“Woooo!” Hisui was the one to open the mansion doors, running at high speed, the doors almost exploding open. This left Akiha to apologize to a woman walking by Hisui had run into. As Hisui ran into the mansion, she seemed to slow down... stopping a foot in the mansion. She looked around with a slightly unreadable expression. “Something wrong?” Shiki said.
“Ah.... it’s nothing at all, Shiki-chan.” The smile returned to Hisui’s face, “Come on, you can help with me and Akiha-chan with homework before dinner!”
Role Revert
By Pata Hikari
Part 3: Why did he kiss me?
While Shiki wasn’t exactly stupid, it was plain that Akiha exceeded him academically. Even though he was a year ahead of her, she seemed to grasp and remember the concepts of school work far better than him. Granted, neither he or Hisui needed much help as they tackled homework together. But if he and Hisui were of moderate intelligence, Akiha was practically a genius. Still, this was the first time he had ever done anything like this. He tended to be a loner, and he and Arihiko didn’t really talk much about school.
Soon enough, the clock rang, announcing that it was Six PM. “Annnd done!” Hisui said, slamming her textbook shut.
“Glad to see you’re as enthusiastic about... well, everything, Hisui-san.” Akiha stood up, “I believe it is around time to prepare for dinner.” With a bow she left the parlor
“Maaannnnn...” Hisui slumped over the table they were sitting at. “I wish Nee-san would let me cook.”
Well at least one thing hasn’t changed. Shiki thought, “Well, maybe there’s a good reason for that?”
“Pfft.” Hisui scoffed, “Nee-san just doesn’t appreciate the genius of banana shrimp pizza.”
Shiki wondered just what sort of culinary horrors Hisui had in her mind. “So, Hisui,” He decided it would be wise to move the topic away from food, “How is Kohaku-san anyways?”
“Nee-san’s fine.” Hisui rolled her head to the side, looking at Shiki directly, “She’s the responsible one, you know. I goof around everywhere, she cleans up after my messes.”
“I would have figured you good enough to clean up after yourself.” Shiki said.
“Nah I suck at cleaning,” Hisui laughed, with a hint of self-deprecation in there, “Nee-san’s the perfect housewife. Demure, good at everything at the home, smart with money...”
“Well being a housewife isn’t everything, you know.” Shiki said.
“Yup!” She sat up, pointing at Shiki, “That’s why, when I get through college, I’m counting on you to use your connections to set me up with a super-high paying job!”
“I could always use a second maid.” Shiki replied.
Hisui shrugged, “No way. Akiha-chan wouldn’t allow it.”
“Eh? What do you mean-”
“Not really my place to talk about it Shiki-chan.” Hisui said.
“Yeah, I get it.” Shiki said as the conversation seemed to fade.
It was Six Twenty Five when Akiha returned, dressed in that uniform once more. “Shiki-sama, Hisui-san, dinner is ready.”
“Well that’s good....” Shiki got out of his chair, “Hisui?”
Hisui was staring at Akiha. “...Hisui-san?” Akiha said.
“Huh? Oh... excuse me.” Hisui shook her head, “Dazed out there for a second.” The smile returned, “Man Akiha-chan, you look cute in that.”
“It’s nothing but a uniform...” Akiha said.
“Nah I agree with Hisui.” Shiki said, and grinned when he saw Akiha blush.
“D-don’t say such things! It’s improper, Shiki-sama!”
>-----------------------<
Dinner was surprising. Rather than the elaborate and fancy meal he had been expecting Akiha to prepare, it was hamburgers, french fries, and a salad. Akiha seemed to have noticed his surprise, “Is there a problem?”
“No, it’s just not what I was expecting...” Shiki admitted.
“I usually begin preparations for dinner at Five. However, since we had a guest that dragged me into doing my homework before work rather than after, I ended up having to prepare something that was quick.” Akiha admitted, “This meal is quick, and I know for a fact that Hisui-san eats more hamburgers than is healthy.”
“And yet you encourage my bad habit.” Hisui countered, sitting down at the seat that was set for her. “...no plate for you, Akiha-chan?”
“No. I am now at work, Hisui-san.” Akiha gestured towards her uniform.
“Right just let her do what she wants.” Shiki said, sitting down at the head of the table, “Though... she usually eats before she serves me.” Akiha didn’t say anything, but Shiki could tell he was on the mark, “I guess though, since you had to rush, you haven’t had anything yet?”
“I’ll be fine. I can eat later. The master of the house and his guest shouldn’t worry about me.”
Shiki sighed, “Hisui, never be as stubborn as her, please.”
“I’ll do my best.” Hisui said.
>-----------------------<
Shiki took a bite out of one of his french fries while Hisui drowned her salad in dressing. He didn’t know if he was getting used to things or if he had just decided to stop wasting energy being baffled about it. Akiha was still standing at attention behind him. It was a strange reversal. Still, there was something he knew he could do with Akiha that would let her relax a little. “Akiha... do you have any more wine?”
Akiha seemed taken aback, “I don’t think wine goes well with-”
“Oh not for dinner, for after. The three of us could sit back and relax.” Shiki said.
“Oh! That’s a great idea!” Hisui said, “I’m all for underage drinking!”
“...” Shiki stared at Hisui, “Uh, please don’t put it like that.”
>-----------------------<
Shiki and Hisui moved to the parlor, Hisui quickly got comfortable on a large couch, while Shiki took a chair. Akiha walked in shortly after, three glasses in hand... and several bottles of wine. Shiki didn’t comment, he knew that alcohol was one of Akiha’s little vices she rarely indulged in.
“Here you are, Shiki-sama.” Akiha handed him a glass and poured the wine, she repeated the process with Hisui. “Now... to...
“Come on Akiha, just sit down. You can relax with us tonight.” Shiki said.
Akiha sighed, “I guess....” She sat down next to Hisui on the couch, placing the wine bottles on the nearby table.
Their impromptu party began, Shiki turned on some music, as the conversation began to flit around in various directions. Shiki had been somewhat hoping that maybe alcohol would make them act a bit more like their usual selves.
“So anyways then Satsuki-senpai was all ‘oh no you didn’t’ and I was like ‘oh go get her girl’ and Senpai was going ‘come on Hisui-chan, I can’t just beat her up’ and then I-”
Hisui quickly disavowed him of that notion.
Akiha was nodding rapidly, clearly hanging on to every word the increasingly drunk Hisui said.
“After all that I... I....” Hisui stopped talking, her gaze turning to Shiki.
“Y-yes?” Shiki said.
“I just realized something.” Hisui said.
“What?” Akiha said.
Hisui raised her recently refilled glass into the air, “Shiki-chan has no power in this house!”
“What!?” Akiha stood up, “What do you mean by that!” Picking up an empty wine bottle, she pointed it forward. Presumably she meant to point it at Hisui in a dramatic fashion. However, her aim was off, and she was pointing at a wall.
“Well... Akiha-chan does everything, right?” How did Hisui’s glass keep switching so rapidly between empty and full? “She takes care of the cleaning, the cooking, she watches everything... I don’t think I’ve ever seen Shiki-chan say no to her. Soo.... she’s the power behind the throne!”
“Whaaaattt!” Akiha said, “That’s ridiculous! I’m just.. I’m just...”
“No that sounds about right.” Shiki said, taking another sip of wine.
“Shiki-saaammmaaa!” Akiha whined, “Don’t encourage her!”
“Hmmm... should I listen to you and prove Hisui right?” Shiki pondered, “I mean, I do never say no to you...”
“That’s not what it means!” Akiha’s face was red.
“Hehehe just admit it Akiha-chan, you’re the real master of the Tohno Mansion!”
“Here here! All hail Akiha-sama.” Shiki held up his glass in a toast.
“All hail Akiha-sama!” Hisui enthusiastically clinked her drink against Shiki’s.
“Nnnnnggggggg.....” Akiha groaned, “Stop making fun of me...”
>-----------------------<
Shiki wondered, for a moment, just how much wine Akiha had brought. His head was fuzzy, and he found himself walking around as the two girls stared at him. “You know what? You’re both acting really weird!” He announced.
“Ehhh whaddya mean Shikichan?” Hisui said.
“Well, for one.” Shiki said, “Hisui’s supposed to be my maid, and really serious. She’d wake me up and say ‘Good morning Shiki-sama’ and I’d say ‘Don’t call me Shiki-sama’ and then she’d say ‘I will remember that, Shiki-sama’.” For some reason, this made Akiha burst out laughing. “And you!” He pointed at Akiha, “You’re not supposed to be my maid. You’re my... my... uh... right! Lover! Girlfriend! Partner! Any one of those!”
“Ehhhh!?” Both Hisui and Akiha said at the same time.
“Yeah! Really Akiha. You freaked out just cause I saw your underwear? Pah. I’ve seen a tooonnn more than that.” Shiki wasn’t even using a glass anymore, he poured the bottle straight down his throat.
“Y-y-you peaked on me Shiki-sama!?” Akiha said.
“Pfftt peaked? Hell no. You stripped for me. Right in front of me. I remember this one time when we were at the beach...” And Shiki began telling a story. A ribald tale of some of the many times he and Akiha had interacted as lovers. The details slowly becoming more and more explicit, as Akiha’s face became redder and redder. Meanwhile Hisui’s grin became wider and wider with each new creative name for a sex position that came up.
“....and then you had to go to a meeting with some corporate type ten minutes later... but you were right back on me once it ended...” Shiki finished the bottle, falling down onto the chair, “You saying you don’t remember any of that Akiha?” Akiha didn’t say anything, what could she say? Upon noting her blushing silence, Shiki became notably depressed, “You don’t, do you.” He sighed, holding the bottle upside down, “Damn it. Empty.”
Hisui, drunk as she was, seemed to realize it was time for a change of subject, “What bout Neesan? If we’re actin funny... how does she do normally Shikichan?”
However, her attempt to lighten Shiki’s mood failed, “Kohaku... I dunno.”
The following silence lasted only a brief moment. “Shiki-sama!” Akiha suddenly stood up, “If you wish that of me, then as your loyal servant I have no choice!” She began to try and take off her blouse. But the buttons proved strangely difficult.
“Wait! Akihachan!” Hisui grabbed Akiha’s arms and valiantly attempted to halt her undressing, “Don’t be impulsive!”
“Quiet Hisui! If Shiki-sama wants to do the raging bull with me, then I must!” Akiha struggled to pull Hisui off her so she could strip properly, but this only ended with both girls collapsed onto the ground.
Fortunately, this succeeded where Hisui had failed, and Shiki started laughing. “Man... this is pretty nice too though, a bit.”
“A-hah!” Akiha pulled herself free of Hisui, pulling herself up onto Shiki. “Now, Shiki-sama....” She said, straddling his waist, “I... I’ll do whatever you want!”
Shiki sighed, “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want.”
“But I...” Akiha lost her strength, and fell forward onto Shiki. “I want you to be happy.”
Shiki smiled faintly, “That’s OK Akiha. I’ll figure out what’s going on... eventually...”
>-----------------------<
Shiki woke up with a small headache. “What... time is it...?” His glasses were still on, had he really fallen asleep in the parlor? He looked to his left, he had. Hisui was sleeping on the floor, while there was a warmth on top of him. It was Akiha, she had fallen asleep on top of him. His eyes widened in panic, but he quickly noticed that Akiha was still completely dressed. “Geez.... I got a little too into it.” The last thing he remembered clearly was teasing Akiha with Hisui with that little toast. His attention turned to the young woman sleeping on top of him. It was a sight he had seen many times before, her peaceful sleeping face. When Akiha let the stress around her fade, and allowed herself to simply rest with him there for her.
He was always grateful when he was able to wake up to see this sight, even now, with things strange and wrong, just seeing her at peace made him smile. Even if she wasn’t quite the same as the Akiha he knew... it was too much to resist. So he gave into the temptation, just a little bit. Leaning forward, he softly kissed her on the lips. “Ahhh...” Akiha groaned, her posture shifting as she began to waken. Shiki quickly leaned back and closed his eyes, “N....Shiki-sama?”
Shiki pretended to wake up, “Oh... ahhh... good morning Akiha.” He smiled as Akiha realized just where she was.
“S-S-Shiki-s-sama....”
Shiki couldn’t help himself, “Now Akiha, I know you’re the real queen of this kingdom. But that doesn’t mean you have to literally use me as a throne.”
“Ahhhhhh!!” Akiha jumped off him, her face red, “I’m sorry I’m sorry!”
“Wazzaatt...?” Hisui woke up at this time. “Oh. Akiha-chan finally made her-”
“Hisui!” Akiha quickly shut the other girl up.
Shiki just laughed, stretching as he got out of the chair, “Well, Akiha, I think I’ll take a shower before school. You should too.” He waved to the two girls, leaving the room.
“Fine...” Akiha sighed.
“Right... I think I’ll go make break-” Hisui was stopped by Akiha grabbing her by the collar.
“You can shower too, Hisui-san. Breakfast can be simple today.” Akiha said.
“Awww...” Hisui groaned, before heading off to one of the many bathrooms in this mansion.
Akiha was now alone in the parlor, one hand went up, touching her lips. “Did... did he really...?” She said aloud to nobody, “Or...” or was it a dream, like the rest of what she had seen as she rested in his arms.
“Still...” Akiha whispered, frowning, “Why, in those dreams, did I call him Nii-san?”