| The Love of Three hearts | Arc — "Solving Problems the Hard Way" | Chapter 5 : "The Lazy Bear Awakens…?" |
Souta was asleep on the couch in the exact pose of a legendary animal scientists still debate whether it exists or not.
One arm dangling off the couch.
One leg hanging off too.
His novel open on his face like a shield.
The other hand resting on his chest, dramatically, like he died reading romance.
He wasn't just asleep.
He was in a coma of pure laziness.
If a burglar entered the house, Souta would STILL not wake up.
---
The Sisters Observe the Creature
Hana, munching cookies, peeked from behind the wall and froze.
Hana (whispering with trembling blush) :
"H-he's… kinda cute sleeping like that…"
Her face went redder than the strawberry on her cookie.
But she still kept munching.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Her hands were eating, her mind was blushing, and her soul was screaming.
---
Himari suddenly slid next to her like a ninja.
Himari :
"I KNOW RIGHT!? He's WAY COOLER THAN TAKUMI!"
She pointed dramatically at Takumi like he was some outdated phone model.
Himari :
"I want Souta as tutor instead of Takumi!! He looks smarter already!"
Takumi, who was in the same room, slowly stopped breathing.
He turned his head toward his brother…
then toward the sisters…
then toward the universe…
He looked like he questioned why he was born first if his own brother is getting worshipped on day one.
---
Violence Enters
WHAM.
Kaede's fist hit Takumi's shoulder.
Kaede :
"HEY! Why are you staring!?"
Takumi hit the wall like a sticker and stayed there.
Takumi :
"I'm just EXISTING—."
Kaede :
"DID YOU TALK BACK!?"
Takumi :
"I'M SORRY!!"
---
The Study Session Begins (not really)
A few minutes later, they all gathered at the table.
Takumi held a Chemistry book like someone forced him to carry a cursed artifact.
Takumi (exhausted) :
"Okaay… so Sodium—"
CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH
He slowly turned his head.
Hana was still eating cookies, face pink, munching like a hamster with anxiety.
Hana (tiny voice) :
"…sorry…"
Takumi :
"Stop eating."
Her eyes immediately filled with tears like a shoujo protagonist moments away from tragic heartbreak.
Hana :
"Then… I don't study…"
Takumi panicked so hard he accidentally ascended.
Takumi :
"NO NO NO NO— EAT!!
EAT EVERYTHING!
EAT THE TABLE!
EAT ME IF YOU WANT, I DON'T MIND, JUST DON'T CRY!"
Kaede stared at him like he was clinically insane.
---
Himari's "Chemistry"
Suddenly Himari proudly raised her notebook like it was a legendary treasure from an ancient temple.
Himari :
"Takumi! LOOK! I wrote something in Chemistry!"
Takumi's soul re-entered his body briefly.
Takumi (hope in his dead eyes) :
"You're… my best student, Himari…"
Himari (glowing) :
"I KNEW IT!"
He took the book, opened it…
And every micro-inch of hope inside him died.
Written in giant letters:
"Love + Love = Chemistry "
Takumi stopped moving.
His soul, respect, dignity, IQ, and expectations all left his body in one long sigh.
He stared at the page so hard the ink almost evaporated.
---
The Snoozing Beast
Suddenly—
SNOOOOOOOOREEEEEEEEE
Kaede snapped.
She grabbed a pillow and THREW it like she was participating in the Olympics.
Kaede :
"HEY!!! LAZY BEAR!!!! WAKE UP!!!"
The pillow hit Souta.
No reaction.
No blink.
No twitch.
No soul.
He didn't even flinch.
The man was on another plane of existence.
---
Takumi stared at his brother like he was looking at an ancient fossil.
Takumi :
"…has he… moved… at all…?"
Hana (dreamy voice) :
"He's even cuter now…"
Takumi turned his head slowly toward Hana.
Hana continued munching.
Takumi nodded like "fair enough."
---
Scientific Debate about Souta's Species
Kaede squinted at the sleeping boy.
Kaede :
"…Is he even human?"
Takumi looked at Souta.
Looked at the ceiling.
Looked back at life.
Takumi :
"I don't know. Don't ask me. Maybe Hina's soup made him inhuman."
Everything went silent.
The universe itself paused.
---
FLASHBACK: Hina's Soup of Despair
Takumi remembered…
and the flashback slapped him emotionally.
Hina's "soup":
purple liquid (unknown origin)
floating fish head
onion slice
grape
strawberry
lemon
suspiciously moving object
something that blinked
something that bubbled even though the stove was OFF
and a spoon that somehow dissolved inside the bowl
Hina had proudly said:
Hina :
"TRY MY NEW SOUP!! IT'S EXPERIMENTAL!!"
Souta, without looking, thought it was cup noodles.
And drank it.
DRANK. IT. ALL.
Takumi still remembers the scream that came from the bathroom.
---
Back to Present
Takumi :
"This is 100% the result of Hina's soup.
I swear… next time I'm selling her to a science lab."
---
The Moment the Beast MOVES
Suddenly—
Souta's finger twitched.
The sisters gasped.
Hana dropped her cookie.
Hana :
"H-h-he moved!!!"
Himari :
"HE'S EVOLVING!!"
Kaede :
"SHH! DON'T DISTURB HIM! WE'RE WITNESSING A RARE EVENT!"
Takumi sighed.
Takumi :
"He just scratched his nose, calm down—"
Souta slowly lifted his arm…
The room froze.
Time froze.
The gods froze.
He reached up…
And…
Lowered the book covering his face.
His eyes opened halfway, the exact amount needed to function at 1% power.
Souta :
"…yo."
The sisters fainted in order:
1. Hana (blush overload)
2. Himari (heart combustion)
3. Kaede (rage + awe confusion)
All three collapsed on the floor like dominoes.
Takumi stared at his brother.
Takumi :
"…Why do you have this effect on everyone!?"
Souta :
"Dunno. Just woke up."
Then he immediately fell asleep again.
---
The Final Blow
Takumi slumped onto the table.
Takumi :
"I hate this…
I'm the older brother!
I worked so hard to be responsible!
Why does HE get all the attention for just EXISTING!?"
Kaede kicked him lightly.
Kaede :
"Because you're annoying."
Takumi died again.
Hana finally sat back up.
Hana (tiny voice) :
"…can I sit beside Souta later…?"
Himari raised her hand.
Himari :
"ME TOO!!"
Kaede crossed her arms.
Kaede :
"…as long as he's not rude."
Takumi stared at all of them.
Takumi :
"I'm the tutor…
WHY AM I NOT INCLUDED IN ANY OF THIS!?"
They all ignored him.
Even Souta, who was asleep.
Again.
---
End of Expanded Chapter 5