… Where should I look for him?
Although Yanami had rushed over on a whim, she was immediately at a loss the moment she stepped out of the station. She tried searching everywhere, but all her contact points with Kiyono had vanished. Finding him in a city this size would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.
She stood there, a little foolishly, as passersby cast curious glances at the lone girl in the crowd.
"Right… I think I saw something about him holding a signing today."
Yanami's eyes lit up. She hailed a taxi and asked the driver to head for the nearest bookstore. The event should have ended by now, but she still wanted to try her luck.
Fortunately, the shop wasn't far, and she still had plenty of saved pocket money.
After one last long stretch, Yanami looked up at the storefront… The staff inside were tidying displays, getting ready to close.
"Well, of course. It's this late already."
The blue-haired girl nudged a pebble with her toe and sighed. Streetlights gleamed; shoppers walked by arm in arm; the air grew steadily colder. She gazed at the bookstore for a few seconds longer, then wandered off, planning to find a convenience store to catch her breath.
Unfamiliar streets, unfamiliar shops, unfamiliar signs…
Only the moon above remained the same.
In the blaze of neon, every passerby looked faceless. Then she stopped dead.
A familiar figure was moving against the flow of people, unconsciously walking her way—his back straight as a bamboo stalk.
In the crowd, the two felt it at once and met each other's eyes.
The girl paused—then smiled.
Tap, tap—tap. Her footsteps sounded unusually clear on the noisy street. Yanami stopped before him, greeting him with her usual cheer.
"Honestly, you just snuck off to here…"
Kiyono stared at the girl, his expression complicated. Was this Yanami? Really her? She had actually chased him all the way here… Wasn't that a bit much!?
She seemed more mature than before—both familiar and unfamiliar at once.
Words churned on his tongue, and finally came out dryly:
"Aren't you cold?"
The blue-haired girl tilted her head, eyes sparkling like a wind-ruffled lake.
"Very cold. I ran out so fast I didn't even bring a coat, crossed two cities without stopping, and I've been running around for ages, so…"
She spread her arms, smiling brightly.
"Please warm me with your hug."
…Confirmed. This was that Yanami. On the street, no less—could she show a little restraint? He was a famous author now, at least!
But she had gone to such lengths to come. Even if they were "just friends," this request didn't seem excessive… In Kiyono's heart, it felt like he hadn't seen this girl in years. A nostalgic tremor—something tender and stirring—rippled through him.
He sighed, as if reluctantly, and hugged her. She was full and slender, cold and warm at once—exactly as he remembered. Her familiar scent calmed him.
A long hug.
Yanami drew a deep breath, let him go with contentment, and fell into step beside him, eyes crescenting as she smiled. The unfamiliar streets quietly transformed into a vivid, living panorama.
"Why did you suddenly come to Chiba…?" She bumped his shoulder lightly, a hint of complaint in her tone.
"There are… a lot of reasons," Kiyono said, helpless.
"Ah, ah, the great author's so carefree—living wherever he pleases. I wonder if a certain someone still remembers his promise." Yanami huffed, temper flickering.
"Don't worry. The second light novel isn't written yet. And if you can handle it, giving you the next literary work isn't out of the question."
Kiyono spoke seriously. As they talked, vivid memories flashed before his eyes, fresh as yesterday.
"Hmph, just you wait! I'm your senior now! This time, I'll definitely pull it off!" Yanami raised a tiny fist, her smile and voice bright with confidence.
"Is that so…?"
Kiyono blinked again. No wonder she felt so familiar—did this mean every heroine around him was older than he was!?
"Hey, Kiyono."
Yanami's eyes curved; her pearly teeth parted; her breath carried a teasing warmth.
"Where do you think a lonely girl like me should stay tonight?"
Where to stay?
His heart skipped for no good reason. She had come all this way—even crossing world-lines—and sending her to a hotel would be far too cold, wouldn't it?
"Stay at my place. There are plenty of rooms. Ah—but remember to tell your aunt and uncle." The stalwart warrior of pure love tried to keep his principles intact.
"If it's Kiyono, they'll definitely say yes."
Yanami giggled, skipped two steps ahead, then turned, alight with simple girlish joy.
They drifted from a bustling street onto a quieter lane. The air grew still; a gentle breeze brushed past. The blue-haired girl looked up at the serene sky, her face full of anticipation, her voice softer than usual.
"The night's so clear—it doesn't feel like rain."
She lengthened the last syllable on purpose and stopped directly before him.
"Listen, Kiyono—the Tokyo forecast is tricky. It said rain chances were eighty percent lately…"
Suddenly she seized his hand and pressed it to her chest. Kiyono's heart thumped; it felt as if his palm had sunk into a warm, melting spring.
Yanami's cheeks flushed; her blue eyes misted; her voice turned honey-sweet.
"But here, starting today, it's one hundred percent clear skies."
---
Ding-dong. The security door unlocked with a soft click.
"Eh… This is Kiyono's new place? It feels a bit more luxurious than before."
After Kiyono brought her home, perhaps thanks to their familiarity—or perhaps thanks to her own nature—the moment that ought to have been shy, awkward, or nervous felt entirely natural to Yanami. Like a school trip, she even had time to snap photos.
Still… pretty impressive. Do literary authors earn this much?
After catching the city nightscape in the floor-to-ceiling window, she glanced at the photo and muttered. But something felt off.
She'd checked his numbers: far ahead of his peers and steadily rising, yes—but not as high as his light-novel sales had been. Back then he lived in a studio apartment. So why the upgrade now?
The girl paused, thinking.
"There are snacks in the living room—help yourself."
Kiyono set water to boil for tea—a habit he'd picked up in the Yukinoshita household.
Even more off.
Yanami's eyes narrowed.
Just then, in the quiet, a notification chimed. A sweet voice—enchanting even through the speaker—rang out:
"Good evening! Your bridal-course home service has arrived!"
—
Shura field.
A Buddhist term once used for the bloody battleground between Śakra and the Asura.
These days it's a shorthand for certain "events": a winter trio's tangled romance; a sudden arrival stealing away a childhood friend… The scenes can be very stimulating.
Now, the stalwart warrior of pure love found himself squarely in that terrifying arena.
Still, Kiyono felt that, compared to a traditional Shura field, his situation should be titled: "On the Matter of Me Being Fought Over by My Former Adopter and Current Owner ☆", "Two Cat Owners' Ultimate Showdown! Who Gets to Feed This Bowl of Cat Food!?", and "The Adoption Contract Forgot the Clause about Dealing with Double Owners in a Romcom!"
"Eh, bridal service? I didn't realize Kiyono had such… special tastes." Yanami turned her head in zero frames, a very meaningful look on her face.
"This is my… current older sister," Kiyono said.
Then he strode to the door like a hero—no matter how terrifying the situation, he would not retreat.
The door opened. Yukinoshita Haruno stepped in, radiant as ever. Her shoulder-length hair, black as silk, framed a sunny smile. She lifted a supermarket bag—an enormous green leek stuck out absurdly from the plastic, hilariously at odds with her image.
"Big sister came to make you dinner… Oh?"
Her gaze slid to the blue-haired girl standing inside.
---
Tap, tap, tap.
The living room was silent save for the soft slap of Haruno's slippers on the floor.
Three cups of fragrant black tea sat on the table. The brew was excellent, its aroma refreshing—but whenever steam curled up, it seemed pressed down by an invisible chill, as if even the tea had frozen over.
Haruno's smile was bright and cheerful—an elegant, charming smile that could sweep away gloom.
Her eyes skimmed the two of them, something keen glinting there. Her casual pose only emphasized her fully mature figure.
Truly unexpected…
On reflection, perfectly reasonable. Kiyono had always been excellent; it was normal for one or two beautiful girls to fancy him. In the past—because of his elementary-school experiences—he had always been alone, and she'd overlooked this angle.
It was just… wasn't the progress a little fast? He had left home only days ago, and now there was a girl who could stay over at his place?
Odd as it was—and Yanami was indeed a striking beauty—Haruno's smile remained smooth and confident, brimming with composure and grace.
She didn't consider Yanami an enemy at all. In looks, family, figure, the care she gave Kiyono—even sheer time spent with him—she was far ahead. She could declare with confidence: You are the challenger.
She would simply dismiss her.
She had to make it clear that a Yukinoshita boy was not a morsel for any stray cat to covet.
Decision made, Yukinoshita Haruno struck first.
"Anna-chan, what's your relationship with Kiyono?"
(Kiyono had already given a brief introduction.)
Yanami seemed to take the short-haired beauty only as Kiyono's older sister. Her mouth was full of snacks.
Hearing the question, she looked up, eyes wide and pure. "Hmm… I guess we're good friends and… he's a feeder now?"
Her innocent voice echoed through the room. Haruno's brow arched; her smile gained an edge. Kiyono's mouth twitched, face blank—drop the act! She was no "cunning pet girl"!
Yanami swallowed and flicked out a tiny tongue to sweep the crumbs from her lip, then continued in that soft voice:
"Because—see?—Kiyono gave me so many snacks. Isn't that what you call a feeder?"
Oh? Interesting.
An average teenage girl would be shy here, or stammer a denial—easy enough to read the relationship either way. She hadn't expected this girl to break the script entirely.
Haruno paused a beat; then her eyes rippled and she smiled in amusement.
"Anna-chan, your way of thinking is quite unique. That's just called sharing. And it's best not to say such things to boys—they might misunderstand."
"Is that so? I get it! But I'll only do it for Kiyono—because only he gives me snacks."
Yanami nodded solemnly, sneaking a glance at Kiyono.
Haruno's eyes narrowed like a fox's as she brushed a finger over her cherry lips. Decision: this was indeed a stray cat coveting the Yukinoshita boy—and a shameless bad cat at that.
The blue-haired girl dabbed her lips with a tissue, took a sip of water, then faced Haruno with a bright smile.
"Speaking of which, Haruno-san—you're Kiyono's older sister, right? You're truly beautiful, so mature—just like a working adult."
Sincere words, the simple admiration of a high-school girl for a lovely older sister. But to a careful ear, there was a second meaning:
You're so old—already an old lady—so don't steal boys from younger girls!
The sadistic elder sister's lips twitched. The blow had landed.
But Yukinoshita Haruno was a genuine lady. After only a two-second pause, she sighed faintly, gaze turning soft and mournful.
"Anna-chan, I don't want to be like this. But this is our family's educational philosophy."
At that, the blue-haired girl sensed a subtle shift—like a blade sliding from its sheath, a white edge glinting cold.