Kaito immediately put his meal down, the familiar voice sending a jolt of recognition and dread through him. He slowly turned, already suspecting who he would find. Sure enough, there she was: Sayo Tanaka, his little sister. She was supposed to be living on the other side of Tokyo. What in the world was she doing here, in this part of the city, at a WcDonald's?
"Kaito! It's really you!" Sayo exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise and genuine delight. She hurried towards their booth. "What are you doing here? I thought you were still abroad!"
Kaito swallowed, a bead of sweat tracing a cold path down the back of his neck. He forced a smile, trying to calm the sudden tremor in his voice. "Hey there, Sayo. Yeah, I just got back from summer break. I didn't expect to see you here either, that's for sure." He silently thanked his luck that the UK's summer break schedule generally aligned with his hastily constructed lie.
Sayo's smile didn't quite reach her eyes. She eyed him with a hint of suspicion. "Really? Why didn't you let us know you were back? Mom and Dad would have loved to pick you up." Her gaze then shifted to Tamamo, who sat silently beside him. "And... who is this?"
"So you are related to this human," she began. "I'm Tamamo no—"
Kaito quickly clapped his hand over Tamamo's mouth, cutting her off midsentence. He let out a nervous, strained laugh. "Ah, this is Tamamo! She's... a little sister of a friend... of a friend I'm staying with?"
Sayo's eyebrow arched. "Why did you phrase that like a question, big brother?"
"No reason at all!" Kaito blurted, trying to deflect. "Say, what are you doing all the way out here, in this part of Tokyo?"
"Oh, I was attending an offline meeting with some friends from New World Online," Sayo explained, completely unaware of the shift in topic.
Tamamo, who had now successfully pushed Kaito's hand away from her mouth, watched on with growing amusement.
"So," Sayo continued, turning back to Kaito, "who is this friend you're staying with? Can I meet them?"
Before Kaito could even begin to concoct another desperate excuse, Tamamo, with a wide, innocent-looking smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, spoke up. "Of course you can meet them. I'm sure they would love to meet Kaito's little sister." Kaito could almost hear the triumphant, fox-like snickering reverberating from her.
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The quiet click of a lock and the soft creak of the front door opening echoed through the spacious mansion. Kaito, still dreading the upcoming explanations, pushed it open, guiding Sayo and Tamamo inside.
Just as they stepped into the entryway, a sound of bare feet padded across the polished wooden floor. Maria emerged from the hallway leading to the bathroom, a plume of steam still clinging to her, fresh from a shower. A single, strategically wrapped towel barely concealed her curves, highlighting the graceful lines of her body. Her wet, long blond hair, slicked back from her face and glistening with moisture, cascaded down her shoulders.
"Kaito, you're back so soon?" Maria asked.
Standing frozen in the doorway was Sayo, her jaw slack, eyes wide with utter shock and disbelief, completely paralyzed by the sight. Beside her, Kaito wore an equally dismayed expression, a desperate flush creeping up his neck. And then there was Tamamo, standing a little to the side, a knowing, utterly delighted smile gracing her lips, her eyes twinkling with pure mischief.
"Maria," Kaito managed, his voice strained, "where are your clothes?"
A faint blush colored her cheeks. "I could've sworn I grabbed them… must've forgotten when I hopped in the shower." She adjusted the towel with a practiced ease, not flustered, but rather a touch sheepish.
Kaito slowly turned his head to glare at Tamamo, who had conveniently looked away, now feigning intense interest in a potted plant by the door. He had a very strong suspicion that this "forgetfulness" was entirely her doing.
"I'll just be a moment," Maria said, before quickly darting up the stairs, leaving a faint trail of steam in her wake.
Before the awkward silence could fully settle, a side door creaked open. Yumi, still in her pajamas, shuffled into the living area. Her eyes were glazed over with exhaustion, clearly not seeing them, heading directly for the coffee machine. She grabbed a fresh refill, not once glancing at the stunned trio in the entryway, likely deep in the throes of another all-nighter for her research. Without a word, she turned and retreated back through the same side door.
Sayo, finally finding her breath, let out a slow, shuddering exhale. She muttered under her breath, a barely audible whisper, "Two girls... my brother is living with two beautiful girls..."
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The living room was now a much calmer scene. Maria, now properly dressed sat on the plush sofa with a polite smile. Kaito sat beside her, feeling a knot of anxiety loosen slightly now that he had, with some effort, managed to lock Tamamo in his room, distracting her with the shiny new game console and a stack of titles he'd picked up.
"Hello," Maria began. "I'm Maria Teresa, Kaito's friend and classmate. You must be his little sister, Sayo. It's truly a pleasure to finally meet you." Her eyes flickered to Kaito for a brief moment, a silent acknowledgment that she was playing along, having clearly read his frantic messages.
Sayo, still looking a little overwhelmed but trying to compose herself, nodded. "It's glad to meet you too, Maria. You're very beautiful." She paused, then her gaze sharpened, a familiar glint of sisterly suspicion entering her eyes. "Say, who's the other girl living here? The one who just... walked out of that room over there?" She gestured vaguely towards where Yumi had appeared.
Kaito felt a fresh wave of panic. He cleared his throat, trying to sound casual. "Ah, that's Yumi," he stammered, thinking fast and latching onto the most visible connection. "She's... the owner of this place, actually." He added quickly, hoping to explain his presence. "And she's... Tamamo's big sister?" He finished, hoping the similar dark hair might sell the flimsy connection.
Sayo's brow furrowed, a classic Tanaka family skeptical look. "Kaito, why do you keep phrasing everything like a question? Are you sure you're okay? You're acting really weird." Her arms crossed over her chest. "And 'Tamamo's big sister' doesn't exactly clarify your living arrangements, does it? What's your relationship with Yumi, then?"
"Yumi's a friend I met during... a job?" Kaito tried again.
Sayo sighed, a surprisingly mature sound for a younger sister. "Kaito, you're not making any sense. Fine. Don't tell me about Yumi for now, if it's such a big secret. What about you, Maria? How did you two meet?"
Maria smiled warmly at Sayo, a confident expression that contrasted sharply with Kaito's nervous fidgeting. "Kaito and I met in London, yes. It was quite an unforgettable experience. We became good friends after he heroically rescued me from some rather unpleasant thugs. It was quite dramatic, actually. He was incredibly brave."
"What? That doesn't sound like my brother at all. Kaito's usually such a scaredy-cat, he'd probably trip and run away from a strong breeze." She pointed at him. "Are you sure you're talking about Kaito, Maria?"
Maria's smile didn't waver. "Sayo, your brother is the definition of heroism. He faced down real danger without a moment's hesitation to protect me. He's incredibly brave, resourceful, and truly selfless."
Sayo was clearly taken aback by Maria's strong and earnest response, looked at Kaito with an almost bewildered appreciation dawning in her eyes. "Well, I'll be. It seems studying abroad really has changed you for the better, Kaito. Mom and Dad will be so surprised!"
"So," Sayo continued, shifting gears, her gaze softening. "When are you going to go home to see Mom and Dad? They're really going to want to know you're back in Japan. They've been missing you like crazy."
"Soon, Sayo. Really soon," Kaito replied evasively.
"Hmm." Sayo's eyes then landed on a new VR device sitting innocently on a side table. Her eyes lit up. "In the meantime, let's connect in New World Online! What's your username? We can play together! I promise I'll bother you incessantly until you finally come visit Mom and Dad."
Kaito's mind raced. His own account was ridiculously overpowered, and playing with a newbie sister would be... complicated, to say the least. But then a thought clicked: Yumi. She could probably limit his power to a newbie level again through some skill or system tweak.
"It's just Kaito," he said, accepting his fate with a sigh.
Maria smiled. "Mine is Maria."
Sayo's eyes widened, genuinely impressed. "Whoa! You two were able to get unique usernames? That's amazing! You guys must have started playing really, really early to snag those! Most people have to add numbers or weird characters now."
"Yeah," Kaito muttered, looking away. "Really early... before it got popular."