Sakura sat at the kitchen table, brooding over her homework.
"Hey..." Masashi said softly, entering the room silently and beginning to rub Sakura's shoulders.
"I don't understand this problem... It's stupid! I hate math." Sakura fumed, thunking her head down onto the table.
"Hey. Don't hurt yourself!" Masashi said, gently lifting Sakura's head from the table and kissing her forehead. He moved to take the seat next to her as Sakura's head dropped to the table once more.
"You know you're killing more brain cells the more you do that..." Masashi warned. Sakura turned her head to give him a glare which quickly turned into a pout.
"Would you like me to help you?" Masashi said tenderly, pulling Sakura into his arms. She nodded against his chest, but then made no movement towards the homework, causing Masashi to chuckle.
"Come on. Homework won't do itself." He said. Sakura then shook her head.
"What's gotten into you?" Masashi asked. He felt Sakura's face heat up.
"Something else is on your mind other than homework, isn't it?" Sakura nodded.
"Would you like to talk about it?"
Sakura reluctantly looked up at her brother.
"W-would you mind if we w-went to talk in my room?" She asked quietly. They got up, and Masashi followed Sakura into her small room. Sakura went to sit on the bed, and Masashi joined her after a moment of hesitation.
"What's on your mind, Sakura?" Masashi asked quietly, brushing a strand of hair out of his little sister's eyes. Sakura promptly flushed and flopped sideways on the bed, burying her face into her pillow. Masashi laid down next to her and curled around her small form.
"Was this just an elaborate ruse to get some big brother snuggles?" Masashi chuckled in Sakura's ear.
Next thing he knew, he landed on the hardwood floor, his spleen protesting as it tried to recover from Sakura's elbow slamming into it.
"What did I do?" Masashi wheezed. Sakura answered only with a sniffle.
"Please don't cry, Sakura..." Masashi said, sitting up. "What's wrong?"
"What's wrong?" Sakura replied dryly. "What's wrong?! What's wrong is the fact that although we've been dating for a while now, I can bring you into my room and you have absolutely no sexual feelings for me! You still look at me like i'm your little sister!"
Masashi stared, open mouthed.
On cue, the door slammed open to reveal Tsuyoshi.
"PERVERT!" He yelled, grabbing Masashi by his short hair and dragging him over the bed and to the doorway.
"What? Hey! OW!" Masashi wailed as he was pulled onto the hardwood floor.
"What on earth is going on?" Takashi said, walking in the room in time to see Masashi's head thunk into the doorframe. Takeshi hovered behind him.
"I TOLD YOU! NO SEX IN THIS HOUSEHOLD! ESPECIALLY NOT WITH SAKURA! IT'S BAD ENOUGH YOU"RE DATING HER!" Tsuyoshi yelled, continuing to pull Masashi's head into the doorframe.
"I think you're overreacting." Takeshi replied, trying to pry his fingers out of Masashi's hair.
"STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT!" Sakura howled, throwing a book at her brothers. It sailed out into the hall and hit the opposite wall with a bang.
"I need to talk to Masashi in private, and I can't do that with all of you blockheads BARGING IN ALL THE TIME! IF I WANT TO HAVE SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH MY BOYFRIEND, I WILL!" Sakura screeched, standing on her bed with another book aimed and ready.
Everyone froze, mouths open.
"You have three seconds to clear out of this room. " Sakura said dangerously. "One."
Takashi grabbed Tsuyoshi by the scruff of his neck and pulled him out the door, slamming it behind him. Sakura held the book at arms length until she heard 3 respective bedroom doors shut. Then her gaze fell on Masashi, who lay dazedly where he was dropped.
Sakura hopped down from her bed and put the book away, then grabbed Masashi's feet and pulled him back onto the bed, perching at his side. He watched her warily.
"I'm not going to hurt you, don't worry." Sakura sighed. Masashi tenatively reached out a hand and stroked her arm.
After a moment, Sakura laid down on his chest and Masashi wrapped his arms around her protectively.
"I'm sorry..." Sakura sniffled.
"It's okay, Sakura. I knew that this would come up sooner or later... I was just hoping for later rather than sooner." Masashi sighed.
"Wait... You mean...?" Sakura asked, sitting up.
"Well, things have been different between us for a long time..." Masashi continued.
"I was beginning to think you wouldn't understand." Sakura said.
"You're getting older now, and I think things will have to change soon. I mean, I remember being seventeen-"
"I've already been to the school nurse and made all the preparations." Sakura said shyly.
"-With those three. And I think that maybe we should sit down and have a family talk... I mean, you were pretty harsh on them today. They just-"
Sakura froze. "W-what?"
"They just want to protect you. Even from me, heh heh." Masashi went on.
Sakura fell off the bed.
"Sakura?" Masashi asked.
"What are you talking about..." Sakura said glumly, facedown on the floor.
"Fixing things with the others, Why? What were you talking about?" Masashi asked, clueless as usual.
"...Sex." Sakura replied bluntly.
Masashi froze. "W-what?"
"Sex... You know, when a man and woman-"
"I know what sex is, Sakura."
"Oh, good. I was beginning to wonder."
Masashi was silent a moment, then peered over the edge of the bed.
"Sex... with other men...?"
"With you, stupid..." Sakura replied.
"I see." Masashi said, laying back on the bed.
The silence fell awkwardly between them. After a few minutes, Masashi got up and left the room. Sakura began to cry, angry tears collecting in a puddle under her face.
After a while, Masashi's footesteps padded back into the room and Sakura heard him sit down on her bed.
"Sakura, get up please." He said. His voice sounded different. She complied, sitting up and wiping her face. Masashi was sitting on the opposite side of the bed, elbows on his knees and hands clasped. His head was down.
"Come here." Masashi said. Sakura got up and perched next to him. They sat in silence for a minute, then Masashi moved a hand to Sakura's thigh, squeezing it comfortingly. She saw he had something grasped in his other hand.
"I wish I could keep you small and innocent forever, Sakura. I really wish I could. But I know you're almost a grown woman now, and with that comes certain desires. Not just from you..." He sighed. "Don't think I haven't noticed the way you've filled out or that I don't feel anything when we kiss or when we're alone here on your bed."
"But even when we kiss-" Sakura protested.
"-I am being careful." Masashi finished.
Sakura was silent, and he turned to her.
"What if I hurt you, Sakura? Not only would I be unable to forgive myself, but this family would be torn apart. I can't risk that, and I can't risk you."
"I-I'm sorry." Sakura said.
"And I can see I already hurt you." Masashi sighed, looking away.
"I just want to know that you feel that way about me too... That our relationship isn't silbing based." Sakura said.
"Of course it isn't. God, not a moment goes by where I don't want you. Where I don't think about us taking that final step... But we can't."
"Why not?"
"Because." Masashi took a deep breath. "Because i'm not ready."
Sakura was stunned. "But you just said..."
"I want you. But i'm not ready to take your virginity. Okay?" Masashi replied.
"But why?" Sakura asked.
"Sakura, please don't keep asking these questions. You might not be ready for the answers." Masashi said, getting up.
Sakura pulled him back down on the bed.
"You say that you aren't ready, but I want to know why... Why can't we do this?"
Their eyes met, and Sakura saw the pain in Masashi's brown orbs.
"I'm not ready because you're too young. I want to marry you and keep you safe, and when you're ready for sex, we'll find a way. But not until then."
"But i'm ready now!"
"NO!" Masashi yelled, pushing Sakura away from him and storming out of the room.
Sakura sat rattled, tears leaking down her face. She had pushed Masashi further than ever, and he snapped. She felt sick.
On the other side of the house, Masashi slid down his bedroom door, guilt eating at his heart.