Seeing Helena in front of him, Rowe gave a gentle, though forced, smile.
"You were supposed to wait for me in class, right? Why are you here instead?"
"The people in class…" Helena lowered her head. "They're too excited. I don't like it. I want to be with you."
Rowe ran a hand through his hair. "That's because you're too cute. Everyone likes you."
Helena hesitated for a moment, then lifted her head.
"Have you finished your business?"
"Yeah, I have."
"Oh…" Helena's blue eyes were full of curiosity. "Teacher Evel… she's really pretty, isn't she?"
Rowe's heart suddenly raced. This was what he feared most—anything related to the teacher he liked, Evel.
But he didn't show it on his face.
"Why are you asking that? Who said so?"
"Uh… I heard it from your friends. They said Teacher Evel is pretty… but kind of strict…"
Hearing that, Rowe paused for a moment.
Strict?
He recalled what had happened at the office earlier.
No matter how he looked at it, Teacher Evel didn't seem strict at all…
Even confused, Rowe stayed calm. He just nodded and said:
"Yeah… she is strict, very strict. I, your brother, wouldn't want to go to that office a second time…"
"Ah! Really?"
"Yeah! Like she had early menopause or something!" Rowe expressed his disgust perfectly.
"I see…" Helena seemed relieved, her smile returning.
"In that case, let's go home quickly, Brother!"
Rowe felt a sense of relief in his heart.
As long as Evel wasn't involved, Helena probably wouldn't think about it too much…
Holding hands, they left the corridor, talking and laughing.
However, when Helena turned to leave, she glanced at the office with a thoughtful look.
---
On the way home, Helena asked again.
Could Rowe skip school and stay home so they could spend more time together?
Rowe's answer this time was perfect.
After thinking three times, he already understood Helena's personality.
He didn't make her upset, nor did he refuse, but agreed smoothly.
His trick was subtle, almost painful…
Because of that, Helena was overjoyed.
She leaned her arm on Rowe, her face full of cheerful smiles, even humming a little.
"You're amazing, Brother~"
And this time, happy with Helena, he didn't show the possessive, nearly obsessive side.
He didn't "capture" Rowe like a prisoner.
"I want to go grocery shopping!"
She waved her hand cheerfully.
"I've been practicing cooking for four years now!"
"Brother, just stay home, okay? Wait for Helena~"
"Be careful, come back quickly," said Rowe half-heartedly.
"Don't worry! You don't have to worry about Helena!"
After watching Helena close the door,
Rowe counted one minute in his heart.
Once he was sure Helena had really left,
Rowe immediately rushed to the second floor as fast as possible.
As if joking, how could he want Helena to leave and return quickly?
He even hoped Helena would argue a little with the vegetable seller.
[Stability Suppressant ×1]
[Potion in Progress…]
Last time, this potion didn't have much effect, but it didn't hurt to prepare.
Rowe glanced at the door nervously, secretly hoping Helena would take longer to come back.
One second…
Two seconds…
Thirty seconds…
[Configuration Complete]
The house was still quiet. Rowe exhaled and put the glass bottle into his pocket.
Yet after thinking again, he still felt uneasy.
He entered the corridor, looked around, then hid the potion in a flower vase near the door.
Only then did he feel relieved enough to return to the first floor.
So far, everything was going smoothly, almost unbelievable.
He had no choice; facing Helena's unpredictability truly scared him…
---
Night fell.
When Helena returned, she prepared a table full of delicious dishes for Rowe.
Candlelight flickered, creating a calm and warm atmosphere.
Rowe's heart couldn't stop racing.
The "deadly dinner" had returned.
Whether he could see the sun tomorrow depended on tonight…
"Brother! Try Helena's cooking!"
Seeing Helena's expectant eyes, Rowe smiled and swallowed the food she offered.
"Wow!"
His eyes widened in surprise. "This is really good!"
He wasn't lying—Helena was indeed talented at cooking. Last time, he had been too worried, so it had tasted bland.
"Really? That good?" Helena's eyes seemed to sparkle.
"Really," Rowe nodded. "Do you think I've ever lied to you?"
"Brother, never lie to Helena~" Helena smiled happily, pushing more food toward him.
"If not, Helena would be really angry."
Rowe knew he didn't like wasting food, so he pretended to eat heartily and started eating.
Helena rested her chin on her hands, watching Rowe eat with crescent-shaped eyes.
Watching her brother eat seemed more satisfying than eating herself.
The atmosphere stayed like that until…
"Brother…"
"What is it?"
Helena stared at the large dining table, just the two of them in the empty house.
Her eyes were slightly complicated, as if suddenly remembering something.
She spoke softly:
"Back then, we all ate together at the same table, lively and cheerful…"
"Now it feels so empty…"
"Do you miss the past?"
Finally… Rowe's heart tightened.
This was a dangerous question. One wrong answer, everything would fall apart.
Rowe slowly looked at Helena. He was confident he understood her personality now.
Sensitive, easily angered, emotional…
Strongly opposed to his contact with other girls, seeing them as enemies.
Especially in the first playthrough, with other heroines, Helena clearly hated them…
So the question was just a test.
He didn't really miss the past, as he claimed.
"Actually… I do miss it a little…"
Unexpectedly, Rowe admitted Helena's statement from the first sentence.
When looking at Helena's arm, he suddenly trembled slightly.
The candlelight flickered, the temperature dropped.
[Corruption: 85↑]
"I see…" Helena lowered her head a little, her eyes hard to read.
Her voice also became very soft.
"Brother… you're still thinking about them, aren't you? Helena did something wrong…"
Rowe smiled, gently stroking Helena's hair.
[Negotiation/Soothing (Master)]
[Activated]
At that moment, Rowe looked at Helena as if he could penetrate her gloomy mood and reach her heart directly.
Only when her emotions were low was her defense easier to open.
The strategy began.
[TO BE CONTINUED]