All the way there, Eriri obediently played the outsider.
Stare…
Meanwhile, Yukino kept staring at Tatsuki with eyes that were either shy or annoyed—those watery, gleaming eyes locked on him the whole time.
And Tatsuki was the classic type who was shamelessly thick-skinned. Not only did he not feel prickly or uncomfortable at all—he actually enjoyed Yukino's gaze.
His right hand held Yukino's hand, and every so often he'd mess with her fingers, sneak in little playful moves.
In the end…
Even ice-sculpture Yukino got worn down, and she couldn't help blurting it out first.
The words she could barely bring herself to say slipped from her flushed, cherry-colored lips: "Tatsu-kun… what exactly did my sister do yesterday?"
A tiny war. Tatsuki won.
The corner of his mouth curled into a victor's smile. He cleared his throat and said, "Haruno didn't really do much. She just wore your clothes, called herself Yukino-nyan, and… called me Daddy a few times. That's all."
"!!!" Both Yukino and Eriri's eyes went wide.
Especially Eriri. Her feelings were a total mess.
That Haruno is even more of a player than me?!Then what the hell was the title 'Eri Kashiwagi' for?!No way!I have to come up with something even crazier!
A fierce, competitive aura practically burst off Eriri.
Yukino, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. The blush on her cheeks instantly spread upward, swallowing her neck and ears.
Her eyes were so wet they looked like they were about to spill shimmering little pearls. "My sister… s-she actually did something that shameless?!"
Just imagining that scene was enough to make thin-skinned Yukino want to die of embarrassment on the spot.
Tatsuki coughed twice, leaned close to Yukino's ear, and whispered, "Yukino, I don't think Haruno's imitation is anything like you. Her vibe doesn't even come close. Don't believe me? Next time, let's try it for real."
"Y-you… you-you… what are you even saying?!"
Yukino's head was already packed to the brim with shame, her usual calm rationality completely blown away.
Tatsuki grinned wickedly. "I mean… Yukino could try calling me Daddy a few times too."
"S-shut… shut up!"
Finally—Pushed past her absolute limit, Yukino exploded.
…
"Mother, I'm home."
Haruno returned with a smile.
In the living room, Miyuki Yukinoshita was sitting there, rubbing her brow.
Ever since Haruno dumped all sorts of responsibilities back onto her, she'd been mentally and physically exhausted, crushed under a massive buildup of stress and fatigue.
Once again, she was tasting the mountain-heavy shackles and pressure of the Yukinoshita family.
Hearing Haruno's voice, she lowered her hand and opened her eyes. She saw Haruno walking over.
That faint smile at the corner of Haruno's lips—sweet and subtle—made Miyuki freeze for a moment.
In Miyuki's memory, it felt like it had been a long, long time since she'd seen Haruno genuinely smile.
"Haruno… why are you back at this hour?"
Haruno set her small shoulder bag on the sofa, then narrowed her eyes and moved behind her mother, using her slender fingers to massage her shoulders.
"I came back to see you, Mother. You've been tired lately too, right? The Yukinoshita family has a pile of affairs."
"…"
Faced with her eldest daughter's sudden concern, Miyuki somehow didn't know what to do with herself.
It felt like… ever since Haruno and Yukino had grown old enough to understand things, it had never been like this.
A Haruno freed from restraints had already let go of so much.
Her mother was still her mother. No matter what her mother had been like in the past, she still wanted a perfect family.
So right now, her concern was sincere. And precisely because Miyuki could feel that sincerity, she became even more at a loss.
A strange warmth swelled up in her chest—an emotion she hadn't felt in ages.
Noticing how her mother's body had tensed up from her touch, Haruno's heart softened. So Mother is lonely too…
"Mother, I want to tell you something."
"Y-you… go ahead…" Miyuki tried to force herself to relax.
Haruno said softly, "Right now, Yukino and I moved in over at Tatsuki-kun's place."
"…"
Miyuki's expression turned complicated.
It had come to this. Both of her daughters were leaving her.
Maybe this was the punishment for the expectations she'd forced onto them, but what Haruno said next caught her completely off guard—so much that it almost made her panic.
"Mother, there are three bedrooms there. I think… our family shouldn't be separated."
Haruno's words were earnest. And what she meant beyond those words was: she wanted her mother to move in too.
Miyuki naturally understood that.
With her back to Haruno, Miyuki's body trembled slightly—her heart trembling.
She had thought her daughters had already left her, that the future would only drift farther and farther apart, but this sudden concern from Haruno seemed to shake the heart-wall that was about to seal itself shut.
Haruno waited for her mother's choice.
In the end, Miyuki lifted her right hand, found Haruno's hand resting on her left shoulder, and gently stroked it.
Still with her back turned, her voice—rarely—carried warmth.
"Haruno… your happiness shouldn't include me. Go live the life you want. The Yukinoshita family needs me."
Yukinoshita…
Haruno fell silent.
That surname had once crushed her until she couldn't breathe. Now everything was pressing back down onto her mother's shoulders.
She knew it wasn't something that could change easily, but Haruno wasn't going to give up.
She wanted her mother to break free of the Yukinoshita shackles too. Maybe she couldn't do it, but Tatsuki definitely could.
Haruno trusted her man unconditionally—she'd experienced his strength firsthand. Everything he'd ever said wasn't just joking around. So she didn't continue the topic. Her mother was stubborn too—she wasn't the kind of woman who could easily abandon a decision.
"Mm. I understand, Mother."
Nodding, Haruno walked to her bag, lifted it, and smiled as she made a request.
"Mother, this is Yukino's clothes. Yukino said she wants you to wash them for her."
"Me?" Miyuki frowned. "Didn't I teach her that she should handle her own things herself?"
Haruno beamed. "Well, Yukino actually misses you, you know? She really wants to act spoiled."
"Act spoiled…"
In Miyuki's memory, Yukino had never acted spoiled before.
Was this also because of Tatsuki's influence? Miyuki sighed, stood up, took the clothes, and shook her head.
"Even after leaving, she still won't let anyone have peace. Looks like I failed as a mother."
She said that, but her body was very honest as she headed for the washroom.
Haruno watched her mother's back, her lips curling with an uncontrollable smile. Partly because she loved how her mother had a sharp mouth but a soft heart, and partly because she was looking forward to her mother's reaction next.
Miyuki decided to hand-wash Yukino's clothes. She took out Yukino's laundry and set it into the washbasin.
The school uniform top and skirt, plus the thigh-high socks…
Flipping through, the underwear was in there too, but when she reached for the triangular panties, she paused, puzzled.
They felt… oddly swollen.
"Hm?"
Her fingers kneaded it strangely—there was a damp, wet sensation.
Why?
She didn't believe Yukino, at her age, would still have accidents.
"..."
N-no… maybe she shouldn't be so sure. Even someone her age could get scared enough to wet herself.
What am I even thinking?! Miyuki hurriedly cut off that thought.
She opened the panties with both hands and then she saw what was inside.
"What is this…?"
A gelatinous substance.
A lot of it.
She reached in and stirred a bit with her fingers—sticky.
Frowning slightly, she brought her fingers to her nose and sniffed.
"!!!"
In an instant, her expression turned wildly uncertain.
This thick, peculiar scent—semen! Why would Yukino's panties have this much in them?!