Koharu might be a bit slow sometimes, but she wasn't dumb.
Given enough time to react, she could understand and figure things out.
Like now, as Sasaki gently called her name and slowly moved closer...
Based on what she had seen in dramas, wasn't this a sign that he wanted to kiss her?
Did Fuyumi want to kiss her?
'If I remember correctly, this is something that can only be done between the closest people, right?'
Did Fuyumi like her?
These thoughts raced through her mind.
As Sasaki got closer and his warm breath lightly brushed her cheek, all the chaotic thoughts in Koharu's head seemed to melt away like frost under the morning sun, turning into a hazy blur, leaving her in a daze.
"Fuyumi~"
Murmuring his name softly, she gently blinked her misty eyes and subconsciously raised her head to take in the handsome face that was approaching.
The cool, soft sensation of his lips on hers sent a shiver through her.
Having never experienced a kiss before, she nervously swallowed and unconsciously let out a quiet, sticky sound from her nose.
"Hmm~"
Whether it was due to nerves that clouded her thoughts or simply a lack of experience, when Sasaki's lips met hers, Koharu didn't resist.
Instead, she reached out and grabbed his arm.
Her lack of resistance and willingness to indulge him removed any hesitation the boy might have had.
Before Aunt Kyouka could return or Sister Yuka could come downstairs,
Sasaki stretched out his arms and wrapped them around her waist, which was more plump than that of a young girl of seventeen or eighteen years old, but not as soft as that of a mature woman, and expressed his love for her with his actions.
The first time is always filled with nervousness and uncertainty.
Even though Sasaki, with his experience, guided her, Koharu quickly found herself out of breath, her chest heaving as she let out small, muffled sounds.
Yet, despite her obvious nervousness, she made no effort to push him away.
Instead, she did her best to respond to his closeness.
The eyes are the windows to the soul and are crucial for perceiving the outside world.
When the eyes are closed, the sensitivity of other parts of the body increases to balance the body's perception of the external environment.
This is one reason why many people close their eyes when kissing, with another being shyness.
Of course, there is also the factor that the distance is too close, which can cause eye discomfort.
So, most people close their eyes when they kiss.
Though Koharu might be a bit naive, she still retained the feminine shyness.
Watching her, like a touch-sensitive plant, nervously and shyly closing her long lashes, her breath becoming uneven, causing her chest to rise and fall rapidly, Sasaki leaned back slightly, breaking the silver thread that symbolized their shared passion.
As the distance between them increased, he could clearly see the tender and charming expression on Koharu's face, so different from her usual gentle demeanor.
Her normally porcelain-white and soft face was now tinged with red due to prolonged breathlessness.
The shyness in her heart had surfaced, turning her blush into a soft, pink hue.
The delicate pink amidst the white and red reminded Sasaki of the cherry blossoms that had been in full bloom not long ago—equally delicate and lovely.
Lost in these thoughts, Sasaki saw her open her watery eyes, looking a bit dazed, and tightened his arms around her waist, speaking with a smile, "Is this Koharu's first kiss?"
Already a bit dazed, after his intense embrace, experiencing feelings she had never felt before, Koharu felt as if she were drunk with her mind being hazy, unable to think clearly.
But she instinctively responded to Sasaki's question.
"Mm, yes~"
"Do you know what a kiss means, Sister Koharu?"
"Uh..."
"I do."
As if double-checking whether she truly knew the meaning of a kiss, Koharu blinked and thought for a moment before answering.
It was hard to say if she was being serious or just naive.
Despite having already kissed, she still had to think it over...
Really.
Unable to resist, Sasaki sighed, holding her tightly in his arms, then lowered his head to gently press another kiss on her now even more moist and swollen lips before asking, "So, what does a kiss mean?"
"Mm~ It means expressing love~"
"Then, since Sister Koharu didn't refuse the kiss earlier, does that mean Sister Koharu likes me?"
"Yes~ Sister likes Fuyumi~"
Some people, even when they already know the answer in their hearts, can't help but dig deeper, wanting to hear that answer spoken aloud.
Like Sasaki.
He knew Sister Koharu liked him, that she would fulfil his every wish.
But he couldn't help it—he wanted to hear her say it herself.
There was no particular reason; he simply wanted to hear it.
"But little brothers shouldn't kiss their sisters on the lips, don't you know that, Sister Koharu?"
These words seemed to stump Koharu, leaving her speechless for a while.
After a minute or two, she finally spoke in a small voice:
"But Fuyumi isn't the same."
"What's different? Aren't you my sister and I'm your brother?"
Whether it was out of shyness or because she didn't know how to explain, Koharu pursed her lips and hesitated for a while.
Then she reached out and placed her hand on his broad chest, which was still holding her heart.
She didn't say anything, just pressed down firmly.
It seemed like she wanted him to feel her emotions more clearly.
Hmm...Sister Koharu's feelings were very clear.
Seeing that she understood what kind of affection he wanted, Sasaki smiled and slowly leaned closer to her.
Koharu didn't dislike this warm and dizzying closeness.
She trembled slightly, closed her eyes, and lifted her soft, expectant, and shy face.
...
Downstairs, seeing the two of them sitting neatly on the sofa watching TV, Yuka, who was about to go to the first-floor bathroom, deliberately raised her voice a bit as she announced, "I'm going to take a shower, I'm feeling sticky."
The sound of her coming downstairs was what made Sasaki reluctantly hold back his urge to take things further.
Since he knew there wasn't enough time, he didn't feel too disappointed or frustrated.
He and Sister Koharu lived under the same roof, and since they had already expressed their feelings for each other, there was no rush.
So when Sasaki turned around, his expression remained calm as usual.
But when he saw what Sister Yuka was wearing his warm smile turned into one of surprise.
When she had moved in, he had helped her carry her luggage.
In fact, when he had offered to help her unpack, her suitcase had 'exploded' with colorful outfits.
Sasaki had folded each piece of clothing and put them away.
Among them were outfits with the tags still on, so he was certainly familiar with them.
If he wasn't mistaken, the outfit Sister Yuka was wearing was called a "tie-front silk nightgown."
As the name suggests, this pure black nightgown was primarily composed of ribbons tied into bows and soft, thin silk.
The black straps extended from her shoulders, draping down along her beautifully defined collarbone and splitting into a Y-shape.
The ribbon extended downwards, wrapping around her waist and hips, where it was adorned with black silk that draped over her abdomen and thighs.
Inside the sheer black silk was a small piece of fabric with lace patterns.
The ribbon that wrapped around her waist formed a large bow, covering just a little bit of her modesty.
Before Sasaki could speak, Koharu, who had also turned to see her sister's outfit, blushed and said, "Why are you dressed like that again? Mom will be home soon~"
Not treating Sasaki as an outsider at all, Yuka propped one hand on her hip, casually flicked her long, waterfall-like black hair over her shoulder, and hummed dismissively: "I can't help it, can I? My clothes were ruined by ice cream."
Her graceful figure was shrouded in the thin, dark mist-like black silk, her porcelain-like skin slightly veiled, but the hazy glow under the lights made it even more alluring.
Noticing Sasaki's gaze, the girl couldn't help but feel a bit smug.
She had taken her time selecting this nightgown, after all.
It wasn't overly revealing, but it didn't cover everything either.
This delicate balance was supposed to be the most enticing, right?
How could a foolish little brother, who had never seen a woman before, resist such temptation?
If he begged her tonight... well, she might just give him a little reward.
As she thought about the "smurf" she had hidden under her pillow, Yuka was just about to ask Sasaki what he thought of her nightgown when the sound of a key turning in the front door's lock echoed through the room.
Click~
!!!