Sitting quietly on the edge of his bed, Nozomi leaned back against the headboard, deep in thought.
His lips curled into a faint, satisfied smile as he recalled what had just happened. The memory alone made his chest feel warm—tingly, even. It was impossible to deny it now.
Yuki Suou was just too cute.
There was an effortless charm to her that slipped through his guard like sakura petals on the wind. Bright, genuine, affectionate—she was the kind of girl who didn't hesitate to pour out her feelings, no matter how embarrassing. And for someone like Nozomi, who wasn't exactly clueless in the love department, her directness was refreshing.
Still… his heart also tugged in another direction.
He thought of Yukinoshita Yukino.
That girl—so proud and stubborn, so elegant in her innocence—had a certain allure too. She clearly cared, even if she'd rather eat a cactus than admit it out loud. As her fiancé, Nozomi felt it was practically his duty—his mission, even—to help her grow out of that uptight shell. After all, her personality was practically allergic to vulnerability.
Not that he'd be dumb enough to say that to her face.
Just mentioning her "flatness" or even joking about her physique was enough to earn him a cold glare sharp enough to freeze hell over.
So, slow and steady it had to be.
He'd wait for the next casual hug, the next moment she let her guard down. One day, he'd sneak past the walls she'd built—and she wouldn't even notice until it was too late.
But until then…
Well, life wasn't meant to be lived sulking in his room.
Time to enjoy the evening.
Nozomi stood up, stretched, and headed out. There was a sparkle in his eyes—like a gacha addict opening a ten-pull.
Ever since he'd gotten card magic, he had developed an unhealthy addiction to unboxing things. Frieren had rubbed off on him—her love for opening treasure chests was seriously contagious.
Wandering into the kitchen, he caught the scent of fresh vegetables and warm spices.
Tonight's chef: Ogiwara Sayu.
She wore a simple blue apron, her black hair tied into a tidy ponytail. Her slender neck and graceful posture gave her an air of both youth and maturity. From the back alone, she looked like a heroine straight out of a slice-of-life anime—radiant, calm, and just a little dreamy.
Nozomi couldn't resist.
With silent steps, he crept behind her, opened his arms wide, and wrapped them gently around her waist.
"Ah!" Sayu squeaked, her shoulders jolting. But the moment she felt the familiar presence behind her, she exhaled and relaxed.
She turned to give him a playful, scolding glare.
"Jeez, Nozomi. Don't sneak up on people like that. So mean."
He leaned in, brushing his lips lightly against her earlobe. Her body trembled just slightly, and that alone made his smile deepen.
"Has anyone ever told you how gorgeous you look like this?"
Sayu's cheeks turned faintly pink.
"…Only you. And Mahiru, I guess."
Then she closed her eyes for a moment and leaned her head against his chest, resting the back of it gently as if to say, I'm comfortable here.
"Don't distract me too much, though. I'm washing the veggies. I'll be with you later tonight."
Nozomi grinned and gave her cheek a soft pinch.
"You better. Come to my room later."
"Mm. I will," she murmured.
As he walked away, Sayu watched his retreating figure, her heart quietly overflowing.
But even as she felt that warmth, a seed of unease lingered in her chest.
Because lately, more and more girls were gathering around Nozomi. And each one of them… was incredible.
Beautiful. Strong. Unique.
And yet, he still hadn't forgotten her. Still treated her with tenderness. Still made her feel like she mattered.
Her cheeks flushed as she remembered the promise for tonight. She would go to his room, yes—but she didn't want to go alone.
She needed a partner.
------
That evening, Sayu spotted Shiina Mahiru leaving the bathroom, her face fresh and her damp hair sticking softly to her cheeks.
Perfect.
Sayu leaned in close, her voice teasing.
"Mahiru~ Nozomi said you should go wait in his room tonight. Be a good girl and lie down for him."
"E-Eh?!"
Mahiru nearly tripped.
Her face exploded into a shade of crimson that could rival any tsundere's, but in the end, she gave a shy nod.
"…O-Okay. I got it."
Sayu turned around with a satisfied smile.
Mission accomplished.
------
When Nozomi returned to his room, he paused in surprise.
Shiina Mahiru was already on his bed.
Only her small head poked out from under the blanket, cheeks flushed like a steamed bun, eyes darting away from his.
He blinked.
Well, this was unexpected.
But not unwelcome.
Not long after, Sayu entered the room casually, as if everything were perfectly natural.
And just outside the hallway, another unexpected witness stood frozen.
Rita.
She stared blankly, her brain short-circuiting.
Did I just see Mahiru?Go into Nozomi's room?And Sayu, too?!
Her fists clenched at her sides.
Nozomi… just how many girls do you have around you?! Are you running a harem?!
She grit her teeth.
This guy—this shameless playboy—was the reason Mashiro refused to return to England?
Her cheeks burned with embarrassment as she remembered how close Mashiro and Nozomi had been the other day.
Without another word, Rita stormed toward Mashiro's room, her anger boiling over.
Inside, Mashiro sat at her desk, eyes focused on her drawing tablet, as calm and quiet as a snowy morning.
Rita stood frozen in the doorway, her fists clenched tight by her sides. Just seeing Mashiro so calm—so utterly unfazed—made something inside her snap.
"Mashiro! What are you doing?!"
The white-haired girl didn't even flinch. Her gaze remained on the glowing tablet in front of her, pen dancing effortlessly across the screen. With her usual soft monotone, she replied, "Drawing manga."
Rita's eye twitched.
"You still have the heart to draw manga right now?"
She let out a long sigh, trying to steady the fire bubbling up in her chest.
"Do you even care about Nozomi?!"
That question finally caused Mashiro to pause.
The stylus stopped mid-stroke.
She turned her gaze slowly toward Rita, her amber eyes as calm and unreadable as always. "Did something happen to Nozomi?"
The way she said his name—so naturally—made Rita's heart thud uncomfortably in her chest.
"N-No, not really… I mean… I just think you care too much about him," she stammered, eyes darting away. "I guess… I'm just a little jealous."
For a moment, the silence between them stretched like a taut string.
Then, without warning, Mashiro put down her pen, stood up, and walked over to Rita.
She gently wrapped her arms around her.
"Mashiro also cares about Rita," she said in that same soft voice.
"Rita is Mashiro's best friend. I like it when Rita is nearby."
Rita's breath caught. Her eyes began to sting unexpectedly as the warmth of Mashiro's hug melted the sharp edges of her frustration. She slowly returned the hug, pulling the smaller girl close.
"I'm… glad you said that, Mashiro."
But the next words out of Mashiro's mouth nearly gave her whiplash.
"If Rita likes Nozomi, Mashiro can give Rita a little piece."
"…Hah?!"
Rita practically exploded, pushing her back with a red face.
"I-I don't like him!! And what do you mean give me a little piece?! Are you crazy?! That's not how this works!!"
Mashiro blinked up at her, head tilting slightly.
"Not how what works?"
Rita gawked at her, stunned. "Mashiro… Nozomi's your boyfriend, right?!"
There was a pause. Mashiro's face remained blank for a moment before she answered in complete sincerity:
"Nozomi is Mashiro's owner. He gives Mashiro Baumkuchen. The tasty kind from the other day."
She folded her arms, as if this was the most logical relationship dynamic in the world.
"If Rita likes it, Mashiro can share with her too."
"…I'M NOT EATING ANYTHING HE GIVES YOU!!"
Rita felt her soul physically leave her body.
Mashiro… was absolutely broken.
"I'm not going to eat it, alright?! Don't say weird things like that!"
Mashiro tilted her head with a faint pout. "You don't want it? It tasted just like Baumkuchen."
"Stop talking!"
Rita buried her face in her hands.
She's broken. Completely broken. I'm going to break, too!
Looking at the adorable but utterly clueless girl in front of her, Rita made a silent vow.
She had to get Nozomi away from Mashiro. Nozomi had clearly corrupted her. She didn't even understand what a boyfriend was! And this nonsense about sharing him like snacks…!
If she left it to Nozomi, Mashiro would end up beyond saving.
-----
Meanwhile, back in his room, Nozomi sat with a conflicted look on his face.
Originally, he just wanted to spend some quiet time with Sayu. Just the two of them.
After all, he wasn't the kind of guy who got bored and tossed old flames aside. Relationships took effort, attention, balance.
But what did Sayu do?
She brought in backup.
That sneaky smile of hers had said everything. She had roped Mahiru into coming here just to overwhelm him. Two-on-one tag team, huh?
What could he do?
Nothing. Resistance was futile.
So he just played along.
He didn't push things too far. After all, they had school tomorrow.
Instead, he focused on making his girls smile. That was enough for tonight.
And with that peaceful warmth lingering in the room, Nozomi closed his eyes, allowing himself to drift into sleep.
Tomorrow… let it be a good day.