Step, step, step!
Amid the sound of hurried footsteps, Maria spotted Takumi coming down the stairs. She immediately lifted her chin proudly and raised her hands to display the much taller Yuki dangling from her grip.
"Takumi-nii, I caught an intruder trying to sneak into our house!" she announced triumphantly. "Hehehe~ I have nine different methods to make her confess her purpose!"
Before she could even finish boasting, Yuki burst into tears. "Onii-chan~~! Save meee!!!"
"...?"
A just-awakened Mio, standing at the top of the stairs, blinked in confusion. Wait, aren't those my lines!?
Takumi pressed a hand to his forehead and sighed, waving for Maria to put Yuki down. The moment Yuki's feet touched the ground, she lunged forward and threw herself into his arms.
Seeing this, Mio's confusion instantly turned into vigilance.
"You—what are you trying to do to my brother? I'll kill you a hundred times if you lay a finger on him!" she shouted, wrapping her arms possessively around Takumi's left arm.
Yuki, unfazed, clung to his right arm with a mischievous grin, glancing sideways at Mio.
"So, you're Mio Naruse, huh?"
Her tone sounded like a question, but the certainty in her voice gave her away. Even if she didn't fully understand what Rias Gremory had said yesterday, that crimson hair was impossible to mistake.
Puffing up proudly, she declared, "I'm Yuki Suou—Takumi-nii's cousin!"
"Eh!? W-What!?"
This time, it was Mio's turn to be stunned. She looked up at Takumi, her grip tightening as if afraid he might slip away from her.
Her ample chest pressed against his arm, immobilizing it completely.
Even though Yuki tried to match her, the sheer difference in… volume was undeniable.
Noticing the gap, Yuki rubbed her own chest in despair. Damn it! Hers are at least an E, while I'm barely a C!
Before the tension could escalate further, Takumi coughed loudly to reassert control.
"Ahem! Enough fooling around! Everyone—sit down!"
At his command, the chaotic atmosphere instantly calmed. All three girls sat obediently on the couch, staring at one another in awkward silence.
Takumi exhaled and began, "Let me introduce—this is Yuki. I just met her—"
"Not true~ Onii-chan, we met when we were babies! Mama told me that when we were only three months old, you confessed to me~"
Yuki raised her hand and wiggled her hips cheerfully as she spoke, radiating smug joy.
For a moment, Mio and Maria's gazes both snapped toward Takumi.
"Uh… that actually… might be true."
He scratched his head, the vague memory coming back to him. When he was banished from the Hero Village, Yumi Suou—the head of the Suou family—had been the one to lend him money to survive. Without that, he might've ended up living on the streets.
Now that he thought about it, this really did make her his cousin.
Mio's eyes turned red, trembling as she looked at Yuki. "So you're here to… replace me? You want me to leave?"
Her voice quivered, her whole body shaking as she whimpered like a frightened kitten.
After learning yesterday that the Gremory Family had rejected her, she had barely begun to feel safe again. And now, Yuki's sudden arrival shattered that fragile peace.
Before Takumi could even comfort her, Yuki stepped forward and hugged Mio gently.
"Mio-chan~ don't worry. I'm not here to break this family apart—I'm here to join it."
"...???"
Both Takumi and Maria froze, blinking at her words.
But Mio, touched by the warmth in Yuki's expression, couldn't help but burst into tears again and hug her back tightly.
Maria silently recorded the scene with her phone, smiling behind it.
After Mio finally calmed down, Yuki leaned back, rubbing her small chest with a pout. "Ugh! Yours feel way too good—mine can't even compare!"
"E-Eh… it's not that great, really…" Mio stammered, her face crimson as she ducked her head, sneaking a shy glance at Takumi. The sweet smile she gave him made it clear she was secretly pleased by the compliment.
Takumi, seeing how quickly Yuki had diffused the tension, gave her a thumbs-up in approval.
Yuki smirked, returning a confident, knowing look. She'd done her homework—she'd come here with a plan. The only variable she hadn't anticipated… was Maria. Her unexpected presence had ruined the "sneak-in" strategy Yuki had prepared so carefully.
"Ahem! Anyway," Yuki continued, puffing her cheeks, "I also want a place here in this house! Onii-chan, you'll save a room for your cute cousin, right?"
Hands clasped together and her expression pitiful, she gave him the full adorable pleading act.
Takumi sighed but nodded. "Fine. There's still enough space for four or five people. A room's not a problem."
"But what about your own home?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.
Yuki grinned and raised a finger. "Every family needs a secret base, right? Don't worry, if I stay over, I'll leave the door unlocked for a midnight visit~"
"Who said anything about a midnight visit!?" Takumi almost flipped the table.
But before he could scold her further, Maria suddenly perked up as if she'd had an epiphany.
"She's right, Mio-sama! Night visits are essential! How could I forget to teach you that!?"
"Y-Yeah! Whether it's visiting Onii-chan at night—or being visited—it's all part of the experience!" Yuki chimed in.
"I think we should add stamina potions to the plan!"
"Oh? You have those!?"
"Of course!"
…
Takumi, sitting at the dining table, could only stare blankly at the trio.
"Yeah, sure… go ahead, plot away. Let's see who ends up burned first."
While Yuki, Maria, and Mio chattered cheerfully, another thought crossed his mind.
He'd bought this house and moved here without ever visiting the neighbors.
"I should probably check who lives nearby. If it's a man, I'll just tweak his memory and make him move. If it's a woman… maybe I'll introduce myself."
He looked toward the second floor thoughtfully.
"With Yuki moving in, space might get tight soon. Better to think ahead."
His gaze sharpened with quiet determination.
"Expanding this place should be next on the list. Maybe even build an apartment complex nearby—somewhere everyone can have their own room but still gather easily."
He chuckled softly. "Heh, guess Yuki's secret base idea wasn't so bad after all."
...
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