Having job-changed into a Home Security Guard, Sagiri ran up and down with a thump thump thump. She quickly checked all the rooms before returning to sit beside Sora, and the two ate their bentos together.
"I'll clean up the food waste." Sagiri's voice was crisp, her silver side ponytail swaying gently in the air. "Nii-san just needs to rest properly today."
"I'm very grateful." Sora stood up. "I'm going to take a shower first."
He had sweat a lot while climbing the mountain; he felt uncomfortable all over without a shower.
But just a short while after he started washing, Sagiri's voice suddenly echoed from outside the door:
"...Nii-san, shall I help you scrub your back?"
Hearing Sagiri's shy voice outside the door, Sora was instantly shocked.
Coming in to help scrub my back?
You really did eat too many weird mushrooms!
"I don't need it, go away, I'll wash myself."
Sora delivered a decisive triple refusal.
I'm already a high schooler. Having my little sister help scrub my back is either stupid or messed up!
Sagiri stood outside the door, her tone full of worry. "If the wound touches water, it'll easily get infected and inflamed, right?"
"I'll be careful." Sora said flatly. "I'm a bit thirsty. I want to drink tea after my shower, so Sagiri, go brew me a cup of barley tea."
"Okay then..." Sagiri agreed reluctantly. "But Nii-san has to let me examine your body later."
Hearing the patter-patter of footsteps fading away, Sora breathed a sigh of relief. He began to speed up his shower, even skipping the soaking part.
After a quick shower, Sora changed into his pajamas, pushed the door open, and stepped out of the bathroom.
"Nii-san, you're out?"
Sagiri was sitting on the sofa. She turned her head, her voice soft and sweet.
"The barley tea is ready. It's a bit hot, so you have to wait a moment."
"No rush." Sora walked over and sat down. "I'm going to work for a bit, I'll drink it later."
"If you're injured, don't work on the game. You must rest properly." Sagiri leaned forward, moving closer. "Also, Nii-san, hurry up and take off your pajamas."
Sora subconsciously leaned back. "What are you doing?"
"To let me examine your body, of course!" Sagiri's voice was crisp. "Nii-san rolled down a mountain. Aside from your forehead, you might be injured somewhere else. Hurry up and let me check."
That's enough. Who would strip naked and let their little sister examine their body!
Sora simply reached out his right hand and pressed it firmly against Sagiri's small head.
"No examination needed."
Sagiri puffed out her pink cheeks. "Nii-san won't let me look. Are you hiding other injuries from me?"
"I'm not."
"Then strip naked and let me see."
"Please let me retain my qualification to be a human being!"
"..."
After much persuasion, he finally dispelled Sagiri's idea of examining his body. Sora drank the barley tea in one breath, then went upstairs to his room.
But it was still early, and he definitely wouldn't be able to fall asleep. So, Sora sat down at his computer and continued working on the game.
Click.
The door was gently pushed open, and a small head peeked in.
Hearing the noise, Sora turned his head and saw Sagiri puffing out her small cheeks.
"I knew Nii-san wouldn't rest properly."
Sora's expression remained composed. "Sneaking into a boy's room in the middle of the night is very dangerous behavior. Hurry back and go to sleep."
"I'm not scared." Sagiri crinkled her cute nose, muttering softly. "He didn't even dare let me help scrub his back. Nii-san is all talk when it comes to lewdness."
"What did Sagiri just say?"
"Nothing..." Sagiri walked in hugging her sketchbook, speaking seriously. "I drew several concept arts today, and I want Nii-san to take a look."
Since Sagiri used business as an excuse, he couldn't exactly kick her out. Sora could only say:
"Bring them here, let me see."
"..."
Time quietly slipped by while working. Unknowingly, it was already 10:00 PM.
"Phew..."
Sagiri was lying on the floor, raising a hand to cover her mouth as she yawned.
"It's getting late. That's all for today." Sora closed his laptop and rubbed his temples. "Sagiri, go back and go to sleep."
"No." Sagiri shook her head. "I'm resting in Nii-san's room today. Nii-san is in a critical period right now and must have someone guarding him at all times."
Sora couldn't help but complain. "I just scraped my head a bit, I really don't have a terminal illness."
"Nii-san looks energetic now, but maybe you'll feel sick after falling asleep." Sagiri crossed her arms over her chest, her attitude firm. "Anyway, I'm sleeping in Nii-san's room tonight."
"..."
Seeing Sagiri's resolute attitude, Sora had no choice but to agree.
"Nii-san sleeps on the bed. When I'm in my room, I often sleep on the floor." As she spoke, Sagiri ran out of the room. "I'll go get my blanket and pillows."
A moment later.
Sagiri returned carrying a pile of equipment. She skillfully laid out the blanket on the floor, then hugged her shark body pillow and rolled around happily.
Looking at his sister on the floor, Sora couldn't resist his curiosity.
"Did Sagiri encounter something strange?"
"Eh?" Sagiri tilted her head in confusion. Her side ponytail was already untied, and her silver hair cascaded down her shoulders, making her look exceptionally cute. "Why does Nii-san ask that?"
Sora said softly.
"Sagiri previously didn't even dare to leave her room, nor would she talk to me. Now she actually has the guts to come sleep in my room. It feels like you've become a completely different person... like, possessed by a weird ghost?"
"I haven't been possessed by a ghost." Sagiri righteously denied it; she had just started a New Game Plus. "Nii-san, stop letting your imagination run wild. You need to respect science!"
Sora closed his eyes and turned off the lights. "Sleep, sleep."
"Nii-san... goodnight."
The girl's soft, gentle voice echoed in the darkness.
"Goodnight."
Sora softly responded and drifted into slumber.
The night passed without words.
The next day.
Sora had just woken up when he felt a tingling, numb sensation in his arm, feeling quite uncomfortable.
"What's going on?"
He groggily opened his eyes, and a silver-haired loli quietly entered his vision.
"Sagiri... why is she sleeping in my arms?!"
Looking at Sagiri's flushed small face, Sora took two deep breaths before finally calming down.
"I remember now..."
The memories of last night quietly surfaced in his mind.
"I'm still lying in bed. In other words, Sagiri snuck up here at some point without me knowing..."
Silently checking his relatively neat pajamas, Sora quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Good. I shouldn't have lost my qualification to be a human being."
"Mmm..."
Sagiri groggily opened her eyes, filled with the hazy mist of someone who had just woken up. Her voice was soft and sweet, like freshly made cotton candy.
"Nii-san, good morning..."
As she spoke, Sagiri rubbed her small face affectionately against Sora's chest, much like a cat that had just woken up.
This isn't right...
No matter how you look at it, this affection level isn't right!
Sora tensed his body. "It's morning. Hurry up and get up."
"I don't want to. It's so cold outside..." Sagiri whined while hiding under the blanket. "Eh, what's this? Could it be Nii-san's phone?"
The muscles near the corner of Sora's eye twitched slightly. "Don't touch that!"
"Ehhhhhhh?!"
After a brief silence, Sagiri quickly threw off the blanket and fled in a flustered panic.
"I-I-I-I'm sorry...!"
Sora finally managed to calm himself down. He silently got dressed, left his room, had some bread for a quick breakfast, and then left for school.
Arriving at the train station.
Angel-sama, with her waist-length hair, stood quietly in the corner.
Sora didn't plan on going over to say hello, but as if they had a telepathic connection, Mahiru looked up. Upon seeing the gauze on his forehead, she gently furrowed her delicate eyebrows and walked straight over.
"Sora-kun, how did your head get injured?"