Two days before the zoo trip, the house was buzzing with the typical energy that came with living alongside Natsumi. She sat cross-legged on the living room floor, deeply engrossed in arranging a puzzle that was only half-finished. Her tongue peeked out from the corner of her mouth, a sign of intense concentration.
I cleared my throat. "Hey, Natsumi, can we talk for a second?"
She looked up, her bright eyes narrowing suspiciously. "What is it, Onii-chan? Did you eat the last pudding in the fridge again?"
I chuckled, though a bit nervously. "No, no, it's not about pudding. I just wanted to let you know that Ai and I are planning a little trip to the zoo this Saturday. It's just going to be the two of us."
Her hands froze midair, a puzzle piece clutched between her fingers. "The zoo?" she repeated slowly, her voice tinged with disbelief. "Without me?"
