Shichen got up and went to the kitchen to make something nutritious for Yoshino and Natsumi.
They were Spirits, so they technically didn't need supplements—but food was also about appetite, and more importantly, intent. The truth was: he wanted to cook for them. And he knew it would make them happy.
Something for blood, something for energy—both. Their appetites weren't small right now; they could eat a lot.
When everything was ready, Shichen carried the steaming food back to the bedroom.
The heavy smell in the room was gone—he'd already cleared it—but the bed was still a mess, proof of last night's chaos. If a stranger saw it, they'd call the police. Even an acquaintance might.
After all, the two sleeping on that bed looked like tiny girls who didn't even seem middle-school age.
But their true ages were both in the dozens.
That was the main reason Shichen could talk himself down.
Natsumi hadn't gone back to sleep. She was lying on her stomach, looking oddly cheerful—her legs lightly kicking the mattress, a faint smile on her face.
When Shichen walked in, he caught her grinning like an idiot, as if something great had happened.
For her, it probably had.
Even if it had hurt.
That part was just… someone losing control.
"What are you smiling about?"
"Wha—!" Natsumi jumped and looked at him, hurriedly wiping her expression away. "When did you come in?!"
"Just now," Shichen said.
"Oh. Good…" Natsumi exhaled in relief.
"What do you mean, 'good'?"
"Nothing!" she shouted.
"Lower your voice. You'll wake Yoshino."
"…Okay." Then she narrowed her eyes at him. "Wait—are you playing favorites? You did it last night too. You were way harsher with me, but you were so gentle with Yoshino."
"Wasn't it the same later?" Shichen asked.
"It was not the same!"
"Really?" Shichen shrugged. "Then doesn't that just prove your 'temptation' was stronger?"
"W-Was it?" Natsumi blinked at him.
"With you looking like that, what do you think?"
"…Y-Yeah, I guess…" Natsumi lowered her head, totally buying it.
She was secretly delighted—her mouth threatening to curve up again.
"Alright. Don't get too happy. Come eat something first," Shichen said, setting the food down. "You were exhausted last night. You must've burned everything off."
"I'm not happy!" Natsumi protested as she climbed out of bed.
"Should we wake Yoshino?"
"Let her sleep. She looks peaceful."
"Hmph. Totally biased!"
"I told you to go back to sleep too," Shichen said flatly. "You're the one who refused and kept grinning like an idiot…"
"I wasn't grinning!" Natsumi blushed and denied it.
"Sure, sure. You weren't."
"…What if the food gets cold?"
"I can heat it up. You're a Spirit—some superhuman—why are you worrying about something this mundane? Where's your 'romance'?"
"What romance? That's nonsense. Fine, don't wake her… Yoshino really sleeps well, though."
"She always has."
"I think it's because she got what she wanted. If someone hadn't gone off the rails last night, it would've been perfect."
"That's because you two were way too tempting!" Shichen shot back.
"…Yeah." Natsumi muttered, flustered.
"Eat. You talk too much."
"Of course you can't shut me up—"
"Then how about this?"
Shichen pinched her chin, made her look up, and kissed her.
A few seconds later, he pulled back and smiled. "Better?"
"…Y-Yeah," Natsumi mumbled, ears bright red, finally eating properly.
Shichen ruffled her messy hair and left the room—he still had breakfast to make.
It was tiring, but worth it. Anyone could cook; what mattered was knowing how. And right now, he had plenty of motivation.
He'd only been busy in the kitchen for a little while when Tohka showed up—back to her normal self.
"Shichen~ I'm starving!"
"Straight to the point, huh?"
"Yeah. I don't know why, but I'm really hungry." She pressed herself against him the moment she entered.
"Do you remember what happened last night?" Shichen asked.
"Last night? What happened?" Tohka tilted her head.
"You don't remember?"
She thought for a second. "Oh! I remember now! We got smaller! Everyone did!"
"Your memory is terrible."
"Hehe… I was all fuzzy."
"And now?"
"I'm fine! Super clear-headed!"
"…Got it." Shichen nodded.
Looks like the "getting smaller" thing came with a pretty heavy mental side effect.
"Why'd you ask?" Tohka wondered.
"Just curious. Go brush your teeth. Food will be ready soon."
"Okay~"
Tohka didn't leave right away. She stood there, cheeks pink, looking at him.
"What?" Shichen asked.
"…Um. Aren't you going to check?" she asked quietly.
"Oh." Shichen laughed. "Alright—open up, let me see."
"Mm." Tohka closed her eyes, tipped her chin up, and opened her mouth.
Pink and soft inside, her tongue small and fidgety.
Shichen leaned in and kissed her.
The kitchen fell silent—only that hint of purple excitement in the air.
By the time breakfast was nearly done, everyone else was up too, and everyone was back to normal.
"Aww, we changed back already?" Nia sighed, disappointed.
"Being small sucks. Your head gets all fuzzy," Kotori said.
"But you're younger—and Shichen really liked us when we were tiny," Nia teased.
"No way…"
"Did you forget he picked all of us up one by one?" Nia reminded her.
"That was for 'checking,' wasn't it?"
"You sure?"
"…Well…"
"Darling likes girls? I don't mind having a baby right now~" Miku said brightly.
"A baby…?"
"Shichen, I can have two!" Origami added.
"Hey! Stop it! Nobody's having babies with Shichen!" Kotori snapped.
"Eat your breakfast. No more nonsense," Shichen said sternly.
"Aww, you still haven't answered~"
"There's no way I like little girls," Shichen said evenly. "I like you."
"Oooh~"
One by one, the girls got shy, and Shichen quietly breathed out in relief.
After breakfast, Shichen walked everyone to school, then came back alone.
"Shichen, Yoshino's awake," Natsumi said from the living room, where she was watching TV.
"Okay. I'll check on her."
"And don't go feral," Natsumi warned.
"…Right."
In the bedroom, he didn't see Yoshino—just a lump under the blanket.
He smiled, went over, pinched the edge of the comforter, and gently pulled it back to reveal the little princess underneath.
"Mm…" Yoshino curled up, trembling.
"Yoshino. It's me."
"…Shichen…" she mumbled, still hiding her face.
"Do you regret it?"
"No!" she snapped up immediately, denying it hard.
"Then why are you embarrassed?" Shichen pressed his hand to her head.
"I can't help it…" Yoshino's face was pink, like a ripe apple.
"It's okay. You'll get used to it," Shichen said gently.
"…Mm." Yoshino nodded shyly.
"Hungry? Eat a little first."
"Okay…"
"Want me to carry you?"
"Can I?"
"Of course." Shichen picked her up and set her softly on the chair by the table.
Yoshino clutched his sleeve and asked in a tiny voice, "Shichen… can I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"Later… will you… do that with me again?"
"Do what?"
"…Last night…"
Shichen chuckled. "That depends on what you want."
"I… of course…" Yoshino started, flustered.
"Then yes."
"Yes!" Yoshino nodded happily.
Shichen ruffled her hair, amused. This little girl had gotten hooked, huh. You really couldn't judge by appearances.
He stayed with her until she finished eating, then cleaned up and left the room.
Yoshino followed him out to the living room.
"How do you feel, Yoshino?" Natsumi asked with a teasing grin.
"T-Thank you…" Yoshino sat beside her and said softly.
"Hm?" Natsumi blinked.
"Thank you… for being with me."
"It's nothing." Natsumi waved it off. "Just don't hate me for it."
"Not at all. I'm grateful…"
"Then good." Natsumi smiled. "We're sisters now."
"Mm."
Shichen was washing dishes when an unexpected person appeared.
"Reine? Why are you here?" Shichen asked, surprised—but not confused.
Reine stood still, staring at him like she'd been holding it in for a long time.
Shichen sighed, walked up, and gently ruffled her hair. Looking into her pale, glassy eyes framed by heavy dark circles, he asked softly:
"Alright. Say it. What is it?"
"…Can we… go see… me?" Reine asked, voice small and fragile.
"…Okay," Shichen said.
~~~
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