Chapter 21: The Hair of the Six-Eater
"Mukuro-chan is here~ Come to big sister's side~"
Upon seeing her adorable little sister appear, Asahi smiled and called out to her.
Soon, the golden-haired girl Mukuro walked over and sat on her elder sister's lap, snuggling affectionately against her.
Asahi chuckled and gently patted the little one's head, their sisterly bond evident.
Though both were quite beautiful, their facial features clearly indicated they weren't biological sisters. Mukuro's delicate features leaned more Western, like a porcelain doll, while Asahi was the epitome of Eastern femininity.
Yet this didn't affect their relationship in the slightest. Mukuro had been adopted by their family since early childhood and was treated as their own flesh and blood without reservation.
"Ah~ Mukuro-chan is so cute! Let Mei-nee touch you too~"
Just then, Mei suddenly spoke up excitedly, her hands twitching with barely contained enthusiasm.
Unfortunately, Mukuro completely ignored her, burying her face deeper into Asahi's embrace without even a glance, leaving Mei visibly deflated.
This scene made Satoru frown slightly.
Mei's approachability was legendary—even strangers quickly warmed up to her. On the first day of school, she'd befriended half the class. Compared to her "daughter," she was far bolder and more proactive, never one to overthink others' reactions.
...Though her endearing airheadedness remained unchanged.
Yet Mukuro still showed zero response to Mei. Clearly this wasn't their first meeting, yet there'd been no progress.
If this continued, the situation looked grim.
He needed Mukuro to develop some fondness for him before she became a Spirit...
Not romantic affection, of course—just enough trust to willingly use her Angel to seal Kurumi and trigger her inversion.
Otherwise, the game was over before it began.
Even Kurumi might struggle against Mukuro, who could simply vanish into space beyond anyone's reach.
"Aww, what a shame! I adore this child so much—why won't she let me pet her?"
"Ahaha~ Sorry about that. She's always been shy around strangers," Asahi explained cheerfully, unfazed.
Mukuro only ever bonded with their immediate family, never engaging with outsiders. No matter—change would come with time.
"That's part of her charm! Though her hair seems a bit too long? Must be inconvenient. Should we trim it?"
Mei remained undeterred, her optimism unwavering.
A quiet, clingy little sister who barely spoke? Absolutely precious!
As an only child, she'd always longed for a younger sister.
Though the girl kept avoiding her, Mei would never give up. One day, she'd succeed—without a doubt!
So, she had always cared for this child, gradually deepening their bond over time...
...Little did she know, she had just stepped on a landmine this time.
Upon hearing those words, Mukuro, who had been burying her head, suddenly trembled uncontrollably before nervously raising her gaze to look at her sister.
After all, her sister had always said she loved her hair very much, which was why she had kept it long since childhood, never cutting it.
And her sister had always agreed with this, praising how beautiful her long hair looked—so she would surely never choose to cut it...
"Is... is that so? Maybe you're right. If it grows any longer, it might drag on the ground~"
"..."
But to Mukuro's horror, her sister was actually smiling as she said such words!
Why?!
She clearly loved her long hair!
Was she really going to agree to cut it just because of a single remark from her friend?
In her sister's eyes, was she truly less important than a single word from this friend??!
Pain and distress flickered in Mukuro's pupils as she stared at her sister in disbelief.
Unfortunately, at this moment and from this angle, no one could notice her expression.
Everyone simply took it as an ordinary comment, or perhaps a caring remark—no one realized how deeply it wounded her...
"Really? I think it's fine. Hair this long is quite cute~"
But just then, someone nearby suddenly spoke up, drawing the attention of everyone present—including Mukuro...
She hadn't known what to do before, but now she had an idea!