After purging the lingering spirit of Mitaka Jin, Nozomi had not only vanquished a threat but quietly resolved a hidden danger that had crept into their lives.
He didn't tell Kamiigusa Misaki the truth—not about the evil spirit, not about Jin's obsession, and certainly not about what had transpired the night before. She didn't need to know. Some burdens were better kept to oneself, especially if they came with twisted memories of the dead.
Mitaka Jin was gone now—obliterated completely.
And in his absence, Kamiigusa Misaki, ever the bundle of quirky energy, had started to cling to Nozomi like an affectionate kitten. Her usual vivacity had mellowed into gentle dependency, and she leaned on him throughout the day, melting into his arms like butter on warm toast.
Despite her alien charm and relentless passion, even Misaki was no match for Nozomi when he got serious. It only took a few hours of tender care before she completely surrendered, pouting and burying her face into his chest, muttering nonsense about making anime later.
Shiina Mahiru eventually came to her rescue, pulling Misaki away with a disapproving glare that only barely hid her amusement. Even then, Misaki leaned against Nozomi, a soft, satisfied smile lingering on her lips.
Yeah, she was definitely content.
As for Mitaka Jin? Forgotten like last season's anime.
He hadn't even called her during all that time. No texts, no emails, not even a ghostly DM. If it weren't for the cursed imprint left by his spirit, she would have erased him from her memories entirely.
Honestly, she felt lighter now—freer.
The only reason the evil spirit had managed to sneak into Sakurasou in the first place was because Frieren and Fern were out. With the household's spiritual guards away, the wards around the dorm had been weaker than usual. Still, even if Nozomi hadn't intervened, the charm tucked beneath Misaki's pillow would've held back the spirit long enough for her to be safe.
Morning came.
The weekend had vanished like a dream, and it was time for school again.
Nozomi stirred in his bed, feeling something warm against his arm. He looked down.
There was Kamiigusa Misaki, clinging to him like a plushie, murmuring in her sleep with a soft snore. She was still in her pajamas and showed no signs of waking up.
Shiina Mahiru, always the diligent early riser, leaned over and kissed Nozomi on the cheek before heading to the kitchen.
She was the embodiment of the yamato nadeshiko—kind, gentle, and stunningly competent. Nozomi deeply respected that about her.
"Mahiru, let me make breakfast today. You worked hard last night," he said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
Just as he rolled up his sleeves to help, Ogiwara Sayu bustled into the kitchen.
"No way! You cooked last time too! Let me do it!" she insisted, guiding Mahiru back to her room.
Mahiru blinked in surprise, then surrendered, smiling faintly as she disappeared upstairs for a quick nap.
Meanwhile, Nozomi gently untangled himself from the sleepy Misaki—who, in her half-awake mischief, began playfully nipping at his neck. He chuckled, scooped her up, and silenced her antics with a kiss.
A little while later, after ensuring that his teasing had turned her into a limp noodle of satisfaction, he wiped a drop from her lips and whispered, "I'm going to wash up, okay? You stay in bed a little longer, senpai. Sakurasou's close to Suimei, remember?"
"Mm... alright..." Misaki blushed, swallowing softly. Her gaze lingered on his back, full of warmth.
Once refreshed, Nozomi made his way to Mashiro's room.
After knocking and receiving no answer, he cracked the door open—and promptly froze.
There, in a sunbeam-lit bundle of limbs and golden hair, were Mashiro and Rita.
Fast asleep.
Naked.
Nozomi's eyebrow twitched.
"Seriously?" he muttered.
He stepped in and gently pinched Rita's cheek.
"Rita, wake up. Mashiro needs to get ready for school."
Rita groaned and fluttered her eyes open, staring daggers at him.
"Couldn't you at least knock twice and leave? Pervert."
"Oi, it's not like you've got anything I haven't seen before," he replied cheekily.
"I'm still a girl! You delinquent!"
Nozomi chuckled, ruffling both of their hair affectionately before turning on his heel to leave.
Rita glared at his retreating figure, cheeks puffed.
--
After breakfast, Nozomi set off for Sobu High with the girls. The walk was lively, full of chatter and teasing.
Halfway there, they bumped into Sashokuin Sumireko, who joined them without hesitation. But something about her seemed... off.
She wore the same pigtails and glasses, but there was a strange glint in her eyes.
Still, Nozomi dismissed it. Maybe she was just having a good hair day?
"Sashokuin Sumireko" gave him a small, mysterious smile.
...
Sobu High School buzzed with the same lively energy as ever. The usual suspects surrounded Hayato Hayama—Tobe, Oyama, and a few other boys—engaged in their favorite pastime: talking about football. Hayama, the golden boy of the football club, kept the center of attention with ease.
In contrast, the ever-lonely Hikigaya Hachiman was basking in the strange comfort of being called "Hachiman" in a friendly, overly familiar tone by the cute boy in his class. Nozomi, observing from the sidelines, nearly broke into a laugh.
"Feels like I've wandered into a BL visual novel," he muttered, suppressing the urge to facepalm.
With the morning classes and tests behind them, the students were finally able to relax. Lunchtime arrived like a blessing.
Nozomi didn't head to the Service Club right away. Instead, he sent Yukinoshita a message—just a quick hello—and mentioned he'd be helping out in the library today. After all, Sanshokuin Sumireko had invited him, and it wasn't exactly in his nature to say no to a lady's request.
When he arrived at the library, he found Sumireko standing atop a small ladder, her long skirt gently fluttering as she reached for a high shelf to place some books. The sunlight filtered in through the window, casting a soft glow around her.
Then, just as he feared, she misstepped.
"Ah—!"
Sumireko lost her balance and tumbled backward.
Without hesitation, Nozomi rushed forward, catching her in his arms with the ease of someone who'd done it a hundred times before.
Right. He nearly forgot—thanks to the game life system that governed his fate, these dramatic and fateful moments kept popping up like flags in a dating sim. A little too convenient. But undeniably effective.
Cradled in his arms, the girl blushed deeply. "Nozomi... thank you for catching me."
He smirked roguishly, his anime protagonist instincts flaring. He lowered her gently into a nearby chair, still holding her close.
"How do you plan to thank me, Sumireko?"
Her cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red. With a seductive glint in her eye, she tilted her head. "How would you like me to thank you? I'll do it... if it's for you."
"You're being very bold today," Nozomi said, his tone teasing as he leaned in and planted a soft kiss on her lips.
Her body trembled slightly in his arms. That reaction... was a little off. Normally, Sumireko would push back playfully or fire off a snarky retort.
But this girl...
Nozomi narrowed his eyes slightly. Though she was imitating Sumireko well, there was an innocence, a shyness that didn't match the Sumireko he knew. Her teasing felt rehearsed—forced.
Then it hit him.
This wasn't Sanshokuin Sumireko at all. This was her lookalike twin—Sumire Nichiji.
He slowly let his hand drift from her waist to her thigh, testing her reaction. As expected, she trembled even more.
Though Nichiji and Sumireko looked nearly identical, there were subtle differences. And Nozomi knew Sumireko's body far too well to be fooled for long.
Still, he decided to play along. If she wanted to test him, then he'd take it as a challenge.
Was he turning into a shameless flirt protagonist? Probably. Did he mind? Not really.
After a little while, Nichiji looked up at him with a mix of shyness and mischief. "Someone might come... Stop messing around, okay?"
"Alright, alright," Nozomi said with a chuckle. "Can't let the world see Pansy's secret side, can we?"
He deftly buttoned up her school uniform and retied the ribbon at her collar, taking his sweet time.
She pouted, cheeks puffed in mock annoyance, then returned to her seat at the librarian's desk. Nozomi resumed his duties as her assistant, helping with sorting and checking in books.
The rest of the afternoon passed in tranquil silence, the two of them surrounded by the scent of paper and the warm golden light of the sun.
Eventually, it was time to head to the Service Club.
Yukinoshita hadn't visited Sakurasou yesterday, and after two whole days without seeing her, Nozomi found himself missing her sharp tongue and cool, aloof presence.
Just a little.