The Eldest Sister Is Strangely Cold (4)
The Eldest Sister Is Strangely Cold (4)
After that incident in the garden, Charl took me to her room.
"Whoa...."
It was my first time inside Charl's room. Even though she'd only been back at the estate a few days, the room was already thick with her distinctive sweet fragrance—oddly similar to Mom's, I guess. A scent that made me miss her.
And for a while now, my sister had been watching me with an oddly affectionate gaze.
"Sit down for now. Want some cookies?"
"Yeah. And milk."
"Got it. ...Steward!"
She summoned a servant and ordered cookies.
The cookies and milk arrived almost instantly.
Only after I'd thoroughly dunked and crunched my way through the sweet cookies did I finally recover from the shock of that naked incident and settle down.
'...Come to think of it, did her way of speaking suddenly change?'
"Sis, is that how you normally talk?"
"Huh? ...!?"
For a moment, she looked like she had no idea what I meant. Then her eyes went wide, as if a realization had struck her.
Covering her face with her hands as if embarrassed, she began to mutter.
"Busted... No, isn't it fine if it's with Yune? Even the Head of House goes soft for him. Yeah. She only has to look impressive to everyone else. What's the point of acting tough with my own little brother?"
"Sis? What's wrong?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing. The way I normally talk is super serious and noble-like, but that would scare you, so I'm doing this on purpose. Only with you, Yune. So it's a secret from the other sisters and the Head of House, okay?"
"Really? Okay!!"
Her words—that it was all for my sake—rippled through my heart like a gentle wave. Good heavens. She changed the way she talks just to be considerate of me? Charl must be an angel!
Combined with how cold she'd been acting toward me until recently, I was completely swept away by my sister's unexpected charm. A carrot after the stick, you could say.
But when she saw me grinning, she smiled back awkwardly, as if her conscience was pricking at her.
I wondered why, but seeing uncertainty flicker in her eyes, I decided not to press further. My sister had been considerate of me—wasn't it only basic human decency for me to be considerate of her in return?
"So, sis. What was the reason you'd been avoiding me?"
I changed the subject, bringing up what she'd said earlier.
Charl then began to explain why she'd been avoiding me these past few days.
"That was...."
The explanation that followed.
There were many reasons, but if you boiled it down to one line: it was 'for my sake.' To fix my habit, as a boy, of thoughtlessly throwing myself into women's arms.
...That's it? That's the reason she'd been avoiding me all this time?
'Haa. Mom was like this too, and now my sister. Is it genetic or something?'
"Sis. Sit down there."
"Uh, huh?"
"Sit!"
A familiar sense of déjà vu washing over me, I folded my arms in front of my sister and launched into a lecture.
"If you had a reason like that, you say as much. Why did you avoid me without a word?"
"Th-that was. For your sake...."
"Not that. Why did you avoid me 'without a word'?"
"...I'm sorry. I was wrong."
First, I made sure my sister recognized exactly what she'd done wrong. Then I explained why it was wrong, and why she shouldn't do it.
"You could've just told me not to do it first, right? But instead, you avoided me without saying anything. Acted cold on purpose. I'm a manly man, so I was fine—other people would've been hurt, you know?"
"...."
"That's a really bad habit. Mom used to be like that, and now you are too."
"...Yeah."
"Refusing to say something when there's no need to keep it secret isn't being stoic; it's just a lack of communication. Especially in a situation where the other person can misunderstand or get hurt—even more so."
-Nod.
My sister nodded along, apparently convinced by my explanation.
"You won't do it from now on?"
"Yeah. I get it."
"That's right~ My sister is so nice. Pat pat~."
"......."
When I patted her head, finding her quick understanding commendable, she gave a rather uneasy smile.
Weird. I like it when someone pats my head. Does my sister not?
Seeing that expression, I subtly pulled my hand back, and instead snuggled into my sister, who was sitting cross-legged.
-Squeeze.
"...!?"
I wrapped my arms and legs around my sister's waist like a koala and buried my face in her chest.
I heard her suck in a startled breath, but I paid it no mind and continued.
"You were worried I'd throw myself into just anyone's arms, right, sis? Like this."
"Uh, yeah. I think it's because Yune hasn't had sex education yet, but boys are supposed to...."
"There's no way I'd do this with just anyone, right? It's because you're my sister. Because you're family."
"...?"
My sister's concern had been unnecessary from the start.
Would I, a sane person, recklessly throw myself into other women's arms? I only do that with people I can truly trust.
"I don't do this with complete strangers like the servants. Only with family."
'And with people I've grown attached to, like Chloe or Nibuer.'
"Then what would you say if someone else asked for a hug? For instance, you have a fiancée, right? You're supposed to meet this winter—what if she asks you to hold her?"
"Mark of a manly man. Not so easy that I'll hug any random woman who asks!"
My sister asked as if worried, but I confidently declared that a manly man does no such thing. I have firm standards for affection. This is only for family. And only for my people.
"Manly man...? What have you been going on about?"
"Ah, so you don't know, sis? What a manly man is... is me!"
After that, I began fervently preaching my passionate convictions to my bewildered sister, who had no idea what a 'manly man' meant.
A manly man is a man among men. A man more womanly than a woman. A man who cherishes his family dearly, whose exterior is cold but heart is warm.
"...You get it now?"
"Uh, yeah... Is it because our family is a martial house? The kid's picked up some strange ideas."
"Huh? Why?"
"Nothing. ...Haa. How am I supposed to teach this, seriously."
Once my explanation was over, my sister cradled her forehead and shook her head.
After agonizing for a moment, she shook her head firmly.
"Anyway. You only do that with family? Not with other people?"
"Yeah. What do you take me for, really. Earlier I was even thinking, 'I can't show my naked body to the servants. I hope my sister comes to rescue me.'"
"...You shouldn't show your naked body to family, either?"
"Huh? Isn't that normal among family?"
"Haaaah... So this was the problem."
After that, my sister began explaining while stroking my hair. That even among family, a boy showing his skin to a woman, burying his face in her chest, or clinging tightly like now—all of it was embarrassing.
But I let it go in one ear and out the other. What's wrong with family hugging or anything like that? It's not like we're kissing.
"And this current position is actually the face-to-face sitting...."
"Huh? What about the position?"
".........Nothing. Ahem."
The conversation fizzled out because my sister, oddly, also couldn't speak properly from the middle onward, her ears red as she hemmed and hawed.
Soon enough, the topic shifted to the old story my sister had promised to tell.
"What's this old story?"
"Well... A few days before I left to enroll at the Academy. You were very sick."
"...?"
"I just suddenly remembered that time."
The sudden tangent made my eyebrows rise. Before my sister enrolled? So... when I was six? I barely remember anything from that time except being sick and groaning every day.
"All of a sudden?"
"Just listen. Back then, I was busy with heir lessons and training and all, so I could hardly ever play with you, right? Couldn't even see your face, let alone play. But when I thought about leaving the estate for several years, you came to mind."
She then peeled me off and sat me next to her before continuing.
"As the future head of house, I felt I had to look after my family, so I went to see you the night before I left... and there you were, even tinier than now, groaning in bed. Drenched in cold sweat. The maids were nowhere to be seen, and you were whimpering."
"Well, I was at the peak of my illness back then. I probably was."
"Yeah. Seeing that, I was so startled I tried to find the maid. But then your eyes suddenly flew open. You looked at me and smiled. Saying, 'Sis Charl.'"
"...."
"After that, you looked uncomfortable and kept wiping yourself with a towel, but you didn't have the strength to take off your clothes, so you were just rubbing under your drenched shirt. It was pointless."
My sister cleared her throat, as if the story was a little embarrassing to tell.
"Ahem. So I helped. Wiped away your sweat, even changed your clothes a bit."
"My clothes? Just a moment ago, you said even family shouldn't see each other naked?"
"...When a six-year-old kid is drenched in sweat, that's an exception. Anyway. Once I made you all clean and fresh, you practically threw yourself into my arms. Saying, 'Thank you, sis.'"
And then she began stroking the hair of me, sitting beside her.
"So I patted your head like this. And then you started giggling and talking. 'Big sis, you're leaving tomorrow, right?'"
"...."
"I was surprised you knew, but also felt kind of sorry, so I said yes. That the reason I came today was to see you before I left."
"Yeah. And?"
"Then you said you understood, and told me to take care. That by then you'd be healthy too, so you'd welcome me back happily—not to worry and to go safely."
My sister's gaze drifted to the empty air, as if tracing the distant past before her eyes.
Listening to her, I couldn't remember it well, but it felt true. The memories had faded, but the emotions I must have felt back then seemed faintly within reach.
I felt like I finally understood why I had welcomed my sister so unusually warmly, and what that ticklish feeling in my chest had been whenever I hugged her.
My gaze followed hers into the empty air.
"It really came true. You came back safely, and I got healthy."
"Yeah. And there was something I thought back then. That I'd been so focused on Mar and Albert, I'd barely paid attention to Yune. I decided that when I came back, I'd look after you too."
"You were pretty cold for someone who had that plan. Did you forget?"
"It couldn't be helped. After that, I spent two years at the Academy, then another two years crossing the mountains slashing monsters—I was busy. Plenty of time to forget. You'd forgotten too, hadn't you, Yune?"
"...Guilty! After four years, it can't be helped!"
"How bland."
Thus the long explanation ended.
My sister's eyes, which had been gazing at that far-off past, returned to the present and looked at me.
"...So, Yune. It's late, but let me say it now. I'm back. And thank you for waiting so patiently, and for getting healthy like you promised."
Gazing at me, my sister smiled beautifully and gave her thanks. Feeling a little bashful, I smiled back and said,
"Yeah. Welcome home, sis."
Just like that, we looked at each other and smiled.
* * * * * *
After that day, Charl began doting on me as if her previous coldness had been a lie.
"Oh, Charl sis~!"
"Yune~."
Whenever I approached, my sister's expression would instantly relax as she welcomed me.
Except when someone else was nearby—then she'd hastily stiffen her face,
"Ahem. Yunes. You, too, must now have the self-awareness of a noble young lord. No matter how much we are family, to keep clinging to ladies in such a vulgar manner...."
She'd often push me away like this, pretending to be cold.
But I wasn't hurt. I was actually happy. It felt like we had a secret just between the two of us.
"...Looks like Sis Charl's already been conquered by Yune."
"Told you, didn't I? She wouldn't last a week. Now, pay up the bet. Sis Mar."
"That miserable actor... ha. Fine. I'll pay."
...It is a secret just between the two of us, right?