"Tamaki, don't yell..."
Ruri's vision went dark, feeling as if her life was about to burn out completely.
I was just coming to buy some things, why... why did I have to run into my sister and mom so coincidentally?
Japan is way too small!
The sound of footsteps quickly approached. An elementary schooler with short twintails came sprinting over. After getting a clear look at Sora and Kuroneko, she let out a shocked exclamation.
"Eh, it really is Ruri-nee?"
The twintailed elementary schooler widened her eyes in shock, her gaze quickly landing on Sora.
"That handsome boy is Ruri-nee's boyfriend?"
"Ruri-nee is such a chunibyo, I thought she would spend her whole life accompanied by manga and light novels. To think she quietly started dating a boy... the sun really did rise in the west!"
While she was talking, a gentle housewife pushing a shopping cart turned the corner, her face full of a gratifying smile.
"Ruri-chan has finally grown up."
"L-Listen to my explanation..."
Kuroneko bit her lower lip in shame, frantically trying to prove her innocence.
"Red bean rice!"
Unfortunately, the pint-sized Tamaki looked up and shouted loudly:
"Mom, we want to eat Onee-sama's red bean rice for dinner tonight!"
Mrs. Gokou smiled gently. "We'll go buy red beans in a bit."
"...Mom, don't buy weird things!"
Ruri's small face burned crimson as she couldn't help but cry out in shame.
"Sora-kun and I just happened to run into each other, we are not dating!"
"Ruri-nee, stop lying. You've never even had friends growing up. Now you're suddenly shopping at a convenience store with a boy. If that isn't dating, what is it?"
The twintailed elementary schooler, Hinata, put her hands on her hips and questioned her.
"I-I recently awakened superpowers and can communicate with cats. I'm planning to accept bounty commissions, and I called Sora-kun to come help... that's how it is!"
Ruri's pretty face was flushed as she gave a humiliating explanation.
Unfortunately, it was useless.
Everyone knew Kuroneko was a late-stage chunibyo, so no one believed her when she told the truth.
"Onii-chan, are you and Onee-sama classmates?"
The pint-sized Tamaki wasn't afraid of strangers. She trotted over patter-patter, tilted up her small face, and asked curiously.
The corner of Sora's mouth twitched slightly. He could only brace himself, introduce himself, and then help clarify.
"Please do not misunderstand, Ruri-san and I are really not dating... I wanted to buy some cat food and happened to run into Ruri-san, so I asked her to help pick out a brand of cat food."
"Ah, so that's how it is..."
Mrs. Gokou smiled broadly, looking as if she believed it. She smiled, waved at Kuroneko, and then led the two elementary schoolers away.
"Let's hurry up and leave, don't disturb Ruri-chan."
Gokou Ruri: "..."
You clearly didn't believe it at all, alright!
Mrs. Gokou quickly left with the two elementary schoolers, leaving only Sora and Kuroneko in the aisle.
The atmosphere quietly turned awkward.
Ruri looked down at her toes, her voice full of shame.
"I'm sorry for causing you trouble, Sora-kun..."
"It's fine as long as you explained it clearly." Sora didn't take it to heart; right now, he just wanted to make money. "We've bought just about everything. Shall we head to the park?"
"...Okay."
Ruri took a deep breath, quickly pushing the feeling of shame deep down into her heart.
Although I'm super embarrassed and want to flee home and hide in the closet, I absolutely cannot run away right now!
I absolutely cannot miss out on the massive sum of 100,000 yen!
After finishing their shopping, the two pushed the shopping cart to the checkout counter. However, a little loli came running over patter-patter.
"Onee-sama!" Gokou Tamaki tilted her small face up and called out in a soft, sweet voice. "Mom told me to ask you, are you still coming home for dinner tonight?"
Ruri hurriedly squatted down halfway and whispered.
"Of course I'm coming home for dinner."
The little pint-sized child spoke without filter. "But Hinata-nee said that Onee-chan is going on a date with Onii-chan tonight, and might not even come home."
"How is that possible!"
Noticing the subtle gazes of the surrounding people, steam faintly rose from the top of Ruri's head. She really wanted to find a crack in the ground and crawl in.
Even if I really were on a date with Sora-kun, we would at most just eat out together. I absolutely wouldn't stay out all night!
Tamaki continued in her soft, sweet voice.
"Hinata-nee also said to tell Onee-sama to stay safe..."
"Eh?"
Ruri was slightly taken aback, but quickly realized what 'stay safe' meant.
(Ahhhhhhhhh! That idiot Hinata, stop teaching kids bad things!)
Noticing the increasingly weird looks from the surrounding customers, even the stoic Sora couldn't quite handle it. He simply grabbed a lollipop, had the cashier scan it, and handed it to the elementary schooler.
"Here you go, Tamaki. A candy for you."
The little pint-sized child's attention was instantly diverted. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the lollipop in Sora's hand, clearly wanting it very much.
However, Tamaki was well-raised. Although she really wanted it, she didn't take it immediately. Instead, she tilted up her small face and looked expectantly at Ruri.
"Take it since he's offering."
Ruri naturally knew why Sora was offering the candy. She gave a light hmph and didn't refuse.
"Thank you, Onii-chan!"
Tamaki cheered and happily took the lollipop.
Stare—
Sora quickly noticed an expectant gaze fall upon his back.
Turning his head, he saw a small head with twintails peeking out from behind a shelf not far away. It was the other sister, Gokou Hinata.
Upon being spotted by Sora, Hinata's small head quickly retracted with a whoosh.
"...I'll buy one more."
Sora grabbed another large lollipop and handed it to Tamaki.
"I love you, Onii-chan!"
After receiving double the happiness, the little pint-sized child directly yelled out her love.
"Idiot Sora, one is enough." Ruri's eyes trembled slightly as she whispered a reminder. "Kids will get cavities if they eat too much candy."
"This lollipop is for Hinata," Sora said softly. "If I'm going to buy, I'll buy for both. If one has it and the other doesn't, Hinata will definitely be unhappy."
Sora wasn't trying to farm affection points from little sisters; he had simply experienced what it felt like to be treated differently.
"...Sora-kun is very gentle."
Ruri murmured in her heart. I was so focused on being embarrassed earlier, I almost forgot that Hinata was definitely hiding nearby.
Kuroneko squatted down halfway, blushing as she assigned ownership of the second lollipop. She patted her little sister's head and told Tamaki to go back and find their mom.
After that, finally, nothing else happened. Having paid the bill, Sora and Kuroneko carried the goods back to the park. Looking up, they saw a full dozen stray cats waiting in the corner.
"Meow meow~"
Ruri took a deep breath, her small face blushing as she stepped forward to converse in Meowian.
"Meow?"
"Meow meow!"
"Meow meow meow~"
Unfortunately, to Sora's ears, it was just "a chorus of meows," and he had absolutely no idea what they were talking about.
After conversing for a while, Ruri quickly turned her head.
"Sora-kun, let's open the cans."
"Okay."
Sora took the cans of cat food out of the shopping bag, acting as the designated can-opening tool.
With Ruri nearby, these stray cats weren't afraid of humans and came forward one by one to enjoy the tribute.
After eating and drinking their fill, the stray cat squad didn't slack off. Instead, they scattered in all directions to search for the lost orange cat.
"We just need to wait quietly now." Ruri let out a soft sigh. "As soon as they find that orange cat, they will immediately come back to lead the way."
Sora sat down to rest. "Let's hope for good news."
The good news arrived faster than expected.
Just twenty minutes later, a calico cat trotted back, meowing non-stop in front of Ruri.
Ruri's eyes rapidly brightened. She grabbed Sora's wrist, her voice filled with excitement.
"Let's hurry... they've found the lost contracted beast!"