[Cheek]

JANUARY 1
2nd Year High School

Today's the beginning of another year, and this would be their first time visiting the shrine together. Amidst the crowd and infinite odds, they somehow ran across Chiba's older sister, who was with her university friends.

He turned stiff when Emi had come closer, while Hayami looked at him, wondering why he had stopped.

"Ryuu, don't tell me you're here all alone," the raven-haired and azure-eyed lady said before flicking her gaze towards the girl with orange wavy hair standing idly beside her brother.

A sneer formed across her face as she folded her arms. "So you're not. Are you the rumored girlfriend that my brother's been fawning for?" she asked.

"My name is Hayami Rinka," Hayami introduced with a dip of her head.

That calm demeanor and level-headedness piqued Emi's interest. "Nice to meet you, Rinka-chan. I'm Emi, this dork's sister," she said with an extended hand.

Chiba could only sigh while his girlfriend accepted the handshake. He was hoping that his sister would be merciful today although that was just a pipe dream. He knew too well that meeting Hayami would incite ridiculous ideas inside his sister's mind.

Still grabbing Hayami's hand, Emi turned to Chiba with a cynical look. "Oi, she's actually pretty cute. How on earth did you manage to get a girl like her?" she queried.

Instead of answering, he asked, "Will you be going home after, Nee-san?"

"I'll just drop by for the night, then, I'm going back to the apartment in the morning," she replied. Unfortunately, her attention reverted to Hayami.

"By the way, Ryuu mumbles in his sleep and he sometimes falls down the stairs in the morning after waking up because of his bangs –" She was cut off when Chiba began to push her away.

"We need to go. Bye-bye, Nee-san," he said with a deadpan look.

That didn't stop her jabber. Turning over her shoulder as she was steeled farther apart, she continued, "I also have his embarrassing pictures that I can send to you, Rinka-chan. If you want to know about his preferences, I can do some recon for you. Just tell me, alright?"

Yelling the last part, Emi waved her hand after, which Hayami returned. This whole time Hayami had been merely gawking at Chiba's sister, thinking that she looked gorgeous and gave off a chill grown-up vibe.

When Chiba had returned, after being teased further by his sister and her peers, they headed to the shrine. In front of the offering hall, they pressed their hands together as they expressed their prayers in their head,

"I wish for another good year with her."

"I wish to have a good year with him once again."

Afterward, he walked her home. Before she could open the gate, he leaned down towards her and landed a peck on her cheeks.

Straightening his back as he looked at her wide emerald eyes and red-tainted face, he said, "Let's get along this year too."