I woke up with Ayase's cute-but-scary face looking down at me. Despite her amazing beauty, I felt a sense of menace coming from her.

"Onii-san? Why are you sleeping on my lawn?"

Dammit! I had meant to wake up earlier and get away before this. But I had overslept. Standing above me was Kirino's "other" best friend, Ayase Aragaki. She lived nearby, and had once taken care of me when I had to live on my own, so I thought it would be OK to sleep for one night on her front lawn, hidden from view. She was a nice girl, but she also had a terrible temper. I felt very nervous having her discover me like this.

"Well uh, you see... I needed a place to sleep." A very lame explanation, but it was all I could think of after just waking up. I stood up, so I could talk to her more naturally.

"Yes, I do see that. But... why did you need to sleep here?"

"Haha, well, you know, it's good to camp outside sometimes. It makes you appreciate nature. And sadly, the public parks near here just aren't safe at night anymore so... you have a very nice lawn, you know?"

"Onii-san... you promised that you wouldn't sexually harass me anymore. And... you said some other stuff, too. I thought we ended our relationship, so I didn't try to contact you again. But... here you are, like this... isn't it too much?"

"I didn't come here to sexually harass you! I promise, my motives in coming here were completely pure! I just needed a place to sleep for the night!"

"Why can't you sleep at your own house? Or in your own yard, if you really wanted to sleep outside."

"Because... um. Because I just can't, OK?"

"Onii-san. I don't know what's going on. I think maybe I don't even want to know. But I need to go to school now. Come talk to me after school, OK? I'll probably walk home with Kirino, so you can explain it to us both."

"Uh... sure. Although I'm not sure if Kirino will be at school today."

"Did something happen to her too?" Now Ayase seemed very concerned.

"Well... sort of. I think she's ok, but I haven't been able to talk to her yet- speaking of which, can I use your phone?"

"Sure, that's fine. But be quick, please, I really do need to get to school."

"Sure" I said, and took the phone from her. I dialed Kirino's number.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Kirino! This is Kyousuke, I'm borrowing Ayase's phone. Are you OK?"

"Yeah... I'm OK. Dad didn't do anything to me, if that's what you're worried about. I've just been hiding in my room. Where are you?

"I'm uh... I'm at Ayase's house."

"Huh? You left me... like *that*, and went straight to another girl?" She said that so loudly and sharply that it hurt my ears.

"No! I just slept outside here. Then I ran into her on her way to school and borrowed her phone. I don't know what I'm going to do.

"I see. Well, you're still stupid idiot for getting us caught."

"Right, sorry about that. Uh, any chance you could meet meet me outside? And bring me some of my stuff?"

"Yeah, I think I can. Dad is holed up in his room, and Mom went out somewhere, so I can probably sneak out. What do you want me to bring you, and where should we meet?"

"You still have your suitcase from when you went to America, right? Take that, and pack as many of my clothes as you can. It doesn't matter which ones, but something warm. Also my wallet, cell phone, and charger. Um, I guess that's all I really need. You can meet me by Ayase's house, right?"

"Sure. I'll be there soon. Um, thanks for calling."

"Great! You're a lifesaver."

"Ha, I really am, aren't I?" Even though it was annoying, I was glad that Kirino still had a bit of her spunk even after everything that had happened.

We hung up and I gave the phone back to Ayase. "Thanks Ayase, you really helped!"

"I'm glad I could help. But um. What exactly is your problem? Should I talk to Kirino about it?"

"NO!" I yelled. "Or uh. I need to talk to Kirino on my own first. I have some unfinished business with her."

"Oh? Is it something you can't tell her? Something you need to tell me alone, first?" She seemed hopeful.

"Um, no. Sorry, but this is a matter between me and Kirino- it doesn't concern you. Please bring her here if you can. And uh... can I stay in your house until you get home?"

"Onii-san. I want to help you, but I don't like the idea of you staying in my room, sleeping in my bed, and going through all my clothes..."

"As if I'd do that! No I just want to come inside and maybe use your home phone. I'll stay in the living room, I promise. Your mom can keep an eye on me, if you don't trust me."

"...Are you going to sexually harass my mom, too?"

"No!" Despite her cute appearance, this girl could be really mean sometimes. "I promise I would never do that!"

"Hmm..." She hesitated. "I'm sorry onii-san, but you're acting super strange right now. Why did you really come here? Why can't you just go home and talk to Kirino yourself? And don't dodge the question!" She practically screamed the last part, while standing directly in front of me so I couldn't escape. This girl was really scary!

I sighed. I really didn't want to tell her, but I also knew how much Ayase hated any sort of dishonesty, and it didn't seem like I had many options here. I couldn't think of any way to escape except to tell her the truth, here. "Because... Kirino and I have feelings for each other. Romantic feelings. And I tried to tell our father, but he wouldn't listen- he just hit me and threw me out of the house. And I needed a place to sleep so... here I am."

"You... and Kirino... romantic feelings? What!?"

"Before you judge me, take a minute to reflect! Remember how much you hated Kirino's anime and otaku interests at first, but you eventually accepted those, right? Even the more, uh, unusual stuff. Please just think of this as another of her weird otaku interests, but she's still the same person you know and love."

"Or maybe I was wrong to accept it before."

"Hmm? Weren't you happy to make up with her?"

"Yes, she was my friend and I wanted to get my friend back. But this... two siblings having romantic feelings for each other? And she actually feels that way too- this isn't just some sick delusion of yours, is it? I think I should have been more firm with her before, and forced her to give up that stuff no matter what. Because if what you're saying is true, it seems that those perverted things have totally rotted away her brain and morals."

Just then, Kirino arrived. she was rolling a suitcase behind her, but still running quite fast thanks to her track training. She probably heard just the last part of our conversation.

"Ayase... uh... good to see you... Thanks for helping out my brother."

"Kirino!" Ayase ran over and grabbed Kirino's shoulders. "Is what he told me true!? Are you really having *that* kind of relationship with your own brother!?"

Kirino glared at me. "What did you say to her? And why did you even come here at all?"

"Like I said, I just needed a place to stay. But when I ran into her, she demanded an explanation and... I didn't want to lie to her. You know how she is."

"Yes, I hate lies! Kirino, please be honest with me, what is going on between you two!?" Ayase was squeezing Kirino's shoulders very hard as she said that.

Kirino paused, looked away, and finally answered very softly. "It's... like he said."

"So it's true? What on earth are you thinking? I know you like some perverted stuff but I thought you could at least separate that from real life!"

I stepped over to stand next to Kirino. "Ayase. We may be unusual, but it's still love. Someone once told me that 'there is no such thing as a disgusting love'." That was Mikagami, Kirino's male model friend and fellow eroge enthusiast, who had told me that. He was an odd and somewhat annoying person, but it was still a good line.

"You... how can you say that!? That sounds like something a pedophile would say! Are you going to start molesting children next? What is wrong with you two!" Apparently my words had failed to calm Ayase down. In fact, she seemed even angrier now.

Now Kirino spoke up. "You" (she looked at me) "Stop being an idiot and shut up. Ayase... I'm sorry. I've kept a terrible secret from you. I had to, because I know how weird and messed up it is. It's been eating me up inside, for years! I wanted to tell you, but I also was hoping it would just go away and I could be normal! Don't you think I tried!?"

"Did you?" Ayase said coldly. "Did you really try? Because you never seemed to try to give up your otaku games."

"I did! I tried everything I could think of, to stop feeling this way. I even asked you to take care of him while he was studying, knowing that you liked him. I thought, if it was you who got together with him, I might be able to tolerate it. I thought maybe my feelings would eventually go away. But I'm sorry, I was so happy when I learned that he had turned you down. And... I still have these feelings for him. What am I supposed to do?"

"Die." Ayase's voice was ice cold. "I can't take any kind of explanation for this. There's nothing you could say that would make this right. You're an even bigger pervert that I ever imagined, and a liar as well. So just go die, both of you." And with that, she pushed Kirino off. We stood there, stunned, as she walked away and said "Please leave my house, and don't contact me ever again."

Neither of us did anything, we simply stood there and watched Ayase walk away, until she disappeared from sight.