"Onii-chan… did I hear you wrong?" Yoshinon stared blankly at Shichen, as if she couldn't believe her ears.
(Not that a puppet has an expression you can read.)
Yoshino also gazed at Shichen, her large eyes seeming to sparkle.
"If I'd come to hurt you, why would I have helped you just now?" Shichen asked with a smile.
"When you put it that way… that's true." Yoshinon nodded, then added, "Unless your plan is to give us hope first, and then plunge us into despair?"
"You're making me sound way too evil! Try not to think so darkly."
"But we don't even know you—why protect us?"
"Who says we don't know each other? The identical aura in our bodies says plenty, doesn't it?"
"And what does that prove?"
"That we're the same kind."
"The same kind… Onii-chan, you're the same sort of being as we are?"
"More or less."
"I see. So we have kin after all… Yoshino, that's great—we aren't alone."
"Mm…" Yoshino nodded, smiling.
For the first time Shichen heard her voice for real—soft and sweet, like a puff of cotton candy. Hearing it in person was different; before only his ears caught it, now even his soul did.
"Can you trust me now?" Shichen asked.
"Mm… still not yet," Yoshinon replied.
"…Why?" Shichen twitched.
"Not enough reason, Onii-chan."
"We're already the same kind—still not enough?"
"Humans like to kill their own kind, don't they?"
"Touché. Hard to argue with that."
"Hmph~ So you need one decisive reason to convince us. Then I'll trust you completely."
"A decisive reason…"
"Don't blame us for being picky—we just want someone we can really rely on."
"I understand…"
Shichen nodded, eyeing the girl and the puppet while he pondered what decisive proof he could give.
Winning trust is both simple and hard; it all depends on the other person. If she wants to trust you, she will, no matter what you do. If she doesn't, nothing will work.
He sensed that Yoshinon actually trusted him already; she probably just wanted to tease—or test—him.
A decisive reason…
Shichen looked at Yoshino: her exquisitely delicate face, flawless skin, and the hopeful light in her eyes…
"Fine, I know what reason to give."
"Oh~ Let's hear it, Onii-chan."
"Actually…" Shichen straightened his face and declared, "I'm a lolicon!"
Yoshinon froze.
Yoshino stared, bewildered.
"How's that for a reason?" Shichen asked solemnly.
"Onii-chan, you—pff—hahaha!"
Yoshinon suddenly burst into laughter, her small body rocking as though it might fall from Yoshino's hand.
Yoshino looked on, utterly lost.
"Onii-chan, you're too funny!"
"Right? Lots of people say so."
"Haha! All right, all right—we believe you." Yoshinon doubled over, laughing so hard she couldn't straighten up.
"Whew—had to pull out the big guns," Shichen exhaled.
"Um… what does 'lolicon' mean?" Yoshino asked in her soft little voice.
"Yoshino, your voice is lovely," Shichen said.
"Mm…" Yoshino shrank shyly.
"Hahaha! Yoshino, 'lolicon' means Onii-chan just confessed his love to you."
"Eh?"
Yoshino blinked at Shichen; when the words sank in, her fair cheeks turned visibly pink.
She glanced at Yoshinon, then at Shichen, and finally ducked her head.
"Yoshinon, stop making things up."
"Oh my~ Am I? Isn't Onii-chan saying he likes Yoshino? And isn't Yoshino a loli?"
"True… fine: I do like Yoshino. Love at first sight!" Shichen admitted cheerfully.
"Mm…" Yoshino trembled in his arms.
"Hah, she's just never dealt with this before—doesn't know how to react."
"I almost thought I'd be rejected," Shichen joked.
"Bwahaha!"
"All right—since you're willing to trust me, will you come with me?"
"Oh? Onii-chan can't wait to take Yoshino home and do 'this and that'? Tsk tsk, you only just met—such impatience!"
"Your mind is way too dirty, Yoshinon… I just want to take you home."
"Home…?" Yoshinon blinked.
Yoshino raised her still‑flushed face toward him.
"You two have nowhere to go, right? Then come to my place."
Shichen smiled gently. "Didn't I say I came to protect you? With me around, no one will hurt you again."
"O‑Onii-chan…"
This time the "Onii-chan" came from Yoshino, not Yoshinon.
She looked at Shichen as though afraid she'd misheard.
"What is it?" he asked softly.
"Can… can we really go to your house?" Yoshino asked timidly.
At that moment Yoshinon went utterly silent; the puppet drooped as if asleep.
"Of course—and from now on, my house will be your home too."
"R‑really?" She could scarcely believe it.
"I know it's hard to trust right away, but will you give me a chance? Time will prove it to you."
"I… I want to trust Onii-chan!"
"Then… come home with me?"
"I—"
"Oh my~ Onii-chan is so eager!" Yoshinon chimed in.
"Yes—because you're both adorable."
"Mm…" Yoshino bowed her head, blushing.
"Enough—I don't need your permission anymore. You're in my arms already; you can't run."
Shichen turned and started walking.
"Ah—Yoshino likes that too," Yoshinon teased.
"Is that so? Then I know how to treat you," Shichen smiled.
"N‑no, don't listen to Yoshinon's nonsense…" Yoshino mumbled.
"Hahaha!"
"Okay, I'll stop teasing. And I'll show you what I can do—otherwise you won't believe I can protect you."
"Onii-chan, what are you going to—"
Before Yoshinon could finish, she and Shichen vanished.
They reappeared beside a bakery. Pedestrians walked past, none of them noticing.
At the sight of strangers, Yoshino shrank against Shichen in fright, while Yoshinon looked around in curiosity.
"Onii-chan, you're amazing!"
"Otherwise, how could I protect you?" Shichen patted Yoshino's back to calm her.
"But why come here? Your house isn't a bakery, is it?"
"Of course not. I'm just buying bread—can't go home this late empty‑handed."
"Hm?"
"Oh, right—forgot to mention." As he walked toward the shop, Shichen added, "There are two other people at my place. They're the same kind as us, so don't be scared when you meet them, okay, Yoshino?"
"I… I'll do my best!" Yoshino lifted her head and said earnestly.
"Good girl."
"They?" Yoshinon picked up on the key word.
"Mm. Two girls."
"Oh my~ Onii-chan, don't tell me you're a playboy too?"
"Ah—you caught me. What now?" Shichen didn't deny it.
"Onii-chan doesn't even deny it… Looks like we're the latecomers, Yoshino—what do we do?"
"Um… I‑I don't know." Yoshino shook her head helplessly.
"Relax. I'll treat you all fairly—no one will feel neglected. And they're good girls; they won't bully you. I'm sure you'll get along."
"If Onii-chan says so… Yoshino, what do you think?"
"T‑then…"
"Oh my~ Yoshino doesn't seem to mind you being a playboy, Onii-chan."
"Really? Yoshino, you're so thoughtful." Shichen praised her.
"Mm…"
"But," Yoshinon moved close, giving a mock‑serious warning, "Onii-chan mustn't ignore us!"
"Never. From now on, we're family—how could I ignore you? And if anything upsets you, promise you'll tell me, not bottle it up."
"Of course!"
~~~
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— Currently You can Read 150+ Chapters Ahead of Others!