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

Chapter 37: More It had been a while since we had all sat together at the dining table. Curry was laid out on the table. Mom asked with a cheerful smile. “Ren, how was the game today?” “We won.” Given her overly bland response, I hastily added more details. “Ren was amazing! She kept scoring points, and even at the end, she scored the last shot to win.” Carried away by the emotion of the moment, my vocabulary became sparse. Mom narrowed her eyes and nodded approvingly. “I see. Mom's not great with sports, so I’m proud of you. But, it's rare for Ai to go watch Ren's games.” Mom tilted her head in curiosity. As I scrambled to put together a plausible excuse, Ren confidently stated, “It’s because I wanted her to watch.” Ren said this matter-of-factly as she continued eating her curry. Her words inexplicably made my cheeks warm up. “You two have been getting along quite well lately. What happened to Ren's rebellious phase?” “I never had a rebellious phase.” “Well, Ren’s always been glued to her big sister, I suppose it’s just back to how it used to be.” Mom half-groaned, though she seemed happy, with a laugh. For some reason, her words filled me with guilt. ◇◇◇ “How was the game today?” “It was amazing... you were so cool.” “Really?” “Really.” “…Then, can I have a reward?” As the night softly descended upon the day, Ren casually came into my room as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Sitting beside me on the bed, she spoke with that usual expressionless face of hers. “A reward?” “Yeah. Because I worked hard today for you, Onee-chan.” Ren announced it in her flat tone, yet her words made my heart race. “Then...” Hesitantly, I reached out and stroked Ren’s head. “Reb, you did great. You were really cool today.” My voice was like when I used to soothe her as a child. Even so, Ren didn’t seem to mind; she leaned into me, closing her eyes. Her behavior seemed so innocent, contrasting dramatically with her presence on the court today. “I worked hard because…I wanted you to only look at me, Onee-chan.” I couldn’t even imagine such sweet words. I desperately struggled to maintain my composure as her older sister, continuing to stroke her hair. “You were so incredible that I couldn’t see anyone but you. I almost couldn't believe you’re my little sister.” Truly, it was almost beyond belief. That someone as radiant as Ren was so dependent on me. I wished I was the only one who would ever see this side of Ren. The thought of her turning to someone else for comfort fractured my heart. Today, watching the court from the stands, I felt a deep desire to have Ren all to myself, to close the distance I felt between us. And yet, I fought to dispel such selfish notions from my mind. I wanted to protect Ren, not get in the way of her working hard for her future. I wanted to be a place where Ren can rest, not a shackle that bound her. Each time I stroked her head, my palm brushed against the soft, damp strands of her hair, still moist from the bath. And as that sensation spread through me, I wrestled in my mind — trying to make sure whatever it stirred inside me followed the right path. Then, “More rewards,” Ren said, meeting my gaze intently. “More?” “Yes. I worked hard today. I deserve more.” She spread her arms wide. With that choice, which had effectively become the only option, I gently scooped up Ren and embraced her. Warmth enveloped us both. “You really did great today, Ren.” A trembling voice escaped me. As Ren embraced me, sharing our body temperatures, I felt like I was receiving the reward instead. Ren being here beside me was something I had once taken for granted — only for the separation to make our reunion touch that much deeper. Though it seemed like merely returning to how things were, everything felt different. Ren, who was once much smaller than me, now completely enveloped me. Her innocent smile was shrouded in a veil of ice, and where she once cried often, she now shone brightly, drawing everyone's attention. “I’m happy.” Her tone remained as flat as ever, yet the innocence in her words mirrored how she had always been. That's right, no matter how polished her appearance, no matter how amazing she became, Ren was still Ren. My one and only adorable little sister. That's why I needed to quell this heartbeat, to revert to the person I was before, filled only with pure love. “Hey, Onee-chan.” Yet Ren’s sweet whisper refused to allow that. “If I asked for ‘more’ again, what would happen?”