After dinner, Tomiko insisted on driving us home herself. The city lights streaked past the windows as we moved through the quiet streets. Neither of us spoke much during the ride, but the silence was comfortable, heavy with everything left unsaid.
The moment we stepped inside the house, however, the atmosphere shifted dramatically.
The lights in the living room were on, casting long shadows across the elegant furniture. Kasumi, Yuko, and Haruna were already there, seated on the sofas.
Their expressions were grave. The usual warmth and playfulness were gone, replaced by a thick, uncomfortable tension that made the air feel heavier.
All three women looked up at us the instant we entered.
Kasumi's gaze was the sharpest. She fixed it on her sister first. "Tomiko… do you take your own sister for a fool?"
Tomiko froze beside me, confusion flashing across her face. I felt my own muscles tense. We had no idea what was coming.
