"Nanami, you knew they were dating all along, didn't you? Hmph... keeping secrets from us," Nino whispered to Nanami.
While they were motivated, old habits died hard. With Ichika in the bedroom "consulting" Rin, the four sisters began gossiping.
"Uh... yeah, I knew. But you guys hated studying before, why the sudden change of heart?" Nanami asked.
The four looked away guiltily. They had planned to "save" Ichika from Rin, only to end up having their first kisses stolen by him.
However, since the incident, their hostility had faded. Miku and Yotsuba even felt a flicker of affection. After all, if he could tell them apart even in disguise, he must truly love Ichika! Or so they thought. To them, he didn't just know they weren't Ichika—he knew their names perfectly.
"What's the President like normally?" Yotsuba asked. They were curious about the man who had tasted their lips.
"Well..." Nanami didn't know how to explain the "degenerate" parties and the "slave" plays. "Generally speaking... he's a very good person."
"He's a pervert, right?" Nino scoffed. "A total monster!"
Miku spoke up in his defense. "He... he seems like a good person. Nino, you're just misunderstanding him."
Nino glared at Miku. Are you taking his side because he made you come? If Nanami weren't there, she would have asked it out loud.
"He's probably alright... hahaha," Yotsuba laughed awkwardly. To her and Miku, the "groping" and "kissing" were just accidents caused by their own disguises.
"Traitors! You're both traitors!" Nino hissed. Even if she acknowledged him as Ichika's boyfriend, she wasn't ready to call him "Brother-in-law."
"Guys, don't fight," Itsuki mediated. "Nanami, tell us more."
"He's... well, he can be 'intense,' but he's a good person," Nanami said vaguely. She had been away helping Ichika move and had no idea about the "testing" drama.
The bedroom door creaked, and they all dove back into their books. Nino glared at the wall, wishing she had X-ray vision to kill Rin. She could forgive him for Ichika, but she couldn't stand Miku and Yotsuba defending him. It felt like he was stealing them, too.
"What were you guys talking about?" Ichika asked, peeking out. "The atmosphere is weird."
"Nothing," Miku stood up. "It's my turn to ask a question."
"Hmph," Nino muttered as Miku went in. Miku is studying History... you can find all the answers in the book. Why does she need to ask him anything? She's just being difficult!
Inside the room, Miku wasn't actually asking about history. She sat away from Rin, staring at her book.
"Did you fight with Nino?" Rin asked. "Your cheeks are puffed out. Are you that mad?"
Miku, looking like a grumpy squirrel, used her book to hide her face. Rin looked at her—the black tights covering her legs were especially distracting. Of the sisters, Miku seemed the easiest to "conquer."
"If you don't have a question... want to chat?"
"About what?"
"How about... Warlords?"
Miku flinched. "Not even my sisters know about that... how do you know?"
"Your phone charms and wallpaper are Sengoku clan crests. It's rare for a girl to like that stuff."
"It... it's usually a boy's hobby. I know it's weird, but I love it..." Miku lit up, her usual silence vanishing. "Did you know Takeda Shingen actually— Oh, sorry." She realized she was rambling and that Rin might not care.
"Don't apologize. It's a cool hobby. I don't know much about the Sengoku period, but I know the Three Kingdoms era."
"The Three Kingdoms? I like that too!"
"Well, according to 'very reliable' unofficial history," Rin whispered conspiratorially, "Lu Bu actually 'sold his hook.'"
"His hook?"
"His ass."
Miku shuddered, imagining the legendary warrior Lu Bu selling his body.
"Just kidding," Rin laughed.
They chatted a bit more, but the conversation inevitably turned back to Nino and the "test" from two days ago.
"You were actually the best at mimicking Ichika," Rin said.
"I can mimic all of them..." Miku suddenly narrowed her eyes, perfectly capturing Nino's "looking at trash" expression. "Hah? You pervert! Does this look like Nino?"
"The 'trash' eyes are spot on," Rin laughed. He realized Miku must have practiced this—not just for fun, but out of a deep-seated insecurity. She was like a little "Bocchi" girl, hiding in the shadows of her more "successful" sisters.
Rin reached out and gently brushed the hair away from Miku's right eye, cupping her cheek. Her heart rate spiked, her face turning crimson.
"Miku, you're so cute on your own. Why do you feel the need to mimic them?"
"I... I don't know what you mean," Miku bit her lip. She knew he was right. Ichika was mature, Nino was a chef, Yotsuba was an athlete, Itsuki was the "smart" one... and she was just the quiet girl who liked old warlords.
"I don't believe you. How could I be cuter than them?"
"You really are. Your lips are soft, and your body is so sensit—"
Miku slammed her hand over his mouth, her face flaming. "The kiss the other day... that was for Ichika, not me."
Noticing the loneliness in her eyes, Rin grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand away. Before she could react, he leaned in and kissed her.
It wasn't a long, deep kiss. Just a soft, lingering touch against her lips.
Miku froze. This wasn't a "mistaken identity" kiss. This was a kiss for Miku Nakano.
But... he's Ichika's boyfriend! What... what am I supposed to do now!?