Nine o'clock in the morning.
Kazusa's house.
A continuous drizzle gently tapped against the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the sky outside cast a dim scene, as if night had arrived early.
The wet grass and walls created a sticky, uncomfortable sense of humidity.
In contrast, the indoor space was dry and bright, providing a comfortable environment.
Chisato opened the floor-to-ceiling windows and was greeted by the humid air.
He stepped outside and stood in the open-air corridor, spreading his arms and pretending to stretch, but in reality, his eyes were searching for the figure of Dark Wings.
After a while, he spotted it resting on the inside of the eaves, out of sight from Kazusa.
Several smaller crows accompanied it. When it noticed Chisato looking over, it flapped its wings in greeting.
Chisato felt relieved, turned around, and walked back inside, closing the windows.
He contemplated whether it was time to lure Dark Wing out of the darkness and into the light.
After all, every time he went to a specific building or took a tram or taxi, Dark Wing could only follow him from a distance, which was unsettling.
Sunny weather was slightly better, but a rainy day like today posed challenges for the birds.
The only person who might know the special characteristics of Dark Wing was Eriri, but he could help Dark Wing behave more normally in front of others, which wouldn't hinder him from executing some deceitful actions in the future.
As these thoughts ran through his mind, Chisato sat cross-legged at the table.
Today was Sunday. Due to a prior agreement, Chisato came to Kazusa's house to help her with her homework.
Unlike last week, he had no other commitments today and could stay until the evening.
Of course, that was assuming the owner of the house permitted it.
But she should allow it...
Chisato met the cold, direct gaze of Kazusa, which made him feel slightly uneasy.
If he had known better, he wouldn't have shared his happiness with her.
At around seven o'clock that morning, Chisato knocked on her door and woke her up. Although she looked impatient to be disturbed, she didn't show any anger.
Afterward, when he excitedly talked about the success of the video he uploaded with the Kessoku Band, she maintained a poker face, her expression indicating that she was in a bad mood.
The atmosphere between the two became tense due to her demeanor.
Although Chisato later tried to improve the mood of the eldest lady by preparing breakfast, explaining that she was annoyed because she hadn't gotten enough sleep, it only worked to a limited extent.
He could only get her to take out the exercise papers and answer the questions honestly, but their relationship still hadn't returned to its previous state.
Chisato did not deny that he was indeed testing the waters.
He wanted to see how Kazusa would react to other women around him, but he did not expect her reaction to be quite so intense.
It couldn't be clearer; this was a taste of jealousy.
After realizing her hidden feelings, her reaction became easy to interpret.
They hadn't officially started dating yet, so what if they were simply waiting to get together?
Chisato chose not to speak, pretending not to notice Kazusa's unhappy expression. He took a pencil and a blank sheet of paper for himself.
To handle such a sulky player, he couldn't engage her directly.
Given her personality, she would undoubtedly find it annoying.
At this time, he needed to adopt some indirect methods. Although he had used this tactic before, as long as it was new, it would be effective.
Kazusa seemed focused on the exercises on the test paper with her head lowered, but in reality, her eyes would drift towards him uncontrollably from time to time.
The seemingly chaotic lines on the pure white paper transformed slowly as Chisato continued to sketch, becoming whole and layered.
The graceful figure of a girl gradually took shape in Kazusa's gaze.
She seemed to understand something but said nothing, and her previously depressed mood began to shift.
She was no longer satisfied with just looking at the drawings created by Chisato. Her pure, clean blue eyes stared at him unabashedly through her yawning.
"Sorry, was the noise too loud and affecting your ability to concentrate?"
When the pencil scratched back and forth on the paper, it indeed made a "swishing" sound.
"No, I just can't do it."
Kazusa's response lacked the explosive quality of before.
Chisato smiled and lowered his head to write again.
"Then skip it, and I'll explain later."
"...Suzumiya."
After hesitating, Kazusa propped her chin up with her left hand.
"Yes?"
"I just want to say that you're not a very idle person."
When Chisato heard this, he paused and looked up at the girl in front of him.
She still had that beautiful appearance, unchanged from usual, but she lacked the sharpness she typically displayed outside.
After saying those words, she seemed a bit uncomfortable but still gazed at him seriously, indicating extreme concern.
Chisato breathed slowly and put down his pen.
"Why do you say that all of a sudden?"
"You're usually a very serious person. You listen carefully in class, and your academic performance is among the best."
"You have to work after school. Your schedule is so tight; there's no need to waste time here."
Kazusa said this with a natural expression.
Chisato frowned slightly.
"If there's a reason, I should have said it before. We both benefit from this arrangement. I teach you, and you help me with piano."
"...Is it really just for this reason?"
Kazusa stared at Chisato uncharacteristically, a low emotion etched between her brows, revealing her inner turmoil and unease.
But soon, she abruptly supported her forehead with her hands and tucked her hair behind her ear with one hand.
Her tone turned lazy, and she yawned loudly again.
"Uh-huh—I didn't sleep well this morning. I'm going to catch up on some sleep. You can do whatever you want, but just remember to close the door when you leave."
Chisato keenly sensed the changes in her mood.
He watched as Kazusa hurriedly got up and left the living room.
She had taken the initiative, but because she feared the truth was not what she expected, she chose to escape.
The spark of courage that had finally been summoned was extinguished in an instant.
Now was not the time; this shouldn't be a confrontation...
He thought that in his heart, but when he regained his senses, he realized he had already grasped Kazusa's wrist as she stepped up the stairs.
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