lantern light reflected warmth on their faces, and the sound of falling snow added to the beauty of that morning.
After waiting for a few minutes, it was their turn. Seven people, consisting of two men and five girls, lined up horizontally in front of the shrine.
*DING-DONG*
Yotsuba standing in the middle, enthusiastically pulled the bell rope.
The seven of them clapped their hands twice, then closed their eyes to pray.
Opening one eye, Eiji watched them pray solemnly.
To be honest, the contradictory behavior of Japanese society puzzled him.
The majority of Japanese people do not believe in gods. Yet strangely, they pray to deities at shrines in various situations. Moreover, they mix several religions in their lives.
For example, couples get married using Christian or Shinto ceremonies, funerals are conducted with Buddhist rites, and so on.
'Simplistically, people coming to pray at the shrine during New Year's is just a tradition, not because of their faith in the gods.'
Stopping to think about this irrelevant topic, Eiji didn't know whether gods existed or not. Because everyone prayed, he did the same.
Perhaps his prayer would be answered?
Who knows?
'Kamii-sama, if you truly exist, grant my prayer. Heal me from amnesia as soon as possible.'
Eiji's hope remained unchanged: he wanted to know his forgotten past!
After finishing, they opened their eyes and exchanged small smiles. The atmosphere around the shrine was once again filled with laughter and chatter from other visitors, bringing them back to a warm reality.
"So, what are your hopes for this year?" Ichika asked, glancing at each of them with curiosity in her eyes.
Nino crossed her arms and smiled confidently.
"I have some big plans. But it's a secret."
Miku nodded and said in a low voice, "I won't tell you. Prayers won't be answered if shared with others."
Meanwhile, Itsuki answered firmly.
"I'll be a good and exemplary teacher to my students like our mother."
"I hope we all stay together, no matter what happens." Yotsuba chuckled softly.
Fuutarou looked at Yotsuba gently, his heart feeling warm.
"As expected from Itsuki, you are very dedicated to your work."
"Of course. Uesugi-kun guided our studies in high school. Now it's my turn to guide the students." Itsuki said to her brother-in-law.
"What about you, Kamiki-kun? Onee-san is very curious, can you tell us~"
After Ichika said that, the girls turned their gaze to Eiji.
"My recovery." Eiji felt no need to hide this from them.
"..."
Suddenly, the atmosphere fell into silence.
Nino and the others shot Ichika accusing looks.
"Ahem, I hope Kamiki-kun's prayer is answered."
As a professional actress, Ichika hid her guilt and offered encouragement.
They didn't go home right after praying; they walked around the shrine courtyard, enjoying the sights and atmosphere.
The lanterns shone brightly, and food stalls wafted tempting sweet and savory aromas.
As a foodie, Itsuki didn't want to miss the food stalls that only set up once a year. In no time, she had bought a lot of food.
Compared to Itsuki's ravenous appetite, Ichika and the others ate normal portions.
"This apple candy is so sweet. Eiji, try this."
Nino offered the half-eaten apple candy in front of Eiji.
"Wow... Nino is so bold, that's an indirect kiss!" Yotsuba whispered in shock.
"That's just an indirect kiss, no need to overreact."
Even though Fuutarou said that to Yotsuba, he turned away because he didn't want to see the scene.
"Does Nino like Kamiki-kun? She even calls him by his first name." Ichika whispered to Miku.
"I think so. Since Nino met Kamiki-kun, her attitude towards him is somewhat different from how she treats other guys." Miku nodded and shared her speculation.
Meanwhile, Eiji was unembarrassed and took a bite of the apple that Nino offered him.
"Mm. It's sweet, I like it."
"Glad to hear that, let's try some other sweets."
After a month of getting to know each other, Nino knew Eiji liked sweet foods.
"Hey, everyone, let's try omikuji." Ichika suggested as they passed by the stand set up by the shrine.