Minato Ward, Minami-Azabu. La Cresta Minami-Azabu. 白河 梢 still couldn't quite believe the view spreading across the 18th floor. Three days since the contract. The move to her new home had happened in a blur. She opened cardboard boxes and organized her belongings. Most of what she'd owned in her old apartment looked like children's toys in this spacious two-bedroom. Pale curtains swayed, and Tokyo's cityscape stretched out before the window. Afternoon sunlight gently illuminated the entire room. "I'm really going to live in a place like this?" whispered to herself. Her voice echoed slightly through the space. She'd never lived in a space like this before. The apartment in Kyodo had low ceilings, neighbors' footsteps audible through the walls, and light leaking in from outside at night. She'd thought that was normal. But now, experiencing this spaciousness, this silence, this light—her old room felt like a story from another world entirely. On the kitchen counter sat newly delivered dishware. All the household essentials were covered by the group. Looking at those items, which exuded luxury, a strange floating sensation bloomed in 梢's chest. Was this really her life? Gazing out the window, she thought. Not far from Roppongi Station. Walking distance to Hiroo Station. A high-class residential area in Minato Ward. This wasn't a place 梢 had chosen—it was where Yuuto had chosen. Her smartphone chimed. A message from Talk Link. *'This evening, Father has scheduled a dinner. Yuri will come to confirm details. Please prepare accordingly. ——Shoichi Hinata'* A work-like message from Hinata. Businesslike, stripped of emotion. Reading it, she could picture that cold secretary's face. The intercom buzzed moments after she received the message. tensed. An unexpected visitor. Was it Yuuto? Or Hinata? Or had someone come for important paperwork? She checked the monitor. A young woman's face appeared. A pale beige one-piece dress. Long chestnut-colored wavy hair. Clear green eyes. A smile spread across the entire screen. "Big sis, open up!" A bright, innocent voice. The moment 梢 opened the door, the woman saw her and rushed straight in. "Wow! Big sis!" 梢 froze at the sudden embrace. The scent of the other woman's hair tickled her nose. Sweet, floral perfume. Warm body heat. "Ah, um...?" "I'm Yuri! The big brother's little sister!" The woman pulled back from 梢 and introduced herself with a beaming smile. 瀬戸川 由莉. Twenty years old. 梢 had heard the name before. Yuuto's younger sister. But this was their first meeting. Why was she being so intimate? "It's nice to meet you. I'm Kozue Shirakawa." She greeted her politely. Formal language. An old habit surfacing. "That's so stiff. Just call me Yuri. You're already his fiancée, so you're family now." 由莉 took 梢's hand. Her grip was gentle and warm. But at the same time, she pulled 梢 deeper into the apartment. "Wait, I need to take off my shoes—" "Oh, sorry. I'll take them off." 由莉 quickly removed her shoes and stepped inside. Her gaze darted around the room. "Wow, it's huge!" Pure surprise and joy shone in her eyes. "Is this the 18th floor? The view is beautiful too." Sitting on the living room sofa, 由莉 gazed out at the scenery. The sun was still high. Blue sky. A cluster of buildings. A river visible beyond. 梢 observed 由莉's face. Her features were different from her brother Yuuto's. Yuuto had refined features and deep amber eyes—calmness and responsibility evident in his expression. But 由莉 had warmth in her face. Yet beneath that warmth, something else seemed hidden. In her eyes. At the corners of her mouth. Not across her whole face, but in those moments visible for just an instant. "Where did you meet my brother?" From the sofa, 由莉 posed the question to 梢. She held her legs in a cute pose, putting her charm on full display. But her eyes held an intelligent light. "Through work..." 梢 let her words trail off. She couldn't answer honestly. "Work? So my brother met you at work. That's surprising." 由莉 placed her chin in her hand, striking a thoughtful pose. "My brother's always working, you know. Early morning to late night, always at the company. I tell him 'you need to value family time too,' but he's the worst at actually doing it." Her tone shifted. The brightness from before receded deeper. A moment where her true feelings leaked through. "My brother's always like that. Hard on himself, hard on others. 'Because I'm the successor,' 'Because I'll be the next head of the group.' But really, it's all for himself. Because he wants to be evaluated." 梢 listened to those words. Were these 由莉's true feelings about Yuuto? Or just surface-level complaints? She couldn't tell. "What do you think about my brother, big sis?" 梢 paused for a moment. "Um..." When nervous, her old habit emerged. A slight pause. "I think he's a serious person with a strong sense of responsibility." Her answer was carefully neutral. 由莉 heard the response and lifted the corner of her lips. "I see. So he has that side too." 由莉 leaned forward, studying 梢's face up close. Less than thirty centimeters between them. "If my brother chose you, then you must be a wonderful person, big sis." 梢's cheeks grew warm. "No, that's not—" "You're humble. That's nice too." 由莉 laughed. That smile was completely different from the expression when her true feelings had leaked through. Bright, innocent, genuine. Yet 梢 sensed something hidden beneath that smile. The two continued talking for a while. 由莉 fired off question after question. Where was she from? How old? What did she think of her brother? Where would they live after marriage? 梢 answered each question carefully and slowly. "I'm from Kyodo in Setagaya Ward. I'm 26 years old. Your brother is a very sincere and responsible person." Through that conversation, 梢 began to grasp 由莉's atmosphere. Bright, easy to get along with. Curious, constantly bringing up new topics. But beneath that surface—a sense of deep loneliness. Expectations from family. Pressure. As if she carried such heavy things behind her smile. And that sense of loneliness resonated with 梢's own heart. *(This person is carrying something too.)* 梢 thought. 由莉 stood up. "Oh, it's time. My brother asked me to come check, so I need to report back that I did." 梢 watched as 由莉 headed toward the entrance. At the elevator, 由莉 turned back. "Big sis, can I come again?" Pure affection dwelled in her eyes. "Of course. Anytime." "Yes! Next time, let's go shopping. You must have a hard time with high society dresses and all. I'll help." 梢 nodded. In that moment, 由莉's gaze clouded slightly. It was fleeting, quickly replaced by a smile. "Do your best, big sis. For my brother." With that, 由莉 stepped into the elevator. Just before the doors closed, 梢 saw 由莉's expression. Inside the elevator, 由莉 had dropped her smile. That face wasn't the bright younger sister's—it was the face of someone carrying something. 梢 returned to her room. She sat on the living room sofa and gazed out at the scenery. The evening sun slipped between the buildings, descending slowly. *(Yuuto's little sister, huh.)* Suddenly, her smartphone glowed. A message from Yuuto. *'Was Yuri alright? I apologize. Regarding my sister—please interact with her without concern. ——Yuuto'* 梢 read the message again. "Without concern." That was impossible. She'd felt the loneliness hidden behind 由莉's smile. The conflict in her feelings toward family. Expectations and pressure. 梢 turned her gaze to the window. Tokyo at night gradually wrapped itself in light. Building lights, streetlamps, car headlights. From this height, everything looked beautiful. But beneath that scenery lay countless lives. Countless sufferings, joys, conflicts. 梢 felt this anew. As a fake fiancée, she'd become part of this family. But at the same time, she was beginning to touch the complexity of this family. Yuuto's heavy sense of responsibility. 由莉's hidden loneliness. And 梢's own confusion. *(It'll be okay. Somehow, it'll work out.)* 梢 told herself. But whether those words truly reflected her belief, or whether she simply wanted to hold onto hope—she couldn't tell.