31 Matching - My Little Sister Is Only Ever Cold to Me, Yet Recently She’s Been Strangely Clingy

Chapter 31: Matching "Can we stop by the bookstore?" "Sure." After leaving the arcade, I spotted a familiar place just a short walk away. Seeking Ren's permission, I led us there. Casually, our hands intertwined again as if it were a mutual agreement. Just that simple gesture made my heart race a little, but I pretended to be unfazed as we stepped into the space filled with books. Bookstores have a way of drawing me in, even if I don't have a specific book in mind. I can easily spend one or two hours just browsing titles on the spines, looking for something interesting. But today, Ren is with me, so I need to be careful. With that thought, I hurriedly browsed through the corner with paperbacks more quickly than usual. Ah, a book I had been curious about has been released in paperback. Holding my bag under one arm, I used my free hand to take the book off the shelf and quickly read the blurb on the back cover. It seemed interesting, so I decided to purchase it immediately. "You really love books, don't you, Onee-chan?" "Yeah, well, I'm in the literature club." Though, the only other club member reads books that I couldn't possibly show to Ren. I chuckled to myself at the thought. "Do you have any recommendations?" "Really?! You want to read something?" Ren nodded earnestly. It's always delightful when someone shows interest in what you love. Plus, Yuka-chan and I have entirely different tastes in books, so recommending something I like to someone else is a rare opportunity. "Is there a genre you want to read?" "...Maybe romance." "Romance, huh." Her choice was a little unexpected, but I scanned the shelves and replied, "Everything by this author is good." "Okay, then I'll take this one." With that, Ren picked up a book. "That one has been on my radar too, but I haven't read it yet. Could you lend it to me after you finish?" "Of course. If you have any recommendations from your collection, let me read them next time." Ren headed towards the register. The idea of sharing books with Ren made me so happy that I followed her with a smile on my face. Feeling excited, I made an excuse, telling myself that it would be odd not to hold hands now after we had just done so a moment ago. So I reached out to hold her hand again. ◇◇◇ Our hands remained intertwined, a constant I had grown accustomed to. Along with the ever-present pitter-patter of my heart. The time was nearing evening, and as I considered heading home soon, Ren came to a sudden stop. In front of us was a small shop. Ren's eyes were fixed on a display of accessories. "This is cute." She said, picking up a black lace scrunchie. "It’s perfect! It would definitely suit you, Ren." I told her honestly. The black scrunchie, a blend of sophistication and cuteness, seemed just right for her. However, Ren shook her head. "It's cute, so I want you to wear it, Onee-chan" she said, placing the scrunchie on my wrist. "Eh?" "See, it suits you." She nodded in satisfaction. "Really? Does it?" Indeed, the contrast of the black scrunchie against my white dress was both beautiful and cute. Yet, I was unsure if I could fully bring out its charm, and I tilted my head, lacking confidence. Ren reassured me in a gentle murmur, as though urging me to believe her. "It's cute." With a serene expression, she patted my head. Given her height, it almost felt as if Ren was the older sister. It was a bit vexing, feeling as though my role had been taken, along with my easily racing heart. I averted my gaze, trying to hide those feelings, and something else caught my eye. I picked it up. "Don't you think this would look great on you, Ren?" And as if reciprocating our earlier exchange, I placed a white scrunchie, a color different from mine, on her wrist. "See, it's cute." With that, I stroked Ren's head...or tried to, at least. Standing as we were, her head was just out of reach, so I despearately I stretched on my tiptoes. Even then, I just couldn't reach it. Seeing my struggle, Ren bent down slightly, meeting my gaze face-to-face. I managed to safely pat Ren’s head, but more than that—our faces were close. We ended up in a position where we were almost staring into each other’s eyes. The sparkle in Ren’s pupils, the length of her lashes, even her soft, pale lips—all of it filled my vision. Even the way she blinked was beautiful. “I’m happy we match.” “Y-yeah… me too.” Although Ren’s expression was unreadable, her voice was warm, and her trembling eyes conveyed her emotions. If this continued any longer, my heart wouldn't be able to keep up. "Shall we head to the register?" I said, starting to walk away as if making an escape. Somehow, I felt like I'd lost in the end.