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

Ayano's eyes widened slightly, a rare moment of her stoic expression falling apart, as she was left in awe at what the young man just told her.

She didn't expect him to turn a simple request into a full-blown command out of nowhere… but hey, what else could one expect from an amazing individual like him?

Despite not actually holding any kind of authority over her now, Ayano still saw Masachika as her master and thus, she was compelled to follow his order.

At the same time, she couldn't come up with anything to say because of what he was asking from her! Deep down, Ayano knew the truth that she had been scared at first and Masachika was well aware of it.

She admitted it to him, after all.

Honestly, it would be a completely different story if Ayano had been alone this entire time. A major reason why she's been able to stay calm and collected until now was because of two people and without them, Ayano was certain that she wouldn't even be able to last two days on this island.

"Again, you don't have an answer? I don't blame you," Masachika continued on. "Even though you think that you have a duty and responsibility to help everyone, it doesn't change what you feel deep inside. You want to lean on someone for support, because you can't really handle everything on your own. That's what it feels like for you, right?"

Ayano could only lower her head, confirming everything that came out of his mouth. Masachika hit the nail right on its head, and she didn't expect anything less from him.

"Please forgive me, Masachika-sama. I could not answer your question."

"I didn't expect you to, so it's fine. What matters is your well-being, Ayano. Like I said, you can always come to me whenever you want to talk or if you ever feel like you need someone to lean on. Just say something, and I'll be there."

"I remember your words, Masachika-sama. Truly. I have not forgotten."

"It's only been a few days, yet I can tell nothing's changed," he pointed out while letting out a sigh. "I can't leave this alone, Ayano. I know I sound like a hypocrite because I'm telling you all of this while I'm doing the exact opposite, but I'm also doing this to make up for lost time. Not only did I leave Yuki behind when I left the household, but you as well."

"You did not go away for a long time, Masachika-sama. And I am certain that you kept Yuki-sama in your thoughts the entire time."

"I did, but not you. And that's not fair to you, Ayano. We grew up together too. You were a big part of my childhood just as Yuki is."

"Me…? But I am only—"

She was cut off when Masachika took a step forward and wrapped his arms around her, bringing the maid in for a hug. This action and his statement caused her eyes to widen once again, as well as a small blush to appear on her cheeks.

"...M-Masachika-sama?"

"Don't beat around the bush. Did it also hurt you when I left? I want to know your honest feelings, Ayano. I want the truth."

For the first time in her life, Ayano hesitated to answer, despite it being Masachika who asked her that question. In fact, she couldn't respond at all and it took a good five seconds before she finally opened her mouth to speak.

"...when Masachika-sama left… I did not know why."

The young man suddenly felt a spike of nervousness from hearing those words, but didn't say anything. He simply listened to her from here on out, while feeling curious about what she had to say.

"When I noticed that you were nowhere to be found throughout the entire estate, my initial thought was that you had gone off for a trip with Yuki-sama and your family. However, the rest of your family was still there and none of them had left. Everyone was there… except for Masachika-sama and Kyoutarou-sama."

Masachika sighed to himself. It's almost funny; ever since they've been stranded on this island, he's been reminded time and time again of what he did wrong back then.

It's as if this place doesn't want him to forget about his actions, like some sick twist of fate… despite his full intention to atone for his mistake.

"—when I was about to clean Yuki-sama's bedroom, I witnessed her crying into her pillow."

Upon hearing those words, he stiffened. This was something he never knew about, and Masachika felt even more nervous now that he was stepping into uncharted territory.

While he was sure that his departure dealt a huge emotional blow to his younger sister, he had no concrete idea of what actually happened to her that day. But now, thanks to Ayano, he was getting the answer that he honestly dreaded to hear.

"I immediately asked Yuki-sama what was bothering her, before she clung to me. She squeezed me so tight that I couldn't breathe and nearly passed out as a result."

"I should pay more attention to Yuki tonight…" Masachika thought to himself while rubbing the maid's back.

Knowing how attached his sister had become towards him because of recent events, there's no doubt that she would visit him later tonight. If so, then he'll have to show her more affection than usual, though not to the point of spoiling her.

It wouldn't be enough to make up for his actions, but it would lessen the guilt he felt somewhat.

"Yuki-sama then confessed everything to me," Ayano continued on as if the events were still fresh in her mind. "She told me why she was in tears, why Masachika-sama was nowhere to be found, and everything else that transpired."

"—and then?"

"I could not show it, but I… felt different. I always see Masachika-sama everyday that it has become a routine, only for everything to change in a single day. For years, my purpose has been to serve you and Yuki-sama. But when Masachika-sama left… for a time, it felt like I had lost my sense of purpose. I was supposed to be a servant to you and Yuki-sama. I wanted to be a valuable tool—"

"That's all I needed to hear. You don't need to say anything more, Ayano. I'd feel worse if I let you go on," he cut her off completely by talking over what she was saying.

"Forgive me, Masachika-sama. It was not my intention to make you feel this way."

"Don't apologize for something that I deserve. What I did was selfish and I should have never left out of the blue. I should have said a proper goodbye at least, to both you and Yuki."

"You returned, Masachika-sama. I believe that is what matters."

"But what if I didn't? What if I never returned to your lives? What if… what if I was an idiot who only wanted to distance myself from the family as much as possible? What if I was still gone and had no intention of returning? What if I stayed out of your lives for good…?"

"Masachika-sama… please do not think—"

"Stop trying to defend me, Ayano. Let me regret my actions. I would feel better if I did, instead of beating around the bush and thinking that there was more to it than what I thought."

"As you wish, Masachika-sama."

"If you really want to help me, then think about what I said. And don't just think about it. Act on it too. Like right now," he pointed out. "When someone hugs you, you're supposed to hug them back."

Ayano blushed in embarrassment, and she was actually thankful that her face was hidden from him right now. She might not be able to take it if Masachika had even the slightest glimpse of her flustered look.

"Is it truly appropriate for me to do this, Masachika-sama…?"

"We've known each other for years, Ayano. It actually surprises me that we've never hugged like this before."

"But I am only—"

"Here we go again. You're gonna say that you're a servant, right? Well, screw that. You're my friend. I don't care what you say. Friends can hug each other like this, so shut up and do it. That's an order."

As expected of him, he was right. It was a normal occurrence for friends to hug each other, and her Masachika-sama thought of her as one.

Plus, he made it clear that it was an order, so she had no other choice in the matter… and it's not like she would turn down an opportunity like this, just like when he patted her head as a reward for her hard work.

And with that, Ayano finally gave in.

Raising her arms, she slowly and awkwardly wrapped them around the young man, surrendering herself to this embrace. The girl almost leaned against him, as though she needed Masachika to keep herself upright.

"It takes an actual order for you to actually do as you're told, huh? Are you perhaps slacking off in your duties, Ayano?" he teased her afterwards.

"—!"

Ayano's eyes snapped open in alarm and nearly caused her to reset back to her usual stoic demeanor almost immediately, but Masachika prevented it by tightening the hug.

"Masachika-sama…?"

"Just kidding," he reassured her. "When it comes to being a maid, I can't see anyone else in this role other than you. But you have to understand, Ayano. While we're out here, we don't need a maid or a servant. We just need you to be yourself."

"I… understand…"

Masachika smiled, satisfied with the answer that she gave him… however, the girl only said those words because it's what he wanted to hear from her.

In truth, Ayano was confused.

If she's not a servant to the siblings, which had been her purpose for most of her life, then what exactly is she?

Both Masachika and Yuki have now told her the same thing, and it's that she should focus on herself more. She was a normal person with emotions just like them, and she had needs of her own.

The only problem is that for a maid like her, whose entire purpose revolves around serving her masters, Ayano had no idea how to go about this whole thing…

That afternoon, as the sun was beginning to come down, Yuki Suou was sitting by the shore with her gaze set on the horizon. One could say that she was on the lookout for a vessel out at sea, but she didn't really care about that.

Yuki was using this as an opportunity to relax more than anything, but without a certain person around. As much as she loved spending valuable time with her older brother, she knew when to hold back, especially when their other companions on this island could get the drop on them at any given time.

…which is one of the reasons why he has to succeed in conquering the other girls here. If he can get them under his control, then she could spend time with him for as long—

"Yuki," a familiar voice called out to the girl as her ears picked up the sound of approaching footsteps, cutting off her train of thought.

"Oh! What is it, my lovely Onii-chan?" the girl smiled brightly, immediately getting off the ground so that she could face this person properly.

Masachika stood there with a serious look on his face, his mind still occupied with the memory of a conversation he had several hours earlier, one that gave him a lot to think about regarding what he must do moving forward.

"I talked to Ayano again earlier. I thought about what you told me a few days ago, after realizing a few things. I realized that I can't just stand around and do nothing when there's a chance that something bad could happen to her."

"Really? Here I thought you don't want to bring her into this whole thing," she asked rhetorically.

"Just because I didn't agree to your ridiculous plan doesn't mean I don't care about Ayano," he retorted. "As much as I hate it, you're right. I don't want to wait for something bad to happen to Ayano before I do anything."

"You're an amazing person, Onii-chan. I knew you would make the right decision," Yuki's eyes sparkled with admiration and love for her older brother. "I want the same as you. If we work on this together, we can save Ayano from that fate."

He smiled at her in return, feeling pleased that they were on the same page, before shifting back to a serious demeanor.

"Well then, any suggestions? You were the one who brought her up in the first place, Yuki."

"Me? But you already know what idea I came up with, remember?" she smirked. "Are you saying we should do that plan~?"

The serious look on his face gave way to one that showed irritation. "Wha— hell no, why are you still going on about that?! I already told you that I have no reason to do that sort of thing with Ayano!"

"You were asking me for an idea and I just gave you the best one that I had," Yuki shrugged playfully.

Masachika groaned, running a hand down his face as his sister enjoyed his reaction for what it was.

"Why is that your plan, anyway? Seriously, you're actually thinking that by pushing Ayano into this, it will help her. Do you even realize how ridiculous that sounds? Do you have nothing else in your perverted mind other than sex?"

"You got that right~" she winked, making a bang-bang gesture with finger guns.

"Yuki…" he growled.

Yuki raised her arms in defeat, not wanting to push things too far. "Okay, okay, sheesh! Can't a girl have some fun here and there…?"

"I would tolerate the jokes if this wasn't a serious matter, that's for sure. Now answer my question," he reiterated while folding his arms across his chest. "What is with you and these attempts to make me seduce Ayano, of all people? Why do you want it to happen so badly?"

"Didn't I already tell you, Onii-chan? Ayano is interested in you. She doesn't show it on her face, but I'm pretty sure if you told Ayano to drop her panties and bend over a table, she'd do it in a heartbeat."

Masachika scowled. "And like I already told you, you're speaking nonsense. I understand that Ayano has her weird quirks, but that doesn't mean she's that kind of person. I highly doubt that she's even interested in the whole thing and you're just pulling my leg."

"Is that so? What if Ayano does it in front of you all of a sudden and asks that you fuck her as hard as you can?" she challenged him.

"If you even dare to tell her that as an order, you're not gonna like the consequences," he spoke, doubling down on his refusal and making it clear that he had no intention of following that idea.

It only took Yuki a few moments to back down, once again being careful not to go too far with her teasing and attempts at poking fun at the situation.

Thankfully, she had something up her sleeve, which is something that she had already thought of in advance.

"All right, then how about this? Let's go talk to Ayano at the same time. We'll tell her to meet us someplace. Your room, for instance, and then we'll have a private conversation with just the three of us."

Finally, something normal came out of Yuki's mouth for once.

Why can't his sister just be like this all the time? It would be less of a hassle to deal with Yuki, and he'd be praising her instead of threatening her with an appropriate punishment.

"What are you planning to do?" he asked, sounding skeptical of this new idea that she had.

"You want to help Ayano, right? But because of her nature and her devotion to her responsibilities, it's going to be difficult. You and I know that Ayano's not going to change so easily because she's dedicated to her role as a maid, which means we'll have to play a little role of our own in making sure that she'll change."

"How do we do that?"

"Simple. We show Ayano that she can rely and depend on you," she said in a matter-of-factly tone.

"I already told her that."

"But nothing's changed, has it? Ayano is still the same, even if she's taking your words seriously in her eyes. If you compare her with Alya-san and myself, the difference is night and day."

Upon comparing both herself and Alya to the maid, things suddenly began to click in Masachika's mind. By this point, he could only hope that he was wrong and that he's worrying over nothing…

"Wait, you're saying—"

"Correct. We're going to convince her just like what we did for Alya-san. We have to make Ayano see that you're the only one she can depend on. You're the only one that she can rely on for support."

Masachika resisted the urge to just throw his sister over his lap and give her a spanking for being stupidly persistent with this issue.

He was wrong… Yuki was still telling him the same thing as earlier, only worded differently. Despite telling her that he will absolutely not do anything with Ayano, this little gremlin was still pushing for him to agree to that ridiculous plan.

Ugh, it seems like coming up with a completely different idea was too good to be true…

"Didn't I already say that I'm not going to do anything to Ayano?" he spoke, doing his best to keep his rising anger in check.

"Oh, don't worry! You don't have to do anything with her at all. Here, let me explain a bit more~"

Seemingly oblivious to the annoyance he felt, Yuki walked up to her brother and leaned close to his ear so she could whisper what she had cooked up in her mind.

By the end of it, Masachika's cheeks turned a deep shade of red. Whether it was from either shame or embarrassment, it didn't matter. Strangely enough, he didn't seem angry at all with what she told him… if the expression on his face was any indication.

"You've gotta be kidding me. That has to be one of your stupid jokes," he remarked, although it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself.

"It's not a joke, Onii-chan~" Yuki grinned, retaining her teasing nature while showing no sign that she was kidding around.

"Where in the actual fuck did you even get that idea? And what makes you so sure that it would even work?"

"You already know that she holds a lot of respect and admiration for you, Onii-chan, even until now. She already knows that you're someone she can rely on, but there's still another individual that keeps her from depending on you entirely."

The way Yuki put emphasis on that certain word made it clear who exactly she was referring to, and Masachika knew who it was.

It was just hard to believe.

"...if we can change how Ayano thinks about that person, if we can shift her attention to only you, you can save her just like how you saved Alya-san. Like how you saved me. If she relies on you and you alone, you can easily give her the right order for this situation. And that is for Ayano to depend on you and to stop prioritizing what everyone else needs."

Masachika continued to stare at her, still in a state of shock from what he heard but at the same time, he understood the intention behind Yuki's actions.

In the end, this was about Ayano and this was Yuki's suggestion on how to go about this whole problem.

He can admit that what she told him had some merit, and she followed what he specifically said in that he wouldn't be doing anything inappropriate to Ayano. That being said, there were some parts of it that made the young man feel like this new plan wasn't entirely better.

But there's only one way to find out, right?

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

-Lance