'Oh my God, 2 hours and counting.'

Kyousuke wondered why diligently obeyed Kirino's instructions to wait for her activity to end. 'Diligently obeyed', meaning to waste his stamina leaning against the middle school's gate while staring at the leaning clock overhead. She had mentioned that the track team did run late, but two hours after school dismissed? He might be a carefree older brother with plenty of time to spare, but this devotion was ridiculous. His free time thrown away without concern because of Kirino.

To add on to his circumstance, he didn't particularly enjoy the fact that he had to wait outside of the campus rather than inside; the faculty were rather persistent about his presence within the first hour. He could understand, people might get the wrong idea of a high school student standing alone, as if stalking the younger girls for a hobby. Really, he got that idea projected onto him, judging by a few fierce passing glances. Why couldn't he wait in another less suspicious location rather than there? He even dared to consider stepping inside one of those local maid café shops on the opposite side of the street. At least there he could try to blend. Try.

"Wait patiently for her. Women really like a guy willing to sacrifice his time for her." Manami's face had glistened as she imagined the scene in her mind. "My heart would race at the sight of a wonderful man idling by with me as his only purpose."

Kyousuke couldn't help but blush at the all-too-familiar scenario; after all, that described exactly what he had done for Manami after school every day. However, this would be the first time in years to break their tradition.

"Tell me, why would you obsess over something so – mundane? It's more inconvenient for the guy to just stand around if he has something better to do. If that were me, I might even lose interest."

"But Kyou-chan, it's the thought behind the act! She's put at the top of his list, and that's what counts in a girl's heart!"

'Hell, if it will quench Kirino's thirst for attention faster, then I won't complain.'

A yawn broke out and he gazed back at the clock. Most of the day diminished with the arrival of six o'clock, and she had yet to make her appearance.

Kyousuke's focus moved from the front gate to the track field off in the distance behind the main campus. He didn't spot any students running on the track, stretching on the sidelines, nor playing in the fields. Surely that was the sign that everyone readied to leave, so what the hell was taking Kirino so long to meet up with him?

His hand mechanically wrestled with his tie to lessen its nuisance on his neck.

"Don't forget to straighten yourself up before you meet her," Manami had remarked while she had examined his attire with a stern expression. "See? Not like this Kyou-chan; your tie isn't set properly, and your hair is a bit of a mess."

Kyousuke had become her dress-up doll for the moment while he idled by, chewing on a flaccid piece of beef from his bento. He was worried more on the opinions of those around them than the fact that his attire appeared slightly messy. Like always, she had let her motherly nature take over, even during lunch.

"I'll fix it later, Manami. Right now is the time to relax, for once-"

"What about making a good impression on her? That's quite important to remember while you are talking with her. You need to be more considerate to others." She had smiled at him before backing off, understanding their close proximity.

"Don't blame me, blame the morning. Besides, I'm sure even the best impression won't mean squat to her." He had to reconsider though. Kirino was a recognized model after all, won't she be rather insistent on the high maintenance of his appearance while around her in public? To imagine her demanding him to buy a whole selection of designer clothes to match her had irritated him.

Manami had sipped a bit more from her milk carton before she had given him a pondering expression. "Say, Kyou-chan, you never mentioned whom this person is. Will I get to meet her after school?"

"Ah, about that. Seems I won't be able to walk home with you tonight. Got to wait for the girl at the mid- mi- uh, some disclosed location."

"Oh… I see." She had frowned a bit while looking off to the side. Kyousuke knew that this was quite a painful break from the norm for the two of them, but what could he do? He definitely didn't need to conjure the wrath of his little sister.

"…So, who is she? Do I know her?"

Kyousuke had scratched his head as he tried to avoid a direct answer. Should he utterly lie or stretch the truth a bit? What a hard decision to make towards a close friend. "Eh, you could say that you know her. Quite a bit, perhaps?"

"Eh? Then she goes to this school? I wonder," her eyes had scanned around the classroom as if she had suspected someone in their class. "Could it be Megami-chan?"

Kyousuke had looked aside to the mentioned girl: a rather timid schoolgirl set with glasses, long black hair, and eyes bound to the novel she thoroughly read. Not many people openly talk to her because of her reclusive nature (aside from Manami), so he had found it strange how Manami concluded such.

"No, but- why don't we skip the interrogation for now? I'm not going to tell you."

"So cruel, Kyou-chan." Manami had pouted the best she could, almost resembling a punished puppy, which made Kyousuke smirk. "Um let's see, what was the other thing I was going to mention? Oh Oh! The important part! A girl really likes-"

"OMPH!"

Kyousuke wheezed out the little amount of air left in his lungs after a sudden blow to his gut. The fist might have been small by nature, but the following impact was fierce and tremendous by freak of nature. His ear was snatched between two fingers by the time his body drooped down, and he was dragged away from the gate. His assailant pushed him against the wall, forcing him to cough even more air.

"What the *cough* hell Kirino, why are you *cough* *cough* being so rough?"

"What the HELL are you doing standing in the middle of the school gate?" Though she spoke under a whisper, her tone made up for the volume with dense anger.

Kyousuke swiped off a few bits of saliva from his lips from coughing so violently. "I'm waiting for you, like you told me to. Where else did you think I was going to wait?"

Kirino stamped her foot on the ground while glancing around the corner. "Somewhere less obvious, baka! You were lucky that I managed to convince my friends to take another route instead of spotting your sorry ass."

"You mean you were lucky, apparently. What's so strange about your brother waiting for you after school? Or are you embarrassed of the fact that you are trying to imply more-"

Kirino pushed against his shoulders to stop him from speaking more, and Kyousuke could see why. Farther down the road gathered a rather large group of girls crowding around the crosswalk, likely discussing the rest of their night. He guessed that they were part of her track team because of their running attire, all sweaty and –

Then it hit Kyousuke. He looked down and noticed that Kirino was dressed in the same manner. Her white blouse drenched in her sweat and those tiny red shorts clung so close to her thighs. His heart jumped at the sight despite how he futilessly tried to mentally convince himself otherwise that it was normal.

"What?"

He tried to avoid his glance over to a spot on the road after he realized that he'd been staring much too long at her. He almost missed the growing blush once he looked up at her face when she asked.

"Sh-Shouldn't you go change already? I bet you're pretty smelly."

"D-DON'T GO SAYING SOMETHING LIKE THAT!" She pushed him again as he chuckled. At least he managed to change the subject.

"I was heading that way, but then I saw your pathetic sight. Come with me." Kyousuke had to think twice since she was heading back into the school, but surely those teachers were already gone by now. He didn't get to stall much longer by the time she looked back and yelled at him to hurry.

Although he was familiar with the campus because he was once its student, he felt uncertain with the passageway Kirino guided him down. If he remembered correctly, this direction led to the girl's… change room.

"H-Hey! Why are you taking me this way? I shouldn't be back here."

"…Just keep going." Her words were reinforced with her grip on his shirt. He couldn't help the terrifying nervousness he felt while he was dragged ever closer- past the side doors, down the halls, through the gym, and at the front of the restricted door.

Fearing that she might actually make him go inside, he pushed aside her grip. "Enough, I'll wait outside for you while you get dressed."

"No, you will wait out here."

"Hell no, I'm more likely to get caught out here in the opening. At least out there I can make some desperate escape."

"You're not going to leave me alone in here, alright?" She looked aside while checking that everything was clear.

"Apparently not, but why are you so insistent that I be close? It's not like I'm going to run away now."

Her voice was rather soft and quiet, but he understood her intent through the cautious look in her eyes. "...I don't like being alone around here... It can be scary when I'm vulnerable."

Though he didn't want to risk his being- his reputation- by being near the middle school's changing room, he knew he couldn't reject his little sister's demand/request. Especially with her acting this dependent.

"...Fine, but I'm not going in there even if you dare asking."

"A-And don't you even DARE peeping in on me! You siscon." He didn't get a chance to retort before she slipped into the room outside of his reach.

Either case, he was in a risky scenario: if he sneaked into the change room (hopefully without intent), there might still be other girls inside, which would lead to even worse consequences; if he waited out here, anyone could just walk by and spot him standing at the entrance. What the hell was he suppose to do?

Time seemed to pass by very, very slowly while Kyousuke stood guard. He could hear the shower going, so she was obviously bathing in there. Yet another reason not to try entering the room. Who knows how that scene would play out. More than likely the view will bring up some unwanted deja vu from weeks before.

Every bit of sound irked him while he looked around. He was an antelope in the lion's den, brave enough to mock fate by walking in their nest yet ready to dash the fuck out at moment's notice. How long will it take Kirino to finish? Knowing girls, she's going to take extra long to bathe, dry off, dry off even more, and fancy her appearance. She really knew how to torment her already damaged brother.

"Kyousuke? I'm done." Her sudden voice spooked Kyousuke, though relief washed over him knowing that she was ready to go.

"Good, now hurry up and-" He froze when he turned around to met her. He wasn't use to this different appeal of Kirino, still glistening from the moisture, hair damp behind her shoulders, and her clothes. These weren't her school clothes that he's seen on a daily basis. These were more casual everyday wear.. for a model.

A purple shirt, designed with vibrant lines and swerves around the kanji for 'Kawaii', much too loose for her form, one side dangling off her arm. However, that didn't mean her upper body was overly revealed; underneath she wore a gray tank-top with the black strip of her bra slipping out from the side. Kyousuke seemed to recall seeing something similar in an American 80's movie, but he supposed fashion has its repeating moments.

Below she had on a skirt quite kin to the school's design, but shorter and darker in color. The long black socks sticking out of her school shoes complimented her overall dark hue appeal while making her appear young. He didn't recall ever seeing her dressed like such, and wondered why she chose that instead of her uniform.

"Um, what's with the getup?"

"...Geez, are you not going to say anything?"

"About?" Kirino growled at him though she refrained to smack him, which Kyousuke was thankful for. He had already been hit too much for the day. Instead, she looked to the side while hiding her hands behind her back. Her expression: completely timid and cute.

"How do I... look?"

Kyousuke gulped and composed his words carefully. Can he really say that she looked beautiful without going over the line? "W-Well, I think you look... g-great. Cute even, I suppose?" He tried to avoid making eye contact to evade any misconception, but she was rather insistent that he look at her.

"Do you mean it? That I look... cute?"

"Y-Yeah. I guess I should take that back and say- 'beautiful?'" He knew he regretted saying it because of her fluster, trying to avoid his gaze. She blushed profusely as much as he.

"O-Of course, that's what boyfriends are suppose to say, r-right? 'Girls really like flattery,' or at least that's what I heard."

Unexpectedly, Kirino chuckled a bit before closing in on Kyousuke, leaning into his chest. Despite the demanding stare, she lacked the intimidation behind it to make him feel more uncomfortable. "And where did you hear that from?"

"Ma- My friend, obviously. I had to seek some -advice- on our situation OUCH!" That time he was thankful that she didn't hit him before? She made up for it this time around on his arm.

"You TOLD someone about us?"

"D-Don't get me wrong! I didn't give out more info than needed. Just some overview advice. I swear! Not like I'm that dumb to speak the real parts."

Kirino let out a relieving sigh and leaned into Kyousuke. Obviously, that type of exposure worried her the most. He kept that in mind while he rubbed her hair a bit to comfort her. "Hey, let's get going already. I've been in the danger zone far too long today."

She breathed in deep, almost like taking in his scent, before pushing off of him. "Alright, it is getting rather late."

"Yeah, that reminds me. Must be close to a quarter after seven by now. Mother will probably have dinner on the table if we leave now-"

"We're not going home, idiot." Kyousuke looked at her. A quizzical expression on his face once he took in her statement.

"What do you mean? School's over, you're cleaned up, and I'm hungry so let's go home."

"No. God, think about it. We're going," Kirino tugged at his tie to get him moving with her, "on a date."

"What!" He withdrew his voice remembering their situation. "What do you mean a date? We don't have time for that mission nonsense."

"Couples prefer late-night to go on dates. Plus you can treat me to dinner as a bonus."

'Urgh, she expects me to do the paying. Doesn't she realize that I don't have the same kind of funds that she has?'

Very true, since his father only hands him a 'reasonable' allowance per two weeks to purchase rations and emergency items. At the current situation, he expected to see all of that go straight down the drain with his sister's ambition.

"Fine, fine, I'll go with you- on a... date." Kirino graced him with a brilliant smile, which made his heart race.

"That's what I thought."

She led them out of the gym and past the campus before she slowed down to walk beside Kyousuke along the sidewalk, which he became quite aware of her intent. However, Kyousuke was already way ahead of her with her objective. He took her hand and interlaced his fingers with hers, earning him a gasp, a strong blush, and a right hook to the cheek.

"What are you doing, you pervert?" She tried to wrestle out of his grasp, but he held on tightly.

"Ow, why are you making such a big deal? Couples always hold hands, right?" He really, really hated using her own type of responses against her, especially for the intention he implied as a couple. Him and his sister.

"Y-You've got to have my permission first to hold my hand, idiot! Where did you hear that crap anyways?"

"Friend. Come on, calm down. You're going to bring up unnecessary attention to us again."

Although she shot deadly eye bullets at him and pouted for several seconds while continuing to free herself from him, she eventually calmed down and let him take reign of their development. Her grip shifted from restless wiggling to tightened dependence. She dared not to look up at Kyousuke, who was half-forcing a smile while trying not to think further of their proximity.

"Be aggressive, of course. The man conquers the uncertainty of the woman's heart," Isshenji had boldly stated after hearing a brief summary of Kyousuke's circumstance. If only Manami didn't act so giddy with her expressions, Isshenji wouldn't have taken interest in their conversation.

"I suppose that's one way to make her yours... for a caveman," Kyousuke had mentioned before swallowing the rest of the rice. Manami had mumbled as she subtly agreed with Isshenji.

"So what? The caveman was very intuitive, domineering, damn manly! Ever wondered how you got here? You can thank him later when you think about it."

"Yeah yeah, but what exactly can I do to be aggressive yet considerate?"

Isshenji had grumbled while he pondered the condition. He didn't think that far ahead when he jumped in. "Ah ha! Hands!"

"...Hands?"

"Yes, holding hands." Isshenji clasped his hands in front of him in demonstration. "Normally, women are too afraid to seek out the man's comfort. Therefore, you must be the one to start it. Take hold of her hand, even if she tries to pry out. She'll eventually get it." He had smirked at his brilliant response.

"Sounds like a good way to get a restraining order placed on me. Isn't that how you and Haruyi broke up anyhow?" Isshenji had chuckled at his point, probably admitting to his fault.

"She just couldn't handle my fervor. Just trust me on this one. You'll see your answer written clearly on the girl's face."

Kyousuke hated to admit that Isshenji was right: Kirino had a bit of satisfaction spilled on her face while she clung closer to him. He felt awkward that he engaged with his sister in such an intimate activity, but he might as well go all-out to finish the whole ordeal. He coughed lightly to get her attention.

"Where are we going anyways? Got any place in mind?"

"You're the guy, aren't you suppose to be the one to plan ahead?" Kyousuke sighed before he accepted her reason.

"Not like I could plan ahead for something I just learn a few minutes ago."

"Then don't, because I already got just the thing to do."

"Well why didn't you just say- never mind, tell me already."

Kirino tightened her grip on his hand and looked up to his eyes with glee, "you're going to help me choose some clothes to wear over the summer."