One day in January, Saturday.

As promised during the recent first shrine visit, an unprecedented emergency was currently unfolding in my house.

"...Excuse me, Nanase-san (Shizuku). Today, I, Hojo Anju, have accepted your invitation and come to impose upon you for the night."

The moment I opened the front door, there stood Anju, carrying a high-end leather carry case far too large for a simple one-night stay, dressed in overly frilly casual clothes that showed far too much enthusiasm.

Behind her stood a maid holding a mountain of luggage ‘presumably Anju’s personal pillow and air purifier.’

"...Hey, Anju. You’re just staying one night, right? Planning to climb Everest or something with all that luggage?"

Letting out a wry smile, I took her carry case while glancing at my mom, who stood there stunned at the mountain of baggage.

"P-Please don’t say such rude things! As a member of the Hojo family, it is only natural to prepare for unforeseen circumstances. Or what? Are you saying you weren’t looking forward to me coming?"

Despite her pout, her cheeks were faintly tinged pink.

Her wandering gaze was probably because she was nervous in this unfamiliar ‘commoner’s home.’

"As if. I’m the one who was looking forward to you coming. Come on, get inside. It’s cold out."

With my free hand, I lightly tugged at the sleeve of her white duffle coat and led her into the entrance.

"...I-I see. If you insist, I suppose I can come in."

With stiff, nervous steps, Anju entered our living room.

* * *

After dinner.

My mom thoughtfully excused herself saying, "I’ll go prepare the bath," leaving just the two of us in the living room.

Back in my past life, handling silence during client entertainment was my specialty.

I headed to the kitchen and quickly prepared something I had set up in advance.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Anju, here. I promised you this at the shrine, right?"

I placed two mugs on the table.

Inside was plenty of hot cocoa, topped with white marshmallows.

As a secret touch, I added cinnamon and a bit of salt, something I learned from a former bartender acquaintance in my past life.

"...Cocoa? The aroma is quite different from what we have at the Hojo household..."

"It’s my special blend. Instead of just sweet, a little kick makes it better for staying up late, right?"

Sitting across from her, I narrowed my eyes slightly and smiled.

Anju cautiously picked up the cup and took a sip.

At that moment, her large eyes sparkled brightly.

"It’s delicious... What is this? It warms my whole body..."

"Right? You always push yourself too hard. Being the Hojo family’s daughter, keeping up your grades. At times like this, you can relax a bit, at least when you’re with me."

Leaning forward across the table, I gently wiped the bit of marshmallow foam at the corner of her lips with my fingertip.

"Ah..."

"See? A princess would be ruined otherwise."

Licking my finger and smiling playfully, Anju froze with a pitiful little sound.

Her face turned even redder than the red pajamas she was wearing, all the way to the tips of her ears, her hands trembling so much that the mug looked like it might spill.

"W-W-W-What are you doing!? Nanase-san, that’s indecent! Touching a lady’s face like that... with your fingers..."

"Ah, my bad. It’s just a habit—no, my hand moved on its own. Your skin’s just so white and beautiful."

With a completely natural tone, I delivered what was essentially second nature from my past life, compliments that come as easily as breathing ‘80 percent genuine.’

For a salesman, praising someone’s strengths is basic etiquette.

"B-Beautiful... My skin?"

"Yeah. Like fresh snow on a winter mountain. ...Honestly, you stand out more than the marshmallow’s white."

Anju lost the ability to speak, her mouth opening and closing like a goldfish.

My communication skills, polished through business dinners and client entertainment, striking at the core from close range while affirming everything, had even won over hardened department heads before.

If that hit a six-year-old with zero romantic experience—

'W-What is she saying!? Fresh snow!? I stand out more!? This woman, what is she saying so naturally...'

In Anju’s mind, the Hojo family’s imperial education textbooks crumbled apart with a crashing sound.

Meanwhile, completely unaware of her inner turmoil, I casually sipped my cocoa, thinking, ‘Oh, she’s starting to relax a bit.’

"Oh right, Anju. Here."

I handed her a small paper bag that had been sitting on the edge of the sofa.

"W-What is this? You didn’t poison it, did you?"

"Don’t say something so ominous. It’s bath salts I prepared for the sleepover. You’re always surrounded by fancy rose scents, right? So I figured I’d go with something different—hinoki. It’s calming."

"H-Hinoki? The smell of... wood?"

"Yeah. It’s the scent from the lodges at the snow mountains… When you soak in it, it feels like a warrior’s rest. It’s great."

I took out a individually wrapped bath salt packet and gently placed it in her palm.

Our fingertips brushed slightly.

Her shoulders jolted, which I mistakenly took as lingering nervousness, and I followed up with a gentle smile.

"Use it tonight and relax in the bath. I’ll make sure to escort you properly. Until tomorrow morning, you don’t have to be the Hojo family’s daughter—just ‘Anju.’"

"Fweh, y-yes!!"

With a flipped, squeaky response, Anju clutched the bath salt and stood up.

That was her limit.

Her tsundere defenses had been completely shattered by my unconscious ‘late-night bar-style full affirmation escort.’

"I-I’ll go take a bath! Excuse me!!"

Watching the red-haired girl dash off toward the washroom like a startled rabbit, I shrugged.

Lively as ever.

* * *

At that time, in the steam-filled bathroom.

Anju trembled as she opened the bath salt packet Shizuku had given her, treating it like a national treasure.

‘Just Anju is fine... I’ll escort you... N-Nanase Shizuku... Just how many women have you treated like this...'

The refreshing hinoki scent spread through the bathwater.

Far deeper than luxurious rose fragrances, it gently unraveled the tension in her heart.

Soaking up to her shoulders, Anju fiddled with her bangs reflected on the water’s surface, her face bright red.

'...What’s wrong with me? That insolent commoner girl... making that face like a prince...'

Burned into her mind was Shizuku’s slightly lowered violet eyes while drinking cocoa.

And the sensation of Shizuku’s fingers wiping her lips.

'...No, Anju Hojo! Get a hold of yourself! She’s a girl! Feeling such a male presence from the same sex is absurd...'

She splashed water on her face, but the heat wouldn’t go away.

If anything, every time the hinoki scent tickled her nose, she felt as if she were being held in Shizuku’s arms, letting out another small cry as she sank back into the bath.

* * *

Late at night.

Two futons laid out in my room.

Out of habit from my past life, I fell into a deep sleep the moment I got in.

"...Suu... suu..."

A steady, almost dignified breathing.

Beside me.

Anju couldn’t sleep at all.

In the pitch-dark room, she listened to Shizuku’s faint breathing and the scent of her shampoo drifting through the gap between the futons.

'...There’s no way I can sleep. Saying things like that and then falling asleep first...'

Slowly, she crawled out of her futon and peeked at Shizuku’s sleeping face.

Moonlight streaming through the window traced her refined profile in silver.

Her usual fearless smile was gone, leaving behind a mystical, captivating ‘prince’ sleeping face.

'...That’s unfair, Shizuku.'

Her small hand wandered hesitantly through the air before slowly reaching toward Shizuku’s cheek.

It stopped just before touching.

'You’re always like this. You trample over my pride and leave me in pieces... and yet in the end, you’re the one who gently saves me more than anyone else.'

A different kind of heat shimmered in her eyes.

The sweet words Shizuku had spoken earlier replayed in her mind like a spell.

‘Relax when you’re with me…’

As if drawn in, Anju leaned closer to Shizuku’s neck.

Her warmth, her scent, her heartbeat.

All of it melted her reason and transformed into a dark possessiveness.

“...Hey, Shizuku. There’s actually one more thing I prayed for at the shrine.”

She whispered in a hoarse voice in Shizuku's ear.

"Make me not the Hojo family’s daughter... but your ‘one and only woman.’ I wish Aoi would just disappear somewhere far away..."

Her hand gripped the hem of Shizuku’s pajamas tightly.

Filled with an obsession unimaginable from her usual arrogant noble demeanor.

"Hehe... tonight, you’re mine alone. ...I won’t let you escape."

In the darkness, the red-haired young lady smiled in a feverish daze and quietly slipped into Shizuku’s arms.

* * *

The next morning, when I woke up and panicked, ‘Whoa!? Why is Anju in my futon!? What kind of upbringing does the Hojo family have!?’

And Anju, face bright red, replied with a triumphant lie, "...You pulled me in while half-asleep,"

Was something I couldn’t have imagined, not even in my dreams.