"Y-You… How could you say something like that? We only just met!"
Alain's innocent words, delivered with pure intention, reached the girl before him.
In contrast, the girl wearing the hat struck a 'big sister' pose, a charming smile playing on her lips. "Don't think you can say those things without paying a[price], little brother Alain."
Her fingertip flicked the brim of her treasured hat.
"Saying you wanted me to take off my hat and gloves… Just as I thought… you really wanted to see me take off something else, didn't you? Hmph~"
"I-I didn't mean anything like that!"
Alain deliberately averted his gaze, too bashful to look her directly in the eye. But his chin was forcefully grasped and turned back by a thick glove.
Glancing up, he met a pair of deep blue eyes, smiling playfully as they locked with his.
"Oh my, oh my~ Such an innocent boy! But next time, don't you dare speak rudely to Big Sister Hat again! Otherwise…"
The 'big sister' narrowed her eyes, a mischievous and wicked curve forming on her lips. "You'll have to be… punished by me~"
"O-Okay…"
Once the act concluded, Alain reverted to his usual expressionless state.
"There? Satisfied? Making me play along with that whole scene."
"Oh wow! Bro, your acting was almost too good!" Cool Mita clapped him firmly on the back, full of admiration. "You were totally playing yourself!"
"......Is that supposed to be an insult?"
Alain rubbed his forehead.
Just moments ago, Cool Mita had asked him to play along with that scenario. Alain had found the idea amusing enough and decided to go along with it.
Their original plan was supposed to end when Alain shyly turned his head away.
But Cool Mita had improvised on the spot, adding a little extra afterwards.
The result… he ended up getting teased by her.
"Ah, refreshing! See, that's the kind of plot development I was expecting!"
The girl leaned against the wall, stretching languidly out of boredom. The captivating curve of her waist, along with her fair navel, came into Alain's view.
"I practiced that for so long when I was alone in my room! Before, when my bestie… ah, I mean your Misha, came over to play, I begged her so many times, but she never agreed!"
"This is what you do when you're alone? You don't play games?" Alain tried to picture Misha acting like Cool Mita just did…
Yeah, the style really didn't suit her.
Try it at home. Want to see.
"Games? I cleared them all ages ago, over and over." She glanced at the game console on a nearby table, her eyes deep. "Back and forth, always the same few titles. Finish one, reinstall it, play it again. Always like that. Ahh~ You could call me a gaming master now!"
"Perfect timing then." Alain looked at her profile, partially hidden under the hat's brim, and smiled. "I have a lot of unfinished games at home too. You'll have to carry me sometime. Don't mind that I'm bad, okay?"
The girl turned her head, looking into Alain's eyes.
Soon, a wide smile spread across her lips, and she gently patted Alain's shoulder again. "Of course! Watch me carry you!"
"Good. And before that, stop changing the subject."
As Alain spoke, Cool Mita's subtle swaying movements paused for an instant.
"Ah, hahaha… You found me out? Looks like I'm really not suited for sob stories~"
His earlier participation in her play-acting wasn't for nothing.
Cool Mita had agreed to something for Alain.
Something… related to Alain's own preferences, and even the system's progress bar.
He still felt the need to clarify, "I was serious about wanting to play games with you."
"I know. You're someone my bestie approves of. And spending this time together, I've felt your inner kindness too."
She lowered her head slightly, clasping her hands in front of her chest, her face warm.
"You played with me, talked with me, and even saved me from those spiders… You're my savior. You're so interesting, I feel like we could talk forever! I… I don't even know how to thank you anymore!"
The constant knocking from the spiders outside the front door, which had initially made Alain uneasy, felt less intense now, drowned out by her presence.
"If you want to thank me, then do what you promised earlier." Alain stared with his dead-fish eyes, adding a comment,
"Also, you're OOC."
"Hey! Bro, you're so mean! Why can't I have a gentle personality like this?"
Cool Mita raised her large glove, forming a fist, and tapped Alain's chin with the force of a feather.
"Taste my revenge! Hoo-hah—Rising Dragon Punch!"
"Ugh...... Health bar depleted!" Alain feigned defeat, earning a couple of laughs from the hat girl.
"Alright! Since I've defeated you now, I should go check on my bestie's work progress—"
But before she could open the door, her slender wrist was caught by Alain.
"Uh...... Bestie?" She slowly turned her head, looking sheepishly into Alain's eyes.
Alain found that Misha's description of Cool Mita was spot on.
Very noisy, very lively. Alain felt his own mood lifted by her; they had endless things to talk about.
And she was sharp too, almost managing to divert him and slip away each time.
"I'm your bro. You used the wrong name."
"But, but… precisely because you're my bro, we can't do that kind of thing!"
Panic flickered in Cool Mita's eyes. "T-Talking about taking off my gloves to see my hands… Come on! That's so embarrassing!"
"…It wasn't embarrassing when I was acting earlier? Besides, you promised."
"Aiya~ I just agreed in the heat of the moment~" Cool Mita scratched her head awkwardly. "And besides, you were just being yourself back then."
"Alright, cut the crap. Let me see your hands." Alain grabbed Cool Mita's glove and started pulling.
"No way! Besides, you already have Bestie, why do you need to see my hands!"
"She gave me permission to start a harem."
"Huh? That counts as foreshadowing?! It doesn't count! That doesn't count!!!"
The girl clung desperately to her glove, then, inspiration struck, and she quickly grasped at a lifeline.
"Wait, Alain! Don't forget what you've been calling me this whole time!"
"?"
Alain was actually stumped by her question. He lessened his grip, asking tentatively, "Bro?"
"Right, right! See, you get it!"
Cool Mita breathed a sigh of relief. "You know, I'm your bro, your buddy! Doing this kind of thing to your bro isn't cool, right?"
"…"
Alain seemed persuaded, slowly releasing his grip.
Seeing this, Cool Mita relaxed. "See? So, just let go first. Let's go together… no wait, check on Bestie's progress."
The next second, she heard Alain say,
"Bro, you smell good."
With a shwick sound, he caught her off guard and pulled off the glove.
_____
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