Hiratsuka's House
After dinner, Hiratsuka Ryosuke walks into the living room and sees his older sister, Hiratsuka Shizuka, smoking alone on the balcony. This time, he doesn't stop her. He remembers what Yukinoshita Haruno said this afternoon: "But Little Shizuka would lie to her own brother." He didn't argue then, and he won't now. Whether it's a truth or a lie, he will always believe his sister unconditionally.
Yukinoshita Haruno, as the heir of the Yukinoshita family, is beautiful and has received an elite education since childhood. Even in high school, she handles various social events for her family, as evidenced by her appearance with the lawyer at the Funakawa Publishing office. She's like a finely crafted doll, walking the path her family expects of her. To do this, she wears a mask of perfection, making it difficult for others to guess her true thoughts.
Ryosuke stands still, quietly watching her on the balcony, his mind filled with thoughts. The Hiratsuka family is also a major force in Chiba. Putting himself in their shoes, if Haruno is like that, what about his sister, Shizuka? She was in high school when she decided to move to Tokyo with her younger brother, who was only in elementary school at the time. What has she had to endure and carry all these years because of her rebellious act? Ryosuke doesn't know, but he can imagine it wasn't easy.
He walks to the balcony and wraps his arms around Shizuka's waist from behind, resting his forehead on her back. Shizuka tenses up, ready to fight back with her advanced combat skills. But realizing she's at home and knowing who it is, she relaxes her muscles. She holds his hands wrapped around her waist, turns, and smiles. "What's wrong? Does Ryo-chan want to be pampered? I smell like smoke now. If you want to be pampered, let me take a shower first."
Ryosuke lifts his head and looks into her deep, gentle eyes. He shakes his head. "You've worked so hard, sis." His voice is as calm as ever, but there's a softness and gratitude in it.
"Huh? What's wrong with you today?" Shizuka asks, a little surprised. Usually, he would have immediately snatched the cigarette from her hand and lectured her like a busybody. Ryosuke doesn't answer directly. He smiles softly.
"To thank you for taking care of me all these years, let me give you a massage!" Ryosuke lets go of her and leads her to the long couch in the living room.
"Huh? Wait," Shizuka says, feeling like she's in a dream.
"Sit still," Ryosuke says, firmly pushing her onto the couch and starting to massage her shoulders. Her shoulders aren't soft like Mori-chan's. From years of practicing martial arts, working, and driving, her shoulder muscles are a little stiff. As Ryosuke massages them, Shizuka closes her eyes, occasionally letting out little sighs like a kitten. After a while, she opens her moist eyes and blinks.
"Hey, can you try that?" she asks, a little spoiled.
"Try what?" Ryosuke asks, confused.
"You know, the thing I used to do for you all the time!" Shizuka says, her eyes sparkling. She pats the couch, a look of anticipation on her face.
Seeing her gesture, Ryosuke immediately understands. As a child, he loved to rest his head on his sister's lap, breathing in her natural, light scent. It never made him feel anything but a sense of safety. Ryosuke sits down and pats his lap. This makes Shizuka chuckle. She lies down and rests her head on his lap.
"My, I used to do this for you. Now it's your turn, Ryo-chan," she says, a hint of nostalgia in her voice. Her hair is soft and silky, spreading out like a waterfall. Ryosuke gently tucks her hair behind her ear and massages her temples to help her relax.
"Sis, I've grown up. You've always protected me. From now on, I'll protect you. You can rely on me more and even let me pamper you."
Shizuka closes her eyes and smiles. "You're still just a kid. At your age, you should be doing what you're supposed to be doing." Ryosuke doesn't ask about his family or Haruno's birthday party. He simply wants to thank the sister who has always protected him.
Before long, Shizuka is sound asleep on the couch, a faint smile on her face and a soft snore. Ryosuke covers her with a blanket, his eyes filled with gentleness. He whispers softly to the girl in his lap, "Good night, sis."
The Nishimiya Household
Meanwhile, at the Nishimiya house, Nishimiya Yuzuru pulls back a curtain, looking at her older sister, Nishimiya Shoko, who is doing her homework. Yuzuru wants to say something, but she hesitates.
This afternoon, while walking by the river, she saw her brother Ryosuke being very close with a beautiful woman. The stylish and attractive woman even buried Ryosuke's arm in her large evil. And Ryosuke didn't resist at all. This shocked the young Yuzuru to her core. She compares the woman to her sister, Shoko, in her mind. Sadly, Shoko loses. This won't do!
Yuzuru knows how important Ryosuke is to her sister. If he were to abandon her, Shoko, who has now seen the light, would fall back into endless darkness. As the saying goes, "I could have endured the darkness if I hadn't seen the light." So, Yuzuru decides to help her sister keep Ryosuke.
She clears her throat, taps Shoko's shoulder, and asks cautiously, "Sis, what would you think if... what if your brother Ryosuke went on a date with another pretty girl while you were at home doing homework?"
Shoko looks at her, confused. A pretty girl? Is she talking about Mori-chan? That's nice... I want to go on a date with Ryosuke too. Shoko tilts her head and thinks for a moment. She blinks her bright eyes and says with a little regret, "I'd probably be a little envious."
"Just a little envious?" Yuzuru asks, surprised.
Shoko nods gently.
Seeing her sister's reaction, Yuzuru closes her eyes and puts a hand to her forehead. She says with disappointment, "Sis, if you don't do something, you're going to lose your brother Ryosuke!"
Yuzuru then tells Shoko everything she saw this afternoon. After hearing her out, Shoko's moist brown eyes are filled with confusion. A beautiful big sister? Could it be Shizuka-san? The description doesn't sound right. Shizuka-san has long hair. A thought suddenly strikes Shoko. She remembers the girl from the elementary school graduation, the one who gave off a strong presence. Could it be her? Shizuka-san mentioned her name was Yukinoshita Haruno.
Shoko jumps up from her seat and grabs Yuzuru's shoulders, looking anxious. "Yuzuru, what... what should I do?" Her speech, which she had been learning, is now slurred again.
"Don't worry, sis. Leave it to me!" Yuzuru says, patting her flat chest confidently. But then she thinks, How can I, a tomboy, help my sister? Suddenly, she thinks of someone, a friend she made after going back to elementary school.
"Sis, I have a friend who can help us." Yuzuru takes out her phone and writes a message to her friend.
"Komachi, we have a huge crisis! We need your help, now!"