"Miyahito-kun, you..." Amused by his antics, Miyuki shook his head, then put on a serious face. "Does that mean I just gained a kouhai?"
"That might not be a good idea." Miyahito spread his hands helplessly, mirroring Miyuki's serious tone. "My mom might look gentle, but if she really gets mad..."
"Dad's back is gonna be in trouble. After all, our study room really isn't a good place to sleep."
Completely losing his composure, Miyuki burst out laughing. "Hahahaha."
Sitting under the parasol nearby, the two sisters happily engaged in "girl talk." Hearing the laughter, they simultaneously turned their heads toward the brothers.
Seeing her brother's unguarded laughter, a flash of annoyance crossed Kei's face. She turned back and apologized sincerely to Ayase.
"Sorry, Ayase. My brother is..."
"It's really fine. Kei-nee takes things too seriously sometimes."
Wearing a faint smile, Ayase sneakily glanced at her own brother. Then, waving a hand at Kei, she leaned in and whispered softly in her ear.
"Actually, my brother can be pretty childish too sometimes."
"See? He just said those super embarrassing things out loud so casually. Mou, it's really troubling."
Hearing Ayase's complaint, Kei nodded vigorously in agreement.
Yes! My brother is exactly like that!
Seeing Kei-nee agree with her, Ayase felt validated and couldn't help but continue venting about her brother.
"Kei-nee, let me tell you. Back in elementary school, my brother was always worried I'd get bullied alone."
"He actually went out of his way to ask some older girls in my school to look out for me."
"And sometimes, he'd even sneak out of middle school during lunch break just to check if I was eating properly..."
"Plus, on weekends, he always stopped me from studying too much. He'd either take me to the park or play Wii Sports with me at home."
"Mou, even though Mom always told him not to play so many games, he never listened..."
Even though Ayase was technically complaining about her brother,
To Kei, it was clear this girl, a year younger than her, admired and loved her brother just as much as Kei loved hers.
There was just one difference.
'Unlike my brother, Aragaki-senpai is really gentle.'
Glancing subtly at Miyahito, who was chatting more and more enthusiastically with her brother, Kei silently sighed in her heart.
'If only my brother was as considerate as Aragaki-senpai...'
But, maybe this was for the best.
Her brother was her brother.
Only a brother like this would be the one she, Shirogane Kei, loved and admired.
....
As they chatted, Miyahito looked up at the sky.
Noticing the sky was gradually darkening and feeling it was about time to start dinner prep, he turned to Miyuki beside him and said:
"Miyuki-senpai, it's getting late. Why don't you and Kei-san stay for dinner tonight?"
"Ah, no need to trouble yourself." Finally snapping back to reality and realizing how long they'd been imposing, Miyuki politely declined. "Kei and I should probably head back soon."
"It's no trouble at all." Miyahito waved it off casually. "It's just me and Ayase eating anyway."
"If you and Shirogane-san stay, the house'll be a lot livelier."
Saying that, Miyahito turned his head toward Ayase and Kei, who happened to be looking their way.
"Right, Ayase?"
Hearing her brother, and still wanting to chat with Kei-nee, Ayase nodded vigorously.
But then, she suddenly remembered that Kei and her brother had come on their own.
Maybe their parents were waiting for them at home.
So, Ayase turned to Kei and asked softly: "Is that okay? Kei-nee?"
"Umm..."
Kei, who also wanted to keep chatting with Ayase, felt deeply torn.
On one hand, she'd just met this cute junior, and for the first time, she felt the joy of being an older sister. She really didn't want to go home yet.
Besides, going back meant facing her unserious dad and her emotionally dense, nagging older brother. Just thinking about it made her not want to go.
Why would she trade this paradise—delicious, non-fattening cakes and drinks, a cute and gentle junior, and a brother she could ignore—for home?
But then Kei thought again.
If they stayed, they'd be troubling Aragaki-senpai to cook for two more people... Even though her dad wasn't coming home for dinner tonight, it still felt like an imposition.
Torn between "staying" and "leaving," Kei instinctively looked to her brother for help.
Meeting her pleading gaze, Miyuki's resolve wavered slightly.
Maybe... we should stay?
'No, no, no. We can't. That would be terribly rude.'
Considering this was their first visit, and they'd already stayed the whole afternoon...
Miyuki ultimately decided to politely decline Miyahito's invitation.
However, before he could voice his refusal...
Miyahito had already stood up, smiling as he patted Miyuki's back.
"Alright, Miyuki-senpai, just stay for dinner!"
"I actually bought way too many ingredients yesterday. Consider it helping me and Ayase finish them off."
Since he'd already put it that way.
And, his dad wasn't coming home for dinner anyway... going back would just mean eating with Kei.
Miyuki could only smile bitterly and say a sentence.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Miyahito-kun."
"Not at all."
.....
After a satisfying meal.
"Thank you for the meal, Aragaki-senpai."
"Thanks for the food, Miyahito-kun."
About to start cleaning up the dishes with Ayase, Miyahito heard the Shirogane siblings' thanks. He looked up with a warm smile.
"Just a simple home-cooked meal. Don't mention it."
"Let me help, Ayase." Seeing Ayase reach for the dishes in front of her, Kei quickly stood up.
"Ah, no, no, Kei-nee."
Ayase hurriedly declined.
At the same time, Miyuki said the exact same thing to Miyahito, who was clearing the table.
"It's really fine, Shirogane-san, Miyuki-senpai."
Miyahito smiled at the two Shirogane siblings trying to pitch in.
"There's no reason to make guests do the dishes."
"But…"
Feeling genuinely apologetic, Miyuki still wanted to insist.
But Miyahito shut it down with a single sentence.
"Next time, it'll be Miyuki-senpai's turn to host Ayase and me. We won't clean up then either, haha."
"Hmm. It's a promise."
Seeing Miyuki's dead-serious expression, Miyahito internally thought, As expected of a president who keeps his word. Then he turned to Ayase.
"Ayase, please entertain Shirogane-san and Miyuki-senpai for a bit."
"Oka~~y."
"Oh, right. The game discs are in the cabinet under the TV."
"Got it~~"
Obediently following her brother's instructions, Ayase put down what she was holding and led Miyuki and Kei to the living room.
"Miyuki-nii, Kei-nee, want to play some games together?"
"Ah, I'm not really good at games."
"Me neither, Ayase."
Hearing their replies, Ayase's small face broke into a reassuring smile.
"It's okay. I can teach you."
Miyuki and Kei exchanged a glance. Then Kei turned to Ayase.
"Then we'll leave it to you, Ayase."
"Mhm, no problem."
Just as Ayase went to the TV cabinet to pick out a family-friendly game…
Kei's gaze accidentally fell on the computer desk in the corner of the living room.
Squinting slightly, she focused on a few discs on the desk that looked vaguely familiar.
The next second.
Th-Th-Th… Is that Miyani-sensei's album!?
Her eyes widened in shock, her lips parting slightly without her control.
Especially when her gaze caught the freshly signed 「Miyani」 autograph on the new album cover, alongside a capless marker casually tossed aside.
Kei's small face could no longer hide her utter astonishment.