That night, Shichen's bed was a little… crowded.
His mattress was packed with bodies: besides the ever‑present Yatogami Tohka, even Itsuka Kotori and Yoshino had climbed in.
Yoshino looked especially embarrassed. Curled up on the very edge, she tugged the hood of her pajamas completely over her head, leaving only a pale little chin and the blue hair draped across her shoulders exposed.
This was already her absolute limit.
Tohka and Kotori were hugging Shichen from left and right. The bed wasn't small, but there was no longer a way to lie down and sleep normally.
Kotori really was a girl of her word: the mont she finished her bath and Shichen finished blow‑drying her hair, she marched straight into his room—
—even though Tohka had already staked her claim first.
Tohka and Yoshino had bathed earlier, and thanks to Yoshinon's coaxing, Yoshino also wound up asking Shichen to dry her hair.
Originally, Yoshino planned to stay in the living room and keep watching TV, but after Kotori bolted for Shichen's room she couldn't withstand Yoshinon's encouragent and, mustering her courage, followed after her.
Terribly shy, yet she still resolutely crawled onto the bed.
Whether that was really Yoshinon's prodding or simply a wish to blend into everyone's atmosphere, who could say?
New to this house, unfamiliar with the people and place, uneasy at heart—sotis all you can do is go with the flow.
"Yoshino, you don't have to let those two drag you into their nonsense, you know."
Shichen peered past Tohka, chuckling at the girl now balled up into a dumpling.
"A‑iya~ Onii-chan, you're misunderstanding. Yoshino ca of her own free will, you know—" Yoshinon chid.
"Really?" Shichen raised an eyebrow.
"…Mmm…" Yoshino murmured, then finally shook her head.
"So which is it, Yoshino—forced or willing? Don't push yourself, okay?"
"I‑I… I'm here voluntarily," she whispered.
"Truly?"
"…I want to be together with everyone… and… with Onii-chan too…"
"See?" Yoshinon said triumphantly.
"I have no idea what you're so proud of," Shichen sighed. "Stop bullying Yoshino, got it?"
"I'm not bullying her; I'm encouraging her to act," Yoshinon answered aningfully.
"…Fine, I'll pretend to believe you."
"Hee‑hee~ Onii-chan, you're all talk. You're obviously thrilled right now." Yoshinon pointed at Tohka and Kotori, both clinging tightly to Shichen's arms.
"I admit I'm happy—but it's also uncomfortable…" he answered helplessly.
"That's the price of having it all, you know. Plenty of people would kill to trade places with you."
"Fair… but Tohka, Kotori, could you two let go? I can't sleep like this, and I'm not going to run away."
"No!" Tohka rejected instantly.
"Why not?"
"Half of you is already taken. I won't let the other half escape!"
"…Kotori, then? Could you maybe move?" Shichen turned to Kotori, who had her eyes shut, feigning sleep.
"Absolutely not!" Kotori popped her eyes open and pouted. "Reason?"
"You spoil Tohka far too much. If I let go you'll just hug her."
"As if."
"Don't care! I refuse to let you turn your back on ."
"Then how am I supposed to sleep?"
"Figure it out!"
"What's to figure? The bed's too small."
"I get it. Tomorrow I'll have Ratatoskr bring in a bigger one."
"That's not what I— Wait! You're planning to do this again tomorrow?"
"Humph. Got a problem? Onii-chan, you sleep with Tohka every single night while leaving out. Who knows what inappropriate things you two are doing!"
"Every night? Am I really that bad?"
"Oh… oh yes~" Tohka suddenly chid in.
"Tohka?" Shichen twitched.
"Ah, forgot you told not to tell," she said, sticking out her tongue playfully.
She's doing this on purpose…? When did she get so cheeky? Shichen thought.
"Spill it! What have you two been up to? Don't tell Tohka-nee is already… fully grown?" Kotori asked in disbelief.
"'Fully grown'? I was never a child to begin with," Tohka answered blankly.
"Looks like not yet. Onii-chan's pretty ta, huh."
"Do you want to be ta or not?" Shichen glared.
"Of course I don't… but I do," Kotori grinned.
"How does that work?"
"Simple—start with ." Kotori smiled smugly.
"Yeah, right. You're still missing so… parts. Bet you'll be begging for rcy."
"How do you know I'm missing anything? Have you looked?"
"You're how old, exactly? I don't need to look."
"Words are wind, Onii-chan. See for yourself if you're so sure."
"Quit corrupting Yoshino. She's right here."
"No problem—Yoshino's curious too," Yoshinon butted in.
"I‑I am not!" Yoshino shot up, face scarlet.
"Oh? You're not wondering if Kotori's a fellow late bloor?" Yoshinon teased.
"F‑Fellow…?" The penny dropped and Yoshino froze.
"I‑I…"
"Haha—planning to claim you've already grown?"
"U‑uu…" Yoshino glanced at Shichen and buried her head again in sha.
"Ahem! Yoshinon, stop bullying Yoshino." Shichen coughed twice, putting on a stern face.
"Onii-chan's curious too, you know—"
"I am not! Don't pin that on ."
He added quickly, "Yoshino's still young. It's perfectly normal she hasn't developed yet."
"U‑uu—" Yoshino squeaked as if mortally wounded.
"Hahaha—Onii-chan, you're obviously interested."
"Tohka, do you even know what we're talking about?" Shichen asked.
"Don't mind it. You're the sa as them," he muttered to her.
"Oh? So Tohka-nee doesn't have it either? Onii-chan, do you actually like that? How would you even know?" Kotori eyed him suspiciously.
As a pure Spirit, of course Tohka lacked such fluff. Kotori and Yoshino had been Spirits since early, so odds were they'd be the sa. That ant Tenka too—
What are you imagining?!
Tenka's voice rang inside him, sharp and mortified.
He ignored her and told Kotori, "Just a wild guess."
"Kotori—what on earth are you two talking about now?" Tohka asked again.
Kotori propped herself up, resting her head on Shichen's chest, and whispered an explanation into Tohka's ear.
"Oooh~ There? Wait, people grow hair there?"
"Normal humans do."
"Really? Does Shichen have any?" Tohka peered curiously at his stomach.
"—Kotori, what on earth are you teaching her?!"
"Why hide sothing so trivial? Guilty conscience much, Onii-chan?"
"I suppose... But didn't you girls bathe together? Don't you already know?"
"It's not like we stare at everything. That'd be embarrassing."
"Fair enough…"
"So, Shichen, you still haven't answered—do you have any?" Tohka leaned closer, gaze drifting downward.
"Why do you need to know!? Sleep, all of you!"
"…"
"Early to bed, early to rise. Saturday I'll take you all out to play."
"Really?" Tohka brightened.
"If you don't go to sleep right now, it won't happen."
"I'm asleep!" Tohka instantly lay flat and closed her eyes.
"Wow, Tohka-nee is too easy," Kotori snickered.
"aning you don't want to co tomorrow?" Shichen asked.
Kotori's eyes snapped shut as well.
Finally the room quieted. Shichen shook his head and exhaled long and hard.
Turns out sharing a blanket with everyone isn't all fun and gas—it's exhausting.
"Yoshino, Yoshinon—you two okay on the edge? Want to sleep in my arms?"
"O‑ho~ Onii-chan, what sneaky thoughts are you having? Planning to take advantage of Yoshino again?"
"Cut it out. I just don't want you sleeping badly," he said righteously.
"Fo‑fo‑fo~"
"O‑Onii-chan… n‑no, I'm fine right here," Yoshino answered softly.
"Alright. Another ti then—you can nap on top of ."
"U‑u…."
"Good night."
"G‑Good night."
Shichen closed his eyes at last. Being hugged from both sides was awkward, but he'd get used to it.
After all, sothing like this… was bound to happen often from now on.
~~~
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