#maskedliar

"Eh?"

Even though it was just typical for a birthday, Ayano couldn’t help but beam. He sounded so sincere, too-!

…Even if he did call her onee-chan in the same teasing tone as always, the little brat.

The problem with having a particularly energetic little sibling is that there will be times when you run into each other. There will also occasionally be times when you turn around, accidentally thumping heads together hard enough to send one of you onto the floor.

So naturally, this used to be a regular occurrence in the Tateyama household, especially when the younger sibling was Kano.

"Shuuya-kun, I’m- ow…" Ayano mumbled, rubbing at her head. There was a dull throbbing in it now, but if it hurt her, how did he feel? She was tiny, but he was still smaller than her at this age. "I’m really, really sorry! That was my fault, I’m so dumb- you’re not hurt, are you?"

The boy stared up at her for a moment, face blank, until his eyes started to shine with tears. “Oneechan…”

Oh no. Oh no, no no no. She made him cry-?

"Shuuya-kun, Shuuya-kun, no, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, I’m sorry!" Ayano scooped him up. She was almost in tears herself now! "Please don’t cry, sh, I’ll get some… ice? That’s what you do for things like that, right?" What was she doing asking a crying 10 year old for advice, even?

He was trembling like a leaf. The poor thing-

Wait.

Since when did Kano… ever call her that except for when he was teasing her? She shot back from him to get a look at his face.

The boy was shaking with laughter.

"I’m- I’m sorry," he snickered, covering his mouth with his hands. "But you really overreacted, oneechan!”

Ayano’s face heated up. She felt so stupid, to have thought that he was actually hurt! He’d probably use that against her later, wouldn’t he? Stupid, stupid, stupid.