"Oh, my brother didn't buy any green onions."
It wasn't until we got home with the groceries for dinner that I realized I had forgotten one thing.
Miyuki said.
"Let's go together. Let's go get green onions."
"No, I'll go by myself. Just get ready."
Miyuki replied regretfully.
"Hmph. Okay."
Since it was late in the evening, the nearby supermarket was out of green onions.
They had to go in circles.
"We'll take a shortcut."
I turn into a dark alleyway.
This alleyway, where the shops were closed and no one was home, gave me a bad feeling every time I came across it.
I had a premonition that something bad was about to happen.
It was then.
"That, don't do that.... Don't do that...."
I heard a thin woman's voice, muffled and wistful.
I turned to look and saw a fat man.
"Hold still, let's go somewhere nice. Kkkkk."
The woman, who appeared to be a middle school girl in a school uniform, and the sweaty man.
I felt the blood rush to my head.
I immediately lunged at the man and drove my fist into his temple.
"Crap!"
The man screams.
Not wanting to lose momentum, I throw punch after punch.
Puck! Puck! Puck!
"Ow! Ow! Fuck! That hurts! Stop!"
He stands in front of the middle school girl and grabs her by the throat.
He's gagging, his saliva coming out backwards.
"Get the fuck out of here. I'm calling the police. What's the heavier charge, attempted sexual assault of a minor or just assault?"
I let go of him, and he shuffled away, spitting as he walked.
"Asshole."
I shoo the guy away and stare at the girl.
A middle school girl who wore the same school uniform as my sister and looked about the same age was sobbing with tears streaming down her face.
I felt sorry for her and involuntarily stroked the girl's hair.
"Are you okay?"
"Blackblackblack...."
As I stroked her hair, the middle school girl hugged my waist and sobbed even harder.
"Aaaaahhh. I was so scared. Blackblackblack...."
I think she's finally relieved.
But I was a little embarrassed that she clung so tightly to me at first.
"It's okay, everything will be fine now."
I looked at the middle school girl's nametag and saw that her name was Kaori.
I led her to sit on a nearby bench and patted her shoulder until she was relieved.
After crying for a while, her tears stopped.
Kaori got up from the bench and bowed respectfully.
"Thank you.... You saved my life!"
"Be careful, this alleyway is spooky, you might want to take another street."
"Okay. Thank you so much, I was freaking out and couldn't move at all.... I would have been dragged away if you hadn't helped me."
"Did we have to call the police? Let's just reassure her and get her home.
"Where's home? I'll take you there."
Kaori gives me her address.
I open the map app, glance at it, and stand next to Kaori as we walk.
For some reason, I feel like I'm walking with my sister, but at the same time, it feels strange.
"You go to Seoryeong Middle School?"
"Oh yeah."
"My sister goes there too. That makes it even more strange. You have to be careful. It's a mean world out there."
"Yes.... By any chance, what's your brother's name?"
"Me? I'm Keigo."
"Keigo.... Keigo...."
Kaori repeats my name a few times.
"By any chance, could you give me your contact information?"
"Huh? Contact?"
"...Uh, yeah. Why not?"
I couldn't say no to Kaori's pleading eyes.
It was as if her little sister was begging her to sleep with her.
"Ah, okay. I'll let you know. But why?"
"...I'll definitely repay you later, Mr. Keigo."
"You don't have to care."
"I do care!"
Kaori whispered to no one in particular.
"My brother said...."
******
After I dropped Kaori off, I returned home.
As I opened the front door, my sister Miyuki, dressed in an apron, put her hands on her hips and said angrily.
"...Where's Daifa?"
"Huh?"
I had completely forgotten.
So much had happened before that the little thing had gone out of my head.
"I called you dozens of times and you didn't answer your phone, you know how worried I was!!!"
Tears formed on Miyuki's angry face.
I hastily hugged Miyuki and soothed her.
"I'm sorry, are you okay, Miyuki?"
"I hate you. I was so worried about you, black and white."
"I'm sorry. I forgot to turn off the sound. I won't do that next time."
"...I'm going to sleep cuddled up to you tonight, and even if you're frustrating me, you must never leave. Do you understand?"
"...Yes."
I stroke Miyuki's hair and make dinner.
As we eat, I tell her why I forgot to buy green onions.
"A girl from the same middle school as me almost got dragged away!"
Miyuki looks at me with surprised bunny eyes.
I nod my head.
"Yep. I was a little late rescuing her and taking her home."
"You're not hurt, are you?"
"I'm fine... I'm just worried that he might have been scared."
"Good for you! That's my brother! You're so cool. I didn't even realize that you scolded him...."
I shook my head as Miyuki gave me a sour look.
"No. I would have been worried if Miyuki was late too. I'm sorry."
"If you're so sorry, are you even going to kiss me today?"
"...."
"I'm just kidding, you don't have to be so sincere."
Miyuki sighed as if she wasn't joking.
"By the way, you don't have a crush on that girl's brother, do you? What's his name?"
"It's better not to give away personal information, it's rude.
I replied.
"I didn't see his name, but he looks like he's around Miyuki's age, so don't bother looking him up, it could be traumatizing."
"Okay. I'm not trying to do anything, I just wanted to know her name in case she's on the watch list."
"What do you mean, a target...."
"You're so insensitive to how cool you are. Hmph."
I finish eating and wash the dishes.
Miyuki hugs my waist from behind and whispers.
"I'll wait for you in your room when you finish washing the dishes, honey♥"
"...Miyuki, don't say that."
"Hmph. I hope I can actually call you that someday♥"
A day passed like that.