Shards of War: Eclipsian Secrets

Chapter 51

As Matsu arrived home, the comforting familiarity of his space greeted him. He set down his bag, the weight of the day's revelations still lingering in his thoughts. But as he looked around, a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He remembered something he'd been planning for a while: it was time to finally propose to Lyra in Happy Harvest, the farming sim game that had become a source of relaxation and joy for him.

Before he could dive into the game, though, he had to pick up his sisters from school. He grabbed his keys, taking a moment to appreciate the simple routines that brought balance to his life. As he pulled up to Yumiko's school, he noticed her standing outside, looking more flustered than usual.

The second Yumiko spotted the car, she rushed over, her face flushed with a deep crimson. She barely waited for the door to close before urging, "Drive, Matsu! Drive!"

Curious but not wanting to press too hard, Matsu complied, pulling away from the school as Yumiko fidgeted in her seat, covering her face with her hands. After a few moments of silence, he glanced over and asked gently, "Yumi, what happened?"

Yumiko peeked through her fingers, still red-faced. "I... I kissed Aki on the cheek before I left!" Her voice was a mix of nerves and excitement, and she quickly hid her face again.

Matsu's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but then a wide, supportive grin spread across his face. "Good for you, Yumi! That's awesome." He reached over and gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "I'm proud of you for being brave."

Yumiko peeked out from her hands, the tension in her posture easing slightly at her brother's encouraging words. "You think so? It just kind of happened... I didn't really plan it."

Matsu chuckled, the warm tone of his laughter filling the car. "Sometimes the best things happen when we don't plan them. I'm sure Aki was really happy about it."

Yumiko smiled shyly, the color in her cheeks starting to fade as her initial nervousness subsided. "I hope so... He kind of just stood there, but he smiled at me."

"Sounds like it went well," Matsu assured her as he made his way to the twins' school. "I'm sure Aki was just surprised. Give him some time, and you'll see how he really feels."

Yumiko nodded, still a bit flustered but clearly relieved by Matsu's reaction. The rest of the drive was filled with light conversation, mostly about Yumiko's day at school and her excitement about her date with Aki.

When they arrived at the twins' school, Matsu could already see them waiting near the entrance, chatting animatedly with each other. As they climbed into the car, the usual sibling banter began, with Iyomei teasing Kamenei about something she had said in class.

Matsu smiled to himself as he listened to their lively chatter, feeling content and happy. The drive home was filled with the twins' voices, Yumiko chiming in here and there, and Matsu enjoying the sense of normalcy that surrounded him. Despite the secrets, despite the challenges, these moments of simple joy with his sisters were what made everything worthwhile.

As the car made its way home, the twins, always observant, quickly noticed Yumiko's unusually rosy cheeks and shy demeanor. Iyomei, ever the curious one, leaned forward from the back seat, her sightless eyes focused in Yumiko's direction as if she could sense the tension in the air.

"Hey, Yumi," Iyomei started with a sly grin, "why is your face all red? What happened?"

Kamenei, catching on to the teasing tone, smirked as well. "Yeah, you look like you've just seen a ghost—or maybe kissed one?"

Yumiko groaned, burying her face in her hands again, while Matsu chuckled softly at his sisters' antics. He decided to save Yumiko from further embarrassment by jumping in. "Yumi just had a bit of a big moment at school," Matsu began, his voice teasingly conspiratorial. "She kissed Aki on the cheek before leaving today."