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"Not disappeared—" Kirino suddenly spoke, correcting her brother's words: "It's a divine disappearance! It's definitely a divine disappearance!"
Divine disappearance, as the name suggests, means 'hidden by a deity,' and is an important part of the traditional Shinto culture of the island nation.
Almost all 'disappearances of unknown cause' can be categorized as divine disappearances. Compared to a plain missing person, the media also prefers to use such mysterious language to attract public attention.
"If you don't mind, could you tell me the specific situation?"
Asakura realized something and couldn't help but sit up straight, asking the Kirino siblings.
Saori, beside him, also put away her otaku smile, her expression looking much more serious.
"My friend suddenly disappeared five days ago."
Kirino hesitated for a moment, but finally said.
"Why are you sure it's a 'divine disappearance' and not just a normal disappearance?"
Asakura pressed.
"Because there were already signs before Ayase disappeared!"
Kirino's expression looked incredibly serious, with no hint of joking: "She said she often felt like someone was watching her from the shadows nearby; she also heard someone talking to her in places where there was no one else besides us, and even her body felt heavier day by day… At that time, I thought she was just feeling unwell because she was sick. Damn it, I should have realized something was wrong earlier!"
As she spoke, the girl's mood suddenly darkened.
It seemed she truly valued that friend named Ayase.
However, if Ayase, like Kirino, was a middle school student, still falling into the 'child' category… it seems one of the characteristics of the 'Slender Man' as an urban legend is that he abducts children?
"Now that Kirino mentions it, your friend, rather than being missing, feels more like…"
Saori scratched her head and mumbled.
"Abducted… or something?"
Kitagawa Marin, who had the same thought, subconsciously continued: "Kirino, did you not notice anyone suspicious around at that time?"
"If I had, I wouldn't be calling it a divine disappearance, would I?"
Kirino said impatiently, her brows furrowed: "At the worst, Ayase even felt like she was being watched in my room! That's my room! How could anyone be watching my room except for a perverted older brother?!"
"It seems—" Asakura's gaze shifted to Kosaka Kyosuke, and he said in a low voice, "The case has been solved…"
"No, no, don't suddenly dump such a huge blame on me!"
Kosaka Kyosuke said in a panic.
"As expected of Kyosuke-shi."
Saori's tone was admiring.
"Although I don't know what you're thinking, unfortunately, I'm just a normal Japanese high school student, you know?"
Kosaka Kyosuke retorted.
"Kosaka-kun, I believe the correct way to develop an intimate relationship with a girl is to work hard on increasing her favorability."
Kitagawa Marin also said seriously.
"Am I really so pathetic that I would become a kidnapper just to get involved with a girl?!"
Kosaka Kyosuke was greatly shocked.
Asakura pulled out his phone and started playing "Detective Conan ~ Main Theme (Ballad Version)" (Note). He patted Kosaka Kyosuke on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Brother Kosaka, whatever you have to say, let's talk about it slowly over pork cutlet rice later."
"Is it already at the sentencing stage? Isn't that a bit too fast?! No, that's not the point! I'm not a criminal!"
Kosaka Kyosuke completely deflated.
"Hey, you."
Kirino looked at her older brother.
"That's right, Kirino, you definitely wouldn't misunderstand me—"
Kosaka Kyosuke's eyes lit up as if he had grasped a lifeline.
"You need to reform and become a new person. For your repentance, Mom and Dad will definitely… Hmm, they don't seem that excited…"
"Ouch! Kirino, your verbal attacks are the most heartbreaking, seriously!"
Kosaka Kyosuke clutched his chest and collapsed.
After a period of banter among the group, although Kosaka Kirino's expression still hadn't completely relaxed, it was noticeably less grim than when she had first arrived.
After all, everyone understood that no matter if Kosaka Kirino's friend had been spirited away, kidnapped by a stalker, or even sent to Northern Myanmar… For ordinary people like them, it was already beyond their scope. They could only rely on the police force of the island nation to be more effective.
Even Asakura, without any clues, would find it highly unlikely to easily locate a girl who had been missing for five days.
"Alright, that's enough joking around for now—" Saori wiped her glasses and said to the Kosaka siblings, "Would you like to eat something? It's my treat today, no need to be polite, order whatever you like!"
"Huh, was that a joke?"
Kitagawa Marin was momentarily stunned.
"Could it be that Miss Kitagawa really thought I was a kidnapper?"
Kosaka Kyosuke's eyes turned into dead fish eyes as he looked at the blonde bombshell.
"…No, no such thing~"
Kitagawa Marin nervously averted her gaze.
"Then I'll have a Vanilla Frappuccino, Sea Salt Cheese Cake, Light Cheesecake, Half-Baked Mango Cheesecake, and a Walking Blueberry Mini Cake—"
Kosaka Kirino picked up the menu and started ordering one by one.
"Hey, even if Saori is treating, you're ordering too much!"
Kosaka Kyosuke hastily lectured, "One or two cakes should be enough!"
"I want to eat enough for Ayase too… No, I'll eat back all the money!"
Kosaka Kirino said with puffed-out cheeks.
"Calm down, your classmate Ayase doesn't even know you're part of the Otaku club, right? And are you sure about all these desserts and their calories? Aren't you supposed to model for a magazine soon?"
"Urusai!"
"Ahaha, it's fine, Takuma-shi. It's just some cakes, and I still have some spare pocket money. It's better to let Kirino-shi vent a bit."
The kind-hearted Saori said with a smile. Then she looked at Asakura and asked, "By the way, Takuma-kun, did Kuroneko say when she'll arrive?"
"She had some family matters, so she'll be a bit late, but by now, she should be close—" Asakura checked the time on his phone and speculated.
"That's great—"
Before Saori could finish her sentence, Asakura suddenly stood up as if he had discovered something, his expression somewhat grim. She looked at Asakura, who had almost knocked over his black coffee, and asked in confusion, "Takuma-shi?"
"Sorry, I need to leave for a moment."
Asakura waved goodbye to the others and quickly rushed out of the cafe, "You guys have fun, no need to wait for Kuroneko and me."
The others stared blankly at Asakura's retreating back.
Only Saori looked at Asakura's untouched black coffee, a worried expression appearing on her delicate face, mostly hidden by her thick otaku glasses.
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