Uchiha Ryo looked at Yukinoshita Haruno's ferocious expression. It seemed her sister-complex was finally out in the open.
"Um, Haruno-senpai, Yukinoshita-san and I didn't actually..."
"You think I'll believe you?!"
Uchiha Ryo sighed. "Then think whatever you want."
Since Haruno was acting like she wouldn't believe him no matter what, there was no need for him to explain.
"I can keep this from Mother for now, but you two need to be careful. Don't create a life."
Uchiha Ryo nodded. "Okay."
Haruno glared at Uchiha Ryo. "And, keep balloons at home. If you two really can't hold it in, then wear a balloon."
Uchiha Ryo poured her a cup of black tea. "Okay, okay."
"I'm warning you. If you dare to treat our Yukino badly, I will never let you go!"
"Okay, okay, okay!"
Uchiha Ryo felt that Haruno was like a fly right now, constantly buzzing in his ear.
"Since you, her older sister, are here, then you can be the one to take care of Yukinoshita-san."
With that, Uchiha Ryo kicked Enyun, who was lying on the floor. After receiving a glare from Enyun, he could only go downstairs himself.
Yukino's house was suddenly left with only the two sisters and a white cat. Haruno drank the tea Uchiha Ryo had brewed in one gulp, then pushed open the door to Yukino's bedroom again.
Looking at her younger sister's sleeping face, Haruno could only accept it. After all, even an iceberg has a moment when it melts. But what on earth did that kid Uchiha Ryo do? How could he win Yukino's favor...
"Water...."
Yukino's soft murmur was heard. Haruno quickly poured a glass of water and helped Yukino up.
"Ryo-kun, you haven't left yet?"
Yukino, who had subconsciously taken the glass of water, didn't seem to have noticed that the person beside her had been replaced by her own sister.
She's already calling him Ryo? My guess was right... Ah, Yukino. It seems your big sister can't treat you like a child anymore.
But what Haruno hadn't expected was that her own younger sister had become a mature woman even before she had... ah, that's right, and before Shizu-chan too.
"He's already gone. I'm here to take care of you now."
Yukino, who was taking small sips of water, was stunned. She then opened her still-hazy eyes.
"Sis... sister!"
Yukinoshita Haruno patted Yukino's back, then her gaze gradually moved down from her face.
"Were you alright last night?"
"Mhm... I'm fine. Ryo-kun already gave me medicine."
A vein popped on Haruno's forehead. Oh, great! No wonder they weren't careful. It's because they took medicine afterwards.
"Whew— Yukino, you took the day off today, right? You have to be more careful in the future."
Yukinoshita Yukino just thought her sister had found out about her fever, so she could only nod to show she had heard.
"Um... Yukino, did it hurt?"
"Hurt? Not at all." Why would a fever hurt? She was just a little dizzy.
Haruno blinked. "How could it not hurt? That Uchiha guy must have tormented you all night!"
Yukino's eyes widened as she looked at her own sister.
"What... what on earth are you talking about?!"
Haruno sighed. "Be more careful in the future. You must be restrained!"
Yukinoshita Yukino was in disbelief. Why would her sister say such a thing? Something wasn't right! She had definitely misunderstood something.
"We didn't!"
"Alright, alright, let's just pretend you didn't. I won't tell anyone."
Yukino bit her lip. "What do you mean, 'pretend'? We really didn't!"
The girl's voice was tinged with anger, but how could the clever Yukinoshita Haruno believe this kind of defensive denial.
"Mhm, I believe you, Yukino. But you two must listen to me. Before you graduate from university and get married, try your best not to...."
"Sister! Get out!!"
A cat plushie was thrown by Yukino and hit Haruno in the face. It was clear how angry Yukino was at this moment. That was a cat plushie!
Enyun-chan, who had just walked in from the door: "???"
She's throwing cat plushies now. What if she gets angrier and starts throwing real cats? Life is hard, the kitty sighs....
Following Enyun-chan out was Yukinoshita Haruno, her expression complicated.
She could roughly understand her sister's mood right now. After all, being caught in this kind of situation by her own sister, she definitely wouldn't admit it easily. Yukino must be very embarrassed right now, the kind of embarrassment that makes you want to crawl back under the covers.
Picking up a certain white cat from the floor, Yukinoshita Haruno sat back down on the sofa, petting the cat while drinking her tea. It was best to just stay quiet for a while. After Yukino calmed down, she would have a good talk with her.
"Damn it...."
Almost being hated by her sister, Haruno was a little angry. Her hand also became more forceful. Enyun-chan, who was being petted, was very speechless.
In the room, Yukinoshita Yukino let out a long sigh. She would explain it properly to her sister later. Not just her sister, but also Uchiha Ryo... but he had saved her, after all.
But the thought of Uchiha Ryo holding her last night, feeding her... congee, and even taking her underwear to wash this morning... how could she ever interact with him normally again?
Forget it. Right now, the girl just wanted to close her eyes. It was better to just go back to sleep.
Downstairs, in Uchiha Ryo's room, Uchiha Ryo was currently chatting with a netizen.
[Kasumi Utako: That's how it is. But I will work hard to write until the end.]
[Perhaps there's still a chance. Don't bow your head. Look forward to the future.]
Uchiha Ryo put down his phone, then glanced at the copy of Love Metronome on his bed.
"My fanbase is bigger than that dead otaku Aki Tomoya's, right? Recommending a book... should be fine."
He took a lifestyle photo with his phone of himself reading, without showing his face. The book he was reading was Kasumigaoka Utaha's Love Metronome.
He then posted the photo on Twitter. As the manga artist Naruto-sensei, who had been at the peak since his debut two and a half years ago, his Twitter updates were immediately flooded with comments from a large number of fans.
[Is Naruto-sensei thinking about love? He's actually reading a romance light novel.]
[Naruto-sensei finally posted a lifestyle photo! Why aren't you showing your face!]
After posting the photo and closing the webpage, Uchiha Ryo got up and left the room. Now it was up to his popularity to see if it could support Kasumigaoka Utaha's comeback.
Mhm, I took a sick day today anyway. What else is there to do? At the same time, Enyun-chan ran in.
"Whew— it's too scary upstairs. I didn't sleep well this morning, then someone threw a cat plushie, and someone else was forcefully petting my fur. Luckily, I escaped. I'd better take out my phone! Game start!"
Uchiha Ryo turned to look at Enyun.
"By the way, Enyun-chan, I haven't taken you for a walk yet, have I? Let's go! I'll take you out for a stroll today."
Enyun-chan: "???"