"Ayase, do you know that admiration is the furthest distance from understanding? The perfect Kirino you know never existed from the start."
Tenya reached up and brushed aside the bangs on his forehead.
"Eek! That sounds like a line from some anime villain." Saori whispered a complaint.
"So cool!"
Ruri's eyes shone brightly, clearly appreciating the strong chuunibyou aura within it.
"How could this be? I'm supposed to be the person who understands Kirino the most in the world." Ayase expressed her dissatisfaction.
"Ayase... I'm sorry."
"I love erotic books the most."
"I also absolutely love the lewd games you find disgusting."
"No matter what others say, this is me."
"It's impossible for me to give up what I like."
"If I abandon them, I wouldn't be me anymore."
Kirino spoke a series of astonishing words.
"Wh-what?!"
"Are these lewd things more important than friends, more important than me?!"
Ayase first recoiled a few steps in shock, then clenched her fists and questioned the other party.
"No!"
"I like Ayase just as much as I like erotic books."
"I'm not lying."
"If I could let go, I wouldn't be in so much pain."
"Both friends and erotic books are equally important."
"I won't give up either side."
"Hey, Ayase, won't you accept this friend with strange hobbies?"
Although Kirino's statement was a bit abstract, for a middle schooler, it was sincere.
"But…"
"I still can't approve of Kirino's hobbies."
Ayase looked pained. With the traditional values education she had received since childhood, she couldn't accept her friend liking such lewd things.
"This…"
Kirino was at her wit's end now.
There was a fierce conflict in their ideologies, and neither could convince the other.
Helpless, Kirino could only turn her pleading gaze towards Tenya again.
"Ayase, I also like erotic novels." Tenya suddenly interjected into the conversation.
"Wh-what?!"
"How could even Tenya…?"
Ayase was instantly shocked.
Her first impression of Tenya was excellent. She even fantasized that when she looked for a boyfriend in the future, he should be a man like Tenya. But now, the other party actually had a hobby for such vulgar things, which left her somewhat disillusioned.
"Ayase, I think you're too inexperienced. Liking erotic novels is perfectly normal for a healthy high school student. I am the best example."
Tenya was concise, not using any high-end rhetoric to deceive. This was because Ayase was a smart girl, not easily fooled. To deal with this kind of girl, one must be sincere.
"Is this true?" Ayase was half-believing, half-doubting.
If another boy had said the same thing to her, she would have undoubtedly slapped him and then cursed him out but Tenya was different.
This was the charm of an individual.
"It's precisely because we have the same hobbies that Kirino and I came together." As Tenya spoke, he pulled Kirino into his arms.
"Eh?!"
Kirino was first stunned, blinking her eyes, her cheeks flushed crimson.
"If Kirino didn't have these hobbies, we wouldn't have met. She is the perfect beautiful girl in others' eyes, and I am the boyfriend of other girls." Tenya spoke with reason and evidence.
"The boyfriend of other girls…"
"Isn't that also a big problem?"
Ruri couldn't help but retort.
"Tenya is right. Erotic novels are the bond of love that connects him and me. I love my brother the most." Kirino boldly spoke her deeply hidden brother-complex feelings.
It's just that the "brother" in her heart had become Tenya.
[Ding!]
[Detected Kirino's favorability: 66%]
[Points +100]
[Ding!]
[Detected Kirino's favorability: 79%]
[Points +200]
[Ding!]
[Detected Kirino's favorability: 91%]
[Points +400]
"So that's how it is…"
"If Kirino likes Tenya, then I have nothing to say." Ayase sighed deeply.
She had to admit that Tenya, even with his undesirable hobbies, was still a very charming boy.
"Which means, Ayase, you accept my interests?" Kirino's expression brightened.
"No…"
"Please forgive me, I cannot accept, but I can understand you."
Do not like, do not interfere. This was already the biggest concession Ayase could make.
"Ayase, you're so kind."
Kirino was already satisfied with this outcome and couldn't help but step forward and hug the other party.
"Kirino…"
Ayase's eyes softened, and then she looked at Tenya beside her, her lips moving, saying a silent thank you.
In her heart, she was very unwilling to break off her friendship with Kirino, but she needed a reason to convince herself.
Tenya saw through her thoughts and conveniently gave her a suitable reason.
"Although the process was full of plot holes, the outcome was finally satisfactory."
Ruri's expression remained calm, but in her heart, she was also happy for Kirino and her friend's reconciliation.
"Mm-hmm. Tenya is amazing. He saved a friendship that was on the brink of collapse." Saori highly approved of Tenya's actions.
Evening.
Tenya walked Ruri home and stayed for dinner at her place. Ruri's two younger sisters were very clingy to him, insisting that he stay overnight. It just so happened that Ruri's parents were working overtime tonight and wouldn't be home.
Ruri hesitated for a moment, then invited Tenya to stay. Tenya naturally accepted with pleasure.
This was an opportunity. To take down Ruri while he had the chance.
However, sometimes plans change. Something happened at the Kousaka household.
Late at night.
Kyousuke knocked on his sister's door.
"Kirino, I know you're not asleep. Open the door, let's talk."
There was no response from inside the room.
Kyousuke stood at the door and continued to knock.
Ten minutes later, Kirino finally couldn't take it anymore.
Bang!
She opened the door violently, deliberately slamming it hard into Kyousuke.
"So noisy!"
"What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"
Kirino was very annoyed that her gaming mood had been disturbed.
Kyousuke was hit by the door frame and was bleeding from his nose, but at this moment, he seemed to feel no pain, his eyes fixed intently on his sister.
"Gross…!"
"What are you doing?"
Kirino felt a chill from his gaze and instinctively tried to close the door, but Kyousuke held it open with one hand.
"Hey!"
"Let go of me!"
"Bastard!"
Kirino pushed the door hard, but Kyousuke's hand was like an iron clamp, firmly gripping the door.
"Kirino, let's talk."
Kyousuke's gaze at this moment was chillingly frightening.
"Uh…"
Kirino's heart trembled, feeling that his expression wasn't good.
However, he was her biological brother after all, so she thought he probably wouldn't do anything out of line, so she released the doorknob and let him in.
"I warn you, don't touch anything in my room. Otherwise, I'll call dad to beat you." Kirino warned.
"…"
Kyousuke was expressionless, ignoring her threat, his gaze still fixed on her.
"Hey…"
Kirino felt a chill from his stare.