When I Thought I Was Reborn, My Family Turned Out to Be a Huge Landmine - Chapter 04: Sister and Brother

Chapter 04: Sister and Brother

Having finished preparing the bath, with nothing else to do, I was watching TV with my smartphone in hand.

“I’m home. Is Ren back?”

It seems like my sister has returned.

Upon finding me, her face broke into a happy expression, and she hugged me as I sat on the sofa.

“I’m home, Ren. Ahh, it feels so blissful like this.”

“…Nee-san, it’s a bit suffocating.”

Her chest, which was beyond huge and in the realm of explosive, was pressed against my face, making it hard to breathe. I wanted her to stop, but perhaps the happy sensation made my lips curl into a smile—a man’s nature, perhaps… But, when I recall these memories, something doesn’t add up.

“My Ren-dose is complete. Now, shall I make the hamburger you requested, Ren?”

The sister I saw in the game was the epitome of a villain, causing despair for the protagonist, Arisaka.

Her captivating body was used without reserve in the portrayal, but what was worse was her self-awareness of being despicable.

The expressions she showed Arisaka were either a mask of loving kindness or a smile born from her true nature, mocking behind the scenes.

“Hmm-hmm-hmm♪”

I stared intently at my sister.

Her cheerful demeanor while cooking almost made me smile too.

I couldn’t fathom what she was thinking, but from this perspective, she looked nothing but a kind and ordinary sister.

However, I knew that the sister before me was no different from her character in the game.

The sound of an incoming call on her smartphone interrupted her cooking.

“…Tch.”

With an unmistakably irritated click of her tongue, she washed her hands and answered the phone.

Even without putting it on speaker, I could hear the man’s voice leaking from the smartphone.

“Ha? Why should I have to go see you? There’s no benefit for me in meeting you anymore. Do you really think I’m interested in someone who has nothing to offer?”

I had heard such conversations before. If the man on the phone were here, I imagined she would gaze at him as if he were trash.

Indeed, her eyes at the moment seemed more than just scary—they were like malice condensed into its purest form.

After a while, she continued the call, but it seemed like there was nothing left to say. She hung up without any hint of lingering attachment.

She then did something with her phone, probably blocking the number, I guessed.

“Fufu, may it be delicious♪ May it be delicious♪”

The disdainful expression she had just a moment ago switched instantly to a smile as my sister resumed cooking.

This rapid change was frightening. I was curious about the content of the call, but it felt like peering into an abyss, so I decided not to ask.

“Nee-san.”

I called out, even though I had nothing particular to say.

She turned to me with a smile, the complete opposite of the expression she had during the phone call.

“What is it?”

“What is it? You want to be spoiled by this big sister?”

The sister in my memories overlapped with her current appearance, stirring indescribable feelings within me.

Seeing that I didn’t respond, she tilted her head and came closer.

“Sorry. It’s nothing…”

“…I see.”

I wondered what she was thinking, being told it was nothing after I had interrupted her cooking. Maybe she was thinking, “This damn kid,” in her mind.

In a way, that would be a natural reaction for this sister.

But still, the way she treats me is a little different.

“Fufu, were you lost in thought?”

“…Eh? Wait!?”

I was sitting on the sofa when she sat next to me and, though it’s a bit rough to say she did it forcefully, she pulled me towards her with a certain strength.

I found myself lying with my head on my sister’s thigh, in what’s commonly known as a lap pillow position.

“Ren doesn’t really seek affection on his own. I’m your sister, so it’s okay to be spoiled a lot, right?”

I’m already a high school student; the time for being doted on by my sister should have passed long ago.

Yes, that’s it.

Not just the expressions she shows in the game, but the sister towards me is genuinely kind.

If there’s a hidden agenda behind this, she could outdo any actress, but while feeling the gentleness of her hand stroking my head, I decided to ask.

“Nee-san, what am I to you?”

It’s not something one would normally ask.

But regardless of the answer, I wanted to ask.

She responded immediately to my question.

“My beloved brother, the last treasure left to me.”

She said this, looking at me fondly.

She patted my head one last time before returning to the kitchen to resume cooking, but the true meaning behind her words… it seems there’s an aspect of her I don’t know about.

“Here you go, enjoy your meal.”

“Wow…”

Just a hamburger, yet it’s more than that.

There were other side dishes, but the hamburger looked especially delicious.

“Itadakimasu.”

I cut the hamburger into a bite-sized piece with my chopsticks and brought it to my mouth.

Yes, it’s delicious.

My sister, without eating her portion, watched me with a smile, which felt a bit awkward.

“Is it good?”

“Yeah. It’s the best.”

“That’s great to hear♪”

Just as I thought.

My sister’s smile wasn’t the scornful one seen in the game, belittling others. Instead, she smiled genuinely, looking truly happy.

Now that my memories have returned, and I’ve come to understand what might be called her true nature, I realize we’ve spent over 15 years together under the same roof as a family.

Perhaps, like my brother, my sister is also an irreplaceable part of my family.

As the meal progressed, not only did she eat, but she also drank beer and seemed to become a bit tipsy.

“Hey Ren, you mustn’t become like Ryo and me. Stay as you are, caring and thoughtful… like a child… Hafuu.”

“Nee-san?”

That’s right, Nee-san has always been particularly weak with alcohol.

She usually only drinks at home and never outside, a sort of ironclad rule, but the image of her from the game still lingers in my mind.

“Leaving her like this isn’t good… Alright!”

Planning to take care of the dishes later, I first decided to take my sister to her room.

I attempted to support her by holding her shoulder, but she leaned her weight on me, embracing me, and we both ended up falling back onto the sofa.

“This scent… Ren…”

“She’s completely drunk…”

My sister, nuzzling her cheek against me, was behaving in a way that was hard to imagine from her usual self… though, when I think about it, it’s not entirely out of character, especially considering she’s drunk.

“Ah…”

At that moment, a thought struck me.

While she is currently seeking comfort from me, I wondered, after our parents passed away, if she, then just a child, ever had someone to lean on. I used to depend on both my brother and sister, who were like parents to me. It’s natural, but they couldn’t have it like I did.

“…Ren~♪”

She was now rubbing her cheek against mine.

The smell of alcohol was strong, but feeling a bit sentimental, I willingly accepted her embrace.

After a while, I let her be, and soon I could hear her soft snores.

“Looks like we might stay like this for tonight.”

Would I sleep enveloped in my sister’s soft touch and the smell of alcohol?

As a guy, part of me was pleased, but I was also a bit put off when I heard the front door open.

It seemed like my brother had returned.

“What’s this, just in time for dinner? And you two―”

Then, our eyes met.

From his angle, it might look like she was pinning me down.

And I had my arms around her back.

He closed his eyes for a moment, then rubbed them and spoke.

“Sorry to intrude.”

“Wait, Nii-san!!”

I wanted to scream for help, no joke!

Seemingly understanding my plight, he laughed apologetically and lifted her up in a princess carry.

“…Feels like I’m being touched by a useless guy… ugh.”

“I should throw this damn woman off.”

I wish Nee-san wouldn’t talk in her sleep like that, especially when Nii-san looks so serious.

After watching him take her to her room, I began to clean the dishes we used.

“Damn, that woman kicked me at the end.”

“…Was Nee-san always that bad?”

“It’s usually fine when you’re around…”

That’s right, sometimes she sneaks into my bed, but she doesn’t thrash around then… I see, so she has that side to her as well.

“I’ll help out.”

“Thanks.”

My brother rolled up his sleeves and helped me with the dishes.

Two guys doing dishes together, and the irony is the guy next to me is the one who steals Yumeno in the game.

The preconceptions from the game and his still being a ladies’ man haven’t changed.

But he does have this kindness, helping me out.

“What were you up to, Nii-san?”

“A party with lots of guys and girls.”

“…I see.”

“What? Interested?”

I could guess the kind of party it was.

“I’ll take you some time when Asami’s not watching.”

“I won’t go. If I’m going to do that kind of thing, I want it to be with someone I truly like.”

So, it was one of those so-called swinger parties. Watching it on a screen is one thing, but actually going there is a no for me.

I expected him to laugh it off, but his response was surprisingly different.

“…I see. That’s good for you, don’t end up like me.”

That kind gaze, reserved only for family, was just like Nee-san’s.

After finishing the dishes, he promptly headed for the bath.

I watched his retreating figure and let out a small sigh.

“…Sigh, I wonder which face is the real one.”

If only I hadn’t remembered anything and could live as a person of this world without such worries…

That night, I kept thinking about this until I fell asleep.