Once everyone was a few drinks in and the atmosphere was at its peak, it'd be totally normal for sparks to fly.
Ryou glanced again at the blonde girl beside her and sighed inwardly.
'Nijika still hasn't made a move. Clearly, she is head over heels on the inside, but can't summon the courage, always stuck on meaningless pride.'
'If this keeps up, she'll lose to Kita. After Kita, it'll be Bocchi. After Bocchi, it'll be Seika. After that, there'll be no one left to lose to.'
'Forget it.'
'Since useless Nijika always drags the team down'
'Then, shouldn't I just carry the team?'
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Chapter 145: Mortis
Kaito's goal was simply to see how Nijika and the others were doing with their preparations.
If there were any other issues, like not enough rehearsal time, or someone being unable to get into the right state Kaito could lend a hand and use some special methods.
A long time ago, when he helped Bocchi with tutoring, he had once cast a "sharp mind" buff on the little social-phobic girl. Not only did it help with studying, it also doubled her effectiveness during performance rehearsals.
But seeing Nijika looking so full of confidence, it seemed she didn't need any external help, so Kaito didn't say more.
He chatted with the girls for a while longer, and soon after, Ijichi Seika came back, carrying a box of apple juice in her arms.
Upon seeing Kaito, the shop manager, who had been described by her little sister as "tsuntsuntsuntsun-tsundere", let a flash of happiness flicker through her wine-red eyes, but she still pretended to be indifferent and greeted him coldly, "You're here?"
Kaito didn't respond right away. He first looked down at his phone.
Just now, the contact ID noted as "Little Mutsumi" had sent him a message.
[Onii-chan, will you be home tonight?]
He suddenly had the sense of a left-behind child.
Because of the situation with Soyo, he had stayed out for two nights in a row, leaving Little Mutsumi home alone. It really wasn't ideal.
And thinking about how the green-haired girl always stayed quietly in the corner, never fighting or competing for attention, Kaito no longer hesitated.
[I'll be home soon. Do you want me to bring a mango juice on the way?]
The girl on the other end seemed to have been waiting for his reply, and immediately sent a message back.
[Thank you, Onii-chan.]
If you were to divide a little sister into three stages, from "I love my Onii-chan the most," to "Hey, why don't you have a girlfriend yet?" and finally to "Get lost."
Kaito thought about it and figured Little Mutsumi was somewhere between stage one and two.
After all, they hadn't been siblings for long. It still required some time to develop feelings. Saying she liked him most would be too much.
But even so, even Little Mutsumi was still so obedient and considerate it made one's heart ache.
Though this conversation seemed long, it had only taken a few seconds. After replying, Kaito put away his phone and looked up at the shop manager Seika in front of him.
"I'm here, but I'm leaving now."
Ijichi Seika: (,,#Д)!!!
'Wh-what the heck?'
'I just got here and he's already leaving?'
'Could it be because my attitude just now was too cold and hurt his feelings?'
The tsundere shop manager struggled and finally squeezed out a sentence, "Actually it's okay if you stay a bit longer"
"No, I've still got something to take care of," Kaito lightly shook his head, and glanced at the clock on the wall, "It's also almost business hours now. I won't stay to get in the way. See you next time."
'So it really was because my attitude was too cold?'
'That's why he has the illusion that staying would be getting in the way.'
In her mind, Ijichi Seika's little inner self was already hanging herself. She wished she could travel back in time and strangle the version of herself from a few seconds ago.
"You're leaving already?", Nijika had no idea that her sister had misunderstood to such an extent. She was a little reluctant, originally wanting to ask him to stay.
But seeing that Kaito looked like he was in a hurry to return, she couldn't help but ask, "Is it something very important?"
'Buying mango juice for my little sister'
Kaito thought about it, then nodded, "It really is important."
The TV in the living room was on, broadcasting the latest variety show. The guest was a trending young comedian, humorous, witty, casually tossing out jokes that made the audience laugh non-stop.
But none of this could draw a smile from the green-haired girl curled up on the sofa, hugging her knees.
Wakaba Mutsumi was still lost in thought.
What Soyo said this morning kept replaying in her mind.
("Little Mutsumi, you probably don't understand, huh?")
It was clearly said in a very gentle tone, yet somehow carried an inexplicable sense of superiority.
Also, a kind of mercy, like a victor showing pity to the defeated.
'So, in Soyo's eyes, I have already fallen behind in some way?'
Though usually quiet and reserved, Little Mutsumi was not stupid.
On the contrary, she was actually a very clever girl, always able to keenly sense details others overlooked.
'The changes in Soyo are clearly due to recent events.'
'And thinking of how Onii-chan came to find me Saturday night, then didn't come home for two whole nights'
Wakaba Mutsumi hugged her knees in silence for a long time.
Was it envy? Or jealousy?
Actually, it was neither.
For the girl, what she felt most now should be disappointment.
'Onii-chan, in the end, is not mine alone.'
'One day, he will hold another woman's hand, walk with her into the hall of marriage, and under the witness of the gods, form an eternal bond.'
'That person might be Soyo, might be Sakiko, or maybe someone else entirely.'
'But it definitely won't be me.'
'Because, in Onii-chan's eyes, I am a younger sister, and only a younger sister.'
This identity gave her the privilege to justifiably be close to him, but also locked the ceiling of their relationship.
'Humans really are greedy creatures.'
Wakaba Mutsumi used to be the type who was easily content.
As long as she could have a small place beside Kaito, even if it was only a square inch, that would've been enough for her.
As for a closer relationship Little Mutsumi didn't even dare to imagine it.
But after really becoming Kaito's little sister, and securing that place by his side, her old thoughts quietly began to change.
'As expected I still want more.'
Girls who grow up lacking love often have this kind of mindset.
In that regard, she was actually very similar to Soyo.
Because they lacked love, once they finally managed to grasp a bit, even if it was just simple care, they would never want to let go, just like a drowning person struggling to survive.
In a daze, it felt like a seductive voice was whispering in her mind.
["In the end, siblings without blood relation don't really count as a taboo, do they?"]
["This level of closeness doesn't even require you to go somewhere where no one knows you to live it out."]
["Little Mutsumi, you could totally be a bit bolder, y'know? Maybe even your Onii-chan is hoping you'll do just that?"]<
Wakaba Mutsumi raised her head and stared blankly at the figure in front of her, one that looked exactly like herself.
"You who are you?"
["Me?"]
The "Wakaba Mutsumi" in front of her raised a slender index finger, gently touched her lips, and revealed an extremely bright, cheerful smile.
["I'm you! 'Waka' as in Wakaba, 'Ba' as in Wakaba, 'Mutsumi' as in Little Mutsumi. See? Even our names are the same!"]
["Of course, if you really want to use another name to tell us apart"]
["Then, just call me Mortis."]
[T/N: 'Mortis' means Death in Latin and it is an alter ego of Mutsumi. It is canon, not inserted.]
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Chapter 146: Wakaba Mutsumi: Sakiko, Im doing something greedy
Mortis, that is, death.
["Because I heard the prayer from inside your heart, Little Mutsumi, so I specially came to help you~"]
This green-haired girl who suddenly appeared, clearly had a face similar to Wakaba Mutsumi, but her personality was like the two ends of a magnet.
Little Mutsumi was silent and not talkative, rarely opened her mouth, and in the process of interacting with people, she mostly played the role of a "listener."
Mortis, however, was unreasonably cheerful and sunny, at this moment slightly raising the corners of her lips, watching the other self with a smile, her tone as light as a little deer.
["Whether it is wanting to have a closer relationship with Onii-chan, or to drive away those other sneaky cats and monopolize everything of Onii-chan..."]
["As long as Little Mutsumi, you speak, I will always stand on your side."]
As the second personality of Wakaba Mutsumi, Mortis naturally inherited all the likes and dislikes of this body.
Among these, naturally also includes her feelings towards "Onii-chan".
Unlike the quiet and introverted Little Mutsumi, she was very good at imitating, as if born to be a stage actor, her style of behavior was also more bold and outgoing.
In other words... the words Little Mutsumi could not say, the actions she could not do, Mortis could easily accomplish.
This time, Wakaba Mutsumi stayed silent for a long time.
Because of Soyo's words, her mentality... indeed had undergone a certain change.
The former Little Mutsumi, was unwilling to betray her childhood friend Sakiko, even more unwilling to fight her over anything.
But... this quiet situation was broken by Soyo.
Since someone had already taken the initiative, then... even if she made the first move now, it shouldn't count as betraying Sakiko, right?
Even though this reasoning was very clumsy, and fundamentally untenable.
But many times, people only needed a reason to convince themselves.
Of course, Little Mutsumi after all was still a good child, with a too soft heart, so she still couldn't make up her mind.
On one hand, was guilt from not wanting to betray a friend.
On one hand, was the desire coming from the depths of her soul.
It was exactly because she sensed the girl's inner struggle and hesitation, that Mortis came into being.
She was Little Mutsumi's personality, so naturally, only cared about Little Mutsumi's happiness.
"...Onii-chan, is a very important to me."
Facing the other self, Wakaba Mutsumi's slender white right hand slightly clenched into a fist, held against her chest, because of the excessive force, faint blue veins could be seen under the skin.
After a long while, she said in a low voice, "But, I also don't want to hurt Sakiko."
["A child who cares too much about others' feelings, can easily suffer losses, you know?"]
Mortis held her face in her hands, seriously said, ["Little Mutsumi, you should think a bit for yourself too, right?"]
"Right now... I'm already very satisfied."
["You're lying."]
Mortis unceremoniously poked her cheek, using her finger to press out a small dimple, ["Little Mutsumi, we are one, okay? So, you'll never be able to lie to me."]
Seeing the girl remain silent, she wasn't annoyed either, just as she was about to speak again, her elf-like pointed ears suddenly moved, hearing sounds from the entrance.
["Ah... how unlucky."]
Big Mortis-sensei sighed regretfully, ["Looks like Onii-chan is back... But, Little Mutsumi, one day, you will truly figure it out."]
["And by then..."]
She dragged out her tone, put both hands behind her back, playfully blinked her eye, ["Just boldly call out to me!"]
When Kaito was close to home, the sky suddenly started raining.
At first it was just a light rain, but gradually showed signs of becoming heavier.
Luckily he had spiritual power as protection, so no need to worry about getting soaked like a drowned chicken.
After changing shoes at the entrance, Kaito carried the mango juice he bought on the way and walked into the living room.
The first thing he saw, was a light green long-haired girl, still not having changed out of the Tsukinomori uniform, hugging her knees sitting on the sofa, her golden eyes looking toward the TV screen with a bit of loneliness.
Looked more like a left-behind child lacking love.
An inexplicable sense of guilt arose in his heart, though he had been feeding Soyo well these past two days, he had forgotten to water his own little cucumber.
Kaito lightly coughed, passed over the mango juice in his hand, "Sorry, because I had some things to deal with, I didn't return home right away, made you worry."
"Onii-chan?", Wakaba Mutsumi turned her head, blankly looked at him.
Seeing the girl looking like she hadn't come back to her senses, Kaito casually rubbed her little head, "Why do you look so gloomy, something on your mind?"
"Nothing," Little Mutsumi lightly shook her head, showing a faint smile, "Onii-chan, welcome back."
The rain got heavier and heavier.
After dinner, Kaito casually cast a cleaning spell, washed the used dishes clean, and then looked at the continuous curtain of rain outside the window.
This scene felt a bit familiar, once on a similar rainy day, he walked out of the house and picked up the disheartened secretary Sakiko on the overpass.
The only difference was, the rain tonight was heavier, with huge thunderclaps, giving off a doomsday-like gloomy atmosphere.
Kaito didn't care much, thunder and rain were normal things. After reminding Little Mutsumi to rest early, he went alone to his room.
Before sleeping, he glanced at his phone, many messages in the notification bar, all from Soyo.
A girl who had tasted the marrow always acted like this, even if separated for just a few hours, she still felt like every second passed like a year.
Kaito replied one by one, and the two chatted back and forth casually.
Mostly it was Soyo talking, all sorts of topics with no substance, from favorite aroma candles to school gossip, hitting here and there with no clear focus.
But this was just a disguise.
After a simple chat, the girl soon vaguely expressed her true desire.
They scheduled the next make-up lesson time.
