After wrapping up some minor chores, I found myself slumped in the back of a taxi, staring at the crinkled piece of paper in my hand like it was a court summons.
School Trip: Cultural Village Getaway:
"Learning Tradition Through Experience."
It sounded noble. Educational. Harmless.
But all I read was:
"You, Souta, are going to babysit hormonal ticking time bombs in the middle of rural Japan." "Cultural village, huh…?" I muttered, slumping lower in the seat. "How fun can that be? I'd rather get dropkicked by a cute shrine maiden."
As the taxi rolled to a stop in front of my apartment, the world welcomed me with the dulcet, angelic screams of-
"DIE, YOU SCRUBBY PIECE OF LAGGING CHEESE!!!"
Yep. That would be Saki, still going toe-to-toe with the entire online population on Sparking Zero. But instead of yelling at her this time, I flopped down beside her on the couch and picked up the second controller.
"…Brother?" she blinked, confused.
"Don't look so shocked," I smirked before placing my hand on my face like some 5 yen protagonist.
"HA, Foolish mortal, I'm here to what the humans call it. Beating your ass"
She smirked back, fire lighting in her eyes.
"Tch. Fine. I'm going Piccolo-my green, stoic king."
"I'll go Buu. Round and ruthless."
"Oh, you're dead."
And just like that, for the next hour and a half, the living room became a battleground of epic proportions. Screams, taunts, and clashing ki blasts filled the night air until 11 PM chimed in like an annoying referee. I leaned back, victorious. I could feel buu himself patting me on the back with his round pink hands.
"Well… It seems I'm undefeated tonight, human."
"12–11 isn't something to brag about, ONI-CHAAAN!" She whined, stomping on the floor.
"One more one more one more I can beat you twice in a row, no, in fact I can beat you THREE IN A ROW!" She shouted like a spoiled brat. " Don't walk off now, ONI-CHAN, you're the real loser for walking off!!!!"
But despite her protests and temper tantrums. I walked off, laughing like a rich villain all the way to my bedroom.
"HAHAHA FOOLISH MORTAL THINKS YOU CAN BEAT ME, EVEN AFTER ONE HUNDRED TIMES YOU COULD NEVER!" My voice echoed before I closed the door behind me. Standing in the doorway, I could still hear Saki's cries, but they were now thankfully muffled. "Jeez, that girl never runs out of energy", I groaned before looking down at the trip form again, still creased from how many times I'd crumpled it in regret.
"…Man, I hope they gave us separate rooms." It was the only thing I could think of at this moment, before turning the lights off and going to bed.
*
The Next Morning.
I woke up to silence, which was odd and also suspicious.
Too suspicious.
"Strange Saki should be out of bed by now..." I thought to myself, narrowing my eyes. "She's trying to get payback for last time."
I tiptoed out of my room and checked out the corridor.
"Something is really off," I muttered as if I were in some sort of spy film. There was nothing on, the TV was still turned off, the sound of Anime metal wasn't coursing through my eardrums at an alarming volume.
"Saki?" I muttered, walking to her door and peering in. And all my answers were solved, and thankfully she wasn't out to get me, or to get me murdered over a game of Sparking Zero, but what was the actual root cause of why this house was quiet was much, much worse than I'd thought. My eyes widened as I took in the scene before me. There she was, curled up in bed, her usual long brown hair now messy and ragged, nose red, surrounded by used tissues and a near-empty bottle of cough syrup.
"What the…" I thought, looking at the sight. She looked like death had come for her and left her disappointed.
"I-I'm sorry, Brother…" She croaked, as her dreary eyes met mine.
"My life… It was fun… Even if you never got a girlfriend and I never got a sister…"
"HEY! Quit writing your will mid-fever!"
She giggled and sneezed halfway through. Still, the guilt hit me hard. The trip was in two days. Could I really leave her like this? What if she needs me, and I'm off having… Well, not really fun per say, but having a much better time than her.
The thought instantly crossed my mind, "…Maybe I should stay," I muttered.
But before the thought could settle in, she bolted upright with the force of a dying anime protagonist making their final speech. "NO! Souta! This is your time to build a harem AND get paid for it! Don't you see?! You're in the prologue of a perfect light novel, don't ruin the pacing for your dumb little weak incompetent, can't fight some bacteria sister!"
I blinked. "Is she being serious and that name... Just why?" I thought to myself.
"…Are you seriously telling me to leave you sick so I can go fulfil anime tropes?"
She sniffled and nodded proudly.
"Yes, of course, brother. Go be the dense main character you were born to be."
She paused. "Just… Bring me back a souvenir. And maybe a sister."
I gave a reluctant smile and rubbed her head.
"Alright. But if you get worse, I'm calling the school. Deal?"
"Deal."
"Wait, a sister?" I finally realised what she'd said. Then she sneezed again and mumbled, "Make sure she's cute..."
Before I left the room, I stood in the doorway a moment longer. Her face reminded me of a time I swore I'd always be there for her, after Mom died, when we clung to each other during that silent funeral, when I promised I'd grow up faster so she wouldn't have to face the world alone.
This trip better be worth it, I thought, swallowing the knot in my throat.
*
Exiting out my taxi that was so kindly paid for. I arrived at the sister's apartment just as Wilhelm opened the front door with a warm bow.
"Ah, Souta sir. Perfect timing. The young ladies are preparing for the trip, but I believe they've also left you a 'small welcome-back present' in the kitchen."
"…Why does that sound terrifying?"
He gave no answer. Just chuckled and walked away.
Yeah, that laugh was one you gave to someone who's screwed…
I stepped inside cautiously. Silence, too much silence.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," I murmured, feeling like this was the whole Saki situation again.
Until…
"WELCOME BACK, MAID-CHAN~!" Nao popped out from behind the counter, wearing an outfit that was a bit too revealing, along with cat mitten and cat ears.
…God help me.
After sorting Nao out and telling her not to wear that so casually, I look around.
Today's task?
Windows.
I stared at the spray bottle in my hand, contemplating how far I'd fallen in life. Once a semi-regular high school student, now a full-time glass polisher for four chaotic sisters.
I muttered to myself as I wiped the streaks off the living room window.
"Is this how all great men start? Cleaning other people's fingerprints off the future?"
I didn't expect an answer. So naturally, I continued wiping away.
Until a voice called out.
"Do great men usually talk to themselves while wearing pink aprons?"
I jolted.
Yuki stood next to the stairs, arms crossed, her usual piercing gaze locked on me.
She was... Barefoot. Wearing a loose shirt. Her hair was tied up lazily in a ponytail that still somehow looked magazine-perfect. If I weren't terrified of her, I might've said something dumb.
"I-uh-thought you were upstairs."
"I was. Then I saw you outside, smearing glass like a toddler, and figured the windows needed saving."
She walked over, snatched the other cloth from the windowsill, and began wiping the other side of the glass, opposite me. We stood there, facing each other through the glass.
Wiping in silence.
Why the hell is she helping me?
I'm about to die, and this is her way of showing a bit of mercy?
But despite me crapping myself and fearing for my life, the actual vibe of us two just cleaning away was almost… Peaceful.
Until she squinted at me.
Welp, there goes the streak of silence.
"There's still a streak. You're doing it wrong." She ordered.
"I'm not, wait, no, I'm doing it fine-"
"Move." She opened the sliding door, stepping out onto the balcony with me.
There wasn't much room. The two of us were now shoulder to shoulder, pressed close in the narrow space.
I could smell her shampoo. Something lavender, "what's up with them and these strong ass shampoos?" That was all my mind could think of, bar the obvious.
Yuki reached up to clean the top corner of the window, leaning in, arm brushing mine,
"Hey, you're getting too close to my side!" I replied, slightly budging her. Yuki, however, instead of moving over, barged me back, "No, you're getting in my way, I'm trying to fix your mistakes." She replied, now slightly pushing me off.
"You just need to-"
And in that moment, I turned my head to speak.
Unfortunately.
So did she.
Our faces stopped inches apart. My breath caught. Her eyes widened.
No one moved. Our eyes locked for a split second. I literally could feel my heart race a million miles an hour.
"Uh…"
"Don't."
"I wasn't-!"
"You were."
"I SWEAR I was just going to say you missed a spot!"
Her expression didn't change, but her cheeks flushed slightly.
"You're such a loser."
Then, in a quieter voice:
"...But thanks for not taking my first."
I blinked. "Wait. Was that... A compliment? And first what?"
"Don't ruin it." She turned away, going back to wiping.
"Strange," I muttered, but I couldn't help but smile to myself.
Just a little.
'Maybe she's not that bad after all.'
But the moment passed quickly.
I leaned on the railing, staring out at the street below, the cloth now resting in my lap. I hadn't said anything yet, not to any of them, about Saki. I'm not going to lie to them and say everything was okay, because it wasn't.
So I took a breath.
"Hey… Yuki."