As the sedan came to a gentle stop at the entrance of the Yukinoshita residence, Tsushima Kagami and Yukinoshita Shizuku stepped out of the vehicle.
"Shizuka-chan, thanks for dropping us off," Tsushima Kagami said with a smile, expressing his gratitude to Hiratsuka Shizuka inside the car.
Just as he was about to help Yukinoshita Shizuku retrieve their luggage from the trunk, Hiratsuka Shizuka also stepped out with her bags.
She looked toward the butler in the driver's seat.
"I'm staying at a friend's house for the day. Come pick me up tomorrow at noon."
"Very well, My Lady."
The driver nodded.
Tsushima Kagami looked at Hiratsuka Shizuka, puzzled.
"What's this about?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka stepped forward and draped her arm around Tsushima Kagami's shoulder.
"Since I'm already here, surely it doesn't matter if I hang out at a friend's place for a day, right?"
"I mean, I welcome it," Tsushima Kagami said, then glanced at Yukinoshita Shizuku.
Hiratsuka Shizuka walked over to Yukinoshita Shizuku and bowed slightly.
"Sorry, Shizuku-chan. I really don't want to go home this early yet. Could you let me stay at your place for the night?"
With that settled, the three of them carried their large and small bags into the house.
Upon entering, Hiratsuka Shizuka looked at the layout of the first-floor living room and exclaimed in amazement.
"What a unique floor plan!"
Then, realizing her words might have been inappropriate, she hurriedly covered her mouth and looked at Tsushima Kagami and Yukinoshita Shizuku.
"Oh, I didn't mean anything by it! It's just my first time seeing such a distinctive layout."
Both Tsushima Kagami and Shizuku expressed their understanding.
Before they even started unpacking, Yukinoshita Shizuku went straight to the closet on the side. Opening it, she picked up some incense sticks, lit them, and placed them in the burner. Tsushima Kagami also stepped forward, joining Yukinoshita Shizuku in clasping his hands together in prayer.
He noticed a copy of The Setting Sun placed before the Buddhist altar. Presumably, Mrs. Yukinoshita had already read it.
Observing their actions and the memorial tablet on the altar, Hiratsuka Shizuka seemed to understand the situation. She stepped forward and imitated them, clasping her hands in prayer as well.
Afterwards, the three took their luggage up to the rooms on the second floor.
"Is this your room, Kagami?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka followed Tsushima Kagami into his room, looking around with curiosity.
The room wasn't large. A bed was pushed against the wall, with a window right beside the headboard. Next to the window stood a very old desk, and a small wardrobe was situated by the door. It could be described as extremely simple.
If there was a redeeming quality, it was that—after seeing the first-floor living room and Yukinoshita Shizuku's room just now—Tsushima Kagami's room was the only place in the entire house with decent lighting.
"So, you clearly came back to Chiba, but why didn't you go home?" Tsushima Kagami asked Hiratsuka Shizuka as he took his clothes out of his backpack to organize them.
"Well, every time I come back for the holidays, my parents take me to various banquets. It's a bit annoying."
Hearing this, Tsushima Kagami smiled and turned back to look at Hiratsuka Shizuka.
"Is the Young Miss being rushed into marriage or forced into arranged interviews?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka smiled helplessly, walked over to Tsushima Kagami's bed, and sat down heavily.
"Yes and no. It's just to 'see if anyone catches my eye'."
"Honestly, I'm still a minor. They act like I won't be able to get married in the future or something."
"What kind of parents are they?!"
Your parents actually have foresight. You really do end up as an 'older leftover woman'. Your standards are high, you're not short of money, and you don't look twice at other rich guys—while the rich guys only want the young ones.
But being rushed to marry is indeed annoying. Who wouldn't want to seize the chance if they met the right person? The pity is that the right person is hard to find.
That said, since they eventually let you become an older single woman, your parents are actually quite lenient with you.
"So there's a banquet today?" Tsushima Kagami asked as he continued packing away his things.
"Yup."
"Then what if there are more tomorrow, the day after, and the day after that?"
"There can't be that many," Hiratsuka Shizuka retorted with a laugh from the bed. Then, she thought for a moment.
"In that case, you can just come to my house and say you're asking me out to play."
"My parents wouldn't easily refuse that."
"I'd rather not. Your parents would hold a grudge against me, wouldn't they?"
"We're bros, aren't we? You won't even help with a small favor like this?"
Tsushima Kagami shook his head with a smile. Hiratsuka Shizuka stood up and walked to his side, watching as he placed a stack of manuscript paper onto the desk.
Hiratsuka Shizuka curiously picked them up and started flipping through.
"Hey, are you drawing manga?"
"Sort of."
Tsushima Kagami's project for the doujin convention, Inorganic Girl, was currently drawn up to page forty-nine, completing the entire prologue setup.
Since the content was perfectly wholesome, he let Hiratsuka Shizuka browse through it freely.
"Is it a romance series?"
"Which magazine is it serialized in?"
"I usually read Weekly Shonen Jump too, you know."
Hiratsuka Shizuka flipped through the manuscript pages one by one, firing questions at Tsushima Kagami without pause.
Tsushima Kagami finished folding the unworn clothes into the closet and tossed the ones needing washing aside before replying.
"It's not serialized."
"This is a doujin manga that my friends from the school club and I are preparing for the Summer Comiket."
"I see. I've read some doujin works too," she said. "But I feel like your art is better than the ones at the convention..."
"No, I should say it's drawn much better than the manga I see from Shueisha and Kodansha."
Tsushima Kagami laughed. "Whether a manga is good or not depends on the plot and content."
"True."
Hiratsuka Shizuka continued flipping through.
"But why do I feel like your content has a bit of a shoujo manga vibe?"
"Shoujo manga is the way to go. Real men should read shoujo manga!"
Just as Tsushima Kagami finished speaking, Yukinoshita Shizuku walked in.
"Kagami, I'm done unpacking. What should we eat tonight? I'll go prepare the ingredients."
Tsushima Kagami looked at Yukinoshita Shizuku, who had already changed into her usual loungewear, and then looked at Hiratsuka Shizuka.
"What would our guest like to eat today?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka pointed at herself.
"Me?"
"I'm not picky. Anything is fine."
In the living room, Tsushima Kagami was helping Yukinoshita Shizuku prepare dinner.
Hiratsuka Shizuka sat at the dining table, watching the two of them bustle about. Finally, feeling a bit embarrassed, she spoke up.
"Maybe I should help too?"
"No need, Hiratsuka-san. You are a guest," Yukinoshita Shizuku said with a smile, looking at the sheepish Hiratsuka Shizuka.
"I told you, just call me Shizuka."
"Then, Shizuka-chan, just sit there and wait for us to finish."
"Eh, alright then."
Hiratsuka Shizuka agreed, then leaned her arms on the table, resting her chin in her hands as she watched the two cook.
Whenever Yukinoshita Shizuku reached a certain step, she would pause, and Tsushima Kagami would add ingredients or seasoning.
For the next dish, Yukinoshita Shizuku would step aside, letting Tsushima Kagami take over as head chef while she became the assistant. Still, they needed no verbal communication; a single gesture or glance was enough to know what needed to be added next.
Watching their level of tacit understanding, Hiratsuka Shizuka spoke enviously.
"Is this what it feels like to be siblings?"
"I'm so envious. Too bad I'm an only child."
____
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