Prologue
My consciousness slowly surfaces, and I gently open my eyelids.
A pristine white ceiling comes into view. The ceiling of the Mizuki household. Having spent over two weeks in this room since the start of summer vacation, staying overnight, it’s become all too familiar.
“Hm?”
I sense something in the bedding. It feels like someone is curled up sleeping near my stomach…
Thinking of a cat, I lift the covers, and as expected, an adorable little girl has slipped inside.
Her soft, suu, suu breathing is so cute it calms the heart just to hear it. …It’s Nonoa-chan. The younger sister of the cool-type idol Rinka Mizuki, Nonoa Mizuki. A pure and innocent first-grader. Her tiny twin-tails accentuate her childlike charm.
Right now, she’s curled up like a real cat, snuggling against my side as she sleeps.
“Hey, Nonoa-chan.”
“…Mmm?”
When I gently shake her shoulder, she drowsily opens her eyes and looks at my face. A soft, childlike smile spreads across her face.
“Ah, Kazuto-oniichan. Morning… ehehe.”
“…”
Is that a smile leaking out on its own? She’s so adorable she reminds me of an angel.
No, she is an angel. …Just to be clear, I’m not a lolicon.
Finding something cute and thinking it’s cute is just a natural human emotion…!
“Nonoa-chan, what’s up? Why’d you crawl into my bedding…?”
Surprised by this first-time occurrence, I ask.
Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Nonoa-chan says in a small voice, “Mmm… I came to wake Kazuto-oniichan…”
“You came to wake me but fell asleep instead?”
“Yup.”
So cute. Was Rinka like this when she was younger…?
I can’t quite picture it, but I stand up with Nonoa-chan.
“By the way, where’s Rinka?”
“Haven’t seen her since morning…”
“I see. Maybe she already left.”
A popular idol probably doesn’t have the luxury of a leisurely morning.
Basically, Rinka comes home late and leaves early. She seems to lead a busy life.
“Kazuto-oniichan, hug!”
“Alright.”
I gently lift Nonoa-chan, who’s raising her arms and begging for a hug. Still sleepy, she rests her head on my chest, breathing deeply. This kid is so weak in the mornings.
Smiling warmly at Nonoa-chan’s presence, I start to leave the room—when a chill runs down my spine.
I immediately turn around and notice the closet door is slightly ajar. Just barely.
It’s open just enough to peek outside…
“What do I do? I feel some kind of presence…!”
There’s definitely someone there. I won’t say who, but someone’s definitely there.
Cautiously stepping forward, I reach the closet and swallow hard.
After setting Nonoa-chan down, I crouch and slowly open the door—only to find a woman with long hair and cloudy, glass-like eyes sitting cross-legged, staring right at me—!
“Uwaaah, Rinka!!”
“It’s like you’re reacting to being attacked by a ghost.”
“Why are you in the closet…?!”
I knew it… I knew someone was there…! But it still freaked me out.
Miss Popular Cool-Type Idol, what are you doing? Seriously.
“Didn’t you say it, Kazuto?”
“Me? I don’t remember saying anything.”
“You said you didn’t want me in your bedding… That’s what you said.”
“Ah…”
I did say that the other day. Rinka sneaks into my bedding every night while I’m asleep.
And she clings to me. Being clung to by a popular idol who’s also the girl I like is thrilling, but… my rationality has a problem with it. Obviously. I’m a teenage guy in the prime of puberty; one wrong move, and the wall of rationality could crumble. Even if I’m the mightiest warrior who’s stood against countless foes to protect my comrades… (Talking about the online game here).
Well, we’re lovers, and Rinka thinks of us as a married couple, so crossing that line wouldn’t be… I’ve thought about it for a split second. The issue is that Rinka is strangely pure. She thinks of us as a married couple but gets flustered by anything sexual. Yet she still clings to me.
Despite being a cool-type idol, she’s innocently childlike in these matters. It’s like being teased to death. If I lost control, it could cause problems if her parents found out.
Though, thinking about it, they’d probably be pretty lenient.
Kasumi-san even seems to encourage it…
Anyway, now’s not a good time with Rinka being so busy.
I want to cherish the time we spend together as a couple.
So the other day, before my rationality got obliterated, I asked her not to get into my bedding.
“If I can’t get into your bedding… then I have no choice but to go into the closet, right?”
“S-Seriously, I don’t get it! What’s the point of being in the closet…?!”
“To feel your breathing and presence through this door… hehe.”
“W-Wait, you didn’t stay up all night—?”
Rinka, with a dark smile in the pitch-black closet. She’s scary. She must be exhausted from her idol activities. But then I quickly realize—this is just Rinka’s normal behavior.
“That’s harsh, Kazuto. Forcing us to sleep in separate rooms when we’re a married couple living together…”
“We’re not married, we’re lovers. And your family’s here, right? Sleeping in the same bedding is a bit…”
“I see. So if it’s just the two of us, you’d sleep with me, right?”
“…Uh, well… maybe?”
Rinka’s so bold about it that I’m the one getting embarrassed.
I do make moves on Rinka sometimes (rarely), but I’m usually the one being swept along.
“Hey, Kazuto-oniichan. Me too?”
“Huh?”
“If Rinka-oneechan and Kazuto-oniichan move out, I wanna go too!”
“No way. Nonoa, you have to stay in this house.”
“No!”
Nonoa-chan pouts and turns her face away from Rinka. Her childish gesture is adorable.
Ziiiip. Rinka’s piercing, half-lidded stare stabs into my cheek.
“What, Rinka…?”
“You two are really close, huh. Always together.”
“Well, we’ve been playing together every day since summer vacation started…”
“I want to be hugged by Kazuto, sleep with him every night, and be endlessly doted on…”
“H-Hey.”
“Of course, the reverse is fine too. I’d love to pamper a baby Kazuto in all sorts of ways.”
“What specific ways—never mind, forget it.”
“Oh, do you have a preference for rattles? And maybe a pacifier—”
“I said forget it! You’re totally treating me like a baby!”
“…And I want to play the online game with Kazuto… That’s my honest, unfiltered truth.”
The playful atmosphere vanishes, and Rinka lets out her true feelings in a small voice.
As a busy popular idol, Rinka doesn’t have time to play the online game right now.
While I’m wondering how to encourage her, Nonoa-chan tugs at my sleeve.
“Kazuto-oniichan, stay in this house forever.”
“Yup. I’ll be here the whole summer vacation.”
“Mmm… okay.”
Nonoa-chan looks down, replying sadly. It’s the exact same conversation we had when I first came to this house. And the cool-type idol watching us—
“I’m jealous… I’m jealous of Nonoa. I want to be a carefree kid too.”
Muttering that, she stares at Nonoa-chan, sucking on her finger…
Would the world believe this is the real Rinka?
The cool-type idol rumored at school to hate guys and called cold-hearted by some.
☆
“I didn’t see her this morning, and she was in the closet? My little sister’s terrifying~”
Kasumi-san, sitting across from me, says in a relaxed tone.
Despite calling it terrifying, she’s clearly used to it, showing no sign of being shaken.
“It really shocked me. I’d rather she just got into my bedding.”
“Just keep your voice down if she does.”
“What do you mean…?”
Kasumi-san gives me a light, refreshing smile, looking amused…!
In the living room are me, Kasumi-san, and Nonoa-chan, who’s glued to the TV.
Rinka’s apparently in her room getting ready to leave. Her parents are out.
“Lately, it’s not just Rinka; Nonoa’s been super attached to Kazuto-kun too. Always going ‘Kazuto-oniichan, Kazuto-oniichan.’”
“Right now, Im losing to the TV, though.”
I glance at Nonoa-chan, glued to the TV. She’s watching some anime excitedly, stretching both arms toward the ceiling. Maybe mimicking a pose.
On the TV, an idol-like girl is waving a stick around, transforming into a magical girl. The art style suggests it’s aimed at young girls. Probably has some older fans too.
“Sorry, I need to use the bathroom…”
I stand up with a clatter—and Nonoa-chan whips around to look at me.
Before I can process it, she runs over and pulls my arm down hard. When I sit back down obediently, she nods with a satisfied “Mhm.”
“Uh, Nonoa-chan?”
“No! Kazuto-oniichan, stay here.”
“Huh…?”
With that, she goes back to the TV. …Why?
“She just wants you in the same space, doesn’t she?”
“Is that it…?”
“Did you say something to Nonoa? Like something that’d make her feel lonely, or that you’ll be apart soon?”
“I did say I’d only be here for the summer vacation.”
“Hmm, that’s probably it.”
Kasumi-san crosses her arms, nodding repeatedly as if convinced.
I’m glad Nonoa-chan misses me, but right now, I’m about to burst.
“Nonoa really likes you, Kazuto-kun. At home, outside, it’s always ‘Kazuto-oniichan, Kazuto-oniichan’… She might turn into a brighter version of Rinka… gulp.”
“…”
Seeing Kasumi-san shudder, a cold wind blows through my heart.
But being so loved by an angel is a good thing, right?!
Even so, thinking of Rinka’s mother, I shudder at the power of the Mizuki family blood.
“A-Alright, my bladder’s at its limit, so I’m going to the bathroom.”
I carefully stand up without making a sound, checking on Nonoa-chan, who’s engrossed in the TV, and slip out of the living room. Rushing to the bathroom, I successfully relieve myself, wash my hands, and step out of the washroom.
“Oh, Kazuto.”
Rinka, apparently done getting ready in her room, comes out of the living room. The large shoulder bag slung over her shoulder suggests she won’t be back for a while.
While I was in the bathroom, Rinka must’ve said goodbye to Nonoa-chan and Kasumi-san.
“Heading out already?”
“Yes. It’ll be a while before we see each other again.”
“Four days away… right?”
“I’m a bit anxious this time. It’s not a Star☆Mines event; I’ll be staying alone.”
Talking with a stern-faced Rinka, we walk together to the entrance.
Even among Star☆Mines, Rinka’s at her peak and getting more solo jobs. That’s amazing… Meanwhile, I’m just playing online games or hanging out with Nonoa-chan.
“I’ll miss you so much… really, so much.”
At the entrance, Rinka puts on her shoes, reluctant to part.
“Four days will pass quickly.”
“No, it won’t. A single day without seeing you feels like eternal suffering. We’re a married couple; being torn apart from the one you love is the most painful thing in the world.”
“Y-Yeah…!”
I’ll miss her too, but it’s not that dramatic.
It’s within normal emotions—more like, “I’ll miss you, Rinka, do your best!”
“Since we won’t see each other for a while, I want to feel your presence strongly…”
“I’ll call you when you seem free.”
“Thank you. But that’s not… that’s not what I mean.”
Her fragile eyes seem to say, Why don’t you understand?
Then I notice her glancing at my lips.
“Oh, uh, that’s what you mean…”
“My husband’s always so dense at times like this.”
“Not husband, boyfriend—whatever. Doing it now feels kinda embarrassing…”
“You did it before, didn’t you? You initiated it.”
“That was a sneak attack, so I could pull it off. When I’m prepared, it’s pretty embarrassing.”
“What’s there to be embarrassed about? We’re a married couple who got married in an online game where our true selves come out… There’s no need to be shy about a kiss.”
“Says the one whose face is bright red.”
“—!”
Rinka quickly covers her flushed cheeks with both hands. So cute.
I check to make sure Nonoa-chan isn’t behind me. Nervously, I face Rinka. Sensing the shift in mood, Rinka tenses her shoulders, preparing herself.
…Doing it in such a calm atmosphere makes me more nervous.
I place my hands on Rinka’s shoulders—when I feel a gaze from below. I look down.
There’s Nonoa-chan, looking up at us with sparkling eyes…!
“She’s already here!”
“Hey, are you gonna kiss?”
“No, this is—!”
“Awesome! Hurry, hurry!”
“…How long have you been there?”
“Since Rinka-oneechan was putting on her shoes.”
She’s been here for a while… I didn’t notice at all.
“Nonoa, even if you’re a kid, you shouldn’t interrupt a married couple.”
“Am I in the way? Sniff.”
“Ugh… No adult can win against a child’s purity…”
Seeing Nonoa-chan’s teary eyes, Rinka raises a white flag, unable to scold her further.
The cool-type idol, seen as strict by the world, is a bit soft on her sister.
“Kazuto, I have something to give you before I leave.”
Rinka pulls out a Kazuto-kun doll-like object from her shoulder bag.
It’s an adorable, chibi-style doll of Rinka.
“Uh, what’s this?”
“I made it so my husband won’t cry from loneliness. Are you happy?”
“…”
“You’re not happy?”
“N-No, I’m happy! Really happy!”
“Good. I’m glad.”
Her anxious, distorted expression softens into a relieved smile. …A Rinka-chan doll, huh. Even at a glance, its quality is impressive. I pick it up, and it’s cute. It’s dressed in an idol outfit. Big, round eyes and a bright, carefree smile.
It looks like Rinka Mizuki, but its vibe is more like Rin.
“Well, I’m off.”
Seen off by me and Nonoa-chan, Rinka finally leaves the house.
For the next four days, Rinka won’t be back. A hollow emptiness hits my heart.
“…?”
A notification sounds, so I check my phone. It’s from my dad. The message is simple: “Come back home.” Is it for something specific? Maybe about that “Let’s talk” message from before? Or maybe he’s lonely without his son—yeah, right. I reply with “Got it.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Sorry, Nonoa-chan. I have to head out now.”
“Okay! I’ll come too!”
“This time, I think it’s better if I go alone… Sorry.”
“Mmm…”
Nonoa-chan droops sadly. A pang of guilt stabs my chest.
But this time, it really can’t be helped. Taking Nonoa-chan along wouldn’t be good.
I don’t know what I’m being called for, but if I can come back, I’ll return right away.
☆
I arrive home around noon. I take out my key, open the door, and step inside.
I head to the living room, but I can’t find my dad, who supposedly called me here.
He’s not on the first floor, at least.
“What the heck?”
As I pull out my phone to check, I see a message from my dad: “Got held up at work and can’t come home. Sorry.”
I’m a bit annoyed, but I tell myself this is just how my dad is.
“Might as well play the online game.”
Come to think of it, I haven’t claimed my login bonuses at all.
I haven’t done the summer vacation event either. When was the last time I played?
—Crap, I really want to play.
I’m starving for some online game action!
An irresistible impulse.
I run.
I race up the stairs, heading for my room down the hallway.
Passing a girl on the way, I say, “Oh, hey,” and she replies in a small voice, “…H-Hey…”
“…?”
Something’s off, isn’t it?
Reaching my room, I stop dead in my tracks. I turn around.
A petite girl is about to head down the stairs.
She’s wrapped entirely in a hooded blanket—!
“Wait, who are you?!”
“—!”
Thud-thud-thud! The girl tumbles down the stairs. That’s bad!
I rush over and cautiously peek down the stairs.
“…O-Ow… ow… ugh…”
An unfamiliar girl lies there, clutching her head…
