The living room of the Yuragi-sou was filled with a familiar warmth, a comfortable chaos that had become the new normal. Nonko was sprawled on the floor, a sketchbook in her hand, while a bottle of sake sat forgotten beside her. Itsuki and Yotsuba were engaged in a lively debate over a new type of snack, while Nino was on the couch, expertly giving Hibari a new hairstyle. Miku and Chisaki were quietly sipping tea, sharing a comfortable silence. Sagiri sat in her usual stoic pose, observing everyone with a careful eye, and Yuuna sitting nearby, her ethereal presence a calming force.
It was a girls' night, a tradition that had started after they all realized and accepted their shared love for Ren.
"You know," Yotsuba said, her eyes sparkling, "I'm so glad we're all friends now! It's so nice to have so many sisters to talk to!"
"Hmph, you say that," Nino retorted, a small smile on her face as she pinned a strand of Hibari's hair. "But you're the one who ran off to help the tennis club and left me with all the cooking."
"Oh, Nino-chan, you know I can't resist helping out!" Yotsuba replied, her voice a cheerful laugh.
Itsuki, who had been listening silently, spoke up. "It is nice. I never thought I'd be able to share my feelings about a boy with my sisters, let alone with so many others." She looked at Chisaki and Nonko with a gentle smile.
Chisaki smiled back. "Me neither. It's... a relief. To know that someone else understands."
"We all understand," Nonko said, looking up from her sketchbook. "Who else could we talk to about a boy who has ten girlfriends?" She took a swig of her sake. "Besides, we have something more in common than just a boy. We're all sisters now. We share in his love, and we share in our bond with each other."
Sagiri, who had been quiet, finally spoke. "It is... a good arrangement. It keeps things from getting messy." She looked at Nonko, who was still drawing. "And it's a good thing you're not in school anymore. You'd probably be a menace with your power."
Nonko just laughed. "Don't worry, Sagiri-chan! I have enough on my plate with my manga!"
The conversation drifted, and Ichika, who had been quietly observing from a corner, finally spoke. "Speaking of school... what are you guys doing for the school festival?" she asked, her voice calm and curious.
Itsuki's eyes lit up. "Oh, our class is making a takoyaki stand! I'm in charge of getting all the ingredients, so I'm making a list! We're going to make so much money!"
"A takoyaki stand? That's so cute!" Ichika said, her eyes wide with excitement.
"We're making a maid cafe!" Nino announced, her chest puffed out with pride. "We're going to be the most popular cafe at the festival, I guarantee it!"
Miku, who had been silent, finally added, "My class is doing a historical exhibit. We're going to have a little historical reenactment and everything."
"Oh! Oh! I'm helping with the haunted house!" Yotsuba said, jumping up and down. "I'm a ghost, but I'm a friendly ghost! So I get to help people who are scared!"
Nonko just shook her head, a soft smile on her face. "You all sound so busy. It's funny, when I was in school," Nonko was choosing her words. "…I just wanted to get it over with." She took another sip of her sake. "What about you, Itsuki?"
"Well," Itsuki said, a bit shyly. "I'm in charge of getting all the ingredients, but I'm also helping the Service Club with some things."
Nino's eyes narrowed. "The Service Club? Why are you helping them?"
"Oh, Ren-kun joined the club," Itsuki said, her voice a little too casual. "They said they needed help with the school festival, so I offered."
The name "Ren-kun" silenced the room. They had all been talking about their own lives, their own little worlds, but the mention of his name brought them all back to their shared reality. They all knew he was in the Service Club. They had all seen how he was a part of their world now.
A comfortable silence fell over the room, a quiet understanding passing between the girls. Their lives, once so separate, were now intertwined, not just by Ren, but by the sisterhood they had created.