Ren woke on the floor.
Cold stone pressed against his cheek. A wet warmth spread beneath his mouth. He groaned and pushed himself upright, dizzy, vision swimming.
Blood pooled below him.
His tongue moved slowly, carefully, counting.
One tooth.
Gone.
Another.
Gone.
Most were missing. The rest cracked, jagged, useless. A sharp, constant pain screamed through his lower jaw, every pulse reminding him of the sound. The slap. The humiliation.
Hate flooded in to replace the pain.
The door opened.
Seri walked in calmly, holding a porcelain cup of tea. Steam curled lazily upward. She crossed the room without urgency and sat on the couch, legs crossed, posture flawless.
She looked down at him.
"…You look pitiful," she said lightly.
Ren's hands shook as he pressed them into the floor.
Moments later, Emi entered, pausing briefly at the sight of him before quietly sitting beside Seri.
Silence.
Then Emi tilted her head. "Why is was he here? Yuki, I mean."
Seri took a slow sip of tea. "I brought him. He visits often." Her eyes flicked to Ren. "Today Ren was unlucky."
Ren glared at the floor, jaw clenched, rage boiling just beneath the surface.
Seri's presence filled the room without effort. Green hair stirred gently with the breeze. Green eyes sharp, attentive, beautiful. Every movement was practiced grace.
Though they were cousins and the same age, Ren and Emi had always looked up to her.
She was the heiress.
Her father led the Kyorin family.
Emi, especially, tried to mirror her. Calm. Composed. Elegant.
Seri set her cup down.
"So far," she continued, voice smooth, "both of you have embarrassed yourselves in front of Yuki Kinatarou."
Emi stiffened.
Ren's hands curled into fists.
"He doesn't consider either of you a threat," Seri added flatly.
She turned her gaze fully to Ren.
"How do you feel about him now?"
Ren's teeth ground together. "I hate him."
His voice trembled. Not with fear.
With fury.
"I want to break him. I want to humiliate him. I want him to feel what I felt."
Seri smiled.
"That's good."
Both cousins looked at her in surprise.
"You were never weaker than him," Seri said calmly. "In terms of Kizo, you are superior. You could defeat him." Her eyes sharpened. "But fear held you back."
She leaned forward slightly.
"Now that fear has turned into hatred, you can fight."
She glanced between them both.
"I don't know why you suddenly became afraid of him," she said coolly. "You are Kyorin. You lose to no one."
Yuki's name hung in the air.
"He may be a Kinatarou," Seri continued, "but he is still human. And humans can lose."
Ren and Emi stared at her, respect rekindling in their eyes.
Seri stood, stepping closer.
"There is a stage coming," she said. "The Strongest Student Tournament."
Ren's breath hitched.
"He's entering," Seri said. "Face him there. Like a warrior. In front of everyone."
She reached out then, gently patting both their heads.
The gesture was soft. Familial.
"You are still my family," she said quietly.
"That is why I want you strong."
Her tone shifted, steel beneath silk.
"But understand this. If you face Yuki… you will also be facing me."
She straightened.
"I am not leaving his side. He is walking a road toward power."
"And I," Seri said simply, "am walking with him."
Her eyes hardened.
"I just don't want you to lose like cowards."
The moment Yuki stepped through the door at home, something slammed into him.
"GYAA— HELP—"
Luna clung to him like a koala, arms tight around his neck.
"I'M BEING ATTACKED—"
"Shut up," Hana snapped from the couch. "A ten-year-old is hugging you and you're screaming like you're dying. That's pathetic."
Luna tightened her grip proudly.
Yuki blinked.
"…She's stronger," he muttered.
Not emotionally.
Physically.
This wasn't a child's strength. It felt closer to someone his own age. Sixteen.
He filed the thought away just as a loud knock thundered through the house.
Yuki walked to the door with Luna still attached. He opened it.
The world tilted.
Blue hair that caught the light like water.
Blue eyes so vivid they seemed unreal.
Beauty that ignored reason entirely.
"ONII-CHAN!"
Yukari launched herself at him.
Now he had two of them.
Even with Luna and Yukari clinging to him, Yuki remained upright, unshaken.
Only after a moment did Yukari notice the girl on his back.
Luna stared at her, wide-eyed, utterly awestruck.
Yukari smirked. "So you're the brat from the docks."
Luna turned red instantly.
Hana watched from behind, frozen.
Is that… his girlfriend?
Yuki finally pried them off and blinked at the luggage stacked neatly behind Yukari.
"…Why do you have bags?"
Before he could say more, Hana blurted, "I-Is she your girlfriend?!"
Yukari's eyes sparkled.
She leaned closer, grin wicked. "What if I am?"
Hana's chest tightened painfully.
Yuki spoke immediately. "She's my sister."
Relief washed over Hana so fast it surprised her.
…Why did I feel relieved?
She frowned at herself.
Yuki turned back to Yukari. "Why are you here?"
Yukari crossed her arms smugly. "I'm taking you out of here. I bought a house down the street."
"…You what."
"I'll be living there," she continued cheerfully, "with you and the brat from now on."
Silence.
Yuki and Hana's jaws dropped in perfect sync.
Luna blinked.
Yukari smiled like she'd just dropped a bomb.
And somewhere, very far away, fate adjusted its grip.
"Why did you buy a house?" Yuki asked slowly.
Yukari clasped her hands behind her back, rocking slightly. "Because I missed you."
Hana blinked.
Yuki frowned. "That's not an answer."
She puffed her cheeks. "This apartment is too small. I can't move in here properly." She gestured vaguely. "So I bought a small house down the street."
"…You did that very casually," Yuki said.
In the blink of an eye, Yukari vanished.
Then reappeared beside the shelves.
Then the closet.
She began stuffing clothes and belongings into bags with frightening efficiency.
"Wait—" Yuki started.
Yukari stopped suddenly.
Her movement froze.
Slowly, she turned.
Her beautiful face held no expression as her gaze landed on Hana.
"…Who are you?"
The question was simple.
Heavy.
Hana straightened. "Hana Koshaku. My aunt owns this place. I'm… a friend to Yuki and Luna."
Yukari tilted her head. "Friend."
She repeated it softly, as if tasting the word.
Then she turned away, uninterested, and resumed packing.
Yuki lunged forward, grabbing her wrist. "I never agreed to moving."
Yukari turned to him.
Her head lowered.
"Onii-chan," she whispered. "Don't you love me anymore?"
Her eyes shimmered, tears gathering instantly.
"Don't you want to be with me?"
Yuki froze.
That look.
The one she'd worn when they were younger. When she'd protected him. When she'd loved him without restraint.
"…I do," he said quickly. "Don't cry."
Her face lit up instantly.
"Really?!"
"Yes," he sighed. "Just… don't cry."
Yukari beamed and resumed packing with renewed enthusiasm.
Hana watched from the background, rubbing her temple.
"…Unbelievable," she muttered. "He fell for it."
Luna tugged on Hana's shirt. "You'll come visit, right?"
Hana softened. "Yeah. I will." She smiled faintly. "I'll even bring food."
Yuki glanced back. "I'll come talk to your aunt later," he said. "Try not to miss me too much."
Hana scoffed. "Who misses trash?"
Yuki smiled.
And somewhere beneath that insult, something warm lingered. Yuki said farewell and left with Yukari and Luna. It was all so sudden to him.
They walked.
Ten minutes, Yukari had said. Which meant eight minutes of Luna skipping ahead, six minutes of Yuki carrying too many bags because "you're physically stronger anyway," and exactly zero minutes of silence.
"You gonna sell my furniture?" Yuki asked, adjusting the weight on his shoulder.
"Yes," Yukari replied easily. "Well no, I'll just give it away."
"…All of it."
"Yes."
"The table too."
"Yes."
"The couch."
"Yes."
Yuki stopped walking.
"You didn't even ask?"
Yukari looked at him as if he'd asked whether the sky had permission to be blue.
"Why would I ask? I bought better ones."
Luna giggled.
Yuki sighed and resumed walking. "I don't know why I'm surprised anymore."
Yukari slowed her pace until she was beside Luna. She reached out and patted her head, gentle but confident.
"Listen, brat," she said. "You're a Kinatarou now."
Luna looked up, blinking.
"We adopted you," Yukari continued. "That makes me your big sister."
Luna's steps slowed.
"I'll look after you," Yukari said. "Protect you. We're both adopted, so we have to do our best to live up to the Kinatarou name."
She crouched slightly to Luna's level.
"And if you ever need rescuing," Yukari added, tapping her own chest proudly, "you call me."
She patted Luna's head again. "You got that, brat?"
Luna nodded vigorously.
Then, very quietly, she said, "You're very beautiful."
Yukari froze.
"…What?"
Her ears turned red.
She straightened abruptly and spun toward Yuki. "Did you hear that?!"
Yuki glanced over. "She's just lying to make you feel special."
Yukari's eye twitched.
The next thing Yuki knew, her arm was locked around his neck.
"TAKE. THAT. BACK."
"I—can't—breathe—"
"Apologize."
"I'm—sorry—you're—beautiful—VERY—beautiful—"
She released him immediately.
"Hmph," Yukari said, cheeks still faintly red.
Kira's voice drifted lazily through Yuki's mind.
"You know, if she ever decides to kill you, it'll be out of affection."
"…Comforting," Yuki muttered.
They stopped in front of the house.
It was a small machiya, tucked neatly between taller buildings. Wooden exterior. Sliding doors. A narrow front garden with stones carefully arranged like someone had cared enough to make them meaningful.
"…It's nice," Yuki admitted.
"Of course it is," Yukari said. "I picked it."
Inside, the house was simple but warm.
Tatami floors. Clean walls. Sunlight spilling in through paper screens. Everything smelled new. Untouched.
Luna spun slowly in a circle. "It's… quiet."
"It's safe," Yukari corrected.
They explored together.
Kitchen. Compact but modern.
Living area. Cozy.
Storage. Minimal.
Then the bedroom.
One room.
One bed.
Silence.
Yuki stared. "No."
Yukari stared back. "Yes."
"You bought a house with one bedroom?"
"It's efficient."
"I am not sharing a bed with you."
"You shared a room with me for months."
"That was different."
"How."
"You kicked in your sleep."
"You drooled."
"I was a child!"
"So was I."
Luna climbed onto the bed without comment.
She curled up immediately.
Within seconds, she was asleep.
Yuki and Yukari froze.
They looked at Luna.
Then at each other.
Then back at Luna.
"…Well," Yukari said slowly. "That settles it."
Yuki crossed his arms. "I'm not sleeping on the floor."
"I bought the house."
"I'm older."
"I'm stronger."
Yuki opened his mouth.
Kira cut in smoothly.
"You could always sleep standing. You're very good at enduring discomfort."
"…You're enjoying this," Yuki muttered.
Yukari smirked. "I'll take the bed."
She stepped forward.
Yuki grabbed her sleeve.
They stared each other down.
Luna snored softly.
"…Rock, paper, scissors," Yuki said.
Yukari grinned. "Loser makes breakfast forever."
"…Deal."
Kira laughed quietly in his head.
And for the first time in a long while, the Kinatarou household felt… whole.