As Renji descended the grand staircase toward the dining room, the rich aroma of grilled fish and fresh miso soup greeted him, prepared as always by the family chef. Though truthfully, Renji knew he could cook better if he wanted to.
Seated at the long table were his two sisters.
The older one was Kamishiro Akari, two years younger than him and already dressed in her Kosei Academy uniform. She was a cool beauty in the making — sleek, glossy black hair cut in a sharp bob that elegantly framed her neck. Tall for her age at 168 cm, she had a slender, model-like figure and shared Renji's piercing blue eyes, which she usually kept hidden behind a mask of cool indifference.
The younger one was Kamishiro Yume, four years younger and still in middle school. She was slumped sleepily over her bowl, the complete opposite of Akari. A petite little devil at barely 150 cm, she wore an oversized pajama top that slipped off one shoulder, revealing smooth, pale skin. Her long black hair was tied in messy twin-tails, and her big, expressive brown eyes were half-lidded with lingering sleep.
Renji paused in the wide doorway, quietly activating his new skill.
Above Akari's head, a translucent window shimmered into view.
[Target: Kamishiro Akari]
[Status: Nervous]
[Desire: To Look Mature for Her High School Debut]
[Frustration: 40% (Self-conscious)]
Above Yume, another window appeared.
[Target: Kamishiro Yume]
[Status: Sleepy / Needy]
[Desire: Attention from Onii-chan]
'So, I was right,' Renji thought. 'It works on everyone. This is almost unfair.'
In the original game, he would have played the role of the loving but strictly distant older brother, keeping a respectful distance that conveniently left room for Takumi to step in later. But today, he felt like choosing a slightly different path — one that let him be the warm, attentive brother he now truly wanted to be, especially after realizing how precious this family was compared to the emptiness of his past life.
And so, instead of heading straight to his usual seat, Renji walked past it and approached Akari from behind with a gentle smile.
"Morning, Akari," he said warmly.
He reached forward and gently adjusted the red ribbon at her neck.
"Your ribbon was a little crooked," he said softly. "There… now it looks perfect."
Akari flinched slightly at the unexpected closeness, her cool facade cracking as a faint blush dusted her cheeks from the sudden care. "N-Nii-san…? Uh… thanks."
"I know the first day of school is a big deal," he continued, his tone light and encouraging. "But let me assure you that you're looking beautiful today. If you're going to worry about anything, worry about breaking too many hearts on your first day. I almost feel bad for the boys who'll see you like this."
Akari stopped breathing for a moment, clearly surprised by the open compliment. The frustration gauge floating above her head vanished instantly, replaced by [Status: Flustered / Happy].
"I… I'll try my best," she muttered, quickly looking away in an attempt to hide the small, pleased smile tugging at her lips. Her fingers fidgeted with the edge of the table, but there was a visible lift in her shoulders.
"Onii-chan!" Yume whined from across the table, slamming her spoon down with a dramatic clink. "What about me? You didn't even say good morning to me!"
The [Desire: Attention] marker above her head flashed bright red.
Renji turned toward his little sister with an indulgent, affectionate smile. He walked over, reached down, and gently patted her head, letting his fingers thread through her messy twin-tails in a slow, doting motion. The touch was warm, his palm resting lightly on the back of her head for a moment.
"Good morning, Yume," he said gently, his voice soft and teasing. "You're awfully loud for someone who's still half asleep. But you need to eat properly. Look, you even have a bit of rice on your cheek."
He reached out with his thumb and wiped the tiny speck away with a fond chuckle. Yume's eyes fluttered, clearly soaking up the attention like always.
"Eat up," he added warmly. "If you don't finish your breakfast, you'll stay pint-sized forever."
Yume beamed instantly, her earlier jealousy melting away under his touch and words. She leaned into the headpat like a contented kitten. "Okay!"
Renji straightened up, still smiling as he looked between his two sisters — one now glowing with quiet happiness, the other happily munching away with renewed energy. A quiet sense of satisfaction settled in his chest. After the lonely years of his past life, moments like these with his cute, lively sisters felt incredibly precious. He was truly blessed.
"I'm heading out a bit early," he said casually, adjusting the cuff of his rolled sleeve. "Don't be late for your first day."
He turned and walked toward the door, leaving Akari and Yume behind. Both of them were now giggling softly, cheeks warm, their eyes following his broad back with admiration and affection.
…
The moment the front door clicked shut behind Renji, the dining room fell into a brief silence.
Akari sat dazed at the table, her chopsticks still hovering halfway to her mouth. The red ribbon at her neck, the one her brother had just gently fixed, suddenly felt warmer than usual. She could still feel the faint brush of his touch against her collar, light and reassuring, nothing like the distant, polite corrections he usually gave.
Yume was the first to break the quiet. She dropped her spoon with a loud clatter and spun toward her older sister, big brown eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Nee-chan! Did you see that?! Onii-chan was so different today!"
Akari blinked, trying to regain her usual cool composure, but the faint blush still dusting her cheeks refused to fade. She set her chopsticks down neatly and cleared her throat.
"…He was," she admitted quietly. Her voice came out softer than she intended. "Nii-san's never been that… attentive in the morning. Usually, he just says, 'good morning' and leaves right away, or reminds us to fix my uniform from across the table like I'm some kind of checklist item."
Yume giggled, kicking her legs under the table in her oversized pajama top. The fabric slipped further off one small shoulder, but she didn't care. She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands, twin-tails bouncing.
"Right?! He actually came over and fixed your ribbon! And he said you looked beautiful! Onii-chan never says stuff like that! He always acts so… perfect and far away, like he's scared to get too close or something. But today he leaned in and everything!"
Akari's fingers unconsciously touched the ribbon again. She tried to play it off with a small shrug, but the happy little smile tugging at her lips betrayed her.
"It was… nice," she murmured, glancing down at her half-eaten breakfast. "I was really nervous about today being the first day of my high school. Everyone at school expects the Kamishiro name to mean something, and I kept worrying that I wouldn't look right. But when nii-san said I looked beautiful… it made me feel a lot better."
Yume nodded vigorously, her messy twin-tails swinging. "Exactly! And he patted my head for so long! Usually, he just gives me one quick pat and tells me to behave. Today he stayed and it felt really good. Onii-chan's hand is so warm…"
She hugged herself dramatically, beaming from ear to ear. "I got jealous at first when he went to you first, but then he came straight to me. He even teased me about staying pint-sized! Hehe…"
Akari let out a soft laugh, the cool mask slipping further as she watched her little sister's excitement. "You're such a spoiled little devil, Yume. But… I get it. Nii-san has always been kind, but it always felt like he was holding back. Like he was playing some role and never got too involved. Today he seemed… freer, and warmer."
Yume tilted her head, brown eyes wide and curious. "Do you think something happened? Like, maybe he had a weird dream or something? Because he woke up super suddenly this morning, I heard him gasp when I was walking by his room. And when he came down, he wasn't acting like his usual self at all."
Akari thought for a moment, resting her chin on her hand. Her piercing blue eyes, the same shade as her brother's, softened with quiet fondness.
"Maybe…" she said gently. "Maybe he's just tired of being so distant. You know how he's always been… almost too flawless. Helping everyone, always smiling politely, never causing trouble and so on."
She smiled faintly, a hint of sisterly pride mixing with her happiness. "I like this version better. The one who actually stops to fix my ribbon and tells me I'm beautiful. The one who takes time to pat your head and tease you properly instead of rushing out the door."
Yume bounced in her seat, nearly knocking over her miso soup bowl in her enthusiasm. "Me too! Me too! I want onii-chan to stay like this forever. He's so cool and handsome normally, but when he smiles at me like that and calls me… it makes my heart feel all fuzzy and happy. I wish he would pat my head every morning from now on. And maybe even cook breakfast with us sometimes! He always says he's better than the chef, but he never does it."
Akari nodded, her own smile growing. "If he keeps being like this… I wouldn't mind waking up early every day just to see him before school."
She paused, then added softly, almost to herself, "I hope whatever changed inside him stays. Because I really, really like this nii-san."
Yume clapped her small hands together, eyes shining with pure adoration. "Then let's make sure he keeps being like this! I'll be extra cute and demand more headpats. And you can be all cool and all… though you will still secretly blush whenever he compliments you again. Deal?"
Akari let out a rare, genuine laugh, light and melodic. She reached over and gently flicked her little sister's forehead.
"You really are a little devil. But… yes. Deal."
The two sisters exchanged a conspiratorial grin; the dining room now filled with soft giggles and the lingering warmth of their brother's unexpected affection. Outside, the morning sun continued to rise, but inside the Kamishiro estate, something small and precious had shifted — a quiet happiness that both sisters hoped would last far beyond the first day of school.
For the first time in a long while, they couldn't wait to come home and see what version of their beloved brother would greet them next.