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The warm glow of the television flickered in the dimly lit living room, casting shifting shadows along the walls. The program playing was nothing particularly interesting—some lighthearted variety show filled with people laughing over staged antics—but it was enough to serve as background noise to lull Shiho into slumber.
She hadn’t meant to fall asleep on the couch. The exhaustion from school and band practice had weighed heavily on her, and the mindless drone of the television had been just enough to blur the edges of her awareness until she drifted off completely. Her head rested against the couch’s armrest, her arms loosely crossed over her stomach. The faintest rise and fall of her chest was the only movement left in the room aside from the flickering screen.
When Shizuku stepped into the living room, she stopped mid-step.
Shiho was asleep.
Shizuku’s breath caught in her throat at the sight. It was rare to see her sister so unguarded, so at peace. Shiho always carried a certain tenseness in her posture, a quiet rigidity in the way she carried herself. Even around family, she tended to keep some distance, maintaining a firm boundary between herself and others. But now, with her soft, even breaths and slightly furrowed brows, she looked completely at ease—vulnerable, even.
Shizuku hesitated before approaching, her steps quiet against the floor. She kneeled down beside the couch, resting her arms on the edge as she gazed at her younger sister’s face. A gentle fondness bloomed in her chest, one she couldn’t quite put into words.
She had always adored Shiho. Despite their differences—Shizuku, the more sociable, affectionate one, and Shiho, reserved and distant—there was never a moment where Shizuku had doubted how much she loved her little sister. Even if Shiho acted exasperated at times, even if she pushed away Shizuku’s more affectionate tendencies, there was no denying that they were bound by something deeper than mere words.
A part of her wanted to reach out. To brush away the strands of hair that had fallen over Shiho’s face, to tuck them behind her ear the way an older sister naturally would. But her hand stopped midway.
And then, the thought came.
What if I kissed her?
Shizuku’s heart skipped a beat.
She faltered, feeling the heat rise to her face. That was silly. It was just a thought. A passing urge. She loved Shiho—so what if she wanted to kiss her? It wasn’t weird. It was just… affectionate. A sisterly thing.
Right?
Her eyes flickered back down to Shiho’s face, searching for any sign of wakefulness. But there was none—Shiho remained fast asleep, completely oblivious.
Just once.
Shizuku swallowed.
Just a little one.
Before she could talk herself out of it, she leaned down and pressed the lightest of kisses to Shiho’s forehead.
Warm.
Shizuku’s lips lingered for a moment longer than necessary before she finally pulled away, feeling her heart pound a little harder.
And yet… nothing happened.
Shiho didn’t stir. Didn’t so much as twitch.
Shizuku bit her lip, her thoughts a whirlwind.
That was fine, right?
She hadn’t woken up.
She was still sleeping.
So maybe… maybe she wouldn’t wake up if—
Shizuku inhaled sharply at the thought, her pulse quickening.
That was dangerous.
But Shiho was right there, utterly defenseless, her lips slightly parted, soft, inviting. The thought lodged itself in Shizuku’s mind and refused to leave.
Her fingers curled against the couch.
Would it really be so bad?
Just once.
Just a little one.
Her breath trembled as she leaned in again, her lips hovering just over Shiho’s.
Slowly.
Softly.
She kissed her.
The warmth of Shiho’s lips against hers sent a shiver down Shizuku’s spine. It was barely even a real kiss, more of a stolen moment, light and fleeting—but it was enough. Enough to make her heart hammer against her ribcage.
Enough to make her breath catch when she finally pulled away, her face burning hotter than ever.
What had she just done?
Shizuku sat back so fast she nearly lost her balance. Her hands flew to her face, her mind a flurry of panic.
That had been… that had been reckless.
Shiho was still asleep, completely unaware, and yet Shizuku felt like she had committed something unforgivable.
Her hands trembled slightly as she exhaled, trying to steady herself. No. No one had seen. No one would ever know. It had just been a moment of weakness. A slip.
That was all.
With a shaky breath, she forced herself to focus on something else—Shiho needed to be moved to her bed.
Pushing aside her flustered nerves, Shizuku carefully slid her arms under Shiho’s back and legs, lifting her with as much gentleness as possible. Shiho mumbled something in her sleep but didn’t wake, simply nuzzling against Shizuku’s shoulder.
Shizuku nearly dropped her.
Instead, she took a steadying breath and continued carrying her down the hallway, her mind still reeling.
Shiho was heavier than she remembered, but still light enough that Shizuku had no problem holding her. A small part of her wondered how long it had been since she had done something like this—since Shiho had let herself be taken care of like this.
Once she reached Shiho’s bedroom, she carefully lowered her onto the bed, adjusting her position so she was comfortably tucked under the covers.
Just as she was about to pull away, Shiho stirred slightly, her lips parting with a faint murmur before falling silent again.
Shizuku held still.
Her name.
Shiho had murmured her name.
Shizuku bit her lip, staring down at her sister for a long moment before finally smoothing the blanket over her.
She leaned in again, just close enough to whisper.
“Sleep well, Shii-chan.”
And with that, she quietly left the room, closing the door behind her.
Her hand lingered on the handle for a moment longer than necessary, her heart still beating far too fast.
She would think about this later.