"I submitted your application to the Advanced Nurturing School for your high school education."
Aiden sat bolt upright. "What?! I thought I was going to continue at Tokyo Metropolitan School!"
Asahi shrugged, the picture of nonchalance. "After what you pulled, the remaining teachers were practically begging me to remove you. The headmaster even offered to write you a glowing letter of recommendation just to get you out of there."
Aiden placed a hand over his heart, his expression one of mock heartbreak. "After everything I did for them… This is how they repay me?"
"After everything you did to them," Asahi corrected, wagging a finger at him. "Besides, Advanced Nurturing School is a top-tier institution. Free education, three years of free stay on a closed island, no contact with the outside world—"
"An arrow through my heart!" Aiden cried dramatically, collapsing back onto the couch. "Betrayal! Betrayal! Betrayal!"
Then, as if possessed by a new idea, he latched onto Miyu, rubbing his face against hers and wrapping his arms around her head. "Miyu! Look! Uncle is exiling me! Do something!"
Miyu sighed but didn't resist her annoying brother's antics. "Get off me, Brother."
"No, Miyu," Aiden said, his voice grave. "I know for sure Uncle is planning something perverted. That's why he's sending me away. I will fulfill my duty as an older brother and hold him back. You—go to my room, open the third book on the second row of the shelf, and take my savings. Run while you can!"
"You perverted brat!" Asahi barked, grabbing Aiden by the collar and yanking him away. "Miyu, don't listen to him! How could I, your innocent and honest dad, ever plan something like that?"
Miyu calmly put her book down and reached under the couch. From underneath, she pulled out a sturdy baseball bat.
Both Aiden and Asahi shivered.
"Sit," she commanded.
The two troublemakers dropped into the traditional seiza position without a word.
"Brother," Miyu began, her voice sharp, "I've researched this school. Do you know how much the government funds it annually?"
"Ten billion yen?" Aiden guessed lazily.
"Exactly," Miyu said. "Forty billion yen is allocated from the National Budget to this school's operations, and they boast a 99.9% employment success rate. Do you know what that means?"
"A Ponzi scheme?" Aiden offered.
"No!" Miyu snapped. "It means this school is designed to create the nation's top elites—executives, politicians, commanders. The kind of people who shape the country. You think this school is simple?"
For once, Aiden sat quietly, his sharp blue eyes attentive.
"And that's not the only reason you're going," Miyu continued. "You don't have friends."
"I have friends!" Aiden protested.
"Dad and I don't count," Miyu said flatly. "You'll be stuck there without contact with us, so you'll have no choice but to make friends. You're going, and you're going to do your best in the interview. No holding back."
"Betrayed by my own sister!" Aiden clutched his chest dramatically but quickly relented under her glare.
"Either you give it your all," Miyu said with a smirk, "or I'm burning your entire collection."
"You wouldn't!"
"Try me," she replied, a mischievous grin tugging at her lips.
Aiden looked at Miyu, horrified. Her normally calm, studious expression had turned into something bordering on sadistic as she held the bat with terrifying confidence. For once, the ever-nonchalant Aiden felt the chill of impending doom.
"Alright, alright!" he said, throwing his hands up in mock surrender. "I'll do it! But don't think for a second I'm doing it because of your threats. It's purely because of my unrivaled determination to succeed and make you proud."
"Of course, Brother," Miyu replied dryly, returning her attention to her book. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."
While Miyu resumed her reading, Asahi quietly moved toward the family's living room shelf. His steps slowed as he reached for a framed photo—a picture of him, his late wife, and a much younger Miyu smiling happily. His unruly silver hair framed his face as he gazed at the photo with a rare softness in his eyes.
"Nanase," he murmured under his breath, "Miyu's finally growing up. She's practically running the house now. I'm free to…" His tone shifted to mischievous glee. "…finally check out that club Kenji keeps raving about."
A dark aura descended over the room.
"What was that about a club?"
The voice was icy, sharp enough to cut steel. Asahi turned slowly, his smile freezing in place. There stood Miyu, her wooden bat resting casually on her shoulder, her expression blank but somehow terrifying.
"N-nothing, sweetheart!" Asahi stammered, backing away with his hands raised. "Just a joke! You know your old man loves to joke!"
"A joke?" Miyu asked, tilting her head slightly. The wooden bat twitched in her hands. "Do I look like I'm laughing?"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Asahi cried, dropping into a deep bow.
From outside the house, muffled shouting could be heard:
"Thud! Aaagh!! I'm sorry, Miyu! Thud!! No, no, I won't go to those places again! I swear!"