The Protagonist's Sister Loves Me, But She's Definitely a Yandere. - Chapter 13: Late-Night Convenience Store

Chapter 13: Late-Night Convenience Store

It was Saturday night, and I was wandering alone through a dark alley lit by streetlights.

The exams were starting on Monday.

I’d been reluctantly studying all day, but I decided to take a break and head to the convenience store.

Even though summer was just around the corner, the May night air was still chilly. The streets, bathed in moonlight, were quiet and calm.

The “practice date” I promised with Runa was set for either Saturday or Sunday next week.

Of course, I couldn’t just mess around right before exams. The thought of the depressing days ahead made me slump my shoulders without even realizing it.

“…Welcome.”

Before I knew it, I had arrived, my mind still preoccupied with thoughts about the stalker and exams.

The store clerk greeted me with a lifeless voice. The convenience store was just a five-minute walk from my house, located right past the alley.

I knew wandering around alone at night wasn’t the smartest idea. But since the store was so close to home, I figured it would be fine.

Besides, it was a residential area. Even if my stalker knew where I lived and where I usually went, I doubted they’d actually approach me here.

From the tone of their emails, I figured my stalker was pretty cunning. Confronting me in the dark would only make me more cautious —it would be pointless.

Seriously, though, just let me go to the convenience store in peace.

“Hmm, what should I get~?”

I was scanning the shelves, trying to decide on a midnight snack.

Desserts, ready-to-eat meals, sweet bread, and the classic cup noodles. Why are midnight snacks always so tempting?

Worrying about calories would defeat the whole point. The higher the calories, the better the midnight snack —at least, that’s what I was absentmindedly thinking when…

“What are you buying, Shin-nii?”

“…What are you doing here at this hour?”

There was only one person who called me that. 

I turned around, surprised, and sure enough, it was Runa.

She wore a black, comfy-looking tracksuit. Unlike the plain one I wore, hers had a stylish touch to it.

Her light brown hair was pinned up, with her bangs clipped back. Her face was a little flushed, maybe because she had just taken a bath.

“Probably the same as you. Just out to get some midnight snacks. Tests start tomorrow, after all.”

She looked totally relaxed.

…Well, that made sense. She probably was relaxed.

“You could’ve asked me to grab something for you. It’s past 10 PM, you know.”

Runa had always been at the top of her class since middle school. She was the kind of person who worked hard and gave her all in everything she did. She never settled for less and only allowed herself to regret things after she’d tried her best.

I admired that part of her.

Her serious, sincere personality. The way she threw herself into everything wholeheartedly. I really looked up to her for that.

But no matter how admirable she was, she was still a girl. Wandering around at night was dangerous. Even if the convenience store was close by, this was a residential area with scattered streetlights and plenty of narrow alleys.

“What if you ran into a creep this late at night? It’s dangerous.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be careful~.”

She brushed off my warning like it was nothing. Her carefree attitude hadn’t changed one bit.

Maybe I was just worrying too much.

My concern for her kept clashing with my fear of being annoying.

“Honestly, I just saw you leaving the house and decided to follow you.”

“…Oh, so that’s what happened.”

I let out a sigh of relief.

“I felt like getting some fresh air, and then I saw you heading out. I know it’s risky to walk around at night. I am a beautiful girl, after all.”

She said she saw me leaving the house from her window. That was the perk of living next door and being childhood friends.

Still, if she’d just asked, I could’ve picked up whatever she needed. The thought crossed my mind, but honestly, I didn’t mind her tagging along. Having Runa around was always nice.

“Well, seriously, be careful. Also… I didn’t think you were the type to eat midnight snacks, Runa.”

“There are some nights when even I can’t resist the lure of a midnight snack. Plus, it’s easier than making something myself.”

Humming a little tune, Runa picked up a cup of instant noodles.

Fair enough. She was human, too. It made sense she’d want a quick snack while studying. And let’s be real —nothing beats the convenience of instant noodles.

Whoever invented cup noodles deserves a medal.

“I love making food for other people, but cooking just for myself… especially this late… feels like too much work.”

She stifled a small yawn and rubbed her eyes gently with her fingers.

“Oh, don’t forget! We’re going on that date after exams, okay, Shin-nii?”

“Yeah, I remember. We’re going to the movies, right?”

“Yes! There are so many movies I want to see right now, it’s hard to choose. Oh, and I need to buy a few things, so you’ll be my bag carrier, okay?”

She clapped her hands together with a satisfied smile.

I guess guys have been carrying bags for girls since forever. And when it came to me, there was no getting out of it.

“Yeah, yeah. Got it.”

“Thanks! …Oh, and who’s paying for this?”

“…Fine, I’ll cover it. You make me bento lunches, so this is the least I can do.”

“Hehe, that’s my Shin-nii!”

I owed Runa a lot. She always made me lunches and dinners. No arguments there.

And honestly, if spending just a few hundred yen made her this happy, then it was totally worth it. She really knew how to make me feel like it was a good decision.

I walked Runa back to her house.

Not that it was far —she lived right next door. After a few more words at her front door, she went inside.

“Alright… time to get back to studying.”

With my midnight snack ready, I psyched myself up and resolved to face my desk again.

Everyone around me —Runa, Hinata, Himeno-senpai, Mimi— they were all smart. Even if I couldn’t help how I looked, the least I could do was try to get decent grades.

I knew I wasn’t good at studying, but slacking off would only make me feel worse.

“––”

As I turned and looked toward my own front door, my feet suddenly froze. It was like they were glued to the ground.

A figure was standing there —just a few meters from my entrance.

Our house didn’t have a porch light. The only light came from the moon and a nearby streetlamp.

In the dim light, someone was standing there. I was sure of it. Someone was definitely there.

It wasn’t Runa —I had just seen her go inside.

It wasn’t my mom or dad, either. My mom was working the night shift, and my dad was already asleep.

Sweat beaded on my forehead.

I couldn’t see their face clearly, but the silhouette looked like a girl. Her height was hard to judge with the darkness and distance.

“––!”

“H-Hey! Stop!”

The person realized I was there and took off running. I tried to chase after them, but my bag slowed me down. I threw it aside and kept going.

I let my guard down. I assumed they wouldn’t make any bold moves.

I let my guard down. I really did.

I never thought they’d wait right by my front door.

How long had they been there? Since I left the house? Or… even earlier than that?

This person wasn’t thinking like a normal person. They were a stalker —a creep. I had to catch them. I had to find out why they were targeting me.

“Damn, they’re fast!”

But the person was quicker than I expected. On top of that, it seemed like they knew the streets well, easily slipping through the narrow alleys.

Their movements were too smooth, too confident. They weren’t just running aimlessly —they had the layout of the area memorized.

A sudden, late-night chase. My sweat-soaked shirt clung to my skin uncomfortably.

“Hah… hah…”

I could barely hear the person’s breathing, but it sounded like a girl. Still, it wasn’t enough to figure out who they were. If I could just hear their voice, it would be a huge clue.

After almost five minutes of chasing, the figure got farther and farther away until they completely vanished into the darkness.

Leaning against a utility pole, I caught my breath and cursed myself for not catching them.

“Damn it… Damn it!”

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down, and cursed under my breath.

They got away. The way they panicked, the way they ran at full speed —that had to be my stalker. There was no doubt about it.

But I still didn’t know who it was.

All I figured out was that they were a fast-running girl who knew the area well.

But I had already guessed the stalker was a girl, so that wasn’t new information. Five minutes of chasing, and I had nothing to show for it. For the first time, I regretted not joining a sports club.

“Ugh, I’m so tired… seriously.”

My mouth was dry, and my breathing was ragged.

Studying for exams was the last thing on my mind. On top of that, I had no clue where I was.

I must have run pretty far.

When I took my phone out of my pocket to check my location, I saw a bunch of missed calls and messages from Runa.

It seemed she had heard me yelling. …What should I do?

If I told her what happened, she’d definitely get involved. And if that happened, she’d probably try to help me figure out who the stalker was. But this person was a creep —if she got too close, they might target her, too.

“Ah… hello?”

“Shin-nii, are you okay?! I heard you shouting from outside!”

The moment I called her back, she picked up right away, not even waiting for the ringing sound to finish.

Her worried voice cut through the quiet night. I hesitated, wondering how much I should tell her.