After the class, the three didn't waste their time and visited Yume, who was sick.
"It's quite close." Reina was surprised.
"You mean the distance between my house and the school?" Mizuto asked.
"No, to my house."
"Huh? Really?" The one who asked that question was Akatsuki.
"Um." Reina nodded. "While I don't live in the same area, we are living on the same ward."
"I didn't expect that..." Mizuto was surprised and then looked at Reina, who was pushing her bicycle. "But now, I understand why you ride on a bicycle." Still, he might not say anything, but he had only realized Reina went to school by bicycle when they went back together, but it couldn't be helped as he quickly went out, considering he needed to go to the driving class.
"But my place is closer to the Kita ward."
Hearing that, Mizuto thought that he should be careful when he visited Nami's place.
"But are you okay with going with us, Reina?"
"It's okay. I don't have anything to do except train with my trumpet."
"Do you plan to become a professional in the future?" Mizuto asked curiously.
Being asked this question, Reina didn't answer it immediately but stared at Mizuto's eyes. Still, once again, it felt like she was being taken when their eyes met, as she felt like his eyes were so attractive that it made her heart sway from time to time. Nevertheless, she calmed herself and said, "I do."
However, after she gave her answer, she was startled as she could not give such a bold answer. Frankly, she was afraid that people would not know her dream of becoming a professional trumpeter, as she knew that not many would support it.
Her dream was different from others, after all, and in a country where everyone had to be the same, she knew that her dream would be frowned upon.
However—
"That's a great dream." Mizuto smiled and said firmly, "I will support you."
"...."
Reina fell into a daze and stopped her steps.
"Reina?"
"...." Akatsuki.
"Re-Really?" Reina asked as she looked at him in surprise.
"Yes. Do your best, okay?"
"Um."
It might be something casual, and he didn't put much thought into his words, but there was no doubt that his words gave a lot of courage to the girl.
Chasing after a dream was tough, and it was even exhausting when everyone was staring at her with doubt, suspicion, and even discouragement.
Previously, she felt a bit regret for telling her dream as she was afraid that Mizuto might not be able to accept it, but she was glad that she said it as it made her know that there was someone who supported her.
Still, if someone said something they didn't mean to do, it would be so easy, right?
When we didn't feel anything toward someone, it was easy to express everything.
Akatsuki knew that this was what was happening between Mizuto and Reina, which made her sad toward Reina.
Still, not only Mizuto but also Akatsuki didn't make fun of Reina's dream.
After all, compared to Mizuto's dream to become a real estate tycoon, Reina's dream was kind of... ordinary.
Nevertheless, as they walked, they finally arrived at Mizuto's home.
"Put your bike inside. There are a lot of bicycle thieves, after all."
"Thank you."
Pushing her bicycle inside the yard of Mizuto's house, Reina looked around curiously.
"Is there something unusual?" Mizuto asked, wondering why she was looking around.
"No, no! It's my first time at the boy's house, after all. It's just... I am curious."
"....." Mizuto and Akatsuki.
How should they say it... it felt so pervy somehow.
As Mizuto felt Akatsuki nudged his side, he decided to ignore this teasing. "Anyway, please come in." Nevertheless, he was glad to know that he had taken Reina's first time.
With that said, Mizuto led them inside and welcomed them. "Please come in."
"Excuse me."
"Ex-excuse me..."
Unlike Akatsuki, who had come previously, and even though this place was her home, Reina would be lying if she didn't feel nervous yet also excited.
"Akatsuki, you... don't seem nervous?"
"Oh, I have come here before."
"Re-Really?"
"Um." Akatsuki nodded. "They invited me after the admission."
"...." Reina.
Strangely enough, she felt complex, even though she didn't understand the reason.
"Wait in the living room for a moment. Let me remind Yume first so she will be prepared."
Hearing his words, the two nodded.
While it might seem strange, even if Yume was sick, she was still a girl, so even if this was illogical and troublesome, she wanted to keep her image and appearance, and whether Akatsuki and Reina understood that feeling well.
Only when he led them to the living room did they happen to see a sneaky figure in front of the fridge in the kitchen, leaning forward, checking inside like a hungry kitten.
"..." 3x
Mizuto, Akatsuki, and Reina fell in silence as they watched Yume, who was still wearing her pink pajamas and in her sloppy appearance. Still, she didn't seem to notice them as she was still looking around the fridge.
Mizuto looked at the two girls and made an apologetic expression, which they nodded. Still, he needed to remind this klutzy girl, or else her image would crumble in front of her two friends.
"Cough!"
Yume was startled, and her head subconsciously raised, causing it to hit the door of the fridge.
"It hurts!"
Holding her head painfully, she groaned, trying to endure the pain. Still, she was familiar with this voice and angrily turned, wanting to bite the bad guy who teased her, but her voice stuck when she saw that he wasn't alone. Her eyes widened, and she was in disbelief.
"Hello, Yume-chan~!" Akatsuki greeted Yume with a smile, thinking this girl was cute.
"How are you, Yume?" Reina also greeted Yume awkwardly.
No voice came out from Yume, but she subconsciously looked in Mizuto's direction.
"They heard that you were sick, so they came to visit."
"I-I see..." Yume took a deep breath, then sighed in relief. It was fortunate that even if she appeared a little sloppy, she was still beautiful (according to her thoughts), and she knew Reina and Akatsuki well, so she didn't really mind them seeing her embarrassing state. Though, it couldn't be denied that she was embarrassed.
"I-I am sorry for appearing like this..."
"No, no! It's okay, Yume-chan!"
"Yeah, you are sick, after all."
The two quickly comforted Yume as if it wasn't her fault.
Still, Mizuto also walked to Yume and asked, "How is your cold?"
"I-I feel better," Yume answered honestly.
"Let me see." Mizuto put his hand on Yume's forehead and could feel her temperature. It was normal, but it was several times better than in the morning as her temperature was quite hot.
"Mi-Mizuto..." Yume felt embarrassed, especially when she was being stared at by Akatsuki and Reina. She knew it was normal for him to do this, and she didn't mind, but it was different when he did this gentle act in front of her two friends.
"...." Reina.
"Are you hungry?" Still, Mizuto wasn't unfazed by their gazes as he didn't think he had done anything wrong.
"Um..."
"I will make you something simple. Wait in the living room there."
"No, I want to look at you."
"...are you a kid?" Mizuto was speechless.
"What are you going to make, though?"
"Just a simple ochazuke." Mizuto took out an instant seasoning of ochazuke, showing it in front of Yume, and then looked at Akatsuki and Reina. "Do you two want to eat it too?"
"Eh?" 2x
---
Being told to stay in the living room, the three girls could only follow his words, but their eyes couldn't look away from him.
"Is he... always like this?" Reina suddenly asked.
"What do you mean?" Yume asked in confusion.
"You two are a stepsibling, right? You are a stranger before, but it feels like... you two are so comfortable with each other."
If it was her, Reina felt like she couldn't feel so comfortable with her new stepsibling, not that she even wished to get one as she had a complete family.
Watching Yume, who was blushing and stuttering, Akatsuki sighed helplessly, then said, "There is nothing wrong with that, right? Isn't it good if you have a comfortable relationship?"
"Well, that's true, but it feels like..."
"It feels like..."
Yume felt that her heartbeat couldn't be stopped, and she wondered whether Reina thought that they were like a couple. If so, then what should she say? Only—
"It's like you two are real siblings, and he is the older brother."
"I am the older sister!" Yume subconsciously refuted.
"..."
Mizuto rolled his eyes, wondering why this girl was adamant about who was the older among them.
"Well, you are like the little sister of Mizuto, Yume-chan," Akatsuki said with a smile.
Hearing the same words from Akatsuki, Yume became frustrated and depressed as she wondered whether no one would think of them as a couple. While it was a relief since she also didn't want their relationship to be known for a while, considering how awkward it would be if this relationship was known, it was also a little depressing.
"Okay, okay. Stop talking. How about we eat?"
The whole conversation stopped when Mizuto came with a tray filled with four bowls of rice that were sprinkled with the instant ochazuke seasoning, along with a kettle filled with a tea broth.
"Come on. Let's eat."
As he poured the tea broth into the bowl, the gentle and comforting aroma of the ochazuke swept over the room.
The three girls were stunned by this simple ochazuke.
While Akatsuki and Yume wished to eat as soon as possible, Reina hesitated. "Is it really okay for us to eat?"
"Why not? You are a guest anyway. If you feel uncomfortable, then when I come to your house, how about you try to give the same hospitality?"
"I will do that." Reina nodded with a solemn expression.
Only Akatsuki rolled her eyes since Mizuto casually invited himself to Reina's house.
Nevertheless, there was no doubt that it would feel awkward if someone ate and the others didn't eat, especially when the ochazuke was so divine as an umeboshi was added at the top of it.
"Fuh..."
"It's great..."
"So comforting~!"
It was just a simple ochazuke with an instant ochazuke seasoning and an umeboshi, yet why was it so delicious?
Yume also felt her body was warm and full of energy.
Still, as Yume was still sick, either Reina or Akatsuki didn't stay too long and only talked for a while before they excused themselves.
"Then, see you tomorrow, Yume-chan."
"Yeah, get better soon."
"Um, thank you for your visit."
With those words, the two left; only Akatsuki stayed on her spot, staring at his house for a while.
"Akatsuki?"
Reina stared at Akatsuki in confusion as Akatsuki didn't move from her spot.
"What's wrong?"
"Ah, nothing. I just feel a little jealous of Yume-chan."
Hearing those words, Reina was stunned, but she thought for a moment and then nodded. "Um, me too."
"...."
Akatsuki's lips twitched, then looked at Reina's big boobs helplessly.
Still—
'Friday...'
Akatsuki's mood became better as she skipped when she left.
Reina felt confused, but she didn't think too much as a matter of emotion wasn't her forte. But like Akatsuki, she had to say, she was also a little jealous of Yume.
---
Only one, okay~!