"Since when did the phone run out of battery?"
Leaving the Nagasaki family's duplex penthouse, Kaito pulled out his phone and pressed the unlock button, but the screen was still pitch black.
'Forget it.'
He didn't care about this kind of detail, his attention was all focused on another matter.
He had promised Mortis earlier that he would take her and Mutsumi out to play today.
Kaito originally planned to go home directly after making breakfast for Soyo.
Unfortunately, plans couldn't keep up with changes.
Faced with Soyo's overtime invitation, he couldn't bring himself to refuse, and in the end, wasted quite a bit of time.
Now it was 10 in the morning, just an hour and a half had passed.
He wondered, 'Have Mortis and Mutsumi gotten impatient from waiting?'
———
[Three Minutes Later, Ikebukuro]
In order to save time, Kaito didn't take the train as usual, but used some other method of getting around.
He opened the door, walked into the entranceway, familiar footsteps coming from far to near.
"Onii-chan! You're back…", Hearing the commotion at the door, the girl with light green long hair who had been keeping watch in the living room subconsciously "da-da-da" ran over, like a puppy excitedly welcoming its owner home.
But right at the moment she was about to leap into her brother's arms, she suddenly slammed on the brakes, the joy on her pretty face shifting to coldness in an instant.
She stood in place, arms crossed over her chest, holding back and holding back, still showing a grumpy, resentful expression.
"…Had a lot of fun at Soyo's place last night, didn't you?"
'To be fair, yes.'
Kaito cleared his throat lightly but didn't avoid the question, very honestly admitting fault, "Sorry for making you wait so long."
"I called seventeen times last night! But Onii-chan, you didn't answer even once!", Bringing up this topic, Mortis couldn't help but grit her teeth, her small face puffed out round like a hamster with its cheeks stuffed full of pine nuts.
'Are women outside that great? That you're so reluctant to come home! Even throwing aside the two cutest little sisters at home!'
If that were all, it would be fine.
What added fuel to the fire, without a doubt, was that sentence from Soyo, ("Sorry, I don't have a free hand right now.")
That was practically publicly declaring, 'Your Onii-chan is amazing! So now I'm going to stand up and ride him hard.'
And she, through a screen, couldn't even mount an effective resistance, could only fall to her knees in vain, letting out a humiliating and painful cry: 'Quack, don't take away my Onii-chan's mouth!'
'Aaaaah! This is intolerable, truly intolerable!'
'I, Mortis, am really angry now!'
Mortis made up her mind, this time she would definitely not let her brother gloss it over easily.
At the very least, he had to personally promise that this kind of thing would never happen again.
'No, a promise alone isn't enough. There has to be a pinky swear! A recording! A signed contract!'
'…Also, since his delicate little sister heart is hurt, asking for a bit of compensation isn't too much, right?'
She wasn't a greedy bad child, her demands weren't high.
As long as Onii-chan could give her a goodnight kiss every night before bed, a morning kiss each morning, and little things like hugs and kisses whenever she wanted, plus he couldn't refuse any physical affection from her... That's all.
The same things Soyo could do, shouldn't she, Mortis, be allowed too?
'You can have lots of girlfriends, but sisters… there's only one. Okay, maybe two.'
'But girlfriends can be swapped, can sisters be swapped?'
So her demands weren't excessive at all, they were reasonable, correct, objective, and perfectly natural.
Aside from that, she also had to show Onii-chan how mad she was.
Things obtained too easily are never treasured.
In love, appropriately cooling the distance between each other can spark a sense of urgency.
'Don't all light novels write it that way?'
The heroine who hasn't realized her feelings, only after losing the male lead does she finally understand her true heart, suffers miserably, regrets deeply, and sets out on a long path of chasing love.
The same logic works even with reversed genders.
Small patience prevents big disaster.
Though she really wanted to jump into her brother's arms and act spoiled and roll around… but, 'It's all for a better tomorrow.'
'So, from now on, be a cool, expressionless beautiful girl.'
'Until Onii-chan agrees to all my demands!'
———
'Is she angry?'
In truth, looking at the girl in front of him with a tightly clenched face, Kaito did feel a bit of a headache.
It was the first time Mortis treated him this coldly. Normally when she saw him come home, she would always jump on him right away.
Though he always complained that his sister's rocket headbutts were bad for his health, the day he actually lost that unique welcome, it felt like something was mysteriously missing.
Fortunately, someone timely filled that gap.
"Onii-chan, welcome home," The same light green, waist-length hair. The same doll-like delicate face. Just with a slightly cooler expression.
Unnoticed, Mutsumi had followed behind Mortis and now stepped forward, stretching out her slender arms to gently hug him.
Compared to the lively Mortis, Mutsumi's personality was much quieter. Like one of those literature girls in the library who wouldn't say a word all afternoon. She rarely made undignified movements like running or jumping.
So when it came to welcoming Onii-chan home, she was always slower than Mortis, only able to watch as the other jumped into his arms to act cute. Clearly a movie meant for three people, yet she felt more like an audience member sitting in front of the screen.
Mutsumi was long used to that and didn't complain.
But… she didn't expect Mortis to voluntarily give up that benefit.
Mutsumi didn't understand, but respected and blessed her.
Also, she was grateful for nature's gift.
The unclaimed Onii-chan, she would take for herself.
"Sorry for making you and Mortis wait," Looking at the green-haired girl so close to him, Kaito's heart warmed.
Mutsumi usually didn't talk much, never fought or competed, yet always quietly stood behind him, being his most steadfast supporter.
Mortis would occasionally act a bit spoiled like now, but Mutsumi was always well-behaved, always using care and consideration to gently accept every part of him.
If angels had names, hers would definitely be "Mutsumi."
Clearly she had the appearance of a cool, quiet girl, but the moment she hugged him, she felt like a gentle, affectionate Mortisther. Anyone who didn't like that for three seconds had to be a god.
"Onii-chan never has to apologize to me," Mutsumi gently shook her head, her voice clear like icy spring water hitting mountain rock, and silently took his hand, "Because we're family."
"Mm, Mutsumi's right."
Kaito gently rubbed her head, "I promised earlier that I'd take you two out today. Go change your clothes first, we'll head out right away."
"Okay," Mutsumi nodded obediently, then added, "A few days ago, I ordered some new dresses online. I also picked out a pair of shoes for you, Onii-chan. The delivery just arrived this morning… Do you want to try them on for size?"
"New shoes?", Kaito was a little surprised but didn't refuse her kindness, "Then thank you, Mutsumi."
He had originally planned to call Mortis too, but thinking of the girl's upset face earlier, she was probably still angry. He figured it was best not to poke the hornet's nest just yet.
He only left one line, "Mortis, wait in the living room a bit. Mutsumi and I will be right back," and then walked into the bedroom holding the latter's hand.
Watching the two of them walk away, still immersed in her beautiful fantasies, Miss Mortis finally reacted.
'Huh? Where's my huge Onii-chan?'
'Is the direction this plot is heading really the same as what I imagined?'
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