Kanae blinked, tilting her head with genuine confusion.
"I shouldn't be here?"
Aoi waved her hands quickly. "No, that's not what I meant. It's just—"
Kanae's curious eyes stayed locked on her. "Just what?"
Aoi only hesitated for a second before deciding. The woman in Shuya's room was almost certainly Shinobu. She wasn't about to throw that in Kanae's face. Not when Shinobu had been the first one with him. Not when Shuya had been brought here by her in the first place.
She forced a smile. "Nothing. Really."
Kanae didn't push. She simply reached out and gently rubbed the crease between Aoi's brows. "Then stop frowning so hard. You'll get wrinkles."
Aoi's eyes widened. "Wait, seriously?"
Kanae laughed. "I'm kidding."
Aoi pouted. "Kanae-nee~"
Kanae clasped her hands together, eyes sparkling. "Can you make me breakfast? I'm starving. Pretty please? It's my one and only request in life."
Aoi gave her a flat look. "You've made that request at least five times already."
Kanae pressed her palms together harder. "Onegaishimasu~ And if it's not too much trouble… salt-grilled saury?"
Aoi sighed, already turning toward the kitchen. "You're impossible."
She moved with practiced ease, pulling a fresh saury from the water tank and cleaning it in smooth, efficient strokes. Even without her Nichirin Blade, the breathing techniques she'd learned made every motion clean and precise. Kanae watched from the side, quietly impressed. If Aoi ever put the same focus into cooking that she did into worrying, she might actually invent Kitchen Breathing one day.
Aoi plated everything beautifully—perfectly grilled saury, miso soup, and two small side dishes. She set it in front of Kanae with a small towel still in her hands. "Here. Eat while it's hot."
Kanae didn't need to be told twice. She clasped her hands, said a quick "Itadakimasu," and dug in with elegant but surprisingly quick bites. The moment the food hit her tongue, her eyes softened with pure satisfaction.
When the last of the miso soup was gone, she set her chopsticks down and looked at Aoi seriously. "We should talk about last night."
Aoi's shoulders tensed. She bowed her head immediately. "I'm sorry, Kanae-nee."
"I'm sorry too," Kanae said at the same time.
They both froze.
Aoi blinked. "Huh?"
Kanae touched her full stomach and asked weakly, "Did you put something in the food?"
"No!" Aoi shook her head fast. "I meant… I shouldn't have hidden things from you. About me and Shuya—"
Kanae waved it off with a gentle smile. "I already knew. Shuya knew I knew too."
Aoi stared at her, brain visibly short-circuiting.
Kanae's expression turned apologetic. "Actually, the one who should be apologizing is me. I scared you off on purpose last night because I wanted time alone with him."
Aoi's blue eyes widened. For a moment she looked genuinely hurt.
Kanae lowered her head. "If you're angry, you can—"
"Stop," Aoi said quietly. She shook her head. "I'm… a little mad. But not that mad."
She had known, deep down, that she could never have Shuya all to herself. Even without Kanae's interruption, he would have gone back to Greed Island eventually. Yuriko and the others were waiting. Aoi had been too nervous to follow anyway.
Kanae still looked guilty, so Aoi leaned in and whispered, cheeks pink, "So… did you two actually do it last night?"
Kanae's face turned bright red. She gave the tiniest nod.
Aoi's curiosity burned brighter. She glanced around, then scooted closer and asked in a hushed voice, "What did it feel like? Your first time?"
Kanae's blush deepened. She opened her mouth, clearly flustered, when a familiar voice cut through the kitchen.
"Huh? Kanae, what are you doing here?"
Both women whipped around.
Shuya stood in the doorway holding the empty breakfast dishes from his room, looking mildly surprised.
Kanae's voice came out a little too high. "Shuya? Why are you here?"
He lifted the tray. "Shinobu and I finished eating. I came to drop these off."
Kanae nodded slowly, then asked carefully, "So… did you talk to her? Is she still mad?"
Shuya scratched his cheek, eyes drifting to the side. "About halfway calmed down. The other half… that's on you."
Kanae tilted her head. "On me?"
He gave a vague smile. "She'll probably come find you. Or you can go to her. Either way."
Kanae didn't push. She simply nodded and turned to Aoi with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Aoi. I'll tell you the rest later, okay?"
Aoi waved her off. "It's fine."
Once Kanae left, Shuya slipped an arm around Aoi's waist and pulled her close. "So what were you two whispering about earlier?"
Aoi gave him a mysterious little smile. "Secret~"
Shuya raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You two have secrets from me now?"
Aoi's expression turned slightly resentful. "You hid things from me first. You and Kanae-nee both knew I was keeping our relationship quiet, but you never told me she already knew."
Shuya shrugged, unrepentant. "You like the sneaking-around feeling, don't you?"
Aoi opened her mouth, then closed it. She changed the subject instead. "The person in your room this morning was Shinobu, right?"
"Yeah."
Aoi's curiosity sharpened. "So last night… you were with both Kanae-nee and Shinobu?"
Shuya gave her a flat look. "No. I was only with Kanae."
Aoi frowned. "Then why was Shinobu in your room?"
"Accident," Shuya said simply. He wasn't about to explain the link or how Shinobu had felt everything through it. Some secrets were better left buried.
Aoi studied him for a second, then sighed. "Secret again?"
Shuya smirked. "Secret~"
Meanwhile, in Shuya's room, Kanae sat on the edge of the bed and took both of Shinobu's hands.
"I'm sorry, Shinobu. I was wrong. Can you forgive your big sister?"
Shinobu's brows drew together. The anger she'd been holding onto flared again at the memory of Shuya's smug face. She squeezed Kanae's hands gently.
"Don't be stupid. We're sisters. I could never really stay mad at you."
Kanae's face lit up—then dimmed slightly when Shinobu added, "But I'm not completely over it either."
Kanae lowered her head. "Then punish me. Whatever will make you feel better."
Shinobu pretended to think for a long moment before delivering the sentence she'd already decided on.
"Tonight, you're not allowed to sleep with me. And you're definitely not allowed to sleep with that scumbag Shuya."
Kanae agreed instantly. "Okay."
Her body still ached from last night. Being banned from Shuya's bed was actually a relief. She could stay with Aoi instead and finish their earlier conversation. Win-win-win.
What she didn't notice was the tiny, satisfied smile that curved Shinobu's lips the moment she agreed.
The "punishment" had gone exactly according to plan.