Approaching them—well, saying "all of them" wasn't exactly accurate.
After all, Rikka was the first to beam brightly, her small face lighting up as she rushed over!
"Senya, I didn't expect you to be this amazing! Congratulations! With this momentum, you can aim for the national championship!"
"Thanks."
Minamoto Senya thought for a moment, then handed her the plush toy in his hands.
Right after stepping down from the awards stage, a few bold girls had dashed over and shoved it into his arms.
They didn't give him any chance to refuse—faces flushed red, they just thrust it at him and ran off.
There were even a few bouquets of flowers too, but since he couldn't carry so many things, he had left those behind in the locker room, waiting for fate to decide their owner.
"Huh? For me?"
"Mm. If you don't want it, then—"
"I do, I do! Why wouldn't I want it? This little puppy is super cute."
Rikka hugged the stuffed dog tight, rubbing her cheek against its soft fur.
Senya watched her, his eyes drawn to the little ahoge sprouting from her head. Compared to the plush dog, he thought, Rikka herself was far more adorable.
The others, seeing Rikka break the silence, finally dropped their strange expressions and began offering their congratulations as well.
Regardless of what they were thinking deep down, at least on the surface, things were back to normal—warm and cheerful, just like always.
Haruno was the first to step up, cheerfully engaging with Saeko Busujima, who stood beside Senya, her curiosity piqued.
Toka, too, didn't hesitate. As the eldest sister and acting guardian, it was only natural for her to present herself as gracious and welcoming in front of her little brother's teammate.
And so, without realizing it, Senya was nudged away, leaving the space beside Saeko to the two older girls.
He didn't mind at all. In fact, this was exactly what he wanted.
Saeko couldn't just spend all her time around him or the guys in the kendo club. It was better if she could talk with other girls too, broaden her circle.
Meanwhile, Rikka, still hugging the plushie, suddenly noticed a tag dangling from it. Written in permanent marker across the tag was a string of numbers.
Eiri, sharp-eyed as ever, spotted it at the same moment. Acting on pure instinct, she snatched the tag away in one swift motion before Rikka could react!
At the same time, Yukino subtly tilted her head toward the trash bin in the corner. It looked like a casual gesture, but in reality, it was a silent signal of where to toss the tag.
Returning with a sheepish smile, Eiri explained quickly to Rikka, who looked a little confused:
"R-Really! Recently there's been more and more news about scams. The tricks are endless—you can't be too careful!"
Of course. Eiri was the daughter of a politician—her sense of vigilance was naturally on another level. Rikka couldn't help but admire her in her heart!
On their way home, the group of seven stopped by the supermarket, stocking up on ingredients, drinks, and snacks for a celebration.
By the time they returned, it was already past six in the evening.
But since it was summer vacation, that wasn't considered late.
"Oh, right—Toka-nee, Saeko-senpai wants to borrow our bathroom. Can I trouble you to show her the way?"
"Of course. After a whole day of competition, it's only natural. Come on, Saeko."
"Thank you."
"There's no need to be so polite! We're the same age, aren't we?"
On the way back, chatting and laughing, Toka found herself genuinely impressed by Saeko. She was elegant, warm, and approachable—so different from the fierce and commanding figure she had seen at the kendo tournament.
At first, Toka had only intended to get along with her for Senya's sake—more out of duty than anything.
But now? Without realizing it, she was starting to like this girl herself. She even caught herself comparing Saeko to her own airheaded little sister, wishing Rikka could be more like her… Was this what they called personal charm?
Toka led Saeko to the bathroom, pointing to the innermost door.
"Sorry, our bathroom's a bit small. There's not much space inside, so you'll have to leave your clothes on this rack—wai—!"
Before she could finish, Saeko had already started unbuttoning her top.
Panicked, Toka rushed to slide the partition shut, staring at her in disbelief.
There were still boys in the house! Sure, Senya was only a middle-schooler, but at the very least, close the door before stripping down!
This girl, who seemed so flawless in both kendo and social grace… why did she feel so airheaded when it came to daily life?
"…I'll take your clothes to the washer and dry them. In the meantime, you can wear mine."
"Thank you, Toka-nee."
Saeko even used the same affectionate way of addressing her as Senya did.
Toka didn't think much of it—but she couldn't ignore the sight of Saeko's half-open shirt.
Lace trim… such a daring design…
And seriously, middle schoolers these days… were they all developing this well already?
Could she even fit into her own clothes anymore?
"…N-Never mind. Just wash up first. I'll go grab something for you to wear."
Slipping out through the cracked door, Toka sighed, only to run into Haruno in the hallway.
"Hmm? What's with that look?" Haruno raised an eyebrow, clearly curious.
Toka shook her head, refusing to explain. She cast her a knowing glance, smirked mysteriously, and walked off.
Haruno stared after her, puzzled. "…What the heck was that about?"
"Hey, where's the stuff?" Yukino's voice called from the kitchen.
"Coming!" Haruno carried the groceries in, spotting her sister and Senya working together at the stove. With a grin, she asked, "Looks like you've got a lot to prepare tonight. Need another pair of hands? Got a spare apron?"
Senya dug one out from the cupboard and handed it to her.
Soon enough, Rikka and Eiri joined in too. The small kitchen was suddenly packed.
The Yukinos handled washing and chopping vegetables, Senya took the lead at the stove, while Rikka and Eiri worked on fruit and salad.
Eiri, being a guest, didn't dare do much more—at most, Rikka coaxed her into sneaking a strawberry or cherry here and there when nobody was looking.
Rikka herself, on the other hand, was completely shameless. Every time she carried a dish to the living room, she returned with hamster-like cheeks stuffed full of food.
No one minded—until Toka walked in. Without hesitation, she flicked her little sister on the head, hard.
"Ow!" Rikka clutched her head, protesting loudly.
Eiri tried to play peacemaker, Haruno laughed so hard she almost fell over, and even Yukino's lips curved into a faint smile.
The house wasn't big to begin with, and with all this commotion, it felt even smaller.
But that was fine. This kind of lively warmth was exactly what Senya had hoped for tonight.
Yes—lively was good. Very good.
..
Want to unlock up to 60+ early-access chapters and exclusive novels? Join my Patreon today and dive deeper into the adventure!
patreon.com/sabu19