"Are you here looking for Takamatsu-san?"
Kaito said, "She just left, she should have already gotten on the train by now."
'L-left?', Not being able to say goodbye to Tomori made Shiina Taki a little disappointed.
Ever since CRYCHIC disbanded, she hadn't seen that girl who was as lovable as a small animal for a long time.
Tomori's personality was originally introverted, and after being seriously struck by a certain naturally evil blue-scaled little demon, she placed all the blame for the band's breakup on herself, becoming even more withdrawn since.
Shiina Taki saw it in her eyes and worried in her heart, but there wasn't much she could do.
The only thing she could do was to avoid disturbing her, to avoid reopening Tomori's emotional wounds.
Now that they had finally met again, before she could say more than a few words, she had already left once more.
Moreover… Thinking back to what just happened, Shiina Taki sighed in her heart.
It was her first time seeing Tomori defend a boy so strongly, even stepping in front of him, as if afraid she would get into a conflict with him.
This kind of "wanting to protect someone but ending up opposing another" feeling was honestly unpleasant.
'Clearly, I was the one who came first...', The drummer's heart felt sour.
However, when her gaze fell on the beautiful boy sitting by the window, the girl went silent again.
Even she herself couldn't quite explain it.
'Is this sour feeling in my heart because "Tomori opposed me for another boy," or is it because… of some other reason?'
Shaking her head, she stopped thinking randomly, and after placing the freshly made black tea and cake on the table, Shiina Taki didn't rush to leave. She hesitated for a moment, then softly asked, "Customer, may I ask… how did you meet Tomori?"
"Actually…", Kaito didn't hide anything.
This waitress lady was clearly a close friend of Takamatsu. With her supervision, it might also prevent Takamatsu from having a second incident of nearly falling off a bridge while trying to catch flower petals.
He briefly summarized the origin and development of the incident, which made Shiina Taki show an expression of lingering fear.
She couldn't even imagine, if Kaito hadn't stepped in, what terrible outcome might have awaited Tomori.
Even if she didn't die from the fall on the spot, under the condition that a train happened to be passing below, wouldn't she have turned from "Little Closed Light" into "Little Tomori Sauce"?
"Thank you very much for saving Tomori," Shiina Taki slightly bowed her head, her tone very serious, "I'm not good at saying nice words, but in the days to come, if you need anything, as long as it's something I can do, no matter what it is, I will."
''Will do anything,' is that the default gratitude code of you girls?'
Good thing he was a proper gentleman, otherwise it could've gone straight into that kind of development at any time, right?
"I'll remember that," Kaito gave a simple "Mm", not saying much more. Even though he didn't think Shiina Taki could be of any help to him, since it was the heartfelt gratitude of a girl, even if useless, there was no need to trample on it.
And as it turned out, Shiina Taki really wasn't all talk.
Not only did she cover all of Kaito's expenses, she also packed a ton of snacks and desserts for him, almost forcibly stuffed into his hands, making it impossible to refuse.
'Does this count as eating soft rice again?', Carrying various sizes of packaging boxes, sitting on the train, Kaito fell into deep thought.
'Also, why did I think "again"?"
———
"Welcome back, Onii-chan! ×2"
"Welcome back, President."
Just as he entered the door, he took a familiar rocket headbutt.
Mortis pounced into his arms, tilted her little face up, like a matcha puppy, rubbing around naughtily against her master's chest.
By contrast, the little secretary and Mutsumi following behind him were much calmer.
Seeing him carrying a bunch of bags, Sakiko couldn't help but be curious. While taking the things from Kaito with Mutsumi, she asked suspiciously, "These… did the President buy them all?"
Clothes and sweets, it looked like he just came back from a shopping trip.
But did he go alone, or was there a certain woman with him?
"Someone else gave them."
With the secretary and Mutsumi helping to carry the load, Kaito finally freed up his hands and stretched, then said, "I might come home a little late on Friday, you can rest early and don't wait up for me."
Mutsumi tilted her head slightly, her waterfall-like green hair drooping down, the tips soft like hooks, "Onii-chan, do you have something planned?"
"It's not a big deal," Kaito paused for two seconds, "If I have to say it… I guess it's a date?"
Sakiko: "?"
Mortis: "!"
Mutsumi: "..."
A single stone stirred up a thousand ripples.
Noticing their expressions weren't quite right, he lightly coughed and added, "Of course, it's not the kind of date you're imagining. It's just pretend."
He explained Anon's request, and of course, in consideration of privacy, omitted the girl's name.
"I-I see…", Togawa Sakiko patted her chest, as if relieved, 'NOOO!'
'Even if it's pretend, it's not safe okay? What if fake becomes real?'
'I haven't even gotten to pretend to be a couple with the President yet!'
The little secretary spun around in anxiety, wanting to stop him, but didn't know how to speak up. She instinctively looked for help from the childhood friend nearby.
Cucumber Princess, use your invincible four-breaks-a-second brain to come up with something.
Wakaba Mutsumi stayed silent for a while, but didn't object, only nodded thoughtfully, "I understand, Onii-chan."
'Understand what exactly?'
Soft and sticky little Sakiko almost couldn't catch her breath, panicking hard.
At the critical moment, it was still Mortis who stepped up, tilting her little face with an innocent expression, "Onii-chan, can I come too?"
"Nope."
Pretending to be a couple with Anon, how could he bring his little sister along?
Kaito patted her head, "Stay home and wait for me, alright?"
"…Fine."
Mortis lowered her head a bit disappointed, then suddenly looked up again. Her delicate features curled like a sly little fox, "Then Onii-chan, you have to compensate me."
'So this was your goal all along, huh?'
Kaito shook his head a little helplessly, but didn't refuse, "What kind of compensation do you want?"
"Umm…", Mortis thought for a bit, then seriously said, "Then… a kiss on the cheek will do."
'If the request is too excessive, Onii-chan definitely won't agree.'
'But it's okay. There's a concept in psychology called "boiling frog."'
'From sleeping together, to bathing together, then to casual cheek kisses…'
'So-called guard walls, are worn down step by step!'
This was experience gained from her clearing four galgames in three days. Totally authentic.
'As long as things proceed steadily like this, one day, victory will belong to me, Mortis.'
'By that time, whether it's Mutsumi or Sakiko…'
'Heh heh, they'll all have to call her Onee-sama and act according to my mood!'
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