It is storming one night. Lightning flashes and thunder booms, and a cute little girl with light blue hair quivers with fear under the covers. She would never admit it, but she's afraid of thunderstorms.
"Hey, you're squeezing me too tightly!" says Tippy, the short-eared rabbit in her arms. Chino relaxes her grip, but then the thunder sounds again, and she yelps and suddenly squeezes Tippy again.
"Ow, ow, ow!" yells Tippy.
"I'm sorry, Tippy," says Chino. "I should be over this fear by now. But doesn't it sound like the Rabbit House is going to collapse?"
"Of course not!" says Tippy. "It can withstand any storm! Can I leave now?"
"No!" Chino cries out. "I don't want to be alone tonight!"
"Then why don't you go sleep with Cocoa-san?"
"C-Cocoa-san?" Chino stutters, before pulling herself together again. "No, I'm not a baby! She'll treat me like a baby..."
"Bye," says Tippy, hopping out of bed.
"Tippy, wait!" says Chino. But Tippy hops right out of the room and is gone from Chino's sight. Chino groans and squeezes her pillow.
"Please stop," Chino begs the storm. But the storm continues, thunder, lightning, and rain. It seems to enjoy tormenting Chino.
"No, I'll never fall asleep!" Chino is practically in tears. The thunder sounds louder every time she hears it. The Rabbit House seems to rock back and forth. Raindrops pound against the window. Chino is starting to get a headache.
For a while, there is no thunder or lightning, only rain, and Chino begins to relax. But then, all of a sudden, there is a huge clap of thunder, and the walls and floor vibrate strongly. Chino, startled, screams and falls out of bed.
"I'm going to die!" Chino cries melodramatically.
"Chino-chan!" Cocoa bursts into the room suddenly. "I heard your melodramatic crying! What's wrong? Your big sister will help you!"
"Cocoa-san..." Chino briefly looks relieved, and stares at Cocoa with eyes full of tears. Then, her face turns slightly pink, and she looks away from the girl in the doorway. Cocoa-san saw me crying... "I-I'm fine. You can go back to bed now. I'm sorry if I woke you."
"But you screamed! What happened?"
I can't tell her that the thunder scared me! I'd sound like such a little kid! I need to look more mature than that! "Oh, I um... had a nightmare."
"A nightmare? What about?"
"Uh, well, I'd rather not talk about it..."
Cocoa leaps over to Chino and wraps her arms around her. "It's okay! Your big sister will make everything better!"
"Cocoa-san, you're not my big sister..."
"Sure I am! See, I'll show you!"
Show me what? "Cocoa-san?" Cocoa lets go of Chino and sits down in front of her. Without warning, she leans in and kisses Chino's lips, causing Chino's entire face to turn bright red.
"C-C-Cocoa-san, that's not what sisters do! T-T-That's what lovers do!" Chino says as she pushes Cocoa away, a bit harshly.
Cocoa briefly looks hurt, but then she smiles at the cute, embarrassed look on Chino's face. "It's okay, Chino! If I sleep with you, you won't be afraid of the storm, right?"
"W-What!? I'm not afraid of the storm!" Chino shouts.
"Aw, it's so cute how you won't admit it! C'mon, get back in bed!" Cocoa stands up and grabs Chino's shoulders. She tosses her back into bed. "Wow, you're so light!" Cocoa is leaning over Chino, holding her down to the bed, and smiling cheerfully. Chino, meanwhile, is sweating and panicking.
"Please get off of me!" Chino whines, starting to struggle and kick.
"'Please,' you say? Chino-chan, it's so adorable how you speak in polite Japanese even when you're angry!"
"You realize I'm angry, and yet you continue," says Chino, but she is mostly talking to herself. She stops struggling and pouts. Her hair is a mess from tossing herself back and forth on the blanket. "Cocoa-san, the look on your face is scaring me."
"Don't worry! I'll be gentle! I would never hurt you, Chino-chan!"
"DON'T SAY THINGS LIKE THAT!"
"Wow, I didn't know you were capable of screaming so loudly!" says Cocoa. "You'll wake up Rize-chan!"
"Good!" says Chino. But Cocoa pushes Chino back farther so that her head is on the pillow. Then she tucks her in, and gets in herself.
Cocoa cuddles Chino. "Chino, your hair smells like cappuccino..."
Chino can't stop blushing. "Cocoa, you're so warm..."
"What was that?" says Cocoa, grinning.
"N-Never mind," says Chino.
"Kay, goodnight then!"
"You're really going to sleep here!?"
Chino says that, but Cocoa is already breathing softly, still squeezing Chino against her like a big stuffed animal.
"Cocoa-san..." Chino looks at Cocoa, who has a look of pure joy on her face, although her eyes are closed, and she is drooling slightly. "Cocoa-san, you're drooling..." No response. "Cocoa-san, it's hard to breathe like this..." Still nothing. "Cocoa-san, I don't even think it's still storming. I haven't heard thunder for a while now." Cocoa makes a weird noise in her sleep. "Cocoa-san, my body feels all hot..." Chino blushes and clenches the sheets. "Cocoa-san, my heart is pounding too hard. Please stop. Stop... Onee-chan..."