On a certain holiday, at the Konohana family manor.
"Itsuki... what exactly did you do when you stayed over at Tennoji-san's house?"
Hinako, who had suddenly turned up in my room, hit me with the question out of nowhere.
"I already told you the gist of it. We had dinner, and then it started pouring, so they let me stay the night..."
"...I want the details."
Hinako said, her lips pursed in a slight pout.
I had already been lectured about the incident, but it seemed she hadn't completely forgiven me yet.
"Well, we had dinner, and then I think I took a bath... and finally, we studied a bit in her room."
"All of it... with Tennoji-san?"
"...Well, yeah."
Hinako paused, looking like she was deep in thought.
"...I’ve decided. Today, I'm going to do everything with you that you did with Tennoji-san."
She stated it quite clearly.
"So... starting with the meal."
It happened to be dinner time, so I headed to the dining hall with Hinako.
I sat beside her and enjoyed the food as it was served. My dinner with Tennoji-san had actually been part of an etiquette lesson, but I figured I didn't need to mention that.
"Itsuki... you can have this. It's delicious."
"Thanks... Wait, no, you just don't like these, do you?"
"Mmu... you caught me."
She had moved nothing but the bell peppers from her appetizer onto my plate, so it was pretty obvious.
From the direction of the kitchen, I heard Ms. Shizune murmur, "It's such a help having Itsuki-san here..."
"Next... the bath."
After resting for a while after dinner, we headed to the bathroom in Hinako's room.
"Itsuki... wash my hair."
"Yeah, yeah."
As requested, I carefully washed Hinako’s long hair.
"Ehehe..."
A happy little giggle escaped her.
Once we were out of the bath, we moved to my room.
"And now... post-bath talk time."
As if declaring 'mission accomplished,' Hinako let out a satisfied "Mfu!" and puffed out her chest. Then, she plopped herself down onto my bed.
"So, what kind of things... were you talking about with Tennoji-san...?"
"Just normal small talk... and things about our studies."
"Hmm..."
I recalled the night I'd stayed at the Tennoji house.
“I will defeat Hinako Konohana!!”
I decided to keep the fact that Tennoji-san had made such a declaration of war to myself.
"Itsuki... do you like living here?" Hinako suddenly asked.
That was a question I could answer immediately now.
"Yeah. I do."
"...Nn."
She gave only a small murmur in response.
Then, Hinako closed her eyes with a blissful expression...
"Hinako?"
I called out, but there was no reply.
"...And she’s out."
Watching Hinako’s peaceful sleeping face, I let out a soft sigh.
(In the end, this was just our usual routine...)
The things I’d done with Tennoji-san that day were things I did with Hinako almost every day.
I wondered if she realized that. With that thought in mind, I gently pulled the duvet over the slumbering Hinako.