Within the stillness of the forest, the three stood in a loose triangle.
Yukino crossed her arms, expression unreadable.
"Onee-chan, tell me everything about you and Nanashi-kun."
Haruno glanced at Nanashi before lowering her gaze for the first time in front of her little sister. Her voice was low, almost distant, as she began recounting the past.
Nanashi felt as though he were being pulled back into that time.
It was a simple, almost cliché tale— a hero saving a damsel in distress.
And yet, both of them were the ones saved.
It was Nanashi who saved Haruno's life.
While it was Haruno who saved Nanashi's spirit.
They had become each other's salvation.
Yukino was visibly shaken as she listened. She had never imagined Nanashi as someone stripped of laughter, lost in confusion and numbness.
But she also knew how heavy the burden of secrecy could be — how crushing it was to carry everything silently forward.
It made sense.
They had needed each other to survive.
"Then why did you leave Nanashi-kun in the first place, Onee-chan?" Yukino asked, her voice soft but serious.
Haruno hesitated. "Because… Mother. The Yukinoshita family needed me."
"…"
Mother... the Yukinoshita family...
Yukino wasn't naive.
Understanding dawned quickly.
This was for her.
The Yukinoshita family needed a successor. But with only two daughters, if both married out, the lineage would vanish. So a live-in son-in-law was necessary— someone whose children could inherit the Yukinoshita name.
A political arrangement.
It was the kind of tactic wielded by conglomerates and politicians alike.
If Haruno secured an heir, Yukino would be free — free to choose her own path, her own love.
Haruno didn't admit it outright. Instead, she simply looked up and smiled, brightly yet wistfully. "Yukino, be happy with Nanashi-kun."
"…"
Yukino clenched her fists. She despised such self-sacrificing compromises.
"Stop making decisions on your own."
The sudden cold voice cut through the air.
Before either of them could react, Nanashi pulled both sisters into his arms.
"Did either of you even think to ask what I wanted?"
The sisters stared at him, momentarily dazed.
He looked at them with absolute resolve, his gaze firm and commanding.
"I'm not choosing. I won't give up either of you."
"!!!"
His bold declaration left them speechless.
"Do you even realize what you're saying?" Haruno's voice trembled. "Have you lost your mind?"
"I know exactly what I'm saying." Nanashi enunciated each word clearly, steadily.
"How can you say that?!" Haruno glared at him like he'd gone mad.
Nanashi awkwardly scratched his nose and muttered, "Why not? Haven't you ever heard of... the 'mother-daughter' trope?"
"Ha?!"
This time, Haruno couldn't hold back her shriek.
"Stop yelling. Yukino knows everything."
Haruno immediately turned to her sister, needing confirmation.
"...Mm," Yukino murmured, cheeks flushing as she averted her eyes.
That was as good as a confession.
Haruno's worldview collapsed.
My own sister... accepted something like this?!
She stared daggers at Nanashi, her voice cracking with rage.
"What the hell did you do to her, you bastard?! What kind of brainwashing is this?!"
Nanashi cleared his throat, slightly guilty. "Well... I guess you raised me a little too well, Haruno."
It was true.
Thanks to Haruno's influence, he had become more thoughtful — someone who couldn't bear to see the girls who loved him suffer.
He just wanted to give them all a warm home.
"This is my fault. I should've let you rot. Now look what you've done to my little sister—you've turned her into someone like you! A shameless bastard!"
Haruno struggled to break free, but Nanashi only held her tighter.
"Yeah... I'm a bastard," he admitted without flinching.
Shameless and proud.
"Yukino! Say something!"
Haruno turned to her little sister, hoping for a shred of reason.
But Yukino lowered her gaze, voice trembling with emotion. "If it's Onee-chan... I can accept it."
"...Huh?"
"I finally understand your feelings. I can't be without Nanashi-kun anymore. And today... I truly realized how much you love me. I'm sorry."
"I'll try to accept it."
Yukino had changed — that much was clear.
Even Nanashi could see the difference in her. It was palpable.
Haruno stood frozen in disbelief.
She agreed...?
Should she still resist?
But even before she voiced the question, her heart already whispered the answer.
And that answer was—
"You bastards. You really are something else."
Haruno's voice trembled with exasperation and grudging admiration.
"You're serious?!"
Nanashi's face lit up. "So... that means you agree?!"
Yukino, you're an eternal goddess—I love you so much!
It was all thanks to Yukino.
Nanashi leaned in close, unable to resist.
Yukino, caught off guard, responded for a few seconds before gently pushing him away. Her earlobes burned a bright red as she murmured timidly, "D-Don't… O-onee-chan's still here…"
Haruno's eyelid twitched.
Why didn't you act this shy earlier?
Why didn't you mention what the two of you did at home?!
Annoyed, Haruno pinched Nanashi's arm.
"Really? Bullying Yukino right in front of me?"
Her tone sounded more like teasing than scolding.
Nanashi smirked, a playful glint in his eye. "Then how about I bully you instead?"
Before Haruno could answer, he leaned in toward her. She didn't pull away. Instead, she raised her hands and hooked them around his neck.
Yukino's eyes widened.
She stared, transfixed.
Several minutes passed.
Haruno didn't seem the least bit winded. In fact, she licked her lips seductively, keeping her arms around Nanashi's neck as she glanced at Yukino and teased, "What do you think, Yukino? Am I better than you?"
"…"
Yukino was speechless.
She had to admit—Haruno was much more experienced in this area.
If it were her, she wouldn't have lasted a single minute.
"Want to learn? I'll teach you," Haruno offered with a smirk.
"Yes! Please teach her!" Nanashi jumped at the suggestion, nodding eagerly with both hands up in support.
"I… I understand. Please teach me," Yukino said softly, taking a deep breath.
Her thoughts were simple: if it pleased Nanashi, then she would learn.
Both Yukino and Kaguya had always been very traditional girls.
"Tsk."
Haruno had expected a bashful refusal. She didn't expect Yukino to agree so directly.
She gave Nanashi an annoyed side-eye.
This is all his fault.
"…Sigh."
Letting out a heavy sigh, Haruno decided to accept the situation. She traced circles on Nanashi's chest with her finger, her expression softening with a rare honesty.
It made Nanashi feel ticklish.
"But… what about our mother?"
The Yukinoshita matriarch.
A formidable woman.
Nanashi rested his chin gently on Haruno's forehead and whispered reassuringly, "I'll talk to her myself."
Then, with exaggerated flair, he added:
"If she doesn't agree… hmph! I'll just blow up the Earth and take us to another world. Who needs this one anyway?"
"…???"
Haruno blinked. She was sure he was joking.
But Yukino looked serious as she gently placed a hand on his arm. "Nanashi, please don't. I'll help persuade Mother too. If it comes to that… we can just leave the Yukinoshita family."
"…Huh?" Haruno gave her a sideways look. "Wait, Amin… you can actually blow up the Earth and go to another world?"
"Of course. I'm not joking."
Nanashi replied without hesitation.
Haruno's eye twitched again.
She was starting to realize—she'd severely underestimated the changes Nanashi had undergone these past two years.
But if he was really that powerful…
Her eyes lit up.
"Amin, could you… let someone else see evil spirits or demons?"
"Why? Yeah, it's no big deal," Nanashi replied casually.
It was just a matter of tweaking someone's spirit and perception—a minor trick for him now.
Haruno's smile turned wicked.
"Amin, open up spiritual vision for our mother. Let her experience the spirit world. Maybe then she'll understand… and accept us."
"?" Yukino stared at her sister in shock.
"She's your mother… Isn't that going a bit far?" Nanashi asked hesitantly, his lips twitching.
Haruno sighed dramatically. "You don't understand. Our mother's too strong. Unless she sees something unimaginable, she'll never budge."
"Mm… Mother really is an unshakable person," Yukino agreed solemnly.
Nanashi considered it, then nodded.
"Alright. I'll make sure she sees it… without getting hurt."
Still lying on Nanashi's chest, Haruno grinned mischievously.
"Of course, if Amin is really that capable, then… maybe you could just 'take her' down too."
"…Huh?"
This time, both Yukino and Nanashi were speechless.
Haruno only chuckled.
"What? You already have people who can do that—why not her?"
"I—" Yukino opened her mouth, but couldn't form the words.
Haruno struck again while the iron was hot.
"Yukino, don't you want to see that cold, unshakable woman… with a helpless, obedient expression after being conquered?"
Just the thought sent a thrill through her.
Joy! Pure joy!
"…Mmm."
Yukino lowered her head.
She wanted to object.
But her big sister's words had painted a vivid image in her mind—and to her horror, she didn't hate it! She felt a vague, guilty curiosity!
So she didn't know how to respond.
Meanwhile, Nanashi kept his face perfectly still.
He didn't dare say a word.
His girlfriends were plotting to seduce his mother-in-law. He was the one who'd benefit. How could he possibly say anything?
All he could do was sit there and listen quietly.
Yukino still held back, the last threads of rationality barely restraining her.
But Haruno wasn't disappointed.
After all—Yukino hadn't said "no."
She simply murmured, "If Mother has her own thoughts… then I'll respect her decision."
Haruno was already celebrating in her heart.
She knew full well what Nanashi was capable of.
And she also knew their mother.
A beautiful woman, divorced for years.
There's no way she can resist.
She could already see her mother's "tragic" future playing out in vivid detail.
Nanashi, watching Haruno's expression, felt the presence of a demon awakening within her.
And to that, he could only say:
Come, devil… I welcome you.