Although Hiyori signaled for a talk, Misaki knew that now was not the time for it. Perhaps in the evening or nighttime.
Due to that, the talk had to be postponed until a more suitable moment.
A couple of hours passed, and the sun was finally about to set. One by one, the rest of the members returned home.
Azusa brought back a bag of bread, telling the others someone 'donated' it to her.
Saori returned back with new scratches, probably meaning that the instructors had sent her on another mission.
Atsuko had woken up right after Hiyori returned.
Everyone was doing their own thing inside the house in their own section... well, except for Kasuka who was clinging onto Atsuko like a koala.
"What's wrong?" Atsuko smiled with a sweatdrop. "I'm not going anywhere, you know?"
"Tell me a story." Kasuka said quietly, hiding her mouth movement as if she doesn't want the others to hear.
"Again? Would the same story I told you last time work?"
"Anything is fine."
"Is that so?" Atsuko scratched her head in confusion for a second before pulling over a chair to sit down.
Of course, since the chair was too big, her legs had to hang in the air under the seats.
Kasuka placed herself down at the base of the chair, her eyes shining brightly as she waited for Atsuko to get ready.
This moment had somehow become a routine since last week.
Kasuka would, for whatever reason, ask for Atsuko specifically to tell a story.
Saori did try to take her place at some point but Kasuka would start to sulk if she did.
With nothing to lose, Atsuko thought that spoiling others wouldn't feel so bad once in a while.
"I found a new book while exploring an abandoned library. Use this one instead." Saori suddenly said. "I think there's around 5 short stories condensed in this one book."
"Ah. Thank you, Saori. I'll use it then."
Besides... Most of the time, Kasuka would fall asleep halfway through the storytelling, not allowing the conclusion to finish before dozing off into her own dreamland.
Shiver
...Why did she suddenly feel chills down her spine?
Atsuko rubbed her arms slightly before opening one of the brand new books Saori brought back.
On the cover page, it featured the character, a mother duck and her duckling.
"Once upon a time..." Atsuko began. Since they're around the same age, the sight of a child telling another child bedtime story does seem a bit weird.
Of course, nobody batted an eye since it was their Hime that was doing it.
Halfway through her narration...
Click Click
Suddenly, the light inside the house began to flicker.
Saori decided to check the electrical box outside to see if anything was wrong with it.
But Atsuko, seeing this, was reminded of a question Kasuka had once asked her.
"What do you call a weak source of light?"
Perhaps because many things had happened at once, it appears that she had forgotten some crucial detail that day.
Was that day also the day Kasuka fainted?
"..." Atsuko looked at Kasuka's sleepy gaze, one that seemed to show her state of mind.
Groggy and sleepy.
"It's alright. It's getting quite late today." Patting the head of the brown haired kid, Atsuko suddenly noticed Misaki in her peripheral vision. "Once Saori comes back, we can prepare to go to sleep."
"Hime."
"Hm?"
Not hearing any other response, Atsuko turned her head and noticed the look on Misaki's face.
"...Ah, tonight? But Kasuka is about to fall asleep."
Without saying anything, Misaki shook her head slightly. Seeing this, Atsuko understood.
The topic of tonight's discussion was Kasuka.
"...I see." Nodding slightly, Atsuko continued patting Kasuka's head until her halo finally flickered out of existence.
Saori also came back, the lightbulb above their head seemingly fixed without any problem.
"I'll send her off first."
"No, allow me to do it. Hime, you can stay here." Saori said as she moved her hair from her face, swiping it above her ear.
"I'll leave her to you, then. Thanks, Saori." Atsuko didn't insist and let Saori do her thing.
Step Step
Saori's footsteps sounded farther and farther away as time went on. Then, the sound of a door opening and closing could be heard.
Saori reentered through the door frame, leaving the room full with people.
Saori, Azusa, Misaki, Hiyori, and Atsuko.
Everyone is gathered around.
The reason they decided to do it at night was because there was rarely any time in the evening or morning where Kasuka wasn't snooping around them.
Not that they wanted to leave her out of anything, but this discussion tonight... might not contain a topic she'd be comfortable to listen to.
After all...
"We're all here, Misaki. What was it that you wanted to talk about that doesn't require Kasuka's presence?" Saori began, her eyes squinting slightly in suspicion. After all, they've never actually left out someone from the discussion ever before.
This might be the first time, but now that they have done it... it'll probably not be the last.
"It's not me. The one that initiated the discussion tonight was Hiyori."
Simultaneously as her words finished, two... three pairs of eyes widened.
"Hiyori...! She's all grown up...!" Saori exclaimed.
"Hiyori did...?" Atsuko continued.
"...!" Even if Azusa didn't say anything, her face was telling everything she wanted to say.
"Don't make a face like I never have an idea...!" Hiyori covered her face, which had turned bright red. "T-This... this is very serious!"
Without waiting for everyone to prepare their heart, she dropped a bomb.
"I saw Kasuka go into Madam's office today!"
Thump
The bottle of water Misaki was holding fell, the water spilling onto the ground.
It got on her shorts, but she didn't have the thought of cleaning it up at this moment.
"She..."
"...What?"
Mostly, that kind of question hovered in the air.
Did they hear it right?
No, would they accept it even if they heard it right?
"..." Silence.