Shiina Mahiru blinked in confusion at Mashiro's words.
"Mashiro, you an... in the past, soone nad Rita helped you choose clothes, dressed you, and even washed you?"
"Un," Mashiro nodded without hesitation, her golden eyes staring at Hozuki Nozomi expectantly, as if waiting for her new 'owner' to take over the role.
Mahiru was speechless.
Seriously, what kind of princess treatnt is this?
She envied—no, she absolutely did not envy this at all!
If she, Shiina Mahiru, ever beca this helpless, she would rather disappear from the face of the earth!
Just as she was about to scold Mashiro for her absurd dependency, Nozomi gently patted her head and spoke in a soft tone.
"Alright, Mahiru, don't be mad. I know you can tell that Mashiro isn't doing this on purpose."
Mahiru huffed but stayed quiet.
"Without any guidance or soone to take care of her, she just doesn't know what to do."
"She didn't wear anything after her bath because no one was there to pick clothes for her, and she never learned how to decide for herself. That's why she pulled out everything and left them all over the floor."
Mahiru pouted as she listened.
She didn't want to stay mad, but she couldn't just let Nozomi off the hook so easily either.
"Oh, so you got an eyeful of the 'beautiful scenery' and now you're speaking up for her, huh?"
"What are you even thinking?" Nozomi sighed, exasperated. "I'm just good at observing and figuring things out."
"Hmph."
"Co on, don't be angry. Look at Mashiro—she's still wet. If we don't dry her hair, she'll catch a cold. Do you want to do it, or should I?"
Mahiru imdiately narrowed her eyes.
"Of course, I'll do it! You're not allowed to touch her!"
With that, she pushed Nozomi out of the room and set about taking care of her hopeless cousin.
At first, Mahiru had envied Mashiro—her talent, her upbringing, the way people cherished her art. But now?
Now, she didn't envy her at all.
What kind of family raises soone to be so incapable of looking after themselves?
It was obvious that the people around Mashiro only cared about the value of her paintings. No one had bothered to teach her how to live, how to make choices for herself.
Realizing this, Mahiru's gaze softened.
She had only been mad at Mashiro because of Nozomi. Now that her emotions had settled, her natural kindness resurfaced. Gently, she took Mashiro's hand and led her into the bathroom.
"Co on, I'll dry you off and help you change."
Mashiro blinked. "But Nozomi is my owner."
Mahiru's expression darkened. "I'm your owner too, got it? Now listen to !"
"...Oh."
Mashiro, ever obedient, let Mahiru dress her in Suii High's uniform. Afterward, Mahiru even took the ti to apply sunscreen on her cousin's pale skin.
Mashiro remained motionless, letting Mahiru do whatever she wanted.
At so point, Mahiru found herself enjoying it.
It was like dressing up a life-sized doll.
"Co on, I'll dry you off and help you change."
Mashiro blinked. "But Nozomi is my owner."
Mahiru's expression darkened. "I'm your owner too, got it? Now listen to !"
"...Oh."
Mashiro, ever obedient, let Mahiru dress her in Shuigao High's uniform. Afterward, Mahiru even took the ti to apply sunscreen on her cousin's pale skin.
Mashiro remained motionless, letting Mahiru do whatever she wanted.
At so point, Mahiru found herself enjoying it.
It was like dressing up a life-sized doll.
Was this what it felt like to have a little sister? Though Mashiro was only a few months younger, her helplessness made her seem much more childlike.
Still, Mahiru couldn't get over the fact that her cousin was completely useless at daily life.
"Alright, let's go. Nozomi and I will take you to school to report in. After classes, you'll go ho with cousin Chihiro, understood?"
"Got it."
"As for this ss of a room... I guess I'll ask Sayu to help clean it up later. There's no ti now."
With that, Mahiru opened the door, revealing the sight of two blonde-haired girls holding hands.
Nozomi blinked, his expression softening.
Mahiru really was a little angel.
She had already started getting along with Mashiro.
Sakurasou was only a short walk from Suii University of the Arts High School. In less than a minute, the three of them reached the school gates.
And that was when a problem arose.
"So... how exactly are two students from different schools supposed to escort a transfer student into an internal school?"
Nozomi, who had just been stopped by the security guard, let out a long sigh.
"Chihiro-sensei, you absolute slacker..."
Now he had to call her. If she took her sweet ti getting here, he and Mahiru were definitely going to miss their train.
Just then, Nozomi spotted Aoyama Nanami walking along the road, still half-asleep.
Perfect timing.
"Oi, Aoyama!" he called out, jogging up to her.
"Eh? Huh? Nozomi-kun?" Nanami rubbed her eyes, still groggy.
"This is Shiina Mashiro, a new transfer student and a resident of Sakurasou. She's joining the art departnt. Can you take her to Chihiro-sensei's office?"
"H-Huh? Uh... Sure, I guess?"
"Great! She's in your hands! Thanks a ton!"
Without giving Nanami ti to process, Nozomi imdiately grabbed Mahiru's hand and bolted, dragging her away.
If they wasted even another second, they'd definitely miss the train.
Nanami, still confused, turned to look at Mashiro.
The girl was just staring at her, golden eyes unblinking, still holding onto her hand.
An awkward silence passed between them.
Nanami coughed and forced a friendly smile. "Um, so... your na is Shiina Mashiro? I'm Aoyama Nanami, a student at Shuigao too! But I'm in the general education departnt. What about you?"
"Art departnt."
"Ohh, you're in the art departnt! I see, I see. Your classroom should be this way..."
With that, Nanami took Mashiro by the hand and guided her toward Chihiro-sensei's office, still unsure of what just happened.
===============
anwhile, Nozomi's side;
Hozuki Nozomi stood beside Mahiru, both of them watching the train fade into the distance. A mont of silence passed before they exchanged glances.
"Mahiru, what if we, uh... called in sick?" Nozomi suggested, his tone almost conspiratorial. "We could skip school for the day and go on a date instead!"
"Baka! Absolutely not!" Shiina Mahiru huffed, rolling her eyes at him. "I've never skipped class before, and I'm not about to start now. If I were actually sick, fine, but lying to the teacher? No way."
Nozomi clutched his chest dramatically. "So you don't want to go on a date with ?"
Mahiru's cheeks tinged pink, but she crossed her arms. "Idiot, it's not that I don't want to... it's just—does it have to be today?"
Nozomi took her hand in his, squeezing it lightly. "I'm not in a hurry. But the next train won't co in ti—we're definitely going to be late."
"Being late is still better than skipping entirely! And don't forget, we're class reps. If we don't show up, it'd be irresponsible."
Nozomi sighed in exaggerated defeat. "Hai, hai."
Truthfully, he had only been half-serious about skipping. Besides, he had already promised Sumireko that he'd et her later—there was no way he was actually ditching school. Still, the way Mahiru had puffed up in righteous indignation had been worth it.
As they waited for the next train, a sudden fragrance drifted through the air—light, floral, but unmistakably elegant.
"Oh my, what a coincidence. We et again, onii-san~"
A sultry voice rang out, and Nozomi turned to see a woman with short, sleek black hair and an effortless grace. She wore a stylish purple off-shoulder top and denim shorts, her confident smile accentuating her charm.
Mahiru instantly tensed, sensing a formidable opponent. This wasn't just any friendly onee-san—this was the kind of person who wielded social interactions like a finely honed blade.
"Ara, no need to glare at like that, Shiina-san. I'm not here to steal your boyfriend... well, not yet anyway." The woman winked playfully.
Mahiru's eyes widened slightly. "Wait, you're... Yukinoshita Haruno? The older sister of Yukinoshita-san from Class J?"
Haruno clapped her hands together, delighted. "Correct! I guess you don't attend too many social gatherings, so you wouldn't know personally. But I've heard all about you. Though, between the two of you, your cousin Mashiro is the real celebrity."
Nozomi tilted his head. "Yukinoshita Haruno... that explains a lot."
Haruno's sharp eyes glimred. "It looks like you two missed your train. Lucky for you, I happen to be headed toward Sobu High. Want to hitch a ride? Unless, of course, you'd prefer being late?"
Mahiru hesitated. Her instincts told her to refuse outright, but her gaze flickered to Nozomi, seeking his input. Without realizing it, she had already started treating him as her pillar of support.
Nozomi chuckled and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before turning to Haruno. "That would be a huge help. Thanks, Haruno-san."
Haruno bead. "Kawaii~ You're such a polite boy. I like that."
Mahiru, unable to contain herself, pinched Nozomi's side. "Idiot! Stop flirting!"
"Itai! What was that for?!" Nozomi winced, rubbing his ribs.
Haruno laughed as she called her driver. "You two are adorable. Hop in!"
The sleek black car was as luxurious as expected from soone of Haruno's status. As they settled into the back seat, Haruno casually leaned in, her gaze flicking between them.
"So... are you two dating?"
Mahiru nearly choked. "N-not at all!"
Haruno smirked, raising a brow. "But you were holding hands just a mont ago."
"T-that was just... a coincidence!" Mahiru stamred, cheeks glowing red.
Haruno humd in amusent. "Mmm, I see, I see. Well, if you're not together, then I don't have to hold back, do I?" With a mischievous glint in her eye, she suddenly latched onto Nozomi's arm.
"Oi, oi, oi—!" Nozomi panicked as he felt the softness pressing against him.
Mahiru's eyes flared with silent fury, her fingers twitching as if itching to pinch him again.
"Relax, it's just a little thanks," Haruno purred. "Last ti, my car nearly got into an accident near the school, and Nozomi-kun here saved . I've been aning to properly express my gratitude."
"I-it was nothing! Really!" Nozomi protested, trying to free himself from her grasp.
Haruno pouted. "Mou~ How cold. You don't want to date an onee-san like ? I'm single, you know."
"N-NO! I an—you're beautiful, but—!" Nozomi's words tripped over themselves as he tried to escape both Haruno's teasing and Mahiru's laser-sharp glare.
"A beauty like Haruno-san must have tons of suitors," Nozomi quickly added, attempting to defuse the situation.
"Ufufu~ That's true, but none of them are as fun as you." Haruno finally released his arm—just in ti, as Mahiru's knuckles were turning white from gripping her skirt.
The car arrived at Sobu High, and as they stepped out, Haruno suddenly leaned in close.
"Nozomi-kun, I owe you a favor, so I'll definitely repay you soday..."
Before he could react, she planted a quick kiss on his cheek.
Mahiru gasped, her entire body going rigid.
Nozomi barely had ti to process what had just happened when he caught sight of a certain blond-haired student standing nearby—Hayama Hayato, his expression frozen in place.
Ah. So that's what this was about. Haruno wasn't just teasing—she was using him as a shield to provoke Hayama.
Not that he particularly minded.
But the real problem?
Mahiru's face was now an angry shade of crimson, her cheeks puffed in an adorable pout.
...Yep. He was in for it now.
*******************
Yukinoshita Haruno, ladies ad gents!!!!!!!
I have found a good dxd fan-fic if you're interested.
There's "The perfect devil" and "It starts with devils and artifacts." Pretty well thought out, find them on webnovel. And no, nobody put up for this.
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