Living in the Heart of Tokyo

"Boss, are we really not heading to the aliens' headquarters right now?"

"Nope."

"Boss, are we seriously not going to meet any other aliens either?"

"Nope."

"Boss…"

"Shut up, you idiots—Sachiko, Kaya! Weren't you two the ones who insisted on tagging along to Hojou-nii's house in the first place?!"

In the backseat of the car, the three girls sat side by side, proper and ladylike.

Their legs were neatly together, toes pointed, hands resting on their laps to hold down their skirts.

But their mouths hadn't stopped moving since they got in.

Even someone as patient as Kyousuke was starting to feel overwhelmed by the noise.

In his mind, he couldn't help but hesitate again over that suggestion from Utaha-senpai that someday he should have a big family.

Sure, he could tolerate other people's kids for a while… but if they were his own, it'd be too painful to smack them when they got noisy.

As their chatter filled the car, his thoughts drifted far away—to distant Hokkaido.

His little sister, Hojou Kasuko, was almost two years old now.

She was probably out on the spring meadow right this very moment, toddling along with Grandpa's help as she rode her tiny pony.

That pony was a Scottish Shetland, a special gift from Kyousuke to his sister when he entered high school.

Who said presents on such days had to be received?

Kyousuke liked giving gifts—it was his way of sharing joy.

As for safety? Well, he was a farm boy.

These things were basic.

With Grandpa's huge, sturdy frame, stopping a frisky pony was nothing.

Honestly, Grandpa could probably wrestle a fully grown thoroughbred if he wanted.

The Hojou Ranch wasn't flatland—it was rolling hills, dotted with small mounds.

Now that spring had arrived and the snow had melted, the grass was drinking in the moisture and sprouting new shoots.

The cute little hills were like fluffy green cushions.

It wasn't quite time to release the cattle for grazing yet—the grass wasn't lush enough—but there was plenty for a child to play on.

Kyousuke could already picture the scene: an endless blue sky scattered with fluffy clouds, like pieces of cotton candy torn and drifting on the wind.

Softer than cotton candy, the round green hills lay below.

On one of those hills was an old man with a grumpy face and wild eyebrows, looking like he was eternally furious at the world.

He leaned down, holding the pony's reins in one hand and steadying his granddaughter's back with the other.

The little girl in the oversized cowboy hat sat in a special saddle, her tiny body bobbing up and down with the pony's gentle steps.

Up the hill, down the hill… the grassy domes were too small to hide them from view.

Hmm… If the kids were as cute as Kasuko, maybe having more wouldn't be so bad.

He could help solve the declining birthrate problem himself.

As these pleasant daydreams filled his mind, Kyousuke confirmed one thing—he didn't hate kids. He just hated noisy kids.

"Mitsuha, let's go to Hokkaido this summer break. It'll be a nice way to beat the heat," he said, turning his head.

"Mm!! I'm going too!"

"Me too! Me too!" ×2

Before Mitsuha could answer, the three girls in the backseat shot up their hands eagerly, as if terrified they'd be left behind.

"No problem, the more the merrier," Kyousuke chuckled.

At this rate, there was no way it'd be a small group. A few more or less wouldn't matter.

"Yay! That means fresh Shiraoi beef!" Kaya cheered.

"Then I'd better start saving my allowance right now!" Sachiko said seriously, pulling out a small notebook to write it down.

"Hmph, my sister will pay for me anyway!" Yotsuba grinned.

"All of you—zip it! I can't focus on driving like this!!"

The sudden shout rattled the three girls' heads, leaving them buzzing.

In the driver's seat wasn't their usual driver, Hirata—it was Mitsuha herself.

This was just a normal five-seater car: three in the back, two in the front.

Mitsuha, the only one with a license, had naturally ended up behind the wheel.

As for their usual driver, he'd be taking the subway home.

He could find his own way just fine.

Though Mitsuha yelled at them to be quiet, her eyes never once left the road.

Both hands gripped the steering wheel tightly—just like a nervous rookie who hadn't driven in three years.

"Mitsuha, relax. At the speed you're going, even an eighty-year-old granny could dodge this car." Kyousuke chuckled.

He hadn't expected Mitsuha—who'd proudly declared she'd be totally fine—to end up this tense.

If she'd said something sooner, they could've all walked hand in hand back home.

The weather was perfect for a stroll.

"I'm not worried about the granny dodging—I'm worried I won't be able to dodge her!" Mitsuha shot back, tense.

"And stop talking! You're making it worse!"

Well then. Kyousuke obediently shut his mouth and focused on watching Mitsuha drive.

Her normally loose, black hair was tied up behind her head into a simple bun with nothing but a mechanical pencil—casual and elegant.

Her white blouse sleeves were rolled up to reveal soft, slender arms like fresh lotus roots.

Seated now, her pastel gypsy-style skirt draped neatly over her legs, hinting at the curve of her thighs.

If it weren't for the three noisy lights in the backseat, Kyousuke might've reached out and placed his hand on her soft thigh—to ease her nerves, of course.

She really was beautiful.

For a moment, Kyousuke felt like he was living a dream: a competent, wonderful wife driving the family car, her husband and kids along for the ride, off to enjoy a weekend meal together.

They weren't married yet, and there were way too many kids in the back… but the feeling was there.

As the stoplight ahead turned red, Mitsuha carefully downshifted, pulled the handbrake, and finally glanced sideways, her fair cheeks flushed pink.

She gave Kyousuke a sharp, pouty side-eye and scolded:

"Geez, Kyousuke… don't keep staring at me like that! It makes me even more nervous!"

"I thought having me watch would make you feel safer."

"Wha—!?"

Mitsuha knew the kind of man she liked, but his shamelessness still caught her off guard.

Sure, if Kyousuke was watching the road ahead for her, she might feel more at ease.

But the way he was staring at her… it made her wonder if she'd forgotten to put on clothes or something.

Her whole body was burning up!

Her long lashes fluttered as she rolled her eyes again, impossibly charming.

"If you really want to help—keep your eyes on the road for me!"

"Of course."

Even as he agreed, Kyousuke kept shamelessly gazing at her without blinking.

"Does every driver get stared at like this?" Sachiko asked suddenly.

"Of course not. Hojou-nii's just got the thickest skin in the world," Yotsuba replied loudly.

She was still here, after all.

Her sister had just scolded them for being noisy—and now they were being treated like air.

"But when my mom drives, my dad stares at her like that too…" Sachiko added softly.

"That just means your parents are very much in love."

That theory of Yotsuba's came from watching the two unashamed people sitting in the front seat.

"But my dad always freaks out and yells, 'Brake! Brake! Step on the middle pedal—the middle one!'" Sachiko said seriously, imitating her father's panicked voice.

Her little face, however, showed no trace of actual fear.

"Pffft—" Mitsuha, who was driving, couldn't help but burst out laughing.

She remembered when they were in Nara and Sayaka was learning to drive—Teshigawara, sitting in the passenger seat, spent the whole day shouting just like that until his voice went hoarse.

Poor guy.

She really worried for his heart health back then.

"Sachiko… were you telling a joke just now?" Yotsuba asked, surprised.

"Of course. I'm not some clueless kindergarten kid who barges into my parents' room at night to tell them to stop fighting anymore. I know better than that," Sachiko nodded solemnly.

"Idiot! You can't just say stuff like that here! Show some ladylike manners!" Yotsuba scolded, giving her friend a swift flick to the forehead.

"Ahahaha—!"

The road home was always filled with laughter.

Meanwhile, at the Ruyi Dorm, Sakura had already returned early, dragging Yukinoshita Yukino along with her.

"I'm back~~!"

The moment she opened the courtyard gate, Sakura's bright, energetic voice rang out.

It was so full of life that even Yukinoshita, following behind her, found herself softly echoing the greeting without thinking.

Whether she was truly caught up in the atmosphere, or she simply enjoyed the feeling of shouting "I'm home" and being answered—only she herself knew for sure.

But if she thought about the distance, the walk from Soubu High to Ruyi Dorm was definitely shorter than the one to Toyogasaki.

Since she and Sakura had come straight home after school without stopping anywhere, the only one who should be there to greet them.

Unless Kyousuke had doubled back for some reason—would be the terrifying little dog, Momotarou.

That was what Yukino thought… until she saw the front door slowly open.

Huh? Did Kasumigaoka-senpai come home early? she wondered, puzzled.

"Welcome home, Sakura."

A soft voice—one she knew well—greeted them from the doorway.

The familiar gentle and slightly playful tone made Yukino freeze on the spot, her mind spinning.

"Yu-Yu-Yuki…"

She blinked rapidly, standing still as a statue, her mouth opening and closing but unable to form a proper sentence.

"It's far too early for snow, you know. And besides, who knows if Tokyo will even get snow this winter?"

"Even if you are Yukinoshita Yukino, no matter how many times you call for it, there's no way it'll snow in April," Sakura teased lightly, skipping past Yukino Yukari towards the house.

"Yukari-sensei, why are you home so early today?"

"I came back after the gathering ended. Oh, and yesterday Shouko asked me to water her flowers too," Yukari replied gently, smiling as she stepped aside to let them in.

Then her gaze turned to Yukinoshita Yukino.

Those calm, ocean-like eyes—so peaceful and gentle—snapped Yukino back to her senses.

"Yukari-sensei! Why… why are you here!?"

Unfortunately, Sakura had already dashed inside, leaving Yukino no chance to grab her and demand an explanation.

Not that Sakura was the real person she should be questioning right now anyway—it was a certain someone else who wasn't here at the moment.

She couldn't help but take a few steps back, wondering if, during the single day she'd been away, the Ruyi Dorm nameplate had been enchanted or cursed somehow.

Why did this place feel more and more like a fantasy world?

Earlier today, she'd been thinking she should study harder for Japanese class so she could ace the next test—just to wipe that smug grin off Sakura's face when she showed off her own perfect score.

She'd imagined pulling out her neatly folded test paper and proudly…

No—calmly and confidently unfold her perfect score sheet.

And yet here she was, back home in the evening—only to find her Classical Literature teacher standing in her house.

"Because this is my home, of course~" Yukari replied with a quiet smile, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Your home…?"

Yukino echoed in disbelief, staring at Yukari-sensei dressed in simple white loungewear—short-sleeved shirt and loose pants—leaning casually against the doorframe.

Even someone like her, who knew little about the idea of "family," had to admit that this was the perfect image of a gentle housewife.

If a murder ever happened here and the police came, the moment they saw such a frail and lovely lady standing at the door, they'd probably assume the emergency call was a prank—or forget to even confirm anything properly.

'So… that's how it is,' Yukino thought, nodding with a strange sense of understanding.

So this is Sensei's house after all.

As if! Wasn't this supposed to be Hojou's house?! Why is even the beautiful and gentle Yukari-sensei connected to him now?!

Her heart screamed in confusion.

Just as she was about to say something more, she noticed a fluffy dog head poke out near Yukiari-sensei's foot, making a soft "woof~" sound.

The moment this kappa-like creature appeared, all the questions in Yukino's head flew away like smoke.

She instinctively stepped back with her left foot, while her right hand gripped her bag tightly—ready to use it as a shield if needed.

"No, no! Get back here, Momotarou! The person responsible for taking you out to play hasn't come home yet!" Sakura's voice rang from inside.

Yukino watched as Momotarou, excitement sparkling in his two beady black eyes, let his head hit the floor with a dull thud.

His little front paws scratched desperately at the ground, but he was still dragged away, body and all.

Yeah… it's totally understandable that she wasn't good with dogs.

After all, they didn't come with some mystical switch you could flip to calm them down with a single stroke.

When they were happy, they jumped.

When they were mad, they jumped.

Impossible to predict.

Breathing a long sigh of relief as the terrifying creature vanished from sight, Yukino finally relaxed.

"Come on in, Yukinonoshita-san. Don't just stand in the doorway," Yukari invited kindly.

"Ah… then I'll be intruding," Yukino replied politely, tightening her grip on her bag as she stepped inside.

"This is not school, you know. No need to use formal speech," Yukari added with a soft laugh.

Yukino had reflexively spoken in the kind of honorific tone she only used for teachers at school.

"…."

Yukino bit her lip, awkward.

She wasn't used to this.

The people in this house were too confusing.

Just yesterday she thought she'd finally pieced things together—but today, with Yukari-sensei's sudden appearance, her carefully built mental model came crashing down.

So… how many more people connected to this house had she not met yet?

With that uneasy question in mind, Yukino stepped deeper into the house.

And there, right at the entrance, was a sight that would make any mom shriek in horror.

Yamauchi Sakura stood barefoot on the sofa—shoes neatly off to the side—waving some unidentifiable object above Momotarou's head.

The fluffy little dog barked and whined happily on the floor below, wagging its tail furiously, but still behaving properly, never climbing onto the sofa.

Seriously… even if you stood on the floor, that dog still couldn't reach you!

Are you trying to tempt it into breaking its training on purpose?!

Yukino sighed deeply, but then remembered what Sakura had boasted about the other day.

Oh, right.

Momotarou's first trainer was Yamauchi Sakura herself.

Well, that explains it—this must be some sort of "entrapment training."

After all, according to the Yukinoshita family education philosophy, pain leaves a stronger lesson than comfort—it teaches far more effectively.

Maybe… this was Sakura's real intention all along.

If Momotarou really couldn't resist and jumped onto the sofa, that girl would probably give him a good smack on his fluffy head, teaching him once and for all that house rules were not to be challenged.

After hanging her jacket on the coat rack, Yukino quietly walked over to the other sofa and sat down.

Just then, Yukari came over holding a tray of sweets.

The Yukino immediately stood up again and gave a polite bow of thanks.

This time, Yukari simply smiled without correcting her.

Even though they'd only had brief contact in class, she already had a strong impression of this quiet, gentle, rule-abiding girl—so calm she seemed like an unmoving tree.

And now, Yukino's every gesture fit that image perfectly: a little overly proper, maybe, but very much herself.

Yukari set the tray—filled with dorayaki—on the small tea table beside her, then took a seat next to Yukino, watching Sakura play with the dog.

It was almost four o'clock.

Their pitifully small lunch was already four hours past, and though the sweets on the tray gave off no noticeable scent, Yukino couldn't help swallowing a little in anticipation.

She reached for a dorayaki, just about the size of her palm.

Her soft, sakura-pink lips gently parted as she took a small bite and slowly began to chew.

"…This…"

She was about to say, This wasn't made by Hojou, but stopped herself just in time—realizing that if she could tell who had made the food just by taste… wouldn't that suggest they were awfully close?

"This isn't Hojou-kun's cooking," Yukari-sensei beside her said with a gentle smile, finishing the thought for her.