Chapter 279: Kasugano Sora's Sanctuary, A Slice of Heaven
Kirari hoped Kasugano Sora would encounter more neighbors like these. She felt even more at ease thinking about the future residents, knowing they would be her own sisters.
Cerberus was adorable, and Lucifer was elegant and typically gentle. As for Courage, there was no need for concern; she was cut from the same cloth as Sōryūin Akemi—an older sister's physique housing a maiden's heart.
Surrounding Sora with such high-quality people would undoubtedly aid her growth. And her health? That was a given. Kirari found herself thinking that Kasugano Sora was quite fortunate, all things considered.
"Eh?! Sora, you live in this whole complex all by yourself?!" Sakura Hibiki gasped, her eyes wide.
Kasugano Sora nodded timidly at Hibiki's outburst. "Yes. This was my family's old house. The clinic and our home in the countryside have already been sold..."
Sakura Hibiki swallowed hard, a look of dawning realization on her face. "So... marrying you would mean skipping years of struggle, right...?"
"Huh?! But this is just an old apartment complex..."
"But two houses... selling them means you're a mini-millionaire, Sora..."
Kasugano Sora tilted her head, considering it for a moment. "I'm not really sure, but I have enough to live on... Let's not talk about this right now... Huh? What's that moving company doing over there...?"
Ren's gaze followed hers to the moving truck parked a short distance away. He paused, a flicker of recognition in his eyes. "Akemi, isn't that Shion's secretary?"
Sōryūin Akemi peered in the direction he indicated, and her face immediately lit up with a brilliant smile. "Sister Tomoko!!" she called out, waving enthusiastically.
Tomoko Matsuda, who had been muttering to herself while reviewing a clipboard of documents, flinched slightly at the sound of her name. She turned, and upon seeing Akemi, she quickly exchanged a few words with the moving company staff before making her way over.
"Ah, Akemi, you've arrived," she said, her voice a mixture of professionalism and fatigue. "These must be your friends."
Kirari tilted her head, a sly smile playing on her lips. "Eh? Tomoko, don't you think you're overlooking someone?"
A muscle in Tomoko Matsuda's jaw twitched. Hearing that voice, she sighed internally and handed the paper bag in her hand to Kirari. "Miss Kirari... I believe the money for this coffee, perhaps..."
Kirari accepted it with a graceful smile. "Oh? Shion is really something else, making you pay for coffee out of your own pocket. But since you've held onto it for so long, it hardly matters now, does it?"
Tomoko felt a desperate urge to cry but had no tears to shed. 'You two made the bet, so why am I the one paying for it?!' she screamed in her mind. The life of a bottom-level employee truly came with no human rights! Resigning wasn't an option, either; she'd genuinely be unemployed. Life was just too difficult!
Ren chuckled, a helpless but sympathetic look on his face. "Tomoko, you're as unlucky as ever... But next time Shion asks you to buy coffee, just tell her I said she can deliver it herself."
A wave of deep gratitude washed over Tomoko's face. "Mr. Ren! Thank you so much! And... it's been a long time, Mr. Ren!"
Ren nodded with a warm smile. "It has indeed. You must be exhausted, Miss Matsuda. Shion's personality can still be quite... a handful."
Tomoko's professional composure crumbled, replaced by a pitiful expression. "Mr. Ren! Please, you have to help me! The President is always finding ways to scare me! My nerves are completely shot! I constantly feel like danger or unemployment is lurking just around the corner!"
Sōryūin Akemi shifted awkwardly, knowing her older sister's personality all too well. Shion probably got annoyed with some trivial work matter or was simply bored and decided to terrorize Tomoko for entertainment.
Ren let out a soft sigh. "Alright, I understand... But Tomoko, I have a question for you, and I need you to answer honestly."
Tomoko nodded earnestly, but Akemi, seeming to anticipate the question, shot her a quick, meaningful wink.
Kirari's smile widened. "Let me guess. Ren, your question must be whether that idiot Shion is still smoking, isn't it?"
Tomoko's eyes twitched violently, and a few beads of cold sweat trickled down her forehead. "H-How could that be!" she stammered. "I haven't seen the President with a single cigarette in a very long time. Really!"
Ren tilted his head, studying Tomoko with a dead-serious expression for a long moment before it broke into a playful grin. "Is that so... Well, in that case, I'll be sure to speak with Shion about it later. I should praise her for her discipline."
"That's right," Kirari added, her voice laced with amusement. "Ren, you should definitely praise Shion properly."
Tomoko and Akemi exchanged a look of shared dread. They could only pray that Sōryūin Shion wouldn't expose their lie herself. They had done everything they could; the rest was out of their hands.
"Let's put that aside for now," Ren said, turning to Sora with a gentle smile. "Sora, you go with Tomoko to your apartment and sort out anything you need moved. You can leave the rest to the professionals. Akemi, you and the others go up and help as well. We'll wait down here."
"Eh?! Really?!"
Hearing this, Kasugano Sora, who had been a bundle of nerves the entire trip, suddenly relaxed, her face flooding with relief and excitement.
Kirari chuckled. "Of course. We don't need to go inside to know what your room looks like. Did you really think you could hide it from us?"
Kasugano Sora managed an awkward smile. She knew it was true. In the eyes of her new older brother and sisters, her rank was still far too low. She couldn't hide a thing. It seemed that, in a way, she might not have any little secrets left to call her own...
"It's here... But... never mind..." Sora mumbled as she unlocked the door.
Sakura Hibiki and the others looked on, puzzled. When the door swung open, the living room wasn't the disaster zone they had half-expected. On the contrary, a pleasant fragrance filled the air. It was just clear that the floor hadn't been mopped or the coffee table wiped in some time.
Gina nodded in approval. "It's very clean. It's understandable that you didn't have the strength to clean before, Sora, since you weren't feeling well. And the apartment smells wonderful."
Everyone murmured in agreement.
Kasugano Sora's mouth twitched in annoyance. "Why does everyone assume I live in a garbage dump! Honestly... I did tidy up the sofa, you know... Anyway, forget this room for now. Let's go to my room first..."
The group followed her down the hall, but as they stepped through the next doorway, they all stopped dead in their tracks, completely dumbfounded. Sakura Hibiki's eyes lit up as if she'd just discovered paradise. Good heavens, this was her dream room! It was absolutely amazing!
"Wow!" Akemi and the other girls exclaimed in unison. "Sora, you're really living the good life!"
Kasugano Sora's room was a sanctuary of clean white. A large, plush-looking bed sat against one wall, piled high with an assortment of stuffed animals. The sheets were pristine. Several potted plants rested on the windowsill, soaking in the light. The floor was covered in a thick, soft carpet that looked so comfortable you could just melt into it. A small night light and an aroma diffuser sat on the bedside table. A small humidifier hummed quietly on her desk, and a large dressing table occupied a corner of the room.
Several photo frames were placed on various surfaces, displaying pictures of Ren and Yumiko. On the windowsill sat a single, cherished photo of her with her parents.
Beyond that, there was a Western-style wardrobe, and a wind chime identical to the one at Ren's Shop tinkled softly by the open window. Several beanbag chairs were scattered across the floor. Everything pointed to Kasugano Sora's exquisite taste and her desire for a comfortable life, but... there was also a refrigerator in the room. And snacks.
So many snacks.
They colonized every available surface. The bookshelves were packed with them. The display cases overflowed with them. The remaining space on the windowsill, not occupied by plants, was a fortress of snacks. Her desk was laden with them. Basically, everywhere you looked, there were snacks. A hammock-style hanging chair was positioned in front of the desk, which also boasted a high-spec computer...
Gina walked numbly to the refrigerator, her expression blank. "This can't be what I think it is, can it...? Wow!!! Sora! You really are..."
As she pulled the door open, everyone gasped. The refrigerator was stocked from top to bottom with a dazzling variety of sodas and other drinks.
Kasugano Sora puffed out her cheeks, her voice a guilty whisper. "Uh... Brother Ren said... life is meant to be enjoyed..."
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