CH 5

On the next holiday, my and Gil’s day off coincided for the first time in a while. We often go out together on days like this, but today the two of us were at home because…

“Reilight Oniisama! Excuse me for intruding!”

The teleportation circle installed at the back of the living room suddenly emitted light. What emerged from there was my lovely half-sister, Lily.

“Welcome, Lily. I’ve been waiting for you.”

I hugged her tightly as usual. Unladylike behavior is allowed in this house.

“Have you grown a little taller? You’re so cute today too. The sky blue dress suits you well.”

“Your complexion looks a bit pale, Oniisama. Is something worrying you?”

I was taken aback by her sharp observation. I quickly put on a smile so as not to worry Lily.

“I’ve just had a lot of work to do, but it’s okay now.”

“Hmm…”

As we talked, Gil appeared from the kitchen with tea.

“Welcome, Princess Lily.”

“Oh my! We’ve already decided that we don’t need to be formal in this house, haven’t we? Gilbert looks as lively as ever.”

Lily stared at Gil intently. It was the same old exchange that never changed no matter how many years passed.

“By the way, you can call me Oniisama too, you know?”

“I wouldn’t do that. I haven’t accepted you as my brother yet.”

“Heh…”

Gil gave a meaningful smile.

The two of them seemed to be communicating something through their gazes. It was like a two-shot of the main character and main heroine in the novel I had written. I couldn’t help but get excited.

I watched the two of them while making myself as inconspicuous as possible, feeling like a wall. The way the two of them looked at each other affectionately was like a fairytale prince and princess, making for a picturesque sight.

While watching the two of them side by side, it was presumptuous of me to think that there might be something between us.

In this space, my presence was nothing but an outsider. I felt like I couldn’t breathe and quietly lowered my gaze.

When I tried to distract myself by grabbing my chest tightly, a warm and big hand touched my cheek.

“Rei, the tea is ready. Come on.”

“Oh, I…”

Gil gently stroked my cheek and then put his arm around my shoulder, leading me to sit on the two-person sofa. We sat side by side, while Lily sat on the opposite sofa. This was always our seating arrangement whenever we had tea together.

In front of Lily was a cheesecake that had already been placed on a plate. She wasn’t a fan of sweet things, but she loved this tart because it wasn’t too sweet.

On the other hand, since I have a sweet tooth, she always bought seasonal cakes.

“Rei, which do you prefer, Mont Blanc or grape shortcake?”

“Hmm, that’s a tough one… I guess I’ll go with the shortcake.”

“Okay, then I’ll have the Mont Blanc.”

Gil placed a slice of cake on each of our plates.

The grapes on top of the pure white cream shone like jewels. I gently inserted my fork and felt the soft sponge texture.

As I took a bite.

“…it’s delicious!”

The juice from the grapes blended perfectly with the cream, creating a harmonious balance of sweetness and acidity.

“I’m glad you like it,” Gil said.

He also tasted the Mont Blanc. I stared at his hand as he did, and then he offered me his fork.

“Want to try a bite? The Mont Blanc is delicious too.”

“Sure! Thank you!”

As I took a bite, the rich chestnut flavor spread throughout my mouth. The smooth chestnut cream melted on my tongue.

“Mmm, this one’s delicious too!”

In return, I offered him a bite of my cake.

“Here, Gil, you can have some too.”

“I’m happy to have some. Thank you.”

Gil also seemed to like sweets, and we always shared them like this. It was a bad manner, so Lily always gave us a disapproving look, but it was okay in this household where everything is allowed!

“The grape flavor is nice. The balance of sweetness and acidity is just right,” Gil commented.

“I know, right?”

Seeing Gil’s smile, I couldn’t help but feel like I had contributed to making this moment enjoyable.

I took another bite. Mmm, it really was delicious.

“Oh, Rei, you have some cream on your lip.”

“Huh? Where?”

“Here, let me get it for you.”

Gil wiped the cream off my lip with his finger and then licked it off with his tongue.

Watching his red tongue move so slickly made my heart race and my face flush.

Apparently, Gil found my reaction amusing, as he chuckled softly.

“…Looks like it’s just the two of you in your own world.”

“Uh, Lily? Did you say something?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Lily murmured something quietly. I worried that she might think it was inappropriate to get cream on my lip and lick it off, but since she was also laughing, I figured it was okay.

The three of us enjoyed our cake and chatted about silly things. These moments would surely become the pillars of my life after the novel was over. So, I engraved their smiles in my heart and made sure not to miss a single second.