Chapter 25

Glancing at the time, Naoki Kirigaya realized it was almost noon. He decided to head home for lunch, said a quick goodbye to Asuna Yuuki, and prepared to wrap up the day's lesson.

Asuna, still frowning in thought, asked casually, "Are you coming back this afternoon?"

Naoki flashed a grin. "Didn't you always complain about not having your own time? I won't come this afternoon—you can do whatever you want. But we're in this together now, like grasshoppers on the same rope. Our interests align, so just don't slack off on the lessons."

Asuna nodded, falling silent.

Her reaction surprised Naoki. Given how strictly her mother had controlled her, he'd expected her to be secretly resentful. Meeting someone like him, with his laid-back teaching style, should've thrilled her.

So why was she so calm about it?

After slipping on his shoes and leaving, Naoki didn't see Asuna stay seated primly at the table. The moment she heard the front door click shut, her face lit up.

She leapt up with a triumphant "Oh yeah!" and dashed from the living room to her bedroom.

She had her own stuff to do now.

Unhappy? Calm?

All fake. She'd finally broken free—how could she not be ecstatic? She'd just held back for the sake of her dignity as a girl.

Meanwhile, Naoki yawned as he left Asuna's house. The midday sun hung high, its blinding rays forcing him to squint.

Once his eyes adjusted, he strolled home leisurely.

Back at his place, he ran into Suguha Kirigaya.

Naoki smiled. "Suguha, you're home?"

"Mm," Suguha replied coolly.

"How's school been? If there's anything you don't get, ask me—I'll teach you." Naoki stepped aside to let Suguha unlock the door.

He didn't have a key. Suguha gave him a flat glance, stepped forward, and opened the door with her key.

As she did, she suddenly asked, "What were you up to today? I've been seeing you head out a lot lately."

"Picked up a part-time gig tutoring a student," Naoki said nonchalantly.

Suguha fell into thought.

"A part-time job, huh? With his skills, he's definitely up for it," she mused silently.

She thought of the stack of certificates and awards on his desk and said nothing more.

She wasn't much younger than him, but next to this monstrously talented boy, she couldn't help feeling inferior.

She'd assumed he was the type to hold himself to strict standards—those kinds of people usually succeeded more. But they also demanded more from others.

Suguha had braced herself for a future of tough love under his roof.

The first day he'd moved in, she'd been on edge.

Then she watched Naoki drag Kazuto Kirigaya into three straight days of gaming, and she was left speechless.

This big brother wasn't strict at all—he was absurdly lax.

For someone as rule-abiding as Suguha, it was a shock.

One day, she'd confronted him about it. "Shouldn't everyone study hard? Stick to the rules, get into a good high school, a good college, and land a solid job? Isn't that what we're supposed to work for?"

Naoki had looked at her with a surprised gaze she still remembered—those golden, gem-like eyes, deep and clear as a spring, instinctively making you trust him.

But his words weren't so gentle. "Do what you want. I'll support you no matter what—even if you turn into a total slacker, I've got you covered. Don't you think that 'normal' life sounds kinda boring?"

Suguha had opened her mouth to argue but ended up saying nothing.

His answer hadn't satisfied her.

She was a serious girl—methodical, by-the-book.

Naoki, by contrast, was far too carefree. But the longer you spent with him, the more you realized he had a certain charm.

He was a bit lazy, sure, but he never shirked what had to be done. Their mom, though, was something else—dumping everything on him and leaving him to fend for himself.

He cooked all three meals a day for the house.

At that thought, Suguha quickened her pace, pulled out a chair for Naoki, and—under his startled gaze—pushed him toward it, gesturing for him to sit.

Their mom and second brother might not appreciate him, but as the last bastion of the Kirigaya family's dignity, she had to step up.

Her cool expression turned stern and serious. "Brother, sit."

Naoki sat, feeling a bit weirded out.

Something was off with his little sister today.

"Hey, big bro's back! What's for lunch?" Kazuto Kirigaya called out, scrolling through short videos on his phone. He lit up at the sight of Naoki.

Then Suguha shot him a death glare.

Kazuto blinked, confused. Why was she glaring? Wasn't this how it always went?

Puzzled, he asked, "Suguha, don't you want big bro's cooking?"

Suguha's face flushed red. Thinking of Naoki's delicious, aromatic dishes, she swallowed hard. Her appetite won out. "I do," she admitted.

If they both wanted it, why glare at him?

Kazuto grew even more baffled.

Girls' thoughts were too complicated.

Naoki and Kazuto exchanged a quiet look.

With a sigh, Naoki stood. "We've got some chicken in the fridge. I'll whip up a quick dish for everyone."

"Chicken, huh," Kazuto said, swallowing hard.

Gulp x2.

Two gulps? Kazuto glanced at Suguha.

He grinned. "Suguha likes chicken too, huh?"

Then he teased, "No, wait—Suguha doesn't just like chicken. She likes everything big bro makes, right?"

Suguha glared daggers at Kazuto, cracking her knuckles like she was about to teach him his place in the family hierarchy.

Kazuto's mouth twitched. He raised his hands in surrender.

Naoki stood off to the side, amused by the big-and-little sibling antics.

He headed to the kitchen, playing some pop music from this world on his phone. He pulled out the chicken to thaw and grabbed green onions, ginger, chili peppers, and celery.

Chopped the onions into small pieces, sliced the ginger, segmented the celery and peppers—all set aside.

His cooking skills were top-notch, turning simple ingredients into something delicious with ease.