Chapter 32

The next day, I ended up standing inside a crowded shopping mall .

The initial plan was to go out together with Karen, but told me to go first for some reason, leading me the current situation .

When I asked her to go together with me, she urged me with a slight glare saying "just go!" .

Isn't it troublesome to go separately then meet once again?

Trying to figure out the reason behind this troublesome act, I saw Karen half-running in my direction .

"Sorry for the wait . "

Karen said after arriving next to me .

Don't tell, she did all of that just to be able to say that line?

"I didn't wait that much . "

I answered with the expected, stereotype reply then looked at Karen's clothes .

Today she went with a ponytail hairstyle and wore a jean and a cardigan, letting her emit an adult aura . Cute as expected, nothing less from my dear sister .

With such thoughts crossing my mind while gazing at Karen,

"Stop staring at me like that . "

she asked me to move my fixed gaze from her .

"No, I just thought that you were cute and all..."

"...Idiot . "

Karen turned her back to me and started walking . Today we're planning on visiting places we want, so it was her turn first to take the lead in guiding .

Peeking at her face, I noticed that her mouth was faintly twitching . She does that when she's happy . Seriously, she's not honest at all . With such familiar thoughts, I followed Karen as a bitter smile reached my face .

Well, that doesn't change the fact that she's cute .

And as a proof,

"Hey, look at that girl . "

"Holy... she's really cute!"

"Maybe she's a high schooler . "

The gazes of the men around us were focused on her .

The clothes and aura she lets out make her look a few years older, I don't that though .

"Should I call her?"

"No, she's with someone already . Probably her boyfriend?"

"But I still have a chance, don't you think?"

The only issue about her appearance is that it lures some people to call her out .

Why would he think he got a chance despite knowing that she has a boyfriend?

Rather, I won't have mercy if you try touching my little sister .

I sent a faint killing intent towards the guys who were talking just now and forced them to walk in a different direction .

I won't let you touch my sister while I'm still here!

"...here . "

Karen halted in front of the aimed store .

It was ladies specialized store with a great variety of clothes lining inside .

It's not an easy task for a man to enter this kind of places .

"Let's go . "

"Y-Yeah . "

I felt confused for a moment, but judged it will alright if I'm with Karen and stepped inside .

Leaving Karen who was checking on the products of the store, I observed around the place . The walls were dyed with either pink or yellow, and in addition to the tremendous amount of women clothes, the entire staff consisted of women .

There was no gap for a man to enter .

Feeling a bit uncomfortable, I noticed a couple looking at the products like us .

The girl seemed cheerful while choosing clothes while the guy had a pretty tired expression on his face .

I know how you're feeling .

Looking at the guy who looked tired, my eyes met with his .

Guessing that both of us was on the same situation, the guy nodded his head as if he was saying "it's pretty tough for both of us . " I returned the same nod to the guy before Karen who finished choosing her clothes came to me .

"I want to try these . "

When we went in front of the dressing room, I was asked to stand at my place until she's done trying her clothes .

A few moments later, Karen who finished wearing opened the door .

"What do you think?"

Karen asked me as she showed off her new clothes .

An unpleasantly cold looking short skirt and half sleeves giving off an impression of a cute girl trying to change her appearance to look more like an adult .

"I think it suits you . "

"... Is that all?"

Seeming satisfied with my remark, Karen pressed me for a further clarification .

Looks like my words were insufficient . Guess I'll have to speak my mind out .

"Let's see, unlike your earlier garments, these ones bring out more of your cuteness by highlighting your beautiful legs and your cute childish ambiance . The short skirt makes your legs look longer, but at the same time, it acts against you by emitting a slight erotic vibe that could tempt people around you . Although that could count as one of your charms—–"

"Sorry, never mind what I just asked . "

With a winced expression, Karen interrupted my speech .

All I did was give her my honest impression .

I couldn't understand why she stopped me from complimenting her, so I decided to be a bit more moderate in the next change .

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After a long while of trying out clothes, Karen couldn't find anything that suited her pleasure and we ended up leaving the store with zero purchase .

Is it fine to not buy anything despite trying all those clothes?

Karen herself doesn't look tired at all . Maybe all girls out there are like this .

Following Karen while feeling tiredness, she stopped in front of a general store this time .

"What is it? Did you find something good?"

"Nothing . "

Answering with an uninterested expression, Karen resumed walking . It felt somehow uncomfortable to be silently walking together, so I tried shaking a conversation .

"Come to think of it, what happened to those 3 girls of that time?"

It was about the 3 girls who were harassing her the other day . They seemed to be friendly with her at that time; I wonder if things are still the same now .

"They became annoying in another meaning now . "

According to Karen, the three girls started asking all sorts of questions about me from that day on .

My hobbies, my type of girls, what I usually do home and a lot more similar questions that Karen is forced to answer one by one . I'm kinda worried whether she told them something unnecessary

The reason behind their harassment to Karen was only out of envy since she was quite popular in her school, but once they got to know her more, they started reflecting on their conducts and came to apologize to her in the end .

Karen then accepted their apology, however, she still refused to talk about me as she doesn't like to speak about other people that much .

Though the 3 girls who couldn't admit that outcome kneeled down to her once again and begged to change her mind . In the end, it was Karen's who gave up and accepted .

When I asked about what she told them, she replied with "It's a secret" and closed the topic .

What could it be?

By the way, Karen calls those three girls by "the kneeling trio" .

"Well, it's good that you made up at least . "

"I'm not that happy about it really . "

Recalling the time she spent with them, Karen made a bitter smile .

Just what kind of questions did they ask her? I couldn't shake off that feeling of curiosity, but I decided to stop digging around for an answer .

After walking for awhile, we arrived at the place I wanted this time, the bookstore . Entering the shop with Karen, I went directly to the light novel corner .

Today is the first sale day of the series I'm reading . I need to buy it no matter what . It didn't take me long until I found the new book I was looking for .

I gladly picked it then realized that Karen was gazing at me with a bewildered expression .

"Do you like it that much?"

"Yeah, reading this book is one of my rare pleasure after all . I can lend it to you later if you want . "

"If I'm in the mood to read something . "

I'm sure she will get hooked on once she read it .

Thinking about how I should get her to read it, I walked towards the cashier to purchase the book .

It was already noon when we left the store .

I feel like we spent most of the day inside that lady store with Karen, but let's not let it get to me .

Heading to a restaurant to eat lunch, Karen stopped mid-way .

"What is it?"

"I'm going to the toilet . "

Saying that she will come back right away, Karen left with a half-run . Seems like she was enduring for a long time .

I waited for Karen to come back from the toilet, but she didn't show up no matter how much time passed .

Did something happen?

When I was about to move and look for her,

"Hey, C'mon now, it's fine, right?"

"Play us for a while . "

She was getting hit on by some flashy guys .

Karen urged them to move by stating that she was in a hurry, but the two guys forcibly drew near her even more .

At the instant I saw that scene, I quickly walked to Karen and embraced her by pulling her shoulder .

"What do you think you're doing to my sister?"

I said that while letting out a bloody vibe .

"E, aah, no..."

"S-Sorry!"

The two flashy guys were taken aback by my provoking ambiance and left the place .

After making sure they had left, I let go of Karen .

Karen seemed somehow disappointed when I let go of her shoulder, but that doesn't matter now .

"You okay, Karen?"

"Yeah, I'm okay . "

I felt relieved when hearing those words .

Glad I noticed her before things got out of hand . If something was to happen to her I'd have turned those guys into cinders .

"Um, here . "

Karen held out the bag she was carrying .

I received the bag and opened it .

It was a silver necklace of a cross with a blue jewel set in its centre . That's the necklace she saw in the that general store earlier .

"Are you giving it to me?"

"Yes, it's a thanks gift . "

A thanks gift... I guess she gave it me as a simple present despite what she's saying .

A gift from Karen... I never thought I'd see the day when Karen will give me a gift .

I felt very happy to recieve a present from Karen .

"We're the same . "

Karen took out a similar necklace from another place . The only difference between them was that Karen's cross had a red jewel instead of a blue one .

"Yep, we're matching now . "

Smiling to her as I replied, Karen slightly smiled back to me in response .

"Well then shall we go eat some lunch . "

"Right!"

Karen and I resumed walking side by side .

After lunch, we spent the rest of the day roaming around various stores .

The little jewels in ours differently colored necklaces faintly shined on our way back home .

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Bonus

The position of the protagonist and the heroine

"Don't you think that Karen-chan is getting closer to being a heroine than me?"

"Well, she's getting a good amount of screen time, after all . "

"The heroine's position will be mine . It feels like I'm participating in a competition now"

"Do you best not to lose . "

"You're speaking as if it doesn't concern you . "

"That's because it doesn't' concern me . "

"I think I will take the protagonist's position as well . "

"Let's do our best, Kamaishi-san!"