Chapter 513

"Hello, Matsumatsu."

After answering the phone and opening the Main Gate, I chuckled at the sight of Hiyori greeting me with one hand pressed to the side of her head.

"Yeah, hey."

"Aren't you going to ask why I came?"

"Do I have to?"

"No."

"Then we're good. Come in."

"Yep."

Hiyori stepped inside with a wide smile, clearly in a good mood, but frowned the moment she spotted Miyuki's shoes below the engawa.

"Is Miyuki Hanazawa here too?"

"Yeah."

"What... Did she sleep over?"

"No. She just got here."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Never mind."

"Did you eat?"

"No."

"Good. We can eat together."

"I'm not hungry."

She was just feeling petulant and making things up.

I flicked the stray hair sticking up from Hiyori's head—her transparent feelings on full display—and scolded her.

"Then just watch us eat."

"That's too cruel."

"Then eat with us."

"Okay."

"Playing hard to get when you actually want to."

"What...! I am not...!?"

Still bickering with a flustered Hiyori, I headed inside and saw Miyuki in the kitchen, wearing an apron.

"Hello, Asahina. Go wash your hands."

She usually cooked without an apron, yet here she was, telling Hiyori to wash her hands in such a sweet tone... She was cosplaying as the perfect, devoted wife.

It was a deliberate act meant to make Hiyori hyper-aware of her presence.

It was a cute provocation, and Hiyori seemed to fall right into the trap.

"Alrighty."

Pouting heavily, she barely acknowledged Miyuki's greeting.

Making a show of her sullen expression for Miyuki to see, she went to the bathroom, roughly washed her hands, and came back out.

Then, she brazenly plopped down onto the futon where Miyuki and I had been lying, seamlessly picked up the remote, and flipped through the TV channels.

The things they do to each other are truly adorable.

Thinking this, I kept my guard up as Miyuki turned back to Hiyori.

"Instead of just watching TV, why don't you fold the futon?"

"....."

"Can't you hear me?"

"I hear you. I'll fold it."

She was obeying Miyuki surprisingly meekly.

At this rate, things might go smoothly.

Filled with that hope, I was soon forced to let out a deep sigh at the conversation that followed between them.

"What brings you here?"

"Why? Am I not allowed to come here?"

"That's not what I meant. I was just asking what business you had. Why are you being so defensive?"

".... I'm just on edge lately... Sorry."

"Why are you on edge?"

"You don't need to know."

This is driving me crazy.

They didn't consider each other mortal enemies, but if they clashed like this every time, how could we ever live together?

Miyuki scoffed at Hiyori's indifferent attitude.

Here they go, trying to pick a fight again.

If things looked like they were going to escalate, I'd just have to force them both down and fuck them senseless.

I kept a close eye on them with that thought in mind, but even after some time passed, the thing I was worried about... no, hoping for, didn't happen.

Miyuki and Hiyori both shot glances at me and backed down on their own.

They seemed to remember the day I had acted forcefully with them.

They were always so quick to catch on at times like this.

For some reason, I felt a little disappointed.

"Is the food ready?"

I asked, slowly closing and opening my eyes, and Miyuki nodded.

"It's done."

"Then let's eat."

The clanking of tableware, the quiet hum of the turned-down TV, and the soft blowing of the air conditioner filled the room.

Yet it didn't feel noisy. If anything, it felt quiet.

If I felt this way, how must Miyuki and Hiyori be feeling?

They probably felt like they were sitting by a tranquil lake where not even the wind could be heard.

"You aren't eating the bean sprouts?"

"I hate bean sprouts."

"Don't you think it's better to eat a balanced variety of side dishes?"

"Thanks for your concern."

Right. That previous thought of mine was definitely a delusion.

After their brief skirmish, the two girls stole glances at me.

Why did they even bother fighting if they were just going to check my reaction after every word?

Were they asking to be punished?

Or were they pleading for me to take their side?

The minds of women are truly impossible to read.

Slide.

As I mulled this over and picked up some rice with my chopsticks, Miyuki placed a side dish on top of my rice.

If only she acted like this normally... Pretending to be demure just because a romantic rival was here.

I gave a faint smile and silently shoved the rice and side dish into my mouth. Miyuki let out a satisfied smile and turned to Hiyori.

"How does it taste?"

"It's fine, I guess."

"Do you want some water?"

"No. I'll get my own drink if I'm thirsty."

"What's with your tone? Aren't you being too aggressive when I'm just trying to be nice?"

"I think that's just your delusion, sunbae-nim."

"Why are you dragging out the end of your words? Are you mocking me?"

"Nope."

They were starting to rev up.

I guess it had only been quiet earlier because they were still in the probing phase.

What was I supposed to do with these two?

How could I make them get along?

Would things improve if I forced them both down and fucked them, like I thought earlier?

Pondering this, I interjected before their emotions could escalate any further.

"Stop fighting."

Miyuki simply shrugged and replied.

"Is this a fight? I'm just being picked on."

"Picked on? Aren't you being a bit too negative?"

They just couldn't hold back, already waging another war of nerves.

I strongly felt the need to assert a little authority as the future head of the household.

"Both of you, eat."

My voice dropped extremely low, making both of their shoulders flinch.

Even so, their eyes were still glaring at each other. Anticipating that a single word wouldn't be enough to extinguish their heat, I spoke up.

"I won't say it twice."

".... But..."

Feeling wronged that she was the only one being scolded, Miyuki started to protest, but lowered her eyes after seeing my face.

Hiyori also picked her chopsticks back up and obediently began to eat.

It was fun watching them bicker, but I couldn't let it get out of hand.

Nipping it in the bud was a good call.

Finishing the meal like that, we silently cleared the table.

After wiping the table clean and folding its legs, I threw an arm around Miyuki's shoulders as she approached me with a wronged expression while Hiyori was in the bathroom.

"What's with that look?"

"Wasn't that a bit harsh? All I did was ask if she wanted water..."

Why did Miyuki look so cute holding onto what had happened earlier?

Maybe it felt that way because her true feelings were so transparent.

"Did you really ask her if she wanted water out of pure goodwill?"

".... Of course."

"What was that hesitation just now?"

"What hesitation?"

"You must have a guilty conscience."

"I don't...?"

'Don't' my ass. Judging by her expression, she definitely did.

Miyuki had wanted to flaunt her sense of superiority to Hiyori.

By acting like the lady of the house.

And Hiyori, knowing exactly why Miyuki was acting that way, had counterattacked by mockingly dragging out her words.

If they had an issue with something, they should just say it outright. They really lived such exhausting lives.

It was also hilarious how Miyuki had acted like she would embrace everyone when we talked about the four of them last time, yet instantly went into attack mode the moment she saw Hiyori.

Roughly tousling the sullen Miyuki's hair, I spoke.

"Try to get along with her."

"I'm trying to be friendly, but Asahina keeps putting her guard up."

"That's because Asahina isn't good at expressing her feelings."

"She seems to express herself just fine to Matsuda-kun and everyone else, doesn't she?"

"Does she?"

"Yeah."

"Do you want to study together for a change? With Asahina too."

"Study...? Ah, you're just changing the subject because you have nothing left to say...!"

"Why would I need to change the subject? I'm the one who wants you two to get along more than anyone else. I'm just asking what we should do next since we're done eating. Anyway, try to get along."

"I don't think it'll work out just because you say so. I'm sorry to say this, Matsuda-kun, but... W-what's with that look...?"

Miyuki's haughty eyes widened.

Because I was wearing a deeply meaningful smile.

I brought my lips to Miyuki's ear as she swallowed hard, evidently sensing that something unnerving was about to happen, and whispered softly.

"Listen to me before I fuck both of you from behind."

"W-what...?"

"Do I need to explain it again? After I throw you to the floor..."

She hurriedly covered my mouth just as the explicit details were about to spill out.

Gesturing with her eyes toward the bathroom where Hiyori was, she furrowed her brow.

"Why are you being like this...! Stop messing around...!"

I pulled away Miyuki's hand covering my mouth and looked down at her with a serious gaze.

"Does this look like a joke?"

"Why are you acting all scary like last time...! I told you I wasn't trying to fight with Asahina...!"

"Yeah, yeah."

"What do you mean 'yeah'...! Don't get any weird ideas...!"

"Then open up your heart first."

"But why is it always me..."

"Treat Asahina the same way you treat everyone else. You can do that, right?"

"I am doing that..."

"Were you really doing it sincerely?"

"....."

"See? You weren't."

"I never said I wasn't... W-wait...! Okay...! I get it...!"

I shook my head at her unsatisfactory answer and abruptly moved to yank her pants down, causing Miyuki to frantically pull her clothes back into place.

I caressed her flushed face and spoke in a low voice.

"You promised, right?"

"....."

"Aren't you going to answer?"

"O-okay... But acting like this just makes me want to rebel..."

"Are you asking me to put it in right now?"

"No, why is the conversation going there...! I'll be nice, so tell Asahina to show some manners too, Matsuda-kun...!"

"I just need to have a good talk with her before we study, right?"

"I never agreed to study...?"

"Let's do it. I'll study hard."

"You should say you'll do it normally..."

"Isn't it best to build the habit by doing it even when you usually wouldn't? Anyway, we're studying, got it?"

".... Yeah."

I had clearly felt at the cafe last time that persuasion alone had its limits.

Pushing forward shamelessly like this was best for both Miyuki and Hiyori.

Relationships that seemed stuck in place would change in some way, and we would learn and grow by experiencing the events that unfolded from them.

If things went well, maybe I could at least get a taste of a threesome with Hiyori today.

I held onto that hope. Having convinced Miyuki for now, I would have to give Hiyori a threat disguised as a request to study as well.