"So, Ichika, what's up? You don't usually stay up this late. Even if there's no school tomorrow, you should be preparing for the program recording, right?"
After closing the door, Nakano Yu turned to look at Ichika, who was lying on his bed without the slightest restraint, and asked.
The pre-recording of the program "Starting Now? Serious Love" was scheduled for the day after tomorrow, but according to Ichika, the production team had set the filming location in Okinawa and they were supposed to leave there tomorrow.
"That's right, but the most important thing this time is the interaction between lovers.
Although the production uses the interaction between amateur couples as the main selling point, normal interactions simply aren't attractive to the audience, so I thought I'd talk to you about how to actually do it."
Ichika nodded, then opened a melodramatic romantic series she had saved on her phone.
Then she patted the spot next to her on the bed, and her gaze fell on Nakano Yu, the meaning obvious.
"Alright, alright…"
Looking at Ichika's serious expression, Nakano Yu sighed helplessly and nodded, preparing to walk over, but Ichika stopped him:
"Yu, turn off the light."
"Okay."
He silently looked at Ichika for a few moments, then, having no choice, turned off the light in the room.
Although he didn't know why he had to turn off the light, he felt… strange.
"Come on, hurry up and come here so we can study!"
Seeing that Nakano Yu wasn't resisting today, Ichika was very satisfied. She lay on the bed and shifted to the side, making space for him.
Nakano Yu didn't waste time. He wanted to see what Ichika had prepared for this so-called "current love" show.
"What are you planning to do, Ichika?"
Sitting beside her, Nakano Yu asked curiously. As he spoke, he leaned toward her phone, but when he saw the content on the screen, he was stunned.
What the hell? "108 Ways of Love"?
Was this kind of obviously useless content Ichika's preparation?
Thinking about it, Nakano Yu's expression became strange. Speaking of which, ever since Nakano Reina entrusted the Five Sisters to his care, all malicious people around them had already been removed by his hand.
This led to the Five Sisters having almost no contact with men except for him.
"My manager recommended this to me. She said that after I read it, I could deliberately imitate the scenes during the program recording, as long as the audience doesn't notice. After all, the effects in variety shows are acted anyway, right?"
Ichika didn't notice Nakano Yu's stiff expression and continued speaking proudly.
"Is that so?"
Hearing this, Nakano Yu twitched the corner of his mouth. It was true that the effects in shows were acted, but if they deliberately acted according to "108 Ways of Love," it would definitely be too obvious.
"Mhm, mhm. And what's your opinion on love, Yu?"
Ichika said this as if it were only natural. Her eyes darted quickly, then she suddenly snuggled up to the young man and, with a mischievous smile, asked for his opinion.
"What good advice could I possibly have?"
Taking the phone from Ichika's hand, Nakano Yu looked at her, then turned his attention to the screen.
Ichika was now wearing pajamas, a slightly transparent white gauze nightgown that gently draped over her body. Combined with her ambiguous posture, Nakano Yu could see snowy peaks and rising mountains with just a single glance.
"Eh?! But today, when you left Shuchiin Academy after school, so many girls saw you off! And… Yu has been coming home very late these days. Aren't you doing something bad?"
Hearing this, Ichika sat up, completely disbelieving his words.
Every time she had seen Nakano Yu during this period, he had been with some girl. Although she didn't know who that girl was, judging by her attitude toward Yu, Ichika was sure something wasn't right between them.
And quite not right. According to Itsuki, that girl was Kiyoura Setsuna. Not only did she often ask Yu for help with studying, but she also brought him lunch every day.
If such a relationship was still considered normal, then Ichika would believe the nonsense about pure friendship between a man and a woman.
"Well… this. Ah, right, what are you planning to say tomorrow, Ichika? Nino and the others probably still don't know about the program, right? Are you planning to keep it a secret?"
Exposed by Ichika, Nakano Yu didn't answer directly but changed the subject.
Tomorrow he and Ichika were going to Okinawa, but Ichika's desire to debut as a star was still a secret within the Nakano family.
"Hmm… I don't want to tell Nino and the others yet. If I tell them, they'll definitely worry. Even though they would still support me, but…"
After thinking for a moment, Ichika changed her position and lay down, expressing her concerns.
Although the Five Sisters had a good relationship, they were all independent individuals and occasionally had conflicts. Although Ichika knew the other four sisters would support her in her desire to become a star, it would inevitably cause them concern.
Ichika's idea was to confess to the Five Sisters only after the warm-up program "current love" aired, or after she achieved some success.
"So, Ichika, you're planning to hide it until you can't anymore?"
After hearing her concerns, the young man narrowed his eyes and directly exposed her plan.
"No, you can't say it like that! I'm just waiting for the right opportunity, and… I told grandpa…"
Hearing that, Ichika immediately retorted, but faced with Yu's suspicious gaze, her voice grew quieter as she spoke.
"You told the old man?"
Hearing her weak reply, Nakano Yu raised an eyebrow. The grandpa Ichika was referring to was actually their maternal grandfather, Nakano Reina's father.
In the period immediately after Reina's death, Nakano Maruo had been completely devoted to his career, so he entrusted the Five Sisters and Nakano Yu to the care of that somewhat gruff old man. Only when they reached school age did Nakano Maruo take them back.
"Yes, I'm planning to tell Nino and the others that we're going to visit grandpa, and then you'll go with me. I gave Nino a cookbook, so she most likely won't come with us. And I'll somehow fool Yotsuba and the others."
Ichika had no intention of hiding anything from Nakano Yu and revealed the entire plan.
Hearing this, Nakano Yu finally understood that Ichika wanted her maternal grandfather to help deceive the other four sisters. However, at the moment, there really wasn't a better plan than that.
After all, Ichika wasn't ready to confess to the other sisters that she wanted to become a star. Nakano Yu understood this and therefore had no intention of revealing the truth to the other sisters on his own.
"What do you think, Yu?"
Seeing that Nakano Yu wasn't responding, Ichika asked cautiously. She knew that hiding secrets from family forever wasn't a good idea, but she truly wasn't ready to confess yet.
"Do as you wish, Ichika. It's already late, stop thinking about romantic entanglements. Let's sleep."
After patting Ichika on the head, Nakano Yu didn't express his opinion. After that, he lay down, preparing to sleep.
"Okay!"
Ichika replied, took the phone from his hand, and lay down beside him, hugging his arm.
"Ichika, what are you doing?"
Seeing that Ichika had no intention of leaving, Nakano Yu stared at the ceiling and asked.
"You have to get used to it. During the program recording, we'll have to sleep together!"
Sitting up again, Ichika poked Yu's cheek with her index finger and, with a mischievous smile, said.
"…Go to sleep quickly. Don't touch me at night or you'll face the consequences! And also, no sleeping naked!"
"Understood! Yu-sama!"
"…"
"Ichika! Your hand!"
"Hehe~"
"Nani?! You and Ichika are going to see grandpa? I want to go too!"
The next day, Yotsuba looked at Nakano Yu and Ichika, who were packing their luggage, her eyes shining.
She hadn't seen their maternal grandpa in a long time, almost… a month and a half!
"Yotsuba, didn't you go to grandpa's a month ago? If you go too often, you'll bother him."
Ichika said with a smile, trying to persuade her. How could she tell Yotsuba that she and Nakano Yu were going to participate in a love reality show, not visit grandpa?
"Ugh! But Yu and Ichika are both going…"
Hearing that, Yotsuba was obviously dissatisfied. If Nakano Yu and Ichika could go, why couldn't she?
"Yotsuba, we're just going to see how grandpa is. We'll be back in a few days. Later, when father has a break, we'll all go together."
Nakano Yu also stepped forward to persuade her.
"Yotsuba, Yu and Ichika are going to do something important. Let's not cause trouble."
At that moment, Miku also came over to persuade her.
Seeing that both Nakano Yu and Miku were saying this, Yotsuba, although somewhat disappointed, didn't make a scene or insist on going. After all, she was already grown up, and besides…
Yotsuba wasn't stupid. She could sense that Yu and Ichika weren't going to their maternal grandpa's, but had something else in mind. However, with Miku and Nino present, she couldn't ask Yu, so she had to give up.
"Oh, I understand. Alright… Then, Yu and Ichika, come back quickly."
Yotsuba no longer stubbornly insisted on going with them, but simply watched them and wished them a quick return.
"Don't worry, we'll be back in two or three days at the latest."
Walking over, Nakano Yu patted Yotsuba on the head. After saying goodbye to Miku and the others, he picked up the luggage and took the elevator downstairs.
After Ichika and Nakano Yu left, Yotsuba smiled and walked toward the living room.
"Mmm-hmm~ Nino, what's for breakfast today?"
"Sushi with peppers."
"Eh?!"
Miku silently watched Yotsuba bother Nino and quietly followed them into the living room.
"I have to find an opportunity to talk with Yotsuba and Nino about Yu. I just don't know what Itsuki's feelings toward Yu are…"
Miku thought, her gaze drifting toward Itsuki, who was quietly watching television.
If… Itsuki also likes Yu.
"Gulp, gulp~"
In a hotel room in Okinawa, the curtains were drawn, letting in no sunlight at all. Only the sound of boiling water could be heard.
"Mmm~ This taste is really good."
In the kitchen, blood covered the floor, and the walls were stained with dried blood.
In front of the stove, a large pot was boiling, constantly releasing steam, and the air was filled with the smell of meat.
A slender, tall woman stirred the fragrant meat soup in front of her, took a sip, then smiled viciously, revealing fine teeth stained with blood.
At her feet, a head, as if it had been wildly gnawed by a beast and completely unrecognizable, lay quietly beside the trash can. Her bulging eyes seemed to tell everyone that, before death, she had seen something extremely terrifying.