“The clothes sure suit you.” Claire smiled sweetly while looking to Aya and putting a downcast expression. “Unfortunately, they are a bit large for you; but I don’t have smaller clothes.”
Though Claire was just 1.7 meters tall, Aya was even smaller, at 1.65 meters. The difference wasn’t big, but the clothes seemed a bit big for Aya, and it was more noticeable in the chest.
Claire couldn’t be considered big breasted, but her chest wasn’t small either. Aya, on the other hand, practically lacked anything you could consider chest.
Fortunately, she never paid attention to it, until now.
After taking a bath, Aya found Claire waiting for her in the door and received a set of clothes and a towel. Claire told her that she could use it to wipe the cat too.
Though Aya wanted to refuse, her clothes were completely drenched, so she finally agreed with a nod and wore the clothes.
When she exited the bathroom, Aya found Claire still waiting for her and was taken to the dining table.
Of course, Lily came with her.
“By the way, I never thanked you yesterday!” Claire smiled while looking to her. “I would’ve died if not for you.”
“… You are welcome.” The silver-haired girl replied with an indifferent expression.
To be honest, Aya herself didn’t know why she helped Claire. Back then, her body moved by itself when she saw the car falling towards Claire. If there was a reason, it was that she didn’t want to see hurt someone who was kind to her.
Maybe it was because very few people have shown kindness towards her, but Aya didn’t want to see any of them hurt.
Claire smile turned brighter, and she continued speaking with the silver-haired girl. “Can I know your name?”
“… Aya.” Replied the silver-haired girl after hesitating for a moment. “And she is Lily.” She signaled to the cat.
“I know, you told me yesterday. It’s such a cute cat!”
“Meow!” Lily waved her paw softly.
“And it’s so smart! Right, my name is Claire, and my brother is Aleen. He looks a bit serious sometimes, but he is very kind, so you don’t have to worry.”
Aya nodded silently.
Claire saw that she didn’t want to speak and smiled again. She then continued walking to the dining table.
Aleen was there watching tv while waiting for them. When he noticed Claire and Aya, he gave a slight nod and signaled them to sit.
“Brother, she is Aya, and the cat is called Lily. Don’t you think that Lily is cute?”
Aleen could not help but give a small smile. “She is. I served food for Aya, but I think I forgot about the cat. Wait a moment, I will get something from the fridge.”
Before Aya could reply, Aleen stood up and went to the kitchen. He returned quickly, bringing a can of tuna in his hand. To be honest, it was the only thing in the fridge that he found appropriate.
Apparently, Lily found its smell delicious, because she jumped down from Aya’s arms and began to run Aleen’s legs immediately.
“Okay okay, take it.” Aleen smiled and opened up the can. Meanwhile, Aya seemed a bit betrayed when Lily jumped away.
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“We better also start, the food will become cold otherwise.”
Aleen nodded to Claire’s words and sat in his seat. Seeing it, Aya could only sit beside them and start to eat.
Aya was eating slowly at the start, but before long, she could not endure the nice smell of the food and began to devour it quickly. When she finished, she finally remembered where she was, and looked towards the two siblings with a slight blush in her indifferent face.
Aleen was a bit surprised at the beginning, but in the end, he only smiled. Before Aya could say something, he grabbed her plate and went to the kitchen to refill it.
“Don’t worry, you can eat more if you want.”
For a moment, Aya didn’t know what to say.
Though it was not the first time that someone showed a bit of kindness towards her, she felt that the siblings were different than others.
Aya was very good reading other people, at the point where she could feel a bit of the thoughts that others have towards her, but she could not sense the slightest trace of disgust or superiority in the siblings' eyes. At most, she could see a bit of wariness in Aleen, but nothing else.
So, when Aleen put the dish before her again, she could not help but say something.
“… Thanks.” Her voice was very soft, but despite it, she had to do a great effort to not sob while speaking.
When they finally finished eating, Aya wasn’t sure about what to do.
Claire took the dishes and went to clean them. Meanwhile, Aleen looked fixedly towards Aya.
Aya moved her eyes restlessly to avoid his gaze, but she could feel Aleen still looking to her.
Seconds later, she heard him speaking.
“Did you tell something to the police yesterday?”
Aya tilted her head slightly, before understating the question. “… No, I ran away before they reached.”
Aleen frowned briefly and finally sighed. “Anyways, thanks for helping my sister; I don’t know what I would have done if something happens to her.”
Aya only nodded without changing her expression.
At that moment, the cat, Lily, jumped back to Aya’s thighs. Aya immediately took it on her arms.
Aleen smiled briefly. “It’s a beautiful cat. I had a dog before, but it died a few years ago.”
Aya nodded again without speaking. Seeing it, Aleen stood up and went towards the kitchen. “You can sleep on the sofa tonight. I have to leave tomorrow early, so Claire will see you off.”
Aya hesitated slightly when she heard it, but Aleen cut her firmly before she could speak. “It’s raining heavily, so it’s better if you spend the night here. Don’t try to refuse, it’s the least we can do for saving Claire's life.”
Aya looked to the ground briefly, and finally agreed. Aleen then nodded and entered the kitchen. “Sleep well, it was nice to meet you.”
A few minutes later, the siblings went to sleep and turned off the lights. Aya lied in the comfy sofa, hugging Lily and looking towards the roof with a complicated expression.
Finally, she closed her eyes and fell slept. Despite it, however, she was ready to wake up at the moment she feels something wrong.
The next day, Aleen waked up very early and prepared himself to enter the game.
He circulated his mana briefly and took a quick bath; before going to the kitchen. There, he found Claire preparing a light breakfast.
“You are awake.” He said.
Claire shook slightly and finished a sandwich before gazing to Aleen.
“You are going soon, brother?”
“A bit after 4:00 am.”
Claire fell silent when she heard it.
Finally, she ran towards Aleen and hugged him tightly. “Be careful, brother.”
“Don’t worry.” He smiled while brushing her beautiful dark hair. “I’ll be fine.”
The two continued like that for a few seconds more, but eventually, Aleen softly knocked her head.
“It’s enough, crybaby; I have to go soon.”
Claire could only let go.
Aleen smiled and ate breakfast before packing some things inside his ring; nothing too valuable, just a bit of supply, a lantern, a lighter and some clothes. Aleen even took some first aid stuff, though he wasn’t sure if it would be useful.
Before long, the time for the start of the game was near.
Aleen hugged Claire for a last time and said her a few things.
“The girl, Aya, looks like a good girl; however, be careful either way. Don't hesitate to use your mana if something is wrong, okay?”
“Mm.” Claire nodded softly.
“Very well, it’s time to go.”
At that moment, an interdimensional portal appeared behind Aleen.
With a last smile towards Claire, Aleen stepped inside it.
However, he missed a few things.
First, he didn’t know that Aya was awake from the moment when Claire went down the stairs to prepare the breakfast.
Second, she noticed the strange behavior of Aleen and Claire when they were in the kitchen.
And third, that she instinctively would try to help him.
So, when Aya jumped out and grabbed Aleen’s arm, he was unable to react.
Unfortunately, Aya's intervention was far from enough to stop the teleportation.
So, instead of rescuing Aleen, she ended falling inside it with him.
And a second before the portal closed, Lily jumped behind them.
When the portal finally closed, Claire, the only one remaining in the kitchen, stood there dumbfounded.