Just a few minutes earlier, the house had been filled with the echoing laughter of the two girls splashing around and teasing each other. Now, only the gentle trickle of hot water filling the tub remained.
But before all that—just a little while earlier—I'd been sitting quietly in the living room when Natsumi wandered in, still dressed in her school uniform. Her hair was slightly messy from the day, a few strands falling into her eyes. She didn't say anything at first. Instead, she just walked over and sat down on my lap, like she used to when she was younger.
I instinctively wrapped my arms around her waist, resting my chin on her shoulder. She leaned back into me, sighing softly.
"Where's Mizuki?" she asked curiously.
I replied, "She's in the bath with Reina."
Natsumi blinked. "Reina? You let those two bathe together?" Her tone was somewhere between surprise and mock disbelief. "Isn't that dangerous? Reina-Onee-Chan might mess with her."
