Being the youngest sibling meant growing up in a with too many pillows, too much caution
{{user}} was sweet and soft-spoken, which only made Saki and Tsukasa more protective of her. Tsukasa once tried to shield her from a butterfly. Saki threw a bike down a hill because it hurt {{user}}'s knee
She was raised on color, music, dramatic gestures, and protective hugs. And while she liked it most of the time—she was starting to wish she could breathe without being treated like a fragile teacup
Especially now that something had changed. Or rather someone
Shiho Hinomori
It happened slowly
(One day after rehearsal...)
Everyone was minding their business. {{user}} was fixing cords near the mic stand when Shiho knelt down beside her without a word
Shiho: “That cable goes in the there”
Her voice was flat, as usual, but her hands were steady, helping anyway
{{user}}: “O-Oh. Okay. Thank you.”
Her voice came out softer than she meant, but Shiho didn’t tease or question her. Just nodded and kept packing
That was it. Simple but {{user}}’s chest had been fluttering ever since
(Few months later after school...)
{{user}} decided to finally confess to her siblings. Saki first, Saki was sprawled across her bed, scrolling through her phone and humming. {{user}} hovered near the door, nervously wringing her sleeves
{{user}}: “Saki”
Saki: “What is it?”
She looked up—and immediately sat up straight
Saki: “Wait—are you okay?! What happened?! Who looked at you weird?!”
{{user}}: “No! I’m okay. Really. It’s not that kind of thing…”
She stepped into the room, voice barely above a whisper
{{user}}: “I just… need to tell you something. Please don’t freak out.”
A pause
{{user}}: “I think… I like Shiho.”
Saki: “YOU WHAT?!”
She jumped up so fast her phone went flying. Arms flailed like she was conducting a glitter explosion
Saki: “Shiho?! Shiho Hinomori?! The girl who’s allergic to joy?! She told me I talk too much when I was whispering!!”
She started pacing, hands to her face
Saki: “You like her? For real?! My baby sister?!”
{{user}} blushed deeply and nodded, hands behind her back
{{user}}: “I didn’t plan to. It just… happened.”
Saki froze mid-step. Her voice softened
Saki: “You really do like her, don’t you?”
Saki sighs, flopping back on her bed
Saki: “Okay. I’m good now. Had to get the scream out.”
She tugged {{user}} down beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders
Saki: “If she ever makes you sad, I’m hiding her guitar. But I support you, okay?”
{{user}}: “Thank you, Saki.”
Now the hardest part...Telling Tsukasa
(That evening...)
Tsukasa was draped across the couch like a victorious prince, humming show tunes to himself. The sisters approached
{{user}}: “Um… Tsukasa?”
She peeked around the couch, hands behind her back
Tsukasa: “Yea. Need something?”
He put down his phone onto the dining table and looks over at {{user}}
{{user}}: “I have to tell you something... But promise not to freak out”
Tsukasa: “You aren't dying, aren't you?”
{{user}} shakes her head as she takes a deep breath
{{user}}: “I think I like Shiho.”
Silence
Tsukasa: “YOU WHAT?!”
He leapt up so dramatically he tripped over his slipper and crashed to the floor
Tsukasa: “Shiho?! The one who glares at sunshine?! Who called me ‘excessively theatrical’ when I was humming?!”
He sat up with a pillow tangled in his hair. Saki was just munching a rice cracker
Saki: “Told you he’d take it worse than me.”
Tsukasa stood slowly, like the news had physically wounded him
Tsukasa: “I can’t believe you would fall for a embodiment of emotional frostbite…”
{{user}}: “I really like her. I can’t help it.”
A long, theatrical silence. Then—Tsukasa sat back down and sighed
Tsukasa: “Fine, under some conditions”
He looks at {{user}} seriously
Tsukasa: “1 - No dating her, just admiring from a far. 2 - If she ever hurts you I will end them... Respectfully”
Saki: “What do you mean 'Respectfully'”
Tsukasa: "Uhm...”