"This time…"
"Stop dawdling. Hurry up and wash off that stink of sweat!" Junko waved her hand and reached for the rag on the counter again, urging him impatiently.
"Don't stand in the doorway like a door god. If you scare off customers, be careful they complain about you!"
Itohara had just opened his mouth when he was immediately shut down by his sister's rapid-fire barrage.
With no other choice, he shrugged resignedly and, accepting his fate, ran upstairs toward the bathroom.
"Tsuna, please wait a little longer. Grandpa should be back any moment now." After Itohara went upstairs, Junko's gaze remained fixed on the doorway.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Tsuna shifting as if he were about to step outside, and she quickly raised her voice. "Hey! Wait…"
"…?"
Tsuna paused and turned back, looking at her with faint confusion.
Junko's expression instantly softened into a reassuring smile, the trace of anxiety from earlier disappearing without a hitch.
"What's the rush? Sit for a bit. Oh, right, there's a new pastry shop that just opened. Your little girlfriend might like it…"
She smoothly changed the subject, chatting about unrelated things as if nothing had happened.
---
Meanwhile, on the second floor in Shouko's room, backpacks and luggage were casually piled in a corner, and the low table had been pushed up against the wall.
"Shouko-chan, I'm so tired. I ache all over…" Ajitani twisted on the tatami like a stranded fish.
On one side, Takagi had buried her entire face in a pile of fluffy pillows, while Shouko stared blankly at the wood grain on the ceiling.
Neither of them moved, nor did they bother responding.
"Why aren't you talking?"
"Ajitani-chan, if you're tired, just close your eyes for a bit. You'll feel better after you wake up."
Shouko spoke softly, her gaze drifting to the side just in time to catch Ajitani's rolling motion come to an abrupt stop.
Ajitani lifted her messy head, her light golden eyes locking precisely onto Shouko's.
"Hey~"
Curling her lips, Ajitani threw her a wink that was practically a flying kiss.
"…."
Shouko silently turned her face toward the opposite wall.
She could not bear to look. Absolutely could not bear to look.
"Shouko-chan, where's the second-floor bathroom? I really need to go…" Ajitani whimpered.
After confirming that Shouko was not asleep, she immediately began wriggling across the tatami like a caterpillar.
Finally, she "stuck" herself to Shouko's warm back and even deliberately blew air near her ear, giggling softly.
"…."
"Slap."
Shouko finally snapped. Propping herself up with one arm, she accurately poked Ajitani's soft cheek with her free hand, using just enough force to send her rolling half an arm's length away.
She then sat up and spoke helplessly to the girl curled into a ball on the tatami.
"Let's go. I'll take you. I haven't been here in a while either, so I'll probably need to find it first."
With that, she stood up, grabbed Ajitani's outstretched hand, and gave a sharp tug, pulling her to her feet.
"Be gentle. Don't wake Takagi-chan." Shouko did not forget to remind her before leaving.
"Mhm, mhm."
The two tiptoed out of the room, Ajitani still clinging tightly to Shouko's clothes.
Just as Shouko quietly slid the door closed, her knuckles whitening slightly with effort, a hesitant, probing voice suddenly cut through the dim corridor.
"Sister… Sister-in-law?"
"Eeek!"
Ajitani jumped in fright, her back thudding dully against the freshly closed door.
"Ajitani-chan, what are you doing?"
Shouko looked at her with exasperation, completely confused by her reaction.
Following the direction of Ajitani's trembling finger, Shouko finally noticed someone standing at the far end of the corridor.
It was none other than Itohara, who had just finished rinsing off in the bathroom.
Only then did Itohara remember that Shouko could not hear him unless he spoke loudly.
And since his greeting had startled someone, the atmosphere became awkward.
For a moment, all three stood frozen at opposite ends of the corridor. The air seemed to solidify, broken only by the sudden click of the clock's hands on the wall.
Meanwhile, a storm raged in Shouko's mind.
That crew-cut guy must be Tsuna's brother, no doubt, but his name… what was it again?
Mitsuto… Iori? Something like that.
What if I get it wrong and say it to his face? That would be so embarrassing!
Should I pretend I didn't see him and drag Ajitani-chan back into the room?
No… that feels even worse.
But starting with "that…" would be way too rude!
Thoughts spun wildly, cold sweat nearly forming on her forehead, as she silently cried for Tsuna's help from the room next door.
"What are you standing there for, kid? Are you a bamboo pole drying quilts in the wind?"
The wooden stairs creaked as someone descended, the soles of shoes thudding lightly against old wood. An aged voice shattered the frozen atmosphere.
"Grandpa, Brother, Elder Sister…?"
"Hey! What's with that hesitation at the end? Does seeing me really make you that unhappy?"
"Where's Grandma?" Faced with Junko's increasingly fierce glare, Itohara quickly changed the subject.
"Tsuna…?"
Shouko was inwardly panicking. Seeing the guy opposite finally distracted, she barely managed to breathe.
The stairwell light flickered, and Tsuna's figure appeared as if answering her unspoken plea, stepping perfectly into the gap created by the distraction.
He walked lightly, carrying with him the warmth of the afternoon sun, almost as though he had stepped straight out of her thoughts.
As for everyone else, Shouko ignored them completely.
"Shouko? Why are you two out here?"
Tsuna turned at the sound of her voice and stopped when he saw the two of them.
The moment he approached, Shouko began making exaggerated faces at him, cramming all her unspoken hints into her eyes.
"…."
Are your eyes twitching? Tsuna smiled silently and made a few casual hand gestures, which instantly shattered Shouko's composure.
At that moment, the others also walked over. Tsuna turned toward the footsteps. Grandpa had already gone into the living room and did not follow, leaving only the brother and sister.
"Class Monitor, let me formally introduce you to them." He subtly winked at Shouko.
He had understood her hints, though not entirely.
"This is my brother, Itohara. You can call him Brother, or just use his name."
Since Junko had already been introduced earlier, Tsuna quickly skipped over her and focused on Itohara.
He smiled at Shouko, only to earn a playful slap in return.