Ch. 7 - The Stranger Called Brother

“I’m home.”

“Welco—”

The cheerful voice cut off abruptly. The girl whose head only reached Harutaki’s chest froze mid-greeting, her sakura-pink eyes widening. Her lips still formed the word, but no sound came out. Even the lock of pale-golden hair stuck to her mouth went unnoticed.

Hoshikawa Fuyuno

“Ayaka-nee! This is bad! You forgot to lock the door when you came home, and now some idol-level handsome guy just broke in!”

The tiny girl—looking like an elementary schooler—cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted toward the house.

Seeing that his most mischievous little sister Fuyuno didn’t recognize him, Harutaki felt a spark of mischief himself.

“Uh… nice to meet you. You must be Ayaka’s little sister, Fuyuno, right? She talks about you all the time. I’m Ayaka’s boyfriend—we arranged to…”

“Eeeh!? B-Boyfriend!?”

Fuyuno’s big sakura eyes spun in circles, and then she bellowed again toward the house:

“Ayaka! Since when did you get yourself a super-hot boyfriend!? Have you kissed yet? Done it yet? Is he staying overnight!? Do I need to take Chiaki and hide—”

Before she could finish, heavy footsteps thudded closer. Into view came Ayaka, holding a kitchen knife, her face grim.

“…Aha-ha, I didn’t say anything,” Fuyuno muttered, scratching her head and promptly ducking behind the shoe cabinet. Peeking out, her ponytail bobbed like a golden forsythia in the breeze as she glanced nervously between her “suspiciously hot stranger” and her sister.

Ayaka’s long pink hair was tied into a practical ponytail for housework. One hand gripped the knife tightly, the other hovered over her phone. Her aqua eyes glared like blades as she barked:

“Who the hell are you!? Breaking into someone’s house like some delinquent thug—you’d better leave now or I’m calling the police!”

And as if to steel herself, she pressed on: “Dad and Mom will be back any minute. My big brother’s upstairs, too. He’s a delinquent and really good at fighting!”

“…Wait. You really don’t recognize me?”

Seeing his sister brandishing a knife, Harutaki quickly set down the cake box he’d bought, pointing to his freshly scrubbed, pale face.

A post-haircut bonus: the 2000-yen whitening and oil-control facial package. Troublesome at first, but much easier to maintain afterward.

“…The voice does sound familiar.”

Fuyuno pouted, scrutinizing him from head to toe.

“Oi. It’s me—Hoshikawa Harutaki. Your brother. Since when was I a delinquent bruiser, anyway?”

Harutaki spread his arms helplessly.

“B-ba… baka Aniki…?”

Ayaka checked his face, hair, and voice again and again. Finally, her cheeks flushed bright pink.

“N-no way… how could it be…”

So… handsome…

He was supposed to be a greasy, lazy, perverted siscon shut-in. How could—

“Ehehe. If Onii-chan stays like this, even if you wanted Fuyuno’s freshly worn underwear, maybe I’d let you…”

Lifting the hem of her skirt with a mischievous grin, Fuyuno giggled.

“Or when Ayaka’s in the bath, I could slip you the treasures from the laundry bas—”

Thunk.

“Ow!”

Ayaka’s iron fist dropped her to the floor. Her skirt fluttered back down, and Harutaki’s racing pulse calmed.

“See? If Nii-san just cleaned up a little, he’d be super popular. You were cute in your childhood photos, too…”

Chiaki, the middle sister, spoke with a faint blush, oddly excited.

If even the sister who knew him best admitted it, then Ayaka had to concede—her brother had transformed from ugly duckling to swan.

“…C-Come in already. Dinner’s still warm, better eat while it’s hot…”

She gestured toward the living room, subtly tucking the knife behind her back.

If Harutaki stayed like this, maybe next time at the school’s parent meeting… her chair wouldn’t have to sit empty.

Watching his tall, straight-backed figure, Ayaka felt an unfamiliar hope, and immediately crushed it.

As if. If I let this version of him into an all-girls academy like St. Lilium, those wolves would devour him alive.

For his purity and health—and her classmates’ chastity—better to endure the empty seat.

Dinner was simple curry rice: mildly spicy, chicken thighs simmered to perfection, tender yet juicy. But instead of enjoying the meal, Harutaki felt tormented by the three pairs of eyes stealing glances at him.

Like being a panda on display.

He gulped the curry down quickly, cleaned up, and retreated to his room. Better to prep for school.

High school-level academics might be tough for teens, but for someone with his college and grad-school grind habits, exams wouldn’t be an issue.

“There’s a delivery box by the garage.”

Ayaka reminded him suddenly. Glancing at her sisters, then recalling her earlier overreaction, the tips of her ears turned pink.

“Thanks.”

That jogged his memory: the cake box by the entrance. He brought it to the table, cutting three neat slices.

Not knowing their tastes, he’d chosen a universally loved option: strawberries glazed in syrup, whipped cream light and fragrant, and a jelly filling in the sponge. A cake even non-sweet-lovers couldn’t refuse.

The three sisters stared at their plates. Only now did they truly believe that their gloomy, creepy shut-in brother had turned into an idol-like prince.

Author’s Note: The main heroine for Volume 1 is still Nogami-san. These sister scenes are just to establish their characters—though maybe it’s going too slowly…

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