"Are you staying over tonight?"

Haruno Yukino had her smooth, fair legs casually crossed on the sofa as she leaned sideways, watching TV.

She had taken over the entire couch for herself, leaving Yukino sitting on the carpet, working through her homework.

The worst part? That woman was wearing one of Yukino's brand-new, never-worn spare nightgowns from the wardrobe teasingly complaining that it felt too tight on the top.

It was a loose-fitting nightgown to begin with. If it felt tight, that was the real miracle.

As she continued watching TV, Haruno turned her head dramatically at the question, full of mock outrage.

"It's already this late, and you're trying to throw me out to wander the streets?!"

"Yukino, are you even human?"

"…The hotel downstairs is open 24/7."

"I'm not staying at a hotel!"

"There's only one bed."

Haruno's eyes lit up with mischief, and she grinned wickedly as she poked Yukino's spine from behind. "But it's not like your dear sister hasn't shared a bed with you before. Don't tell me… are you shy now?"

Yukino didn't take the bait. "I'll sleep in the bed. You take the couch."

The more attention you gave Haruno, the more she pushed. In the end, you'd only drive yourself mad.

Even someone like Yukino, who knew her sister better than anyone, had just been driven to a spike of emotion. It only proved how naturally gifted Haruno was at provoking people just as talented, perhaps, as she was at making them laugh.

Haruno instantly shook her head. "Nope. I want the bed!"

Yukino nodded without even looking up. "Fine. Then you sleep in the bed."

Haruno paused, hand on her chin, then suddenly clapped her hands in realization.

Crap. Yukino had baited her.

"Yukino~ Yukino~"

"Change your mind again and I'll throw you out immediately."

"No, that's not it." Haruno poked her in the back again. "Mom wants you to come home for a matchmaking event this week."

Yukino gave a soft "Mm," without raising her head. "I heard."

Haruno stared at the ceiling. "…So, what do you think about it?"

"What can I think? My opinion doesn't matter to Mom."

Haruno looked deeply disappointed. "But you have me, your big sister!"

She puffed out her chest proudly, hands on hips even if striking that pose while sitting on the sofa didn't exactly scream 'heroic.'

"As long as you don't want to do it, I'll mess up the whole thing! As your sister, it's my sacred duty!"

Yukino replied calmly, "You certainly do have a talent for ruining things."

"Stop insulting me~ one more word and my brain'll turn to mush."

Haruno flopped down from the sofa and knelt loosely on the carpet, cupping her face in her hands.

"So what's your real opinion, Yukino~?"

Yukino finally lifted her head to meet Haruno's gaze. "Since you care so much, what's your opinion?"

"Me? Do I seem like I care that much? Do I?" Haruno replied with exaggerated indignation, then cleared her throat. "Okay, fine. Honestly, I don't want you to get married so soon. If my little sister gets hitched first, won't it make me look bad? Like I'm the less popular one?"

Yukino let out a dry, mocking laugh.

Haruno reached out and took Yukino's hand in hers, her tone softening into a playful plea. "Come on, Yukino, don't go to that matchmaking party, okay? I'm telling you, the Spencer family Mom's trying to set you up with? Totally unreliable. I heard "

She could always do this set aside all pride and just act like a spoiled child without warning.

Yukino yanked her hand back, visibly annoyed. "…Get away from me. I'm trying to work."

"But pleeease~"

Yukino looked at the dark circles under Haruno's eyes, the tired lines on her face, the way she stifled yawns every few minutes and beneath all of it, that stubborn glint in her eyes that refused to fade, no matter how exhausted she was.

"…Fine. But go to bed. Right now. Or I will send you to the hotel."

Haruno sprang up in an instant like a bamboo shoot in fast-forward. "Yes!"

She giggled as she made her way to the bedroom. "Yukino, are you really not going to share your big, cozy bed with your sister tonight?"

"Scram."

After Haruno finally retreated and closed the door behind her, Yukino stared at the shut door for a long moment before setting down her pen. She slumped forward onto her test paper, burying her head in her folded arms, and let out a deep, heavy sigh.

She had always been the reserved one restrained, distant. And as she grew older, she had developed that ice-cold facade, the one that never cracked, no matter the chaos behind it.

When she learned that more than a year of her life had been stolen, she hadn't broken down. When the world had turned on her at the start of her hellish journey, she stayed calm.

Even when she was completely alone, Yukino rarely let herself break.

Except, always always with Haruno.

Haruno was the only person in the world who could make her lose her composure.

Haruno was that one, singular presence who could, even just a little, shake the rigid beliefs Yukino held onto so stubbornly so foolishly.

Yukino rubbed her sore eyes and picked up her phone again, pulling up the message their mother had sent days earlier.

The one she had been trying to ignore.

[Yukino, don't forget to come home this week. There's a little important gathering for you.]

Bit by bit, she typed out her reply, blinking away the sting in her eyes.

[Okay.]

Clad in her nightgown, Haruno flopped onto Yukino's bed like a bird gliding into its nest. The moment she hit the blanket, she was surrounded by the faint scent that still lingered Yukino's scent.

She dove under the covers, blinking up at the unfamiliar ceiling before pulling out her phone and messaging one of her reliable informants.

[Has Yukino made any new friends at school lately?]

The reply came quickly as if the person had been waiting for the question.

[Yes, Yukino's very popular these days! A lot of people really like her!]

[She's made some real friends Yuigahama Yui, and another girl named Yumiko. You probably don't know them, but if you'd like, I could introduce you sometime?]

Who wants to meet those people?!

Haruno pouted.

[That pink-haired girl from last time?]

[Yes ^_^]

She had planted informants around Yukino, all so she could know what her sister was up to at any time. This possessive, almost toxic side of her Haruno never dared let Yukino find out about it.

After a pause in the chat, another message suddenly popped up.

[Good night, Haruno-senpai.]

Haruno replied with a simple "Good night," then tossed her phone onto the nightstand. She rolled over and buried her face in Yukino's pillow.

And took a deep, long breath.

The faint, clean scent of that person slowly filled her chest warm and sweet.

As if, just for this moment, they were already one and the same.

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