Haruna, who had been curled up on the other end of the couch, perked up at the sight of the shopping bags.

She quickly opened her gift, her face lighting up as she pulled out the dress Kasumi had picked for her. "Oka-san! It’s beautiful..." she exclaimed, her voice bright with excitement. She held the dress up against herself, twirling in front of the mirror to admire the fit.

Kasumi smiled, her voice warm. "I’m glad you like it, Haruna..."

Yuko and Tomiko opened their gifts next, their faces breaking into smiles as they took in the clothes Kasumi had chosen for them. Yuko held up her dress, her eyes sparkling. "This is perfect, Oka-san... Thank you..."

Tomiko nodded in agreement, her voice soft. "Yeah... Sister had a good choice..."

Haruna, never one to be left out, turned her attention to me. She noticed the scarf around my neck, and her eyes lit up with mischief.

"Jack, your scarf looks good..." she said, her voice teasing as she quickly closed the distance between us, throwing her arms around my neck in a playful hug.

Kasumi noticed that Haruna might hurt me as she hung on my neck, where I was just injured. She said with concern. "Haruna... what are you doing?"

She rushed forward, her hands gripping Haruna’s shoulders to pull her away. "Jack just took me to the hospital... How can you blame it on Jack? It is my fault..."

Haruna froze, her arms still wrapped around my neck, her face falling as she realized her mistake. She quickly let go of me, her hands flying to her mouth as she turned to Kasumi, her voice soft and guilty.

"Oka-san, this is not it... I was just playing around..." She stepped closer to Kasumi, her arms wrapping around her mother in a tight hug.

"I am just happy... that Jack can take care of you..." Her voice was muffled against Kasumi’s kimono, her words sincere. "I was just teasing him... It’s not your fault..."

Kasumi’s expression softened, her hands stroking Haruna’s hair as she held her close. "I know, Haruna..." she murmured, her voice warm. "But you have to be careful... Jack must be tired."

Haruna nodded against her mother, her voice a whisper. "I’m sorry, Jack..."

I ruffled her hair gently, my voice light. "It’s okay, Haruna... I know you didn’t mean it..."

Yuko and Tomiko exchanged a glance, their expressions a mix of relief and amusement. Tomiko’s voice was warm as she stood, stretching slightly. "Well, it’s late... We should all get some rest..."

Yuko nodded, her voice gentle. "Yeah... It’s been a long day..."

Kasumi let go of Haruna, her gaze flickering to me, her voice quiet. "Jack..." she said, her eyes still holding a flicker of worry. "You should rest too..."

I nodded, my voice soft. "I will, Oka-san..."

As the others started to disperse, heading to their rooms for the night, Kasumi lingered beside me, her hand finding mine once more. Her fingers were warm, her grip almost desperate, as if she were afraid I’d slip away if she let go. Her voice was a whisper, her gaze searching mine with a mix of worry and love. "You promise you won’t go anywhere...?"

I squeezed her hand, my thumb tracing circles over her knuckles, my voice a vow. "I promise, Oka-san... I’m not going anywhere..." The words settled between us, heavy with meaning, with the unspoken understanding that I was hers—now and always.

Tomiko, ever the caretaker, clapped her hands together, her voice warm and practical. "Let’s have dinner. We were all waiting for you guys..." She gestured toward the dining table, where the maids had already begun serving the meal. The scent of steamed rice, miso soup, and grilled fish filled the air, the warmth of the food a comforting contrast to the emotional weight of the day.

We all gathered around the table, the chatter light and easy as we ate. Haruna regaled us with stories of her day, her voice bright and animated, while Yuko and Tomiko listened with amused smiles. Kasumi, though quieter than usual, seemed to relax slightly as the meal progressed, her worry easing with each bite, each laugh shared between us.

After dinner, Tomiko turned to Kasumi, her voice gentle but firm. "Sister, in order to get full sleep, you should sleep on the bed..." She placed a hand on Kasumi’s shoulder, her touch reassuring. "You’ve had a long day..."

Yuko and Haruna nodded in agreement, their voices soft but insistent. "Yeah, Oka-san..." Yuko said, her eyes warm with concern. "A good, sound sleep will be good for you..."

Haruna chimed in, her voice laced with a mix of affection and mischief. "And we’ll all sleep in our rooms too..."

I caught the flicker of reluctance in Kasumi’s eyes as she glanced at me, a silent question hanging between us. Do I have to? But she didn’t protest. Instead, she nodded, her voice quiet. "Okay..." She stood, her kimono swaying gently as she followed Tomiko toward her room.

Tomiko helped Kasumi settle into bed, tucking the blankets around her with a mother’s care. When she returned to the living room, she found Haruna and Yuko still lingering, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern.

Tomiko turned to Haruna, her voice gentle but knowing. "Haruna, I think we should let Jack sleep alone tonight..." She hesitated slightly, her gaze flickering to me before continuing. "I’m afraid he won’t get good sleep... especially..."

Haruna’s face flushed a deep crimson, her eyes widening as the memory hit her—that night, when she’d been caught by Tomiko, her lips wrapped around my cock, her eyes wide with shock and embarrassment.

The memory was enough to make her nod quickly, her voice a whisper. "Y-Yes... Oba-san..." She ducked her head, her fingers twisting together as she practically fled to her room, her footsteps quick and light.

Yuko, sensing the tension, gave me a small, knowing smile before following Haruna, her voice warm. "Goodnight, Jack..."

Tomiko waited until the others had disappeared down the hallway before turning to me. She held out a steaming cup of tea, the aroma of chamomile and honey filling the air between us. "Drink this," she said, her voice soft but firm. "It will help you relax and remove your tiredness..."

I took the cup from Tomiko’s hands, the warmth seeping into my palms like a comforting embrace. The steam curled up, brushing against my face, carrying the soothing scent of chamomile and honey.

"Thank you, Oba-san..." I said, my voice sincere. The gesture was small but meaningful—a silent acknowledgment of the day’s events, of the worry we’d all carried, of the love that bound us together.

But as I lifted the cup to my lips, I noticed something strange in Tomiko’s expression. Her usual warmth was there, but beneath it, there was something else—a flicker of emotions that didn’t quite align.

A hint of relaxation, yes, but also excitement, and beneath that, a tension that made the air between us feel charged. Her eyes were bright, almost too bright, and her fingers tapped lightly against her thigh, as if she were holding back words or actions.

I took a sip of the tea, the liquid warm and slightly sweet, the flavor spreading through me like a gentle wave. But my gaze never left Tomiko’s face.

There was something there, something she wasn’t saying, and it made me pause, the cup halfway to my lips.