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Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: I Will Always Like Kasumigaoka Utaha

Time flows endlessly, the cycle of day and night spinning forward.

April 5th. Monday morning.

Kasumigaoka Touji stretched lazily as the morning sun peeked through the curtains. With a soft rustle, he pulled them open. The golden sunlight poured in, illuminating the room with warmth and promise. A refreshing spring breeze slipped in as he opened the window, brushing across his cheeks like a whisper.

"What a perfect day to start high school," Touji muttered, eyes narrowing with a confident glint.

Already dressed in the sleek Toyosaki Private Academy uniform, he grabbed his school bag and headed downstairs with purpose. First order of business: brushing teeth, washing face, all the basics. Then, like a reliable household prince, he moved into the kitchen.

Breakfast and bento prep, check.

Two lunchboxes, one for himself and one for his charming elder sister, Kasumigaoka Utaha.

"Utaha-chan, what are you staring at me for? Does seeing me in a uniform make your heart skip a beat or something?" he teased as he neatly arranged the fried chicken in the box.

Utaha, perched at the counter like a queen surveying her domain, shot him a cold side glance. "Your tie's a mess."

She stepped into the kitchen, leaning close with a sigh of exaggerated exasperation. Her slender fingers moved gracefully, fixing his tie like a practiced wife.

"You do this on purpose, don't you? Making me tie it for you. So sly, Touji-kun~."

"Busted," Touji replied without remorse, slipping a piece of salted pineapple into her mouth with a grin.

Utaha chewed thoughtfully, surprised by the flavor. "Mm, this isn't bad. Sweet and sour. Another one."

Touji popped one into his mouth instead, then leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers, transferring the fruit.

Her eyes widened in shock, her face instantly flushed crimson.

Pulling away, she wiped her mouth dramatically. "You pervert! How can you be this shameless first thing in the morning?!"

Touji blocked her incoming slaps with practiced ease, chuckling. "Sorry, sorry! I saw you open your mouth like a baby bird and instinct took over. Call it instinctual paternal love."

"Bird daddy, huh? You want me to turn you into roast chicken?" she said, stepping on his foot and poking at his waist.

"Okay, okay! Mercy, onee-sama!"

She finally turned and left the kitchen with a triumphant sway, while Touji muttered with exaggerated grief, "So cruel!"

But the way the corners of her lips lifted betrayed her amusement.

...

While munching on toast, Utaha casually commented, "By the way, last night Kani Nayuta-sensei confessed to you. Said she wanted to be your side piece. Impressive, Touji-kun."

Touji froze mid-chew. "You heard about that too?"

Utaha's sly gaze narrowed slightly. Touji quickly whipped out his phone, scrolled up through his chat with Nayuta, and slapped the screen on the table.

"I sternly rejected her advances! Look!"

Utaha leaned forward, glancing with disinterest.

"'I'd be happy to be friends'? That's your idea of a rejection? Sounds like you left the back door wide open."

"Don't just look at that part! I clearly said it was too fast and not suitable. That's got to count for something!"

Utaha sipped her tea, unfazed. She could already read Touji like an open book. Hormones, adolescence, the whole cliché.

But she had a plan. If she kept a tight leash on him and drained all his energy three times a day, he wouldn't even have the strength to think about other girls.

Kasumigaoka Utaha showed a saintly smile.

Kasumigaoka Touji, who caught a glimpse of that overly benevolent expression, felt a shiver crawl down his spine. Without thinking, he raised his hand like a grade schooler confessing to a crime:

"I swear, I will always love Kasumigaoka Utaha!"

"When did my dear Otouto-kun get so smooth with his words?"

Utaha-senpai, still elegantly cutting into her perfectly pan-seared salmon, gave him a sidelong glance, her wine-red eyes glinting with amusement.

"Not at all! I'm just being completely honest!" Touji answered, placing his hand on his chest with exaggerated sincerity.

They say sincerity is the ultimate weapon against suspicion…

Too bad it had zero effect!

"Otouto-kun, you sound just like those slimeball husbands in dramas," Utaha said while chewing, her voice laced with dramatic flair. "The kind who cheat on their wives and then crawl back home muttering, 'But I only love you, honey~.'"

Kasumigaoka Touji: "…"

"…What kind of dramas are you watching?!"

He tried to throw her off with a retort.

"I used to watch them with Mom," she replied simply.

"…Oh."

Touji had no comeback.

....

After breakfast, the two cleaned up the kitchen side-by-side. Touji dried the dishes while Utaha wiped down the counters. Then they both went to the courtyard to hang up the laundry that had just finished in the washer. With a nod to each other, they slung their school bags over their shoulders and stepped out the front door together.

They didn't wait for Izumi Masamune from next door, as they now attended different schools.

Last year, the Izumi household had gone through some heavy turmoil. After that, Masamune poured all his effort into writing light novels. The result? A nosedive in academic performance.

Even if his grades had been good enough for Toyosaki Private Academy, Touji figured Masamune probably wouldn't have enrolled. Public schools were free, while Toyosaki required a hefty tuition. Though Masamune could probably cover it with his royalty income, whether he wanted to spend the money was another matter entirely.

"It's been a while since we walked to school together," Utaha suddenly said, adjusting the strap of her school bag as they strolled along the familiar tree-lined sidewalk.

The golden morning sun spilled across her silky black hair, casting a radiant glow around her figure. In her pristine Toyosaki uniform, she truly looked like a high-class lady from a romance manga.

Of course, she caught the attention of everyone they passed—males and females alike.

Touji, used to this by now, just chuckled.

"Yeah… it's been a whole year."

A year ago, she entered high school ahead of him, and for a while they had gone separate ways.

Now, with him enrolled in the same high school, they had naturally fallen back into step.

"Want to hold my hand?"

Utaha's voice was soft, her tone almost teasing. She held out her hand, pale and elegant like fine porcelain.

Touji blinked, then smiled warmly.

He reached out, and their fingers intertwined gently.

A year ago, he never would've imagined—

That their bond would evolve into something like this.

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