David stood under the cherry tree. Pink petals drifted down like slow-motion snow. Reika and Seika were there too, both looking like they'd just been told the cafeteria ran out of pudding. Nervous and maybe a little scared.
Reika cleared her throat. "David, I have to be honest. I like you. I've liked you for a while now."
David blinked. "Wow. Okay. That's... straightforward."
She glanced at Seika. "But there's more. Seika likes you too."
David's eyes nearly popped out. He looked at Seika, who was pretending the cherry blossoms were way more interesting than this conversation.
Seika's voice was soft, almost shy. "It's true. I didn't plan it. I swear. But I can't hide how I feel."
Reika raised an eyebrow. "Wait?" She sounded half shocked and half like she was about to ask if Seika had been sneaking snacks again.
Seika nodded. "Yep. Guilty as charged."
David took a deep breath and thought, Well, this is not how I imagined my love life going. Two sisters liking me? Great, I'm in a rom-com with extra drama.
He finally said, "This isn't simple. I didn't expect this at all."
Looking at both of them, he added, "But I care about both of you. More than I thought possible."
Reika smiled softly and grabbed his hand. "No more pretending. It's scary, but honesty feels better."
Seika reached out and took his other hand. "We're sisters. We've been through weird stuff. We can figure this out."
David felt something warm settle inside him, like maybe he wasn't totally lost after all. Okay, maybe this is kind of nice. Except for the part where I have no clue what I'm doing.
He said, "I don't know what happens next. No clue. But I want to try. With both of you."
Reika's smile grew brighter. "Then let's start by being honest. No secrets."
Seika giggled nervously. "Yeah. No secrets."
David glanced at his phone where the system was probably throwing a fit about the new love triangle. But he ignored it. This was real.
Petals kept falling around them. Everything felt calm and quiet.
David took a deep breath. "It's scary, yeah. But if we're honest and patient, maybe we can find something real."
Reika squeezed his hand. "We'll figure it out. Together."
Seika whispered, "Together."
David smiled, feeling a mix of relief and panic. Great. Now I just have to survive the family dinners.
He added, "Let's not be afraid."
SYSTEM MESSAGE:
Love Triangle Activated
Goal: Build trust. Handle feelings carefully.
Warning: Drama levels rising rapidly.
David looked at the pink sky and thought, Well, at least it's pretty. Here goes nothing.