"Shinobu."
At Kanzaki Kumo's call, Shinobu Kocho stopped, turned to glance at him, then continued walking.
That single glance made Kanzaki Kumo swallow everything he had been about to say.
It was a look he had never seen before.
Anger at Kanzaki Kumo seemed to form its foundation, but it also seemed to contain Shinobu Kocho's frustration with herself, layered with a measure of disappointment, heartache, and grievance, a little hesitation, and an extremely faint trace of joy, lending that complicated look a strange calm.
Shinobu Kocho went straight upstairs toward her bedroom.
She pushed the door open and entered, then reached back to shut it without turning around, using considerable force, seemingly to vent.
But it did not close.
Shinobu Kocho still did not turn around. She simply pushed harder, until she had begun to sweat a little, but the door still would not close.
After taking deep breaths for a while, she withdrew her hand and walked farther into the room on her own.
Kanzaki Kumo followed her inside and gently closed the door.
"In your heart, what exactly are I, my sister, Makomo, and Kanao to you?" Shinobu Kocho walked to the window on the other side of the room and spoke without turning around, looking out at the sunlit sky.
"People I'd lay down my life to protect," Kanzaki Kumo answered without hesitation.
"Heh... I thought you would say 'lovers.'"
Only after giving a soft laugh did Shinobu Kocho turn to face Kanzaki Kumo.
Her eyes were considerably clearer now. Those complicated, oppressive emotions had dissipated somewhat with Kanzaki Kumo's answer.
The man before her might be awful, but at least he did not spout sweet nothings at the drop of a hat.
Kanzaki Kumo had no idea what Shinobu Kocho was thinking. He simply looked