Finally, Eriri managed to get through on the phone again and properly asked about it.
It turned out that the girl next to Yazuki wasn't some illegitimate daughter of her dad—that was, of course, fake. Her mom had already contacted her dad's family back home to confirm it didn't exist.
However, there was one thing that did get exposed this time: back when her dad broke off ties with his childhood friend, he got tricked a little and ended up spending the night with her.
That part was true.
Eriri could already picture her mom making her dad kneel on a washboard right now. Looks like he won't be getting any kindness from her mom for a while.
"And also, you're doomed. Mom said once she finishes dealing with Dad, she's going to have a serious talk with you, Yazuki."
Eriri looked at the person across from her—the one who nearly caused her parents to divorce—with a pitying gaze. Her mom was usually so gentle, hardly ever angry. But once she did get angry, she was downright terrifying.
"Huh? What are you saying? I didn't hear anything."
"Playing dumb won't work. If you don't go over when Mom calls you, she'll come grab you herself."
Eriri's schadenfreude-laced tone made Yazuki hesitate—should he move away? Though not because he was actually afraid of Eriri's mom.
She was gentle...
Okay, fine—she was a bit scary when mad. But what he was really afraid of was her showing up looking all pitiful, using it as an excuse to take some of his precious collectibles.
Eriri's mom—or rather, her dad—was a hopeless otaku.
That couple had been eyeing his rare limited editions and bonuses for a long time. There was a good chance they'd use this incident as an excuse to ask for "compensation" for the trouble he supposedly caused.
The reason Eriri turned out the way she did was definitely due in part to her parents. In a normal family, no way would the parents let their kid touch that kind of stuff. But Eriri's parents were anything but normal.
A family of three full-on otaku who could enthusiastically discuss eroge together—unheard of! And yet the warmth and closeness of their family bond somehow made that quirky scene feel like it was bathed in flowers.
It was something to be envied—and it made Yazuki sincerely grateful that this family didn't treat him like an outsider.
So.
"Thanks, Eriri~"
"Huh? What's with that gentle, admiring look out of nowhere? Gross~"
That's what she said, but Eriri clearly looked flustered by how different Yazuki was treating her—kind, not teasing.
This wasn't fake, nor some ploy to mess with her again. It was sincere gratitude, and Eriri didn't know how to handle it.
"Ahh, the movie's about to start! Hurry, hurry!!"
She stood up quickly, trying to cover up her own embarrassment with a burst of energy.
"Wait, Eriri!"
"Huh? What is it?"
As she turned around, she saw Yazuki reach out and gently wipe something off the corner of her lips.
"You've got cream on your cheek. Since you're dressed so nicely today, be careful."
Eriri was indeed dressed differently than usual—probably just changed into that outfit in the dressing room.
A cute red rose-colored spaghetti-strap dress over a white long-sleeved shirt, her slender legs like ice sculptures wrapped in black over-the-knee socks, her dainty feet in shiny red enamel shoes like ruby slippers.
Looking closer, she even had light makeup on—faint eye shadow on her lids, a soft pink lipstick on her lips, and her long eyelashes curled perfectly.
Her usual twin tails shimmered with a soft golden sheen, giving her an almost glowing appearance.
It had been a long time since Yazuki had seen Eriri dressed like this. The last clear memory was when she used to follow behind him calling him onii-chan, like a little princess.
That time, too, he had treated her to a crepe, and the cream had gotten on her face, nearly making her cry despite being all dressed up.
So now, slipping into that nostalgic, sibling-like mood again, Yazuki naturally wiped the cream from the corner of her lips with his finger—and then casually licked it clean.
And the next moment—
"Uuu~~~~~"
Eriri, who had just been pouting, froze completely.
Her cheeks instantly turned bright red like they were on fire, and an adorably flustered sound escaped her lips.
Then, in a panic, she darted behind Utaha, the kind of reaction she only had when her embarrassment hit critical mass.
Seeing Eriri so flustered, like a scared little animal, Yazuki couldn't help but smile wryly.
"It was just some cream. Turning into a shy-animal type over something like this?"
He muttered with a sigh.
Even now, he hadn't realized anything was off about what he did—he thought it was no different from the past, just a bit of an overreaction on her part.
Of course, anyone else might have realized the difference. But he was just too used to being close with Eriri.
"My, my. Who knew Eriri was such a max-attack, zero-defense type?" teased Utaha, her tone as calm and smooth as ever.
As for Megumi, she was still fiddling with her phone as usual, and Ikaros continued eating like the adorable little animal she always was.
"Sh-Shut up! I was just surprised, that's all!" Eriri snapped.
Her angry, embarrassed voice came with a sharp glare toward Yazuki. Then she shot an even deadlier look at Utaha, as if to say this is all your fault.
Afterward, the group finished their crepes, and the movie was indeed about to start.
Since Yazuki and Eriri bought their tickets later, they weren't seated with the first three—they were several rows apart. But the theater wasn't crowded, maybe only a third full by showtime, so if they wanted to sit together, they probably could.
Currently, two of the girls were seated side by side. One of them tapped at her phone, and the next moment, the phone of the girl beside her vibrated.
[Shouldn't you be thanking me, Eriri? If I hadn't dressed you up like this, would that trashy guy have been so stunned?]
Yes—Eriri's outfit had been coordinated by Utaha.
Even if Eriri's certain areas were still at a middle school or elementary level, overall she was definitely a beautiful girl. That's why she and Utaha were known as the two great beauties of Private Toyonozaki Academy.
Knowing that Yazuki wasn't easily swayed by Eriri's usual self, Utaha had figured that if she got her all dolled up, it might actually shake him a little.
And look—it worked!
[Thank your head! It was totally useless! I almost lost all my dignity thanks to you!]
Eriri quickly replied, then turned to glare at her. She understood it clearly—that look in Yazuki's eyes wasn't because she looked especially cute or beautiful today.
That was a gaze she used to get all the time when they were little.
She should be happy to see it again, but for some reason… she wasn't.