After what happened to him earlier, Kichi couldn’t wait to get to Airi’s and Aoi’s house. Even if he wasn’t prepared for how he was going to talk to the latter. At least it would be something he wanted to have happen. So now that he stood in front of their house, there was only one thing left to do.

He knocked on it and in little time there was an answer. Standing in front of him was Aoi. For a moment, they stood still, staring at each other. Then she suddenly shut the door right in his face.

“Hey!?” The boy was in utter shock over this move. Why would she do such a thing?

“I don’t know how you found out where I leave, but you better leave you stalker.” She yelled back at him through the door.

“What? But Airi told me where you guys lived. She even asked me to come by.” There was silence behind the door. He was worried she was going to just ignore him and leave the boy outside with not choice but to either wait or leave. Then there were sounds of muttering and a small argument on the other side of the door. Finally, after a couple of minutes, the door opened up once more.

“Kichi, it’s nice you could stop by.” This time it was Airi who greeted him at the front door. Aoi stood besides her with her arms crossed and a pout on her face. That girl then turned up her head as if not wanting to have to even have this boy in her vision. “Come on in.”

“Thanks.” He walked inside what was an ordinary house. Nothing about either of these girls led him to believe their living situation would be odd. There dad was at work, so he wasn’t home, but their mom was.

“Ah, so this is that boy you two keep talking about.” An older woman came up to him to introduce herself. She looked a lot like her two daughters, which was of no surprise. The only difference between this woman and the twins would be her taller height and slightly heavier weight. “You must be Kichi. I’m Neno Enishi, Airi’s and Aoi’s mother.” She put out a hand and he met it for a handshake.

“It’s nice to meet you.” He responded with slight nervousness. His hands felt a bit sweaty as his eyes scanned along all of them. It would be a blunder to mix any of them up.

“Anyway.” Airi got her hands onto his shoulders and separated them. “I invited him over, so I’m going to bring him to my room.” With that, she rushed them up the steps. As they moved, Kichi turned his head down towards Aoi. At this point, that girl finally turned to glance in his direction, only to see the boy running up with her sister. She simply turned her head downward and walked towards the kitchen instead.

At this point he wondered, does she not like this sight? Was this girl upset to see her sister already being so close to a boy they just met? Not only that, but he was a boy she didn’t have much of a positive opinion of either. “I’m glad you’re able to make it.” She shut the door on her room as they entered.

“It’s not like there was anything else for me to do.” He downplayed his own involvement in the matter. “I’m the one who came up with the idea in the first place, but how exactly do we plan on me talking to Aoi?” Even though he believed they were in a slightly better spot than when they first met. It was clear that she still didn’t have much of a mood to wishing to share a chat with him.

“Don’t worry, I got you covered there.” She responded. Without saying much, Airi whipped out her phone and sent a text message. He had a bewildered look on his face as she did little to explain things to him. “Just tell her I went to the bathroom.” Those were her only words to him, then the girl hopped into her closet and closed the door.

“Hmm?” In less than 10 seconds after that text was sent. Aoi opened up the door to only see Kichi standing alone. “Where’s Airi? She just sent me a text telling me you were being weird.” The boy eyes drooped as he realized she only took advantage of her sister’s lack of trust in him to get her to come here. “Did you do something to her?”

“She went to the bathroom.” He answered as directed from the twin now hidden in the closet.

“She must’ve been worried you might snoop around her room while she’s gone.” Aoi believed him with no doubt. In response to her thoughts, she stood in front of the door to the closet and by the dresser to prevent him from getting free access to Airi’s wardrobe. “I’m watching you like a hawk. You’re not going to grab a peek of her panties like you did to me the other day.”

“Wasn’t planning to…” He felt a bit hot on her bringing that subject up. Without the context, he wondered how Airi reacted to that bit of news being brought up. “But since it’s just to two of us, how about some small talk?”

“Not interested.” She responded, crossing her arms. This girl made things difficult on him. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t try again. However today was a bit different. There was no other option but to continue to press on.

“Well anyway.” He ignored her denial and continued to talk as if she allowed it. “I see you really care about your sister. You’re pretty worried for her.” Considering Airi’s concerns, it didn’t seem like Aoi had any problems with her twin sister. She was acting all defensive on that girl’s behalf, trying to protect her dignity from what she believed to be a pervert in him.

All of this was done while she had no clue her sister was in the closet behind her. So none of this was for show. It simply the honest behavior as expected from siblings who cared deeply for one another. Then what was up with her attitude while they were at school? It seemed to go against common convention.

“When a creep like you is going after her, of course I am.” She responded.

“But then, how come you’re not with her during school then?” He replied, using this moment as his opening to get where he wanted. “I literally sit next to her in class. You can’t even do anything about that because you’re not anywhere near us. There’s nothing you can do to stop me.” The last part was the bait he left behind for her to take, which she did in an instant.

“You better shut your mouth.” She said. “I’m going to tell her what you’re about. I’m her sister, so she’ll believe me no matter what.”

“And what if she doesn’t?” Asked Kichi. “I haven’t seen you two being very close since I met you. So I don’t know if being twins really means that much.”

“Then…” She uncrossed her arms and let them drop down to her side. “Then I guess I got what I wanted.”

“Huh?” He couldn’t understand that sentiment. Wouldn’t she want her sister to listen and care about what she said? Ignoring the twin angle, they are still family. “I don’t get it.”

“Of course your dumb brain wouldn’t.” She still didn’t lose the part of her that insulted him, even if it wasn’t as enthusiastic as before. “All she ever does is try to get me involved with everything. But I don’t want her to keep me around because… I’ll just hold her back.”

“Don’t know why you would say that.” He had gotten what he had come in to search for Airi. The only thing that confused him was that the answer wasn’t at all what he expected. It wasn’t jealousy or disdain she held for her sister. She kept away because she wanted the best for that girl?

“Stop acting dumb.” She responded. “The two of us aren’t friends or anything. I’ve never been good at making friends like Airi. She’s so open compared to me. Talks about things I’d never dare speak up about.” He agreed with that assessment after his after school outing with the girl. “She keeps trying to drag me into everything, but it never works out. That’s why we were all alone together back in our old school.”

“Ah geez, that’s pretty brutal.” He’d hate to be a loner at school. A lot of people seem to make fun of him for his main habit at school, but at least none of that made them avoid him. “But don’t you think it makes her sad to not be able to spend that much time together during school?”

“She’d be more miserable sticking with me.” She answered.

“That’s not true!” Suddenly, a voice came from the closet. He already knew who it was from, but it gave Aoi the fright of a lifetime as she jumped up in the air. Quickly, the door swung open and out popped Airi with tears in her eyes. “How could you say something like that?” She wrapped her arms around her sister and held her in a tight embrace.

“You’re always so unfair…” Aoi muttered as she turned her face down towards the ground. Kichi was certain it was to hide her crying face from him, as she still had her pride against him. She was likely upset about being tricked in this manner, but at the same time she wasn’t angry at her sister. “You should be doing your own things. I want you to be happy and not so worried about me.”

“But I am happy when I’m with you.” She replied. “We both should have friends, it’s no fun for me if you can’t have any.”

“She’s right.” Kichi followed up. “And I’d like to be a friend to both of you.”

“You’re just saying that to be nice.” Aoi wouldn’t believe him. “After everything I’ve said to you. You should hate me.”

“I’m not just saying it to be nice.” He placed a hand on her shoulder in assurance. “And I don’t hate you. I had a good time during our project, honest. So please, can you at least give me a chance?” They all stood still waiting for her response. Every seconds felt like hours as Aoi contemplated her situation.

“Fine.” She caved in. “I’ll give it a shot.”