Kotonoha: “Rina-chan has been acting strange… don’t tell me she’s in love? That’s not good… definitely not good.”
Saya: “What are you talking about! That’s Rina-chan—we’re talking about. There’s no way she’d fall in love… unless she got kidnapped or something. Honestly, I think it’s more likely she’s possessed!”
Kotoka: “You two… making such strange assumptions about our adorable club member isn’t very nice, you know.”
“Whoa… I didn’t know something like this was even possible…”
A thin layer of sweat formed on Etsuyuki’s forehead, her cheeks flushed bright red. Yet there was no sign of discomfort—instead, her face carried an almost obsessive fascination.
“Um… is she really okay like this…”
Lirina looked at her nervously. Just two minutes after opening the novel Motoko had written—one she had saved long ago—Etsuyuki had fallen into this state. And now it has already been five or six minutes.
“Mm…”
Tamako also watched her with concern.
“I knew my sister’s online novel was… more intense than what she usually writes… but I didn’t expect it to have this kind of effect… Maybe I really shouldn’t read it after all.”
“Motoko-senpai’s novel… more intense? What does that mean?”
Lirina turned to Tamako, who was sipping tea with a slightly uneasy expression.
“Is it the writing style? Or the plot? Then why wouldn’t you read it?”
“Ah… Rina-chan…”
Tamako’s cheeks flushed faintly.
“Did you forget… what my sister's best at writing?”
“…Motoko-senpai is best at…”
Lirina paused—then her face turned bright red in an instant.
“Ah—! So that’s what you mean…!”
She quickly scooted half a meter away from Etsuyuki.
“…That’s exactly why you two just don’t get it!”
Etsuyuki suddenly raised her head, breathing slightly heavily.
“You simply don’t understand the beauty of that kind of literature! Just thinking about it makes me feel like Motoko-senpai must be so lonely… surrounded by so many light novel fans, yet only I can truly discuss the profound essence of this genre with her!”
“…Or rather, only you and my sister can be this passionate about it…”
Tamako frowned slightly as she poured more tea into Lirina’s cup.
“And besides… stories about relationships like that… are they really that interesting?”
“Forget it, I won’t explain it to you.”
Etsuyuki waved her hand dismissively and went back to scrolling on her phone. After a moment, she stopped.
“No, no… I should save it and enjoy it properly later. Today, this is more important.”
She opened her bag and pulled out her homework.
“Ah—”
Tamako smiled helplessly.
“That’s quite a lot. Instead of always coming to me for help, you should try working harder on your own too.”
“Come on, come on, don’t sweat the details! This is my trust in your abilities, Tamako-chan! Trust, trust!”
Etsuyuki waved her hands energetically.
Seeing this, Lirina also took out her homework—only about half as much as Etsuyuki’s.
“See, Etsuyuki-chan?” Tamako smiled. “Rina-chan is much more diligent than you.”
“Ugh! That’s not fair! I mean…”
The comparison hit hard. Etsuyuki puffed out her cheeks and fell silent.
“Ah…”
Tamako rubbed her temples.
“Alright, it’s not ideal to study here. Let’s go to my room instead.”
“Okay.”
Lirina picked up her bag.
“Sorry for the trouble.”
Tamako nodded—but before she could respond, Etsuyuki suddenly asked:
“Then… shouldn’t we wake up Motoko-senpai?”
Her expression shifted instantly.
“My sister is… probably hard to wake up right now. She went to bed very late last night, so maybe we should let her rest a bit longer?”
Tamako held the tea set as she spoke.
“B-But… the bread…”
Etsuyuki suddenly grew flustered, her cheeks reddening as she stammered.
“If it sits too long, it won’t taste as good… and—well—”
“It’s fine.”
Tamako shook her head gently.
“For my sister and me, just being able to eat something from outside already makes us happy. Taste comes second.”
She didn’t realize Etsuyuki’s real intention—but Lirina, who could faintly sense that “sweet feeling,” smiled quietly to herself.
Honestly… Etsuyuki-chan is not honest.
But saying it out loud would probably make things awkward… better stay quiet.
“No, no! This is bread from that famous shop nearby! Of course taste matters—it can’t come second!”
Etsuyuki protested, growing more flustered.
“And… if she keeps sleeping like this, she won’t be able to sleep tonight! Tomorrow’s Monday—we have school—so we really should wake her up!”
“Ah…”
Tamako blinked, slightly surprised by the sudden outburst.
“Well… you’re not wrong. But I can’t wake her up by myself…”
She thought for a moment.
“How about this—Etsuyuki-chan and Rina-chan, come with me and help wake her up?”
“Oh! Yes, yes! I’d love to—no, it would be my honor!”
Relieved, Etsuyuki nodded enthusiastically.
“Well then, let’s put our things in my room first. We can’t wake her up while carrying all this.”
“Mm.”
“Wow… it’s Motoko-chan’s mansion…”
Saya stared at the distinctive Japanese-style villa nestled within a Western-style residential area.
“No matter how many times I come here, it still feels impressive,” Kotoka said, checking her phone with a frown.
Six unanswered calls were displayed on the screen.
“That girl… not picking up again. What’s going on?”
“Huh?”
Saya and Kotonoha turned to look at her.
Kotoka put her phone away.
“Forget it. Let’s just go in. We’ve been here enough times—the guard should recognize us.”
The three walked toward the estate.
The guard, still troubled from earlier when a cute girl had laughed at him for not being stern enough, immediately straightened up.
“What are you three here for!?” he shouted in his most emotionless voice.
The girls froze.
Normally the guard would just ask casually—or even open the gate right away. What was with this attitude?
“Whoa… scary uncle. Definitely single,” Kotonoha muttered under her breath, tugging on Saya’s sleeve.
“Ahem… hello. We’re friends of Ishigaki Motoko. We came to see her,” Kotoka said, stepping forward despite her confusion.
“Do you have an appointment!?”
“Um… we couldn’t reach her, so no. But we come here often, so—”
“Denied! Without proper verification, I cannot allow entry into the Ishigaki residence!”
…
Kotoka’s smile twitched slightly. A bead of awkward sweat formed on her forehead.
After a moment, she tried again:
“Then… could you call and ask? Just say Suzushiro, Kima, and Sangku are here.”
“Impossible! As a subordinate, how could I casually call the young lady!?”
“Sis—”
Tamako gently shook Motoko.
Motoko mumbled a few times but didn’t move.
“See?”
Tamako smiled helplessly.
“There’s nothing I can do.”
“Mm…”
Etsuyuki stared intently at Motoko, who was buried under the blanket.
It’s Motoko-senpai’s sleeping face… so cute…
Her messy, fluffy hair… I just want to touch it…
And that sleepy, blank expression… ahh…
And this room—so cool… posters everywhere… figures lined up… as expected of Motoko-senpai…
“Etsuyuki-chan? Etsuyuki-chan?”
“Ah!”
She snapped back to reality.
“Go ahead.”
Tamako gestured toward the bed.
“O-Okay.”
Etsuyuki stepped closer, standing beside Motoko.
She bit her lip slightly.
“Mo… Motoko-senpai… please wake up…”
Lirina and Tamako exchanged glances.
That voice… was that really Etsuyuki?
It sounded… oddly soft. Almost coquettish.
Realizing her slip, Etsuyuki’s face turned as red as a tomato.
After two seconds of awkward silence, she took a deep breath.
“Wake up—Motoko-senpai—!”
“WAAAH!?”
Motoko shot upright, her expression a mix of confusion and panic.
Ten seconds of silence followed.
Motoko narrowed her eyes on the three figures beside her bed.
One with a side ponytail, face flushed red…
One with shoulder-length hair—her younger sister—covering her ears…
And one with a bob cut—also covering her ears.
“…What the hell…”
Suddenly, a ringtone sounded.
Motoko turned sluggishly, grabbed her phone, and answered.
“Hello…?”
“Motoko, it’s me—Kotoka. Your guard won’t let us in.”
Her voice carried restrained frustration.
“…Huh…”
Motoko shook her groggy head, trying to wake up.