(POV Kaito)
I had a strange dream. It was a dream in which Chiharu said strange things to me. When we were usually together, she wasn’t the kind of person who would say such things. Knowing that made it all the more surprising, and perhaps that’s why it remained in my memory.
Then suddenly, I woke up, gradually becoming conscious, and that’s when I felt something weighty on top of me.
“Suya suya…”
It was Chiharu with her beautiful pink hair, defined features, and adorable sleeping breaths. It seemed what she said yesterday wasn’t just a lie.
“We’ll live on while licking each other’s wounds…”
Her words from yesterday echoed in my mind. Somehow, I felt like I had heard them before. And, I couldn’t help but sense that such a future was possible, even if it was just a tiny fraction, like the tip of a small finger. Well, as for me, I shouldn’t have such accepting thoughts about that way of living; I want her to grow straight and strong like bamboo.
I wanted Chiharu to live for herself. That’s why I had come this far with that thought in mind. And I knew I had to continue doing so…
Aside from that…. Had Chiharu ever cuddled up to me like this before? I mean, Chiaki often hugs me, and I vaguely remember her weight. Huh, maybe it’s not right to think about such things, but Chiaki does feel a bit heavier…
She’s not overweight, but she eats well and stays active, so maybe it’s the muscular aspect. Next to me, Chinatsu, Chiaki, and Chifuyu were all sound asleep, with the same peaceful expressions and rhythmic breathing as Chiharu.
It’s fine to stay like this, but I had work to do, and all four of them had school. I need to wake them up. Yet, seeing how peacefully they were sleeping, I couldn’t help but feel a pang in my chest at the idea of disturbing them. I checked my phone, and there was still a time when it was okay to let them sleep a little longer. So, for a while, let them stay like this…
“Uh… umm…”
As I pondered these thoughts, a voice reached my ears, like a hazy consciousness gradually awakening. Of course, I immediately recognized the speaker—it was Chiaki. Despite going through a lot yesterday and likely feeling tired, she seemed to have woken up early.
Rubbing her drowsy eyes, she sat up and then looked at me, reaching out to hold my hand.
“Haah…. mornin’, Kaito.”
With a yawn, she gave me a morning greeting, and I met her gaze.
“Good morning. You’re an early riser.”
“Nah… not really. Huh?”
Chiaki looked at Chiharu, who was still asleep on top of me, narrowing her eyes. Though she still seemed a bit sleepy, there was a hint of playfulness in her words.
“Kaito… Soboro is not allowed…”
“You’ve got it all mixed up.”
She probably wanted to say “Aibiki” (Dating), not “Soboro” which was more like a stir-fry topping over rice. She had gone from Aibiki (Dating)→ Aibiki Niku (minced meat)→Soboro (minced meat and pork). This somewhat imaginative misunderstanding might be because her consciousness hadn’t fully awakened yet.
“So? Either is fine… Yeah, I’m still sleepy, so could you be my shoulder pillow?”
“Ah, sure.”
Chiaki made my shoulder her pillow and drifted back to the world of sleep. Perhaps due to yesterday’s events, she seemed to be quite tired. I wondered if it would be okay to take a day off from work and spend the day together with everyone at home.
“Kaito-san, good morning.”
“Chifuyu, good morning.”
Chifuyu, who had been sleeping in the opposite direction from Chiaki, woke up as well. It was probably natural for her to wake up at this time, as it had become a habit. Her consciousness quickly awakened, and upon seeing Chiharu on top of me, she exclaimed in surprise.
“W-what… what is this…? What’s goin’ oon?”
“Your tone, are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m… just a bit shocked, and I lost myself for a moment. It’s just that, Chiharu sleeping like this, on top of someone else…”
“I mentioned it yesterday, but sometimes she wants to rely on others.”
“Oh, really… Isn’t it heavy?”
“No, it’s totally fine.”
“I see…”
(In other words, if Chifuyu, who has almost the same weight, does this, there wouldn’t be any issue? Uuu, I wish I could be that affectionate… but it’s impossible for Chifuyu. I lack the courage… Lucky her.)
Chifuyu gently poked the sleeping Chiharu’s cheek with her fingertip.
“Ah, it’s soft.”
(Hup, hup! I’ll poke Chiharu since she is being sneaky. 1 damage, hup, hup!)
“Hey, if you do it too much, won’t she wake up?”
“Yes, you’re right. Well, let’s stop here and be forgiving…”
“I guess so…”
I couldn’t quite understand it, but the gentle poking on Chiharu’s cheek made me feel Chifuyu’s kindness… It doesn’t seem like she’ll wake up at all. Chifuyu sat with her legs crossed and smiled gently as she looked down.
“Kaito-san, about yesterday’s conversation… Chifuyu wasn’t sure if it was okay to talk about it, because I was the only one without… But you treated me just the same as before, and it made me happy… I realized that I was just like everyone else.”
Watching her speak with joy, I confirmed that it was indeed good that I took that step. For Chifuyu, who had been struggling with how to deal with her sisters, the change in the atmosphere was surely a positive influence on her future, or at least, I wanted to believe that.
“However, Kaito-san, Chifuyu hasn’t forgotten what you said before, that everyone is special. It’s like the foundation for me… It might sound contradictory, but it really made me happy.”
“I see. If you feel that way, then I’m glad. Chifuyu, let’s continue our relationship just as before.”
“Yes.”
As she replied, her face was shining brighter than ever before.
◆◆
(POV Chifuyu)
――Chifuyu, let’s continue our relationship just as before.
Observing Kaito’s gentle expression and hearing his words, a smile naturally spread across my face. Honestly, my previous concerns had diminished, and I wasn’t as preoccupied with them as before. Yet, one thing remained unchanged — I felt happy. Once again, I recognized Kaito’s innate kindness and discovered yet another wonderful aspect of him. The things my sisters might have felt self-conscious about vanished.
So, I was delighted.
Kaito-san continued to exhibit his usual smile and laughter, treating everyone with warmth, whether they possessed supernatural powers or not. It was evident that this was what he and my sisters had been seeking all along. Nonetheless, there lingered a hint of dissatisfaction.
Chifuyu felt that she had changed. I had wanted to be with my sisters, but now I wanted something else. While I initially wanted to be with my sisters, my perspective shifted. I acknowledged my past selfishness, constantly yearning for things and displaying such an attitude even towards Haru-nee. Now, however, my focus had shifted; it was no longer solely about being with my sisters but desiring a different kind of smile, one that only Kaito-san could evoke.
“Kaito-san, Since Chifuyu is already awake, I’ll go and prepare breakfast.”
“Is that so? Ah, I will…”
“Just let Haru-nee sleep in because I’m sure she wanted to be pampered for a while…”
“Thank you, Chifuyu… always.”
“…No, it’s me who should be thanking you…”
“…? Is something wrong?”
With a smile, I replied to Kaito-san, indicating that everything was fine, and then left the room. Haru-nee and Kaito-san seemed to have some similarities. Natsu-nee had mentioned it, and I also felt that way. Perhaps there was something special, some kind of fate, between the two of them.
But I didn’t like how I constantly kept changing what I wanted. I had always been jealous of Haru-nee, lacking any supernatural powers and having no special connection. There seemed to be something dramatically unique that Chifuyu was missing. It was like an overwhelmingly distinct characteristic that I couldn’t grasp no matter how much I reached out for it.
Maybe, just maybe, the reason I liked Kaito-san was that he treated me kindly. If our positions and circumstances were different, would I have…《《fallen for someone else who wasn’t Kaito-san?》》
With such thoughts swirling in my mind, I found myself uncertain about whether I should compete and reach out my hands. There was something I really wanted to ask during that brief moment of silence back in the room.
――Is it alright to fall for you, Kaito-san, just because you were kind to me?
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