It's 8 PM, in his bedroom, Kai is lying on his bed, reading a novel he bought a few weeks ago. The novel is titled "The Fated Person for the Prince is Five, So I'll Just Be the Decorative Queen"
Somehow Kai ended up buying a novel with a the main character is a female lead, though he doesn't really mind, it's just that he doesn't remember buying this novel. Risa probably slipped it into his shopping cart.
Speaking of Risa, she's also in his bedroom, likewise lying down and snuggling, hugging him like a body pillow on the right side. Kai lets his little sister do whatever she likes, well as long as it's still reasonable.
Reading his novel, Kai is actually enjoying the premise a bit, because the story is very typical of a female lead story.
Basically, the novel tells the story of a female lead, a duke's daughter who is engaged to a prince. However, their engagement is canceled because a great disaster is about to strike the world. According to tradition, if a disaster occurs, the kingdom will summon a 'saintess', a girl from another world, and of course she will marry the prince and become queen.
But the unexpected twist: the summoning is successful, but instead of a woman, a five-year-old little girl appears. Naturally, the marriage is canceled, no surprise there.
Even though the "saintess" is only 5 years old, she truly possesses the power of a saint. But because the little girl is traumatized from being mistreated by her parents back on Earth, the female lead and the prince end up becoming like a father and mother to the little saintess. And of course, in the end, the female lead and the prince get married.
Yep, this is a wholesome, cute, cute, uwu kind of novel, Kai thinks as he reads the scene where the female lead plays with the saintess and the prince. Ah… if only I knew that when you die you can reincarnate, I'd also want to live in a fantasy world. Being a merchant or a farmer would be fine. Instead, I reincarnated as a villain, and a brocon on top of that.
"What is big brother reading~"
"A novel. Did you put this novel in our shopping cart when we were at the bookstore?" Kai closes his book and shows the cover to Risa.
"Oh yeah, hehehe~"
Risa takes the book from her brother's hand and flips through a few pages (which she obviously hasn't read at all) before placing it on the nightstand so she can cuddle again. Kai gently strokes his little sister's hair, enjoying the evening.
This scene might look unusual, considering they're teenagers and so close, like there's no barrier between them.
"Big brother likes reading wholesome novels like that, huh?"
"Hmm… maybe. I don't really like novels that are too complicated or have too much deep lore. I think I prefer light reading."
"Mmm… like The Great Gatsby?"
Kai thinks for a moment. The Great Gatsby? Honestly, he doesn't really like that story for one reason: Gatsby. For some reason, he doesn't like that character. But then again, if a reader genuinely dislikes a character in a story, that means the author is a genius.
"Maybe half like, half dislike when it comes to that."
"Ehhh~ why doesn't big brother like it? Isn't the love and longing between Gatsby and Daisy super super sweet? Too bad Daisy was already married though."
"Hmm. Well, obviously Daisy got married first. Gatsby wanted Daisy to wait five years without any certainty, then again Gatsby himself is an impatient person."
"But it's really sad, Gatsby falling in love with such a selfish snob."
"Daisy is selfish, that's true, but I think everyone has their own self-interest…"
What Risa said is true, but for Kai, there's nothing wrong with a woman being selfish in a man's world. And people can't help who they fall in love to begin with.
In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby fell in love with a perfect idea of Daisy and he always held onto it. He wanted to start from where they left off, forgetting that things can change a lot in five years. He longed for the American dream and found it in Daisy, overlooking her flaws and the fact that she was already someone else's wife.
In the end, Gatsby dies and Nick is the one who witnesses everything.
"Haa… I think everyone really hates Daisy's character, huh."
Kai flicks his sister's forehead. Risa yelps, then makes a pouty cute face and hugs her brother tightly, rubbing her face against Kai's chest. And Kai of course responds by tickling her.
The siblings keep playing until 10 PM. Kai tells Risa to go to her room. Of course, his little sister doesn't want to and whines a little, asking to sleep together tonight. But Kai refuses. No means no.
"UGH… Big brother is so dumb. You just wait, Risa will get back at you. Bleee." Risa sticks out her tongue and pulls down her lower eyelid with her finger, before giggling and leaving Kai's room without closing the door.
Getting up from the bed, Kai walks over to close his door, then sits at his study desk. He takes out his math textbook and answer sheets, finishing the homework the teacher gave.
Kai is doing it now, not earlier, because Risa was in his room, and that would have been too distracting. Besides, with his mushy brain, he'd probably finish these five problems in an hour.
While working, Kai's mind splits in two: one part focused on solving the math problems, the other thinking about what he'll do at school tomorrow.
Tomorrow is Thursday. He'll probably go see Mrs. Maryn to sign up as a candidate for student council president. Talk to Reva during lunch break along with Kevin and the others. Chloe has a part-time job so he can't talk with her after school over. If Caleb invites him to talk, maybe he can get closer to Daisy.
"Lily, huh…"
One name. The only "capture target" he hasn't gotten to know yet, and has never spoken to beyond trivial things.
"Hopefully something will happen that lets me have a connection with her."