"Kanao, watch your footwork!"
"Strike more decisively!"
"Your angle is off!"
"Suguha, you're too aggressive—watch your spacing!"
"Don't forget to breathe!"
In the kendo hall, two girls, one older and one younger, kept launching attacks at Kuzeha. He blocked them casually with his wooden sword while adjusting their techniques.
Over an hour passed.
Looking at the two girls whose legs were so weak they could barely stand, Kuzeha clapped his hands.
"That's it for today."
Outside the window, night had fallen.
After dinner, the girls had persisted through over an hour of intense training—pretty impressive.
"At this pace, by the time the kendo tournament rolls around, they should be reaching an exceptional level."
"Take a bath and rest well!"
"And remember, even while resting, keep practicing the breathing technique!"
The breathing technique they were learning had been distilled by Kuzeha from the Flower Breathing style—it was more efficient and tailored to suit the girls' individual rhythms.
"Yuu-nii-san… huff, huff… I got it…"
Kirigaya Suguha could barely speak without gasping. Her eyes were hazy, her cheeks flushed, and her body limp. Every time she opened her mouth, visible puffs of heat escaped.
If they weren't leaning on their swords for support, this would be straight out of a risqué doujin.
"All this hardship is to build stamina for future battles."
Kuzeha patted their heads and left the hall.
When he returned to his room and pushed the door open, he was met with the sight of a girl stepping out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel, her body steaming faintly.
"Eh?"
Their eyes met. Suou Yuki paused for a moment, then turned away dramatically to cover herself.
"Eek! Onii-chan, you perv!"
Her exaggerated voice rang in his ears, and a hint of helplessness crossed Kuzeha's face.
That act was way too forced.
The next moment, the bedroom door diagonally across from his burst open.
Kasugano Sora, dressed in a pure white nightgown, stormed out.
Seeing Yuki in Kuzeha's room wearing only a towel, she gritted her teeth.
This little devil—she was impossible to guard against!
"What are you doing in Yuu's room?"
"Isn't it obvious? Taking a bath!"
Yuki let her fingers trace slowly along her pale thigh, her delicate face tinged with just the right amount of shyness.
"I just accidentally let onii-chan see me… na-ked…"
She deliberately enunciated every syllable. Sora's fair forehead twitched with thin veins.
"Hmph, your body isn't even—"
Before she could finish, Yukki proudly puffed out her chest.
Compared to talents like Sakura and Suguha, it wasn't much…
But in front of Sora, it was an overwhelming mountain range.
"Sigh, what a tragic story of… cup size."
Yuki stylishly flipped her bangs, wearing the look of a total victor.
Kuzeha, seeing they were about to start another round of bickering, quickly shoved both girls out.
"Alright, I'm going to shower. Whatever you want to argue about, save it for tomorrow."
He hadn't even closed the door when Yuki's voice floated in lazily.
"Onii-chan, don't do anything weird with the leftover bathwater, okay? If you can't hold back, feel free to knock on my door…"
After closing the door, Kuzeha shook his head.
He entered the bathroom. The tub was, of course, empty.
In Japan, it was common for families to share bathwater to save on costs.
But Yuki, as the pampered heiress of the Suou family, obviously didn't care about that.
And knowing Yuki, if she really wanted to do something, she'd probably just suggest bathing together instead.
Just as Kuzeha was tossing his clothes into the laundry basket, he noticed a new one beside it.
There was a card placed on top, written in elegant handwriting:
"Onii-chan, if you're too shy to knock, feel free to use what's inside in case of emergencies…"
The corner of Kuzeha's mouth twitched.
Through the basket's weave, he could make out sheer, threadlike pieces of clothing inside.
He already knew what was in there.
"Yuki really is such a caring little sister…"
Kuzeha chuckled, not expecting her to prepare so thoroughly.
After finishing his bath, Kuzeha lay on the bed.
"Meow~!"
A cat's cry reached his ears.
"Yuki still not done with her antics?"
Kuzeha opened his eyes in mild exasperation.
But then he froze.
That sound… it didn't come from inside the house.
"Where's that cat from?"
Kuzeha turned to look out the window.
Under the waning moonlight, a figure could be seen leaping from rooftop to rooftop in the form of a cat.
"A cat? No… not just a cat…"
A flash of light passed through Kuzeha's eyes. The next second, his figure blurred and disappeared from the room.
He moved through the imaginary space at lightning speed.
Almost instantly, he appeared right behind the target.
"This is…"
Seeing the person clearly, Kuzeha's eyes went wide.
A pair of soft, furry cat ears sat atop her head. She had long, silver-white hair that reached her waist, and was dressed in silky pajamas. Landing on all fours, her silver-white tail gently swayed behind her.
"Yukinoshita Yukino!"