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Disclaimer: I don't own Tokidoki Bosotto Roshiago de Dereru Tonari no Alya-san or any of its characters...

Masachika led her to his bed and sat down, before Yuki did the same. With that, he turned to his sister and raised an eyebrow at her curiously.

"So what is this about?" he asked, hoping that this would be a quick discussion so that they can go to sleep right after.

…on the other hand, what if this was an important matter of sorts? There's no other reason why Yuki would want to go inside his room if she was only planning to talk for a few minutes.

Before he could descend into his thoughts to think about this matter deeply, Yuki's voice snapped him out of it.

"Onii-chan… I know ," she smirked.

He frowned in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Yuki leaned closer towards him and repeated her statement, "I know… what you want to do."

"What I want to do?"

"Mhm~"

"I should have known that this was just a bust," he sighed to himself, fully convinced that this was nothing but another attempt at messing with him in some way. "If you're just here to banter with me, then you should go back to your room already, you little brat."

"Oi, oi, just hear me out," she snickered. "I know you want to get back home, but is that really what you want, Onii-chan? I'm talking about what you really want deep inside ."

"What kind of ridiculous question is that? I want to make it back home like everyone else."

"Really? Then why does it feel like you're lying, Onii-chan?" she challenged. "Or to be more precise, why are you lying to yourself?"

"What makes you think I'm lying?"

"I know you more than anyone, Onii-chan~"

Yuki then got off the bed and stood before her brother, where she pointed a finger towards him in an 'I caught you red-handed' manner.

"You want to stay here, don't you? It's exactly what you told Alya-san a week ago. You don't want to leave this place because it's peaceful around here and there's nothing here that can bother you."

Masachika raised an eyebrow in confusion. Most of the time, he was capable of determining what Yuki was cooking in her mind and manifesting it into words ahead of her, but that wasn't the case this time.

He had no idea where this was leading to, other than reminding him of what caused the rift between him and Alya, which still hurt to think about until now.

For now though, he would play along and see where this leads to.

"...so what if I do? What about it?"

"Nothing. I can understand why you feel that way, and I support you with all my heart, Onii-chan~" she giggled.

"Thanks, but you're an idiot for believing it right away," he deadpanned. "I wasn't serious about what I said. I was just doing some wishful thinking at the time."

"Would you have said the same thing to Alya-san? That she's an idiot for believing you were serious about staying here?"

"Alya was feeling stressed out from the situation we're in. You, on the other hand, are the same cunning little devil as ever. Don't use Alya to justify yourself."

"Am I really? Don't you think it shows that I want nothing more than to support my dear Onii-chan in his time of need?" Yuki puffed her chest out of pride. "Even if it's just wishful thinking, you want it to happen, right?"

Masachika rolled his eyes. "Who said I needed your help? Don't put words in my mouth."

"You don't even have to say anything, Onii-chan. I can see it in your eyes… I can see that you really want to stay and live here, but you can't. Because you want to help everyone instead!" she exclaimed.

"The safety of seven other people is more important than whatever I feel."

"It warms my heart that you're putting everyone else's safety over yourself," Yuki placed her hands on her heart in a loving manner, "which is why it's such a shame that Alya-san didn't realize that you weren't being serious."

"It's not her fault, can you just stop making it seem like it was?"

"I wasn't. I'm just disappointed, because she's supposed to be setting the example for all of us. That's kind of the point of being the Student Council President," she corrected him. "But I digress. I'm here to show my brother some emotional support. Come on, then~"

Yuki spread her arms open and smiled at him, while Masachika groaned in annoyance.

"I knew you were up to something…"

"Huh? What are you talking about? I just wanted to hug you, because you are in need of some little sister love," she explained, before letting out a gasp of surprise. "Wait, don't tell me! Could it be that you were thinking something naughty when all I'm trying to do is invite you for a hug?"

"Really? A hug? Sounds too boring for a little devil like you," he smirked, putting on a skeptical expression.

Yuki actually looked offended at that remark that she frowned at her brother. "Hey, I like hugs! As a matter of fact, I like 'em more than handholding."

"That's surprising. Since handholding is quite lewd, there's no reason for you not to like it more."

"Maybe I just like the skin-on-skin contact more. Come on, are you really going to make me wait?"

"What's the catch?"

"Ugh, Masachika-kun can be so uptight sometimes! I swear, Alya-san is rubbing off on you, and that's not a good thing," she huffed in annoyance, before shaking her head. "You know what? Forget it. I'm coming on to you instead~"

"Wha—?!

Giggling to herself, Yuki plopped down on his lap with open arms, which caused her brother to yelp in surprise.

"What are you waiting for, Masachika-kun? When your little sister is offering you a hug, you should take it!"

"I would have done it anyway, you didn't have to sit on my lap!"

"You took too long, so that's on you. Anyway, it'll feel better this way, trust me!"

Masachika sighed in defeat. "Fine…"

Knowing that a little hug wouldn't really hurt, the young man decided to just give his sister what she wanted. He wrapped his arms around Yuki's body and pulled her close, enveloping the girl in a comforting hug.

"That's more like it~"

Releasing a sigh of contentment, Yuki did the same and wrapped her arms around him in a warm embrace, as the two siblings shared a quiet moment of solitude.

He was hesitant for a while, but Masachika eventually gave in and allowed himself to relax against Yuki's body, ending up in them leaning on each other for support.

With everything that's happened up until now, this actually felt good .

It felt reassuring .

It felt gratifying .

It felt euphoric .

Despite his current dilemma with Alya, this reminded Masachika that he wasn't alone, because there's someone who's always here for him, similar to how he's always been there for her.

It's also been a long while since they've done something like this for the other, and this is what both teens desperately needed as an escapism from their depressing situation.

It's time like this that shows he will always put Yuki ahead of everyone else, because she was the person who's dearest to him.

He could honestly get used this…

"We're all alone in your room, right? Do you want to have some fun , Onii-chan~?"

…it was great while it lasted.

Masachika couldn't hold back a loud groan of annoyance when he heard those words, because it immediately ruined everything.

"Just when I'm starting to like this, you suddenly make it weird," he let out a tired sigh and broke away from the hug. "I guess that's it, then."

Yuki felt disappointed that the hug was over, but it was hidden behind her mischievous look. "Pfft, I'm not making it weird. I was asking a genuine question, Onii-chan."

"I don't have time for this. Just get out. You got what you wanted, right?"

"Come on, Onii-chan. I'm being serious here, you know?"

She tried to hug him again, but Masachika pushed her away with his hands on her shoulders with a frown plastered on his face.

"I said that I don't have time for your games. Can you get out already?"

The girl raised an eyebrow when she noticed that he raised his voice out of nowhere. Weird…

"Who said that I'm playing games? Hasn't it occurred to you that I'm being serious for once?"

"Fine, I'll just drag you out myself."

He pushed her off his lap gently, before grabbing her wrist so tight as though he was squeezing a stress ball.

And with that, he began to drag her towards the door… almost literally.

"H-Hey, is this really your way of kicking me out of your room— ow! Hey, hey, you're grabbing my wrist too tight! Wait just a minute!"

"I told you that I don't have time for your games. I want to sleep, Yuki."

However, to his surprise, Yuki planted her feet firmly on the floor and refused to go any further.

"She's normally not this stubborn…" he frowned at her current attitude. Why can't she just leave him so he can sleep?!

"Just wait! Listen to me for a moment, okay?! I'm not joking, Onii-chan! I want to stay here with you!"

"Look, I appreciate the hug and your attempt to cheer me up, but that's it. Go back to your room and sleep, we have another long day tomorrow."

Yuki's eyes widened in panic, as her calm and playful demeanor completely fell apart.

Her brother was usually more attentive than this, so why can't he see what she's trying to do?!

Even when she bravely confessed the truth, it seemed like he saw her words as nothing more than a child's rambles…

"I'm not playing games, really! Why are you ignoring what I'm telling you, Onii-chan?!"

Masachika noticed the change in her expression, but he simply thought of it as her way of playing along with him… by pretending she's a spoiled kid who won't leave until she gets forced into it.

"I have no idea what's gotten into your head, but I really don't want to know, Yuki. Now come on, I'll even take you back to your room."

Masachika had to exert some more effort to get her to move even an inch, but Yuki remained stubborn and continued to make things hard for him.

It's as though she didn't want to leave his room at all…

"I'm not! I'm perfectly fine! Why don't you believe me? Why can't you just listen?!" she almost yelled at him, speaking out of desperation this time instead of confusion.

Masachika continued to ignore what she's saying, but he could feel his patience growing thinner the more his sister refused to listen.

"Okay, that's it. Get out before I get angry and throw you out—"

"N-No, please…! I'm sorry! No—!"

Eyes filled with fear, Yuki dropped to her knees in an instant and wrapped her around his waist, as she clung on to him for dear life.

"Don't… Don't throw me out, Onii-chan… please…"

Masachika froze in his place, with his eyes directed to the girl who suddenly had an emotional outburst out of nowhere.

A myriad of emotions were swirling inside his mind at the moment but out of all them, confusion was what took over.

In all the years that he had spent with his little sister, never before had he seen her like this.

There's not a single instance where she has acted this way towards him, even when she had regular asthma attacks and he had to look after her regularly.

"Why are you kneeling like that? Get up."

Masachika could feel her arms tightening even more around his waist, refusing to let go for even a moment after saying those words.

"P-Please… please don't throw me away, Onii-chan… I can't take it…" she sniffled and shook her head in refusal. "I-I'll do anything you want, just don't…"

As if to prove her words, she untangled herself from him and knelt down until her head was on the same level as his legs.

A look of horror spread across his face when Yuki started kissing and licking his foot like it was something sacred.

"What the hell are you doing?! Have you actually lost it?!"

He immediately took a few steps back out of both shock and disgust at her actions, but it only led to him finally getting a clear view of her face.

Yuki's eyes were red and puffy from the tears that were rolling down her cheeks. She had a runny nose, if her sniffles were any indication. Her lips were also trembling, showing that she could burst into tears again at any moment.

What used to be the face of a very beautiful and elegant girl turned into a painful reminder for Masachika.

A reminder that he left his sister once, and that was when they were mere children who had no idea how the world around them works.

And right now, this sight before him felt like he was seeing the very reaction his sister had the day he left her behind.

Before he could get another word out of his mouth, Yuki knelt down again and prostrated herself in front of him, feeling that she had no other choice but to do this.

"Onii-chan… I'm begging you… please don't kick me out… I don't want to be alone… please… don't leave me… don't leave me alone again… please…" she begged as her head touched the cold hard floor.

She was hoping and praying for him to realize that all she ever wanted was to be by his side… and until now, that hasn't changed.

She still wanted to stay with him… especially now when all they had was each other.

MINASAN, YONDE KURETE ARIGATŌ! AISHITEMAAAAASUUUUU! *starts playing air guitar*

-Lance