Kano was hyped teasing me for a while, then quieted, and finally passed out asleep.
I’d assumed she’d be a strong drinker — apparently not. I paid (taxi fare covered too) and called a taxi. I scooped her into a princess-carry. Her body was soft — I had to fight unwholesome thoughts.
“Tall but pretty light.”
(I’d noticed this at the Sumida festival when I’d piggybacked her. ~10 cm above average female height but not heavy. She works at her figure. Suzuno’s also slim — Yuki-family genes.)
“What if I’d been a bad guy planning to take her home…”
(Completely defenseless — anyone could’ve done anything.) I got her into the taxi backseat and gave the driver her home address. (Not a love hotel, obviously.) Paid the fare, got a receipt, and carried her out.
I dug through her bag for her keys.
“Oh — that charm she bought at Fushimi Inari.”
The Myobu enmusubi charm. Apparently she carries it daily. The name field on the back read Yuki Kano and Kujo Yuito.
(If anyone saw, she’d explain it with something outrageous. She’d already declared herself my fiancée to my grandparents.)
I unlocked the door. No shoes at the entryway — no one home. Her parents work weekdays. Suzuno might have been around but apparently wasn’t.
“Is Suzuno at my brother’s again…? Or just out with friends.”
(They’ve been tense lately so probably out. Both stubborn types — recovery would take time.)
I piggybacked Kano to her room and laid her on her bed. I’d been here on the day we’d gone to Tokyo Summer Hills — felt recent.
”…Leaving her alone would be rude — I’ll wait until she wakes.”
(I don’t know if she’s the forget-while-drunk type. If she wakes alone confused that’d be scary. Note in her hand would mean rummaging — felt wrong.)
(Although I’d already dug through her bag for her keys, so that was already compromised.)
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Manga also serializing on Niconico now (with comments). Briefly hit #1 overall on the hourly ranking on May 12. The work is entered in the ‘Next Manga Award 2025’ web category — votes via the author’s X account pin appreciated. ~8 manga volumes planned to complete adaptation — votes increase the chance of full publication.