"Not yet!" Reika began running away with Akari's phone, not letting her reach it as she lifts it in the grip of her extended arm. Wearing a big smile at each sides of her cheeks, Reika traversed around the room with Akari chasing her behind.

"Ugh! Give it back!" Akari suddenly became nimble got ahead, blocked her way to the door with both arms stretched from each sides associated with a fierce look. "There's no escape for you now."

However, given by the current situation, Reika did not surrender the object, rather tried to ran past her. And by a sharp gaze, it was done in a jiffy.

"Phantasma." Akari's vision black out for a second, then soon as she regains it back, Reika had already fled the room.

"Dammit! Using magic is forbidden you know." she screamed loudly and so rushed by the other side of the door.

Reaching at the staircases, Reika was about to jump down across ignoring the steps it was the same stairs which leads to the main hall and at the same time, Rine came out to the infirmary, looking a bit baffled from the sights as several gauzes were wrapped onto his limbs. Fastly, her footsteps regressed before she is seen and refrained vaulting, thus peered; crouching under.

"Rin...?" She thoroughly watched his movements unnoticed. At first, Rine stood around, wandering her eyes in a transition from an awkward pout, to a growing smirk after nostalgia. Witnessing this scene somehow had hit Reika as well, to the point her cheeks turned bright red and dealt a sweet smile. This feeling made her senses numb, to the point she lost focus on the phone, and was snatched back by the owner itself.

"Haha! Got---- Huh?"

Akari looked closely to the young lady given by the means that she wasn't unfazed at all. Soon as she peeks through the same way as Reika stares, hence he got a clue of what is going on.

"Oh... So that's the case."

Thinking that she is vulnerable at this second, Akari took action and slowly descended from the stairs. Her thoughts devised a revenge plan for the short humiliation moments ago, and was about to execute it. Howbeit, it was foolish of her to think that.

Suddenly, A forceful hand constricted her right leg. She averted her vision behind once again, then a sinister aura of sheer oblivion stormed around her. Both eyes overflows with a chaotic vibe as well her pointy grin as if its stabbing her skin.

"Perhaps, I suggest you to not do that..." Reika politefully uttered, yet overwhelming due to her baleful expression.

Akari suddenly felt trepidations down to her spine and walked reversely to her side. "S-Sure..."

They continued peeking down the floor and focused their watching Rine's each movement. His smile still hasn't Ceased and so it affects Reika even if she's far away. Akari, on a different note, sat beside the young woman as she slightly trembles from the previous encounter. Though, she is the only which noticed the old man James, cleaning one of the portraits which is unseen because given by his location just the corner of the room.

"Ain't that be one of the butlers?" She then leaned into the handles and took a clearer look.

Soon she wandered her eyes, she saw something vaguely under the white cloth held by James. The image on the wooden frame displays a smiling petite child, bearing a natural hair color while having his fingers forming a "peace sign" to the camera. A pair of round eyeglasses were also present into his other hand and the word "Spouse" is labeled under the wooden frame. As such at the first glance was quite vague and she thought the picture just one of her relatives, but analyzing everything, especially seeing the label brought her to a certain thought.

"Spouse... But It doesn't even look like Reika nor her brother, so it couldn't be her dad... Wait----"

Moments after, Rine's puzzled expression came back to haunt his thoughts. That is the same moment the young man heed the butler's presence. Occupied, still, he approach the old man for a concern which also informed Reika about his appearance.

A small talk happened between the two and the women tried to eavesdrop for a second, yet given by their distance from them, only their ears could hear gibberish. However, having her gaze focused on the two, Reika noticed it at last.

"Oh my---"

She was about to rush down and take the portrait with her, but then decided to withdraw the plan, and sauntered down for several steps to a have a clearer reception.

"Kk. Brother must be behind all this--" the voice inside her mind began showing animosity to its tone while eavesdropping about their conversation. Somehow, their voices became much clearer, and she was able to decipher every word.

"U-Uh, sir... You could've just drop the honorifics, y'know?"

The old man drew a small smirk peeking through his mustache. "Hmm... Perhaps the young lady did not mention it to you..."

Rine replied uncertainly. "Mention... What...?"

The old man took a small pause and continued. "It is..." but before it was completely spoken, Reika fastly lunged into Rine and completely entangled his waist to her arms.

"Rin!" she called in a low pitched voice and muzzled against his back. "How's the treatment? Were they harsh?"

Rine which is currently confused at the moment responded. "E-Eh? Of course I am alright. Though, they're kinda overreacting and mummified my limbs."

Reika snuggled deeper. "Is that so? That's great!" she suddenly pulled him by the hand. "Then let's go the living room. The boys are playing there."

"Playing? They're playing a video game??" Rine excitingly queried.

The girl nodded. "Indeed. So let's go now."

The two were about to walk out the scene, thus passing by the old man, Reika paused a step and followed. "And about you James. I guess we will settles this after the dinner."

Hearing such a word is a common thing, but as a views of a butler is extremely alarming. She might sound calm for Rine, but every staff of the house already knew the menace of Reika's words could bring.

James started sweating bullets with a doomed expression. "Y-Yes Ma'am." and so walked hastily to the other passage, which is also the queue for the them to proceed. Left behind the staircase, Akari caught up at the back and followed them.

An exact ten seconds of a walk at the passage, thus saw the two boys sitting at the couch together. Jin made it through the first boss when the three came while Matsuo just watched him do his solos.

"Brother!!!" Reika unlatched from Rine's shoulder, hence shook her brother by the collar. She started slapping him so hard that Matsuo's cheeks swollen afterwards.

"You dumb dumb Matsuo!" then dealt the last swipe of her palm, leaving the guy yielding.

"Damn, That hurts so bad!" Matsuo exclaimed.

Reika riposted. "Of course it will" placed her hands on the waist. "I knew what you did back there!"

"----Oho?? You're mad? Shouldn't you be happy right now?"

The girl slightly blushed. "W-Why should I be?"

Matsuo crossed arms with a smug. "Want me to say it?"

Having all of her bullets deflected, Reika finally gave up hope and angrily pouted. "Grr! Nevermind! But I am warning you this time."

"---Haha. Whatever then, Miss Ishi---"

Before he could completely uttered, his little sister covered her right arm with a dark visage and punched him, knocked down the floor. "You better not say any word or else..."

"Or else, what??" a voice echoed behind her.

"Tsk." Soon she looked at the back, Matsuo's arms was already hanging on Rine's back. It was sudden that even Rine himself wasn't anticipating it.

Matsuo's fingers started caressing his elbow. "Hey, Hey, did ya know...?"

Reika tried to stop him by protrating her arm. "Wait, stop---" but failed, and so her brother continued bit by bit to tease her completely.

"About Reika..."

The confused Rine responded. "Huh? Uh what about her??"

Matsuo's smug intensifies as his inside voice starts cackling echoes to his head while watching his poor little sister being defeated.

Now down to despair, Reika had no decisions to choose anymore. She stood steady for a pause, dropped her balled fist and bursted crying.

"Uweeeh! Stop Bullying me!" She swiftly rushed and pushed Matsuo away to snuggle onto Rine's chest. Her arms restricted him to move to the point that he couldn't do anything to react with. "Bweeh! Rin!"

Defeaning cries filled the section of the house which lead some maid and butlers alarmed. Though some remained in their stations and continued their work, since they're commonly aware about the outcome of that small fight. Rine had the initiative to pat her head for comfort, somehow eased her weeping thus gently cuddled him.

Matsuo steps back and gave an annoyed aversion of his eyes. "Ah yes, Of course. I'd better stop before she turns into a Killing machine and Strangle me again."

"---Eh? Does this always happen everyday? I thought you two were completely in good terms?" Rine suddenly had his curiosity arose.

"Well, you're not wrong. Both of us always had a stable connection since we became the head. Though... You know, sometimes siblings cannot agree into a single thing just like this."

"----I see. But isn't that bad? Didn't you two just used a small bit of your Procures for simple argument?"

Reika, had her cheeks lied onto his chest after fakely sobbing answered."Oh yeah, about that..."

"I know that I should'nt told you this, but... Since I have already showed it, I think you should know everything about... us." She slowly unattached herself, hitting both of her index fingers to each other as she looks down.

"Hey, are you sure about this?" Matsuo leans at the wall with crossed arms. "Once everyone knows about this, they might be considered involved. Maybe you should think about it again?"

Despite hearing a suggestion from her brother, Reika was not able to hide it to Rine anymore. Thinking that the previous conflict might happen again, she somehow blames herself for bringing danger itself to this person, and so only this is the atonement she could come up with.

She folded her fingers and remained the index and the middle extended from her hand. The tip of her nails drew a dark horizontal into the air, and so a it compressed into a fast spinning sphere floating atop her two fingers.

Everyone kept their eyes into the ball that revolves much faster each tick of a second as if that small thing sucks every light and air towards oblivion. Matsuo, Akari, and even Jin which even dropped the controller into the couch had their eyes focused into her. The air sways her golden hair around as it is being absorbed by the spinning object.

"This is the true me..." then Reika lifted her jead and look directly into Rine's face.

"I am Reika Shimada, one of the heads and also one of the sole survivors of the Shimada clan, The Only Holder of Eternal Darkness. The Herald known as the... Stygian Primrose..."

Suddenly, her voice starting from the last line slowly weakened prior to her exhaustion from the previous fight, but the black sphere still persists stop of her fingers. "Huff... I-I'm sorry to hide if from you until now. I... I just wanted to protect you..."

Her eyes felt teary after all that. She whips down her long hair to hide her tears that is about to fall. Her losses from the past memories and the traumas she got from those days must've been opened and haunted her once again.

"I'm so sensitive ain't I? To think that I'd be emotional just from a single confession that you hardly find a reason to cry with. I must be crying because I'm blaming myself for being careless, or perhaps just had a few screws loose..." Her voice becane ragged and finally, those tears fell down to the floor.

Amidst her dejection, Rine bent her knees down and held her cheek to wipe those tears out of her cheek." Don't cry... Its not a big deal for me you know. As long as everyone if safe for now, there's nothing to worry about."

"----B-But... Because of my carelessness, the Crimson took you as the target for elimination. Because of the carelessness, you, the school, everyone, all of it is destroyed because of me---- Nor I could even protect you with this puny power."

Rine then removed his hand on her cheek and stood up slowly with a bland smile. "I see. So you've got quite a change after years then. To think that little crybaby would be this protective..."

Reika then retorted. "No, I'm still that frail little child just like way back then. The girl that wants to protect her loves ones, but doesn't have the strenght to do so..."

Rine then followed by another riposte. "Well, It doesn't look like it now."

Rine flicked his index finger to the sphere and planted an illumination at its center.

"What---" Both Matsuo and Reika's attention were drawn by that small magic he displayed. Soon that minimal illumination shattered along with the sphere and produced a white glitter-like spread into the air, which brought almost everyone into astonishment.

Rine scratches the back of his head from a slight embarassment. "Guess I should've made my introduction sooner..."

He gently closed his eyes as standing firm. Calm and Silent, soon he opens his vision was a massive amount of mana spun around his human vessel. It is transparent---- colorless, but its density pressed and almost slammed through everyone's auras. Akari, Jin, Matsuo, the audience, and even those other staff stationed into the household felt an unacticipated fluctuation, that forced them to take action directed into thr living room.

"Young Masters! What is---"

Having a synchronized response, James and Carlo fastly rushed into the place tailed by the whole household's crew only to be mesmerized from this phenomenon.

James has his eyes enwidened. "This power! How could this be..."

Rine shifted his gaze and waved a hand. "Seems everyone's here now." then averted it back to Reika.

"I am... The Holder of the Incandescence."

As it is uttered, his admission brought everyone to shock. To think he, whom they thought as a weak and plain Holder possess such magic and even bears the light to his grasp. Some of the staff fainted as he flaunters an overwhelming scale of magic, some were astonished as if they were petrified to stone.

Carlo had his hand rubbing his chin. "Incadescence... Then you must be---"

Rine softly nodded while scratching his head once again. "Yes. I was the one who took a Herald down away to its throne once as the rumors say. But to think I would show myself this sudden. Hehe."

Matsuo called. "B-But, this magic. How did you manage to---"

"---Hm... You must have possessed the first stage Mastery of concealment." Carlo took the initiative to answer Matsuo.

Rine grinned awkwardly at the butler and formed a V out of the fingers at his left hand."I've mastered the second stage, actually..."

"----S-Second stage!? You have conquered the second level by that age!?"

Rine tilted his head slowly in agreement. "Y-Yes..."

Jin jumped joyfully at the couch, cheering Rine. "That's my Master!" then also fainted slamming to the floor afterwards.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Reika, which is kneeling in front of him looked directly to his eyes. "So you are the Incandescence?"

"---Indeed. Well, I sincerely apologize for hiding this for all this time." Rine then concealed his magic back to the unseen. "In fact, the moment I saw at the first time, I already knew your identity."

Reika wiped her tears. "Stupid Rin! If you've already knew me, you should've told me sooner!"

Rine emberassingly declined. "No No I mean, only knew about your alias and your Details as one of the Heralds, but recognizing you as Rei isn't included!"

"----Even so, you should've said Hi even once! We've been classmates for straight two years, but you never talked to me, nor had friends in the class."

Rine then placed his hand atop of her head. "Haha. Sorry about that." then bent down and lifted her by the arm to embrace her as he places his right hand atop of her head. "But... I am really sorry to hide you all this."

He caressed her head by his hand and ears as his mellow voice slightly touches her ears. "Just like you, I've kept everything hidden for you sake--- everyone's sake. I cannot blame you for doing the same as I have knew you since then, but you should stop blaming yourself for everything that happened." he continued. "I know you've matured now, and so do I. You don't have to carry the burden all yourself, I've grown stronger as you were."

"But, I'm afraid...Someday I might lose you too. I don't want that." The girl shakes slightly while saying those words.

Though, the boy settled it with a smile. "Then I'll make a promise."

He took Reika left hand, thus formed a pinky swear between their pinky fingers.

"From now to the next tomorrows, I will be by your side. Forever and ever. Even in hard times, I will surely be there at your aid." then tightened his pinky finger onto hers.

He timidly followed. "How's that sound? Is it promising? Or Was I... being too childish?"

Instead, the girl disagreed hence chained her pinky finger too. "No..." then shoved herself back to Rine. "That is the most sweetest thing I ever heard from you!"

She hugged tightly as if they were just two of them alone. Both of her eyes and lips shows sincerity at any angle as she smiles brightly under Rine's chin. The boy, on a different note, spoiled her by gentle headpats with closed eyes while lightly swaying along with her. Wholesome indeed to witness, thus a heartwarming applause around. And so brought them into realization when Matsuo came pulling Rine away.

He appeared in a sour face and squeezed Rine's shoulder. "Hm? What are you doing, mister?"

"I-I wasn't intending to---" The young lad's voice stuttered for a bit.

Matsuo replied. "Yeah Yeah, Of course. You'd better be true to your word, Or..." hence his sour expression, unexpectedly turned into a cheerful smile. "Or you might end up being my brother-in-law! Hahaha!"

"----Eh!? Brother!?" Reika immediately turned red as he walk past Rine and Slammed Matsuo down, cracking the tiled floor.

"Ahhh! Medic, Medic!" one of the maids screamed and Pointed at him. The butlers suddenly became agitated then took an immediate response to the infirmary, and brought a stretcher for the Half dead Matsuo. Fastly, they delivered the unconscious body inside the small clinic, thus performed a follow up treatment. Since the commotion now have settled down, the house's staff all dispersed back to their previous works with relief and so left the four Youths into the Room.

Now extremely flustered after hearing all that, Rine turned shaking. "W-What was that just now? Like, a b-brother-in-law?"

"--- Don't bother yourself! My brother is just teasing with ya..." replied the bashful young lady. She was in the verge of a faint as embarassment catches up amidst her thoughts, hence shrugged it all beforehand."A-Anyway, you all must be hungry now."

Matsuo tapped Reika's shoulder and meddled. "Hm? You'll let this pass by without my introduction."

"--Yeah Yeah. He's right!" Jin, which fainted a while ago stands swiftly ascended and hooked his arms into Rine's shoulder, seemingly agrees into Matsuo's opinion.

Both in a pinch, Rine and Reika wasn't able to reject their desires, just looked down and sighed deeply.

Standing into a wide oval rug, Matsuo took the center stage and begins to his throat.

"Ahem---"

Rine suddenly halted him with his left hand. "Matsuo Shimada, One of the Shimada Household's Head, Also the sole sibling of the Herald, Stygian Primrose."

Might be struck by a bit of a shock, Matsuo still confidently replied, holding his chin. "Fufu. You sure know a ton about me huh. How about I show you my---"

However, Rine interrupted him once again, but bears an awkward face. "Holder of the Mimic. Man, I already knew that from the get go."

"...A-Ah." Matsuo has been neutralized in surprise as Rine already knew everything about him. That energized expression fades out of him while he walks out of the center as if his motivation and soul has taken away from that.

"Kuku... I never saw you as devastated as you look before." Reika giggles weakly, covering her mouth from bursting out.

Then followed up. "Though, how did you noticed all that, Rin? We never showed you his procure, yet you're the fourth person who has stripped his identity out like that. Not to mention, you did that at ease."

"I said it aren't I? I already knew everything about you two since my first year. But to think his fake will punch me in the face... Hah... " He replied, thus sighed deeply once more

Jin pried into their talk. "Woah. This man had landed a punch onto Master? That's Crazy!"

"--Well Technically. He did not." Reika crossed arms and explained. "We two have created our 'shadows' to act as our substitutes since our first arrival into that school. Incase a mission pops out if nowhere, we could just use them to act as ourselves while we are away. Both of them were created by the mix of our Procures, yet It never slipped in my mind that brother's would be unstable and will take results of violence into the school. Perhaps its because of his angsty side."

Akari also intervened."So, that Reika I usually talk with wasn't always you?"

She nodded. "Indeed."

"----Then, what about that time you said you liked Ryuunosuke?"

"Ryuunosuke? What are you talking about?"

Somehow recovered from his devastation, Matsuo made a reply. "Oh, about that? That's just a dialogue she programmed into her substitute to catch that maniac off guard."

"Wait, You got involved into something when I'm away? Damn. Should've called me atleast." Jin poked Rine's white cheeks continously.

"--Ugh. It wasn't that much of a serious task."

Jin retorted. "But still, you must call as I am your servant. Don't leave out of the fun." then finally pinched his cheeks until it became red.

"Ouch!" gently said the young man, then pushed the hand away from his face.

"Anyways. I just got surprised when I heard that you got hit by someone besides grandpa, Hahaha! Even I couldn't land one in our sparrings."

Reika sauntered foward and took a closer look for the two with crossed arms. "Aether--- Jin was it?"

Jin then responded with a salute. "Ceratinly, Ma'am."

The girl seemed curious about These two connection given by her serious look residing from both eyes. She titled her head down for a bit and spoke with a genuine tone.

"Say..." her bangs suddenly covered her menacing eyes while stayed her arms crossed, leveled to her chest as if a storm is brewing and could descend at any time. Rine could see swallowing his own drool while Jin wasn't even budging a bit.

Then she continued with that sinister voice. "Isn't Rin... cool?"

Jin shouted deep in seriousness. "Yes. Indeed He is!"

"---I cannot hear you!"

"Yes!"

"Louder!!!"

"Yes!!!"

Completely Agreeing and exchanging their thoughts into the same thing, They clenched their fists and raised their arms with confidence. "Master Rine is the most coolest!"

"---Definitely"

And so after that, the baleful vibe surrounding the surface turned cheery and colorful once again. The two Rine Fanatics made a strong High five while their subject remained lurking between them.

Rine sighed in relief. "Ah~ Peace." thus completely shifted himself back to his normal emotions.

Now the conversation is finally finished, Akari is at last had the time to stretch her arms up as well as averting the whole topic to another.

She yawned cutely. Such gave the tendency for her to cover her mouth. "Hnggh! Hah... So? You all done? So we can... Eat the said dinner now?"

The four suddenly got drawn to her. Groans, Growls, the shrieks of tummies started disturbing the short silence of the room.

Reika had the same thought as the others when Akari mentioned so. Though, she unnoticeably brought the dinner she told into neglect after a quite long conversation. Enough reason to deverse a face palm.

"Oh, I almost forgot about that. Well, let me lead the way to the dining room." Reika the took the front spot, thus lead the other into the dining room.

"Yay! Eating time!" Akari energtically cheered.

"Ugh. So loud." Matsuo muttered to himself as they went their way to the Long table.

Soon Arrived at the Dinner table for a small walk. It is not so far since Rine and the two girls were here moments before they reconnected with the boys, though having a long passage like that Doesn't seem normal to be a part of the house. Thinking those matters, Rine couldn't avoid having some concerns about the structures of the house.

"Hey, I know this is quite rude to ask, but those passages... Generally the house are full of those. Isn't that format kind of weird for a simple mansion?"

Matsuo then replied. "Well, now that you asked. Let's just say, every crew into this household--- Everyone that resides into this house were Holders themselves.

"---Holders? Now that's quite shocking."

He nodded."Yes." then smirked. "Everyone here specializes in different fields and talents."

Rine suddenly got dumbfounded. "Hmm. So that just means."

Matsuo agreed in advance. "Frankly, Yes! Even the Original Holder of Might is also one of the crew."

"---Ah, That Procure you copied? I see. But who might it be among them?"

Out in a spur of moment a familiar face went closer from the group. A tan, tall guy wearing sharp eyes as he saunters. "Young Master. The Dinner's ready."

"----Oh speak of the devil, Here he is."

Clueless regarding their current topic, he appeared baffled for a second then soon gained awareness afterward.

"Ohh, So that you!?"

Rine were mesmerized, seeing the face of the man he recognized before. Back when they used to play in the Garden of this household, there is always formal attired man that stands near the walls to supervise their behaviors. A tan looking Asian-guy, with a fierce look that even wards naughty children away just by him staring at one keeps them supervised everytime. The kid Rine notices him everytime he goes by to play with the little girl Reika before, but he never talked, nor payed attention from the child's approaches. However, that doesn't mean Carlo doesn't recognize him.

A politeful bow greeted Rine. "We meet again, Master Rine. It is me, Carlo Luna. Have you remembered me back then?"

"---Of course I wouldn't forget. You're that Scary brown man in a tuxedo suit watching us everytime."

Carlo confirmed. "Certainly. I have always ordered with the responsibility to watch the young masters at that time. To think you are the first kid to be unafraid from my sharp look, that's definitely remarkable. An unforgottable fact perhaps."

He continued. "It seems you have grown much as a youth. I suppose I should commend you atleast."

Rine look away out of flattery. "Hehe, Its not much of a development though, yet I wasn't expecting you to be a Holder too."

"---No, that thing doesn't deserve to be shocked with. I'm just their simple sparring mate for them." replied the butler.

"Ooh! So you're their trainor? That's cool!"

Carlo, somehow struck grateful by the slight compliment, answered. "Well, if I have spare time, maybe I could spar with you. If you'd like of course."

"---Really!? I'll be anticipating then!"

"Heh. You should be." He replied once more.

Not expecting the turn of events, Matsuo suddenly intervened. "Whoa, you seem having good terms with Mister Carlo here. Sounds like you had history with him."

"---Well, Partially. I guess?"

Oocupied for a moment, they soon realize that the two girls are gone away and went ahead to the table by themselves.

"Hey! What are two waiting for? We can't start without you two!" Akari's voice called from the long table as she is seen already taken one of the seats as well as the other girl and Jin, which starts playing with the chair

She followed. "Get yourselves here! I'm so so hungry!"

Rine replied. "Alright, We're coming." and so the two boys went over, thus brought the dinner en grande to a move.

A pair of five butlers and maids lined up into the long table, each holding a dish covered by a stainless, arc lid. Everyone gebtly dropped the meals into the table then slowly lifted the cover as different scents of aroma started smoking out of each plate.

A grand feast appeared before their eyes, formed with a wide variety of dishes for them to take. Akari's pupils glimmers from the first sight of the delicious looking meals of various sorts of recipes displayed on a mix of native and foreign food. Starting from a simple dish of Pork Cutlets, Wagyu Steaks, Western Foods such as Goulash and Irish stew, to a a peculiar recipe of a chicken dish that emits a marvelous smell by the blend of Cooked Soy sauce and Vinegar with Laurel leaves on top.

"Hm... This one's new. I've never encounter a dish like that before."

Behind Rine's chair as he followed the two towards the table, Carlo, which stands alone at the back answered. "Ah, we call that Adobo in the Philippines. This dish is a native recipe back my early days and it is truly delightful and is best served with some rice. Please, do not be shy to take a serving."

"Then must be your cooking then? Man, I'd like to try that." replied the young man as he takes an adequate among of rice and topped the sauce and the chicken. above the pile. Through that, he took a spoonful of a chunk of meat and rice, hence put it on his mouth, only to be indulge himself into thw pleasureable meal.

"Mhmm! Its flavorful!" he muttered as he continued scooping some more into his plate. "Mhmm!"

The attendant bowed with grace. "Glad you liked your meal, Master."

"--Hm? You all won't join us?"

Carlo kindly retorted. "My apologies, but we prioritize guests before ourselves. That's our protocol in the job."

However, hearing such puny reply drove Matsuo parrying it away. "Huh? Stop acting so generous now, get your asses down to your seats."

"--Was it alright for us to join?" A maid followed.

"If course you all are! Its not like we could finish this buffet with just five of us." Matsuo replied smiling in his seat, there convinced everyone to eat along.

Each seats were filled by each member of the household as they bond with the other five. Countless smiles, Enjoyable Toasts, and Satisfied Hunger hailed amidst that Darkness of the night outside. It felt like and endless happiness for the time being. Henceforth, after the short dinner, everyone's faces seemed delightful to he pulled out of stress. Indeed a wholesome night for all."

After cleaning all up as the so called guests gave their share for the work, they all felt the exhaustion once more. A contented stomach, but eyes and bodied worn out, it is natural for them to experience such since It is already late at night and so the maids took the initiative to lead them to the sleeping rooms available inside the manor.

While almost everyone is ready for bed, The Head butler James with Carlo as his right hand, and The head-house maid, a middle aged woman usually called Miss Flora with her assistant Fuyumi, remained to make a last checkup before bedtime. While the four disperses around the whole house, and so Jin and Rine stayed together into the living room to kill some time as if they still wasn't tired yet.

Jin flicked the console switch on and opened as well as the display, while Rine still wasn't holding the controller yet, hence lied her back onto the sofa together with a soft sigh.

"Ugh~ This day is such a bomb. To think the school, my three years of hiding in the shadows, the house burning down. What a tiresome and troublesome ending."

Jin had his eyes on the screen but still replied. "Well atleast I got contact with the staffs here to help me salvage some your things before everything collapsed."

"---Heh. Lucky you, still having your smartphone in your pocket. Lost mine cause I left my bag at the classroom and to think that destroying the school will be involved."

"Then, that's unfortunate. Seems its time for you to buy a new one."

"---Yeah, Guess so." Rine replied, somehow dejected given to his tone.

Hearing that bland reply bothered Jin amidst his scrolling down the tabs of the display. It is unusual for his ears to hear a disencouraged response from him since he looked him high from way back then, but he never showed a single hint of dejection into his expression.

Jin hung his arms to his back. "My My, Don't be sad for a simple object. Its just a matter of time before you got a new one anyway."

"Nah. It's not that." Rine then pushed his hooked arm away slothfully. "I just remembered something way back my childhood. Not that serious to be disclosed."

"Hm? Hiding secrets eh?"

"---Kk. Not a secret either."

"Boo..." Jin then pouted cutely. "You're getting secretive from me recently huh. Was it because of that girl??"

Rine suddenly darted at him. "What do you mean 'that girl'?"

Jin took his lips closer at his ear, seemingly to whisper something, yet he shouted exclaimed it instead. "Your girlfriend, of course! Who would it be?"

In an immediate action, he forcely snatched his mouth shut. "You moron. If she hears this nonsense, you'd better be packing right now, or I'll evict you myself."

Meanwhile shocked as he tries to break free his mouth covered by his palms, Jin is successful to do so and retorted as if provoking him in the tease."Hang on, Hang on! I'm just kidding. And besides, you two still weren't onto each other right? So why the sudden violence?"

Rine then poured some water into the glass cup. "---What about you? Bet you haven't even talked to a girl when we're apart."

Though, he riposted. "No, I got a girlfriend-"

"Pff--- What!?" Rine suddenly had the urge to spill out the water into his mouth. "You-- How--"

"---Hehe. You really think I can't? Well jokes on you!"

Rine shakingly dropped the glass cup into the small table. "If that were true, t-then where she's at now? Do you have any evidence? O-Or Do you two have done it already?"

"Evidence eh?" Jin pulled his smartphone in the pocket, thus started scrolling hurriedly. "Wait..."

Rine's shaking on the other began to met its extremities each tick. He is clearly afraid of what could happen if the thing he told him is true. Jin is known to be so mocking way back their first meeting, so he is afraid that Jin might turn this into a massive flex. Though, as he have seen what is in the contents, as if those fretting thoughts had gone by in a jiffy.

"Behold!" Jin has his head held high, yet Rine wasn't even bothered, nor jealous that he got a fictional girlfriend he got from a dating sim.

Rine withdrew back and lied hi back once again. "Heh. Just a fictional character. You're truly a dedicated otaku aren't ya."

Despite that, Jin began pointing each assets one by one"---But Isn't she beautiful? Brown long hair, crimson red eyes, A slender, but alluring, this pretty smile and then---" he said.

"Ugh, shut up." Rine then rolled his eyes away.

Out of a stoppage, Jin restored the phone back to the pocket, while talking a slight unsatisfaftion. "---Eh? What's that for? You said you wanted an evidence don't you?"

Rine warded him off through a constant waves of the hand. "Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah. Just shut up now." he muttered.

"Boo!" Jin, then shifted back to the browse into the display and flicked the play button afterward.

Rine closed for a moment, only to retract himself back to settling down. Lying peacefully into the sofa in the middle of the night as the dead silence of the room is filled by the game's soft audio. Rine's nerves started calming from a relieving sigh, yet little did he knew that weariness awaits him to fall into a short nap.

"Still, what a tiresome day we had." he murmured to himself.

Soon a minute reach the peak, he was startled by a soft poke on his cheek. Therefore he turned, to see Reika, holding a big, blue pillow touching her body in a sleeveless white shirt.

Rine caught a scratch to his head. "A-Ah, Rei. You startled me."

"-- Well, Rin... You should've called me upstairs if you're already tired."

The boy smiled a bit. "Yeah, Haha. Just dozed off a bit, but believe me. I'm not sleepy yet."

Even so with that said, she pulled Rine up into the sofa. "You're coming with me."

"--Wait what? You don't mean..."

Before heading out, Reika called Jin. "Fellow Jin. Mind if I take your Master for bed?"

Jin suddenly paused the game, dropped the controller and arose from his seat to give a courtly salute. "You may go have a goodnight then, Soon to be Mrs. Ishi-- I mean, Fellow Reika. hence dropped down once more to continue what he has left off since the two departed afterwards.

Fastly pulling him towards her room, Rine suddenly had the feeling off breaking free.

"Wait, Wait, Wait!!" he tried pulling his hand out of her grip, but he failed as it was released the moment they reached the bed. He spun forward to be tripped down slamming into the cushions as well as Reika deliberately jumped with him.

Her arms immediately constricted his body from moving away, And so enclosed themselves from each other for just an inch of distance of between their lips.

"H-Hey? This is embarassing y'know..." Rine's cheeks were flushed while the girl's body presses into his. He could hardly stay calm and to harness his manly instincts became much difficult given to the situation he is undergoing.

Rine flailed again. "R-Rei..." yet her only response is a sweet smile as if she doesn't care about anything.

"What's with that smile." Rine asked once again.

And so she replied. "Nothing... Just happy."

"---What do you mean happy?"

She giggled and nuzzled into "You don't have to know. Just be with me tonight."

"---Wait, that doesn't sound right---" Even so he retorted, Rine wasn't able to escape from her grasp. Still, he is clueless about that sudden cheerfulness of the woman, but Rine isn't aware she down with them all along.

Driven by her thoughts, Reika had confirmed everything at that moment. He was in love to her since then. Though, it could be considered to be just simple infatuation or a puppy love, it is unexpected for the two of them to grow up with those feelings still inside their hearts intact. An infatuation that grew into genuine love just by the childish promise they adored both.

Now that she knew everything, her heart suddenly flutters and does things she haven't been able to do with him after his disappearance back that day. But still, both bears the same thought--- If they haven't forgotten thay promise they had made.

"Well, If you insist..." Seemingly Blushing, Rine had no choice but to be with her.

An so an couple of hours have passed. Everyone had been already resting at this hours. The maids and butlers each share rooms by fours and so as the ones left below has taken their relaxation in their rooms. Matsuo had himself having good sleep as Jin had already gone up half an hour ago, sleeping in the bed next to him while Akari is deep in slumber, unaware she fell down to the floor with a drool. The unoficcial couple on the other hand, which lies at the next room, sleeping soundly as the air hums while they are inside in the same blanket. Even in their sleep, her arms still couldn't let go of the young man he missed the most. Kind of romantic and heartwarming.

The sun will rise soon enough, Henceforth another day comes for them to chase once again. The spring of youth is just beginning to spread its roots under its ground, and so is their fates opening another thorny path.