Chapter 21: The Thunderstorm of "Terror"

A rumble of thunder shakes the house at precisely 10:03 PM. It is a standard summer storm, loud but harmless. I am in bed, reading a manga, enjoying the sound of the rain against the window.

CREAK.

My bedroom door opens slowly. A single eye peers through the gap. It is Ayumi.

"Onii-chan..." she whispers, her voice trembling with a performance worthy of an Academy Award. "The thunder... it's so scary. Can I sleep in here tonight? Just for safety!"

I barely have time to lower my manga before the door bursts fully open.

"OPPA! SAVE ME!" Inoue launches herself into the room, wearing bright orange pajamas with little cartoon tigers on them. She dives onto the foot of my bed, burying her face in the comforter. "The sky is exploding! I'm too young and cute to die!"

"It's just thunder, Inoue," I say, trying to kick her off gently.

"Inefficient sleeping arrangements during a meteorological event can lead to heightened anxiety," Azuwa states, marching into the room. She is holding her own pillow. "As the responsible cousin, I must oversee this situation. I will sleep here to ensure everyone remains calm. It is purely for crowd control purposes."

"You just want to be close to him too!" Ayumi accuses, abandoning her 'scared little sister' act instantly.

"I do not! I am merely... supervising!" Azuwa blushes, clutching her pillow tightly to her chest.

Then, Hina strolls in, wearing a silk sleep mask pushed up onto her forehead. "Honestly, the acoustics in my room are terrible. The thunder is totally ruining my beauty sleep vibes. I need a more composed environment." She nonchalantly sits on the edge of my bed.

Finally, Izuwa peeks in, looking genuinely apologetic. "Sorry, Takeshi-kun. They dragged me along. They said if I didn't come, I'd be 'forfeiting my competitive standing'."

"Okay, everyone out," I order, pointing at the door. "My bed is a single. It fits one person. Me."

"Nonsense!" Inoue cheers, bouncing on the mattress. "If we try really hard, we can Human Tetris this! Oppa in the middle, me on the right leg, Ayumi on the left leg, Azuwa can take the right arm, Izuwa the left arm, and Hina can be the hat!"

"I AM NOT WEARING HINA AS A HAT!"

"It's called 'stacking', Onii-chan! It's very efficient!" Ayumi argues, already trying to wiggle under the covers next to me. "Move over! A good brother shares his body heat!"

"Unidentified heat source detected!" Azuwa yelps as Ayumi accidentally kicks her. "Cease your flailing, Ayumi-san! You are compromising the structural integrity of the mattress!"

"You're just mad because I got the spot next to his heart!"

"I do not care about his heart! I care about not falling onto the floor!"

Thunder booms again, louder this time.

"EEK!" Inoue screams, genuinely startled this time, and latches onto my midsection like a koala.

"Opportunity taken!" Ayumi yells, grabbing my left arm.

"I demand equal stabilization!" Azuwa grabs my right arm.

I am now pinned. I cannot move. I have a K-Pop idol clamped to my stomach, a sister fused to my left side, and a tsundere gripping my right side with surprising strength. Hina is sitting on my pillows, casually scrolling through her phone while using my head as an armrest, and Izuwa is sadly sitting on the floor, patting my foot in sympathy.

"This is not sleeping," I wheeze, feeling the circulation cut off in three different limbs. "This is torture."

"Shhh, Onii-chan," Ayumi coos, patting my chest. "Just close your eyes and let the happiness of being surrounded by beautiful girls lull you to sleep."

I stare at the ceiling. It is going to be a very long, very cramped night.