Chapter 6 | “British Beauties in Elegant Furisode”

“—Once again, Happy New Year,” Charl said softly, her voice warm and earnest. “I may be inadequate, but please take care of me this year as well.”

We had just returned to our room after arriving home when Charl suddenly knelt in a formal seiza position, offering her greeting with a gentle smile. Though we’d already exchanged New Year’s wishes in the car, her unexpected formality caught me off guard, leaving me flustered. I quickly tucked Emma-chan into bed, straightened my posture, and cleared my throat.

“Likewise,” I replied, bowing deeply. “I may cause you plenty of trouble, but please take care of me this year too.”

As I slowly raised my face, my eyes met Charl’s—and in an instant, she leapt into my arms.

“Hehe… my first indulgence of the year,” she giggled, her childlike smile radiant as she rubbed her cheek against me, as if she’d been holding back all this time.

“Then this must be the first head pat of the year, right?” I said, wrapping my arms around her and gently stroking her hair. These moments, shared only when no one else was watching, were pure joy, filling me with a quiet happiness. I could stay like this forever.

But—

“May I come in?” came a voice, accompanied by three sharp knocks. Kaguya-san’s tone was calm but carried her usual authority.

It was rare for her to visit our room at this hour. “Yes, please,” I called, reluctantly letting go of Charl.

“Pardon the intrusion,” Kaguya-san said as she stepped inside, holding four small envelopes in her hands, neatly arranged in two pairs of matching designs. “As you two, with your keen perception, may have already deduced, these are New Year’s money, entrusted to me by the young lady and President Bennett.”

“New Year’s money…” I echoed, surprised. It was a standard tradition, but I hadn’t expected them to prepare some for not just Charl but me as well. A flicker of doubt crossed my mind—was it even appropriate for me to accept this?

“You mustn’t refuse the kindness of others,” Kaguya-san said sharply, her gaze piercing as if she’d read my hesitation instantly.

“Um…” I hesitated, glancing at Charl, who seemed equally puzzled. “I can understand Sophia-san, to an extent, but why would Kanon-san, a fellow student, prepare this…?”

Kanon-san should be the one receiving New Year’s money, not giving it out. The thought of accepting it felt wrong, and Charl nodded vigorously in agreement. Honestly, it was also odd that Sophia-san, who supposedly didn’t follow this tradition, had prepared some too.

“There’s a saying in this world: fuss over the details, and you lose,” Kaguya-san replied, her tone implying we should drop the questions and accept the gift. It was rare for her to dodge like this, and though curiosity gnawed at me, the intensity in her eyes suggested further probing might not end well.

“Thank you very much…” I muttered, succumbing to the pressure. Charl followed suit, clearly deciding that questioning Kaguya-san further was futile.

“And this is from me,” Kaguya-san added, presenting two more envelopes.

“Eh, New Year’s money from Kaguya-san!?” I exclaimed, unable to hide my shock. Her sharp glare made me shake my head frantically, signaling it was nothing.

“Then you’ll accept it, yes?” she pressed.

“Y-Yes, thank you very much…” I stammered, accepting the envelopes quietly. New Year’s money from Kaguya-san was unprecedented, and I couldn’t shake the feeling there might be a catch. Why give it to me, not just Charl? What was going on?

“I considered giving some to Emma-sama as well,” Kaguya-san continued, “but Sophia-sama requested we refrain until she’s in elementary school.”

That explained why she’d chosen this moment, with Emma-chan asleep. Since Emma-chan couldn’t handle money yet, Sophia-san likely wanted to avoid any complications.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave,” Kaguya-san said. “Please call me when Kenny-sama arrives, as I have some business to attend to.” With that, she slipped out of the room as quietly as she’d entered.

“New Year’s money…” Charl murmured, gazing curiously at the three envelopes in her hands. “This is my first time receiving it.”

She likely knew of the custom from manga or anime, but back in her country, she’d never experienced it.

“Shall we open them?” I suggested.

“Yes,” she agreed, and we both checked the contents. Sophia-san and Kaguya-san’s envelopes contained 10,000 yen each—generous but within the normal range for high schoolers. Kanon-san’s, however, was noticeably bulkier.

“U-Um, A-kun…?” Charl’s voice trembled as she held up the contents of Kanon-san’s envelope: 100,000 yen. “Shouldn’t we return this…?”

Of course, it was Kanon-san’s, her name scrawled on the back. Only she would do something this extravagant.

“Even if we try, she won’t take it back,” I said with a sigh. “It’s better not to worry about it.”

If Kanon-san were the type to accept returns, she wouldn’t have given such an amount to begin with. For Charl, who spent freely on cosplay and doujinshi, it might be fine, but she still seemed troubled by the sum. Despite being an ojou-sama, her sensibilities were remarkably grounded—likely thanks to Sophia-san’s upbringing.

“Just the other day, Kanon-onee-san gave me a ton of presents too…” Charl added, probably referring to the day I met Livi, when Kanon-san had taken her out.

I realized I hadn’t asked what she’d received. Before I could, Charl gasped. “Ah, I need to make zoni…!”

She stood abruptly, remembering her task. The osechi had been crafted by a top chef hired by the Himeragi conglomerate, but Charl was in charge of the zoni. Feeling I’d missed my chance to ask, I scooped up the sleeping Emma-chan and headed downstairs.

“—Happy New Year!” Livi’s cheerful voice rang out a little later as she burst through the door, brimming with her usual energy.

“Happy New Year,” I replied, smiling. “Let’s get along this year too.”

“Mhm!” she chirped. Since Charl was busy preparing zoni, I greeted Livi with Emma-chan, who had just woken up, nestled in my arms.

“Take care~!” Livi said, grinning at the sight of Emma-chan. “As always, Emma’s being carried by Akihito, huh?”

“Mhm!” Emma-chan nodded proudly, as if it were an achievement.

“The zoni will be ready soon,” I told Livi. “Go sit at the kotatsu and wait.”

“Thanks, I’ll do that!” she replied, bounding inside. She called out a New Year’s greeting to Charl in the kitchen before settling into the kotatsu. I returned to my spot, waiting for the zoni to be finished.

When it was ready, Kaguya-san brought out an extravagant osechi, and we all ate together, the table filled with laughter and warmth. But after the meal—

“Charlotte-sama, Emma-sama, Kenny-sama, please come this way,” Kaguya-san said, her tone leaving no room for argument as she ushered the three away.

Left alone, I found myself with nothing to do but wait quietly for their return. Emma-chan was the first to come back, her energy undimmed.

“Onii-chan, look, look…!” she exclaimed, twirling in a vibrant red furisode, as if dressed for a Shichi-Go-San ceremony. Her arms spread wide, she spun to show off the outfit, her movements like a fairy’s dance. My cheeks softened into a smile.

“You look super cute,” I said warmly.

“Mhm, hehe…!” Emma-chan beamed, rushing to hug me. The furisode might wrinkle, but she didn’t seem to care. I lifted her onto my lap just as Livi returned.

She wore a blue-based furisode that complemented her blonde hair perfectly, exuding an innocent charm that could captivate anyone. “Heh, what do you think?” she asked, carefully holding her sleeves to display them. “I look different, right?”

“It suits you,” I said, choosing my words carefully. “Looks good.”

“Eh, that’s it?” Livi pouted, clearly dissatisfied with my restrained praise. But as someone with a girlfriend, I had to be cautious—Charl’s ears were sharp, after all.

“What are you trying to make my boyfriend say?” came Charl’s voice, right on cue. She stepped out from behind Livi, radiant in a peach-colored furisode that perfectly matched her love for soft tones. Her elegance and cuteness blended into a beauty that stole my breath, like a celestial maiden gracing the modern world.

“Wow, that’s a blatantly different reaction,” Livi teased, noticing my gaze.

“Um… being stared at like that is a bit embarrassing…” Charl mumbled, her cheeks flushing as she fidgeted.

I couldn’t help it—seeing her in a furisode, so rare and ridiculously cute, made it impossible to look away. I wanted to hug her right then and there.

“Where did these furisode come from?” I asked, trying to shift focus.

“Kanon-san prepared them,” Charl explained. “There were a lot, and she let us choose.”

That explained the delay. Knowing Kanon-san, she’d likely provided a mountain of furisode for them to pick from. Since Livi was only slightly taller than Charl, she’d probably chosen from the same selection.

“They’ve prepared clothes for you too, A-kun,” Charl added. “Please go to Kaguya-san.”

“Eh, I’m good,” I protested. “This is more comfortable.”

“You’d have to tell that to Kaguya-san directly…” Charl said with an awkward smile. If I could do that, I wouldn’t be in this situation. Rejecting Kanon-san’s kindness via Kaguya-san was a death sentence.

“Fine, I’ll go…” I sighed, valuing my life, and headed to Kaguya-san.

Unlike the girls, there was only one outfit for me: a refined black-based haori and hakama. It didn’t look bad at all. When I returned to the living room—

“““Oh…!”“” The three let out simultaneous gasps.

“Onii-chan, so cool…!” Emma-chan clapped, her eyes wide.

“A-kun, you look too wonderful…!” Charl said, blushing with sparkling eyes.

“Wow, that’s so nice…” Livi murmured, her gaze oddly envious.

Their stares left me flustered. “Everyone, we’re taking photos,” Kaguya-san announced from behind me. “Please line up.”

“Photos?” I asked.

“I need to send them to the young lady,” she replied. Kanon-san, ever the enthusiast for dressing others up, likely wanted to see the results of her efforts. It’d make a nice memory, so I didn’t mind.

“First, Akihito-sama and Emma-sama in the center, with Charlotte-sama and Kenny-sama on either side,” Kaguya-san directed. Holding Emma-chan in my arms, we stood against the wall as instructed. “Next, I’m sorry, but Kenny-sama, please step out for a moment—yes, that’s fine.”

This felt like a family photo, with Emma-chan as Charl’s and my child. “Now, just Akihito-sama and Charlotte-sama—oh no!? Emma-sama, please don’t cry! It’s just for a moment…!”

Emma-chan’s eyes welled up, thinking she was being left out, and Kaguya-san panicked—a rare sight. Surprisingly, she was weak to a little girl’s tears. Livi comforted Emma-chan and stepped aside, allowing us to snap a quick photo of just Charl and me. Then I stepped out, and Livi took my place.

“Onii-chan…” Emma-chan whimpered.

“It’s okay, Emma-chan,” I soothed, becoming her comforter. We continued taking photos, switching members, poses, and locations.

“I’ve uploaded all the photos,” Kaguya-san said, creating a chat group for easy sharing. Kanon-san’s name was there, and she marked them as read instantly, followed by a message: 《Everyone looks like they’re having fun…》 She must have wanted to join us. Since she’d made this moment possible, I sent a thank-you message with 《We’re waiting for your return》.

“So, what should we do?” I asked. “Anything you want to try?”

It was New Year’s, so hatsumode was an option, but the first day was too crowded. Something more festive would suit the kids better.

“Yes, yes! I want to try kite flying!” Livi exclaimed, raising her hand energetically.

Charl and I exchanged wry smiles—kite flying in furisode sounded tricky. “Emma too! Emma wants to do it!” Emma-chan chimed in, her excitement infectious, though she likely didn’t even know what kite flying was.

“Well, I bought a kite for Emma-chan anyway,” I said. “Let’s go to the park.”

“I’ll come along too,” Kaguya-san added.

“You can relax at home, you know,” I suggested.

“No, when you go out, I have a duty to protect,” she replied firmly. With Charl and the others likely to draw attention, her presence was reassuring. “Besides, I need to take photos of you all playing.”

She held up her smartphone, likely for Kanon-san’s benefit. I wondered if she ever got a break but decided to ask Kanon-san about it later.

“—Alright, this spot should do,” I said at the park, holding the kite downwind. Livi and Emma-chan stood upwind, ready to fly it, while Charl watched beside me. “Have either of you seen kite flying before?”

“No…!” Emma-chan shook her head vigorously.

“I’ve seen it on TV!” Livi answered, raising her right hand.

“Then let’s show a good example first,” I said. “Kaguya-san, could you do it?”

Since Emma-chan learned by watching, a clear demonstration would help. Kaguya-san nodded obediently and took the string from Livi. At my signal, she ran into the wind, and as the kite caught the breeze, I gently pushed it upward and let go.

“““Oh…!”“” Emma-chan and Livi clapped as the kite soared.

“Don’t just watch the kite,” I said. “Look at what Kaguya-san is doing.” She adjusted the string, running lightly or pulling to keep it taut, reading the wind expertly. If they didn’t observe, their attempts would fail quickly.

The two focused intently on Kaguya-san, their obedient gazes making her seem slightly uncomfortable. “Those two really are alike, aren’t they?” I whispered to Charl.

“Hehe, they really are,” she replied, and we shared a quiet smile.

Livi and Emma-chan took turns, stumbling at first but quickly learning to fly the kite cleanly, their laughter filling the air.

◆◆◆

“Emma really falls asleep fast, huh?” Livi remarked on the way home, noticing Emma-chan dozing in my arms after hours of kite flying.

“She doesn’t have much stamina,” Charl said with an exasperated smile. “Or maybe A-kun’s arms are just too comfy.”

I doubted my arms were that special, but since Emma-chan often slept in them, her body might associate them with rest. “As expected of Lottie, who’s always being held by Akihito, you know all about it, huh?” Livi teased with a mischievous grin.

“—!? Please, stop with that kind of teasing…!” Charl flushed, reacting as predictably as ever. Her earnest, shy nature made her an easy target, and Livi couldn’t resist.

“You’re not denying it, huh?” Livi pressed.

“~~~~~~! Livi…!” Charl’s face turned crimson as she flailed, her reaction only confirming Livi’s point.

“There, there, let’s calm down,” I said, patting Charl’s head carefully while holding Emma-chan. Getting worked up wouldn’t win against Livi’s teasing.

“A-kun, Livi’s being mean…!” Charl whined, clinging to me for support—a rare move outside of Sophia-san’s presence.

“Livi, warm teasing is fine, but if it goes too far, it’s just harassment,” I said gently. “Keep it in check, okay?”

Realizing she’d overstepped, Livi looked sheepish. “Well… yeah. Sorry, I got a bit jealous and was mean.”

Livi’s honesty shone through as she apologized. She might feel lonely that her childhood friend had a boyfriend or jealous of Charl’s relationship. Her playful jabs likely stemmed from finally overcoming any awkwardness with Charl, though she’d gotten carried away.

“I’ll take her,” Kaguya-san said suddenly, taking Emma-chan from my arms. With my hands free, I intertwined my fingers with Charl’s in a lover’s hold. The simple gesture cheered her up, and she rested her head on my shoulder, content. I patted her head again, easing her frustrations, while Livi watched with a hint of envy.

◆◆◆

“Next, let’s do hanetsuki!” Livi suggested when we got home, Charl now back to her usual self. Hanetsuki, in this case, meant two players facing off with hagoita paddles, hitting a shuttlecock back and forth.

“If it’s hanetsuki, let’s play in the garden,” I said. “I don’t know the detailed rules, so how about the first to drop it five times loses?” I’d bought the set for Emma-chan, but since this wasn’t formal, I prioritized fun over strict rules.

“Sounds good!” Livi agreed. “Since it’s a match, let’s make it so the loser gets a penalty game!”

Charl’s face soured. “I don’t want to…” she muttered, glancing at me. “I’m guaranteed to lose, and I don’t want ink smeared on my face…”

Livi seemed athletic, so Charl might indeed fare poorly. “Hmm, but playing just with Akihito wouldn’t be fun…” Livi said, trying to coax her. “How about a different penalty?”

A simpler penalty might convince Charl, but what would work? Embarrassing ones were likely off the table given her personality.

“Ah…!” Charl’s face lit up. “Then, let’s make it so the loser has to cosplay!”

Cosplay wasn’t a penalty for Charl, which was probably why she suggested it. “No way, that’s embarrassing…!” Livi protested, shaking her head. “Besides, it’s not a penalty for Lottie…!”

I agreed—it wasn’t a punishment for Charl. But for me, it beat ink, assuming I didn’t lose. “Then, let’s take a majority vote!” Charl declared. “Livi and I have decided, so it’s up to A-kun’s opinion, right?”

“Eh, that’s unfair…!” Livi groaned, knowing I’d side with Charl.

“Well, I guess cosplay,” I said, confirming her fears.

“Invalid! This is invalid!” Livi shook her head vigorously.

Charl narrowed her eyes, a sly smile curling her lips. “Just win, then. Or are you not confident?”

“—!? I’m totally confident, I’ll win everything…!” Livi snapped, taking the bait. Charl’s mischievous side had emerged—she’d been holding a grudge from earlier, despite her calm facade. I’d felt her subtle retaliation before, so I knew to tread carefully.

“So, who’s going first?” I asked.

“Me and Lottie!” Livi declared, pointing at Charl. “I’ll definitely beat her!”

The result seemed predictable, but I silently cheered for Charl. “No hitting it too hard,” I warned, acting as referee. “We don’t want it going out of the garden.”

Charl missed the shuttlecock on her second or third hit, and Livi won 5-0. “Heh, total victory…!” Livi crowed, her spirits soaring.

Charl, however, looked happy—likely excited about cosplaying. For her, getting Livi to play was the real win. “I’ll go change,” she said with a beaming smile, though her glance at me felt like a warning: “Don’t you dare lose.”

“Alright, I’m on a roll!” Livi said. “I’ll crush you too, Akihito!”

“Go easy on me, okay?” I replied, and our match began.

I won 5-2. “Ugh, I lost…” Livi groaned.

“Ugh… I don’t want to cosplay!” she whined, teary-eyed.

“You don’t have to hate it that much…” I said with a wry smile.

“But it’s embarrassing to be seen by a boy! I’m a girl too, you know!?” she protested.

Was she misunderstanding what cosplay entailed? “Charl said she’d lend you some of her clothes,” I offered, trying to reassure her. “So it should be fine, right?”

“That’s exactly why I don’t want to…!” she cried, my words somehow making it worse.

“—Sorry to keep you waiting…” Charl said, returning at that moment. She’d likely struggled to change out of her furisode. My eyes widened—she stood there as a silver-haired China girl, dressed in a black cheongsam with two white bun hair accessories. A large slit on one side revealed her white thighs with every movement, both provocative and enchanting.

“Hehe, what do you think…?” she asked, looking up at me shyly.

“Huh…? It’s normal…” Livi said, tilting her head, clearly having misunderstood cosplay.

“A-kun?” Charl prompted, peering at me when I didn’t respond immediately.

“Ah, yeah, it’s really cute—or rather, it’s… really good,” I stammered, caught off guard. She smiled and stepped closer, showing off the cheongsam. It was exactly my type, and I made a mental note to ask her to wear it again.

“You had a cheongsam too?” I asked.

“Kanon-onee-san bought it for my birthday,” Charl explained. “She knew I love cosplay and got me a ton of costumes.”

I silently thanked Kanon-san. No wonder Charl’s cosplay collection had grown, like on Christmas Eve. “By the way, Livi, you lost, right?” Charl said, turning to her friend with a radiant smile. “Kaguya-san’s waiting inside, so pick something you like, okay?”

“Ugh, fine…” Livi muttered, slumping as she headed inside. “Anything’s okay, right…?”

“Yes, as long as it’s a cosplay outfit,” Charl replied. “Oh, and don’t forget to let Kaguya-san take a photo.”

“The penalty’s getting worse!?” Livi yelped.

“Kanon-onee-san wants to see, so it can’t be helped,” Charl said with a shrug.

“Ugh, that’s harsh…” Livi groaned, disappearing into the house.

“A-kun, do you like cheongsams?” Charl asked, her tone innocent but her eyes sharp.

“Eh? Uh, well, yeah, I guess,” I admitted, scratching my cheek shyly. For a fleeting moment, her expression shifted to a sly smile, as if she’d noted something valuable. “Then, shall we continue?” she said, back to her usual self, holding the hagoita.

Was it my imagination? Shaking off the thought, I played hanetsuki with her. I won quickly, and we sat to wait for Livi.

“—A-kun, your gaze has been on my thighs this whole time, hasn’t it?” Charl said suddenly, her tone teasing.

“Eh, has it!?” I panicked, caught red-handed.

“I’ve always felt your eyes on my legs…” she continued, her cheeks slightly flushed, her breathing quick. “A-kun, you like legs, don’t you?”

Her uncharacteristic boldness threw me off, her sadistic demeanor making my heart race. “Well?” she pressed, leaning closer.

“That’s…” I stammered, averting my gaze, just as Livi returned.

“S-Sorry to keep you waiting…” she said, saving me.

“Just a bit more…” Charl muttered, slumping in disappointment.

Relieved, I turned to Livi, who fidgeted shyly in a mini-skirt policewoman outfit. Her blushing, eyes-closed demeanor made it hard to know where to look. “You don’t have to be shy, Livi,” Charl said. “It’s cute.”

“I’m not used to this, so it’s embarrassing…” Livi mumbled.

The tables had turned—Charl, usually the teased, now made Livi blush, though she likely wasn’t teasing intentionally, just enjoying the cosplay. “So, Lottie lost again…?” Livi asked, giving Charl a half-lidded stare.

“Yes, so I’ll go change again…♪” Charl replied, humming as she headed inside.

“Ugh, she’s so into it…” Livi groaned. “This penalty is totally unfair…”

“Well, it can’t be helped,” I said. “Aren’t you cold?” Her outfit left her thighs and arms exposed.

“Of course I’m cold…!” she exclaimed.

I played Livi next, and she, distracted by her short skirt and chilled by the cold, moved poorly. I won 5-0. “Akihito, that’s too harsh…!” she whined.

“I mean, I held back quite a bit…” I said, having aimed for easy spots.

“Here’s the next one♪ Time for an injection…♪” Charl returned, now in a white angel—a nurse cosplay. Her gentle demeanor in the nurse outfit, paired with a cute, devilish smile, was overwhelming. Her thighs, prominently displayed, knew exactly how to capture attention.

“Why don’t you two just do this without me…!?” Livi cried, tearing up as Charl reveled in her cosplay and I couldn’t look away. She likely felt left out.

“No way, you lost, so you have to take the penalty,” Charl said firmly.

“Lottie’s a demon! A devil!” Livi exclaimed.

“Oh, maybe a little devil cosplay next?” Charl teased.

“That’s not what I meant!?” Livi protested, heading to change again.

From then on, I kept winning. Livi appeared in a bunny girl outfit, muttering, “Just laugh already…” Charl returned as a “little devil-chan♪” in a black bikini with horns, wings, and a tail, playfully saying, “Gonna eat you up?” Livi, trying to lean into it, wore a maid outfit, shyly calling me “Master.” Charl donned a mini-skirt office lady suit with fake glasses, chirping, “Don’t doze off at work, okay?” Finally, Livi, out of cosplay options, wore Charl’s summer school uniform, pleading, “I can’t anymore…! Please forgive me…!”

The hanetsuki—or rather, cosplay fashion show—was thoroughly entertaining. “—Lottie’s fine, she’s got Akihito as her boyfriend…!” Livi said tearfully when it ended, scolding Charl. “But I had to show off a ton of cosplay to a guy who’s not even my boyfriend…!?”

Charl, aware she’d gotten carried away, brushed it off with a satisfied smile. “But the uniform was good, right?” she asked. “It’s a cute design.”

“Well… yeah…” Livi admitted, looking away. “I did think I’d like to wear it again…”

Charl had likely pushed for the uniform as the finale. “There are still tons of cosplay outfits,” she added. “We didn’t wear any anime character ones today, so let me know if you want to try them!”

“I’ll never say it!!” Livi shot back.

“Hehe,” Charl giggled.

Watching their playful bickering, I felt a warm glow inside, content to see their friendship shining through.