Volume 1 - CH 21

Chapter 21: The Steel Pervert Trophy

TL: Akabane

***

"Ryutaro, let's hear you explain what's going on here ......"

It was the worst possible timing. Of all people, Shota showed up just before Suzune and I were about to lock lips. Shota was staring at me and didn't move an inch.

Oh, he's totally mad at me .......

That's not what I'm talking about, best friend!　I lost a week of sleep and rewrote your sexuality, okay?　Why do you have a negative pervert trophy on your head, [Please to bind my sister]?　You're holding a trophy that looks like it's made of steel. Who gave it to you?　Such a fine trophy. ......

"Didn't you hear that?　Ryutaro. Why are you with Suzune? Why are you holding Suzune's shoulder? Why are you so close to her face that you are about to kiss her?"

And that's when Shota slowly walks over to me, as if he is slowly closing the distance between us.

The corners of Shota's mouth were slightly upturned. I'm not sure if I'm being too blunt, but even I can tell that his wry smile isn't friendly.

I hid her behind my back and then turned my body toward Shota so that Suzune wouldn't be put on the spotlight.

I'm not sure if my attitude annoyed Shota even more, but he closed the distance between us in one fell swoop.

I was staring at Shota's face and suddenly thought to myself, "Why am I doing this?"

Why am I being snapped at by this guy?　He's just Suzune's brother, not her boyfriend or anything. 

Oh ...... thinking about it, I'm getting irresistibly angry.

Shota is threatening me with a steel pervert trophy above his head. But it's not very polite to flinch at this point. I glared back at him, and his eyes widened slightly, as if he was surprised to see my expression.

"I don't know what you're mistaken about, but me and Suzune-chan don't have the kind of relationship you think we do."

"Hou...... then, what kind of relationship are you talking about?"

Oh?　You want to hear it?

Then I'll tell you. ...... No, I can't.

In order to write more erotic sensual novels, me and Suzune expose each other's sexual proclivities, sometimes making each other pick up fallen spoons with our tongues or play with candy strings covered in lubricant. ...... I can never tell this guy... I'll never be able to tell him....

"Anyway, it's not the kind of relationship you think it is."

We have a much worse relationship than you think. I'm sure you'd cry if you saw Suzune like that.

I don't answer clearly, and Shota snickers, "Huh?!"

"You're trying to say that you're just having the best time right before you go out!"

Not at all. Suzune has graduated from those beginner tropes, like enjoying that kind of pure distance.

Oh, hey, didn't I say something bad about Suzune ......?

Well, anyway.

"Even if that were the case, what authority do you, my brother, have to complain to me?"

"I won't say anything bad. I'm not going to say anything bad about it, just get your hands off Suzune."

"Why should you, my brother, tell me what to do?"

Our argument gradually heated up. Then, Suzune grabbed my shirt.

Oh, ah ...... something not a bad feeling.......

I'm afraid of that. I know what you mean, Suzune. The man who is a head taller than her is having a loud argument with her. I'm sure it's scary even for Suzune.

"I can't get anywhere. Then, I'll tell you. Suzune needs me!"

Shota said loudly and boldly.

Wow .......

I wonder ...... what it is, his words are kind of stinky from a while ago. He's drunk on himself or something ....... I want to record his words now and play them to him ten years from now.

But the self-drunk Shota's words don't end there.

"Suzune, you know, she doesn't know the world yet. And yet, she is a beautiful girl. I have a duty to protect her so that she can lead a healthy school life and not get strange insects like you."

Shota shakes his duty at me.

Suzune peeks out from behind my back.

"O-Oni-chan, that, that immensely beautiful girl is embarrassing, so don't say it loudly ......."

Shota is a bit amused and dismayed by such Suzune.

"Anyway. Suzune is still in her second year of high school. She's also going to take the entrance exam next year, and as her brother, I have to protect Suzune."

Shota said with a subtle correction of his words.

How dare he twist his own proclivities to such an extent and be so righteous?

But he certainly has a point. I'm not sure if it sounds like Shota's words are reasonable at all. But if I break down at this point, Shota is bound to get even more bent out of shape and bind Suzune.

"I see. But your mother didn't seem too happy about it."

When I replied, Shota said, "Oh, you, don't tell me you've already greeted mama--- my mom ......?"

Mama?　Huh?　Shota, could it be that you're calling your mother "mama" ......?

No, no. I felt like I had been hit with a counterpunch of tremendous destructive force. I can't find the words to reply.

I peeked behind him so that Shota wouldn't notice. There I see some kind of trophy that Shota is trying desperately to hide, but unfortunately it reads [Mama's boy].

The misspelling accelerates Shota's anger. Apparently, that sense of shame ended up pouring oil on his anger.

Hey, hey, I didn't do anything wrong now!

But Shota wasn't going to back down if this happened. He was even more insistent.

"A-Anyway!　I have to get rid of bad bugs like you who come on to Suzune."

He shouted, his face so red that it looked as if his veins were about to break.

Things were going in a not-so-good direction. Shota's egotistical words made me angry, and I provoked him by mentioning Suzune's mother's name, but I was too weak to beat him in a fistfight. Besides, if I got into a violent fight with him, I would be expelled from school.

I know that's not the ending Suzune wants. It's true that Suzune is fed up with Shota's outlandish behavior, but he is still her only brother. She would never want that brother to be expelled from school for violence. But I can't just let Shota go on his merry way.

But his anger is nearing it's peak. If I provoked him too much, he might seriously try to hit me.

I looked up again at the steel pervert trophy above Shota's head. It was the strongest trophy I had ever seen, and it made me almost shy away from it. However, as long as this trophy is there, Suzune will never be happy. If that's the case, we must do whatever it takes to smash this trophy, or we will never be able to move forward.

"Didn't you hear me say we're not what you think we are?"

"Well, yeah, that's what you said. Well, I haven't gotten a clear response yet."

"I was consulting with Suzune-chan about something."

"Consultation?　Why should Suzune consult with a guy like you?"

To be honest, I wasn't sure. If I had said this, Shota might have lost all reason and gone berserk. But I had to be prepared to take the risk in order to break through the steel pervert trophy in front of me.

"It has to be me. I'm your best friend."

Shota opened his eyes, a little surprised. I'm sure it was because I had called Shota my best friend at this stage of the game. But Shota immediately glared at me again.

"The sweet Suzune-chan has been worrying about you for a long time......."

"Suzune worried about me?　I'm telling you, bluffing doesn't work."

How sure of himself is this guy ......?

"I'm not bluffing. Suzune-chan has been worried about you for a long time. She has been worrying about you."

"W-Well ..... if you're not bluffing, tell me. What is Suzune worried about me?"

There was no turning back now.

I took a deep breath once. Then I glared at Shota and shouted the words out loud.

"You're the one who's obsessed with sensual novels about sister!!!!"

My scream echoed through the residential area.

"Suzune-chan has been worried about you for a long time. She was worried that you were more than willing to be obsessed with a sensual novel about incest with your own sister, and she was worried that you might go down a strange path, so she came to me for advice!"

I said it....... Finally I said it.

The words echoed around the area, and soon, silence fell over the area. Shota didn't respond to these words for a while. Shota stared at me with his eyes rolled back in his head, unable to move.

But I could see that Shota's cheeks, which were motionless, were turning red.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"

Immediately after, this time, a scream that could neither be described as a yell nor a shriek echoed through the residential area.

"Why?! How could Suzune know such a thing?! That's crazy! I thought I had made sure that Suzune would never find out! And yet, and yet, why would this happen ......?!"

Shota screamed, and then he started mumbling something like that.

Oh no, I think Shota is starting to break .......

I looked at the steel pervert trophy with Shota in the background.

The trophy had a crack in it.

It means it worked. My blow must have worked on Shota, right? If that was the case, then I had to give him a follow-up blow.

"Shota, Suzune-chan happened to find it when you fell asleep on the sofa. Since then, Suzune-chan has been so worried about you that she can't help it. Suzune-chan was also worried that your attitude had become overbearing since you started reading sensual novels. That's why she asked me, your best friend, for advice. It's true that Suzune-chan and I were in such a mood a little while ago, but compared to her concern for you, it's not a big deal."

Shota fell to his knees. He cowered in place, holding his head.

Oh, I've done it. It was heartbreaking, even though I had no choice.

While Shota was crouching, I could see the cracks in his perverted trophy getting bigger and bigger, making a pitter-patter sound.

I looked at Shota as he crouched. He was shaking his body slightly.

"S-Senpai ......."

I looked at him, and then Suzune, looking worried, pulled her body out from behind my back. That's right. Her own brother is in this kind of trouble. The kind Suzune worries about her brother more than anything else. She crouched down in front of Shota and looked at him worriedly.

I'm sure this is not the place for me to be.

Besides, Shota's pride and pervert trophy would collapse on it's own without I having to do anything anymore.

So I decided to stare at it quietly.

"O-Onii-chan ......."

Suzune called her brother. Of course, her brother didn't answer. Shota was so embarrassed that he couldn't even look at Suzune's face properly.

Even so, Suzune called out to Shota, "O-Onii-chan ......."

But still, Shota doesn't reply.

But I could see that the trembling in Shota's body was gradually calming down. And finally, Shota looks up and looks at my face.

And then.

"Even you, you've read a VN or manga ...... about sister stuff once or twice, haven't you?"

Saying this, Shota smirks.

I was astonished to see Shota like that.

This, a special technique ...... to change the argument .......

The cracks in the pervert trophy, which was about to shatter at that moment, immediately close up by themselves, and it's restored to it's original sturdy steel pervert trophy.

"As someone who has a younger sister, you know what I'm talking about.　There is no way you would lust after your sister. But, you know, anyone can get caught up in a sister's fantasies, right?　Ryutaro, I won't let you say it's not true."

Saying that, Shota let out a high pitched laugh, "Gahahaha!" I shudder at the sight of Shota like that.

I can't say it back. ......

What Shota said is indeed true.

I've read some sister erotic manga and watched some videos.......

No, no. I can't say it back. I can't say anything back. I was one step away, but I was flipped on my head.

"Well, that's ......."

"So, your and Suzune's worries are groundless. I'm only worried about Suzune as her guardian. I apologize for making you worry. But don't worry about Suzune at all. I have no lust for Suzune. I would never do that!!!!!!!"

Shota's trophy grows bigger and bigger. Fully armed with his theory, Shota no longer had anything to fear. Even though I knew it was sophistry, I had no way to break Shota's perverse theory.

"Well, I'll forgive you for trying to kiss her today, just to spare you guys the worry. Besides, you and I are best friends. I'm generous to my best friends. But, Ryutaro, there will be no next time. Next time you do something funny to Suzune, I'm going to snap your neck. I'll break your neck. ......"

"............"

Shota was completely convinced of his own victory.

It's not good....... If this continues, Suzune will be bound to Shota more than ever. That's not what Suzune is looking for.

But, I have no way to stop it.......

Shota giggled as if drunk with victory. Then, as he was about to get up on his knees to stand up.

"Ho, you're really lusting after me ....... you perverted brother ......."

Suzune muttered.

"Suzune-chan?"

"S-Senpai ...... leave it to me from here."

She smiled gently as she said this and stomped on her brother's head as he tried to stand up in front of her.