The sound of the doorbell was barely a whisper before Kirino Kosaka yanked it open, a brilliant, almost dazzling smile on her face. "Ayase! You're here, come in quickly!"
"Excuse me for intruding."
Stepping across the threshold was Aragaki Ayase, a vision of poised beauty. Her long, raven-black hair cascaded down her back, framing a face of pure, lovely features marked by a striking maturity.
Her fashionable outfit accentuated a slender, graceful figure, and her long legs made her seem far removed from the typical image of a middle school student. This, of course, was to be expected. As a professional model affiliated with an agency, her sense of style and presence naturally outstripped that of ordinary girls her age.
Once settled on the plush living room sofa, Ayase's perceptive gaze swept the quiet house.
"Kirino, is your Oni-chan home too?" she asked, her tone carefully casual.
Kirino's nose wrinkled slightly. "He's holed up in his room, probably doing something weird again. Ugh, just ignore him."
She leaned forward, her expression shifting to one of intense seriousness. "Listen, Ayase, today's hospitality is very important! This is the first time Dad has ever asked me so formally to handle something like this. I have to do my absolute best!"
She punctuated her declaration by raising a small, clenched fist in a gesture of determination.
Ayase looked at her friend's earnest face and felt a wave of fondness. A sweet, supportive smile bloomed on her lips. "I will definitely help you, Kirino-chan! Now, let's strategize. First… the matter of how to address him."
She paused, her eyes glinting with a hint of mischief. "Kirino-chan, what do you think about calling him 'Oni-chan'?"
A vivid blush instantly spread across Kirino's cheeks.
"W-wouldn't that be too… intimate?" she stammered. The mere thought of addressing Hozuki Nozomi with that familiar, affectionate term sent a flutter through her stomach, bringing back the memory of his handsome, composed face on the airplane. Last time, she'd only managed it out of deference to her father's clear respect for the young man.
"But isn't Kirino-chan trying to show goodwill and make him, as an honored guest, feel completely at ease?" Ayase countered smoothly, her voice a model of persuasive logic. She placed a hand over her heart, projecting an air of absolute confidence. "Calling him 'Oni-chan' is definitely the correct tactical choice! Kirino-chan is so incredibly cute—if you call him that, he'll surely be overjoyed and utterly disarmed."
Hearing her best friend's unwavering conviction, Kirino awkwardly scratched her cheek, the blush refusing to fade. "It's… it's not that exaggerated, Ayase."
"It is that exaggerated!" Ayase insisted, her own cheeks dusting with a faint pink as she continued, almost as if thinking aloud, "If I could hear Kirino-chan call me 'onee-chan' or 'imouto,' I'd be happy all day long."
The words slipped out, and she quickly covered her mouth, a flicker of flustered panic in her eyes, as if she'd accidentally revealed a secret corner of her heart.
Kirino, however, caught in her own whirl of embarrassment, didn't pick up on the subtext. She simply shot Ayase a half-hearted, shy glare. "Ayase, how am I as charming as you say? Really…"
"But Kirino-chan is supremely charming! Anyway," Ayase pressed on, steering the conversation back, "let's both call him 'Oni-chan' together later, alright?"
"Hmm… alright then," Kirino finally conceded with a soft sigh. After all, the guest was older than both of them. Simply calling him "Hozuki-kun" did seem a bit too distant and formal for a home visit.
Watching Kirino agree, a complex light shimmered in Aragaki Ayase's eyes. Her suggestion served a dual purpose. The first, of course, was the simple, selfish pleasure of witnessing the adorable scene of Kirino-chan sweetly calling someone "Oni-chan." The second, and more pressing reason, was her desire to closely observe this incoming guest's intentions.
Uncle Daisuke's actions were highly suspect. He clearly had the time to entertain guests himself, yet he'd insisted he needed to take his wife out for a holiday trip, thereby entrusting the duty of hosting a boy solely to his adorable daughter.
Wasn't this essentially creating a perfect opportunity for that person to be alone with Kirino?
If she hadn't invited herself over, Kirino would undoubtedly be facing this situation solo. Although Kirino did have a biological brother in the house, according to Kirino's own dismissive accounts, this brother might as well not exist.
He doesn't act like a proper older brother at all, she'd often complain.
A twinge of complicated emotion stirred within Ayase. A part of her even felt a faint envy that Kirino had a brother, useless or not. Aragaki Ayase was an only child. Her mother was the formidable head of the local PTA, and her father was a member of the House of Representatives.
The Aragaki family was part of the new political elite; their wealth and status were entirely buoyed by her father's elected position. To maintain the family's impeccable public image, her mother governed the household—and Ayase—with strict, unrelenting discipline. Minor transgressions could lead to sharp reprimands.
In such an environment, Ayase often deeply wished for an older brother—someone to share the immense pressure of parental expectations, a pillar of support.
From her perspective, Kirino's situation seemed ideal. Having a seemingly 'useless' older brother like Kyosuke only served to highlight Kirino's own competence, diligence, and sensibility. Their parents' favor naturally flowed toward the more accomplished child. Kyosuke, in comparison, seemed almost like a foundling. Of course, Kirino being the favorite was also directly tied to her own exceptional merits. Who asked Kyosuke to be so lackadaisical and underachieving?
The thought of political families led her mind to draw comparisons. Her own father was a Diet Member of the House of Representatives, a position secured through popular vote—precarious and constantly under public scrutiny.
In contrast, Yukino Yukinoshita's father, Haruhiko Yukinoshita, was a member of the House of Councillors. The difference was significant. Councillors held fixed quotas and were appointed, positions often reserved for individuals from families with deep-seated wealth and entrenched influence.
The Aragaki family, as newcomers without an old-money foundation or powerful familial backing, existed in a far more vulnerable stratum. A single scandal exposed by the media could see rivals immediately pounce, jeopardizing everything. Hence, the Aragaki household maintained an atmosphere of stringent control.
As the sole child and heir to this precarious legacy, Ayase bore the weight squarely on her shoulders. Viewed from this angle, if Yukino's father hadn't married into the Yukinoshita family, he would likely never have reached his current position.
And yet, she thought with a hint of disdain, the man still keeps a mistress, breaking Mrs. Yukinoshita's heart.
Who could predict what fate awaited him? After all, Mrs. Yukinoshita had now decisively placed all her bets on her two daughters… and both daughters were, according to the whispers Ayase had heard, essentially pledged to Hozuki Nozomi. In the future, the vast resources of the Yukinoshita family would undoubtedly flow in his direction.
Her musings were interrupted as she focused back on the present task.
Meanwhile, following the address provided by Kosaka Daisuke, Hozuki Nozomi was making his way through the quiet, upscale neighborhood. A certain sense of anticipation hummed within him. Interacting with Kirino was… a prospect he looked forward to.
In his view, if he were to grow closer to Kirino, it would be a perfectly natural, even favorable development. However, if her biological brother Kyosuke were to develop those kinds of feelings… that would veer into territory best left unexplored, for the sake of all involved. For the harmony of the Kosaka household, Hozuki Nozomi felt a certain responsibility to… intervene.
Alright, let's be honest, he admitted to himself with a wry internal smile. I'm also interested in Kirino herself.
It would be rude to visit empty-handed, of course. Nozomi had come prepared with gifts. He was aware that Kirino, much like Yuki back home, harbored a hidden otaku side. Therefore, his primary gift was a physical copy of the first volume of the Magical Girl Misaki light novel—fresh off the press.
The print run was complete, but the editor at Fujikawa Shoten was still orchestrating the marketing rollout to maximize profits, so it wasn't yet available through any public channels. He hoped she'd appreciate the exclusive preview. If not, he had backup options.
Turning a corner, his forward path was suddenly blocked by a soft impact.
"Ah!"
A girl, who hadn't been looking where she was going, collided squarely with his chest. Nozomi, rooted firmly, barely swayed. The girl, however, let out a small cry as the momentum sent her tumbling backward onto the pavement.
The motion of her fall caused her skirt to billow up momentarily.
A flash of pristine white fabric registered in his vision.
"White," Hozuki Nozomi noted subconsciously, the word leaving his lips in a soft murmur.
The girl on the ground, ignoring the sting in her posterior, quickly slapped her skirt back into place. Her face, flushed with a mixture of pain, shock, and profound embarrassment, snapped up to glare at the handsome young man now looking down at her.