The front door creaked open.
"I'm home!" Raika called out casually, stepping into the villa with her schoolbag over one shoulder. Her voice echoed slightly in the quiet, sunlit house.
Trailing right behind her were two of her classmates—Nanami and Hikari—who had practically begged her all day to come over. Something about "finally seeing the mysterious brother" she always mentioned. Against her better judgment, Raika had relented. After all, they weren't supposed to stay long. Just peek in, say hi, and maybe grab some snacks before heading out.
"Try not to touch anything, okay? He's a clean freak," Raika whispered over her shoulder as she led them in.
Nanami leaned close with a smirk. "Is your brother as scary as the rumors say?"
"He doesn't talk much, but he's harmless," Raika replied quickly. "Just… don't be loud. Emi's probably napping."
The moment they turned the corner into the living room, all three of them stopped dead in their tracks.
There on the couch lay Raito—shirtless, his toned chest rising and falling steadily as he slept, head tilted slightly to the side. Nestled on top of him was Emi, her tiny body curled like a kitten on his chest. One of her hands still gripped the stick of a half-eaten lollipop.
The TV murmured softly in the background, playing Kawai Kitty's Magical Dream Adventure in sparkly pastels.
A warm golden afternoon light spilled through the curtains, bathing the whole scene in a dreamlike glow.
Nanami and Hikari just… stared.
Raika's soul momentarily left her body.
"Oh no."
Nanami whispered first, blushing. "He's… actually kind of hot."
"Right?! And he looks so gentle with the baby…"
"Wait, you didn't say your brother looked like that."
Raika spun around, face red. "He is my brother! W-Well, technically—he's my half-brother. Distantly. Like, by… by blood contract or something. Whatever, he's family!"
The cover story. The one she and Raito had agreed on. Moved in with her brother after her father left. Nothing suspicious. Nothing to raise eyebrows.
Hikari tilted her head. "So you two live here alone?"
"With Emi," Raika clarified, pointing at the baby like she was a legal document. "That's my sister. I'm taking care of her. He's just helping out sometimes, that's it!"
Nanami looked between Raika, Raito, and Emi again. "Honestly, if you didn't tell us he was your brother, I'd totally think you had a secret husband and a baby."
"I—Wha—HUH!? NO!!"
Raika flailed both arms like she was swatting mosquitoes. "He's just my brother! He's cold and grumpy and terrifying when he's awake, and he thinks emotions are a weakness—this is just a fluke! Emi's the only one he softens up around!"
But her friends weren't listening. They were too busy blushing and trying not to giggle every time they peeked at Raito's peaceful expression.
"He's the cool, quiet dad type…"
"Raika, you're basically living in a shoujo manga right now."
Raika groaned into her hands. "I should've let you two go to karaoke instead…"
Then—
"…Mm…"
A low sound broke the tension.
Raito stirred.
His hand flexed gently against Emi's back. His brow twitched. His eyes hadn't opened yet, but Raika could already feel it—the shift in air pressure. That barely perceptible pulse of awareness that said the Ice Demon was waking up.
Her heart dropped.
"Oh no. He's going to open his eyes any second—"
The calm before the social hurricane.