Chapter 195. Kiana: We'll Win!
"Xander, Xander~"
Feeling sis Elysia squirming in his arms, Xander Masato looked a little helpless and spoke softly: "sis Elysia, it's only been a day."
"So Xander knows it's been a whole day since we last met. Do you know how lonely I was at home all by myself?"
He reached out to pat sis Elysia on the head. She immediately narrowed her eyes in delight. For some reason, he felt sis Elysia was like some kind of small animal now—the kind that would wag its tail.
"Why are you acting like a little puppy whose owner isn't home?"
He said what he thought. Elysia didn't get mad—she even chuckled. She raised both hands like little paws and gave a gentle swipe in front of him.
"Woof~"
Tilting her head adorably, that soft, babyish voice practically called out straight into Xander's heart, tickling him.
No, this is way too unfair.
Seeing Xander shyly turn his gaze away, Elysia happily pounced on him again.
After a day without the "Xander element," the fairy lady needed to cling to him for at least half an hour before she could return to her usual kind, big-sisterly self.
Just then, Elysia noticed Kiana behind Xander and immediately waved at her: "Kiana, good afternoon~"
That greeting snapped Xander back to his senses at once. His heart sank, and he hurriedly turned his eyes behind him.
Kiana's look just now—could it be she was about to…
"Mm… heh, good afternoon."
Kiana forced a laugh, a faint envy hidden in her eyes as she looked at Elysia.
So nice—being able to get so close to Xander so naturally, and no matter how much she acts spoiled, you just can't bring yourself to dislike her.
"Ah!"
Realizing after the fact what might be going on, Elysia suddenly noticed that just now it seemed like only Xander and Kiana had been there. The smile on her face turned sly in an instant. She looked at Kiana with smiling eyes: "Did I… interrupt something?"
Then Elysia turned her eyes to Xander: "Xander, Xander, what were you and Kiana talking about just now? Can I hear it too?"
"Um…"
His voice was a little hesitant. Just as Xander was wondering how to begin, Kiana suddenly seemed like a different person. With her hands behind her back, she sighed and said with a smile, "Today, this lady finally put in the effort to dress up and wanted this guy to see how I looked, but he couldn't say anything for the longest time. It made me so mad!"
"I—is that so?"
Hearing this left Xander completely confused. You weren't like that just now.
No one saw that Kiana's hands behind her back had already clenched into fists. Only after taking a long breath did she relax, step up, and—just like always—give his arm a firm slap. Seeing his pained expression, she finally said with disdain, "I hugged you because I was afraid you'd run off. And asking for a guy's opinion—even I would get shy about that. Don't get the wrong idea, okay?"
"Is that so?"
So what he felt just now… was it only his imagination?
"What else? You didn't think this lady would fall for you, did you?"
No sooner had the words left her mouth than Kiana wanted to slap herself.
Enough with the tough act—how hard is it to just say how you feel?!!
Unfortunately, once words are spoken there's no taking them back. That voice dripping with malice made Xander's teeth ache, and he glared at Kiana.
At that moment, after watching silently for a while, Elysia seemed to understand something. The corners of her mouth lifted; she let go of Xander and then hugged Kiana instead.
"Exactly, exactly. Xander, you need to be more considerate of a pretty girl's heart. Feel it carefully, with your heart~"
The way they stood in united front was like Xander had done something terribly wrong.
"How was I not considerate? Kiana asked me just now and I even praised her!"
"Which is exactly why~"
Once she was hugged, Kiana stiffened a little, wondering if she'd been found out.
She snuck a glance up at Elysia, and immediately met a pair of pink eyes full of laughter. When their eyes met, Elysia even winked at her.
Whoa!!!! She definitely saw right through me!!
With the feelings hidden in her heart exposed, Kiana thought she would be so ashamed she'd want to dig a hole and bury herself. But after a while, she realized that instead of feeling ashamed, she actually felt a quiet sense of relief?
Her own emotions left her a little lost. In a daze, she heard Elysia shoo Xander back home, and then Elysia pulled her over to a bench by the roadside.
"Kiana?"
The call was like a spell that woke her spirit. As soon as she looked up, she heard Elysia continue, "Kiana, you like Xander, right~"
"..."
She opened her mouth but quickly closed it again, swallowing the words of denial.
Looking into Elysia's eyes that seemed to see straight through her, Kiana—for the first time—gave a small nod to this question.
"Mm."
...
"What were you two talking about?"
Sitting in the living room, Xander curiously eyed the two girls linked arm in arm like close besties.
"What sis Elysia and I talked about is none of your business!"
Kiana shot Xander a glare, her face a little flushed. After speaking, she thumped upstairs, leaving Xander completely baffled.
Also—"sis Elysia"?
When did those two get so close?
"What did you say to Kiana?"
Watching Elysia snuggle up to him again so quickly, Xander asked blankly.
"A cute girl's secret—you can't pry into that rashly~"
Blinking, Elysia leaned in and pecked his cheek: "That's hush money for not asking again. How about it?"
Wrapping his arms around Elysia, Xander pointed at his lips and said with a smile, "Not enough."
"Honestly, I just can't with you~"
His cheeks covered by her warm palms, he soon got to savor the sweetness of those lips, just as he wished.
Upstairs, Kiana knocked on Sirin's door.
"What is it?"
Sirin, who had just finished streaming, lazily scratched her little belly and looked at Kiana with a yawn.
She'd just gotten off work, right? And came straight to her? That was rare.
"Mm."
Kiana nodded, pulled Sirin into the room, and then closed the door behind them.
"What's with the serious look?"
Kiana's earnest expression perked Sirin up a little. She frowned and asked.
"I wanted to talk to you about that favor."
"Oh, that? I've been ready for a while. Anytime works. How about this weekend? Don't worry, I'll help you create an opportunity."
Thinking Kiana was getting impatient, Sirin answered at once.
But to her surprise, Kiana shook her head.
"No need."
"Eh?"
Sirin froze.
Kiana slowly clenched her hand into a fist, as if sparks were flying in her eyes. "For something like this, I still want to do it myself."
"Hm?"
Sirin furrowed her brow even more.
Then Kiana suddenly relaxed her expression and said with a smile, "Who knows—maybe you really will have to call me 'big sis' someday~"
"?"
Sirin's thoughts stalled for a few seconds—first confused, then annoyed, then stunned. She looked at Kiana in utter disbelief.
"Y-you figured it out?"
"Mm. I like Xander."
Kiana clenched her fist, speaking with confidence: "When this lady sets her eyes on someone, this lady will win him herself!"
With that, she opened the door and walked out, leaving Sirin standing there in a daze.
"Does Xander even need to be 'won'? As long as you're family, that philanderer would never turn you down, right?"
In the quiet room, Sirin's puzzled mutter echoed.
...
"Clinging together the moment you get back, huh."
Carrying a bunch of bags, Bronya returned home. As soon as she reached the living room, she saw the two people snuggled up on the sofa.
Tossing the shopping bags in a corner, Bronya walked over, looked down at them, and said coolly, "sis Elysia, don't latch onto Xander every time you're at home. Xander has his own life."
At her words, Elysia wasn't moved in the slightest. She even snuggled closer into Xander's arms and smiled with crescent eyes: "But I'm also part of Xander's life~"
"Xander, what do you say~"
"Ahem… y-yeah."
With his head tilted back, Xander looked like his soul had left his body on the spot, which even made Bronya break character and laugh.
"Alright, I've known you're a flirt for ages. If we were going to fight, we'd have done it long ago. No way we'd wait until now."
Sitting on Xander's other side, Bronya leaned against him and stretched her body hard.
"By the way, Xander, do you remember that friend I told you about a long time ago—the one Eden and I know?"
At that moment, Elysia propped herself up and spoke.
"Yeah. Last time she suddenly had an urgent matter, so she didn't come over. She's free now?"
"Mm-hmm!"
Elysia nodded with a smile: "She'll come over this weekend. I'll introduce you to each other then, Xander~"
"No problem. Oh, what's your friend's name?"
"Mobius. Pretty great name, right?"
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