When Nozomi returned to Sakurasou, it was just in time for dinner.
Sayu and Mahiru had already prepared a delicious meal, and after enjoying the warmth of their cooking, Nozomi collapsed onto the sofa like a true salted fish, belly full and soul at peace.
Suddenly—
A soft fragrance drifted through the air, sweet and familiar. Nozomi's senses were gently stirred as the scent reached his nose. He cracked open one eye lazily—and there she was.
Suoh Yuki.
Wearing a playful smile, she leaned close, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Onii-chan, are you surprised~?"
Nozomi's lips curved up in a smirk. He moved slightly, looping one arm around Yuki's slender waist and pulling her into his chest.
"A pleasant surprise, for sure. But tell me, Yuki... did you come all this way just to snuggle, or is there something on your mind?"
"Ehh~ Can't I come unless I have a reason?" Yuki puffed out her cheeks, feigning indignation. "You're such a mean brother."
Despite her words, her body snuggled even closer into his embrace.
Nozomi chuckled devilishly and lowered his head to plant a sudden kiss on her pouting lips.
"Careful, Yuki. Coming to me without a reason might get you into trouble."
"Kyaa! Brother, you sneak-attacked me again!"
"If you don't like it, you could always try returning the favor," he teased with a raised eyebrow.
"Hmph! I won't fall for your tricks, not again!"
Though she glared, her eyes twinkled with warmth. She leaned into him again, enjoying the warmth of his embrace.
"Okay, okay, I'll stop teasing... but actually, I do have something to ask."
"Oh? And here I thought you just missed me."
"Well, that too!" she admitted cheekily. "But also... Ayano's coming over tomorrow. Could you go pick her up?"
"Ayano? Isn't she your maid? Shouldn't you be the one to greet her?"
"Ugh, I wish I could, but I'm busy tomorrow. Besides, Ayano might be even happier if you're the one to pick her up."
Nozomi gave her a knowing smirk. "So it's for Ayano's sake, huh? Not because Yuki just wants to pawn off her chores onto me?"
"Of course not! I'm a responsible lady of the house, you know!"
"Heh, all right, I'll go pick her up. But only because Yuki asked so sweetly."
"Yay~! I knew Onii-chan would say yes!" She clapped her hands and then hopped to her feet. "Come to my room later, okay? There's a surprise waiting for you!"
Nozomi raised an eyebrow.
A surprise?
Could it be... Yuki herself?
He swallowed hard, feeling a dangerous thought creeping into his mind. Although he'd decided not to make any bold moves with Yuki for now—out of respect and care for her—her constant teasing was beginning to test his limits.
Still, he held himself back. He had just eaten, and all he wanted right now was to sink deeper into the couch and enjoy this rare tranquility.
After some time, the gentle sound of footsteps reached him again.
He glanced to his side—
This time, Sayu and Mahiru had appeared, quietly taking their places beside him. Their cheeks were slightly flushed, and the smiles on their faces were as soft as moonlight.
Without hesitation, Nozomi wrapped his arms around their waists.
"Sayu, how have things been at school lately? I've been keeping an eye on you, but I want to hear your thoughts."
Sayu leaned in and gently kissed his cheek. Her voice was warm and full of joy.
"It's been great. Really, I love this new life. Yumiko and the others have been so kind. I've finally found real friends."
There was no more fear of bullying, no more hiding who she was. Surrounded by people who truly cared for her, Sayu was finally at peace.
"That's good to hear," Nozomi said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "But if anything bothers you, promise me you'll tell me first. Deal?"
"Deal," she whispered, resting her head on his shoulder.
He turned to the quiet girl beside her.
"What about you, Mahiru? Anything you want to share?"
Mahiru smiled softly. "Not really... Sayu invited me to come along, so I did. When I walked in and saw someone lying around like a salted fish, I figured he needed cheering up."
"Oi... I wasn't being lazy, I was just appreciating the calm," Nozomi grinned.
"Mm-hmm," Mahiru hummed. "But with Sayu and me here, you're feeling a lot less salted, right?"
Nozomi chuckled, stretching slightly before giving her a wink. "Silly. How could I be depressed with angels like you two around? Just seeing your faces lifts my spirits."
His tone shifted, mischief twinkling in his eyes. "Speaking of which... tonight, shall we enjoy a long-overdue—"
"Nope!" Sayu and Mahiru cut him off in perfect sync, springing from his arms like startled cats.
"Eh?! Why?!" Nozomi blinked in disbelief, hands still outstretched from where they'd just been cuddling. "You're both rejecting me? At the same time?!"
"Bad Nozomi!" they both chimed with matching pouts.
Rejected in stereo. Oof.
Sayu scratched her cheek awkwardly, while Mahiru cleared her throat.
"Um... we're having our time of the month," Sayu muttered, her cheeks pink.
Nozomi's expression froze. His mouth twitched. "Wait, you're saying both of you... now? What kind of cruel synchrony is this?!"
Mahiru rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. "It's not like we planned it. That's just how it is. So don't sulk. We're going to bed early tonight so we don't tempt you too much. Good night."
She leaned in and kissed his cheek sweetly before slipping away. Sayu followed suit with a quick peck, waving as she vanished into the hallway.
Left behind in the living room, Nozomi sighed dramatically. "Guess it's time to check out that surprise Yuki-chan mentioned..."
He made his way to Suo Yuki's room, pausing at the door.
"Yuki? Are you asleep? I'm coming in."
No answer. A sliver of confusion crossed his face, but he gently turned the doorknob and stepped inside.
The moonlight streamed through the window, casting a silvery glow on the bed. The quilt was puffed up, clearly covering someone.
He tiptoed closer and, without a second thought, hugged the quilted figure through the blanket.
"Yuki~ Where's my surprise?" he whispered playfully.
The person inside trembled slightly, but gave no reply.
Now even more curious, Nozomi tried lifting the blanket to peek, only for a soft hand to grip the fabric and stop him.
His grin widened. "Oh-ho? Playing hard to get? Then I'll just sneak in from the side..."
He slid under the blanket from the other side and his arm instinctively wrapped around a slender waist. The warmth, the soft skin—it was familiar, but something felt... off.
His gaze fell on the flushed, adorable face beside him.
"Yukino?!"
His heart skipped a beat.
"Why are you here?! Don't tell me... you were the surprise?!"
Yukinoshita Yukino averted her eyes, biting her lip in silent protest. She tried pushing him away, but he held her close.
"Wait, wait—if you were in Sakurasou all this time, why didn't you come down for dinner?"
"I..." she hesitated, then sighed in defeat. Her resistance softened as she realized she wasn't going to escape.
"Yuki invited me. She said her cat seemed sick and needed someone to look after it. So I came... and, well, after that I kind of dozed off in her bed."
Nozomi raised an eyebrow. The explanation was shaky at best.
"A sick cat, huh...? That's oddly convenient."
Yukino puffed her cheeks and lightly thumped his chest. "Believe what you want. I'm not explaining anymore!"
Nozomi chuckled, gently stroking her hair. "Fine, fine. I'll let it slide. But since you're already here, might as well keep me company, yeah?"
Her eyes flickered with hesitation, but in the end, she made no move to leave his embrace.
Outside the window, the moon hung high, bathing Sakurasou in a serene glow. Inside the room, warmth blossomed quietly beneath the covers.