Gloomy Outside, Gal Inside ~Dealing with My Step-Sister Isn't Easy~ - Chapter 13: Troubled Youth

Chapter 13: Troubled Youth

“…”

“What are you brooding about?”

I turned around to the voice and saw Rikiya walking towards me, drinking from a juice pack.

“Rikiya… What’s up?”

“Don’t ‘what’s up’ me. You’ve been spaced out all day, haven’t you? If you eat your lunch in silence and leave by yourself, anyone would get curious.”

“…”

I didn’t realize I was zoning out that much, but if Rikiya noticed… No, judging from this, Toshinobu and Shinozaki might have thought the same thing too.

I haven’t particularly changed, but it seems that’s how I appeared to those around me.

“What’s the matter? Do you have something on your mind?”

“… Something on my mind… maybe.”

“I see, a bit serious, huh?”

It’s not an illness or anything serious… but the reason is simple.

As I stared at Rikiya, he met my gaze head-on, his eyes widening… He seemed slightly uncomfortable as he said this.

“Don’t keep staring like that. Your sunken eyes are creepy, man.”

“What’s with the sunken eyes comment?”

I didn’t say he was rude.

I shifted my gaze away from Rikiya and looked at the distant scenery—and involuntarily let out a sigh.

(Damn it, I’m really fucked up lately… It’s all over for me.)

I thought it might be too exaggerated, but oh well.

To be honest, recently… Specifically, since that day after the exchange with Tomita, I’ve found myself frequently gazing at Miu.

At that time, I started thinking that I didn’t want to let Miu, who is always by my side, go… I didn’t want her to drift away.

(As an older brother, is it loneliness that makes me sad when my sister drifts away… I wonder?)

I wanted to believe that… It would have been easier if I could think that way.

In the space of our home, with only me, Miu, and our pet cat Cocoa… Miu really wants to be by my side without any reservations.

It’s not all the time, of course… But there are moments when she boldly presses her voluptuous body against me, making my heart race, or subtly leans in, providing a sense of comfort far from excitement… Anyway, Miu is truly kind at home.

“Sigh…”

“You’re seriously in a bad state.”

“Yeah… I’m seriously in a bad state…”

Can I just say it outright?

I… might genuinely see Miu in a sexual way… Even if I desperately try to resist it, my eyes keep following Miu… Well, using the term “sexual” might be an exaggeration, but if I were to admit it, I feared that I wouldn’t be able to see her as I did before.

“Is it about Miu-chan?”

“…”

“Hitting the mark, huh? Well, I guess I can understand if you’re living under the same roof.”

I didn’t expect him to hit the mark about Miu, and I shrugged my shoulders exaggeratedly.

Yeah, he hit the mark. Sorry, it’s nothing, I almost said that, but I held back and met Rikiya’s gaze again.

“At home, you know…”

“Yeah?”

“Miu is just incredibly kind. Well, I’ve always liked her, that’s true, but recently, it’s gotten really serious.”

“Don’t get all mushy. But knowing Miu-chan… I know you guys have a good relationship. But for Ayato to say it to that extent, considering I know her, it’s hard to imagine.”

I suppose so… Since Rikiya and the others only know Miu’s outward appearance, it can’t be helped that they don’t have a better understanding.

I thought that maybe I could get some valuable insights or advice from someone who knows Miu in that aspect, being in a relationship with her… Well, I don’t need to forcefully seek an answer by just worrying about it like this.

Facing Miu, facing my own feelings… that’s the most important thing to do in order to find an answer.

“Alright!”

“Oh? Did you find an answer?”

“I haven’t found the answer, but I feel a bit relieved… It’s important to have someone listen to you, even if you don’t come up with a clear answer.”

“They say it’s no good to keep your worries bottled up. If anything happens, let me know, okay?”

“Thanks.”

I’m truly surrounded by the best friends.

Thanks to Rikiya listening to me, I felt quite calm by the end of the day, without worrying too much by the time after school.

As I was about to leave school, I contacted Miu to let her know that I would be hanging out with my friends and coming home late. Then, I spent the afternoon playing around with Toshinobu and Rikiya.

“…”

And when I returned home around 5:30 p.m., I felt a sense of déjà vu as a scene unfolded before my eyes.

Her shoes were placed there, so I knew she had come home before me, but Miu was asleep on the living room sofa as if it were the other day.

“Suu… suu…”

I don’t know if it really means anything that she switches to her gal mode when I come home recently, but the fact that I find her current self more attractive is something she’s aware of. She even told me that she wants me to look at her as much as possible… Even with those words conveyed, I still can’t help but worry… you know?

“… Huh?”

I thought Cocoa would come running to me as usual, but it seems that she, like Miu, is fast asleep. Curled up in the cat bed I bought for her… She looks completely adorable. It’s like seeing two cats sleeping together.

“Miu~?”

“…Munya~”

Ah, she’s definitely asleep, I chuckled to myself.

On one hand, I consider lightly tapping her forehead to wake her up, but on the other hand, I feel sorry for doing that and want to keep watching her for a while.

…And above all, when I see her defenseless like this… It’s inevitable that I feel like getting back at her for her usual antics.

“… Gulp.”

Slowly, like a bug lured by the light, I approached Miu.

It’s gotten quite warm, so Miu is only wearing a shirt, quite thinly dressed… In fact, I can even vaguely see the color and shape of the bra she’s wearing underneath.

“…It’s always like this… I always get confused by this… and teased about it. Maybe it’s okay to get back at her a little bit sometimes?”

Suppressing my excited heart, I reached out my hand gently.

Extending my hand towards Miu’s chest as she continues to sleep… and I touched it—Miu’s body slightly twitched, but she didn’t wake up, and her expression changed to a softer one, as if she had fallen into an even deeper slumber.

(…Wait, this is just like in manga…!)

I realized that, but my hand didn’t stop.

Being careful not to wake her up… for the first time ever, I shamelessly groped my little sister’s chest.

Perhaps, at this moment, I blamed everything on Miu.

Because she always teases me like this… So I tried convincing myself that it’s all Miu’s fault.

“Unh…!”

A teasing voice escaped from Miu.

The moment I heard that voice, my head suddenly went cold and I let go… I had no intention of apologizing, but I felt a sense of accomplishment in some way.

“Nii-san, you’re so naughty♪ If you wanted to touch, you should have just said so. I could even let you touch directly, you know?” That’s probably what she would say, I can somewhat imagine it.

However, this mischief wouldn’t remain in Miu’s memory, and I had no intention of openly admitting it either… So let’s make it one of my memories, that’s how I’ll handle it!

“…It was so soft… and warm and big… Kuh! If this were like in a manga and it continued… No, no! If it went that far, there’d be no turning back for me!”

I said various things, but let me state the conclusion.

It was incredibly soft, big, and just felt really good! That’s all I’ll say about it!

“…It wouldn’t matter if you did it. If you did, I would also… Muu.”