Just the thought of it left Misato Katsuragi restless and uneasy.
With Ryota Kitazawa sleeping in the room next door, she suddenly felt a strong impulse—to get up, open his door, and simply look at him.
Even just a glimpse of him would be enough.
Compelled by that thought, Misato found herself quietly slipping out of bed and walking toward Kitazawa's room.
But what she heard the moment she reached the door stopped her cold.
From inside came sounds—sounds she instantly recognized.
There was no mistaking what was happening in there.
No… it can't be… Could it be that Asuka and Ryota Kitazawa are… already…?
The thought was unbearable. Misato didn't dare picture it any further.
And yet, the more she tried not to think about it, the more her mind clung to it—like biting into the forbidden fruit of the devil, the image dug deep into her chest, impossible to uproot.
Her body trembled with a different impulse altogether: a wild urge to throw the door open and storm inside.
Because in her heart, Kitazawa was already her man.
Her chest tight with a sour ache, Misato's hand moved almost of its own accord. She pushed the door open.
Sure enough, the moment she stepped inside, what she saw made her freeze.
Asuka, startled mid‑motion, jerked in shock, her whole body shuddering.
Of all the things to be caught doing by Misato—this was the most mortifying.
For a moment, both women didn't know what to say or do.
Kitazawa, on the other hand, remained utterly calm. He stood up with practiced ease, looked at both of them, and smiled faintly:
"Well, since you're already here, why don't you stay?"
"Eh? What—?"
Before Misato could react, Kitazawa pulled her forward with a strength that gave her no room to resist.
In an instant, she was yanked firmly into his arms.
With a sudden push, Kitazawa tipped her onto the bed.
The mattress shook violently under the impact.
"Ah—this… this is way too embarrassing…"
Asuka covered her face with both hands, her cheeks so red they could have been mistaken for ripe apples.
"Forget it… I might as well… accept it…"
At the last moment, Misato quietly closed her eyes, exhaling a long breath. Her thoughts steadied.
And then, the sea of flowers bloomed once more, pulling all three of them into a tide of tangled emotion.
The Next Morning
The early sunlight streamed in through the window, spilling across the white sheets and stirring the sleepers awake.
This morning, however, the Katsuragi household felt… different.
The first to wake was, unsurprisingly, Misato.
The events of the night before felt like something out of a dream—one both hazy and vividly real.
That lingering sense of absurdity still hovered in her mind.
Beside her, Asuka was still fast asleep.
The only one missing was Kitazawa. From the kitchen came the clatter of pots and pans—he was cooking.
"What on earth… are we even doing?"
Misato muttered quietly to herself.
Even by Japanese standards of propriety, where restraint and decorum were valued, last night's madness was far beyond acceptable boundaries.
Seizing the moment while Asuka slept, Misato hurriedly reached for her clothes to get dressed.
But just as she was about to put them on, the door suddenly swung open.
Standing there, of course, was Ryota Kitazawa.
The instant Misato saw him, her entire face flushed red.
She hadn't finished dressing—and he was just standing there, seeing everything.
Completely inappropriate!
"Y‑You—you—why did you just barge in?!"
Misato's voice cracked as she stammered. She had completely forgotten that her shout might wake Asuka.
"Relax. I just brought you breakfast."
Kitazawa raised the food tray in his hands with an easy smile. Inside were synthetic milk, bread, and other simple dishes.
Perhaps it was the smell of the food, or maybe their conversation, but Asuka stirred awake at that moment.
She rubbed her bleary eyes—then froze.
Next to her stood Misato, halfway through putting on her clothes.
And right beside them was Kitazawa, perfectly at ease.
"Y‑You… you guys… why are you both here?"
Asuka's face flared scarlet as last night's memories came flooding back. She and Misato glanced at each other—and both saw the same mortified expression reflected in the other's eyes.
"Alright, alright. Come on, get up and eat."
Kitazawa set the breakfast down on the table and added casually:
"You're all adults. What's with the hesitation? Since we're all living under the same roof, there's no reason for secrets anymore. So… why don't the three of us just stay together from now on?"
His grin was as infuriating as it was smug.
"No way! Absolutely not!"
Both women shouted in unison.
They turned and looked at each other, momentarily startled by how perfectly their reactions matched.
"If you don't agree, then fine—keep things the way they were before. Separate rooms, separate lives."
"W‑Wait… no, that's not good either!"
Again, both women spoke in sync, their faces burning red immediately afterward.
How could they blurt out something so humiliating?
"So it's no to that, and no to this. What exactly do you two want, then?"
Kitazawa's tone shifted. He looked genuinely irritated.
What, am I supposed to be outsmarted by the two of you?
Asuka and Misato exchanged a glance, speechless for once.
What could they even say? The one who had dragged them into this ridiculous situation was Kitazawa himself.
And if they really did anger him… that wouldn't be a joke.
Ryota Kitazawa wasn't just a fighter—he was a force of nature. With his overwhelming strength, there wasn't anyone he feared, let alone Asuka or Misato.
Deciding not to waste time any longer, Kitazawa wrapped his arms around both women and pulled them back toward the bed.
Once again, the three of them fell headlong into that same intoxicating sea of flowers.
A startled cry escaped both Asuka and Misato. Caught completely off guard, neither had any chance to resist.
At this rate, as long as Kitazawa kept living here, the Katsuragi residence would inevitably remain…
a house overflowing with complicated "happiness."