Fiu~🎵 Fiu~🎵 Fiu~🎵
Eliss cheerfully whistles as she dusts the apartment she's been sharing with Aoshi for the past ten days. The place is so spotless you could practically eat off the floor. Every morning, while Aoshi's at university, she cleans it from top to bottom — partly to keep her mind busy and not sink into the loneliness of his absence, and partly because, as a princess, she was raised to live in perfection — always tidy, always radiant.
But what truly drives her is the spark of joy in Aoshi's eyes each time he comes home to a spotless apartment and the warm, delicious aroma of dinner welcoming him like a gentle embrace.
Meanwhile, Aoshi is buried in his studies, though every now and then he sneaks a glance at Eliss from the corner of his eye — brief, tender looks followed by a faint smile. It's everything he's ever dreamed of: coming home exhausted and being greeted by a sweet, caring girlfriend. A future he once built, brick by brick, in his mind during that short month with Miori… only for it all to crumble in an instant, like a city leveled by an earthquake.
Ah… living with Eliss feels like a dream. Aoshi lets out a quiet sigh — one heavy with gentle resignation. But like every beautiful dream, it's only a matter of time before he wakes up. And when he does, all that will remain will be a fading memory, gone by nightfall. Maybe even his memories of Eliss will vanish just as quickly. I almost hope they will.
But it's not just the joy of watching the most beautiful girl on Earth bustling around the apartment that keeps his eyes drifting toward her between paragraphs of his dense computer engineering textbook.
Hidden inside a living-room cabinet, buried beneath a pile of junk, lies a box. An ordinary, harmless-looking box that holds what some might call a priceless treasure: Takuma's legendary collection of erotic RPGs. Still living with his parents, Takuma had entrusted the stash to Aoshi years ago, terrified that his mother might discover it while cleaning his room.
«Hold onto these for me, would you? You live alone — and with the way things are going, you'll be alone for quite a while!» Takuma had said four years ago.
But things have changed since then — drastically. Now that priceless box is at the mercy of Eliss, who could stumble upon it at any moment. And yet Aoshi still hasn't come up with a better hiding place. Considering how much sentimental — and financial — value that bizarre collection holds for Takuma, throwing it away was out of the question.
So all he can do is hope Eliss never decides to clean inside that little cabinet. But telling her, "You can clean anywhere except there" would be like waving a bright red flag that screams: There's something very private hidden inside!
Basically, it'd be an open invitation for Eliss to dig right in.
«I'm really happy that you and Ayane are getting along so well — if I didn't know better, I'd swear you've been friends forever,» Aoshi says out of nowhere, for no apparent reason.
In truth, he's been thinking about it for a week — ever since the four of them went to the maid café together. Ayane has gone from barely tolerating Eliss — and even Aoshi could tell she couldn't stand her — to laughing and joking with her as if they'd known each other for years. The change was sudden, starting right after they came out of the café's bathroom. Something happened in there, Aoshi is sure of it. But whatever it was, both girls have kept it completely secret.
Needless to say, Takuma's theory is… colorful, to put it mildly.
«Those two locked themselves in the bathroom to beat each other up, but halfway through they realized they were actually into each other — and then they went at it like there was no tomorrow! That's why they took so long, and why they act like a lovey-dovey couple now! Man, I wish I'd been there to see their "reconciliation" in person!»
Yeah… too many erotic RPGs have definitely messed with his perception of real-life relationships.
Of course, Aoshi didn't believe a single word of Takuma's ridiculous fantasy. Still, he can't deny how close the two have become — almost too close. For the past week, Eliss has spent the half hour between dinner and leaving for work locked in the bathroom, chatting with Ayane on the phone so he can't overhear. Aoshi assumes they're gossiping about him — and, well, he's right.
«And what's this?» Eliss murmurs curiously — far too curiously.
He doesn't even need to turn around — every nerve in his body is already telling him he's doomed. His brain connects the dots instantly — and, unfortunately, correctly.
Eliss is standing there, holding the box. Takuma's box. The one filled with his "legendary" collection of erotic RPGs.
Aoshi panics completely — but he can't let it show. If he even flinches, she'll know right away that there's something worth seeing inside, and every chance of talking her out of opening it will go up in flames.
Shit! Shit! Shit! I have to make her put that box away without getting suspicious! But how?! Aaaah, think, Aoshi, think!
«Oh, that? It's nothing — just my old high school textbooks,» Aoshi says, trying his best to sound indifferent.
«Textbooks?» Eliss repeats. «That's strange. It feels way too light to be full of books.»
Oh crap — she's already got me cornered!
«Anyway…» she continues. «If it was hidden that well, it must be something you don't want your sweet wife to find. But don't worry — I have no intention of meddling in my dear husband's private affairs.»
Then Eliss starts to put the box back where she found it.
Aoshi exhales so deeply it could power a wind turbine. But...
«That's exactly what you expected me to say, isn't it, my sweet Aoshi?» Eliss smirks, snatching the box back up.
Aoshi jumps out of his chair, panicking so much he can't even form a coherent sentence.
«Now then… let's see what secrets you've been hiding from your beloved wife.»
Eliss's expression freezes instantly. Her usual half-teasing, half-sweet smile vanishes, replaced by a shocked open mouth and a face turning twenty shades of red.
«A-Aoshi…» she stammers softly, her fingers trembling as she flips through the covers one by one.
● My Little Sister's Single Again, But She Still Wants to Have Fun — Big Brothers Have Duties Too, You Know?
● My Twin Sisters Are Identical — So Why Can't I Tell Which One I'm Doing It With?
● I Was Reincarnated as My Little Sister's Vibrator!
Eliss reads the titles in such a faint whisper that Aoshi can only lip-read them in horror.
«I-I didn't think you were into this kind of thing…» Eliss murmurs after flipping through the impressive lineup — over twenty games, ninety percent of them with a little-sister theme.
«I-It's not what it looks like, Eliss! You remember Takuma? He's the one who—»
But Eliss interrupts before he can finish.
«There's no need to be ashamed, my beloved Aoshi. As your devoted partner, it's my duty to understand and share your passions. In fact, a good wife takes an interest in her husband's hobbies so she can enjoy them with him and deepen their bond even more.»
«E-Eliss… y-you're not saying that…?» Aoshi stammers.
Blushing furiously, Eliss reaches into the box, grabs a random game without even looking, and hands it to him: My Shy, Inexperienced Little Sister Wants Advice on How to Win the Boy She Likes... and I'm More Than Happy to Help!
«D-Dinner's still an hour away, so… um…» Eliss swallows hard, her voice trembling. «Would you… maybe like to play this one with me?»