In the Shop Manager's daughter's bedroom, a man and a woman sat alone, holding each other.
Tetsuhiro whispered into Noriko's ear, "It's all behind us. I was never angry with you. You're still my dear little sister, so keep calling me Big Brother Li."
His warm breath made Noriko tremble slightly, sending tingles all over her body, and she instinctively clung to him.
But his words filled her with delighted surprise.
"Really?!" Noriko immediately opened her eyes, visibly brightening with joy.
"Of course. Come on, let me hear you say it."
Noriko lowered her head shyly, fiddled with the hem of her skirt, then let go. The words reached her lips only to retreat three times before she finally made a sound so faint it was almost inaudible.
"What did you say? I couldn't hear you."
Noriko's ears were practically blood-red, and her whole face burned with embarrassment.
Her heart raced-thump, thump, thump, thump...-so hard that even Tetsuhiro could feel it, as though it were about to leap out of her chest.
Her little fang gently caught the corner of her lip, her voice as soft and delicate as a strand of silk.
"Big Brother Li~"
Tetsuhiro's heart gave a heavy thud. His gaze brimmed with affection, and, unable to help himself, he slowly...
Noriko's eyes grew hazy, and she closed them again...
"No one's going to interrupt us this time, right?" Tetsuhiro was just about to turn over and take the next step when...
Knock, knock, knock...
Just then, someone suddenly knocked on the bedroom door, and Big Mom asked anxiously, "Mr. Li, what's wrong with Noriko?"
Noriko snapped out of her daze, her eyes flying open in alarm as she hastily pushed Tetsuhiro away.
The bedroom door opened, and Tetsuhiro stood calmly in the doorway.
Big Mom immediately