[Volume 1 Chapter 5] When I confessed to the girl I liked, her twin sister came along as a bonus

Chapter 5: The Twins Seem to Want to Speak the Truth

The 3LDK apartment of the Tsubasa family is, quite frankly, luxurious, with two bathrooms and two toilets.

One set for the guys and one for the girls—meaning, I get to use one separately from the twins.

To be honest, sharing a bathroom or toilet with girls my age would be embarrassing, so I’m grateful for this setup. I’m sure it’s even more embarrassing for the twins, being girls and all.

And to be even more honest, I’m still not entirely sold on living in this place…

“Man, I’m just going with the flow, huh,” I mutter to myself. When I confessed to Yukitsuki and got that bizarre response, I was in a “bring it on” kind of mood. But after eating dinner and soaking in the bath, calming down a bit, this nagging feeling of what the hell am I doing? starts bubbling up inside me.

Yeah, I’ve already gone and used their fancy bath.

Even for a high-end tower mansion, the bathroom was still within the realm of reason in terms of size. Still, it’s way bigger than the modest bath at the Maki household, and I was floored to see a separate shower room alongside the bathtub and washing area.

Is there really a need to separate those?

There’s even a jacuzzi, and a monitor you can watch while soaking, connected to both the TV and the internet, operated by a waterproof touchscreen. Talk about over-the-top luxury.

It’s like the epitome of being waited on hand and foot—aside from lifting your chopsticks, you don’t have to do a damn thing.

“Phew… If I stay here too long, I’m definitely gonna turn into a useless human being,” I mutter.

I’m out of the bath now, lounging in my room.

I don’t quite feel like it’s my room yet, but thanks to the cloud-like, plush cushions, I’m managing to relax just fine.

“Maki-san, can I talk to you for a sec?”

“Whoa!”

There’s a knock at the door, and Fuuka walks in.

“W-What’s up, Fuuka?”

“Nothing much. Just wondering if you’d come to the living room? It’s only nine, too early to sleep.”

“Oh, uh, sure. Wait, you just got out of the bath too, Fuuka?”

She’s wearing a breezy, short-sleeved white dress. At a glance, it’s not much different from the loungewear she had on earlier, but it’s probably her pajamas. Her hair, let down, looks slightly damp.

“Yes, I just finished. In our house, we usually take a bath right after dinner.”

“Yeah, every household’s got its own rhythm for that kinda thing.”

At our ramen shop, we’re open until 10 p.m., and then there’s cleanup and prep for the next day, which takes another couple of hours. It’s so hectic that meals and baths happen whenever we can squeeze them in. Even something as simple as taking a bath—some families do it before dinner, others right before bed. It’s all local rules, I guess.

If the Tsubasa family’s rule is to bathe after dinner, then as a freeloader, I should probably follow suit. If I’m actually staying here, that is.

“Come on, let’s go. Yuzu-nee will be there soon too.”

“H-Hey, hold on—”

Fuuka grabs my hand, yanking me to my feet and dragging me along.

This reminds me of how she pulled me along at the station earlier. The younger twin might seem refined, but maybe she’s got a bit of her bold, energetic older sister in her after all.

And since she’s in her pajamas, the fabric’s thinner than her earlier loungewear, almost see-through. I can just make out the faint outline of her underwear around her hips… No, stop it. Thinking like that makes me feel like some kind of pervert.

Anyway, I’m back in the living room.

Fuuka gestures for me to sit on the sofa, and I do. It’s so soft, it feels like it’s swallowing me whole—a dangerous kind of comfort that could ruin a person.

“So, how was the bath? Figure out how to use everything?”

“Yeah, Yukitsuki showed me the ropes. Other people’s bathrooms can be tricky to navigate, but I managed.”

In a fancy tower mansion like this, the equipment’s so high-tech I was worried I’d break something just by touching it. If Yukitsuki hadn’t shown me how to work it, I’d probably still be fumbling around trying to get the hot water running.

“Good to hear. There’s a lot of features, so if you’re ever confused, just call me.”

“No way I’m calling you into the bathroom…” I say, incredulous.

Calling a girl my age while I’m naked in the bath? Even guys get embarrassed about being seen like that. Doesn’t she get that?

“There’s an intercom, but showing you in person would be the fastest way to explain.”

“I’d rather prioritize common sense over speed.”

“Common sense, huh? That’s a tough one for us. We’re kind of… far from normal ourselves.”

“Self-awareness is a good thing,” I quip.

Destined twins who sync up in bizarre ways, beautiful girls, and filthy rich to boot. Yeah, “normal” doesn’t exactly apply to them.

“But you’re pretty far from normal yourself, Maki-san. I mean, who just casually steps in to save a girl being harassed or hit on? That’s not exactly typical.”

“Really? If it doesn’t cost me anything, I’d at least give it a shot.”

“No way! Most people wouldn’t. And it does cost you something. People who harass others are unhinged—you never know if they’ll flip out and do something crazy if you get involved.”

“You’re kinda pessimistic, huh…”

She’s laying it on thick. I’m not defending creeps, so she can say whatever she wants, but still.

“Guys who persistently hit on girls are just as bad. My sister might come off as flashy, bold, and… well, a bit loose—”

“Are you sneaking in insults about her?”

“But she’s kind of a mess, you know? If someone’s too pushy, she might not be able to say no and end up going along with them. So, from me, thanks for saving her.”

Fuuka brushes off my comment and finishes her explanation with a bright smile.

Well, setting aside her jabs at her sister—

“You don’t need to thank me just for saving your sister from some sleazy guy.”

“Have you forgotten? We sisters are freakishly in sync.”

“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“If Yuzu-nee got dragged off somewhere and something awful happened to her, I might’ve ended up in a similar mess somewhere else.”

“That’s… a bit of a stretch, isn’t it?”

Or maybe it’s not? Do twins really sync up to the point of sharing that kind of trouble? If the Tsubasa sisters’ connection is as extraordinary as they say, maybe it’s possible…

“What’s that? What’re you guys talking about?”

“Oh, Yuzu-nee.”

Yukitsuki enters the living room.

Her hair’s down, like her sister’s, and slightly damp. She’s wearing a white camisole that shows off her cleavage and navy shorts that bare her thighs. It’s not much different from her earlier loungewear, and the exposure’s intense—but this is their house. It’s only natural they’d dress comfortably after a bath. I can’t complain.

Even if those swaying curves and pale thighs are a bit too much for a guy to handle…

“No getting all cozy without me. What’s the deal?” Yukitsuki demands.

“Oh, just talking about how Yuzu-nee is kind of a mess,” Fuuka says casually.

“I didn’t say that!” I protest.

“And maybe something about being loose and shameless… Who said that again?” Fuuka adds.

“That was definitely you! And you just made it worse!” I retort.

“What are you guys even talking about… Whatever, doesn’t matter,” Yukitsuki says, brushing it off and plopping onto the sofa.

Maybe in the world of these twins, that level of teasing doesn’t even count as an insult.

That aside—

The twins are now flanking me on either side.

Is this seating arrangement gonna be the default from now on…?

“So, Maki, how was the bath?”

“Oh, uh—”

I repeat the same conversation I had with Fuuka.

“Looks like you’ll fit in just fine. Pretty nice place, huh?”

“Too nice. It’s kinda unsettling. My place is a rundown, thirty-year-old house.”

“That ramen shop’s that old? It looked pretty clean, though.”

“Yes, the interior was spotless, and I wouldn’t have guessed the house was that old,” Fuuka adds.

“Yeah, it’s not the Showa era. A grimy ramen shop wouldn’t get any customers, and if the outside looks too worn—wait, hold up!”

I glance back and forth between Yukitsuki and Fuuka.

Ugh, having them on both sides makes it a pain to look at their faces.

“Have you two been to my house!?”

“Duh. If we’re interested in a guy, we’re gonna check out his place. If it’s a shop, of course we’d visit. You were working when we went, Maki.”

“I didn’t notice at all…”

“We went in disguise so you wouldn’t. Like this.”

Fuuka shows me her phone.

On the screen is a selfie of the twins, both wearing caps pulled low and black-rimmed glasses, striking peace signs. They look like celebrities trying to go incognito. No way I’d recognize them.

They even took a picture of the ramen itself.

No mistaking it—that’s Maki’s bowl and my dad’s plating.

“Oh, and your little sister was killing it with the customer service.”

“She’s so small and cute. That red cheongsam looked great on her.”

“That mini-skirt cheongsam sister of yours… any chance we could take her home?” Yukitsuki asks with a grin.

“…She’s our shop’s precious mascot, so no takeout allowed,” I reply.

The twins seem to have taken a liking to my little sister, Wakaba Maki.

I’ll admit she’s got a cute face, hard to believe we’re related with my rough look. But it seems even these twins have been fooled by her outward charm…

“Too bad. Guess I’ll have to get her to serve me next time.”

“If we tip well, maybe we could get some table talk with her?” Fuuka suggests.

“We don’t offer that kind of service at Maki’s…” I say, exasperated.

What are these twins planning to make a middle school girl do?

“Ugh, boring. Oh, right, you were stuck doing dishes and cleanup, huh, Maki?”

“Leave me alone. Customers would rather be served by my sister, who’s at least a girl, than a gruff guy like me.”

“I’d be thrilled if Maki-san served me,” Fuuka says with a smile.

“…You’d be one in a hundred. No, in Maki’s twenty-year history, probably zero.”

Our ramen’s good, but no one’s coming for my service. I haven’t even been alive as long as the shop.

“Your family’s ramen was delicious. We even got the half-portion fried rice they recommended.”

“Your sister’s quite the salesperson. She pushed so hard I ended up ordering gyoza too,” Fuuka adds.

“That Wakaba… I keep telling her not to go overboard with new customers…”

Wakaba’s got a knack for sweet-talking, especially with male customers. They end up ordering more than they can eat. Sometimes, when it looks like they’ll leave food behind, she’ll pass by their table with a sad look, and I swear she’s gonna burst someone’s stomach one day.

“But let’s be real, our ramen’s not exactly the kind of flavor that’d impress tower-mansion types like you.”

“That’s harsh. We’re human just like you, Maki. If you think it’s tasty, we do too,” Yukitsuki says.

“Our dad’s ramen is pretty damn good, but—that’s not what I meant.”

“We don’t eat French or kaiseki every day, you know. Sometimes it’s just tamago kake gohan or natto,” Fuuka adds.

“…That’s surprisingly down-to-earth.”

I don’t feel bad about them praising our ramen, but…

Wait a sec. Dinner tonight was tonkatsu, wasn’t it? Maybe their eating habits aren’t so different from mine. If every meal was some fancy pasta or salad, I’d be in hell.

“Hang on. Yukitsuki, Fuuka—are you guys holding back for my sake? I get that you can’t eat gourmet stuff every day, but isn’t it tough eating guy-friendly, heavy, hearty meals like this?”

“You’re surprisingly considerate, Maki. I thought you’d just accept whatever’s put in front of you,” Yukitsuki teases.

“We eat what we like too. We’re living together now, so no need to worry,” Fuuka reassures.

“If you say so…”

“But, Maki, you can be a bit more selfish, you know?” Yukitsuki says.

“Yes, you can eat whatever you want,” Fuuka adds.

“Eat? I already ate din—”

“Freya, Moonshine lighting.”

《Understood. Switching to Moonshine lighting.》

“Huh…?”

The living room lights dim to a soft glow, like moonlight filtering in, creating a strange, moody atmosphere.

“What’s that?”

“Smart speaker. It only responds to registered voices, so we’ll have to add you later, Maki.”

“That’s fine, but…”

I know about smart speakers—my house doesn’t have one, but I’m not clueless. They can play music, control appliances, all that jazz. But why the sudden mood lighting…?

“Maki.”

“Maki-san.”

“Hey, whoa…!?”

Suddenly, the twins hug me from both sides.

The soft sensation of their curves presses against me… from both directions!

“We’ve eaten dinner, taken our baths. Now all that’s left is… enjoying the night, right?”

“All that’s left is enjoying us, right?”

“Enjoy you guys…? H-Hey, hold on…!”

As they squeeze me tightly, Yukitsuki pulls back slightly.

“Mmm…”

“…!”

Chuu. Our lips meet.

Yukitsuki’s soft lips press against mine, then part with another soft chuu sound.

“Y-Yukitsuki…?”

“We’re kinda forcing our feelings on you, Maki. This whole ‘destined twins’ thing doesn’t really concern you, right? But we want to understand your feelings as much as we can too.”

“S-Still, that was…!”

I never imagined I’d be kissing someone on the same day I confessed. And while being hugged by her twin sister, no less.

“I know you like Yuzu-nee best right now. I get that. I’m still just the extra, aren’t I?” Fuuka says.

“No way,” I say, shaking my head firmly, even in the dim light.

“You keep calling yourself the extra, but I don’t see it that way. I decided to date both of you—so, Fuuka, you’re my girlfriend too.”

“Wah!” Fuuka lets out a small squeal and hugs me even tighter.

“I knew picking Maki-san was the right choice! But I still feel like I’m the extra. So… at least the first kiss should be with Yuzu-nee, who you like more.”

“I’ve had my turn, so go ahead, Fuuka,” Yukitsuki says.

“Since I have permission…”

“H-Hey…”

Chuu. Fuuka’s lips meet mine, hesitant but soft.

Maybe it’s because they’re twins, but the sensation feels almost identical.

“Phew… We finally made it this far, Yuzu-nee,” Fuuka says.

“Took long enough… Mmm, I want more!” Yukitsuki exclaims.

“…!”

Yukitsuki cups my cheek, kissing me repeatedly—chuu, chuu.

Meanwhile, Fuuka presses kiss after kiss to my other cheek.

“Switch, Yuzu-nee…”

“Just a bit more…!”

Fuuka grabs my face, kissing me insistently—chuu, chuu.

“Mmm, chuu, Maki-san…”

“My turn… chuu, mmm, chuu, chuu…”

The twins take turns, their lips meeting mine over and over.

I’m losing track of who’s kissing me when.

“H-Hey, wait, hold on!” I finally manage to say.

“…Did you hate it?” Yukitsuki asks.

“…Was it bad?” Fuuka echoes.

“No, it’s not that. It’s just…”

I grab both their shoulders, pulling them close.

“Sure, I liked Yukitsuki first. But I said I’d date both of you, and I’m not gonna treat you differently!”

“What does that mean…?” Yukitsuki asks.

“What’s that mean…?” Fuuka repeats.

Maybe it’s not exactly about being “manly.”

But since I’ve accepted both Yukitsuki and Fuuka…

“Even if one of you ends up going first sometimes, in my heart, I’m accepting you both equally! Alright… stick out your tongues, both of you!”

“T-Tongues?” Yukitsuki stammers.

“Tongues…?” Fuuka repeats.

Though hesitant, both Yukitsuki and Fuuka stick out their cute tongues.

I extend mine, letting our tongues entwine.

“Mmm!?”

“Nnnh!?”

They seem surprised for a moment but quickly start moving their tongues against mine.

Kissing both their lips at once is tricky, but tangling tongues like this works.

It’s not exactly easy, but—

“Mmm, chuu, chururu…”

“Nnh, chuu, chuuu…”

Our tongues dance, occasionally giving way to kisses, then tangling again.

I take Yukitsuki’s tongue into my mouth, sucking gently, then release it to do the same with Fuuka’s.

I savor their lips and tongues, hugging them tightly, kissing, and entwining again.

“Nnh, nnh, nnnh!”

“Fwah, nnh, churu, nnh, nnnh!”

The twins tremble, then collapse against me.

“K-Kissing… could feel this good…?” Yukitsuki gasps.

“It’s because… we’re…” Fuuka starts.

“Because?” I prompt.

I sit them both on the sofa, pulling them close by their shoulders.

“Y-Yes… We’re the destined twins… Our emotions and actions sync up. But being twins isn’t just one trait. We have two—”

“What…?” I ask.

“Dual Twin—sharing the emotions of two people in one,” Yukitsuki says.

“Dual Twin—sharing the emotions of two people in one,” Fuuka echoes.

“Dual Twin…? What does that mean…?”

Sharing the emotions of two people in one—I can’t quite wrap my head around it.

“I like you, Maki. Fuuka likes you too. That’s two portions of ‘like,’ right?” Yukitsuki explains.

“And we share those two portions of ‘like.’ To put it simply—our emotions are twice as strong as normal,” Fuuka adds.

“Twice…? So, you mean…”

“Our love is heavy. Maybe even excessive… Once we fall for someone, we can’t hold ourselves back. Like right now,” Yukitsuki says.

“We love what we love intensely. We share emotions, but the stronger the emotion, the more we share it. And ‘love’ is at the top of that list,” Fuuka explains.

“Excessive love… What does that look like, exactly…?”

“Yeah, it’s hard to explain, isn’t it?” Yukitsuki says with a chuckle.

“Right?” Fuuka agrees.

They both giggle, then lean in for more kisses—chuu, chuu.

They seemed drained a moment ago, but they’ve bounced back.

“The first dog we ever had—we loved it so much it got neurotic and had to be rehomed to a relative’s place. Patrasche recovered quickly and is still living happily, even as an old dog,” Fuuka says.

“Mom got so overwhelmed by our affection she ended up in the hospital with parenting fatigue. They hired multiple nannies to spread out our love, and it worked out,” Yukitsuki adds.

“So… anyone you love gets loved so much they break?” I ask.

Love from kids can be adorable, but it’s also kind of terrifying.

I get that being loved too much can be a burden. My sister Wakaba is doted on by Dad, but she finds it annoying. It’s different from the twins’ case, but there are plenty of examples where love becomes stress.

For Yukitsuki and Fuuka, it’s just… extreme.

“Exactly. That’s why we couldn’t let ourselves love anyone. But then we went and fell for a guy out of nowhere,” Yukitsuki says.

“Can you… accept our kind of love?” Fuuka asks.

They both kiss my cheeks simultaneously—chuu.

I think for a split second before answering.

“Of course I can! I said I’d accept you, and I’m not taking it back! Love twice as strong? That’s awesome!”

I pull both my girlfriends into a tight embrace.

“I’m not some delicate guy who’s gonna break that easily. Bring it on! I’ll take it all—and I’ll give back just as much! I’m a healthy high school guy, you know. No way I’m holding back with two insanely cute girls like you in front of me!”

“Kyaa! That’s the Maki we love!” Yukitsuki squeals.

“Kyaa! Even the naughty stuff is totally welcome!” Fuuka adds.

I kiss Fuuka, then Yukitsuki, and we tangle our tongues together again.

Goddamn… this is, conservatively speaking, the best.

Twin beauties who are head-over-heels for me, excessively so.

Hell yeah, bring it on.

I can love these two as much as they want—and I’ll take everything they throw at me!

No one but me could handle this.

Chapter 5.5: The Twins Were Apparently Having a Monologue

“Fuuka, is Maki already asleep?”

“Seems like he’s out cold. It’s been a whirlwind of a day, hasn’t it?”

The twins sit facing each other in the darkened living room.

Holding hands, their faces close, they whisper to one another.

“I mean, we’re the ones who caused all the whirlwind,” Yukitsuki says with a smirk.

“Yuzu-nee… maybe we should go a bit easier on him,” Fuuka replies.

“My fault!? Hey, quit using your little-sister position to pin the blame on me!” Yukitsuki snaps.

“Yuzu-nee, if you shout like that, Maki-san might wake up,” Fuuka warns.

“Ugh… you’re right. Waking him would be bad,” Yukitsuki says, lowering her voice.

She strains her ears to check. It seems Maki is in such a deep sleep that even Yukitsuki’s careless outburst didn’t stir him.

“But, Yuzu-nee, it all started because Maki-san confessed to you,” Fuuka points out.

“Yeah… that caught me off guard. We were planning how to drag Maki into our world, and then he just comes to us,” Yukitsuki says.

“But we were too nervous to make the first move. Maki-san coming to us was a lifesaver,” Fuuka adds.

“In that sense, picking Maki was the right call. We’ve got good taste, don’t we?” Yukitsuki grins.

“But we’ve only just managed to reach the starting line. Maki-san was brave enough to step up for us scaredy-cats, so now it’s our turn,” Fuuka says.

“Brave, huh? Felt more like he confessed on a whim,” Yukitsuki muses.

“You two were alone in the classroom, right? If Maki-san hadn’t said anything, could you have confessed first, Yuzu-nee?” Fuuka asks.

“…I hate to admit it, but I’m a high-class girl, you know? I’ve been confessed to tons, but confessing myself? That’s not easy,” Yukitsuki says.

“You don’t need to say that about yourself. Confessing would’ve been way easier for you, Yuzu-nee. People already see you as the type who casually hooks up with guys,” Fuuka teases.

“You’ve got some nerve badmouthing your big sister like that. You play the pure, innocent card too hard, Fuuka. Deep down, you’re not that different from me,” Yukitsuki retorts.

“Well, we are twins. I’m a bad girl too, but I do feel a bit guilty about dragging Maki-san into this,” Fuuka admits.

“…Yeah,” Yukitsuki agrees.

“Exactly,” Fuuka echoes.

“But it’s already started, right? My lips are kinda sore. We kissed too much. It was my first time, and we went at it so many times…” Yukitsuki says, touching her lips.

“They hurt, but it felt so good… Thrilling, even. Absolutely amazing,” Fuuka sighs.

“Right? Ha… I want to kiss him more. He’s asleep, isn’t he? Maybe I should sneak in for a quick one,” Yukitsuki says mischievously.

“We’ll have plenty of chances starting tomorrow. Nighttime sneaking can wait a bit,” Fuuka suggests.

“N-Nighttime sneaking…? Yeah, let’s rest our lips for now. We can kiss again in the morning,” Yukitsuki agrees.

“Exactly, Yuzu-nee. And not just kissing… we can do even more…” Fuuka says, her voice trailing off.

“We’re going all in. We’re gonna awaken Maki’s primal instincts,” Yukitsuki declares.

“We’re going all in. Our own instincts are waking up too, but let’s do this,” Fuuka says firmly.

Yukitsuki and Fuuka squeeze each other’s hands tightly.

“We don’t have much time, after all.”

“We don’t have much time.”