A little later, Bokue escorted Hasegawa Chisato and Raphaeline back to Keystone Gate.
Since their apartments were practically next to each other, there wasn't even a need for a long walk between buildings. They parted ways at the hallway junction.
"I'll head back first," Bokue said.
"Mm," Chisato replied brightly. "Nee-san and I still have to make dinner."
After their long afternoon, the school nurse didn't look the least bit reluctant to separate. She simply smiled, waved once, and turned—guiding the still-stiff Raphaeline toward their door.
Bokue walked to his own unit, pulled out his keys with practiced ease, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.
He barely had time to close it before—
Tap-tap-tap!
A petite figure in a dark kimono came flying out from deeper inside the apartment, barefoot and fast enough to leave afterimages. The moment she saw Bokue, she launched herself at him—arms and legs spread wide like an affectionate ambush.
"Bokue!!"
Her voice arrived before her body, and her faint perfume rode the air in her wake.
Bokue didn't even need to open his eyes to know who it was. He caught her cleanly, arms moving like he'd done this a hundred times.
Kuroka wrapped herself around him like a happy parasite and let out a satisfied hum.
But she immediately began complaining anyway.
"Hey, Bokue—where did you disappear to all day?" she pouted. "I was so bored at home~ And sniff sniff… you smell like other women!"
"Today was…" Bokue said, then gave her a short, honest summary of his day.
When he finished, Kuroka's cat ears twitched repeatedly.
"Mm~ So you 'claimed' that Valkyrie from Norse myth too," she said, sounding half impressed and half smug. "And you even arranged a job for her."
Then she narrowed her eyes.
"But Bokue… aren't you letting more and more people find out about Venelana?"
"Ah…"
Bokue paused.
Kuroka continued, voice sweet and dangerous. "Look—now even Asia knows. At this rate, are you planning to let everyone except Rias play with Venelana together?"
"Probably… not?" Bokue said carefully.
A bead of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.
Kuroka wasn't wrong. He hadn't intended it, but the "circle of people who know" was expanding fast.
Kuroka studied his face, then shrugged. "Forget it. I won't bully you over that right now."
She tightened her arms around his neck—those "lotus-root arms," as she liked to call them—leaned in, and kissed him lightly.
Then her voice dropped into a conspiratorial whisper.
"Come on. Carry me to the dining table. Dinner's already ready. And as a thank-you…" Her eyes curved mischievously. "During dinner, Bokue has to feed me."
Bokue blinked. "Feed you?"
Kuroka's grin widened. "The mouth-to-mouth kind."
Like someone snapping their fingers, the living room atmosphere turned soft and romantic.
Then—
Bzzzz—
A phone vibration sliced the mood clean in half.
"…Looks like I got a message," Bokue said, feeling it buzz in his pocket.
Kuroka pouted at the interruption, then narrowed her eyes. "Fine. Keep holding me."
Without releasing her grip around his waist, she arched backward with absurd flexibility. Two slender fingers slid neatly into Bokue's pocket and hooked the phone out with perfect precision.
She straightened back up with a small abdominal flex, the phone now resting in her palm as if it had always belonged there.
Kuroka unlocked it with practiced ease. She had fingerprint access.
The message was from Nagisa.
[Onii-sama, are you free tomorrow or the day after? Remember Mom asked us to visit for check-ups. I think we should go this weekend. Don't forget our promise~ ♡]
The heart at the end was aggressively suspicious.
"…That's what she says," Kuroka said flatly, holding the phone up so Bokue could read it.
"Any thoughts?"
Bokue hesitated, not sure whether she meant the text… or the heart.
"Reply 'tomorrow works'?" he offered.
Kuroka nodded once, typed efficiently, and sent it.
Then she added—still in the same calm tone—"As compensation, dinner isn't just feeding. And Bokue… you'd better keep your promise later too."
What promise, exactly, was not clarified.
It didn't need to be.
❁❁❁❁
While Kuroka was aggressively negotiating benefits next door, in the adjacent apartment Chisato was already in the kitchen, preparing dinner.
She pulled a small bag of vegetables from the refrigerator and handed it to Raphaeline.
"Nee-san, wash these for me, please."
"Mm…"
Raphaeline—despite being a goddess who'd spent eons above mortal concerns—didn't treat it as a huge problem.
Ordinary people washed vegetables with water. A goddess could do it with far less effort.
A soft shimmer of magic gathered in her hands—
Then Chisato spoke again, casual as if discussing the weather.
"Nee-san," she said, still crouched at the open fridge as she reached for frozen beef brisket, "when Bokue and I were in the back room this afternoon… waiting outside was pretty hard for you, wasn't it?"
"…Eh?!"
Raphaeline's hands jerked. The magic destabilized and vanished.
"H-hard…? No, it was manageable," she insisted, flustered. "I was learning computers. I was focused. I barely heard anything from your direction."
"Is that so?" Chisato stood up with the brisket and turned her gaze sideways—calm, sharp, and far too knowing.
"Because I noticed you left quite a bit of… evidence under your desk," she said lightly. "It even reached toward the underside of my desk."
Raphaeline's face went bright crimson.
Chisato's smile remained warm—almost gentle.
"And as your sister, I can't just watch you suffer," she continued. "So next time Bokue and I go to the back room…"
"Th-this cannot happen!!" Raphaeline blurted out, mortified.
"Of course it can," Chisato said, leaning closer until her lips were near Raphaeline's ear. "Why not?"
Raphaeline froze.
Chisato's whisper turned syrup-sweet.
"I told you I'm going to make Bokue your man too, right? This is the perfect push." She paused, then added softly, "And you wouldn't want Bokue to find out you got so overwhelmed you couldn't stay composed at the desk, would you?"
Raphaeline swallowed.
Her goddess dignity would evaporate instantly.
"You…" she whispered, looking away. "Afureia… where did you even learn to threaten people like that…?"
And in that moment, Raphaeline realized it clearly:
Her sister had her completely in hand.
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