"Fine, fine," Makoto murmured against her hair, his voice low and soothing.
"As thanks for the keychain, I'll give you a massage when we get home." He winked at her playfully, though there was something sincere behind it.
"And my relationship with Mika isn't like that." He shook his head with a sad little smile.
"I bet she just wants to test you. To see if she can steal me away from you, my little stepsis."
Yuna let out a sharp laugh that had no humor in it. "Steal you?" Her voice dropped to something dangerous. "Like you're some kind of prize to be won?"
She shook her head, and when she spoke again, her voice was flat. "No. She's not trying to steal you." She looked at him then, her eyes cold. "She's trying to save you, from me."
The words hung between them.
Simple, direct, and completely honest.
"She's the good girl," Yuna said, her voice cracking slightly. "The normal one. The one who can give you a normal life."
She took a shuddering breath, then added in a broken voice, "And you're a fool if you don't take it."
She turned and walked away, her footsteps sharp and angry on the pavement.
But she couldn't help calling over her shoulder, trying to sound cheerful: "But I still want that massage, you fucking pervert."
Makoto just shrugged casually and pulled her arms until they were linked with his. "I don't want a normal life," he said confidently.
"I want a harem, where all of my girls are happy together." A mischievous glint appeared in his eye.
"It sounds like some greedy bullshit, doesn't it? But I don't want to leave anyone unhappy."
Yuna stopped dead in her tracks. She whirled around to face him, looking absolutely stunned.
"A... a harem?" she sputtered. Her voice carried both outrage and something that might have been hope. "Are you serious?"
She stared at him. Eyes wide, mouth slightly open.
For a moment, she couldn't speak at all.
Then she threw her head back and laughed.
It was loud and unrestrained and completely joyous. People turned to look.
"You're an idiot," she said, wiping a tear from her eye. "A big, stupid, greedy, and completely delusional idiot."
She stepped closer, keeping her arms linked with his. "And you think Mika is just going to go along with this?"
A wicked glint sparked in her eyes. "The good girl? The normal one?"
She leaned in close, her breath warm against his cheek. "You're going to have to work a lot harder than that to corrupt her," she whispered dangerously.
She pulled back with a slow, predatory grin spreading across her face. "But I'll help you. For a price."
She turned and started walking, swaying her hips just a bit too much.
"And for the record," she called back, "I'm the main wife. And you're not allowed to fuck her more than you fuck me."
Makoto chuckled affectionately. He poked her cheeks and leaned in for a quick, playful bite. "Fine. But you'll have to keep count of the fucking, though."
"Of course I'll keep count. I'll make a spreadsheet. With charts and performance metrics." She retorted and patted his finger away.
"Do you really think that she's as good and normal as she looks?" His eyes sparkled with wicked brilliance. "So innocent... so cute, my little sis."
Yuna's cheeks blazed red as he bit her.
A small gasp escaped before she could stop it. "I-I'm not innocent!" she sputtered, swatting at his hand without much conviction.
"And I'm not cute!" But her eyes were sparkling too, matching his wickedness.
She leaned in and dropped her voice to a whisper. "As for Mika..."
A slow, predatory grin spread across her face. "I know, no one is that nice. No one is that perfect."
Her eyes went wide with mock concern. "She's probably a yandere. She's probably going to tie you to a bed and force-feed you cheesecake until you propose."
She pulled back, that wicked glint still dancing in her eyes. "But don't worry. I'll protect you." She linked her arm with his, gripping a bit too tightly. "For a price, of course."
Makoto chuckled fondly. "Hey, don't you dare go and plan a death flag for me. Getting a yandere into my harem would be suicidal, you know?"
His eyes sparkled. "And so far, she doesn't seem... that way, does she?"
Yuna snorted. "Not yet. But that's how they get you."
"They lure you in with their sweet smiles, their perfect grades, and their... their healthy eating habits." She shuddered theatrically.
"And then, one day, you wake up tied to a chair in their basement, and they're holding a blowtorch and a copy of your wedding vows."
She looked at him with wide, innocent eyes. "It's a classic yandere move," she said seriously.
Then the innocent act dropped. "But don't worry. I've seen enough anime to know how to handle her."
She tightened her grip on his arm. "I'll just have to establish my dominance. Early and often."
She leaned in close again, her breath warm against his cheek. "And if that doesn't work," she whispered, her voice dropping to a growl, "I'll just have to eliminate my competition."
Makoto giggled and gave her lips a quick, playful kiss.
Yuna flinched when his lips met hers, her eyes going wide with genuine surprise. Then she melted into it, sighing contentedly.
"You sound even more yandere than she does, my little sis," he teased softly. "Don't you dare go and joke like that again. It isn't funny."
A bead of cold sweat trickled down his back as he gestured toward the food vendors. "Oh, that stand over there sells some awesome crepes. You should choose some. It's my treat."
After he pulled away, her cheeks stayed flushed, and her lips looked swollen.
"…Fine." Her voice came out grudgingly. "No more yandere jokes."
She stared at him with eyes that seemed too bright, too focused. "But I'm still the main wife."
The words dropped to a growl. "And if she tries to take my position…"
She left the threat hanging and turned to stomp toward the crepe stand.