"Amamiya-kun, did you receive any game notifications?" Umi's voice lowered slightly as she took small, cautious steps towards Amamiya, leaning close to whisper in his ear.
Amamiya replied just as quietly, "The Zoo 'Tales' event?"
"Yes, that's the one." Umi exhaled, visibly relieved. "I thought I was the only one who got the notification... A large-scale mission sounds super dangerous. But with you here, Amamiya-kun, I think we'll be fine."
Amamiya silently reminded himself of an important truth: Relying on others is never the right way—one must grow stronger on their own.
"By the way, if we received the game notification, do you think Chika-chan got one as well?" Umi asked, her eyes filled with hope.
Amamiya's response was brief. "Just wait a moment, and we'll find out."
Time passed quickly, and soon, a minute had gone by.
"No message," Amamiya reported after checking his phone. "It seems there's no game notification for her."
The event seemed to follow the same rules as the previous "Midnight Subway" mission, where the task was only triggered by entering the corresponding location. Only then could players be eligible to participate in the game.
Of course, it would be ideal not to encounter such sudden game scenarios at all—the unknown always carried with it a certain danger.
However, there was something else that concerned Amamiya more than the game itself.
"Miko," Amamiya said, stepping forward to his childhood friend, Miko. He lowered his voice as he called her over, "Come here."
"Hm?" Miko tilted her head in confusion but obediently followed him to the side, curious about what he wanted to say.
Amamiya didn't hesitate and got straight to the point. "Why did you seem so uneasy about the zoo earlier?"
Before Miko could respond, Umi chimed in, "Amamiya-kun and I just received a game notification—it's a large-scale event called 'Zoo Tales.'"
Miko frowned, her lips pressed together as she tried to explain, "I can't put my finger on it... but when we entered the zoo, I got this eerie feeling. Like being alone in a dark room, with the hair on the back of my neck standing on end for no reason."
Umi blinked in confusion. "But, Miko, you're not a player—you're just an ordinary person. How are you able to see evil spirits?"
Miko bit her lower lip in frustration, her gaze flickering toward the looming evil spirit not far away. "I wish I knew... I never wanted to see these things at all."
Amamiya pondered aloud, "If we use basic logical deduction: ordinary people can't see evil spirits, yet Miko can. So, the conclusion is..." He turned to Miko, his expression serious. "Clearly, you're not an ordinary person."
Miko let out a bitter laugh. "That's funny coming from someone like you."
Umi raised her hand, pointing out, "Miko-chan can see evil spirits, which regular people can't."
Miko said nothing, the weight of the situation settling on her shoulders.
Suddenly, Hana's cheerful voice broke through the tension. "Miko-chan, come on! Let's go see the giraffes!"
Miko turned toward her friend. "I'm coming!"
Amamiya remained calm as he spoke to the group. "Let's keep moving and continue exploring the zoo."
The event hadn't officially started yet, so there was no use in getting worked up prematurely.
Umi, ever carefree, shrugged off the situation just as quickly as it had escalated. Her naturally sunny disposition left little room for lingering worries. She grinned and remarked in her usual light-hearted tone, "You never know which will come first—tomorrow or an accident. So, of course, we should enjoy the moment while we can."
And so, their walk through the zoo continued.
"Why are those two giraffes bumping their necks together?" Amamiya's younger brother asked curiously.
"I know, I know!" Hana called out enthusiastically, leaning over the fence. She was the only one who seemed to be truly enjoying Golden Week without a care in the world. "...They're helping each other scratch an itch, just like the monkeys we saw earlier. They often scratch their companions' backs to get rid of lice."
Miko glanced at the scene again, her expression unsure. "It doesn't seem like that's what's happening, though."
She turned her head, her eyes seeking Amamiya's for some kind of reassurance.
"If a giraffe wants to scratch an itch, it will rub against a tree," Amamiya explained calmly, watching the animals in the enclosure. "A giraffe's neck is its weapon. When they swing it back and forth like that, it's actually a sign of fighting."
Umi's eyes widened with interest. "I didn't know that!" She immediately raised her phone and switched to selfie mode. "I'm going to take a picture and upload it to Line."
Meanwhile, at the Shinomiya family villa...
Kaguya, who had just finished her tea ceremony class, was taking a brief rest. With slender fingers, she picked up her phone, unlocked the screen, and stared at the empty chat window. Her cheeks puffed up slightly in irritation.
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing!
Aside from a message from her mother, Amamiya hadn't sent her a single text! They had exchanged contact information, yet he hadn't even sent five messages—let alone the one-per-day she had hoped for!
Beside her, Hayasaka crossed her arms and sighed. "Why don't you just send him a message first?"
"No, I refuse," Kaguya shot back, sitting up straight. "It's not the right time. Besides, he might not even be awake yet."
Hayasaka rolled her eyes. "It's almost ten o'clock. No one's that lazy."
Kaguya tilted her chin upward. "You never know. I've heard that some people don't start their day until noon."
"Yes, yes," Hayasaka muttered, rubbing her temples in exasperation. If it were anyone else, Kaguya wouldn't even blink at their sleep schedule. But here she was, making excuses for him... She's beyond help, Hayasaka thought.
Yet, she had to admit—this side of Kaguya, the one constantly dancing on the edge of love, was far more endearing than her usual stoic self.
"There's another way," Hayasaka mused, biting her lollipop. "You could get Natsuki-san to ask you out instead."
Kaguya's ears perked up slightly. "How?"
"You could post a status saying something like, 'The weather is nice, perfect for going out.' If he sees it, he'll definitely know what to do."
Kaguya's gaze shifted to the window as sunlight streamed in. "The weather really is nice today," she remarked, pulling out her phone as though it were nothing, and opened her status updates. As she scrolled, a particular photo caught her attention.
It was a photo of a giraffe.
Her eyes narrowed.
After switching from her old feature phone to a smartphone, Kaguya had few contacts in her list. Amamiya, Chika, Hayasaka, her mother, and Umi were the only ones.
Her attention was quickly drawn to a selfie beneath the giraffe photo—a snapshot of a bright, smiling girl, clearly having a good time.
The photo was taken at the zoo's entrance.
In the center of the picture stood Amamiya. To his left and right were Umi, Miko, and the ever-bubbly Hana.
Too much!
This was too much!
I thought you were still asleep at home, Kaguya fumed internally. But you're out at the zoo... with other girls?!
Her expression flattened, betraying none of the firestorm raging inside. Calmly, she placed her phone down and said, "Hayasaka, let's go to the zoo. I want to see the pandas."
Hayasaka cast a glance at the phone screen, clearly understanding the situation. Without another word, she turned to leave. "I'll have the driver prepare the car."
'Crunch.'
Hayasaka bit down hard, snapping the lollipop into pieces with a dangerous glint in her eyes. Just two days ago, at noon, Kaguya had disappeared without a trace in the villa, leaving everyone in a panic. As her personal maid, this was an unforgivable lapse in duty!
Amamiya Natsuki...
The boy was definitely going to need a full and thorough investigation—inside and out!