Watching Yukinoshita's back gradually go far, until disappearing at the corner.
Kaito didn't stay long, turned around and returned to the living room.
"Yuki-chan left?", Seeing brother return, Mortis decisively abandoned Mutsumi beside her, skillfully burrowed into his arms, little butt twisting and twisting, adjusting to a comfortable position, "Such a pity, I still wanted to chat with her for a bit longer."
"Nothing to pity, there'll be plenty of chances in the future."
Kaito pinched the back of her fate-neck, lifting the girl off from himself, "Also, girls should be a bit ladylike, don't just casually start grabbing and touching."
"Ugh, what's the big deal!"
Mortis puffed her cheeks like a pufferfish, looking all grumpy, "I see brothers and sisters on TV doing this all the time. We're tilted in body but not afraid of a straight shadow."
"It's 'upright body not afraid of tilted shadow'," Kaito knocked her little head, a bit speechless.
Off to the side, Wakaba Mutsumi stayed silent for two seconds, then also spoke to help, "I read in a book, between siblings, appropriate physical interaction can effectively make the family atmosphere more intimate."
Though usually bickering with Mortis, the two were after all of the same root and origin, undoubtedly a community of fate. When coordination was needed, she would never deliberately hold back.
Different from jumpy Mortis, Mutsumi's personality was more quiet, not very talkative, yet rarely lied.
So Kaito didn't doubt her words at all, just felt a bit strange, "There's even such a book?"
Wakaba Mutsumi lightly nodded, still that clear and cool expression, "Yes."
She wasn't just making stuff up.
This matter was even recorded in JM, JM!
"Alright, I understand," Kaito didn't dwell on this topic, he still trusted Mutsumi a lot. Since she said it, it definitely wasn't baseless.
"Darn it, why are you so gentle to Mutsumi!", Mortis at the side couldn't help but grind her teeth, angrily grabbed his hand, "Awu" bit down, yet the sharp little canine teeth suddenly held back just before touching the skin.
The slender index finger was playfully held in the girl's mouth, soft and pink tongue lightly scraped, giving a warm feeling of complete enclosure.
As if electrified for a moment, Kaito slightly twitched without trace, coughed lightly as if to cover up, pulled his finger back from Mortis's mouth, first used spiritual power to dry the saliva, then gently flicked her forehead.
"Disease enters through the mouth, don't randomly eat things, pay attention to hygiene."
Mortis didn't care, "It's fine, brother's hand isn't dirty anyway."
Practitioners, untainted by dust, unstained by filth, open the lid and it's edible, clean and hygienic.
"…Still not allowed," Kaito was choked by her frank attitude, just about to say something, when his phone suddenly vibrated.
Unlocking the screen, it was a message from Soyo.
[Nagasaki Soyo: Kaito-kun, regarding tonight's family dinner, is there any dish you want to eat?]
A few days ago, upon learning her daughter was in a relationship, Nagasaki-san(Soyo's mother) was pleasantly surprised and specially invited him to her home for a meal.
Tonight was the agreed day. Kaito thought for a moment, typed a line in reply.
[Kaito: As long as it's made by Soyo, any dish is fine.]
People grow.
In the past, he might've only replied dryly with a "whatever," or "I'm not picky."
But after all this time, with even three girlfriends now, he had long since realized something.
The same words, sometimes said in a gentler way, can bring joy to the other's heart.
Within his ability, he didn't mind using words to make Soyo happy — this was also the duty of a boyfriend.
———
Duplex flat facing the sea and river.
A brown-haired girl in silk sleepwear blushed prettily.
Was it an illusion?
After just a few days apart, her boyfriend seemed to have become much more articulate?
In Soyo's eyes, Kaito looked good, had good character, everything was excellent, the only shortcoming was his overly reserved personality.
He rarely expressed feelings of "liking," most of the time acting like an unromantic blockhead, making people so angry they wanted to stomp on him. Once, twice, three times, four times, five times, until he showed a confused expression.
But precisely because of this, that occasional sweet talk brought a contrast hard to resist.
Like a cold and aloof pretty boy suddenly acting spoiled toward you. For most girls, that's nuclear weapon-level destructive power.
Softening of the heart was normal, maternal instincts burst forth like a geyser, making them want to hug him and fiercely comfort him the next second.
Especially as the elder sister of Tsukinomori, the girl named "Nagasaki Soyo" was long used to embracing her friends. In terms of wifely aura and strong maternal energy, even the mature lady Nagasaki-san had to bow down.
She really liked taking care of others, and deep down, she had fantasized about treating her boyfriend like a cute baby, wholeheartedly caring for him as if raising an infant.
Only because she worried this fetish was too weird, and saying it might make Kaito dislike her, she barely held back and didn't show it.
[Nagasaki Soyo: Got it! Anyway, I definitely won't let Kaito-kun be disappointed!]
After typing this reply, a smile bloomed on the girl's lips like catkin fluff, unable to be blown away by wind.
"Smiling so happily, who are you chatting with?", Beside her suddenly came a familiar voice. Wearing a little black suit, just off work and sneaking into her daughter's room, Nagasaki-san popped out.
"M-Mom?", Instinctively hiding the phone behind her, and after seeing who it was, Nagasaki Soyo finally breathed out, her bluish eyes full of reproach, "Don't suddenly shout like that! So scary!"
"My my, that kind of thing's not important," Nagasaki-san casually waved it off, showing a mischievous smile, "Rare to see Soyo smile so happily. Let me guess… as expected, chatting with Kaito-kun, right?"
Soyo stayed silent, but her slightly red cheeks betrayed her thoughts.
This kind of "guilty thief" look was just too obvious.
Thinking of the son-in-law she picked at first sight, destined to become part of the "Nagasaki" family in the future, Nagasaki-san's smile deepened, unable to resist getting gossipy.
"Cough cough, Soyo, about your progress with Kaito-kun… how far have you two gotten?"
"W-What do you mean, how far?", Soyo's face turned redder, pushing her approaching mother away, "I-I totally don't understand what you're saying, Mom…"
"No need to pretend in front of Mommy, right?", Nagasaki-san struck a mother-daughter heart-to-heart pose, said seriously, "What I mean is, you two… hmm, done that yet?"
'Too direct!'
'What kind of mother would ask her daughter such things?'
Seeing Soyo's face turn crimson, Nagasaki-san quickly added, "Mommy has experience, and based on the situation, I can give you some advice… of course, if you don't want to say, that's fine, no problem."
Because of their good relationship, Soyo had long gotten used to sharing everything with her mother.
Seeing Mommy say this, after hesitating a while, she still meekly nodded.
Nagasaki-san wasn't surprised by the answer.
Kaito was that handsome, if nothing had happened after so long, she could only suspect her daughter was asexual.
Thinking that, she couldn't help but ask another question, "Who made the first move?"
Soyo bit her lip, a bit embarrassedly lowered her head, everything said without needing words.
Nagasaki-san understood. So proactive and decisive, her daughter really knew how to enjoy herself.
She cleared her throat, asked the final question, "When you two are together, is there any… hmm, discord?"
The compatibility between two people was still very important. Platonic love was too floaty, like a castle in the sky, easily collapsed.
But this time, Soyo absolutely refused to answer. Even if mother and daughter could talk about anything, she wasn't honest to that extent.
"Alright, alright, if you don't want to say then forget it."
Seeing her daughter's resisting look, Nagasaki-san didn't push, only said, "In that case, does Soyo have anything unclear, or any questions? As an adult, I can at least offer you some answers."
'Ugh…'
"When I'm with Kaito-kun, sometimes… I get a strange impulse," Soyo hesitated a bit, thinking of that deeply buried XP of hers, a bit hard to speak.
"Oh?", Nagasaki-san showed an encouraging expression, "What kind of impulse exactly? No need to be shy, you're still young, having confusion is normal. As your mother, guiding my daughter is my responsibility."
"Then, after I say it, Mom you're not allowed to laugh…"
Nagasaki-san looked serious, "I'm your mom. No matter how funny, I won't laugh."
"Every time I hold him in my arms, a thought always rises in my heart, really wanting to ask him…", Facing her mother's gentle and encouraging gaze, Soyo inexplicably grew bold, like under a love spell, uncontrollably, irresistibly, blurted, "Love or not love mommy?"
Like heavenly light piercing clouds, like sudden thunder on flat ground.
After a long silence.
Nagasaki-san finally returned to her senses, slowly typed a question mark: "?"
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