Chapter 15: Mashiro’s Marshmallow

We were still in my room, gaming side by side, just me and Toudou.

I stole a glance at the clock, careful not to let Toudou notice. Twelve-thirty. My parents or Akane could stir any moment now. Akane would be the real problem—our parents are downstairs in this two-family house, but her room’s on the same floor. If she wakes, there’s a good chance she’d run into Toudou when she leaves.

By the way, doesn’t it bug you how to tell a friend it’s time to go? It always gets me. It feels like I’m kicking them out, and the guilt stings. But sometimes I need my space, so I’m stuck in that awkward bind. My words come out all hesitant, and I end up hating myself for it. Naturally, I doubted this time would go any smoother.

“Toudou, aren’t you getting hungry?” I ventured.

“Huh? I’m fine. I skip lunch pretty often anyway.”

“But, come on, your parents will worry, right? If you don’t head home soon.”

“It’s still midday. It’s bright outside. I’m not a little kid,” she shot back, fixing me with a deadpan stare.

“You could just say it straight, Kuroki-kun. ‘It’s about time you head home.’ I get how you’re feeling.”

“…It’d help if you could head home soon.”

Toudou nodded, confident and unbothered. “Very well. I’ll head out then. I’m sure you’ve got your own stuff going on, Kuroki-kun.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

I absolutely didn’t want my family catching wind of this.

Toudou seemed to take it in stride, cheerful even. But then she dropped a bombshell. “So, I can come over again, right? Like after school on weekdays, or mornings on days off. And during summer break too.”

“…So that’s what this is about.”

The world works in mysterious ways—or maybe Toudou had me played from the start. She cut the conversation short, as if she already knew my answer, stretching in the chair with a lazy “Mmm.” The oversized white shirt under her hoodie clung to her frame, accentuating her chest. A faint outline, like a shadow puppet, flickered beneath, and I shot to my feet, flustered.

“Well, we can figure out next time later. For now, that’s fine, right?” I said, eager to wrap things up.

“Okay. Oh, and if it’s alright, can I use the bathroom?” Toudou asked.

“Huh? Oh… sure, go ahead.”

The bathroom. Meaning the toilet. Was it clean enough for Toudou Mashiro? Akane and I tidy the second floor whenever it needs it, but still…

A sudden unease gripped me. “Hang on a sec. I’ll go check a few things.”

“Okaaay. Sorry for the trouble,” Toudou replied, nodding as if it were no big deal. She pulled out her phone and started fiddling with it.

I left her in the room and hurried to the toilet. It’s a standard Western-style setup, replaced not long ago, so it’s fairly clean. No weird smells. The air freshener’s in place, and the deodorizing spray still has plenty left. I gave it a quick spritz for good measure. The sound? It’s far enough from my room that it shouldn’t carry—wait, why am I even thinking about this? Am I some kind of creep? My brain’s conjuring all sorts of weird scenarios. It’s just a toilet. Borrowing it is normal. Human.

Satisfied with the check, I spritzed the deodorizer one last time for no particular reason and headed back down the short hallway to my room.

“Go ahead and use it. Sorry for the wait—what?!” The moment I opened the door, my eyes widened in disbelief.

“Ah.” Toudou froze, caught red-handed, sitting on the floor with something in her grip.

“What are you doing?” I demanded, though it was painfully obvious.

Toudou Mashiro was clutching my middle school graduation album. It must’ve caught her eye, wedged in the bookshelf. I hadn’t thought much of it before, but now? I regretted not hiding it. That album was a window to my cringeworthy past, one I’d rather keep shut.

She thrust the album toward me, cover off, with a brazen “Ta-daa. I found this. I haven’t looked inside yet, but I can, right?”

“…No,” I said firmly.

Middle school me was insufferable—arrogant, acting like I knew it all. I thought throwing logic at people was the only way to be right. The sparse messages on the last page screamed my lack of friends. I was in the casual track and field club, but I was the loner who ran solo the whole time.

“Aww, come on. I waited because I thought you’d get mad if I looked without asking,” Toudou said.

“You were totally about to open it anyway,” I shot back. A few more minutes, and she’d have been flipping through it.

“No way,” she huffed, pouting.

I pointed outside the door. “Weren’t you going to the toilet? Hurry up and go.”

“The toilet can wait.”

“Don’t lie. You’ll have an accident, so go.”

“I-I won’t! What are you saying!” Her face flushed red.

Yeah, that was insensitive. I felt a twinge of guilt, but if I backed down now, she’d turn the tables. So I pressed on. “Anyway, give it back. And go to the toilet already.”

“Nooo, I wanna seeee,” Toudou whined, clutching the album to her chest and turning away. It squished against her, and something seemed to—wait, no, focus.

I took a step forward. “Give it back.”

“No, I wanna see. I’m curious about your middle school days, Kuroki-kun.”

“I’ll show you next time,” I said.

That was a lie, and she knew it.

“That’s definitely a lie,” she called out, seeing right through me.

Toudou stands up and tries to escape, but there’s no space in this small room. All she can do is hug the album even tighter. To take it from her, I’d have to reach out forcefully.

But it’s not that simple. Depending on how, my hand might touch somewhere weird. That’d be bad. But I can’t back down either. Because I don’t want her to see it.

“Don’t come closer… please forgive me…” Toudou said, her voice dripping with mock drama.

“Stop that, it’ll cause misunderstandings…” I scolded her, but I don’t stop approaching.

“Even if I see it, nothing will change, right?”

“Then there’s no problem if you don’t see it.”

I closed the gap, finally within arm’s reach. Toudou thrust out her left hand like a flimsy shield, but it was pointless.

“Hey! Wait, wait! Don’t come any closer, stop!”

“Quit with the weird phrasing.”

If she’d just hand it over, this would be over, but her stubborn grip led to this awkward tug-of-war, neither of us sure if we were pushing or pulling.

“Give it back already!”

“No! Nooo, ah, not thereee.”

“Don’t make weird noises! I’m not doing anything!”

“Hehe, just give up alreadyyy.”

“Quit messing around.”

I reached more forcefully, careful not to touch her body. But my stance was off, and Toudou’s dodge didn’t help.

“You should give up too, Kuroki-kun—wah!”

“Ah, hey!”

In that instant, time slowed down for me. Toudou lost her balance backward. She should’ve protected herself, but her right hand was holding the album. Her free left hand was extended behind her. If her weight fell on it, her arm might break.

I reach out to help. But I’d put myself in an awkward position too, so I couldn’t brace properly. I manage to get my arm around Toudou’s back, but we end up falling together.

A thud, and then silence.

I stared at the floor. Toudou must be staring at the ceiling. Our bodies overlapped, the album wedged between our stomachs. My arm was pinned under her soft frame. Her breathing, close and rapid, wasn’t my imagination. Neither was her body heat. If I moved my face even slightly, this would spiral into something wild.

I couldn’t move. and I couldn’t speak. Her fragrance brushed my nose, tickling it with a faint, pleasant scent. It smells nice… My head’s spinning.

“…S-sorry, are you okay, Kuroki-kun…?”

“I’m fine. What about you, Toudou? You’re not hurt, are you?”

“Ah, yeah… no, I’m okay.” Her words faltered, trailing off into an awkward silence. A flicker of doubt crossed my mind—maybe she was hurt somewhere.

“Are you really okay?” I pressed, shifting to sit up. Toudou’s face was too close, too overwhelming, so I kept my gaze averted, bracing my free left hand to push myself upright.

“Ah!”

Toudou’s voice spiked, a high-pitched sound I wasn’t used to hearing. For a split second, I thought she was still teasing me, but no—it wasn’t that at all.

“…!”

A voiceless gasp escaped me. My mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out, only a cold sweat prickling my skin. This was absurd, utterly ridiculous.

I’d been the one fooling around all along.

My right arm was still pinned protectively beneath Toudou, trapped between her body and the bed. It was stiff, my focus entirely on ignoring the soft warmth pressed against it. But my left hand? I’d been so fixated on the right that I hadn’t noticed where it had landed. It rested in a warm, strangely soft spot with a hint of firmness beneath.

It was her chest. My left hand was squarely on Toudou’s chest.

“Ah, w-wah…”

It was over. What was I supposed to do? Panic surged through me, my mind a chaotic blur. My hand moved on its own, squeezing lightly before I could stop it.

Toudou let out a sharp cry. “Ah, no, you can’t…!”

“S-sorry! I’m so sorry! My body’s just—it’s not listening!” My hand was rigid, refusing to budge properly. It was unbelievable, but true—shock had apparently robbed me of basic motor control.

Toudou’s face blazed bright red, her eyes squeezed shut. “K-Kuroki-kun, for now, I’m not… bothered by it, so could you… please just… move?”

“O-okay! Got it!”

I was an idiot. I tried to sit up, but putting weight on my left hand was out of the question. So I shifted to my right, still pinned beneath Toudou’s body, and pushed despite the awkward angle. My arm bent unnaturally.

“Guah!” A dull pain shot through me. With no strength in my left hand and my right failing me, gravity won. I collapsed forward.

“Kyaa!?”

Unbelievably, I plunged face-first into Toudou’s body. But there was no pain—only an impossibly soft cushion breaking my fall.

Enough. I got it.

There was no such thing as a cushion on a human body. If there was, it could only be Toudou’s chest. My face was pressed against her other breast.

It was warm. No, that wasn’t the point.

It was soft. But that wasn’t it either.

It smelled terrifyingly good. This wasn’t the time for that.

It was over. Everything was over.

But the disaster wasn’t done yet.

The door creaked open. A new presence filled the room. A third party had arrived.

“Nii-nii, you’re so loud. You woke me up… Fuaah… Hm?”

Toudou and I, as if synchronized, slowly turned toward the sound. Beyond the open door stood my little sister, Akane, rubbing sleepy eyes. Her pajamas, printed with anime-style black cats, were almost comically ordinary in contrast to the scene.

But no matter how you sliced it, this situation was anything but normal. To Akane’s eyes, it must have looked damning: Toudou Mashiro sprawled on the bed, me looming over her, my left hand still at her back, my right still—mortifyingly—on her chest.

Yeah. I saw it now.

No matter how you looked at it, it seemed like I was assaulting Toudou.

“Akane, wait, let me explain…!”

“…Eh, eh, eh? Nii-nii, what are you doing? Who even is that girl? Why are you pinning her down!? Did you… did you trick some girl into your room!?”

“Don’t go jumping to conclusions like that!”

I knew it was inevitable she’d misunderstand. It was my fault. Still, I had to deny it.

Akane clapped a hand over her mouth. “Awawawawa, th-this is bad! Nii-nii’s gonna get arrested!”

“Calm down! It’s just a misunderstanding, so calm down!”

“I have to report this, for society’s sake! Um, is it 117!?”

“Don’t contribute to society like that! Wait, no, that’s the time signal!”

“H-hello, um! Eh? For real? Waah, it’s already past noon, I overslept. The time signal is handy—wait, no it’s not!”

Akane raises her hand holding the smartphone and pulls off a splendid self-tsukkomi routine.

Is this girl doing it on purpose? No, her mind is sharp, but she’s my sister. When she panics, her energy goes haywire—it’s probably a Kuroki family trait. Meaning, it’s normal.

＊

The storm had passed, yet the ship remained adrift, far from safe harbor. The captain, Kuroki You, was still navigating treacherous waters. My crisis still hadn’t ended.

Akane lounged on my bed, claiming it like a throne. Toudou sat primly in my chair, while I, the supposed master of this room, knelt on the hard floor.

Akane let out an exaggerated sigh. “Nii-nii, I’m disappointed in you. Kneel there forever.”

“I explained everything, didn’t I?” I protested, my voice tinged with exasperation. I’d taken the time to lay out my entire relationship with Toudou, and this was the thanks I got?

Akane shook her head dramatically, then turned her gaze to Toudou. “Even so, for such a cute onee-san to show up in Nii-nii’s room… I thought she was your girlfriend, but the rank difference is just way too huge.”

“No, that’s not true…” Toudou murmured, her fingers combing through her hair in a shy gesture. She should’ve been used to compliments by now, but her reaction was oddly endearing.

Toudou’s eyes flicked toward me, catching the puzzled look I must’ve been giving her. Her brow furrowed slightly, and her lips moved in a way only I could see, forming words I couldn’t quite catch. Kuroki-kun’s an idiot…—something like that, probably. Harsh, but mutual. Or maybe not quite the same. Either way, being called an idiot stung, and I was sure there was more to her silent message, but it slipped past me.

“Huuuh…?” Akane’s gaze darted between me and Toudou, her head tilting repeatedly. “Even so, Onee-san, I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere… Have we met before?”

Toudou shook her head gently. “Probably the first time, I think… Is it okay if I call you ‘Akane-chan’?”

“Yes, that’s fine. I’m Kuroki Akane. My foolish brother is always causing you trouble.”

“Hey, why’s it a given that I’m the one causing trouble?” I tried to interject, but Akane’s sideways glare silenced me, my words lodging in my throat.

Toudou bowed her head politely. “I’m Toudou Mashiro. Nice to meet you, Akane-chan.”

At that, Akane’s brow creased, not from displeasure but as if a memory was tugging at her. “Toudou Mashiro-san… right. Nice to meet you too.” She straightened, hands neatly overlapped near her knees, and returned a polite bow. Despite her petite frame and gamer habits, Akane carried herself with the poise of someone attending a prestigious girls’ middle school. She was probably putting on her refined act, the one she used to mask her usual blunt, stream-of-consciousness streaming persona.

I couldn’t let her outshine me. Swallowing my earlier hesitation, I spoke up. “I’m not causing any trouble. In fact, I’m the one looking after Toudou.”

Akane’s glare sharpened. “Nii-nii, be quiet. Your perverted actions haven’t been forgiven.”

“I’m sorry…” I mumbled, deflating.

Perhaps taking pity on me, Toudou offered a lifeline. “But, it was partly because I got a bit carried away too… It’s not just Kuroki-kun’s fault…”

“Right!?” I latched onto her words, desperate for backup. It had happened because I’d reached out too forcefully to grab the graduation album, causing her to fall, which led to me pinning her down, my hand landing on her chest, and—worst of all—my face plunging into it. Guilty as charged.

Seeing my probably ghostly pale face, Akane let out a small, exasperated breath. “In that situation, there’s absolutely no way Mashiro-san is at fault. Still, thank you for forgiving my brother.”

She paused, murmuring softly, “Toudou Mashiro…?” as if dissecting the name for clues.

Without waiting for a response, she pressed on. “Um, it feels like we’ve met once or… maybe not. Somehow, the name Toudou Mashiro sounds familiar…?”

Toudou shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

“Akane, that’s enough,” I cut in. “For now, release me. This conversation’s over.” If our voices carried downstairs and our parents got involved, this would spiral into an uncontrollable hellscape.

Akane crossed her arms, tilting her neck stubbornly, clearly unwilling to let it go. Toudou exhaled a soft “fuu,” easing the tension. The small room felt stifling with three people, and perhaps sensing the heat, she fanned her chest lightly with her hand. Casually, she uncapped the pet bottle of tea she’d brought, brought it to her lips, and drank. Her throat moved in a way that was oddly captivating, drawing both my and Akane’s attention.

Toudou tilted her head, still sipping, then noticed our stares. She slowly lowered the bottle, capped it, and blushed. “Don’t stare so much…”

“Ah, sorry…” I muttered.

Beside me, Akane let out a piercing shriek. “Aaaaaaaaaah!?”

Her polished “lady mode” shattered instantly. Pointing rudely at Toudou, she shot to her feet. “I-I got it! That just now made me remember! Toudou Mashiro! You’re—you’re a celebrity, right!? Hey! Nii-nii, you know, she was in that drink commercial, right!? That soft drink one! The one that went super viral! You know it!? Nii-nii!?”

I knew. I’d looked it up ages ago.

“Calm down, Akane,” I said, watching her flail with a frantic “Awawawawa, a-a celebrity…!?” Somehow, seeing her lose it like that reassured me—she really was my blood-related sister.