Chapter 3

“…It’s ridiculously hard to sleep.”

I must’ve drifted off at some point, but the sunlight slipping through the gap in the curtains jolted me awake. Reona and Riona were still fast asleep, their bodies pressed against mine as always, sandwiching me with an overwhelming closeness.

Careful not to disturb their peaceful slumber, I eased myself upright. That’s when I noticed something utterly shocking.

“Eh!?”

To my disbelief, Reona, sleeping beside me, was in nothing but her underwear. A closer look revealed her pajamas discarded in a heap on the floor beneath the bed. My startled exclamation must’ve roused them, as both girls stirred, slowly sitting up.

“Ngh… So noisy,” Reona grumbled. “What’s the deal first thing in the morning?”

“Let me sleep more…” Riona mumbled, her voice heavy with drowsiness.

“No, no, I’d like an explanation for why Reona’s in her underwear,” I said, pointing at the obvious issue.

“…Onee-chan has a habit of stripping off her pajamas in her sleep,” Riona explained matter-of-factly.

“Yup, been doing it forever,” Reona added with a shrug.

While Reona radiated morning energy, Riona looked barely awake, her eyes half-lidded. She’s probably just not a morning person, I figured.

“W-Well, for now, put your pajamas back on,” I urged, trying to steer the situation back to normal.

“But you saw both Riona and me naked in the bath yesterday,” Reona teased, unfazed. “Isn’t underwear kinda no big deal now?”

“That’s not the issue here!” I shot back, flustered.

As Reona and I bickered, Riona had already begun dozing off again, her head nodding slightly. Both of them were so absurdly carefree. After waiting for Riona to fully wake, we went through our morning routines, and Reona spoke up.

“It’s Saturday, so how about we skip the study session?”

“Yeah, that’s fine by me,” I agreed.

I’d been feeling guilty about monopolizing their weekends, so I was about to suggest the same. With final exams starting a week from Monday, they probably wanted to spend this weekend doing whatever they pleased.

“What’s the plan now?” I asked.

“I wanna go shopping for a change,” Reona said brightly.

“Cool, sounds good,” Riona chimed in, finally seeming more awake.

So, Reona and Riona were headed shopping. The two of them would probably look like they stepped out of a magazine, casually browsing stores. “Have fun,” I said, ready to let them go.

“Oh, forgot to mention, but you’re coming too, Ryouya-kun,” Reona added with a grin.

“I don’t really need to go, do I?” I protested.

“Neither Onee-chan nor I are cold enough to leave you out like that,” Riona said, her tone firm.

“I’m not thinking I’m being left out or anything,” I clarified, not wanting to intrude on their sisterly bonding time. But they wouldn’t take no for an answer, and I found myself roped into joining them. Looks like I’m stuck with them until they’re satisfied, I thought with a sigh.

We left the house, hopped on a bus and then a train, and arrived at Tokyo Inclusion Square, a sprawling commercial complex in Odaiba.

“Wanna grab something to eat first? We haven’t had breakfast yet,” Reona suggested.

“Sure. Got any recommendations?” I asked.

“There’s a place I wanna try,” Riona said.

“Then let’s go where Riona wants,” Reona decided.

“Got it, let’s do it,” I agreed.

With our destination set, we started walking. If Riona picked it, it’s probably some ultra-stylish spot, I thought, already picturing a place far too trendy for me. Sure enough, when we arrived, the café oozed chic vibes—so much so that a Mob Character B like me felt entirely out of place.

“…I hate to say this after you brought me here, but can we maybe go somewhere else?” I ventured.

“Why?” Riona asked, tilting her head.

“Look, it’s full of couples,” I said, gesturing at the sea of lovey-dovey pairs. “We’re gonna stick out like sore thumbs.”

“Then how about the three of us pretend to be a couple?” Reona suggested, her mischievous grin widening.

“No way!” I sputtered. “Three of us as a couple? That’d make me look like some sleaze two-timing both of you!”

“Both Riona and I think it’s pure love, though,” Reona countered playfully.

“So it’s not two-timing,” Riona added, deadpan.

“That makes it even worse…” I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose.

I tried to dissuade them, but their stubborn expressions made it clear they wouldn’t budge. Reluctantly, we entered the café and were led to our seats. As expected, the place was packed with couples, and I already wanted to bolt.

“Riona and I will treat you here,” Reona declared.

“Nah, I’d feel bad making you two pay. I’m good,” I said, waving off the offer. Besides, letting girls treat me felt kind of scummy. If anything, shouldn’t I be the one treating them, since they’ve been making me bentos and tutoring me?

“We haven’t even begun to repay you for saving our lives, Ryouya,” Reona said earnestly. “So let Onee-chan and me treat you.”

“Girls wanna look cool sometimes too, y’know,” Riona added with a small smirk.

“…Alright, if you insist, I’ll let you treat me,” I relented. Reona’s words about wanting to look cool struck a chord. If I were in their shoes, I’d probably feel the same.

“Thanks,” Reona said. “Oh, just to check, it’s okay if Riona and I order what we want, right?”

“You’re the ones paying, so I don’t see why you can’t order whatever you like,” I replied, puzzled by the question. It’s not like I’d care what they ordered. But after we placed our order, the reason for their caution became painfully clear.

“Three hot coffees and one couple’s parfait, please,” Riona said calmly to the waitress.

“Oi!?” I yelped, unable to contain my shock.

I hadn’t expected her to order the limited-time couple’s parfait—completely out of nowhere. Even the waitress looked taken aback. “I’m sorry, but that menu item is for couples only…” she said hesitantly.

“We’re a couple, so I think we meet the requirements,” Reona replied smoothly.

“…Oh, I see. You’re dating one of the two ladies. My apologies,” the waitress said, nodding in understanding.

But then Riona dropped a bombshell. “No, both Onee-chan and I are dating Ryouya.”

““Eh!?”” The waitress and I shouted in unison.

Sure, they’d joked about pretending to be a couple when we entered, but I never thought they’d actually go through with it. The waitress froze, clearly struggling to process this, but eventually rebooted. “Three people as a couple is a bit…”

“The menu says it’s for couples, but it doesn’t say three people aren’t allowed, right?” Reona pressed, her tone teasing but firm.

“Well, that’s true, but…” The waitress faltered, visibly troubled.

Even I wouldn’t buy such a ridiculous claim. But then, Reona and Riona stood, moved to sit on either side of me, and linked their arms with mine.

“We’re seriously dating as a trio,” Reona declared with a straight face.

“We even had a 3P last night,” Riona added, her voice flat. “Want us to tell you about the foreplay to pillow talk?”

At that, the waitress finally caved. She scribbled the order on the ticket and fled to the back, her face flushed.

“I’m so excited for the couple’s parfait,” Reona said, practically bouncing in her seat.

“Yeah, wonder what it tastes like,” Riona mused, her tone calm as ever.

“…You guys are so over the top, I can’t even keep up with the retorts,” I muttered, slumping in my seat. Watching Reona and Riona chat excitedly, I could only shake my head. Soon after, the hot coffees and couple’s parfait arrived, and I braced myself for whatever chaos would follow.

Needless to say, no one else was ordering a couple’s parfait for three, so we stood out like a sore thumb. Barely thirty minutes into our visit to Tokyo Inclusion Square, and I was already itching to go home. As I wallowed in that thought, Riona scooped a bit of parfait with her spoon and held it toward my mouth.

“Ryouya, say ‘ahh,’” she said, her tone teasing.

“No, I can eat it myself,” I protested, feeling my face heat up.

“C’mon, let’s do the ‘ahh’ thing,” Reona chimed in, leaning closer.

“I said I’m fine,” I insisted, trying to hold my ground.

But Reona and Riona were relentless, their eyes glinting with mischief as they pushed the spoon closer. Then they dropped something even more outrageous.

“Oh, maybe Ryouya-kun would prefer us to feed him mouth-to-mouth?” Reona suggested, her grin downright devilish.

“If that’s what Ryouya wants, we’ll do it just for you,” Riona added, her voice deceptively calm.

“Oi, wait! How’d it come to that!?” I yelped, nearly falling out of my seat as Riona leaned in, parfait actually in her mouth.

‘Ahh’ was already mortifying—mouth-to-mouth was absolutely out of the question. “Riona, don’t actually try it!” I shouted, waving her off.

“So, mouth-to-mouth or ‘ahh,’ which one’s better?” Reona asked, smirking. “We’ll let you choose, Ryouya-kun.”

“I don’t want either…” I muttered, slumping in defeat.

“You tried to lie about not being a virgin to me and Onee-chan yesterday, so you don’t get a say,” Riona said, her tone unrelenting.

“…Fine, ‘ahh,’” I grumbled, giving in.

Being fed by Reona and Riona while the entire café stared was so humiliating I thought I’d combust. Each spoonful felt like a public execution, their giggles only making it worse.

After escaping the café, we wandered through Tokyo Inclusion Square’s sprawling complex. With its massive floor space, just exploring it all could take hours.

“By the way, summer break starts right after finals, right?” Reona asked as we strolled.

“Yeah, assuming I don’t flunk anything,” I replied, half-joking.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you don’t get any failing grades,” Riona said, her expression serious.

“Yup, I’ll support you too, Ryouya-kun,” Reona added with a nod.

Their determined looks gave me a spark of hope. “Thanks,” I said, resolving to do my best to avoid failing grades. “I’ll hold up my end too.”

“So, Ryouya-kun, got any plans for summer break?” Reona asked, tilting her head.

“Hmm, nothing in particular so far,” I admitted.

“Really?” Riona pressed, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, seriously, my schedule’s wide open,” I said confidently. They’re probably planning to have a blast with friends, while I’ll likely just laze around at home.

“So Ryouya’s free the whole time,” Riona noted, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.

“I had a feeling you’d be a loner, Ryouya-kun,” Reona teased, her eyes sparkling.

“You two are ruthless,” I sighed, feigning offense. “If you keep bullying me, even I might cry.”

I’m not into getting picked on, just so we’re clear. But their laughter only grew louder.

“Since you’re so pitiful, Ryouya-kun, Riona and I will hang out with you as a special treat,” Reona declared, her tone mock-generous.

“Now you’ve got summer plans too, Ryouya,” Riona added.

“So, when are we hanging out?” I asked, wanting to check in case family plans popped up. Double-booking would be a pain.

“Every single day of summer break, obviously,” Reona said casually.

“…Eh!?” I shouted, my jaw dropping.

Summer break’s like four weeks long—every day was way too much, wasn’t it? “What, you don’t want to?” Riona asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

“N-No, it’s not that I don’t want to, but what about your plans? Don’t you have stuff lined up with friends?” I stammered. There’s no way they’d drag me into a group of their outgoing friends—I’d probably keel over from the pressure.

“Oh, we’ll just cancel all of that, so it’s fine,” Reona said, waving a hand dismissively.

“No, no, is that really necessary?” I asked, incredulous.

“You’re our top priority, Ryouya,” Riona said, her gaze unwavering.

Their dead-serious expressions left no room for doubt. Reona and Riona were genuinely committed, and I couldn’t help but feel a mix of gratitude and disbelief. “So, let’s make this summer break awesome together,” Reona said, her voice brimming with excitement.

“I wanna make tons of memories,” Riona added softly.

“…Seriously?” I muttered, still processing it all. Just like that, my entire summer break was booked. If I told my past self I’d be spending summer with beautiful twin sisters, he’d laugh in my face. With that thought, we continued shopping for a while.

“Oh, let’s hit up that arcade over there,” Reona suggested, pointing ahead.

“I’m in. I’m kinda bored of just shopping,” I agreed.

“I’m with Ryouya and Onee-chan,” Riona said, nodding.

The three of us headed to the arcade floor, a lively space packed with people of all ages, from elementary kids to adults. We started at a claw machine, but Reona suddenly froze, her eyes locked on a prize.

“…Ugh, so frustrating. One more try,” she muttered, feeding another coin into the machine.

“Hey, maybe give up? If you haven’t gotten it after all this, it’s probably not happening,” I suggested. She’d already spent about three thousand yen.

“No way, I’m definitely getting it,” Reona snapped, her determination unwavering.

“Once Onee-chan gets like this, she’s stubborn as a mule,” Riona said, leaning closer to me.

“Got it. So Reona’s the type who never gives up,” I said, nodding.

“Yup, so we just have to wait until she’s satisfied,” Riona replied with a sigh.

Who knows how long that’ll take, I thought, watching Reona’s intense focus. Then I noticed a parent and kid at a nearby machine, aiming for the same prize. Another victim, I figured, but they nabbed it in just five tries.

“…I see, so that’s how you do it,” I murmured, catching the trick. As Reona reached for another hundred-yen coin, I stepped up. “Hey, mind if I give it a shot?”

“Did you figure out how to get it?” she asked, eyeing me skeptically.

“Not sure if it’ll work, but…” I said, inserting a coin and maneuvering the claw.

Reona had been trying to lift the prize, but I used the arm to nudge it bit by bit off the two bars it rested on. I shifted it until it was half-hanging, then pressed down with the arm from above. After a few careful repetitions, I pushed it through the gap, and it dropped into the chute.

“Yes, got it!” I exclaimed, pumping a fist.

“Ryouya-kun, you’re amazing!” Reona cried, her excitement bubbling over as she hugged me tightly from behind.

“H-Hey, your chest is touching me!?” I stammered, my face burning.

“It’s your reward for winning,” she teased, squeezing tighter.

“That makes it even worse!” I protested, acutely aware of the soft sensation against my back. My lower half was starting to react, and I was in serious danger of them noticing.

“Onee-chan, Ryouya’s in trouble, so maybe let him go?” Riona said, her tone calm but pointed.

“Alright, I’ll let you off this time,” Reona said, releasing me with a grin.

“Why does it feel like I’m being punished!?” I groaned, trying to regain my composure.

“But you were happy about it, right?” she asked, her eyes gleaming.

“…Well, yeah,” I admitted reluctantly, and Reona’s grin widened. After that, we dove into classic arcade games—shooters, air hockey, the works.

“Wanna try this next?” Reona asked, pointing to a punching machine.

“This doesn’t exactly feel like a game for girls,” I said, raising an eyebrow.

“Onee-chan and I sometimes play it to blow off steam,” Riona explained.

I could maybe see Reona doing it, but Riona? That was a shock. While I processed that, Riona inserted a coin, slipped on the gloves, and slammed her fist into the sandbag at the center.

“Feels so refreshing,” she said, stepping back.

“Whoa, that’s a pretty good score,” I said, glancing at the screen. Her score was slightly above the mixed-gender average posted on the wall—impressive for a woman.

“Alright, my turn!” Reona declared, her enthusiasm infectious.

“Go for it, Onee-chan!” Riona cheered.

“Watch me, you two!” Reona said, donning the gloves. She took a deep breath, then smashed the sandbag with perfect form and explosive force.

“Hmm, not quite what I wanted,” she said, frowning at the screen.

“No way, that’s an insane score!” I exclaimed. Her score rivaled the fifth spot on the leaderboard. Honestly, if I ever got into a fight with Reona, I’d be toast.

“Ryouya, you should try it,” Reona urged. “It’ll definitely feel great.”

“I’ve never done this before. Think I can pull it off?” I asked, hesitant.

“You’ll be fine,” she said. “Just don’t overthink it and hit the sandbag as hard as you can.”

I took the gloves from Reona, did a few quick stretches, and threw a punch at the machine. The score flashed on the screen—below average. Disappointing, but not surprising for a first try.

“This is way harder than I thought…” I muttered, staring at the punching machine’s disappointing score.

“If you fix your punching form, I bet your score would go up,” Riona said, her tone analytical.

“Then, as a special treat, we’ll teach you the proper form, Ryouya-kun,” Reona added with a mischievous grin.

“Oi!?” I yelped as Reona and Riona pressed themselves against me from behind, their hands guiding my arms and shoulders. They started explaining the stance, but with their chests pressed so close, my brain short-circuited.

“Keep your shoulders about this wide, hold your arms like this, and your feet…” Reona paused, tilting her head. “Hey, Ryouya-kun, are you even listening?”

“You look totally spaced out,” Riona observed, her voice calm but teasing.

“O-Of course I’m listening!” I stammered, though it was a blatant lie. The soft pressure against my back made it impossible to focus on a single word. Needless to say, none of their instructions stuck, and I was pretty sure they knew it, teasing me on purpose. My second attempt barely improved, but Reona and Riona seemed oddly satisfied, their smiles suggesting they’d gotten the reaction they wanted.

“Next, I wanna take purikura together,” Reona announced, already moving toward a photo booth.

“Purikura, huh? I’ve actually never done that,” I admitted, scratching the back of my neck.

“Then we’ll be the ones to take your purikura virginity, Ryouya-kun,” Reona said with a playful wink.

“…Don’t just casually say ‘virginity.’ It’s startling,” I muttered, feeling my face heat up.

“Sorry, sorry!” she laughed, not sounding sorry at all.

Despite my hesitation, Reona and Riona’s enthusiasm was infectious, and I couldn’t say no. We piled into the purikura booth, where they operated the machine like seasoned pros, navigating to the photo-taking screen in seconds. As the countdown for the first shot began, I started to strike the designated pose—only for Reona and Riona to suddenly hug me from both sides.

“H-Hey!?” I sputtered, caught completely off guard.

The shutter clicked at that exact moment, capturing my stunned expression. I tried to shake them off, but they clung tightly, their laughter echoing in the booth. All five shots ended up with me sandwiched between them, my face a mix of shock and embarrassment.

“Ryouya-kun, your face is hilarious!” Reona giggled, scrolling through the photos.

“That’s a super rare expression,” Riona added, her lips twitching with amusement.

“Anyone would make this face if they got hugged out of nowhere!” I protested, shooting them a glare. But they just brushed it off, already engrossed in editing the photos, enlarging eyes and doodling with the stylus.

“Hey, is it really necessary to make the eyes that big? I don’t quite get it,” I said, watching them work.

“What? But that’s the whole point of purikura!” Reona exclaimed.

“It’s totally normal for girls,” Riona agreed.

“…You’re both already super pretty, so I think you’re fine as is,” I muttered, voicing my thoughts without thinking.

Reona and Riona froze, their faces turning bright red. “W-What’re you saying all of a sudden!?” Reona stammered, fanning her cheeks.

“…That kind of sneak attack isn’t fair,” Riona murmured, looking away.

“S-Sorry, I didn’t think you’d hear me,” I said, flustered. The arcade’s noise should’ve drowned me out, but apparently not.

“If Ryouya-kun says that, maybe we’ll skip the eye edits,” Reona said, still blushing.

“We’ll stick to doodles this time,” Riona added quietly.

With their faces still flushed, they focused on doodling, adding hearts and stars around the photos. When the time limit hit, we stepped out of the booth.

“Here’s your share, Ryouya-kun,” Reona said, handing me my cut-out purikura.

“Thanks… By the way, what are you two doing with yours?” I asked, curious.

“We’re gonna stick them on stuff,” Reona said, already peeling off the backing.

“Yeah, purikura’s meant to be displayed,” Riona agreed, pressing one onto her phone case.

As they slapped the purikura onto notebooks, phone cases, and other belongings, I felt a wave of panic. “…I get that it’s your choice to stick them wherever, but can you at least put them somewhere less conspicuous?”

“Huh? Why?” Reona asked, tilting her head.

“Because it’s a purikura of you two hugging me! It’s obviously embarrassing,” I said, my voice rising. Even a normal purikura would be bad enough, but one where I’m being hugged? That’s a social death sentence.

“Onee-chan and I are fine with it,” Riona said, unfazed.

“Yup, so let’s show it off to everyone,” Reona added, grinning.

“No, no, even if you’re okay with it, I’m not even a little okay!” I retorted, but their expressions made it clear they wouldn’t budge. Realizing further argument was futile, I sighed and gave up.

“Alright, let’s get back to shopping. Where to next?” I asked, ready to move on.

“I wanna look at new underwear,” Reona said casually. “I want Ryouya to pick some out.”

“Sounds good, let’s do it,” Riona agreed, nodding.

“No way, that’s not okay at all!” I shouted, my face burning. “Don’t just casually throw out crazy requests like that!”

The thought of standing in the women’s lingerie section, picking out underwear while getting weird looks, was too much. After some back-and-forth, we left the arcade and resumed shopping, but I ended up being dragged around for over half a day, my protests ignored.

◇

Six days had passed since Reona and Riona started staying over, and now we were on the eve of final exams. Tests began the following Monday, and the classroom buzzed with a tense, restless energy.

Since our trip to Tokyo Inclusion Square the previous Saturday, Riona had been tutoring me relentlessly, and we planned to spend nearly the entire weekend studying. Thanks to her, I’d caught up significantly on the material I’d missed during my hospital stay. If I kept this up, I was confident I could avoid failing grades.

“If it weren’t for you, Riona, my summer break would’ve been cut short for sure,” I said sincerely. “Seriously, thank you.”

“Nice to get praised by Ryouya-kun,” Riona replied, a small, pleased smile curving her lips.

“I’m happy to help Ryouya,” Reona added, her tone warm.

Riona’s subtle smile might go unnoticed by most, who’d call her expressionless, but she was just less outwardly emotive—she definitely had emotions. Lately, I’d started picking up on her subtle cues, bit by bit. Reona, her identical twin, could read her like an open book.

“Oh, hey, how about we throw a party after the tests?” Reona suggested, her eyes lighting up.

“I’m with Onee-chan,” Riona agreed.

“Isn’t that getting a bit ahead of ourselves?” I said, raising an eyebrow. We hadn’t even taken the tests yet.

Reona grinned playfully. “Having something fun to look forward to after will boost our motivation, don’t you think?”

“Huh, that actually makes sense,” I admitted. She was right—knowing a fun party awaited could definitely fire us up. But if I failed, it’d all be for nothing.

“Then it’s settled. We’ll figure out the details later,” Reona declared.

“Cool, got it,” I said.

“That works,” Riona added.

“I’m already excited!” Reona said, practically bouncing.

We rose from the steps we’d been sitting on, heading back to the classroom. “I’m gonna hit the bathroom before going back,” I said, stepping away.

“Alright, we’ll head in first,” Reona replied.

“See you later, Ryouya,” Riona said, waving slightly.

Truth be told, I didn’t need the bathroom—it was just an excuse to avoid walking back with Reona and Riona and fueling more classroom whispers. Not that it’d stop the gossip entirely; I’d been standing out way too much lately.

The closer I got to Reona and Riona, the more resentment seemed to simmer around me. They didn’t mean any harm, so brushing them off felt wrong, but if this kept up, something bad might happen. I couldn’t think of any good solutions, though. Mulling it over, I returned to the classroom a bit later, only to stumble into an unexpected problem.

“Huh? I can’t find my English textbook…”

Back in the classroom after the bathroom, I rummaged through my bag for English class after lunch, only to realize my textbook was missing. “…Did I forget it?” I muttered, a sinking feeling settling in. I vaguely recalled pulling it out last night while prepping—had I left it at home? Panic crept up as I realized the mess I was in.

As a loner, I had no friends to borrow from. I’d always been meticulous about this, but it seemed I’d finally slipped up. Without a textbook, I was screwed for class. “This is bad. What do I do…?” I mumbled, weighing my options. Confessing to the teacher might tank my grades, and with my hospitalization already setting me back, I couldn’t afford more losses. As I spiraled alone, Reona’s voice cut through my thoughts.

“Hey, Ryouya-kun, you look worried. Something up?” she asked, her tone casual but concerned.

“…I think I forgot my English textbook,” I admitted, shoulders slumping.

“Got anyone you can borrow from?” she asked.

“As if a loner like me has friends who’d lend me one,” I said, the truth stinging despite my attempt at a wry smile.

Reona nodded, unfazed. “Got it. Want me to borrow Riona’s for you? Her class had English this morning, so she should have hers.”

“Seriously!?” I said, hope flaring. “I’m in deep trouble, so can you please?”

“No prob. Wait here. I’ll run to Riona’s class and grab it,” she said, already heading out.

In that moment, Reona was nothing short of a goddess. Our classmates noticed our exchange, some shooting annoyed glances my way. The ones who resented my closeness with Reona were always like this, so I brushed it off. I was just relieved it was the English textbook I’d forgotten. If it’d been my gym clothes for sixth period, I’d be doomed—Riona and I were similar in height, but borrowing hers was obviously not an option. Our PE teacher was a stickler, and forgetting gym clothes would earn me a brutal lecture.

Reona soon returned, textbook in hand. “Here you go. Got it from Riona. Just return it after school.”

“Thanks, you’re a lifesaver,” I said, gratitude flooding me.

“No biggie. Make sure to thank Riona too,” she replied with a bright smile, heading back to her seat.

The bell rang, and class began. Riona’s textbook was meticulously marked with colorful highlighters, making it a breeze to follow. This must be how she stays at the top of the class, I thought, though I doubted mimicking her would get me to first place—Riona was just that good. Fifth period ended, and with only sixth period PE left, I felt a flicker of relief. We’d been playing volleyball since last week, but during a practice match, I got distracted and jammed my finger hard while tossing the ball.

Wincing, I headed to the nurse’s office, only to spot a familiar face at the entrance. “Ryouya, what’s wrong?” Riona asked, her voice calm.

“I jammed my finger pretty bad playing volleyball in PE,” I said, holding up my hand. “What about you?”

“I pricked my finger with a needle during home ec sewing class, so I came to get disinfectant and a bandage,” she replied, showing me her slightly red index finger.

I hadn’t pegged Riona for the type to make such a mistake, which caught me off guard. We entered the nurse’s office, but it was empty. “Looks like the nurse isn’t here,” I said, scanning the room.

“Maybe they’re off on an errand or something,” Riona suggested.

“No idea when they’ll be back, so let’s just help ourselves to first aid,” I said, rummaging through the shelves for athletic tape and a bandage.

“Ryouya, hold out your finger. I’ll tape it for you,” Riona offered.

“Nah, I can do it myself,” I said, waving her off.

“I want to do it for you. Is that okay?” she asked, her steady gaze making it impossible to refuse.

I relented, letting her tape my finger. As she worked, I voiced a thought. “I always thought you were perfect at everything, Riona, but even you make mistakes like that, huh?”

“I’m actually pretty clumsy,” she admitted, her tone matter-of-fact.

“Huh, really? That’s kinda surprising,” I said, raising an eyebrow.

“Onee-chan’s way better at keeping it together,” she added.

She finished taping my finger with quick, precise movements, clearly practiced. “Alright, your turn now,” I said.

“Sure, though it’s just sticking on a bandage,” she replied.

I gently took her slender, pale hand and placed a bandage on her index finger, trying to ignore how the contact made my pulse quicken. I’d keep that to myself. “Since we’re here, wanna rest on the bed for a bit?” Riona suggested, her tone teasing.

“That’s way too dramatic for a jammed finger, so I’ll pass,” I said, shaking my head.

“If we got in bed together right now, it’d be a memory you’d never forget,” she said, her eyes glinting mischievously.

“No way, that’s totally off-limits!” I retorted, my voice rising. Two students in the nurse’s bed? That was straight out of an ero-manga—not real life.

“Thanks for the great reaction,” Riona said, a faint smirk betraying her cool expression, like a kid who’d pulled off a prank.

“…You were totally toying with my guy instincts,” I grumbled.

“I can’t get ahead of Onee-chan like that,” she said, her tone playful yet cryptic.

We parted ways, and I returned to the gym just as class was wrapping up. I helped with cleanup, changed in the locker room, and headed back to the classroom, only to be hit by a strange, hostile atmosphere. Many classmates were glaring at me, their animosity palpable, but I had no clue why.

“Yagami, did you steal it?” Shirogane Misuzu, one of the popular girls, demanded, her voice sharp with fury.

“…Huh?” I blinked, caught off guard.

“I’m asking if you stole my wallet!” she snapped, her expression radiating anger.

“Hold on, I don’t even know why I’m being accused…” I said, confusion mounting.

“Everyone’s saying you’re suspicious. How do you explain that?” she pressed.

“Suspicious based on what exactly?” I asked, still lost.

A classmate chimed in. “You were the only one gone during PE, right? You probably stole it then.”

“He must’ve pretended to go to the nurse’s office to swipe it,” another added.

So that was it—leaving the gym made me the prime suspect. “I have an alibi,” I said, trying to explain. “I was with Riona in the nurse’s office.” But my words fell on deaf ears, my unpopularity making my defense worthless. Suspicion hardened into accusation, and I felt the weight of their assumptions closing in.

This was bad. I hadn’t done it, so no evidence would surface, but that didn’t prove my innocence. What started with a few accusers was spiraling, and soon the whole class might turn against me. Just as despair set in, Reona, absent until now, strode into the classroom.

“Huh? Why’s everyone so tense? Did something happen?” she asked, her voice calm but sharp.

“Listen, Reona, Yagami stole my wallet!” Shirogane-san exclaimed.

“Ryouya-kun? I can’t imagine him doing something like that,” Reona said, her tone steady.

Shirogane-san pressed on, undeterred. “The circumstantial evidence all points to Yagami as the only possible culprit!”

Reona’s eyes narrowed slightly. “…Here’s a question, Misuzu. Are you sure your wallet was stolen? Couldn’t you have put it somewhere different than usual?”

“There’s no way…!?” Shirogane-san faltered, then rummaged through her bag. She froze as she opened her hand pouch. “…It’s here.”

“See? Just like I said,” Reona said, her voice cool but triumphant.

Shirogane-san’s face flushed with embarrassment, and thanks to Reona, the misunderstanding dissolved, my innocence proven. I thought that’d be the end, but Reona wasn’t done. “So why were you all so quick to pin the blame on Ryouya-kun and push the narrative?” she asked, her presence overwhelming the room. Not a single classmate could meet her gaze, frozen like prey under a predator’s stare.

“No one’s answering? Fine, I’ll answer for you. You didn’t like that Ryouya-kun’s been getting close to me and Riona, right?” she said, her words cutting through the silence. Some classmates flinched, her accuracy undeniable. “While we’re at it, let me make one thing clear. The reason Riona and I got close to Ryouya-kun is because he risked his life to save us from a random attacker.”

“What, seriously!?” someone gasped, sparking murmurs, but Reona pressed on.

“That’s why Riona and I are incredibly grateful to him. If anyone tries to gang up on him like this again… you’ll be in for a world of pain,” she warned, her voice carrying a chilling intensity, like a demon of vengeance. The rest of the day’s homeroom felt like a funeral, our clueless teacher visibly baffled by the oppressive mood.

◇

The weekend blurred by, and final exams arrived. I’d studied hard with Reona and Riona, but nerves still gnawed at me. Maybe that’s why I woke up earlier than usual. “…Five a.m.? I’ll sleep more,” I muttered, glancing at the digital clock before drifting back off. I woke again, feeling oddly cramped. “Feels like my bed got smaller…” I mumbled, still groggy.

Noticing two large lumps under the blankets, I hesitated, then lifted the covers. As expected, Reona and Riona were sleeping there, casually invading my bed. “No way,” I groaned. This was the kind of thing that’d get you reported.

“Hey, wake up,” I said, shaking them gently.

“Morning, Ryouya-kun,” Reona mumbled, sitting up.

“…It’s morning already?” Riona said, her voice thick with sleep.

“So why are you two sleeping in my bed?” I asked, exasperated.

“Oh, we came to wake you up,” Reona said. “But you looked so cozy sleeping, we got sleepy too.”

“So Onee-chan and I decided to join you,” Riona added.

“That’s way too much!” I muttered, staring at Reona’s carefree grin and Riona’s half-lidded eyes. They climbed out of bed, and I immediately panicked. “Oi, hold on! Why are you both in your underwear!?”

“Because sleeping in our uniforms would wrinkle them,” Reona said, as if it were obvious.

“That’d look sloppy, so we took them off,” Riona added.

“Just put some clothes on already!” I shouted, the shock obliterating my sleepiness. How could they be so nonchalant in their underwear in front of a guy? Then I remembered them barging into the bath naked last time—maybe this was par for the course.

We headed to school, leaving early since it was exam day. “Once this is over, summer break’s right around the corner, so we gotta push through,” Reona said as we walked.

“Yeah, I just need to make sure I don’t fail anything,” I said.

“I taught you, so you won’t fail,” Riona said confidently.

“Yup, you’ll be fine,” Reona added.

We arrived at school, and I used the pre-homeroom time for last-minute review. The classroom buzzed with exam tension, but one thing stood out. “No one’s even making eye contact with me,” I muttered. “It’s definitely because of what happened last Friday.” My classmates were blatantly avoiding me, treating me like a curse to steer clear of. “Well, I’m a loner anyway, so it’s fine,” I told myself, focusing on my notes.

Morning homeroom began, our teacher addressing the class. “Good morning, everyone. As you know, today’s the first day of finals. Don’t give up and do your best until the end. Now for announcements…” After the briefing, we moved to our assigned seats by roll number. When the bell signaled the start, I zeroed in on the physics test, the problems feeling familiar thanks to Riona’s tutoring. The fifty-minute period flew by.

As I headed to the bathroom before the next test, Reona caught up with me. “Ryouya-kun, how was physics?”

“A lot of the problems were similar to what Riona taught me, so I feel pretty good about it,” I said, relieved.

“Nice! Keep it up for all your subjects,” she said, her smile warm before she rejoined her group.

In the end, I managed to avoid failing any subjects, though I wouldn’t know for sure until later.

◇

“Ryouya-kun, great job on the tests,” Reona said, raising her glass.

“You worked hard,” Riona added, her small smile genuine.

On the last day before summer break, after the closing ceremony, we were at a family restaurant near school, holding the celebratory party we’d planned. Ryouya had avoided failing any subjects, making our tutoring efforts worthwhile. “Thanks, you two. I would’ve been screwed without you, so you really saved me,” he said, his gratitude clear.

“I’m glad we could help, Ryouya-kun,” Reona replied, beaming.

“When Ryouya’s happy, I’m happy,” Riona said softly.

We chatted and ate, the mood light and carefree. There’d been some incidents before the tests, but for now, everything was settled. Those incidents, though, were our doing—Onee-chan and I had orchestrated them. We knew that an average guy like Ryouya hanging out with us so often would draw attention, the bad kind. Still, we deliberately walked to and from school together and made a point of talking to him in class, ensuring we stood out. As expected, resentment toward him grew.

By the way, Shirogane-san’s wallet mishap was Onee-chan’s handiwork. She subtly manipulated her to move her wallet from her backpack to her hand pouch, planting the idea of theft before PE. As planned, Shirogane-san caused a scene, and Ryouya was accused, cornered by the class. Why did we do something so cruel? To push Ryouya into a crisis, save him, and eliminate any nuisances. We knew he had feelings for us, and this incident only deepened them. After Onee-chan’s intimidation, no one dared approach him anymore.

“Now Ryouya belongs to just me and Onee-chan,” I murmured, my thoughts slipping out.

“…Hm? Did you say something?” Ryouya asked, tilting his head.

“Nothing, just talking to myself,” I said, brushing it off.

Reona smoothly changed the subject. “Anyway, what about summer break starting tomorrow? We’re planning to hang out every day, so we can do pretty much anything.”

“Right, you did say every day,” Ryouya said, a hint of disbelief in his voice. “You haven’t changed your minds, have you…?”

“Of course not!” Reona said, grinning.

“Yup, you’re stuck with us every day, Ryouya,” I added, my excitement bubbling.

The long summer break stretched ahead, and the three of us—Onee-chan, Ryouya, and I—were going to make countless memories together.