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

Chapter 38: Tease "More than this, what happens if I say I want 'more' ?" Ren whispered into my ear, her breath warm and sweet against my earlobe. The weight that came with her words pressed in, threatening to melt my brain. My feverish thoughts frantically struggled to process her words. More than this. More. Even now, with Ren so close, her warmth, her words, and her smooth skin were throwing my heart into disarray. And yet, the idea of more... Amidst my hazy thoughts, my gaze naturally wandered to one particular feature on Ren's face—those thin, lustrous lips. Eh? Wait, no. Why am I... I scrambled to shoo away the unconscious thought encroaching upon my mind, only to offer Ren an incoherent response. "I-I don’t understand." "I see." Her words were tinged with resignation, and she pulled her body away from mine. Though I felt a pang of loneliness, I was relieved to be free from the intensity of my own noisy thoughts and pounding heart. But Ren wasn't about to let things remain vague. Her whispers attacked me again. "Then, let's stay like this until you understand, Onee-chan." Saying this, Ren held me tighter. It was a move reminiscent of a predator. Her body clung to mine, as if entwining itself around my small body. My guard was down, and my heartbeat grew louder. Ren was so close that surely she could hear it if this continued. Every time Ren touched me, my five senses were heightened. It was as if I wanted to not miss anything that Ren had to offer. This perception sharpened with each encounter, and my ears, instead of hearing my own heartbeat as usual, caught another sound. It was the sound of a heartbeat that was very similar to mine. The sound of Ren's heartbeat. It was beating just as loudly, and as quickly as mine, if not more so. Behind her composed facade, Ren's heart was in chaos too. Despite her calm expression, her heart was fervently loud. Realizing this caused a sweet numbness in my mind. Like a mischievous child who came up with a prank to play on a girl they like, I felt a sudden urge to exploit Ren's moment of vulnerability. Once the thought had invaded me, I couldn't stop it. I leaned closer to whisper into Ren’s ear, as she had done earlier. "And what do you want me to do, Ren?" Ren’s body trembled slightly at my question. "I... I-I don't know..." No longer flat and composed, Ren's voice was wavering and fragile, igniting something within me. During the game, Ren was so cool and collected, yet a mere whisper from me left her so vulnerable. Thinking about it sent shivers down my spine. I pressed on, as if to further torture Ren. "You don't know, but you kept asked me?" Ren squirmed as if she was ticklish, and I held her tightly so she couldn't escape, continuing my words. "So, Ren, what do you really want me to do?" Ren murmured something softly, her breath sweet. Her earlobe, where my words landed, was flushed red. Captivated by the vivid color, I watched for a moment, almost lost in it. Then, as my gaze trailed down, I noticed her cheeks were similarly hued with warmth, her skin radiating heat, and her lips quivering. Then she spoke. "Onee-chan, you're so mean." Her childlike complaint made my brain feel like it was split in half. A part of me wanted to continue teasing her, but at the same time, I was starting to come to my senses. I'm Ren's older sister, and I have to protect her. I know I shouldn't bully her. Two conflicting emotions fought, and in the end, due to Ren's childishness, the version of myself as an older sister took back control. Or rather, I'm Ren's older sister, forever and always. An older sister has to be kind to her younger sister. As this obvious realization settled, my mind returned to its usual state. "S-sorry! I kind of flipped a weird switch there." I quickly released Ren and adjusted myself to sit beside her on the bed, maintaining a reasonable distance. Ren, with her head down at my apology, muttered quietly. "I didn't exactly dislike it..." "Eh?" I asked reflexively. What did she mean she didn’t dislike it...? As if to seal away my question, Ren voiced a small request. "Well, I guess I'll forgive you if you hug me tight while we sleep." That tiny request swept away the lingering heat and doubts from before, leaving me smiling unknowingly. And along with that smile, words slipped out. "Cute." "Shut up." Ren, her cheeks now entirely crimson, rolled over, hiding her face in the bedding.