"Hahaha~ So that's what it's about, huh?"
Leaning happily against the back of her chair, Chisato looked at Kasumigaoka Utaha. "Utaha, how did you end up getting exposed so soon? Weren't you going to keep it a secret?"
"It wasn't me who spilled!" Utaha was a bit flustered, her fair cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment.
"It's all Tohru's fault—she blurted everything about our situation!"
"Our situation?" Shichen blinked, glancing at the three of them.
"Hehe~ It's nothing too serious," Chisato candidly confessed, "we just took turns sleeping in your bed, that's all."
"Sleeping in my bed... Why?"
Shichen's gaze landed on Utaha. He could understand Tohru and Chisato, but what was she doing joining them?
"What're you staring at me for? It's not my fault!" Utaha's face reddened as she glared at him.
"I'm not blaming you... it's just, you were all sleeping in my bed, why would I blame you?"
"Hmph~"
"So come on, tell me more about this," Shichen asked, intrigued.
"Ask Tohru!"
"Tohru?"
"It's not really a big deal, Chen-dono," Tohru said. "After you left, there was no need for me and Chisato to keep sharing a bed. Originally, I wanted to sleep in your room, but Chisato insisted on sleeping there too."
At that point, Tohru resentfully gave Chisato a sidelong glance.
"What?" Chisato defended herself. "Why should you get to have Chen-nii's bed all to yourself?"
"You two were quarreling over this?" Shichen shook his head. "Couldn't you just sleep there together? The bed's big enough."
"Hmph, I'd never share with Chisato!"
"I'm not sleeping with you either! That huge tail of yours takes up too much space!" Chisato shot back.
"Really? Chen-dono loves my tail."
"What's that got to do with me? I don't share Chen-nii's... specialized preferences."
"Hold on, what do you mean by 'specialized preferences'?" Shichen interjected.
"Just that maybe you're into dragon girls, Chen-nii," Chisato responded, pouting gloomily at him.
"...And that equates to some sort of special fetish?"
"Don't you think it is? If you don't like normal girls, isn't that a 'special preference'? Utaha, you agree, right?"
"Indeed." Utaha, off to the side, nodded in earnest.
"I do like normal girls!" Shichen refuted.
"Is that so? Then why haven't you made a move on me, even though I'm so cute, with a decent figure? Am I not attractive enough?" Chisato asked.
"..."
Shichen lapsed into silence. He genuinely didn't have a good explanation for that—wrong timing, not the right moment, or no proper chance to be alone?
Though he was familiar enough with Chisato, Tohru had always been around, so they lacked the window to get intimate. He couldn't just do it in front of Tohru; and if they tried sneaking around, Tohru might catch them, which could be... complicated.
But that might be sort of thrilling?
While Shichen mulled this over, Chisato, unaware of his thoughts, softly concluded, "Chen-nii, you definitely have a special preference."
"I do not." Shichen flicked her forehead in annoyance.
"Ow... see, you're just mad because I told the truth." Chisato rubbed her forehead.
"Ahem." Shichen cleared his throat and turned toward Kasumigaoka Utaha. "Anyway, we never resolved that earlier question—why were you also sleeping in my bed?"
"Ugh..." Utaha reddened again but realized it was too late to cover it up. "It's not my idea, fine? Tohru and Chisato fought like cats and dogs over your bed, so I suggested they take turns. And it ended up I joined in too."
"You took turns... then decided to join them yourself?" Shichen teased.
"What's that supposed to mean? You think I actually wanted your bed?" Utaha's cheeks flushed. "I was just trying to fit in, so I wouldn't be the odd one out. It's not like I'm into your bed."
"So that's how it is." Shichen kept up his amused smile.
"..." Utaha glared at him in embarrassment.
"Chen-dono, she's lying!" Tohru interjected, exposing Utaha on the spot. "Utaha totally loves your bed. Every time she sleeps there, she hugs your blanket and sleeps so well!"
"I do not!" Utaha snapped.
"Oh yeah? Then how come whenever you sleep in Chen-dono's bed, I have to wake you up because you're so out of it, whereas in your own room, you get up super early?"
"That's just you barging in at some ungodly hour, okay!?"
"I was worried you'd do something perverted to Chen-dono's bed...," Tohru huffed.
"Who'd do that!?"
"Alright, alright—enough." Shichen hastened to stop their bickering. "Kanna's still here. Don't teach her bad habits."
"Shichen, Shichen, what do they mean?" Kanna asked innocently.
"Nothing that concerns you," Shichen said, patting her head.
"Oh~ Then tonight, can I sleep with you?"
"Huh?" Shichen froze, frowning. "Why do you want to sleep with me?"
"To get closer to Shichen, of course. We need more bonding time." Kanna spoke with childlike seriousness.
"Oh... That's not okay."
"Huh? Why?"
"Because Chen-dono is sleeping with me!" Tohru stepped in to answer.
"Tohru-sama wants to sleep with Shichen?"
"Exactly!" Tohru put her hands on her hips in triumph. "With me around, there's no chance for you, Kanna."
"Wait—there's also me, right?" Chisato jumped in.
"Shichen, Shichen, is that how it is?" Kanna asked.
"No, that's not the reason." Shichen explained with a smile. "We only just met, so it's not proper for us to share a bed so soon."
"Then why can they share your bed?" Kanna pressed.
"Er..."
Inwardly, he realized Kanna was also a dragon; she acted spontaneously, lacking normal human constraints.
"Kanna, we only just met, so we need time before sharing a bed." Shichen repeated.
"Does that mean you don't want to get closer to me, Shichen?" Kanna's wide eyes teared up again, voice full of grievance.
"Ah, no, no, I do want to get closer."
"Then why can't we sleep together?" Kanna stared up at him.
"..."
Unable to resist that face, Shichen threw caution to the wind. "Fine, yes! Tonight, you can sleep with me, okay?"
"Yes!" Kanna's face lit up. She hugged Shichen's arm happily.
Shichen smiled as well, but Tohru and Chisato were clearly displeased.
"Chen-dono, what about me?"
"Me too!" Chisato raised her hand.
Shichen remained calm. "Tonight, I'll sleep with Kanna. You two go back to your own rooms."
"Eh? No way!"
"We don't want that!"
"What do you want, then?"
"We wanna sleep with Chen-dono too!"
"Exactly. Haven't seen you for a month; I have so much to tell you."
"...But the bed isn't big enough for four."
"Let Kanna sleep on top of you."
"What an idea!"
"No way! I wouldn't be able to rest at all. So that's settled—you two go back to your own rooms, and I'll sleep with Kanna!" Shichen announced firmly.
"Ehhh—no! We want to sleep with Chen-dono!" Tohru whined.
"Hmph, how about this: you can take my room, and I'll sleep in Kanna's. That way it's like we're all still 'sleeping together' in some sense."
"..."
~~~
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