After those eventful days, Kei insisted that I spend time with Alicia after school. I declined her suggestion, knowing it would be better if the three of us spent time together instead.
"So, how long has it been since I last saw you, Kei?" Alicia asked, her voice warm as she sipped her coffee.
The aromatic scent of coffee filled the air as we sat in Luna Café, enjoying the quiet ambiance.
"It's been eight years, Alicia-san," Kei replied, a hint of nostalgia in her tone.
I couldn't help but smile as I watched these two catch up.
"And how about Haruka-san? Does she still live around here?" Alicia asked, turning her curious gaze toward me.
"Ah… about Haru-nee, she actually moved to Shinjuku," I said, scratching the back of my head.
"Oh, that's too bad. Himeya, can we have a video call with her?" Alicia suggested, her face lighting up.
"Sure, why not?" I replied, pulling out my phone.
I dialed Haruka's number, and after a few rings, she answered.
"Ah, she picked up," I said, placing my phone on the table so we could all see the screen.
Haruka's face appeared, her hair slightly disheveled as if she had been in the middle of something. "What's up, Himeya?" she asked.
"It's been a while, Haruka-san," Alicia said, leaning closer to the screen.
Haruka, startled, blinked in disbelief before her chair toppled backward.
I sighed, face-palming as I muttered, "She's still the same, no matter what…"
"A-Alicia-chan?!" Haruka exclaimed, hastily picking herself up.
Alicia chuckled, her smile warm. "Good afternoon, Haruka-san."
"G-Good afternoon? Wait, since when—?!" Haruka stammered, glancing around as if she'd missed something crucial.
"Were you napping when we called you, Haru-nee?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Ah… hehe," she laughed nervously.
"Don't 'hehe' me…"
Haruka straightened up, grinning. "It's been so long, Alicia-chan. Good afternoon, Alicia, Kei, and my dumb little brother."
"…Dumb… little…" I muttered under my breath, earning a chuckle from Alicia.
"It feels like stepping into a time capsule," Alicia said, her eyes sparkling with fondness.
"Yeah, Nii-san always acts like this when he's with Haru-nee," Kei added, smirking.
"Not you too, Kei…"
"Ara, they're not wrong, Meyya," Haruka teased, using my usual nickname she used.
"Drop it, baka-aneki," I shot back.
"Ehh, that's rude. Don't embarrass me in front of Alicia-chan!" Haruka whined.
"…" I gave her the silent treatment, prompting more laughter from the group.
After some more lighthearted banter, Haruka glanced at the time and said, "Ah, I've got to go now, sorry, everyone."
"Where to, Haru-nee?" I asked.
"I need to pick up your princess from her school," she replied with a wink before ending the call.
Kei turned to me, her expression curious. "Nii-san, who's this 'princess'?"
"Ah… right, I haven't told you about her yet, Kei…"
Before I could explain, Alicia interjected, "Let's save that story for later. For now, let's enjoy our time together, okay?" She smiled and grabbed Kei's hand, diverting her attention.
Kei nodded reluctantly. "Fine… if Alicia says so."
As the sun dipped lower, Alicia's father came to pick her up, and she waved goodbye before leaving. Kei and I hopped on my bike and headed home.
On the ride back, Kei's curiosity resurfaced. "So, about that princess…"
"She's my girlfriend," I admitted.
"Huh?! Since when? Why didn't you tell me?!" Kei exclaimed, her voice a mix of shock and excitement.
"I'll tell you everything once we get home," I promised.
When we arrived, Kei rushed inside to take a bath while I collapsed on the living room sofa, exhausted.
Mom noticed and approached with a knowing smile. "Long day, dear?"
"You could say that…" I replied, leaning back as she placed a cool towel over my eyes.
"Isn't it nice to be young?" she teased.
"Mom… Alicia's back," I said, cutting to the chase.
Her eyes widened. "Alicia-chan? The little girl we helped years ago?"
"That's the one. She's good—really good. She transferred to my school, and we're even in the same class now."
"That's wonderful! Aren't childhood friends supposed to be romantic?" she teased again.
"Mom… stop," I said.
She laughed softly. "Well, just don't forget to tell Touka-chan about her."
"…I will," I said, realizing she was right.
Just then, Kei returned, her hair still damp. She adjusted her glasses and gave me a pointed look. "Your turn, Nii-san."
"Got it, boss," I said with a tired smile, grabbing my towel and heading for a refreshing bath.
Afterward, as I was drying off in my room, Kei barged in without knocking.
"Kei?! What's wrong?" I asked, startled.
"I want to know more about this princess," she demanded, her expression unreadable.
I sighed, sitting on the edge of my bed. "Alright. Her name is Miyako Touka. She was my classmate back then."
"And now?"
"Well… a lot happened. Long story short, my parents kinda see her as their own daughter, and she's living with Haru-nee in Shinjuku."
Kei tilted her head. "So, you're in a long-distance relationship?"
"Pretty much." I opened my phone gallery and showed her a picture of Touka. "Here she is."
Kei studied the photo silently before muttering, "…She's your type?"
"It's not about looks," I said firmly. "I love her for who she is."
Kei's POV
I stared at the photo of this red-haired girl. So, this is Nii-san's girlfriend…
She's… well-endowed, I thought, a twinge of annoyance creeping in.
"She's your type?" I asked, trying to gauge his reaction.
Nii-san paused, then smiled. "It's not about looks. I love her for who she is."
That smile… I'd seen it before. He's serious about her.
Himeya's POV
Kei stood up and stretched. "Alright, that's enough for now. Let's eat dinner, Nii-san."
"Yeah, let's," I replied, following her to the dining room.
That night, we enjoyed a feast prepared by Mom. As I looked around at my family, I couldn't help but think: What a day.