Arou stood up from his chair, as if he had just remembered something.
"By the way…"
He looked straight at Chika.
"When we fought Vendico in the park… didn't you see it yourself?"
Chika frowned.
"Vendico?"
She thought for a moment, then her eyes widened.
"…That giant creature back then?"
Arou nodded.
"Yeah."
Chika fell silent.
Arou continued, calm but firm.
"Back then… did you believe that Airi was the one who defeated it?"
Chika opened her mouth… then closed it again.
She stayed quiet for a while.
"…Yeah," she finally answered, her voice softer than usual.
Airi quickly turned to her.
"Sis?"
Arou glanced at Airi, then back at Chika.
"When we fought Vendico, Airi was… different."
"Different…?"
Arou nodded.
"She was cold. Very calm."
"And from her eyes… something like red threads came out."
Chika swallowed.
She was clearly starting to remember.
"But yesterday was different," Arou continued.
The room grew quieter.
"When she fought the Demon King… Airi laughed."
"…In a terrifying way."
Airi clenched her fists, but said nothing.
"Even though we were far away," Arou said,
"we could still hear her voice clearly."
Chika shivered.
"Airi's face changed," Arou went on.
"It turned pitch black."
"Her eyes and mouth… were white."
"Like she was wearing a mask."
Chika unconsciously hugged her arms.
"And the sky…"
Arou looked out the window.
"…turned dark."
Silence fell.
Airi lowered her head.
She didn't deny a single word.
Chika stared at her for a long moment.
This time, there was no teasing—no jokes.
"…So," Chika said at last,
"you really fought the Demon King."
Airi slowly raised her head.
"…Yeah."
Chika paused.
Then said quietly:
"But still…"
"You're scared of frogs."
Airi almost collapsed again.
"WHY ARE WE BACK TO THAT?!"
Arou sighed.
"…Your focus is impressive."
Chika stood up and gently patted Airi's head—unusual for her.
"Listen," she said.
"I might not fully believe everything yet."
Airi tensed.
"But…"
Chika looked into her eyes.
"I'm starting to believe… there's something very dangerous inside you."
Airi froze.
Chika gave a faint smile.
"And that… actually scares me a little."
---
Silence lingered in the living room.
Airi swallowed hard.
The atmosphere felt heavy.
Arou remained quiet.
Then—
Plok.
Something dropped from the window.
Everyone turned.
"…?"
On the floor—
a large green frog.
Silence.
One second.
Two seconds.
Airi stared at it.
Her body stiffened.
"..."
All the talk about dark masks, black skies, terrifying auras—
gone in an instant.
"AAAAAAAAAA—!!!"
Airi jumped behind the sofa.
"F-FROOOOG!!!"
Arou: "..."
Chika: "...…"
The frog hopped once.
Plok.
Airi was on the verge of tears.
"WHY DOES IT ALWAYS SHOW UP AT TIMES LIKE THIS?!"
Chika covered her face.
"…The hero who defeated the Demon King."
Arou sighed deeply.
"…Now I understand your doubts."
Airi pointed at the frog, trembling.
"Th-that's different! The Demon King is still more reasonable!"
The frog stared at her.
Still.
Unmoving.
Airi panicked even more.
"IT'S LOOKING AT ME!"
Chika casually picked it up.
"Relax. It's just a normal frog."
Airi nearly fainted again.
"DON'T COME NEAR ME—!!"
Chika grinned.
"Funny… yesterday you faced a giant meteor."
Arou added flatly,
"And Demon King Satan."
Chika stepped closer.
"But now you lose to a frog."
Airi screamed.
"THAT'S A DIFFERENT KIND OF FEAR!!"
Chika burst out laughing.
"Alright, alright. I believe you now."
Airi froze.
"…Really?"
Chika nodded.
"No one can fake that kind of fear."
Arou looked at Airi seriously.
"…Your natural counter is absolute."
Airi collapsed onto the floor.
"Why is my life like this…"
The frog hopped out the window.
Silence returned.
Airi lay flat on the floor.
"…I'm tired of being a hero."
Chika patted her shoulder.
"Don't worry. As long as frogs exist, the world is safe."
Airi: "THAT'S NOT GOOD NEWS!!"
---
"So…" Arou said calmly,
"There's something we need to talk about."
Airi sighed.
"…About me losing control yesterday?"
Arou nodded.
"Your fear… isn't just a weakness. It's a trigger."
Chika sipped her tea.
"Like a button."
Airi looked down.
"…I know."
Arou stepped closer.
"So we'll try something simple."
"Simple?" Airi asked nervously.
"A mental exercise," Arou said.
"No danger. No fighting."
Chika raised an eyebrow.
"…No real frogs?"
Arou stared at her.
"No anything."
Airi took a breath.
"…Okay."
She closed her eyes.
Arou spoke calmly.
"Imagine a quiet morning in a park."
Airi nodded slowly.
"There's grass."
"A gentle breeze."
A few seconds passed.
Airi stayed calm.
Chika smiled slightly. "Hey… it's working."
Arou continued.
"In that grass—"
Airi suddenly opened her eyes.
"Don't continue."
Arou paused.
"…I haven't said anything yet."
Airi held her head.
"My imagination got there first…"
Chika tilted her head.
"…And?"
Airi muttered,
"I imagined something… jumping."
Silence.
Chika set down her cup.
"Stop."
Arou sighed softly.
"…Training ends here."
Airi lowered her head.
"Sorry…"
Arou shook his head.
"It's fine. Forcing it is dangerous."
Chika patted her shoulder.
"At least now it's clear."
"What?"
Chika smirked.
"The one who's most afraid… has the softest heart."
Airi smiled faintly.
"…I'm not proud of that."
---
The morning ended quietly.
No screaming.
No chaos.
Just one simple conclusion:
Their first mental training—failed.
---
Late morning.
The front door opened.
"We're home."
Airi looked up.
Chika smirked.
Their father stopped when he saw Arou.
"…Oh?"
"Arou's here."
Arou stood politely. "Good morning, sir. Ma'am."
Their mother smiled. "Please, sit."
Before things could settle—
Chika grinned.
"He's here to propose to Airi."
Silence.
Airi: "…?"
Arou: "…?!"
Father: "..."
Mother blinked.
Airi shot up.
"H-Hey?! WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?!"
Arou turned red.
"Th-that's not true—!"
Chika acted innocent.
"Early visit, serious talk…"
Father narrowed his eyes.
"…A proposal?"
Arou panicked.
"I just came to—"
Mother smiled softly.
"…You've grown up."
"MOOM—!!"
Chika clapped. "That was fast."
"YOU'RE MAKING A MESS!!"
Arou thought one thing:
Fighting a Demon King was easier…
than dealing with Airi's family.
---
And it only got worse.
Two neighbors walked in.
"Is that the boyfriend?"
"WHAT?!"
"He's here to propose."
More chaos.
More misunderstandings.
Arou sighed.
"…I'm more afraid of your neighbors than demons now."
Chika gave a thumbs up. "Normal."
---
Just when things calmed down—
Knock knock.
Chika opened the door.
"Oh… long time no see, Lumina, Akari."
They entered.
"Airi, we heard about the battle," Lumina said gently.
Akari nodded. "…We came to see you."
Airi smiled. "I'm fine."
Chika stepped forward.
"Oh right—one more thing."
She pointed at Airi.
"The bride-to-be."
"HUH?!"
Lumina: "E-Eh?!"
Akari: "..."
Arou stepped back.
"…I want to go home."
Airi nearly cried.
"Please… no more today…"
Lumina and Akari exchanged looks—
clearly misunderstanding everything.