Natsume Ruri looked at Mido Manatsu lying on Natsume Chikage's lap, her cute, rosy little cheeks puffing up slightly.
"Big brother, when is Hitomi coming over?"
Kaga Resaki looked on enviously as well and stammered, "I want to know too—it's already getting late. If she comes any later, it'll be ten o'clock."
Natsume Chikage checked the time.
"She should be here soon."
No sooner had he spoken than the doorbell rang.
Ding-dong.
Natsume Ruri's face immediately lit up. Seemingly knowing who had arrived, she went to open the door.
Sure enough.
Konoe Hitomi stood before her.
"Big sister Hitomi, you're finally here. Come in!"
Konoe Hitomi gave a slight nod, entered the room, and removed her shoes, revealing her feet in little white socks.
"Is Lady Manatsu still in the room?"
"Mm-hm, she's asleep on big brother's lap."
Konoe Hitomi raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Asleep on his lap?"
As she spoke,
she walked straight into the room.
When she saw that Mido Manatsu really was asleep on Natsume Chikage's lap, Konoe Hitomi narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Chikage, what's going on here?"
Natsume Chikage looked up at her.
Konoe Hitomi was as beautiful as ever today. Even an ordinary long dress took on a different charm when worn by her.
"It's a little complicated. Basically, this is what happened—" Natsume Chikage gave her a brief explanation.
After hearing the full story, Konoe Hitomi fell silent for quite a while.
"So Lady Manatsu is like this in front of you... It seems she trusts you all very much."
Natsume Chikage froze.
"Trusts us? What do you mean?"
Konoe Hitomi crouched beside Natsume Chikage, moved the sleeping Mido Manatsu onto her own lap, and combed through her messy hair as she explained, "Although she drinks regularly, she doesn't really talk to others about