Chapter 66. Iori, You Don't Want This Either…
The miserable experiences of summer vacation meant that Kitahara Iori never even considered the consequences when he tried to prank his good brothers.
Xander and the other two aren't like those guys in PAB at all; a round of strip rock–paper–scissors isn't going to solve every conflict.
Unfortunately, only when the three pinned him and he realized he couldn't move did he finally react, and he panicked a little, forcing a smile at the three brothers whose expressions looked anything but friendly.
"Haha, it was just a joke.
Why are you all taking it so seriously?"
"A joke?"
"Whose 'joke' swaps oolong tea for high-proof liquor!!"
There is such a thing—of course there is!
Iori wanted to explain his tragic summer, but the three were in no mood to listen.
Seeing this—realizing a beating was coming—Iori dropped the act.
He struggled while spitting harsh words, which immediately changed the minds of Kirito and Ken Sugisaki, who had originally softened and only planned to give him a couple of kicks.
Soon, classmates still napping at noon were surprised to see four popular boys on campus "embracing" each other as they ran together toward the school field.
A few girls with… unusual tastes couldn't help squealing with delight, spiraling into infinite fantasies.
When they reached the field, the three stopped.
While they held the struggling Kitahara Iori in a firm lock, they looked around.
A nearby green belt caught Xander's eye.
He compared the thickness of the tree trunks inside and signaled to Ken Sugisaki and Kirito.
Iori immediately thrashed harder.
The once "unyielding," sharp-tongued attitude he'd kept all the way evaporated.
Terror flooded his face, and he began begging non-stop.
"Bro—bro, no, don't.
It was my fault.
Please forgive me.
It was my fault!!!"
"At a time like this, are you kidding me?"
If Iori had admitted fault at the very start, they might have forgiven him.
But when he couldn't win the argument, he put on a sneer and mocked them.
Now he wanted mercy—was that possible?
Kirito and Ken Sugisaki each pulled one of his legs apart.
Xander lifted him from behind.
Under Iori Kitahara's increasingly despairing gaze, the three charged toward the rough tree trunk without hesitation.
"No—don't—nooooooooo!!!"
With a dull, "chickens-fly-and-eggs-are-smashed" thud, Iori's piercing scream echoed across the field.
Thud.
The three let go.
Iori fell onto the dirt, curling up, both hands clutched over his vital area, glaring at them with eyes full of hatred.
He had already made up his mind.
This grudge—he would pay it back someday!
Seeing that look, Xander raised an eyebrow.
He stopped Ken Sugisaki, who wanted to add a couple more kicks, walked over, squatted down slowly, met Iori's unbowed eyes, and then smiled as he showed him his phone screen.
"Don't try any little tricks.
I know where your family lives.
Iori, you don't want your parents—or your little sister—to know you went to that kind of place, do you?"
On the screen was the expense record from the indie game festival last time—Xander's treat.
"You!!! I clearly didn't do anything!!"
"Yeah, yeah.
As your good brother, I of course believe you did nothing.
Let's hope your parents and your sister also believe it~"
"!!!!"
Rage first, then dimness, then despair—those were the shifts in Iori's eyes.
Staring at the smiling Xander, he let out his final roar.
"You damn punk—plotting against me!!!"
Being cursed didn't faze Xander.
It was just the barking of the loser—hardly worth caring about.
"So that's why you wanted to bring a lighter this morning, Brother?"
At dinner, Xander explained to Seele and Bronya what the lighter had been for.
"Yeah.
But I still got played by that guy Iori.
Tch."
He clicked his tongue in annoyance and downed the last sip of porridge in his bowl.
"Um… wouldn't that be a bit too much?"
Listening to her brother's description, the "Brother" in Seele's mind instantly turned into a delinquent.
Uh-oh—why did that make her heart flutter a little?
"Exactly.
Seele, you also think that guy Iori went too far, right!"
"Seele means you, Brother!!!"
"Eh?"
Looking baffled, Xander said to Seele, "But that guy provoked us already.
We had to teach him a lesson."
"But won't this affect your relationship?
I remember you four are supposed to be close friends."
Bronya chimed in.
"Huh?
This is totally normal.
Why would it affect our relationship?"
Seele and Bronya: "?"
They looked at Xander—wanting to speak but holding back, holding back but wanting to speak.
Was it their thinking that was off, or the boys'?
"Phew—I'm stuffed.
Bronya, back to work~"
"Ah, then Brother and Bronya can head up first.
Seele will clear the table."
With the topic diverted, Bronya and Seele stopped dwelling on it and stood up together.
"Thanks for the hard work, Seele."
"Hehe.
Work hard, Brother~"
Right in front of Bronya, Seele tip-tapped over, rose on her toes to plant a light peck on Brother's cheek, then happily started clearing the table.
Bronya didn't react in that instant, but the moment the two stepped into the studio, Xander found himself pinned to the door by Bronya's body, his words sealed before he could even react.
Only when her breathing turned rough did Bronya finally let him go, sticking out her tongue with a hint of distaste.
"Just finished eating, and you smell like vegetables."
"Who told you to stick your tongue out."
He rolled his eyes, pinched her soft cheeks, and headed for his workstation first.
Sisters' competitive streaks…
In the end, he was still the one benefiting.
With a quiet sigh, he leaned back in his chair and looked over.
"Today we should start on the map.
Got any ideas?"
Hearing that, Bronya's fingers paused over the keyboard.
Then she answered in surprise, "You're letting me do it?"
"Mhm~"
Seeing the tension and expectation in her eyes, Xander smiled.
"I already sketched the overall map in the initial plan.
Don't tell me after all this time you don't have a single idea."
"Of course I do… but…"
Her recent workload had dented her confidence, but Xander cut her off at once.
"This is our game, isn't it?"
Our game…
All her worries vanished in an instant.
Bronya felt the ground under her feet again.
Looking at the gentle smile of her lover, she crossed her arms, cheeks faintly red as if shy about her earlier reaction, and spoke with a touch of tsundere pride.
"Of course I know that.
So, be ready to be shocked by my genius ideas!"
"Oh?
Then I'll be all eyes."
…
Four months flashed by.
Hollow Knight was announced complete.
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