Looking at their departing figures, Chizuru wrapped her arms around her elder sister's arm and rested her head on her shoulder.
"Elder sister, why didn't you invite Aiden to stay for dinner? I could've made time to cook him a meal."
Her sister's claim that eating would affect her movements was obviously a lie, as a martial artist, eating would only give her more energy.
"Did you forget what Aiden said last time?" Maki gently patted her younger sister's hair, it felt exactly the same as her own, so her gaze drifted down toward her sister's legs.
'Looks like she's got a bit more meat on her than I do.'
'But in the end, does Aiden prefer someone softer… or someone firmer?'
She didn't think Aiden had told the truth just now.
"What did he say?" Chizuru had been so busy that day she'd forgotten everything.
Coming back to herself, Maki chuckled lightly and said, "Aiden said he's going to make me a midnight snack tonight. I have to save room for his cooking."
"So you're saying my cooking doesn't taste good?" Chizuru said that on purpose.
"Of course not. I like your cooking too."
"That's good then."
Chizuru hugged her sister's arm even tighter.
Then, she leaned in and began sniffing her sister.
"What are you doing?" Maki pinched her sister's nose and asked in displeasure.
"I just wanted to see if sister's body also has a strange smell." Chizuru's voice came out muffled, with her nose pinched, she couldn't speak clearly.
"You're overthinking."
"But we're twins. If the younger sister has it, the elder sister should have it too."
"Nonsense. Twins or not, that kind of thing can't happen."
"But that's what the book says."
"Stop reading those weird books, Chizuru."
"And also, if you're going to smell, don't lower your head like that."
Maki pressed her sister's head to the side, her movements were crossing a line, actually trying to sniff there.
"I want to. I just want to smell and see." Chizuru's eyes gleamed, the proud, tsundere older-sister type wasn't stupid. From their conversation just now, her elder sister hadn't denied that something had happened. Now she wanted to find proof on her sister's body.
So right now, Chizuru was Detective Chizuru.
And very soon, she nodded in satisfaction.
———
After dinner, the night had already grown deep. But for Tokyo, this vast metropolis, the coming of night was the real beginning of the day, especially since tonight was Tanabata.
Leaving the sushi restaurant, the three didn't return to the car. Instead, they followed the crowd toward the nearby riverside.
This was the Sumida River in Tokyo's northern district, where a grand fireworks festival was held every year.
But if one were to compare fireworks displays, the ones back home were still prettier. Even so, this was the first time Aiden had ever watched fireworks with others.
In the real world, he always went alone… Though there were many women at home, in truth, only a few months had passed in the real world.
During those few holidays, his city hadn't hosted any fireworks events, so he'd never had the chance to take his women to see one.
"I'll have to find a chance to take them all out together sometime." Thinking that, Aiden muttered to himself.
But it wouldn't be easy, even though he sometimes took a few of them out, bringing everyone out at once…
"Would probably attract a lot of attention."
As he said that to himself, Mai, who was walking beside him holding his hand, heard and asked curiously, "Aiden, attention from what?"
With someone beside him now, thinking about the women at home made Aiden a bit embarrassed. He quickly said, "I meant going out with you two during a festival, it seems to draw people's attention."
That wasn't really an excuse, even though Tanabata in Japan wasn't purely a couple's holiday like it was back home, there were still many pairs of lovers here watching the fireworks together. Yet, he was walking with two women, one sexy and seductive, the other innocent and cute.
Many passing couples couldn't help but glance back at them. Their eyes carried curiosity… and envy. Of course, that envy mostly came from the men.
Hearing him say that, Mai pouted. "I told you we shouldn't have brought Yuri along…"
The jealous girl still harbored some wariness toward Yuri.
"Huh? Why shouldn't I come? Oni-chan said I could." Yuri, lost in her own thoughts, didn't catch what Mai really meant and looked at her in confusion.
Looking at Yuri's innocent face, Mai sighed. She was the one who'd let the wolf in, now she could only accept it.
"Forget it. One more or one less doesn't make a difference anyway."
Besides, when they'd fought the Kagura sisters at the shrine, Mai had felt the pressure fighting two against one, she'd nearly lost outright. If Yuri had been there to help, things might've gone a lot smoother.
Except…
Yuri was too innocent.
Lowering her gaze, Mai shook her head slightly. This girl could only serve as part of the mood, she had no fighting power at all.
Thinking that, she continued walking forward hand-in-hand with Aiden. But after only a few steps, she suddenly felt Aiden's hand tighten, pulling her back.
"Mai, let's watch from here. It's starting."
Since both his hands were occupied, Aiden stood still. Speaking to Mai, he looked up toward the sky ahead.
The fireworks festival had begun. One by one, bright trails soared into the air, bursting into dazzling colors that painted the night sky and dimmed the neon lights below.
"So beautiful…"
Gazing up at the sky, Mai murmured softly.
For the sake of reviving the Shiranui dojo, she'd been under immense pressure lately. But with Aiden's presence, that tightly strung tension finally began to ease.
"Yeah. It's beautiful."
Aiden found himself at a loss for words, he didn't know how to describe the beauty of the fireworks, nor what kind of sweet words one should say beneath them.
So, after that one line, he released Mai's hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her gently into his embrace.
Words couldn't express what one close gesture could.
Mai leaned naturally against Aiden's chest. She didn't speak, just watched the fireworks burst above, her bright eyes shimmering faintly with a mist of emotion.
"Aiden, if…"
But just as she began to say something, Yuri, who had been holding Aiden's other arm, suddenly let go, took his hand, and placed it on her own shoulder.
"Oni-chan, I want to be like Mai-onee-chan too."
And right after saying that, the innocent girl Yuri stood on tiptoe and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, then nestled naturally into his arms as well.
Her innocence left Aiden with no reason to refuse, so he just let her be.
Seeing that, the mist in Mai's eyes instantly vanished. She pressed her lips together, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Part of the mood? No fighting power?
The innocent Yuri girl might be even harder to deal with than Chizuru. Innocence was her best disguise, and her sharpest weapon.
———
The fireworks festival lasted an hour before ending. Satisfied, Aiden brought along the equally satisfied Yuri, and the not-so-satisfied Mai, back to the Shiranui dojo.
After getting out of the car, Aiden escorted the two women inside, chatted with them for a bit, and finally got ready to leave.
Although Mai was still mulling over whether she should really "recruit" Yuri onto her ship, since Yuri's behavior earlier had made it clear she wasn't as simple as she looked, when she saw Aiden already at the gate, she suddenly remembered something.
"Aiden!"
Mai ran toward him.
"Something else, Mai?" Aiden turned, puzzled.
"Spend the night with them."
Opponent or not, Mai knew Aiden had met the Kagura sisters first. And though they'd let him spend the entire day with her, she still felt grateful, even if their generosity might have been an act.
"Yeah." Aiden nodded. That went without saying.
Then Mai lowered her head shyly. "But… you're not allowed to do anything else with them."
"Anything else?"
Aiden understood and smiled. "Mai, what exactly do you mean?"
"I mean those kinds of… crossing-the-line things." Mai, blushing, shook her head.
Then she stepped forward, hugged Aiden, and stood on tiptoe to kiss him lightly.
"Remember to come early tomorrow. I'll make you breakfast."
That made Aiden hesitate for a moment, after all, by the time he woke up, Chizuru usually already had his breakfast ready.
But he still nodded. "Okay."
After all, he was already eating two dinners every day, having two breakfasts didn't seem like a big deal.