The morning sunlight, carrying the unique warmth of Higashitsu, gently spilled into the spacious bedroom.
Gaio slowly opened his eyes, his mind still a bit foggy. His hand instinctively reached for the warm spot beside him—empty.
His fingertips brushed against cool sheets, and it hit him: his little sunshine, Marin Kitagawa, had gotten up unusually early today to head to the airport and pick up her father, Saburo Kitagawa, who was always away on business. (The name's made up, by the way—I couldn't find Marin's dad's actual name.)
Gaio propped himself up on his arms, still shaking off sleep—
Bang!
The bedroom door swung open with a force that wasn't messing around!
Standing in the doorway was Rin Tohsaka, wearing an apron clearly in Marin's style, complete with cute cartoon patterns, and holding a spatula that looked hilariously out of place with her high-class vibe.
"Gaio!" Rin's voice was a sharp mix of urgency and annoyance. "Are you seriously still in bed?! Didn't Marin specifically tell you to drive me and Sakura to school today?!"
Rin's eyebrows shot up, her twin tails practically bouncing with her irritation as the sunlight danced on her glossy hair.
Gaio turned his head, taking in Rin's unexpectedly domestic "housewife" look. His groggy brain finally rebooted, and Marin's late-night ramblings came flooding back.
"Oh…" He slapped his forehead with a short sigh and a wry smile. "Right, right, I remember now. I'm up, I'm up."
With that, he tossed off the blanket and stood up—wearing nothing but a pair of dark athletic shorts, his chiseled upper body bare.
His toned muscles were clearly defined in the morning light, broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist, exuding raw strength.
"W-Wahh—!!"
Rin clearly wasn't ready for this. Her expression flipped from "here to scold you" to "oh no, I wasn't prepared!" Her pale cheeks flushed bright red, the blush spreading to her ears.
"Idiot! You idiot!!" she shrieked, her voice cracking as she pointed the spatula at him. "Put some clothes on, you exhibitionist!!!"
Still yelling, she spun around like she'd been burned, nearly tripping over her slippers in her rush to flee the room, leaving only the sound of her frantic footsteps.
Gaio watched her flustered escape and couldn't help but chuckle softly.
He started toward the closet, but his gaze caught something at the door.
Peeking from behind the half-open bedroom door was a small head with soft blue hair.
Sakura Matou—or rather, Sakura Tohsaka now, to be more accurate—blinked her big, bright eyes, curiously peering inside.
Unlike her sister Rin's dramatic embarrassment, Sakura's face held no trace of shyness. When she caught Gaio's glance, she flashed a pure, slightly mischievous smile.
The sunlight streamed through the hallway window, gently illuminating her blue hair and the radiant, unburdened smile on her face.
She just watched quietly, her eyes full of trust and warmth for the "brother-in-law" who'd saved her from hell.
Gaio smiled gently. "Morning, Sakura."
Sakura's grin widened, her lips curving into a sly arc. "Morning, pervert brother-in-law."
Gaio's smile froze, the corner of his mouth twitching ever so slightly.
This… ugh… He sighed inwardly.
After the events in Fuyuki City, Rin and Sakura had shown up in Higashitsu just three days later.
With help from Satoru Gojo, the guardianship papers were signed quickly. Since then, Gaio's house had gained two new residents—Rin Tohsaka and Sakura Tohsaka. Oh, and Artoria too.
Artoria's arrival nearly sparked a full-blown "family crisis."
Marin had looked at Gaio with those "abandoned puppy" eyes, tears welling up as her voice trembled. "Gaio… Gaio-kun… are you… are you done with Marin…?"
It took a lot of explaining, plus Rin's backup, to convince Marin that Artoria was just "a close friend of Rin's" and not some "new love interest."
(New love interest? Well… who knows? Heh.)
Marin finally broke into a smile, her usual energy returning as she enthusiastically helped Artoria settle in, even throwing together a lavish welcome dinner.
It'd been almost half a month since the trio moved in.
Sakura had changed the most.
She was no longer timid or self-conscious, and the complex mix of admiration and jealousy she'd felt toward Rin had unraveled.
But what Gaio didn't expect was that this girl had somehow turned into… a little devil with a sharp tongue.
"Pervert brother-in-law~" Sakura tilted her head, her blue hair swaying as she flashed an angelic smile while spitting out devilish words. "Marin-nee was pretty loud last night, huh."
"Hey!" Gaio nearly choked on his own spit. "That—that's because…"
"Because what?" Sakura blinked innocently, her big eyes sparkling. "No need to explain, I know everything."
Gaio felt a headache coming on.
When did this girl turn into a little gremlin?!
"Sakura!!" Rin's furious yell came from the kitchen. "Stop messing with that pervert and come help set the table!"
"Coming~" Sakura chirped cheerfully, sticking her tongue out at Gaio before skipping off.
Gaio stood there, rubbing his temples.
Then he noticed Artoria at the end of the hallway.
The King of Knights was dressed in casual clothes Marin had bought her—a T-shirt with a bear print and loose sweatpants, a stark contrast to her usual regal aura.
"Good morning, Master," Artoria said with her usual calm, nodding slightly.
But Gaio caught a suspicious twitch at the corner of her mouth.
"…You heard all that, didn't you?"
Artoria didn't answer directly, only saying calmly, "I hope Master will keep the noise down at night."
Gaio groaned, covering his face.
Great, even Artoria's been corrupted.
Standing in the room, he felt his temples throbbing again.
No wonder Japan's birth rate is plummeting—any little noise, and the whole house knows! Are these walls made of paper?!
(Are you sure it was just a "little" noise????)
Grumbling internally, he wondered if it was time to get a bigger place.
At the very least, the bedroom walls needed to be thicker!
He threw on a T-shirt and pants, quickly washed up, and pushed open the dining room door.
A wave of tension hit him like a brick.
At one end of the table sat Kaguya Shinomiya.
Her posture was flawless, hands neatly folded in her lap, a perfect, practiced smile on her face.
Behind her, slightly to the side, stood Ai Hayasaka, dressed impeccably in her maid outfit, her expression neutral but her sharp eyes scanning the room.
Across from them, Rin sat like an angry cat, arms crossed, chin tilted up, glaring daggers at Kaguya.
Next to her, Sakura wore an innocent, sweet smile, but her slightly narrowed eyes screamed "cheering for big sis."
The most relaxed person? Artoria, naturally.
The King of Knights sat primly, sipping tea and nibbling on a small slice of strawberry cake with devout focus, completely ignoring the tense atmosphere.
Gaio raised an eyebrow and stepped into the dining room.
Kaguya's head snapped toward the door.
Seeing Gaio, she and Hayasaka moved in perfect sync, bowing deeply as if they'd rehearsed it a thousand times.
"Good day, Gaio-kun," Kaguya said, her voice clear and pleasant but laced with that flawless, emotionless formality.
Gaio sighed inwardly at the familiar, walled-off greeting.
Here we go. That bit of her guard I got her to drop at the amusement park? Back up, tighter than ever.
The Shinomiya heiress had locked her heart back in that polished cage called "perfect heir."
He walked over to Kaguya and, without thinking, reached out to gently pat her perfectly styled black hair.
"Hey, princess," he said with a hint of a无奈 smile, his touch soft. "I told you, you don't need to put on the formal act with me. Just be yourself."
Thud.
Kaguya's lowered face froze. The warmth of his hand on her head sent a rush of heat and embarrassment flooding through her!
Her carefully maintained composure shattered, her pale cheeks turning red, the flush creeping to her ears and neck.
She looked up, meeting Gaio's smiling eyes, and her heart raced so fast she could barely breathe.
"I… I…" Kaguya opened her mouth, but her usual eloquence and logic had packed their bags and left. All she could manage was a flustered stammer.
She could feel Hayasaka's gaze behind her, making her even more mortified.
But just as the moment teetered on warm (and utterly chaotic for Kaguya)—
"Brother-in-law!!!!"
A furious shout exploded through the dining room like a thunderclap!
Rin shot up from her seat, slamming her hands on the table, leaning forward with fire blazing in her beautiful eyes, glaring at Gaio's hand still resting on Kaguya's head.
"How rude!!!"
Rin's voice was loud and sharp, dripping with anger and accusation. She bit down hard on "brother-in-law," raising her voice several notches, as if trying to pin Gaio firmly to Marin's side with the title alone.
She wasn't sure where this surge of anger came from.
Was it for Marin-nee? Her gentle cousin wasn't here, and as "family," Rin felt obligated to defend her "rights"? Or… was it for herself?
Seeing Gaio act so casually affectionate with another girl—especially someone as refined and flawless as Kaguya Shinomiya—stirred an intense, territorial irritation in her… and something sour?
Rin's outburst was so intense that even Artoria, engrossed in her cake, paused and glanced at her in surprise.
Sakura's sweet smile deepened, her eyes narrowing into crescents as she gleefully watched the chaos unfold between her furious sister, the flustered Kaguya, and Gaio's helpless expression, like she was enjoying a top-tier silent comedy.
She even leaned toward Artoria, "whispering" just loud enough for the others to catch faintly, "Saber-nee, look, brother-in-law's 'showing love' to another princess…"
Gaio's eyelid twitched at Sakura's incendiary comment.
This little gremlin's fanning the flames!
Without a word, he reached out and ruffled Sakura's soft blue hair into a messy bird's nest!
"Wah!" Sakura yelped, caught off guard.
Her carefully styled hair turned into a chaotic mess, a few strands sticking up playfully.
She looked up, her big eyes brimming with crocodile tears, staring at Gaio with a pitiful pout, her long lashes fluttering.
Worse, her innocent face, paired with a figure far beyond her peers, made her wounded expression lethal, capable of melting even the hardest heart.
"Gaio—!!"
Seeing her sister "bullied" like this, Rin's rational mind snapped!
Forget Tohsaka elegance or ladylike restraint—they were out the window!
Like a cat with its tail stepped on, she screeched and launched herself at Gaio!
Rin moved lightning-fast, her long, strong legs leaping up and wrapping tightly around Gaio's waist like vines!
She was now fully hanging onto him!
Caught off balance by this "human koala," Gaio stumbled, quickly grabbing Rin's thighs to steady her. Rin, meanwhile, opened her mouth, baring her small white teeth, and chomped down hard on his solid shoulder!
"Hiss—!" Gaio sucked in a breath, wincing.
This little menace bites for real!
"Don't bully Sakura! You idiot! Pervert brother-in-law!" Rin mumbled through her bite, grinding her teeth into his shoulder and locking her legs tighter, clinging like a koala.
The dining room froze.
Artoria set down her fork, staring at the chaotic scene, her cake forgotten, her clear eyes filled with confusion.
Kaguya's blush vanished. Seeing another girl hanging off Gaio, she covered her shocked mouth, her lingering embarrassment replaced by a complex, indescribable emotion.
Hayasaka's face remained blank, but her sharp gaze flicked between Rin, Gaio, and Sakura, her body subtly shifting to shield Kaguya, her alertness maxed out.
Sakura, with her messy hair, blinked her teary eyes. Watching her sister "avenge" her by hanging onto Gaio, and seeing his pained grimace, her lips slowly curved into a subtle, mischievous smile.
"I'm back~ Gaio-kun~ Did you take Rin-chan and Sakura-chan to school…?"
Marin's bubbly voice burst into the dining room like sunshine, only to cut off abruptly as she took in the scene.
Marin Kitagawa stood frozen in the doorway, her radiant smile stiffening.
Her pretty eyes widened, locking onto the dining room's center.
There, her boyfriend Gaio was casually holding her cousin Rin Tohsaka's thighs, clad in black knee-high socks, their lines sleek and graceful.
Rin, like a koala, was plastered to Gaio, her face buried in his neck.
From Marin's angle, she couldn't see Rin biting him—just Rin's face nestled intimately against his shoulder.
Time seemed to stop.
"This… this is…" Marin's voice was dry.
Her faint sound was like a spell breaking.
Rin jolted, lifting her head from Gaio's shoulder, her face still fierce from biting and flushed from exertion.
She met Marin's stunned gaze in horror.
"Marin-nee?!" Rin's voice cracked with panic. "Y-You're back already?!"
"Rin-chan…" Marin's eyes flicked between Gaio's hands on Rin's thighs and Rin's red face. "You… you and Gaio-kun… when did…?"
Rin opened her mouth to explain, "Marin-nee! It's not—! He was the one who—!" But Marin cut her off.
"Enough!" Marin waved her hand sharply, her usually sweet face turning serious, almost regal with an unfamiliar authority.
She took a deep breath, her voice steady but icy. "Family meeting. Now."
Her gaze swept the room like a spotlight, issuing commands.
"Artoria," she said, her tone absolute, looking at the knight. "Please take Sakura to school. Make sure she's on time."
Artoria swallowed her last bite of cake, glancing regretfully at the empty plate before nodding solemnly. "Understood. Leave it to me."
She stood, her eyes passing over Gaio and Rin with a deep, unreadable look, as if saying, "Good luck, Master."
"As for you, Miss Shinomiya," Marin's sharp gaze pinned Kaguya, who stiffened instinctively. "I'm sorry you had to witness… this mess."
Marin's tone was cold and distant, carrying the air of a hostess dismissing a guest. "This idiot," she pointed at Gaio, then herself, "and I won't be able to fulfill our school duties today. Please pass that along to the school."
Kaguya opened her mouth, her eyes swirling with complex emotions—shock from Rin's actions, irritation at Marin's commanding demeanor, concern for Gaio, and a hint of grievance.
She wanted to say something, but Marin's calm yet stormy eyes silenced her.
In the end, she lowered her head, hiding her emotions perfectly, and gave a flawless bow.
"Of course, Kitagawa-san," she said, her voice cool but tight. "I'll… pass it along."
She didn't look at Gaio again, turning with a stiff but graceful sweep of her skirt.
"Hayasaka, let's go," Kaguya said, her voice returning to its usual haughty chill.
"Yes, Lady Kaguya." Hayasaka followed, giving Gaio a deep look as she passed—part warning, part scrutiny, and part worry for her mistress.
Sakura, now standing by Artoria, her messy blue hair still a wreck from Gaio's ruffling, flashed a brilliant, gleefully malicious smile at the trio left behind—especially Gaio and Rin.
She mouthed a silent "Ohh" with a look that screamed, *"You're in for it"* before skipping off with Artoria, leaving the chaos behind.
In moments, the bustling dining room was empty, leaving only suffocating silence.
Marin coldly glanced at Gaio, still frozen, and Rin, who'd slid off him like a startled rabbit, standing there helplessly. She tilted her chin toward the living room. "Living room. Now."
In the living room, the air was heavy, like the calm before a storm.
Gaio, stripped of his usual calm confidence, sank into an armchair, rubbing his bitten shoulder.
Rin sat like she'd been nailed to another chair, legs pressed together, hands twisting her skirt, knuckles white from gripping.
Her usual proud chin was lowered, her eyes darting nervously across the carpet, avoiding Marin and Gaio entirely.
Her flushed cheeks had faded to a tense pallor, her whole body screaming, "I messed up" and "What do I do?"
Marin, meanwhile, sat in the center of the long sofa, exuding an unprecedented "queenly" aura.
She crossed her legs elegantly, hands folded in her lap, spine straight.
Sunlight poured through the large windows, illuminating the dust in the air. Marin's delicate face was unlike her usual self, looking like a queen addressing her wayward subjects.
She parted her lips, mimicking the lazy, commanding tone Gaio used with fawning business partners. "Go on, I'm listening."
The tone, the posture—she'd overheard Gaio use it a few times and nailed it perfectly.
Gaio's head snapped up. Seeing Marin's serious face mimicking him, he froze for a second, then—
"Pfft!"
He couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing.
Rin, startled, looked at Marin too. That tone… hadn't she heard Gaio use it before?
Marin's regal facade shattered!
Gaio's laugh broke her icy mask completely. Her face flushed red, spreading to her ears.
"Ugh!"
She stomped her foot in frustration, embarrassment overtaking her "queenly judgment" act!
She sprang from the sofa, mimicking Rin's earlier tackle, and threw herself into Gaio's arms!
In Rin's stunned gaze, she opened her mouth and bit down on Gaio's other shoulder!
"Ow, that hurts~" Gaio played along with an exaggerated yelp, though his face held a barely-contained grin.
Marin let go, eyeing the faint teeth marks on his shoulder, wrinkling her nose and huffing at him.
Then she turned to Rin, still frozen in shock on the other side of the sofa.
Rin's mouth hung open, eyes wide, her expression a mix of shock, confusion, and disbelief—Marin-nee… wasn't mad? She went and bit Gaio-kun too?
Catching Marin's clear gaze, Rin snapped out of it, quickly shutting her mouth. Her cheeks heated up again, her voice barely a whisper. "Marin-nee… you're not mad?"
Marin looked at Rin's nervous, guilty expression and sighed softly.
She walked over, taking Rin's slightly cold, tense hand and pulling her to sit together on the wide sofa.
"Rin," Marin's voice softened to its usual warmth, tinged with无奈. "I'm not mad. Or rather, I'm not mad about you biting him."
Rin's head shot up, looking at Marin in confusion.
Marin patted her hand, her tone calm, as if discussing something mundane instead of her boyfriend being clung to by another girl. "I know how charming Gaio-kun is. Especially for girls who've seen him perform live—how many can resist that glow? Getting caught up in it, losing yourself—it's normal."
She paused, like she was stating an obvious fact.
Rin opened her mouth to protest, "I didn't—!" but the words caught in her throat.
Fuyuki City…
That sudden concert…
The radiant figure at the center of the stage…
Those three soul-stirring songs…
Her heart raced uncontrollably at the memory.
Yeah… maybe… it was back then… something changed silently…
Marin saw Rin's sudden silence and reddening ears, understanding completely.
She didn't press, instead shifting gears, her tone serious. "Rin, I don't think it's bad if you have feelings for Gaio-kun."
Rin's lashes trembled, her head dipping lower, nearly buried in her chest.
Marin leaned closer, her voice low but clear. "But… it's too soon. Too rushed. Things could… go wrong. Some things, maybe after your birthday in two months, when you've thought it through, then we can talk, okay?"
Her eyes flicked meaningfully to Gaio, still clutching his shoulder with an "I'm in pain" face. "Before the free trial's over, you've gotta read the 'product' manual and safety warnings, right?"
Boom—!
Rin's brain exploded!
Marin-nee… what's she saying?! Go wrong?! Product manual?!
She… she's actually worried about that?!
Rin's face turned so red it could bleed, steam practically rising from her head. She wanted to crawl into a hole!
"Marin-nee! What are you talking about?! I didn't—I'm going to school!" Rin screeched incoherently, bolting from the sofa and stumbling out of the living room, leaving only the sound of frantic footsteps and a loud slam of the door.
Meanwhile, Gaio, still clutching his shoulder on the sofa, was beyond "stunned."
He slowly, stiffly turned to Marin, who looked calm, like she'd just given a safety lecture.
He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Gaio: ???????
His brain was fried.
Harem? Is Marin… helping me build a harem?
Even Rin, the ultra-tsundere who fights the world, the air, everything… Marin's okay with her too???
And the focus is… safety???
He stared at Marin, his eyes filled with cosmic-level confusion and disbelief.
Marin met his dazed gaze, blinking innocently. "What? Did I say something wrong? Safety's important, you know."
Gaio: "…"
He couldn't say a word, only slowly raising a hand to cover his face, which had completely lost control of its expression.
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