Silence. My father scowled. "Look, I don't care about a futon. I can sleep on the floor. But Ms. Agnes is our guest; she needs one."
Tachyon looked like she wanted to argue, but seeing my father's stubborn expression, she kept quiet.
"The problem is the side room," Dad continued. "It's too small for three of you to spread out comfortably. So, it's two in the side room, two in this room. But this room has the kotatsu in the way, and I hate being crowded. I will kick you in my sleep. So, three should sleep in the side room, even if it's cramped. One of you will have to go without a futon... I could do it, I guess..."
He looked miserable at the prospect. I spoke up first.
"I'll sleep on the floor. I'm used to it. I don't care about the futon."
My father looked at Kosuke.
"If Keiichi's okay with it... whatever," Kosuke muttered. He looked at me, then looked away, scratching his head. "Look... sorry. I know I was the one who crossed the line. I was just being defensive. Sorry. To you too, Tachyon."
"It's fine," Tachyon said.
"Yeah," I added. "Fine."
"Great. Crisis averted," my father said. "A twenty-five-year-old and a twenty-one-year-old having a sibling spat... I hope that's the last of it. So, Kosuke, you're in the side room?"
"If it's okay with Keiichi."
"It's fine," I said. "Tachyon? You okay with that?"
"I suppose," she replied.
When it was finally time to sleep, Tachyon was dead on her feet. She'd been yawning over her book for an hour. I noticed and made the call. "Let's turn in."
I laid out Tachyon's futon for her. Despite telling her I wouldn't take care of her on this trip, I found myself doing it instinctively. Tachyon watched me, giggling to herself.
"What's so funny?" Kosuke asked.
"Oh, just your brother," she whispered. "Before we came here, he insisted he wouldn't lift a finger for me. Yet here he is, tucking me in without a second thought."
Kosuke chuckled. I heard them, of course. I gave them my best scowl. "Great. I've gained a troublesome little sister."
That got a real laugh out of both of them.
We turned off the lights, but Tachyon couldn't sleep. The smell of the house—unfamiliar and old—clung to her senses. An Umamusume's sense of smell is far beyond a human's; to her, the scent of a stranger's bedding was overwhelming.
I was sleeping nearby, wrapped in a thin, old blanket. She watched me, listening to my steady breathing. She realized that if she didn't do something, she'd be awake all night.
I suddenly sneezed in my sleep. The light from a passing car outside flickered across my face, and I turned away, facing the wall. My blanket had slipped, exposing my back. That was probably why I'd sneezed.
Tachyon saw her chance. She crawled out of her futon and tapped my shoulder. I didn't budge. She tapped harder. Nothing. Finally, she gave my cheek a sharp poke.
I groaned, blinking awake. "Tachyon? What?"
"Trainer," she whispered. "Let me sleep with you."
"What? Why?"
"I can't settle down. My nose is too sensitive, remember? This house smells like strangers. I need... familiar scents. Yours is the only one I know here."
"But... isn't that a bad idea?" I yawned.
"You don't understand how hard it is to sleep like this!" she hissed.
"Then you shouldn't have come..." I yawned again.
Tachyon lost her patience and pinched my cheek. "Ow! Okay, okay! Fine. Move over."
I slid into her futon. I hesitated for a second, but Tachyon gave me a look—that "cute" look she hadn't used in ages. "Hur-ry up," she mouthed.
"I haven't seen that face in a while," I muttered as I settled in.
"What face?"
"Nothing."
Tachyon immediately pressed herself against me. I felt my heart hammer against my ribs. "Hey... Tachyon, you're too close. Back off a little."
"No," she whispered. "Umamusume have tailbones that make sleeping on our backs uncomfortable. I have to lean on you. Besides, this futon is small. If we're sharing, we're sharing."
I scratched my head, sweating despite the cold. I had never shared a bed with a woman other than my mother. And this was the girl I was... well, I was in love with her. The tension was unbearable.
"Trainer, look at me. Yes, like that. Now, put your arm under my head. Perfect."
She was totally in control. I felt like I was going to explode. "Tachyon, seriously, this is—"
"Consider this payment for today. I had to deal with your family drama. My mental fatigue is immeasurable. The least you can do is be my pillow. Now... be a good father figure and sing me a lullaby."
"I'm not your father."
"You're close enough."
I went quiet. I didn't know whether to be happy or insulted by that. Finally, I asked, "Do you regret coming? Do you wish you were back at your own home? I can take you back to Tracen tomorrow if you want."
Tachyon was silent for a long time. When she finally spoke, her voice had a slight tremor.
"...I did think about it. But then I realized... going home wouldn't change anything. I'm a high schooler. At home, I'm an adult on the verge of independence. I can't act like a fool there. I can't tease anyone. Being here, with you... this might be the most fun I've had in years. Being tucked away in your arms... I can't go back to being a child. I haven't been held by my father in years. I left my parents early. I didn't look back. And now, my sister is there. That house isn't 'my place' anymore."
I was stunned. Her words mirrored my own feelings so closely it hurt.
"I feel the same way," I whispered. "Maybe everyone does. That longing to go back to 'that time.' That's why the sunset feels so lonely. It's the light of a day you can never repeat. You get it, don't you?"
I felt her nod against my arm.
"You're in that middle ground, Tachyon. Not a child, not yet an adult. You're just wandering the border. And right now, I'm your rest stop. Even if it is a huge pain for me."
She snorted in the dark.
"Just sleep," I said softly. "Let your dreams take over. When you wake up, you can worry about what they mean. That's how people grow—tripping, falling, and dancing through life. You aren't the only one in the dream world. I'm there. My dad is there. Your dad, my brother, your sister... we're all lost in it together. And when we wake up, we just think: 'Ah, another day begins.'"
By the time I finished, Tachyon was fast asleep. I thought about moving back to my spot on the floor so my family wouldn't catch us, but sleep was a gentle tide pulling me under. I followed her into the dream world.
The next morning, Kosuke's face when he saw us was a picture of pure, unadulterated shock.