Chapter 73: Siblings (True Feelings)

"...I'll sit next to you."

Yuna placed her change of clothes in the corner of the room and then sat down beside me on the bed.

We were so close that not even a clenched fist could fit between us. Considering what we were about to do, that much was to be expected—but inside, I was anything but calm.

Every time Yuna shifted, her bare arm or shoulder brushed against me. Even though I'd lost count of how many times we'd had skin contact, my heart wouldn't stop racing.

A soft citrus scent gently wafted from Yuna.

"...Yuna, are you wearing perfume?"

"Yeah... Alice, you don't like it?"

"It's not that. It smells nice, and, well..."

『Ikuto-san, your heart is racing. Yuna looks so incredibly alluring right now.』

"“...!”"

At Alicia's blunt comment, both Yuna and I turned red and fell silent.

But the awkward silence was quickly broken by Alicia's next words.

『Then, shall we start with a kiss?』

She said it as casually as anything.

"Wa-wait a second, Alicia! I can't just take Yuna's first kiss like that! I mean, I haven’t even—"

『You said being with Ikuto-san doesn’t count as cheating, right? If that’s the case, doesn’t it seem strange to say a kiss is off-limits?』

"Th-that might be true, but still..."

Even Hisui had held back from kissing. Even I could tell that a kiss was something special to a girl.

...And besides, it’d be my first too. Not that a guy’s first kiss really matters that much.

"It's okay, just a kiss. And besides, I already gave you my first kiss when we were little, remember? So it’s not like it matters anymore."

"R-really...? That happened...?"

"Knew you wouldn’t remember... oh well. Let’s just get it over with, shall we?"

Saying that, Yuna leaned toward me, slightly lowering her face as she puckered her lips and closed her eyes.

Lips touching lips—just describing it sounds simple, but actually doing it was surprisingly hard. Childhood kisses aside, this would be the first one I was choosing to give.

『Ikuto-san, kiss Yuna...』

Maybe she was getting impatient—Alicia whispered, urging me on. I stopped thinking and moved closer to Yuna.

Her closed eyes drew nearer, and I shut my own.

A soft warmth brushed my lips.

"Nn..."

Our soft parts pressed together, and heat passed between us.

I kept my breath shallow so it wouldn’t blow onto Yuna.

『Haa...』

Alicia let out a breathy moan, as if she were sighing in pleasure.

『Ikuto-san... put your tongue into Yuna’s mouth.』

At Alicia’s instruction, I felt a subtle tension from Yuna through our connected lips. But she didn’t protest... on the contrary, her lips parted slightly, almost as if encouraging me.

There was no turning back now.

After a brief hesitation, I steeled myself and deepened the kiss.

I slightly opened my mouth and cautiously extended my tongue.

The tip brushed against Yuna’s lips, and she gave a little shiver. I traced the shape of her lips before slowly slipping my tongue through the opening into her mouth.

Something soft and wet touched mine—Yuna’s tongue.

I gently prodded her with my tongue, like saying hello.

A slightly rough texture met mine as our sensitive membranes touched.

A jolt of pleasure, like an electric current, surged through my brain.

Trying to feel more of it, I moved my tongue within her mouth.

Every motion drew out more pleasure, and I became obsessed, greedily exploring inside her.

Before long, Yuna nervously started moving her tongue in rhythm with mine.

Our tongues brushed, our saliva mixing. It felt like my entire consciousness had condensed to the tip of my tongue.

We tangled our tongues together, teasing out each other’s pleasure.

『Ahh... Ikuto-san... I want more, more...』

Alicia’s sultry whisper fed the fire, and our actions quickened.

I cupped Yuna’s cheek with my hand to steady her face and pushed my tongue in deeper. Like living things, our tongues twisted together, making indecent wet noises.

『Haah... kissing feels so good. Ikuto-san...』

With my eyes closed, listening to Alicia’s voice as I kissed, I began to feel like I was kissing her instead.

Chasing after something I could never truly reach, I lost myself in the moment even further.

Yuna, Alicia, and I were melting into one another—that’s how it felt.

—How much time had passed?

Even when it became hard to breathe, I kept going, and Yuna kept responding as long as I did.

When our lips finally parted, a string of saliva briefly connected them.

In my hazy vision, I saw Yuna’s dazed face. Her mouth was a mess, sticky with our mingled drool.

We were both panting hard, out of breath, our shoulders rising and falling.

『...That was truly wonderful.』

Alicia’s dreamy voice echoed in my head.

"...Kissing is... kind of amazing. I never knew it could feel this good."

『Me neither... I got all wet from it...』

My body’s condition was completely laid bare to Alicia.

But still, I wished she wouldn't say those things out loud where Yuna could hear.

I couldn’t help but glance at Yuna, but she seemed not to have heard what was just said. She remained silent, her gaze cast downward.

"...What's wrong, Yuna?"

"S-sorry... I’m fine. I just spaced out for a bit..."

No surprise there—Yuna had probably never kissed anyone before, and that was an intense first experience.

"Come to think of it, your tone today, Alice... it's like how you used to talk back in the day."

"Oh, yeah... after I started thinking earlier, I just slipped back into it, I guess... If it bothers you, I can switch back. What do you think?"

Alice’s usual tone had become second nature to her, and the way she used to speak as Ikuto only surfaced unconsciously.

Maybe she’d reverted because she was focusing on her sister so strongly. But if she wanted to switch back, it wouldn’t be a problem.

"I-it’s fine... you don’t have to change it," Yuna said, averting her eyes for some reason.

『Yuna, you can go back to calling Ikuto "Onii-chan" if you want, you know?』

“W-what!? Why would I!?”

『Because you really love Ikuto-san, don’t you? And it’s not the same kind of love you have for me or Alice, right?』

...So that means Yuna has a brother complex?

"T-that’s not true! It’s not like that! I love you both as family. I’m your older sister, remember?"

『That only became true after Ikuto-san turned into Alice, didn’t it? …You don’t have to hide it, you know. I think it’s okay.』

"But... if he rejected me, I..."

『Ikuto-san always saw you as just a little sister, but he’s gone this far just to fulfill my selfish wishes. Do you really think someone like that would turn you away?』

"What... what should I do...?"

Yuna had feelings for me... that’s what this all meant.

If I were still Ikuto, I probably could never have accepted those feelings. It would’ve been a line that shouldn’t be crossed.

But now, as Alice... maybe it’s okay to accept them. Two girls being close doesn’t carry the same consequences.

...Well, considering what we were already doing, it might be too late to worry about that now.

Of course, there was still the underlying problem: I was in love with Alicia. Was it really okay for me to do something like this with someone else?

But then again, Alicia herself was the one who wanted this.

"I’d never reject you, Yuna. I love Alicia, so I can’t return those feelings in the same way. But to me, you’re important family... and a special girl."

“O-Onii-chan...”

"I always thought I had to keep it hidden. That I couldn’t fall in love with my brother because I’m his little sister... But it’s okay now, right? I can finally tell you how I feel."

Yuna clenched her hands tightly over her chest.

"I love you, Onii-chan. Not as a little sister—but as a girl. As me."

Her eyes were brimming with tears. I couldn’t fully understand how much Yuna had struggled with her feelings for me, her own brother. But I could imagine... that it must’ve been painful for her for a long time.

"I know you have Alicia, Onii-chan. That’s why... I’m fine with being like Hisui-nee. Just a memory is enough..."

Yuna, the little sister who always followed me around and threw bratty remarks my way.

Yuna, who supported me as her “older sister” after I became Alice.

Yuna, who now confessed that she had feelings for me—feelings beyond those of siblings—even back when I was still Ikuto.

Every version of Yuna is precious and dear to me. It’s probably still closer to a familial love... but just for now, I’ll look at Yuna as a girl.

"...So please, Onii-chan. Hold me."

With a tearful, bittersweet smile, Yuna spoke those words.

And in that moment, I truly made up my mind—to embrace my little sister, in every sense of the word.