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DN : [415] Charming
🕑 Added 2025-01-16 16:00:03 +0000 UTCRingggggg~
The school bell rang, signaling the end of the day. The cheerful chatter of students echoed through the halls as they packed up to leave, relieved that classes were finally over.
In Japan, schools often dismissed early in the afternoon, and many students would head off to their club activities. However, this wasn't the case for Kanon Kanase. With her bag already packed, she was preparing to head straight home. She wasn’t part of any club; her routine typically involved a quiet visit to the orphanage ruins where she used to live, to feed the kittens she had taken in, before returning home.
But today was different. As soon as she stepped out of her classroom, she froze, unsure of where to go.
Her "home" was no longer hers. She had been entrusted to August—a young man she’d only met a few times but who always managed to leave her blushing and flustered. The place she once called home was now out of reach.
"Kanon-chan, is something wrong?"
Nagisa Akatsuki’s voice broke her reverie. She had just walked out of the classroom and was eyeing Kanon with concern.
"It's nothing, Nagisa-chan," Kanon replied, shaking her head slightly.
"Why don’t we walk home together?" Nagisa offered cheerfully.
"Thanks, but I’ve got something to do," Kanon declined politely.
"Alright, take care then," Nagisa said, waving. "See you tomorrow!"
"You too," Kanon responded with a small smile.
As Nagisa turned to leave, she paused. From around the corner of the hallway, a figure appeared. The sight of him left her momentarily stunned.
Nagisa had never seen such a handsome boy before.
"Yo, Kanon-chan, I’m here to pick you up," the boy said with a relaxed smile.
"August-oniisan~" Kanon called out sweetly. Her gaze softened, though there was a hint of hesitation in her eyes.
August understood. He could tell her feelings were tied to the recent events involving Kanon’s adoptive father, Kenshō Kanase. After all, it wasn’t every day that a father—adoptive or otherwise—entrusted his child to another person without a significant reason.
"Are you Kanon-chan’s brother?" Nagisa asked, curiosity evident in her tone. "I’m Nagisa Akatsuki, Kanon-chan’s friend."
"Nice to meet you, Nagisa," August said with a friendly nod. "I’m August. It’s a pleasure."
For a brief moment, August’s sharp gaze flickered. Nagisa Akatsuki, the younger sister of the protagonist Kojou Akatsuki. She was also the current vessel for the twelfth Familiar of the Fourth Primogenitor. Not only did the Familiar reside within her, but so did the dormant consciousness of its original form, Avrora Florestina.
Despite her seemingly fragile frame, Nagisa harbored immense magical energy and potential. Even though her powers, memories, and abilities had been sealed after the Blazing Banquet, they still lingered, latent and potent.
"Kanon-chan, why didn’t you tell me you had such a cool older brother?" Nagisa teased, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
"It’s not that big a deal, Nagisa-chan," Kanon replied, clearly flustered.
"Not a big deal? Compared to my brother, he’s light-years ahead!" Nagisa exclaimed with mock exaggeration.
Ah-choo!
In the high school division, Kojou Akatsuki sneezed unexpectedly as he packed up his belongings, completely unaware that his younger sister was casually disparaging him from afar.
August chuckled at the exchange. It was clear that sibling dynamics were the same everywhere—especially when it came to sisters poking fun at their brothers.
"Nagisa-chan~" Kanon protested, her face reddening.
"Alright, alright, I’ll stop," Nagisa replied, laughing.
Kanon’s bashful expression only made Nagisa grin wider. Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the attention, Kanon’s cheeks turned a deeper shade of pink.
"Well, I’ll leave you two to it," Nagisa said eventually. "I need to head home and make dinner for Kojou. See you tomorrow, Kanon-chan!"
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Kanon-chan’s handsome big brother," Nagisa called out cheerfully as she skipped away. Her boundless energy made it hard for anyone to dislike her.
After Nagisa left, the atmosphere between August and Kanon became subtly different—quiet, almost delicate.
"Kanon-chan, are you still finding it hard to believe?"
Kanon hesitated, then nodded. "Yes. Why would Father make such a decision, August-oniisan?"
"I already told you, didn’t I? I really wanted to make Kanon-chan part of my family, so I decided to take you from Kanase Kenshō."
"But this—"
"Kanon-chan," August interrupted gently, "you’ve probably noticed what your father’s been trying to do, haven’t you?"
At his words, Kanon fell silent.
Over the past six months, her adoptive father had been subjecting her to frequent medical examinations, drawing her blood for tests, and conducting mysterious research.
She was young, but not ignorant. She had noticed the strangeness in his actions. Yet, out of fear of disappointing him, she had never questioned or resisted. She never even uttered a word of protest.
However, silence didn’t mean she had no emotions or thoughts about it.
"Kanon-chan, you’re a treasure to me. I won’t let anyone hurt you. And honestly, I wouldn’t trust you being anywhere else. Keeping you entirely to myself is the only way I’ll feel at ease."
"August-niisan~"
Hearing the possessive tone in his voice, Kanon didn’t feel offended. Instead, it stirred something deep inside her—a sense of being cherished, even excitement.
She had never truly experienced a father’s presence, and her frail mother had passed away when Kanon was still very young. After spending years in an orphanage, she was adopted by Kenshō.
Deep in her heart, she had always longed for love and a family. Now, standing with August, she felt that yearning finally being fulfilled.
Tap, tap, tap.
"Hmph, still busy tricking little girls, I see," came a voice from a short distance away.
The mood shattered as Natsuki Minamiya appeared, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Ah!" Startled by the sudden interruption, Kanon quickly hid behind August, too embarrassed to face anyone else.
August frowned, shooting Natsuki a look of irritation. Really? Right when I was building rapport, you had to show up and ruin the moment?
"Natsuki-chan, what brings you here?" he asked, forcing a polite tone.
"Am I not allowed? Don’t forget, you’re staying under my roof," she reminded him bluntly.
"Yes, yes, my deepest apologies, landlady," August replied with mock humility.
Natsuki gave him a long, unreadable look. She couldn’t figure him out. At times, like now, he seemed easygoing and frivolous. Yet, she had seen another side of him—one so imposing that it sent shivers down her spine. Which one was the real August?
"Wait, August-oniisan, you’re living with Natsuki-sensei right now?" Kanon asked hesitantly.
"You usually call her Minamiya-sensei," August teased. "Why the sudden change?"
"Is... is that a problem?"
"Not at all. I think it’s great."
"Oh..."
"Well, you see," August explained with exaggerated flair, "Natsuki-chan doesn’t trust me, so she insisted we live under the same roof. Ah, the woes of being too charming as a man!"
He brushed his hair dramatically, earning an eye twitch from Natsuki, who looked ready to slap him.
As much as she wanted to deny it, she had to admit that August was undeniably handsome—not in a delicate or refined way, but in a manner that naturally drew people to him.
