Though she hadn't been there to witness it firsthand, Minami knew Tatsuya had faced Tomitsuka in battle. Between her role as his girlfriend and her duty as his constant attendant, her intuition had sharpened to the point where she could read the subtle shifts in his aura with unsettling ease.
"Tatsuya-sama, thank you for your hard work in the mock battle."
"You're as perceptive as ever, Minami. You seem to know everything without me saying a word."
"Minami-chan is certainly proving herself to be a dedicated 'servant' to my brother," Miyuki interjected.
It was a desperate show of stubbornness on Miyuki's part. She refused to treat Minami as Tatsuya's girlfriend, choosing instead to emphasize her status as a subordinate. While she treated Minami as a cousin in public, in private, she refused to acknowledge her as an equal in Tatsuya's heart.
"Miyuki-sama," Minami replied, her voice steady but firm. "I am Tatsuya-sama's girlfriend. To continue ignoring that seems a bit… obsessive, don't you think? Especially since the Head of the Family herself has given us her blessing."
"Miyuki," Tatsuya added, "you've already accepted the fact that Minami and I are dating. Why do you still recoil at the idea of her being my girlfriend?"
"That's..."
Miyuki had already confessed her adoration to Tatsuya; she was certain he saw through the deeper, more complicated feelings she harbored. If she hesitated now, it was only because saying the truth out loud was the one thing she was forbidden to do.
"Miyuki-sama truly loved you, Tatsuya-sama," Minami said, cutting through the tension. "Then I came along and established myself as your girlfriend, effectively snatching that position away. It's only natural she's jealous."
"Minami-chan! I don't feel like he was 'stolen' from me at all!"
"Is that so? Then perhaps you won't mind if Tatsuya-sama and I share a bath together?"
"That is an entirely different matter!" Miyuki cried. "Going into the bath with my brother is envia—I mean, it's scandalous! Even I have no memory of ever sharing a bath with him!"
"Wasn't that because you were uncomfortable around him back then? For a normal brother and sister—well, I know exactly what you're thinking, Miyuki-sama."
"You two..." Tatsuya sighed. "Could you try to get along for once?"
Though his words sounded like a scolding, a faint, weary smile played on his lips. This exact argument had played out dozens of times already. He had grown accustomed to the rhythm of their bickering.
"But Brother! Minami-chan is talking about getting into the tub with you while leaving me behind! How can I possibly stay calm?"
"Tatsuya-sama and I have the Head's permission," Minami insisted. "No matter how close you are as his sister, you have no right to intrude upon our private time!"
Usually, Tatsuya only intervened if they were on the verge of a true fight. This was still within the realm of petty squabbling, so he didn't stop them—but the atmosphere was beginning to sour. Seeking a compromise, he offered a reluctant suggestion.
"The tub is large enough for three. If it bothers you so much, Miyuki, you can join us."
" "...I see. As expected of you, Brother (Tatsuya-sama)." "
Tatsuya felt a pang of regret as they both instantly agreed. It was a solution born of necessity, not desire. Minami wanted to be with him; Miyuki refused to let them be alone. By entering the bath together, both their objectives were met, leaving Tatsuya as the only one inconvenienced.
(I suppose self-sacrifice has always been my lot in life...)
Wishing he could have at least the bathroom to himself for some peace and quiet, Tatsuya turned away and let out a heavy sigh where they couldn't see.
After a bath filled with a heavy, stifling sweetness, Tatsuya retreated to the basement to adjust their CADs. It wasn't meant to be a full overhaul—just a minor tune-up for Miyuki and Minami's devices—so their physical presence wasn't strictly necessary. However, neither girl had any intention of leaving his side, and somehow, the "minor tune-up" had evolved into a full-scale maintenance session.
"I'll be the one to go first for measurements today," Miyuki declared.
"I suppose I have no choice," Minami muttered. "I lost the rock-paper-scissors match, so I'll let you go first, Miyuki-sama."
"Listen... I just performed maintenance on these yesterday," Tatsuya reminded them.
For minor adjustments, once a week was more than enough. Tatsuya saw absolutely no logical reason to be doing this every single day. Yet, day after day, they begged for his touch on their machines—and day after day, they stripped down to their underwear to cling to him. Stoic as he was, Tatsuya wasn't made of stone. He had his own desires, however repressed they might be.
"Tatsuya-sama, it's my turn the moment you're finished with Miyuki-sama," Minami prompted.
"I know. Though, truthfully, there's hardly anything left to adjust."
Because he worked on them every night, there was nothing left to "fix." But the girls insisted, lying down on the measurement bed in their lingerie. Even Tatsuya could see their true objective was something else entirely.
"You can put your clothes back on now."
Having finished the scans, Tatsuya turned his back to them to begin the software calibration. Both girls puffed out their cheeks, glaring at his retreating figure. They exchanged a look, nodded in silent unison, and launched a coordinated "assault" on his back.
"Brother... are you enjoying teasing us like this?" Miyuki whispered against him.
"Tatsuya-sama, I'm not as patient as you are," Minami added, her voice low and pressing. "If you don't take care of me soon, I might just lose control."
"I want you to take care of me too... even if we can't go all the way, at least a little bit..."
"I'm prepared to go all the way," Minami countered. "I'll make you forget all about your 'Aunt' who lives in your heart."
"...It isn't because of Sakurai-san," Tatsuya corrected. "I simply think that, as high school students, we shouldn't be rushing into these things."
"There are plenty of high schoolers who are much further along than us, Brother."
Tatsuya, never one to excel at these types of conversations, found himself overwhelmed by their combined pressure. He was backed into a corner, his logical defenses crumbling. He had hoped that sleeping in the same bed would satisfy them, but tonight, it seemed they were intent on pushing him right to the edge of the point of no return.
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