The morning sun, dappled through the gaps in the curtains, fell on Koushi's face.
He frowned impatiently, let out a long yawn, and groggily sat up from bed.
Rubbing his eyes, memories from last night gradually returned—Spirits, his sister, an aerial battleship, and that 'indentured servitude contract' (crossed out) generous treatment...
"Ah... seriously, I didn't expect Kotori and the others to lay their cards on the table so quickly with me..."
He scratched his messy black hair, muttering under his breath, and put on his slippers, preparing to wash up.
As soon as he opened his door, he saw Kotori standing at the guest room entrance, a hint of impish anticipation on her face, as if she was waiting for something.
Koushi raised an eyebrow, walked over, and lightly tapped Kotori's head, adorned with a black ribbon, with a hand chop.
"Hey, Commander, isn't it bad behavior to be peeking outside someone's door first thing in the morning?"
Kotori, having been tapped, instinctively covered her head, her face instantly showing a wronged expression belonging to her "white ribbon mode," her mouth slightly pouting, and her voice becoming soft and sweet:
"Koushi Ge..."
However, this expression lasted only an instant, receding like a tide. She quickly regained the Commander's composure, cleared her throat twice, pointed in the direction of the master bedroom, and revealed a "there's a good show to watch" smile:
"Ahem, there's a special situation inside~"
Upon hearing this, Koushi immediately perked up, all sleepiness gone, his eyes brightening a bit: "Oh? Some gossip? Then I must witness it properly!"
Just then, from inside the tightly closed master bedroom door, came clear, unmistakable voices filled with panic and shame:
"What... what are you doing, Shido! Why are you in my bed...!" (This was Tohka's voice, filled with alarm and a hint of indignation)
"I... I don't know! Wh-wh-wh-why am I here...?" (This was Shido's utterly bewildered, incoherent voice)
"I'm asking you!" (Tohka's voice rose)
"That's right!" (Shido was completely confused)
At this perfect moment, Kotori, with a "plan successful" smile on her face, suddenly pushed open the master bedroom door and announced in a clear, calm voice:
"Alright, out. You need to calm down, Shido."
The scene inside came into view—Shido, in his pajamas, stood by the bed with a "who am I, where am I" expression, while Tohka was tightly wrapped in a blanket, only her flushed face and purple eyes visible, her gaze filled with confusion and wariness.
"...Kotori...! Di-did you do this too!" Shido saw Kotori at the door, instantly understood something, and pointed at her, shouting indignantly.
Kotori shrugged indifferently, a mischievous and innocent smile appearing on her face: "Oh, what are you saying? This is just Shido, unable to suppress his surging adolescent sexual urges, so he crawled into Tohka's bed. Please don't falsely accuse others."
"Wh-...!" Shido was so angered by this distortion of facts that he almost fainted.
Hearing Kotori's words, Tohka was even more embarrassed, shrinking completely into the blanket, only a muffled, tearful voice coming out: "I... I'm innocent!"
"Hahaha—!!!"
At the peak of this chaos, Koushi burst into an extremely exaggerated laugh, full of the meaning of "I got you," jumping out from behind Kotori, his finger directly poking in front of Shido's nose.
"You Itsuka Shido! You thick-browed, big-eyed fellow! Yesterday you swore to me about 'responsibility' and 'trying hard,' but then you turn around and do something like ambushing an innocent girl at night! You clearly have ill intentions towards Tohka! And you said having a harem was a misunderstanding? I think you've been planning this all along!"
"No! Koushi, listen to me! This is definitely Kotori's doing! I clearly slept in my own bed last night!" Shido was sweating profusely, trying to explain.
"Explain? What's there to explain!" Koushi gave him no chance, his voice rising another octave, filled with dramatic condemnation.
"Caught red-handed! The evidence is overwhelming! Did Tohka tie you up and bring you here? Or are you going to say it was sleepwalking?!"
As he spoke, he lunged to the bedside, spread his arms, and like a mother hen protecting her chicks, shielded Tohka, who was still wrapped in the blanket, behind him, continuing to fire at Shido with full force:
"I'm telling you, Itsuka Shido! Tohka is staying at your house right now, she's a guest! And she's a protected person! You, as the landlord and self-proclaimed protector, actually did something so opportunistic! Doesn't your conscience hurt?! Where's your chivalry?! Was it eaten by dogs?!"
With every sentence, he forcefully used the 'Great Desolate Prisoner of Heaven Finger' to point at Shido, full of momentum, as if he were the righteous ally and Shido was the unforgivable seducer.
Shido was utterly defenseless against Koushi's barrage of complaints and accusations, his face beet red. Looking at Tohka, who was hiding behind Koushi, only her wet purple eyes peering at him, and then at Kotori, who was enjoying the show beside them, he felt utterly unable to defend himself, wishing he could find a hole to crawl into.
It seemed this morning was destined to begin in utter chaos.
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