The hotel lobby smelled faintly of citrus and polished wood, the kind of place that tried a little too hard to feel luxurious. Raika stepped through the automatic glass doors with Emi in her arms and a duffel bag slung over one shoulder. Yumi walked beside her, suitcase rolling behind, still glancing toward the road outside.
"No sign of him?" Raika asked, bouncing Emi gently.
Yumi shook her head. "Nope. Still nothing. You'd think a guy that serious would at least be on time."
"He was on time," Raika muttered under her breath. "He just refused to ride the bus with us."
Yumi smirked. "Right. Forgot. Too cool for group travel."
They walked up to the front desk and checked in, receiving a room key and a polite smile from the clerk. The hotel was bustling with students, teachers, and chaperones all getting settled, and the energy in the air buzzed with anticipation for the school trip's first night.
Once in their room, Raika placed Emi down on the bed with her favorite Kawai Kitty plush. The baby immediately curled around it, eyes heavy from the long ride.
"She did good today," Yumi said, stepping into the room after wheeling her suitcase in. "Didn't cry once."
Raika smiled as she tucked a blanket around Emi. "Yeah, she likes the motion of the bus. Or maybe she just knew Raito wasn't on it."
Yumi laughed. "That makes two of us."
Raika's eyes narrowed playfully. "Oh? Were you hoping to sit next to him?"
Yumi froze mid-sip of water. "N-No! I just—I mean, he invited me, so I thought he'd at least want to spend some time—Not that I wanted to—" She flailed a little, flustered.
Raika stared for a long second, then leaned back on her heels. "…You like him."
Yumi sputtered. "W-What? I do not! I barely know him!"
"Yeah, but you came all this way for him," Raika said coolly. "You dropped everything just because he said, 'Want to come?' That's not 'barely know.' That's something else."
Yumi folded her arms. "…You're his sister, right? Shouldn't you be happy he has someone looking out for him?"
Raika looked away, expression unreadable. "I am happy," she said. "Just surprised, that's all. He doesn't usually let people in. Especially not women."
There was a short silence. Emi shifted slightly in her sleep.
"…Is he okay?" Yumi asked, voice soft. "He seemed… distracted lately."
Raika nodded. "He's always like that when something's on his mind. But he never tells me what it is."
Yumi frowned slightly. "Not even a hint?"
"Nope." Raika picked up a towel and headed toward the bathroom. "He keeps things to himself. Always has."
As she disappeared into the steamy silence of the bathroom, Yumi sat on the edge of the bed, pulling out her phone. Still no text from Raito. She looked over at Emi's sleeping form and smiled slightly.
"A teenage sister and a baby… You're something else, Raito."
She let herself fall back onto the bed, arms spread, eyes staring at the ceiling. "But if you think you can keep everyone at arm's length forever…"
The phone buzzed.
[Raito: I'll be there in an hour. Send the exact hotel location. And don't wait up.]
Yumi sat up quickly and texted him the address. No emojis. No reply.
She sighed.
"…You're really bad at this, you know."