When I woke up, my adorable little sister, Irana, was clinging tightly to my arm, her soft breaths warm against my skin. Despite my efforts the previous night to ensure she stayed in her own bed, she had somehow managed to sneak into mine. This had become a routine, no matter how much I tried to keep her in her bed.

The gentle rays of early morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, and as I adjusted my position slightly, her hold tightened instinctively, like she was afraid I’d slip away.

"Your sister is always so close to you, right, Aria?"

Viola's voice suddenly cut through the silence, pulling my attention to the other side of the room. She was already sitting upright, her notebook open, and her pen moving across the page. “Honestly, I’m a bit jealous. I’ve always wanted a little sister like Irana. But my little sister and I aren’t very close... we end up fighting more often than not.”

Her wistful tone made me hesitate. I wasn’t sure how to respond. "Viola? You’re awake already? Do you always get up this early?"

She glanced at me briefly, showing a small smile on her lips. "Practice makes perfect. I’ve gotten used to it. I prefer to finish my homework before sunrise. At night, it’s impossible to concentrate with my sister making so much noise. I don’t even know what she's up to half the time, but it’s loud enough to drive me crazy. And my parents? They always take her side, no matter what."

I paused, unsure of what to say. Sharing how I managed to work through the noise caused by Irana and Yuuji at night seemed… unnecessary. I simply smiled and offered a weak, "That sounds really frustrating."

Viola shrugged, her smile turning a little rueful. "It is what it is. Anyway, the cafeteria’s already open. You should wake Irana up, take a bath with her, and we’ll head down together for breakfast. I’ll wait for you both."

I winced at the suggestion. "Waking Irana? That’s practically suicide."

Viola chuckled, clearly amused by my reaction. "Why do you always make that face when it comes to Irana?"

"Please, don’t wake her until I’m done bathing," I replied, trying to sound as serious as possible.

"Why not?" she asked, tilting her head in curiosity.

"Just don’t ask so many questions. Help me out here, okay?" I grabbed my things and rushed to the bathroom before she could press further.

Bathing time was my only sanctuary, the brief moment in my day when I could finally let my guard down. The warmth of the water helped melt away the fatigue and chaos that seemed to follow me constantly. But, of course, even this small reprieve never lasted long.

The bathroom door slammed open, making me jump.

"ONEE-CHAN! WHY DIDN’T YOU WAKE ME UP?!" Irana’s voice echoed through the room, loud and full of indignation.

I sighed, turning toward her. "Irana, I’m almost done. Can’t you just wait a few minutes?"

"Don’t move!" she demanded, stomping toward me with an air of determination. "I’ll wash up real quick and get in with you."

I bit back another sigh. Resisting her was futile, so I resigned myself to my fate. "Fine. Just hurry up. Viola’s waiting for us."

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Her pout transformed into a cheerful grin, and she began scrubbing her body at lightning speed. Watching her, I couldn’t help but notice how carelessly she was treating her skin.

"Hey, Irana," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "Don’t be so rough. You’ll hurt yourself scrubbing like that."

She stopped mid-motion, looking at me confused. "Huh? Really? Isn’t this how you’re supposed to do it?"

I sighed again, this time softer, and took the washcloth from her hands. "No, not like that. Here, let me show you. Be gentle with your skin, or it’ll get irritated."

Oh... I’ve really spoiled her. I’ve been washing her skin since she was little, always making sure she was clean and comfortable. But I never taught her how to do it herself. If this continues, Irana’s beautiful skin might fade over time. As her older sister, it’s my responsibility to take good care of her.

I stepped out of the bathtub, the cool air brushing against my watery skin, and approached her. She stood still as I rinsed her body to remove all the foam she had hastily applied. My eyes scanned her skin carefully, and just as I suspected, red patches marred her otherwise smooth skin.

"Look at this, Irana," I said, gesturing to the irritated spots. "Your skin’s damaged. Doesn’t it hurt when you wash so roughly?"

She tilted her head, blinking up at me with those innocent eyes, and shook her head.

"Irana," I said softly, sighing, "you need to be gentler. Here, let me show you."

I picked up the soap and lathered it in my hands before applying it to her skin, carefully and methodically washing her with gentle, circular motions. Her skin was soft—softer than I realized—and I couldn’t help but think how delicate it was.

Wait. What? This… feels kind of inappropriate to describe. Damn it, I won’t give any more details from here on!

As I focused on demonstrating the proper way to wash, a mischievous giggle broke through my concentration.

"Onee-chan..." Irana said, her voice tinged with amusement.

I glanced at her suspiciously. "What is it?"

"I know how to wash my own body properly."

My hands froze mid-motion. "Wait… what?!"

Irana’s grin widened, and before I could react, she suddenly spun around and hugged me tightly, her smooth, bare skin pressing against mine.

"Onee-chan has fallen into my trap!" she declared triumphantly, her laughter echoing through the bathroom.

My face flushed as realization dawned. "Wait… then why—"

"Of course… for this!"

She giggled again, squeezing me tightly as if this entire scenario had been a game to her.

I groaned inwardly. Oh no… my little sister is toying with me again. I’ve been far too naive!

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Fuuuaaaa… That was refreshing. I’m still not used to it, but there’s something so refreshing about it. My body feels lighter, and more relaxed, like all the tension has been washed away.

What am I talking about? Oh, are you curious? Well… I won’t tell you! It’s a secret!!

After we were done bathing, Irana and I got dressed in our uniforms, the morning sun streaming through the windows as we prepared for breakfast.

“Sorry we took so long in the bathroom, Viola,” I said as we approached the table, guilt lacing my voice.

Viola looked up from her seat, shaking her head in response. "It’s fine. I didn’t wait that long," she said with her usual calm demeanour.

Just as I sat down, I turned to Irana, still determined to drive my earlier point home. “Irana, in the future, don’t be so rough when washing your skin. Remember to wash it gently, like this, okay?”

I mimicked the careful motions I’d shown her in the bath, emphasizing my words.

But before I could say more, a sudden commotion drew my attention.

“Vi… Viola!!” I exclaimed, wide-eyed. “Your nose is bleeding!! Are you okay?”

Viola froze, her hand flying up to her nose as her face turned an alarming shade of red.

Aaaah… I get it now. She overheard us in the bathroom. Oh no. Oh no! I’m not explaining this. Explaining it will only make things worse. I’ll just pretend I don’t know anything. Pretending to be a dense protagonist is helpful here.

As I glanced at Irana, she met my gaze with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Hoo hoo... did Viola hear what we were doing in the bathroom?" Irana said with a mischievous smile.

“I… I didn’t hear anything!!” Viola interjected, waving her hands frantically as if to erase any suspicion. “I swear I didn’t!”

I sighed, giving Irana a pointed look. “Alright, that’s enough, Irana.”

“Tch, Onii...nee-chan is boring,” she replied cheekily, her mischievous grin not fading in the slightest.

“Next time,” I added firmly, “don’t tease Viola like that.”

She laughed, leaning her head against my arm as if to feign innocence. “Of course, Onee-chan! No more teasing for Viola. Maybe…”

I groaned. This morning wasn’t turning out to be as relaxing as I’d hoped.