At the dinner table, Hiroya silently looked at his sister Rio who was eating her food with a lost look on her face.
Seeing her mechanically add sugar to her dish instead of salt, Hiroya couldn't help but feel a little annoyed.
Just after they reached home he directly asked her if something was wrong, but this sister of his kept saying that everything was alright and he need not worry.
'But how am I not suppose to worry when you have such a ghastly look pasted on your face.'
Suddenly Hiorya turned his gaze and looked towards Riruru.
As soon as their eyes met, Riruru quickly moved her head avoiding his gaze.
'She definitely knows something...'
Hiroya thought, wondering whether he should interrogate her later.
"I'm done.", Rio said in a low voice as she slowly got up from her seat and left for her room under Hiroya's Mother's worried gaze.
"Are you kids hiding something from me?", Hiroya's mother asked in a serious voice.
"She is.", Hiroya directly pointed toward Riruru making her choke on her food.
"Riruru! Tell me what you're hiding!"
"Eh? I'm not hiding anything...", Riruru tried to play it off.
"Don't lie to me!"
Leaving behind the quarreling mother and sister, Hiroya made his way towards Rio's room.
"Sister Rio it's ne Hiroya, I'm coming in."
Not waiting for her reply, he pushed open the door revealing Rio's figure standing before the mirror.
"Hiro? Why are you here?.....", Rio asked in a low voice.
Looking at her dull expression, Hirlya walked passed her and unceremoniously sat down on her bed.
"Hiro?", Seeing his action Rio said in confusion.
"Come and sit down first.", Hiroya said while patting the place right beside him.
Seeing his action, Rio hesitated for a moment before complying with his strutting and sitting right beside Hiroya.
Then without giving her a chance to react Hiroya directly placed his hand on her shoulder and pulled her closer making Rio's head fall on his chest.
The sudden course of action made Rio's eyes tremble for a moment, but unlike the time with Kazuo, Rio felt an inexplicable sense of closeness from Hiroya.
"Are you alright sis?", Hiroya didn't ask about the incident but inquired about her state.
Hearing his concerned voice, Rio lowered her head as her body started trembling.
Seeing her situation, Hiroya held her a little tighter making her shaking stop.
"Sister Rio....."
Using his other hand to lightly oat Rio's lowered head, Hirkya continued in a calm voice.
"Trust me, I can help you, Sister."
After hearing his voice, Rio slowly lifted her head.
"Hiro..."
With giant droplets of tears forming at the corners of her eyes she looked at her brother.
"I--I---*sniff*"
Then she suddenly hugged Rio tightly and burst out crying, burying her face in his chest.
Seeing her state, Hiroya started rythmetically patting her back and letting her vent out the hidden emotions.
Then she told him the entire story while sobbing loudly.
After some time, Rio finally stopped crying and rested her head on Hiroya's chest.
Listening to the beating of his heart while being held by his muscular arm seem to provide her with the feeling of comfort Rio had been looking for.
"Was he in the group of students we passed by?"
Rio simply nodded her head.
"You should have told me before sister.", Hiroya said while narrowing his eyes.
Listening to his complaining tine, Sister Rio panicked and replied in a hurry.
"I-I didn't want you to get hurt Hiro....."
Hiroya scoffed at her words and said.
"You should trust you're brother more sister."
"I.....yes.", Rio wanted to rebuke but couldn't and so she simply lowered her head.
"Also....."
Using his hand Hiroya lightly grabbed Rio's chin and pulled her face up looking straight into her eyes.
"Who will get hurt remains to be seen."
Looking straight at his unshakable eyes and listening to his unquestionable voice made light blush appear on Rio's face.
'Hiro has changed so much.....'
His strong gaze, wide shoulders, gentle behaviour and heavy voice.
They all seem to leave a deep impression in her mind.
"Then if I land myself in trouble again..."
"I will make sure to tell you."
Looking at Hiroya nodding his head in approval, a smile formed on Rio's face as she quickly regained some of her formal personality.
"Thank you Hiro.....Thank you brother."
The older sibling calling her younger one with honorific was a first.
She always felt that it was her job as the oldest sibling in the house to take care of her younger brother and sister.
So being comforted like this was a first for her.
'It feels nice.', Rio thought before once again resting her head against Hirkya's chest.
Listening to his rythemic heartbeat seem to put her heart at ease.
After putting Rio to sleep Hiroya turned off the light and quitely left her room.
"Kazuo?..."
Hiroya muttered in a small voice.
'Looks like I will have to go to school tomorrow.'
Looking at the situation he couldn't help but feel a sense of anger.
'Now it will take even longer to make money since I will have to attend school.'
From the hospital Hiroya was given a full one month of medical, this was an amazing opportunity for progress without any distraction but now it was ruined by some son of a b*tch.
The more he thought about it the angrier he became.
'Fck he will die at my hands!'
A dangerous light passed through Hiroya's eyes as he quickly entered his room and opened up his laptop.
He still needed to run those ads for his game's promotion....