[Mejiro Group Chat (8)]
[Palmer]:Just went to Kagura-oneesan's room after dinner to play and saw her packing. Is Oneesan leaving?
[McQueen]:Eh? Kagura-oneesan's leaving?
[Dober]:Palmer, did you see where Kagura-oneesan went?
[Palmer]:No idea. She gave me a little plate of almond tofu and went out. No clue where. By the way, Kagura-oneesan's tofu tastes amazing…
[Ryan]:Huh? Palmer, you got some food from her? I want to eat Kagura-oneesan's tofu too!
[Ardan]:Ryan… uh… the way you're saying that can be…misunderstood…
...
"Kagura! So you were here…"
Late at night, Kagura was walking off her full stomach on the Mejiro grass track when she heard Ardan's voice behind her.
She stopped, turned, and saw Ardan stepping up from outside the track. Though the place was unlit, the faint glow from Ardan's phone screen was enough for Kagura to recognize her distinctive blue hair.
"Ardan-ojousama, why are you out here so late? Shouldn't everyone be in the living room scrolling on their phones for the New Year countdown?"
Today was the last day of the year. In Japan they celebrated New Year's like this too. In Kagura's impression, it wasn't very different from Huaguo's New Year—basically families sitting together until midnight.
The Mejiro Estate's lively atmosphere was lovely. So many kids, and not the unruly kind either. Even if they were a bit mischievous at times, compared to the real terror of her relatives' children back home, these young Ojou-samas were incredibly well-mannered.
"Palmer told me she saw you packing. Are you leaving tomorrow?"
"Yes. Family Head-sama asked me to go to the shrine with her tomorrow, and after that I'll be heading back… It wouldn't be good to keep troubling your family all the time."
"Not at all. If anything, it's we who've been troubling you. My sisters… and also… last night. Thank you."
Though Ardan's memory of falling asleep was a little hazy, she still remembered resting on Kagura's lap, remembered the milk-smooth softness of Kagura's skin, remembered Kagura singing to her. Kagura's voice had been so beautiful she thought, if Kagura ever held a concert, she'd definitely draw a crowd.
"Hehe, it was nothing really~ I'm just glad it helped. I heard you slept in until eleven this morning. Looks like you were exhausted. You should've had a proper rest long ago."
"Uu… don't mention it… When Ramonu-neesan came to wake me this morning, she had this warm smile I never see from her. I thought I was still dreaming…"
Ardan's voice had the softness of a friend confiding, sounding warm and unguarded, as though she were in a very good mood.
"Of course she worries about you, Ardan-ojousama. No matter what, you're her precious little sister. She's not actually that hard to talk to—she just can't seem to control that pressure she gives off."
"I know… it's just that the pressure she exudes is a bit too much sometimes."
"Nothing you can do about that, really. But speaking of, why did Ardan-ojousama come looking for me so late? Not counting down with your sisters?"
Kagura wasn't part of the Mejiro family, so wandering out alone made sense. But she didn't understand why Ardan would leave the festivities to come here.
Truthfully, Ardan hated the idea of Kagura leaving. She'd come out to the track tonight because of that. Thinking about Kagura going away—how she'd have to wait until vacation ended to see her again—left her feeling hollow. These days with Kagura nearby had been so fulfilling, so happy. Even just watching Kagura play with her sisters had been enough.
But she couldn't open her mouth to ask Kagura to stay. By all rights, Kagura belonged to the Symboli family, not Mejiro. If she were to "go home," it should be there.
"What is it?"
Seeing Ardan struggle for words and then fall silent, Kagura tilted her head.
"…Nothing. I just didn't see Kagura-san in the living room and wanted to come get you."
In the end, Ardan swallowed her words.
"Hehe…"
But Kagura had seen through her anyway. Though slow to pick up hints at times, she could clearly see when someone had forced something back down.
Judging from her tone, Kagura felt Ardan's mood had dipped a little. She didn't know what Ardan had held back, but she had a way to ease it somewhat:
"Ardan-ojousama, if you're troubled… would you like a hug? It might relax you. I don't mind."
"I…"
Kagura's suggestion surprised Ardan. Faced with Kagura's open arms, she instinctively reached out, then drew back, then—seeing the darkness around them—slowly extended her hands again.
Finally, Ardan's trembling fingers clasped Kagura's small hands. As though afraid to let go, she suddenly pulled Kagura into her embrace, wrapping her arms around her waist. That gentle, tranquil aura enveloped her once more.
"Whoa… Ardan-ojousama… a little gentler, you're squeezing too hard…"
Kagura's feet lifted from the ground. She wiggled lightly, softly reminding her.
"Kagura-san…"
Looking at Kagura's face up close, meeting those clear, pure eyes, a searing impulse welled up in Ardan's heart—an urge to sully that beauty, to claim it for herself…
It's just me and Kagura-san here… It's dark… no one will see us… right here…
The dangerous thought bloomed inside her, heat burning through her reason. Her grip tightened bit by bit. That wild, violent desire spread through her chest. Almost without thinking, she leaned closer toward Kagura's small mouth.
"Ardan-ojousama… um… you're holding too tightly. I can't breathe…"
Kagura's voice jolted Ardan awake like a shock of electricity. She realized, with horror, what she had just been about to do.
No! What am I thinking—was I about to take advantage of Kagura-san's trust, do something so rude to her… She hasn't even matured yet! How could I have such a dangerous thought!?
Ardan felt overwhelming relief that she'd snapped out of it. If she had actually followed that instinct, Kagura might come to hate her and never approach her again. That would be the most unbearable thing of all.
"I just saw Ardan-neesan walking this way. Kagura-oneesan should be here too!"
"Eh! Wait for me, McQueen…"
McQueen's and Dober's voices floated from outside the track. Ardan quickly set Kagura down, murmuring thanks with an apologetic look.
...
Spending New Year's Eve at someone else's home for the first time, Kagura found it strangely refreshing.
After being dragged back into the mansion by McQueen and Dober, she was surrounded by chattering little ones, playing happily. Dober even led Kagura to her room to give her a drawing—the one from earlier that day of Kagura sitting by the window looking outside. Kagura had to admit, Dober's skill was extraordinary. The posture, the spirit—all vividly captured. Hard to believe it was drawn by a child not even ten.
"Dober's art is amazing… If you become a professional artist someday, you'll definitely be famous!"
"Ehehe…"
Receiving head pats from Kagura and Ardan, Dober looked delighted, subtly sliding her notebook further into the drawer.
She didn't dare let Kagura and Ardan see what she'd drawn in it. Kagura had glimpsed it yesterday, but back then the picture hadn't been finished. Today it was complete, so she didn't dare bring it out, only gifting the morning's finished sketch to Kagura instead.
"Kagura-oneesan~ you're leaving tomorrow? When will you come again?"
It was usually little McQueen asking this question. This time it was still her, but now four more pairs of eyes shone expectantly from behind her.
"Whenever there's a long holiday and I have time If you want to see Oneesan, you can also come to Tracen Academy. Ardan-ojousama can bring you in to play. But of course, I hope you'll all study hard and work to enroll yourselves so we can attend together"
"I will, Kagura-oneesan! We won't disappoint you!"
McQueen nodded vigorously. Kagura smiled, patting her head, then patted each of the other girls' little heads one by one as they looked up with the same hopeful expression.
Since she had the shrine visit tomorrow and was already a bit sleepy, Kagura didn't stay up late with the little ones, slipping off to bed around one o'clock.
——Wow, you haven't stopped for days. Those Mejiro kids really love you, huh.
They're all adorable. Compared to the pack of little monsters I had to wrangle during New Year's at my relatives' place back then, they're on a whole different level.
——Was it really that bad? I can't even imagine what species you're talking about…
Table-flippers, shoe-wearers-on-beds, tantrum-throwers if you don't give them something, insatiable attention-hogs who wail if no one plays with them…
——Stop, my head already hurts just listening. Don't say another word…
---
T/N: was gonna update earlier but got lazy, so im just doing 4 chapters for today's update, should be an update tomorrow too maybe 4 maybe not
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