11. Kiyoyuki Matsudaira is the world's number one little sister.

【Ding!】

【Mission Accomplished】

【Reward: A pair of special stockings】

The system notification popped up, and a pair of stockings appeared in the inventory.

Who should wear them?

Let the Eighth wear them?

Better not—it would feel like a waste…

If I give them to Ms. Mikami, would she actually wear them…?

No matter, I’ll just give them to her!

Picturing the school nurse’s beautiful legs clad in stockings, he absentmindedly attended to the pizza baking. Before long, home economics class ended.

The students divvied up the freshly baked pizzas. Yanae Akatsuki, with her famously hearty appetite, single-handedly devoured the pizzas from three different groups—even if their flavors were wildly unpredictable…

After home economics came club activities. From three-thirty to five in the afternoon, students generally weren’t allowed to leave school early.

“Kiyomizu, which club are you in?”

On the way back to class, Suzune Sakura called out Kiyomizu Matsudaira’s name directly—a sign of growing closeness.

“The Literature Club.”

“Oh~”

Suzune Sakura had planned to visit his club for fun, but as soon as she heard “Literature Club,” she lost all interest.

Asking her to read was about as bad as asking for her life.

“Why not come watch me practice in the wind ensemble instead?” Suzune suggested, quickly making a new offer.

The wind ensemble was almost entirely girls, and their gossip inevitably centered around boys—especially Kiyomizu Matsudaira, who was their favorite topic. If she could bring him in as her boyfriend… Just imagining the surprise and envy on those girls’ faces filled Suzune with secret delight.

It was her first time ever inviting a boy herself, and with her looks, she felt certain she wouldn’t be rejected.

“No thanks, you go ahead. I’ve got things to do,” Kiyomizu Matsudaira said, not even looking back as he walked away.

“…!”

Suzune Sakura stared dumbly at his retreating figure.

For a moment, she couldn’t process how he could reject her so bluntly…

Wasn’t he supposed to be pursuing her?

Is this what chasing someone looks like?

Was there something wrong with him?

Originally, Suzune had thought that having such a handsome, well-off boy as a boyfriend would be great for her image. She was ready to give him a chance to pursue her, planning to kick him to the curb once the novelty wore off.

She never expected him to be so disappointing!

What a joke—he was really putting on a show!

“Damn you, just you wait!” Suzune bit her lip and growled under her breath, “I’ll make you fall hopelessly in love with me, and when you’re completely obsessed, I’ll dump you hard! I’ll make you wish you were never born…”

【Relationship established: Suzune Sakura’s favorability towards you is fluctuating】

A notification appeared before Kiyomizu Matsudaira as he walked ahead.

He opened it to check the status.

【Name: Suzune Sakura】

【Status: Feeling neglected and a little humiliated by you; she’s vowed to make you pay…】

【Favorability: 35】

A favorability of 35 put her squarely in the “ordinary friend/classmate” category.

And that was after his brusque, unromantic response. If he’d been a bit sweeter…

It’s important to note: Kiyomizu Matsudaira was not someone driven by lust.

His “little brother” could offer opinions, but not control him—so Suzune Sakura’s beauty was doomed to have no effect on him.

Back in the classroom, he picked up his bag and the two books he’d borrowed that day.

“Huh, Yanae, you never told us about you and Matsudaira…”

“Can’t believe you two are childhood friends…”

“Come on, tell us about you guys…”

A chorus of lively laughter drifted from the front door—a group of fashionable, attention-grabbing girls from the class.

The Eighth was one of the core members of their clique.

Kiyomizu Matsudaira, keeping a respectful distance from that crowd, slung his bag over his shoulder and slipped out the back door.

At the front, the Eighth was nibbling on pizza, radiating her gentle and approachable charm as she laughed with friends—a cute, food-loving beauty.

Catching a glimpse of her ex-boyfriend slipping out the back, she couldn’t help a gentle, almost motherly smile.

By now, the rain had stopped, a soft sunlight settling over the school buildings.

The evening sun slanted across the damp grass, casting shifting shadows in the gentle breeze.

Kiyomizu Matsudaira skipped his club and slipped out of school altogether.

He walked down a long slope, crossed the bustling Shinjuku Avenue, tapped his card at the station, and waited for his train home on the platform.

The crowds heading home carried countless scents: sweat from a busy day, lingering tobacco from ashtrays, perfume and hair spray, the aroma of garlic frying from a Chinese restaurant under the overpass.

While waiting, Kiyomizu Matsudaira opened up “Afternoon Rafting.”

He’d read plenty of Yukio Mishima: “The Sea of Fertility” tetralogy, “The Temple of the Golden Pavilion,” “Confessions of a Mask”…

Beyond Mishima’s unique aesthetics, what struck him most were the stories’ romantic yet extreme boys—youths who could never be measured by ordinary standards.

The romance of youth was obsessive and sickly.

They believed themselves capable of anything and, feeling underestimated, vowed to rebel—to tear off the world’s “impossible” label.

Like lilies clinging to a cliff—lonely and proud, vibrant with beauty—yet destined, their roots in sand, to wither in despair…

A third of the way through, the yellow carriages of the Chuo Line pulled into the platform.

A powerful gust ruffled Kiyomizu’s hair.

He closed his book and merged into the crowd boarding the train.

Two stops later, he got off at Sendagaya.

The orange sunset bathed Shibuya’s streets.

On his way home, he passed through a crowded little shopping street, the air thick with the scent of takoyaki and crepes.

Though the days were still long and bright, soon, deep blue would creep across the sky, and all natural light would be swallowed.

Every evening, as dusk approached, Kiyomizu Matsudaira felt a vague unease, always hurrying his steps toward home.

Rounding a corner, he spotted a familiar uniformed figure up ahead.

A slender, beautiful girl stood by the roadside, a convenience store bag in hand, waiting for her brother.

The evening sun outlined her with golden light.

Beautiful!

A sense of relief washed over Kiyomizu as he approached her from behind.

From the back, she was petite, with flowing hair and delicate limbs that would stir any protective instinct.

As he neared, he opened his system to check.

【Name: Kiyoyuki Matsudaira】

【Standard Tags: Student, disciplined, little sister, meticulous, household expert, cooking ace, big brother complex】

【Premium Tags: Beautiful girl, genius】

A system-certified genius… Even more impressive than her transmigrator brother.

“Let me carry that,” Kiyomizu said, taking the bag from behind.

“Ah!” The girl turned in surprise. “Big brother, you startled Yuki!”

Kiyoyuki Matsudaira—the cutest sister in the world.

Her features were exquisitely adorable, her large eyes bright and clear as spring water.

“What did you buy today?” Kiyomizu peered into the bag.

“Udon noodles, quail eggs, yam, beef slices, curry…”

Yuki recited the ingredients with practiced ease. Clearly, she’d be making her signature curry udon tonight.

“Hey, big brother…”

“What is it?”

“Your tie’s crooked.”

With that, Yuki rose onto her toes and deftly loosened her brother’s school tie.

“How is it that every morning you have me tie your tie, and every evening I’m undoing it again…” Kiyomizu suddenly found it a bit odd.

“Heh, isn’t it just like a wife who gets up early every day to make her husband breakfast and see him off to work? Then, at night, the tired husband comes home, and she gently brings his slippers, loosens his tie, helps him out of his jacket…”

Yuki joked as she inspected his tie.

The strand of hair she’d tucked inside that morning was still there.

It seemed her brother hadn’t been led astray by any girls today…