Mine (2)

“Mmmmm..!”

A short while later, after several hours of flying, we were able to arrive in Japan.

‘Whew, I feel like my fatigue has decreased a bit.’

Perhaps it wasn’t for nothing that we flew first class; the fatigue from working on research for the past few days seemed to have eased quite a bit.

I smiled with satisfaction.

[..Please remain seated until the aircraft comes to a complete stop..]

And I looked at the outside through the window.

Reflected in the window was the airplane that had just landed and was slowly reducing its speed.

Judging by the announcement, it seemed there was still some time before we could disembark, so I looked at the women to make small talk.

“Big brother, when are we getting off?”

“We’ll probably get off soon.”

“Really..? Grr. Sisteeer. Narin sister. Wake up. We’re almost there.”

“Mmnyah.. mmnyah.. uhhhhng..”

Ga-yeon asking as if bored the moment our eyes met, Irene waking up Narin after hearing my words.

And Narin still unable to fully wake up.

Seeing them, I couldn’t help but smile.

‘These ladies who were like disasters in the original story, when did they grow up like this.’

I wondered if this was how a father raising three daughters felt.

As I was watching them with a warm smile for a moment.

“……”

For some reason, Chise was glancing at me with an awkward expression.

I asked her with curiosity.

“Ms. Chise? Is there a problem?”

“Huh? No, no! A problem? There’s none! None at all?!”

“……”

Her excessive denial felt strangely similar to the incident with Irene earlier.

Could she have done something while I was sleeping?

‘..No way.’

I shook my head at the ridiculous thought that came to mind.

Even so, I couldn’t imagine Chise doing something strange while I was asleep.

Thinking normally, who would even think about bothering someone sleeping in a public place? That would be strange.

Just as I was shaking my head and organizing my thoughts.

“Sisteeer. Wake uuup!”

“Mmnyah. I said I got it.. Hm?”

Narin, who was forced to wake up due to Irene’s badgering.

She looked at me and asked with curiosity.

“Big brother, did a bug bite you? Your cheek is red.”

“Hm?”

At her words, I created a small hand mirror and checked my face.

My face reflected in the mirror.

There was a red mark on one of my cheeks, noticeable enough to be seen.

‘..What is this?’

“……”

“..Urk.”

When I slightly rolled my eyes and met Chise’s gaze, she was startled and lowered her head deeply.

‘..What is going on?’

With that question lingering in a corner of my mind, I finally set foot on Japanese soil.

The chilly wind of winter in Japan.

While partly due to the season itself, the temperature was also dropping because the sun was setting.

“Ms. Chise, are you really okay with this? Letting us into your home..”

“Our destinations are in the same direction, and my original purpose for coming to Japan was to meet my siblings. It’s killing two birds with one stone! I can’t leave you all on the streets either!”

We were heading toward the house where Chise’s siblings lived.

It was partly because it was too late to do anything else, and it was in the direction of our destination.

‘I don’t know why she automatically assumes we have nowhere to stay, but there’s no need to refuse the kindness she’s offering.’

Since my subordinates didn’t have strong objections to it, there wasn’t any significant issue.

Chise seemed excited to be back in Japan after a long time, looking quite confident.

“Ohoho!! Just trust me, everyone! Japan is my specialty!”

“Big brother, can we really trust her?”

“Sniff.. I’m worried.”

“Hmm..”

“Urgh! What do you all take me for!”

But in inverse proportion to Chise’s confidence, my subordinates gave her suspicious glances.

I opened my mouth to stop their bickering.

“How about trusting her once? Though it does feel quite uncertain.”

“Even you, Master?!”

It was a scene where the sound effect “THUD!” would naturally fit.

“Eek! Just you all wait! I’ll be the best guide! I’ll make your Japan trip so good you couldn’t even dream of doing it without me!!”

“Haha, we’ll be looking forward to it.”

“Great! Then let’s grab some snacks on the way! Just ahead, after taking the subway a few more times, there’s a place that sells yakisoba bread..”

But Chise’s confidence had completely withered by the time we arrived at the house.

“Ugh.. it used to sell delicious yakisoba bread..”

“Don’t be too disheartened, Ms. Chise. Who would have known the building had already collapsed due to a villain’s rampage.”

“My perfect tourism route…”

Villain rampages.

In a world where buildings collapse daily, such incidents are common.

Especially now, with the aftermath of criminals causing instability in various places.

Of course, thanks to the government’s disaster policies, low housing prices, and excellent labor force of ability users, it would be quickly restored before long.

‘But that doesn’t mean we can eat yakisoba bread here right now.’

I patted the sulking Chise to comfort her.

“Still, we filled our stomachs with other things on the way. We’re fine, don’t worry.”

“Hiiing. Masteeer..”

“And didn’t you say we’re almost at your house? As a sister returning after a long time, you should still show a impressive appearance.”

“..That’s true.”

Chise nodded at my words.

Though not as much as at the airport, she regained some vigor and led us forward with determined steps.

And soon after.

“Here it is! Our house!”

We were able to arrive at a detached house.

From what I heard, her friends had helped her barely manage to arrange it?

“Come in!”

Chise calmly opened the door and entered.

“Yui!! Ren!! Sister is home!”

And she burst in, shouting loudly in Japanese.

Though we all had translators on so it sounded like Korean, judging by the atmosphere, she was undoubtedly speaking Japanese.

“Huh?! Big sister!!”

“Sis!”

“My lucky charms! Have you been well?”

Greeting Chise were two twin siblings with similar appearances.

From what I knew, the one with long hair and round eyes was Tsukino Yui, and the one with short hair and half-closed eyes was Tsukino Ren.

“Big sister kept her promise!”

“See, didn’t I say I would keep my promise?”

“..Hee.”

The sight of them hugging each other with their similarly small statures reminded me of small animals.

After they spent a moment rekindling family bonds, Chise looked in our direction as if she had suddenly remembered.

“Ah! Yui, Ren. Let me introduce you! These are sister’s friends who came with me this time!”

“Huh?”

“Hmm?”

Yui and Ren shifted their gaze toward us at Chise’s words.

“Actually, we’re not that close, but they have nowhere to stay and their destination is far, so I’m letting them stay just for tonight…”

“……”

“……”

The children’s eyes narrowed.

They carefully examined each of our members.

From Narin, Irene, and Ga-yeon, finally to me.

When their gaze lingered strangely on me, I smiled with my eyes and gave a simple bow.

And then the children asked Chise.

“Big sister.”

“Sis.”

“Hm? What is it, kids?”

With excessively sparkling eyes.

“”Could that brother be big sister’s boyfriend?””

“..Eh.”

At the unexpected attack, Chise’s face turned bright red.

“No, he’s not..!!”

“Hmm~ Really not?”

“..I mean, not yet..!!”

“Heh~ Not yet~? So you don’t know what might happen, sis?”

“Oh my!”

The children taking turns teasing their sister, who had turned as red as a radish.

Perhaps because they were twins, they were perfectly in sync while teasing Chise.

Amid this, Chise glanced at me.

And from beside me, I heard a very frightening sound.

“..Perhaps I should kill her after all.”

“Hold back! Big sister Ga-yeon!”

“Hehe. This is hilarious~”

..I decided to deliberately ignore it.

Chise, seemingly not having heard the menacing conversation, turned her head back and firmly addressed the children.

Apparently, she was going to say something to maintain her dignity as the head of the household and to ensure guest courtesy.

“..E-even so, Master might feel uncomfortable, you shouldn’t play such pranks, kids..!”

“What if that brother says he likes you, sis?”

“Uh, huh? Then.. heheheh..”

..Or so I thought, but at Ren’s single comment, Chise immediately dropped all dignity and authority and just laughed foolishly.

What are you going to do if you just laugh like that?

“Yes. Execution.”

“B-big sister! Hold on! Hold on!!”

After that, with Ga-yeon becoming stubborn, our first day in Japan passed in a rather disjointed manner.

And at dawn.

Creeeeak. Click.

In the still dusky hours, Chise quietly exited a room and gently closed the door.

“..What are you doing, sister?”

Gasp!

Startled, she turned her head to see Ga-yeon.

She was glaring at Chise with a tilted posture.

“..That’s the room sister gave to big brother to use.”

There was a strong sense of vigilance in her behavior.

Chise was momentarily flustered.

“..Um.”

She tried her best to think quickly and awkwardly opened her mouth.

“..I just had to get something from inside..”

“……”

Ga-yeon looked Chise up and down with a sidelong glance.

And what she saw were Chise’s strangely glistening lips and rather wet pajama pants.

“Aha.. I see.”

“Well then…”

Having glossed over the situation, Chise turned around and returned to her own bed.

Ga-yeon stared intently at Chise’s retreating back before swiftly turning on her heel.