"In summary, that's why I need to spend the night at your place, President."
"No problem. Rinji, you're welco anyti," Shirogane Miyuki replied with a smile.
Shirogane Kei, nearby, asked curiously, "Rinji-nii, you said a woman took over your place? Who was it?"
"Yeah, my girlfriend's relative. If it were anyone else, I might've welcod them, but that one? No thanks." Rinji's face showed clear distaste.
"Uh… your girlfriend's relative, huh?" Shirogane Miyuki looked a little awkward. "Is it soone you really dislike?"
"Not exactly. She's just extrely difficult to deal with."
"Are you two close?"
Rinji replied, "Pretty close. We used to be the kind of 'close' where we wanted to kill each other."
"...That sounds complicated," Shirogane muttered. "Wait, your girlfriend is soone you only recently started dating, right? So how co you already know her relative?"
"Fate. Mysterious and inexplicable," Rinji answered seriously.
"…"
"Alright then." Kei went into her room and brought out an extra futon, bumping her brother on the shoulder.
"Since Rinji-nii is staying over, let's clear up the living room."
"Okay."
"Thanks, guys."
The Shirogane family's apartnt was very small. The only room belonged to the siblings, so Rinji would have to sleep in the living room.
Last ti, it had been Shirogane's dad who slept in the living room, but he was working a night shift today and wouldn't be ho. That ant Rinji could have the space to himself.
It was still a bit early to go to bed, so Rinji and Shirogane hung out in his room for a while.
Since they had to get up early the next day, Shirogane planned to sleep relatively early… well, early for him. He had a habit of reviewing schoolwork before sleeping, so he was still going to stay up late.
"President, once your current job ends, are you planning to move to a new place?"
"It's not that easy to move. This is Tokyo, after all."
"But your salary should be pretty high right now. I'm not talking about moving to Ginza or anything, but sowhere in Setagaya or a regular neighborhood—you should be able to afford sothing better."
"Eh? I make that much?"
"You're currently serving as acting president of the Dainippon Bank, and that old man Katahara isn't the stingy type. He'd definitely offer you a solid paycheck."
"Hm… if things work out, I'll discuss it with my dad and Kei about moving to a slightly better place."
Shirogane glanced around at his cramped little room.
Even if just to make life a little easier going forward, moving to a new place was necessary.
"Though we haven't known each other for very long, you've really helped a lot, Rinji," Shirogane said with a smile. "It feels like I already owe you so much."
Shirogane wasn't the kind of person who liked owing others favors. He always did his best to take care of things himself and avoided troubling others.
But at so point, he had started turning to Rinji whenever he faced problems, seeking his help first.
"Being able to rely on is a good thing—it ans you trust enough."
Rinji chuckled.
"Trust is really important. With it, a lot of tragedies can be avoided. That's sothing I've learned through experience."
"Yeah, you're the one I trust the most in the student council now," Shirogane said with a laugh.
It wasn't an exaggeration. Shirogane trusted Rinji far more than anyone else in the student council, even more than Kaguya Shinomiya.
"But really, you've done so much for my family."
"To be honest with you, President, I haven't actually done that much. A lot of it was just easy things for ."
Rinji said.
"Take Kei, for instance. I always tell her I'm like a big brother to her, but she's too proud to accept much help. If she were more shaless like Secretary Fujiwara, every ti I saw her standing longingly in front of sothing she wanted, I could just…"
"Buy it for her?"
"Buy the whole store."
"…"
"President, I don't like accepting help from others either, so I understand how you and Kei feel. Pride is a good thing, but as your friend, I don't want to see you two struggling."
"…You're way too reassuring, man."
Shirogane gave a wry smile.
To him, Rinji seed practically perfect. If he didn't pull off those bizarre stunts at school all the ti, he'd be even more so.
Regardless, Shirogane always felt a warm, familial sense of comfort around Rinji.
It was odd, really—they weren't related at all, not even from the sa country. Yet the whole Shirogane family had a strong fondness for Rinji.
Maybe it was just a family thing. They all had similar tastes.
---
Night had fallen, and all the lights in the house were off.
Rinji was lying on his bed, scrolling through his phone.
Fusui, who sohow got his LINE from Karura, was ssaging him again in the middle of the night. The content, as always, was teasing. She'd been doing that for a long ti.
Rinji casually replied with a poop emoji, turned off his phone, and lay back.
Sumr break was nearly over. In just a few days, school would start again, and his howork…
Still wasn't done.
Well, whatever. There was still ti. He'd deal with it tomorrow.
Thinking ahead, he figured he'd be facing the new term with a fresh attitude toward student council duties.
Now that he had a girlfriend, he didn't feel the need to glare at every couple on campus anymore. He could just be chill about it.
Just as he was closing his eyes, the door to the room opened.
After a bit of rustling, Rinji suddenly felt a weight on top of him.
"Hmm?"
"Rinji-nii… Did I wake you?"
"Kei? Why are you still up this late?"
Rinji reached for the phone beside his pillow and turned on the light. He saw Shirogane Kei with her long silver hair splayed out over him, straddling his waist, her cheeks slightly flushed.
"What's up?"
"Well… do you have a mont?"
"Yeah, sure. Do you need help with sothing?"
"No, nothing like that. It's just…"
Kei lowered her head, hesitated for a mont, then looked up at Rinji.
"I can't sleep. Could you talk with for a bit?"
"Now?"
Rinji turned toward the door. From here, he could still hear Shirogane's steady breathing.
The brother was fast asleep, but the sister had co over.
"Yes, now."
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