"I was against it, though 😀," says Harutsugu cheerfully. "Kokonoe students are so busy, after all."

"Stop that, Harutsugu," sighs Kuroji, giving Harutsugu an annoyed look.

"I'm worried about him! 😊"

"Don't worry, Yamada-san, I'm caught up on all my school activities," Tōkan says with a smile. Stupid stupid stupid stupid.

"Hey, you gonna eat that strawberry?" asks Inori, pointing at Tōkan's slice of cake with his fork.

"—you can have the cake, if you want," Tōkan replies on what passes for automatic for him. "I'm not a great fan of sweets."

"Cool."

He pulls the plate over to himself and scarfs it down.

"Inori-kun, don't be impolite to our guest," says Kuroji.

"It's fine, I don't mind."

"It's because they're in love," says Suzume with her hands behind her back.

Harutsugu makes a strangled kind of noise like a dying cat in a muffled bag.

(And Inori seems entirely oblivious to the conversation happening at this table.)

"Oh, Tōkan-kun," says Kuroji. "I forgot to go pick up our guest bedding from the cleaners. Will you sleep in Inori's room?"

And that gets Inori's attention.

"WHAT?! 😨" yelps Harutsugu. "NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT! 😤"

"...uh, thank you, Yamada-san, but I can just walk home?"

"Tōkan-kun, you need to stop calling me that. It's just Kuroji. And Suzume-chan..."

"I want to make my special pancakes in the morning," she explains. "I'd like you to try them. Won't you stay overnight?"

"So, if you're okay with it..."

"LET'S JUST LAY OUT OUR BEDDING AND SLEEP TOGETHER IN THE LIVING ROOM! 😰"

"I just said we don't have the extra bedding..."

"Haru-chan," says Suzume seriously to her dad. "You shouldn't stand between people who love each other!"

"But... but... 🥺" And he crumples down onto his knees on the floor cushion.

"Yamada-san—"

"It's Harutsugu, you're part of the family," he says automatically, then looks completely horrified at having said it.