...
After eating their fill, Lucian planned to head back for a nap and return in the afternoon to pick up Ines Fujin for the next destination.
Unfortunately, the two little ones clung to him, grabbing his fingers and begging him to stay for a nap.
It wasn't really any trouble—just spread some bedding on the floor and Lucian could sleep peacefully.
But he still felt it was a bit inappropriate. "I'd better go back for my nap."
"Onii-chan~ Don't go~" Ines Hanakami lifted her adorable, doll-like little face, staring unblinkingly at him and whining cutely. "I already brought out the little blanket."
Ines Tsukigami nodded vigorously. "Going back is so much trouble, Onii-chan. And aren't you going out with big sister this afternoon? If you sleep here, you can head out right after waking up—super convenient."
The two little ones chimed in one after another, their sweet attack completely shaking Lucian's resolve.
"Stay. What did you say in the kitchen earlier?" Just as he hesitated, Ines Fujin spoke up—but it was a boomerang. "Whether big sister and little brother, or big brother and little sisters—we're all family, right?"
With the conversation pushed this far, Lucian had no room to refuse. "Alright then, sorry for the intrusion..."
"Saying such distant things again? If I'm not satisfied, does that mean the contract gets extended?"
This gentle threat finally drained all of Lucian's resistance.
He rubbed his nose. "Ahem, I'll be careful."
"That's more like it." A triumphant smile bloomed on Ines Fujin's face. "I'll go get the bedding and blankets."
As soon as she left, Hanakami and Tsukigami grabbed Lucian's sleeves again—this time one on each side, like two diligent little guards making sure he didn't escape.
...
Since afternoon training was routine, Lucian had developed the habit of napping and quickly fell asleep.
Ines Hanakami lay between Lucian and Ines Fujin.
After confirming Lucian was asleep, she carefully turned toward Ines Fujin and whispered, "Big sister~ Big sister~"
Ines Fujin opened her eyes—she hadn't been sleeping either. More accurately, she couldn't sleep. "What's wrong, Hanakami?"
"Big sister~ I want to switch places with you to sleep."
"This..."
While she hesitated, Hanakami had already climbed over her, nuzzling Ines Fujin's back like a little calf.
"Got it, got it. Keep it quiet—don't wake the others." Ines Fujin scooted a little closer to Lucian, but still left about two fists' width of space between them.
"Good afternoon nap, big sister~" Hanakami's voice came from behind. Not long after, her steady breathing could be heard.
But Ines Fujin grew even more unable to sleep.
She quietly gazed at Lucian's profile, reached out carefully, and gently tugged the blanket up over him by the corner.
The air conditioning was set to 23°C—comfortably cool for her, but humans would probably feel cold, right?
If they lived together in the future, she'd have to pay attention to these little details... What was she even thinking?!
Ines Fujin sighed and slowly withdrew her hand. But at that moment, a muffled hum sounded. Lucian suddenly rolled over, facing her.
Ines Fujin's heart clenched instantly. She hurriedly closed her eyes. Only after hearing his steady breathing did she relax and slowly open them again.
Lucian's sleeping face was right before her eyes, mere inches away.
Her gaze embarked on an unprecedented journey—from his slightly furrowed brows, down the high bridge of his nose... and finally, as if guided by some unseen force, landing on the lips pressed into a cool, straight line.
If... if she just touched them lightly, Trainer probably wouldn't notice, right?
That's what she thought—and without further hesitation, she did it. Her fingertip gently traced over them, as if trying to smooth the tiny uneven texture.
"Not sleeping and groping around?" Lucian's eyes suddenly opened. Though he fell asleep easily in the afternoon, his sleep had always been light.
"You!?" Ines Fujin's pupils contracted sharply, her outstretched hand freezing in place.
Lucian reached out and covered her mouth. "Shh~ Hanakami and the others are still sleeping. Don't be too loud."
Ines Fujin nodded stiffly. Only then did Lucian remove his hand.
He lowered his gaze to where her finger still lingered near his lips, then slightly parted them. His warm lips firmly captured her fingertip—soft yet carrying an irresistible dominance.
Ines Fujin's brain completely shut down. Shame? Panic? Secret thrill? Utter surprise... All sorts of emotions wove together like threads into a complex net, ensnaring her heart.
Lucian simply held her finger in his mouth, making no further move.
He watched her go from shock to fluster, then her cheeks visibly flush crimson, the blush spreading from her ears down her neck... After all this, she was the same type as Seiun Sky?
The current Lucian considered being forcefully kissed by the glass-cannon Seiun Sky to be something utterly unpresentable.
Because it lacked so much fun. He wondered if the regret from back then could be made up for with Ines Fujin.
"Big Sis Ai, is it soft?"
"I... No!" Ines Fujin finally regained her lost voice. She yanked her hand back and shoved it under the blanket. "I was just pulling the blanket up for you, and then I saw your lips... looked a bit dry."
Since Lucian had seen everything, she couldn't deny what had just happened.
"So you wanted to apply lip balm for me?" Lucian paused, his gaze slowly drifting downward until it settled on her lips, which kept twitching nervously.
"Not exactly..."
"Then what is it... Could it be that Big Sis Ai wants to... kiss... me? Onee-san seems to have some improper thoughts about otouto." Lucian smiled faintly, continuing to tease.
But he didn't know that, in this moment, "Onee-san" held an almost magical, irresistible pull for Ines Fujin.
"Say it again." She exhaled tremblingly, voice mosquito-thin. Her hands under the blanket clenched the sheets tightly, eyes lowered, lost in thought.
"Onee..."
Before Lucian could finish the syllable, a warm, soft sensation pressed hard against him. What followed wasn't gentle exploration—just an urgent, clumsy sealing.
It turned out that "say it again" wasn't a question or a request, but a near-commanding plea.
...