The morning is clear and bright, the clouds gone. The sky is a flawless, crystal-clear blue, like a perfect sapphire. The air, washed clean by the rain, smells of grass and trees.
"Someone better explain what's going on here," Hiratsuka Shizuka says, standing in front of the Nibutani family's glass patio door. She sees the shattered glass in the living room and her voice is low.
Since it was the weekend, she had a few drinks last night. When she woke up, her brother's bedroom door was open, his beloved sword was on the floor, and he was gone. Just as she was about to go look for him, the door next door opened. First, her brother, and then a girl with messy hair. Her first thought was that Ryosuke was growing up and sneaking out to do something bad, but she quickly dismissed the idea, trusting her brother's character.
Now, facing her, Hiratsuka Ryosuke and Nibutani Shinka both have their heads bowed, silent. Ryosuke had quickly gone home to change, while Shinka's face is flushed red, a blush spreading all the way to her ears. Her eyes are wide with confusion, and she feels like her head is steaming.
What happened? Ryosuke held me all night?! she thinks. She woke up and was so happy to see him, but how did he get into her room? And without his shirt on, no less! "Oh no, am I going to be called Hiratsuka Shinka now?" she wonders. "No, this isn't right. Even though I've thought about it before, this is too fast!" She nervously fidgets with the hem of her clothes, her face bright red, as she peeks at Ryosuke. Ryosuke, say something!
Facing his sister's intense gaze and Shinka's strange expression, Ryosuke tells the story of the previous night, from start to finish.
"After 10 p.m. last night..."
When he finishes, everyone understands what happened. Shinka looks at Ryosuke with a mix of worry and guilt. Thinking about how he put himself in danger, her lips part as if to speak, but no words come out. Inside, she feels a profound sense of gratitude, but also fear and dread.
Shizuka's face is grim, and she clenches her fists as she stares down at Ryosuke. He's never seen her like this before, and it makes him uneasy. He closes his eyes, ready to accept any scolding or punishment she might give him.
A breeze blows through the broken glass door. Ryosuke doesn't get the punch he's expecting. Instead, he's enveloped in a warm hug, and the scent of his sister's hair brushes past his nose.
"Don't you ever do anything that dangerous again," Shizuka says, burying her head in his shoulder. "I'm an adult; you should rely on me more."
She holds him tightly, as if afraid he'll disappear if she lets go. She knows how strong the rain was last night. He jumped from his balcony to the one next door in a storm. They live on the sixth floor. If he had slipped, she would have lost him forever. The "Fearless Tigress of the Empire," as she is known, is now a weak, helpless kitten.
Ryosuke, his face pale, frantically pats her back.
"Hey, Shizuka-san! Ryosuke can't breathe!" Shinka cries out, pulling on her arm in a panic. But her strength is no match for Shizuka's, who only holds him tighter.
Hearing her cry, Shizuka finally lets go.
"Cough! Cough!" Ryosuke falls to his knees, his hands on the floor, greedily sucking in air. He hadn't fought back, and with his muscles relaxed, he had no defense against his sister's crushing embrace. She had hugged his neck, and her grip was as tight as an anaconda's, squeezing the life out of him.
"Oops, Ryosuke, are you okay?" Shizuka asks, scratching her head awkwardly. She had gotten emotional and used too much force without realizing it.
Ryosuke catches his breath, and his breathing slowly returns to normal. He stands up and walks over to Shizuka, smiling apologetically. "I'm sorry, sis. I won't be so reckless again."
With the crisis averted, Shinka sees the siblings return to their normal selves and cries out excitedly, "So, are we still going to see the cherry blossoms today? Achoo!"
"Shinka, did you catch a cold?" Ryosuke asks with concern.
"No, I didn't... achoo!" Her sneeze betrays her.
"Alright! Plans are canceled. Shinka, you'll rest, and I'll find someone to fix this door. Ryosuke, you can start cleaning up," Shizuka says, stretching her arms and shouting like an enthusiastic airhead.
Ding-dong! The doorbell rings, and all three of them look toward the door. Ryosuke goes to the entrance and opens it.
"Hey! Ryosuke-niisan, long time no see!" a small, dark-haired girl says, her head peeking in from outside.
"Ryosuke, good morning," Nishimiya Shoko says softly, holding a picnic basket.
Shoko is curious why Ryosuke answered the door when she rang the Nibutanis' doorbell, but she doesn't ask. Ryosuke remembers that Shinka had invited them to see the cherry blossoms yesterday.
"Shoko, Yuzuru, come in for a bit. That idiot Shinka caught a cold last night, so we won't be seeing the cherry blossoms today." Ryosuke apologizes to the sisters. They came fully prepared and had been looking forward to it.
But the kind Shoko is more concerned about her friend than the canceled plans. "Is she alright?" she asks worriedly.
Ryosuke waves his hand. "She'll be fine. It doesn't seem serious. A little medicine and she'll be good as new in a few days."
Near noon, Shizuka has an idea. "Since we can't go far, there's a tree right under our building. Let's just make do with that."
A little while later, two picnic blankets are spread out under the cherry blossom tree. There's a noticeable distance between them.
"Hey, what's the deal with this? Achoo!" Shinka complains, bundled up in a thick jacket, scarf, and hat. She can't believe she's the only one at her table.
"I told you to rest at home, but you insisted on coming," Ryosuke says calmly from his blanket, as he lays out the food. "Don't get too close to Shoko and the others until you're better. You'll get them sick."
"Ryosuke," Shoko says, tugging on his sleeve. "Isn't this a little much for Shinka?"
"Don't worry about her," he says. "She'll be fine as long as she has food." He picks up a sandwich and hands it to Yuzuru. "Here, Yuzuru. I made this myself. How does it taste?"
"Thanks, Ryosuke-niisan!" Yuzuru takes a bite, her eyes lighting up. "It's delicious! Better than my sister's!" She then takes a cherry and holds it to Ryosuke's mouth. "Ryosuke-niisan, you have this!"
He eats it, and the sweet and sour taste bursts in his mouth. "Mmm, it's great. Thanks, Yuzuru."
Shoko watches Yuzuru's actions. She freezes for a second, a strange look in her eyes, before she shakes her head to clear her thoughts. Maybe it was just my imagination? The small picnic under the tree, though not in a grand cherry blossom park, is a happy one.
A little while later, Ryosuke's phone rings. He excuses himself and walks away from the picnic blankets. A cheerful, delighted voice comes from his phone.
"Ryosuke! I've finished all the remaining illustrations. I'll bring them to school tomorrow and give them to you secretly."
"The first collaboration between a genius artist and a genius light novelist! Let's show everyone the birth of our perfect team!"