After dinner ended I was in the kitchen washing dishes.

“Hey, hey, big bro.”

It was Mitsuki calling out to me tugging on my sleeve.

“What’s up?”

“When’s Reo coming next?”

Hearing Takatsuka-san come out of my precious little sister’s mouth feels unpleasant somehow...

“There you go again. I told you yesterday not to let people you don’t know well into the house.”

To protect my sisters from the dangerous individual Takatsuka-san and so they wouldn’t get caught by shady people in the future I lectured Mitsuki and Umi thoroughly.

“Then if you’re there it’s fine right? Just bring Reo with you.”

“No I have no intention of bringing her and I won’t let her cross our threshold again... I won’t allow it.”

“What’s with that don’t be stingy big bro you’ve got a bad personality.”

“It’s necessary to protect you and Umi.”

“Huh? What are you talking about then it makes even less sense not to invite Reo.”

This is bad... she’s been completely brainwashed by Takatsuka-san.

Letting my precious sister end up like this... Takatsuka-san is unforgivable.

At this rate I have to properly teach how bad she is.

“You see Mitsuki doesn’t know but—”

“I think you’re misunderstanding something but when you said you’d leave home to help the girls’ basketball team she came because she was worried.”

“Eh worried?”

That’s strange. Takatsuka-san is someone devoted to shaving away at my mental state. She operates on a Pokémon-like idea that lowering my stamina makes it easier to capture me. So there’s no way she’d help out of concern...

“Yeah. She figured we’d feel lonely. She played with us until we got sleepy. What part of that do you dislike?”

From Mitsuki’s perspective I must be the villain badmouthing Takatsuka-san.

Because she really just had fun playing.

That much was clear even from the video she showed me. Mitsuki may be young but she’d notice malice immediately if it existed.

If I stubbornly resist now Mitsuki’s feelings will drift further away from me toward Takatsuka-san.

I don’t understand Takatsuka-san’s aim. Maybe she just tried securing the perimeter to claim me or maybe she genuinely looked after them.

At least for now... I shouldn’t speak badly of her.

I know that yet something still feels unsettled probably because...

“...You’re right. Sorry I got stubborn. I must’ve gotten heated thinking you two were taken by her.”

Because I’m jealous of Takatsuka-san.

I need to calm down. Getting heated won’t help.

“Taken what are you saying weird big bro.”

“Because! Mitsuki had a smile she never shows me! I saw the video she filmed! You were acting all lovey-dovey and as your brother I was shocked!”

Yeah... didn’t fully calm down did I...

“H-huh!? I wasn’t acting lovey-dovey! And you were worrying about that?”

“...Yeah. I’ve taken care of you and Umi all this time. Seeing you have tons of fun with someone outside family or close friends makes me feel lonely.”

“Big bro you like us too much.”

“Of course I do.”

“Y-you should say that more shyly! Don’t say it with sparkling straight eyes!”

Blushing bright red Mitsuki shoved my back with her head but then stretched her arm and slipped her hand into mine.

“There satisfied?”

“M-Mitsuki?”

“Hmph if holding hands is enough to appease you I’ll do it as much as needed. If you want me to keep liking you make hamburg steak every night. Hand-kneaded ones.”

“I can’t do that every day. I plan meals with proper nutrition balance.”

“Don’t be stingy that’s your problem.”

Mitsuki puffed her chest proudly yet she hasn’t noticed this right?

“Mitsuki holding hands like this is the way lovers’ interlock fingers... you know what that means?”

“Wah! That’s not what I meant!”

Saying gross gross she smacked my back repeatedly.

Even while feeling pain I was oddly shocked she knows what interlocking fingers means... since though she’s of that age she usually plays with boys and I assumed romance interest was still far off.

“Geez stupid big bro!”

Throwing that parting shot she went upstairs.

“Ow ow Mitsuki throws hands too fast...”

Finishing the remaining dishes I sat on the living room sofa for a break.

‘Tomorrow’s dinner... maybe I’ll make hand-kneaded hamburg steak…’

Once in a while it’s fine to pamper my little sister’s mood.