At night, downstairs in the apartment building, Haruno Yukinoshita stood in front of the guardhouse. "Could you please check if any unfamiliar men visited room 1203 this evening?" she asked lazily.
The guard uncle, recognizing the elegant, curly-haired woman as the eldest daughter of the Yukinoshita family, quickly pulled up the visitor records: "Yes, around eight in the morning, a young man named Okabara Kyogumichi registered to go up, and he just left."
"Okabara Kyogumichi, huh..." Haruno lightly tapped the milk carton with her fingertips, pausing for a moment. "Got it, thank you."
As she turned to walk towards the elevator, a hint of curiosity appeared in her eyes—what kind of person would her sister, who always kept people at a distance, allow into her home?
The elevator reached the 12th floor. Haruno gently opened the door with a spare key, and sure enough, a pair of men's slippers, not belonging to Yukino, were placed in the entryway. She tiptoed into the living room, a faint scent of porridge mixed with disinfectant wafted over, and the bedroom door was slightly ajar.
Haruno pushed open the bedroom door and saw Yukino sleeping soundly, hugging a gray cat plushie. Her brows were relaxed, and a faint smile played on her lips, looking completely different from her usual tense demeanor.
On the bedside table was a note, with clear and strong handwriting. The deeply indented parts of the paper clearly indicated it was from a man's hand.
She picked up the note, her gaze sweeping over phrases like "take care of yourself," and her eyes gradually deepened.
The tone of this note was too intimate, a distance Yukino would never allow.
Haruno put down the note and quietly walked into the kitchen. There was still about half a bowl of white porridge left in the thermos. She scooped a little out and tasted it. The rice fragrance was light, the cooking time was just right, but it carried a gentle flavor completely different from Yukino's.
"Interesting." Haruno put down the spoon, lightly tapping the countertop with her fingertips, her vigilance growing stronger.
Her sister hated being disturbed by outsiders when she was sick. This time, she not only allowed a boy into the house but also accepted the food he made, and even slept with a stranger's gift. This was not the "Yukino Yukinoshita" she knew.
She leaned against the kitchen doorframe, waiting quietly. After an unknown amount of time, a slight movement came from the bedroom. Yukino walked out, rubbing her eyes, and visibly froze when she saw Haruno.
"Sister? Why are you here?" Yukino's voice was still a bit hoarse, and her cheeks were flushed from just waking up.
"I heard our Yukino was sick, so of course I had to come see her." Haruno walked closer and reached out to feel her forehead. "The fever has gone down a lot; it seems she's recovering well."
Yukino awkwardly dodged her touch: "I already said it was just a small cold."
"Is that so?" Haruno's gaze swept across the living room, her tone casual. "I thought I saw men's slippers at the door just now. Did we have a guest?"
Yukino's heart skipped a beat, and she poured tea, pretending to be calm: "No, you saw wrong."
"Is that so?" Haruno drew out her words, her eyes playful, "But I saw food in the kitchen that you didn't make, and there's an unfamiliar note and plushie in the bedroom..."
Yukino's cheeks instantly flushed crimson, and her fingers, gripping the teacup, tightened slightly: "Th-that... that was... Okabara-san brought notes on his way, and just brought some food along." The more she spoke, the more guilty she felt, not daring to look Haruno in the eyes.
Seeing her sister's flustered look, Haruno already had her answer in her heart, but she didn't expose her, only smiled and ruffled her hair: "So that's how it is. I thought our Yukino finally got a boyfriend."
"I didn't!" Yukino quickly retorted, her earlobes turning red, "Sister, don't talk nonsense!"
"Alright, alright, I won't talk nonsense." Haruno raised her hands in surrender, but a hint of understanding flashed in her eyes, "Speaking of which, I found out you were sick because Shizuka told me. She called home today and said you took a leave of absence and didn't come to class."
At the mention of Shizuka Hiratsuka, Yukino's expression softened: "Indeed, today was exactly Hiratsuka-sensei's class."
"No need to rush to school; your health is most important." Haruno took out the medicine she had brought from her bag, "This is a special medicine Mama asked me to bring; it's more effective than the one you're taking."
The two sisters chatted for a while in the living room. Haruno casually brought up school matters, and when she mentioned Kyogumichi scoring first in his grade, Yukino's lips involuntarily curved upwards slightly, her eyes filled with unconcealable joy.
"It seems you really admire this Okabara-san?" Haruno caught her change in expression and asked, testing the waters.
"I just... think he's very capable." Yukino quickly lowered her head, pretending to fix her hair, but her earlobes turned red again.
The more Haruno looked, the more she felt something was amiss. This reaction was clearly that of a young girl in love.
But seeing her sister's nervousness, she didn't press further, only silently noted it down in her mind—she'd have to call Shizuka later and ask thoroughly about this Okabara Kyogumichi, who had completely captivated their Yukino.
"It's getting late; you should rest early." Haruno stood up to leave, then suddenly turned back at the door, "Oh, by the way, that cat plushie is very cute. Did a classmate give it to you?"
"Mm..." Yukino responded softly, her cheeks burning.
"Good taste." Haruno smiled and waved, "Good night, Yukino."
The moment the door closed, the smile on Haruno's face became meaningful. She took out her phone and dialed Shizuka Hiratsuka: "Shizuka, regarding that student in your class named Okabara Kyogumichi, I want all his information..."
In the bedroom, Yukino hugged the cat plushie and leaned against the headboard, her cheeks still burning as she thought of her sister's questions just now. She gently poked the plushie's face, and the image of Kyogumichi feeding her porridge appeared in her mind, her lips curving upwards again involuntarily.
She mumbled softly, burying her face in the plushie, but her heart felt sweet. This sick weekend, because of that suddenly appearing figure and this warm plushie, seemed to have become exceptionally unforgettable.
Moonlight streamed through the window onto the headboard, illuminating a gentle smile.
++++++++++++
I'm a little sad that "The Greatest Estate Developer" has ended.
Lloyd gave us water we never deserved