With the arrival of spring break and the loss of their daily interactions at school, Honoka took a leap of faith and invited Tatsuya to her home. She had braced herself for a freezing reprimand from Miyuki, but to her utter shock, the younger sister had remained silent on the matter.
"Miyuki, are you... truly alright with this?"
Honoka broached the subject during a quiet moment at the Student Council office. Miyuki looked up from her work, a serene, practiced smile on her face.
"It is not a matter of being 'alright' or not, Honoka. Onii-sama has already accepted your invitation. It would be unbecoming of me to interfere with his decisions."
While her outward demeanor was flawless, the depths of Miyuki's heart were a churning whirlpool of irritation toward the girl who might very well steal her brother's attention. However, there was no one in the room perceptive enough to detect the subtle chill beneath her warmth.
"I see. I'm so glad... Knowing Tatsuya-san, I was worried he might turn me down if you disapproved."
"Not at all," Miyuki replied, her voice like silk. "Onii-sama would never be so cold as to reject an invitation from a girl as lovely as you, Honoka."
Miyuki had, in fact, protested vehemently behind closed doors, only to be systematically calmed and out-argued by Tatsuya. She gave no hint of that struggle now.
"What should I do...? Now that it's actually happening, my heart won't stop racing."
"Are you feeling unwell?" Miyuki asked, her eyes glinting. "If it's too much, I could contact Onii-sama and tell him the plans are cancelled?"
"No! I finally got him to—"
Honoka cut herself off, not out of embarrassment, but because she noticed Azusa, the Student Council President, watching them. Their work was getting done, but their private chatter had clearly crossed a line. Flustered, the two girls bowed their heads and focused on clearing the rest of their tasks.
Once the Student Council work was finished, Honoka spent every waking second until Tatsuya's arrival scrubbing her room and checking her reflection for the slightest imperfection.
"It's okay, right? Nothing looks weird... right?"
Living alone meant there was no one to answer her. Honoka knew this, but she felt that if she didn't speak aloud, she might actually collapse from the sheer pressure of her own nerves.
"My underwear is cute... Wait! Why am I even thinking about that?! I shouldn't be worrying about things like that!"
Any third party witnessing the scene would have either felt a deep sense of pity for her frantic state or felt like they were watching a high-speed comedy sketch. Her panic only subsided when the intercom chimed, announcing her guest. Since no one else ever visited at this hour, the identity of the person at the door was unmistakable.
"H-h-haii!?"
"It's me... Honoka, are you alright?"
"I-I'm p-p-perfectly fine-sh!"
"...Have you been drinking?" Tatsuya's concerned face appeared on the monitor.
Seeing his expression, Honoka took a deep breath and resolved to compose herself.
"I'm fine. Please, come in."
She released the lock and welcomed him inside. Strangely, once he was actually in the room, the frantic energy of the last few hours evaporated, leaving her with a quiet, focused determination.
"You know, you didn't have to invite me to your home," Tatsuya remarked as he stepped inside. "We could have met anywhere in public. If you were going to be this nervous, I think I would have felt more at ease meeting outside."
"I know, but... when we're outside, I can't stand the way everyone stares at you."
"I suspect at least half of those stares are because of how much you cling to me, Honoka."
Honoka's "dependency habit" was in full swing. Whether they were indoors or out, she naturally gravitated toward him. Recently, when they walked together, she had developed a habit of hugging his arm so tightly she was practically pressed against his chest. The resulting glares—from men who were envious and women who were inexplicably jealous—had become enough of a nuisance that they had started avoiding public outings.
"But! During the holidays, I can't see you at school... I want to make up for all the time I had to spend holding back!"
"Shizuku was right," Tatsuya sighed. "I didn't realize your dependency was this severe."
"Tatsuya-san, you know about my lineage, don't you?"
"Yes... The 'Elements of Light.'"
"Exactly. The reason Pixie swore her loyalty to you... and the reason she desires to be used by you... it all stems from my bloodline."
Honoka's will was Pixie's will. Tatsuya understood this, and since Pixie herself had declared it, it wasn't a shock. But this time, he wasn't dealing with a humanoid terminal; he was dealing with a human being and her own personal, singular emotions. Even Tatsuya couldn't hide his bewilderment.
"If it's you, Tatsuya-san, I don't care what you do to me. Even if you have someone else you're seeing, I don't care if I'm just a mistress. As long as you remember me, even just a little, I'll do anything..."
"Honoka."
His voice cut through her confession. Honoka flinched, her shoulders tensing as she prepared for a lecture or a rejection. She looked up at him fearfully.
To her surprise, Tatsuya's expression was bright—almost tender.
"I may not possess the kind of burning passion you're describing, but my emotions have undeniably reacted to you, Honoka. There is no one else."
"B-but... there are so many people who love you..."
"It doesn't matter how many people love me. The only one I love is you, Honoka. That will never change for as long as I live."
Tatsuya made this declaration without a hint of bashfulness, stating it as a cold, hard fact. Honoka, conversely, felt like she was going to spontaneously combust. Seeing her turn a shade of red comparable to a boiled lobster, Tatsuya tilted his head, wondering if he had said something strange.
"Honoka? Are you okay?"
"Y-yes! No problems at all!!"
"...You don't look particularly 'okay' to me."
She hadn't moved an inch, but "frantic" was the only way to describe her. While her feet were frozen, her upper body was moving in a blur of nervous agitation.
"Ah..."
Unable to watch her struggle any longer, Tatsuya stepped forward and pulled her into a gentle embrace. The contact immediately anchored her. Her panic subsided, replaced by a different kind of warmth.
"Tatsuya-san... if you say you love me, please... give me proof."
"Proof? What should I do?"
"Well, you see..."
Honoka wondered if she was being too bold, but she knew Tatsuya's knowledge of such things was purely theoretical. The era of free love might have ended, but she felt that if two people truly shared their hearts, there was nothing wrong with going further.
It will suffice to record that, at Honoka's request, Tatsuya joined her in the bath, and afterward, they shared the same bed.
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 30 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[pat*eon*com/DaoistRoeoNQ]
Thank you so much for your support!!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"