Minamoto Senya sat down a little stiffly beside Touka, guided by the gentle pat of her hand.
This time he wasn't pretending. He was genuinely surprised.
In his mind, he had only hoped for this much: if Touka could continue treating him with the same warmth and kindness as before even after realizing his true feelings, then that would already count as a complete victory.
But now, the situation had gone far beyond his expectations, moving in a direction far better than he dared to imagine.
Before this, she had even been deliberately putting distance between them, avoiding any unnecessary chance to be alone with him.
Did this mean she had already sorted out her feelings? That she intended to respond to, and maybe even accept, his emotions?
No—he couldn't afford to jump to conclusions. He still had to watch carefully.
"I've only ever given Mom a massage before. If the pressure's too light or I'm pressing the wrong spot, just tell me, okay?"
Touka slipped off her slippers and moved across the bed on her knees until she was behind him. Following the technique she'd seen in an instructional video online, she placed her hands on either side of Senya's head and began to massage gently.
"Mmm—" Senya couldn't help but let out a sound of relief.
"Did I hurt you?" Touka immediately stopped, worried.
"No, no—it feels really good. Please keep going."
"Geez, don't scare me like that."
Was it his imagination, or did her voice just now carry a hint of playful scolding? Almost like a girlfriend sulking at her boyfriend.
The development was so dreamlike that Senya regretted not having thought of starting his diary sooner.
Still—better late than never.
Touka's massage was just right, the pressure comfortable and soothing.
She really was the ideal big sister type—graceful, intelligent, and careful—not like Rikka, that clumsy little sister who always got distracted when massaging, pressing sometimes too hard, sometimes too lightly.
Of course, it was also possible his own strong feelings were coloring his perception.
"If you want me to switch spots, just say so."
"No need. It feels perfect as it is."
"As long as it's helping."
"Helping? This is more than that—it feels like the pressure in my head's completely gone."
"Massage can only relieve the symptoms. You've been way too busy lately, coming home late every day, barely sleeping. If you wear your body down now, what are you going to do later?"
"Yeah, I know. Actually, work's already started to slow down. Things will ease up little by little soon." He paused, then added, "When that happens, I can even help you with the housework."
Touka chuckled. "It's the thought that counts. Compared to you, Mister Busy, I've been ridiculously free ever since quitting the club."
"Speaking of clubs, Touka—after leaving rhythmic gymnastics, you never thought about joining another one?"
"Why would I? I think it's nice being able to go home right after school."
"You're unexpectedly a homebody."
"Sorry for being such a home-loving shut-in by nature. What, do you have a problem with that?"
Her hands pressed just a bit harder as she spoke.
Senya quickly backtracked.
"Not at all. Actually, I like it better this way. It's a huge plus for me."
"Oh? And what kind of plus?"
"Well, for one, your cooking's been getting more and more delicious lately."
"That's because I finally have the time to study properly. I've been buying recipe books and experimenting. Compared to before, when I was just fumbling around, my cooking's bound to improve at least a little."
"And if you were still in the club, training hard every day, I'd never feel right asking you to give me massages like this. You'd already be exhausted."
"Hmph."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"That you're really good at sweet-talking, you know."
"I'm telling the truth—every word of it."
"If you say so."
"What do you mean, 'if you say so'…?"
Wait a second—what was this?
This casual, cheerful back-and-forth, laced with playful banter—it felt more and more like the kind of intimate teasing between lovers.
Senya's heart stirred restlessly.
He thought maybe, just maybe, he could take a small step further now, to test her reaction.
Moving subtly, without making it obvious…
He leaned back slowly, as though his waist had grown tired from sitting too long.
Touka was kneeling behind him on the bed.
So if everything went smoothly, by leaning back far enough, he'd naturally end up resting against her.
Her fragrance grew stronger the closer he got.
And then—it happened. Senya's back pressed into a softness that was unmistakably her.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
He had only been half-expecting it, ready to laugh it off with an excuse about being "so relaxed from the massage I almost dozed off" if she stopped him.
But she said nothing. She simply let it happen.
Her hands only paused for a moment, then continued as before.
"Feeling tired all of a sudden?"
She even offered him a ready-made excuse!
"Y-Yeah, a little…"
"Then you should go to bed early tonight. It's not like you're in a rush to write—there's no deadline. What matters most is your health, don't you think?"
Senya considered, then nodded. "You're right."
"Then sit up for now. You're heavy, you know. It's hard holding you like this."
He assumed that meant the massage was over and she was about to leave.
But instead, Touka moved to the far side of the bed, leaned against the wall, and placed a pillow across her lap.
Then, just as before, she patted it lightly in invitation.
"Well? Don't just sit there—lie down. This way you'll be more comfortable, and I won't get tired either."
"…"
Senya was silent for three full seconds.
Three seconds weren't nearly enough to process this flood of happiness, but it was enough to store it safely in his heart.
So he slipped off his shoes and climbed onto the bed, lying down as she directed, his head resting on the pillow atop her lap.
Even with the cushion between them, it didn't change the fact: Touka was giving him a lap pillow.
And she knew how he felt about her. She still chose to do this.
"Close your eyes now. No more talking. Relax and see if you can fall asleep like this."
With you this close? That's impossible…
But Senya obediently murmured, "Okay."
As he did, he turned slightly, facing her stomach.
He waited a moment, and when she didn't react, he edged his head forward just a little more under the pretense of shifting position.
His nose was nearly brushing her abdomen.
From this angle, it felt almost like she was holding him in her arms.
Touka flicked his forehead gently with her finger, her voice soft.
"Don't move around."
It wasn't really a scolding, nor did it feel like rejection. If anything, it carried the sense of a teasing refusal—an implicit allowance.
Still, Senya didn't push further. He knew he'd been caught.
This was the limit of what she could accept right now.
Pushing his luck would only ruin it. Better to stop here.
"Touka…"
"Hmm?"
"Why are you so kind to me?"
Her fingers stilled for a moment, then she smiled faintly and smoothed down his messy hair.
"Because you're kind to me, too.
Meeting you and Rikka… I'm really glad."
"…Yeah. Me too."
Moonlight streamed through the window, bathing the quiet room in silver.
Not wanting to wear her out, Senya let himself drift off after about twenty minutes, his breathing steady and even.
"Good night, Senya."
Moving softly, Touka slipped out of the room.
"Eh? Sis? Why are you coming out of Senya's room?"
Of course, she ran right into Rikka in the hallway, who eyed her curiously.
But an elder sister's authority was absolute.
Touka arched an eyebrow, her earlier tenderness instantly replaced by sternness.
"Why are you still up at this hour?"
"Uh… haha… I just drank too much water. Bathroom. Going to bed now!"
With that, Rikka lost all interest in prying further and scurried away.
Meanwhile, Senya—viewing the scene with the benefit of hindsight—was still lying in bed grinning like an idiot.
It wasn't about Rikka being cowed into retreat.
It was about what he'd just glimpsed: after returning to her own room, Touka had raised her hands to her face, sniffing them ever so slightly, her cheeks tinged with red, her expression betraying a strange kind of flustered sweetness.
It wasn't just him who loved her scent. She loved his too.
Now it was certain—after realizing his feelings, Touka's long-suppressed emotions had begun to shift.
She didn't show it openly, not yet, but Senya had an advantage.
Because whenever she let her guard down in private, he could still see it—clear as day.
This battlefield of silent affections had never been equal. From the very start, Minamoto Senya had enjoyed the unfair advantage of seeing everything.
That night, he was too excited to sleep, tossing and turning restlessly.
The very first day, and he'd already gotten a lap pillow.
If things continued at this pace—gently, gradually, step by step—Touka would only grow more accustomed to him, more accepting.
His future looked brighter than ever.
But he also knew: celebrating victory at halftime usually ended badly.
So he forced himself to calm down.
Reaching under his bed, he pulled out his worn diary.
He stroked the cover as though it were the cheek of a lover.
All thanks to this little book. He would keep writing.
After all, the time still wasn't right.
The things he couldn't yet say to Touka face-to-face—he could always entrust them to these pages.
———
By March, the weather was warming.
The buzz around his Ranpo Prize novel had finally begun to fade.
And so, everyday life moved forward again.
Senya, Eriri, and Rikka were in the middle of finals.
Utaha and Saeko had officially graduated from middle school.
Senya hadn't forgotten his promise to Saeko. On the evening of her graduation, during the dance held at the gym, he was there—by her side the entire time, until he finally walked her home after it ended.
After two weeks of relative peace in early March, his life became busy again.
The Yulong Kendo Tournament was scheduled during spring break. On top of that, he had also agreed to accompany Haruka and Kasuga to another piano competition in Tokyo.
Both required serious preparation.
Haruka was in great shape—her piano skills had clearly improved since before.
Saeko, however… Senya found their matches strangely easy.
He thought she might be holding back, so he insisted she go all out. But the result was still the same.
Thinking about it, it wasn't surprising. His kendo was now at level 7, same as hers. With technique and experience on par, his natural advantage as a male in terms of physique gave him the edge.
He didn't dwell on it.
During spring break, Yukino's younger sister returned to Japan.
The first thing she did was message Eriri and Senya.
Eriri was overjoyed, practically celebrating, and immediately arranged to meet her.
Senya, on the other hand, took several days before replying, and even then, it was only to have a simple lunch.
Yukino understood—he was busy preparing for two competitions at once. Still, being treated so coldly stung just a little.
But when she learned, through hints dropped by Eriri and Rikka, that Utaha had also barely seen him lately for the same reason, she felt a little better.
If everyone was in the same situation, then it was fine.
Just one more year. One more year and she'd be back for good…
During that same break, Touka arranged to meet with her old friend Haruno, just as they often did.
Haruno arrived on time at the park they'd agreed on.
From a distance, she spotted Touka waiting.
But when she came closer, she blinked in surprise.
Touka hadn't come alone this time.
Beside her was a stroller, with the youngest sister resting inside.
———