The familiar voice, the familiar face—
even in a school uniform, she still radiated the aura of an ojou-sama.
Her long, glossy black hair covered one eye; the part of her face that showed was still breathtakingly beautiful.
"San-San, long time no see."
The moment Shichen saw Tokisaki Kurumi, his mood instantly brightened.
After all, he'd really liked her once.
"Shichen… why did you suddenly start calling me 'San-San'?" Kurumi asked, a little embarrassed.
"I feel like calling you that makes us closer."
"It's only been a month, and you've become so forward? But… I really missed being called that." Kurumi pressed her lips together in a smile.
"Missed it?"
"Hey, hey, Shichen, don't just stare at San-San—I'm here too, you know!"
Yamauchi Sawa, who'd been standing next to Kurumi the whole time, couldn't help cutting in.
"Sawa, long time no see." Shichen finally smiled and greeted her properly.
"Hmph, a greeting that late doesn't count anymore."
Sawa folded her arms and turned her head away in annoyance.
"So what do you want then?" Shichen played along.
"Hmm~ let me think… oh right, after not seeing each other for a month, shouldn't we at least get a reunion kiss?"
"Sawa, what are you talking about!" Kurumi instantly snapped, flustered.
"What, you want one too?" Sawa shot back at her.
"I… I would never…" Kurumi glanced at Shichen, then immediately looked away again, her face burning.
Kurumi's shy, maiden-like charm nearly made Shichen lose control and pull her into his arms right then and there.
"Oh? Since you don't want one, I'll just…"
Before she'd finished, Sawa launched herself into Shichen's arms, tilting her head up as if she were about to kiss him.
"Wait—! What do you think you're doing!"
Before Shichen even reacted, Kurumi grabbed Sawa and yanked her back.
"Eh? San-San, why are you stopping me from getting close to Shichen?"
"Didn't you see that Shichen wasn't willing?"
"I think he seemed very willing~ Right?" Sawa winked playfully at Shichen.
"Well, you are very pretty, Sawa. It's hard for me to say no."
"Aww, Shichen, your mouth is so sweet~ makes me really want to taste it~"
"Can you not lose your mind like this?" Kurumi scolded, exasperated.
"Eeh~ San-San, you're just being selfish. You haven't kissed him yourself, so you won't let anyone else do it either, right?" Sawa exposed her without mercy.
"I… that's not it at all!" Kurumi immediately denied it.
"Really? Dare you swear?"
"I…"
"Hmph, now you're playing the tsundere? You know that trait is out of style, right? The 'freely giving herself' type is what's really popular now."
"What nonsense are you even talking about? And who would like some easy girl like that?"
"Your kind of 'giving' is different. You've got reasons. That kind of attribute is actually very easy to accept."
"What on earth are you trying to say?"
"Forget it, someone whose head is full of 'I must save the world' can't be expected to get it. Just remember one thing: don't be tsundere."
Sawa shook her head and pointed it out outright.
"I am not tsundere!" Kurumi shouted back, cheeks blazing red.
"Ugh, hopeless. Looks like I'll have to handle this…"
"Shichen-senpai…"
Just then, Origami walked up.
"Origami, what brings you here?"
"Shichen-senpai, you've been out here such a long time… Tokisaki Kurumi, why are you here?"
"Oh my, isn't this Origami-san?" Kurumi glanced at her and smoothly shifted back into her elegant demeanor.
"Don't call my name. We are not that close," Origami replied coolly.
"My~, Origami-san is really cold, isn't she?" Kurumi smiled, unconcerned.
"...Why are you here?"
"What, Origami-san, you can come but we can't?"
"You're here for Shichen-senpai too?" Origami frowned.
"Besides Shichen, who else would we be here for?"
Kurumi said, then stepped in close and hooked her arm around Shichen's.
"That's what I'm talking about, San-San!" Sawa immediately praised.
"..."
"Let go of Shichen-senpai!" Origami's gaze locked on his arm.
"And why should I listen to you? Shichen hasn't said anything."
"You… Shichen-senpai, she's dangerous. Stay away from her."
"Origami, don't worry. San-San isn't dangerous to me." Shichen raised his hand and rubbed Kurumi's head.
Kurumi blinked, unable to hide the pleased look on her face.
"Shichen-senpai, don't you know she's—"
"I know. But she really isn't a threat."
"Shichen-senpai…"
"It's rare for all of us to be together. Let's put the other stuff aside today and just have a meal, okay?"
"But…"
"Origami, are you saying you don't want to listen to me?"
"I… understand." Origami reluctantly backed down.
"That's better." Shichen smiled, then rubbed her head too.
The annoyance on Origami's face melted into something softer.
"Enemy, huh," Sawa muttered, drifting over to Kurumi and whispering in her ear.
"Sawa…" Kurumi rolled her eyes helplessly.
"Fine, if no one else is going to recognize the danger, I guess I'll have to keep an eye on things."
"Let's head in."
Shichen turned back toward the apartment. Kurumi still clung to his arm as she walked with him.
Seeing that, Origami quickly latched onto his other arm, clutching tightly.
"Um… and what about me?" Sawa looked at the trio's backs, then sighed and followed them inside.
When they got back to the living room, both girls still hadn't let go of Shichen.
"Shichen, what took you so long… Kurumi, long time no see~"
Tohka complained first, then waved happily at Kurumi.
"Tohka-san, long time no see."
"And this is?" Tohka glanced at Sawa.
"She's Yamauchi Sawa, a good friend of San-San's. You can just call her Sawa," Shichen introduced.
"Nice to meet you," Sawa said, giving a very ladylike bow.
"Sawa, huh? Hi, have a seat—Shichen made a lot of good food. If we don't eat soon it'll get cold." Tohka said, barely containing her excitement.
"Alright."
"Are you two going to let go of me now?" Shichen asked with a smile.
Kurumi and Origami exchanged a look, then simultaneously released his arms.
Shichen chuckled and sat down between Tohka and Kotori.
"Sit wherever you like. Just make yourselves at home."
"Okay."
Kurumi naturally sat with Sawa, and Origami took the spot next to Reine.
Reine hadn't said a word since they'd arrived, nor had she looked at Kurumi or Sawa.
"Then… let's eat."
"Thanks for the food!"
The meal was surprisingly harmonious. Aside from Tohka, no one really talked much; at most they tossed out a line or two about how good the cooking was.
The one who ate the most was, unsurprisingly, Tohka; the second place went to Reine.
She quietly kept eating and eating, as if she had been denied food for a long time.
After dinner, Origami, Kurumi, and Sawa all left—they really had just come to see him.
Reine didn't linger either and took her leave.
To be safe, Shichen watched to make sure Origami and the others didn't meet up and end up fighting. Thankfully, they didn't.
"Shichen-nii, can I go take a bath?" Yoshino tugged on his sleeve and asked softly.
"Yeah, go ahead." Shichen rubbed her head; her long blue hair was incredibly soft.
"Ara~ Onii-san, you're not going to join Yoshino? Don't you want to see her milky-white skin?"
Yoshinon suddenly chimed in.
It had been a while since Shichen heard that voice.
"Yoshinon, don't tempt me—if you do, I won't be able to hold back."
"Ara~ hear that, Yoshino? He can't hold back~"
"Uu… Yoshinon, stop it!" Yoshino cried, face scarlet, trying to silence her puppet.
"Eh? You don't want to… mmm!"
"Shichen-nii, I'll go wash now!"
Yoshino clamped a hand over Yoshinon and hurried toward the bathroom, flustered.
Watching her flee, Shichen shook his head in amusement.
Yoshino was bolder than she looked.
Yoshinon was just voicing what her heart really thought—in other words, Yoshino did want it.
It was just a shame Kotori and Tohka were also there; otherwise he would've said yes.
It wasn't that he was worried about them, it was just that with those two around, even if he wanted to join Yoshino in the bath, that would be impossible—they'd definitely stop him.
Rather than deal with the interference, he'd rather let it go. It wasn't like he'd run out of chances; there'd be plenty of opportunities in the future.
That night, Shichen slept alone in one of the rooms; Tohka didn't come to "night raid" him.
But just as he was drifting off, a pink-haired figure slipped quietly into his room.
She didn't say a word, just climbed onto the bed and lay down next to him.
Shichen also stayed silent, simply wrapping an arm around her.
Holding her like that, he closed his eyes and went back to sleep.
~~~
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