"But why… Leave without saying anything…" Kentaro muttered, his voice low, his chest tight with confusion.

Before he could sink any deeper into thought, Serica pulled something from behind her back.

"Look, Kentaro. She left this on the letterbox. Well… I think it is anyway." She held up a torn piece of folded paper and handed it to him.

Kentaro stared at it, his heart heavy as he carefully unfolded it. His thoughts raced. Was it something he did last night? No, she hadn't seemed that angry. Upset, maybe, but by the end, she was laughing and teasing him like always. Still, as the paper opened, his chest tightened. But when he finally read the words, his shoulders eased.

"Thank you for having me, Kentaro. I hope I didn't cause you too much trouble."

Kentaro let out a sigh, muttering, "Oh… She just left. Still, she could've at least said goodbye. Where's she even planning to stay?"

Tenka tilted her head and stepped closer to peek at the note, right as Kentaro's eyes dropped to the bottom of the page. His face drained.

"Ngh!" He squeaked, panic shooting through him as he felt Tenka pressing over his shoulder.

"Let me see." Her tone was soft, but her presence was sharp.

"NO! There's no need, y'know, it's just a normal thanks-for-letting-me-stay note, hahahaha!" Kentaro laughed dryly, shoving the paper behind his back like it was cursed.

His frantic reaction only made Tenka narrow her eyes, and now Yura, Serica, and even Aria started closing in.

"You shouldn't worry, Kentaro," Yura said, voice calm but suspicious. "Whatever it is, it can't be that bad."

"Yeah! Come on, lemme see!" Serica piped up, leaning forward.

Aria, flustered, clasped her hands together and whispered, "M-Maybe we shouldn't force him. What if it's… Personal? Y-You know… Things between them…" Her cheeks burned red.

The moment she said it, the other girls froze, then turned their suspicious stares back at Kentaro.

"Kentaro," Yura muttered darkly, "don't tell me you did stuff with Shaula too. You've only known her for a day!"

"WHAT?! NO! PLEASE BELIEVE ME, IT WASN'T LIKE THAT, WAIT-"

Too late. Kentaro's distraction gave Tenka her chance. She darted around him with perfect timing, using the wall to jump off from before snatching the note from his hands before he could blink. With a single leap backwards, she was out of reach.

"Let's see… This secret message," Tenka muttered, holding it up. Yura and Serica crowded around instantly, while Aria stood frozen, twirling her finger nervously, still lost in her love-affair fantasy.

Kentaro just stood there, defeated. He knew better than to fight Tenka for it; trying would only earn him a Street Fighter uppercut straight to the stratosphere. All he could do was wait… And pray.

Then it happened. The girls' eyes widened as Tenka read the bottom section aloud:

"P.S. I had fun with you last night, but make sure not to tell the others you saw my everything… And next time, give me a warning before you pounce on me."

"…."

Kentaro froze like a criminal caught red-handed.

"I can expla-"

"Shut it, Kentaro." Tenka's glare cut through him like a blade.

The girls' faces went beet-red as they reread the last line over and over. Serica stepped back, blinking, her expression torn between confusion and disbelief. She fixed her gaze on him.

"What happened?" she asked bluntly.

Kentaro's hands shook. "Please… Let me explain."

Tenka slowly raised her eyes from the note, locking him in a stare that could burn through steel.

"You'd better have a good explanation."

And so Kentaro explained. Everything. The bathroom incident, Shaula being… Well, Shaula, and the strange pink light.

Tenka listened in silence, scratching her head as he finished. "Pink light, huh… It could just be your eyes playing tricks. Or… Maybe something else."

"Exactly. Honestly, I think I was just seeing things… It was only for a second each time," Kentaro muttered.

"That will suffice. For now." Yura finally nodded, her suspicion easing slightly.

"See? I knew I could trust you, Kentaro!" Serica cheered, practically tackling him into a hug.

Aria smiled shyly, her shoulders relaxing.

Meanwhile, Tenka began pacing the room, muttering to herself as she tried to piece it together. Finally, she sighed."Listen. I'll ask Haruka about the situation. But for now… Let's get ready."

Kentaro nodded, though the weight in his chest remained. He headed to his room to change, whispering to himself,"Still… Why leave in such a hurry? She couldn't even stay for breakfast?"

By the time he returned, Tenka was already speaking to Haruka over comms, the other girls quietly listening in.

"Anything?" Kentaro asked, his voice carrying a flicker of worry.

"I've got Haruka on it. She'll check it out, and hopefully we'll get something." Tenka's reply was steady, but the tension in her shoulders gave her away.

The morning moved on. The girls changed, they ate, and soon the group were on the train to College, but Kentaro couldn't shake the thought. That pink light, flickering in his memory. Was it really Shaula? Or something else entirely?

Because if it was her… That meant she wasn't human at all. Maybe even an-

"Hey Kentaro, my MAN!"

The sudden shout yanked Kentaro out of his thoughts. He turned and blinked as a familiar boy waved from across the train cart.

"Tengen…? Hey, where were you yesterday?" Kentaro asked, worry slipping into his voice.

Tengen grinned. "Sorry, dude. Can't say yet. But you'll see why today. Hehehe." He chuckled to himself as he slid into the seat opposite them.

"Hey Tengen," Yura and Serica chimed together.

Tengen waved back, his eyes drifting to Aria, who still shrank whenever he looked her way. "Hey, Aria," he said gently.

"H-hey, Tengen…" She murmured, barely above a whisper.

Tengen smirked, then turned his attention to Tenka. "HEY, TENKS! HOW YA BEEN?"

Tenka's expression didn't twitch. "Call me that again and I'll kill you."

"…Noted," Tengen muttered, shrinking in his seat.

By the time they reached the college gates, Kentaro's eyes kept flicking toward Tengen. The guy was definitely hiding something and failing to cover it up.

The group made their way inside. The hallways buzzed with chatter and laughter, students lounging around before their first classes. But Kentaro and Tenka both noticed it at the same time, three girls leaning against the railings by the central spiral staircase, giggling like they'd just set a trap.

They weren't random girls. They were Tenka's friends: Mika with her short jet-black hair and sharp grey eyes, Rei with her long blonde braid, and Sumire, the eccentric redhead who always looked quiet until she opened her mouth.

The trio locked eyes with Kentaro, then burst into snickers. Even Tengen joined in.

Kentaro froze. He turned to Tengen, who was doing a terrible job holding a straight face.

"Right. What did you do? And don't lie. They're clearly involved."

"Hehehe… Don't worry, Kentaro. You've got nothing to worry about."

The worst possible reassurance.

As they approached, Tenka smiled and waved casually. "Hey, girls. Where were you yesterday? Did you hear about what we're doing?"

The three grinned, nodded, and then immediately zeroed in on Aria. Tenka explained the whole 'cousin' situation, and before Kentaro could stop them, Mika, Rei, and Sumire were smothering Aria, dragging her, Yura, Serica, and Tenka into a circle of hushed whispers.

Kentaro tried to listen in, but the hallway noise and Tengen rambling about how the school should open a maid café kept him distracted. He still didn't like what he was seeing. Especially when the girls came back wearing grim, apologetic expressions.

Serica reached out, grabbing his shoulder like she was in some tragic soap opera.

"No matter what happens, I'll be with you, Kentaro…" She declared dramatically.

"WHAT?!" Kentaro yelled. His eyes snapped to Tenka, who was trying and failing to hide her giggles.

"Tenka…" He growled.

"You'll find out in class." She smirked.

They filed into the classroom. Mr Tachibana arrived shortly after. Kentaro overheard students muttering about some kind of competition announcement. He groaned; he already knew Tenka and her friends had roped him into something.

He glanced around nervously. Yura, Serica, and Aria all gave him pitying looks. Only Tenka sat smiling, perfectly calm.

"God help me," Kentaro muttered under his breath.

Mr Tachibana clapped his hands. The room quieted instantly.

"Alright, listen up! Today I'll be announcing two things: first, a new transfer student… And second, the upcoming competition. We somehow already have volunteers for it."

The class erupted in whispers.

"New transfer?"

"Who'd be dumb enough to volunteer for something they don't even know?"

Kentaro's face twitched. His classmates' words only confirmed what he already suspected. His eyes darted to Tenka, still smiling like the devil, and then to Yura beside him, who looked absolutely not okay.

"Great. Just great," he muttered.

"But before the announcement," Tachibana continued, "we have new students joining us. Or rather, four students, all sisters. Please treat them kindly. They came in at the last minute, and I'm sure they're nervous."

The classroom buzzed even louder.

"Four sisters? Seriously?"

"That's a first…"

Even Tenka's friends, usually in the loop about college gossip, shook their heads in genuine surprise.

Kentaro leaned forward, his stomach sinking. Four… sisters…?

The door creaked open.

Kentaro's eyes went wide the moment he saw the four girls step inside.

"It's you…" He muttered.

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