"Meow~"
The cat, Coffee, let out a soft sound as Ellen hesitantly reached out to hold her.
Once she finally held Coffee, Ellen's fingers brushed Wise's hand by accident. She did not think much of it, but in the same moment, she ended up pinching Coffee's fluffy fur without realizing it.
The sudden, sharp pain made Coffee struggle violently. Ellen tried immediately to soothe the cat, but her attempts only seemed to worsen the animal's panic.
In a swift, desperate motion, Coffee leaped clear of Ellen's hands, knocking over the bowl of steaming ramen directly in front of her in the process.
The red-hot soup instantly soaked Ellen's white school uniform, leaving a vivid stain across her top and splashing down onto her skirt.
"Ellen!"
Wise was startled when he saw this. He knew the ramen that had just come out of the pot was scalding hot.
Panicking, he grabbed a few tissues from the side table and rushed forward to help Ellen clean up.
But halfway through, he stopped abruptly, pulling his hand back. Instead, he picked up another tissue nearby and offered it to her.
Ellen didn't say anything. Her cheeks were slightly pink as she took it and continued wiping her chest, finishing the spot Wise had started.
"Sorry, I thought it might be too hot, so I just..." Wise's voice trailed off.
"It's okay. You were just trying to help," Ellen said, though her face stayed stiff and a little awkward.
[Ding! Target: Ellen has increased her favorability toward the host by 5. Her current favorability is now 75. Additionally, 200 Emotional Value has been obtained.]
[Current Emotional Value: 6600]
"It's just that the ramen soup spilled on my clothes… it's a bit troublesome."
Ellen frowned, staring at the large stains on her top and skirt. The sticky feeling of the soup clinging to her skin was really uncomfortable.
"Then, Ellen, do you want to take a shower at my place and change? It's not good to go home like this. I can even lend you my sister's clothes."
"Hmm? No, that's too much trouble for you."
Ellen didn't think Wise had any bad intentions. She knew he had a younger sister, but the idea of borrowing her clothes made her feel too embarrassed.
"Don't be so polite, Ellen. Are you really okay going home like this?"
Wise glanced to the side and gestured toward her chest. The soup had soaked through her clothes, making the outline of her underwear visible.
And just as he expected, her size was pretty good.
"!!!"
Ellen realized what Wise meant and quickly covered her chest with both hands, biting her lip. After a brief pause, she reluctantly agreed.
"Alright, then I'll trouble you."
With her agreement, Wise returned to the video store nearby. When he opened the door, the store was shrouded in darkness.
The two made their way to the second floor. Belle's door was closed, suggesting she had already fallen asleep. Wise spoke to Ellen before anything else.
"Ellen, take a shower first. I'll bring the clothes over after."
Ellen nodded and headed to the bathroom without a second thought. Once the door was closed, a faint figure could be seen inside, taking off her clothes.
Wise didn't stare, just let out a quiet sigh at how much young girls were growing these days.
Then he gently pushed open Belle's door and tiptoed inside. First, he glanced at Belle on the bed. Seeing her eyes closed and her breathing even, he moved to the closet.
As he picked out a shirt and skirt that would fit, his eyes involuntarily landed on a pair of underwear.
He paused for a moment, then decided to put it back. Since Belle had already worn it, lending it to Ellen didn't feel right. She would just have to deal with it.
However, before he could place it back, a voice suddenly broke the silence.
"Brother… w-what are you doing?"
"!"
Hearing a voice out of nowhere in the dark made Wise flinch, but when he saw it was Belle, he exhaled in relief.
Then again, he had snuck a girl back without asking. Maybe he should have felt more nervous.
Belle, on the other hand, had already started putting the pieces together.
Wise had sneaked into her room at night while she was asleep, dug through her closet, and even pulled out something like underwear.
'Could this be "that"!' Belle thought, suddenly feeling like she'd uncovered the truth.
Looking at Wise, the man she loved deeply, not as a brother, but as a man, Belle felt a strange flutter of delight. Even though they weren't related, he usually treated her only like a little sister, which made her a little sad.
"That, Belle, I'm sorry to bother you while you were sleeping, actually..."
"W-Wait a minute... No need to say anything, Brother!"
"Eh?"
Before Wise could finish speaking, Belle seemed to understand everything completely. Her face flushed red as she began to murmur to herself.
"It's okay, if Brother wants to use these clothes, just take them. Besides, you doesn't have to be so sneaky. If... if you really want it, you can actually tell me directly! I, I can even help Brother..."
"Excuse me, what's going on here?"
"Eh?"
A sudden unfamiliar voice from the doorway startled Belle. She was still rambling from her excitement and froze for a moment.
She looked at the girl standing at the door, wrapped only in a bath towel, her figure striking. Belle didn't know what to say and could only point toward Ellen, speechless.
"Ellen? You… why did you come out? Didn't I tell you to wait in the bathroom?"
Seeing her like this, Wise paused for a moment, unsure if he should avert his gaze. Ellen, however, appeared entirely unconcerned, making his reaction unecessary.
Though the towel covered most of her body, but her thighs and a few other areas were fully exposed.
"Hold on, this bath towel..." Wise murmured, he murmured, recognizing the cloth instantly.
"Sorry, you didn't specify which one to use. After my shower, I saw this one looked newer, so I just grabbed it. Is that… alright?" Ellen asked, with a hint of worry in her tone.
"Oh, it's fine, really. I didn't explain properly, so it's my fault," Wise replied with a light shrug. "By the way, try these clothes on first and see if they fit."
The towel actually belonged to Wise, but since it looked newer, Ellen assumed it was fine to use.
Belle, standing nearby, didn't seem to care at all. Well, if she really thought about it, maybe she should have, but now wasn't the time to bring it up.
Listening to their conversation, Belle quickly pieced everything together.
"Could it be that brother, you came to my room to get clothes just for her?"
"Yes… what, is there a problem?"
"Ah! Brother, you idiot!"
After shouting that, Belle went bright red and sprinted to the bed, diving under the quilt and hiding herself, not daring to peek out.