After the hanami, life gradually slipped back into its familiar rhythm.
Classes resumed, assignments piled up once more, and the quiet tension of the approaching exams lingered in the air. Yet, for once, that tension was accompanied by something new… Progress.
To Yotsuba's immense delight, her sisters had begun taking their studies far more seriously. Even Ichika, who had always balanced on the edge between responsibility and her dreams, now spent noticeably more time with her books, while still pursuing her goal of becoming an actress.
In fact, things were moving faster than any of them expected.
She was already in discussions to sign with an agency as an amateur model and actress.
Naturally, Yotsuba had been curious. And when she asked her about it—
"Fufu~ I've got a pretty amazing supporter now~"
Ichika's reply had come with the brightest smile Yotsuba had seen from her in a long time, her cheeks lightly flushed with a soft pink hue.
That only made everyone more curious.
Nino, Miku, and Itsuki had all tried to pry for more details, eager to uncover the identity of this mysterious "supporter." But Ichika remained tight-lipped, brushing off their questions with playful evasiveness.
Whatever—or whoever—it was, she kept it a secret.
Lately, she had also been spending far more time on her phone, often smiling to herself as her fingers danced across the screen, clearly engrossed in conversations with someone special.
Still… seeing her that happy—
Yotsuba couldn't help but feel happy too.
Even if the exams were drawing closer by the day.
Thanks to Yuuji's guidance, all of them have improved significantly. Subjects that once felt impossible now seemed manageable. For their weakest areas, they were even able to scrape together passing marks in the mock tests he prepared.
When they received their results, they were ecstatic.
So much so that the celebration went on late into the night.
…Which led to consequences.
"Fuwaaaaaa… Good morning, Yuuji-kun…"
The next day, Yotsuba shuffled into the classroom like a completely different person, dragging her feet as she made her way from her desk to Yuuji's. A notebook hung loosely in her hand, her posture slouched, her eyes half-lidded.
The usually energetic and cheerful girl looked utterly drained.
Ai, Raku, and Shuu stared in open surprise.
"…Is that really Yotsuba-san?" Raku muttered.
Yuuji, on the other hand, simply smiled with quiet amusement.
"Good morning. Looks like the celebration continued after I left."
"Uhn…"
Yotsuba gave a slow, heavy nod—though it almost looked like she was nodding off mid-motion.
"We slept really late… almost didn't make it…"
Ai frowned slightly, concern evident on her face.
"Yotsuba-san, you should go rest in the infirmary. We can ask Hiratsuka-sensei for permission for you."
"Uhn… maybe I will…"
Her lips curved into a weak, apologetic smile as she handed the notebook to Yuuji.
"Yuuji-kun… here's the notebook you lent us. Thank you…"
He accepted it with a gentle nod.
"You're welcome. Go get some rest. We'll inform Hiratsuka-sensei."
"Mm… thank you…"
With that, she slowly made her way out of the classroom, practically dragging herself toward the infirmary as the others watched her leave with concern.
"…That's the first time I've ever seen her like that."
Raku said, still a little stunned.
"They celebrated passing the mock exam I gave them."
Yuuji explained calmly.
"Oh—seriously? That's amazing. They've improved a lot."
Yuuji nodded, a quiet sense of pride reflecting in his expression.
"They worked hard."
Then, as if remembering something, he turned to Shuu.
"So—what was that about an event in the park?"
"Ah! Right!"
Shuu perked up immediately, her earlier surprise forgotten as her excitement returned full force.
"There's a cosplay event happening in a park a few stations away next weekend! I'm going with some friends—do you guys want to come along?"
"Cosplay event, huh…"
Raku considered it briefly before shaking his head.
"I'll pass this time."
"No worries!"
Shuu waved it off easily before turning her attention to Yuuji.
"What about you?"
Yuuji paused, thinking it over. He was about to decline as well—
When suddenly, voices echoed in his mind.
[Master! I want to try cosplaying!]
[Me too… Est wants to try.]
He blinked in surprise.
[Since when did they get interested in that…?]
[Aika-nee told us about it! She said it's really fun to dress up and spend time with you like that!]
Yuuji's lips twitched slightly.
Just what has Aika been teaching them…?
[I want to cosplay as Albedo-nee, Master! I want to grow up to be as beautiful and strong as her!]
[I want to cosplay Erika-nee… in her Shura form. She looks cool.]
Yuuji let out a quiet sigh internally.
It seemed Alice and Est had already made up their minds.
Then…
[I… would like to try as well, Master. Though I don't know what I should choose yet…]
[Me too… Yuuji, I want to try.]
Aria and Ophis joined in as well. At this point, there was no escaping it.
"…Alright. We'll give it a try."
He answered inwardly.
Their cheerful responses echoed in his mind, filled with excitement and affection, before fading away, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
Now came the problem.
Albedo… Erika's Shura form…
Neither would be easy.
Most ready-made costumes wouldn't fit Alice properly, especially ones designed with an adult, voluptuous woman's figure in mind. And as for Erika's Shura form, there likely wasn't even a proper costume available to buy.
Which meant—
He'd have to make them himself.
Yuuji exhaled softly.
'…I don't have any sewing-related proficiencies.'
That meant learning from scratch.
His thoughts drifted briefly.
'I wonder if Mira knows how to sew…'
Perhaps the library would have something useful. Books, guides—anything to get started. And attending the event itself might give him inspiration for crafting better costumes.
"…Hmm."
After a moment, he looked up.
"Alright. I'll go."
--------------------------------X--------------------------------
A beautiful woman stood quietly before the gates of a modest yet elegant two-storied home.
For a moment, she didn't move.
Her gaze lingered on the small plaque embedded into the wall beside the iron gates. The engraved name caught the light just enough to make it easy to read.
Tsubakihara.
"…Thank goodness. I still remember the way."
She murmured softly to herself.
Relief washed over her as she placed a hand against her chest, letting out a small breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. The soft fabric of her fitted turtleneck stretched tight across her figure, doing little to conceal her natural curves—something she had long since given up worrying about.
After a brief pause, she reached forward and pressed the bell.
A quiet chime echoed within.
Moments later, the front door slid open.
"Ara~ Aki-chan!"
The familiar voice rang out—warm, teasing, and unmistakable.
The woman at the gate froze. Her eyes widened as she stared at the figure standing by the entrance.
"…Eh?"
For a second, her mind struggled to reconcile what she was seeing.
"Mira…?"
"Welcome~!"
Without hesitation, Mira hurried toward the gate, her expression lighting up with genuine joy. She quickly unlocked it and swung it open before pulling her longtime friend into a tight embrace.
"It's been so long! I missed you~!"
"W-Wait—!"
Caught off guard, Aki stumbled slightly as she was pulled inside, her thoughts still lagging behind her senses.
As Mira finally released her, Aki took a step back—just enough to properly look at her.
And that's when the shock truly set in.
"You… you've changed… quite a bit."
The Mira she remembered—kind, beautiful, and gentle—was still there.
But at the same time… she wasn't.
No—she was, but somehow…
She had grown even more beautiful than before…!
How…? How did someone change this much in just a few years…?
"Ufufufu~ Love changes a woman, after all~"
Mira covered her lips lightly as she laughed, her eyes narrowing playfully.
"Eh?!"
The answer came so casually that Aki's mind blanked for a moment.
By the time she regained her senses, Mira had already led her fully inside and closed the gate behind them.
"Y-You… found a husband?"
Aki asked, still trying to piece things together.
Mira blinked—then giggled.
"Of course not. What are you talking about?"
"Hm?"
Aki tilted her head, confusion only deepening.
Mira, however, offered no immediate explanation. Instead, she simply smiled and gently took her by the hand, guiding her further into the house.
"Don't just stand there. Come in. It's been so long—we have so much to talk about."
She said warmly
Aki hesitated for a brief moment… then smiled.
"…Alright."
She slipped off her shoes and stepped into the indoor slippers Mira had prepared for her before following her into the living room.
The familiar warmth of the house hadn't changed.
If anything, it felt even more lived-in now.
They sat at the dining table, and Mira excused herself briefly to prepare tea.
Aki took the time to look around. Everything felt nostalgic… yet subtly different.
Soon enough, Mira returned, carrying a teapot and two cups. The gentle aroma of freshly brewed jasmine tea filled the air as she set everything down and poured for both of them.
"Here you go."
"Thank you."
Aki picked up the cup, blowing softly across the surface before taking a careful sip.
The warmth spread through her, calming her slightly.
"By the way, thank you for lending us your cherry blossom courtyard. It was beautiful—we had such a wonderful time."
Her smile widened, almost childlike in its sincerity.
"Though it would've been even better if you were there with us."
Aki shook her head with a soft chuckle.
"It would've been awkward. I'd just be intruding on a family outing."
She took another sip of tea.
"I'm just glad you enjoyed it."
The place had been left in her care after her parents passed. Though she rarely had the time to return, she made sure it was maintained—arranging for caretakers to visit regularly.
"Ah! Wait—I have to show you something!"
Mira suddenly perked up, reaching for her phone. Her fingers moved quickly across the screen before she turned it around and handed it to Aki.
"We took pictures!"
Curious, Aki accepted the phone and rotated it sideways.
The moment she looked at the screen… She froze.
It was a group photo.
Mira stood at the center, smiling brightly, surrounded by her family.
Aika was there, just as lively as ever, though perhaps even more so than before, her smile brighter, her energy unmistakable.
Yuna and Nina… had grown.
Not just physically—but in beauty and presence. They had blossomed into young women, their beauty beginning to shine in ways that hinted at what they would become.
But… One person caught her breath as her gaze locked onto him.
"…This… is…"
The only man in the picture.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the phone.
Mira leaned forward just a little, her eyes gleaming with playful mischief as a sly smile formed on her lips.
"That's right~"
Her voice softened, almost teasingly affectionate.
"That's your cute little Yuu-chan~ Isn't he sooo handsome now~?"
Aki's heart skipped.
"…"
For a moment, everything else faded.
The boy she once knew. The one she had doted on, teased, and treated like family.
The one she thought of as a nephew… was gone.
In his place stood a man.
One who, in a single glance, had stirred something deep within her heart.
Something she wasn't ready to admit.
And yet… She couldn't deny it. Not even to herself.
That she was looking at the man of her dreams…
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AN: I hope you guys enjoy this chapter~! Please comment your thoughts~! I would love to hear what you think about it~!!!!
Also, if you'd like to read additional chapters ahead and get a pdf version (Light & Dark), please feel free to check out my at patr_eon.com/verglasx ~!
Thank you~!