Scene shift—back to the bedroom.
After Bokue and Mimori left, some time passed. The two sleeping girls finally stirred.
"Mm…"
Nagisa murmured as if surfacing from a deep dream and slowly opened her eyes.
It was dark. Only the heavy rain drumming against the soundproofed windows made it obvious the storm had started.
"So it rained after all."
Nagisa yawned and sat up, rubbing her eyes.
She remembered Bokue warning her earlier: early out, early back—rain today.
But since she was still here, Onii-sama obviously hadn't left yet.
Which meant…
Nagisa's smile turned sly.
"Mm~ Onii-sama and Mom are probably outside right now… just like that storm."
Thinking that, Nagisa reached behind her and felt along the wall near the nightstand until her fingers found the switch.
Click.
Warm ceiling light flooded the room instantly.
Nagisa turned.
On the same bed, Avrora had just woken as well—sitting up slowly and rubbing her eyes.
"This body… under my control… no—am I truly separated?" Avrora murmured, staring down at her palm and gently clenching her fist. "This sensation…"
Before she could say more, Nagisa hugged her tightly.
"Long time no see, Avrora-chan~!"
"You…"
Avrora looked stiff, like her mind was lagging behind her new body. A few seconds passed before her eyes sharpened with recognition.
"Akatsuki Nagisa…"
"Correct!" Nagisa nodded vigorously. "I'm Akatsuki Nagisa—saved by Avrora-chan once, then turned into the Fourth Primogenitor. And the one who separated us is Onii-sama… our Blood Partner~"
"…Yes." Avrora pressed a hand to her forehead, voice low. "I remember. Bokue Keikain—our contracted companion. Where is he now?"
Nagisa deliberately dragged out her tone, smiling too sweetly at the golden-haired girl.
"Mm~ Where he is now…"
She leaned closer, eyes narrowing with playful certainty.
"He's probably making Mom very happy in the living room."
Avrora's gaze sharpened.
Very happy?
Avrora hadn't been fully unconscious these past years. Sharing a body meant sharing experiences—Nagisa's memories weren't something Avrora could avoid.
So she immediately understood what kind of "happy" Nagisa meant.
Nagisa smiled even wider, confirming it without mercy.
"Yep~ The kind of happy that makes Mom extremely satisfied."
"…"
Avrora's silence said everything.
Nagisa glanced at the clock and pouted.
"Eh~ Only two hours? Then there's no rush."
She flopped back onto the bed like someone settling in to wait out a thunderstorm.
"Onii-sama and Mom are probably only in the middle of it. Let's stay here a bit longer and go out after they're done."
"Agreed," Avrora said immediately, without hesitation, and lay back down too.
Nagisa followed—but didn't turn off the light.
They lay facing each other, close enough to see every tiny expression.
Nagisa's eyes narrowed.
"Hmph~ By the way… when I said we should stay in bed longer, Avrora-chan agreed way too fast. You still hate Mom that much?"
"…Not hate."
For once, Avrora's expression shifted. A faint troubled flush appeared—awkward, reluctant.
Nagisa giggled softly.
"Okay, okay. I get it." She smiled knowingly. "Whenever Mom realizes Avrora-chan is awake, her questions get… weird."
"…Mm."
Avrora nodded, cheeks slightly warm.
Over the years, Avrora hadn't stayed asleep forever. Sometimes she woke—usually during these "check-ups." Mimori would use equipment to try to communicate at the soul level.
That wasn't the problem. Avrora answered questions about Nagisa's condition willingly.
The problem was Mimori's boldness.
Normal questions didn't even come first.
She would open with things like: "If separation is impossible and you have to share forever… what type of man do you like, Avrora-chan?"
And that was the mild version.
The worse ones were absolutely unacceptable.
Avrora's conclusion over time had been simple:
This woman is a pervert.
So when Avrora sensed Mimori trying to call her out during check-ups, she refused to respond.
Sleep mode. No replies.
But now she had her own body. Avoidance wouldn't be so easy anymore.
Avrora let out a quiet breath.
Hopefully Bokue will drain her energy so thoroughly that she won't have the strength to ask those questions later.
❁❁❁❁
Meanwhile—back in the living room.
Rain intensified into a solid curtain outside the windows. Water hammered the glass so hard the frames trembled.
Mimori could only cling weakly, collapsing against Bokue as her body shuddered again and again.
Two hours.
Her stamina was at its limit.
"P-please… mercy…" Mimori's voice broke, incoherent and trembling.
"And Nagisa will… ngh—!"
A deeper movement stole the rest of her sentence.
Outside, a gust slammed the rain against the windows like a wave.
The storm wasn't stopping anytime soon.
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