The moment Hozuki Nozomi opened his eyes, he was met with three pairs of worried, searching gazes. Ogiwara Sayu, Shiina Mahiru, and Yukino Yukinoshita were all gathered around his bed, their expressions cycling through relief, lingering concern, and something that might have been mild reproach.
"Uh... Sayu, Mahiru, Yukinoshita?" He blinked, a slow smile spreading across his features. "Why are you all staring at me like that?"
Without waiting for an answer, he reached out and effortlessly pulled Mahiru—who was closest—onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her slender waist.
Shiina Mahiru's heart warmed at the familiar gesture, but she still raised a small fist and gave his chest a gentle, reprimanding punch. "It's all because of you! You suddenly became so strange—we all know about you and Miss Miyamizu swapping souls!"
Yukino Yukinoshita nodded, her blue eyes holding a mixture of residual worry and exasperation. "If Frieren hadn't assured us you weren't in any danger, we wouldn't have known what to do. You just disappeared without any warning."
"That's right," Ogiwara Sayu added, her tone carrying the weight of genuine concern. "You did something like that and didn't even tell us beforehand. We were so worried."
Hozuki Nozomi's smile softened into something more tender. He extended his arms further, pulling both Sayu and Yukinoshita into his embrace until he was holding all three girls together, their warmth pressed against him.
"I'm sorry for making you worry," he said sincerely. "But this happened completely out of nowhere—I didn't have time to say anything before it started." He paused, a thought occurring to him. "Speaking of which... Miyamizu didn't do anything too strange with my body, did she?"
Yukino and Mahiru exchanged a glance, their expressions shifting into something decidedly peculiar.
Hozuki Nozomi's heart clenched. "No way. What did she do?"
Before they could answer, the door slid open and Yuki Suo bounced in, her phone held aloft like a trophy. A mischievous grin spread across her face.
"It's nothing really!" she said cheerfully. "Miyamizu just acted incredibly feminine while using your body. Look!"
She thrust the phone toward him, displaying a photo. Hozuki Nozomi stared at the image of himself—himself!—sitting with legs pressed primly together, hands folded demurely in his lap, wearing the most innocent, obedient expression imaginable.
His face darkened instantly.
"My lifelong reputation!" he wailed dramatically. "My masculine image! Ruined! Completely ruined!"
He buried his face in Mahiru's chest, rubbing vigorously against her as if seeking comfort from the trauma.
Yukino Yukinoshita watched this display with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. This guy was doing this on purpose, wasn't he? And of course he'd pick Mahiru to hide in—she was the most developed among them. It was practically a deliberate slight against Yukino's own more modest figure!
"Stop wailing," she said flatly. "If anyone should be wailing, it's probably Miyamizu. What did you do with her body, you pervert? Confess honestly!"
Hozuki Nozomi's muffled voice emerged from Mahiru's chest. "Uh... I didn't do much. Just taught a few classmates who'd been giving her trouble a lesson, and made a bit of a splash in physical education class. That's all."
"That's it?" Yukino and Mahiru exchanged skeptical glances again.
"Cough, cough—what else could I do? It's not my body! And it's a female body, so it's not like I could flirt with anyone. I even got drafted into hard labor by her grandmother, weaving Musubi knots!"
"Serves you right," Yukino retorted, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "Using her granddaughter's body without permission—you deserved some punishment."
She took a deep breath, then, before Hozuki Nozomi could respond, leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek.
"No matter what," she said softly, "welcome back, Hozuki Nozomi."
Shiina Mahiru, Ogiwara Sayu, and Yuki Suo weren't about to be outdone. Each of them stepped forward in turn, placing their own kisses on his cheeks.
"Welcome back!"
Hozuki Nozomi's expression warmed into something genuinely touched. He nodded to each of them in turn.
"I'm back," he said simply. Then, unable to help himself, a mischievous glint entered his eyes. "Seeing how much you all missed me, why don't we all stay up tonight and really celebrate?"
The comment earned him a synchronized round of eye-rolling from the assembled girls.
Shiina Mahiru, however, simply smiled and nodded. "Alright." She even took Yukino's hand, preventing her from retreating.
Yuki Suo, meanwhile, had already settled onto the carpet with her laptop. "You all have fun," she said, waving them off. "I need to help Brother comfort a little sister online."
Yukino's expression immediately sharpened. "Oh? Mr. Pervert, I don't recall hearing about you secretly getting involved with other little sisters. Care to explain?"
Shiina Mahiru moved to stand beside Yukino, her gaze equally pointed. "Yes, Hozuki Nozomi. An honest confession would be best."
Ogiwara Sayu quickly joined their united front.
Hozuki Nozomi held up his hands in surrender. "Uh... well, let's talk about that later. I promise I'll explain everything personally!"
Before Yukino could press further, he pulled her into his arms and tumbled backward onto the bed, effectively silencing her protests with a kiss.
Yuki Suo watched the scene with an amused smile, then turned her attention to her laptop, where Kosaka Kirino was waiting for their regular gaming session. Ever since Hozuki Nozomi had introduced them, she and Kirino had become fast friends—two otaku girls bonding over shared interests. She'd even managed to pull Eriri Spencer Sawamura into their little otaku girl group.
The night deepened around them.
Hours passed.
Eventually, Yukino Yukinoshita, Shiina Mahiru, and Ogiwara Sayu lay thoroughly exhausted, their earlier energy spent. Hozuki Nozomi gently caressed Yukino's hair as she rested against him, finally taking the opportunity to explain the situation with Kosaka Kirino properly.
He repeated his assurances multiple times. "My feelings for Kirino are purely brotherly! Just caring for her like a little sister!"
From her spot on the floor, Yuki Suo added helpfully, "Mm-hmm. The kind of caring that makes you want to get into bed."
"Cough—Yuki! What are you saying?" Hozuki Nozomi shot her a fierce glare, though it held no real heat. "If you keep talking nonsense, believe it or not, I'll pull out your ahoge?"
A sharp pinch to his side made him yelp.
"Hiss! Yukino, why are you pinching me?!"
"Hmph. Don't be mean to Yuki." Yukino's tone brooked no argument.
With Yukino defending her, what could Hozuki Nozomi do? He could only look at his fiancée with the most pitiful, wronged expression he could muster.
Yuki Suo burst out laughing. "Heheh, Brother, looks like someone can finally control you!"
"Yuki can control me too, you know," Hozuki Nozomi said seriously. He beckoned her over. "It's already late. Tell Kirino to go to sleep obediently, and come here—Brother will let you experience what it's like to be a knight."
"Okay!"
Another long while passed.
Eventually, Yuki Suo lay down as well, thoroughly spent. Hozuki Nozomi felt a swell of pride as he delivered a mock-serious lecture: "Yuki, you're not a very good knight yet. You still need more practice."
Yuki simply rolled her eyes, too exhausted to respond with her usual playful banter. Next time, she thought hazily. Next time she'd have more energy.
Yukino Yukinoshita watched his thick-skinned expression and couldn't help but show a hint of shy affection. "You're definitely better this way."
Hozuki Nozomi perked up with interest. "Oh? What way is that?"
"Like a bad guy."
"Uh... Yukino, are you serious?" He blinked. "What exactly did that girl Mitsuha do with my body that makes you prefer me being a little bad?"
"You're already bad," Yukino murmured softly. "And I don't want you to become good. If you turned too innocent, we'd be in trouble."
Only his mischievous, flirtatious nature could maintain the delicate balance of their unusual family. The wonderful atmosphere they'd built couldn't exist without his playful provocations.
"Hozuki Nozomi," Shiina Mahiru added quietly, "please keep being bad."
What could he say to that? Of course, he would agree to their wishes.
If being a "bad guy" meant keeping them by his side, protecting what he cherished, maintaining the warmth and connection they all shared—then he would gladly be the worst bad guy they'd ever known.
Only by having ambition and power could he protect what he wanted most.
He believed that firmly.