As a major representative of Shinto culture, shrines can be found everywhere in Japan. From the bustling downtown to the corner of an alley, there is a possibility that there will be a shrine. The large ones cover an area of several tens of hectares, and the small ones may have only one statue.

In short, it is this kind of god culture that believes in "animism" that makes the shrines of "eight million gods" spread all over every corner.

As for the shrine where Amamiya Night is located...... Tetsufumi Hirakawa has also been there, probably dedicated to a certain small god, and the shrine is only a few square meters. It is located between the tram stop and the school, and when you pass by every day on your way to work, you can catch a glimpse of its faint shadow through the branches of the trees and along the overgrown path.

INTERVIEWER The fact that it is overgrown with weeds suggests that there are probably few people visiting this shrine.

It's such a small shrine, why did Amamiya run into it when he was in school? I didn't come to school all morning.

I was late the other day, so I didn't just go to that shrine, right?

Such a question was entrenched in Tetsufumi Hirakawa's mind, and he was puzzled. This girl is really hard to guess, but fortunately, the mystery is about to be revealed.

After ten minutes of hurrying, he finally arrived at the shrine because he was worried that something would happen to Amamiya and he couldn't slow down at all along the way, so now he was panting for breath.

It's noon, and in mid-April, the cold wind of early spring is blowing on the sweaty face.

Tetsufumi Hirakawa stood outside the woods and looked at the shrine not far away.

In the middle of the trees with tender green sprouts, there is an old stone torii, gray, with stone statues standing on both sides, which is a common Komado. Inside, the stone slab approach behind the torii gate is covered with irregular weeds, and the road – just a few meters – leads to the main shrine hall.

And next to the main hall, there is a squatting figure, which should be the night of the rain palace.

After seeing Amamiya's figure, Tetsufumi Hirakawa immediately breathed a sigh of relief, gently wiped the sweat on his forehead with the back of his hand, took out his mobile phone, and dialed Mrs. Amamiya's number.

It was immediately connected, and a worried voice was quickly heard after being connected, and the mother should have been waiting for a long time.

"Hello, Hirakawa-sensei?"

"Yes, it's me. I've found Amamiyaya-san. ”

Such a reply obviously made the wife on the other side relax a lot, and the exhalation sound was clearly heard from the earpiece.

"That's great, Saya-chan...... I really don't know how to say it. Anyway, I'm sorry to trouble you today, Mr. Hirakawa. ”

"It's out of the way."

"So what is Xiao Ye doing now? I just asked her on the phone, but I didn't tell me. ”

"About this ......" Tetsufumi Hirakawa carefully looked at the slightly blurred back inside the shrine, unable to tell what he was doing, "I may have to wait a while to get an answer to you." ”

"That's right...... I'm sorry for you again, Mr. Hiragawa. ”

"It should."

Hanging up the phone and putting away the phone, Tetsufumi Hirakawa stepped on the weeds and walked into the woods.

Walking forward, it was as if isolated from the world, the dense trees used as a barrier to block out the noise, and the woods were clear for a while, except for the sound of his footsteps.

A few steps to the shrine, Hirakawa Tetsufumi stood outside the torii gate and looked at the girl just a few meters away, it was Amamiya Night.

She crouched in front of a wooden box, intently watching for something, not even hearing his arrival.

What is this for?

With such a question in mind, I was ready to go forward to find out.,Then,"Woo~"Such a voice that obviously belongs to some kind of animal sounded in the shrine.。

The source of the sound, not surprisingly, was the wooden box in front of Amamiya Night.

What kind of animal is this?

Tetsufumi Hirakawa walked into the torii, and the footsteps finally caught the girl's attention. Amamiya Ye, who was squatting on the ground, glanced back, and there was no surprise when he saw that it was him, he just got up and bowed to him to say hello.

"Hirakawa-sensei."

It was probably her mother who told her he would come here.

And Tetsufumi Hirakawa, he looked at the girl in front of him who was not worrying, came here without permission during school, and skipped school all morning, even in the face of her polite greetings, he made a slight face.

"Amamiya-san."

"Yes."

"What time is it?"

"Lunch break."

“……”

The answer is true, but what Tetsufumi Hirakawa wants to hear is clearly the answer "going to school".

But after being split like this, he didn't keep a straight face, sighed helplessly, and asked.

"Amamiya-san, is this the place where you didn't come to school this morning?"

"Yes."

"What about being late the other day?"

"It's also here."

"Why?"

“……”

I didn't answer this time, and Amamiya's eyes dodged slightly.

But it's completely useless, is it? Tetsufumi Hirakawa looked at the wooden box behind her and stepped forward to see what it was. Outcome......

Amamiya Ye spread out his hands and stood in front of him with a determined expression.

“…… Amamiya-san, what is this for? Tetsufumi Hirakawa looked at the girl in front of him in trouble, "Don't you let him see it" His gaze conveyed such a message.

Thinking that Amamiya Ye understood his gaze, I saw her shake her head and said, "Teacher Hirakawa, can you please promise me first, don't tell my mother?" ”

“……”

How so...... As a teacher, it's really hard to face this kind of problem. Because he is responsible for both the students and the parents of the students. Help students hide things from their parents......

How do I reply?

Amamiya-san, you don't want your mother to know about it, do you?

？

What the hell was he thinking?

Tetsufumi Hirakawa frowned in annoyance, deeply sorry for some kind of messy thought. Then, after careful consideration, he said:

"I'm sorry Amamiya-san, I can't promise you first. But...... When I understand what happened, and you can give me a reasonable and valid reason, it is not impossible. ”

"Really?" Amamiya's little face, which became depressed when he heard it halfway, immediately showed surprise with joy after he said "but".

"Of course."

It's completely understandable that students have secrets, even if they are as close as mother and daughter, there must be a certain distance between them - of course, the next reason must be able to convince him, and if he can't convince him, he can only say sorry to Amamiya-san.

This is Tetsufumi Hirakawa's consideration, but ...... Amamiya doesn't seem to trust him, the teacher who has just been her homeroom teacher for a few days.

"What is this?"

Tetsufumi Hirakawa hesitantly looked at Amamiya Night's outstretched thumbs to him.

"It's a contract."

"Contract?"

"A contract that cannot be broken once it has been signed."

“……”

Well, Tetsufumi Hirakawa understood. The so-called contract is commonly known as pulling hooks.

"But Amamiya-san, I can't tell your mother if I have a reason that can convince me."

Before reaching out his hand, Tetsufumi Hirakawa cautiously repeated his conditions.

However, the girl in front of her continued to speak as if she hadn't heard: "In this shrine, under the witness of the gods, the teacher must not go back after signing the contract. ”

“……”

I always feel that the lines are a little strange, do you need to be so solemn? And it's conditional, right? Not a direct promise.

"Amamiya-san, I didn't say yes directly." Again.

And then again it was ignored.

In this quiet shrine, surrounded by woods, the girl in front of him stared at him with a simple, expectant gaze.

In the face of such a gaze from a female student, it seems that it is a sin not to agree.

“……”

So, when I came back to my senses unconsciously, I had already signed the contract inexplicably...... was led astray, it should be said that I agreed to her agreement.

"Teacher, you can't tell my mother about this after signing the contract."

After withdrawing his hand, Amamiya's voice was full of joy.

The conditions are not at all like that......

There are also high school students, and they still like to "sign contracts", is this the case? In this way, his mentality is really not young enough.

I don't know what to do to react well.

Forget it, let's see what's in the wooden box. Find out why this student is always late these days and hasn't come early in the morning.