Under One Roof: Riku's Romantic Ruckus

By Thursday night, the Sato household was a ticking time bomb, and Riku felt like the unwilling bomb squad. Emi's casual coffee invite earlier that week had ignited Aiko's jealousy into a full-blown blaze, and the locker-room cliffhanger—where Emi had practically cornered him while Aiko watched—had left them barely speaking. Aiko's texts had turned into one-word replies, her usual teasing grins replaced by a frosty wall. Riku knew he had to fix it, but every step felt like tiptoeing through a minefield blindfolded.

He found her after dinner in the living room, sprawled across the couch like a sulky cat, a manga open in her lap that she wasn't even pretending to read. Her dark hair fanned out messily against the cushions, and she didn't glance up as he plopped down beside her. The silence was suffocating.

"Aiko," he said, keeping his voice soft, "we need to talk."

"About what?" Her tone was flat, her eyes glued to the page. "Your coffee date with Emi?"

"It's not a date," he replied, fighting the urge to groan. "I told her I'd think about it. That's it."

She flipped a page with a sharp flick, the sound cutting through the quiet. "Right. And she's just being friendly. No ulterior motives at all."

Riku rubbed the back of his neck, frustration bubbling up. "Look, I get why you're upset. But I'm not interested in her—not like that. You *know* that."

"Do I?" She finally looked at him, her brown eyes sparking with something raw. "Because it doesn't feel like it when you're just letting her waltz back in."

"What do you want me to do?" he asked, his voice creeping higher. "Tell her to get lost? Start a fight?"

"Yes!" she snapped, sitting up straight. "Or maybe act like you're actually with me instead of being Mr. Nice Guy to every girl who flirts with you."

He flinched, her words hitting harder than he'd expected. "That's not fair. I'm trying to keep the peace—for us, for everyone. You think I *want* this drama?"

Aiko's smirk was sharp and bitter. "That's your problem, Riku. You're too nice. You can't say no, and now we're stuck in this mess."

The tension between them crackled like static before a storm. Riku opened his mouth to argue, but the front door slammed open, derailing the moment. His mom stormed in, her face a thundercloud, clutching a crumpled flyer from the school like it was evidence in a crime scene.

"What's this I hear about you two causing a ruckus at school?" she barked, thrusting the paper forward. "Some nonsense about a fight over a girl?"

Riku's stomach plummeted. "Mom, it's not—"

"Don't 'Mom' me," she cut him off, her glare swinging to Aiko. "And you—what were you thinking, yelling in the halls? The neighbors won't shut up about it!"

Aiko shot to her feet, jaw tight. "It wasn't like that. People blow everything out of proportion."

Hana's eyes narrowed to slits. "I don't care. This stops now. You're cousins—you live under one roof. Start acting like it."

The word *cousins* landed like a sledgehammer, a stark reminder of the secret they'd been dancing around. Riku's dad appeared in the doorway, his face etched with quiet exhaustion. "Enough," he said, his voice a low rumble. "Everyone cool off. We'll deal with this later."

Silence crashed over the room, heavy and oppressive. Aiko bolted upstairs, her door slamming with a bang that echoed through the house. Riku sank back onto the couch, burying his head in his hands. The bomb had gone off, and the shrapnel was still flying.

---

Friday at school was a battlefield of awkward glances and whispered rumors. The harem had fractured—Haruka lingered nearby with worried frowns, Mika buried herself in her novels, and Yuna, the chaos agent, was suspiciously absent. That alone set Riku's nerves on edge. Then Emi cornered him by the lockers, her smile hesitant but unwavering.

"Hey," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "About that coffee—did you decide?"

Riku's throat tightened. He glanced down the hall and saw Aiko watching, arms crossed, her expression a blank mask that somehow cut deeper than anger. "I can't," he said, forcing the words out with more conviction than he felt. "It's not a good time."

Emi's face dimmed, but she nodded. "Okay. I get it. Maybe later?"

"Maybe," he muttered, the lie bitter on his tongue. She walked away, and Aiko's gaze tracked her like a hawk, sharp and unyielding.

The day dragged on, each hour winding the tension tighter. By the time they got home, the house felt like a pressure cooker ready to blow. His parents were out—small mercies—but Aiko's silence screamed louder than any fight. She vanished into her room, leaving Riku pacing the living room, his thoughts a tangled mess.

He couldn't take it anymore. He marched upstairs, knocked once on her door, and pushed it open. She was curled on her bed, knees hugged to her chest, staring at the wall like it held all the answers.

"Aiko," he said, stepping inside. "We need to fix this."

She didn't turn. "Fix what? Everything's already broken."

"No, it's not," he said, sitting on the edge of her bed. "We're still us. We're still here."

She let out a hollow laugh. "For how long? Until Emi tries again? Until your mom picks out your next girlfriend? Until the gossip tears us apart?"

He grabbed her hand, tugging her to face him. "Stop it. We're tougher than that. We've made it through worse."

"Have we?" Her voice cracked, her eyes glistening. "This feels different. This feels like… like we're slipping away."

"We're not," he said fiercely, squeezing her hand. "I'm not losing you—not to Emi, not to anyone."

Her gaze locked with his, wet but defiant. "Then prove it, knight. Make me believe it."

He didn't hesitate. He leaned in, kissing her with a desperate edge, his hands cupping her face like she might vanish. She stiffened for a heartbeat, then surged back, her fingers twisting into his shirt, pulling him closer. The kiss was a tempest—hot, messy, real—and when they broke apart, gasping, she smirked through her tears.

"Not bad," she murmured, her voice trembling but warm. "Almost convincing."

He laughed, pressing his forehead to hers. "I'll do better. Promise."

The door creaked open, and Yuna's voice sliced through the air. "Well, damn. Guess I owe Haruka fifty yen."

Riku jolted back, his face scorching, as Aiko's glare snapped to the intruder. "Get out!" they yelled together, and Yuna cackled, dodging back into the hall.

"Never a dull moment!" she sang, her laughter echoing as she retreated.

Aiko flopped back onto the bed, groaning. "We're never living this down."

"Probably not," Riku said, stretching out beside her, their hands brushing. "But we'll survive."

She rolled her head to meet his eyes, smirking. "Together?"

"Always," he said, lacing his fingers with hers.

The storm had raged through, leaving chaos in its wake—but they were still standing. For now, that was enough.

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