Isamu leaned back in his chair, watching as his siblings and cousins continued to turn his private study into their personal comedy club. Yumi sat cross-legged on the plush sofa, her phone in hand as if ready to share even more “juicy” details with the rest of the family.

Isamu sighed.
She did not learn her lesson.

Megumi leaned casually against the doorframe, smirking, while Daisuke and Eiji were sprawled out on the carpet like they were attending a storytelling session.

“So, Daichi,” Yumi started, putting exaggerated emphasis on the nickname Sara knew him by, “tell us—when did you get so smooth? That phone call? I mean, we thought you were chatting with your accountant, and here you are dropping lines like—what was it?—‘You’re too beautiful to be this chaotic.’”

“Sugoi!” Daisuke exclaimed, pretending to be awestruck. “Our stoic Isamu has evolved into a full-blown shoujo male lead!”
“Stop exaggerating,” Isamu said calmly, though his tone carried a hint of exasperation.

“Exaggerating?” Megumi echoed, crossing her arms. “Yumi leaked Sara’s name to us, but you? You leaked your soul on that call! I mean, Isamu, you were practically singing a love ballad.”

“Don’t forget the way his tone completely shifted,” Eiji chimed in, grinning. “One moment, he’s all ‘Yes, I’ll handle it professionally,’ and the next, he’s practically purring, ‘Sara, you should level up your flirting game.’”

The room erupted in laughter again, and Isamu rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. No it was already there...the siblings headache.

“Let’s not forget,” Eiji added, pointing at him dramatically, “that killer line—‘How can I mess your lipstick?’ You could feel the heat through the phone, Isamu!”

“Isamu-sama, the love guru!” Daisuke declared, mock-bowing.
“You’re all ridiculous,” Isamu said flatly, though the corners of his lips twitched slightly.

But Eiji wasn’t letting up. “No, seriously! What’s gotten into you? Did Sara cast some sort of spell on you? Is she secretly a witch? Or a yokai who specializes in seducing stoic IT heirs?”

“You’re being absurd,” Isamu replied, though he couldn’t help the faint blush creeping up his neck.

“Oh, come on,” Megumi teased, her voice lilting. “Admit it. Sara’s got you wrapped around her pinky finger, hasn’t she?”

The room fell silent for a moment as everyone leaned in, waiting for his response. Then, Isamu straightened in his chair, his expression as composed as ever.

“What should I do,” he said smoothly, his deep voice carrying a deliberate pause, “if my love is on the line?”

The room collectively froze, stunned into silence.

Megumi’s jaw dropped. “Did he just—”
“Say that?” Daisuke finished, blinking rapidly.
“Yabai…” Yumi whispered, staring at her brother as if seeing him for the first time.
Eiji looked genuinely shaken. “Sara’s not just good. She’s dangerous. She turned Isamu into… into this!”

Isamu leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table and steepling his fingers. “Are you all quite done now?” he asked, his voice calm but with a noticeable undertone of satisfaction.

Eijii shook his head as if trying to clear it. “Nope. Not done. Not even close. Isamu, you’re scary when you’re like this. It’s like you’ve unlocked a secret flirtation technique that none of us knew existed.”

“It’s unsettling,” Megumi admitted. “But… also impressive?”

“Impressive?” Daisuke echoed, raising an eyebrow. “It’s terrifying! Imagine what he could do if he ever decides to apply this to business negotiations.”

“You’re all overthinking this,” Isamu said, standing up and smoothing out his blazer. “Sara is simply… someone who brings out a different side of me.”

“Ohhh!” Yumi cooed, clutching her heart dramatically. “That’s so romantic! Someone call a screenwriter; this is gold!”

Daisuke smirked. “Yumi, forget screenwriters. Let’s just tell Sara directly. Maybe she’d like to hear all these smooth lines her dear Daichi is saving up for her.”

Isamu’s expression darkened slightly, and Daisuke raised his hands in mock surrender. “Okay, okay! Relax! I was joking.”

“You’ve had your fun,” Isamu said, moving toward the door. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have actual work to do.”

But as he reached for the doorknob, Yumi darted in front of him, blocking his way. “Wait! One last question!”

“What?” he asked, clearly running out of patience.
Yumi grinned mischievously. “If you’re this smooth over the phone, what’s your game plan for an actual date?”

Isamu arched an eyebrow. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
With that, he sidestepped her and walked out of the room, leaving his siblings and cousins in stunned silence once again.

Eiji let out a low whistle. “He’s really changed, hasn’t he?”
“No kidding,” Daisuke said, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Sara must be something else.”
Yumi crossed her arms, a thoughtful look on her face. “Well, I, for one, can’t wait to officially meet her.”

Megumi grinned. “Same. But until then, let’s just hope she can handle this version of Isamu.”

The room fell into another round of laughter, their teasing finally winding down as they began plotting their next round of sibling mischief.

But before that, they made sure Yumi was not included in this plan!