As they arrived in front of the cinema, Ren suddenly froze. His eyes locked onto the all-too-familiar facade of the building, a mix of emotions swirling within him.
It was the exact same cinema where he and Miku had spent their afternoon just a few days ago.
"You look so surprised, Ren-kun. Is something wrong with this cinema?" Ichika asked, her voice tinged with concern as she noticed Ren's stunned expression.
She began to feel uneasy.
(Did I do something wrong?) She thought anxiously.
Ichika had spent considerable time scouring online reviews, choosing this cinema for its reputed ambiance and screen quality. She desperately wanted to make a good impression on her potential brother-in-law.
"Everything's fine." Ren replied quickly, shaking off his surprised expression and replacing it with a perfectly practiced smile.
The lie slipped out effortlessly.
It had to be said, all five Nakano sisters shared strikingly similar preferences, with slight variations.
The most obvious example?
They were all drawn to the same man. A rather ironic twist.
"Good. Onee-san was worried you wouldn't like it." Ichika said with relief, her face—hidden behind a cap and mask—brightening again. "Let's go in, then."
Unaware of Ren's thoughts, Ichika pulled him into the bustling cinema lobby.
"…"
Since it was the weekend, the crowd in the lobby was far denser than when Ren had come with Miku. The two of them had to queue to buy tickets.
After securing their tickets, Ichika deftly chose two seats in the back row.
"Why the back row, Ichika-san?" Ren asked, already guessing the answer.
"So we can chat freely without disturbing anyone, right?" Ichika replied with an innocent tone, though a mischievous glint flickered in her eyes, concealed by her sunglasses.
"Oh."
Ren knew full well that the back row was a favorite spot for couples seeking to "share warmth" without drawing unwanted attention.
While they queued at the ticket counter, Ren felt a piercing gaze fixed on him.
A female staff member behind the counter, who had been there when he visited with Miku, now stared at him with wide eyes and slightly parted lips. Her expression was a mix of shock and disappointment.
(No way I've mistaken him… it's definitely him.) The staff woman thought to herself, her eyes sharply assessing Ren.
(Just a few days ago, he came with a beautiful, mature woman with a calm aura. Now he's with another woman?)
Her gaze shifted to Ichika, who, despite her disguise, still exuded a mature charm.
(This guy looks like he's still in high school, but he's already switched girlfriends in the blink of an eye? Or… could he be two-timing them?)
(He's so handsome… What a shame, he seems like a gigolo living off wealthy women.)
"…???"
Ren sensed the judgmental stare but completely ignored it. His life was already filled with secrets and others' assumptions; a small misunderstanding like this meant nothing to him.
Unbothered by the staff woman's gaze, the enthusiastic Ichika tugged at Ren's arm again.
"Come on, Ren-kun, let's get popcorn and drinks! Onee-san's treating today!"
With a slightly complex heart due to this strange coincidence, Ren let Ichika drag him toward the snack counter, leaving the stunned staff woman's gaze behind.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
As they entered the darkened theater, the atmosphere shifted instantly.
Nearly every seat was filled, creating a low hum of chatter and anticipation from the audience.
This ambiance filled Ichika's heart with uncontainable pride. She guided Ren to their back-row seats, and before sitting, she gazed at the screen—still showing ads—with deep satisfaction.
"Look, Ren-kun." Ichika whispered, pointing at the packed theater. "All these people came to watch Onee-san's movie. The dream I've fought for since high school has come true."
She turned to Ren, her eyes—usually accustomed to acting—now radiating a genuine desire for acknowledgment.
"How does it feel to watch this movie with the lead actress herself? Special, right?"
With his mask of friendliness firmly in place, Ren gave a gentle smile. He responded to Ichika's whisper with a deliberately warm and admiring tone.
"Very special, Ichika-san. Not everyone gets an experience like this. I feel incredibly lucky to be here beside you, watching your amazing work."
His words were like honey to Ichika's ears. Her face, hidden behind her cap and glasses, surely flushed.
"Really? Onee-san's so happy to hear that!" she whispered excitedly before they fell silent as the theater lights dimmed further and the movie began.
Behind his smile and seemingly captivated gaze at the screen, Ren, in truth, wasn't enjoying the movie at all.
After all, this was the second time he'd watched the exact same film in a short span. But with Ichika beside him, he carefully maintained his facade of interest.
Whenever a key scene featuring Ichika played, he'd nod subtly or offer a brief compliment.
"You were incredible here, Ichika-san."
While the screen unfolded a dramatic love story, a real drama brewed in Ichika's heart. Her mind couldn't focus on the plot she knew by heart.
(I'm a bad woman.)
The echo of her conscience was laced with regret.
(My youngest sister, Itsuki, just gave birth. She's still weak in the hospital, yet here I am… taking the man who's supposed to be hers on a date.)
Guilt stabbed at her like a dagger every time she stole a glance at Ren's handsome profile beside her.
Yet, that guilt was quickly drowned by an overwhelming wave of attraction.
(But… I can't help myself. Ren-kun's charm is too much. After learning his secret—that he's a Campione, an extraordinary being who defeated a god… how could my heart not be moved?)
Her gaze unconsciously compared Ren to the man she once liked, Fuutarou, who had rejected her and chosen her sister Yotsuba.
(Fuutarou-kun… he was smart and had sweet words, but he was just an ordinary human. Ren-kun is different. He's in a league of his own. He has power, charisma, and an irresistible aura to women.)
Like Ren, Ichika's attention wasn't on the movie at all. Her mind was a battlefield between morality and desire.
She knew it was wrong, terribly wrong. But the thrill of this "wrongness" was what made it so exhilarating. She recognized the contradiction within herself.
(Humans are such contradictory creatures. Even though we know an action is immoral, many of us do it anyway, drawn by the addictive thrill of the forbidden. That's what I'm experiencing now.)
(Otherwise, why do so many humans willingly drown in sin, even when they know it's wrong?)
Ichika took a deep, silent breath.
The two figures in the back row, physically so close, were each trapped in their own complex world of thoughts—a perfect irony amidst the laughter and tears of the other audience members immersed in the fictional drama on the screen.