That night, I couldn't fall asleep easily, and before I
knew it, it was morning. Even though it was morning, it was quite late.
Shota got up from the bed and let out a big sigh.
"Erika isn't really my little sister."
It's something I can't quite accept.
To confirm, when I asked my mother about Erika last night, I was told she's like a niece to my father, who is much older, and thus, to Shota, she's like a cousin. "Didn't you know until now?" I remember her tone seemed to suggest.
I see, even though they're relatives, they're quite distant. It's understandable why they lived separately.
"...She's almost a stranger."
Muttering to himself, Shota, still feeling groggy, descended the stairs and cautiously glanced around the living room.
Then, a voice came from the side.
"Good morning, big brother. Is something wrong?"
"Ah! G-Good morning, Erika. Um, well, is this, uh, some kind of habit?"
"? Strange brother."
Startled by being addressed from outside his consciousness, Shota fumbled with gestures and made a strange excuse.
Though sudden, he chuckled nervously as he watched Erika laugh softly.
With her simple-designed T-shirt and long skirt, impeccably worn, there was a stark contrast to Shota, who was in his shirt and shorts, serving as makeshift pajamas.
That only made him more aware that Erika, being not his little sister but a girl close to his age, was at home, and he felt his cheeks growing
warm.
I wonder if I should say something? What would siblings
usually say in this kind of situation? As I pondered over these thoughts, I was
called from the living room.
"Oh, Shota, Erika. Perfect timing. We're about to leave,"
"Leave? Where to?"
"Didn't I mention it during dinner last night? This time, we've decided to accompany Dad for his work. It seems it's going to be a long stay."
"This time it's Hokuriku. When we say Hokuriku, we're talking about snow crab and white shrimp, looking forward to it!"
"Oh, you can't forget about crab, too!"
"............Huh?"
Shota couldn't grasp the meaning of his parents' words all of a sudden.
Shota looked puzzled at the sudden news, observing his parents chatting excitedly about Hokuriku in front of him. He tried to recall last night's dinner but couldn't remember much besides being preoccupied with Erika.
His father had always been involved in frequent business
trips or assignments. That was nothing new.
But his mother was accompanying him this time.
Thus, inevitably, it meant that Erika and I would be left
alone in this house with a girl who wasn't much younger than me.
My heart skipped a beat uneasily. I felt really uneasy
about it. I didn't have confidence in myself not to act weird.
"Um, but, Mom, what about work?"
"It's remote, dear, remote."
"And what about food...?"
"Don't worry, everything's arranged."
"..."
Despite my indirect protests, I was met with nothing more
than fluttering hands.
"Well then, we're off!"
"Crab, get ready to be impressed!"
With that, my parents left in high spirits, leaving in
the blink of an eye. Maybe they were feeling like they were on a honeymoon.
As I stood there dumbfounded, I felt a hesitant tug at my
sleeve.
"What about breakfast?"
"Huh, um..."
With those words, I snapped back to reality, imagining
the scene of the two of us having a meal together.
From Shota's perspective, Erika was an attractive girl.
The fact that his heart was pounding yesterday was proof of that. Still
unprepared mentally, he didn't know how to react.
With a slight retreat, he only managed to roll vowels in
his mouth, like "uh" or "ah".
"...?"
Erika seemed to find Shota's suspicious behavior curious,
as she tilted her head and peered into his face. As her beautiful and
well-defined face came closer, Shota's heart involuntarily skipped a beat, and
he couldn't even look at her properly.
"I... I'm good. Um, I'm going for a run!"
"Ah..."
With that, Shota quickly turned on his heels to avoid
showing his red face, and he dashed out of the entrance as if fleeing.
Following his impulse, fueled by a boiling sensation in
his chest, he ran through the familiar residential streets without thinking
about pacing.
Although it was late spring, the morning air was chilly,
stealing away the heat from his flushed cheeks and cooling his head slightly.
And what he couldn't help but think about was still Erika.
Despite the confusion of realizing she wasn't his little sister,
they were still under the same roof.
With emotions not catching up to the sudden situation,
Shota didn't know what to do.
Shota was a healthy teenage boy after all.
Being treated with such proximity by a beauty like Erika
made it hard not to entertain inappropriate thoughts. Especially now, without
the mental barrier of her being his little sister. No matter how much he tried to
think, his mind was a mess. There seemed to be no answer.
(Damn it, if this were just Mio, I wouldn't be agonizing
over this!)
He couldn't help but think that.
Mio had been with him since childhood, they knew each
other's good and bad sides inside out, and they had grown up together almost
like siblings. It was unlikely for them to suddenly start seeing each other as
members of the opposite sex or for mistakes to happen even if they lived
together.
"Ugh, seriously!"
Shota continued to run, struggling with questions that
had no answers.
After running double his usual distance, Shota walked to
cool down his body and catch his breath before returning home.
His slightly inflated chest had calmed down.
"Alright," he said, slapping his cheeks to pump himself up again. It
was then he noticed someone ringing the doorbell.
It was an unfamiliar girl.
She had fluffy black hair neatly arranged at her
shoulders and adorned with a ribbon, and she wore a fluttering, sakura-colored
outfit typical of spring, just as cute as Erika. So much so that one might be
captivated at first sight. In her hand was a considerably large suitcase for
travel. It felt quite out of place in the residential area.
Of course, Shota had no idea who she was.
Was she an acquaintance of his mother or Erika?
He didn't know, but either way, she seemed to have
business at their house.
"Um, do you need something at our house...?"
"Ah..."
Speaking tentatively, Shota noticed her looking at him,
momentarily surprised, before she stared intently at him. Then she flashed a
mischievous smile.
(...Huh?)
At that
moment, something clicked.
Shota felt
a strange sense of déjà vu, accompanied by growing suspicions. As Shota's eyes
widened in realization, she leaped toward him with a theatrical tone.
"Sho-chan,
I missed you so much...!"
"Hey,
wait, stop it!"
"If I
get this excited, Sho-chan might hear me..."
"Hey,
what's the meaning of this?"
"Geez,
Sho-chan, you're such a party pooper."
"...Who
is this girl?"
"!?""Ah"
Suddenly,
Erika's indifferent voice echoed from the entrance. It had a tone that sent
shivers down Shota's spine, impossible to read emotionally.
Nervously
turning around, Shota found Erika glaring down at him, not bothering to conceal
her displeasure. Reflexively, he pushed the girl aside and started to make
excuses.
"Erika,
this is, um..."
"Eri-chan!?"
"...Huh?"
Then, she
leaped toward Erika, tightly gripping her hands and excitedly looking her up
and down while speaking earnestly.
"Your
hair, Eri-chan, it's you, right!? Wow, you've become such a gorgeous
lady!"
"Um,
well, uh..."
"Man,
your hair is so silky, and your waist is so slender! Your cheeks are so
squishy! It's addictive!"
Caught up
in her enthusiasm, Erika was being kneaded and played with. She looked to Shota
for help with pleading eyes. Shota scratched his head vigorously and let out a
deep sigh.
Though he
didn't recognize her, he recognized her voice. With conviction, he spoke to
her.
"Cut
it out, Mio. You're scaring Erika."
"Oops,
sorry, sorry. But Eri-chan, it's been so long, and you've become so beautiful,
I couldn't help but get excited!"
"Mio-chan...?"
Erika
blinked as she looked at her, her eyes displaying a hint of doubt, as if
suggesting that something was amiss, and she asked.
But this
was unexpected even for Shota. It was completely different from when they had
met just yesterday.
Shota had
always thought he knew everything about Mio since they were kids. But the girl
in front of him was a stranger. The part where she had hugged him felt like she
was radiating heat.
(I, I
didn't even realize that was Mio just now!)
Shota made
that excuse to himself inwardly.
Then,
trying to look puzzled, he directly questioned her.
"What's
with that outfit? Is it cosplay? You look like a completely different
person."
"Hahaha!
Even Sho-chan didn't seem to recognize me earlier."
"Shut
up!"
"Well,
you know, I said I had some business yesterday, right? Since you and Dad are
becoming high schoolers, I thought I should look a bit more feminine, so I
booked a salon appointment. Ah, this is what they call a high school debut,
right? So, how do I look?"
Saying so,
Mio turned around as if to show herself off. Her gently arranged hair and the
skirt that Shota had never seen her wear before fluttered softly, making him
involuntarily feel flustered.
Shota
quickly averted his gaze and, trying not to acknowledge it, bluntly replied.
"Well,
it's, it's not bad, I guess?"
"Mmm,
come on, couldn't you praise me a bit more?"
"Mio-chan,
you're cute."
"Wow,
Eri-chan, you're cute too! Sho-chan, be more honest like this, come on!"
"...Alright,
that's enough. So, what did you come here for? And what's with that
luggage?"
"Oh,
that's just my personal stuff. It's quite heavy, so could you carry it for me,
Sho-chan?"
"Hey,
wait a minute!"
Without
waiting for a response, Mio, in her usual confident manner, boldly entered the
Kagura household.
Though
taken aback, Shota quickly grabbed the luggage and followed after Erika.
Mio's
destination was the room on the first floor that they had been using as a
storage space.
But to
their surprise, the room had been completely rearranged. Desks, beds, shelves,
and other furniture had been moved in, giving it the appearance of a normal
bedroom. They couldn't help but wonder what was going on.
Looking
around the room, Mio casually muttered, "Oh, this is nice," then
turned back to them.
"Sho-chan,
just leave the luggage over there for now. I'll take care of the rest."
"Uh,
but..."
"Hehe,
from today onwards, I'll be living here too. Nice to meet you both!"
Mio beamed
with a bright smile, as if a flower had bloomed.
In stark
contrast, Shota and Erika were left dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events.
They
looked at each other, and as understanding dawned, they both exclaimed in
surprise.
"Wha...
What!?"
It was
like a bolt from the blue.
Mio's
sudden decision to live in the house, combined with her changed appearance,
overwhelmed them, leaving them bewildered. Erika didn't know what to do, and
Shota was at a loss.
In the
midst of this, Mio seemed to come up with a brilliant idea and clapped her
hands.
"Oh,
I know! Since Eri-chan is here too, let's have a showdown!"
Some time
later...
In the
Kagura household living room, the atmosphere was tense in front of the TV.
"There!
Sho-chan!"
"I
got it! ...Huh!?"
"Too
slow."
"No
way, you reacted to that!?"
"Darn
it, then... Mio!"
"On
it!"
"Expected."
"What,
you dodged it!?"
"Seriously,
is this still not enough?"
"Hehe."
The three
of them were immersed in playing the latest installment of a competitive action
game they had often played together as children.
Initially,
they had enjoyed it in a friendly atmosphere, but Erika turned out to be
unexpectedly, or rather overwhelmingly, strong. Eventually, Shota and Mio
teamed up against her.
Despite
challenging her multiple times in a 2v1 scenario, they couldn't win even once,
and Shota and Mio became increasingly frustrated. Whenever Erika easily handled
their attacks and smirked, they felt provoked and their competitiveness only
intensified.
After
countless battles, they still couldn't snatch victory from Erika.
Eventually,
Mio flopped onto the rug, throwing her arms and legs out.
"Sigh...
Eri-chan, you're so strong. I never imagined that from you."
"Yeah,
you're quite experienced. But Mio-chan and Onii-san were tough opponents too.
They were in perfect sync."
"Well,
Mio and I have played against each other quite a bit. We know each other's
moves."
"Still,
not being able to win even once is frustrating!"
"I'll
take you on anytime."
"Hey,
stop flailing around like that. Are you a child?"
Mio
flailed her arms and legs like a child.
At that
moment, Mio's skirt fluttered, revealing unexpectedly white thighs that were
usually hidden. Shota quickly averted his gaze, making a comment with a sigh.
Erika couldn't help but chuckle at Mio's reaction.
Mio
expressed her frustration with her whole body for a moment. Suddenly stopping
her movements, she bounced up energetically and reached out to Erika.
"But
we can have a rematch anytime, right? ...Welcome back, Eri-chan."
"Yeah...
I'm home."
Although
Erika was momentarily taken aback, she smiled softly and returned Mio's
handshake.
There were
many things they wanted to say.
But their
sister and childhood friend were there beside them, just like in the old days,
in the same atmosphere.
Surely,
Mio suggested playing the game together for this reason. Shota relaxed his
cheeks as well.
"By
the way, Eri-chan, you've become beautiful~. Shota, aren't you feeling a bit
weird about this?"
"W-Weird?
No way! ...She's my little sister."
"Well,
considering there was quite a blank period, you might think of her more as a
cute girl you're close to than a little sister, right? And remember, 'since we're
practically siblings, it's fine,' right?"
"......?"
「Hey, Mio!」
"Hehehe."
Bringing
up lines from yesterday's erotic doujinshi, Mio chuckled mischievously.
Shota
raised his voice in a panic as Erika tilted her head in confusion. Even if he
were asked what they were talking about, there was no way he could answer
"erotic doujinshi," so he glared at Mio.
Then, Mio,
realizing something, asked with slightly pursed lips.
"Oh,
by the way, I asked you to send Eri-chan some photos yesterday, right?"
"Uh,
yeah... Sorry, I forgot about that because of various things."
Remembering
such a promise, Shota recalled, but last night, he was preoccupied with the
fact that Erika wasn't his real little sister.
"Geez...
But, I understand wanting to monopolize such a cute little sister."
Saying so,
Mio hugged Erika tightly and rubbed their cheeks together.
Erika
blushed, feeling embarrassed but going along with it.
Confirming
this, Mio opened her mouth with a smug expression, as if to say, "You're
jealous, aren't you?"
"You
won't be popular if you don't keep your promises~"
"...Shut
up. I don't really care about being popular with you guys or my childhood
friend."
"Ugh,
come on! Don't all guys want to be popular with their childhood friends?"
「That's something only people who don't understand reality
would say!」
"Ugh,
it hurts when you say that because I'm painfully aware of it!"
Shota
retorted, making Mio pout.
At that
moment, a rumbling sound echoed through the room.
Following
the sound, they saw Erika blushing as she hung her head down in embarrassment.
The
sunlight streaming in from the window had softened considerably, indicating it
was already past 4:30. They had been engrossed in the game for quite some time.
On the low
table in front of them were snacks spread out for both breakfast and lunch.
Shota realized he hadn't eaten much since morning. This made him feel hungry
all of a sudden.
Mio seemed
to feel the same way. She rubbed her stomach and then stood up with a
"let's go," heading towards the kitchen.
"It's
a bit early, but shall we make it dinner?"
"Yeah,
just go with whatever."
"Let's
see what we have in the fridge..."
Mio,
looking quite accustomed to it, opened the fridge and muttered to herself,
"Cabbage, pork belly, bean sprouts... Oh, and there's a can of
tomatoes," as she planned out the menu.
It was a
familiar scene, but for some reason, the sight of the girls in their attire
today made Shota feel oddly flustered. He shook his head to clear his mind of
the unsettling feeling, only to notice Erika gazing at Mio with a curious
expression.
Ah, of
course. While it might be normal for Shota, behaving this way in someone else's
home, especially dressed as they were today, could seem a bit forward.
Carefully choosing his words, he explained the situation.
"You
see, after Erika and I separated, Mio's mother passed away about... five years
ago."
"...Huh?"
"At
first, things were rough, and we had our ups and downs, but she started
spending more time at our place. Sometimes Mio's mom would work late, so Mio
would cook for us... And well, I kinda got used to relying on her cooking. What
about you, Erika?"
"Not
my forte."
"Ah,
I see. Same here."
With that,
Shota and Erika exchanged a wry smile.
Before
long, Mio announced, "Dinner's ready!"
On the
dining table, there was stir-fried cabbage with pork, pumpkin simmered in soy
sauce, and miso soup with plenty of ingredients. It was a splendid spread. Even
Erika couldn't help but let out a impressed sigh.
Seated at
the dinner table, Shota looked around awkwardly.
(...This
is awkward.)
While
playing games, they could focus on the TV screen, but now, gathered for dinner,
they inevitably had to face each other.
Mio, who
had transformed into such a lovely girl, and Erika, who had become so mature
and beautiful. It felt like being surrounded by unfamiliar girls, making Shota
strangely nervous.
Glancing
up, he noticed Mio tilting her head as if to ask, "Aren't you going to
eat?" Despite his own flustered state, he couldn't help but feel a twinge
of envy at her nonchalant demeanor.
Amidst the
exchange of "Itadakimasu" (let's eat), they began their meal.
As always,
Mio's cooking was delicious, and the sweet and savory sauce of the stir-fried
pork encouraged them to eat more rice, quickly emptying their bowls.
"Shota,
want seconds?"
"Yeah,
please."
"I...
me too."
"Sure
thing!"
Without
hesitation, Mio served them more food.
Erika
seemed a bit embarrassed as she offered her empty bowl, but Mio accepted it
with a smile of delight. She clearly enjoyed seeing others enjoy her cooking.
Despite
her changed appearance, Mio remained the same at heart, and Shota couldn't help
but think that.
The group
became engrossed in their meal, silently enjoying every bite.
Eventually,
they finished every last grain of rice and clasped their hands together.
"Gochisousama,"
they said in unison.
"Mio-chan,
that was delicious. I'm impressed," Shota remarked.
"Thanks
for the meal. By the way, Erika-chan, wasn't it spicy? Shota loves spicy food,
so I added extra doubanjiang and a generous amount of red pepper flakes,"
Mio asked.
"No,
it was just right," Erika replied.
"Really?
Maybe it's because we're siblings? At first, I had a hard time getting used to
it," Mio chuckled.
"E-eh!
It's deliciously spicy, you know," Shota defended himself.
"Hehe,
I've come to love it now," Erika added.
"Hmm?"
"Erika-chan?"
Suddenly,
Erika seemed like she was about to say something but stopped midway.
After
blinking a few times, she stood up and started gathering the dishes.
"I'll
take care of the rest," she said.
"Okay,
thank you. I'll go unpack then," Mio replied before heading to her room.
Left
alone, Shota found himself at a loss for what to do.
As I watch
Enrika's back doing household chores, I feel strangely uneasy.
Moreover,
it would be awkward to just lounge around doing nothing while she works.
"Well
then, maybe I'll wash up in the bath."
Muttering
to himself without addressing anyone, he turned towards the washroom.
When asked
about Shota's household skills, given his long tenure living alone with his
mother, his skills were above average compared to his peers, especially in
everything except cooking. It was to the extent that he could start living
alone without any issues. That's probably why his mother felt comfortable
leaving with his father.
Since
Shota had been responsible for regular bath cleaning anyway, he finished in no
time.
Listening
carefully, he could hear Enrika in the living room and the sound of work coming
from the room that used to be Mio's.
Shota
furrowed his eyebrows slightly, then decided to take a bath since he was
already there.
As he was
about to throw his clothes into the washing machine, the door clicked open.
"Sho-chan,
binny--"
"Eh!"
Just as he
was about to take off his underwear, Shota froze, completely exposed.
Similarly
frozen, Mio stared back at him.
An
indescribable tension hung in the air.
"Hey,
do you know where the plastic ties are? I need to tie up some cardboard
boxes."
"Eh!?
Don't just act like nothing happened! They're under the shelf in the living
room!"
"Oh,
so this was the spot I'd scream about, huh? But you're the one who got seen,
Sho-chan. Wanna try again?"
"Shut
up!"
Contrary
to the nonchalant conversation of childhood friends, Shota blushed to the point
of crimson and darted into the bathroom like a scared rabbit. It was inevitable
that his voice would be rough, almost demanding them to leave quickly.
Being seen
naked by the opposite sex, even if it was Mio, was embarrassing. And if he was
transformed into a cute form like someone else, it was even more so. His heart
pounded loudly as if it was solely focused on him, and his face contorted with
shame and frustration.
"...Damn
it."
Confirming
that Mio's presence was gone, Shota cursed under his breath and reluctantly
sank into the bathtub, which was only filled up to his knees.
After
spending a bit longer than usual in the bath, Shota emerged and, seeking water,
peeked into the living room to find Mio sprawled lazily on the sofa.
Unlike
just a moment ago, Mio was back in her usual attire - a sweatshirt and her
signature hair in a ponytail. It was a kind of talent to effortlessly ruin a
carefully styled hairstyle with just that appearance, which made Shota chuckle wryly.
However, seeing her in this familiar state brought a sense of relief, as if he
had finally returned home.
Mio
noticed him and lifted her face, holding up a manga. "Oh," she said,
"I borrowed this from your room. I was curious about the
continuation."
"Hey,
that's my privacy."
"It's
not like it would be a problem if I saw it now... Oh yeah, there were a few
things, weren't there? Like that erotic doujinshi from yesterday!"
"I
told you, I was just forced into it by Kazuma!"
"What
about that erotic novel then?"
"Eh!?"
"Do
you really have it?"
"You,
Mio!"
"Hehe."
Shota fell
for her teasing hook, line, and sinker.
Such
casual exchanges happened between them in an instant.
Despite
feeling a bit embarrassed, this kind of straightforward conversation was oddly
comforting.
"So,
what kind of stuff do you actually have?"
"Are
you really asking me that, idiot?"
"Oh,
there's this recent trend among the girls called 'The Scarred Body of the
Returning Princess, Offered to the Knights of Salvation for the Sake of the
Country.' It's not just erotic, but the plot is also quite thrilling. Want me
to lend it to you?"
"Well,
I'm interested."
"Oh
yeah, speaking of erotic stuff, Sho-chan's hair down there is close to the
color of his hair, isn't it?"
"Hey,
cut it out!"
But as
expected, Shota quickly blushed again when reminded of what happened earlier.
Mio chuckled softly, likely to bring it up as a joke again in the future.
Shota let
out a heavy sigh and scratched his head, as if trying to shake off the
embarrassment.
Glancing
around to make sure Enrika wasn't there, he asked about something that had been
on his mind.
"So,
what's the deal with moving in?"
"Huh?"
"Living
here. It's nice having meals cooked for me, but, you know..."
"Too
much, huh? Would it be better if I just visited?"
"Yeah,
exactly."
While
Shota might occasionally feel a flutter in his heart seeing Mio in cute
outfits, he wasn't opposed to living together with her.
However,
Mio was a neighbor. Despite their close acquaintance and familiarity from
childhood, it would be going too far for a young person of the opposite sex to
live in his house.
Receiving
Shota's perplexed gaze, Mio rolled vowels in her mouth for a moment,
contemplating what to say. Eventually, she furrowed her brows in slight
distress, averted her eyes, and then opened her mouth with a bitter expression.
"My
dad remarried. So, my older brother lives alone in college, and, you
know...?"
"Mio..."
Shota also
knew to some extent about Mio's family situation. He had witnessed it up close
for a long time.
Understanding
that bitter struggle all too well, he found himself unable to say anything
more.
"I
see, well, I guess that can't be helped."
"Yeah,
thanks. So, let's continue getting along."
"Yeah."
With that
said, they exchanged familiar smiles and shook hands.
There was
a slightly awkward atmosphere.
Then, as
if unable to bear it any longer, Mio raised her voice as if to shake off the
tension.
"Oh,
by the way, I need some tissues from my room."
"Oh,
okay. I'll get them from the washroom."
"Yeah,
sure, no problem," Shota said, returning to the washroom.
Perhaps he
had let his guard down after talking with Mio, feeling that everything would
remain the same as before.
And so,
the inevitable tragedy unfolded.
"---Heh?"
"---Ah!"
Behind the
door that was opened without even a knock, stood Enrika, just as she was taking
off her underwear.
With a
slender waist that seemed like it could break if hugged too tightly, a flawless
and radiant white skin without a single blemish, and modestly yet attractively
formed breasts.
It was the
naked body of his stepsister, a member of the opposite sex, completely
different from himself. Normally hidden by clothing, it was something that
should never be shown to others, especially not to a man.
As Shota
became aware of this fact, a rush of blood surged to his head, and before
Enrika could even cover her chest with her hands, he let out a scream.
"Uwaaahhh,
I-I'm so sorry, I'm really sorry!"
"......Ah."
Quickly
turning on his heel, Shota closed the door. Collapsing onto his back, he sat on
the floor, covering his face with both hands as if to hide his shame.
He would
have to apologize later. No, it might not be a problem that could be solved
with just an apology. After all, Enrika was not his blood-related sister.
Living
with Enrika and Mio meant that such incidents could happen if he wasn't
careful.
Shota let
out a groan, realizing the challenges and difficulties that lay ahead in his
tumultuous life.