August.

As the scorching heat-laden winds began to signal the full arrival of summer, a soft, sweet scent of soap and flowers drifted through the Nanase household from the morning.

"Shizuku-chan! Excuse me for intruding!"

The moment the front door opened, the one who called out energetically yet politely was Hoshikawa Aoi, carrying a backpack slightly smaller than her own body.

Her golden thread-like blonde hair was neatly braided, and she wore a cute light blue frilled summer dress.

She looked exactly like a perfect “summer young lady.”

Today was the day Aoi was coming over to my house for her first sleepover.

Even if it was just the neighboring school district, for a six-year-old, “staying over at a friend’s house” was as big of an event as an overseas trip for an adult.

"My, my, welcome Aoi-chan! You really are as cute as a doll every time I see you. Shizuku, you’re so lucky to have such an adorable friend."

"Hehe, thank you very much, ma’am. This is from my mother. Please enjoy it together."

While being showered with praise by my mom who came to greet her, Aoi handed over a gift set of high-end jelly with a blooming smile.

With her graceful manners and charming responses, my mom was completely captivated.

'...She’s amazing. At just six, she’s perfectly pulling off the move of ‘a well-put-together girlfriend visiting her boyfriend’s family for the first time.’

Sitting deeply on the living room sofa, I watched the scene with quiet admiration.

In my previous life, I had brought a few girlfriends home, but Aoi’s ability to manage impressions rivaled that of a professional.

In this insane 1:15 gender ratio world, it was probably the result of the “survival strategy mounting battles” girls were forced to master from a young age.

Well, both of us are “girls” though.

To my mom, it just looked like a wholesome interaction between same-sex friends, and she didn’t suspect a thing.

What I didn’t know at the time was that all of Aoi’s feminine appeal was fully devoted to becoming “a woman worthy of me.”

"Hey, Aoi. Welcome. That bag must’ve been heavy, go put it in my room."

"Yeah! Shizuku-chan, let’s spend lots of time together today!"

Aoi ran over to me with quick little steps and immediately clung tightly to my arm.

As always, she was incredibly clingy.

I let out a small laugh and patted her silky hair.

* * *

In the afternoon.

In my room, sitting side by side in the cool air from the AC, we faced the TV.

We were playing a classic racing game where you compete for placement in karts.

"Ahh, I went off the course again... I’m sorry, Shizuku-chan, I’m so bad..."

Beside me, Aoi slumped her shoulders.

Girls in this world were busy learning housework and etiquette, so they rarely had the chance to play games.

She had been crashing into walls nonstop.

"Don’t worry about it. Everyone starts like that. Here, let me see."

I gently took the controller from Aoi’s small hands and played a bit to show her how it’s done.

Then I handed it back and began fully demonstrating my “escort play” skills I had developed while gaming with juniors in my previous life.

I ran just slightly ahead of Aoi at the perfect speed, shielding her from incoming nuisance items.

"See that curve? It’s easier if you let off the accelerator a bit instead of braking. Yeah, that’s it, nice. Just follow right behind me."

"Eh, ah, okay... Wow, you’re right, I made it!"

"See? Games are about having fun. Don’t worry about rankings."

When I grinned at her, Aoi’s face lit up.

'...Shizuku-chan is slowing down on purpose to protect me... And she’s teaching me with such a gentle expression just for me…’

Aoi tightened her grip on the controller, her emerald green eyes heating up.

Focused on the screen, I didn’t notice at all.

To me, I was just making sure a beginner junior didn’t get discouraged.

* * *

Then it was dinner time.

The table in the living room was lined with a hand-rolled sushi set my mom had enthusiastically prepared.

In this world, housework ability was an absolute status for women.

Aoi rolled up her sleeves, ready to show her skills.

"Ma’am, this looks so delicious! I’ll help serve!"

"My, Aoi-chan, you’re so thoughtful."

Just as Aoi reached for the seaweed—"Hey, thanks. But you’re a guest today, so just sit."

I smoothly took the seaweed from her hand and quickly spread out the vinegared rice.

Then I added plenty of salmon and salmon roe—Aoi’s favorites I had learned from spending time with her—and neatly rolled it before placing it on her small plate.

"Here, Aoi. You like salmon, right?"

"Eh... th-thank you very much..."

Then, noticing her tea glass running low from the corner of my eye, I stood up and refilled it from the teapot.

It was the natural chain of attentiveness ingrained in me from organizing drinking parties in my previous life.

'...N-No, this is bad! I’m supposed to take care of Shizuku-chan and show how capable I am...'

Aoi hurriedly tried to stand, but I noticed a grain of rice stuck near her mouth and instinctively wiped it off with my finger.

"Hey, you’ve got rice there. You really do eat like a squirrel. It’s fun to watch."

"Fweh!?"

As I chuckled, Aoi’s face flushed bright red.

'Shizuku-chan is... taking care of me? A man... taking care of me... no, that’s wrong, she’s a girl, but... this is just like... like an ideal husband!'

Aoi’s capacity had already been exceeded.

Watching her freeze with a bright red face, I tilted my head.

"Huh? Was the wasabi too strong?"

Meanwhile, my mom simply sipped her tea with a smile.

"Shizuku really is so caring."

* * *

At night.

It was time for the “bath,” one of the main events of a sleepover.

"Shizuku-chan, I’ll wash your back."

"Thanks. Then I’ll wash your hair next."

In the steamy bathroom, we sat side by side on small bath stools.

Even though I was a man in my previous life, both Aoi and I were now six-year-old girls.

At first, my past memories raised a warning—“Hey, bathing with a girl, seriously?”—but she was still just a little kid fresh out of kindergarten.

At this point, it just felt like “bath time with a cute niece.”

Not a single impure thought crossed my mind.

The excuse of being the same sex was powerful.

"Close your eyes. I’ll make sure the shampoo doesn’t get in."

I poured warm water over Aoi’s silky blonde hair and lathered up some sweet-smelling children’s shampoo.

Then, using the 'full-on professional head spa technique I learned to comfort my exhausted ex-girlfriends' in my previous life, I gently massaged her small scalp.

"Ah... u... Shizuku-chan, this feels really good..."

"Right? Pressing around here helps relieve eye strain. Though, I guess six-year-olds don’t really get eye strain, huh. Haha."

I laughed in my husky voice as I carefully rinsed the foam away.

When Aoi turned back, her face was bright red like a boiled octopus, her eyes melting hazily—whether from the heat of the water or something else.

'...Shizuku-chan’s hands... they’re gentle and big... my heart is pounding so much…’

Aoi’s young heart was beating so fast it felt like it might burst.

Being cared for and gently touched by the person she loved.

A level of composure and overwhelming warmth that boys her age could never provide.

In this insane world, there was no one else who would treat her so kindly, like a princess.

And the overwhelming sense of superiority—that her very own knight was giving that only to her—filled Aoi’s heart.

"Alright, let’s get out. Staying in too long isn’t good."

"Okay..."

After the bath, Aoi changed into matching star-patterned pajamas 'apparently bought specially for today' and happily hugged me, saying, "Ehehe, we match!"

"Looks good on you," I replied with a smile as we climbed into the futon together in the cool room.

* * *

Late at night.

From the futon beside me came the steady, peaceful sound of breathing.

A six-year-old’s stamina runs out quickly.

After playing too much during the day, I had fallen into a deep sleep within minutes.

"...Shizuku-chan."

In the dim light of the night lamp.

Hoshikawa Aoi was awake.

Turning onto her side, she stared at Shizuku’s defenseless sleeping face without blinking.

'...My Shizuku-chan.'

Aoi slowly reached out and wrapped a strand of Shizuku’s glossy black hair around her finger.

Then, with eyes filled with a dark, sticky emotion she would never show during the day, she stared at Shizuku’s lips.

After spending the entire day at Shizuku’s house, Aoi became certain.

Just being by her side filled her heart this much.

Being chosen by some arrogant, overbearing “male” wasn’t even remotely comparable to becoming special to Nanase Shizuku.

'...But... no. I can’t let my guard down.'

In her mind appeared the face of that detestable red-haired noble girl—Hojo Anju—from the park.

And not just her.

Countless unknown “bugs” who would inevitably be drawn to Shizuku’s beauty and unfathomable kindness.

Right now, no one had realized it thanks to the cover of being the same sex.

But one day, they definitely would.

They would realize the value of this greatest treasure.

'...So I have to hide her so no one can find her.'

Aoi’s small hand slowly reached toward Shizuku’s neck.

Of course, not to strangle.

But to gently trace her pale fingers along it, as if confirming the warm pulse of life beating there—yet filled with an obsession that would never let go.

'I won’t let anyone but me touch Shizuku-chan. I’m the only one who gets to be special to her. And if any bad bugs try to take her from me—'

In the dark room.

The angelic blonde girl smiled sweetly—and terrifyingly.

'...I’ll crush them all. Every single one. So sleep peacefully in my arms, Shizuku-chan... fufu.'

Aoi gently pressed her forehead against Shizuku’s neck and hugged her, closing her eyes.

"...Mnn... Aoi, it’s hot..."

"Ehehe... I love you."

As I murmured in my sleep, Aoi hugged me even tighter.

The countless unconscious ikemen-like actions I had scattered had completely transformed the childhood friend sleeping beside me into a “special-grade cursed object yandere.”

When I would finally realize that—was still a little ways off.