Archive of Our Own

The sky was painted in beautiful shades of orange and pink as the afternoon carried on peacefully. Cheerful, excited voices echoed throughout a newly opened fair in town. Families wandered between attractions, couples strolled hand in hand, and groups of children ran around having the time of their lives. There were rides, food stalls, and booths offering prizes in exchange for simple games.
Hirose figured there was no better way to spend the weekend than visiting the fair with his boyfriend, Nakamura Okuto. After all, they had spent weeks taking exams, and to celebrate their moderately successful grades, they had decided to come together.
Well, that and because Nakamura does whatever Hirose tell him to do.
The two teenagers wandered through the fairgrounds at a leisurely pace, taking in the various attractions. Neither of them was particularly fond of rides. The truth was, they were both far too cowardly to get on one. Instead, they preferred to stroll around peacefully and buy snacks from the food stands.
Some people might call them boring.
To them, it was the perfect date.
They walked side by side, mostly talking about nonsense. They exchanged terrible jokes and laughed while each enjoyed a vanilla ice cream cone.
— So, let's say I end up marrying someone else in the future...
Nakamura immediately gave the blond his full attention.
— And then I ask you to be my secret lover. What would you do?
Hirose let out a small laugh at the ridiculous scenario he had just come up with.
— I'd tell you to respect your marriage, Aiki.
Hirose had developed the strange, albeit entertaining, habit of presenting Nakamura with hypothetical situations and asking what he would do in each one. The dark-haired boy enjoyed playing along because every scenario somehow managed to be stranger than the last.
— And let's say I cheated on you. Would you forgive me?
— Absolutely. Then I'd apologize for not being enough.
The smile vanished from Nakamura's face with alarming speed, causing Hirose to burst into laughter.
Interactions like that had already become part of their daily routine.
They continued walking until they found an empty bench and sat down together.
— Hmm... And why don't you ask whether I'd forgive you?
— Because I know you wouldn't.
Hirose raised an eyebrow slightly, surprised by how confident that answer had been.
— And how are you so sure about that?
— Don't you remember the first time you met my sister?
It was then that the blond began to think back.

꒰ 🦀 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

It was a calm, sunny Sunday, the perfect day for a group of friends to go out, have fun, and wander around the city.
Hirose walked alongside three of his friends through a busy shopping district filled with restaurants, clothing stores, souvenir shops, and all kinds of businesses. They were looking for anything that would help them make the most of their weekend.
Takeuchi and Mukai chatted animatedly among themselves about topics Hirose barely paid attention to. Beside him, Ohmori walked in silence while eating a bag of potato chips, occasionally laughing whenever the other two said something funny.
Hirose absentmindedly glanced at the store displays, but his mind was occupied by a single person.
Nakamura hadn't come to school on Friday.
That seemed strange.
Very strange.
The dark-haired boy was known for never missing school. In fact, Hirose was fairly certain it was the first time he had done so since they met.
On top of that, he hadn't received a single message explaining the reason for his absence. Not even one letting him know he wouldn't be attending that day.
And no, Hirose wasn't a controlling boyfriend.
It just seemed suspicious that someone as responsible as Nakamura would miss school without saying a word.
Still, he tried not to think about it too much.
They would talk on Monday.
The four of them continued strolling along until Takeuchi suddenly stopped in front of a bookstore.
— Hey, Hirose.
Hirose looked up.
— Isn't that Nakamura?
He turned his head slightly, his gaze landing on a tall boy with black hair identical to his boyfriend's. He could see him clearly through the store's glass walls.
However, what caught his attention the most was the fact that he wasn't alone.
Beside him stood a short girl with short black hair, as dark as Nakamura's. The two of them were standing in front of what appeared to be the cash register, and the dark-haired boy was holding a couple of books in his hands.
— Who's that?
Hirose practically thought the question out loud.
— Isn't she from our class?
— No idea. I don't recognize her.
Takeuchi took another look through the glass.
— Anyway... isn't she really short?
— Don't say that. I think she's about the same height as Hirose.
Takeuchi and Mukai immediately began arguing between laughs about who the girl accompanying Nakamura could be.
Hirose wasn't even listening.
He watched the two dark-haired figures through the glass, carefully analyzing every movement and every expression on their faces, trying to figure out what kind of relationship they had.
He shouldn't jump to conclusions.
He knew Nakamura would never cheat on him.
That boy was too kind, too considerate, too adorable to do something like that.
After everything they had been through together, it was impossible that Nakamura would want to ruin their relationship.
...Right?
Yes. He needed to stay calm.
He wasn't a jealous person.
He shouldn't make assumptions.
Later, they would talk, and Nakamura would explain everything.
He would explain why he had missed school.
He would explain why he hadn't contacted him for three days.
And he would also explain why he was currently standing in a bookstore with a suspiciously cute girl Hirose had never seen before in his life.
Yes, everything was going to be fine.
He would have loved to leave right then and there.
Keep wandering around the city with his friends. Maybe grab something to eat. Then go home and forget the whole thing.
However, the moment he saw the girl wrap her arms around the dark-haired boy from behind with the kind of familiarity usually reserved for someone special, he felt his heart begin to pound.
Nakamura had his back turned, so Hirose couldn't make out his expression very well.
Even so, he could have sworn he saw the tips of his ears turn slightly red.
— Ooh... looks like you've got some competition, Hirose.
He couldn't even bring himself to respond to Takeuchi's teasing.
He had gone completely still.
A slow-burning anger began to spread through his chest.
His mind kept imagining increasingly ridiculous scenarios.
Who was that girl?
Why had Nakamura missed school?
Why hadn't he texted him for three days?
And since when did he let other people hug him like that?
Hirose wanted to believe there was a reasonable explanation for all of it.
He really wanted to believe that.
But part of him was already considering the possibility that Nakamura had managed to fool him completely.
And he had to admit, the thought hurt.
It hurt a lot.
Though, if he was being completely honest with himself, he also felt a little humiliated.
— Hirose, are you okay?
Ohmori spoke for the first time, clearly concerned for his friend.
Neither he, nor Takeuchi, nor Mukai expected Hirose to suddenly storm toward the bookstore, shoving the door open with far more force than necessary.
— No! Hirose, wait!
Completely ignoring Ohmori's call, he marched straight toward the dark-haired boy, who was still being hugged by the mysterious girl.
The bell above the entrance rang immediately.
Both Nakamura and the girl turned their heads on instinct.
And there was Hirose.
Standing right in front of them.
Wearing an expression that was anything but friendly, his cheeks tinted red in a way that, for once, wasn't particularly adorable.
— Ah, Aiki... what are you doing here?
Nakamura greeted him with an innocent smile.
However, the moment he noticed the obvious irritation on the brown-haired boy's face, he decided to remain silent.
Behind Hirose, he could also see Takeuchi, Mukai, and Ohmori staring at him with expressions of disapproval.
He definitely had no idea what was going on.
— That's not okay, Nakamura.
The moment he heard Takeuchi's words, Nakamura began to assess the situation.
First, he had his annoying little sister clinging to him far too enthusiastically after he had bought her the first two volumes of a manga she wanted to start reading.
Second, he had his boyfriend standing in front of him, apparently furious, looking at him as though he were seriously considering committing murder.
And third, he had Hirose's friends staring at him as if he were the most despicable human being on the face of the Earth while slowly shaking their heads.
A brief silence followed.
Then something clicked inside his head.
— Ah...
Nakamura felt his soul slowly leave his body.
He immediately pushed his sister away.
The younger girl let out a small protest and looked at the brown-haired boy with obvious confusion.
— Ah! Aiki! It's not what it looks like!
— Very disappointing, Nakamura. I never expected something like this from you.
— That's right...
Mukai nodded solemnly.
— I mean, you'd expect something like this from someone like Takeuchi. But not from someone like Nakamura.
— Hey!
— Ohmori won't let me lie.
— I don't even know what to think anymore...
— Okuto, who are these weirdos?
— Kana, please shut up.
Hirose's eyes widened slightly when he heard them calling each other by their first names.
He couldn't possibly feel any worse.
— A-Aiki! Please, don't get the wrong idea! She's thirteen!
Takeuchi and Mukai simultaneously let out a loud:
— Wow!
Nakamura felt the last bit of hope he had left for clearing up the misunderstanding vanish before his eyes.
It was the first time he had ever found himself in a situation like this.
And his lack of experience was clearly working against him.
Well, that and the universal law that seemed to govern his existence. Somehow, he always found a way to mess things up.
As for Hirose, far from feeling reassured, he felt horror slowly beginning to take hold of him.
Because he had just discovered that the kind, considerate, adorable boy to whom he had entrusted his heart hadn't merely betrayed him.
Apparently, he was also involved with a thirteen-year-old girl.
And honestly, that sounded much worse.
Feeling humiliated, hurt, and with tears threatening to spill from his eyes, Hirose strode directly toward Nakamura.
Before the dark-haired boy could react, he raised a hand and slapped him with all the strength he could muster.
The sound echoed throughout the bookstore.
Everyone present froze in shock at such a dramatic scene.
Several customers turned to watch with curiosity. Even the cashier covered her mouth with both hands, unable to hide her surprise.
Kana looked absolutely horrified.
Meanwhile, Hirose's friends seemed to be enjoying the situation far more than they should have.
— Ouch...
Takeuchi winced as he looked at the red mark beginning to appear on Nakamura's cheek.
— That had to hurt.
— H-Hey! What's your probl...?!
Kana abruptly cut herself off.
Every ounce of courage left her body the moment Hirose turned a furious glare in her direction.
And, much as she hated to admit it, the boy who seemed to be barely taller than her was surprisingly intimidating.
— Hey, Okuto...
Nakamura was still holding his cheek, trying to ease the pain.
He stared at the brown-haired boy with a look of complete horror, having no idea what to say or how to convince him that this was all one huge misunderstanding.
He didn't even care that people were watching.
The only thing that mattered was making sure Hirose didn't think he had cheated on him.
— You're... the worst!
The brown-haired boy's voice trembled with indignation.
And before anyone could react, he lunged straight at Nakamura with every intention of delivering a second slap.
Or perhaps something much worse.
Fortunately, his friends acted in time.
— Grab him!
— What do you think I'm doing?!
— Let's just go...
Takeuchi and Mukai dragged Hirose out of the bookstore, firmly holding his arms and shoulders. Ohmori quickly bowed toward everyone present.
— We're very sorry...
Then he hurried out of the store after them.
Nakamura and his sister remained frozen for several seconds.
Both were far too stunned to say a word.
Finally, Nakamura snapped out of it.
— Aiki, wait!
And without a second thought, he ran after them.
The bell above the entrance rang once again.
Kana was left alone in the middle of the bookstore.
She looked at the door.
She looked at the manga.
Then she looked back at the door.
After that, she calmly picked up the shopping bag they had brought with them.
— Thank you very much...
She gave a small bow toward the employees.
— This is so embarrassing...
The younger girl immediately ran out of the store.
No one spoke for several seconds.
Until one of the employees finally broke the silence.
— You really need to stop saying, "2026, surprise me," Momo-chan.

꒰ 🦀 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

— I remember it all too well.
Hirose blushed as he remembered that incident.
It had happened only three months ago, but he had already started trying to forget about it.
Or at least, he was trying to.
He remembered perfectly how, after that monumental disaster, Nakamura had spent the entire following week chasing him around, trying to explain what had actually happened.
And he remembered even more clearly the embarrassment he felt when he finally decided to listen.
It wasn't until Friday that he gave him a chance to defend himself.
And when he finally learned the truth, he wished with all his might that the ground would open beneath his feet and spit him out in the farthest place imaginable.
— Now that I think about it... you're actually really strong when you're angry, Aiki.
Hirose looked at him with a frown, his cheeks tinted red.
Nakamura answered with an amused smile.
Unlike the brown-haired boy, he remembered that incident quite fondly.
After all, he had spent hours tossing and turning in bed that night, unable to fall asleep.
And all because Hirose had gotten jealous over him.
— Don't make fun of me.
— I'm not.
— I really felt terrible that day. I cried all night.
— And I'll never stop apologizing for that.
Nakamura lowered his gaze slightly.
— It's just that... it made me really happy to know you'd gotten jealous because of me.
Hirose stared at him in silence.
His cheeks were still red, and his brow remained slightly furrowed.
— A-Anyway! Let's talk about something else!
Nakamura let out a small laugh.
Even after all these months, he still found that reaction adorable.
— You know, we were buying a manga that day. I don't remember the title exactly.
The curiosity on Hirose's face gradually began to replace his embarrassment.
— Kana said it was the favorite manga of the boy she liked, and she asked me to buy it for her so she could read it.
— Hm?
— She said it would give her something to talk about with him.
Nakamura gently shook his head as he remembered that conversation.
— And in exchange, she promised to wash all my clothes and do my homework for a week.
The shorter boy let out a small laugh.
— That's adorable. I wonder who she learned to do things like that from.
Hirose couldn't help laughing when he saw his boyfriend immediately turn red.
— Y-Yeah... well, speaking of Kana...
— Hmm?
The dark-haired boy let out a long sigh.
That alone was enough for Hirose to realize something was wrong.
— My parents are going to be out of the house all day next Saturday. My mom asked me to stay home and look after her while they're gone.
— That sounds fun, though.
The brown-haired boy replied with a small smile.
— Not at all.
— That's cruel.
— No, seriously.
The answer came so quickly that Hirose raised an eyebrow.
— But that's not the problem.
Now he had the brown-haired boy's full attention.
— The truth is, I missed two exams this week. Remember? I had to leave early on Monday and Wednesday.
Hirose nodded.
— I wasn't able to take either of them.
The brown-haired boy thought back and confirmed that Nakamura was telling the truth.
It was true.
His boyfriend had mentioned a few days ago that he had two medical appointments and would have to leave school early on both days.
— And what did the teachers say?
— They said I can make up both exams on Saturday.
Hirose nodded.
So far, it didn't sound that bad.
— The problem is that one of them can only supervise it at seven in the morning.
— And the other?
— Six in the evening.
Hirose froze.
— What?
He blinked a couple of times.
— But you'd have to stay there practically all day.
— I know.
Nakamura let out another sigh.
— I won't be able to take care of Kana.
He rested his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together, looking visibly exhausted.
— And what did your mom say?
— She told me not to worry about it.
— Hm?
— She asked some of her friends if any of them could stay with Kana during the day.
— Hmm... and I'm guessing nobody agreed.
Nakamura answered with a soft hum.
— My mom told me not to worry, but I don't like that she has to stress herself out because of me.
Hirose looked at the dark-haired boy with a hint of tenderness.
As always, Nakamura was more worried about everyone else than himself.
A small smile appeared on his lips as he watched that tired, worried expression.
And then an idea crossed his mind.
— ...What if I took care of her?
— No.
The answer came so quickly that Hirose needed a second to process it.
— Why not?
Nakamura looked at him with complete seriousness.
— Aiki, you're better off this way. Let some other idiot ruin their life.
— I'm being serious, Okuto!
The brown-haired boy immediately frowned.
— So am I.
— She's just a thirteen-year-old girl.
— Exactly.
The answer came so quickly that it was almost concerning.
— Trust me! She's mean, rude, doesn't care about anything, and she'll do everything in her power to make your life miserable if you get too close to her.

Nakamura looked him straight in the eyes.
He spoke with such absolute certainty that anyone would have thought he was describing a movie villain.
— You talk about her like she's a monster.
— She's worse.
The reply came without the slightest trace of hesitation.
Hirose let out a sigh and lightly shook his head.
— I don't think Kana-chan is like that.
A small smile appeared on his face.
— Actually, I remember she was worried about you that day at the bookstore. Someone who enjoys making other people's lives miserable wouldn't have reacted like that.
Nakamura remained silent for a few seconds.
— No, what happened was that you were terrifying everyone nearby.
The smile vanished from Hirose's face instantly.
And was replaced by a look capable of killing houseplants.
Nakamura swallowed.
Perhaps he hadn't chosen the best words.
— Ah, what I'm trying to say is... seriously, you don't want to deal with her.
Nakamura sighed.
He no longer sounded like he was trying to convince him.
He sounded like he was trying to save him.
— I wouldn't want her to say or do something that hurts your feelings.
He looked away for a moment.
— She does it to me all the time. The only time she treats me with anything close to respect is when she needs a favor.
Hirose thought about that for a few seconds.
Then he smiled.
And the moment Nakamura saw that smile, he knew everything was lost.
— Maybe you just haven't figured out how to approach her properly, Okuto.
— ...
— Maybe if I try to earn her trust and show her that she doesn't have to be so defensive around other people, she'll soften up a little.
Nakamura stared at him in silence.
— After all...
Hirose's smile grew even warmer.
— She's still just a kid.
He spoke with the same gentleness someone would use when trying to approach a frightened kitten.
And that was exactly what worried Nakamura the most.
Because Kana was not a frightened kitten.
Kana was the reason he had developed survival instincts.
The truth was that Hirose had more than one reason for wanting to look after Kana.
On one hand, he wanted to help Nakamura.
And on the other...
Well.
After the bookstore incident, he still felt the need to recover at least a little of his dignity in front of his boyfriend's little sister.
Besides, he wanted Nakamura's family to have a good impression of him.
He wanted to prove that he was responsible.
Reliable.
And, above all, that he was the perfect boyfriend for Okuto.
— So tell Kana that her future brother-in-law will be taking care of her on Saturday.
A faint blush appeared on Nakamura's cheeks.
The words future brother-in-law had a surprisingly devastating effect on him.
Hirose flashed him a bright, warm smile.
The very same smile capable of breaking through any resistance Nakamura tried to put up.
And, as always, it worked.
The dark-haired boy let out a defeated sigh.
— All right...
He paused briefly.
— But don't say I didn't warn you.
Hirose let out an amused laugh.
He was still convinced that Nakamura was exaggerating.
After all, how hard could it be to look after a thirteen-year-old girl for a few hours?
Girls were sweet, polite, adorable.
And honestly, he was pretty sure dealing with Kana would be much easier than dealing with his own older sister, who seemed to enjoy appearing out of nowhere just to embarrass him.
Yeah, this would definitely be fun.
How difficult could it possibly be?

꒰ 🦀 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

The week passed quickly.
Before they knew it, the weekend had finally arrived.
Saturday morning was somewhat chilly, and many people walking through the streets wore coats and scarves.
Hirose stood in front of Nakamura's house.
For a few seconds, he hesitated between ringing the doorbell or simply sending a message to let him know he had arrived.
According to what the dark-haired boy had told him, his parents had left early that morning.
That meant the only people in the house were Nakamura and Kana.
And very soon...
Just Kana.
Without giving it any more thought, he rang the doorbell.
A few seconds later, the door opened.
Nakamura peeked his head out.
And the moment he saw the brown-haired boy, a small smile appeared on his face, accompanied by a faint blush.
Hirose smiled automatically.
It still amazed him that something as simple as seeing him could make him so nervous.
— Good morning, Okuto.
He stepped inside after the dark-haired boy moved aside to let him pass.
— Are you ready?
— Ah, yeah.
Nakamura closed the door behind him.
— Actually, I was about to leave, but I wanted to wait for you.
Hirose smiled fondly.
He remained standing beside the sofa, casually resting his arms on the backrest while keeping his eyes fixed on his boyfriend.
— Well, you'd better hurry.
He checked the time on his phone.
— It's fifteen minutes to seven.
Nakamura quickly checked the clock hanging on the wall.
And went pale.
— Ah...
His eyes widened slightly.
— You're right.
He grabbed the bag he had left on the sofa and slung it over his shoulder in a hurry.
Then he walked toward the front door.
However, just as he was about to grab the handle, he stopped.
He turned back to look at Hirose one last time.
— Are you sure you can handle this?
— Hmm?
The brown-haired boy tilted his head slightly.
— Of course I can, Okuto.
He smiled confidently.
— I told you I'd take care of her, and that's exactly what I'm going to do.
He paused briefly.
— Don't you trust me?
And then he puffed out his cheeks in an adorable pout.
An entirely intentional one.
Nakamura felt his ability to argue vanish instantly.
His cheeks began to turn red as he stepped closer again.
— Of course I trust you, Aiki.
Nakamura gently cupped the brown-haired boy's face with both hands.
Then he leaned in slightly.
And placed a small kiss on his lips.
It was brief.
Gentle.
Careful.
As though he were holding something extremely precious in his hands.
When they pulled apart, both of them smiled.
Their cheeks carried that soft pink tint that seemed to appear whenever they were together.
— For good luck?
Hirose smiled mischievously.
Nakamura immediately felt the heat rise all the way to his ears.
The brown-haired boy let out a small laugh at how flustered he looked.
— Gross.
Silence fell over the room at once.
Both of them stopped smiling.
And turned toward the stairs at exactly the same time.
There, standing on the first step, was a short girl.
Black hair.
Straight.
Short.
Skin as pale as Nakamura's.
She was still wearing a light yellow pajama set that made it obvious she had only just woken up.
Her arms were crossed.
Her brow was furrowed.
And her expression radiated absolute disgust.
Her gaze shifted between Hirose and Nakamura as though she had just witnessed a crime.
Nakamura closed his eyes.
Sighed.
And discreetly pointed his thumb at his sister.
— The one I don't trust is her.
Hirose turned back toward Nakamura.
And found him glaring at Kana in exactly the same way.
The family resemblance was unsettling.
— Okuto...
The brown-haired boy let out a small sigh.
Then he placed a hand against Nakamura's chest and gently pushed him toward the door.
After all, certain displays of affection were not something a young girl needed to witness first thing in the morning.
Nakamura muttered something under his breath, but chose not to argue.
Hirose walked over to the stairs and stopped in front of the younger girl.
— Good morning, Kana-chan.
He greeted her with one of his usual warm smiles.
— I'm Aiki Hirose. I'll be taking care of you today.
He bent down slightly to get more or less to her eye level.
Or at least tried to.
Because, honestly, Kana was practically the same height as him.
The dark-haired girl remained completely still.
Her expression didn't change.
Neither did her gaze.
She continued staring at him as though he were a particularly unpleasant creature.
Several seconds passed.
Nothing.
— Kana.
Nakamura spoke up from the doorway.
— He's talking to you.
The younger girl slowly turned her head toward him.
And the intensity of her murderous glare seemed to double.
Then she looked back at Hirose.
Her frown deepened even further.
Her cheeks began to turn red.
And finally, she let out a huff.
— Hi...
It sounded less like a greeting and more like a threat.
Hirose responded with a somewhat nervous smile.
Then he turned toward Nakamura.
The dark-haired boy was still watching Kana with the same expression of absolute distrust.
He definitely needed to step in before things became even more awkward.
— Ah! Look at the time!
Hirose clapped his hands together lightly.
— You'd better get going, Okuto.
He walked over to Nakamura and began gently pushing him toward the door.
— All right, all right...
Nakamura protested out of habit, though he allowed himself to be dragged along.
— Aiki...
— Come on.
Another push.
— You'll be late.
And another one.
Before he realized it, the two of them were already outside the house.
Nakamura grabbed his bicycle and climbed onto it.
However, before leaving, he looked back at Hirose once more.
— Call me if anything happens, okay?
— Yeah, yeah.
The brown-haired boy waved a hand reassuringly.
— Don't worry. I've got everything under control.
Nakamura didn't seem convinced.
He was still looking at him with an expression full of doubt.
Hirose gave him a sweet, carefree smile.
— I'll be fine.
For the first time, the dark-haired boy's expression softened slightly.
— Alright.
He adjusted his grip on the handlebars.
— See you later.
— See you.
Nakamura started pedaling.
Little by little, he disappeared down the street.
Hirose remained standing there, watching him until he finally vanished around a corner.
Only then did he look away.
A small smile appeared on his face.
The way Okuto always worried about him was honestly adorable.
Though, if he was being honest, he still thought Nakamura was exaggerating a little.
After all, he was only going to look after a kid for a few hours.
Hirose stepped back inside the house.
He locked the door and made his way calmly toward the living room.
However, the moment he crossed the threshold, he noticed something.
Kana was gone.
He blinked.
— Kana-chan?
No response.
He frowned slightly.
Less than thirty seconds had passed.
How could she disappear that quickly?
— Hey.
The voice made him turn his head immediately.
Kana was in the kitchen.
Standing in the middle of the room.
Her arms crossed.
Wearing the same unfriendly expression she'd had ever since coming downstairs.
— I'm hungry.
Hirose stood frozen for a few seconds.
Processing the information.
Then he finally understood.
Right.
Kana had only just woken up.
She probably hadn't even eaten breakfast yet.
— Ah.
He nodded several times.
— Of course.
He offered her a kind smile.
— Go ahead and have a seat, Kana-chan.
The dark-haired girl obeyed without saying a word.
— I'll make breakfast.
Hirose had to admit it: he hadn't considered that looking after Kana would involve cooking.
In his mind, it would be much simpler. Keep an eye on her, make sure she didn't do anything strange, and hopefully survive the day without any incidents.
Nothing more.
Even so, it didn't seem impossible.
His older sister usually handled the cooking whenever their parents weren't home, so he knew a thing or two.
He could do this.
This was the first step toward earning her trust.
He wasn't a great cook, but he was willing to put in enough effort to make something so good she wouldn't be able to reject it.
Because that was what mattered.
Proving that he could do it well.
And, while he was at it, earning the unofficial title of Best Brother-in-Law in the World.
With that somewhat exaggerated determination, he opened the refrigerator. A cool rush of air brushed against him.
Inside were fruits, eggs, milk, everything he needed.
He nodded.
— Good.
And closed the door as though he had just accepted an important mission.
He headed into the living room.
— Kana-chan, do you like fruit salad?
Kana didn't look at him.
— Whatever is fine.
The variety show on TV remained far more interesting than any human conversation.
Perfect.
Hirose decided to take that as a yes.
He returned to the kitchen.
He carefully washed the fruit, as though each piece were important. Then he cut everything into even-sized pieces, concentrating far more than necessary on such a simple task.
He placed them in a deep bowl.
Then he checked the pantry.
Honey.
Nice touch.
He drizzled it over the fruit, golden and glistening. After that, he poured some strawberry yogurt into a glass and set it beside the bowl.
Done.
A simple breakfast.
Fresh.
Sweet.
Exactly the kind of thing a girl her age would want, right?
Hirose admired his work proudly.
— Perfect...
He picked up the bowl and the glass and returned to the living room with complete confidence.
— Breakfast is ready, Kana-chan.
Hirose spoke with one of those bright smiles of his, the kind that seemed capable of softening anyone's heart.
He carefully placed the bowl and glass on the coffee table in front of the sofa.
Kana didn't move.
Arms crossed.
Eyes fixed ahead.
Not a single reaction.
The silence gradually became uncomfortable.
For Hirose, each second felt longer than the last.
He swallowed hard.
— Well... let me know when you're done.
He smiled a little more nervously and retreated to the kitchen.
The moment he crossed the doorway, he let out a quiet sigh, as though he had just survived something difficult.
— Okay... that was awkward.
He had imagined a different scene.
Kana trying the breakfast, her eyes lighting up, saying something like "It's good," and completely changing her attitude.
But instead, he got nothing.
Pure silence.
Maybe it wasn't as easy as he thought.
Maybe he needed a different strategy.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Kana stared at the bowl.
Expressionless.
Then she took a spoonful.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
As though she were evaluating a suspicious experiment.
And for a brief moment, she glanced toward the kitchen.
Almost as if she were making sure nobody was watching.
Then she continued eating in complete silence.

꒰ 🦀 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

About an hour passed.
The sound of the television had long since stopped being something Hirose consciously noticed, until suddenly it disappeared.
The silence felt louder than usual.
Then he heard a door close upstairs.
Hirose blinked.
He stayed still for a second, as if trying to confirm whether he had really heard it.
Then he stepped into the living room.
The space was empty.
Kana was gone.
She had probably gone back to her room without saying anything.
His gaze automatically dropped to the table.
The plate and glass were empty.
Hirose let out a small sigh of relief without realizing it.
At least she had eaten.
That counted as a victory already... right?
He picked up the dishes and carried them to the kitchen.
The sound of running water filled the room as he washed them calmly, one by one, as though he were trying to organize his thoughts as well.
He put them back in their place.
Dried his hands slowly.
And sighed again.
It wasn't physical exhaustion.
It was something heavier.
Something mental.
Kana would probably spend most of the day locked in her room.
Without talking.
Without coming downstairs.
Without giving any clear signs of anything.
And that complicated everything.
Because his plan had never really gotten past the first step.
Getting close to her.
Making her trust him.
Getting her to see him as someone reliable.
It had sounded simple when he thought about it the night before.
Now it seemed almost ridiculous.
Being kind hadn't been enough.
Being helpful hadn't either.
And with Kana avoiding any kind of contact, even thinking of a strategy felt pointless.
Like trying to build something without access to the place where it needed to be built.
Hirose didn't know what to do.
As the youngest child, he had never imagined how difficult it could be to deal with someone younger than him, especially someone like Kana.
He needed help.
Someone to guide him.
Someone sensitive, empathetic... and, above all, someone who understood the mind of a girl.
That was when he thought of Hana.
Maybe she could tell him what he should and shouldn't do to get closer to Kana.
Without thinking much more about it, he pulled out his phone and searched for her contact.
He pressed "call."
He waited a few seconds.
"Hello?"
—Hi, Hana... hey, are you busy?
There was a brief pause on the other end.
"Ah... not really."
Her voice sounded slightly confused.
"It's unusual for you to call on a weekend. Did something happen with Nakamura-kun?"
—No... well, yes, something did happen.
"I'm listening."
Hana's voice was gentle and calm. The kind that didn't pressure you, that simply made you feel like you could talk without fear.
Hirose and Hana had decided to remain friends after trying to date. It was during that process that he eventually confessed his feelings for Nakamura, and Hana had accepted it with a calmness that still surprised him.
Since then, they had gotten along well.
Too well.
That was why she was the first person he thought of when he needed help.
He took a breath.
—You see... because of circumstances, I'm currently at his house looking after his little sister. His parents went out, he had to go to school to take two make-up exams, and he won't be back until six in the evening...
Silence.
"Okay..."
—And... honestly, I don't know how to deal with her. She's so... distant. I want to prove to her that I can be a good brother-in-law, okay? I want her to see me as someone she can trust. Besides... let's just say she doesn't exactly have the best impression of me.
"I see... and why are you so sure she doesn't?"
—Trust me, you don't want to know.
"Alright..."
There was a brief pause on the other end.
"Well, if you ask me, I think we could look at her either as a girl... or as a Nakamura."
—Of course... what do you mean by that?
"Well, if you see her as a girl, being helpful should work. Girls like being spoiled, you know?"
—I like that too.
"...That's because you're gay, Aiki."
—Okay... and what do you mean by seeing her as a Nakamura?
"I mean thinking about her the same way you'd think about Nakamura-kun. They're siblings, so they must have things in common. Think about it... how did the two of you become friends?"
—Well... he was very shy. I remember I was always the one approaching him first.
"See? The Nakamuras must be shy genetically. Just like Nakamura-kun preferred keeping his distance, his sister probably does too."
—You might be right... but later I found out that Okuto already liked me before that. I don't think it's exactly the same.
"That's true... but if it had been up to Nakamura-kun, the two of you never would have gotten close."
—Why do you say that?
"Did Nakamura-kun approach you when you first met?"
—Not really.
"Was he the one who approached first?"
—...
"Was he the one who confessed first?"
—Ok, I get it.
Hana let out a small sigh.
"You have to understand that Nakamura-kun is shy because that's just in his... 'DNA.' He's in love with you, but his biology wouldn't have allowed him to approach you. And the same thing could be happening with his sister."
—Are you saying his sister likes me?
"No, idiot! I'm saying maybe his sister wants to get closer to you... but her genetics won't let her."
—Oh... and what do I do then?
"I already told you. Think of her the same way you think of Nakamura-kun. Imagine a tiny Nakamura-kun."
Hirose fell silent for a second.
Immediately, an image appeared in his mind.
A small black-haired boy.
Tiny.
Extremely shy.
In class.
During recess.
Looking down whenever someone spoke to him.
Blushing over everything.
Awkwardly trying to earn the attention of someone he liked.
A soft smile appeared on Hirose's face before he even realized it.
—Aw... so adorable...
"...Aiki."
—Hmm? Ah! Well... I don't think that'll work. Kana is... a little difficult.
"Difficult?"
—Not exactly difficult... but Okuto already told me getting close to her would be complicated.
"For Nakamura-kun, getting close to anyone is complicated."
—Yeah, but... well, just take my word for it that it's difficult for me, okay?
"If it's difficult for you, then it must be serious. Is there something you haven't told me?"
—Well... it's just...
Hirose let out a small sigh.
—I want her to like me, okay? I want her to see me as someone she can trust, a friend. She's my boyfriend's sister. I don't want her to hate me. Living with her is like living with a part of Okuto. I want her to be our maid of honor when we're adults and get married, and I want our kids to call her Auntie.
"Wow... Aiki."
—Hmm?
"You're..."
A brief silence followed.
"You're really gay."
Hirose rolled his eyes.
—Hey! Are you my best friend or my hater?
The girl laughed.
"Sorry, sorry. Anyway... try what I told you. Try approaching her the same way you approached Nakamura-kun when you first met."
Hirose thought about it for a few seconds.
—Alright... but what if it doesn't work?
"It'll work, trust me. After all, you're Aiki Hirose. Nobody can resist your charms."
A faint blush appeared on Hirose's cheeks.
—Alright... Thanks, Hana.
"Don't worry. Go for it, Aiki!"
The call ended.
Hirose remained silent for a few moments, his phone still in his hand.
Hana always put effort into her advice. Maybe he should trust her.
Besides, he didn't have a better plan.
He couldn't just walk into Kana's room and force her to talk.
So he would wait.
He would wait for her to come out on her own, and as soon as he got the chance, he would apply everything he had "learned" with Nakamura.
Besides, Hana was right.
If they were siblings, they had to have something in common when it came to socializing.
Kana probably just needed time.
Yeah, that was all.
Hirose would patiently wait for her to come out of her "shell."

꒰ 🦀 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

[8:30 AM]
Hirose was sitting on the sofa watching television, turning his head from time to time toward the stairs, with a still-living hope.
[9:45 AM]
He was still in the same place.
His gaze a little emptier.
But still checking the stairs every few minutes, as if something could change.
[10:40 AM]
The phone now occupied his hands.
He scrolled through social media without really looking at it, alert to any small sound from the second floor.
His expression was already more tired.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming down the stairs.
He immediately lifted his head.
Kana appeared in the hallway and came down calmly, heading to the kitchen with the same indifferent expression as always, as if the house had no emotional owner.
This was the moment.
Hirose stood up almost automatically and approached her with the best smile he could manage.
—Ah, Kana-chan. Do you need anything? Do you want me to make you something to eat?
Kana didn’t look at him.
—No.
The boy froze in place at such a blunt response.
But he wasn’t going to give up.
He hadn’t with Nakamura, so there was no reason to do it now.
—We could go shopping and make lunch… we can make your favorite dish, Kana-chan. What do you say?
—No, thanks. Whatever is fine.
Hirose blinked.
He definitely wasn’t used to this kind of response.
Since he could remember, most people tended to go along with his ideas easily. His parents spoiled him from time to time, his friends were great, and generally people around him treated him warmly.
But Kana was different.
Not only indifferent.
Cold.
Cold like a glacier lost in Antarctica.
Her voice was flat, almost intimidating, as if at any moment she could say something that would leave you speechless.
And her expression, impossible to read.
Hirose couldn’t believe she was thirteen.
Hana had told him to approach her like he approached Nakamura-kun for the first time.
But Nakamura had never spoken to him like this.
Never with such direct coldness.
As if his existence changed absolutely nothing.
He blushed easily, didn’t know what to say, and stayed silent when he couldn’t find the right words.
Hirose was very observant.
Kana poured herself a glass of water in silence and headed back upstairs.
Hirose reacted immediately.
—Kana-chan, if you want we can watch a movie… or even better, we could go to the cinema. We could also go to an amusement park and then eat something nice. Ice cream! Don’t you like ice cream? I’ll pay! I’ll buy you anything you want, Kana-chan!
Silence.
Kana went up the stairs.
And the door closed with a dull thud.
[11:55 AM]
Hirose was sitting on the sofa.
The television was still on, but he wasn’t watching it anymore.
His phone was off to the side.
Boredom had stopped being simple boredom and was starting to feel like defeat.
He slowly collapsed onto the sofa, resting his head on a cushion.
No energy.
No plan.
[1:24 PM]
Hirose was deeply asleep on the sofa.
A blue blanket covered most of his body and the television, which had been on for hours, was now off.
He rested peacefully, curled up among the cushions, letting out small occasional snores.
The sound of a door closing slowly pulled him out of his sleep.
He opened his eyes heavily.
Blinking several times.
He sat up slowly, completely disoriented.
Rubbed his eyes.
Then looked at the wall clock.
His brain took a moment to process the information. And when it finally did…
—I fell asleep!
He jumped so abruptly that the blanket fell to the floor, stretched his body a bit, and headed to the kitchen.
There were still enough ingredients to prepare lunch, but after checking the time he had to accept a painful truth.
He was late.
Very late.
If he started cooking now, Kana would end up eating at an absurd hour because of him.
He sighed.
For the first time that day, he gave in to technology.
He would order delivery.
He didn’t love the idea.
Kana might think he was lazy and incapable of cooking.
But it was that or letting a thirteen-year-old girl go hungry.
And even though the girl seemed capable of surviving alone on a mountain for three months, Hirose preferred not to test that.
He returned to the living room, sat on the sofa, and opened a delivery app on his phone.
He began browsing the options.
Pizza.
Hamburgers.
Fried chicken.
He wasn’t sure what to choose.
He thought about ordering pizza.
All kids liked pizza, right?
After spending a few hours with Kana, he wasn’t completely sure about anything anymore.
Just in case, he decided to ask her first.
He stood up from the sofa and went upstairs to the second floor.
He stopped in front of a door decorated with small pastel-colored ornaments.
It was clearly a girl’s room.
Hirose swallowed.
He raised his hand.
And knocked carefully.
—Kana-chan... I’m ordering pizza for lunch, is that okay?
Silence.
No answer.
Hirose waited a few more seconds.
Nothing.
He thought about knocking again, but quickly discarded the idea. He had already spent the whole morning trying to approach her. The last thing he wanted was to officially become “that annoying guy.”
He let out a small sigh.
He gave up and turned around to go back downstairs.
But then something caught his attention.
The closed door of the room next to it.
Hirose froze.
Looking at it.
Thinking.
The pizza would take at least twenty minutes to arrive.
And honestly, Kana didn’t seem like she had any intention of leaving her room before that.
—Maybe...
A bit nervous, he walked down the hallway with soft steps, trying not to make too much noise.
He stopped in front of the door.
Placed a hand on the handle.
Turned it slowly.
Just as he suspected, it wasn’t locked.
He opened it carefully.
As soon as he entered, something caught his attention.
A large aquarium rested near one of the walls.
And inside it was a small octopus.
Hirose recognized it immediately.
A smile appeared on his face.
He approached slowly so he wouldn’t scare it and tilted his head slightly.
—How are you, Icchan?
The little octopus stared at him.
Its tentacles moved slowly, swaying under the water.
It almost looked like it was greeting him.
—Has Okuto been taking good care of you?
Icchan kept looking at him.
Silent.
Analytical.
Exactly like his owner.
Hirose let out a small laugh.
That animal was too similar to Nakamura.
And for some reason, he found it adorable.
Knowing that the dark-haired boy spent time and effort taking care of such a small creature made his heart feel warm.
For a moment, he couldn’t help but imagine him in the future.
Taking care of a child.
Worrying about every detail.
Protecting them with affection.
The image was enough to make his cheeks slightly warm.
He continued looking around the bedroom.
It wasn’t particularly flashy.
There was a neatly made single bed, an organized desk, a wardrobe, some books, and several posters decorating the walls.
A completely normal room.
Or so he thought.
Until he saw the wardrobe.
Hirose froze.
Staring.
The wardrobe stayed still too.
Both of them engaged in an intense psychological battle for several seconds.
—No, Aiki. You’re better than this.
He crossed his arms.
Nodded to himself.
Turned around.
Then looked back at the wardrobe again.
Hirose wasn’t a creep.
Or at least he made a considerable effort not to be one.
But the possibility of learning more about Nakamura’s private life sparked a curiosity that was hard to ignore.
Very hard.
Too hard.
Besides, the pizza still hadn’t arrived, Kana didn’t want to see him at all, and there was no one else in the house.
It was basically a conspiracy of the universe.
—No...
He took a step toward the wardrobe.
—I’m not doing it.
Another step.
—This is wrong.
Another one.
When he realized it, he was already standing in front of it.
He stared at the closed wardrobe door.
—I’m just going to look…
He slowly opened the closet with both hands.
Inside, there were several clothes carefully hung on hangers. T-shirts, pants, jackets, and even the school uniform.
There was also underwear.
Hirose saw it.
He blushed.
And immediately looked away.
Trying to regain some dignity, he kept inspecting the closet until one piece of clothing caught his attention.
It was a black long-sleeved shirt.
It looked elegant, like something you would wear to a formal dinner or an important event.
He carefully took it out of the closet to look at it better.
The fabric felt soft to the touch and seemed practically new.
Hirose imagined Nakamura wearing it.
And the mistake was imagining too much.
He imagined his shoulders.
His neck.
The way the sleeves would cover his arms.
The temperature of his cheeks started to rise dangerously.
Without thinking too much about it, he brought the garment closer to his face and carefully sniffed it.
It smelled like cologne.
A soft masculine fragrance.
Normally that kind of scent felt too strong to him, but this one was different.
Subtle.
Hard to notice at first.
But impossible to ignore once you paid attention.
Very similar to Nakamura.
That made Hirose smile involuntarily.
Nakamura never tried to attract attention.
He never did anything to stand out.
And yet, the more time you spent with him, the harder it became to look away.
The boy’s cheeks were burning.
He imagined Nakamura wearing that shirt again.
And then it happened.
He looked up.
Icchan was staring at him.
Fixed.
Without blinking.
Without moving.
Like a judge witnessing a crime.
All the embarrassment he hadn’t felt in the last minute hit him at once.
Hirose quickly put the shirt back and closed the wardrobe.
—Don’t tell Okuto.
Icchan did not look away.
Hirose decided not to keep eye contact anymore.
He looked away and observed the rest of the room.
The bed was perfectly made.
As expected.
Nakamura was incredibly tidy. His room was spotless, every object seemed to be exactly where it should be.
The boy approached the bed and sat on the edge.
He stared at it for a few seconds.
Then he fell back.
The mattress was surprisingly comfortable.
He adjusted himself a bit and rolled over the sheets, enjoying their softness.
He couldn’t help but smile.
It was strange to think that Nakamura slept there every night.
That was his room.
His space.
The place where he studied, rested, and spent most of his time.
Hirose let out a small laugh.
If someone had told him months ago that he would end up lying on Nakamura’s bed while he wasn’t home, he probably wouldn’t have believed it.
Icchan was still judging him with his gaze.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of a door closing.
Hirose froze.
He sat up abruptly.
He quickly left Nakamura’s room and looked down the hallway.
Kana’s room door was slightly open.
So it hadn’t been that one.
A bad feeling ran down his spine.
—Kana-chan! Are you there?!
Silence.
No answer.
—Kana-chan?
Nothing.
Hirose ran down the stairs at full speed and rushed toward the front door.
He opened it.
Went outside.
Looked both ways, searching for any clue.
And then he saw her.
In the distance.
The silhouette of a small girl with short black hair, riding away on a bicycle.
—Kana-chan! Where are you going?!
Without thinking twice, he started running after her.
And didn’t even make it a meter.
—Ouch!
He crashed straight into a pole.
The impact echoed with almost offensive violence.
By pure reflex, he grabbed his nose with both hands while stumbling backward.
—Ouch, ouch, ouch…
He lifted his head.
He felt something wet.
He looked at his fingers.
Blood.
It wasn’t much.
But it hurt.
It hurt a lot.
He blinked several times and looked back at the street.
The bicycle was already gone.
Kana had disappeared.
The silence that followed felt terrifying.
Hirose felt a cold sweat run down his back.
He had lost Nakamura’s younger sister.
He was definitely going to be in serious trouble.

꒰ 🦀 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

After properly cleaning the blood from his nose, Hirose ran in the direction where he had seen Kana disappear.
It didn’t take long for him to reach a commercial area full of shops, restaurants, and people walking back and forth.
Too many people.
Too many places to hide.
His gaze scanned every corner desperately.
He looked inside stores.
He watched people on bicycles.
He even stopped every now and then to call her name.
—Kana-chan!
No one answered.
—Kana-chan!
Nothing.
His heart was beating faster and faster.
He definitely wasn’t prepared for something like this.
He was supposed to take care of her.
He was supposed to be the responsible adult.
And yet, he had fallen asleep.
Kana had taken advantage of that moment to escape.
Because yes.
At this point, he was completely convinced she had escaped.
If she had had anywhere to go or any plan to leave, Nakamura’s mother would have mentioned it.
And Nakamura too.
But neither of them had said anything.
So there was only one explanation.
Kana had run away.
For the first time since everything started, he felt real panic.
He didn’t know where to look.
He didn’t know what to do.
And he didn’t know who to ask for help.
Well… maybe he did.
He quickly took his phone out of his pocket.
Looked for a familiar contact.
And pressed call.
“Aiki? What now…?”
—Hana, she ran away! The brat ran away!
“What?”
There were a few seconds of silence.
“Calm down. What do you mean she ran away?”
—She ran away! She escaped, she disappeared, she evaporated! She’s not there anymore!
“….”
—Hana!
“I’m processing.”
The boy kept walking through the crowd while holding his phone tightly.
—I don’t know what to do! I looked away for a second and she was gone!
“Why would she run away?”
Hirose stayed silent for a few seconds.
“Did you do something to her?”
—Of course not!
The answer came out so fast that several people turned to look at him.
—I tried to be nice to her all day and I’ve only gotten cold responses!
The girl let out a small sigh on the other end of the call.
“Relax. I’m sure Nakamura-kun will understand.”
—Well, yes, you’re right. He’ll understand everything, but his parents are going to hate me for not taking care of their daughter when I said I would. And you know what’s going to happen? They’re going to forbid Okuto from seeing me again and they won’t stop until they separate us!
“Aiki, calm down. Panicking in the middle of the street won’t fix anything.”
—How do you know I’m in the middle of the street?
“Because I’m behind you, idiot.”
—Ah…
Hirose froze.
He blinked once.
Then again.
And finally turned his head very slowly.
In front of him was a girl with long brown hair.
She was wearing a yellow dress that reached her knees and had an expression that mixed exhaustion, concern, and a small dose of disappointment.
One eyebrow was raised.
As if questioning all the decisions that had led him to this moment.
As soon as Hirose saw her, all the emotional strength he had been holding onto collapsed.
—Bwaaah, Hana!
He ran toward her and suddenly threw himself at her without warning.
—I can’t do this! I’m the worst babysitter in the world! And also the worst brother-in-law in the world!
The girl hugged him as best as she could.
The problem was that Hirose weighed considerably more than her.
Still, Hana gently patted his back to calm him down.
—It’s okay. We’ll find her and fix this.
Little by little, the boy managed to calm down.
He pulled away and wiped the tears that had started to gather in his eyes.
—You’ll really help me?
—Of course.
Hana smiled calmly.
—Besides, she’s just a kid. She couldn’t have gone far.
Hirose looked at that confident smile.
And didn’t know whether to feel relieved.
Or worried.
The last time someone had made a decision thinking Kana was “just a kid,” that someone had been him.
Before he could respond, the sound of his phone interrupted his thoughts.
Both of them looked down.
The screen lit up.
Hirose took his phone out of his pocket.
And froze.
His heart skipped a beat.
A name appeared on the screen.
"Okuto 🐙💛"
His face lost what little color it had left.
He stood completely still.
Hana observed his reaction and leaned closer to look at the screen.
The moment she read the name, her eyes widened.
—Aiki, you have to answer.
—No.
—You have to.
—No.
—If you don’t answer, he’ll think something is wrong.
The phone kept vibrating.
With trembling hands, Hirose pressed the answer button.
Then he turned on speaker.
"Aiki?"
—…Okuto, hey. How’s everything going?
"Ah, good. I took the first exam as soon as I arrived."
The dark-haired boy’s voice sounded calm.
Completely calm.
"I hope I answered all the questions correctly."
—Ah… yeah. I’m sure you did.
Hirose swallowed.
—Just trust yourself.
"Yes."
On the other end, the sound of people talking could be heard.
He was probably still at school.
"Well, I just finished lunch."
—That’s good…
"And you guys?"
Hirose felt a chill run down his spine.
"You and Kana already ate lunch?"
—Uh… ah, yes, of course! Kana-chan ate all her food.
"Well, honestly I don’t care that much about her. How are you? Has she caused you any trouble?"
—Ah… no, not at all. Kana-chan is a very sweet girl.
"Is she?"
—Yes.
"I don’t know why, but I feel like you’re lying."
Hirose’s soul left his body.
He went completely petrified.
Hana also widened her eyes in shock.
For a moment, both of them thought Nakamura had figured everything out.
—…M-me? Lying?
He let out a nervous laugh.
—Ah, come on, Okuto. You know I wouldn’t lie to you. Not to you.
The words came out in a rush.
—I swear. Kana-chan is… a very sweet and adorable girl.
A small tear slid down his cheek.
Then another.
He was sweating cold.
Hana watched the scene, not knowing how to intervene.
"...Hmm."
Nakamura’s voice sounded thoughtful.
"That’s true, you never lie."
Guilt pierced his chest like a spear.
"I guess she just woke up in a good mood today and doesn’t feel like causing trouble… ah, whatever."
The dark-haired boy’s voice softened again.
"Call me if anything happens, okay?"
Hirose tightened his grip on the phone.
"I wouldn’t want you to have to deal with her alone."
—Okuto…
"I’ll let you go. I don’t want to bore you either."
There was a short silence.
"You’re… really amazing."
Hirose’s tears almost came back.
—Thanks…
He lowered his gaze.
—See you then.
"See you."
Another silence.
"...And Aiki."
—Yes…?
"...I love you."
The guilt almost made him fold in half.
—I love you too, Okuto.
The call ended with a soft “beep.”
—Ah, Aiki…
Hana slowly lowered the phone.
Concern was evident on her face.
—Why didn’t you tell him what was going on?
Hirose stayed silent for a few seconds.
He looked at his phone’s dark screen.
Then lowered his gaze.
—He still has to take his last exam, Hana.
His voice sounded much calmer than before.
Too calm.
—I can’t make him come take care of something that is my responsibility.
The girl slightly frowned.
—But…
—Okuto has been studying really hard.
He tightened his grip on the phone.
—I saw him staying up late several days in a row.
—Aiki...
—I can’t hurt him because of me.
There were a few seconds of silence.
When he spoke again, his voice sounded firmer.
—I’m going to find that girl.
Hana blinked.
—And I’m going to make her come home.
Hirose’s tone was no longer desperate.
It was determined.
Almost stubborn.
—Even if I have to walk all over the city to do it.
Hana looked at him with concern.
Because she knew that expression very well.
It was the same face he made when something became personal.
—Aiki...
—It doesn’t matter if Kana ends up hating me.
His gaze stayed fixed on a point in the street.
—It doesn’t matter if she never wants to talk to me again.
He pressed his lips together.
—But I’m not going to let this affect Okuto.
Hana stayed silent.
And for the first time since she had found him, she felt a little pity for him.
Because it was obvious that Hirose had already given up on the idea of becoming the favorite brother-in-law.
Now he was just trying to avoid becoming the worst.
Both brunettes started walking quickly through the street full of shops and people.
They searched with their eyes for a girl matching a very simple description and, at the same time, absurdly hard to find among so many people: slim build, short black hair, and between twelve and fourteen years old.
They reached an intersection.
On both sides there were dozens of people walking, open shops, and streets that seemed to stretch endlessly.
—Hmm... You search on the right, Aiki. I’ll search on the left. Then we come back here.
Hirose nodded immediately.
Each one took their respective path.
They sharpened their vision.
They asked passersby.
Some denied it.
Others barely paid attention.
And others simply wished them luck.
They searched in clothing stores.
In cafés.
In restaurants.
In bookstores.
They even checked stores where it was unlikely Kana would want to enter.
But they found nothing.
Not a single clue.
Not a single sign.
An hour later, both returned to the intersection they had chosen as a meeting point.
Hirose arrived first.
His hair was slightly messy and his legs felt heavy.
Shortly after, Hana appeared, equally tired.
They collapsed onto the sidewalk without any care.
Both regulated their breathing while trying to recover their energy.
—It’s useless, Hana...
Hirose covered his face with both hands.
—It’s like the earth swallowed her.
—If she left just a few hours ago...
Hana rested her elbows on her knees.
—It’s impossible she could’ve gone through so many places in such a short time.
The two stayed silent.
Tired.
Frustrated.
And increasingly confused.
Not even someone her age should be that hard to find.
How was it possible that a thirteen-year-old girl had disappeared without a trace?
—Well...
Hana sighed.
—Maybe we could check the shopping center. It’s the only big place I can think of. Although it would take a while...
Hirose stopped listening to Hana’s voice.
His attention had been hijacked by something else.
In front of them, a group of girls passed by chatting cheerfully and laughing.
And among them, he saw her.
He locked his eyes on one of the girls.
His brain started analyzing every detail almost automatically.
Short black hair.
Slim build.
Pale skin.
And most importantly.
A bicycle.
Hirose’s heart jumped.
It was her.
It had to be her.
He watched her move through the crowd.
Even the way she walked felt familiar.
There was no doubt.
It was Kana.
And after everything that had happened that day, he was going to fix things once and for all.
—Kana!
He stood up so fast he almost lost his balance. Hana barely had time to react before seeing him run off.
—Hey!
But Hirose was already cutting through the crowd.
—Kana!
The girl kept walking.
She didn’t turn around.
She didn’t even seem to hear him.
That only made Hirose even angrier.
—Who do you think you are?
He closed the distance even more.
—Do you think that just because you’re cruel to people you can do whatever you want?!
The bicycle kept moving.
The other girls kept chatting.
No one seemed to pay attention.
—Well let me tell you that...!
He caught up to her.
And without thinking too much, he grabbed her wrist to force her to turn around.
The girl let out a small gasp of surprise.
She turned.
And the world stopped.
The blood left Hirose’s face.
That girl was not Kana.
She had short black hair.
She had a bicycle.
But she didn’t have Kana’s characteristic bangs.
Also, a bandage covered her entire left eye.
And now that he saw her face, her features didn’t resemble Kana’s at all.
The unknown girl looked at him with fear and confusion.
The other girls froze.
Hirose stood completely stunned. He had just made the biggest mistake of his life.
—Aiko-chan, do you know this guy?
—Is he your brother?
—Ah... No, I don’t know him.
Hana finally arrived running and stopped behind Hirose. She was still trying to catch her breath.
—Aiki, did you find Kana-chan? Is it her?
—Who is Kana?
—Is she in our class?
—There’s no one in our class named Kana.
—S-sorry...
The girl looked at the hand still holding her wrist.
—Could you let me go, please...?
Hirose’s soul left his body.
He let go so fast it looked like he had burned himself.
—I...!
He stepped back.
—I’m really sorry!
The embarrassment finished crushing him.
He bowed so abruptly he almost lost his balance.
—I'm really sorry! I confused you with someone else!
The girls exchanged glances.
—Let's go, this guy is scary...
The group quickly walked away.
Hirose remained motionless.
Watching them disappear.
Every step they took increased his embarrassment.
When they finally were out of sight, he slowly straightened his back.
His face was completely red.
He couldn't even look at Hana.
—Aiki... what happened?
Hirose stayed silent for a few seconds.
—I... I don't know.

꒰ 🦀 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

The walk back was hard.
After explaining what had happened to Hana, she simply let out a long sigh.
She didn’t scold him.
She didn’t call him an idiot.
She didn’t even make fun of him.
She just looked tired.
And honestly, Hirose couldn’t blame her.
He had dragged her halfway across the city looking for a missing girl.
They had walked through streets, shops, and restaurants.
They had run.
They had asked strangers.
And in the end, it had all been for nothing.
The girl they found wasn’t even Kana.
After saying goodbye, Hana headed back home.
Hirose watched her leave until she disappeared from sight.
Then he continued walking alone.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
His body was tired.
But what weighed the most was his mind.
He didn’t even want to think about what would happen when Nakamura came back.
He didn’t know what he was going to say to him.
He didn’t know how he was going to explain it.
He wasn’t even sure what had actually happened.
Maybe Kana had run away.
Maybe she had come back.
Maybe she had been at home the whole time and he simply hadn’t seen her.
At that point, he wasn’t sure about anything anymore.
He slowly walked through the neighborhood streets until he finally recognized Nakamura’s house.
His stomach tightened.
He didn’t want to go in.
He didn’t want to find out what was waiting on the other side of that door.
He didn’t want to face reality.
Still, he kept walking.
When he reached the entrance, he slumped down heavily in front of the door.
He didn’t even bother going inside.
He leaned his back against it and let out a long sigh.
The cold afternoon air brushed his face.
For the first time all day, he did nothing.
He didn’t run.
He didn’t search.
He didn’t think.
He just stayed there.
He was tired.
Sad.
Confused.
Maybe this task had really been too much for him.
Maybe he had been too arrogant to think he could take care of a child on his own.
At the end of the day, he was still just a kid himself.
He let out a long, heavy sigh.
Curling his legs up, he rested his chest on his knees and wrapped his arms around them.
Like someone hugging an old stuffed toy for comfort.
He buried his face between them.
And let the tears, which had been threatening to fall all day, finally come out.
His crying was silent, but it hurt.
It hurt because he couldn’t stop thinking about all the mistakes he had made that day.
He had been too confident.
Too distracted.
Too impulsive.
And above all, too stupid.
He didn’t want to think anymore.
He wanted to forget.
Forget the poor girl he had mistaken for Kana.
Forget that Nakamura’s parents would probably never trust him again after this.
Forget that, for the first time in a long while, things hadn’t gone the way he wanted.
Man, he really wished someone would come and comfort him.
—Hey.
A female voice sounded from behind him.
Deep.
Indifferent.
And yet, Hirose swore he could detect a faint trace of concern.
—What are you doing there?
He slowly lifted his head.
Turned around bit by bit.
And then he saw her.
Standing by the door.
Short black hair.
Yellow pajamas.
Arms crossed.
Frowning.
That permanently grumpy expression was unmistakable.
Kana was staring at him.
As if trying to understand what kind of human disaster was in front of her.
He probably looked pathetic.
With swollen eyes.
A red nose.
And tears still clinging to his lashes.
But he didn’t care.
Because Kana was there.
Safe and sound.
And because he had just realized she had never run away.
The relief hit him so hard it almost hurt.
It felt like someone had lifted a massive rock that had been crushing his chest for hours.

And before he could stop himself, he started crying even harder.
He jumped to his feet and threw himself at her, hugging her with all his strength.
—I’m really sorry, Kana-chan!
The girl froze completely.
Her eyes widened.
Her cheeks immediately turned bright red from surprise.
—A-ah!
She blinked several times.
—You’re sorry...? Why?
—Because I was supposed to take care of you!
Hirose spoke in a rush, as if the words had been piling up inside him for hours.
—I did nothing but embarrass myself. I thought you had run away, I ran across half the city looking for you, I chased after a girl who wasn’t even you, I left you alone, you haven’t even had lunch...
He took a breath.
—I was a terrible babysitter.
His voice grew smaller.
—The worst.
He lowered his gaze.
—Please... Kana-chan, don’t hate me.
His fingers clung a little tighter to her pajama fabric.
—Forgive me for being so selfish and not taking proper care of you.
The silence that followed was uncomfortable.
Very uncomfortable.
Kana stayed still for a few seconds.
Not speaking.
Not moving.
As if trying to process everything she had just heard.
—Ah, okay.
—...
—Can you let me go now?
—Ah!
Hirose pulled away abruptly.
—Of course!
He stepped back several times.
Kana fixed her wrinkled pajamas and let out a small sigh.
Then she looked closely at the boy.
The red eyes.
The wet cheeks.
The messy hair.
And that miserable expression.
She studied him for several seconds.
—Wow...
Hirose swallowed.
—You really look like a loser. You and my brother are so alike.
Kana walked a few steps toward the sidewalk.
She sat down slowly and turned her gaze toward the street.
She pulled her knees up and hugged them against her chest.
Hirose watched her, still teary-eyed and confused.
The girl tilted her head slightly.
Looked at him for a few seconds.
Said nothing.
But Hirose understood.
He quickly sat down beside her, keeping a safe distance between them.
His gaze fell to the ground.
Silence settled between them again.
This time, it wasn’t uncomfortable.
Just calm.
The sky was starting to turn orange.
The last rays of sunlight painted the buildings and windows in warm tones.
—You’re really weird.
Hirose looked up.
Then toward Kana.
She was still looking ahead.
—You’re actually pretty kind.
The boy blinked.
—Your cooking is good, and...
Kana seemed to hesitate.
—Also, you’re cute.
Hirose’s eyes widened slightly.
A small spark appeared in them.
Kana completely ignored his reaction.
—Why would someone like you fall for someone like Okuto?
The question caught him off guard.
For a few seconds, he didn’t know how to respond.
It was the first time Kana actually seemed interested in hearing his answer.
—Well...
He straightened his back slightly.
—The truth is, I didn’t fall for him right away.
His gaze also drifted toward the horizon.
—At first, I wanted to get closer to Okuto because I always saw him alone.
He smiled faintly.
—He was always quiet.
—...
—And he always kept his distance from others.
Images started appearing in his mind.
A younger Nakamura.
More timid.
Sitting at the back of the classroom.
Eating alone.
Looking out the window.
Waiting for the day to end.
—He didn’t have many friends.
His smile slowly faded.
—In fact...
He lowered her gaze.
—He didn’t have any.
There was a silence.
Kana turned her head to look at him.
For the first time, her expression looked genuinely surprised.
—…Really?
Hirose nodded with a small hum.
He thought remembering that time would be fun.
After all, that was when he met Nakamura.
But for some reason, all he felt was sadness.
Because now he knew something he hadn’t understood back then.
How alone he had been.
—And well… I tried to get closer to him. At first I just wanted to be his friend.
A small smile appeared on the boy’s face.
—It was nice talking to him. He listened to me, and he always had that attentive expression, like everything I said mattered.
A group of kids ran past them.
Laughing.
Jumping.
Chasing each other while their voices filled the street.
—He never pressured me to do anything. He was never too intense.
Hirose watched the children disappear around a corner.
—He was just there when I needed him.
His voice softened.
—I liked being with him because we could spend a lot of time in silence, and neither of us felt uncomfortable about it.
The sound of pigeons flapping echoed from a nearby plaza.
—Until one day, during a school trip, I decided to tell him some things I had trouble admitting.
He lowered his gaze for a few seconds.
—He listened to me until the end.
Kana slowly turned her eyes toward him.
—He didn’t respond right away.
Hirose’s smile grew warmer.
—But then he said something that I think is what made me fall for him.
Kana blinked.
—What did he say?
The boy stayed silent for a few seconds, as if remembering that moment.
—He told me something that made me realize I needed to be more honest with myself.
Kana looked away.
—I see…
For some reason, the answer seemed to make her think.
Hirose glanced at her.
Then smiled.
—What about you, Kana-chan?
The black-haired girl raised a slight eyebrow.
—How’s school for you?
His tone was soft.
Genuinely interested.
—I imagine you must have a lot of friends.
—I don’t.
The answer came so quickly that Hirose went silent.
For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.
—I don’t have any friends actually.
Kana’s gaze dropped to the ground.
She said it so naturally, as if she were talking about the weather.
As if she didn’t expect any reaction.
Hirose straightened slightly.
—Well…
He looked ahead.
—That can’t be easy.
Kana shrugged.
—I’m sorry, Kana-chan.
The black-haired girl let out a sigh.
—It’s not that bad.
A brief pause.
—The people in my class are all idiots.
—Why do you say that?
Kana rested her cheek on one knee.
—There’s a group of girls who always act like they’re the only important people in the class.
Her tone turned sharper.
—They hog all the attention. They throw tantrums. They act like they’re five years old.
She frowned.
—They’re boring and very superficial.
Hirose blinked.
—Really?
Kana nodded.
—But the worst one is Aiko Yamada.
The name sounded vaguely familiar to him.
—That idiot always acts like I don’t exist.
The girl absentmindedly played with the sleeve of her pajamas.
—When I try to say something, she interrupts me… and makes everyone ignore me.
Hirose tried to remember where he had heard that name.
—Everyone does whatever she says just because she’s cute.
Kana rolled her eyes.
—And she acts like everyone is trying to attack her… she’s such a hypocrite.
Then she smiled.
A small smile.
But a dangerous one.
—That’s why on Friday I stuck out my foot so she’d trip.
Hirose froze.
—She fell so hard she hit her forehead. She didn’t die… but she got hurt really badly.
Kana let out a giggle.
—That felt really satisfying.
The blood slowly drained from Hirose’s face.
—Also, they never found out it was me.
Kana looked proud.
—They all just assumed she was so useless she couldn’t even walk properly.
The girl’s smile widened.
—They even put a bandage that covered her left eye.
And then.
The pieces clicked.
“Aiko-chan, do you know this boy?”
“There’s no one in our class named Kana.”
“S-sorry… could you let me go, please…?”
He turned his head toward Kana.
She was still laughing.
—She looked like a pirate.
Hirose stared at the horizon.
This day really didn’t stop surprising him.
Kana was smiling as she spoke.
Laughing between sentences while describing in detail the fall of that poor girl.
Her expression was almost… Machiavellian.
Hirose didn’t know if she was exaggerating.
Maybe she was just making the story more entertaining.
Maybe it had just been a childish prank.
Or maybe Kana really was the monster Nakamura had warned him about.
At this point, he didn’t even care anymore.
A small laugh escaped his lips.
Then another.
And another.
He listened carefully to all of the girl’s stories, chiming in from time to time.
He even burst into laughter so loud that Kana would stop talking and stare at him like he was losing his mind.
—You’re really incredible, Kana-chan.
The black-haired girl froze for a few seconds.
Her cheeks turned a faint pink.
She looked away almost immediately.
—Yeah… whatever.
Hirose smiled.
And that was when he realized something.
He had been wrong the entire time.
The Nakamuras weren’t shy.
Well… maybe a little.
But that was never the real problem.
They were simply not like other people.
Most kids their age seemed to live surrounded by appearances.
They followed trends.
Played what was popular.
Listened to whatever music everyone else was listening to.
And talked about things they often didn’t even care about.
Hirose knew that well.
Because he had done it more than once himself.
He had smiled.
He had nodded.
He had pretended to understand entire conversations just to keep up with others.
Because it was easier that way.
More comfortable.
Safer.
That’s why it had never been hard for him to feel at ease with Nakamura.
From the very beginning, Okuto had never seemed interested in pretending to be anything.
He was just himself.
He never judged him.
Never tried to change him.
Never demanded that he be someone else.
And now that he thought about it, he also didn’t remember ever seeing him suffer from being alone.
At first, he thought it was because he was too shy.
But he had never heard him complain about it.
When he was alone in class, he stayed calm.
When Hirose couldn’t join him for lunch, he simply sat and ate in silence.
He didn’t look sad.
He didn’t look miserable.
He just looked… fine.
His gaze drifted toward Kana.
She was still sitting beside him, looking at the street, arms wrapped around her knees.
And she didn’t seem lonely either.
He finally understood something.
In a world where most kids their age lived chasing appearances, the Nakamuras simply preferred to be themselves.
No masks.
No trying to fit in.
No pretending to care about things they didn’t care about.
Maybe Kana was a little more Machiavellian.
And a lot more dangerous.
But in the end, she and her brother had much more in common than he had ever imagined.
Hirose still had a lot to learn from both of them.
—Hey…
The boy turned his head.
Kana was still looking at the ground.
—Hm?
—If you ever decide to break up with my brother, you’ve got my support.
Hirose let out a laugh.
A genuine laugh.
Light.
After everything that had happened that day, he felt strangely good.
Maybe he would never understand why Kana seemed to enjoy tormenting Nakamura.
But at least he could be grateful she wasn’t the same with him.
He looked up at the sky.
The orange tones were beginning to spread across the streets.
It was already four in the afternoon.
About two hours were left before Nakamura returned.
And when that happened, he would have to leave.
With some hesitation, he decided to try one last time.
He stood up.
Cleared his throat softly.
—There are still a couple of hours before Okuto gets back, Kana-chan…
The black-haired girl lifted her head.
—Do you want… to watch a movie while we eat pizza?
His voice came out much more timid than he expected.
He prepared himself mentally for another refusal.
Another “no.”
Another rejection.
But then…
—That would be fine, I guess.
Hirose froze.
She had accepted?
She had actually accepted?
Kana avoided looking at him.
Her cheeks were slightly red.
And for the first time all day, she didn’t seem defensive.
The smile that appeared on Hirose’s face was impossible to hold back.
—Perfect!
He immediately turned around.
—Then let’s not waste time. I’ll order the pizza.
He started walking toward the door.
—We need to get inside before it starts getting cold.
Kana stood up and followed him.
—Do you like Barbie, Kana-chan?
—What? No, I’m not five. I prefer horror movies.
—I-I see…

꒰ 🦀 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

It was 5:03 in the afternoon.
Both of them were sitting on the living room sofa, eyes fixed on the television.
Kana had chosen a Japanese horror movie whose cover had caught her attention. According to her, movies with ugly covers were always the best. Hirose wasn’t sure where that logic came from, but he decided not to argue.
When the pizza arrived, he brought the plates and poured two glasses of orange juice he found in the fridge.
Now they were eating quietly while the movie played.
The lights in the room were off.
Kana had insisted on it.
—Horror movies are meant to be watched like this.
And for some reason, Hirose had agreed without protest.
Every so often, a character would make an unbelievably stupid decision.
—Why is he going in there?
—Because he’s an idiot.
—Oh…
Other times, there would be a sudden jump scare, and both of them would flinch slightly.
Though, to be honest, Hirose jumped a lot higher.
—Ah!
—Coward.
—It came out of nowhere!
—It was obvious for the past five minutes.
—It wasn’t.
Kana let out a small laugh.
A short laugh.
But real.
And that alone made Hirose feel like the entire disaster of the day had been worth it.
The bluish shadows from the TV softly lit the room.
The smell of pizza still lingered in the air.
And for the first time since that morning, the silence between them felt comfortable.
Hirose had never really liked horror movies.
In fact, he was quite a scaredy-cat.
But seeing Kana enjoy something so simple made the experience oddly pleasant.
At this point, it no longer felt like he was taking care of Nakamura’s little sister.
It felt like he was simply spending time with her.
There came a moment in the movie where the main characters were having an excessively long and boring conversation.
Kana took that opportunity to glance discreetly at the boy beside her.
Hirose was still watching the screen intently, completely focused on the movie.
Or at least, it looked that way.
The bluish light from the TV partially illuminated his face.
He was really cute.
Much cuter than her brother.
And he was kind.
Funny.
And he had bought her pizza.
Everyone liked pizza.
As she watched him, several memories from earlier that day crossed her mind.
In the morning, when she came downstairs and saw them kissing, she couldn’t help but feel disgusted.
Not disgust toward Hirose.
But disgust at seeing Nakamura happy.
Because it was strange.
Very strange.
Her brother usually looked like a dead fish in a school uniform.
Then she remembered breakfast.
The fruit salad.
She already liked fruit salad on its own.
But the honey Hirose added had made it even better.
She still remembered the first bite.
It had been so good she almost smiled.
And that would have been embarrassing.
Terribly embarrassing.
Luckily, no one saw her.
She also remembered when she went downstairs to get a glass of water and Hirose started offering her things.
Shopping.
Going to the cinema.
Ice cream.
Anything she wanted.
He had bombarded her with so many suggestions she could barely process them.
She rejected him as best as she could.
Mainly because she was playing on the computer and wanted to finish her game.
Although, if she was honest, the idea of going shopping didn’t sound that bad.
She just didn’t like being spoiled by other people.
She was a spoiled child.
But selectively spoiled.
And then she remembered something else.
When she came down to use the bathroom, the TV was still on.
Hirose was asleep on the sofa.
Out of pure curiosity, she had walked closer.
Just to look.
And that’s when she noticed he was slightly trembling.
The house was cold.
Without making a sound, she went up to Nakamura’s room.
Took a blanket that was stored there.
And came back down.
She carefully placed it over the boy’s body.
Hirose didn’t even wake up.
He just shifted slightly under the blanket.
Like a puppy.
Kana watched that scene for a few seconds.
And once she confirmed he had stopped shaking, she simply went back to her room.
It was a while before she decided to leave her room.
Her phone battery was about to die, so she went to Nakamura’s room to take his charger.
Then she returned to her bedroom and slammed the door shut.
She plugged in her phone.
She put on her Bluetooth headphones.
And started listening to music at a considerably irresponsible volume.
That’s why she never heard the knocking on the door.
Or Hirose’s voice calling her from the other side.
Or anything at all.
Several minutes passed.
Then she discovered another problem.
Nakamura’s charger had stopped working.
It was probably too old.
Kana let out a frustrated huff.
She got out of bed and left her room without taking off her headphones, which were still blasting music at full volume.
She left the door slightly open and headed to her parents’ bedroom.
Her goal was simple.
To temporarily “borrow” her father’s charger.
While rummaging through drawers and furniture, a draft of air passed through the second floor.
The room door ended up slamming shut on its own.
Kana didn’t even notice.
And even if she had, she probably wouldn’t have cared.
She kept searching for at least half an hour.
She searched through drawers.
She searched on tables.
She searched behind a chair.
Until she finally found the charger.
Under the bed.
Very far in the back.
Far enough that it was impossible to reach with her hand.
She frowned.
Then she decided to ask for help.
She took off her headphones and let them hang around her neck.
She left the room.
And started walking around the house.
“Hirose-kun!”
No response.
“Hirose-kun!”
She called again.
She checked the living room.
The kitchen.
The bathroom.
Nothing.
No sign of him.
Kana ended up assuming he had gone out to buy lunch or something like that.
After all, that was exactly the kind of thing he would do.
In the end, she managed to pull the charger out using a broom.
She locked herself back in her room and stayed there for the next few hours.
Completely unaware of everything.
She never would have imagined that, while she was calmly listening to music and playing, Hirose had crossed half the city believing she had disappeared.
She remembered the moment she found him crying at the door.
The way he had clung to her.
The desperation in his voice.
How ridiculous it had all been.
He must have felt like a complete idiot when he found out the truth.
And yet, the worry had been real.
Kana lowered her gaze slightly.
It was strange.
But also kind.
She was grateful that someone cared about her like that.
Maybe she didn’t have a reason to stay so defensive around that boy anymore.
She liked him.
Much more than she was willing to admit.
A small smile appeared on her lips.
Silent.
Fleeting.
Then she turned her attention back to the screen.
It had been a day…
Interesting.

꒰ 🦀 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

Nakamura was pedaling with all his strength.
The wind hit his face as he moved through the streets.
He had spent the entire day restless.
Thinking about Kana.
Thinking about Hirose.
Thinking about all the possible ways things could have gone wrong.
When he finally spotted the house, he felt an enormous wave of relief.
He turned sharply toward the entrance.
He got off his bicycle so quickly he almost tripped.
He left it abandoned near the door without even straightening it.
He ran to the entrance.
His hands trembled slightly as he tried to insert the key into the lock.
He missed once.
Then again.
Finally, he managed to open it.
He stepped inside immediately.
The door closed behind him.
The interior was silent.
Strangely silent.
The lights were off.
The only illumination came from the television.
On the screen, the final scenes of a horror movie were playing.
Nakamura took a few steps forward.
And then he saw them.
—Aiki…
The brown-haired boy was sitting on the sofa.
Staring at the screen.
He looked completely focused.
Hirose raised a hand without taking his eyes off the TV.
—Shh…
That’s when he looked more closely.
And froze.
On the sofa.
Lying on her side.
Kana was asleep.
His sister was breathing slowly and peacefully.
Her expression was relaxed.
Her cheeks slightly flushed.
And her head rested on a cushion that Hirose was carefully holding on his lap.
As if he was afraid of waking her.
As if he had stayed completely still for who knows how long just so she wouldn’t be disturbed.
Nakamura felt his mind go blank.
Because the scene looked so unreal.
The brown-haired boy gave him a small smile.
A tired smile.
But proud.
Like someone who had just survived a war.
The older boy looked back at Kana.
Then at Hirose.
Then at Kana again.
And as usual, he had no idea what to say.

꒰ 🦀 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

Hirose carefully opened Kana’s bedroom door.
Nakamura entered first, carrying her in his arms.
The younger girl was still deeply asleep.
She hadn’t even woken up when he lifted her from the sofa.
Her breathing was slow and calm.
With great care, the black-haired boy laid her down on the bed.
He brushed a few strands of hair away from her face and pulled the blanket over her.
Kana let out a small sleepy murmur.
Both teenagers froze.
Waiting.
Holding even their breath.
But the girl simply shifted more comfortably into the sheets and continued sleeping.
The two of them let out a silent sigh of relief.
Nakamura looked at his sister for a few more seconds.
She still looked small when she slept.
Much smaller than he remembered.
His gaze softened slightly.
Then he straightened up.
And that’s when he realized something.
It was the first time all day he had been this close to Kana without receiving a threat, an insult, or some kind of psychological damage.
It was almost a miracle.
Hirose stood by the door, watching the scene in silence.
When both of them were sure Kana would stay asleep, they left the room.
Nakamura went out first.
Hirose was the last to cross the doorway.
He closed it slowly.
Very carefully.
Until the soft click of the latch echoed through the hallway.

꒰ 🦀 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

The sky had already turned a deep dark blue.
The moon shone high above.
The stars decorated the sky like small silver sparks.
The two boys walked calmly down the street.
Hirose’s house wasn’t too far, but they still had a few minutes left.
— I have to admit I’m surprised.
Nakamura was the first to break the silence.
The brown-haired boy raised an eyebrow.
— Why?
A playful smile appeared on his lips.
— I told you I had everything under control.
They both let out a small laugh.
— I guess so.
Nakamura lowered his gaze.
— You’re… really incredible, Aiki.
The younger boy’s heart gave a small jump.
— You really managed to get even the most dangerous beast on your side.
Hirose slightly frowned.
— Kana-chan isn’t any kind of beast, Okuto.
— Sorry...
Nakamura let out a small chuckle through his nose.
— It’s just… I don’t know any other side of her.
The brown-haired boy looked at him gently.
— There will come a time when she opens up to you.
His voice was soft.
Patient.
— It happens to all of us as we grow up.
Nakamura kept looking at the ground.
His cheeks had turned red.
Nothing unusual.
It always happened when Hirose was near.
— …Hey, Okuto.
The black-haired boy looked up.
Hirose had stopped smiling.
His eyes were fixed on the pavement.
They both stopped walking.
The street remained silent.
— I made a lot of mistakes today.
The brown-haired boy’s voice sounded lower.
More tired.
— I didn’t take care of Kana the way I should have.
He took a breath.
— If she’s safe at home, it’s not thanks to me.
A small bitter laugh escaped his lips.
— The truth is, Kana-chan is much smarter than I expected.
Nakamura stayed silent.
Listening.
— I guess the job was too big for me.
Hirose swallowed.
— And I lied to you too.
His fingers slowly clenched.
— I didn’t want to worry you. I didn’t want to ruin your exams. I didn’t want your parents to think I’m irresponsible.
His voice trembled slightly.
— And if after this they decide I shouldn’t come near your house anymore…
He gave a faint smile.
— I’ll understand.
Silence followed.
Long.
Heavy.
— I…
Hirose leaned slightly forward.
— I’m really sorry.
— Aiki...
Nakamura took a step toward him.
And before the younger boy could react…
He hugged him.
He didn’t say anything else.
He simply hugged him.
Hirose froze.
His mind took several seconds to process what had just happened.
He could feel the warmth of the other’s body.
The arms wrapping around him.
The gentle pressure against his chest.
The familiar scent of his cologne.
His heart began to race.
Almost instinctively, he raised his hands and placed them on the older boy’s back.
Returning the hug.
Then he heard Nakamura’s voice.
Very close.
Almost a whisper.
— Thank you for everything.
Hirose’s eyes widened slightly.
And for some reason, he felt all the weight he had been carrying that day disappear.
He tightened the hug a little.
His cheeks were burning.
He felt embarrassed.
Happy.
Relieved.
He wanted to stay like this a little longer.
A lot longer.
He smiled to himself.
Closed his eyes.
And for a few seconds, the world seemed to stop.

꒰ 🦀 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

—So, imagine that one day I wake up transformed into a mosquito. Would you still love me?
The two teenagers were walking down the street, holding hands.
Each of them was holding a vanilla ice cream cone.
They moved without hurry.
Calm.
As if the rest of the world could wait.
— Yes.
— And how would you recognize me? What if you confuse me with other mosquitoes and cheat on me?
Hirose looked at him closely.
Waiting for his answer.
Nakamura thought about it seriously.
As always.
— I think I would try to find a solution for that.
— And meanwhile?
— Meanwhile, I wouldn’t interact with any mosquitoes.
Hirose had to admit that was a good answer.
— What if I were a cockroach?
— I think it would be the same.
— A pigeon?
— I don’t see any problem.
— A bee?
— I’d help you make honey.
— A moth?
— No problem.
— A dog?
— I’d adopt you.
— A cat?
— I’d buy you a ball of yarn.
— Hmmm…
Hirose narrowed his eyes.
— What if I were a girl?
Nakamura stayed silent for a few seconds.
Thinking carefully.
— Well…
His cheeks turned slightly red.
— If you still looked the same as you do now… I think I would still like you.
Hirose stared at him.
— What if you meet a girl identical to me? Would you leave me for her?
Nakamura immediately shook his head.
— No, she might resemble you.
His voice was soft.
Certain.
— But she still wouldn’t be you.
Hirose felt heat rising to his ears.
— Your appearance isn’t the only thing I like about you, Aiki.
The brown-haired boy looked away.
— O-okay…
He cleared his throat.
— You’re off the hook this time.
A small laugh escaped Nakamura’s lips.
Their fingers remained intertwined.
The ice cream was slowly melting.
And as they walked under the streetlights, neither of them seemed in any hurry to go home.

Extra ꒰ 🦀 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

Nakamura was walking back to his room with a cup of yogurt in his hand. It was a boring Saturday afternoon and he had decided to spend it reading the new manga he had bought, so he could later share his opinions with his friend Kawamura. The lack of physical activity that day had made him a little tired and drowsy.
He passed by his younger sister’s bedroom door with the intention of walking straight past it. However, he stopped dead in his tracks when he heard a melody coming from inside.
Without meaning to, he caught part of the lyrics.
“Hey! Hey! Life in the dream house~”
The black-haired boy would recognize that song anywhere.
He turned on his heel, opened the door without warning, and walked in.
Kana was sitting in front of the computer.
And he also managed to see her quickly close a Google tab.
The younger girl turned immediately.
Her face was a mix of surprise, terror, and embarrassment.
— What are you watching at!?
— Porn!