After Yukino left, Hoshimi did not leave the apartment as promised.
He first wandered around the apartment, then took a shower in the bathroom, and finally lay down on Yukino's bed, wrapped in the blanket, and went to sleep.
Surrounded by the delicate scent of the young girl, Hoshimi slept exceptionally comfortably without choosing to enter dreams.
...
A few hours later, carrying large and small bags, Haruno and Yukino returned to the apartment.
After placing all the paper bags on the long sofa, they sat on the single sofas to rest.
After shopping at the mall for several hours and carrying so many bags back to the apartment, both sisters were feeling a bit sore and tired.
However, Haruno's mood had improved considerably.
It was nostalgic and somewhat sentimental to go shopping with her sister again after several years.
Moreover, Yukino seemed to be less guarded around her, possibly feeling guilty, and instead of being wary, she tried to comply with her wishes, which made Haruno quite pleased. She even took quite a few photos of Yukino's outfit changes.
But thinking about the reasons for Yukino's guilt and what happened earlier, Haruno's happiness faded, and her fists gradually became clenched.
"Sister, would you like some water?"
After resting for a while and almost recovered, Yukino asked.
"No thanks." Haruno stood up, put her hands on her hips, and twisted a bit to stretch. "I have things to do at university, so I need to get back soon."
This was a lie. She had no business at the university; she planned to go home to try and get some money from her parents.
She had almost used up the credit limits on Yukino's cards from buying clothes for her, and she wouldn't be able to manage for the rest of the month.
It would be better to go home and scam some funds.
As for the reason? She hadn't bought a new gown for this year's ball. Her mother often asked her to attend various balls, so she needed to justify buying a new gown, right?
"Really? Then take care on your way." Yukino stood up, preparing to see her off.
Haruno was a bit speechless.
Yukino-chan, couldn't you at least try to keep me here a bit longer? I'm your sister, and it's been a while since I last visited you. Plus, I brought you so many clothes, yet when I say I'm leaving, you just prepare to send me off without a word.
You really are a good sister.
Haruno sighed silently, feeling disheartened and unwilling to say anything more, she turned and headed towards the entrance.
Soon, Haruno left, and Yukino returned to the living room, brewed a cup of tea, and sat on the sofa, sipping her tea, daydreaming, and resting.
Her sister shouldn't have noticed Hoshimi, right?
Yukino reviewed various details but didn't find anything suspicious.
Hoshimi should have left by now. Today, he was supposed to pull her into dreams.
Memory enhancement, studying...
And that junior named Iwanaga Kotoko, how should she deal with her? That little loli figure is quite troublesome...
"Phew~~"
After finishing her tea, Yukino gathered her thoughts and picked up several paper bags of clothes, heading towards the bedroom.
Her sister bought too many clothes for her, and it would take a while to organize and store them...
Click---
Yukino pushed open the bedroom door and walked to the wardrobe, preparing to store the new clothes inside.
Suddenly, Yukino seemed to notice something was off.
She thought for a moment, then suddenly turned around and looked at her bed, discovering that Hoshimi was actually lying on her bed, asleep!
Yukino's eyes widened slightly, then her expression darkened, and her gaze grew cold.
She put down the paper bags, walked to the side of the bed with an expressionless face, and looked down from above at Hoshimi, who was curled up like a silkworm and sleeping soundly.
With a frosty look in her eyes, she bent down and pushed the "silkworm" Hoshimi.
"Hmm~~" Hoshimi smacked his lips twice and turned over, continuing to sleep.
"..." Yukino's coldness grew, her whole demeanor seemed to turn into a center of low pressure, continuously emitting an intense chill.
She leaned forward, knelt on one knee on the bed, placed her left hand on the pillow, and used her right hand to pat Hoshimi's face.
Hoshimi's eyelashes fluttered, seemingly on the verge of waking up.
Yukino applied a bit more force and patted a couple more times.
Hoshimi's eyelashes fluttered again but then suddenly became eerily calm.
Yukino narrowed her eyes and let her cold right hand slide down Hoshimi's face to his warm neck.
Hoshimi remained unmoved, as if sleeping very deeply.
Yukino's right hand continued moving from Hoshimi's neck to the side of his neck and then to the back of his neck.
The cold hand made Hoshimi shiver slightly.
"Wake up already. Don't pretend; don't make me pull off your blanket." Yukino retracted her hand, crossed her arms, and stood by the bed, staring coldly at Hoshimi.
Hoshimi's breathing remained long and even, as if he wasn't disturbed by Yukino.
"Ha~" Yukino sneered, leaned down, and yanked one side of the blanket sharply.
In the next moment, Yukino's pupils contracted slightly, and she hurriedly covered Hoshimi back up with the blanket.
She instinctively took a couple of steps back, her expression a mix of shock, suspicion, and embarrassment, and said, "Hoshimi! You bastard! You're sleeping naked on my bed!"
Hoshimi turned to look at Yukino and cheerfully extended a sock-clad foot from under the blanket, "I'm not naked; I'm wearing socks."
"Hoshimi!" Realizing the danger to her modesty, Yukino stepped back, covering her chest with her hands, and angrily demanded, "Where are your clothes? Hurry up and put them on!"
"They're in the bathroom~ Should I go get them myself, or will Yukino-chan help me?"
As he spoke, Hoshimi made a move as if he was going to get up to fetch his clothes.
"Stop! I'll go get them for you!"
Before he finished speaking, Yukino was already outside the bedroom.
A short while later, Yukino returned to the bedroom carrying Hoshimi's clothes. She threw the clothes on the bed and left the room without looking back.
Bang--
With the bedroom door shut, Yukino stood outside and raised her voice, "Hoshimi, hurry up and put on your clothes."
"Okay."
The rustling sound of clothes being put on echoed in the bedroom.
Once the bedroom door remained quiet, Yukino slowly opened the door to check.
Seeing Hoshimi dressed and sitting on the edge of the bed, combing his hair, Yukino walked into the bedroom with a frosty expression, approaching Hoshimi, and staring coldly at him.
"Hey~ You're back." Hoshimi greeted lazily.
Yukino, with her arms crossed, said icily, "Hoshimi, didn't I tell you to leave?"
"There was nothing to do back home, so I stayed to wait for you."
"Then what's with the shower and sleeping? Can't you read in the study?"
"Well~ You know, I tend to fall asleep when I see books. By the way..." Hoshimi, with a troubled expression, asked while combing his hair, "Yukino, where's the comb? My hair got messy while sleeping; I need to comb it."
"Wait here!" Yukino glared at Hoshimi and turned to go to the bathroom to get her own comb for him.
"Thanks~" Hoshimi took the comb and continued to manage his unruly hair.
No matter how much he combed, a tuft of hair remained stubbornly disheveled.
Seeing Hoshimi's clumsiness, Yukino grew impatient. She snatched the comb from him and said coldly, "Turn around, I'll comb it for you."
"Okay~" Hoshimi turned around, sitting cross-legged on the bed, facing away from Yukino.
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