Life In The Reverse World

【…Up next is the evening news. Please stay tuned, dear viewers.】

【…Kao…】

A clear, steady baritone rang out from the flat-screen TV. The image flickered, and one sponsored commercial after another began to play.

Fuyuno lay sprawled across a fabric sofa far too large for her petite frame. Her slender, lotus-root-white legs kicked lazily up and down, and the dainty toes wrapped in pink cotton socks thumped against the soft cushions, making shallow and deep dents in irregular rhythm.

We just went out for a bit. By chance we ran into Chouko-senpai, so we ate together, and then Harutaki went to walk her home—

Recalling the explanation her sister Ayaka had given while preparing dinner, Fuyuno couldn’t help but scoff.

Give me a break.

Ayaka and that idiot Harutaki going out alone, and it’s just “went out for a bit”?

That carefully chosen outfit and makeup Ayaka wore today, something Fuyuno had never seen before…

The way that unmelting smile lingered at the corner of her lips even when she came home and complained while cooking dinner…

Calling that a simple outing, was Ayaka really treating her like an elementary school kid?

Her body might be small, but her mind was sharp. Fuyuno was a genius girl who could become a great detective with just a little effort.

There was only ever one truth—

Ayaka’s hair ribbon, the one tying up her short ponytail, had always been dark red. It was a gift from their mother on her thirteenth birthday.

And now…

Fuyuno cast a subtle glance toward her sister Ayaka, who was squatting on another sofa with her knees hugged close, scrolling through her phone. The ribbon in her ponytail had been replaced with a brand-new sky-blue one.

A color close to Ayaka’s eye color.

Something was off. Very off.

Ayaka hadn’t changed her style in years. For her to suddenly switch things up today—even if it was just a small hair ribbon—the issue it revealed was serious.

Thinking that far made Fuyuno feel a twinge of guilt.

Why hadn’t Ayaka changed her style for so many years?

The truth was simple: between taking care of her, Chiaki, and that useless brother, Ayaka had no time to dress herself up—and no need to.

With her figure, looks, and outstanding grades, even students from the neighboring middle school division knew Ayaka’s name.

Cold. Cool. Perfect at cooking and housework.

She helped others often, yet her personality was aloof. Any invitation to gatherings or events was always politely declined.

Was Ayaka really cold?

Fuyuno didn’t think so. She knew her sister simply lacked the spare time and energy to spend on anything outside the family.

Two meals a day on school days, three meals on weekends. Cleaning a two-story house totaling nearly two hundred square meters. Washing the underwear and everyday clothes of three sisters…

And on top of that, Ayaka wasn’t such a prodigy that she could casually surpass the other geniuses at St. Lilium Girls’ Academy.

Fuyuno knew how hard and exhausting Ayaka’s life was, but—

But she could only be a bad kid.

Unlike that useless brother Harutaki, whom Ayaka had to keep an eye on because of their parents’ warnings and the very real possibility that he’d rot to death alone in his room.

Unlike Chiaki, whose picky eating and withdrawn personality made Ayaka worry so much that she went out of her way to prepare special meals for her.

She, Hoshikawa Fuyuno, had no “strengths” that would draw attention or concern, aside from being a bad kid.

She’d tried being a little more well-behaved. Eating properly, doing her own laundry, even helping with dishes and cleaning.

But after a single, “Thank you. I’m really glad you’re being more mature, Fuyuno,” Ayaka’s gaze never lingered on her again.

Even if being a “bad kid” earned her the occasional iron-fist punishment from Ayaka, compared to being ignored and overlooked, a bit of pain was an easy choice to make.

“Hey… Ayaka… it’s already this late and Harutaki’s still not back. He didn’t just stay over somewhere, did he?”

“Harutaki isn’t some lust-crazed beast.”

Ayaka replied flatly without lifting her eyes from her phone, dismissing Fuyuno’s baseless speculation.

“Really? You’re not worried at all? Maybe he just went with the flow and ended up at Chouko-senpai’s place, skipping the shower and going straight at it—bed creaking nonstop~”

Fuyuno rolled over onto her side, looking at Ayaka with eager anticipation, waiting for her to jump off the sofa in embarrassment, march over, punch her once, and scold her at length.

Stop looking at your phone already… can’t you look at me a bit more…?

Yet to her surprise, Ayaka didn’t even glance her way. All she said was, “Watch your words,” and that was that.

This isn’t right.

This is totally not right, is it?!

Fuyuno kicked the sofa twice in frustration. Ayaka had clearly been glancing toward the entryway earlier, paying attention to any movement there, yet now she was brushing her little sister off entirely.

On any normal day, Ayaka would’ve clenched her fist and taught her a lesson already.

Damn it, Harutaki!

Idiot brother!

The reason Ayaka was acting like this was obvious—it was all because of that guy called Hoshikawa Harutaki.

Whether it was a wish granted by the gods or some rare miracle in this world, ever since her brother turned over a new leaf, Fuyuno thought her life would finally become what she’d always imagined.

Instead, it went in the exact opposite direction.

Sure, her life was better. After all, there was no longer a disgusting, creepy, perverted piece of trash in the house who constantly ogled his sister’s underwear—or worse.

But…

…Harutaki had become too good.

Way too good.

So good that he’d captured all of Chiaki’s attention—and even Ayaka had been drawn in.

Seen that way, Fuyuno’s life hadn’t changed at all.

Even though Harutaki did take care of her thoughtfully, she understood that his concern was unintentional. It wasn’t the same as the attention he gave Ayaka, tinged with something called “liking.”

In Harutaki’s eyes, she was just Ayaka’s tagalong little sister—a bad kid who got punished when she misbehaved.

“Chiaki-nee~”

Deciding to seek help, Fuyuno turned her gaze to her sister Chiaki, who was sitting across from Ayaka. Looking at the black-haired girl with flushed cheeks, tapping away at her phone nonstop, Fuyuno called out to her in a spoiled tone.

“Don’t you think Harutaki might just push that senpai down?”

“…Huh?”

“Ah, never mind…”

Seeing Chiaki’s blank expression and sensing her distracted attitude, Fuyuno gave up on getting anywhere with her sister and shifted her attention back to her phone instead.

She opened LINE, found her chat with her older brother Harutaki, and tapped into it.

Fuyuno: Onii-chan, with something that large, you definitely need plenty of lube the first time, or it'll hurt sooo much~ [Mischievous Bunny Emoji] -- Unread

A few seconds later, the "Unread" tag at the end of the speech bubble changed to "Read".

He... he actually didn't get in bed with her!?

How lame!

What a letdown for a playboy, Fuyuno couldn't help but complain in her mind, even as she secretly sighed in relief. She couldn’t understand her own strange expectation of Harutaki acting like a heartless jerk who casually toyed with girls’ bodies. Nor could she fully make sense of the relief she felt over his gentleness and restraint.

Anyway, the point was, her brother's morals were still way too normal right now, and he was just too nice. She absolutely had to "correct" him a little!

Buzz.

Nearly half a minute after the message was marked "Read", a reply finally came through.

This made a mischievous, triumphant grin spread across her face---

Idiot Harutaki must be totally stunned~

Idiot Harutaki: Instead of worrying about me, maybe worry about your future boyfriend instead www [Potato Emoji] -- Read

This jerk!

How could he make fun of his own little sister's figure?!

And... Fuyuno consoled herself, her body type is a rare trait! A 15-year-old who looks like a grade schooler is one in ten thousand! Tall and busty in a soapland would cost 20,000 a pop!

Fuyuno: Zako Onii-chan should worry about his own trash stamina that can't last a few minutes! The zako who went soft with his senpai! [Bunny Sticking Out Tongue] -- Read

Well... although the duration was a bit shorter than in all those movies, the volume was unbelievably huge, almost like popping a champagne bottle.

Remembering that night's experience under the covers, Fuyuno gently bit her lower lip. Her small, pink tongue kept brushing against the edges of her back teeth, as if the thick, sticky sensation from that time still lingered there.

“Fuyuno!”

“...Eh? Ehh?!”

Seeing her older sister Ayaka suddenly spring up from the sofa, Fuyuno jumped in fright at the sharp shout, completely clueless about what was going on.

Bzz. Bzz.

Her phone suddenly vibrated.

Idiot Harutaki: I forwarded the chat log to Ayaka. Good luck surviving, shorty~ [cat laughing with hands on hips] – Read.

That bastard of a brother actually sold out his own little sister?!

Shameless. Absolutely shameless!

Even though she wanted nothing more than to stomp him flat through the screen, there was something far more terrifying she had to deal with right now...

“A, Aya-chan, listen, I can explain...”

“Hah. Explain the ‘lube’, or explain your ‘can’t last more than a few minutes’?”

Arms crossed over her chest, Ayaka glared down at Fuyuno with an icy expression.

She had been in a good mood today and hadn’t planned on holding her little sister’s mischief against her. But this brat really took a mile after being given an inch.

That kind of thing... no matter how you looked at it, was that something a sister should be chatting about with her brother?!

Sure, she herself didn’t exactly have the moral high ground to lecture Fuyuno on this topic, but... but aside from that idiot Harutaki, nobody else knew what the two of them had done, right?

Even as she tried to reassure herself, when the words reached her lips, Ayaka’s tone still softened a little.

Just as Ayaka raised her fist, ready to mete out punishment...

Clatter.

The sound of a key sliding into the lock and turning came from the entryway.

Creak.

Bang.

The front door opened, then closed.

“I’m home~”

At the same time, Fuyuno’s phone vibrated again, drawing her attention.

Idiot Harutaki: Perfect timing. Haven’t been beaten yet, right? [praying hands emoji]

She’d been completely played by that idiot of a brother.

Half angry, half amused, she sent back a bunny punching and a bunny-on-fire sticker. Then, taking advantage of the moment when her sister Ayaka froze, she shouted loudly,

“Welcome home! Aya-chan’s been fidgeting nonstop while waiting for you, you know~”

“I-I was not fidgeting!”

Ayaka quickly shoved her hands behind her back, stammering in self-defense. Then, as if remembering something, she hurriedly added,

“Welcome home... I already ran the bath. Just needs a bit more heating.”

“Aya-chan, you totally look like a wife waiting for her husband to come home... Ow ow ow ow!”

Fuyuno was yanked up from the sofa by her ear, clutching it with a tearful face as she apologized over and over.

“Aya-chan, I’m sorry! I was wrong! I won’t do it again, really, I won’t!”

“I thought maybe I should ask whether you want to bathe first or eat fir—”

Thump.

“—Sorry...”

Harutaki clutched his shoulder where he’d been punched, bringing the topic to an abrupt end.

“W-Welcome home...”

Chiaki also climbed up from the sofa, her face inexplicably flushed as she greeted him shyly.

He had meant to reach out and ruffle Chiaki’s head, and the girl had even prepared herself, tilting her head slightly toward him. But halfway there, he suddenly remembered he hadn’t washed his hands yet. Instead, he bent his fingers and, like petting a cat, lightly brushed her long, smooth black hair with his knuckles.

“I went to the movies and then to a yakiniku place. I smell and I’m not exactly clean. I’ll go take a shower first.”

With that, he waved goodbye to the three sisters who had only just greeted him and headed upstairs toward his room.

He needed to grab a change of comfy clothes and underwear before hitting the bathroom.

…

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