Chapter 3 – Devil x Strip –
“Ah, my fingers are getting tired. This is a lot of work.…”
While Shigure was preparing the bath, I was packing the garbage that I had removed from my father’s room to secure living space for her.
It’s okay to throw away everything except my mother’s belongings, so I didn’t hesitate to slam it into the trash bag, but what about clothes?
It can be put inside burnable garbage, but there is a local rule to cut it as finely as possible.
I use the scissors, which is probably my mother’s belonging, to shred the old man’s clothes having dinosaur’s pattern on it.
The work was finally completed when the tip of my fingers became sluggish.
Not only clothes….
“There are still the curtains left.”
A lot of things were excavated from the closet.
It would be painstaking process to sort thru this.
My fingers are getting stiff, so I took a breather and looked at the large amount of garbage collected at the entrance.
Combustible, non-combustible, and recyclable. There’s a lot.
There’s also dinosaur figures collected by my father.
It would be better to take it to a recycling shop with Shigure.
Maybe it will add to the household budget to some extent.
When I was making such calculations, Shigure shouted.
“Onii-san, Onii-san. It’s an emergency!”
“What happened? Maybe you don’t know how to boil the water?”
“No. In the previous house, we also use a balance boiler*, so there is no problem.”
[TN: バランス釜(balance-gama)- 1970’s Japanese bath water heater]
“Then what?”
“Eh, actually, Onii-san. I just noticed that this house doesn’t have a dressing room!”
Ah.
Speaking of which, our bathroom is directly connected to the kitchen through a wooden door.
There is no wall between our kitchen and the living room, which is my nest. So that means the bathroom is indirectly connected to my room.
I forgot because I hadn’t bothered about it in a men’s family, but this is a big problem.
No, wait.
“Is there a curtain rail on the ceiling in front of the bathroom?”
“Um….oh. Yes. Yes, but there is no curtain, right?”
“If so, can this be used?”
I pick up the curtain from the front door.
If it can be used, it would be a great help to save the trouble of cutting, but how about it?
I returned to the bathroom and hang it from the curtain rail to measure the length.
Hmm, it’s slightly short.
There is no problem with the width, but the hem is about 40 cm above the floor.
But it is sufficient.
“It’s about the knee high, and it’s too dark to see through. Will you be ok with this for today?”
“I don’t mind, but what about you, Onii-san?”
“Hmm? I’m a man, so I don’t really care much.”
“Hoho~u??”
Suddenly, Shigure’s expressions turned devilish, like before.
Haruka would never smile like that.
I felt a chill run through my spine.
“What’s this smoke?”
“No. There is no problem, yeah. The bathwater is boiling, so I’ll go first.”
“Go ahead, Go ahead”
I went back to the living room and turned on the TV while waving my hand.
I was lucky.
Now that I don’t have to cut the curtains, I’m done with it.
All I have to do is take a bath and go to bed.
Now the most exhausting day of my life is finally over.
There’s still more to think about, but I’m glad for the time being.
I took a break, and relaxed in the living room. I watched a variety show that I usually like.
Then, the front view of the bathroom reflected in my eyes. I can see the moment when thin legs peeking through the gap under the curtain took off its socks and became bare feet.
“………….”
No, no, what am I excited about?
I just saw her feet. Girls show off their bare feet everywhere.
In town or at school. It’s not unusual.
It’s not worth the time to look away so distracted.
Now, I’m concentrating on TV and I’m just being kind of flimsy.
With a thud*, [TN: ばさり]
The skirt that Shigure was wearing fell down her leg to the floor.
“Even though……!!”
At this moment, I cursed my carelessness.
Only 40 cm from the floor.
Obviously, I can’t see anything important. Considering that school girls hem up their skirts and expose their thighs, that is far worse.
However, the movement of the white legs and the clothes that fall on the floor conveys the fact that the girl with the same face as Haruka is naked behind the curtain.
…..It was a complete miscalculation.
In the end, I didn’t take into account my strong imagination, which complements the sight seen through a 40-centimeter gap.
Damn, what should I do? Should I go to the old man’s room and bring back the models?
No, no. It’s already Shigure’s room.
After the meal, I have to sort out my personal belongings, and I can’t enter without permission.
Should I seclude myself in the toilet?
While I was wondering, I saw Shigure’s hand from the gap of the curtain.
I saw the moment when she pulls down the white cloth.
I lie down on the table irresistibly.
The sound of my heartbeat was so loud that my eardrum seems to pop out from inside.
I’ve decided. I swear. It’ll be Tomorrow.
I will go to the hardware store tomorrow and buy curtains.
A long one that will drag to the floor. I’ll buy it. I will buy it even if the world is destroyed.
“Well, excuse me, Onii-san”
“Uwa! Wh, What?”
When I raised my face in a hurry, Shigure’s face came out from the edge of the curtain and smiled suspiciously.
She was looking at me.
“What are you so upset about?”
“I’m not upset. I was surprised. I was sleeping when you suddenly called out! So what happened?”
“I’m sorry for the trouble, but can you bring shampoo and conditioner from my bag? I forgot to bring it.”
“Ah, can I open it? The Bag”
“It’s okay. I’ve already put my underwear in the room. Don’t worry.”
“Uh, I understand.”
I entered her room as if to escape from Shigure’s gaze, and picked up two pink bottles from her bag, which was near the wall.
After that, I took a few deep breaths to adjust my breathing, returned to the living room while pretending to be calm, and handed the two items to Shigure.
Shigure receives those items with gratitude, she smiles and I smile back.
“Nfu ~. Thank you Onii-san ♡”
“What’s that face?”
“No? Nothing. Its.. nothing ♪”
After that, Shigure retracts behind the curtain.
I heard a series of sounds of the bath door opening and closing.
I returned to the table and sigh deeply.
…… What’s up with that face, just now?
The same face as Haruka.
But Haruka never smiles that strangely.
I reimagined her face saying those words….
『I don’t mind, but what about you, Onii-san?』
Did she know that I’m going to be like this?
Didn’t she think that she would be used for my vulgar delusions?
……I feel a chill runs down my spine.
Something inside me rings an alarm bell.
No way, she is…..
“No, no, no. Don’t be too hasty.”
It is not good to decide for the other party in your imagination.
That’s it.
Shigure started to accept me as her brother.
This imagination is just me being a little paranoid.
I decided to study to distract myself, shaking off the unpleasant premonition that came to my mind.
I put the notebook on the table and prepare for tomorrow.
Use your spare time studying. No matter how much you study, it won’t hurt.
It’s the only advice given to me by that fucking old man.
When you face a notebook, you don’t have to think about anything else.
I regained my composure while I was studying.
Eventually, Shigure comes out from the bath and move to the living room.
“Hmm~. I sweated a lot because of moving. I feel refreshed after the bath. You can go inside. it’s okay now.”
“Oh, then I’ll go.”
Until I was called out, I didn’t even notice that Shigure had come out of the bath.
After all, It’s good to study.
I am grateful to the old man for all this, and I stand up to leave.
I freeze for a moment.
In that instant, I stop moving as if the blood in my whole body was solidified.
But then my face became hot as if it was on fire.
Naturally.
Because, when I looked up, Shigure was standing there with a bath towel!
“Hey, Wa,wa,wa,wa,wa why are you dressed like that? You————?”
A scream pops out from my throat.
However, Shigure tilted her head and ask,
“What’s the matter, isn’t this normal after taking a bath? It’s the same for Onii-san, right?”
“That’s right at my house, but here!”
“This is also my house, right?”
“That’s right! That’s right! No, but get dressed quickly! Even if we’re brother and sister, this is wrong, right? We have to be aware of each other to some extent, but this is a complete overrun… …!”
“Pu————. Aha, Ahaha!”
Shigure breaks my words and starts laughing.
Wha, what? What’s wrong with this woman?
“What’s wrong!”
“It’s okay. You see. I’m wearing a camisole underneath.”
“……What?”
Then she removed her bath towel.
Underneath it was certainly a camisole and shorts.
I was stunned. Looking at my face, Shigure spouts.
“Ahaha. Don’t you notice it with this string? Oops. You’re over imagining an erotic manga scene. Even if you’re my step-brother, showing up in a bath towel in front of the boy who just met today, a woman who comes out in one piece doesn’t exist ♪ “
Shigure continues to laugh while shaking her shoulders.
Yes, with a nasty smile that does not look like Haruka’s.
This girl, I was right…
“Oi, you….there’s a limit to jokes…”
“Eh? Isn’t it just a little flirting? It’s like a cat’s sweet bite. Well, it seems that Onii-san was really excited.”
“….What would you do if I get so excited that I couldn’t control myself? I’m pretty sure I’m a fool, but I can’t guarantee it.”
“Aha☆ I’m not confident in your reason. I’m honest. It’ll be fine.”
“On what basis”
“Because”
Shigure picks up a leaflet from the table which I wanted to use as a memo and throws it in the air.
That moment,
She fluttered the flyer in the air with an accurate and incomparable sharp kick.
“I’m probably much stronger than Onii-san♥”
“…”
“If you feel like, you can attack me. I will do my best to deal with you ♪”
Shigure lifts her thighs and hits them with her hands as she insists.
The presence of well-trained muscles is conveyed by the sound of a loud bang.
Her movements and the destructive power made by her body. She was confident.
After all….
Shigure, she was making fun of me, knowing that she had the strength to overwhelm me.
A feeling that I had in me as a chill runs down my spine. Now it turns out to be the truth.
“What can you do?. You two-faced cat!*”
[TN: 猫を被る- It figuratively indicates the act of putting up a façade and pretending to be nicer than usual.]
“I am not pretending-nyan.”
“You’re pretending!”
I have no doubt.
Innocent* [TN: てんしんらんまん]
She indeed looks like the innocent Haruka, but her personality is completely different.
I compared her to this mischievous cat, but it’s a strange thing to say.
It seems that cats have a habit of teasing and playing games with those who are weaker than themselves.
They can hit it without raising a nail, or chew it sweetly without hurting their teeth.
I see. It’s very similar.
“I’ve always wanted an older sibling. A brother or sister who accept the selfishness of this cute little sister. So please spoil me a lot. Onii-san ♪”
A wicked smile that can never be done by the innocent Haruka.
No doubt. This girl is a bully.
This is bad. Really bad.
Because what would happen if such a sadist find out that I have a girlfriend, Haruka, who looks exactly like her?
Absolutely, I can’t let that happen.
The good thing is that she looks like Haruka because of this I can see my improvements.
I as I imagine the future. I can’t stop shivering.
Chapter 3 – Devil x Strip –
“Ah, my fingers are getting tired. This is a lot of work.…”
While Shigure was preparing the bath, I was packing the garbage that I had removed from my father’s room to secure living space for her.
It’s okay to throw away everything except my mother’s belongings, so I didn’t hesitate to slam it into the trash bag, but what about clothes?
It can be put inside burnable garbage, but there is a local rule to cut it as finely as possible.
I use the scissors, which is probably my mother’s belonging, to shred the old man’s clothes having dinosaur’s pattern on it.
The work was finally completed when the tip of my fingers became sluggish.
Not only clothes….
“There are still the curtains left.”
A lot of things were excavated from the closet.
It would be painstaking process to sort thru this.
My fingers are getting stiff, so I took a breather and looked at the large amount of garbage collected at the entrance.
Combustible, non-combustible, and recyclable. There’s a lot.
There’s also dinosaur figures collected by my father.
It would be better to take it to a recycling shop with Shigure.
Maybe it will add to the household budget to some extent.
When I was making such calculations, Shigure shouted.
“Onii-san, Onii-san. It’s an emergency!”
“What happened? Maybe you don’t know how to boil the water?”
“No. In the previous house, we also use a balance boiler*, so there is no problem.”
[TN: バランス釜(balance-gama)- 1970’s Japanese bath water heater]
“Then what?”
“Eh, actually, Onii-san. I just noticed that this house doesn’t have a dressing room!”
Ah.
Speaking of which, our bathroom is directly connected to the kitchen through a wooden door.
There is no wall between our kitchen and the living room, which is my nest. So that means the bathroom is indirectly connected to my room.
I forgot because I hadn’t bothered about it in a men’s family, but this is a big problem.
No, wait.
“Is there a curtain rail on the ceiling in front of the bathroom?”
“Um….oh. Yes. Yes, but there is no curtain, right?”
“If so, can this be used?”
I pick up the curtain from the front door.
If it can be used, it would be a great help to save the trouble of cutting, but how about it?
I returned to the bathroom and hang it from the curtain rail to measure the length.
Hmm, it’s slightly short.
There is no problem with the width, but the hem is about 40 cm above the floor.
But it is sufficient.
“It’s about the knee high, and it’s too dark to see through. Will you be ok with this for today?”
“I don’t mind, but what about you, Onii-san?”
“Hmm? I’m a man, so I don’t really care much.”
“Hoho~u??”
Suddenly, Shigure’s expressions turned devilish, like before.
Haruka would never smile like that.
I felt a chill run through my spine.
“What’s this smoke?”
“No. There is no problem, yeah. The bathwater is boiling, so I’ll go first.”
“Go ahead, Go ahead”
I went back to the living room and turned on the TV while waving my hand.
I was lucky.
Now that I don’t have to cut the curtains, I’m done with it.
All I have to do is take a bath and go to bed.
Now the most exhausting day of my life is finally over.
There’s still more to think about, but I’m glad for the time being.
I took a break, and relaxed in the living room. I watched a variety show that I usually like.
Then, the front view of the bathroom reflected in my eyes. I can see the moment when thin legs peeking through the gap under the curtain took off its socks and became bare feet.
“………….”
No, no, what am I excited about?
I just saw her feet. Girls show off their bare feet everywhere.
In town or at school. It’s not unusual.
It’s not worth the time to look away so distracted.
Now, I’m concentrating on TV and I’m just being kind of flimsy.
With a thud*, [TN: ばさり]
The skirt that Shigure was wearing fell down her leg to the floor.
“Even though……!!”
At this moment, I cursed my carelessness.
Only 40 cm from the floor.
Obviously, I can’t see anything important. Considering that school girls hem up their skirts and expose their thighs, that is far worse.
However, the movement of the white legs and the clothes that fall on the floor conveys the fact that the girl with the same face as Haruka is naked behind the curtain.
…..It was a complete miscalculation.
In the end, I didn’t take into account my strong imagination, which complements the sight seen through a 40-centimeter gap.
Damn, what should I do? Should I go to the old man’s room and bring back the models?
No, no. It’s already Shigure’s room.
After the meal, I have to sort out my personal belongings, and I can’t enter without permission.
Should I seclude myself in the toilet?
While I was wondering, I saw Shigure’s hand from the gap of the curtain.
I saw the moment when she pulls down the white cloth.
I lie down on the table irresistibly.
The sound of my heartbeat was so loud that my eardrum seems to pop out from inside.
I’ve decided. I swear. It’ll be Tomorrow.
I will go to the hardware store tomorrow and buy curtains.
A long one that will drag to the floor. I’ll buy it. I will buy it even if the world is destroyed.
“Well, excuse me, Onii-san”
“Uwa! Wh, What?”
When I raised my face in a hurry, Shigure’s face came out from the edge of the curtain and smiled suspiciously.
She was looking at me.
“What are you so upset about?”
“I’m not upset. I was surprised. I was sleeping when you suddenly called out! So what happened?”
“I’m sorry for the trouble, but can you bring shampoo and conditioner from my bag? I forgot to bring it.”
“Ah, can I open it? The Bag”
“It’s okay. I’ve already put my underwear in the room. Don’t worry.”
“Uh, I understand.”
I entered her room as if to escape from Shigure’s gaze, and picked up two pink bottles from her bag, which was near the wall.
After that, I took a few deep breaths to adjust my breathing, returned to the living room while pretending to be calm, and handed the two items to Shigure.
Shigure receives those items with gratitude, she smiles and I smile back.
“Nfu ~. Thank you Onii-san ♡”
“What’s that face?”
“No? Nothing. Its.. nothing ♪”
After that, Shigure retracts behind the curtain.
I heard a series of sounds of the bath door opening and closing.
I returned to the table and sigh deeply.
…… What’s up with that face, just now?
The same face as Haruka.
But Haruka never smiles that strangely.
I reimagined her face saying those words….
『I don’t mind, but what about you, Onii-san?』
Did she know that I’m going to be like this?
Didn’t she think that she would be used for my vulgar delusions?
……I feel a chill runs down my spine.
Something inside me rings an alarm bell.
No way, she is…..
“No, no, no. Don’t be too hasty.”
It is not good to decide for the other party in your imagination.
That’s it.
Shigure started to accept me as her brother.
This imagination is just me being a little paranoid.
I decided to study to distract myself, shaking off the unpleasant premonition that came to my mind.
I put the notebook on the table and prepare for tomorrow.
Use your spare time studying. No matter how much you study, it won’t hurt.
It’s the only advice given to me by that fucking old man.
When you face a notebook, you don’t have to think about anything else.
I regained my composure while I was studying.
Eventually, Shigure comes out from the bath and move to the living room.
“Hmm~. I sweated a lot because of moving. I feel refreshed after the bath. You can go inside. it’s okay now.”
“Oh, then I’ll go.”
Until I was called out, I didn’t even notice that Shigure had come out of the bath.
After all, It’s good to study.
I am grateful to the old man for all this, and I stand up to leave.
I freeze for a moment.
In that instant, I stop moving as if the blood in my whole body was solidified.
But then my face became hot as if it was on fire.
Naturally.
Because, when I looked up, Shigure was standing there with a bath towel!
“Hey, Wa,wa,wa,wa,wa why are you dressed like that? You————?”
A scream pops out from my throat.
However, Shigure tilted her head and ask,
“What’s the matter, isn’t this normal after taking a bath? It’s the same for Onii-san, right?”
“That’s right at my house, but here!”
“This is also my house, right?”
“That’s right! That’s right! No, but get dressed quickly! Even if we’re brother and sister, this is wrong, right? We have to be aware of each other to some extent, but this is a complete overrun… …!”
“Pu————. Aha, Ahaha!”
Shigure breaks my words and starts laughing.
Wha, what? What’s wrong with this woman?
“What’s wrong!”
“It’s okay. You see. I’m wearing a camisole underneath.”
“……What?”
Then she removed her bath towel.
Underneath it was certainly a camisole and shorts.
I was stunned. Looking at my face, Shigure spouts.
“Ahaha. Don’t you notice it with this string? Oops. You’re over imagining an erotic manga scene. Even if you’re my step-brother, showing up in a bath towel in front of the boy who just met today, a woman who comes out in one piece doesn’t exist ♪ “
Shigure continues to laugh while shaking her shoulders.
Yes, with a nasty smile that does not look like Haruka’s.
This girl, I was right…
“Oi, you….there’s a limit to jokes…”
“Eh? Isn’t it just a little flirting? It’s like a cat’s sweet bite. Well, it seems that Onii-san was really excited.”
“….What would you do if I get so excited that I couldn’t control myself? I’m pretty sure I’m a fool, but I can’t guarantee it.”
“Aha☆ I’m not confident in your reason. I’m honest. It’ll be fine.”
“On what basis”
“Because”
Shigure picks up a leaflet from the table which I wanted to use as a memo and throws it in the air.
That moment,
She fluttered the flyer in the air with an accurate and incomparable sharp kick.
“I’m probably much stronger than Onii-san♥”
“…”
“If you feel like, you can attack me. I will do my best to deal with you ♪”
Shigure lifts her thighs and hits them with her hands as she insists.
The presence of well-trained muscles is conveyed by the sound of a loud bang.
Her movements and the destructive power made by her body. She was confident.
After all….
Shigure, she was making fun of me, knowing that she had the strength to overwhelm me.
A feeling that I had in me as a chill runs down my spine. Now it turns out to be the truth.
“What can you do?. You two-faced cat!*”
[TN: 猫を被る- It figuratively indicates the act of putting up a façade and pretending to be nicer than usual.]
“I am not pretending-nyan.”
“You’re pretending!”
I have no doubt.
Innocent* [TN: てんしんらんまん]
She indeed looks like the innocent Haruka, but her personality is completely different.
I compared her to this mischievous cat, but it’s a strange thing to say.
It seems that cats have a habit of teasing and playing games with those who are weaker than themselves.
They can hit it without raising a nail, or chew it sweetly without hurting their teeth.
I see. It’s very similar.
“I’ve always wanted an older sibling. A brother or sister who accept the selfishness of this cute little sister. So please spoil me a lot. Onii-san ♪”
A wicked smile that can never be done by the innocent Haruka.
No doubt. This girl is a bully.
This is bad. Really bad.
Because what would happen if such a sadist find out that I have a girlfriend, Haruka, who looks exactly like her?
Absolutely, I can’t let that happen.
The good thing is that she looks like Haruka because of this I can see my improvements.
I as I imagine the future. I can’t stop shivering.
