Sunday morning drifted in like a soft breeze, sunlight pooling through the curtains of Yukino's small apartment. The world outside still hummed lazily — children laughing in the streets below, the smell of breakfast from nearby homes blending with the faint chill of early spring.
Yukino sat cross-legged on her bed, phone in hand, staring at the blank message box on her screen for what felt like hours. Her hair was still a little messy from sleep, tied loosely behind her shoulder.
(Should I message him…? Ask if he's okay? Maybe even where he lives… we could visit him, bring him food…)
Her thoughts tangled between nerves and care, heart fluttering wildly in her chest.
Then she shook her head, cheeks warm.
"No, that would be weird," she muttered under her breath. "He's probably resting… I shouldn't bother him."
Five quiet minutes passed.
Then, ping — her phone vibrated softly.
The name on the screen almost made her drop the phone entirely.
Ken-san.
"Ohayō, Yukino-san. How are you and Honoka-chan doing today?
I'm also doing fine. Can I ask something of you?"
Yukino froze, blinking rapidly.
"EHHH!?" she squeaked, her voice cracking as she nearly jumped off the bed. Her face turned pink in an instant.
Her heart hammered against her ribs. "He—he messaged first?! What do I even—what do I say?!"
She reread the message three times, clutching the phone to her chest, trying to calm down.
Finally, she typed with trembling fingers:
"Good morning, Ken-san!
We're doing fine, thank you for asking.
I hope you're resting well!
Of course, you can ask anything."
Her hands shook so much she had to retype it twice before sending. Then she buried her face in a pillow.
"Why am I acting like this… it's just a message," she whispered to herself, but her heart refused to slow down.
A few minutes later, another message arrived.
"Yukino-san, how about I treat both of you girls to lunch today?
Do you have enough on your hands?
I'm still injured, otherwise I'd have cooked myself."
Yukino's heart nearly stopped.
"L-l-lunch!?" she gasped, gripping the phone tightly. "He's inviting us to lunch!? What does this mean!? Wait—no, calm down, it's probably just… out of gratitude…"
She rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling, her mind spinning. Then she typed back quickly, cheeks flushed:
"We'd love to, Ken-san! Thank you so much for inviting us!
We'll make sure Honoka behaves this time, I promise, haha!"
She hit send before she could overthink it again, then covered her face with both hands.
"Why did I add a haha—!?" she groaned. "Ughhh… I sound like a nervous idiot…"
Still, she couldn't stop smiling.
"Perfect, Yukino-san. I'll meet you both at our usual train stop.
Arigatou."
That message nearly made her drop her phone all over again.
"Arigatou…" she repeated softly, smiling without realizing. Her heart fluttered like it had wings.
She turned toward the other side of the bed.
"Honoka," she whispered gently, brushing her sister's hair. "Wake up, sweetheart."
Honoka stirred, blinking sleepily. "Mmm… Onee-chan?"
"Get up, Honoka," Yukino said with a grin. "We're going out today. Ken-san invited us to lunch."
Honoka shot up immediately, eyes sparkling. "K—Ken-ni-san! We're seeing him again!?"
Yukino giggled. "Yes, but only if you get ready on time!"
"Yay!" Honoka squealed, nearly tumbling out of bed.
As Honoka scurried to get dressed, Yukino stood before her small mirror, brushing her hair. She stared at her reflection — and suddenly panicked.
"What should I even wear!? It's not like it's a… date… right?" she muttered, blushing furiously.
Honoka peeked from behind her with a teasing smile. "Onee-chan's smiling weird again~."
Yukino sighed, grabbing a hair tie. "Don't start teasing me this early…"
Still, as she did her light makeup and picked a soft pastel dress, she couldn't help but feel it — that strange, warm excitement fluttering quietly inside her chest.
The sisters sat on the train, the sunlight streaming in through the wide windows. Honoka was humming happily, legs swinging, the bento pouch resting in her lap.
Yukino, on the other hand, looked like she was heading to her own wedding — face red, hands fidgeting with the strap of her purse.
Her heart was pounding so hard she thought people could hear it.
Then came that familiar stop chime.
Ken stepped in.
He wasn't in his usual coat this time — instead, a crisp black shirt tucked neatly into fitted trousers. His dark hair was slightly shorter now, brushed back, revealing more of his sharp yet serene face. Even with the faint traces of his injuries, he looked effortlessly calm and striking.
"Good morning," he greeted softly, voice steady as ever. "Honoka-chan, you're looking adorable today."
Honoka's cheeks turned pink as she grinned wide. "Arigatou, Ken-ni-san!"
Ken's gaze shifted to Yukino. "And Yukino-san… you look beautiful. I didn't know you two were preparing this much. I would've dressed up better myself."
Yukino's entire body froze.
"B-beautiful—!?" she stammered, voice nearly breaking. "N-no, it's just—uh—Honoka picked it!"
Ken smiled — a small, quiet one that made her heart somersault.
The three sat together; Honoka immediately clung to Ken's side, her little hand wrapped around his sleeve. Yukino sat next to them, trying to steady her thoughts, cheeks still faintly pink.
"Honestly…" she murmured to herself, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "You two are going to make my heart melt."
The trio wandered through the streets of Tokyo, the late morning light bathing everything in a soft, golden glow. Ken held Honoka's hand while Yukino walked beside them, smiling as Honoka chatted endlessly about every shop and every passing cat.
They stopped at a small mochi stand on the corner.
Ken bought three pieces — sweet bean, matcha, and strawberry.
"Here," he said, handing one to each of them.
Yukino tried to protest. "Ken-san, you really didn't have to—"
Ken cut her off gently. "I wanted to."
They shared small laughter over sticky fingers and powdered sugar before moving on to the aquarium.
Inside, it was like stepping into another world. Blue light shimmered across the walls as fish glided silently through glass tunnels. Honoka pressed her hands to the glass, eyes wide with wonder.
"Look, Ken-ni-san! That fish looks sleepy, like Onee-chan!"
"Eh—!?" Yukino gasped. "Honoka!"
Ken chuckled softly, the sound warm and genuine. "She's not wrong," he teased, glancing playfully at Yukino.
Her jaw dropped, face turning crimson. "E-even you, Ken-san!?"
Later, they watched the dolphin show — Honoka squealing every time water splashed. When it ended, Ken bought all three ice creams, ignoring Yukino's protests.
"Ken-san, you can't keep paying for everything!" she said, pouting.
Ken shook his head lightly. "Yukino-san, don't be too strict in this matter. I'm not going to let you pay even if you yell at me, so just give up and let me."
Her face burned red, words failing her completely. Honoka laughed between bites of her cone.
Yukino smiled faintly, looking down at her melting ice cream.
The moment felt so small, so ordinary — and yet so full she could barely breathe.
They lingered a bit longer before Ken glanced toward the street.
"Let's walk to a nearby restaurant and have some lunch. Yukino-san seems hungry."
"E-EHH!?" Yukino gasped, her stomach betraying her with a soft growl.
Ken laughed — quietly, genuinely. "Guess I was right."
Honoka joined in, giggling behind her hands. "Onee-chan's hungry~!"
Yukino puffed her cheeks. "Stop teasing me, both of you!"
They walked to a small family restaurant tucked between shops. The warm aroma of miso and grilled salmon filled the air. Ken ordered curry rice for Honoka, tempura soba for Yukino, and simple teriyaki chicken for himself.
When the bill came, Yukino reached for her wallet again. "Ken-san, I'll pay this time!"
He gave her a knowing look. "You know me."
She sighed, defeated. "Fine. But next time—"
"There will be a next time?" he teased gently.
Her heart skipped. "I—! That's not—uh—"
Honoka giggled, kicking her feet under the table. "You two sound funny."
Ken smiled softly. "Yeah… I guess we do."
For a moment, Yukino forgot her words. His eyes looked softer than ever — less distant, less guarded.
Maybe… he really was starting to open up.
After lunch, Ken walked both sisters to the station. The sun had turned mellow, painting the streets in orange hues.
Halfway there, Honoka slowed down, rubbing her eyes. Ken stopped too, crouching down silently and extending his arms toward her.
Honoka blinked sleepily — then smiled and leaned forward into his arms.
He picked her up easily, holding her close as he continued walking.
Yukino walked beside him, smiling quietly. "You're really good with her, Ken-san."
Ken glanced at her. "I try my best."
Then, after a pause, he looked teasingly at her.
"Yukino-san, are you tired too? Should I pick you up as well?"
Yukino's face turned bright red. "W-w-what!? No! I can walk just fine!"
Ken laughed — a real, unrestrained laugh that startled even him.
Yukino stared, stunned. "You're laughing…" she whispered softly.
Ken blinked. "Am I?"
She smiled. "Yeah. And… it suits you."
He looked away, but a faint smile lingered. "Is that so?"
The train rocked gently as they headed home. Honoka slept peacefully against Ken's chest, clutching his shirt. Ken's arm wrapped around her protectively, his presence calm and grounded.
Yukino watched quietly, her heart full and strange all at once.
Then Honoka stirred, blinking awake. "Mmm… Ken-ni-san…?"
Ken looked down, wiping her face gently with a wet tissue. Then he reached into a paper bag near his side and pulled out a small plush panda toy.
"You were looking at it earlier," he said softly. "So I thought I'd get it for you."
Honoka gasped, clutching it to her chest. "A-arigatou, Ken-ni-san!" she said through happy tears.
Yukino's eyes softened as she watched — her heart melting completely.
Then Ken turned slightly toward her. "And this one's for you."
He handed her a small cat plush with a little ribbon around its neck.
"You kept glancing at it too. It's kind of cute… like you two."
Yukino's brain short-circuited. "C-cute—!? I—uh—thank you—!"
Ken chuckled quietly, and even Honoka laughed. "Now we all match!"
Yukino hid her blush behind the plushie. "You two are impossible…"
The train hummed softly beneath them as dusk fell across Tokyo.
Ken looked out the window, the reflection of the two sisters beside him glowing faintly in the glass.
For the first time, his eyes carried peace — quiet, tender, and alive.
And Yukino, clutching the tiny plush cat to her heart, smiled to herself.
Maybe… just maybe… he was finally starting to notice her too.