"Dinner's almost ready," their mother called out, completely unfazed by Hibiki's desperate cries for help.
"Mm, we'll be down in a bit," Ishikawa Hayabusa replied casually, his arms full of bags and still dragging his younger sister along.
Hibiki, whose neck was trapped in her brother's grip, realized her cries had been ignored. Her eyes went dull and lifeless, like a dead fish, as she was dragged helplessly down the hallway until they reached her room.
She froze. Ishikawa Hayabusa, as if he owned the place, calmly opened her bedroom door and walked right in.
"This is my room!" Hibiki shrieked.
"Your room is my room, and my room is also my room." Hayabusa nodded with total confidence.
"You're like Gian from Doraemon! But even Gian wouldn't do this to his little sister!" Hibiki snapped, wriggling in protest.
"Little sister?" Hayabusa suddenly let her go and put on a dazed, innocent expression, pretending not to understand. He glanced around the room deliberately. "Where? I only see a keyboard, an amplifier… and one idiot."
"I'm not teaching you anymore!" Hibiki huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
Clearly, she wasn't as clueless as she looked. She had already guessed what her brother was after, and for once, she had the upper hand.
"Oh~," Hayabusa said with mock admiration. "Give me a second."
He turned and walked out. Hibiki tilted her head, peeking out to see him head downstairs.
Moments later, Hayabusa returned. Hibiki sat cross-legged on her pale blue bedsheet, still in her school uniform, sulking with puffed cheeks. Hayabusa held out his hand.
Inside it was a small plastic cup.
"Pudding."
He wore a disarming, ingratiating smile.
Hibiki scoffed. "Do you think I'm that easy? I won't become your pack mule just because you bribe me with food." She sighed and looked away.
Tch. Normally she's an idiot, but when it actually matters, she suddenly gets smart. Hayabusa cursed inwardly, but his smile never wavered. He reached out his other hand.
This time, there were a few folded bills resting in his palm.
And sure enough, it was his ultimate weapon. Hibiki's eyes flickered over the bills, pretending not to care. But her gaze lingered, her little head tilted as though counting the money. Then, unable to hide it, a tiny smirk crept onto her face.
"Well… I suppose I could teach you." She snatched the money with surprising speed, though she didn't forget to leave a warning. "But let me be clear: if you're too stupid to learn, I'm not responsible."
Even with her conditions, Hayabusa let out a sharp little laugh. "Heh."
"You dare laugh at me?!" Hibiki flared up instantly, her fists balled tight as she glared daggers at him. "Fine, just wait!"
When dinnertime came, the two siblings descended the stairs together.
One looked deep in thought. The other followed behind with the air of someone who had just lost all hope in life.
"What's wrong with you two?" asked Ishikawa Jinpei, the head of the household. He had just returned home, sipping on sake at the table. He looked up at them curiously.
"Oh, right," Hayabusa said suddenly, snapping out of his thoughts. "I joined a band today. So I'll probably be coming home late from now on."
Jinpei nodded, unbothered, then broke into a grin. "So you're planning to use your status as a band member to start a harem, huh? Not a bad strategy."
He said it with a smug, almost proud expression, as if his son had taken after him.
"No," Hayabusa shook his head, dismissing the idea outright. "I would never settle for a harem built with such cheap, third-rate tricks. That's outdated."
The moment Hibiki sat down, her first words were directed at her father. "Dad, did you know your son's a pervert?"
Jinpei blinked at her, tilting his head with genuine confusion. Then his face shifted into one of mock surprise, as though thinking, You're only realizing this now?
Seeing his ridiculous expression, Hibiki gave up on him and turned toward the kitchen, where her mother was still working. She called out sweetly, "Moooom!"
"I'm coming." Ishikawa Shizuka emerged with a smile, drying her hands.
The moment she arrived, Jinpei quickly straightened his posture. His mischievous grin disappeared, replaced with a serious expression—he dared not let his wife see him looking so shady.
Hibiki's face turned solemn as she asked, "Mom, is my brother really Dad's son?"
The room froze.
Both men of the Ishikawa household turned and stared at Hibiki, dumbfounded. Then they looked at each other, then at Shizuka.
The lady of the house, chopsticks in hand, froze mid-movement. Her smile faltered. Slowly, her eyes narrowed.
"Hibiki… do you not want any allowance this month?"
The mere mention of allowance jolted Hibiki's brain back to life. She set down her chopsticks neatly, pushed back her chair, and knelt on the floor with practiced speed.
"I'm sorry!"
Watching his sister's quick capitulation, Hayabusa stroked his chin thoughtfully. So she does have the potential to become a pervert after all.
"But really, it's too much. Why is my brother such a pervert?" Hibiki muttered after explaining the situation.
The parents now understood: Hayabusa had gone from not knowing how to play piano to performing a complete song in just a few minutes.
For them, this was nothing unusual. They were used to it.
"That's not perversion. That's called superior intellect—a mind on a completely different level than your almond-sized brain. Call it genius, not perversion," Hayabusa said firmly, eating his dinner with perfect composure.
"But you are a pervert, though." Hibiki's tone was flat but certain. After all, he'd been calling himself that for over ten years.
"Of course. I am a true, proper pervert." Hayabusa declared proudly, without the slightest shame.
Shizuka sighed. Watching her son, she started to worry about his future. "Hayabusa… girls won't like you if you're like this. You won't even be able to start a harem."
Her words only made Hayabusa puff up even more. "Oh, that reminds me! Today, I met two angels. They spent over an hour with me—helped me buy books, buy a keyboard. Truly wonderful girls!" He swayed from side to side, grinning blissfully.
Hibiki quietly set down her chopsticks, pressed her hands together, and bowed her head in mock prayer.
"Those poor sales clerks. I hope they find happiness in the future—enough to make them forget today's trauma."
She didn't believe a word her so-called genius brother said.
Hayabusa glanced at his parents. Their faces mirrored Hibiki's doubt. He quickly shoveled down the rest of his rice and stood up.
"Within two months, I'll show you all my harem squad with your own eyes! And Hibiki—come upstairs after you finish eating."
"Eh? Even the great pervert needs lessons from my almond-sized brain?" Hibiki smirked, rocking her head side to side as if she had him cornered.
"If you won't work, return my payment," Hayabusa said flatly.
It didn't bother him. They'd only just begun, and the hardest part of learning music was getting started.
Once the foundation was set, he wouldn't need Hibiki anymore. At that point, she could return to her natural state—lounging in front of the TV like a puppet.
"I'll be right there!" Hibiki squeaked, suddenly shoveling food into her mouth as fast as she could.