What Sion and Clara Want
“Hee hee hee!”
Fresh out of the shower, Noah flopped onto the futon, all fluffy and dry.
She hugged a pillow to her face with a blissful expression, rolling around happily.
“Noah... really...”
“No-se~ You're not mad, right? Look at me all pretty today~!”
Her voice bubbly with excitement. Ichinose gave up trying to say anything.
She let out a sigh, eyes still closed.
“Hoo.”
After wrestling the hyper Noah into the shower—a real ordeal—the lingering buzz from the alcohol had completely vanished.
Now clean and exhausted, lying down would probably knock her right out. But Ichinose still needed to let the two waiting people know the bathroom was free.
She picked up her phone to call them—just then, a message popped up.
It wasn't short.
Reading the full text, Eungae Nose froze, holding her breath.
...So it's come to this, after all.
Sion and Clara were finally going to confess.
The unique atmosphere of the trip had felt like it might shake things up in their relationships.
She'd vaguely anticipated it, so acceptance came quickly.
Her mind raced clearly.
They're so brave and kind. Both Sion and Clara, more than someone like me.
If they'd made up their minds, it must be a crucial moment.
Even so, they'd sent a message asking if she'd join them.
Grateful for their consideration of her promise, Ichinose replied without hesitation.
...
Thanks to her recent resolution, she said no. She added some encouragement, too.
She wanted to advance things with Rohan when they were alone together.
Message sent, phone off.
This settles it.
It wasn't just about piling on together to boost the odds in a pinch.
She had a near-certain premonition that, even if it worked out, they'd all end up together anyway.
And these kind-hearted girls? She figured living together with them wouldn't be so bad—that's why she'd joined hands.
And...
There was still something she hadn't asked her parents.
Getting the answer to that question felt most urgent.
“No-se~ If you gotta go, go already. Don't worry about me.”
Noah murmured softly from where she lay rolling around.
The phone was out of sight. Had she sensed something in those few moments?
“It's fine. I'm tired, so I'm sleeping.”
Ichinose gave a prim little smile and lay down beside her.
No matter what, no friend could top Noah.
“What's this? Lying so close for once?”
“...Dunno. Just sleep.”
Noah poked at Ichinose's blanket with her tail.
“No-se~ Wanna cuddle up and sleep? I can be your body pillow.”
“Don't. Or I'll go sleep far away.”
“Tch.”
Noah pouted in disappointment at the rejection.
But her eyes were smiling, so she was in a good mood.
Then, barely ten seconds later.
Noah's eyes grew heavy against the pull of sleep, blinking slowly before closing.
“Mm...”
Ichinose watched her friend drift off in seconds, chuckling softly before turning her gaze to the ceiling.
She closed her eyes and replayed the message in her mind.
My heart just won't settle easily...
Of course, even if this confession succeeded, it didn't mean she had no chance.
If anything, she might even get help from the two of them. The odds would go up, right?
Still, this unsettled feeling. It choked her.
Even focusing only on the positives, she couldn't calm down.
If their confession worked and they came back, could she genuinely smile and congratulate them?
If it failed, could she comfort them without a hint of falsehood?
...I don't know.
The girl's heart, swaying in the gale, couldn't find its footing just yet.
“Some urgent call?”
“Nothing big.”
“...It's okay!”
Sion and Clara, wearing odd expressions, pocketed their phones.
Ichinose's reply was just as they'd half-expected for a while now. Time to focus on the moment.
“Whoa, a shell! This one's as big as my fist.”
A half-step ahead, Rohan picked up a jet-black shell from the sand, showing it off.
Waves washed over it, cleaning the surface as he admired it with utter seriousness.
Just watching him like that made Sion and Clara happy.
Smiles bloomed naturally.
Their lips loosened. He seemed so gentle, like he'd indulge any whim.
“O-Oppa...”
“Yeah?”
“D-Do you know... what Sion-unnie and I have... in common...?”
“You're both pretty?”
The offhand answer popped out without hesitation.
Clara's face flushed hot. Even Sion, listening, felt her pointed ears heat up.
Unable to continue from embarrassment, Clara fell silent. Sion picked up the thread gently.
“Honestly, I don't know about you, Rohan. But Clara and I share the same lack.”
“What kind?”
Sensing the weighty topic, perhaps?
Rohan set the shell down and leaned in attentively.
“We crave belonging somewhere—a solid bond that never breaks. Growing up in our environments, our longing for proper relationships runs deeper than most, don't you think?”
“Y-Yeah! I h-hate being alone...!”
“Got it. Belonging's about that sense of security, right? Once I graduate, I'll set up a proper office. Just hang in there a bit.”
Sion shook her head at Rohan's response.
“Rohan. The relationships we're talking about go deeper than that. We need something more profound—a firm sense of identity and belonging.”
“Like what?”
“Family.”
“!”
Rohan snapped his mouth shut in surprise.
Clara nodded vigorously beside him, her twin tails swaying.
“““...”””
Only the crashing waves filled the silence.
Rohan let out a long breath.
His expression turned deadly serious.
“If this is the booze talking, you'll regret it. If it's a joke, I'll really get mad.”
“It wasn't a joke to begin with, and I'm not drunk now. Even channeling my mana, nothing's off.”
“M-Me too...! I-I'm confident in d-detox!”
The two girls insisted with utmost sobriety.
“Of course, if this goes south, the future's worrying. That's why we've held back until now.”
“Y-Yeah...”
Sion forced her lips into a smile, but they trembled at the edges. It wasn't a real smile.
Clara had gone pale from extreme tension.
“Rohan.”
“Yeah.”
“Even if you think it's ugly, before we get to the point... can you promise us one thing?”
“What promise?”
From Rohan's expression, having caught on, they couldn't guess the outcome.
Terror surged wildly.
“...I know it's selfish, but even if our feelings don't align, please don't push us away.”
“I w-want to stay with you forever, Oppa! Please, d-don't abandon me...!”
Clara's voice was the loudest yet—almost a scream or a wail.
Rohan could see their hands clenching tight.
“...”
To him, this behavior was as good as a confession already. But these girls were so pure they hadn't even noticed their turns had swapped.
Desperate to convey their hearts.
Rohan found Sion and Clara utterly lovable like this. His heart trembled.
So he wondered.
“Clara.”
“Y-Yeah...?”
“You okay with that? Before Academy City, you lived most of your life in Zeno—its culture's pretty different.”
Asking everyone but Sion from Tigrova made the question obvious.
The girl fidgeted with her fingers, mumbling softly.
“Th-The one approaching should understand the cultural d-differences...”
Juyeon's words were fully etched into Clara's heart.
Hearing such a commendable, ideal answer, Rohan looked up.
At the starry night sky.
...How is the timing this perfect?
Without Noah, it would've taken time to grasp the situation fully.
Admiration mixed with bewilderment. Happiness overflowed beyond limits.
It unfolded so flawlessly in sequence, he half-suspected it was a dream.
Lost in those sentiments, Rohan fell silent with an inscrutable expression.
The girls, desperate, spilled their hearts like fire was scorching their feet.
“If you accept, even if you bring in other women, I won't interfere rudely...! I might voice an opinion if she's truly harmful to you, but...”
“M-Me too... If it's your will, Oppa, I can accept anything...!”
Voices full of resolve.
Everything flowed in the most favorable direction for Rohan.
But he'd decided long before hearing that.
So what mattered now was elsewhere.
“You two haven't said the main point yet. I need to hear it clearly to give you an answer, right?”
“!”
Rohan flashed a soft smile laced with playfulness.
Sion and Clara snapped to. The mood felt like approval.
They realized fear had them rambling only about failure and excuses.
“You like me that much?”
“...”
Sion and Clara nodded vigorously without hesitation.
“You love me?”
“...”
At the second question, their faces reddened as they averted their eyes, then nodded faintly.
“I wanna hear it straight from your mouths.”
With that, Sion and Clara took deep breaths.
They exchanged glances, hesitating for a long while. Saying it outright wasn't easy.
Rohan understood and waited.
Waves lapped in and out, stealing sand away.
As the moon and stars tilted ever so slightly, Sion, resolved, took Rohan's left hand.
“...Rohan.”
“O-Oppa...!”
Clara hurriedly grabbed his right.
“I want to date seriously, with marriage in mind. Do you have no intention of having me?”
“I w-want to be your possession too, Oppa...!”
Sion and Clara reflected clearly in Rohan's eyes.