Shichen brought Yatogami Tohka back to the apartment building. While riding the elevator, he suddenly remembered there was someone else at home.
"Ah, right—Tohka, I forgot to tell you, I have a younger sister. She lives with me."
"Really?" Tohka didn't seem to mind the fact that he had a sister—what she was concerned about was something else.
"Your sister... Will she mind me? Will she... not like me?" she asked anxiously.
"Don't worry, she won't mind at all," Shichen replied with a smile to reassure her.
"Really?" Tohka still looked uncertain. "I'm the one responsible for destroying the city, she..."
"Trust me. You can just tell her you're a Spirit—she might even like you more because of that."
"Shichen, you're not fooling me, are you?" Tohka narrowed her eyes and stared at him. "I'm not an idiot, you know."
"Why are you always doubting me?"
"Because you always say... Ow! Why'd you hit me?" Tohka covered her forehead, clearly annoyed after Shichen flicked it.
"Just trust me, or I'll flick you again," Shichen said with mock threat.
"Hmph~ I'm not afraid of you."
"If you're not afraid of me, then why worry about my sister?"
"Um... That's different."
"You'll have to meet her sooner or later—nothing to be afraid of. Just trust me... We're here."
The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Shichen stepped out first, with Tohka following him cautiously like something terrifying was waiting behind the door.
When they reached the entrance, Shichen scanned his face and the door unlocked automatically—his information had been registered yesterday.
"What are you standing around for? Come in already." Shichen entered the room and saw that Tohka was still hesitating far behind, as if something scary was inside.
Tohka hesitantly stepped in.
"Here, change into slippers." Shichen handed her the third pair of slippers Kotoha had already prepared and left on the rack.
"What are these?"
"Indoor shoes—for wearing at home."
"At home... Hehe~" Tohka giggled foolishly.
"I already told Kotori about you. These were prepared for you. Still scared?"
"Really? Kotori... Your sister prepared these for me?" Tohka's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Why would I lie?"
"But when did you tell her? You don't mean... you used telepathy or something?"
"Did you forget I told you about cellphones? I used it to send her a message."
"Wow, it's that advanced?!"
"Alright, now go ahead and put on the slippers Kotori picked out for you."
"Okay..."
A flash of light appeared around Tohka's little leather shoes as they turned into glowing particles and vanished, revealing a pair of pure, white feet. Her toes were delicate and plump, especially her big toe, which twitched nervously.
For some reason, Shichen felt a strong urge to hold and play with them.
He was pretty sure he didn't have a foot fetish, so it must be that her feet were just too cute.
After all, it's hard to suppress your natural instinct when faced with something adorable.
The slippers Kotori prepared were ordinary, but their color matched Tohka's hair.
After putting them on and taking a couple of steps to get used to them, Tohka remarked, "So these are slippers? What a strange feeling."
"Yeah, most of your foot is exposed... Anyway, come on in." Shichen reluctantly pulled his gaze away.
"Okay."
Tohka entered the house and the door closed automatically. Shichen led her into the living room.
She was still cautiously observing her surroundings, like someone entering an unfamiliar place full of uncertainty and nerves.
Which, to be fair, she was.
"Where's... your sister?" Tohka asked, not seeing anyone in the living room. She seemed a bit more relaxed.
Shichen placed the bread on the table and glanced toward the other room. "She's probably doing homework. I'll call her. Kotori!"
"Wait!" Tohka tried to stop him, but it was too late.
"Big bro, you're back!" came Kotori's cheerful voice, followed by the sound of a door opening.
"Hmm? Tohka, what's wrong?" Shichen looked at her, puzzled.
"It's... nothing..."
Tohka pursed her lips and looked toward the room. Soon, a red figure came into view.
"Big bro, what is it? Oh~ this must be the Tohka you told me about? Hello, Tohka onee-chan~"
Kotori played her part enthusiastically, grabbing Tohka's hands with excitement.
"Um... uh..." Tohka looked helplessly at Shichen.
"That's Kotori Itsuka—my sister."
"Oh, I see..."
"Just call me Kotori!" she interrupted with a grin.
"Then... Kotori, nice to meet you. I'm Yatogami Tohka. I'm Shichen's... good friend."
"Ooh~ so good friends get to live together now, huh?" Kotori teased.
"Eh? N-no, it's not like that... It's just..." Tohka stammered, unsure how to respond.
"It's fine~ I totally welcome you, Tohka onee-chan! From now on, the three of us can live together!"
"Umm... Are you sure it's okay? I... I've destroyed so many places..."
"Don't worry about that, Tohka onee-chan. I know you're a Spirit—the one who causes spacequakes."
"Huh?" Tohka froze in surprise, momentarily at a loss.
"It's so cool!" Kotori exclaimed.
"Huh? Cool? W-why?"
"Well, when you cause a spacequake, school gets canceled. Isn't that awesome?"
"Huh? Isn't school a good thing?" Tohka looked at Shichen.
"Of course it is... Ow—what was that for?!" Kotori cried as Shichen flicked her head.
"What do you think? Stop spouting nonsense. School's great—you get to be with friends and hang out with lots of people. Isn't that better than staying home all day?"
"Hmph~ says the guy who doesn't have to go to school."
"Don't mislead Tohka." Shichen mockingly raised his hand like he'd hit her again.
"You've changed, big bro. Abandoning your sister as soon as a girl comes along." Kotori darted behind Tohka, sticking her tongue out playfully.
"Cut it out! Don't say weird stuff—you'll make Tohka misunderstand."
"Shichen, what does 'abandoning your sister for a girl' mean?" Tohka asked innocently.
"Ignore her, it doesn't mean anything."
"Really? Why do I feel like you're lying again?" Tohka eyed him suspiciously.
"How could I lie? I'm not that kind of person. Anyway, didn't I tell you? Kotori couldn't possibly dislike you."
"Mm..." Tohka glanced at Kotori, just as she flashed her a pure, innocent smile.
Tohka couldn't help but smile too. "Thank you, Kotori."
"Why are you thanking me? I should be thanking you—now I don't have to go to school~"
"You wanna try me again?" Shichen raised his hand.
"Alright, alright, I won't say it anymore, geez!" Kotori pouted.
"Are you really sure it's okay? I did a lot of damage..."
"It's fine—no one got hurt. You can relax, Tohka onee-chan. I really don't mind."
"Thank you, Kotori." Tohka looked at her gratefully.
"Hehe~ you're welcome. From now on, we're family, so no need to thank me!"
"Family... Got it!" Tohka nodded firmly.
"Mmhmm." Kotori smugly looked at Shichen as if waiting for praise.
Shichen smiled and shook his head. He decided to thank her later. If it weren't for her, Tohka would still be extremely anxious. She might still be a little uneasy now, but she was much better than before.
"Kotori, you must be hungry. I'll go make something for you."
"Yay~ Big bro, hurry! I'm starving!"
"Cooking? Shichen, you can cook?" Tohka asked, surprised.
"Didn't expect that, huh? And I'm actually really good. Just wait and see."
"Alright, I'm looking forward to it!"
"Okay, I'm heading to the kitchen. Kotori, take Tohka to see her room. I assume it's ready?"
"Of course! Who do you think I am? Come on, Tohka onee-chan, I'll show you your room—see if you like it."
"My room..." Tohka followed her expectantly.
"Don't forget the bread!" Shichen reminded them. "Eat it while it's still warm—tastes better that way."
"Huh? Aren't we having a meal? Why eat bread now?"
"I meant for Tohka to eat it, not you."
"Ah!" Kotori suddenly remembered—Tohka's known for her huge appetite.
---
Let me know if you'd like this cleaned up even more, or turned into novel-style prose!
Shichen escorted Yatogami Tohka back to the apartment building.
Only when they were in the elevator did he remember that there was someone else at home.
"By the way, Tohka, I forgot to tell you—I have a younger sister. She lives with me."
"Is that so?" Tohka didn't care much about the "sister" part; what worried her was something else.
"Your sister… will she mind me? Will she… not like me?" she asked uneasily.
"Don't worry—she won't mind at all," Shichen said with a soothing smile.
"Really?" Tohka was still unsure. "I'm the one who destroyed the city, after all, she—"
"Trust me. You can even tell her straight‑up that you're a Spirit; she might end up liking you," he chuckled.
"You're not tricking me, are you?" Tohka narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm not stupid."
"Why are you always suspicious of me?"
"It's because you're—ouch! Why'd you hit me?" She covered her forehead where he'd flicked her.
"Just trust me—or I'll flick you again," Shichen threatened lightly.
"Hmph, I'm not afraid of you."
"If you're not afraid of me, why be afraid of my sister?"
"Ugh… That's different."
"You'll have to meet her sooner or later. Nothing to be scared of. Believe me… Ah, the elevator's here—let's go."
The elevator stopped; the doors opened. Shichen walked out first, and Tohka followed nervously, as if something terrifying were waiting beyond the corridor.
At the door, Shichen's face was scanned and the lock clicked open—he had registered her biometric data yesterday as well.
"What are you standing there for? Come in," he called when he noticed Tohka lingering at a distance as though the apartment held some dreadful creature.
After a moment's hesitation, she stepped across the threshold.
"Here, change into these slippers." Shichen handed her the third pair Kotori had set out on the shoe rack.
"What are these?"
"Indoor shoes."
"In… the house… Heh‑heh." Tohka smiled blankly, amused by the concept.
"I already told Kotori about you. She prepared those for you. Still scared?"
"Really? Kotori—your sister—got these for me?" Tohka's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Why would I lie?"
"But when did you tell her? You can telepathically transmit messages or something?"
"Did you forget about the cell phone I told you about? You can send messages with it."
"That's amazing!"
"All right, put on Kotori's slippers."
"Okay…"
A flash of light shimmered over Tohka's little leather shoes; they dissolved into motes, revealing her delicate white feet—so flawless and dainty her big toe even twitched anxiously.
Shichen found himself fighting the impulse to cup them in his hands; it wasn't a fetish, he told himself—her feet were simply too cute.
Kotori's slippers were ordinary save that their color matched Tohka's violet hair. After sliding them on, Tohka took a couple of test steps. "So these are slippers? What a strange feeling."
"Most of your foot's exposed, after all… All right—come inside." Shichen reluctantly tore his gaze away.
"Okay."
The door shut behind them and Shichen led her into the living room. Tohka still eyed her surroundings warily, as though entering unfamiliar territory filled her with tension.
"Your… sister?" Seeing no one in the living room, she relaxed a little but remained curious.
Shichen set the bread he was carrying on the table and called toward an inner room. "She's probably doing homework. I'll get her. Kotori!"
"Eh?" Tohka tried to stop him, but it was too late.
"Onii-chan, you're back!" Kotori's cheerful voice answered, followed by a door opening.
"Hm? Tohka, what's wrong?" Shichen looked at Tohka in confusion.
"N‑nothing…"
Tohka pressed her lips together and watched the hallway. Soon a flash of red appeared—Kotori in her crimson ribbons and clothes. She bounded up to Tohka and seized her hands enthusiastically.
"Uh… um…" Tohka shot Shichen a pleading look.
"This is Itsuka Kotori—my sister," he introduced.
"Oh, Its—"
"Just call me Kotori," she cut in.
"Then… Kotori, hello. I'm Yatogami Tohka, a… good friend of Shichen's."
"Oooh, 'good friend' means you'll be living with us, huh?" Kotori teased.
"W‑what? N‑no, it's just…" Tohka fumbled, flustered.
"It's all right! From now on the three of us can live together!" Kotori declared.
"Uh… Are you sure? I—I caused so much destruction…"
"Don't worry, Tohka‑nee. I know you're a Spirit—the one who causes spacequakes."
"Huh?" Tohka froze, at a loss.
"It's super cool!" Kotori grinned.
"C‑cool? Why?" Tohka was dumbfounded.
"See, whenever a spacequake hits, school's canceled. Isn't that great?"
"Eh? Isn't school a good thing?" Tohka looked at Shichen.
"Of course not—ow! Onii-chan, why'd you hit me?" Kotori rubbed her head.
"What do you think? Stop spouting nonsense. School's good—you get to be with lots of friends instead of sitting at home," Shichen scolded.
"Hmph, easy for you to say—you don't have to go," Kotori muttered.
"Quit misleading Tohka," Shichen warned, raising a hand as though to smack her again.
"Onii-chan, you've changed—abandoning your sister for a pretty face already," she pouted, hiding behind Tohka and sticking out her tongue.
"Quit it. You'll make Tohka misunderstand."
"Shichen, what does 'abandoning your sister for a pretty face' mean?" Tohka asked innocently.
"Don't mind her. It doesn't mean anything."
"Really? I feel like you're tricking me again." She eyed him skeptically.
"How could I? See, I told you—Kotori likes you just fine."
"Mmm…" Tohka glanced at Kotori, who responded with a pure smile. Tohka couldn't help but smile back. "Thank you, Kotori."
"Why thank me? I should be thanking you—no more school for me—"
"You keep it up?" Shichen raised his hand.
"Fine, I'll stop," Kotori grumbled, puffing her cheeks.
"Are you sure it's okay? I've destroyed so many places…"
"No one was hurt, so relax, Tohka‑nee. I really don't mind," Kotori said earnestly.
"Thank you, Kotori." Tohka's eyes shone with gratitude.
"Heh‑heh, you're welcome. From now on we're family, so no more thank‑yous."
"Family… Got it!" Tohka nodded vigorously.
"Mm‑hm!" Kotori shot Shichen a triumphant look, clearly fishing for praise.
Shichen shook his head with a smile; he'd have to thank her properly later. Without Kotori, Tohka would still be terribly uneasy—though she still had a few nerves, she was much calmer now.
"Kotori, you must be hungry. I'll make something tasty."
"Yay! Hurry, Onii-chan—I'm starving!"
"Cooking? Shichen, you can cook?" Tohka exclaimed in surprise.
"Didn't expect that, did you? I'm pretty good, too. Look forward to it."
"I will! I'll look forward to it!"
"I'll be in the kitchen then. Kotori, show Tohka her room, will you? You got it ready, right?"
"Of course—who do you think I am? Come on, Tohka-nee, let's see if you like your room!"
"My… room…" Tohka let Kotori pull her along in great anticipation.
"Don't forget the bread," Shichen called. "After you see the room, come eat it while it's still warm."
"Huh? Aren't we having dinner? Why bread now?"
"It's for Tohka, not you."
"Ah!" Kotori smacked her forehead—how could she forget? Tohka was famous for her huge appetite.
~~~
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