Once I got back home, I was instantly greeted by silence.
No shouting, no controller clicks, no "DIE LOSER!!" over the mic.
Weird.
I walked toward Saki's room and peeked in. She was curled up in bed, wrapped in a blanket burrito, scrolling on her phone with half-lidded eyes.
When she noticed me, she looked up and gave me a crooked grin.
"Hey, Maid-chan. How was work?" Her voice cracked halfway through the sentence.
"Oh, hey. Now you're calling me that?" I raised an eyebrow, stepping into the room.
She giggled—well, sort of. It came out more like a cough mixed with a wheeze. "Well, when you're serving four anime-level heroines every day, I figured the title fits."
I sighed, sitting down at the edge of her bed. "Don't even get me started."
She glanced at me and tilted her head. "You look… weird. Like, guilt-trip energy. What happened?"
I hesitated, rubbing the back of my neck. "Saki… The girls… they said they're not going on the school trip anymore."
She blinked. "Huh? Why not?"
"Because of me. I told them you were sick, and I might not be able to go. I didn't even ask them to stay behind—they just decided it on their own. Nao, Reina, and Arisa all said if I'm not going, then they're not either."
Saki sat up a little straighter, eyes wide. "Wait… seriously?"
"Yeah."
"…Damn. So they're that into you, huh?" she muttered under her breath.
"Not helping," I sighed.
She looked at me, more serious now. "And you? Are you actually not going?"
"I don't know," I admitted. "I want to. I really do. But I can't just leave you like this. Not when you're sick. It'd feel wrong."
She rolled her eyes, then sniffled. "Bro, it's a cold. A bad one, yeah, but not end-of-the-world level. I'm not dying—just out of commission for a bit. I've had worse."
"Saki—"
She raised a hand. "No, listen. You always take care of me. You always put me first. But this time? I want you to go. They clearly care. And I'm not letting you throw away a golden rom-com opportunity just 'cause I've got the sniffles."
I frowned. "But what if something happens?"
"Then I'll text you. Or call. Or summon you through cursed spirit magic. Point is—I'll be fine."
There was a beat of silence. I looked down, guilt still twisting in my stomach.
She nudged me with her foot under the blanket. "Also, if you don't go, I will tell the girls embarrassing stories. I've got that one pic of you dancing in a tutu."
"You're evil."
"I'm your sister."
I sighed, finally smiling. "…Fine. I'll think about it."
She laid back and gave a thumbs-up. "That's all I needed to hear."
*
The next day passed like a blur.
I did my maid duties, dodged Yuki's occasional death glares, helped Reina pick up all the Lego bricks she somehow managed to scatter across three rooms, and even helped Nao fish a paintbrush out of the toilet (don't ask).
But by the time night fell, I couldn't focus. Not on cleaning, not on chores, just on one thing.
The trip.
And Saki.
I stood in the hallway staring at the door to the living room, where the four sisters were hanging out like it was just any other lazy Sunday. Laughter, anime reruns, and Arisa humming the AOT Sasageyo opening as she scrolled on her phone.
I took a deep breath.
This was it.
"Hey," I said, stepping in.
The room went quiet.
Four pairs of eyes locked onto me. Reina looked up from her book. Nao paused mid-chew on a cookie. Yuki arched an eyebrow. Arisa blinked and sat up straighter.
"I need to say something."
Yuki squinted. "You're not quitting, are you?"
"No. Worse," I muttered. "I'm making a heartfelt speech."
Groans all around.
But they listened.
I stood in the middle of the room, clutching the paper from Willhelm, the one about the school trip.
"I've been thinking. A lot. About Saki. About all of you. About this trip. And honestly… I didn't think I'd care so much. I've always been the guy who skips stuff like this, you know? But I wanted to go. Because of you girls."
Nao smiled softly. Arisa's eyes lit up. Reina gave a small nod. Yuki's expression didn't change, but she was listening.
"But Saki's sick. And she's important to me. She's my sister. My only family. And I didn't feel right leaving her behind for something like this."
Silence.
I took a breath, feeling that guilt crawl back up my throat. "But… Saki told me to go. She wants me to. So I came here to ask… if you'd still go. With me."
I looked at them, really looked.
"It'd mean a lot."
They didn't say anything at first.
Then Nao stood up.
"About time you said it," she said with a smirk. "We already knew."
"Huh?"
Arisa leaned back, smug as ever. "We got Saki's number yesterday, and she told us about your whole Emo faze. So we made other plans."
"So that's why she was on her phone yesterday, she never is when she's ill," I thought to myself.
Reina pulled something out of her hoodie pocket and handed it to me, a glossy brochure.
"Luxury Spa & Hotel Getaway – Full Weekend Package."
"What is this…?"
"Your sister's new paradise," Nao grinned. "We booked her in the best spot in town. Hot springs, 5-star food, private room."
"Fully paid," Reina added.
"Wait, what—"
"And Willhelm," Arisa interrupted, "is being her personal butler for the entire stay. We told him to go full British royal service."
I could only stare. "You… you planned all this?"
Yuki finally spoke.
"We even made sure she has anime streaming on her hotel TV. Don't ask how we got the license." She stood up and walked over, arms crossed. "So now you have zero excuses, Maid-kun."
I blinked. "So… that means you're all going?
And just how rich are you guys?"
The girls looked at each other.
Nao grinned. "Wouldn't miss it."
Reina nodded. "I've packed already."
Arisa flicked her hair. "You're stuck with us. You should be honoured, and as for money, don't mention it."
Then Yuki stepped forward, her eyes sharp and voice low.
"But if after all this… You still even think about not going…"
She leaned in, inches from my face.
"I'll kill you."
I didn't move. Couldn't breathe.
Then she smirked, lightly smacking my chest with the pamphlet.
"See you on the bus, Maid-chan."