DATE A LIVE: Prelude

Chapter XII: Deus Ex Machina

The morning came when Japan was to fully return to its usual schedule before the spacequake, with spacequake alarm systems being installed into various key places. They worked by issuing an alarm and warning to the central systems when they detected an unusually high amount of mana in the vicinity, a finding also "discovered" thanks to DEM. Shinji and Mana were about to go to school, and their parents were about to go on another business trip.

"Goodbye for now, my dear children," said their mom, inviting them for a hug.

"You too, Mio. It wouldn't do to exclude you," added mom. Once they said their goodbyes to each other, mom and dad ventured out. Shinji and Mio hugged each other as well and Mio kissed Shinji on the cheek. Mana saw this but didn't interrupt them. She quickly realised what was going on between them. Mio wasn't ever good at hiding things from other. Shinji didn't even realise it either.

"Goodbye, Mio. We'll be back before you know it," said Mana with a smile.

Shinji and Mana ventured out too, leaving Mio alone in the house. She had the choice of doing nothing or very little, but she still did a lot of chores around the house and cooked when mom wasn't home.

***

Shinji and Mana talked on their way to school.

"Mio seems a lot more at ease now, doesn't she?" asked mana.

"Yeah. I may have had a hand in that, but I think it's just her getting used to all of us."

"There is clear progress, that's undeniable. Mom also told me you got her that plush she always carries around, how you won it in a game at the arcade," said Mana teasingly. Shinji became flustered.

"I-It's not like that!"

"Like what? No shame in admitting it, but I never imagined you as the romantic type."

"We're not...! H-How is a plush romantic anyway? Why are you talking about that?"

"Bwhaha! I'm just teasing you, Shinji. No need to get all fired up."

"I'm not fired up!"

"Really? Then why are you walking so fast suddenly?"

"It's because of your teasing, Mana. Let's just get to school in one piece."

"Ho-ho. Very well, I won't pry."

"(Does she know? She absolutely suspects it...)" asked Shinji himself.

***

When they arrived at school, they went their separate ways after saying goodbye to each other. Shinji went to his classroom, but he noticed a few students were missing. The teacher later told them they lost someone to the spacequake and couldn't make it to school yet. Shinji realised he was super lucky, basically coming out of one of the nation's biggest disasters unharmed, all thanks to Mio.

Back at home, Mio noticed something when she was cleaning the kitchen counter. Shinji had left his lunch at home, so he wouldn't have anything to eat at lunch break. She decided to bring the lunch to Shinji, ignoring she wasn't a student herself. She knew where the school was thanks to Mana telling her a while back, so she took the lunch and headed out.

When she arrived at the school, it was already a few minutes into lunch break. Shinji found out he forgot his lunch and despaired how hungry he'd be. Mio asked one of Shinji's classmates for directions, but as she made her way to his classroom, she got a lot of stares from all the other students. A few boys even cat-called her, but she ignored them. When she arrived, she opened the classroom doors. There were not a lot of students inside, but some of them immediately shifted their attention towards Mio. Upon spotting Shinji, she came towards him.