"Touji~"
Suddenly, Utaha tugged gently at Touji's sleeve with one slender finger. He turned to look at her, understanding instantly. With a small sigh, he stood up and followed her out of the private room.
It was a habit they'd kept since childhood. Whenever they went out together, Utaha would always pull him along when she went to the restroom. Of course, Touji only ever waited outside or headed into the men's stall next door.
...
"When is our Utaha-chan finally going to grow up, huh? Still needs someone to escort her to the restroom," Touji teased, hands clasped behind his head as they walked.
"Onii-chan, aren't I already grown up?" Utaha puffed out her chest proudly.
Touji's gaze instinctively dropped, then immediately met a sharp pinch to the cheek.
"Where are you looking, baka? I meant mentally!" Utaha glared at him with a half-smile playing on her lips.
"Owowow! Let go already!" Touji pried her hand off, rubbing his cheek with a small frown. "You totally baited me into that one!"
"Hmph~ that's because Touji-kun has a dirty mind~"
Utaha giggled behind her palm, her laughter delicate and mischievous, like a cat toying with its prey. Touji lunged to pinch her face in return, but she danced out of reach, her steps light and practiced.
They reached the restrooms soon after. Utaha gave him a side glance and quickly slipped into the ladies' room without waiting.
"Tch. Think you can escape?" he muttered, rolling his eyes, and turned toward the men's restroom.
As expected, he finished first. After washing his hands at the sink—with hand soap, of course, and drying them with a neatly folded handkerchief from his pocket—he stepped outside to wait.
(And no, it wasn't unmanly. In Japan, carrying a handkerchief was just proper etiquette. Cultural nuance, okay?)
While waiting, a small figure approached. A petite girl with an angelic face dressed in a pink and white Lolita outfit strolled by, her orange round-toe shoes clacking softly against the floor.
What caught Touji's eye most, though, was her golden twin tails tied with black ribbons and sparkling blue eyes like the afternoon sky.
Foreign? Mixed? Wait... that look...
Sawamura Spencer Eriri?
Just as he remembered the name, the girl suddenly slipped. Her foot caught awkwardly, and she began to fall backward.
"Eh?!"
Touji reacted without thinking. He stepped forward and caught her gently.
"You okay?" he asked.
"U-Um, I-I'm fine!" she stammered, cheeks flushed. She quickly bowed in thanks and rushed into the restroom.
"Wow, Otouto-kun's woman-luck is something else, huh? Hugging girls even on a trip to the toilet?" came Utaha's amused voice as she stepped out, gracefully drying her hands.
"So salty... want me to hug you too?" Touji grinned, stepping toward her with his arms outstretched.
Predictably, she glared.
"Is Touji-kun's beast mode activated now? Going to pounce on Onee-san just because you held a cute blonde girl?"
"Hey, it was a supportive hug! Or are you saying... Utaha-chan secretly wants me to make a move on her?"
He lowered his arms and trailed behind her, voice laced with playful challenge.
Her footsteps faltered. A faint blush dusted her cheeks. Caught off guard.
And then, of course, she pinched him again.
"O-Oi, cut it out with the pinching already!"
"I'm just checking if Touji-kun's waist is healthy. I heard lower back pain can be a real issue~"
She smirked, trying to pull her hand away. He held firm.
"You sure like grabbing Onee-san's hand. Still stuck in kindergarten mode? Or maybe... you just have a thing for your sister?"
"I'm just trying to keep your claws from acting up again!" Touji snorted. "And don't pretend like you raised me or something. I took care of you too, y'know!"
"Mou~ Otouto-kun has been a total sister-con since childhood!"
The words came out of Utaha's mouth in a flash, stunning Touji into a blank stare.
"...Do you seriously believe that?"
"I don't believe it!" she cut him off with full force.
"Oi! I wasn't even finished talking!"
At that moment, they arrived back at the private room.
Touji released her hand, cleared his throat, and adjusted his expression before sliding open the door.
Sure, their parents had long since clarified that the two of them weren't blood-related. They'd even dropped hints—or rather, direct suggestions—about the possibility of them becoming something more.
But after being siblings for so long, suddenly shifting their relationship in front of their parents was... awkward, to say the least.
At least wait until they leave... Touji thought.
Unsurprisingly, Utaha seemed to share the exact same sentiment. Her soft sigh mirrored his thoughts as she stepped in behind him.
"You two are so slooow~!"
"Come eat, or the sukiyaki's gonna be all overcooked!"
Airi-san waved them over with the chopsticks in her hand, completely unaware of the chaotic storm that had just passed.
"Coming," both Touji and Utaha replied in unison, returning to their seats like nothing had happened.
...