Chapter 44 — The Sisters' World
Part 1: A Campus That Never Sleeps
Morning at Aoyama Elite Women's University did not arrive quietly.
The campus woke up the way power always did — confidently, loudly, without apology. Wide stone pathways filled with footsteps, heels clicking against marble tiles, voices overlapping in animated discussion. Digital notice boards flickered with internship offers, academic rankings, corporate seminars, and leadership programs. Everywhere you looked, women moved with purpose.
This was not a place for hesitation.
Tall glass buildings reflected the sky, while ivy-covered lecture halls stood like monuments to legacy. Cafés opened early, already crowded with students reviewing notes over coffee strong enough to sting the senses. Conversations floated through the air — about grades, future placements, influence, money, status.
In a world where men were rare, this university was designed to create leaders.
And walking through the center of it were three women everyone recognized.
Komi Takahara walked slightly ahead, her posture straight, steps measured. She wore her uniform neatly, hair tied back in a simple style that matched her composed expression. Her eyes scanned the campus without tension, the way someone did when they already understood the terrain.
Beside her was Arisa Takahara, hands in her pockets, stride sharper, gaze sharper still. Her expression carried its usual edge — not anger, not annoyance, but a permanent readiness, like someone who expected nonsense and refused to tolerate it.
Mizuki Takahara followed half a step behind, holding her bag with both hands, her eyes softer as they moved across the crowd. She noticed things more than her sisters did — glances held a second too long, whispers that dipped when they passed.
They walked together like this every morning.
And every morning, the campus reacted.
Not openly. Not dramatically.
Just enough.
As they passed the main plaza, conversations bent subtly around them.
"…that's them."
"Yeah. The Takahara sisters."
"The ones with the brother."
"Can you imagine…"
The whispers never stopped. They never needed to.
Mizuki heard it, of course. She always did. But she didn't look up. She adjusted her grip on her bag and kept walking.
Arisa snorted quietly. "Still staring," she muttered.
Komi didn't respond immediately. She didn't need to. Her silence was habitual, not tense.
"It's the same every day," Komi said calmly. "Ignore it."
They did.
Around them, groups of students gathered — some laughing loudly, others arguing over group projects, some rehearsing presentations under their breath. A cluster of girls near the fountain glanced over openly, their conversation shifting without embarrassment.
"That's Komi, right? The eldest."
"She's in the advanced policy track."
"I heard her grades are insane."
"And Arisa's in engineering. Top percentile."
"What about the youngest?"
"Mizuki? Psychology. Cute, but dangerous combo."
A pause.
"And their brother…"
That word always changed the tone.
Someone laughed quietly. "Don't say it like that."
"How else am I supposed to say it? A real boy. Living with them."
"Even an ugly boy would be rare."
"He's not ugly," another voice said, sharp with envy. "He's a model."
"That's just unfair."
The sisters didn't slow down.
They had heard every version of this conversation before.
The campus gates opened into the academic wing, and the flow of students funneled inward. Komi adjusted her tablet, reviewing her schedule as she walked.
"Library first," she said. "I have a seminar prep."
"I've got lab," Arisa replied. "Don't wait for me."
Mizuki nodded. "I'll head to the library too."
They split smoothly, like a routine practiced for years.
As Komi and Mizuki entered the central library, the atmosphere shifted instantly. The noise dulled, replaced by the soft hum of air conditioning and the faint rustle of pages. Long tables stretched beneath warm lights, students already seated, surrounded by tablets, notebooks, and data screens.
Even here, attention followed them — subtle glances lifted and dropped just as quickly.
Two girls at a nearby table leaned closer together.
"She's here again."
"I swear, if I had a brother like that, I'd never hear the end of it."
"At least they don't flaunt it."
"That's worse. Makes them look untouchable."
Mizuki sat down quietly, pulling out her notes. She pretended not to hear, though her fingers hesitated for a moment before she began writing.
Across the room, another conversation unfolded, hushed but animated.
"My cousin said he saw him once."
"The brother?"
"Yeah. Polite. Soft-spoken."
"That's the worst kind."
"What do you mean?"
"The kind that makes you think, 'If only he were my brother.'"
A faint laugh followed.
Komi's pen paused briefly.
Not because of anger.
Because of recognition.
This wasn't malice. It was something more complicated — longing mixed with frustration, admiration twisted into envy. In a world where men were protected, distant, almost myth-like, Haruya's existence disrupted balance.
And the sisters knew it.
Komi returned to her work calmly, eyes steady. She had learned long ago that reacting only fed interest.
Mizuki, however, wasn't as practiced.
She shifted in her seat, glancing up as two girls passed their table slowly, deliberately.
"Good morning, Takahara-san," one of them said sweetly.
"Morning," Mizuki replied politely.
The girls lingered a second longer than necessary.
"You must be busy," the other added. "With… family matters."
Mizuki smiled faintly. "We manage."
The girls exchanged looks and moved on.
Mizuki exhaled slowly once they were gone.
Komi didn't look up. "Don't engage."
"I know," Mizuki said quietly. "I just…"
She stopped.
Komi finished the sentence for her. "You don't want them thinking they can get closer through you."
Mizuki nodded.
That was the unspoken rule.
Across campus, Arisa entered the engineering block, immediately greeted by the sharp scent of metal and ozone. Her classmates barely glanced at her — here, reputation was built on performance, not gossip.
Still, even among schematics and simulations, the whispers existed.
"Is it true?"
"She lives with a boy."
"No wonder she's always irritated."
Arisa rolled her eyes and sat down, activating her workstation.
"Say it louder," she muttered under her breath. "I dare you."
None of them did.
By midday, the campus buzzed louder. Study sessions broke into lunch, and the cafeteria filled with noise and movement. Lines formed quickly, conversations overlapping, trays clattering.
Komi, Arisa, and Mizuki regrouped without discussion, taking their usual table near the window.
Around them, the same undercurrent flowed.
Girls glanced. Some smiled too brightly. Others looked away too quickly.
A group nearby whispered openly.
"Do you think they'd introduce us?"
"To their brother?"
"Don't be stupid."
"Why not?"
"They wouldn't risk it."
Mizuki stirred her drink slowly.
Arisa took a bite of her food, unfazed. "They never learn."
Komi looked out the window, watching students cross the courtyard. "They don't need to," she said calmly. "They just need to keep wondering."
And that was the truth.
The Takahara sisters didn't react because they didn't have to.
This was their normal.
Attention. Envy. Curiosity.
Every single day.
And tomorrow would be no different.
— To be continued...
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Sure 😄
Here's a funny, sarcastic, but still warm author note, like you're casually talking to your readers and teasing them a bit:
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Author's Note
Hello guys 👋
It's your author king_fuzu here.
Before anyone starts screaming in the comments — yes, I know.
"Where is Haruya?? Did he disappear? Did he get kidnapped? Did the author forget him again??"
Relax.
I didn't write Haruya in this chapter on purpose. If I keep showing only game arcs, Haruya, and his future harem members again and again, even I will get bored… and that's dangerous, because a bored author writes nonsense.
So I decided to do something wild.
I remembered Haruya has three sisters.
Crazy, right?
They were introduced in Chapter 3, showed up briefly in Chapter 7, and then basically went into story retirement. No screen time. No development. Just vibes. That felt wrong.
So Chapter 44 is about Komi, Arisa, and Mizuki — their college life, their daily struggles, and how being "the sisters of a rare, handsome boy" messes with their peaceful existence.
And before you complain — yes, this chapter is a bit shorter.
Why? Because I'm splitting it into four parts instead of dumping one giant brain-melting chapter on you. Think of it as a series, not a cliff torture device.
Haruya will return soon.
The game will return soon.
The chaos will return soon.
For now, enjoy the sisters' world.
And don't worry… suffering is scheduled properly 😌
— king_fuzu