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“This outfit is from the second batch we bought some time ago, isn’t it?” Kanata wondered.
“Does it suit me?”
“It does, it looks cute. I’m pretty sure you tried it on back then.”
“Eh-heh, I guess.”

It was Sunday, and Kanata and Sakura had dressed up stylishly before leaving the house. They planned to go to the zoo for their date, so they were both excited.

“Y-You also look good in your outfit, Kanata.”
“Thanks… Shall we go, then?”
“Let’s.”

As usual, Sakura hugged the boy’s arm in their typical fashion. It was as always, though it still felt special, causing her to narrow her eyes happily while a blush crept onto the boy’s face as he felt the sensation on his arm (even though he should have been used to it).

“In what order should we look at the animal enclosures today?”
“Our curfew is later than it used to be so… well.”

Due to the kids’ relationship staying on the wholesome side for the time being, their families had extended the curfew they set for their dates. The happiest one about that was Sakura.

“The usual route, then? Like, making a circuit around the Zoo?”
“You mean start by taking a look at everything? Alright.”

They followed Kanata’s plan and took the buses and trains that would get them to the Zoo. During their one hour or so of travel, they happily stuffed their cheeks with the snacks they brought along.

“Let’s pay the entry fee, then.”
“…Are you going to pay for me again?”
“You should get used to it at this point. I mean, it’s usually because you ask like this, that I treat you to stuff.”
“Bwuh?”

After giving her a “don’t worry about it”, he bought two entry tickets (the middle schooler variant) and they passed through the gate, still holding hands.

“If we walk the usual route… the birds of prey will be first.”
“You mean Mr. Eagle and Miss Falcon?”
“Exactly… Were you trying to sound cute right now? You did, just in case.”
“Y-Yeah, I was… Thank you.”

She blushed at him calling her cute so calmly. With her still clinging to his arm, he started to walk.

“This is the first time you properly see then, right, Sakura? Eagles, I mean.”
“Wow… This is…”

The girl’s eyes, who was seeing zoo animals clearly for the first time, shone. She got as close to the enclosure as she could.

“Oh wow, they’re looking at us!”
“Maybe they see you as prey, Sakura.”
“Do eagles and falcons prey on humans?”
“They could but they generally don’t¹.”

The two kids took their time looking at the enclosures containing eagles, falcons, owls, and so on, before they arrived at the petting zoo.

“A petting zoo?”
“You can hold and touch animals there.”
“Can we go in?”
“As long as you don’t mind stepping poop and properly wash your hands afterwards.”
“That’s fine!”

They entered the petting area, where they found many children at grade school age.

“Which one should I pet first…? Oh, a goat!”

Sakura didn’t hesitate to touch the goatee of the passing animal.

“Sakura, this must be your first time touching an animal, right? Aren’t you afraid?”
“Huh? Not at all. Compared to being dropped in the wilderness of another world, this isn’t scary at all.”
“I can’t deny that.”

Sakura continued petting the goat until she had her fill before setting her eyes on the next animal. It was rotund and white, with long ears.

“A rabbit!”

With glowing eyes, the girl stroked the very first rabbit she met in her life. The animal let it happen while contently narrowing its eyes.

“I had no idea rabbits were so cute! Heh-heh-heh, aren’t you a cutie?”
“Sakura, you seem more excited than usual today…”
“Such a cutie pie!”

She kept petting the animal. Kanata considered telling her that she was cuter than the rabbit, but thought better of it.

“Rabbits are great…”
“How about you ask if you can pet the ears of that woman called Parasuna when we’re back in Anazumu?”
“Eh, she’s an acquaintance of Big Sis and Ayu-nii. Asking for that so off-handedly would be rude.”
“I guess.”
“And in the first place, she’s a person, not an animal…”

Afterwards, she went to pet piglets, little chicks, hamsters, squirrels, and much more. She left the place looking very satisfied. The ones she liked most were rodents like rabbits², squirrels, and hamsters.

“They were adorable… but now my hands smell like animal.”
“Well… that’s probably the reason Rir doesn’t like to go to the zoo.”
“I can imagine with her overly sensitive nose.”

The two kids thoroughly washed their hands before making their way to the next animal enclosures. There, they found a multitude of tropical animals. The ones commonly associated with zoos.

“Elephants really are this big. They’re like magic beasts.”
“You shouldn’t lump animals together with monsters.”
“Giraffes! Now that I look at them, they also feel a lot like magic beasts.”
“Again, don’t lump them in with monsters.”

The kids rapidly went from one animal to the next. Sakura especially, since this was her first time at the Zoo since regaining her eyesight, was thrilled about the usual zoo animals.

“I’m pretty sure that one’s a serval. They can jump more than two meters high… or so I heard. Could Rir do the same?”
“No, even she won’t manage two meters on Earth.”

In high spirits and chatting happily like a normal couple, they made their way to the next animal enclosure.

1. I once read about people observing an eagle taking a bear cub. So, yes, they could absolutely prey on human babies and infants, but they most likely don’t since we’re too different from their usual prey.
2. As someone mentioned all the way back in volume 1, rabbits are lagomorphs, not rodents. The main difference being that the former eat their food twice, and the latter once.

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