At the Hiratsuka residence, Nibutani Shinka sits at the table, pouting. Her delicate, pale face is puffed out like a blowfish fresh out of the water. Her nose, a well-trained instrument, has already identified the source of the scent: the fake-smiling devil from the graduation ceremony. She had remembered the smell because it had bothered her before.
"Shinka," Hiratsuka Ryosuke says, expertly peeling a shrimp. He holds the plump, white meat to her lips. She eyes the shrimp, crinkles her nose, and her throat moves, but she doesn't open her mouth. Ryosuke shrugs and pops the shrimp into his own mouth. Shinka's eyes widen, her lips tremble, and her face grows even more crestfallen.
The hot pot on the table bubbles away, steam rising from it. Ryosuke picks up a slice of beef and holds it out to her. "Open," he commands.
The beef, curled and savory with the scent of green onions, is too much for her to resist. She blows on it gently and takes the entire piece into her mouth.
"Mmmph, so good~" she mumbles happily, her eyes squinting into thin lines. The happiness from the food washes away her anger in an instant, and the fake-smiling devil is forgotten.
"Hey, you two, can you stop eating in such a disgusting way?" says Hiratsuka Shizuka, glaring at them from across the table.
Ryosuke peels another shrimp, dips it in seafood sauce, and places it respectfully in Shizuka's bowl.
"Sister-sama, please," he says.
"Mmm~ you're a great little brother," she praises, holding her cheek. "This is the best shrimp I've ever had!"
"Of course," Shinka says, hugging her arms across her chest and nodding with a confident air, as if she made the food herself. "Something was added to these dishes that's better than any spice or ingredient. It's the love of the person who cooked them, right, Ryosuke?"
"Did you get the illustrations?" Shizuka asks Ryosuke after swallowing a bite.
"Yes," he says. "I've already given them to the publisher. It should be published soon. It seems they are very serious about this book."
"Eh? Ryosuke, are you going to be a light novel author?" Shinka says excitedly. "You really are my childhood friend!"
She's an anime fan and has dabbled in manga, video games, and light novels. If not for her, Ryosuke would not have had so much to talk about with Eriri.
"Yes," Ryosuke confirms. "But I also ran into Yukinoshita Haruno at the editorial office today."
At the mention of the name, Shinka grinds her teeth. "Hmph," she huffs. "One day I'll use my 'Genesis Thunder Lance' to purify that fake-smiling devil."
Neither Ryosuke nor Shizuka pays attention to Shinka's chuunibyo remarks. Ryosuke turns to his sister. "Shizuka-san, what did Mrs. Yukinoshita say to you that day? I felt like Yukinoshita Haruno was acting a little strange today."
Shizuka hesitates. She wants her brother to grow up without a care in the world, but she knows he'll have to face these things eventually. She sighs and decides to explain.
"The Yukinoshita family invested heavily in the Chiba Prefectural Assembly, and in return, they gave us many of their business contracts in Chiba. It seems they're moving into Tokyo now."
A sly smile appears on her face as she changes the subject. "But, even though the marriage contract didn't work out, it seems Mrs. Yukinoshita hasn't completely given up on getting her daughter to you."
Shizuka looks at Shinka with a hint of anticipation.
"Cough, cough!" Shinka suddenly chokes, and Ryosuke quickly pats her back.
"Shinka-chan, eat slower," Shizuka says gleefully. "Be careful not to burn yourself." She is happy to see her little friend's misfortune. It's a small lesson for Shinka, who had the audacity to feed her cute little brother in front of her.
Tears well up in Shinka's eyes. She looks at Shizuka with a newfound wariness. It seems the "Iron Fist Devil" is even more dangerous than the "fake-smiling devil."
After dinner, the two girls lie exhausted on the sofa. Ryosuke shakes his head and asks a question that has been on his mind. "Why were you rolling on the floor when I came in, Shinka?"
Shinka's body twitches as if she's been electrocuted. She springs up from the sofa.
"Ryosuke, my parents are out of town. I'll be home alone for a while," she says.
"And?" he asks.
"I'll just stay here with you for a while. We used to do that all the time, right? When my parents were out, I would come here. When Shizuka-san was out, you'd come to my place, hehe~" A mischievous smile appears on her face, as if her plan has succeeded.
Ryosuke responds with two fingers to her forehead.
"Ah! You're poking me again!" she cries out, holding her forehead.
"Are you an idiot? We're middle school students, not elementary school kids. There's no way we can still sleep together," Ryosuke says coldly.
When they were younger, Shizuka would sometimes have to go back to Chiba for school, leaving Ryosuke alone. He would occasionally go to Shinka's house for food and would even sleep in her bed when he was tired. But that was a long time ago. Now they've grown up, and Ryosuke can no longer see Shinka as just a childhood friend. After all, when she isn't acting weird, his childhood friend is a very cute girl—a girl who has even made his heart skip a beat.
"Ugh, fine. I'll go back then," Shinka says, her face deflated. Her energy returns just as quickly. "Let's go see the cherry blossoms tomorrow!" she says with a cheerful voice. "We can invite Shoko and Elf too!"
The cherry blossom festival is a traditional Japanese event from March to April. Friends and family gather to have picnics under the cherry blossoms. April is the perfect time for it.
Ryosuke looks out the window at the pouring rain. "If the weather is good tomorrow, then sure," he says. "We can invite Shoko and Yuzuru, but forget about Elf. She's been caught by the editors again."
"Okay~ I'll text them now."
After a short rest, Shinka heads to the door. "You have to call me before you leave tomorrow, Ryosuke!" she says, her hands on her hips, her body leaning forward.
Bang! The door closes, and the house becomes quiet again.
It's 10 PM. Ryosuke is wiping down his sword after a shower. The rain outside shows no sign of stopping, and the clouds rumble with thunder.
Click. A faint sound, and the room is plunged into darkness. "A power outage?" Ryosuke thinks.
Rumble! Thunder flashes and rolls, and heavy raindrops lash against the apartment building like shiny whips. Ryosuke's heart pounds. He drops his sword and dashes out the door, as if suddenly remembering something.