When I Picked Up A Stunningly Gorgeous Downer-Type Beauty In Front Of The Entrance. - Chapter 15: Call from Little Sister.

Call from Little Sister.

What is the greatest invention of humanity?

If asked that, right at this moment, I’d answer “the telephone.”

Conversely, if asked what the worst invention of humanity is, again, I’d say it’s the telephone.

No matter where you are in the world, you can talk to anyone. It’s incredibly wonderful, breaking down the barriers of the world.

But at the same time, precisely because you can connect with anyone, it’s easy to connect with unpleasant people, and it’s difficult to sever relationships no matter where you are.

After finishing dinner, I sat between Sajou-san’s legs, being embraced from behind.

After finishing dinner, I sat between Sajou-san’s legs and was embraced from behind.

I sank into her warmth, instinctively pushing back. Yet, I had become accustomed to resting my head on her chest, which felt irresistibly comforting. Getting used to having such experiences with a woman I wasn’t even dating felt dangerous, I thought. But once I surrendered to that comfort, I couldn’t resist.

The seductive allure that could render a man helpless was there.

Even now, I feel embarrassed, my head buzzing with heat. Frankly, I feel excited too.

However, I also find myself surrendering not just physically but emotionally to a sense of comfort that is distinct from sexual desire. I don’t want to move an inch. It feels as if I’ve turned into an amoeba, melting away slowly.

While my desires are aroused, there’s also a contradictory sense of tranquility in my mind.

It feels like being in both heaven and hell. As I soak in this mixed bath of emotions, my phone, which had been on silent mode, suddenly vibrates.

What now?

Reluctantly, I open my eyes slightly and pull out my phone from the pocket of my sweatshirt.

And then, as I check the intrusive interruption to our blissful time—

“Oh…”

My thoughts spill out unintentionally.

“Is something wrong?”

“I… oh, no.”

The voice, almost whispering in my ear, sends a shiver down my spine for a moment.

It wasn’t sweet; rather, it was cold and indifferent. But feeling her breath so close to my ear, I almost make a strange sound in response.

It’s not like she’s someone I need to be cryptic with, but with my phone buzzing impatiently, demanding attention, I have no choice but to reluctantly tear myself away from the soft pillow of her chest.

“Sorry for a moment.”

Apologizing, I get up abruptly.

Despite it being summer, I suddenly feel cold as my body moves away from Sajou-san’s warmth.

“…Who?”

An annoyed voice. Looking, I see narrowed black eyes and lifted eye corners. A slightly angry atmosphere.

“Uh…”

I scratch my head.

While opening the window connecting to the balcony, I inform the person on the other end about my relationship with Sajou-san, saying that it would be disruptive if I talked on the phone in the same room.

“It’s my younger sister.”

Reading the registered name displayed on the screen of my phone, I press the green call button and head down to the balcony.

***

“Alohaa! How’s it going, Onii-san?”

I frowned at the cheerful, idiotic-sounding voice, not at all fitting for the night.

Perhaps it was because it was summer, even though it was night. When I stepped onto the balcony, I felt the chill of the wind against my skin.

Separated by the transparent window glass, I felt a stern gaze from inside the room, but I chalked it up to my imagination. That’s what I decided.

Consciously avoiding turning around, I leaned against the balcony railing and reluctantly responded to the annoying voice coming from the speaker.

“I can hear you. But what’s with the ‘aloha’? And weren’t you on a business trip to Hokkaido? Where are you calling from?”

“Ah, it’s fine, really. It’s because we’re in Hokkaido, you know. I miss warm places, that’s all. Well, right now, I’ve cranked up the air conditioning and I’m eating Häagen-Dazs.”

“Oiii.”

A hearty laughter echoed from the other end of the phone.

As usual, she had an annoyingly playful attitude, not even treating me like an older brother. It irritated me, and my temples started to ache.

Even though it’s been almost a year since we’ve seen each other, it feels like we’ve been living together all along.

Maybe spending over a decade under the same roof means that a mere year isn’t enough to change anything. It’s more than enough time for childhood friends you used to talk to frequently in middle school to drift apart, but…

My body shivered in the night breeze. I didn’t want to talk for too long. Both because of the person on the other end of the phone and the irritable princess waiting on the other side of the glass.

“So, what do you want?”

“Eek, what’s with the cold response? It’s been ages since we’ve had a brother-sister chat, you know? Show a little love to your little sis!”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re the cutest in the world.”

“Hahaha! You’re so half-hearted.”

Despite handling it roughly, for some reason, I found it amusing. Anything goes, I guess.

I wanted to quickly get to the point and end the call.

It’s not that I dislike my sister. If asked if I like her… well, she’s family, so I’d say so.

But the relationship with my sister, whom I’ve seen every day since birth, is like this. It’s important, but we only talk when necessary.

It’s not like I’m complaining, but this is the normal distance between siblings.

The whole “Onii-san complex” or getting excited about a sister coming out of the bath naked is mostly fiction.

It’s just nagging her not to come out in sloppy clothes because the hallway gets wet.

So, I wanted to quickly hang up the phone, but then I remembered something and, without turning around, looked up as if thinking.

The pitch-black night sky. Come to think of it, there was something I had to tell my sister.

Ugh, what a hassle. While thinking that, I couldn’t just leave without getting permission, so I brought up the topic myself.

“Oh, right, there was something I wanted to tell you too.”

“Huh, what is it? Are you giving me New Year’s money? Yay!”

“Why would I do that…?”

It made no sense, it was too disconnected.

It’s summer, after all. Besides, why should I give New Year’s money to my little sister, who’s only two years younger than me?

If it was New Year’s money, even I would want some.

When I said that, I felt a sulking presence, as if she was pouting and puffing out her cheeks in a calculated manner, even though I couldn’t see her face.

Sigh… It’s exasperating.

“Anyway, if you just ask Dad, you can get pocket money as much as you want.”

“Well, that’s true.”

She didn’t deny it.

It’s true, but for some reason, it made me angry.

Throughout history, a father’s wallet seems to loosen for his daughter and tighten for his son.

“Money is a good thing no matter how much you have. There are countless things I want to buy… right, Onii-san?”

“Gross.”

At the cutesy tone, I shuddered in disgust.

“Do you think that kind of cuteness works on your real older brother?”

“Yeah, I knew that.”

Talking to her, the conversation quickly veered off in the wrong direction.

Is it because we’re siblings that we can endlessly expand on these idiotic, content-less conversations?

But, well, depending on the situation, I might need to raise her allowance to keep her happy.

What I’m about to tell her might require that, so I carefully spoke while gauging her reaction.

“Actually, um…”

“Yeah, yeah?”

“…I’m using your room right now.”

As soon as I said that, the conversation came to a halt.

There was a chilly atmosphere. Was it really a bad move?

Filled with anxiety, I waited for my sister’s reaction.

Just as I thought the signal had gotten bad for a moment, my sister asked in a serious voice, 

“What? Are you interested in your sister’s underwear? It might be normal as a brother, but it’s crossing a line as a person, so stop, okay?”

“I’m not interested, and I wouldn’t do that!”

First of all, don’t say it’s normal as a brother. That’s just messed up. Cut ties with your blood relatives.

“Then why?”

When she asked that, I stumbled over my words.

Feeling embarrassed, I couldn’t keep my gaze steady even though she couldn’t see my face.

But I couldn’t just not say anything, so I said, knowing I might get scolded, 

“I’m letting a friend stay in your room.”

Saying the word “friend” felt a bit uncomfortable.