A Daily Life With My 3 Stepsisters

Saturday night brought a storm—literal this time. Thunder rumbled outside, rain hammering the windows, turning the house into a cocoon of sound and shadow. I'd planned to hole up in my room, ride out the weekend after the locker room fiasco, but the universe—or my stepsisters—had other ideas.

I was sprawled on my bed, half-watching some dumb video on my phone, when the power flickered. Once, twice—then gone. The room plunged into darkness, the hum of the house silenced, leaving only the storm's roar.

"Great," I muttered, fumbling for my phone's flashlight. Before I could get far, my door burst open, and Mina stumbled in, a blanket draped over her like a cape.

"Kaito!" she yelped, diving onto my bed. "The lights are out! I hate storms!"

"You're fine," I said, shoving her off me as she clung to my arm. Her pajamas—tiny shorts and a tank top—were barely visible in the dim glow, but I felt her warmth, her legs tangling with mine. "It's just rain."

"It's scary!" she whined, burrowing closer. "Thunder's loud!"

A crash of it punctuated her words, and she squeaked, practically climbing into my lap. I sighed, too tired to fight. "Okay, stay. Just stop squirming."

"Deal," she mumbled, her head on my chest, her breath tickling my neck.

The door creaked again, and Reina slipped in, a candle flickering in her hands. Her hair was loose, her sweater and shorts soft against the light, and her eyes widened when she saw Mina.

"Kaito-kun? Mina?" she said, setting the candle on my nightstand. "I brought this… I didn't know she was here."

"She's freaking out," I said, nodding at the lump clinging to me. "You okay?"

"Mm-hm," Reina said, sitting on the bed's edge. "I don't mind storms. They're… cozy, in a way."

"Cozy?" Mina peeked out, her voice muffled. "You're weird."

Reina giggled, brushing Mina's hair back. "You're the weird one, hiding like this."

"She's got a point," Aiko said, appearing in the doorway. She held a flashlight, her tank top and leggings clinging to her in the humid air. She smirked, stepping in. "What's this? Storm party?"

"Something like that," I said, trapped under Mina's weight.

Aiko dropped onto the bed, stretching out so her legs draped over mine again, the flashlight casting shadows across her smirk. "Guess I'm joining. No power, no fun upstairs."

"Great," I muttered, now sandwiched between Mina's clinginess, Reina's quiet presence, and Aiko's casual sprawl.

Thunder rolled again, and Mina yelped, gripping me tighter. "Kaito, protect me!"

"From what?" I said, prying her off enough to breathe. "It's outside."

"Still scary," she mumbled, her face pressed into my shoulder.

Reina lit another candle, the glow softening the room. "It's not so bad with us here, right, Mina?"

"Guess not," Mina said, relaxing slightly. "Kaito's warm, anyway."

"Warm, huh?" Aiko teased, her hand sliding to my knee, her fingers tapping lightly. "You're a regular hero, Kaito."

"Shut up," I said, my face heating up as her touch lingered.

The storm raged on, but inside, it was… different. The candles flickered, casting gold over Reina's soft smile, Mina's messy hair, Aiko's sharp eyes. We talked—dumb stuff at first, Mina whining about the dark, Aiko mocking her, Reina laughing—but it shifted, quieter, as the night wore on.

"I used to hate storms," Reina said, her voice low, almost lost in the rain. "Back home, before… everything. They'd keep me up all night."

"Yeah?" I said, glancing at her. "What changed?"

She smiled, small and real. "I don't know. Maybe… having people around. It's less lonely now."

Mina yawned, her grip loosening. "You're sappy, Reina. But I get it. Kaito's here, so it's fine."

"Gee, thanks," I said, but her words stuck, heavy in a way I didn't expect.

Aiko shifted, her leg pressing harder against mine. "What about you, Kaito? Scared of the dark?"

"No," I said, meeting her gaze. "Not anymore."

Her smirk softened, just for a second. "Good. 'Cause we're not going anywhere."

The room fell quiet, the storm a steady hum outside. Mina dozed off, her head slipping to my lap, her breath even. Reina leaned closer, her shoulder brushing mine, the candlelight catching her eyes. Aiko stayed put, her hand resting on my thigh now, warm and still.

"You're stuck with us," Reina said, her voice barely a whisper, like a secret.

"Yeah," I said, my chest tight. "I know."

Aiko's fingers squeezed lightly, her voice low. "Getting used to it yet?"

"Trying," I said, and she chuckled, soft and sharp.

The candles burned low, the storm easing into a drizzle. Mina slept, Reina's warmth seeped into me, Aiko's touch anchored me. Day seventeen, and it hit me—hard. This wasn't just chaos or comfort anymore. It was them—Reina's quiet strength, Aiko's fire, Mina's storm—filling spaces I didn't know were empty.

I didn't say it, didn't move, just sat there, caught in the glow. The power stayed off, but the dark didn't feel heavy. Not with them here. And as the rain faded, I realized I wasn't drowning—I was holding on, tighter than I'd ever admit.