In the living room, Ryuichi lay slumped over the table, propping his chin on one hand while idly rolling a pencil back and forth with the other.
He had been waiting for almost half an hour now.
He'd honestly thought the girls would rush out, too excited to waste time changing. Clearly, he'd been overly optimistic.
How long could it possibly take to put on yukata?
He sighed dramatically, flicking the pencil again, watching it roll away… then pulled it back, only to repeat the motion again and again—like a bored kid who'd run out of toys.
Finally—after another ten minutes—the girls began filing down from their rooms one by one.
"Ooh, looking good!" Ichika declared cheerfully, narrowing her smiling eyes as she admired her sisters. "But, Yotsuba, that knot's a little crooked."
She stepped forward and adjusted Yotsuba's obi with expert fingers.
"Ah—thanks," Yotsuba said gratefully.
"There! Perfect."
Ichika gave a satisfied nod, then looked down toward Ryuichi from the staircase.
"Sorry to keep you waiting!" she called, giving a little wave before descending gracefully. Dressed in a warm orange-yellow yukata patterned with soft blossoms, she spread her arms and spun in a slow circle in front of him.
"Well? How do I look?"
"Beautiful," Ryuichi said straightening in his seat. "Suits you perfectly."
His sharp gaze swept across the room—each of the five sisters had chosen colors that reflected her personality. The ensemble was dazzling.
"Shall we head out?" he asked.
"Yep! I already asked Egawa-san to bring the car around. We'll be there in no time," Itsuki announced, rubbing her stomach sheepishly as it gave a loud growl.
Ryuichi chuckled. "Hungry already?"
"Ahaha… maybe a little," she admitted.
"She deliberately ate less at dinner so she could hit the food stalls later," Ichika explained with a sigh.
Next to her, Nino snickered. "Ate less? Really? I could've sworn I saw you polish off a mountain-sized bowl of rice."
"That was a normal portion!" Itsuki protested immediately.
Ryuichi hid his amusement behind a small smile. Of course, he already knew Itsuki was a natural-born foodie.
They all headed downstairs together. At the car waiting for them stood Egawa-san, the longtime Nakano family driver. He'd known the girls since they were little and was practically family at this point.
When his eyes fell on Ryuichi, he paused, visibly surprised—he hadn't seen this young man before.
"This is Ryuichi," Ichika explained brightly. "He's been helping us study lately."
"Ah, I see," Egawa said, smiling knowingly. "That explains why your father hasn't been searching for another tutor. You already had one lined up."
His tone was warm, but his eyes betrayed a glimmer of scrutiny as he studied Ryuichi.
Ryuichi noticed, naturally—but he didn't mind in the slightest. He simply offered a composed nod.
That poise alone impressed Egawa. So young and yet so steady… he thought. Most boys their age fidgeted or blustered. This one carried himself like someone twice as mature.
"Alright, let's get going then. Ryuichi, you take the front seat!" Itsuki piped up before Egawa could comment further. "Egawa-san, we're counting on you!"
"Of course," Egawa said with a soft chuckle as he started the engine.
Ichika exchanged a brief look with her sisters. Their father would find out about Ryuichi eventually. But even if he did, who would believe the calm, polite young man riding with them was actually an ancient Devil from myth?
The car rolled smoothly toward the festival grounds. Ryuichi followed the girls through the bustling street once they arrived, his expression neutral but observant.
He'd originally thought of attending the fireworks show with Mai or Rias, but both had business tonight—so this outing would have to count as fulfilling his current contract instead.
The Nakano sisters, however, were bursting with excitement.
"Fireworks festival, we're here!"
"Show starts at seven, so we still have time! Let's look around!"
"Hehe! Goldfish scooping! Let's do that first!"
Their chatter overlapped energetically as they moved through the bright sea of lanterns and crowds.
Ryuichi glanced around, mildly taken aback by how many people there were.
Come to think of it, since arriving in this world, this was his first time attending something so… purely human.
Even back in his previous life, he'd avoided crowded places.
To him, all this colorful noise and laughter felt strangely distant—foreign but not unpleasant.
"Ryuichi, you've never been to a fireworks festival before, huh?" Itsuki asked suddenly, walking beside him, eyes bright with curiosity. "You've got that 'first time celebrating anything ever' look on your face."
"…Yeah. Never been," he admitted easily.
No point hiding it. Ever since crossing into this world, his days had been filled mostly with battles against Fallen Angels and the like.
Festivals? Not exactly at the top of his schedule.
He glanced sidelong at Itsuki—and nearly laughed. Both her hands were full of snacks, and her cheeks bulged adorably as she chewed.
Truly hopeless, he thought.
Feeling his gaze, Itsuki blushed. "S-stop staring at me while I eat, it's embarrassing!"
"So you do know you're a glutton," he teased lightly. "Nothing to be ashamed of. By the way, you changed your hair, didn't you? Looks nice."
Before she could answer, he reached past her and plucked a skewer from her paper bowl, popping a piece of hot tofu into his mouth without hesitation.
"Wow, Ryuichi really has been paying attention to us!" Ichika said, sidling closer with a mischievous smile. "So tell us—if we're wearing yukata without any underwear under them, does that interest you?"
Ryuichi tilted his head. "Now that you mention it… yeah, I'm intrigued."
"Oh? Want to take a look?" she teased, tugging her collar open just enough to reveal a teasing glimpse of cleavage.
"Ichika!" Miku and Itsuki cried out in unison, scandalized.
Ichika burst into laughter. "Relax, relax! I'm just kidding."
Ryuichi, completely unfazed, leaned back with a calm smile. He'd long ago figured out Ichika's teasing tendencies.
"No, I'm not that desperate," he replied casually. "I was just wondering—without underwear, doesn't the fabric rub uncomfortably up front?"
"…What!?"
"…"
Every sister froze, staring blankly as the tables turned spectacularly.
"Honestly," Nino groaned, dragging a hand down her face, "you say the weirdest things sometimes. What is going on in that head of yours?"
Ryuichi shrugged, stealing another bite from Itsuki's food. She squeaked in protest, swatting at him.
"Hey! Those are mine! Go buy your own!"
From a short distance away, Egawa watched the group with quiet surprise.
The girls were laughing, teasing, and smiling around this boy so naturally.
For someone new to their world, Ryuichi fit in almost effortlessly—like he'd always been part of their little family.
And Egawa, still smiling faintly, turned back toward the crowd. The fireworks would start soon.