After the three of them finished dinner at Ryunosuke's place, Kushida still seemed loath to leave.
Suzune sitting formally on the tatami as she cleared the leftovers, knit her brows. She set her chopsticks down and said with clear displeasure, "It's time you went home, Kushida..."
Kushida ignored her. Propping her chin on both hands atop the table, she watched the master of the house with a sweet smile, waiting for his response. Ryunosuke didn't overthink it and gave her a firm nod, signaling that it was indeed time for her to head out.
Kushida huffed, muttering the word "coward" under her breath before snatching up her school bag. At the genkan, she swapped into her outdoor shoes. Suzune stood in the doorway with her arms crossed, her posture screaming, "Go ahead, I won't be seeing you out."
Unwilling to take the slight lying down, Kushida spoke in a challenging tone, "Don't get too smug. In certain departments, you aren't necessarily the stronger one."
To drive the point home, Kushida puffed out her chest. She had already "tested" Ryunosuke's preferences that night; she was a solid C-cup, whereas Suzune was a B.
Faced with such a blatant provocation, Suzune's face turned a deep crimson. Abandoning all pretense of ladylike decorum, she let fly a kick aimed straight at Kushida. A literal, physical kick.
With a sharp cry, Kushida was sent flying out the door, which was promptly slammed shut behind her. Rubbing her sore backside, she grumbled in disbelief; she hadn't expected Suzune to get physical so quickly. However, she had forgotten one crucial detail: Suzune and Ryunosuke were officially dating and had already crossed every line. Kushida's taunt was effectively a victory dance on a live minefield.
In the past, Suzune wouldn't have bothered because she didn't care—but now, she cared very much!
Inside, Ryunosuke watched Kushida get booted out and silently made the sign of the cross over his chest, praying in his heart and not daring to utter a single word. Suzune had no intention of going home either; she let out a long sigh and decided to stay the night, reaching up to undo her hair tie.
Seeing the writing on the wall, Ryunosuke raised a hand and asked for permission to step out for a moment to "buy something." But Suzune held him back, noting that she had checked the calendar; today was a "safe day"...
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
Once school let out at 15:30, the Nakano sisters headed to their new part-time jobs. The workplace Ryunosuke had selected for them was a charming cake shop.
Ryunosuke, who understood their talents well, had chosen this place by design. Furthermore, the shop provided a dinner perk: any bread or sweets that couldn't be kept until the next day (as they wouldn't be fresh) were given to the staff. This meant Itsuki could eat to her heart's content without costing a single point.
The five of them only realized the brilliance of this arrangement as their shift neared its end. Itsuki, in particular, felt her cheeks flush; she felt herself being slowly "conquered" by Ryunosuke's thoughtfulness.
Nino felt it too. Her assigned role was as a dessert chef—the very thing she loved most. Cooking was her passion, specifically sweets, and her dream was to become a professional pastry chef.
(This man... he aimed right at my hobbies and stole my heart.)
Nino began acting unnaturally, her voice wavering as she asked, "What if... we just forgive him?"
Ichika, Miku, Yotsuba, Itsuki: "😐"
(Who was the one fighting this the hardest from the start?! You!!! Now you're suddenly talking about forgiveness? Are you kidding us?!)
Realizing her inconsistency, Nino immediately defaulted to her tsundere persona. "I-I don't care anymore! You guys decide for yourselves! I'm staying out of it!"
The subtext was clear: I won't stop you from making up with him. Since she had already forgiven him in her heart, she was leaving the rest to her sisters. The five exchanged glances and shared a bitter smile. They were already far behind Ryunosuke's other "girlfriends"; it was too late for regrets now.
Ryunosuke finished his Student Council duties around 17:30.
The Nakano sisters' shift ended at 18:30, meaning they had worked nearly three hours. Thanks to Ryunosuke's connections, the shop owner was happy to pay them for a full three-hour block.
In reality, Ryunosuke was the one quietly covering the difference to compensate the owner. He was doing this to mend his relationship with them. Because of his subsidy, their wages were 70% higher than the market average—about 1,800 yen per hour, totaling 5,400 yen per person.
That was 27,000 yen per day for the five of them. In a month, it was more than enough to cover their living expenses—or at least, enough to keep Itsuki full.
After locking the Student Council room, Ryunosuke prepared to check on them. Suzune had sent word that she was exhausted from the previous night's "events" and wouldn't be cooking, telling him to eat out. It was the perfect excuse for Ryunosuke to meet the Nakanos.
He headed straight to the cake shop. By the time he arrived, the other sisters had already left, save for Nino. As the one responsible for the kitchen, she had stayed behind to prep the batter for tomorrow's sweets.
Nino's face was smudged with flour and beads of sweat dotted her forehead, but she looked genuinely happy. She neatly organized the egg-white and yolk mixtures in the fridge, wiped her brow, and prepared to change clothes. After a quick splash of water on her face, she bowed politely to the owner. As she stepped outside, she heard the tinkle of a bicycle bell.
It was Ryunosuke, arriving on his bike to pick her up.
Nino briefly considered making a run for it. She didn't want to forgive this "bastard" so easily! She marched straight past him with a huff. Ryunosuke quickly intercepted her and held out a small gift.
"This is for you. Also, let me take you home. Even if you don't forgive me, that's fine. Consider this my punishment."
Nino stopped in her tracks, her voice dripping with tsundere energy. "What's inside?"
Ryunosuke smiled. "Nail polish and that skincare brand you like."
Nino felt a mix of confusion and tenderness.
(How does he know what I like?)
(Didn't he say he lost his memory?)
(But we only met as kids—back then, I didn't even use skincare.)
(Does that mean... he's been watching me all this time? Paying attention to the things I love...)
Nino's face flushed involuntarily. She had been "conquered," yet she still refused to admit it. She climbed haughtily onto the back of Ryunosuke's bike and barked an order:
"What are you waiting for? Take me home!"
Ryunosuke nodded and began to pedal slowly. Nino held the white gift box in one hand while wrapping her other arm around his waist, resting her face against his back.
"Don't get the wrong idea! I'm only holding on so I don't fall. Don't you dare think anything funny!"
"Right, right... I know..." Ryunosuke replied, resigned to his fate.