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"Hey!"
A tall, slender figure rose from the bed and pulled the curtains open. Sunlight poured in, warm but not harsh, brushing across his face. He closed his eyes and let himself soak in it for a moment.
Another new day.
"Leo, breakfast!"
"Coming~~~"
Dragging out the last syllable in a lazy, affectionate tone, Natsume Leo finished tying back the curtains, folded his blanket with practiced neatness, tidied his room, and finally stepped out.
Downstairs, a woman with short hair stood in an apron, looking every bit the housewife. Time had etched lines at the corners of her eyes, but her smile was as gentle as his—so similar, in fact, that anyone would mistake them for blood-related mother and son.
"You really are something, child. I told you, just come downstairs when you wake up. You don't need to clean your room first. Honestly, why won't you ever listen?"
Leo listened to her soft scolding with a serene smile. All he felt was warmth.
"All right, all right, let the boy be," Fujiwara Shigeru said from the sofa, lowering his newspaper with a helpless look. Then again, this was nothing new. It had been like this for years.
"Good morning, Dad. Mom."
Leo gave them both a polite nod before taking his seat.
"Honestly, Leo's always like this," Fujiwara Touko muttered fondly, placing a carefully prepared breakfast in front of him.
"Hm?"
Leo looked up, slightly puzzled. "Mom, isn't Takashi up yet?"
Touko tilted her head. "That's what I was wondering. He's usually up by now."
"I'm coming! I'm coming!"
A flustered boy hurried down the stairs. Natsume Takashi, Leo's younger brother, finally collapsed into his seat and offered a sheepish smile much like his brother's.
"Good morning, Dad, Mom, big brother."
"Morning."
"Good morning, Takashi. Eat before it gets cold."
"Morning, Takashi. Overslept?"
Each of them greeted him in turn. Leo simply watched his brother with an amused smile.
Takashi scratched his head awkwardly. "Come on, don't laugh at me, bro. You're the one who dragged me into that research last night. That's why I overslept."
"But~~~" Leo stretched the word playfully. "I woke up on time. You didn't."
"Just eat already. I don't want to be late," Takashi muttered, stiffly changing the subject.
He knew better than to argue. From childhood, one rule had been carved into his brain: his brother's self-discipline was terrifying. No matter what happened, Leo never overslept. And whatever they'd been studying last night? Definitely not something they could tell their parents.
"All right, hurry up. It's the first day of the new semester. Don't be late."
"Okay."
"Mm."
The two brothers observed perfect table manners. No talking while eating. In no time, they finished breakfast, grabbed the bentos Touko had prepared, and headed out.
"Study hard this semester!" Touko called gently from the doorway, waving them off. She might have been their foster mother, but in every way that mattered, she was simply Mom.
"Got it!"
They waved back with bright smiles and set off.
The spring breeze brushed against his face as Leo walked down the street, eyes half-lidded in contentment. He stretched lazily.
"Takashi, it's a new semester. Whatever you see, don't go talking about it to other people. Spirits and monsters are a bit too much for ordinary folks."
"I know. I won't say anything. I'm heading this way, bro."
"Be careful."
"I'm not a kid anymore."
"Oh? Is that so?"
Takashi caught the faint narrowing of Leo's eyes and immediately bowed his head.
"Please forgive your foolish little brother."
Every time his gentle, water-soft brother smiled like that, Takashi knew he was about to suffer.
"Go on," Leo said with a soft chuckle, letting him off the hook.
They split at the intersection. Though brothers, their grades had sent them to different schools. Leo had been accepted into Toyonosaki Academy, a well-known high school in Tokyo. Takashi attended Keibun Furuta High, a far more ordinary place.
After parting ways, Leo continued alone, hands in his pockets, smile faint and unbothered as the breeze carried him forward.
Several girls from his school passed by.
"If I count it up, I'm already in my third year of middle school. There should be new freshmen today…"
"So? Planning to find yourself a cute underclassman to date, Mr. Top Student?"
The girl's voice came from behind him.
Leo didn't even turn around. "And what about you? Has the great novelist considered getting herself a boyfriend?"
"Hmph. I'm not interested in those filthy-minded creatures who think with their lower halves. It's insulting."
"Still as sharp-tongued as ever, oh great novelist~~~"
At his teasing tone, Kasumigaoka Utaha shot him a glare.
She was stunning, the kind of beauty people would call flawless without hesitation. Even her standard school uniform couldn't hide her elegant curves. Long legs wrapped in black tights, polished leather shoes tapping lightly against the pavement. She stood there, clearly annoyed.
"Hey," she said. "Got any plans for the new semester?"
Leo's calm, gentle smile made all her irritation melt away. She brushed a strand of long hair behind her ear.
"Hm…" He tapped his cheek thoughtfully, then sighed in mock distress. "Not really. New semester or not, nothing seems particularly interesting. Nothing that really grabs my attention."
"You've been like this since we were kids," Utaha said, exasperated. "You're basically the perfect male lead template."
They'd grown up together, always in the same schools. As a top student herself, Utaha had once thought she was unbeatable—until she met him.
Academics, sports, cooking… even writing. In every field she cared about, Leo had crushed her without even trying.
Compared to him, she sometimes wondered who the real protagonist was.
"Good morning, Natsume-senpai!"
"Morning."
"He's so handsome…"
"If only…"
"I wish I could confess to him…"
Leo simply nodded politely at the second-year girls. That was enough. Their faces flushed red, eyes shining with admiration.
Perfect in every way. Gentle as a spring breeze. Calm and soothing, like the first warm day after winter.
For the girls around him, he was absolutely lethal
"....."