"Souta's lovesick?"
"Our Souta has a girl he likes?"
Mama Higurashi and Higurashi Grandpa exchanged a look, then reacted with delight rather than concern!
"Oh my, this is wonderful. I'll have to cook some red bean rice tomorrow to celebrate."
Their little boy had finally grown up.
"Pfft."
Kagome nearly spat out the rice she was chewing.
Grandpa, Mom, are you serious?
Souta's only in third grade. He's only nine.
Is it really appropriate for him to start dating this young?
Just then, Higurashi Grandpa chuckled as a sudden inspiration struck him. "Kagome, I've thought of your next excuse for missing school!"
"What excuse?"
"Why, that you're lovesick, of course!"
The old man's eyes sparkled.
All this time, he had worried himself sick over his granddaughter.
Now it was settled.
"Uh..."
Kagome was baffled.
Was there even one remotely normal person in this family?
"Don't worry. It'll definitely fool your homeroom teacher."
The old man was brimming with confidence.
His eyes shone with clear, wise light.
"It's a wonderful illness, after all."
Mama Higurashi delivered the perfect finishing blow.
Out of her daughter's sight, she discreetly winked at the old man.
Kagome simply dropped her head onto the dinner table, utterly defeated.
She believed her grandpa and mother were absolutely capable of doing it. If she dared skip school to visit the Sengoku Era, rumors that she was lovesick would definitely spread like wildfire through her class.
So maybe I shouldn't go over there with Xia for a while?
Late that quiet night.
As Li Xia stood at the Sunset Shrine's entrance overlooking the view, gazing at the bustling urban districts of Tokyo nearby, a small figure came up beside him.
"Li Xia, what are you looking at?"
It was Souta.
"What else is there to look at besides