After-school silence settled over Yuki's apartment like a held breath.
Shoes were neatly aligned by the door. The lights were warm. The world felt smaller here, quieter, like the pause between heartbeats. Yuki knelt on the floor, carefully fastening the buttons of Luna's coat. She stood obediently, arms raised, cheeks puffed in concentration as though this were a sacred ritual rather than simple dressing.
"And then there's Haruki," Yuki said absently as he straightened her collar. "He pretends he doesn't care, but he's the loudest when he laughs. You'll hear him before you see him."
Luna tilted her head. "Is he scary?"
Yuki smiled faintly. "Only if you steal his food."
She giggled, satisfied with that answer.
Yuki reached for a small ribbon and tied Luna's hair back with practiced ease. "Satoshi's different. He watches too much. Notices things he shouldn't." His voice softened. "But he's kind. In his own way."
The door slid open without warning.
"I knew it," Hana announced, already halfway inside. "I felt plot happening."
Neither Yuki nor Luna reacted. They were long past being surprised by Hana's invasions. This place might as well have had her name etched into the doorframe.
Hana's eyes immediately locked onto Luna's coat, the neatly tied ribbon, Yuki's focused expression.
"…Why is she dressed?" Hana asked slowly.
Yuki rose to his feet, rolled his shoulders once, and raised a clenched fist toward the ceiling. "We're going to war."
There was a sharp thwack as Hana smacked the back of his head.
"Ow."
"We're going home," he corrected immediately. "The Kinatarou residence."
The air changed.
Hana froze.
Her voice dropped, seized by something between awe and disbelief. "You're… going there?"
From the kitchen, Kira scoffed. "Absolutely not. She'll get the ground dirty."
Hana spun. "Excuse me?! You overgrown flashdrive!"
"Oh please," Kira replied coolly. "That place has tasted cleaner souls than yours."
Insults flew like thrown knives. Hana accused Kira of being emotionally compostable. Kira suggested Hana would clash with the interior like a stain with legs.
Luna watched the argument with wide, fascinated eyes.
Eventually, Hana huffed, turned away from Kira, and clasped her hands together as she faced Yuki. Her eyes widened. Her mouth trembled.
She looked painfully hopeful.
"You look like a hungry dog," Yuki said.
Hana kicked his knee.
"…Get dressed," he sighed. "You're coming."
Hana vanished in a blur.
She returned moments later in her finest outfit, polished to perfection. Her aunt clapped excitedly from the doorway despite not being invited herself, already imagining the stories.
The cab ride was chaos.
Hana vibrated in her seat, pressing her face to the window like a child headed to a festival. Luna mirrored her energy entirely, excited simply because Hana was excited.
"Why now?" Hana asked suddenly. "Why go home?"
Yuki looked out the opposite window. "I need to talk to Satoshi. About Luna's adoption."
That shut her up.
The cab slowed.
Then stopped.
Even the driver stared.
Before them rose a gate unlike anything Hana had ever seen. Massive. Intricate. Pure gold, catching the light like a living thing. The fence stretched endlessly in either direction, disappearing into the horizon.
When Yuki stepped forward, the gate opened on its own.
The breeze that flowed out felt… unreal.
Cool. Clean. Alive.
Hana inhaled sharply.
Beyond the gate lay endless green pastures. To one side, a valley of soft pink flowers rolled like a dream half remembered. To the other, a lake of impossibly clear blue water reflected the sky like polished glass. Farther in, a smaller fence encircled a distant mansion.
They walked.
Luna darted ahead, laughing as she chased butterflies through the flower valley, her joy scattering through the air. Hana slowed, her heart pounding.
Is this Heaven? she thought.
She glanced at Yuki walking ahead, sunlight catching in his hair.
No wonder he looks like an angel.
The mansion loomed closer with every step.
Huge didn't begin to cover it.
Golden pillars rose toward the sky. Grey stone paved the ground beneath their feet. Sports cars gleamed nearby. Motorbikes. Even a helicopter resting casually, like this were all perfectly normal.
Then Hana saw it.
A Koenigsegg Agera RS.
White. Flawless. Otherworldly.
She stared.
Then she saw the license plate.
Y.U.K.I.
Her breath vanished.
She grabbed Yuki's arm, nearly shaking him. "IS THAT YOURS?"
He nodded, entirely unimpressed with his own wealth, already pulling her toward the entrance.
"WAIT," Hana shouted, being dragged along. "I WANT TO LOOK AT IT MORE!"
The doors opened.
And the Kinatarou residence swallowed them whole.
The doors of the Kinatarou residence closed behind them with a sound like fate sealing itself.
Two maids stood waiting in the grand entryway, perfectly aligned, posture immaculate. The moment Yuki stepped forward, they bowed deeply, skirts whispering against marble.
"Welcome home, Lord Yuki."
Their voices were warm. Earnest. Almost relieved.
Hana stiffened at the title, eyes darting to Yuki in disbelief, while Luna blinked in confusion, gripping Hana's sleeve.
One maid lifted her head slightly, smiling.
"And welcome, Lady Hana. Lady Luna."
Both maids looked genuinely delighted, their composure cracking just enough to reveal emotion beneath the polish.
"We've missed you," the other maid added softly, eyes shining. "The residence hasn't felt the same."
Yuki scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. "I haven't been gone that long."
"Yes, you have," they said in unison.
Before Hana could process being called Lady without irony, Yuki crouched beside Luna. "I'll be back. Be good, okay?"
Luna nodded solemnly.
Yuki straightened. "I need to find Satoshi."
He disappeared down a corridor lined with gold-trimmed pillars, footsteps fading into the vastness of the estate.
The maids turned to Hana and Luna, clapping their hands softly. "Please follow us."
They led them into the dining hall.
Hana stopped dead.
The room was circular, massive, with a table so wide it felt ceremonial. Cushions ringed it instead of chairs, each one plush and inviting. Above, a chandelier made of diamonds hung like frozen starlight, scattering rainbows across the walls. The floor gleamed. The air smelled faintly of tea and polished stone.
"…This is illegal," Hana whispered.
The cushions were silk.
Actual silk.
They sat, Luna bouncing slightly as if testing whether the luxury was real.
One maid poured tea while the other smiled wistfully. "This table used to be much louder."
Hana glanced up. "Used to?"
"Yes," she said. "When Lord Yuki first returned. After Giyu." The maid patted Luna's head. "Yuki, Yukari, Satoshi and Haruki, ate at this table together before Yuki moved away."
Hana leaned in despite herself.
"He smiled constantly," the maid continued, laughing softly. "Always smiling. We thought he was fine at first. Later we realized… it was how he hid the pain."
The second maid nodded. "He insisted on helping with cooking."
Hana brightened. "Oh no."
"He burned everything," the maid said cheerfully. "Even water once."
"That's impossible," Hana snorted.
"And when he tried cleaning," the other added, "something always broke. A vase. A shelf. Once an entire cabinet."
Hana laughed openly now. "He's always been an idiot."
Luna giggled, eyes wide as she soaked in every word, glancing around the room like she'd wandered into a storybook.
One maid tilted her head, studying Hana curiously. "May I ask… are you Lord Yuki's girlfriend?"
Hana choked on her tea. "Absolutely not!"
The maids blinked.
She crossed her arms. "Someone that dumb could never be my boyfriend."
The maids exchanged knowing smiles but said nothing.
Upstairs, the study was quiet in the way only wealth could afford.
Bookshelves stretched toward the ceiling.
Sunlight spilled through tall windows. A couch sat at the center like a throne reimagined as comfort.
Satoshi Kinatarou lounged there, legs crossed, utterly at ease.
He was the picture of royalty even in casual wear. Black hair tipped faintly with light blue, eyes crackling with quiet electricity. Handsome. Sharp. Twenty-two years old, and already the youngest head of a Royal family in history.
He wore a hoodie and sweatpants like he ruled the world by accident.
His eyes flicked toward the door.
Then widened.
"Yuki."
He was on his feet instantly.
"YUKI!"
Before Yuki could react, Satoshi closed the distance and crushed him into a hug.
"Satoshi— stop— I can't— breathe—"
Satoshi only squeezed harder.
Yuki's vision dimmed. "I'm— dying—"
Finally, Satoshi pulled back, laughing. "You look terrible."
"YOU attacked me," Yuki snapped, gasping.
Satoshi grinned. "So why are you here? Miss Haruki? Or Yukari?"
Yuki paused.
"…It's about Luna."
Satoshi's expression shifted, curiosity sharpening. "The little girl."
Yuki nodded. "I want you to adopt her. Bring her into the family. If she's Kinatarou, the Vanguard won't be able to use her as a weapon."
Satoshi studied him carefully, eyes narrowing not with suspicion, but calculation.
"Hmm," he murmured. "I'll decide after I meet her."
He stood. "Let's go see her."
And just like that, the fate of a small girl balanced on the edge of a Royal's gaze.
Yuki and Satoshi entered the dining hall side by side.
The moment they were spotted, everything froze.
Hana's eyes widened so much it was a miracle they stayed in place. Her breath caught painfully in her throat. This wasn't just Yuki's brother standing there.
This was Satoshi Kinatarou.
Head of the Kinatarou family.
Captain of the Silver Moon Club, the undisputed apex of the Vanguard.
A man whispered about in rumors and spoken of with reverence. One of the strongest people in the country.
And he was right there.
In front of her.
Satoshi's gaze swept the room lazily… then stopped.
On Luna.
Something in his expression softened instantly.
Without warning, he strode forward and scooped Luna up with effortless strength, lifting her high into the air. The sudden movement startled Hana and made both maids gasp in unison.
"Wah—!"
Luna didn't scream. She just stared.
She was tiny in his hands, almost fragile compared to his frame. Satoshi studied her face closely, golden-blue eyes sharp but warm, as if measuring something far deeper than appearance.
"Hm," he hummed.
Luna's lips trembled.
Then suddenly, she stretched both arms out toward Yuki.
"Yu…ki…"
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Satoshi blinked once.
Then, without hesitation, he handed her over.
Yuki caught her immediately, arms tightening around her small body with instinctive care. Luna buried her face into his shoulder, gripping his shirt like she'd never let go.
Satoshi turned away as if the matter were settled.
"Alright. I'll adopt her."
The words were blunt. Final.
Yuki froze. "That was— wait— that was fast."
Satoshi glanced over his shoulder. "She's someone you love."
He shrugged. "That makes her family. Yukari already accepted her. Haruki just doesn't know yet."
Hana felt her chest swell.
She crouched slightly and whispered to Luna, eyes shining, "Do you hear that? You're going to be a Kinatarou. And Yuki will be your big brother."
Luna tightened her grip on Yuki's shirt and smiled shyly, the smallest, brightest smile.
Only then did Satoshi's attention drift to Hana.
He paused.
"Ah," he said lightly. "And you are… Yuki's girlfriend?"
Hana exploded.
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
Her voice echoed off the walls. "I would never date this idiot!"
Yuki flinched. "Hey—"
Satoshi laughed.
A real laugh. Loud and unrestrained.
"I see," he said, already turning away. "I'll tell you when everything's done."
He waved a hand casually as he left the dining hall, as if he hadn't just decided a child's future and shaken the foundations of Hana's world.
Hana stared after him, heart racing.
Then she looked at Yuki.
At Luna, safe in his arms.
"…Your family is insane," she muttered.
Yuki smiled faintly.
"You haven't even met Haruki or Yukari yet." He said.
"At the moment they are both not at home. They left a few minutes before you arrived. To attend to somethings." A maid explained