Chapter 6: Popularity
By the time Haruto dragged his beaten-up body home, he felt like he’d been hit by a truck. Every muscle ached from the fight at school, and there were definitely going to be some nasty bruises tomorrow. His uniform was wrinkled and his hair was a mess, but as he reached for the front door handle, a terrifying thought suddenly hit him like a lightning bolt.
Ah yes. Satsuki.
If she found out he’d gotten into a fight at school, she’d probably march straight to the school tomorrow and personally murder every single guy who’d laid a finger on him. And knowing Satsuki, she’d probably succeed too. The woman was sweet as pie most of the time, but when it came to protecting her little brother, she turned into some kind of terrifying warrior goddess.
He quickly straightened his clothes, ran his fingers through his hair, and forced himself to stand up straight despite how much everything hurt. He had to play this cool. Act normal. Pretend like nothing happened.
The moment he stepped through the door, Satsuki appeared from the kitchen wearing her cute floral apron, her face lighting up with that warm smile that always made him feel guilty for worrying her. She rushed over and wrapped him in one of her trademark bear hugs, and damn it, it felt so good even though his ribs were screaming in protest.
"Welcome home, Haruto!" she said, squeezing him tight. But then she pulled back slightly, and he could see those sharp eyes of hers studying his face. Crap. She always could read him like an open book.
"You look tired," she said, her voice taking on that concerned big-sister tone that made his stomach twist with guilt. "Did something happen at school today?"
Think fast, think fast. "Nah, it’s nothing serious," he said, trying to sound casual while avoiding her gaze. "Just had a ton of math homework today. You know how it is – numbers make my brain hurt."
She didn’t look entirely convinced, but before she could interrogate him further, he quickly grabbed her hand and started pulling her toward the dining room. "Come on, I’m starving! What’s for dinner? It smells amazing in here."
Dinner was absolutely incredible, as usual. Satsuki had made his favorite – teriyaki chicken with perfectly seasoned rice, miso soup, and some kind of vegetable stir-fry that somehow made even Brussels sprouts taste good. She was an amazing cook, way better than most people twice her age. As they ate, she chattered about her day at work, some drama with her coworkers, and a new recipe she wanted to try tomorrow. He just nodded and made the appropriate responses, grateful that she seemed to have forgotten about his suspicious appearance earlier.