ri: Maybe Kazumi didn't quite seem the type? And Akiko has always been ambivalent, at best, about Tamao. Don't forget that you've seen everything from Akiko's point of view, and she wasn't considering the priesthood, either.

Tier: Thanks. The offer to write more when I have 100,000 yen still stands; the sequel would be a lot shorter, though, unless more money was forthcoming. I'd be happy to write more, as well. I don't know how things end, but I do know where they go next. You might want to keep an eye on my English blog ( http://www.davidchart.com/Blog/ ) for news.