On the other side, after parting ways with Yuna, the three of them returned home.
Kiana had been watching Shiraha the whole time. In class, he was isolated. In the club, no one paid him any attention. All he could do was play with that game helmet ME Corp had been developing lately.
But once all her friends had left, Mei would naturally take Shiraha's little hand.
Little Kiana didn't yet know what to call this behavior. She just felt it wasn't right. It wasn't right at all.
So Kiana quickened her pace and walked up ahead, directly taking Shiraha's other hand.
Shiraha... the sensation was somewhat strange. He looked at Nee-chan, then at Kiana.
"Quite the popular one, aren't you, Shiraha." Elysia's voice was drifting and wistful. She let go of his hand of her own accord.
Forget it. She'd be a little more tolerant of Kiana. Just a little. She'd give Shiraha's hands a proper wash when they got back. This time, she'd wash the side Mei had held too.
Shiraha pressed his lips together, not knowing how to answer. To be precise, he couldn't even figure out Kiana's reason for doing this.
It wasn't over yet.
"Shiraha." Kiana suddenly spoke. "I'm going to create a club. Do you want to join?"
Girls of the Kaslana family had always been this direct.
Shiraha's brain short-circuited for a split second, then he reacted quickly. "You don't want to join our Hokushin Ittō-ryū Youth Training Camp?"
His left hand was being gripped rather tightly. Mei narrowed her eyes.
Poaching my capable subordinate right in front of me?
Kiana you're trying to provoke a tiger!!
Kiana shook her head. "I'm not interested in swordsmanship. I mainly just want a small room that belongs to me."
She said it so directly. Shiraha paused again. What did she mean, wanting a small room that belonged to her?
Kiana glanced at Mei again, then rose onto her tiptoes and leaned close to Shiraha's ear. "I'll come find you tonight. We'll talk then."
Not now. Their living conditions were so good entirely thanks to what slipped through the Raiden family's fingers. Kiana would absolutely never speak ill of them.
But she always had to consider a fallback. After all, when they'd first started wandering, Kiana hadn't lacked for food with Dad either. But Dad's "live for today" attitude had still quickly plunged them into poverty.
Kiana had learned long ago, people had to think about fallbacks. After speaking, she glanced at Mei, then continued walking quietly. Though her hand still hadn't let go.
Mei's little cheeks puffed out even more.
Still provoking! Still provoking!
"Shiraha." Mei also spoke. "Will you forget those days when we went to the high school division together to hand out flyers, all for the sake of founding our club?"
She paused, then added another line, her voice even softer. "Just the two of us."
Shiraha paused again. Hadn't we only sat there for a few minutes before the delinquent senpai showed up?
Was that really something so worthy of reminiscing?
But he still nodded firmly. "I won't. I won't forget anything I've experienced together with Mei-nee."
Mei looked at Shiraha's sincere gaze, then glanced at Kiana. Kiana didn't seem to care about this vow at all. She was still holding Shiraha's hand, her pace steady.
Damn it.
I, Raiden Mei, acknowledge you, Kiana, you are an opponent of steadfast resolve.
But my subordinate, my little brother, cannot be stolen by you.
Kiana... Kiana was thinking about what they'd have for dinner tonight. She hadn't really taken Mei and Shiraha's words to heart. With the Raiden family's wealth, dinner must be incredibly lavish, right?
Roasted potatoes, surely they could eat as much as they wanted. And the kind of grilled meat she remembered from her most distant memories. The kind with seasoning, too.
Maybe there'd even be cola.
Back home. Uncle Ryoma was home today. Siegfried was also home. The two of them watched the three children walk back hand-in-hand, their expressions somewhat subtle.
Shiraha was just about to wave, only to realize both his hands were occupied.
He decisively released Kiana's hand and waved enthusiastically at Ryoma Raiden. "Uncle Ryoma! I'm back!"
Siegfried's expression grew even more hostile.
Shiraha then added, "Oh. And Siegfried."
The corner of Siegfried's mouth twitched. "Brat. Do you really think my fists lack strength?"
Holding two people's hands coming home was one thing, but why, when greeting, did he let go of Kiana's hand without a shred of hesitation? Differential treatment aside, couldn't he even call him "senpai" or "uncle"?
Shiraha didn't seem intimidated at all. "My Nee-chan isn't exactly weak either!"
Ryoma Raiden rarely laughed out loud in front of the children. All day long, he'd been listening to Siegfried complain about Shiraha. Siegfried truly seemed to harbor an enormous grudge against the boy.
Shiraha apparently really disliked fathers who didn't take care of their children. But Siegfried genuinely wasn't that kind of person, because, at the very start, Siegfried had never treated K-423 as family.
Ryoma Raiden pondered how he should help Shiraha set aside his prejudice against Siegfried.
But for now, he first reached out and pulled Siegfried back. "Forget it, forget it. Why stoop to a child's level."
At this moment, Shiraha also released Mei-nee's hand, ready to head back to his room. Passing by Uncle Ryoma, he waved enthusiastically again, then instantly switched faces and ran upstairs.
Siegfried felt the veins on his forehead bulging.
Mei hadn't gone upstairs yet. She still hadn't been introduced to Siegfried, Dad was probably about to introduce him.
"Uncle Ryoma... Dad. I'm heading back to my room too."
Kiana ventured a tentative call, then also prepared to dash upstairs. But as she passed the two adults, Siegfried grabbed her by the scruff of the neck.
Suspended midair, Kiana's little legs dangled. She turned her head with an innocent expression.
Siegfried was expressionless. "You're not going to play with Shiraha, are you?"
Kiana blinked and didn't answer.
But Siegfried already knew the answer.
Kiana was a good child. She pressed her lips together, hesitated for a moment, then instantly steeled herself. "If Dad really doesn't like Shiraha... then I won't play with him anymore."
Then she hung her little head. Her usually lively eyes held a trace of nervousness.
Ryoma Raiden shrugged. "I told you long ago. Don't stoop to a child's level."
Siegfried sighed. "Why do you keep playing with him? Didn't you make any friends at school?"
This counted as consent. Kiana's eyes returned to their usual liveliness.
She was set down. Kiana glanced at Mei beside her, then rose onto her tiptoes and whispered, "Everyone at school has friends except Shiraha. From morning till night, all he can do is sit alone and talk to thin air."
Siegfried froze.
Who?
Shiraha?
How was that possible!
Even though that brat had a venomous tongue toward him, with that personality and that appearance, there was no way he couldn't make friends.
Kiana continued, "No one at school plays with him. I figured I could be his first friend at school. And I also only know him, so it works out."
"When the time comes, I'm going to create a club. I heard you can even apply for an activity room that way. Then, if Dad ever gets kicked out, you can stay there."
Siegfried was silent for a moment. Uh... Kiana. A club activity room probably isn't what you're imagining.
Forget it. It was enough that Kiana had this thought.
"Go on up. Don't let him be a bad influence on you."
Mei was expressionless. But Dad was eavesdropping, and for the moment, he didn't seem to have any intention of introducing this uncle to her.