Ch.224224. Sweet Sharing

“Vine…”

“No, honestly, even Citrus would in this situation.”

“Well… if it were me, getting confessed to by multiple men at the same time…”

“Especially if those men used to be bitter rivals who fought like crazy in the past.”

“Are they handsome?”

“…Let’s say they are.”

“Isn’t that the ultimate moment for a woman?”

At some point, Citrus had left the counter to her part-timer and joined our table, chatting away comfortably.

“Well… maybe something like that? Besides your brother, I also have your junior, and your junior, and your junior, and your junior. My colleague too.”

“Hmm… Yuri as well?”

“Ah, yes.”

“That’s brave of Yuri.”

“Well… it was my fault, so I had no choice but to accept her approach.”

“Really? You had no feelings for Yuri?”

“…That’s not true.”

“Heh… what about our Hyewon?”

“She hasn’t confessed yet.”

Citrus looks surprised, glancing back and forth between me and Hyewon.

Well, I plan to do it today, but it’s true that I haven’t done it yet.

“Really? I thought you’d already done it and brought her here to meet me!”

“What meeting? I just came because I was hungry.”

“Come on. Didn’t you come to show off to your big sister? Poor me with my injured leg, no one comes to see me, boo-hoo.”

I still can’t get used to Citrus’s jokes about her leg, no matter how many times I hear them.

The fact that I was the one who made her leg like that…

Sigh.

When Hyewon and I create a slightly awkward atmosphere, she finally notices.

“Hey, hey. I’m just kidding. I meet plenty of men even without my leg. If not, will Vine take responsibility for me?”

“…What?”

“Why not? Taking responsibility for both sisters at the same… Ow, ouch, OWWW?!”

Hyewon starts pounding Citrus’s back as she spouts nonsense.

It seems like her earlier ridiculous joke has built up some tension.

“Seriously! This sister of mine! There are things you can say and things you shouldn’t! Geez!”

“It hurts! Ack, a magical girl is beating up a disabled person! Aah!”

“You have magic power, so I know it doesn’t hurt when I hit you!”

Slap, slap.

Since Citrus was only wearing a shirt under her apron, the sound was quite crisp.

The kind of behavior usually done by an older sister to her younger sibling.

Hmm. Should I feel sorry for Hyewon for having such an immature older sister?

After a while, Citrus finally lowers her tail in surrender.

“Ugh… but at least I broke the tension, right?”

“Good grief… and this is supposed to be my sister…”

Hyewon clutches her head.

Well, blood ties are undeniable, I suppose.

When you put them side by side, they really do look similar.

If Hyewon dyed her hair a bit darker, their features would definitely look alike.

“That’s enough. Hyewon, don’t waste your energy on Citrus and let’s finish eating…”

“Well… that’s just how my sister is.”

“That’s right. Your sister does everything with your best interests in mind. Oh, would you like more coffee?”

“No… I’m getting a headache.”

As she says this, she cuts a piece of the sweet honey bread in front of me and then,

She stabs a piece loaded with caramel and whipped cream and puts it in my mouth.

Sweet.

Soft.

It would have been good with milk. Ah, but I have a café latte.

With sweet things, it’s best to wash your mouth with unsweetened coffee.

That rich taste.

Is this what it feels like to have happiness injected directly into your brain?

Well, I’ve actually experienced happiness being directly injected before, and it’s quite different, but…

Still, happiness is happiness.

Hehe…

“Vine is smiling.”

“He’s always liked sweet things. Feed him something sweet and his expression changes, I tell you.”

“That much?”

“He’s always been expressive.”

“Really? He seemed completely expressionless to me.”

“His embarrassment shows clearly, and he’s cute when he smiles or gets flustered.”

“Really?”

While I’m savoring the taste of the honey bread, I hear some noise from across the table.

When I focus on that noise, sure enough, they’re teasing me again.

“Ahem, hmm! W-what are you saying…?”

Feeling my face turn red, I boldly claim that’s not the case, but…

What is that expression on her face?

Has she always found me this cute…?

“…I’m not cute.”

“I want to date you because you are cute.”

“Ooh, our Hyewon is being bold!”

“I was taught not to lie about these things. And if I do this…”

…Hmm.

I think I’ve been conquered.

When I hear words like that, how could I possibly look her in the eye and firmly say no?

I can’t.

I absolutely can’t.

When she says she likes me so purely like that…

How could I?

“Ah, Vine turned red.”

“Pfft. That’s what I like about him.”

“I know. It’s completely different from when he used to fight with me.”

“With you, sis? Come on. That was ages ago.”

“Back then, he didn’t even have this calm image. At first, he was so irritable and full of annoyance. I really wanted to grab him and give him a knock on the head!”

“Really? He’s my fresh-caught Vine. How could you hit him?”

“Forget it. Why would I hit a kid?”

As she says this, Citrus flicks her fingers as if she’s about to give me a forehead flick.

“Well… if you really want to.”

“Hey, don’t corrupt my sister.”

“Huh?”

“Do you think I’d really hit you? I can’t even move that far anyway.”

Looking disappointed, she smacks her lips and takes a sip of her Americano.

“Doesn’t Hyewon feed you, sis?”

“It’s not like your arms are injured too.”

“Would you feed me if they were? Vine, help me out!”

“Why am I being dragged into this?”

Surprisingly, visiting Citrus’s shop with Hyewon turned out to be quite nice.

Honestly, would we have ever had the chance to sit down and have a proper conversation like this, the three of us?

Even if I met Citrus, it was usually with Blanc, while shopping.

And back then… well.

Yeah.

It was that kind of time.

So I don’t remember having much time to talk openly about our feelings.

But being here like this, I feel like I’m starting to understand.

I’m also beginning to learn things about Hyewon that I didn’t know before.

That’s right.

Hyewon and I are destined to become as close as Blanc and Yuri.

Narrowing the distance like this is positive.

Honestly… the two of us have lived with so much hatred.

Blanc and I fought because of differences in opinion.

You could say we fought over differences in ideals.

Back then, I was at a stage where I believed in and followed Eden almost like a creed.

But with Hyewon, it was different.

First of all, I was one-sidedly too strong for there to be any real competition.

On top of that, Hyewon would often charge at me with hatred, determined to kill me.

Well, I remember that later on, she learned to control those emotions and bring them out only when needed.

That time when she controlled her emotions and used them when necessary was a bit more challenging.

When she truly needed it, her enhanced form…

She was so incredibly fast.

Citrus, her sister Hyein getting injured.

Her dream being shattered.

She radiated her desire for revenge against me so strongly that I could see it with my own eyes.

“If I were to leave even a scratch on your body, Citrus… I might really die this time.”

“Come on. Our Hyewon is weak.”

“Well, even monsters die without water, so it’s all the same.”

I don’t know exactly what style Hyewon would be.

But if I were to consider all the aspects she’s shown me so far.

Hmm.

She might be similar to Blanc.

“Our Hyewon?”

“Well… that’s right. I’ve also become much weaker. This collar restricts my power, doesn’t it? Honestly, right now, I’d lose miserably to Hyewon, the crybaby.”

“I am a bit curious to see that.”

“Unnecessary comments, Citrus.”

“Why? Aren’t you curious how different things are now compared to back then?”

“Back then was truly when I was at my weakest. Weak enough to be defeated even by you.”

“Pfft. That’s true.”

“Now I’m not the same immature mind as back then.”

“Still curious. If you ever subdue Vine, you have to show me, okay?”

“Subdue?”

After pondering for a moment, Hyewon…

Takes a bite of honey bread too big for her mouth, and then…

…

Being subdued by Hyewon was truly sweet.

* * *

“Wow wow wow wow wow…”

“Are you still in that state?”

“My little sister, right in front of my eyes…”

“Um… yeah.”

I was quite taken aback.

The taste of the bread we practically shared.

The taste of Hyewon still lingers strongly.

I hope the part-timer in the back didn’t see that.

“What’s the big deal about that?”

“But in public…! Right in front of someone watching!”

“Um…”

“I think you’ve become insensitive. Considering what you probably saw just the day before yesterday…”

“That could never appear in a game, that’s for sure.”

“Well, think what you will. This is still a public place, so please refrain from displays of affection. Besides, you haven’t even received a confession yet.”

“Hmm… does it matter if I’m going to do it soon anyway?”

“Isn’t the atmosphere important?”

“Oh, are you going to hit me?”

“…That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what does it matter?”

“I’m… speechless.”

When I gave a hollow laugh…

“That was my first time, you know?”

“Pardon…?”

“Other than family, you’re my first. Sigh… I thought I’d do it with a man first.”

“What are you saying…”

“Take responsibility.”

“…Didn’t you say you wouldn’t confess here?”

“It’s not a confession, but I think we need a witness.”

With that, she looks at her sister, Citrus.

Still seemingly unable to escape from the lingering impression,

Citrus, who had been listening to our conversation without missing a word despite her flustered state,

Could only nod her head reflexively.

And so, in the midst of this confusion, we said goodbye to Citrus and moved on to our next destination.

Once again, led by Hyewon’s hand.