The four Nakano sisters at home all knew Kojima Kana's "demon" nickname was merely an act at school, so the atmosphere in the living room was surprisingly relaxed and pleasant.
Shirase noticed during their conversation that when Yotsuba and Itsuki looked at Kana-nee, who was chatting confidently, there was clear admiration in their eyes, filled with youthful longing.
After all, Kojima Kana—whether it was her figure, her aura, or her refined manners—was the very model of a mature onee-san type.
Such a woman naturally appealed greatly to teenage girls longing to grow up quickly.
Even Nino occasionally stole glances at Kana, eyes quietly glittering with a whirl of girlish thoughts.
Yet none of them knew the truth hidden beneath Kojima Kana's mature elegance—inside, she was actually an easily embarrassed, clumsy, and incredibly tsundere girl at heart.
After Shirase chatted briefly with Nino about baking cookies, he excused himself to use the restroom.
However, the moment he stepped back out, he saw Nakano Itsuki standing near the balcony, discreetly waving him over.
"What's up?" Shirase asked curiously, glancing briefly at the still lively living room.
Itsuki lowered her voice. "Earlier, Kana-nee mentioned our grades. Do you think the reason she came along today was because she's planning to have you tutor us?"
Before Shirase could reply, she continued softly, "There's never a shortage of rumors about you at school. I heard from other girls that your grades have been steadily improving. Apparently, you might even break into the top hundred by the end-of-month tests."
"Top hundred?" Shirase chuckled lightly. "I'm aiming for first place."
"Huh?"
Itsuki's lips parted in astonishment, looking adorably stunned.
Seeing her disbelief, Shirase repeated seriously, "I'm not joking."
Itsuki subconsciously waved her hand, flustered. "Wait, hold on—that's way too sudden! Kana-nee said your entry grades were only above average. Why'd you suddenly decide to aim for first place?"
"I wanted to see if I could, so I'm giving it a try."
"Honestly…"
The girl sighed softly, visibly troubled. "Seeing people I know improving so quickly... Of course, I'm happy for you, but it still feels complicated."
"You're worried your grades won't improve, and the gap between us will widen too far, right?" Shirase understood immediately.
"Mm." Itsuki admitted quietly.
If Shirase really got first place, he wouldn't just be a good student—he'd officially become a top-ranking prodigy.
And that was uncomfortable territory for someone who constantly struggled with her grades.
"No matter what, we'll always be friends," Shirase promised sincerely.
"Hey, don't suddenly get all serious," Itsuki laughed awkwardly, though she felt warmth bubbling in her heart.
Sensing that Itsuki's favorability towards him was rising, Shirase immediately seized the chance. "If Nakano-san eventually asks me to tutor you guys, could you help me convince the others?"
He knew exactly how stubborn these five girls could be.
Especially Miku, who was still quite distant toward him.
"Eh?" Itsuki froze.
Clearly, she hadn't expected him to shift topics so suddenly.
Before she could think it through, Shirase swiftly added, leaving no chance for hesitation, "Of course, I'd pay you back."
"What reward?" Itsuki asked automatically.
"You liked the cookies today, didn't you?" Shirase returned the question.
"Of course! Who wouldn't like something that tasty? Even Miku said she wanted to take some back to her room."
"Then in the future, you'll get cookies even more delicious than today's," Shirase replied confidently—after all, the system would definitely continue giving him rewards.
"Really?"
Itsuki's eyes instantly lit up. Today's cookies and cake had already tasted wonderful; if he could bake even better treats…
Would she even be able to eat regular snacks anymore?
But getting delicious treats every day? This was practically divine intervention—the gospel of angels!
Shirase smiled warmly. "At least about this, I'd never lie to you."
Itsuki's gaze grew conflicted. "But honestly, the grades of us five have long been beyond saving…"
"Ichika said something similar last time. But since I dared to offer, naturally I'm confident I can actually improve your grades."
After a tense dozen seconds, Itsuki finally unclenched her tightly held fists. "Fine. If we get tasty snacks and improve our studies, it's a win-win."
She then very formally clasped her small hands together at her waist, her face adorably solemn. "If you really do succeed, then whatever request you have in the future, I promise to do my best to fulfill it."
Seeing her so earnest, Shirase couldn't resist teasing, "You mean any request at all?"
Itsuki froze again, her cheeks instantly flaming red. She hurriedly crossed her arms into an X shape in front of her chest. "Absolutely no perverted requests allowed!"
Shirase burst into laughter.
Only then did Itsuki realize she'd been tricked again. She huffed indignantly, placing her hands on her hips and glaring. "Why are you always teasing me? First it was the meat buns, now it's this…"
As she spoke, her tone gradually became odd, and she narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Shirase. "Hey, wait a minute… Could it be that you actually like me?"
Then, she held up her left hand stiffly, fingers pressed tightly together. "If that's true, that'd be sooo annoying."
Shirase's smile froze slightly, only for Itsuki to immediately double over in laughter.
Great—now he'd gotten played instead.
"What are you two chatting about out here?" Nino and Yotsuba suddenly appeared. Seeing Itsuki laughing happily on the balcony with Shirase, Nino's inner alarms immediately went off.
"Oh, we were just casually chatting," Itsuki giggled, leaning against the railing. She secretly shot Shirase a glance, promising to keep their talk confidential.
But in Nino's eyes, that little glance became a full-blown flirtation. Just as she was about to test the waters, Yotsuba cheerfully approached, hooking an arm around Itsuki's shoulders. "I bet Itsuki's just explaining to Shirase-kun how small her appetite actually is—girls are pretty sensitive about that sort of thing."
Nino smoothly switched gears, teasing, "Unfortunately for you, Itsuki, we already saw your little tummy the other day. But I gotta admit, it's very soft and squishy."
"It is not!"
Itsuki shouted back, cheeks blazing red.
Nino giggled softly, eyes shifting to Shirase. "Itsuki's waist actually feels pretty nice—want to give it a squeeze?"
"Nino, shut up! I absolutely do not have extra fat!"
Pretending not to hear, Nino continued staring provocatively at Shirase.
But Shirase wasn't falling for it. He slowly lowered his eyes, stopping pointedly at Nino's slender waist instead.
His meaning was crystal clear: I'd rather squeeze yours.
Nino instantly flushed bright red, glaring back fiercely: You shameless guy—your intentions are way too obvious.
Shirase returned an innocent smile: After all, I'm here to join your family, not tear it apart.
Blushing furiously, Nino couldn't maintain eye contact anymore and quickly grabbed Shirase's arm, dragging him out of earshot.
Once safely away from her sisters, she finally dared to strike back, whispering, "Are you trying to copy that famous internet joke—claiming your stomach's weak, so you have no choice but to be a kept man?"
"What's wrong with being a kept man?" Shirase countered confidently.
Without an audience, Nino's boldness returned, her flushed face shining provocatively. "But I've heard online that men who rely on women usually end up having kidney issues. Does that mean you'll have to start taking supplements from now on?"
Shirase corrected her seriously, "Kidney supplements are a common misunderstanding. The right way is to nourish the stomach. People think their kidneys are weak, but in fact, the problem is with their stomach—so they can only handle soft food."
Nino: "…"