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REIKA-SAMA – 113
When the door to the Petit Pivoine opened, I saw an angel glowing in the light.
In front of me smiled a little white-skinned, amber-haired angel. S-, So cuuuuuuuuuuuuute!
This world actually had children as cute as this!? Was he even really human? He wasn’t some kind of finely crafted android, or a real angel or something!?
“Hello, high school oneesan. Did you need something?”
The little angel spoke with a voice like a bell. Even his voice was so lovely!
And his expression as he tilted his head in confusion! I wanted to show him to my doll-loving Okaasama! Would it be okay if I took him home
?
“Oneesan?”
The little angel looked a little troubled now.
Oh! Oh no! Did the adorable angel think I was some suspicious person!? Did I seem like some kind of dangerous deviant because I kept staring silently at him? No! You’re wrong! I just wanted to admire your beauty, little angel! I’m just a harmless Rococo!
“Ah, my apologies. It seems I was lost in thought for a moment. I have come here looking for Sawarabi Mao-san. My name is Kisshouin Reika, a 2nd year Pivoine member of the high school section.”
Angel-chan accepted my words with a smile and nod, before taking my hand and welcoming me in.
His little hand was soooooo sooooooooft! It was like marshmallows! Ukuuuu! Seriously, can I take him home!?
Upon entering the room, Mao-chan immediately noticed me and greeted me with a huge smile.
“Reika-oneesama!”
“Mao-chan.”
She rushed up to me and then glued herself to my other arm.
“Thank you for coming the other day, Reika-oneesama! I was really happy! I really like the music box. I listen to it every day.”
“Goodness, I should thank you for inviting me. I had a wonderful time. And I am very glad that you liked the music box.”
While the two of us were talking, Angel-chan let go of my hand and headed further in. Aahh! Angel-chan! Wait!
“Reika-oneesama?”
“Sorry, it was nothing.”
I had wanted to touch his fluffy hair

“Did you come to see me today? Ah! Reika-oneesama, please sit.”
Yuuri-kun was already sitting on the sofa she brought me to, and the two of them seemed to be in the middle of having tea and cake.
“Ah, hello Reika
 oneesan
”
For whatever reason, Yuuri-kun was embarrassed to call me ‘oneesan’, and would always get all shy right after. How cute. Life was great again.
“Hello there. Today I came to give you the photos I took during Mao-chan’s birthday party.”
I handed Mao-chan a photo album with “Happy Birthday!” written on the front.
“Wahh!”
“There are many photos of two together.”
“Oh! It’s true.”
“Mao, lemme see too.”
The two of them began browsing the photos. Originally I had considered a fancier one like a photo shoot, but that planned involved asking Umewaka-kun for help, and talking about photos with him was opening a can of worms. I had exchanged email addresses with the Dog Lover in a moment of carelessness, and now I got regular photos of Bea-tan sent to me like I was subscribed to some magazine.
I tried to give him a hint and replied,
“It has been cold recently. Might Beatrice have gotten a cold?”
only for him to reply that night,
“It’s Beatrice. I sleep next to Aa-tan every night so I’m fine. I wear fluffy warm pajamas too.”
Mail from a dog
 Or rather, mail from a high school boy happily pretending to be a dog
 Oh my god

Oh, incidentally Dog Lover-kun’s first name was Asuka, apparently. Asuka, hence Aa-tan. He was using that to refer to himself? Aa-tan?
Honestly, I was starting to just wish they would get married already. In ancient Japan it was traditional to sneak into your lover’s bed, but this brought a whole new meaning to that.
While I was lamenting over my friend’s future, Angel-chan came over, carefully holding onto for dear life a tray of tea and cake.
Aahh, Angel-chan! You’re so cute when you’re giving your all!
“Here, Oneesan.”
“Eh!?”
This was for me!? That’s why he let go of my hand to leave!? To prepare this for me!? Aahh! What a good kid! Angel-chan!
The cake was a CrĂ©met d’Anjou. Of course Angel-chan brought me a cake made by the angels!
In Japan, CrĂ©met d’Anjou is something akin to a fluffier cheesecake served with a raspberry coulis (usually as the centre).
“Thank you. It must have been difficult bringing this all the way here by yourself.”
“No, something like that was easy.”
But yours palms are still red from holding onto the tray, you know?
“Please eat,” smiled the little angel. Haaah~ Cute! Angel-chan, how would you like to become a child of the Kisshouin house?
“You brought Reika-oneesama her tea? Thanks, Yukino-kun.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Yukino-kun? So your name is Yukino-kun?” I asked.
Yukino(field of snow). A perfect name for the pure white Angel-chan!
“Yes. My name is Enjou Yukino. I’m very pleased to meet you, Reika-oneesan.”
Yukino-kun the angel smiled adorable at me. 
Hm?







Enjou?
“Ummm
 Yukino-kun? Could it be that you have some relation to Enjou Shuusuke-sama?” I asked in dread.
Please say you don’t know him. At least say that you’re just distantly related. Please, anything but that.
“Enjou Shuusuke is my older brother.”
GEHHHHHHH!
Enjou’s little brother!? Why? He’s not like him at all! How could that scheming devil possibly have a little brother like this pure little angel!
I supposed their faces looked a little similar. Their hair colour was different though. Actually, wasn’t his hair colour kind of like the Enjou from Kimidol? That was honey-coloured, but his was amber. Oh. Could it be that not only the hair colour, but the kind heart that manga!Enjou had were both inherited by his little brother?
I was so hoping to avoid this cliché though

“Ummm
 Is there some problem with my brother?”
Maybe the frown showed on my face. Yukino-kun was looking at me with an anxious expression, so I quickly put on a smile.
“Oh no. I was simply surprised as I happen to be in the same year as him. I had no idea Enjou-sama had such a lovely younger brother.”
“Is that really all?”
Oh no! Please don’t make that worried expression.
“Yes. Why, your brother and I occasionally chat in the Pivoine salon. Oh! And just recently I received some souvenirs from him!”
“Souvenirs from Niisama?”
“Yes, allegedly he travelled to some famous waterfalls and forests. They were delicious.”
“I see.”
Finally, Yukino-kun was back to smiling.
“Um, may I sit next to you too?”
“Of course!”
Yukino-kun sat meekly down by my side and gave a little smile. An angel

Of course, I knew intellectually that I should have kept my distance, given the identity of his older brother, but I just couldn’t resist this angel’s smile!
I took a bite of the white angel cake that Angel-chan had brought for me. It was fluffy, and melted in my mouth!
“Simply delicious. Thank you, Yukino-kun.”
“Yes!”
Yukino-kun smiled happily at my thanks.
Apparently he had just entered 1st grade in the primary school section this year. He really did seem unused to this, come to think of it. And he was tiny too.
Yukino-kun gallantly offered to refill my tea. So cute! I’d never even seen his older brother pour tea for anyone, you know?
“Reika-oneesama, I want to talk to you too,” said Mao-chan as she pulled on my arm, sulking just a little.
One arm with Yukino-kun, and the other with Mao-chan. Was this paradise!?
“Sorry, Mao-chan.”
“It’s fine. Say, Reika-oneesama, you’re going to go eat with Haruto-niisama, right?”
“Yes, I am. We scheduled something like that the other day.”
“Haruto-niisama knows lots of good places to eat. You can look forward to it!”
I see. I think I will.
After being soothed by the children, and having my fill of the cake, I left the Petit Pivoine.
Mao-chan, Yuuri-kun, and Yukino-kun saw me off at the door.
They were all so adorable.
*
When I got home, I received a mail from Ichinokura-san to confirm our schedule.
I was so looking forward to this! Ah, but was it okay just to be the glutton girl? Was it better to double down and continue pretending to be a small eater
?
Which was the right choice as a maiden?