Evening.
The drizzle that started at noon continued without pause.
Through the pouring curtain of rain, the city lights became hazy and dreamlike; the concrete-and-steel jungle looked like flowers blooming in the fog at this moment.
As the wipers swept back and forth fiercely, the view cleared.
Sasaki sat in the passenger seat, silently watching a huge dark cloud drift heavily across the sky above them.
Amid the gentle music playing in the car, he casually asked. "Sister Ayumi, is it really necessary to drag me home for dinner? My work with Sister Akane isn't urgent at all."
Hearing his words, Ayumi kept both hands on the wheel, eyes forward, frowning as she said.
"What? You don't trust the cooking skills of us sisters?"
'…Somehow that felt like she completely dodged the question.'
Listening to the rhythmic pitter-patter of raindrops hitting the car as it drove through the downpour, Sasaki turned his head and looked toward the driver's seat.
On the windshield, streaks of bright yellow light from passing streetlamps were stretched into long ribbons, illuminating the beautiful side profile of the woman beside him, like a knife slicing through soft cake.
Against all that fair skin, there was a faint, almost invisible blush, like a thin slice of strawberry hidden inside cream.
Looking at Sister Ayumi's lightly flushed, lovely face, a vague suspicion formed in Sasaki's heart.
He wasn't completely sure, but judging by how things were developing… dinner → getting drunk → dark rainy night → inconvenient to go home → helplessly staying over.
Truly… worthy of a mature woman.
He secretly sighed in admiration, then withdrew his gaze, relaxed his body, sank into the soft seatback, and lazily said, "Then tonight Sister Ayumi has to make me several extra dishes~ Otherwise I'm going to throw a tantrum."
Whether he had noticed her unusual behavior or not… since she already used the excuse of "talking work with Akane" to bring him home, even if he figured it out, it didn't matter anymore.
Looking at the apartment building growing clearer in the distance,
Ayumi steadied her mind and spoke with natural laughter in her voice.
"Don't worry, you stinky little brat.
I'll definitely make you so full you can't even walk."
"Really? So Sister Ayumi is actually very good at cooking?"
"Of course I am. Don't underestimate me just because I'm…"
While chatting idly with Ayumi,
Sasaki took out his phone and sent Otome a message saying he wouldn't be home for dinner tonight.
Otome had probably just gotten home not long ago at this hour.
So she replied very quickly.
Aside from one "Got it~" and a kitty emoji, the rest of her message was just reminding him to eat properly, not drink too much, and come home early, etc.
She didn't even ask who he was with.
Since Otome didn't ask, Sasaki naturally couldn't pretend to "forget" and not mention it… because there was really no need to hide it.
Ayumi was the older sister of the person Sasaki had risked his life to save.
When Otome visited him in the hospital, she met her face-to-face.
The two women weren't extremely close, but at the very least, they knew each other.
Plus, Sasaki had casually mentioned to Otome before that he was working part-time at Ayumi's convenience store.
So an occasional invitation from Ayumi to eat at her house wouldn't make Otome think twice or get jealous.
It was perfectly normal.
A life-saving favor repaid with a meal, just keeping in touch and maintaining the relationship.
Therefore, Sasaki openly told Otome about tonight's arrangement with a clear conscience.
After explaining it, he then called Kyouka.
While he was talking to Kyouka, from the corner of his eye, he noticed Ayumi reaching her hand over.
Understanding that she wanted to speak to Kyouka herself,
Sasaki mentioned it into the phone, then held the device up to Ayumi's ear. "Hello? Kyouka-nee, it's me, Ayumi. Today…"
Ayumi turned into a parking space, stopped the car properly, and then took Sasaki's phone.
"Ah, yes, because…"
Kyouka had work to do; Sasaki knew they wouldn't talk for long.
So he didn't wait in the car.
Once Sister Ayumi took the phone, he grabbed the umbrella and opened the passenger door, walking around the front of the car to the driver's side.
With one hand pulling the handle and the other holding the umbrella, Sasaki helped the still-talking-on-the-phone Ayumi step out.
Mm… it kind of felt like helping a young lady out of a car… even though she was almost a woman already, well, calling her old is not okay.
Being treated this way made the smile on Ayumi's already smiling, pretty face grow even brighter, so, as soon as they closed the car door, she linked her arm through Sasaki's and tilted her head to kiss his cheek.
As he thought, she didn't chat long with Kyouka, after a few casual words and telling her that Sasaki might come home late, Ayumi hung up.
She slipped the phone back into his pocket, then, as if afraid of the cold, pressed her entire body against Sasaki.
Leaning against the warm chest of her little rascal, Ayumi deliberately squeezed her breasts against him, trying her best to let him feel her softness.
Her cheeks were faintly red, but her tone remained natural.
"I didn't expect you to be so attentive~ Big sis is very satisfied with your performance. Here's your reward~."
With his arm around Ayumi's waist, Sasaki walked quickly out of the rain curtain. As they stood at the apartment entrance, he shook the dripping umbrella.
"It's just what I should do. What do you mean, attentive or not… You really treat me like a little kid, huh?"
Hearing the helplessness in his tone, Ayumi curled the corner of her mouth and pinched his cheek with a bright smile. "Just kidding, lah. It's not like you look small at all~."
He didn't quite understand what she meant, or maybe he did, but well... no man dislikes hearing words like that. Sasaki pursed his lips and smiled.
"You know that's enough~."
They didn't keep making dirty jokes out in public for too long.
After he put away the umbrella,
Ayumi linked arms with him, and they slowly walked toward the elevator.
Chatting idly, they rode the elevator up to the 10th floor. Sasaki followed her to room 1007.
Ding-dong, ding-dong~
She pressed the doorbell twice, then crossed her arms over her chest.
The pure black long trench coat she'd brought from the store was draped over her narrow, soft shoulders as she tilted her head toward Sasaki and said. "The one next door, 1008, is where I live now. Originally, Akane and I lived together, but later she got a boyfriend and moved in next door.
You know how young couples are… they want to stick together all the time."
Hearing her words, Sasaki leaned in and captured her softly moving pink lips, gently sucked on them, then straightened up and tilted his head.
"Just like us."
She hadn't expected him to suddenly kiss her.
But as he did, Ayumi's eyes widened slightly.
After reacting, she pressed her lips together, savoring the lingering warmth he left behind, then smiled softly and tugged at the coat draped over her shoulders.
"Sawamura isn't as lecherous as you. He's very gentle and polite with little Akane."
"Am I not gentle and polite?"
Hearing his words, she took his hand and placed it against her throat, then rolled her eyes at him.
"What do you think?"
Lightly stroking the delicate skin of her neck, Sasaki said in a low, apologetic voice. "Next time I won't do it like that."
Well...she wasn't actually blaming him.
It was just her acting coquettishly with her lover.
Seeing that he took it seriously, Ayumi interlocked her fingers with the hand still caressing her neck, smiled, and raised an eyebrow.
"Kidding, kidding. Although it's not that comfortable, when you get so forceful… if it's you, my little rascal,
I don't find it that hard to accept."
As she spoke, she squeezed the slender, soft hand clasped with hers a little tighter.
Before Sasaki could say anything more, a faint turning sound came from the security door handle.
Together with Sister Ayumi, he looked over as a familiar slender figure appeared before their eyes, bathed in soft, warm light.
The girl's waist-length brown hair, faintly glowing, was casually spread behind her.
A few strands at the back of her head and near her temples were tied up on both sides with two large red ribbons, covering the girl's small ears.
Her bangs were quite long, but because of those bright, glossy eyes, they didn't make her look shadowed at all.
Instead, they perfectly framed her palm-sized, sharp little face, so fair and dewy it almost glowed.
Seeing the girl whose face bore about a five-part resemblance to the Sister Ayumi standing beside him, Sasaki smiled and greeted her
"Sister Akane, good evening."
"Fuyumi~ You came so fast! I haven't even finished making dinner yet. Come in, come in quickly."
Not noticing that the guy she was greeting and her older sister were still holding hands, Himemiya Akane beamed and immediately hooked her arm through Sasaki's free one, pulling him inside.
"Just wait a tiny bit longer, oh~
The big feast big sis is making for you is almost ready."
Her pure-white apron looked so bright it almost dazzled, as she pressed his arm right between her soft, plump breasts.
Feeling that heart-itching, body-heating fullness, Sasaki awkwardly turned his head toward Ayumi.
Because he was her life-saving benefactor, Ayumi understood her little sister's excitement.
Plus, she knew her innocent little sister had no other intentions.
So she only glanced once, then tiptoed close to Sasaki's ear. "You're taking advantage of her, huh? Feeling pretty happy inside, aren't you?"
Not giving him any chance to answer, Ayumi let go of the hand she'd been interlocking with his, moved to his other side, and squeezed herself between her sister's bouncy softness and his arm, shoving Akane aside.
The latter stumbled a few steps to the side, puffing out her cheeks in dissatisfaction, glaring at her sister who had stolen her spot.
"Onee-chan~~~ What are you doing?!"
Tilting her head to rest on Sasaki's shoulder, Ayumi smiled and shot a glance at her sulky little sister.
"Fuyumi is mine. Go find your Asato instead."
Thinking she meant Sasaki belonged to her because she brought him, Akane bit her small white teeth in refusal and tugged on her sister's arm.
"What do you mean yours? Fuyumi is my lifesaver, he's not yours at all!"
Ayumi had trained in wrestling; Akane, a genuinely delicate, weak girl, couldn't move her at all.
With no other choice, the girl ran around to his other side, but this time Sasaki didn't let her hook his arm again.
He subtly pulled his arm back, then gently took hold of her wrist and smiled at her.
"Sister Akane, don't you smell something strange?"
"Strange smell?"
Confused, the girl furrowed her brows and sniffed the air.
After two sniffs, Akane's whole body jolted.
She panicked and dashed toward the kitchen.
"My soup! My soup…!"
Once Akane was gone, Ayumi turned sideways and stepped right in front of Sasaki, then stretched out her fair, slender arms and wrapped them around his neck.
"Good performance, oh~ I really thought you were going to silently enjoy having both sisters at once.
Very good~~"
She was genuinely satisfied with how Sasaki handled it.
So, Ayumi tiptoed, pressed her body against his chest, pouted her lips, and gave him several happy little kisses.
Sasaki didn't know exactly what was going through her mind, but he understood priorities.
Ayumi and Akane, one was his lover, the other was his lover's little sister.
Who was more important didn't need to be said.
Taking advantage of his girlfriend's little sister just to test his girlfriend's reaction…
Sasaki wasn't an idiot to this level.
Even though Ayumi usually acted bold and carefree, like she didn't mind when he groped and touched her, that was him taking liberties with her because she liked him, it didn't mean she would stay calm if he took liberties with her little sister in front of her.
Even if, stepping back, she truly didn't mind, there was still Akane's boyfriend in this house.
If he saw something like that, who knew what kind of conflict would break out?
Sasaki was a pure-love warrior with horns on his head, not a cuckold bastard.
How could he casually ruin someone else's relationship for no reason?
Well...if there are certain reasons.
Cough.
That would be low.
After enjoying Ayumi's happy little kisses for a while,
Sasaki raised his hand and gently pressed her shoulders.
"Sister Ayumi… you really aren't afraid they'll laugh at you?"
Hearing his words, the girl took a breath, then leaned sideways into Sasaki's embrace and said nonchalantly:
"Afraid of what? Usually, it's them being all lovey-dovey together.
Now it's finally their turn to envy me."
Even though she said that, the arms wrapped around his neck slowly loosened and withdrew.
She didn't care about her little sister's gaze, but she still had to think about her little rascal.
She couldn't just let him walk in looking like that, all obvious and hard.
It would look painful.
Straightening up, Ayumi smoothed out his clothes, then linked arms with him and walked into the living room.
She first sat her little man down on the sofa, then perched sideways on the armrest and called toward the busy kitchen:
"Akane~ Where's Asato?
Tell him to come out and chat with Fuyumi for a bit."
Still desperately trying to save her simmering soup, Akane shouted back loudly. "Him? He found a job, so he's working overtime tonight. Won't be back."
"Oh, I see."
Murmuring to herself, Ayumi picked up the TV remote, turned on the television, and then said to Sasaki.
"Sorry, oh. I have to go help Akane with the cooking. I promised to let you taste my skills, so you'll have to suffer watching TV alone for a bit."
The apartment wasn't big; whether she accompanied him or not didn't matter much.
Sasaki smiled and nodded.
"Mm, okay."
Hearing her sister talking with the boy, Akane hurriedly added:
"If Fuyumi feels bored, you can go to the bedroom first and look at the illustrations I drew on the desk…
If there's anything you're not satisfied with, just say it. I'll definitely revise it until Fuyumi is happy."
The main excuse Ayumi used to drag him here was to discuss illustration details.
Sasaki didn't refuse, but the way she phrased it…
"Sister Akane, don't say it like that.
I don't know much about illustrations. Professional things should be left to professionals. My suggestions are just for reference, if they're useful, great; if not, no big deal… The way you're saying it makes me feel like I'm bullying you… Sister Ayumi will beat me up."
Akane was amused by his pitiful complaint.
She laughed and playfully waved her small fist.
"No problem, Sister Akane will protect you~ I definitely won't let anyone bully you."
Without replying, Sasaki smiled, stood up, and walked toward the bedroom.
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