Frustration seeped through Yuki's face as she threw the controller against the wall. It shot right back off, gently bouncing onto the floor.

Ugh, it didn't even break! She paced around the room, angrily thinking as Chloé stood up. She better not boast!

"Blyat!" Yuki grunted. "Taping hell!" Switching between Theonar to Trasian was jarring as Eliza's face irked backwards.

"Hey... hey... It's just a game, alright?" Eliza said, her head peered out from under a large blanket. UGH... So annoying, these people are! To beat Yuki of all people?!

"NO! It's not just a game! It's my hobby, it's what makes me ME!" Yuki shouted back at Chloé with ferocity. She gritted her teeth, seeing a reflection of her bright cyan eyes sparkle. "I... You... IT'S IMPOSSIBLE! RUNS ONES AGAINST ME ON LOWGUARD, NOW!"

She turned her gaze back to the holoscreen, she had lost by a large margin! Wait, lose?! No! She'd never lose!

"Maybe you'd actually win if you wore your glasses," commented Chloé with a snide remark.

"I don't even know what you're talking about!?"

Eliza piqued up, "Your glasses, it seems the only thing in common between you and Kaz."

"Oh… OH! Those glasses!" Yuki thought for a moment, rattling her smooth head into a conclusion. "WAIT! Do you think I have prescription glasses?! ABSOLUTELY NOT! Our parents just gave us glasses that scramble any camera footage!"

"Oh… What do you mean… footage?" Eliza asked

Silly fool, how is this the Genius of Sarimba University?! Yuki wagged her finger at Eliza. "Imbecile! You see, if the paparazzi want to go after us, they'll be blinded! Literally!"

Chloé shrugged. "Then why are the pictures he's in not… just white?"

"Silly Chloé," Yuki started, shrugging arrogantly. "We can turn off the settings when we want! We're in the modern age, I would have thought you'd know this, but since you are so inclined to shift the subject: YOU MUST BE AWFUL AT LOWGUARD PLAYER VERSUS PLAYER!"

"I don't even have a PvP-ready build?" Chloé said as she sat back down beside Eliza. They were in Yuki's room, which was massive, with two stories and even a dining table in her own room!

She pointed at Chloé. "Nuh-uh, you do now! Runs ones with me righht now!"

"Hey... can we all just get along?" Eliza asked, poking her head out from beneath the blanket.

She looked knackered, exhausted, like an elder sister between the two of them! Hehehehhe, Yuki did a gremlin laugh in her head.

Oh yeah... Eliza's doing something something or whatever with her brother. Wait? Kazu is doing something?! Yuki thought Kazu would never talk to people, let alone a woman!??!?!?

Oh, now Yuki's interested.

Yuki shifted her finger pointing from Chloé to Eliza. "Heheh, I see throuuugh you!"

Chloé scoffed. "Yeah, like how we can see right through you… I mean, that guy you brought here isn't just a friend, is he, hmm?" Chloé's face quickly turned up with a smirk.

"Huh?" Yuki was confused. Yes… "Yeah?" She tilted her head in confusion, mimicking what her brother does at times.

Some music could be heard through the walls... All three turned towards the wall it was coming from. Yuki grumbled, rushing out of her room and out into her large living room.

As she left her room, she gently shifted the makeshift microphone, video and audio recording set up she had next to the door.

The living room was even larger than her bedroom, like… a lot bigger. She rushed to the room beside Her's, and slammed the door open.

"NATHAN! WHY ARE YOU PLAYING MUSIC AT THIS UNGODLY HOUR?!" Yuki shouted at Nathan, who was playing music to himself across the room, ignoring how she'd been shouting for… a while. He froze, face growing pale as he stared at Yuki. "Is your brain cooked?! Say something in your defence, defendant!"

"I... sorry, I thought I was plugged in..." Nathan muttered, shifting towards his guitar and plugging the cords in properly this time. Ugh, ugh... Yuki nodded her head. "Why were you... shouting?"

"Huh?!" Yuki placed her hands on her hips, raising an eyebrow against Nate. What was he talking about? Her? What was about her this time?! She placed a hand against her chest. "Well you see, I was merely teaching my new friends how to play some games! I respect your grind but you gotta respect mine as well."

"Ah... alright... But can you tone it down a little, please?" Nathanial glances to the side. He shifted backwards across his bed. Yuki frowned and grumbled. "Can I... can I play now?"

He lifted his guitar up, gesturing to Yuki. Hmm... Fine! She'll allow him. "Go ahead, I'll be less noisy, but not for you alright!" she shouted at him, before rushing out of the room. "It'd hurt my vocal cords, after all." Yes, of course, damaging her beautiful vocal cords would be devastating.

She sprinted back towards her own room, slamming the door behind her as she picked up where she left off.

Eliza tilted her head as she was doing something on the TV. "Hey, Nathan's a guitarist, isn't he? I remember the two of you did a duet when we first met."

"Uh… yeah!" Yuki couldn't remember that but pretended like she did. Not a single thought went through her head.

"Quite an old model of microphone, yes?" Eliza nodded in the direction of Yuki's microphone stand.

Yuki nodded. Was it an old model? Well, it did look kind of antique, she thought. "Well, if you're so impressed by my microphone, you better look at this!" Yuki rushed over to her wardrobe, ignoring what Chloé and Eliza were doing as she opened the door.

Eliza glances over, her eyes glittering with curiosity at an archaic drone! "That's custom-made, is it not?"

"Yup! My father got it for me on a whim," Yuki boasted. "It's cool, isn't it?!"

"Well, its surface looks rather dusty, but that drone looks sturdy, it even has a multi-tool on it…" Eliza was clearly more impressed with whatever stupid things this drone had to offer.

Yuki grumbled. "Heh. Nerd." Eliza became flustered and looked away.

"Shaddup!" Eliza groaned.

Yuki then… Wait... where did she leave off again? She couldn't remember... How dare she not?! For a moment, Yuki was angry at her own mind, as she pointed at Eliza once more. "Uh... You! Yes, you!"

"Hmm?" Eliza peered up as she and Chloé were playing Dullie. HUH?! "I beg your pardon?"

"YOU'RE PLAYING DULLAHAN WITHOUT ME?!" Yuki shouted, rushing across the room towards them. She crouched down beside her bed, watching intently what they were doing. "You two... is this how my hospitability is repaid?! With lies and deceit?!"

"You... you keep shouting at us," said Chloé.

Eliza nodded. "And you're quite a sore loser, Yuki, sorry..."

"Not forgiven!" she said. "If you answer my riddles... three? You may be forgiven!"

Eliza sat up straight, seated cross-legged as she grabbed her knees. "Hmm? Oh? Riddles, sure, why not?""

Yuki frantically shook her head, then nodded. Aha. She has Eliza in her grasp! "Uh-huh! Now, my first one: WHY ARE YOU WITH MY BROTHER?!"

She pointed at Eliza, the question stirring a commotion between Chloé and Eliza. Chloé shot a lookup, smirking. "Oh? Now this is bound to be interesting..."

The scheming and snarky middle child Chloé, the young brat Yuki and the older sis Eliza! Yuki's mind immediately created a mini scenario of sorts for this as she let off another gremlin laugh.

However, Eliza didn't seem to react to the question. She stared directly at Yuki, eyes wide. This one doesn't seem so bright, Yuki thought. Yeah! How can this girl be the one that matched Kazuki in all aspects?!

"FINE!" Yuki shouted frustrated. "Second riddle!"

"These... aren't riddles..." Eliza muttered to herself.

Completing ignoring what she said, Yuki continued, "Who are you to my brother!?"

Eliza paused, slightly red in the face at the very, very, very direct question. Chloé's smirk grew.

Yuki is curious, and she wants to know! Eliza doesn't seem so special, why does her brother hang around with her?!

"Ah... friends, I guess?" Eliza suggested, shrugging beneath the blanket. "It's the simplest way I can say it." She smiled, chuckling. "Now that I think about it, I'm friends with two people from different royal houses."

Chloé nodded to that. "We're all interconnected like that, who knows how fucking inbred our ancestors were!" She scoffed and laughed at her own joke.

"Ooh, friends?!" Yuki placed a hand to her chin, frantically thinking up a response, the dyed highlights in her hair turned to an inquisitive indigo. She expected something more extravagant, but this was so dull! "I didn't know Kazu had any friends bar Archius! Literally! And don't you dare say two, it's three!"

The crappy pun that Yuki made with Archius' second last name flew directly over their heads.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Three?" Eliza pointed at Yuki in confusion. "Well… I guess we are friends, right?" She returned with a smile. The scorn on Yuki's face melted, and she returned with a bright gaze at the thought of having more friends, clever ones as that, she thought.

Chloé replied, "Hey, I've known Kaz for years, probably friends?"

"Exactly!" Yuki shifted her wrath at the other Theonari in the room, swelling the frustration back up for shows. "Unless he spefici... specfici..." Yuki paused. She had to pronounce it in her head and then say it out loud. "SPEC-IF-IC-ALLY, calls you a friend then you're not his friend!"

"Pfft." Chloé laughed, attracting Yuki's ire.

Her head twisted around as she scowled. "And how about you! Who the hell is your… 'friend'!?" The subject had changed completely! But Yuki didn't care at all.

Chloé glanced at Eliza, then back at Yuki. "How is this relevant at—"

"Answer the question!" Yuki rebuked.

"I… do have friends."

Ugh, how stupid is this girl? She groaned and grumbled. "I'm not talking about friends, I'm talking about that special person in your life!" What else would she be talking about?

Looking at Eliza, Yuki saw that she had a mundane expression before her eyes widened and she buried her head into the duvet cover. Heh.

Chloé continued, "Sure… Uh-huh, whatever you say, Yuki."

Yuki digressed, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's exactly what Kazu would say."

Chloé shrugged, playing her moves on the castle defence board on the bed. "Siblings, huh? I can't imagine being siblings with him."

"Uh huh, the one and only!" Yuki shouted, proud to be Kazu's one and only annoying, magnanimous, most brilliant sibling.

Eliza then scrutinised Yuki with her bright red eyes, looking past the bright colourful rainbow patterns beneath her hair. Then, Eliza said, "Sorry if I'm being rude but you don't really look like your brother. Wait... I remember, he said you were adopted, right?"

"Hmm? Me! Adopted!?" Yuki shouted back as if offended, Eliza shuddered ever so slightly. Yuki paused, then dropped the over-the-top display. "Yeah? I am... so?"

Yuki scratched her head.

"You're quite different from Kazuki, that's all. He never really seems to be in the ups, and you never seem to be in the downs," Eliza commented. "If you feel uncomfortable, please..."

Yuki paused, thinking for a moment. The two cogs in her head twisted left and right, with Yuki finally realising what she meant! "Oh... my real parents?! Nah, it's fine!" Yuki said, waving away Eliza's worries. "I don't even remember 'em!"

Chloé and Eliza paused, then both stared at her with rather sad eyes. Huh? Did she say something bad? What did she say?! They kept staring. COME ON, SAY SOMETHING?!?!?

"Uh... hello?" Yuki waved at the two of them, awkwardly chuckling.

"You... don't remember your parents?" Chloé inquired. "That... sounds rough... sorry, Yuki, I..."

Oh, what the hell is going on?! Yuki yawned and rolled her eyes. She tilted her head in frustration. "Oh, please!"

"I thought your real parents would have raised you differently than Kazuki," Eliza said. "But since you were raised with Kazuki's parents... why did you two turn out so differently."

Yuki shrugged, sticking her tongue out in an awkwardly cute fashion. She had NO IDEA! Though... Yuki's thoughts quickly understood why that was the case... Darkness grew within the light. "Well, uh... maybe it's just what makes Kazu special, you know?"

Chloé remained silent, merely nodding her head. Eliza merely smiled at her response.

Then, Eliza frowned and asked, "But you do know who your biological parents were... right?"

"Knew? Yeah, of course! My father always talked about them like they were amazing people!" Yuki said whilst ignorantly unaware of the implications. "They were the... brother and sister-in-law to my current father? I don't get in-laws, isn't everyone an in-law if they're legally related?"

She wasn't too sure about her assertion, that was right, right?! Eliza was confused by her confusion, whilset Chloé replied, "Wait... You're Kazuki's cousin by blood, then?"

"And your parents died in the P-1 Attack," Eliza stated out loud. Yuki and Chloé stared at her, as Eliza quickly covered her mouth. She spoke with a muffled voice behind her hand, "Sorry, sorry, that was insensitive of me, I apologise!"

"Oh yeah... they did..." Yuki trailed off, her mind focusing on something else. "Well, anyways! Kazu is my brother! And if you think you can win him over, THINK AGAIN!"

She grinned brightly, ignoring everything that was just said. Her real parents were Yamagata and Misty! The smile wiped away any gloom in the room, as the two slowly smiled, Yuki's aura of eccentric joy rubbing off onto them. Eliza grumbled slightly as her face went even redder.

"If we're on this line of thought, how about you!?" Eliza gasped back, pointing an accusatory finger at Yuki.

Chloé nodded. "Liz… I don't think it really matters what Yuki wants." The assertion cut into the calm. "You do know that she's a member of nobility right, royalty even… Not even the distant branches like me. I can get away with a lot more shit since I'm a dozen places away from Ésteban."

Yuki didn't understand what Chloé was trying to say, but she merely smiled, chuckling as if it would help her understand. "Yeah?"

Eliza frowned. "So that's how it is, huh?"

"What is what?!"

"Marriage," Chloé interjected with an exhausted face. "I get icky even saying it with how my parents shoved the word in my face all the time in the past. You and Kaz are the only two left in your family unmarried, you understand what that means, right?"

Yuki scoffed and burst into laughter. "You think I'll allow some random aah noble come into my life and sweep me away, PAH! As if! I'll be the one doing the sweeping away with!" Yuki grinned widely, her confidence was contagious as both Eliza and Chloé smiled. "I don't care about whatever 'ever responsibility my grandpa says, it's all just HOOPLA to me!"

"Well, at least you're willing to fight for who you care for," Chloé said. "Why Nathan though?" Yuki tilted her head as Chloé continued, "Oh, come on, don't tell me you don't have a crush on the guy?! He's adorable!"

Now it was time for Yuki to join in on the tomato action! Her cheeks puffed red as she growled back, "Absolutely not!" She crossed her arms. "And what about you, huh?! Aren't you royalty as well?!"

"As I mentioned before, I'm not in the main line, I don't think the Prince Regent will care who I get with as long as it isn't some degenerate criminal who can't even handle his own debts."

Chloé shrugged arrogantly as Eliza chuckled. Then, Eliza's face soured slightly. She muttered under her breath, barely audible, "Will Kaz share a similar fate?"

Despite Lizu's attempts, Yuki heard them! She made them clear for Chloé to hear. "Oh, don't worry! I won't let some random aristocrat bag my brother with a ring, I'll fucking kill them!" Her jovial tone, voice and smile contradicted the heavy words she just said.

"Oho! Look who's finally getting interested in the conversation." Chloé wrapped her arm around Eliza's shoulder. "Don't worry, Lizzy, Kaz is definitely the type to run away with you!"

Eliza's already reddening face turned into pure tomato red. "Shush! No! I… No?!"

Oh yeah, Yuki thought, there was some random thing she remembered. "My dad eloped with my mom, I think it like… he said it once or something before like it caused a lot of trouble twenty years ago or something… Whatever! I'm sure Kaz won't let some random bag him."

Yet all joys died the moment the door opened, a level of fear crept onto Chloé's face, whilst excitement brewed within Yuki, in a smirk. Aha... And now for the primary course! Primary? Wait... no... First? Main! Main! That was the word Yuki was looking for.

She twirled around on the spot, finger-gunning Kazuki. He stared at her, grumbling. Yuki was the first to break the silence, "Kazuki! Care to join us for... talks?!" She raised an eyebrow at him. "We were just talking about you!"

"No," Kazuki stated. "I know what you did."

Yuki rolled her eyes. Now what might Kazuki even be referring to? Yuki shrugged, before placing her arms on her hips. "Awh, did you not like me keeping Lizzie from you?" Yuki remarked.

Chloé snickered at the snide comment.

"You're one of a few people that have access to me and Eliza's suite." What was Kazuki going on about... Oh! Oh... Oh... He must have found out about that little thing Yuki did... It showed on her face as she sweated bullets. "You have the motive to annoy me. And you have access... I'm one bullet casing short... How did you even disassemble the bullet?"

Kazuki didn't seem that angry, more just disappointed and frustrated! Woah... Yuki heaved a sigh of relief, she must have dodged a bullet there, Yuki thought, laughing to herself under her breath.

"Yuki!?" Eliza raised her voice. "You... Kaz... I'm sure she only meant it as a prank, right?"

"Yeah!" Yuki gave Kazuki two peace signs.

Kazuki grumbled. "You don't prank people using live ammunition."

Yuki rolled her eyes and walked up to her brother, placing her hand on his suit and tugging him into the room. "Live?! Please, those bullets are all inanimate."

"That's... Not the point," Kazuki stated. "You could have hurt yourself!" Oh, now he seems angry! Yuki took a few steps back, falling onto the holographic deck of cards Chloé and Liz were playing on.

Yuki shrugged. "Uh... I disassembled it, alright?!"

"No... You didn't." Kazuki stared at her. "Václavos did. Didn't he?"

Urk... Yuki chuckled nervously. "Look, man... It was uh... It was his idea!"

Eliza facepalmed. "Just... own up to it, Yuki, your little gig's already up."

Yuki looked to Chloé for an answer, but she merely gave the same speel as Eliza, oh noes...

"Fuck it... Keep it." Kazuki... He merely looked upon her with judging eyes... Oh no. Then, he sighed. Turning, he left.

Yuki dragged Kazuki back, before grabbing onto her desk and opening a drawer. She showed Kazuki the bullet casing she took. "Look uh... It was just a prank, I know you'd remember, so uh... Just something to keep you on your feet?"

Yuki couldn't really admit that she just wanted to spend some time with her brother... Wait, she did?! No! Absolutely not! It's her brother that is trying to do that! Absolutely! But... Yuki didn't mind having Kaz around! He's got that cool shit with him all the time!

Kazuki slowly pinched the bullet, and his eyes widened. Oh! He must have seen what she did. "I scraped your name on it! It's like that kinda joke thing, have the bullet with your name on it so uh..."

Yuki paused, noting Kazuki's change in... atmosphere? No, it just seemed like he was rather cold, colder than usual? Ugh... Uh?

"Kaz?"

Kazuki stared at the bullet casing, before placing it in his pocket. He stared at her. "Do not do that again," he sneered.

And with that, he turned to leave... Leaving everyone confused... and Yuki: more worried... Ugh... Hmmn, at least Kaz showed up! Oh well... Next time, Yuki will simply get Kaz to play games with her!

Wait... She can ask now! She ran up after him, peering over the balcony. "Kaz! Wanna play some Dullie?! We have Chloé and Liz! So we can run twos!"

"Oh!" Eliza piqued up. She followed on after Yuki. "Kaz! We can pair up against Chloé and Yuki... How about it?"

Kazuki gave Yuki a... dark glare, before giving a small glance to Eliza. He nodded. Yus! Hehehe. Yuki gave Eliza a side glance, catching her attention as Kaz walked back up the stairs.

"What?" Eliza lowered her voice.

"Ooh, you lowered your voice as well... Don't worry, Eliza, your secret is safe with me," Yuki remarked, placing one hand on Eliza's shoulder, and patting it, before walking back in.

"It's... It's... I have no idea what you are referring to," Eliza said, following on.

Yuki smirked. "Oh, really? You're the one that can break down my brother's unbreakable social barrier? Ehh?"

"Yeah...?" Eliza nodded with a confused look. By Iris! Eliza actually doesn't realise it! Wait... No... Maybe she'd hide it! Or maybe she's just masking her feelings! Aha... Yuki's imagination kept lighting up with activity, returning Eliza with simply a smug look.

"Oh, don't worry, he's far more gentle than what people give him credit for," Yuki jeered, leaving Eliza a bit red on the face.

Yuki turned back to Chloé, whistling on the bed.

"Oi, Chloé! We're running twos, you wanna play?"

She shrugged. "Sure."

Hehe. Looking back, Yuki saw both Kaz and Liz enter the room, with Liz's face a bright red. Kazuki was confused... Hehe. Lizzie doesn't even seem to know what to make of it! Oh well... Yuki was fine with Liz, better her than someone that'll one day kill her brother, she thought.

Digressing, Yuki threw herself onto the bed. "Alright! Dib's on defenders!"

"No crossbow spam," Kazuki stated. Awh...

"Fine!" Yuki returned.

All was going well with life... Kaz is getting back into his old life, and he's got good friends with him! Archius... Chloé... Nate? Potentially Noah? Yuki, the magnanimous and humble, herself! And even Eliza, that genius of Sarimba...

"I can bring Archius..." Kazuki remarked. "Turn it into a three versus three."

Yuki nodded with a bright face, clicking her fingers once more. "Yes! I'll grab Nate to join us!"

Everything is going right, Yuki couldn't wait to finally get Kaz back home...

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