Unique highschool life

******

Chapter 81. Sometimes having a little sister would be nice.

Words counted-- 1700

Enjoy ~

********

Arina's trembling hands fumbled with the ropes binding her brother, Akira. Though her fingers were shaking, her determination overpowered her fear. With a final pull, the ropes loosened, and Akira sat up, gasping for air. Without hesitation, he pulled his sister into a tight embrace.

"Are you okay?!" Akira's voice cracked with emotion, his hands gripping her shoulders protectively.

Arina nodded, burying her face in his shoulder. "He saved me," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "That brother… he saved me."

Her thoughts flashed back to the day she met him—a stranger who had come to their home.

That day, no one else was there. She had to answer the doorbell, and that was the first time she had ever spoken to him.

Too shy to say much, she had only spoken briefly, but she remembered his kind smile and calm demeanor. Though they hadn't talked since, she held a faint memory of him. And tonight, when all hope had seemed lost, he appeared like a miracle.

"Let's run before he comes back!" Akira whispered urgently once the rope was loosened.

"B-but that brother said we should wait here," Arina stammered, her voice trembling as she clutched the hem of the oversized gown she wore.

"Wait? Are you serious?" Akira scoffed. "You're trusting him? He has a gun! A gun! Who knows what he'll do to us?"

Arina hesitated, tears brimming in her eyes. "B-but… he saved us. I don't think he's a bad person. And if we run… where would we even go?" Her voice cracked, the weight of their situation pressing down on her.

Akira hesitated but quickly forced a response. "We'll… we'll go to the bridge! Yes, we can stay under the bridge tonight!"

"Kids." Aki's voice cut through their panicked whispers, startling them. He stood in the doorway, leaning casually against the frame. "You'll freeze to death if you stay under a bridge all night."

Both siblings froze, wide-eyed. Aki had been silently watching their little drama unfold, his expression unreadable.

"Ah! Brother!" Arina gasped, instinctively hiding behind Akira. Her hands trembled as she gripped the back of her brother's shirt. Her thoughts spiraled. 'Did he hear us? Will he think we're ungrateful? Will he hate me for doubting him, even after he saved me?'

"You… what do you want from us?" Akira demanded, his voice shaking but firm. He stood in front of his sister, shielding her with his body as best as he could.

Aki sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I hate dealing with rebellious kids," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. 'Especially when they're boys.'

His tone lightened as he took a step forward. "Alright, listen. Stop doubting me unnecessarily. First, Let's get out of here. Or do you really want to stay with that man upstairs any longer?"

Akira opened his mouth to refuse, "We will—" but his words caught in his throat when he noticed Arina walking toward Aki.

"Arina, what are you doing?!" Akira's voice rose in alarm. "Come back! It's dangerous!"

"I-I…" Arina stuttered, her small frame trembling as she approached Aki. Slowly, she reached out and grasped his finger with her tiny hand. Her voice was soft but filled with desperation. "B-brother, please take us anywhere. Anywhere but here! I don't want to stay here anymore."

Aki looked down at the trembling girl holding onto him, her eyes filled with tears and a faint glimmer of hope. He crouched to her level, his usually sharp gaze softening as he gently patted her head.

"Don't worry, Arina," he said with a warm smile. "I'll protect you from now on."

Arina froze, her eyes widening in disbelief. No one had ever said those words to her before. Her heart clenched as years of suppressed pain and loneliness resurfaced.

Yes, her brother Akira had always comforted her after the storm, whispering reassurances when their parents, sister, and even their cousin were done venting their fury.

But it was only when things calmed down that he helped her. He never stood up in front of others to protect her. Even today, she had called out to him, hoping he would come to her rescue. But he hadn't.

That was why she had some resentment towards her brother.But she didn't mention it. After all, she could see the fear in his eyes—Akira had been just as scared as she was.

Yet this man, a stranger she barely knew, had stepped in without hesitation. He had fought for her, shielded her, and now promised to protect her. The dam she had been holding back for so long broke.

With a sob, Arina threw her arms around Aki's broad frame, clinging to him tightly. Tears streamed down her face as she buried herself in his warmth.

T'his… this is what I've been searching for,' she thought, her sobs growing louder. 'This warmth… this feeling in my heart… I don't want to lose it.'

She hugged him tighter, fearing that if she let go, the hope she had just found would vanish.

Akira stood frozen, his fists clenched. He felt a mix of emotions—relief that Arina was safe, shame for not being able to save her himself, and suspicious towards the man who had save her.

Aki let Arina cry, gently patting her head and murmuring soft reassurances. "There, there. Cry out all you want," he said, softly patting her back.

When her sobs finally quieted, he spoke again, his tone firm but kind.

"Alright, Arina. Let's go. Both of you." He looked over her head at Akira. "You too, kid. You don't have to trust me yet, but staying here isn't an option."

Akira hesitated, his pride warring with his common sense. But one look at his sister's tear-streaked face made the decision for him.

"Fine," he muttered, stepping forward. "But if you try anything—"

"Relax, okay, kid," Aki interrupted with a dissatisfied tone. "If I wanted to hurt you, I wouldn't have wasted my time saving you."

On the other hand Arina, who had been sobbing uncontrollably moments ago, looked down at her feet, her face tinged with a faint shade of red from embarrassment.

Her tear-filled gaze drifted to Aki's bare stomach, where streaks of her tears and remnants of her crying along with snort and siliva left an unmistakable mark.

Her heart sank in mortification. 'My tears and snot are all over his stomach!' she thought, her cheeks heating up further.

Hesitantly, she stretched out her small hand and awkwardly began wiping at his stomach with her fingers.

As she touched his firm yet warm abdomen, another thought crossed her mind. 'Is this what they call a six-pack?' Her wide eyes darted over the taut muscles, her curiosity momentarily distracting her from her embarrassment.

"It's… hot and soft," she muttered to herself, her fingers brushing against his skin with an almost reverent touch.

Aki couldn't help but chuckle softly at her innocent fascination. With a bemused smile, he gently caught her tiny hand, stopping her roaming fingers. "Don't worry about it, Arina," he said warmly. "I'll take a bath later. For now, let's get to my house and settle in."

"Ah! Umm, umm!" Arina stammered, pulling her hand back as though burned, her face now fully flushed with embarrassment. "Y-yes, ok brother," she blurted out, her voice barely above a whisper.

As the door to Aki's house unlocked, a young woman, rushed toward the entrance. Her neatly tied hair and well-pressed uniform reflected her professionalism, though her expression betrayed a hint of worry.

"Young Master, where did you rush off to- earlier?" Selly asked, her brows furrowed.

Before Aki could answer, her eyes fell on the two children behind him."Ah! Who… who are they?" She asked, startled by their presence.

Then her gaze shifted to her master's bare torso. Her face immediately turned a deep shade of crimson."Young Master! You're bare-chested!"

"I'll bring you a shirt!" Selly exclaimed hurriedly, turning away in flustered embarrassment.

"It's fine," Aki replied nonchalantly, waving her off. "Just prepare dinner. I'll take a bath and change myself soon." His tone was calm and unbothered, as though his current state was nothing out of the ordinary.

Selly hesitated, stealing another glance at the two kids. "Um, I already had the food delivered earlier," she explained, her voice more composed now.

"Good," Aki said, nodding. He glanced back at the children. "You two stay here and talk with Selly for a bit. I'll be back soon, and then we'll have dinner."

Akira, who had been standing defensively behind his sister the entire time, stiffened. "We've already eaten," he muttered, his voice sharp with suspicion.

Aki's sharp gaze met his, with an annoyed expression he again stated. "We will have dinner together. Right?"

Akira hesitated, glancing down at his sister. Her wide, uncertain eyes seemed to plead with him, and his defiance wavered. "...Ah, yes. Yes, we'll eat," he conceded reluctantly.

Satisfied, Aki turned on his heel and headed up the stairs. "Good," he said over his shoulder. "I'll be back in a bit."

As he climbed the stairs, Aki let out a soft sigh, his expression shifting into something more contemplative. 'Talking with kids is exhausting,' he thought to himself.

Running a hand through his hair. , he scoffs. 'And if it is a boy especially... Being suspicious is good but to those receiving it- it's annoying. I'm trying to help them, and he can't even accept that without a fight.'

Still, he couldn't entirely blame Akira. The kids had clearly been through a lot. He recalled the state of their dining table earlier—bare, messy, and pitiful. It was no wonder the boy was so defensive; survival had likely been his primary focus for far too long.

Aki shook his head, pushing the thought aside as he stepped into the bathroom. Turning on the shower, he let the hot water run over his skin, washing away the grime and tension of the day.

******

*******