The little drama at Kobayashi's house had wrapped up.
Rei Ao got home.
The door slid open with a whisper.
Warm lighting and the faint sound of chatter drifted out, creating a cozy little barrier between the peaceful interior and the noise of the outside world.
The living room was soaked in a lazy, intimate vibe.
Mai Sakurajima was curled up in the corner of the big couch, a new script spread across her lap. The soft yellow reading lamp lit up her delicate profile perfectly.
Sora was lying on her stomach across the floor, fiddling with her phone while humming some old-school tune.
Ilias—the silver-haired girl who looked like a porcelain doll—was sipping red tea with elegant little sips.
Futaba was sitting cross-legged on the carpet, surrounded by thick textbooks and pages filled with messy equations. Her gaze behind her glasses was razor sharp. She might not be Rio anymore, but that research-loving instinct hadn't gone anywhere.
And Tohru? She was humming completely off-key while using her super flexible dragon tail to swing a vacuum around the room like a cleaning machine. Her tail swept up mini-whirlwinds as she worked with inhuman efficiency.
The second Rei Ao stepped in, everyone noticed.
"You're back," Mai looked up from her script with a soft, easy smile.
"Master!" Sora practically launched her phone across the room.
Compared to her precious Master, the phone didn't even matter.
Ilias calmly set down her teacup and nodded.
Futaba glanced up from her formulas just for a second.
Tohru let out a joyful cheer, flicked her tail, and gently landed the vacuum cleaner.
Then she shot across the room like a cannonball, her golden eyes glowing with pure happiness.
"Rei Ao-sama! Welcome back!"
Her voice was so full of energy it practically echoed.
Rei Ao caught the flying dragon girl with practiced ease.
He ruffled her soft golden hair while his gaze gently swept across the others.
"I'm home."
His eyes made a round of the room—
Until they landed on a figure near the big window, clearly a little out of place.
Nodoka Toyohama was standing awkwardly by the edge of the room, hands fidgeting with the edge of her shirt, head lowered slightly.
She looked like a nervous animal that had stumbled into a warm, cozy nest but wasn't sure if it belonged.
She seemed like she wanted to step forward, but hesitation kept her rooted.
Her eyes wandered. A faint blush had crept up her cheeks.
Compared to the other girls—who had all spent more time with Rei Ao and built deeper connections—Nodoka was the newest addition. Their relationship was still fresh.
A knowing smile flashed in Rei Ao's eyes.
He let go of Tohru and walked over to her.
"Nodoka?"
His voice was low and calm, with a strange sort of warmth that instantly softened the air.
"Huh?" she looked up, startled.
The second she locked eyes with his gentle smile, she tensed up like a scared bunny. Her face went bright red.
"Ah… R-Rei Ao-kun… welcome home…"
Before she could even finish, Rei Ao casually reached out and took her cool wrist in his hand.
The way he did it—firm but gentle—left no room to pull away, and yet it wasn't forceful.
She felt warmth spread from where he touched her, like something steady was guiding her closer.
Then the world spun.
Next thing she knew, she was sitting right on his lap, securely wrapped in his arms.
"Ah—!"
She gasped, stiffening completely.
Her face burned so hot she wanted to bury herself in his chest and disappear.
She could feel the others' eyes on her from the couch.
They weren't judging—just smiling, teasing even—but it still made her squirm.
Tohru tilted her head curiously. Mai's look said, "Yup, saw this coming," with a bit of amused affection.
Ilias kept sipping her tea like nothing happened, though a glint of mischief sparkled in her red eyes.
Futaba adjusted her glasses again, the light catching the lenses, hiding her expression—but the corner of her mouth looked like it was fighting a smile.
None of them interrupted. They were giving the two some space. Quietly encouraging Nodoka to ease into the group.
"You're officially with me now, so why so tense?" Rei Ao said, his breath brushing her ear—warm and playful.
His arm wrapped naturally around her waist, hand resting against her side through the thin fabric.
"I… I…"
Nodoka's brain short-circuited.
Yeah, they were together. That much was true.
But it had barely been any time!
And the only really intimate moment they'd shared was that one wild night she still couldn't think about without turning beet red.
There was no way she could be as chill and confident as Mai and the others.
Her face was so hot, it felt like it could cook an egg.
"Relax," Rei Ao whispered, almost like casting a spell.
He gently tilted her chin up so she had to meet his gaze.
His deep eyes held nothing but affection—and a mischievous little spark.
!!!
As his face drew closer, her heart pounded like crazy. She forgot how to breathe.
Mai noticed and sighed quietly, folding up her script and heading to the kitchen with a wry little grin.
"Tohru, didn't we still have stuff to prep for dinner?"
"Ah! Right!" Tohru smacked her forehead. "Almost forgot! Rei Ao-sama, I'll go start cooking!"
And off she flew in a blur.
Ilias stood gracefully. "Sora, come help me check the alchemy table."
"Huh?"
Sora had been just about to ask for a kiss, but got whisked away by Ilias before she could protest.
Futaba quietly packed up her notes and books and moved to her usual workbench.
In a flash, the living room was empty—just the two of them now.
Nodoka's heart raced even more.
Everyone leaving like that made her feel even more flustered, but she understood—this was their way of being kind. Giving her and Rei Ao space to settle in as a couple.
Rei Ao still had her chin tilted up as he leaned in and kissed her.
It started soft, gentle, like he was testing the waters and trying to reassure her.
Wrapped in his warmth, the tension in her body slowly began to melt, like snow under the sun.
But of course, Rei Ao being Rei Ao, his hands didn't exactly stay well-behaved.
~~~
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