That evening, in the cramped Akiyama household, the mother awo daughters were busy pag up some personal belongings.

  Although the moving pany offered a full pag and unpag service, there were always certain things that were either too private to be seen by others or important enough to be carried by hand.

  “Mom, what’s in this big box? Do we o take it ourselves?” An Akiyama, having finished her own tasks, asked curiously as she goward her mother.

  “Yes, it’s your father’s treasure. They o be carefully preserved/” Mrs. Akiyama replied, a blush of nostalgia spreading across her face.

  “Treasures? What kind of treasures?” An asked eagerly, moving closer to her mother, wanting to take a peek inside.

  “You ’t. It’s a secret between your father and me, An-. You’re not allowed to see.” Mrs. Akiyama gently stopped her daughter.

  An immediately puffed out her cheeks in frustration and turo her older sister, Tsuki Akiyama. “Sister, look at Mom! She’s trying to keep all of Dad’s treasures to herself! Aren’t you going to do something?”

  Tsuki, who had been pag her underwear while thinking about buying a blue and white striped pair, was startled when she heard her name. She quickly pressed down on her skirt to make sure the writing ohigh wasn’t visible.

  "What should I do about it? Have you finished your homework for today? I'll be cheg it ter." Tsuki Akiyama said sternly.

  "What?!?" An's eyes widened in disbelief. "We’ve been busy moving all day! Do I still have to do homework?"

  "Of course. You're my little sister, after all. We 't let yrades slip. Plus, I still have to go over today’s English lesson from cram school with you tonight." Tsuki ignored her sister’s dismayed expression and added even more to her pte.

  The Akiyama family couldn't afford to send both daughters to cram school, so Tsuki attended and would ter teach what she learo An.

  "But I don't want to be that amazing… Why do I have to work so hard?" An pined, her face sched up like a sour lemon as she muttered under her breath.

  "If you don't eople to look down on you or push you around, you o be better than everyone else. So good that they only look up to you. That way, they won’t dare to mess with you." Tsuki lectured while tugging on her younger sister’s ear.

  "There aren't that many bad people…" An grumble quietly, clearly unvinced.

  "Chiba is one of them." Tsuki murmured, her hand instinctively toug the spot on her leg where something had been written earlier. A slight blush crept across her face.

  "But I think Chiba-kun is actually really nice." An whispered in protest.

  "That's because you haven’t seen his other side." Tsuki said, squeezing her legs together as she recalled the events from earlier that afternoon. Her face turned an even deeper shade of red.

  That anding tohat cold expression, and the writing ohigh—it was all too much to think about. Tsuki shuddered slightly, trying to shake off the uling feeling creeping over her.

  "Tsuki?" An noticed that her sister seemed a little off.

  "Ahem, our father was very impressive ba the day. We o be just as excellent as him." Tsuki quickly posed herself, sitting up straight and trying to sound serious.

  "Okay... I get it." An pouted, though she obediently listened.

  Meanwhile, their mother had finally finished pag her things. Standing up, she addressed her two daughters, "I’m going to the ramen shop for o check. You girls behave while I’m gone, alright? Wash up and go to bed early, we’ve got to move first thing in the m."

  "Got it!" The two sisters responded in unison.

  As soon as they watched their mother leave, An’s eyes lit up with mischief. "Sis, sis! Let’s sneak a peek at Dad’s treasure, okay?"

  "Not ied," Tsuki replied ftly as she stood up, pressing down her skirt. "I’m going out for a bit. You stay here and review your homework."

  "What? It’s so te, where are you going?" An asked, fused.

  "I’ve got something to take care of. Don’t ask." Without further expnation, Tsuki left the house, leaving her little sister alone.

  "First Mom, now you. You’re all so secretive. Always keeping things from me." An grumbled, feeli out.

  An Akiyama stared at the closed door, pouting in frustration as she mumbled to herself. However, her attention soon shifted excitedly to the mysterious box.

  "Just a quick peek, and then I'll repack it—Mom probably won't even notice, right?" She muttered, looking at the cardboard box that hadn’t yet been taped up. It seemed harmless enough.

  But as soon as she ope, she froze. Inside was a rge metal box with a bination lock. There was no way to open it.

  Her excitemeed immediately. "Mom, seriously? What kind of treasure is this to be locked up so tightly?" She grumbled, now thhly disheartened.

  With nothing else to do, Ao run her bath. By the time the tub was full, her sister had finally returned home.

  "Oh, so you went shopping? What did you buy?" An asked curiously, peeking into the bag her sister was holding.

  "Underwear. While I ag, I noticed some of mine were worn out, so I went to buy new ones." Tsuki replied holy. There wasn’t much point in hiding it, sidering they lived together and An would find out eventually.

  "Did you get any for me? I think I need some new ooo. Wait, why are they all blue and white striped? Are you into that style now?" An asked, puzzled.

  "They're all mine. If you need some, you'll have to buy your own. The reason they're all blue and white striped is because they were on sale." Tsuki replied, her eyes darting nervously as she lied.

  "Oh, I see. Well, give me oo try. I’ve never worn that style before—it might be fun to see what it’s like." An didn’t notice her sister’s disfort and asked ily.

  "No!" Tsuki quickly clutched the bag shut. "I'll bear this burden alone."

  "Wh-what do you mean 'bear it alone'? What burden?" An blinked in fusion, startled by her sister’s intense rea.

  "Ahem, I mean, sihey were on sale, I couldn’t really choose the style, and blue and white stripes are kind of outdated, right? I’ll wear them. You should buy something more stylish." Tsuki coughed awkwardly, trying to cover up her previous statement. Tsuki Akiyama’s mind worked quickly, and she came up with a perfectly reasonable expnation.

  "Sis..." An’s eyes filled with tears of admiration. "It's okay. I'll wear the same kind, no problem. After all, it's underwear—no one will see it anyway."

  Her sister’s teary, grateful gaze made Tsuki feel strangely guilty. "Are you not listening to me anymore? Just do as I say."

  "Alright..." Aantly gave up on her pn. She suddenly remembered the mysterious box. "Oh, Sis! e help me with something. The box has a bination lock. What do you think the code is?"

  Tsuki, eager to ge the subject from blue and white stripes, decided to indulge her sister this time. She walked over to the box, giving it a quice.

  "Easy. Try Dad’s birthday, Mom’s birthday, then ours. One of them should work."

  "ht!" An excimed, immediately starting to test the binations. On the first try, the lock clicked open. "It’s Dad’s birthday!"

  "Open it." Tsuki, now curious as well, urged her sister to lift the lid.

  When An opehe box, they both stared in surprise. Inside was a strange assortment of small tools and gadgets. Tsuki's eyes widened in shock.

  An, pletely puzzled, asked, "What are these things for? Why would Dad's treasure be this stuff? Was Dad a police offiaybe a cowboy before?"

  Tsuki could only stare, unsure of what to make of the bizarre tents.