By the time Shirase arrived neatly dressed at the Nakano residence, it was Nakano Itsuki who answered the door.
"You really did show up after all," she said gloomily, sounding like a tragic heroine straight out of a Gu Long novel.
Shirase ignored the implied "should you have come or not" and simply changed into slippers before following her into the living room. Only then did he notice something strange—aside from the two of them, the entire room was empty.
Catching his look, Itsuki sighed. "I told you already, everyone's reluctant to accept an outside tutor."
"Did they all go out ahead of time?" Shirase asked, glancing toward the bedrooms.
"No, not exactly. They're all hiding," Itsuki admitted, lowering her voice. "Even though Nino didn't want to disappoint you, she still decided to retreat and… observe from the sidelines."
Shirase couldn't help chuckling. "And what about you?"
Itsuki pouted, embarrassed. "You've helped me so much already. If I just hid and ignored you, my conscience would explode."
"See? Itsuki really is a nice girl."
"D-Don't say weird things all of a sudden!"
Her face turned bright red. Startled by the shift in tone, she scrambled to make an excuse about fetching tea and snacks before hurrying off, skirt fluttering as she fled.
When she returned, she was calmer—but a faint blush still lingered as she set down the tea. "Are you going to call them out now? I'd bet everyone except Ichika's already awake."
"Of course," Shirase nodded. He'd expected this from the start, so he wasn't fazed.
Itsuki's eyes sparkled. "Then who will you deal with first? Ichika? Yotsuba? Or maybe Miku?"
She very deliberately left out Nino's name—since Nino had already surrendered long ago.
Not that Itsuki herself had been any harder to win over.
"Ichika," Shirase said decisively.
Itsuki immediately tagged along.
If Nino were there, she'd definitely have said, "That eager, gossipy look is peak Itsuki traitor behavior."
But that was human nature—when trouble happened to you, it was annoying; when it happened to someone else, it was pure entertainment.
That was exactly Itsuki's mood right now.
Trying to suppress her curiosity, she followed Shirase to Ichika's door, lashes fluttering as her excitement betrayed her.
Just as Shirase raised his hand to knock, she whispered, "Don't bother knocking—just go in."
"Why?"
"Because she won't open no matter how long you knock. Might as well go straight in and capture her!"
Shirase gave her a look. "What's with that gleeful expression?"
"I-I'm not gloating! I'm just helping you think ahead," she stammered, face reddening again.
But before he could react, she reached around him and grabbed the doorknob herself.
Her chest brushed his shoulder, and a faint, sweet scent surrounded him—soft and warm.
"Your chest is pressing against me," Shirase repeated flatly.
Itsuki froze like she'd been electrocuted and quickly jumped back. "W-Why are you saying stuff like that again, you idiot!"
She stepped aside, mortified—just as the door clicked open under her hand.
The room beyond was pitch-black.
Thanks to the hallway light, Shirase could make out piles of clothes and random clutter strewn all over the floor. Among them, a pink front-hook bra lay conspicuously near the door.
"Ehh~ I knew Ichika bought that one," Itsuki said shyly from behind him. "She couldn't even change the channel when that infomercial came on."
Shirase said nothing, feeling for the wall switch. A click later, the lights came on—revealing complete chaos.
He stared at the disaster zone for a moment. "Does she seriously not know what cleaning means?"
"Exactly," Itsuki agreed instantly.
"If Kana-nee saw this, she'd start cleaning without hesitation," Shirase muttered.
"What about you?"
"As for me—first, I'll wake up the owner."
He turned toward the equally messy bed. No Ichika in sight, but a suspiciously human-shaped lump stirred under the blanket.
As their voices trailed off, the lump shifted.
Then, from the edge of the lifted covers, a sleepy, fair face peeked out—slowly wriggling free before appearing completely.
"I thought I heard Shirase-kun's voice earlier… so it really was you? I thought I was dreaming~"
Ichika's lazy voice drifted out as she sat up, blanket still wrapped around her like a cocoon.
The cover slipped down, revealing pale shoulders and a slender neck leading into the folds of the blanket—just enough to make the scene dangerously suggestive.
Itsuki clenched her fists behind him, heart pounding. And the show begins.
Sensing her sister's excitement, Ichika turned a languid, teasing smile toward Shirase. "Nino and Itsuki already told me about your plan yesterday, but don't rush me—I need to get dressed first."
"Stalling tactics," Shirase said coolly. "Useless. You're already right here."
"I know, I know. So why don't you step outside and give me a minute to put something on?" she laughed.
But Shirase was ready. "High heels."
Ichika's smile froze.
"Huh?"
Itsuki blinked. High heels? What high heels?
She glanced around the messy room but saw none. The cryptic exchange left her completely lost.
Shirase pressed on. "Honestly, I didn't want to use blackmail, since I've always thought Ichika was an honest, kind, gentle girl—"
"All right, all right, stop buttering me up. That line doesn't work on me," Ichika said helplessly. Wasn't this the exact trick I use on my sisters?
And now Shirase was turning it on her. Ah… poetic justice.
"Wait—what exactly are you two talking about?" Itsuki finally burst out, unable to stand it any longer.
The secret code between Shirase and Ichika left her utterly—and very visibly—confused.
---
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BUT.
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