Chapter 178 - You should cherish me

But that knowing look of yours says it all!

Mentally grumbling, Sasaki didn't react to her spreading herself out on his bed.

All his comics, whether suitable or not, were stored in the downstairs storeroom.

In this room, the only untouchable spot was the storage compartment above the wardrobe.

Even though he felt confident, he still didn't want to provoke her into a crazed search, so he didn't pursue the topic further.

"Are you ready?" Shrugging his shoulders and straightening his collar, Sasaki asked, looking at Yuuka, who was leaning back on the bed.

Unlike her morning outfit—a light blue V-neck short-sleeve with floral prints—Tachibana Yuuka had changed into a black-and-white plaid off-shoulder loose-fitting shirt, likely because they were going to a crowded place.

Although the shirt was off-shoulder, her collarbones and chest were well-covered, revealing only her white, smooth shoulders.

But given her extraordinary assets compared to the average girl, even without much exposure, her plump chest straining against the shirt was enough to draw attention.

Not to mention her current posture with her hands propped back on the bed.

This was really troubling~

After appraising the neatly dressed and handsome Sasaki, Yuuka felt that the fruit she had been waiting for had finally ripened.

Although she had been quite proactive before, her teasing had been limited.

Her main concern was the distance between their homes, making it hard to meet frequently.

Excessive teasing might have aroused his curiosity about girls' bodies, leading him to others.

So, when he was absorbed in manga during middle school, she had even encouraged it.

After all, reading manga was better than focusing on those flirtatious girls.

But the situation was different no, they were living together.

And so, it was time to seize the opportunity.

Dangling her feet and crossing her legs, Yuuka, straightening her slim waist, unabashedly showed off her figure to Sasaki as she extended her hand:

"Just tell Mom we're going out. Let's go."

Grasping her long, well-manicured fingers with a healthy pink hue, the boy slightly exerted force to pull her up:

"By the way, I still don't know where this mixer is."

Shaking her loose hair, Yuuka, still holding Sasaki's hand, led him out of the room:

"According to the location shared in our club's group chat, it's at an izakaya not far from our place."

"Izakaya? But I can't drink alcohol."

"Shh!"

On the stairs, fearing her mother downstairs might hear, Yuuka put a finger to her lips, signaling silence, and then softly explained:

"I didn't say you had to drink. In fact, it's precisely because you can't drink that I'm bringing you along."

"I'm just worried they'll make me drink, and I won't be able to refuse, you know..."

"I understand."

Nodding, Sasaki continued to ask, "A club mixer is usually for single people, right? Are you looking for a boyfriend, Sister Yuuka?"

Applying a bit more pressure with her hand, the girl nodded matter-of-factly to his question,

"Of course. A girl like me not looking for a boyfriend would be abnormal."

As she spoke, she kept glancing at Sasaki from the corner of her eye.

But the boy just ignored her hints, deciding to play dumb as long as she didn't make her intentions explicit.

Seeing no special expression on Sasaki's face, the girl felt a bit frustrated but knew now wasn't the time to get angry.

To prevent him from overthinking, she added, "Actually, it's not entirely about finding a boyfriend. It's more about not being able to refuse."

Since she had previously mentioned that only single people would actively participate in mixers, Yuuka felt the need to clarify her real reason for going.

"Even though there are a lot of boys in the tennis club, not many are good-looking. My friends are using me as bait to attract people from other clubs."

"I'm just going to make an appearance and let the guys know I'm there. My friends will handle the rest."

Though he couldn't accept her hints, Sasaki was happy to praise her efforts verbally.

So after her explanation, he smiled and looked her up and down, admiring her flawless white skin and beautiful face.

"They've got a good plan, but guys... Once they've seen the best, they won't settle for less.

Even though everyone understands the idea of knowing one's limits, this world is full of overconfident people."

"Besides, the club they invited for the mixer probably has a lot of handsome guys, right?"

"That's true, but my friends aren't bad either."

Hearing his words, the girl shyly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, the frustration she felt towards her dense little brother slowly dissipating.

Even though this dumb little brother of hers was quite dense, he could be pretty sweet with his words at times.

With these thoughts, Yuuka went downstairs to her mother, who was tying her apron, "I'm going out with Fuyumi~"

Since she had mentioned it earlier in the afternoon, Kyouka, wasn't surprised that they were heading out together.

Turning around, she was about to remind them to stay safe, when she suddenly noticed their clasped hands causing her to pause for a moment but then she continued with a gentle smile, "Yuuka, come back early after the dinner. Don't drag Fuyumi around."

"Got it."

With classes tomorrow and an unfinished report, Yuuka couldn't stay home tonight.

Koharu had already gone back to school in the afternoon to work on her report.

Stepping outside, the early summer breeze carried a hint of warmth, rustling their hair.

The scent of Yuuka's shampoo wafted through the air, adding to the pleasant atmosphere.

Sasaki enjoyed the moment, not feeling the need to speak first.

But while he had nothing to say, the girl had a lot on her mind.

She wanted to ask if he had made any friends at school or met any girls he liked, among other things.

As for his relationship progress with Otome...

Heh~

Quietly accompanying someone doesn't yield good results.

She knew Otome's personality well. Though she was good at taking care of people, that was about it.

Otome would never take the initiative to hint at anything to her dense brother.

And with his dull personality, he probably still saw her as just a childhood friend.

Amused by her thoughts, Yuuka lightly swung their clasped hands and asked, "I've been talking all this time. What about you? Have you seen any pretty girls at school? Any thoughts about dating?"

Pretty girls?

There were plenty.

Let him count the ones he interacted with at school.

Idiot Chifuyu was one, Serizawa Yukiha was one, Yasui Sara was one, Natsuha Shinomiya was one, Haruno Kasumi was one...Sister Ayumi.. Momo..

After waiting for a while without hearing an answer, Yuuka tilted her head and saw Sasaki looking down, seemingly troubled and lost and she immediately lost interest in pushing the topic.

Although he appeared normal around her and others, she knew he had become withdrawn after their parents' death.

Just like how he used to lock himself in his room and avoid school not long ago.

And with the recent car accident, his isolation had worsened.

But now, he seemed to be acting perfectly fine.

Too fine, in fact.

His apparent normalcy was the most abnormal thing.

So, Yuuka wasn't surprised that he hadn't made any friends or that no girls approached him at school.

No matter how handsome someone is, if their personality isn't likable, it doesn't matter.

As his sister, she felt it was her duty to help Sasaki understand himself better.

Squeezing his larger, stronger hand, Yuuka teased with a smile, "I expected my dumb little brother to have trouble with girls, but you really are hopeless."

Stopping, she comfortingly patted Sasaki's hair, "But that's fine. High school girls are just shallow and fickle. Staying away from them is actually good for you."

"I guess only your sister at home is someone you can talk to. You should cherish me~"

?

Officer, it's this person right here! She's trying to PUA me!