My Enigmatic Life

   After dropping Yoko off, I make my return to my flat. I ought to visit with The Chikara family after I put my things away. However, a surprise is waiting for me the moment the lift doors open on the seventh floor. 

"Senpai! There you are! Do you have any idea of how worried I was?!"

The one saying this to me is Akane Chikara, the daughter of the family. Her shoulder length hair, which is pink at the roots and tips, but honeycomb brown everywhere else, sways as she thunders over to me. 

"I can't imagine. I'm really sorry about doing something like that."

"Where were you?", Akane demands.

"At the house.", I reply plainly. 

"Really?"

"Of course."

She glares up at me with her lilac eyes, frowning. The rather familiar pose of her standing with her hands on her waist, makes me smile a bit. Reassuringly, I pat her on the head. 

"Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything like that again."

Akane quickly spins on her heels and grabs me by my wrist, dragging me along.

"G-good. Now let's go to everyone so that you can apologise."

"Oi, are you feeling ill, Akane?", I ask, " Your ears are red."

I surprisingly did not get an answer. 

   The rest of the Chikara family quickly accepted my apology, although Mr. Chikara, a absolutely massive man, gave me a stern talking to. And Mrs. Chikara invited me to stay for dinner which, I of course accepted. 

"So, Daisuke, seems like you won't be able to play for a few games, eh?"

Akai asks me this while being transfixed on the co-op game that we were playing.

"Yeah. Sorry about that."

"It's no big deal. Hey, did you spend the whole weekend at the house alone?"

"Nah.", I say absent-mindedly, "Someone came over."

"A girl?", Akai shoots out.

"That's right."

Akane, who was sat on her brother's bed watching us play while on her phone, shoots up.

"A girl...? Who...?"

Hm? What's with that dark expression on her face? There's a look in her eyes that I've never seen before. 

"I'm just curious about her." , Akane drawls, "Maybe she and I could become friends."

Akai tries to change the subject. 

"This game sure is tough! I don't know how they expect you to beat it with only two players!", he frantically jokes.

"Yeah, it sure is. To answer your question, Akane, her name's Yoko. She's my younger cousin who sixteen just like you."

Akane's visage softens a bit. She looks more like her usual self as she sits down. 

"I see. Her."

Akai sighs loudly. What has you so worried? 

"Everything's ready, so come on before it gets cold!"

Mrs. Chikara calls out to us. Good, I'm hungry. Akai and I stand up a head for the door.

"So, you're opting for cousin marriage, Daisuke? Interesting choice."

"Yeah, yeah.."

Akane remains where's she's at, even as we've already left the room. 

"Cousin, huh? She's too close to him for me to scare away.... Tch, how annoying.."

She mutters something that I can't hear.

"Are you coming, little sister?"

"Ah, y-yes. I'm coming."

Swiftly, she jumps up and leaves with us for dinner.