Amane Akihara

Eventually, Kaho moved into our apartment and started living there.

I don't know how she did it, but she also got her mother Akiho-san's consent.

“As an older sister, I have to keep an eye on Haruto and Mikoto-san to make sure they don't do anything strane."

Kaho smiled as she said this, but she always seemed to be in low spirits.

Rei-san, who is usually very distant from Kaho, seemed to be worried aswell.

The one time Kaho would smile was when she ate my cooking, and she would say, "I'm so happy to always be able to eat Haruto's food."

At such times, Rei-san would also say, "I love Haruto-kun's cooking too."

…I wonder if they will ever cook for me?

But anyway, I can't go on like this.

As far as I have heard from Fuyuka Sasaki-sensei, who says that she is Kaho's aunt, the suspicion of blood relationship between me and Kaho is not completely gone after all.

One is that there seems to be a testimony of Kaho's mother. The other is the issue of blood type.

A week went by while I was pondering what to do.

That weekend morning, I woke up rubbing my eyes.

It was already 9:00 in the morning.

But there was no sign of either Kaho or Rei waking up at all.

I smiled to myself, thinking that Rei-san was surprisingly lazy, not to mention Kaho.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Come to think of it, I bought some mystery novels from an online retailer and they were supposed to arrive today or so.

I haven't had time to read them at all lately, though, with Rei-san and Kaho around.

I opened the door to my apartment, replying, "Yes."

There was a tall, slender, beautiful woman.

She chuckled and her beautiful straight black hair swayed.

Even though it was winter, she was dressed in a T-shirt and shorts, a very revealing outfit, but it accentuated her style.

I knew her well.

“Ah, Amane-nee-san.”

"Haruto-kun! Long time no see!"

When I said that, Amane-nee-san jumped on me like a leaping leopard.

I unintentionally lost my balance and almost fell down, but she held me tightly so I didn't fall.

But that was a problem.

She was hugging me from the front.

I felt the soft parts of her body against mine, and I could smell her soft, sweet fragrance.

I was almost dizzy with bewilderment and comfort.

She was different from Rei-san and Kaho.

She felt like an adult woman.

Until a few years ago, Amane-nee-san was just a high school girl like Rei-san and the others.

She is my cousin and a college student.

She has been living in this apartment with me for a long time, and she started studying at a university in the United States last year.

"Let go of me, Amane-nee-san."

"Do you think I'd let go after you said that?"

With a mischievous wink, Amane-nee-san put her lips close to my ear.

I was tickled by her sweet breath.

"I was so happy to see Haruto-kun, but you didn't welcome me?"

"Well, it's not like that, but..."

I glanced around the room.

Rei-san and Kaho had gotten up before I knew it and were blushing when they saw us.

"Haruto-kun..." "Haruto..."

The two girls each stared at us in dissatisfaction.

“Are both Kaho and Mikoto-san jealous of me?"

She said to me teasingly.

Still clinging to me.

"But it was the usual thing for me to hug Haruto like this."

"Usual thing?"

"Yes, when I lived with Haruto, we used to do this."

Amane-nee-san chuckled.

Rei-san whispered something in a quiet voice.

Amane-nee-san suddenly let go of me and patted me on the back.

"You're popular! Haruto-kun! You've got two beautiful girls to serve you."

"I'm not trying to make them serve..."

"It wouldn't be any different, would it?"

I was at a loss for words.

Well, I'm sure that objectively speaking, it is true.

"Well, maybe it's not two people you're going to have to live with."

"Eh?"

"I'll be living here during the Christmas vacation."

She smiled happily with a bouncy voice.

Then she said something very important.

"Now, shall we go and solve Kaho's problem?"

"Solve? How?"

"I hold the key. I'm going to prove to you right away that Kaho is not Haruto's sister. Because..."

She cut off her words there and looked at me with her cheeks slightly stained and her eyes looking up at me.

"I'm enough to play the role of Haruto's big sister, aren't I?"