—Ding dong.
In the afternoon, after lunch, the doorbell of the Itsuka household rang.
"Hello—Just a minute."
Putting the washed dishes into the cupboard, Shido dried his hands and went to the entryway.
Opening the door, he saw Natsumi holding a large bag of snacks in both hands, looking very uneasily at the doorbell. Seeing Shido, she hurriedly waved her hands.
"Don't misunderstand! I-I just wanted to hang out with Yutsuki and Yoshino, but I didn't see them in the apartnt, so I thought they might be here. Although you might not believe , this is absolutely not a prank! If you're angry, I'll leave imdiately."
Seeing Natsumi's desperate explanation, Shido couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"Mhm, I know. Don't panic. Yutsuki and Yoshino are both here, co on in."
"E-Excuse ."
Breathing a sigh of relief, Natsumi entered the living room. She saw Yoshino sitting under the kotatsu, watching a soap opera on the dayti theater, while Yutsuki sat on the other side, grinding a mobile ga on her phone.
"Yo, Natsumi, you're here."
"Natsumi-san... welco..."
"Mhm." Nodding in response, Natsumi looked at the kotatsu and asked sowhat curiously, "Is this a kotatsu?"
"Mhm mhm! It's very warm inside, Natsumi-chan, hurry up and co in too."
Yoshinon called out to Natsumi.
"O-Oh..."
Placing the snacks she bought on the table, Natsumi hesitated for a mont before taking a deep breath, plopping down on the floor, and slipping her small feet into the kotatsu.
"Th-This is!?"
Natsumi's eyes first widened in shock, then her expression gradually relaxed, spreading out on the table like a roasted, soft mochi.
"This is bad... this is really bad. Yutsuki, I feel like as long as I have this thing, I won't go out until winter is over."
"Right?!"
Yutsuki nodded in profound agreent.
...
An hour later.
"Say~ Yutsuki, did you pull the new character from this event?"
Nestled under the kotatsu, lying prone on the floor, Natsumi skillfully operated her phone, asking without looking up.
"No. All my gacha tickets went down the drain, I've already given up."
Tearing open a bag of potato chips, Yutsuki bit into one and answered with an exhausted look.
"Ugh... I'm out of pulls too. Ah, soone in the chat channel said they got it in a single pull."
"Ah, I really hate them. I really want to shoot them at tis like this."
"Give it up. It'll only make you feel emptier. Ah—I wonder if I'll get it if I drop so cash."
"Wait, Natsumi! That's hell you're walking into!"
"..."
Looking at Natsumi and Yutsuki staying in the kotatsu like hermit crabs, the corners of Shido's mouth twitched slightly, wondering if bringing out the kotatsu was a mistake.
"Shido, I have to go out for a bit, I'll leave the house to you for now."
Kotori, having already changed into her black ribbons, walked down from the second floor while putting on her winter coat.
"Where are you going?"
"Fraxinus. So of the aftermath issues from Nia's inversion haven't been resolved yet, so I'm going to help handle them."
"Do you want to go and help?"
"Haha, let's put it this way, when it cos to this kind of work, your help, Shido, is worse than a cat's paw; you'll only make things worse."
Ruthlessly roasting Shido, Kotori chuckled, shrugged, and answered:
"I'll be back tonight. Shido, keep a good eye on everyone here."
"Alright."
Probably understanding that Kotori was right, Shido nodded and took a scarf to wrap around Kotori's neck.
"Co back early, and make sure you don't catch a cold."
"..."
Wordlessly gazing at Shido for a mont, Kotori sighed helplessly and covered her slightly warm cheeks with her hand.
"...Shido, have you been influenced by Yutsuki-nee to beco more and more like a mom?"
"Yutsuki will get angry if she hears that."
Shido couldn't help but say with a bitter smile.
"True. Well then, I'm heading out."
"Mhm, be careful on the way."
After Kotori left, Shido gently closed the door.
"Well then, next, I have to wash the clothes piled up by the washing machine."
—Ding dong.
Just as Shido was about to continue working, the doorbell rang again.
(Did Kotori forget sothing?)
Shido thought, puzzled.
"Darling! Honey! Your beloved Miku is here to play~"
Before Shido could open the door, a lodious voice like a silver bell rang from outside.
"Miku!?"
Hearing this voice, Natsumi's hair stood on end, and her phone fell to the floor with a thud.
"Th-th-this is bad! Yutsuki! Yoshino-chan! Run away quickly!"
Like a frightened little animal, Natsumi said in a fluster.
"Why... run away?"
Yoshino tilted her head in confusion.
"My~ calm down, Natsumi-chan. Miku-chan isn't a fierce beast like a lion or a tiger, she won't eat you."
"I'd prefer a tiger or a wild beast to co instead."
Natsumi said with a pale face.
"Well... it's fine for and Yoshino, but it really is better not to let Miku find Natsumi."
Yutsuki sighed.
Miku was the type who, how should I put it, the more the other party struggled and resisted, the more she wanted to cling to them. (Of course, limited to females only.) From this perspective, Natsumi's attitude was perfectly suited to her tastes.
However, having said that, it was rare for Miku to make ti to co over and play, so it wouldn't be good to just shut her out.
"Shido, Natsumi needs to find a place to hide. When Miku cos in, rember to pretend Natsumi was never here."
"Mhm, I understand."
Probably understanding what was going on in the living room, Shido nodded, walked to the entryway, put Natsumi's shoes into the shoe cabinet first, and then opened the front door.
"Darling! You're so slow, I waited to death!"
As soon as the door opened, Miku enthusiastically hugged Shido, rubbing her cheek against his and acting spoiled.
"S-Sorry."
Two plump globes pressed tightly against his chest, making Shido flustered and sowhat at a loss for what to do.
"Um—could you let go of first, Miku?"
"Okay~"
After enjoying it for a while, Miku gently released Shido and followed him into the living room.
"Honey, Yoshino-chan, good afternoon. I'm here to play!"
"Good afternoon... Miku-san..."
"Yo~."
Shido scanned the living room and saw that aside from Yoshino watching TV and Yutsuki playing on her phone, Natsumi had disappeared without a trace.
"By the way, isn't Natsumi-chan here?"
"...!?"
Hearing Miku's words, Yoshino's heart skipped a beat, and she answered with a slight stutter.
"N-Not here..."
"Is that so... I feel Natsumi-chan's presence here..."
Looking around suspiciously, Miku said sowhat gloomily.
[Tell , are you hiding another woman in the room?]
[N-No, what nonsense are you talking about?]
[Don't lie to , this room is full of that woman's perfu sll!]
Right at this mont, the soap opera on the TV happened to broadcast a scene where the wife, who pretended to go out, pulled a surprise return, caught the mistress hiding in the closet having an affair with her husband, and slapped her husband hard across the face.
"..."
For so reason, Yoshino felt cold sweat covering her back.
"Well, whatever."
Fortunately, Miku didn't have much interest in the dayti soap opera. After hearing Natsumi wasn't there, she turned her gaze to Yutsuki.
"Honey, what are you doing?"
"..."
Ignoring Miku completely, Yutsuki silently played on her phone.
"My~ Honey is so cold. But this kind of Honey is also very cute."
Crouching beside Yutsuki, Miku observed her profile with interest.
"Honey~ I'm going to play a prank on you."
"..."
Seeing Yutsuki ignoring her, Miku puffed out her cheeks slightly and poked Yutsuki's cheek with her finger in a fit of pique.
"Hehe, Honey's cheeks are so bouncy."
"..."
Still ignoring Miku, Yutsuki stared intently at her phone.
"Honestly~ Honey shouldn't just play gas, I finally ca over to play."
Miku complained dissatisfiedly. But then, she seed to have a flash of inspiration. She took a potato chip from the table and offered it to Yutsuki's lips.
"Honey, open your mouth, ah~"
"...Nom."
Yutsuki ate the potato chip without saying a word.
"Ooh!"
As if feeding a bird, an indescribable sense of accomplishnt surged in her heart, making Miku exclaim in amazent.
"Honey, have another potato chip."
"..."
"Honey, I peeled an orange, have a bite."
"..."
"Honey, do you want so candy?"
"..."
"Honey, can I knead your cheeks?"
"..."
"Honey, let give you a shoulder massage."
"..."
"Honey, let see what color underwear you're wearing."
When the timing was about right, Miku suppressed the excited emotions in her heart so they wouldn't show on her face. She stated her desire in a very cheerful tone, and then gently pulled Yutsuki's clothes upwards...
"—!"
Yutsuki unhesitatingly flicked Miku hard on the forehead.
"Honestly, give you an inch and you want a mile."
Putting down the mobile ga she had just finished, Yutsuki looked at the teary-eyed Miku clutching her forehead and said crossly.
"Ugh... Honey, that's so an."
"I didn't say anything when you kneaded my cheeks."
"Ugh..."
Seemingly unable to find any words of complaint for the mont, Miku pouted and glared at Yutsuki. Then she chuckled softly and slowly stood up.
"Whatever, I saw an interesting side of Honey today anyway, so I'll stop here."
"Are you leaving?"
Yutsuki looked up and asked.
"Mhm, I have a New Year's greeting program to do later. If I stay any longer,Subaru-san will cry."
"It's already the New Year, and you still have work."
"Well, because I'm an idol."
After giving Yutsuki a sweet smile, Miku turned to leave.
A short while later, Shido, having finished the laundry, walked over from the courtyard.
"Hm, where's Miku?"
"She already went back, seems she has work."
"Work even during the New Year, being an idol is really tough."
"You should say Miku is amazing."
"That's true too."
Even though her idol work was so busy, whenever there was a problem on Shido's side, Miku always unhesitatingly pushed back her work to co and help.
Thinking of this, Shido couldn't help but feel secretly grateful in his heart.
"By the way, where is Natsumi hiding?"
"Oh, her."
Hearing Shido's question, Yutsuki smiled bitterly and lifted the kotatsu blanket.
"Hah... phew..."
Shido looked down and saw a little girl with green hair left in the kotatsu, sleeping soundly with her head resting on Yutsuki's lap.
"I was going to have her hide in another room. But in her panic, she just shrunk into the kotatsu and refused to co out."
Hearing Yutsuki's words, Shido couldn't help but sweatdrop.
"It's a miracle she wasn't discovered by Miku like this."
"Really... my heart almost jumped out of my chest..."
Yoshino sighed with lingering fear. Honestly, watching Miku linger around Yutsuki at the ti, she was so scared she couldn't say a word.
"Honestly, the person involved, Natsumi-chan, actually fell asleep in the kotatsu herself. I really don't know what to say. Hohya! Hohya! Ti to wake up~"
Saying this, Yoshinon dove into the kotatsu, waving its vigorous little fists at Natsumi's cheeks.
"Well, lying here like this, it's hard for to move. Shido, could you please take Natsumi back to the apartnt?"
"Hah... alright."
Nodding with a bitter smile, Shido reached into the kotatsu, holding Natsumi's knees and shoulders, preparing to carry her out.
"..."
Inside the warm kotatsu, looking at Yutsuki's slender and firm legs, Shido couldn't help but secretly swallow.
"Shido?"
"N-Nothing?"
Hearing Yutsuki's voice, Shido snapped back to reality, carried Natsumi out of the kotatsu, and put her on his back.
"I'll... help too... it's about ti to go back..."
Turning off the TV and coming out of the kotatsu, Yoshino said softly.
"Thank you, Yoshino."
After thanking Yoshino, Shido turned his gaze to Yutsuki, who was still nestled in the kotatsu, and couldn't help but sigh helplessly.
"Yutsuki, are you planning to stay in the kotatsu all day? Don't forget, you're in charge of cooking tonight."
"Don't worry, don't worry... of course I won't forget."
Although she promised verbally, Yutsuki still looked very relaxed, lying on the kotatsu tabletop.
"Right now it's just because my legs are numb from Natsumi... once I recover... I'll co out and cook..."
"Really?"
"Really~"
Although feeling sowhat uneasy, Shido ultimately chose to trust Yutsuki.
"Phew..."
Exhaling slowly, Yutsuki lay on the floor, tucking her limbs into the kotatsu, leaving only her head outside.
"It's so quiet..."
Staring blankly at the ceiling, Yutsuki couldn't help but sigh.
(But... I don't hate it.)
There was a faint, elegant fragrance in the air. The light shining in through the window filled the room with warm colors. Looking around, traces of everyone's daily lives could be seen in every corner.
"...Hah... so sleepy."
Yawning lazily, Yutsuki felt her eyelids drooping uncontrollably.
She was acting a bit strange today. Even without anyone pointing it out, Yutsuki herself knew this.
She didn't want to work, was too lazy to work, and lacked motivation for everything. She wanted to dump all the tedious tasks on others and spend the day leisurely. The reason she lingered in the kotatsu was rely to find a reasonable excuse to slack off. Why was this? Yutsuki herself couldn't explain it.
(Sorry... Shido... I'll leave tonight's dinner... for you to figure out...)
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