As I opened the door, a sudden rush of energy hit me.
A girl with light brown hair, dressed in flowing white robes, leapt forward and wrapped her arms around me with surprising strength.
I stumbled back—and then straight to the ground.
Her cheek pressed against mine, warm and insistent.
"Zevion! It's been so long since I've seen you! How are you doing?! Did you miss me?!"
She rambled on, words spilling out so fast I could barely keep up.
I froze, lying there on the floor, completely lost in my own thoughts.
Who…?
I thought, blinking rapidly.
Her presence was familiar, and yet, completely unexpected.
My brain was trying to process the sudden hug, the incessant chatter, and the strange sense of urgency she carried.
Wait… that hair color… and those violet eyes…
I remembered now.
She was!
…Umm…
What was her name again?
Right, I remember!
"Long time no see, Rena. How are you doing?"
I said, trying to sound casual, though my mind was racing.
She froze for a second, then burst out laughing.
"Pfft! That's just like you, Zevion—forgetting someone's name!"
My ears burned a little at that, but before I could respond, she continued.
"It's me, Irina Shidou."
Before I could even process that, she had planted herself directly on my chest, sitting there like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"It's good that you haven't changed at all~"
She said, grinning down at me with those sharp, mischievous violet eyes.
I blinked up at her, still flat on the ground, wondering how my life had once again turned into this…
"So… what are you doing here? I thought you had left for a foreign country. Are you and your family coming back?"
I asked, trying to sound casual while still sitting on the floor, pinned under her.
She tilted her head slightly, a small smile playing on her lips.
"Not really. I just have some work to take care of, so I came to check up on you while I was at it."
She replied lightly, as if dropping by someone's house was the most normal thing in the world.
I couldn't help but glance down at her robes, the white fabric flowing elegantly even as she sat squarely on my chest.
My mind immediately started connecting dots.
"You're… still religious, right? But you didn't join some cult or anything weird while you were away, did you?"
I asked, a little wary, because knowing Irina, who knew what she might get involved in.
She laughed softly, the sound warm and teasing.
"Don't worry, Zevion. I haven't gotten myself into any trouble like that. Just some work, that's all. And I joined the normal and official Church."
I exhaled quietly, relieved… at least for now.
But lying here, with her perched on me like she owned the place, I couldn't help but wonder how long this "checking up" was going to last.
"By the way… can we talk inside instead of you using me as a chair to sit on and chat?"
I said, still on the floor, waving a hand vaguely toward the living room.
She finally stepped off me and offered me her hand.
"Ahh! Much better," she said as I took it and got to my feet.
Then she smiled brightly and added.
"Oh! I remembered—let me introduce my friend. This is Xenovia. Just like me, a member of the Church."
Now that she mentioned it, I noticed another girl standing by the entrance.
Blue hair with a green fringe, warm brown eyes, and robes very similar to Irina's.
But something bulky was wrapped in cloth and strapped to her back…
Sniper rifle?
Well… maybe I should call the police later, just in case.
She gave a polite bow, and I responded in kind, still trying to assess just how dangerous this whole visit might get.
"Come inside. Treat it like your own house."
I said as Irina followed me in, Xenovia behind her.
"Just… don't break anything, alright? That's all I ask."
"Mou! I'm not a kid!"
Irina protested, rolling her eyes.
"Yeah, says the girl who broke most of my stuff back then."
I muttered, smirking as I led them further inside.
Irina huffed but didn't argue further, her grin playful, while Xenovia stayed quiet, overseeing everything, her expression unreadable.
Irina suddenly turned to me, her violet eyes wide and sparkling with urgency, almost bouncing on the balls of her feet as she spoke.
"Zevion, you have so many rooms here, right? Can we stay here while we're in town? You see… I spent all our money, so we're kind of broke…"
…This girl…
I thought, blinking in disbelief.
She always had a way of turning even a simple visit into some kind of chaotic drama.
I pinched the bridge of my nose.
"Now, who isn't the kid again? Fine, you can stay."
I said, exasperation heavy in my voice, though I couldn't entirely hide the slight amusement tugging at the corners of my mouth.
We made our way toward the living room, and that's when the true disaster revealed itself.
Akeno.
Still sitting comfortably in her bathrobe.
And… absolutely nothing else.
My brain did a triple-take.
The soft fabric clung to her damp skin, and the faint shimmer of water droplets along her collarbone and neck caught the light, making the scene far more… delicate than I had anticipated.
Of course. She doesn't have the decency to dress herself while I go check the doorbell that rang... Did she seriously think no one would come, or did she just not care? Nah, probably to screw me over.
I groaned silently.
I cleared my throat, trying to keep my voice level despite the awkward tension curling in my stomach.
"Uh… well."
I began, gesturing vaguely toward both Akeno and the newcomers.
"This is Akeno. And… Akeno, this is my childhood friend Irina and her friend Xenovia."
Before I could even breathe a sigh of relief, Irina made her move.
She lunged at me like a coiled spring, wrapping her arms tightly around my torso in a warm, protective hug that pinned me solidly to the floor.
Her chest pressed against mine as if she were shielding me from some unseen threat, and I could feel the reassuring, yet overpowering warmth radiating from her.
"Zevion! You don't know who she is! She's dangerous!"
Irina hissed, her voice low but fierce, and her eyes were locked on Akeno as if preparing for battle.
I froze completely, caught between the sight of Akeno in her bathrobe and the overwhelming force of Irina's protective grip.
Why does every single visit have to turn into some insane scenario?
I thought.
First blackmail, now a protective ambush, and I'm in the middle of it all.
The living room suddenly felt much smaller, every shadow and movement amplified.
My mind was running a dozen different calculations at once—how to explain, how to stay calm, how to survive Irina's overprotectiveness as her grip is no joke…
It's starting to suffocate me, and how to avoid even looking like I was staring at Akeno.
The room was thick with tension, an awkward mix of fear, embarrassment, and the strange, unspoken understanding that things were about to get chaotic.
And I knew, deep down, that this was only the beginning.
How do I know?
Because that's how it always goes.
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