The President's Pretty Little Brother
After that, I had to kiss Harpy on the forehead more than ten additional times before she finally forgave me. I even heard her sulky voice demanding that I not look at other women while she was around, so afterward I couldn't resist showering her with even more kisses because she was simply too adorable.
"Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere, Harpy?"
"N-no, I'm fine..."
While helping her change into the prepared clothes, I inevitably had to touch her in various places, and another surge of desire threatened to rise. But once she was fully dressed in a cream-colored, loose sweater that suited her image and a light brown skirt that reached her ankles, I couldn't help but admire how charming she looked despite the modest, non-revealing outfit.
However, it seemed she wanted me to voice my admiration rather than just swallow it down.
"It doesn't look strange or anything, right?"
She stood there, unable to meet my eyes, her hands neatly clasped in front of her with long sleeves covering them, trying to appear demure. I nearly pulled her slender waist toward me, forgetting for a moment that the President was waiting outside.
The loose sweater's fit was already emphasized by her motherly chest, and tucking the top into the skirt made it stand out even more. Since the skirt was long both above and below, the hem settled just above her navel, perfectly completing her well-proportioned figure.
"Of course not. You look truly beautiful."
"Ahh..."
Harpy's figure was already lovely to begin with. I waited until she calmed down from blushing so purely at each compliment before finally sliding open the bedroom's pocket door and stepping out into the living room with her.
"You came out earlier than I expected?"
"...President?"
"Hehe, I wouldn't have said anything if you'd taken your time enjoying yourselves."
"What are you talking about? More importantly, the person next to you..."
An unfamiliar face was sitting on the sofa alongside the President, so I silently praised my earlier self for resisting the urge to indulge as I pleased. The President was boldly making sexual remarks even with someone else present—should I say she's impressively consistent?
"..."
They really do look alike. If I cut the President's flowing long hair short and adjusted for height and muscle, it would be exactly like this. The stranger didn't react much to the President's teasing, as if already used to it. Could this be the rumored younger sister...?
"Ah, this cute child here is..."
"Nice to meet you. My name is Luke Canine, and I serve as the director of the Eunrang Art Museum's American branch."
She had deliberately cut off the President mid-sentence. I couldn't blame her—I wouldn't want my introduction left to the President either, not knowing what unnecessary additions might come out.
Her voice seemed a bit low, though. Since I'd received her introduction, it was only polite to offer mine in return.
"Hello, I'm..."
"This is Woong. The counselor I mentioned last time. He's incredibly virile compared to his experience count."
Hmm. Yeah, this was exactly what I'd been worried about.
"..."
But Luke just waited patiently for my answer, as if she hadn't heard the President's words at all. That single small gesture was enough to convince me.
This person... is a good person.
"...My name is Sim Geonung. As the President said, I'm the counselor here."
"And next to you must be Miss Harpy."
"Hello..."
She really is a good person. But... what is this unease I can't seem to shake off?
Luke. Luke Canine.
"Aren't you staring at our little brother a bit too hard? If staring could actually bore a hole, the men around here would've already been..."
"Little brother...?!"
Her voice was much lower than I'd expected, which felt odd. Still, I dismissed the discomfort because... she was simply that pretty.
Why were her eyelashes so long? And why did her eyes sparkle so unnecessarily? Her skin was pale, and her lips were such a lovely light pink.
"...I understand the reaction, but if you keep staring like that..."
Her face... flushed red. Even the way she turned her gaze aside and slightly furrowed her brows was beautiful. Could a man really be this pretty? No, could a man even be this pretty?
Her figure alone looked nothing like a man's. She was so delicate... Was "little brother" just the President's joke?
But if that were the case, I would've already detected the lie through my inner voice. What exactly was this strange feeling creeping in, pushing aside the deep-rooted rejection and resistance...?
"...Gulp."
And in that moment, the President's hand covering her mouth finally dropped.
Her hands are small and pretty too... No, that's not the point.
"It wasn't the result I hoped for as her older sister, but it seems our Woong has discovered yet another preference."
"Luke is certainly... very pretty, but your jokes are going too far, even toward a man."
"Hm? Is that so? I thought as long as it tastes good, it doesn't matter."
How far was she planning to take this "little brother" joke?
...I'd almost forgotten. Our President is hopeless.
"Anyway, it's a misunderstanding. I was just a little surprised. I'll treat Luke properly as a man from now on."
"...Geonung-ssi..."
Why did Luke look like a heroine who'd just been rescued from a villain's clutches, overcome with emotion?
Ah... her face was unavoidable. I nearly got lost in that beauty again.
"Ahem..."
Get a grip. The other person is a man. He has a thing down there. Of course, he's far more feminine than the President, seems much kinder, his skin looks softer, and he probably smells like good shampoo rather than cigar smoke, but...
"..."
This is dangerous. I need to change the subject quickly, or this awkward and embarrassing situation will only continue.
"Oh, now that I think about it, I still haven't heard the President's name."
That was the topic that came to mind. I'd learned the sister's name this time, but somehow I'd never learned the President's despite knowing her longer.
But this choice unexpectedly caused a big reaction from the President.
"Uh... huh? Why are you suddenly curious about my name...?"
She suddenly became extremely unnatural. Since I hadn't expected this reaction, my curiosity only grew.
"The introduction is a bit late. Our older sister's name is... A—"
Smack!
"Luke?!"
The incident happened so fast that even I, who had been watching with both eyes wide open, couldn't see it clearly. All I caught was the President's hand shooting out to cover Luke's mouth as she tried to say the name, and Luke—no, Luke—rolling dramatically across the living room floor after being sent flying over the sofa.
"Oh my."
This wasn't the time to be surprised by words like "oh my" that she never usually used. I definitely heard the sound of skin tearing just now...!
"Luke! Are you okay... Huh."
I immediately jumped up to help the fallen Luke, but then realized I'd walked right into a trap. Of course, this wasn't some scheme by the President. It was literally an accident.
But this...
"Geonung... I'm fine..."
I looked at the face of the person I'd just carefully pulled into an embrace. It was fortunate that he was still conscious after such a shock, but the way he looked at me with a dazed expression, his eyes moist from the dull pain...
It was a sight that strongly stimulated a man's protective instincts. That frail, innocent aura that seemed like it could steal Harpy's identity in an instant if I let my guard down. His lower lip was slightly swollen and red from being hit, and even that...
"...Geonung-ssi?"
"Ah, excuse me! Are you really okay? There was a pretty loud sound earlier..."
"Yes... I'm sturdy like my sister, so I'm fine. Thank you for worrying."
Ah... How could someone be this polite? It was hard to believe he shared blood with that exhibitionist, sexual-harassment-loving pervert of a President.
"Um... could you let go now...?"
"Ah."
I quickly released my hands from his shoulders—his shoulders. Actually touching him made the distinction even harder. How could a man's body be this slender?
"Phew, you should be more careful with your actions, sister."
"Ahaha..."
His claim of being sturdy wasn't empty talk—he quickly stood up and brushed the dust off his suit. He didn't even seem dizzy after that impact.
"Oh..."
"Luke?!"
The moment I thought that, I saw him stagger and reached out to catch him before he fell. Whether by coincidence or fate's prank, the staggering Luke ended up falling right into my arms.
"Ah..."
Thump.
Why is my heart racing...?
"Ooh... So this is what they call netorare."
"Woong-ssi..."
Thanks to the President and Harpy's reactions, the atmosphere became even stranger.
"...I'm sorry, Geonung-ssi. I suddenly got dizzy..."
"No, it's fine."
...He's incredibly light and small. Looking at him like this, he's really short too. He really does smell nice. No, wait, that's not—
"Ah... And if you're curious about my sister's name, it's Alice. Alice Canine."
"...?"
"For some reason, she's always hated being called by her name. I guess that habit hasn't changed."
Though the atmosphere had been somewhat dangerous at first, Luke's quick calming helped me settle the strange mix of discomfort, rejection, racing heart, and self-loathing swirling inside me.
"Ugh, she ended up saying it anyway."
Once my mind settled, curiosity followed. Why had the President tried so hard to stop her name from being revealed?
"Alice... I think it's a perfectly cute and pretty name, though?"
I'd been desperate to stop her, which only made me more curious. At least it was better than my own nickname, which had ten characters.
"That's exactly why I hate it. The name is too cute. It just... doesn't suit me, I guess."
"..."
Don't tell me this is the President's complex? There's no way someone as shameless as her would have a complex...
"?"
Is the President... blushing at the tips of her ears right now?
Haha... No way.
"Anyway, whatever. You'll learn the name eventually."
"I think... it suits you quite well, though?"
I really do think it suits her. With just one condition—that she keeps her mouth shut.
"Mmph."
Mmph...?
"What nonsense... are you spouting..."
Watching the President trail off and finally close her mouth, only one thought filled my mind.
Oh... I might be able to use this.