Kaito's goal was simply to see how Nijika and the others were doing with their preparations.
If there were any other issues, like not enough rehearsal time, or someone being unable to get into the right state… Kaito could lend a hand and use some special methods.
A long time ago, when he helped Bocchi with tutoring, he had once cast a "sharp mind" buff on the little social-phobic girl. Not only did it help with studying, it also doubled her effectiveness during performance rehearsals.
But seeing Nijika looking so full of confidence, it seemed she didn't need any external help, so Kaito didn't say more.
He chatted with the girls for a while longer, and soon after, Ijichi Seika came back, carrying a box of apple juice in her arms.
Upon seeing Kaito, the shop manager, who had been described by her little sister as "tsuntsuntsuntsun-tsundere", let a flash of happiness flicker through her wine-red eyes, but she still pretended to be indifferent and greeted him coldly, "You're here?"
Kaito didn't respond right away. He first looked down at his phone.
Just now, the contact ID noted as "Little Mutsumi" had sent him a message.
[Onii-chan, will you be home tonight?]
…He suddenly had the sense of a left-behind child.
Because of the situation with Soyo, he had stayed out for two nights in a row, leaving Little Mutsumi home alone. It really wasn't ideal.
And thinking about how the green-haired girl always stayed quietly in the corner, never fighting or competing for attention, Kaito no longer hesitated.
[I'll be home soon. Do you want me to bring a mango juice on the way?]
The girl on the other end seemed to have been waiting for his reply, and immediately sent a message back.
[Thank you, Onii-chan.]
If you were to divide a little sister into three stages, from "I love my Onii-chan the most," to "Hey, why don't you have a girlfriend yet?" and finally to "Get lost."
Kaito thought about it and figured Little Mutsumi was somewhere between stage one and two.
After all, they hadn't been siblings for long. It still required some time to develop feelings. Saying she liked him most would be too much.
But even so, even Little Mutsumi was still so obedient and considerate it made one's heart ache.
Though this conversation seemed long, it had only taken a few seconds. After replying, Kaito put away his phone and looked up at the shop manager Seika in front of him.
"I'm here, but I'm leaving now."
Ijichi Seika: (,,#ﾟДﾟ)!!!
'Wh-what the heck?'
'I just got here and he's already leaving?'
'Could it be… because my attitude just now was too cold and hurt his feelings?'
The tsundere shop manager struggled and finally squeezed out a sentence, "Actually… it's okay if you stay a bit longer…"
"No, I've still got something to take care of," Kaito lightly shook his head, and glanced at the clock on the wall, "It's also almost business hours now. I won't stay to get in the way. See you next time."
'So it really was because my attitude was too cold?'
'That's why he has the illusion that staying would be getting in the way.'
In her mind, Ijichi Seika's little inner self was already hanging herself. She wished she could travel back in time and strangle the version of herself from a few seconds ago.
"You're leaving already?", Nijika had no idea that her sister had misunderstood to such an extent. She was a little reluctant, originally wanting to ask him to stay.
But seeing that Kaito looked like he was in a hurry to return, she couldn't help but ask, "Is it something very important?"
'Buying mango juice for my little sister…'
Kaito thought about it, then nodded, "It really is important."
———
The TV in the living room was on, broadcasting the latest variety show. The guest was a trending young comedian, humorous, witty, casually tossing out jokes that made the audience laugh non-stop.
But none of this could draw a smile from the green-haired girl curled up on the sofa, hugging her knees.
Wakaba Mutsumi was still lost in thought.
What Soyo said this morning kept replaying in her mind.
("Little Mutsumi, you probably don't understand, huh?")
It was clearly said in a very gentle tone, yet somehow carried an inexplicable sense of superiority.
Also, a kind of… mercy, like a victor showing pity to the defeated.
'So, in Soyo's eyes, I have already fallen behind in some way?'
Though usually quiet and reserved, Little Mutsumi was not stupid.
On the contrary, she was actually a very clever girl, always able to keenly sense details others overlooked.
'The changes in Soyo are clearly due to recent events.'
'And thinking of how Onii-chan came to find me Saturday night, then didn't come home for two whole nights…'
Wakaba Mutsumi hugged her knees in silence for a long time.
Was it envy? Or jealousy?
Actually, it was neither.
For the girl, what she felt most now… should be disappointment.
'Onii-chan, in the end, is not mine alone.'
'One day, he will hold another woman's hand, walk with her into the hall of marriage, and under the witness of the gods, form an eternal bond.'
'That person might be Soyo, might be Sakiko, or maybe someone else entirely.'
'But… it definitely won't be me.'
'Because, in Onii-chan's eyes, I am a younger sister, and only a younger sister.'
This identity gave her the privilege to justifiably be close to him, but also locked the ceiling of their relationship.
'Humans really are greedy creatures.'
Wakaba Mutsumi used to be the type who was easily content.
As long as she could have a small place beside Kaito, even if it was only a square inch, that would've been enough for her.
As for a closer relationship… Little Mutsumi didn't even dare to imagine it.
But after really becoming Kaito's little sister, and securing that place by his side, her old thoughts quietly began to change.
'As expected… I still want more.'
Girls who grow up lacking love often have this kind of mindset.
In that regard, she was actually very similar to Soyo.
Because they lacked love, once they finally managed to grasp a bit, even if it was just simple care, they would never want to let go, just like a drowning person struggling to survive.
In a daze, it felt like a seductive voice was whispering in her mind.
["In the end, siblings without blood relation… don't really count as a taboo, do they?"]
["This level of closeness doesn't even require you to go somewhere where no one knows you to live it out."]
["Little Mutsumi, you could totally be a bit bolder, y'know? Maybe… even your Onii-chan is hoping you'll do just that?"]<
Wakaba Mutsumi raised her head and stared blankly at the figure in front of her, one that looked exactly like herself.
"You… who are you?"
["Me?"]
The "Wakaba Mutsumi" in front of her raised a slender index finger, gently touched her lips, and revealed an extremely bright, cheerful smile.
["I'm you! 'Waka' as in Wakaba, 'Ba' as in Wakaba, 'Mutsumi' as in Little Mutsumi. See? Even our names are the same!"]
["Of course, if you really want to use another name to tell us apart…"]
["Then, just call me Mortis."]

[T/N: 'Mortis' means Death in Latin and it is an alter ego of Mutsumi. It is canon, not inserted.]
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