On a slightly tipsy afternoon, the warm sunlight streamed through the window, casting its glow on the young boy and girl in the bedroom.
The white-haired, red-eyed boy sat lazily on the bed, while behind him, the girl with flowing black hair was coldly combing his hair.
If it weren't for the cold expression on the girl's face, this scene would surely warm the heart and evoke nostalgia for the beauty of youth.
"It hurts~ Yukino, be gentle~"
"Hmph! If it hurts, good riddance! The world could use one less nuisance!"
Despite her harsh words, Yukino's hands softened their grip.
"Hoshimi, how many towels did you use when you took a shower?" Yukino asked.
"How many? Just one, the white one in the middle."
Yukino's expression darkened, "That one is for my upper body. You didn't..."
"Huh? For your upper body?" Hoshimi tilted his head back, leaning against Yukino's flat surface and gazing into her eyes, "Yukino, do girls pay attention to such details? You need separate towels for different uses?"
"Otherwise, what do you think? Using one towel from head to toe like you?"
"I didn't use it for my feet," Hoshimi countered seriously.
Yukino's coldness intensified, "So, other than your feet, you used that towel for everything else?"
"Yeah." Hoshimi nodded.
"Tsk~" Yukino clicked her tongue, clearly showing her disgust, "Hoshimi, from now on, remember to use separate towels: one for your hair, one for your face, one for your upper and lower body, and one for your feet."
"Oh~" Hoshimi replied, his head resting against Yukino's flat surface.
Yukino said nothing more and continued to tend to Hoshimi's hair in silence.
"Hoshimi, your hair is getting a bit long; your bangs can even cover your eyes."
"Yeah, after all, I haven't had a haircut in a year."
"..." Yukino looked at Hoshimi but didn't ask why he hadn't cut his hair in a year. Instead, she asked, "When are you going to get a haircut?"
"Huh? Do I really need to cut it? It's fine to keep it a bit longer, right?"
"Hoshimi, you're a boy."
"Just because I'm a boy doesn't mean I can't have long hair! That's not fair!"
"Will you cut it or not?" Yukino's gaze remained fixed on Hoshimi's red eyes.
"Yukino-chan, will you help me cut it?" Hoshimi used his usual tactic of answering a question with a question.
"I'm not good at cutting hair."
"Is that so... Then Yukino-chan, you must cut your own hair sometimes, right?"
"I do a little trimming on my bangs."
"Then that's fine. Yukino-chan, please help me trim my bangs. They're too long and blocking my view; it's inconvenient for playing games."
"Okay, wait a moment."
Yukino first found a pair of scissors and then instructed Hoshimi to sit in front of the vanity.
Snip--
With a single cut, white strands of hair floated down.
Hoshimi extended his hand to catch the hair and placed it on the vanity.
"It's fine if it falls on the floor; I'll clean it up later," Yukino said coldly.
"Okay, I understand," Hoshimi said, accepting the situation without further concern for the fallen hair.
Snip---
Snip---
The crisp sound of scissors echoed continuously in the bedroom.
Hoshimi, with his eyes closed, slowly tilted his head back against Yukino's flat surface.
Noticing that Hoshimi was taking advantage, Yukino's gaze shifted slightly, but she said nothing and allowed him to continue.
Snip---
The sound of scissors continued.
At this moment, Hoshimi, with his eyes closed, suddenly said, "Yukino, you're so calm..."
Yukino's hand paused, and she said coldly, "Hoshimi, do you believe I'll twist your neck?"
"I don't believe it. Yukino-chan is gentle, kind, and broad-minded; she wouldn't do that."
"Hmph!" Yukino snorted coldly, not pursuing Hoshimi's sudden teasing.
This guy is always like this. I'm used to it. Either ignore it or pretend not to hear.
He'll calm down soon enough.
Not long after, the bangs were trimmed. Looking at Hoshimi observing himself in the mirror, Yukino said indifferently, "Hoshimi, you should go..."
"Yukino, I'm hungry." Hoshimi interrupted Yukino and said to himself.
"..." Yukino paused for a moment, then said softly, "I'm not hungry. My sister and I ate outside."
"What did you eat?" Hoshimi looked up at Yukino's delicate face.
"A family restaurant, a regular set meal."
"I see..." Hoshimi's gaze seemed distant, as if lost in thought.
Speaking of which, Japanese family restaurants are quite a specialty, similar to fast food restaurants?
He's been ordering "takeout" and hasn't been to a family restaurant. Maybe he should try it sometime?
"..." Seeing Hoshimi in deep thought, Yukino's brows furrowed slightly.
Family restaurant... family...
Has Hoshimi remembered his parents?
Yukino's eyes shifted, and she asked, pinching Hoshimi's face, "Hoshimi, what do you want to eat?"
"Yukino, are you going to cook yourself?" Hoshimi asked curiously, interrupting his thoughts.
"Mm."
"Then maybe fried rice or ramen."
Yukino considered it and asked, "How about Spanish seafood paella?"
"It's okay, but isn't it quite complicated?"
"Not too complicated."
"Alright, then I'll eagerly await it."
"Hoshimi, go wait in the study," Yukino said, pushing Hoshimi's shoulder.
"Huh? Can't I wait in the bedroom?"
"No." Yukino firmly refused.
Without giving Hoshimi a chance to argue, she pulled him out of the bedroom.
Click---
With the bedroom door closed, Hoshimi plopped down on the sofa in the living room and said casually, "I won't go to the study; I'll wait in the living room."
"Sure." Yukino nodded and turned towards the entrance.
To make paella, she needed to go to the supermarket for ingredients.
"Yukino, did your sister buy all this for you?" Hoshimi asked, pointing at the pile of paper bags on the long sofa.
"Mm, it was all bought by my sister," Yukino, who was at the entrance changing her shoes, answered with a slightly raised voice.
Looking at the designer logos on the bags, Hoshimi said with a subtle expression, "Yukino, your sister really cares about you. So many designer clothes. They must be expensive, right?"
At the entrance, Yukino, now wearing her shoes, looked slightly uncomfortable.
My sister cares about me? I really hadn't noticed...
But my sister has been a bit strange today. Not only did she buy clothes, but she also kept taking weird photos of me changing outfits.
Wait, does my sister's buying so many clothes have anything to do with Hoshimi?
Is my sister trying to support me and Hoshimi moving forward?
My sister did mention that Hoshimi's background is not ordinary...
With this thought, Yukino's expression became more uneasy. She didn't want to delve further and shook her head, clearing her chaotic thoughts from her mind.
"Hoshimi, I'm going to the supermarket to buy ingredients. Don't mess around at home."
With that, Yukino left the house again.
===
Enjoying the novel? If you'd like to read additional chapters, visit my Patreon page at - patreon.com/cherryblooming.
There are already more than 30 extra chapters available.