Chapter 3: The Talent of the Third Daughter, Gamer Meru

‘—And now, only six teams remain in the final circle!’

The crisp voice of the announcer cuts through the air, reaching my ears as I fold laundry.

‘As the ring shrinks, all teams move at once! S3K holds the positional advantage!’

“We got this! We totally got this!”

“Please～! Come on, please…～!”

‘Meru! Stay calm!’

Even louder than the announcer are the heated voices of Chinana, Ranka, and Kikuri—her sisters—practically vibrating with excitement.

Their eyes are glued to the wall-mounted monitor, where an FPS game is displayed in all its chaotic glory.

‘Team WE is forced out from cover! The battle’s begun! S3K still holds the high ground! They’re firing down from the stairs, mowing ‘em down! But the other teams are climbing up like they’re possessed! It’s like a zombie flick out there!’

Zbababapap!! The layered gunfire erupts. The game screen jerks wildly, and before I can make sense of what’s happening, it switches to another player’s perspective. Someone must’ve gotten taken out.

‘Can S3K hold the line?! The base of the stairs is a pile of bodies! —Wait, behind them! Someone’s behind them! A lone CloudCross sneaks up on S3K’s flank! It’s here! It’s here! Team AlphaPlanetPG’s 《UltraMail》!’

“Kyaaaaaaa—!!”

Ranka and Chinana cling to each other, letting out screams that are half-terror, half-joy.

The game screen and the announcer’s voice ramp up the intensity, matching their energy.

‘One pick down! Insane character control! Meanwhile, their teammates climb the stairs! They’ve got S3K pincered! But the ring’s almost swallowed them all! What’s it gonna be?! Who’s it gonna be?! Victory’s goddess smiles on—It’s decided! Team AlphaPlanetPG stands alone! A stunning comeback from a disadvantaged position! And with this win, they’ve all but secured their spot as Japan’s VBGS PG representatives!’

“‘Waaaaaaah—!!’”

Ranka and Chinana leap into the air, their screams now unmistakably just screams.

I watch them from the back of the room, calmly shooing Hanasaka off the bed where I’m stacking the folded laundry.

Looks like Meru won.

I get that much, but the screen’s a dizzying mess of movement, constantly switching between players. To someone like me, who lacks even the basics of gaming knowledge, it’s all a chaotic blur.

“Hey! Shikimi! Shikimi!”

Ranka, her face flushed with excitement, comes charging over from the other side of the living room.

“A feast! We gotta make a feast right now!”

“A feast, huh… Like what, exactly? We’ve still got some pork belly left.”

“No way, that’s not enough! It’s gotta be, like, celebratory… Like a turkey or something!”

“Where am I supposed to find a turkey…?”

Some ojou-sama she is, with such a basic idea of a feast.

“Man, that was a nail-biter! They weren’t doing so hot ‘til the second match.”

‘Maybe they were nervous. Pulling it together from there was impressive.’

Chinana and Kikuri are chatting over the iPad when the sound of a door opening echoes from upstairs.

“…So tired…”

Meru shuffles down the stairs, her usual slouch even more pronounced. Her long hair hangs limply over her face, looking somehow even longer than usual.

“Congrats, Meru!”

“Congratulations!”

‘Congrats!’

Chinana darts over and hugs Meru as she reaches the bottom of the stairs. Meru catches her, managing a small, embarrassed smile. “…Thanks.”

I’ve never touched a Nintendo, let alone anything more advanced, so FPS games might as well be an alien language to me. But seeing that smile—seeing someone’s hard work pay off—stirs a simple, honest joy in me.

…Alright.

“Let’s roast it! A turkey!”

I stand up, declaring it with conviction, and even Ranka, usually so prickly, joins in with a thrilled, “Yay!”

—And so, I start looking for a place to buy a turkey.

‘…Hm?’

Kikuri, who’s shifted from the iPad to the wall monitor, lets out a curious sound before calling out to the sisters.

‘Hey, you three! Call from Yoshino-san!’

Yoshino-san?

I tilt my head at the unfamiliar name, but the three sisters—minus Kikuri—turn in unison, looking slightly surprised.

“From Mama? That’s rare…”

Ranka’s words jog my memory.

Yoshino—that’s right, I think that’s the chairwoman’s first name.

‘Putting it on the monitor!’

Kikuri says without checking with us, so I hurriedly pocket my phone and straighten up.

It’s been since that day when my part-time job almost got me expelled. She’s my direct employer, so I’d better not be rude.

The wall monitor switches to a video call.

On the screen appears a striking woman in a sharp suit, her almond-shaped eyes piercing.

‘Well, my beloved children, are you all faring well?’

Her commanding presence hits me even through the screen, and I instinctively tense up.

This is Kichijoji Yoshino. The chairwoman of Somei Academy, the private school we attend, and a titan of Japanese industry who built a top-tier IT company from the ground up in a single generation. She’s living the kind of life I aspire to, but on a whole other level.

Given Kikuri, her eldest, must be at least 35, Yoshino-san has to be older than that. Yet her youthful beauty makes her look like she’s in her twenties, no question. The boys at school apparently whisper that ‘she’s gotta be either a witch or an elf’ (according to Mitsuba’s intel).

Naturally, I’m the only one nervous. The Kichijoji sisters, unfazed, address their mother on the screen casually.

“If you love us so much, maybe come home once in a while.”

“Yeah, seriously. How many months has it been since you last called?”

‘My apologies. Work’s been hectic. I won’t be leaving Silicon Valley for a while.’

Silicon Valley… The background shows what looks like a hotel room or maybe a second home. Either way, she’s calling from the States.

‘I have two matters to discuss with Meru.’

Meru, who’s been quietly slouched on the sofa, looks up at her name.

‘First, congratulations on becoming Japan’s representative. You’ve cleared the first hurdle, haven’t you?’

“…Thanks…”

Meru answers, sounding surprised. Did she not expect to be congratulated?

The chairwoman continues as if she didn’t notice.

‘I checked the tournament schedule, and it seems you’ve got some breathing room until June, correct?’

“Yeah… There are practice matches, though.”

‘Good to hear. …By the way, how’s your midterm prep going?’

Meru freezes.

Ranka, Chinana, and I all turn to look at her. Ranka and Chinana exchange awkward smiles.

‘…As expected.’

The chairwoman lets a wry smile creep onto her face.

‘Meru, private school or not, middle school was compulsory education. I could pull strings to overlook certain things, but high school’s different. I’ll handle your attendance issues, but you need to pass your tests on your own.’

Meru looks away, muttering sulkily.

“…School doesn’t matter. I’d quit if I could.”

Predictable response.

The chairwoman, still smiling wryly, props her chin on her hand.

‘I’d love to honor my daughter’s wishes, but as a parent, I can’t agree. Graduating from our academy, one way or another, will absolutely benefit your future. You know better than anyone that being a pro gamer isn’t a career you can sustain forever, don’t you?’

“…”

When I first started working as a housekeeper, Meru herself told me that many pro gamers retire before they even hit 25.

It’s the kind of adult logic that stings even me, a kid, to hear.

‘That said, I know it’s tough to suddenly study on your own. …Which brings me to you, Shikimi-kun.’

“Huh? Yes?”

I’m startled as she suddenly calls my name. The chairwoman gives me a smile that feels like it’s brushing the depths of my heart and continues.

‘It’s a job. Teach Meru to study and help her avoid failing.’

“Shikimi-kun… you’re one hell of an enviable guy, you know that?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Those oppai—er, my bad. A private study session with that Kichijoji big-breast-san?”

“You didn’t fix a damn thing.”

After school, I’m at our usual spot by the cafeteria’s window seats, catching up with Mitsuba. As expected, she starts spouting her usual nonsense, and I fire back with my usual exasperated tone.

With a dramatic sigh, Mitsuba goes on, “Man, oh man. Don’t those bountiful oppai catch your eye at all? What a tragedy.”

“That’s my line, you perv.”

“No, no, my phrasing was off. She’s still just a first-year… plenty of room to grow, so more like big, budding blossoms than fully ripened fruit.”

“That’s just straight-up creepy…”

Is there no law in Japan to punish a high school girl with the soul of a lecherous old man?

“Still, Shikimi-kun, even for someone who’s not a JK otaku like me, that’s a heart-pounding scenario, don’t you think? For any healthy guy, that is.”

“It’s because I’m a healthy guy. My mind’s been trained to not get swept away by animalistic urges just from a little contact with the opposite sex.”

“You training to be a monk or something?”

“My little sister put me through the wringer back in the day.”

“‘Put you through the wringer,’ huh—? Nah, I’m human too. I’ll steer clear of crude family jokes.”

“You’re already too late for that.”

“But seriously, that sister theory of yours—I keep saying it, but who is this sister of yours? How does someone forge a pubescent guy into such a dense blockhead? I’m dying to know. You gotta introduce me sometime.”

“My sister’s still in middle school, you JK otaku.”

“That just makes it more intriguing.”

I’m making damn sure they never meet.

“So? You done bragging, you infuriating jerk?”

“All I did was listen to your harassment about my employer—but yeah, I’ve got a request. Same as before. Tell me what you know about Meru.”

“Ho ho! So, after the fourth daughter, you’re moving on to conquer the third? Working your way up from the bottom, huh? You’re quite the player.”

“Ignoring that. Meru’s schedule doesn’t sync with mine at all.”

I press on, brushing her off.

“We haven’t really talked much. I figured I’d get some info on her before I start tutoring her.”

“What am I, your personal Wiki? Rude. If anything, I’m more like an official guide.”

She grins, tossing out some official guidebook joke I don’t quite get.

“Kichijoji Meru-chan, huh? Sadly, I don’t have her three sizes, but if I had to guess, she’s packing at least an F-cup.”

“Didn’t ask.”

“So cold. Honestly, there’s not much to add to what I told you before—she was dominating unofficial community tournaments back in middle school, and despite not being old enough for official ones, she got scouted by the mega-team AlphaPlanet. Her player name’s 《UltraMail》, nicknamed ‘Urume.’ Her playstyle’s aggressive, charging the frontlines and obliterating with raw aim and character control—kinda un-Japanese, if you ask me. But that makes sense.”

“Makes sense how?”

“You don’t know? She spent two years in Korea when she was in elementary school. Went with her mom—the chairwoman.”

“Huh, really? What’s that got to do with gaming?”

I mutter, and Mitsuba stares at me like I’m an idiot.

“What?”

“You’re really clueless about this stuff, huh? Korea’s, like, the global powerhouse for esports.”

“Seriously?”

“I’ve never been, so I don’t know the details, but I hear Korean kids treat PC gaming like it’s as casual as hitting up a candy store after school. Apparently, Meru-chan got into FPS there—so her playstyle leans KR.”

“Huh…”

I always thought Korea was all about cutthroat academics, but there’s this side too?

“With that background, she’s supposedly fluent in Korean too. Better watch out—she might cuss you out in a language you don’t understand.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Fight on, cherry boy~!”

“I do understand English!”

At the back gate by the courtyard, a girl with long, familiar hair is leaning against a pillar, trying to avoid the gazes from inside the school.

“…Why’re you hiding?”

“…”

From behind her long bangs, Meru glares at me, her eyes tinged with irritation.

Then she turns her face away sharply. “…Dunno. Just feels… off.”

Now that she mentions it, this is my first time seeing Meru in her uniform—or in a skirt at all, for that matter.

I’m used to her in hoodies, shorts, or half-naked loungewear, so seeing her all buttoned up from head to toe feels… fresh. The way she tucks her shirt into her skirt gives off a hint of seriousness. But the unbuttoned blazer? Probably because buttoning it up would be… tight. Around the chest.

I think back to all the conversations I’ve had with my sister and pick what feels like the right thing to say.

“Looks good on you.”

Her eyes, hidden behind those bangs, shoot me another sharp look.

“That’s not something you say about a uniform.”

“…No?”

“Makes it sound like I’m cosplaying.”

“Really…? When my sister started middle school, I complimented her uniform, and she was pretty happy about it.”

“…Now that you mention it, this might be the first time I’ve shown it to anyone.”

Meru mumbles, glancing down at herself.

Right. It’s easy to forget since the entrance ceremony feels like ages ago, but Meru’s a first-year in high school too.

Guess I should compliment her uniform after all.

“Looks good on you.”

“…For someone who’s immune to validation, you sure throw out a lot of compliments, Shikimi.”

“My sister drilled it into me.”

“So you just got good at flattery.”

“Do I look slick enough to pull off lies?”

“…Hmph.”

Meru turns her face away again, dodging my gaze.

Alright, we’re wasting time standing around chatting.

“To the library. You know where it is?”

“Nope.”

I lead Meru toward the school building.

From the courtyard by the back gate, I can see the cafeteria counter where I always talk with Mitsuba—but she’s already gone.

Here’s my take: studying’s best done at school.

Home’s full of distractions, and it’s harder to stay focused. Compared to a diner or something, a school’s built for studying—everything’s set up to help you concentrate.

Plus, school’s got that study vibe. Like Pavlov’s dog. Step in, and your brain switches to study mode automatically.

For someone like Meru, whose room has zero study energy, self-studying at school should be the perfect move.

Should be.

“…”

“…Oi. Why’re you hiding behind me?”

Ever since we stepped into the school, Meru’s been cowering behind me like a squirrel hiding in its burrow.

“No reason. Just walk already.”

“You’re making it hard to walk. You’re so quiet I keep worrying you’re not even there.”

“Fine, this work for you?”

Meru grabs my arm from behind with a firm grip.

“Now you know I’m here.”

“…Feels like I’m walking a dog…”

Tugging her hand like it’s a leash, I make my way down the school corridor.

It’s after school, but there are still plenty of students around for clubs and such. Every time we pass someone, Meru subtly uses me as a shield to hide herself.

“What’s up? Got someone you don’t want spotting you?”

“…Not really.”

“Not like you’re hiding your face ‘cause you’re famous or anything. If that was it, you’d have worn a mask.”

So…

“You nervous about being back at school?”

“Huh? What? I’m not nervous.”

Meru yanks my arm harder in protest.

Too obvious a hit.

“Sure, if you haven’t shown up to school once since enrollment, I get why you’d feel off. But man, you’re so brazen at home—”

“Huh? Who’s a homebody hotshot?” —Oh!

Just then, we pass an unfamiliar male student, and Meru suddenly goes quiet.

Once he’s far enough away, she starts tugging my arm again.

“Hey, I’m not, like, brazen at home or anything. Okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Chill.”

Looks like the Meru I’ve seen so far is just one side of her.

It’s gonna be a while before she can handle school like normal.

We finally reach the library.

I figured it’d be packed with exams coming up, but it’s surprisingly sparse. Everyone’s probably at the study room or grabbing fried chicken at the KFC on the main strip.

I lead Meru to a table in the corner.

I sit down first and point to the seat next to me. “Here.”

Meru glances at it, hesitating.

“Sitting… next to you?”

“Makes it easier to teach. Gotta keep our voices down too.”

Sitting across would mean flipping textbooks and notebooks upside down, plus we’d have to talk louder.

“You’re not gonna say you’re shy now, are you? Weren’t you the one who said pros gotta compartmentalize?”

“…Ugh. Fine…”

With a sigh, Meru reluctantly plops down next to me.

She’s fine flashing her underwear but gets all hesitant about sitting side by side? This girl’s a mystery.

I pull a textbook out of my bag and spread it on the table.

Not the high school one we’re using now—middle school ones I dug up from my room.

“Since you probably don’t remember middle school stuff either, we’re starting from scratch.”

“…This is gonna take forever…”

“Duh. You’ve been slacking, so you gotta work harder than everyone else.”

And so, our one-on-one lesson begins.

Thanks to some connections through the Kiminaga family, I’ve done private tutoring before—mostly for elementary kids. Those were a handful. Sometimes just getting them to sit in a chair was a struggle.

Compared to that, Meru’s a breeze.

She listens, doesn’t derail the conversation, and most importantly—she’s sharp.

She picks up the key points fast and makes them her own. Classic case of someone who’s smart but just doesn’t study.

Once I figure that out, I tweak my teaching approach.

“Reading comprehension in Japanese isn’t about your personal take. You either write exactly what’s in the text or dig one layer deeper for the answer. That’s it.”

“Like a read in a match?”

“Nah, you can predict it from past test patterns. Since it’s probably that teacher this time—”

Whispering quietly, I reach for the textbook in front of Meru, marking it with my pen.

Naturally, we’re close. Our shoulders brush, her breath grazes my cheek, and there’s that sweet, girlish scent.

But this is work.

No doctor gets worked up during an exam. I’ve taken on the role of a teacher, so I shut out everything else and focus on the job.

“…Shikimi, you’re kinda close…”

“So, with this test pattern, you pull from this passage and this one—”

“…Can’t focus…”

Meru occasionally mumbles and looks away, embarrassed, but I keep the lesson going.

The announcement for final dismissal blares, and I close the textbook.

“That’s it for today.”

“…It’s over…”

Meru slumps onto the desk, exhausted.

“You did good. Keep this up, and you’ll be ready for the test.”

“…Can I go home and game?”

“During exam week? I’d love to say no, but that’s your job too. Set a strict schedule and stick to it, and I’ve got no complaints.”

“…You’re kinda nice.”

Still slumped, Meru turns just her face toward me. Her eyes, peeking through her bangs, study me curiously.

“What’d you think I was?”

“Like, someone who thinks people who can’t study are trash.”

“…I come off like that?”

If so, that’s a bit of a blow.

“Everyone’s got their strengths and interests. I wasn’t born good at studying either. No way I’d think like that.”

“…You’re so annoyingly reasonable…”

“What am I supposed to do about that…?”

Anyway, we need to get out before they lock the gates.

I nudge the drained Meru to her feet, pack up the textbooks and notebooks, and leave the library.

Outside, the sky’s painted with sunset hues. Most club kids have already left, so we don’t pass anyone. For once, Meru walks beside me normally.

As we pass a classroom, I notice her staring at it.

Her face is blank, hard to read, but she wouldn’t stare this long if she didn’t have something on her mind.

“What do you think? Our classroom.”

I probe a little.

“Pretty nice, right? You don’t see schools like this every day.”

“…Whatever. My gaming chair’s nice too.”

Liar. It’s probably covered in snack crumbs.

“If you’re curious, why not pop in? Bet some classmates would love to meet you.”

“What, so I can get fawned over? Thought you hated that stuff, Shikimi.”

“I do. Don’t know about you.”

“I’m not into it either. Nothing’s grosser than randoms in voice chat fawning the second they realize I’m a girl.”

“Don’t pro gamers thrive on popularity? No fans, no sponsors, right?”

“…That’s just how it turned out.”

Meru mutters, her tone a touch bitter.

“I didn’t aim to go pro. Gaming was all I could do… I just kept at it, and somehow it happened.”

“‘Somehow,’ huh? Spoken like a true genius.”

“…”

Meru goes quiet, then shoots me a sidelong glare.

In a low, muttering voice, she says, clear as day, “…Pabo.”

“Huh?”

I ask, but she doesn’t answer, just picks up her pace and walks ahead of me.

“What’d you just say? Pabo…?”

I’m always baffled by the antics of this so-called genius pro-gamer, but at least it seems like we might scrape by with the test, which is a small relief.

Surely, she can at least avoid failing.

If she keeps studying at this pace from tomorrow onward—

—well, maybe it was already doomed the moment I thought that.

The next day, Meru didn’t show up at school.

By dusk, I finally made it to the Kichijoji household and asked Chinana, who was in the living room.

“Is Meru here?”

“Huh? I haven’t seen her today…”

Hearing that, I glanced up at the open second floor, then stomped up the stairs with heavy steps.

Meru’s room is at the far right on the second floor. I reached her door and knocked a bit roughly.

“Meru! You’re way past our agreed time!”

No response. I kept knocking persistently. Finally, I heard the faint sound of someone stirring inside.

After waiting another minute or so, the door slowly creaked open from the inside.

“…Sorry…”

Meru’s voice was hoarse, clearly just waking up.

Her clothes were pajamas, her hair a total mess, and her eyes were barely open.

What time does she think it is? Only vampires wake up at this hour.

“How late were you up?”

“…Like, eight or something…”

“Didn’t I tell you to set a proper schedule and stick to it?”

“…Yeah…”

“And didn’t I say we’re meeting at school at four?”

“…Yeah…”

Is she even listening?

Meru swayed like a ghost, mumbling, “Tomorrow…I’ll go properly… But today…I’ve got practice…”

“Hey, wait!”

Bam! The door slammed shut in my face.

So she’s just gonna blow me off today, huh…

I can’t exactly barge into her room. Sighing, I trudged back down to the living room.

Chinana, who’d been lounging on the sofa scrolling through her phone, looked up.

“Meru-nee…overslept?”

“I didn’t think anyone could oversleep for an evening meetup.”

I tossed my bag next to the sofa and picked up a shirt slung carelessly over the backrest. Whose is this? Too plain for Ranka’s taste, but it doesn’t quite match the other sisters’ sizes either.

“Hmm…Meru-nee doesn’t strike me as the type to be that sloppy with time, y’know? If anything, Kiku-nee’s more likely to…”

“Does she even have chances to make plans? She’s sleeping till sundown.”

“Well, when we go out to have fun, it’s usually with me(boku)—er, Chinana-chan—er, I mean, me(atashi)? Anyway, us.”

“You still haven’t settled on a first-person pronoun?”

“Ugh…”

Chinana’s face flushed slightly, and she hid her mouth behind her phone.

“None of ’em feel quite right… Why don’t you pick one for me, senpai?”

“How ’bout ‘wachiki’?”

(T/N: Wachiki is an old-fashioned, first-person pronoun meaning “I” or “myself.)

“C’mon~ Get serious!”

“I don’t usually pay attention to other people’s pronouns. You’re the exception.”

“…So Chinana’s special, huh?”

“Hey, that works. It’s a bit sly, but better than the ‘-chan’ shtick.”

“I just want you to answer the question!”

People don’t usually remember every little thing others say, pronoun or otherwise.

If I do remember something, it’s probably some random, incomprehensible word thrown at me out of nowhere—

“Oh, right.”

After tossing the shirt into the washing machine in the utility room and returning to the living room, I recalled Meru’s comment from yesterday.

“Hey, Chinana, what’s pabo?”

“Huh? Pabo?”

“Yeah. Probably some trendy slang among girls or something. An abbreviation, maybe…”

“That’s such an old-man thing to say, senpai…”

Shut up. I hear that a lot.

“Did Meru-nee say it to you?”

“Yeah… Why?”

“’Cause it’s not slang. It’s Korean.”

“Korean?”

“Pabo means ‘idiot.’”

—…Idiot.

Yesterday’s word replayed in my head, translated into Japanese.

“Senpai, did you mess something up?”

“…Not that I can think of.”

“That’s usually what people say when they’ve messed up.”

“…Hmph…”

Could I have pissed her off enough to skip school today?

But honestly, I’ve got no clue what I did…

“Senpai, senpai!”

Chinana, for some reason looking smug, leaned forward on the sofa’s armrest.

“Chinana-chan’s gonna let you in on the ultimate strategy for dealing with girls!”

“Sounds shady as hell, but I’ll bite.”

“Start by apologizing! No girl stays mad when you grovel a bit!”

“Nope.”

“Why not?!”

“’Cause I know your next line’s gonna be, ‘You can practice with Chinana-chan!’”

“Hah! How’d you…?”

I’m starting to figure out your patterns. You were planning to mess with me by coaching my acting, weren’t you?

Anyway, Meru said she’d show up tomorrow.

For now, I figured it was best to trust her on that.

The next day, Meru showed up at the back gate thirty minutes late.

“…Hey. You okay?”

“Fwaa…”

Meru answered with a massive yawn.

She looked half-dead, her eyes barely open, and she’d misbuttoned her entire uniform shirt.

“You seriously gonna study in that state…?”

“I’m fine… Used to it.”

I’m skeptical, but we’re short on time. We’ve got to make up for yesterday’s delay.

We moved to the library like before and started studying, but the efficiency was noticeably worse.

The reason’s obvious. Meru kept nodding off every chance she got.

Still, her stubborn effort to listen to me was admirable, but in this state, we weren’t getting the results we needed.

“…Let’s call it here.”

I closed the textbook and said so.

Meru blinked rapidly, her mouth falling open with an “Eh?”

“Go home and sleep. You’re not gonna learn anything with a sleep-deprived brain.”

“…I’m fine, though.”

“You’re not fine, that’s why I’m saying this. Sleep, even for twenty minutes! Then we’ll study.”

“…I’m really fine…”

Meru pouted, her lips puckering sulkily.

“Besides, I’ve got practice right after this… No time to sleep.”

“Then you’re gonna suck at that too!”

“Energy drinks’ll fix it.”

“Relying on caffeine for energy is a temporary scam. I used to chug coffee and cut sleep to study, but in the end, proper sleep and a set schedule got me better results—”

“Fine, fine. I’ll go home, okay?”

Meru stood up, her voice sharp with irritation.

As she quickly stuffed her pens and notebooks into her bag, she muttered, “I keep sayin’ I’m fine, but Kiminaga, you just don’t trust me.”

“It’s not about trust! I’m worried about your health and your grades—”

“A teacher who won’t teach is useless. …See ya.”

With a cold snap, Meru turned and walked off briskly.

I let out a deep sigh.

From that attitude, I doubt anything I said got through to her.

Worse, she might not even show up to school tomorrow.

Part of me wants to say, Do whatever you want, but… this is a job I took from my employer. I can’t just walk away. And more than that—

“…Damn it…”

What was I supposed to say?

Later, I went to the Kichijoji house and went through the usual chores, but I didn’t see Meru.

“Hey, Kiminaga, is she really okay?”

While I was prepping dinner, Ranka glanced up from her phone, her voice tinged with worry.

“She’s streaming like normal today. Same schedule as before she started cramming for the test.”

“I told her to set a strict schedule and focus during study time. With her brains, daily sessions should’ve been enough to keep up—should’ve being the key word…”

“What’s with that ominous tone?”

“…She’s already lost two days. Honestly, I’m not sure if we can catch up anymore.”

“What?!”

Ranka, who’d been sprawling lazily on the living room sofa, shot upright like a spring.

“That’s not okay at all! Two days lost? What the hell happened?!”

“Yesterday, she overslept. Today, she was clearly sleep-deprived, so I told her to go home and sleep.”

“Go home and sleep…”

Ranka glanced down at her phone, likely on some streaming site.

“She’s not sleeping.”

“…Who’s the one not trusting who here…”

“Huh? What?”

“Nothing.”

She demands I trust her but won’t listen to a word I say. What a selfish jerk.

“I set study time in the evening to avoid this kind of thing. Guess I underestimated her nocturnal lifestyle a bit.”

“You were studying at school after class, right? Even for Meru, oversleeping for a meetup at that time is kinda weird…”

“She’s the type to stay up late on Sunday nights. If there’s something she’s dreading the next day, she can’t bring herself to sleep.”

“Hmm… Can’t exactly deny that.”

“She said she went to bed at eight in the morning yesterday. Today, she probably slept even later and dragged herself out of bed. She was practically sleepwalking.”

‘Eight in the morning?’

The voice didn’t come from Ranka.

It was Kikuri, who’d been quietly showing her face (or rather, her VTuber avatar) on the wall monitor the whole time.

‘Meru-chan said she went to bed at eight yesterday morning?’

“Yeah, she did.”

‘That’s weird… I saw her in the living room around noon yesterday.’

“What?”

I looked up from the pot I was stirring.

“You came out to the living room?”

‘That’s your takeaway? I leave my room sometimes, y’know!’

“Kiku-nee, can you not call coming to the living room ‘going out’…?” Ranka interjected, sounding exasperated.

Brushing off Ranka’s jab, Kikuri continued, ‘Think it was around eleven thirty. She was grabbing water in the kitchen. Her hair was wet, so probably fresh out of the shower.’

“Eleven thirty…”

If she went to bed at that time, she had less than five hours before our meetup. No wonder she overslept.

“Then why’d she lie about going to bed at eight…?”

“Maybe she thought you’d get mad at her?” Ranka suggested.

“I’d get mad at eight too, y’know.”

“Fair point.”

If she was worried about getting chewed out for staying up, you’d think she’d pick an earlier time to claim. Unless Meru’s sense of time is so warped it’s beyond my comprehension.

“Hey, Kichijoji.”

“What?”

“Do you know how late Meru was streaming yesterday morning?”

“I can check the archive. …By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask—why do you call me by my last name?”

“Calling a classmate by their first name feels weird.”

“…Whatever, I guess.”

Ranka looked like she had more to say but let it go, tapping at her phone.

“Till about six in the morning. Not that unusual for her.”

“So, five and a half hours unaccounted for…”

What was she doing during that time?

Ten bucks says she was gaming… but it’s not like she needs to stream to play games.

“Something’s not adding up…”

‘You’ve been looking pretty grumpy for a while now, Kiminaga-kun.’

“Yeah… It’s hard to put into words, but…”

I tried to pin down the nagging feeling in my gut.

“Oversleeping for a meetup, gaming lazily till noon… It just doesn’t feel like Meru.”

At my words, Ranka and Kikuri exchanged glances through the monitor.

‘You’re right.’

The Kichijoji Meru I know is disciplined, with a strong sense of professionalism. She even expects that level of commitment from me, her housekeeper.

Would someone like that act so carelessly?

Thinking back, aside from her completely reversed sleep schedule, Meru seems the opposite of lazy. Sure, she skips cleaning or avoids baths, but that feels more like prioritizing efficiency than being slothful—

—…Idiot.

The quiet insult Meru muttered flashed back in my mind.

What did I say to her then?

There’s a protocol for visiting the rooms of the four Kichijoji sisters.

First, check their provided smartphone to see if they’re streaming.

Then, ask permission via group chat to visit their room.

Knock on the door and wait for a response or for it to open from the inside.

It’s all to avoid the catastrophic mistake of appearing in their streams. What a pain-in-the-ass household.

To deliver Meru’s dinner, I followed the procedure.

The group chat pinged back with, ‘Just leave it by the door.’

I felt like a parent dealing with a shut-in kid. Not that it’s new—Kikuri’s always like this too.

I placed the dinner tray where instructed and stared at Meru’s door.

I still don’t know why, but she’s clearly pissed off.

Chinana told me to just apologize, but after two months of dealing with Meru, I know she’s not the type to buy empty apologies.

Still, Meru’s the most tight-lipped of the sisters. She rarely says what’s on her mind, and her expressions and actions are hard to read. A total pain.

But—but?

…Why does it feel like I’m desperate to make up with her?

I gave a faint, self-mocking smile and quietly stepped away from her door.

‘The noble person harmonizes without conforming; the small person conforms without harmonizing.’

Sure, cooperation is necessary for work, but this feels like I’m agonizing over a fight with a friend.

To think I still had such human emotions—tangled up in relationships and a craving for approval—what a ridiculous notion.

It seems I’ve grown fonder of Meru than I realized.

I don’t know why, but—

“…Alright.”

Descending to the first floor, I muttered under my breath.

I’ve made up my mind.

If I don’t understand, I’ll find out.

I pulled out my phone and dialed a certain number.

“Hello, Chairman? I’d like permission to stay overnight at the Kichijoji house.”

◆

“Alright, that’s it for the stream. Night, everyone.”

I spoke into the mic, glancing at the brightening curtains, and ended the stream.

“Phew…”

Leaning back in my gaming chair, I let out a breath. My brain, overheated from hours of talking and gaming, started to cool down.

Gotta do it while I’m still in the zone…

I put the PC into sleep mode and stood up.

First, I need a drink and something to eat…

Stretching my back, I left my room.

Our living room has huge windows, so even without the lights on, it’s super bright in the morning. It’s technically morning, but for me, it’s nighttime, so stepping into the hallway made me squint from the glare.

Wandering down the second-floor corridor, I thought vaguely, What should I eat? Prepping food’s such a hassle. Bread again, maybe…

As I shuffled downstairs, following the routine etched into my body, I heard it.

“Got some late-night snacks ready.”

A voice that shouldn’t have been there.

Startled, I looked toward the kitchen at the back of the living room. There was Kiminaga, holding rice balls wrapped in plastic wrap in both hands.

“Wha… Kiminaga…?”

“I made some seasoned rice and turned it into rice balls. Figured you’d want something easy to eat.”

“Why… are you here…?”

“I’m your housekeeper. What other reason do I need to take care of your chores?”

Normally, Kiminaga finishes making dinner and goes home.

The only time he stayed over was when he helped with tax filings… He’s never been here at this hour—six in the morning.

And…

“Kiminaga… Did you not sleep?”

He looked exhausted.

His eyes were unfocused, and he kept taking deep breaths, clearly fighting off sleep. It was the face of someone who’d pulled an all-nighter.

“Couldn’t tell when you’d come out, so I stayed up. Took a nap earlier, though.”

“No, seriously… what’s going on? This is kinda creepy…”

“Nice way to put it. We’re even, then. What were you planning to do? You only got, what, four hours of sleep yesterday?”

I clamped my mouth shut as Kiminaga handed me a rice ball.

He plopped down on the living room sofa, picking up his phone from the glass table.

“I spent the whole night watching your stream and thinking.”

His phone screen showed my stream, now offline.

“That moment—when you called me pabo—I finally remembered what I said. ‘Spoken like a true genius.’ That’s what I told you.”

I’d said I became a pro out of nowhere, and that’s how he responded.

“I don’t think you’re not a genius. But I have to admit, that flippant comment ignored all the hard work you put in. You’re probably proud of the time you’ve dedicated to gaming. Getting it summed up as ‘genius’ must’ve pissed you off—that’s my theory.”

He continued, “So, I figured out what you’re doing in that gap—after your stream ends and before you sleep at noon.”

Turning to face me from the sofa, he said, “You’ve been sticking to my advice about studying at set times, haven’t you?”

I looked away, feeling awkward.

Kiminaga said I could catch up, but there’s no way a couple of hours after school each day could make up for slacking off since middle school. This time slot was the only one I could squeeze in.

Studying’s a pain, but… if I’m gonna do it, I don’t want half-assed results.

“…So what now?”

I grabbed my elbow, trying to mask my unease, and asked, “You gonna tutor me from here on out?”

“I’ll stick with you as much as I can. Good thing it’s Saturday.”

“…Kinda high and mighty, aren’t you?”

“In return, you teach me.”

“Huh?”

“I watched your stream for eight hours, and I still don’t get it.”

He gave a little shake of his phone, still showing my stream.

…He watched a game he doesn’t understand for eight hours?

“You’re… kinda weird, Kiminaga.”

“Look who’s talking.”

This guy’s actually going along with my schedule.

He was so adamant about not cutting sleep, yet here he is, pulling an all-nighter he’s clearly not used to.

Even if it’s just for today, just this once… it’s probably because he knows it’s what I’ll accept.

Clumsy.

Reckless.

Almost… like me.

“…Heh.”

I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.

“When I was in Korea… I couldn’t make friends.”

“Language barrier?”

“That, and I’m kinda shy… Cultural differences didn’t help either.”

“Bet they didn’t.”

“But one day, a girl in my class dragged me to a PC bang…”

“PC bang?”

“Like a net café in Korea. Tons of PCs lined up, like a school computer lab, but cheap. Cheap enough for a kid’s allowance. In Korea, it’s normal to hit up a PC bang after school to play games.”

“That’s definitely a cultural thing…”

“Games let me hang out with people, even if I didn’t speak the language or was too shy… Without games, I’d probably still be alone, even after coming back to Japan.”

“That’s… heavy. Even I might care about that.”

“No way you would…”

“I don’t sugarcoat things. Go on.”

“I only know how to connect with people through games… So when I came back to Japan…”

“Right, makes sense. FPS games aren’t exactly a middle school girl’s thing.”

“There are more girls playing now, though.”

“So that’s why you stopped going to school?”

“My sleep schedule got super nocturnal, and I couldn’t wake up in the morning. That’s part of it.”

“That’s probably most of it, isn’t it…?”

“I read in some sleep management game tips that whether you’re a morning or night person is mostly genetic.”

“You really live your life around games, huh?”

“Same as you living for studying and your job, right?”

“Touché (you got me there)…”

“…Hey, how do you solve this one?”

“…”

“Kiminaga?”

I glanced over, and Kiminaga was face-down on the table.

His eyes were gently closed, soft breaths escaping in a quiet rhythm.

Just a moment ago, he was awake… like someone flipped a switch.

Staring at his sleeping face, it’s like my own switch got flipped off too. Suddenly, I started noticing the room around me, which I hadn’t paid attention to before.

We were studying in my room since the living room gets busy when everyone else wakes up. At the small white coffee table Kiminaga set up after cleaning, we’d spread out textbooks and notebooks.

The room itself is familiar, but having a guy—Kiminaga—here feels… kinda ticklish.

And he’s sleeping so defenselessly.

“…Fwa.”

Crap. My focus is totally shot.

I should just sleep… but leaving Kiminaga like this and crawling into bed alone feels kinda…

“…”

Whatever.

I’m too sleepy to care.

◆

I felt a warm breath brushing against my lips.

The inside of the blankets felt warmer than usual too. Did I stick a hot water bottle in here? My groggy mind, floating just below consciousness, sifted through memories, but I came up blank.

“…Ngh…”

Then I heard a voice—definitely not mine, unmistakably a girl’s, a soft hum from deep in her throat.

Shinomi?

No… it’s too gentle for her. She’s got a leaner build… But whoever’s in these blankets has curvy hips, soft and squishy to the touch…

…Wait.

Whoever’s in these blankets?

Finally registering the weirdness, I slowly lifted my eyelids.

“…Suu…”

And I saw a sight I’d never witnessed in my life.

Meru’s face filled my entire field of vision.

The warm breath on my lips was coming from her cherry-pink lips. My hand, which I’d absentmindedly let wander, was resting on her waist, and the warmth I felt was her body heat.

…Slowly, the memories from before I fell asleep came back.

I was studying in Meru’s room—and then my memory cuts out. Did I fall asleep?

But now I’m definitely lying in a bed. Did Meru move me here…?

My half-awake brain couldn’t process this unprecedented situation right away.

In that moment, Meru’s eyelids, right in front of me, began to lift slowly.

“…Ngh… Kiminaga…?”

“…Yeah.”

“Morning…”

Both of us, fresh from sleep, spoke in flat, groggy voices.

For a while, we just stared into each other’s eyes, savoring the lingering haze of sleep.

Mitsuba wasn’t kidding—up close, Meru’s face was beautiful. Long lashes, deep, clear eyes… I could stare forever and not get bored.

More than anything, despite being this close, I didn’t feel any unease.

Maybe Meru and I are just compatible. Normally, having someone this deep in your personal space would make you restless or tense—it’s only natural. Even with my little sister, it was like that at first. But with Meru, it’s different. Why? The answer lies in our conversation before we fell asleep.

We’re similar in how we live.

Both of us just grind away at what we can do, no matter how stubborn it makes us.

“…”

Our noses brushed.

Her faint breath slipped into my slightly parted lips.

I kept gazing into Meru’s eyes.

In a dreamy, half-asleep state, I watched her face draw closer, like it was happening to someone else.

And then.

Something soft, beyond just her breath, grazed my lips—

“—Ah.”

In that instant, a spark lit up in Meru’s eyes.

She pulled back, staring at my face for a moment, then hesitantly touched her lips with her fingers.

Watching her, my consciousness finally surfaced from the dreamlike fog.

Just now—

“…S-Sorry.”

Her voice was hoarse.

Her face flushed like a sunset.

Meru spoke with those soft lips.

“I… kinda just did it.”

…Did it.

Did it?

Not just almost?

“…R-Right.”

Still reeling, I managed to choke out, “Guess… it happens.”

“Yeah… I guess.”

Was it because we just woke up?

I had no idea what I was even saying.

But one thing was clear: the air between us was insanely awkward.

It was already evening outside.

Feels like we wasted a whole day. In terms of awake time, it’s no different from waking up in the morning, but still.

“…I’m starving…”

“Breakfast… no, dinner? Gotta prep something.”

Stifling a yawn, I left the room with Meru.

Sleeping in my clothes felt gross. I don’t have spares here, so I’ll need to head home to change. Kinda annoying… Breakfast? Dinner? What should I make?

Lost in scattered thoughts, I headed downstairs to the living room with Meru trailing behind.

And then.

Ranka, Chinana, and Kikuri were staring at us, utterly gobsmacked.

“…Both of you, coming out of the same room…”

“…Both of you with bedhead…”

‘…Both of you looking all disheveled…’

Realizing what they meant, Meru and I glanced at each other.

““Oh.””

This is bad, we both thought.

Before I could come up with an excuse, Ranka and Chinana rushed toward us.

“You finally did it, huh?! You’re banned! This time, you’re done!”

“Was it the boobs?! Was it the big boobs that won you over, senpai?!”

‘Red rice?! Are we cooking red rice tonight?!’

It took a long time to explain the situation to the erupting Ranka, teary-eyed Chinana, and Kikuri, whose avatar was wildly swaying side to side.

I fell asleep during studying, and Meru ended up sleeping too—that’s all that happened. But for some reason, explaining it made me feel guilty the whole time.

Despite all that, studying went smoothly after.

Meru stopped oversleeping or skimping on sleep and started coming to school after class for my lessons. Seems she’s starting to trust me a bit.

Once that happened, just like I predicted, avoiding a failing grade was a piece of cake.

In fact—

“…85, 81, 88, 91, 79…”

I stared at Meru’s answer sheets, groaning in disbelief.

“You’re straight-up in the top tier of the grade…”

“Ugh… I could’ve aimed higher.”

“Spoken like a true genius!”

This time, I definitely didn’t screw it up.

If this girl had been taking classes seriously all along… and if she were in my grade… my spot at the top of the class might’ve been in serious jeopardy.

“What kind of brain do you have…? To think how much effort it took me to get grades like these…”

“Hey, Shikimi.”

“Yeah… Wait, what?”

“Can I call you by your first name?”

“Uh… Weren’t you already doing that?”

Why bring it up now? I mean—

“You’re already dropping honorifics with someone older than you, and now you wanna go full first-name basis?”

“Is that a problem?”

“Gimme a reason, at least.”

“Just felt like it.”

Meru tilted her head slightly with a soft clunk.

…Coming from the girl who stole a kiss for the same reason, those words carried some weight.