Chapter 64c: Obtaining What Is Mine

We are walking side-by-side once more.

Okay, there is still a bike separating us as we walk, but the familiarity and resemblance to the past is undeniable.

It is a throwback to days gone by.

But even then... things have changed.

As I sigh, she finally glances back towards me.

"Who taught you how to be so silent and hold grudges anyways? That's not cute."

I can't really help having to say it: I want my little chatterbox of a sister back. Not this silently brooding bundle of feminine cuteness.

Her cheeks puff up a little as she is about to respond.. but somehow, she holds back after meeting my eyes, gazing away.

Ugh. Can't she even look me in the eyes anymore?

"Fine. I'll talk. But I bet you won't be able to resist responding eventually, anyways."

What is this zipping-up-her-mouth motion she is doing? Geez. What has she gone through to be this rebellious?

I flick the back of her head with my finger, and she is about to burst before grinning like a maniac and repeating the gesture.

As I rub my eyes, I can't help but feel despair take me a little. How can I possibly make her stop hating me for that one thing?

An audible, slow, exasperatingly drawn out sigh escapes me.

I can feel her watching me. I don't need to see it when the shortening of her stride betrays her thoughts in the way her face does ten times better.

"We're almost here."

It is just the nearest bakery I could remember passing on my way here. But they have a little seated section where they cater to people who want to get a quick little snack of this or that.

I park my bike against a tree and pull her along to a corner where I see the familiar red hair in the distance.

"Thanks."

My word of gratitude to Jenny for reserving us a seat barely seems to register as suddenly, Setsuka bursts out into laughter. Her angry, vindictive, brooding mask of juvenile indifference just falls along to the sidelines as she's pointing to Jenny.

I don't get it. Jenny apparently does. She's as red as a beet. And I don't mean her hair, which is always red.

"Nee-san. That's so funny! It doesn't suit you at all!"

"Shut up, you little squirt." she mutters as she conscientiously begins to claw at her hair to take the hair ties out of it.

Did she think it was easy doing that in that breeze? Women, always so damn ungrateful!

Oh.

Ooooh..! I think I understand.

"Nii-san, why'd you give Nee-san pig tails? That's so bad!"

Now you talk to me, Setsuka? When I do something wrong? I'm not sure if that hurts more or less than your silent treatment...

I glance towards Jenny, who has taken out the hairties from one of the pigtails and is not busy digging them out of the other bundle of hair.

"It was windy. Why not?"

She bursts out into laughter, playfully pounding on my arm in defense of her sister. Ugh. Why is she taking her side?!

"She's not a little girl! She's a woman! See, she has breasts. And wears makeup. See?"

She's pointing these things out, and for a change, I can finally understand why Jenny is going so utterly red. Ugh. Do I now need to worry that she's going to point out I've got a penis one of these days?

"I had noticed." I respond dryly, trying to play it cool while looking at Jenny to try and not add to her embarassment, but she seems to be even more agitated because she just sits down, starting to ruffle up all that hair and staring at the bakery counter to the side.

How the fuck do women live with that much hair? I had to separate all that auburn hair of hers into two bundles because there was just that much of it! And it isn't neat, supple and silky like Setsuka's, but more like an untamed tempest of nature.

As she gives me an angry glance, I finally look away. Why are they all blaming me? For fucks sake... I'm starting to think women are always trouble, even when they are somehow related!

"So.. uh.. I was going to celebrate my birthday with you two."

I subtly nudge the conversation along as I move to the counter. No, I definitely am going to celebrate my birthday. After a bit of discussion, I place an order down according to the girls preferences.

If I didn't have to worry about Setsuka running off after Jenny, I probably would have told Miss Breasts&Makeup to just take a hike while I spoil Setsuka on chocolate cake until she begs me to stop.

At which point I'd make sure she stops blaming me. And we could move on. But with the damn redhead here... I've got this feeling she is just going to ruin things. Just look at the way those two are talking and trying to keep me out of the conversation!

Soon, we all got our servings, and I find myself staring at Setsuka. I smile at her. Warmly. Patiently. Forgivingly.

Eventually, it rattles her enough that not even the forced talk with Jenny can bring solace. Her cheeks go a bit red in that cute way when she knows she is at fault but reluctant to admit it.

"What..? Stop staring, Nii-san!"

She took the bait. I grin as I respond as lovingly as possible.

"But I'm waiting for my birthday gift."

She goes even more red. Stammering. Averting her eyes.

"I've been looking forward to it since Halloween at least."

She goes even more red, and from the corner of my eye, I can see Jenny staring at me in surprise more than anything else. That's fine. Just stay out of it, you spokesperson of the political block of shared female interests!

"Uhhh... I don't have it. You never told me you were celebrating it today."

I shrug slightly as I kick back, my hand sliding my slice of cake off to the side. Bribery with sweets is a historically proven approach.

"So? Remember the year before? You'd been saving up to get me that DVD-set for most of that and you had to struggle so hard to not give it to me early. Remember..?"

She goes even more red. Her eyes are everywhere but me.

Figures. She's mad enough to not even have prepared anything.

I can't say I didn't see it coming, though. Not after that card.

"Ohhh. So can I choose something, then?"

I'm teasing her a bit, and her eyes look back in cornered defiance. Her hands ball up into little fists of self-incrimination and guilt as she weighs the pros and cons of giving into my request.

She's so easy to manipulate. So damn cute. But I can't gloat or she'll hate me even more. I end up splitting my cake up into a bunch of little squares with the fork that accompanies it to try and keep my smile off my face.

"... Fine! But I don't get much allowance. So if it is expensive it is a nuh-uh."

"Oh. So Jenny won't spring you the money to help you out..?"

My eyes glance towards the Irish-born redhead, and I see she is about to speak up... but I doubt I'll ever find out what she's going to say because Setsuka just yells over it to completly interrupt the casual conversation.

"Nooo she's not! It is my gift to you, baka nii-san! Leave Jenny out of this!"

I spear one of the little squares with my fork and hold it out for Setsuka to eat. The little glutton leans forward and wraps her lips around the corner to scoop up the cake, just as she always did.

"And I get to choose?"

She blushes as she realizes she slipped into one of our old habits, giving Jenny a guarded glance of what is no doubt embarassment. Thankfully the girl pretends to not have noticed anything, having become a bit obsessed with a nail-file on fingers that look just fine to me.

She glances back to me right as I spear another square. I smile at her.

"Mmmm... Fine."

Setsuka opens her mouth expectantly together with the statement. Does she think she'll have won the argument if she gets cake in return for giving in?

I can't help but chuckle as I fill her mouth. Some things never change.

"Okay. The gift I want from you is..."

The eyes of both girls go wide as I finally betray my true aim to Setsuka. Instantly, it dawns on them that they've been tricked.

Sometimes, a man just needs to fight for his rights. I don't regret that it was filled with a dirty trick or two; those two had me outnumbered to begin with!