Chapter 185:
Siblings
""I'm going to kill you!""
While walking through the town, suddenly blocked by two unknown boys, a declaration of murder was received.
It's the appearance of hitmen. Huh, who are you guys? Assassins from the Colony??
But just as I was concerned about the increasingly younger and more vicious juvenile crimes, along came Nina-san, who was walking alongside me, inexplicably talking to the young hitmen with a smile.
"Oh my, if it isn't Masa and Yuki! Wow~! When did you come to Tokyo? It's been a while!!"
Today, unusually, Nina-san invited us out for a meal, saying, "There's a delicious pasta place. Want to go together?" So, the two of us were out together.
"Today, just now…"
"I wanted to surprise sis…"
Ah, I see. Nina-san seems to know the young hitmen. Come to think of it, I've heard before that Nina-san has a younger twin brother. So, if Nina-san knows the names of the two boys and they call Nina-san "sis," it's clear that the three of them are siblings.
(Hmm, that's how it is.)
Once understood, the profiling afterward is simple.
The beloved sister went to Tokyo for her education. It's not difficult to imagine that the twin brothers, eager to see their sister after so long, landed in Tokyo excitedly. They must have had discussions like, "Let's suddenly go see sis and surprise her!"…
But despite that, as they head towards their sister's place relying on the address, they discover their sister walking alongside an unfamiliar man. This wouldn't sit well.
But they can't take out their anger and frustration on their beloved sister. So, facing me, who was walking alongside them, waves of murderous intent awaken… That's how it goes.
""Sis, who's that?""
Just like when they declared their intent to kill, the siblings question their sister in harmony. Their eyes are clearly filled with hostility towards me. Well, there it is…
"Eh…? Th-this person is a yoga teacher! Sis is currently learning yoga!!"
What? Due to Nina-san's panicked response to her brothers' questioning, I ended up being labeled as a yoga teacher.
But, that can't be helped. Honestly, I can't just say, "I'm trying to coach a dungeon", right? I can't be open about the dungeon, and if they were to find out that I'm delving into dungeons, it would only cause unnecessary worry for the brothers.
Alright, from this moment on, I am a yoga master!
For Nina-san's sake, I'll go train in the mountains of India and even try to embody the soul of a saint in this body, extending limbs and teleporting!
With such passionate feelings in my heart, I nod my head from side to side and greet the boys with a "Namaste", to which they reluctantly return a nod, seemingly for the sake of their sister.
Quite unenthusiastic.
But the brothers' determination to not lose their beloved sister was palpable, so let's not stir up unnecessary trouble here.
….
With the sudden reunion of siblings, the destination changed from a pasta shop to a dessert shop. Apparently, back when they were in Osaka, the three of them often went out to eat things like anmitsu together.
"(This way…!)"
As they were guided to their seats by the staff, Nina-san sneakily gestured at me with her eyes.
(Alright, got it!)
"Oh, I just remembered I have something to take care of, so I'll go do that. You guys go ahead, order, and eat."
Saying that, I left the shop we had just entered.
"Since we finally met after so long," I tried to leave the three of them behind. But when Nina-san asked me to introduce her brothers, I couldn't leave. So I stayed and entered the shop with them.
And so, my destination was the ATM, to give Nina-san some money…
Nina-san hardly ever carries money with her. It's to avoid unnecessary spending. But why is she so fixated on money? Well, because Nina-san sends back more money to her parents than she receives in allowances from them.
Furthermore, she lives in a rundown apartment like "Kasumi-sou," saves on various expenses, and invests money for her future.
When I learned about this, I felt embarrassed and ashamed. Because back when I was her age, what was I doing.? I was just pouring money into games and otaku goods every month, just wasting it.
Who thought of Nina-san as a ‘spoiled, selfish college girl of these times'? Sorry, it was me.
At first glance, she seemed that way. But as our relationship deepened and I got to know her true self, she turned out to be a very family-oriented and well-raised daughter! How about that, folks?!
You wouldn't return more than you receive in allowances!
I've never received an allowance, but even if I did. I wouldn't return it. In fact, someone like Serai-san lives off the allowances she receives, and her part-time job is just for her own luxuries.
So, without hesitation, I withdrew about 200,000 yen from the ATM and returned to the dessert shop.
….
"Sorry, I need to make a quick work call."
Making that excuse as I left my seat, I slid the money I withdrew, while holding Nina-san's purse to prevent it from falling, onto the chair.
Yeah, this much is telepathy.
After all, I've exchanged life energy with Nina-san before. There's a connection like a path. Even though I don't understand women's hearts well, I can sense their feelings.
As I discreetly handed her the purse under the table, Nina-san squeezed my fingers tightly. Even that alone conveyed a sense of gratitude.
Nina-san's parents run a small Chinese restaurant in the shopping district.
It must be difficult to send their daughter to college and raise two elementary school boys with that income. That's why Nina-san does things like ‘allowance returns' for her parents.
I heard from Serai-san that ‘Nina-san exchanges presents from herbivore guys, potential boyfriends, for cash.' But my impression is, ‘Well, in moderation.' To be able to freely give women valuable items as a college student, it's probably not his own hard-earned money anyway.
Anyway, with such economic circumstances, the lodging for the twin brothers who came to Tokyo would be their sister's place. But if they were to see that ‘Kasumi-sou,' it would, or rather certainly, make them anxious.
For now, I prepared an amount that seems enough for two nights at a reasonably priced hotel in Tokyo. If 200,000 yen isn't enough, I'll figure something out with a money transfer app.
"Sis, were you okay when you were stampeding alone?"
"Y-yeah, I was fine… Were Masa and Yuki okay? They weren't scared or anything?"
The brothers are named Yukinori and Masaki. As expected of Nina-san's brothers, they have very well-defined features. They'll probably be popular as handsome men in the future. Lucky them.
So, the three siblings, talking about each other's recent experiences, happily enjoy deluxe anmitsu. It's a fusion of gorgeousness, like parfait and anmitsu combined. Looks delicious. Maybe I'll have that too.
"We were fine! The old folks in the shopping district chased away the monsters for us! Right, Masa!"
"Yeah! The old folks going "poco poco" and "pachi pachi" were amazing! Plus, it's Osaka!"
Nina-san probably experienced a fear of great collapse rather than monsters, so she might not want to remember that time. But there seems to be plenty of "poco poco" and "pachi pachi" old folks in Osaka's shopping district. I don't understand the meaning, but it sounds impressive.
And the immense trust in Osaka.
Wasn't it in a remade alien invasion movie that Osaka was the first to destroy the aliens' weapons? Thinking about it, you can't underestimate Osaka.
And with that, my deluxe anmitsu arrives, and as Nina-san engages in conversation, I ask the brothers about dungeon affairs in Osaka.
If I ask about family matters, they might think I'm eyeing their sister! So, better to avoid their hostility.
"When we can enter the dungeon, we'll become adventurers and get stronger! Right, Masa!"
"Yeah! Then we'll protect sis with all we've got!"
Yeah, yeah, what a beautiful sibling love.
Sigh. I wonder what having a sister feels like. There was a time when I was just starting high school, and I admired a kind and cute senior girl, but other than that, she had a boyfriend, and we had no contact after graduation.
Apart from that, I only have erotic games and manga. Wait, thinking about that is extremely disrespectful to Nina-san. Sorry again.
….
"Alright, take care."
"Yeah, it's nice to spend some time alone with my sister after a long time."
Watching the close-knit siblings walk hand in hand, with the sister in the middle, against the backdrop of the city dyed in the colors of dusk.
Yeah, it's a picturesque scene.