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Ayano’s taking things out of the cupboards for dinner when Shintaro walks in. He’s already shrugging off his bag and leaning over her shoulder to see what she’s planning before she even turns around. She jumps when she finds his grinning face so close to hers, and bumps his shoulder with her own in retaliation.
“Don’t do that, you scared me!” Ayano complains, half-laughing. “Get away, get away! I haven’t even started,”
Shintaro rubs his arm, pretending to look aggrieved. “Hey, I was just curious,” he says. “Is anyone else home yet?”
Ayano shakes her head, already engrossed back in tearing open a box of pasta. “Takane’s still out, and Haruka’s upstairs,” she explains. “I haven’t called him down yet, since it’s not ready,”
“I’ll go get him,” Shintaro volunteers, already heading out of the kitchen and toward the stairs.
“Don’t bother him too much!” Ayano shouts at his retreating back.
He waves lazily in response, already most of the way up to the second floor. Haruka’s room is the first one on the right—it has the nicest view, the most sunlight. They’d drawn lots for it, but he knows Ayano rigged it so Haruka would get it. It’s only fair, since he spends the most time in his bedroom out of all of them.
Shintaro knocks, but doesn’t wait for an answer before opening the door. Haruka won’t hear anyway, if he’s really working.
As predicted, Haruka is facing the window, his sketchbook open across his lap. Shintaro approaches as stealthily as possible and taps him on the shoulder.
Haruka startles; luckily, his pencil is away from the paper; otherwise, Shintaro would have been in a world of trouble. Haruka turns to frowns at him, flipping his sketchbook closed to prevent any chance of harm.
“Don’t do that,” Haruka says reproachfully, highly reminiscent of Ayano. “I could have ruined the sketch,”
Shintaro ruffles his hair, grinning. “Don’t worry, I knew you weren’t drawing. You were staring out the window, spacing out,”
Haruka makes a face at him. “I wasn’t spacing out, I was pondering on what to draw next,” he says, and Shintaro messes up his hair again. Haruka looks up at him, realization dawning on his face. “Oh! You’re home! That must mean it’s nearly time for dinner, right?” His eyes are practically sparkling at the thought of food, and Shintaro can see he’s ready to sprint down to the kitchen.
“Ayano only just started,” Shintaro tells him.
“Great! I’ll go help!” Haruka says enthusiastically, and really does make to run downstairs. Shintaro catches him around the waist before he makes it, though.
“Absolutely not,” he says. “Ayano’s banned you from cooking—you eat everything before anyone’s even done making it!”
Haruka pouts. “I do not!” he complains. “Come on, let’s go! Food! Cooking!”
“You can have a snack,” Shintaro coaxes. “Those crackers you like. Like, two. Maybe three,”
“Are you spoiling him again?” comes a voice from outside the bedroom, and both of them look toward the door to find Takane standing there, still dressed for work. She’s wearing a dark dress suit, and heels. At first it had been strange to see her in such formal wear, when usually she’d lounge around the house in sweatpants and t-shirts.
“Takane!” Haruka calls, and worms his way out of Shintaro’s grasp to hug the dark-haired girl, who wraps one arm around him in return.
Takane grins and flicks him on the forehead with her free hand. “Hey, shorty,” she says, while Haruka rubs the abused spot and whines. She’s an inch taller than him, a distance that’s increased by heels. “Hey, trash boat,” she greets Shintaro.
“Welcome home, my love,” Shintaro deadpans, putting one hand in the air and moving it very slightly to the side. Takane laughs, loud and boisterous.
Haruka opens one arm out to Shintaro, a clear invitation for a group hug, but Takane is already extricating herself from his hold.
“I have to get changed before I die,” she tells them, heading for the door, but pokes her head back in to look at Haruka. “Don’t eat too many crackers, or you’ll get fat,” she says, and then runs down the hallway as Haruka yells denials after her.
Shintaro shakes his head, almost regretting the loss of peace of quiet.
Haruka gives up on trying to convince Takane he’ll never get fat because he’s been blessed with a fast metabolism and a gorgeous figure. He turns around. “Is it dinner time yet?” he asks hopefully.
Shintaro sighs, but there’s a smile on his lips.
“Let’s go find out,”