Sleepover?

After everything was said and done, Hibari just told me to forget about the helmet. It wasn't a problem anymore and to just leave at it that.

That's what she told me anyway. She also said not to question it. Kota and Licca seemed really happy for some reason too.

Ah, well.

I didn't really get to think about it for long when I noticed it was getting closer to 9.

When I said we should move the party along, the girls first thought "Slumber Party!", now surely you'd think that they wouldn't try and have one right in the Super Max. Security inmate's room right?

On my way back to my room, I find Mutsumi, Erina, Emil, and Kanon dressed for the occasion.

"(How the hell did they beat me to my room?)" the inmate thought.

I should've told all four of them to go somewhere else.

But then I suddenly remembered something. A man being stern to his son and daughter. While chastising his children his wife comes to him and imitates her children. This pressures the man and he laments. The children are then hoisted by the mother towards the nearby playground.

Not long after that, the father is dragged by the mother and they all play together.

"(Is this how he felt back then?)" Sano thought. The inmate opened the door to his room and with no objections allowed them to enter.

Erina brought snacks with Kanon, and Mutsumi brought a few movies with Emil. The night went kinda quickly, no one even noticed my door locking, not even me.

When's the last time I watched a movie? Damn...

Mutsumi and Erina sat close to me most of the time. When we picked a movie Emil really liked, he talked non-stop annoying the hell out of Erina.

Was still fun to watch though.

Kanon kept track of the snacks and would go back and forth between the kitchen to bring any of us something. Which made me do it the next time around, so we ended up taking turns.

Mutsumi was all over the place when we got to one she picked herself. I almost forgot she wasn't even 10.

She wanted my attention more than Erina did. Mutsumi didn't let me look away for one second of this flick and wouldn't you believe it after all the snacks, drinks, and movies---The first to fall asleep was actually Mutsumi.

She dropped by the 4th movie. When I felt a weight pressing against me, I knew Erina fell asleep not long after.

Seeing this Kanon took her into her arms brushing against me. I could see she was a bit tired herself. I told her all 3 of them could use my bed.

Emil and I would have the couch.

Emils' response; "It is only proper and just."

Kanon apologized for 'stealing' my bed, but I've slept on way worse than this couch.

I cradled Erina following Kanon and she tucked them in, leaving little room for herself. We said goodnight, and I think I heard Erina say 'goodnight Eric' back.

I can't replace her brother, I don't even know much about him. But Emil does...

When I saw him by the couch, his mood seemed to take a turn.

"Have I ever told you about the days Sir Eric and I spent in high school?" Emil asked, his eyes never leaving the screen.

Emil likes to tell stories on or off demand, even then he's only told so much. I beckoned him to talk, while the girls slept he 'regaled' me in tales of how Eric despite being older still competed with him in--everything.

Sports, games, grades, Eric would usually come out on top according to Emil. But he made him work for it.

Eric graduated 1 year ahead, so Eric wouldn't be around for Emil's final year in school. By that point, he was watching after Erina in the Far East eventually becoming a god-eater. All for Erina's sake, or so Emil's been told. He won't say it in so many words, but he envies how Erina treats me.

Emil wanted to fill the role Eric had after his death in his honor.

If only Emil knew that I'm not half the big brother he thinks I am...

Once Emil finally fell asleep to the point he couldn't even mumble, I tossed him on the edge of the couch, as I sat on my own side.

This couch was definitely better than my prison bed and MUCH bigger. At least in length anyway.

"(Hey.)" the inmate thought.

Yeah?

"(Tomorrow will we still have all of this?)" Sano thought.

Well, I think they'll want their movies back. Oh, or did you mean this daycare we've set up?

The inmate chuckled.

Speaking of which I think I'll help myself to that "First Love Juice" Kota was going on about. Want one?

"(I"ll pass, and don't wake them up.)" Sano's eyes fell and the last sound heard was the opening of the refrigerator door, followed by gulping.