Chapter 43 (1/2)
“It’s only going to get busier froao said earlier “First we need to increase our appeal! I’ll leave that up to you, Kasumi!”
And just like that, I had uess I had evaluate different caive her thethat could be done overnight I took out my tablet and headed back to my dorm
The sun had set long ago, so it ell into the night As such, the toas eerily quiet, and — there were no voices, no sounds… just silence I slowly crept to my room, careful not to wake anyone up Finally, with just a touch from my hand, my door automatically opened up It was a small, two room apartment, but it was my home I tiptoed in, and at last, I was finally back
The lights were still on insideroom It was my sister, Asuha
“Welco room door
“A-Ah… thanks,” I muttered That’s odd, as Asuha, here? I looked at her suspiciously Her dorm was separate froirls and I lived in theunit
“I just thought it’d be nice to visit once in a while,” she said before I could ask anything Her hair, s faintly of shampoo, was a little damp, so the usual fuzziness wasn’t there With the help of a hair band, it flowed nicely down her shoulders “You’re a bit late, though…” she added
“Well, it’s always like this,” I responded as I headed towards the dining room Asuha didn’t bother to close the door when she peeked through, so I just slipped through the crack I droppedon the floor and jumped onto the sofa At last, I can finally relax… I closed h of relief
“Good work today,” said Asuha as she lightly pressed a cold can of coffee against my forehead “Here… ”
“O-Oh, thanks,” I said, grabbing it I popped it open and took a sip That tiny sip filled ulped it down, the even sweeter aftertaste of the condensed nized this taste— it was Max Coffee! For so plants around here prioritized the production of this caramel-colored drink
To the people in Chiba, this was nothing more than a mere soft drink, but as I drankonI wonder if this sweetness was soht this would appeal to the consumers more
Lost in ain and turned towards Asuha She earing light pink underwear, and a bath torapped around her upper body A bit of water dripped down her pure skin, so pure in fact that it was slightly dyed red from her blood underneath From the looks of it, it seemed she just showered
Illustration
This was my house, and she was my sister, so I wasn’t bothered by the way she dressed But I did wish that she would have dressed more modestly, even if I was the only other person here
“You sure came back late today,” she said as she dried herself with the towel and adjusted her hairband She popped open a can of coffee and took a sip Looking satisfied, she then wiped her lips with her fingers “Work?”
“Yeah,&rdqu
o; I said “Since I had towas pushed back”
“You sound hella funny when you talk about your work,” she said with a smile “It’s hilarious”
She sure spoke bluntly and maybe sounded a little apathetic, but I knew she harbored no ill will She really did talk like me, I think… But, even if we both talked like that, ere still able to converse properly In fact, we talked more here than we did earlier in the day
“Nah, it’s not hilarious,” I said “I’ about h… why did you have to be so cold earlier??”
I orried that so so unpleasant during the roaned a bit
“…C-Cuz it’s e when you’re with me…” she whispered as she quickly looked away
“Is that so you can say when you’re in your underwear?” I joked lightheartedly “Where’s your shame in that? Also, it kinda sounds like you’re embarrassed to have a brother…”
Ifrom She was an elite and I was a dropout I’ brother But still…
“W-What?” she exclaimed as she waved her hands around “N-No… I , but it’s just that when I’m seen with you it’s kinda… weird, you know…?”
“Oh… I get that I’ seen together, okay? Now hurry up and put some clothes on…”
“Okay, okay,” replied Asuha She grabbed her holster froh
I just stared at her Was that what girls usually put on first? Or was that so only she did? In any case, I understood her words well Before I entered the cold sleep, I re very embarrassed and ahen I ith h, my mother was honestly a weird person, especially when she was in front of other people…
Plus, I’e I knohen I was her age back in the day Despite that, just like et e about it… Her breasts especially need a lot of growing up to do…
Asuha loosely threw on a pastel-colored hoodie and put on some short pants, an outfit similar to what she probably wore at home She then jumped on the sofa next toand thin legs After a while of lazing around, she started to hu her phone just like she usually did in public, but right now she seeuess it’d be more accurate to say that I viewed her differently in public In fact, I prettyso, I could feel much closer to her here at home
Other people probably saw Asuha much differently than I did To theirl, but to irl either way, but because I’ bond with her
Soht Even if she was cute, it wasn’t surprising that she was hated by many Take black-eyes, for example From what I saw, she was sick of Asuha’s constant bratty and apathetic attitude, and she sure made it clear that she did not like Asuha at all I’m sure black-eyes wasn’t the only one that hated her, and that concerned me
“By the way, I don’t mind it, but do you act like that around Natsume too? Since you’re always around the punks?”
“I don’t know, maybe…” said Asuha, annoyed She buried her head into the cushi+on and sighed
“Even though I rarely talk to her, Natsuood person She always praises you as well… Why don’t you try to be closer to her…?”