"What… what to do… ugh… so heavy…" Kinugita Taoko groaned, lying on the floor.
She had maintained this awkward position for several minutes to avoid waking Hong Shuangyu. Her chest ached from the strain, and finally, Kinugita couldn't bear it any longer. Carefully, so as not to disturb him, she struggled to crawl closer, shifting to a seated position while still supporting Hong Shuangyu's head with her hands.
What to do… holding him like this is too tiring… I'll have to put him on my lap, right? she thought.
With utmost caution, Kinugita moved Hong Shuangyu's head onto her lap.
"Phew… I'm exhausted… Oh, wait! Xuan said not to get close to her little bro! Ugh, what to do… Oh well, never mind! If he hits his head, it'll be worse… But why can't I get close? It's not a big deal…" she muttered, gazing at the peacefully sleeping Hong Shuangyu.
Involuntarily, she reached out and gently adjusted his hair.
"Hee-hee, little bro is so cute," Kinugita smiled.
Then she lightly poked his cheek. Hong Shuangyu frowned in his sleep, and Kinugita giggled.
"Ha-ha, little bro really is a charmer!"
Meanwhile, Xuan, heading toward the site of her "work," couldn't calm her nerves.
I'm so worried about little Yu… Damn that Taoko, if she does anything weird, I'll kill her! Aaa, I want to get back soon! Where is that blasted target?!—her thoughts were filled with anxiety.
Her flawless appearance drew the gazes of passersby, but her icy expression warded them all off. People instinctively parted before her.
Kinugita, continuing her little antics with Hong Shuangyu, suddenly felt a chill down her spine.
"Uwa… Is someone cursing me? Xuan, right? Definitely Xuan…" she muttered, immediately stopping her mischief.
She sat obediently, awaiting the end of the lunch break.
Hong Shuangyu felt his head resting on something soft.
Sister? he thought.
But he quickly realized: No… not sister.
Over years of living together, he had grown accustomed to the feel of Xuan's knees during his daytime rests. He knew her knees by heart. But these were different—smaller, with less softness, yet still pleasant.
Slowly opening his eyes, he saw a leaf stuck in short chestnut hair above him. Up close, he noticed Kinugita Taoko's large eyes, her pupils gleaming like glass marbles, her long eyelashes trembling slightly.
Kinugita-san is actually very beautiful… a hazy thought crossed his mind.
"Hey, little bro! Good afternoon~ Did you sleep well?" Kinugita leaned toward him with a smile.
As she leaned in, a few strands of her hair brushed Hong Shuangyu's face, carrying a faint fragrance. Her face suddenly came so close it filled his entire field of vision.
Hong Shuangyu's body reacted faster than his mind. With astonishing speed—unexpected even to himself—he sprang up. In the process, his forehead collided with Kinugita's.
"Ua!" Kinugita cried out, falling back.
Hong Shuangyu, without slowing down, recoiled from her.
"Ouch, that hurts!!" Kinugita clutched her forehead, rolling on the floor again.
Meanwhile, Hong Shuangyu's mind finally processed what had happened. His body trembled, and from the depths of his consciousness rose an instinctive, all-consuming fear, completely drowning out the pain from the impact.
"What was that?!" Kinugita exclaimed indignantly, sitting up.
But seeing Hong Shuangyu's state, she fell silent.
He sat on the floor, trembling all over. His breathing was rapid and shallow, as if he were suffocating. It seemed his shivers shook the ground itself. His downcast eyes radiated an aura of utter despair.
"Little bro…?" Kinugita called softly, stunned.
"D-don't… don't… come near me…" Hong Shuangyu forced out with a shaky voice.
…
…
His trembling lasted nearly five minutes. Finally, he slowly stood up, dusted off his pants, and said to Kinugita:
"To class."
Kinugita, still shaken, came to her senses only after a few seconds. She hurriedly got up.
"Y-yes…" she murmured.
They left the roof in silence, keeping their distance from each other.
Walking behind, Kinugita stared at Hong Shuangyu's back, feeling a slight fear.
What was that? Little bro suddenly became so scary… Though, it seems I scared him more… Is he afraid when people get close? Aaa, now I'm so curious! But he probably won't tell… Aaa, it's so intriguing!—her thoughts raced.
Finally, curiosity won out.
"Um… little bro… can you tell me why you reacted like that? I… I won't tell anyone, I swear!" she asked hesitantly.
Hong Shuangyu stopped. He turned and looked at Kinugita.
"I'm sorry. Thank you," he said, bowing slightly, uttering those four words.
"Huh?" Kinugita didn't have time to respond as Hong Shuangyu entered the classroom. They had already reached his room.
Since Kinugita studied in a different class, she had to return to hers.
"Sorry"—because he can't say? "Thank you"—for letting him sleep? A bit strange, but not hard to figure out… Aaa, still so curious! Wait, he won't tell Xuan, right?—Kinugita shuddered, imagining Xuan's wrath. She knew how terrifying Xuan could be and prayed Hong Shuangyu wouldn't say anything.
There was still some time until the end of classes. The last period was club activities, and those not in clubs worked independently in class. Hong Shuangyu, naturally, wasn't in a club, so every day during this period, he finished his homework.
Only a few people remained in the classroom, as most had gone to club activities.
The classroom door opened, and a graceful figure appeared. Xuan, slightly out of breath and covered in a light sweat, returned to Hong Shuangyu.
A few classmates stole glances at her but quickly looked away. Those who dared to stare at Xuan for too long had long since left the school.
"Little Yu, your sister is back~" she said with a smile.
"Mhm," Hong Shuangyu replied.
Xuan wanted to hug him, but noticing she was sweaty, she reconsidered. She didn't want her brother to feel an unpleasant odor. She reached for a handkerchief to wipe the sweat, but before she could, Hong Shuangyu had already taken it and began carefully wiping her face. A slight effort flickered across his usually expressionless face, as if he were trying.
The irritation from her just-completed "work" vanished instantly. Xuan grabbed his hand, and her face lit up with the smile she reserved only for Hong Shuangyu.
"Little Yu, are you hungry? Let's go home," she said.
"Mhm," Hong Shuangyu nodded.
Seeing his detached demeanor, Xuan couldn't hold back. She tightly hugged his head, pressing it to her chest and tousling it.
"Aaa, little Yu, your sister missed you so much!" she exclaimed.
"M-m," Hong Shuangyu let out a weak sound, buried in her embrace.
Classmates stole glances at them but, sighing enviously, returned to their tasks.