Chapter 50: Are you sure, Onee-chan?

After leaving the bathroom, Kai put on a set of workout clothes and headed to the gym, where he trained intensely for a couple of hours, as if trying to release all his fears and frustrations through exercise. He focused entirely on himself, attempting not to notice Nemuri's movements in the house, knowing she had been awake since he got up.

When he finally felt calmer and ready to face the inevitable blow, Kai walked slowly back to the house, where he found Nemuri perfectly dressed with a suitcase by her side. This sight only brought an expression of understanding and melancholy to his face, which he quickly masked before approaching her with a smile.

(Well, here comes the first of many blows to come...)

"Good morning, Onee-chan," Kai greeted her as he always did, to which Nemuri responded with a serious expression.

"Good morning, Kai."

After a few deep breaths, Nemuri seemed to gather the courage to continue speaking with a serious and determined expression.

"Kai, although I imagine you already know or suspect it, there's something I need to confess to you."

Seeing Nemuri's expression, Kai knew there was nothing more to be done, so he could only remain silent with a calm expression on his face while Nemuri continued to speak with difficulty.

"Kai... I... I took 'advantage' of you when I took you to bed a couple of nights ago... I lost control and did something horrible."

"…"

For his part, Kai could only stay silent as he tried to maintain his calm expression, something Nemuri couldn't see as her gaze inevitably dropped due to guilt and shame. But she continued speaking nonetheless.

"And what happened last night gave me a lot to think about... I'm not a good guardian for you, and honestly, I don't think I should stay by your side any longer given how I am..."

(Well, it was good while it lasted. I shouldn't feel sad that it's ending; it was just a happy chapter in my life. The best thing for Onee-chan is to go back to her life away from me, so she can leave all this behind and be happy. Besides, I should see the positive side: being alone means fewer risks, and I can move more freely...)

As Kai got lost in his thoughts, trying to keep himself composed despite the inevitable blow he was experiencing, Nemuri continued speaking with a guilty and ashamed expression.

"But... I really love you, Kai. Even though I know it's wrong, even though it's illegal, and that Alisa-san will probably never forgive me for this, I can't stay away from you. You're the most precious thing in my life, and I can't imagine a future without you by my side. So, if you're truly okay with me and can forgive me for what I did, I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Upon hearing Nemuri's words, Kai could only feel disbelief. Although he couldn't say it was entirely unexpected, he was fully aware that something like this happening was highly improbable. After all, Nemuri would always try to do things the right way, and as a pessimist, he could only imagine the worst-case scenario.

But did that mean this was the best possible outcome? Not really. His relationship with Nemuri was now more complicated and unstable than before, not to mention that it was immoral and even illegal considering his age in this life. And that was without even mentioning that he would now have to deal with her possessiveness issues and more. But compared to her leaving, this scenario was a damn paradise.

For her part, Nemuri, hearing no response from Kai, began to panic a little, thinking she had misunderstood and made a mistake. She quickly lifted her head, on the verge of tears, only to find her beloved Kai with a strange expression, one that seemed to combine surprise, relief, and happiness, while his eyes appeared glassy.

"Kai?..."

Filled with nerves, Nemuri called out softly, which seemed to awaken the blue-eyed boy, who immediately jumped up to hug her tightly around the waist, his face buried in her voluptuous chest, as he asked.

"… Are you sure, Onee-chan?"

"Yes... Even though I know it's wrong, I can't lie to myself. I love you, Kai, and rather than suffer alone for 'doing the right thing,' I'd rather be selfish and be happy by your side. Even though I know it will be a complicated path filled with challenges, being with you, I know I'll be able to face any challenge."

With a smile on her face, Nemuri commented while hugging her beloved's head to her chest, causing tears of happiness and relief to start falling from her eyes. She had seriously considered leaving so that Kai could grow up like a normal young man. Since she had woken up in the middle of the night, she had been struggling with herself to make a decision.

She considered every option and the reactions they would provoke in her particular family and in her own future, but despite knowing that leaving was the healthiest and most logical choice in her situation, she didn't have the courage. She loved her Kai too much, and no matter what she had to do, even if it meant receiving the hatred and contempt of everyone, including her own family, she wanted Kai to be the man in her life. So, she chose to be happy, even if it meant doing things the wrong way.

"So, from now on, are we boyfriend and girlfriend, Onee-chan?" Kai asked softly, to which Nemuri responded with a small smile on her face.

"Well, yes, but I'd like us to wait a bit because, although it doesn't seem like it, you're only about to turn thirteen. My conscience would be a little more at ease if we waited until you're 15. I know it won't make the sin any lesser, but it would make me feel less guilty."

"That's fine, Onee-chan; I don't mind. We can even wait until I turn 18 if that makes you feel better," Kai commented in a soft, affectionate voice, to which Nemuri quickly replied in a low voice, with a bit of panic, knowing her self-control would never last that long.

"N-no, there's no need to wait that long. Fifteen is fine."

"Alright, then at 15, hehe."

As he hugged Nemuri and relaxed in her warmth, Kai commented, genuinely happy. After all, he truly loved Nemuri. He simply didn't want to start any kind of relationship out of fear, as it would exponentially increase the chances of their relationship ending badly, and they might never speak to each other again. But now that he had been forced into it, he realized it wasn't so bad, despite the enormous risk.

"By the way, Onee-chan, if you didn't want to leave, why the suitcase?"

After a while in peaceful and warm silence, Kai asked as he released Nemuri. But noticing the reluctant gaze of his spectacular older sister, now girlfriend, he quickly sat on a larger sofa and gestured for her to sit next to him.

"It's actually some things I promised to take to the girls. Didn't I mention it yesterday?" Nemuri responded as she approached Kai, but instead of sitting next to him, she sat on his lap and rested her head on the young man's strong chest.

"Oh, that's right, I forgot."

As he embraced Nemuri in his lap, Kai commented cheerfully, followed by a pleasant conversation where they talked about different things, including their future. Though Nemuri couldn't help but apologize repeatedly for what had happened, thanks to his quick wit, Kai managed to distract her by recalling happy moments they had shared, turning the moment into a series of nostalgic and joyful laughs.

"Well, Kai, we can't waste any more time. We have to go see the girls." In the middle of the pleasant conversation, Nemuri suddenly commented, noticing that the afternoon had arrived before she realized it.

"Eh? We're still going?" Kai asked in surprise, to which Nemuri replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"But of course, we're going."

"Even after everything that happened today?" Still incredulous, Kai asked as he looked at Nemuri's serious expression, who quickly responded before heading to the kitchen.

"Yes, even after everything that happened. You better get ready quickly. I made you something quick for lunch, and then we'll leave."

Seeing Nemuri enter the kitchen, Kai watched her back with a blank expression until she disappeared behind the door. At that moment, he could only laugh a little amused, then headed to his room, feeling quite foolish for all the drama he had caused the night before. But at the same time, he was also a bit concerned. After all, he had no idea that his emotional state was so fragile, something he needed to pay attention to from now on.

(Luckily, only Salem and Sage heard me... Wait, now that I think about it, where is Sage? Could it be that my unconsciousness is affecting her now?)

"Sage," Kai called out as he entered his room, causing the beautiful fairy to appear, who greeted him with a smile shortly after.

"Hello, Master."

"Does my unconsciousness affect you now?" Kai asked, somewhat worried, as that would greatly reduce his capabilities, to which Sage quickly shook her head.

"Not really, Master. Everything is just as before. I can function independently of your state of consciousness. It’s just that in the middle of the night, I made a significant breakthrough in one of the research projects, so I was conducting thorough tests to confirm the results."

"Which one?" Kai asked, immensely interested, as he entered the bathroom, to which Sage responded with a small smile on her face.

"The future sight."

"You figured that out so quickly?" Kai asked, surprised, as he began to shower. Sage responded while a hologram full of information appeared in front of him.

"It was actually much easier than I expected. By using intensification and manipulation, it's possible to force Observation Haki to surpass its limits, allowing you to perceive a few seconds into the future. Additionally, when combined with En, you can get very interesting results, which I’ve currently synthesized into something I decided to call [Absolute Perception Field]."

"Hey, is it just me, or are you just as bad at naming things as I am?"

While quickly showering, Kai commented as he glanced over the data on the holographic screen. Sage could only respond while tilting her head cutely.

"Do you think it’s a bad name, Master? I thought it was quite fitting, since within the [Absolute Perception Field], you can obtain data on almost everything—from detailed and precise spatial awareness to fluctuations in the energies of targets and changes in their emotions, positions, and intentions. It also allows for precise control over the activation of future sight, whether on a specific target or in a broader area."

"Well, as long as you don’t make us shout the name as part of a pact, it’s all good," Kai commented with an ironic smile, to which Sage quickly nodded.

"Understood, Master."

A little later, Kai finished his shower and quickly put on a casual outfit consisting of a black cotton hoodie, blue pants, and sneakers. He then quickly headed downstairs to the dining room with Salem in tow, as the sloth had just woken up. There, Nemuri was waiting for him with several simple dishes on the table.

"Thanks, Onee-chan," Kai thanked her with a smile as he sat at the table, to which Nemuri responded with a small smile after taking a sip of her hot coffee.

"Fufufu, you don't have to thank me. It actually felt pretty good to cook for you after so long, although hurry up—we were supposed to leave in the morning, and look at the time."

"I got it," Kai replied as he started eating quickly.

"By the way, Kai, could we keep all this a secret for now? Even though I know everyone will eventually find out, I want to be more prepared for that moment."

After hesitating for a moment, Nemuri commented with a rather embarrassed expression, which caused Kai to stop eating for a moment and then look at her intently, making Nemuri really nervous. But the boy soon smiled mischievously and then commented playfully.

"Don’t worry, Onee-chan; I understand it’s better not to mention it for now, hehe."

"You idiot! Don’t scare me like that!"

With a pout reflecting her annoyance, Nemuri exclaimed loudly as she playfully hit Kai's shoulder, who just smiled amusedly and went back to eating as if nothing had happened, only making Nemuri’s pout worse.

Although her pout didn’t show it, Nemuri felt a deep sense of warmth and tranquility flooding her heart. After all, she had come so close to losing the love of her life, and being able to have such a cheerful and casual conversation again really made her feel that it was real—that she could still stay by his side. At the same time, a new resolve formed within her to never let something like that happen again.