78 Memories and Doubts

"Ah~ahha~"

"No, don't~touch there~"

"It's very itchy~"

Rinka's body was very petite, and her waist was naturally extremely slender.

If Sasaki's palms were bigger, maybe his hands could gently hold her waist.

Feeling the softness and tenderness under the blue hospital gown, Sasaki moved his fingers back and forth, tickling her itchy flesh.

"Complain? Huh? If you want to make a report, why don't you do it?"

After confirming that her body had really recovered, Sasaki didn't stop the movements of his fingers, teasing her with a wicked smile.

This level of playfulness wasn't new to them.

But as they grew older, and each had their own attachments, these intimate physical contacts gradually disappeared due to the little thoughts and feelings inside their hearts.

But at this moment.

Neither of them felt there was anything inappropriate about this contact.

Sasaki purely wanted to distract her attention.

To prevent her from sinking into negative emotions and doing something foolish.

Okino Rinka, on the other hand, remembered the days when she played with Brother Fuyumi and Sister Otome in the past.

Because when she was little, her Brother Kazuki was very attached to Otome-nee.

In the end it would be Sister Otome and Fuyumi-nii that would play with her.

So the relationship between the three of them has always been very good.

As for... Brother Kazuki... because he had always set his sights on Sister Otome... so he never took the initiative to play with her and Brother Fuyumi...

As for when that intimacy disappeared?

It seems to be because she was dissatisfied with Brother Kazuki, because he was always focusing on Otome-nee instead of playing with her...

Even though she was his sister, he always payed attention to others...

As for when she fell in love with him?

It seems to be because she hoped he can see more of his sister...

And when hope grows but remains unfulfilled, it turns into resentment.

Resentful that he was obviously her brother, but he always paid attention to others.

Resentful that he was obviously her brother but he always wanted to play with others.

Did he hate her?

When Rinka was a child, she didn't want to be disliked by her brother, so she would do things to attract his attention.

If she couldn't catch his attention, she would find ways to disrupt his attention to others.

After a long time... the habit became regarded as 'liking'.

But Okino Rinka forgot that her original desire was just to have her brother play with her.

Memories buried in the sands of time were unearthed again as a flicker of confusion flashed through the girl's eyes.

Did she... really like Brother Kazuki before?

Wanting to know, yet was afraid of knowing.

She desperately hoped her liking for Brother Kazuki could withstand any doubt.

But she feared receiving an answer that she didnt want..she couldn't accept.

The entanglement and fear in her heart were palpable, causing Sasaki, who was paying attention to her, to stop what he was doing.

Mistakenly thinking that she has not recovered from what happened before,

Sasaki sat on the bed, gripping her small waist, and like holding a doll, he embraced the dazed Rinka in his arms.

"It's okay. Your Fuyumi-nii will always protect you..."

The words of comfort were like the fire of winter warmed the girl, who was entangled with confusion and fear.

Curled up in the warmth of his embrace, listening to those simple yet earnest words, her body and soul both warmed, Okino Rinka softly responded.

"Mhm~

Hearing the response, Sasaki, who hadn't been this close to her for a long time, held the girl in his arms for a while before passing the clothing in his hand to her.

And after Rinka got dressed,

The two of them left the hospital, took a taxi, and returned home.

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.

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The heavy clouds that hung in the sky like curtains had disappeared at some point, revealing the deep blue sky beneath, twinkling with little bright stars.

Under the vast heavens,

Sasaki Fuyumi held Okino Rinka's warm, tender hand, arriving at the front door of their home.

Looking down at Rinka, who was looking sideways towards their home, Sasaki lifted his gaze towards the Okino household not far away.

The window of Okino Kazuki's room on the second floor was not lit.

It seemed he was still autistic.

Sasaki did not feel any pity for him.

Attributing one's incompetence to others is a sign of cowardice.

And what Okino Kazuki did this time...

Thinking of the scene he saw before, Rinka's trembling body and her swollen cheeks.

If it hadn't been for him reaching there just in time to save her... this girl that has always called him brother would have been...

For Sasaki to be standing here calmly, not storming in to slap him hard until his teeth fall out, was out of respect for Otome and Rinka.

He had never gotten along with him before.

Now, he looked down on him from the bottom of his heart.

Touching Rinka's soft hair, Sasaki put his arm around her delicate shoulders and stepped into their home.

Click—

Inserting the key and turning it slightly, Sasaki pushed open the door.

As Otome, who had just heard the sound, came over, wearing a light yellow apron with water droplets at her fingertips, wiping her hands.

"Welcome back~"

Greeting softly, Sakuragi Otome looked at Fuyumi, who was pouting at her, and stepped forward to hug Rinka, who was no longer as lively as before, into her arms:

"It's okay. It's normal for brother and sister to quarrel."

Sasaki Fuyumi stood aside with a sideways glance as the girl continued to calm down the sulking girl buried in her embrace: "If you don't want to go home, you can live with us for the next few days. I have already told my uncle and aunt."

At this point, in Otome's words, Sasaki knew he couldn't let her say any more.

Although not sure if Otome were to say something to Rinka like 'We haven't slept together for a long time, tonight...'

Then wouldn't Sasaki have to sleep alone tonight?

Already having a girlfriend, Sasaki didn't want to rummage through the cabinets to find any spell-casting materials.

Looking at the two people hugging each other, he pushed them to the living room:

"Alright, let's eat first. We're both starving. I'll go upstairs to tidy up the room for Rinka."

Without waiting for Otome's slightly surprised look, Sasaki strode upstairs.

Seeing the boy's hurried look and knowing why he did so, Sakuragi Otome trembled.

Touching her cheeks, which were getting warmer and warmer.

The girl couldn't help but glance at Rinka, and only after seeing she hadn't noticed her unusual state did she let go of her worries.

Then, biting her lower lip, secretly feeling embarrassed, the girl couldn't help but pout.

'What, Rinka is still here...what is he thinking~'

Although she reproached him in her heart,

Those eyes, misting with moisture, didn't have the slightest bit of rejection.

Though the experience at the beginning of last night was not good,

But the sensation of almost being knocked out afterward, however, left the girl with an indescribable infatuation.

She never had such pleasure that could be described as ecstasy, and now that she finally did, she felt like she was getting obsessed.

Thinking of the last night's passion,

With cheeks flushed red as if drunk, Otome let out a breath, turned away, and walked towards the kitchen to prevent Rinka from noticing what was strange about her.

"Rinka-chan, you can take a bath first. The water is ready, and dinner will take a while to prepare."

Coming out of her daze,

Okino Rinka looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar house, feeling the care from Brother Fuyumi and Sister Otome,

Thinking of what her Brother Kazuki had said to her, the girl shook her head and dismissed the thought of returning to her own home.

Maybe it's fine...

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