After the three-minute blackout that had sent the entire city into panic, the house finally returned to normal.
The lights remained steady.
The refrigerator was humming again.
The internet was back.
But the atmosphere… still hadn't completely recovered.
Nora still looked annoyed.
Arou was quieter than usual.
And on the dining table—
The electricity bill was still unpaid.
Airi glanced at Arou's phone.
"You're paying it today, right?"
Arou stared at the screen.
His balance was still short.
He let out a long sigh.
Lumina crossed her arms.
"Don't tell me you have another idea."
Arou quickly shook his head.
"No. No experiments. No copying. No wires."
Nora snorted.
"Good."
Arou stared at the bill again.
Silence.
Then he slowly stood up.
"Okay."
Everyone looked at him.
"Okay what?" Nora asked suspiciously.
Arou walked toward the corner of the room and opened his contact list.
A name he rarely called.
Dad.
Nora immediately narrowed her eyes.
"What are you doing?"
Arou didn't answer.
He pressed the call button.
The ringing tone played.
A few seconds later—
"Hello?"
A deep voice came from the other end.
Arou's tone immediately changed.
"Dad…"
Nora froze.
That tone.
The tone of a well-behaved son.
"What is it?" his father asked.
Arou hesitated for a moment.
Then, quietly,
"Could you… transfer me a little money?"
Nora slowly stood from her chair.
Lumina closed her eyes for a moment.
Priscilla pretended not to hear.
Shi glanced over slightly.
Akari simply watched.
On the phone, Arou's father sounded confused.
"Transfer? What for?"
Arou swallowed.
"The electricity bill."
Silence for two seconds.
"You forgot to pay again?"
Arou gave an awkward little laugh.
"Hehe… yeah."
Nora bit her lip.
She tried.
She really tried.
To hold herself back.
On the phone, a heavy sigh could be heard.
"How many times have you forgotten things like this?"
"Not that often…"
"Water last month. Electricity this month."
Arou couldn't argue.
"Sorry."
Silence.
Then his father's voice softened slightly.
"How much are you short?"
Arou told him the amount.
It wasn't much.
But it was embarrassing enough.
"Okay. Give me a moment."
"Seriously?"
"Yes. But this is the last time I'll help you with something like this. You're old enough to handle it yourself."
Arou smiled in relief.
"Yes, Dad. Thanks."
The call ended.
A few seconds of silence passed.
Then—
A notification appeared.
Transfer received.
Arou smiled proudly.
"Done."
He turned around.
And immediately found himself face-to-face with Nora.
Nora's aura had changed.
She was silent.
Far too silent.
"What?" Arou asked innocently.
Nora took a very long breath.
"You."
"What?"
"You just…"
"Yeah?"
"Called your father."
"Yeah."
"To pay the electricity bill."
"Yeah…"
Nora smiled.
A very thin smile.
Then—
"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"
Her voice echoed throughout the house.
Arou instinctively took a step backward.
"What now?!"
"We almost caused an entire city-wide blackout, argued about electrical logic, and your final solution was… CALLING YOUR DAD?!"
"It's the fastest solution!"
"It's the most embarrassing solution!"
"Why is it embarrassing?!"
"BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!"
Lumina rubbed her temples.
Priscilla tried to hold back her laughter.
Shi whispered,
"Her emotional intensity is increasing."
Nora pointed at Arou's chest.
"Do you know that I almost got electrocuted because of your stupid idea?!"
"You were the one who touched the wires!"
"Because you told me to!"
"Because you're smart!"
"Don't throw cheap compliments at me!"
Arou defended himself.
"Would you rather the power went out again?!"
"That isn't the point!"
Nora began pacing back and forth.
"You always look for shortcuts whenever there's a problem!"
"This isn't a shortcut. It's family support!"
"You didn't even try to solve the problem yourself first!"
"I did! I almost copied the electricity earlier!"
"THAT WASN'T A SOLUTION!"
"Well, it failed!"
"And now you've gone back to level one: 'Dad, please help me'?!"
Arou fell silent for a moment.
That sentence hit him.
Akari finally spoke quietly.
"Nora."
"What?"
"Calm down."
"No!"
She turned her attention back to Arou.
"You know what really annoys me?"
Arou slowly shook his head.
"You don't learn."
Silence.
The room suddenly felt heavier than before.
"Every strange thing that's happened lately," Nora continued, "you've always been at the center of it. But you still act like everything is just some small coincidence."
Arou opened his mouth.
No words came out.
"And when something simple happens—like a bill—you run away."
"I didn't run away," Arou protested weakly.
"You called your father."
"That isn't running away…"
"It's relying on someone else."
Silence.
Those words were harsher than her shouting.
Arou stared at the floor.
He wanted to argue.
But he couldn't.
Because… she had a point.
Akari stepped closer.
"Nora."
This time, her voice was firmer.
Nora looked at her.
"Your anger isn't only about the electricity."
Nora fell silent.
"What do you mean?" she asked quietly.
"You're afraid."
Silence.
Everyone looked at Akari.
"Afraid of what?" Arou asked.
Akari answered without hesitation.
"If every little event around you starts having major consequences… then you'll have to start taking responsibility."
Arou tensed.
Nora turned her face slightly away.
"I just don't want him to keep acting recklessly," she muttered.
Airi finally spoke gently.
"It's okay to be angry. But don't hurt each other."
The room gradually became quiet.
Nora sat down again.
She was still annoyed.
But she was no longer exploding.
Arou stood there for a few seconds.
Then he quietly said,
"I'm sorry."
Everyone looked at him.
"Not just about the electricity," he continued. "But because… I really do tend to put things off."
Silence.
Nora didn't answer.
Lumina finally spoke.
"Pay it now before you forget again."
Arou immediately sat down and completed the payment.
A notification appeared.
Payment successful.
He stared at the screen for a few seconds longer.
As if making sure it was really finished.
Then he looked up.
"Done."
Nora snorted softly.
"Good."
Akari looked at Arou with an unreadable expression.
"Did you realize something today?" she asked.
Arou thought for a moment.
"That I need to be more responsible?"
"Not only that."
"What else?"
"That every little thing you do… is starting to be watched."
Arou frowned.
"Watched by who?"
Akari didn't answer immediately.
She simply looked toward the window.
Outside, the city appeared completely normal.
As if it had never gone dark.
As if nothing had happened.
But—
Some things cannot be seen.
And some consequences…
arrive later than expected.
Nora finally stood again.
"And from now on," she said firmly, "you're responsible for all the payment schedules. With double reminders."
Arou quickly nodded.
"Got it."
"And never say 'copy electricity' again."
Arou raised his hand.
"I won't."
Priscilla smiled faintly.
"This house really is never boring."
Shi added quietly,
"The emotional energy is quite high."
Nora looked at him.
"That wasn't a compliment."
For the first time that morning, the atmosphere began to lighten.
Arou leaned back in his chair.
A simple problem.
An electricity bill.
But the consequences—
Nearly an entire city went dark.
Nora nearly got electrocuted.
And Arou's pride nearly collapsed.
He sighed.
"From now on… no more procrastinating."
Akari looked at him.
"We'll see."
The lights remained on.
Calm.
Stable.
But deep within a system no one could see—
Something was taking note.
Not of the electricity.
Not of the transfer.
But of a choice.
And that day—
Arou chose to accept help.
Not manipulation.
Not experimentation.
Perhaps it was a small decision.
But for the first time…
he didn't try to alter the flow of the world.
He simply accepted the reality that—
sometimes, the simplest solution really is the most embarrassing one.
And Nora?
She was still annoyed.
But secretly relieved.