During breakfast, Aoyama Nanami sat stiffly at the table, her eyes constantly drifting toward Nozomi with the intensity of a vigilant warrior facing off against a cunning demon lord. Her aura practically screamed: I'm watching you!
Nozomi, naturally, didn't mind. He continued eating calmly, as if her suspicion was just another breeze in the ever-chaotic Sakurasou. She would figure things out soon enough. And when she did? Well, there was no better place for her to live than Sakurasou. Nozomi knew that deep down, she'd come to accept that truth.
After breakfast, Nanami grabbed Shiina Mashiro by the hand and dragged her out of Sakurasou like a determined class rep on a mission from the gods.
"We're having a talk," she declared heroically.
Today's topic: No girl should ever call herself someone's pet!
Once outside and alone, Nanami poured her heart into educating Mashiro. At first, she'd blamed Nozomi for Mashiro's... unorthodox mindset. But after a deeper explanation, and hearing the full story, Nanami realized something crucial.
It wasn't Nozomi's doing at all.
Mashiro was like this because of her past—her neglectful parents, and the influence of a certain someone named Rita. All of that had led her to this strange, emotionally disconnected state.
After dropping Mashiro off at her art class, Nanami returned to her own classroom, dragging her feet like a samurai who had just lost a battle of honor. She collapsed onto her desk, her forehead thudding softly against her arms.
"This day... is too much..."
Her brain was spinning.
Most of the girls in Sakurasou were actually Nozomi's girlfriends. Even that cold, elegant Yukinoshita Yukino—who looked like she had stepped out of a fairytale—was his fiancée! And last night, she'd stayed with him at Sakurasou. All night! Nanami could barely process the implications.
Her mind began painting scandalous mental images.
Rosy cheeks...
Breathless whispers...
And then—Nozomi turning around with a devilish smirk, pressing her against the wall—
Nanami jolted upright, her face flushed bright red.
"No! Bad brain! Stop imagining things!"
"There's no way Nozomi would do that to me!" she whispered fiercely to herself. "I'm not even that cute... Besides, he saved me. Twice! He even carried me like a princess..."
She fidgeted.
"Sayu and Mahiru did say they stayed with him willingly... so maybe he's not that bad?"
"What kind of spell has he cast on everyone?!"
She groaned and buried her face in her arms.
Across the classroom, Miyahara Daichi had been watching her from the side. Her shifting expressions and heavy sighs hadn't gone unnoticed.
"Nanami, are you okay? You look... kinda out of it today."
Nanami straightened up quickly and forced a tight-lipped smile.
"Ahaha... it's nothing. Just didn't sleep well."
She gave a polite but distant response. Daichi, she thought, was a decent classmate—friendly, reliable—but not someone she would confide in about the chaos of Sakurasou.
Daichi scratched the back of his head awkwardly. He sensed she was hiding something but didn't want to press.
He couldn't help feeling uneasy. Just recently, Nanami had actually defended the infamous "succubus" Nozomi. Was she being charmed too?
But what could he do about it?
...
Meanwhile, Nozomi had arrived at Sobu High.
Still riding the afterglow of his victory—ahem, romantic progress—with Yukinoshita, his stride carried a bit more swagger than usual.
Let's be honest.
He just wanted more time to enjoy the sweetness.
So...
That afternoon, he took Yukino back home with him. No room for refusal. She put up a small resistance, but she was clearly flustered.
"Geez... You're so pushy," she murmured, but her cheeks were glowing pink.
Even though she acted reluctant, Yukino couldn't hide her smile.
Her fiancé liked her, and despite her pride, she liked that.
And so, she went along with him—half-resigned, half-happy.
What would happen next?
Well, let's just say...
Nozomi definitely intended to tease her some more.
However,
Plans cannot always keep up with the circumstances.
Just as they arrived at Sakurasou, Yukino was snatched away by Yuki Suou, who insisted she help pet a cat.
In the living room, the soft meows of cats filled the air. While gently brushing a particularly fluffy calico, Yuki glanced sideways, her eyes glinting mischievously.
"Yukinoshita, since it's just us girls here… care to spill the beans?" she asked with a sly grin. "How was Onii-chan's performance last night?"
Yukino's cheeks flared red instantly. She buried her face into the cat's fur as if to hide her shame. "He... he's not even human. He's a monster."
Yuki blinked. Then burst into laughter. "Pfft—so you're saying you got outplayed, huh? But weren't you the one who couldn't hold back first?"
Yukino groaned, defeated. "You'll understand… when it's your turn."
And just like that, her face went from pale to crimson again. The mere thought that tonight might repeat last night was enough to make her entire body go warm.
...
After leaving Yukino in Yuki's hands, Nozomi headed straight to the airport.
Yuki had sent him on a mission: pick up her personal maid, Kimishima Ayano.
From what he remembered, Ayano was just a small, doll-like loli with serious eyes and overly formal speech. He waited by the airport's arrival gate, holding up a banner with her name on it like a chauffeur in a rom-com anime.
And then, a figure appeared. A petite girl with jet-black hair cascading to her waist, its ends curling slightly, and a single proud ahoge poking up on her head. She stared at him, those large eyes shimmering with recognition.
Nozomi double-checked the photo Yuki had given him and smiled. "Hello, Miss Kimishima Ayano. I'm Hozuki Nozomi. Yuki sent me to pick you up. Shall we?"
In the next instant, the little maid knelt on one knee, took his hand, and gently pressed it to her forehead. Her voice was clear and unwavering: "Master, please call me Ayano. I am honored to serve both you and Lady Yuki. Please forgive my tardiness."
Nozomi blinked. Passersby were already glancing over, whispering.
"Uhh… Ayano, can you get up first? This is seriously embarrassing."
"As you wish, Master Nozomi!"
She stood up straight with military precision, her long hair dancing with the breeze. Her gaze—full of stars—never left him.
Nozomi chuckled softly and patted her head. "Let's go home, Ayano."
"Yes, Master."
"Let me help with your luggage."
"Absolutely not! I am your maid—it's my duty to serve you!"
Despite his repeated attempts to help, Ayano refused firmly. She insisted that a maid should never let her master carry bags.
Finally, Nozomi straightened his back, narrowed his eyes slightly, and said in a commanding tone: "This counts as training. I need the workout."
Still, Ayano didn't budge. So he delivered the final blow:
"This is an order."
"Understood!"
She immediately released the suitcase, her serious little face glowing with admiration. She followed behind him obediently, her steps light, her eyes sparkling. As she watched Nozomi carry the luggage, her chest swelled with warmth.
Master Nozomi is so kind… she thought. From now on, I'll serve him and Lady Yuki with all my heart!
Through their brief exchange, Nozomi got a clearer understanding of her personality. Apparently, since she was young, Ayano had firmly believed she was born to be Yuki and Nozomi's maid. She had trained herself relentlessly—etiquette, cooking, cleaning, even combat basics.
Her family, rather than stopping her, supported her dreams, giving her resources and pointers on how to become the perfect maid.
Earlier, when he gave her a command, she obeyed instantly—without a second thought.
It made him feel… strange.
If he were to order her to sleep with him, would she accept without hesitation?
Nozomi coughed, shaking the thought away.
This was getting dangerous.
But still… he couldn't help but wonder.
*********
See you tomorrow, Saturday. The updates for Heartbeats and Illusions are long overdue.