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“Ugh, ugh…!”

…Sometimes it happens. There are humans who harbor resentment in return for kindness.

I know that I should be grateful to Helena, who unhesitatingly took the hand of someone who was no different from a newborn baby, not knowing what kind of store or what kind of items there were, let alone what was needed for city life, and led her around.

Even more so if she opened her wallet without showing any sign of displeasure, considering that I felt guilty about unnecessary spending.

Still, there’s such a thing as procedure in this world.

If you’re going to mentally torture someone, you first create a terrifying atmosphere… If you’re going to ask someone out on a date, you first suggest a movie or a meal… Common sense procedures like that!

So, it’s fair to say that I now have the right to be angry…

“Hoo… I think I’ve bought most of the things I can think of? Shall we stop for dinner and go home now…?”

“…I’ll pay for dinner.”

“…How cheeky. Coming from a younger sister.”

…How could I possibly be angry with her? Just looking at her face makes me feel reassured, and she’s like a North Star that solidifies the ground beneath my feet, which was shaking with anxiety.

I briefly watched my luggage, which was flying to Helena’s house a day early via a drone (Drone: unmanned aerial vehicle with autonomous navigation device) delivery service arranged in perfect rows and columns… and then I moved on.

The clerk’s cruel remark that tank tops and hot pants are not underwear still echoes in my ears.

How could she give me such a pitiful look just because I briefly forgot the embarrassing names of sports bras and sports panties…? In the end, I had to overcome my shame and find the items myself.

So… I wish someone would just shoot down my luggage. Even though I’d miss the towels and all sorts of consumables that Helena chose, I never want to look at those frilly underwear again…

Thump… Thump…

“Wow…”

“? Asha, don’t just stand there blankly.”

Following her, who seemed to know of a restaurant where we could have dinner, I arrived at a pillar in the center of this huge shopping center.

A pair of escalators of endless length spiraled around the pillar in a double helix, and a truly countless number of people were going in and out for their respective purposes.

Even though it’s one of the largest buildings in the city, its identity is just a simple shopping center. The sight of even a landscape that should be just a part of everyday life being efficiently designed like a factory with a conveyor belt running… was quite astonishing.

…Safety issues? Well, I didn’t see any bloodstains as I followed Helena onto the escalator.

Whether measures have been taken, or whether they just clean well… I won’t know until I witness the scene myself.

“But what kind of restaurant are we going to now? Maybe…”

I barely swallowed the words that had popped right up to the inside of my lips.

Even I thought it was too much to ask a European silver-haired beauty if she knew any Korean restaurants.

“Huh? Well, of course, the food court. I don’t know what Asha likes yet, so I have to get to know you little by little.”

“…Food court?”

Considering the overflowing foot traffic in the center, it would be strange if there wasn’t such an area.

Although there are slight differences from person to person, meals are a field where consumption tends to be particularly generous, so it’s not a bad choice.

But seeing her eyes light up when she said ‘get to know you little by little,’ it seemed she was more interested in the conversation that had finally arrived than in the dinner I was going to treat her to.

That… might be a good thing. I had quite a few questions to ask, too.

Thump…

I could tell that we had arrived at the floor we were aiming for, even though I didn’t know what a food court looked like, and Helena hadn’t told me. It was hard to miss because the smell that stimulated hunger was so strong.

The first impression of the food court, which took up almost an entire floor, was… close to a school cafeteria.

Or rather, a school cafeteria where the cooking process is thoroughly hidden?

The glass outer walls gave a considerable sense of openness, as if to encourage people to enjoy the city’s nightlife while eating, but the stores where the food came out were all covered except for the receiving window.

Judging from the endless hissing steam and mechanical sounds coming from inside, I knew who the cooks were. But the ingredients… um… maybe it’s better not to know…?

Beep…!

First, before Helena went ahead and paid again, I linked my barcode to the ordering panel in front of me.

The quality and reproduction were secondary, but there were hundreds of pages and thousands of menus popping up, so I could have had decision paralysis, but fortunately, I saw a fairly familiar menu and was able to order without hesitation.

[ Synthetic Meat Steak Set Meal with Mock Garnish ]

“What do you want to eat, Helena…?”

Before I could finish the question, a hand reached over my shoulder and pressed the desired menu to add it.

…The number of orders for the synthetic meat steak set meal increased to two.

“”……””

Just by turning my head slightly, my eyes met hers… and we both chuckled at the same time, without either of us taking the lead.

Even though we’re not blood-related family, it seems we do share some memories, separately.

Pshhhhh—!

Receiving the food that popped out of the window almost simultaneously with the order… no, the payment, we headed to a place with as few people as possible.

But the conversation that I thought would start as soon as we sat down wasn’t as urgent as I thought.

“……”

I carefully cut a piece of meat, chewed it, and swallowed it.

I wonder if she’ll cut the fuse first… I subtly look at her, and wonder if it’s okay to ask her what I’m curious about… I use all my senses to read the atmosphere.

It’s not that I’m restless. Helena Valentine’s presence was too great to make me feel impatient or anxious. It’s just that the source of her kindness wasn’t clear, so I was worried that I might make a mistake.

“…You’re like a cat.”

“Cough, cough…!! ……What?”

Jewel-like eyes, which had been lowered demurely towards the table, looked this way.

“You’re so cute because you hiss so hard, but after a few gentle touches, you follow along so well.”

“?!”

Does she not know that I’m worried about the profound butterfly effect that will come crashing down…?

The back of my neck feels stiff.

“You’re a strange child… Asha. You followed me without even knowing who I was, and you’re so sure of yourself in strange ways, even though you don’t know anything.”

“That’s…”

Relationships are two-way streets… you’re seen as much as you see.

Now that the monitor separating us was gone, it seemed that she had also been carefully observing me.

“At first, I was just curious because I heard that a kind and cute child who was too dangerous to leave alone was coming to the city… but now it’s hard for me to take my eyes off you.”

“Wh-What, why…!”

I take that back. Impatience and anxiety, two emotions, have just sprouted inside me.

It’s hard to take my eyes off her tongue licking the sauce off her lips and her red eyes shining seductively. …No, I won’t take my eyes off her. There are no prey who turn away even after confirming the appearance of a predator.

“…Anastasia Valentine. I wonder where I met you, and why you keep looking at me with such wistful… honeyed… embarrassing eyes… I wanted to know.”

“?!?!?!?!?!!!”

Clang…!

A bizarre sound was about to escape as my breathing became tangled, so I covered my mouth and jumped up from my seat.

The fork and knife I dropped rolled on the floor, but the cleaning robot that sensed the contamination swept across the floor, and nothing changed.

We weren’t real sisters to emphasize the warmth between family members, and Helena Valentine had already revealed her inner thoughts.

The point is that the question I had was at most ‘Why are you playing the role of a police officer?’, while she had dug deep into a place where the answer was incredibly difficult.

“No… no! It’s not like that…!!”

“……”

I didn’t even properly explain what I was denying, and just blurted out whatever came to mind.

It’s a misunderstanding. You saw it wrong. It’s not like that, it’s not like that anyway. It’s a delusion.

Helena, who had been quietly listening to the barrage of desperate excuses, gracefully finished her meal and raised her head.

“…If you can say that much… shall we try it out? Go back to the hotel as Asha wants…?”

“……Huh?”

A gentle, but unrefusable arm was folded.

I could feel a clear intention that was different from holding hands or hugging. A posture that escorts an equal person, not one that is directed at someone who needs to be taken care of.

We got out of the long escalator and took the motorcycle that had been remotely and autonomously driven to wait in front of the center. From the shopping center to the hotel on the upper floors, from the lobby to my room.

This time, I didn’t even have time to be scared by the excessive speed. The runaway train, which was incomparable to a motorcycle, never made eye contact with me during that time, and didn’t answer my earnest words.

“Ugh?!”

Beep!

The card key was recognized and the door to room 701 slowly opened.

All my nerves were focused on Helena, so I made a shrill sound even at the small electronic sound.

She, who had been naturally clinging to me, also received the flinch and embarrassment…

“…Pfft! Hahaha! Asha, really… you’re so startled and shrink back just because your sister made a joke!”

“……Wait, what?!”

She burst into laughter that she had been holding back.

I think my jaw dropped. My mouth won’t close. My expression must be funny from her point of view.

Helena, who was laughing heartily, went into the room first. She continued with light chatter, saying that the view from the upper floors was different, and that there was a real shower that produced water instead of an Air Cleaner…

…Then what about me, who’s mentally confused?!

“Asha…?”

“!!”

Bang!!

Ignoring the subtle voice, I closed the bathroom door and locked myself inside.

Intense self-reproach pricks my face. I don’t know how I fell for such a prank.

She showed an expression that I couldn’t possibly think was a joke, but it’s also largely my brain’s fault for imagining such things in the first place.

When I glare at the mirror, a blushing girl glares back at me. …Idiot.

…That’s right, no matter what’s inside, this body is a woman. Helena is also a charming woman.

So, such unproductive things… wouldn’t happen…? Huh…?

“……Wait a minute.”

…In Neo Haven, was it impossible for Helena to be with the main character if the character’s gender was female? I alone have already cleared all the possible cases as ‘Anastasia’, haven’t I?

And Helena Valentine makes silly jokes like that? Rather, she might have hidden bones – sincerity – in her words…!

Why am I only realizing these obvious facts now? Why, you ask… because I’m no longer the main character…?

“Ugh…!”

My brain burned as I recalled the words she had poured out. Besides, the room is too quiet.

Surely… she’s waiting for an answer outside this door. It’s just that she belatedly glossed over it because I didn’t know what to do.

I grab the smooth bathroom tiles and get up from my crouched position.

…Having made the woman show this much consideration, it was enough. At the very least, a man should be able to meet sincerity with sincerity, face to face, with dignity.

Having made my decision, I opened the door and went out… to her side.