Chapter 117. Kiana: Can Rubbing Really Make Them Bigger?
"Woohoo, charge—!! Ya!!!"
Kiana, holding a mop, barreled down the hallway and promptly crashed into Xander just as he opened the door.
After a year away, a thin layer of dust had naturally settled over this little home.
Originally, Xander planned to contact a housekeeping service, but Seele and the other girls stopped him, saying that cleaning it themselves was what made it feel like home.
No helping it, then.
Everyone would clean together.
"Hiss… you—don't you watch where you're going?"
Rubbing the jaw that now throbbed from the collision, Xander frowned and stood up from the floor.
Kiana wasn't much better.
She clutched her head, looking like she was about to cry from the pain.
"It's all your fault for suddenly showing up!! Mei, look at him!"
Eyes reddening, Kiana sat on the floor, snapped at him, then turned to complain to Mei not far away.
"Hey, hey, hey, let's not be the guilty party accusing others first, okay?
You're the one who rammed into me!"
"Mei, my head really hurts!!"
Puffing her cheeks, Kiana's eyes instantly welled up.
Hearing that, Mei walked over, gently bent down, and patted Kiana's head.
"Is it here?"
"Mm!"
Sniffling, Kiana seemed to have found her anchor and immediately looked even more aggrieved.
Exchanging a glance with Mei and noting the helplessness in her eyes, Xander could only spread his hands.
Forget it.
What's the point of quibbling with an idiot.
Leaving Mei to comfort Kiana, Xander took a rag, went downstairs, and started wiping the tables.
After a short while, he felt a light tug on the hem of his clothes.
He looked back to find Kiana, a little awkward, turning her head aside and tapping her toes on the floor, speaking in a small voice.
"Um… about just now, I'm sorry…"
"Yo, you came to apologize~"
Amused by the embarrassed Kiana, Xander set the rag aside, straightened up, and smiled.
"Yeah—what, I can't?!"
At his teasing, Kiana's face flushed even redder.
Her scrunched nose and bared teeth made her look like an angry little kitten.
It was, admittedly, rather cute.
Xander reflexively raised his hand and patted those soft white locks, and his tone softened.
"Alright, alright, I forgive you.
But what about you—does your head still hurt?"
Kiana, startled by the sudden head pat, froze for a second.
She glanced up at that hand, then lowered her gaze to him, eyes a little inexplicable.
"N-No, it doesn't."
"Good.
If it doesn't, then hurry up and finish cleaning.
If we take any longer, we'll miss lunch."
"Oh…"
Watching Xander withdraw his hand and turn away, Kiana went back up to the second floor.
She stopped at an empty corner, then slowly placed her own hand on her head and gave it a light rub, only to frown a moment later.
Why?
Why did Xander's hand on her head just now feel… weird?
She couldn't figure it out.
Forget it.
If she couldn't figure it out, then she simply wouldn't think about it.
Picking up the mop, Kiana's cheerful voice soon echoed through the second floor again.
After a morning of effort, the dust-laden rooms were finally refreshed and spotless.
Because the girls were the majority, Xander showered first.
Relaxing on the sofa with freshly pressed juice in hand, he began to hear playful splashing and chatter from the bathroom not far away.
The bathroom, which was usually spacious enough, had become a bit cramped with six people using it at once.
Especially with four people squeezed into the big tub at the same time—Kiana only had to lower her head to see the pair of enormous things on Bronya's chest, pressed shoulder-to-shoulder—prompting a sigh.
"In just a bit over two years, you've really… wow."
Two years ago, Bronya still looked petite: not very tall, and there wasn't much in the chest department at all.
How could it be so ridiculous now?
Hearing that, Sirin, who was sitting in the corner of the tub, quietly shrank, hugging her legs to hide herself.
Head lowered, the water rose past half her face.
She suddenly felt that bathing together with these people was a very unwise decision.
Even the youngest aside from her—Kaguya—was at least a B, and that naturally artistic shape drew admiring envy from the others.
As for her?
If she pushed them together, she could count as having something, right?
If she tried really hard, maybe she could just barely graze the edge of a B?
Tch.
They were all sisters—Big Sis Bianka being that big was one thing—but how could Kiana, her own twin, be that much bigger than her?
This makes no sense!
It must be because of that childhood accident.
Yes!!
While Sirin was muttering away in her heart, Bronya proudly straightened her back.
"It's nothing.
I think it's just so-so."
"Must be nice."
"Hey, what are you doing?"
Bronya slapped away Kiana's approaching evil claws.
Dropping the smug act, she crossed her arms protectively and backed away warily.
"I'm just a little curious.
Even Mei isn't this big."
"Kiana!!"
Rinsing off under the shower, Mei shot her a glare, cheeks crimson.
"We're all girls here.
What's there to be shy about?"
"No, other girls are fine, but it's better to stay on guard when it's you, Kiana!"
Bronya quipped.
At that, Kiana grew anxious.
"Nonsense!
How can you slander someone out of thin air?
I do like pretty girls, but I never said I don't like guys too.
Besides, knowing your relationship with Xander, am I, Kiana, the type who's into cuckoldry?!"
Kiana paused mid-sentence.
She looked left and right, then leaned forward, cheeks red, and whispered, "By the way, Bronya, for you to grow that fast… d-does Xander have anything to do with it?"
"?"
All the other girls froze.
Mei stiffened with her back turned to them, ears burning red and perking up.
Sirin quietly raised her head, eyes wide.
Seele and Kaguya lowered their heads and kept silent.
Only Bronya met Kiana's curious gaze head-on.
"…I-I don't know either."
Her eyes kept darting away, but Bronya forced herself to answer.
"But I saw online that… that doing that can promote growth.
Is that… fake?"
"I— I don't know.
Ask Seele!"
With that, Bronya turned and pushed Seele forward.
"Eh?!"
Seele froze.
She tried to retreat, but Bronya blocked her from behind, leaving her to face Kiana's probing stare head-on.
"...U-Um, it… it should be effective…"
Her face flushed scarlet.
After hemming and hawing for a long moment, Seele finally whispered.
No sooner had she said it than she hopped out of the tub and hid behind Mei and Kaguya.
"R-Really?"
Kiana's Adam's apple bobbed.
Her face reddened further as she looked at the now-unshielded Bronya.
"T-Then how does Xander usually…"
"You are not asking any more!!"
Bronya cut her off at once.
"Eh? But I'm really curious…"
"So you're curious, huh."
Suddenly, a ruthless glint flashed in Bronya's eyes. She leaned close to Kiana and swiftly reached out both hands. "Since you're so curious, why not experience it yourself!"
"Huh?! Bronya, don't come closer! Sirin, Sirin, save me!!!"
"You, you, don't come near me! Aah!!!"
"Mei, save me!!!"
"Dumb Kiana, you're pushing the wrong person! Bronya's over there!!"
"Kaguya, Seele, come help me hold her down! This dumb paramecium is so curious—let's satisfy her curiosity today!!"
"Huh? Th-this, sorry, Kiana!"
"This one must also apologize."
"Mei, save, save me... mmmph..."
"Don't grab me while you're catching Kiana! I'm innocent!!"
"..."
In the living room, Xander felt nothing at all.
He even continued sipping his juice at a leisurely pace.
It was just a bath.
He'd already bathed who-knows-how-many times together with Seele, Bronya, and Kaguya.
He was long past the stage where mere sounds would send his imagination running wild.
Of course, it would be another story if Elysia were in there.
Very soon, a succession of thuds and yelps rang out.
He paused for a moment, then went right back to drinking his juice.
If this were an anime, the male lead would probably rush over out of concern, fling open the bathroom door, lock eyes with the nude heroines for a round of fanservice, and then get pelted by an avalanche of bottles and jars, right?
He mused, unhurried.
…
Before long, the bathroom door opened, and the girls—now in loose homewear—came out laughing and chatting.
"Hiss— it hurts…"
Sitting on the sofa, Xander sprayed medicine on Bronya's arm, which had a bluish bruise from a fall.
"How did you get so careless?"
Seeing her grimace over and over, Kiana muttered under her breath from not far away, "Serves you right."
Bronya said nothing.
She only looked straight at him with a somewhat aggrieved gaze.
After sharing a bed for over a year, she had long since picked up quite a few of Seele's tricks at acting spoiled.
This one worked instantly.
Xander's expression softened at once, and he gently pulled her into his arms.
"Be more careful from now on.
Getting hurt is no good."
"Mm."
Watching Bronya lie contentedly in her lover's embrace, Kiana blanked for a moment, then hurriedly glanced around.
Mei, Seele, and Kaguya were all in the kitchen at the moment.
Only Sirin, whose face didn't look great either, sat beside her.
Thinking it over, Kiana tugged on Sirin's sleeve.
When Sirin looked over, Kiana immediately put on a pitiful expression.
Unfortunately, the expected comfort did not arrive.
Instead, Sirin frowned and asked, "What illness?"
"…"
Right.
You really can't count on your own twin sister.
Shooting Sirin a disdainful look, Kiana flopped onto the sofa with an angry huff while Sirin stared, baffled.
After a while, Kiana suddenly felt a shadow fall over her.
When she opened her eyes, she saw Xander half-crouched in front of her.
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
Hearing that gentle voice in her ear, Kiana blinked, then quickly glanced toward Bronya.
Noticing Bronya looking at her too—smiling, even—Kiana immediately took the hint, thrust out her arm without a shred of politeness, and rolled up her sleeve to show the purplish bruise.
"See?
Your girlfriend did this!"
Xander examined it carefully, then exhaled in relief.
"Don't worry, it's just superficial.
A little spray and it'll be fine."
With that, he picked up the same bottle he'd used on Bronya and sprayed Kiana's injury.
The icy-cool sensation made Kiana shiver all over.
She tried to yank her hand back, but Xander—swift as ever—caught and held it, frowning.
"I'm not done yet.
Don't be impatient."
"O-Okay…"
His warm palm and sudden firm tone made Kiana obey without knowing why.
She sat there obediently and let him tend to her.
Watching those hands clasped together, Sirin fell silent.
Then she started looking for injuries on herself.
Unfortunately, by the time Xander finished treating Kiana, she hadn't found any.
After a sumptuous lunch, everyone stayed to hang out through the afternoon.
Only after agreeing on a time for their next outing did Kiana and the others reluctantly head out.
It had been a whole year since they last met, after all.
They hadn't had nearly enough fun.
After tidying up, Seele had planned to cuddle with Brother for a bit of rest.
But she saw him, seated on the sofa, suddenly stand up.
He checked the time, then hurried back to his room.
"Brother?"
Curious, she followed and stood in the doorway as he rummaged through the boxes she had brought back.
Soon, he pulled out a thick document envelope and slipped it into the bag he used when going out.
"What's that?"
Already aware that Seele was behind him, Xander wasn't surprised.
Smiling, he said, "Heh-heh, this is my secret trump card for beating Bronya and Kaguya.
Seele's curious?"
At that, Seele nodded in expectation right away.
"Mm-hm.
Can Seele take a look?"
"Nope."
"Eh?"
Seele's expression froze.
Xander turned around and, smiling, pecked her slightly parted lips before boasting, "Did you really think I didn't know you little spy were already bought off by Bronya and Kaguya?
I've been guarding against you from the start!"
Now Seele was truly stunned.
She blurted, "How did Brother know?
We were obviously whispering in secret!"
Hearing that, Xander also blanked for a second—then couldn't help laughing.
He walked over with a mock "ferocious" look and vigorously ruffled Seele's little head.
"I just tried to bait you, and you really defected!!"
Seele's face was a picture of confusion.
She puffed her cheeks in anger at once.
"Brother is a liar!"
"I never stated it as a fact, so it doesn't count as lying."
Driven to exasperation by her shameless Brother, Seele rushed up to pepper him with kisses for quite a while before reluctantly letting him go.
"I won't be back for dinner tonight~"
After calling out to Bronya and Kaguya downstairs, Xander slung on his bag and headed out the door.
Catching a cab, he soon arrived at a busy commercial district.
Spotting Sugisaki Ken standing at the restaurant entrance, he smiled and walked over.
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