"I'm full."
Byakuya had completely finished the entire bento.
Hinami tidied up the bento box, preparing to take it home with her.
"Byakuya-niichan, I'll head home now."
Hinami said.
"Mm. Why don't I take you home?"
Byakuya offered.
Hinami had come all this way specially—it wouldn't feel right to let her walk back alone.
"N-No, you don't need to go to that trouble."
Hinami said quickly.
She didn't want to take up Byakuya-niichan's time.
"It's no trouble. It'll only take a moment."
Byakuya smiled.
"Alright..."
Hinami nodded slightly.
At that moment, Byakuya extended his hand toward Hinami.
"Huh...?"
Hinami froze for an instant.
Then, without thinking, she instinctively took Byakuya's hand.
Only when she came back to her senses did she realize how bold a move she'd just made. Her cheeks flushed pink.
"Let's go."
Byakuya had already opened a spatial portal before them. His left eye had just transformed into the Kamui Mangekyo.
"Okay..."
Hinami nodded slightly.
Though she didn't know what was happening, she obediently followed Byakuya.
The two of them stepped into the Kamui dimension.
This was Hinami's first time in the Kamui dimension. Seeing the space around her suddenly transform into a dark, mysterious void, she couldn't help feeling somewhat frightened.
"Don't be scared. This is a pocket dimension of mine."
Byakuya reassured her.
Then he opened another spatial portal before them.
Stepping through this portal would teleport them directly to the Fueguchi home.
"Oh, okay..."
Hinami nodded obediently, but unconsciously moved a little closer to Byakuya.
Looking at Hinami beside him—now only half a head shorter than himself—Byakuya thought about how she had truly grown up...
She had become an elegant young woman in the bloom of youth.
"Step through this portal, and you'll be home."
Byakuya continued to comfort Hinami.
In the next moment, Byakuya and Hinami were instantly teleported to the Fueguchi home.
Ryouko had been doing housework when she suddenly heard movement behind her. Turning around, she saw Byakuya and Hinami.
"Huh?"
Ryouko exclaimed in surprise. "Byakuya, Hinami—when did you get back?!"
"Just now. I brought Hinami home."
Byakuya explained.
"Oh my, I'm sorry for troubling you."
Ryouko said.
"Not at all. Hinami is like a little sister to me. She went through all that effort to make me a bento—how could I let her walk home alone?"
Byakuya smiled.
"I see..."
The smile on Ryouko's face became somewhat knowing.
Because of that word "sister" from Byakuya...
It meant he still saw Hinami as a younger sister. If that was the case, achieving that "goal" wouldn't be easy for Hinami...
"..."
Hearing the word "sister," Hinami's expression also became complicated.
For a moment, she didn't know whether to be happy or disappointed...