Chinatsu half-dragged, half-pulled Shido, finally reaching the apartment building.
Shido's brain was almost on overload the entire way, his arm tightly held by Chinatsu, her faint, cool scent from her hair mingling with the sweet, cloying smell of the crepes they'd just had, lingering around his nose.
It made his heart race and his cheeks flush. He tried to struggle, but was afraid of hurting her with too much force, or perhaps... a secret expectation deep inside him prevented him from truly breaking free.
(Fraxinus! Kotori! What exactly is going on now?!)
He could only scream silently in his mind, but all that came through his earpiece was a cacophony of static interference and intermittent "signal... unstable... unknown... interference... Shido... good luck..." noises.
Amidst this chaos, the two finally stepped onto the stairs leading to Chinatsu's floor.
However, just as they were about to reach the apartment door, an unexpected figure, like a cold sculpture, stood silently there.
It was Tobiichi Origami.
She was holding a rather exquisite-looking fruit basket, her face still lacking any expression.
But those light blue eyes, upon seeing the two figures appear at the stairwell—
—especially the intimate posture of Chinatsu tightly hugging Shido's arm—narrowed almost imperceptibly, a sharp glint flashing within them.
(Origami?! Why is she here?!)
Shido instantly froze, feeling his blood almost congeal. An absurd sense of being "caught in the act" and panic swept over him.
Chinatsu also felt an alarm bell ring in her heart the moment she saw Origami!
(Tobiichi Origami?! What is she doing here?! With a get-well basket... is she here to see "Koushi"? Oh no! Why is she coming now?!)
(My whole plan is ruined! I used my power earlier to create the illusion of "Koushi" lying in bed recovering! Now there's an AST elite standing at the door, her observational skills are extraordinary, can this illusion fool her? The risk is too great!)
(What should I do? Directly refuse her entry? On what grounds? My brother needs absolute rest, no visitors allowed? But that would make it even more suspicious, wouldn't it! Origami isn't that easy to fob off!)
Chinatsu's brain raced at an unprecedented speed, analyzing the crisis before her. The grip on Shido's arm unconsciously tightened slightly.
The deliberately created "damsel in distress" expression on her face instantly vanished, replaced by a trace of genuine vigilance and scrutiny as she looked at Origami.
Origami's gaze lingered for a second on Shido's and Chinatsu's tightly clasped arms, then she spoke calmly, her voice devoid of emotion:
"Itsuka Shido. Phoenix-in Chinatsu. I've come to visit Koushi." She raised the fruit basket in her hand.
"Ah, Classmate Or-Origami! W-what a coincidence!"
Shido tried to force a smile, but his body was as stiff as a board. He tried to pull his arm out of Chinatsu's embrace, but Chinatsu held on too tightly, and he failed.
Just then, Origami made a move that nearly scared Shido out of his wits. She took a step forward and, very naturally, took his left arm with her free hand!
"!?" Shido was completely petrified.
Origami raised her light blue eyes, calmly looked at Shido, then glanced at Chinatsu on the other side, and said in a factual tone:
"I haven't seen Koushi in a long time either. Let's go in together."
In an instant, Shido was "sandwiched" between the two beautiful girls, one on his left and one on his right.
On his left was the expressionless but resolute Origami, tightly holding his left arm; on his right was the subtly watchful, yet still holding his right arm, Chinatsu.
(W-what exactly is going on—?!)
Shido wailed internally, feeling as if he were being torn apart by two invisible forces, unable to move.
He could clearly feel the distinctly different sensations and auras from both sides—on one side, Origami's slightly cool but firm grip, and on the other, Chinatsu's soft, warm, yet uncertain reliance.
Chinatsu's internal alarm bells rang even louder as she watched Origami's actions.
(Is she... asserting her claim? Or just simply wanting to go inside? No! I absolutely cannot let her in now!)
"Classmate Tobiichi," Chinatsu began, her voice returning to its usual cool tone, with a hint of undeniable authority.
"Thank you for your kindness. But my brother needs absolute rest right now and cannot receive visitors. Please come back another day."
Origami met Chinatsu's gaze, her gray eyes unwavering, and her tone remained steady:
"I just need to confirm his condition. I'll leave the get-well basket and go." Her gaze seemed to penetrate people's hearts, making Chinatsu feel a sense of pressure.
(Tsk... troublesome!) Chinatsu clicked her tongue inwardly.
And so, in the narrow apartment hallway, an extremely bizarre scene unfolded:
A flushed, flustered young man was tightly held by the arms, one on each side, by a light-blue-haired girl and a silver-haired girl, locked in a stalemate at the apartment door. The air was filled with an invisible scent of gunpowder, and Shido's almost palpable embarrassment and panic.
The atmosphere in the hallway was almost solidified. Chinatsu held Shido's right arm tightly, trying to use the excuse of "my brother needs absolute rest" to keep Origami out.
Origami, on the other hand, firmly held Shido's left arm, refusing to budge on the grounds of "confirming a comrade's condition" and "worrying about Shido."
And Shido, caught in the middle, was like a mouse in a bellows, trying to appease both sides, but only making the situation more chaotic.
"Classmate Tobiichi, I've accepted your good intentions on behalf of my brother, but he really cannot be disturbed right now!"
"I need to confirm Koushi's condition. And, Itsuka Shido should not be alone with you."
"Um... Classmate Origami, Classmate Chinatsu, let's all calm down... How about we just..."
"No!" x2
Just as the entanglement and rising arguments reached their peak—
"Click."
With a soft sound, the tightly closed apartment door actually opened from the inside!
The arguments ceased abruptly.
The three of them froze simultaneously, turning their heads in unison to look at the doorway.
A figure leaned against the doorframe. It was indeed "Koushi"—slightly disheveled black short hair, wearing loose loungewear, with a hint of annoyance on his face from being disturbed.
"Hey, hey... you guys, making a ruckus outside someone's door, it's disturbing the peace. Don't you know there's a patient here who needs rest?"
"Koushi" rubbed his temples, his voice hoarse from just waking up and tinged with annoyance from being disturbed.
"Koushi!" Shido and Origami exclaimed almost simultaneously.
Shido immediately said apologetically: "I'm sorry, Koushi! We didn't mean to! How are you feeling? You look..."
He scrutinized his friend, finding that apart from a slightly pale complexion from what seemed like lack of sleep, his spirits seemed pretty good, which somewhat relieved him.
Origami also nodded slightly in greeting: "Apologies for the disturbance. This is a get-well basket." She handed over the fruit basket.
"Thanks, Master, and Shido."
"Koushi" took the fruit basket, the annoyance on his face slightly receding, replaced by a slightly tired but still gentle smile.
"These old bones of mine can't handle you all making such a fuss at the door. Come in first, don't block the hallway."
He stepped aside, clearing the doorway, and gestured for them to enter.
Seeing his friend unharmed and even joking (old bones?), a huge weight lifted from Shido's heart. He sighed in relief and followed "Koushi" inside, muttering:
"You, you don't look like there's much wrong with you at all, making us worry for nothing."
Origami also silently followed inside.
But at this moment, Chinatsu stood rigidly in place, her mind completely blank!