Chapter 8: After Becoming Aware, Bind The Heart

The days of Taiga's little sister Chisome were fulfilling.

Everything changed after she met Taiga, It's no exaggeration to say that the days that Chisome had always wanted were brought about by Taiga... Taiga would say that's not the case, but at least Chisome thought so.

"Nee~ Chisome, what are you going to do today?"

"Today hmm... U～n"

A lot of students gathered around Chisome, and you can see how popular she is in this class.

The girls naturally stayed close to each other, but the boys were also concerned about Chisome's answer while maintaining a certain distance.

"I'm sorry about this, but I have some errands to do at home today, so I'll have go home first."

"Ee... That's unfortunate"

"I can't help it. I can't say anything selfish you know."

I'm really sorry, Chisome apologized by putting her hands together.She who has beauty and bewitchingness that is too stimulating for them of the same age, When Chisome apologizes, they panic and tell her not to worry about it.

"Hey, if things go on like this then I won't know which is which."

"Because..."

"When Chisome apologizes… right?"

Chisome laughed giggly.

A scene that was absolutely unthinkable until a while ago is spreading there, and no one will do anything to keep Chisome away unless one is excluded from the group... That's why Chisome's heart was filled with coldness towards them.

(Convenient bunch...anything and everything of them is despicable)

She never said it, but that was Chisome's impression of them all along.

Chisen, who behaves cheerfully on the outside and doing well in both school and sports, gains the trust of not only the students but also the teachers, nonetheless It can't be helped, because of the things that have happened up until now, she can feel that the friendly feelings from them are superficial.

(It's not that I resent the way I've been treated, nor do I care. I'm not petty enough to care about such trivial things. Aiming for an ideal figure that will not be ashamed to stand side by side with my brother...I'm only interested in that.)

Chisome was only thinking about her step brother, Taiga.

Chisome deeply loves Taiga, who has been watching over and looked at Chisome in the truest sense when her heart was about to break.

(You don't seem to have any interest either.)

At Chisome's heart question, the monster inside――Kuro Chisome also nodded.

Putting Chisome on aside, Kuro Chisome sees them as... no. all living creatures on the surface are nothing more than food to fill ones bellies.

She doesn't show any interest in them because she doesn't even think of them as bait.

(So that's just how much important Nii-san's presence is to us.)

The shadow shook... Apparently Kuro Chisome also agrees.

In that way, Chisome's student life was fulfilling, but if anyone knew what was going on behind the scenes, one could understand how cold she was spending her days.

(...I want to meet my Nii-san soon)

When she get home, she can meet her favorite Taiga, and she can spoil him to her heart's content, and he will also likewise spoil her... Chisome liked that time more than anything.

Taiga felt that Chisome's recent changes were a good trend, and thats why she didn't want to make him worry if he realized that she was actually cold inside.

(But it doesn't mean that my heart is worn out. Nii-san's presence supports our hearts and everything about us.)

"H-hey, Rikudou-san."

"What?"

She started to feel that it would be a hindrance to join her brother if she were to go like this.

Kuro Chisome was already in a position to eat, and one could feel her will to kill if time was dragged on any longer.

"Last time ago, the one walking together with Rikudou-san in the city..... was your Onii-san right?"

"? I don't know when that time was, but my Nii-san is the only person I go out on the street with."

"I see... sure right."

"So what?"

"ah no, sorry. If it's Rikudou-san's lover, I'd rather choose someone cooler--"

▼▽

"... I got late aren't I."

After school, I tried to leave the school immediately, but the teacher caught and held me for a while and got me late.

I promised to go shopping with Chisome today, Still, even it was important, I couldn't just leave the teacher alone.

"I told her I'd be late, but... ah, there she is."

When I headed to the meeting place, Chisome was there fiddling with her smartphone.

A man who looked like a college student called out to Chisome, but Chisome didn't seem to care and didn't respond at all.

I rushed to Chisome to make sure nothing happened to that college student.

"Chisome!"

"Ah, Nii-san!"

When I called out to her, Chisome instantly raised her head and jumped into my chest.

At the same time, it felt like Kuro Chisome was also hugging me from behind, such a wonderful feeling healed me from the front and back.

"sorry I got late."

"Nuh-uh, it's okay."

In spite of that, her face looked very lonely when she was looking at her phone.

Without daring to point it out, I decided to go and started walking with Chisome.

"Let's fold our arms! Ehehe♪"

Chisome held my arm tightly to her chest.

In the meantime, I glanced at the university student, It's already staring at me like it's a nuisance, I didn't particularly get scared by that gaze and left the place with Chisome without giving any reaction.

"Shopping with my Nii-san, shopping with my Nii-san♪"

We're just shopping because the inside of the refrigerator is getting lonely, but to think this alone would make her so happy like this makes me as her big brother happy.

However, I felt a little sense of discomfort from Chisome.

(... Did something happen? No, this is only my intuition)

Somehow Chisome seemed unwell.

Unfortunately, I don't have the sharpness to instantly sense someone's feelings, so sometimes it might be good to follow this intuition.

"Naa~ Chisome, You fine going to karaoke for a bit?"

"Karaoke?"

"Aa. we can go shopping and gets home early, but today I'm kinda in the mood to play with Chisome outside."

"Nii-san... that's fine. Let's go!"

After that, I enjoyed karaoke with Chisome to my heart's content for about an hour.

It's only obvious I would have fun myself, but Chisome also seems to have released various things while singing, so I do think she's also having fun.

"Ah~, it was fun! So sometimes I can just sing to my heart's content! But it's also because my Nii-san is by my side."

"I see. That's good then."

These days, just seeing her smile really makes me happy.

Then, Let's go and start shopping, is what I thought, but when I was about to start walking toward the shopping district, Chisome stopped me and told me to wait.

"Nee~ Nii-san, why did you suddenly wanted to go to karaoke?"

As expected, Chisome seemed to have doubts about what I thought of on the spur of the moment.

While thinking, she's sharp unlike me, I answered honestly.

"It's just somehow, you look like you're not feeling well or something... you seemed like a little down. How's that?"

"... did I look like that?"

"With how you look like now I can tell I wasn't wrong with my feeling huh"

"Un... it's not that I didn't want to be found out, but I should have acted like usual I think."

"Fu~n?"

...At times like this, although things like, I want to be a little cooler, is not one of my good points, I couldn't let my mouth stop talking.

"Its not that I know about everything, but I do know most about Chisome. Even if it hasn't been a year since we met, we have a much stronger bond than most siblings around here is what I think!"

"...."

I got embarrassed thinking "I really did took off didn't I" With Chisome looking like (O.O) [TL note: took off, as in, let himself out. or something like being too excited to think straight and lose oneself.]

(...a, her cheeks are red)

I noticed that not only her cheeks but also her ears were red, but not pointing out such a thing is what makes one a gentleman.

After that, We continue shopping again, and halfway through, Chisome returned to normal.

Just I thought, it is fun to shop while discussing the quality of the ingredients together while looking at the price, and From beginning to end, Chisome and I were smiling.

"... I wonder if this is also a reward for being patience."

"patience?"

"Un. It's a reward for me who endured with a spirit of steel when I was about to burst out♪"

"???"

I don't really know, but if Chisome is smiling, then all is fine.

I told her don't be afraid and feel free to tell me if she ever felt down again, and Chisome nodded strongly at my words.