Chapter 348: I'm Not a Shotacon
"Haa~"
At night, Sakurai Saki crawled up from Itsuki's bed and yawned.
For some reason, after a nap, he felt even sleepier — as if some kind of sea monster had wrapped around his legs, dragging him endlessly into a swamp called "warm blanket."
Just like that, Sakurai, who had just sat up, lay down again.
Itsuki's bed was very warm, and it was filled with her scent — a faint, pleasant fragrance.
'Good night.'
Murmuring in his heart, Sakurai closed his eyes again.
When he was about to drift back into sleep, footsteps sounded at the door.
A moment later, Itsuki came in. She looked just like a secret lover sneaking in to meet her beloved, every move cautious and quiet.
"Little brother, you awake… huh, still sleeping?"
Using the faint light leaking through the doorway, Itsuki saw Sakurai sound asleep.
It's said that children's sleep tends to be long, especially after they've played hard — sometimes they even sleep straight till the next day.
But dinner downstairs was already ready, and if he didn't eat now, waiting until midnight wouldn't be good for a child's health.
Thinking that, Itsuki came closer to the bed, propping half her body on the mattress.
"Poke poke~" She reached out her slender white finger and poked his cheek a few times.
So cute.
Itsuki herself didn't realize her face was gradually moving closer to his.
As if some mysterious force was guiding her.
'…?' In his half-dreaming state, Sakurai still hadn't reacted.
Looking at his adorable face, Itsuki swallowed her saliva.
'Uwaa, so cute, if I just give him a light kiss on the cheek, he probably won't notice, right?'
Thinking that, Itsuki leaned in slightly, slowly drawing closer.
Just when she was about to touch his cheek, Sakurai furrowed his brows a little and turned his head slightly.
The next second—
Itsuki's red lips brushed against Saki's small lips.
"!!"
Itsuki immediately pulled away, falling to the floor with a thud and covering her mouth.
'I just… kissed him… I accidentally stole this kid's first kiss… what do I do now?!'
She only meant to kiss his cheek! She didn't mean it like that at all!
'Itsuki, you idiot! What the hell are you doing?!' Nakano Itsuki clutched her head, completely drowning in self-doubt.
He's still just a kid!
"Itsuki nee-san?" Sakurai sat up, rubbing his eyes.
"H-Hikari-kun, you can come down to eat now." Itsuki blushed and spoke softly.
The fact that she stole his first kiss — best not to let him know.
Otherwise, he might develop some psychological complex, and if his future "type" ended up being someone like her, that'd be a disaster.
Sakurai Saki raised his right hand and lightly touched his lips.
It felt like something had just brushed against them… was it Itsuki?
That girl is seriously guilty!
...
In the dining room, Nino saw Itsuki leading down a little boy who looked very much like Sakurai Saki.
'That must be Sakurai-san's little brother, right?' x3
He really did look alike — and was adorable too.
But still, not nearly as handsome as the real Sakurai.
"Hello there, little brother." Nakano Ichika walked up to Saki and gently pinched his cheek.
Sakurai: "... Hello, nee-san."
Somehow, his cheeks felt like they'd been under attack all day.
Do these women have no other way to show affection?!
If he could reveal his true identity, these people would be done for!
After that, Sakurai Saki sat down — only his head and upper body were visible above the table.
This height was seriously inconvenient, though thankfully the chair was just high enough.
"Here, sit here." Itsuki patted her smooth white thigh lightly, motioning for him to come.
"I'll feed you."
"I'm not a kid anymore!"
"But you can't reach the food sitting like that, it's too hard."
Hearing that, the other four sisters all felt something was off.
"Itsuki, Hikari-kun isn't that little anymore. If you feed him like that… isn't it kind of inappropriate?" Nino reminded.
After all, he was a boy — still young, sure, but kids that age already had a sense of gender awareness.
Itsuki didn't see him as a boy at all, more like a mother caring for her baby than a sister caring for her brother.
... So Itsuki's actually a "shotacon," huh? Good thing the Nakano family only had five daughters — if they had a little brother, the orthopedic department in Germany would probably need to prepare another bed (for Itsuki).
"What's not appropriate about it?" Itsuki tilted her head in confusion. "Nino, you didn't serve rice today, and it's really hard for Hikari-kun to eat like this."
"So you're planning to hold him while eating?"
Nino suddenly felt the urge to pull out her phone and call the police.
"Whatever, just hold him if you want."
"Nee-san, that's not necessary." Sakurai Saki tried to reach for the food, but his short arms could only get to a small portion.
No way… Why is your family's dining table this wide!?
And you even put all the food right in the middle—are you trying to kill me!?
Seeing that, Miku picked up some food for him. "Here, eat more, little brother."
"Thank you, Miku nee-san."
A savior at last!
If he really had to sit and eat in Itsuki's lap, that would've been a total disaster.
Itsuki glanced at Miku, then reluctantly picked up some more food and placed it in Saki's bowl.
Seeing that expression on her face, Sakurai thought maybe it'd be better if he went home early today.
...
After dinner.
They rested until past 8 p.m., and in the living room, the two were watching TV.
"Itsuki nee-san, I want to go home."
Please just let me go, I've had enough of this!
Earlier, Sakurai Saki had already told Hayasaka Ai that he might not come home tonight because of some business, and told her not to worry.
Hearing him say that, Itsuki, though a bit reluctant, knew she should send him home.
She picked up her phone and made a call.
"Beep——"
After a long ring, only a voice message came through: "The subscriber is not available."
That meant Sakurai probably didn't bring his phone with him.
"Sorry, Hikari-kun, looks like your brother's not home."
"So you can sleep at my place tonight."
"?" Sakurai's face was full of question marks.
Wait, I have a key though!?
But Itsuki didn't give him a chance to explain—she immediately pulled him into her arms.
"Sleep with me tonight."
Before Sakurai's eyes was a blinding expanse of white, and his thoughts froze completely.
"Come on, take a bath with me, it's getting late."
"Nee-san, I…"
Before Sakurai Saki could finish, Itsuki had already grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the living room.
A few minutes later.
The two once again faced each other completely bare.
Half an hour later.
Sakurai Saki stepped out of the bathroom, his face bright red.
This isn't good, she almost noticed something was off.
At my age, I already react like that? I'm way too early for this!
'Thank goodness she didn't notice. I'd die of embarrassment otherwise.'
Itsuki wrapped in a bath towel walked out of the bathroom. "Don't run off so fast, little brother, your hair's still wet!"
As she spoke, she stepped in front of Saki and began drying his hair with a towel.
With each of her movements—
The two "snowy mountains" wrapped in the towel lightly trembled, like ripples spreading across a lake's surface.
'...Wait, they're about to fall!'
Seeing the towel loosen more and more, Sakurai instinctively reached out his hands to help.
Both of his small hands landed right on the soft mounds of her chest.
"Little brother, let go!" Itsuki's face turned red as she glanced at him shyly.
Could it be that Hikari-kun's a naughty little boy?
"Nee-san, your towel's about to fall." Sakurai's face flushed bright red as he turned his head away.
"...Thank you." Itsuki quickly rewrapped the towel.
Oh, so that's why.
Is little brother embarrassed now?
Hehe, he looks really cute when he blushes.
…Ehem ehem.
'I'm not a shotacon, I'm not a shotacon, I'm not a shotacon…'
She repeated it three times in her head.
Then Itsuki continued drying his hair.
"Sleep with me tonight, okay?"
"...Alright."
Let's just hope nothing happens tonight!
...