After the upper-level meeting ended, Tsuna returned to his room.
Compared to the other Adventurers who had spent the entire day fighting through the Dungeon, Tsuna's day had been rather easy. Before reaching the Lower Floors, the chances of major casualties were still quite low. The only real threat was the Floor Boss. Once they passed it, as long as nothing unexpected happened, it would be difficult for the team to run into real trouble.
The real challenge would begin with the Deep Floors. Sitting on his bed, Tsuna took a steadying breath. He knew tomorrow's expedition would be the real test.
Knock, knock, knock!
The sudden sound at the door made his expression twist slightly in confusion. Still, he got up and opened it.
"Yo!"
Standing there was Tsubaki Collbrande, her flawless smile as radiant as ever. What caught his attention next was her appearance—a loose nightgown, hair slightly damp, and even a pillow tucked under one arm. It was obvious what she was planning.
"Tsubaki? Don't tell me you're planning to sleep here tonight?"
"Bingo."
Without waiting for permission, Tsubaki stepped forward, pressing her chest against him as she pushed him back into the room. She shut the door behind her with a click, locked it, and then grabbed his hand, leading him straight toward the bed. Setting her pillow down at the headboard, she pulled him into her arms.
"During that meeting just now, your brow was furrowed so tight you looked like an old man. Too much pressure, huh?"
"Too much pressure…" Tsuna blinked in realization. So that's why she'd come. She was worried about him—worried he was carrying too much stress about tomorrow's operation. So, this was her way of comforting him?
Her way was… surprisingly direct.
Pressed against her, Tsuna couldn't help but note the faint scent of soap lingering on her skin after her bath. It was a surprisingly effective form of stress relief—one he couldn't say he disliked.
When she felt his arms circle her waist, Tsubaki chuckled and held him tighter. She'd worried at first that her muscular body might turn him off, but it turned out he actually liked it.
"You really are such a boy. Still, you've got guts—going after me and Lady Hephaestus? That's pretty bold."
When she'd first heard it from Hephaestus herself, she thought she'd misheard. But no—turns out it was completely true. She wasn't angry, exactly, but she was shocked she'd been the last to know. That alone was enough to make her storm over tonight to "confront" him.
Tsubaki pinched his rear hard.
"So I was the last one to find out, huh? If Lady Hephaestus hadn't told me, were you planning to keep this from me forever?"
Tsuna hissed through his teeth—the woman's grip was no joke.
"I didn't mean to hide it…"
"Oh? Then you did put me last, didn't you?"
Normally, Tsubaki was straightforward and easygoing—rarely the type to fuss about these things. But that only applied when she didn't know. Now that she did, and realized how differently Tsuna treated her compared to Hephaestus, it stung. It made her feel cheap, and that made her angry.
Her temperament might be rough, but that didn't mean she was oblivious to her own feelings. Especially when it came to her first time dealing with emotions like this.
"Uh…"
Tsuna had no words of defense. He really had placed her last. And then he yelped again when she gave him another sharp squeeze.
"See? You can't even deny it."
"Yeah… it's my fault. I didn't think about how you'd feel."
"Well… at least you're quick to admit it."
Her irritation softened a little. She hadn't come to end things—just to give him a piece of her mind and make sure she wasn't being forgotten. Before, she'd seen him as a slightly pervy little brother. But after hearing about Hephaestus, something in her had shifted.
She could admit it—she wanted to keep him for herself. To steal this mischievous boy away from Lady Loki's Familia entirely if she could.
But after hearing what happened between him and Hephaestus, her heart had rippled in ways she hadn't expected. Especially when she saw how the goddess spoke about him—the way she looked at him. Tsubaki's usual grin had faded. It felt like watching a beloved little brother being stolen away by another woman.
That bitter, possessive feeling had been eating at her ever since. So she'd decided to find a time to talk with him alone—to hear what this shameless little brother of hers really thought.
"I also heard you've got something going on with Tiona and Tione. They know too?"
"Tiona and Tione both know about each other. Last time, Tione made it pretty obvious, so I figured it out. Then Tiona confessed she liked me too, so… yeah, they both know."
"And do they know about you and Lady Loki or Lady Hephaestus?"
"That happened before things with Hephaestus."
"So they don't know?"
"Right."
Knowing the twins weren't ahead of her made Tsubaki feel a little better. At least she hadn't been the very last. Though, she definitely had gotten the worst treatment of the bunch.
"So? You got anything you want to say to me?"
"Yeah… I like you, Tsubaki. I really do. From the start, you've always felt like a big sister to me—strong, confident, and… well, your figure definitely leaves an impression. And, uh… I guess part of it's because you let me get away with things sometimes."
Tsubaki's lips curved into a faint grin. Yeah, that's my pervy little brother. At least he was honest.
"I probably should've told you earlier," Tsuna admitted. "Guess I just kept putting it off. Too much going on lately."
"So you can make excuses. Next time—no excuses. When something happens, tell me right away. Especially if it involves you trying to cop a feel."
Her mood had completely lifted now. The frustration of being left for last melted away. She hugged him tighter.
"Tonight, I'll give you your chance."