[JJK] The Player Raises Me

(4) Fox Suguru's Cat Brother

There was always something strange in the house.

Whether it was the little brother who popped into existence without his mother getting pregnant, or the kitchen that was always fully stocked despite no one going to the grocery, it was all strange.

But, somehow, everytime Suguru was starting to feel suspicious, his attention would end up being redirected elsewhere, as though a higher being was forcing him not to think too much about it.

That was not to say that Suguru didn't think anything was amiss, because he did notice the strange things happening around him. He just didn't dwell too much into it.

Anyways, compared to the Cursed Spirits which brought death and bad luck everywhere they go, the strangeness in his home was ignorable.

"That would be ¥16,000, sir."

"Ah, yes, thanks." Suguru smiled politely as he pulled out his wallet.

...

"Eh?! Kusuke-kun won't be able to come home?!" Saiki Kuniharu, the father of the Saiki family exclaimed.

In the center of the Saiki house's living room, a giant screen took up an obnoxiously large space and projected the image of a young man with light blond hair wearing a lab coat.

"Yes, indeed." This was Saiki Kusuke, Saiki Kusuo's older brother who was currently studying in the UK. "Although it's unfortunate, I was asked to give a speech at the Future Tech Seminar in Germany which I am unable to decline."

Unlike Saiki Kusuo, who was born with psychic powers which separated him from the category of ordinary people since birth, Saiki Kusuke was a real genius whose kind was at the top 0.01% of humanity. Though, don't let his achievements fool you.

This guy was a bonafide masochist with the personality of a flaming trash can. To people other than his parents, atleast.

"Oh-hyu~" Saiki Kurumi, the Saiki brothers' mother, took out a handkerchief to wipe her eyes sadly. "Then, won't we be unable to see Kusuke until Summer?"

Kon-kon. The door was knocked on lightly.

From under the table, Shimizu, who was secretly eating candies, perked up and immediately crawled out. "Nii-san! It's nii-san!"

"Ah, that should be Suguru-kun! Kusuo, can you open the door?" Saiki Kuniharu called for his son as he comforted his teary wife.

"That's right. But, please don't worry." On the screen, the Saiki family's eldest son spoke, seeming to be typing something on a computer which wasn't shown on the image. "In order to compensate for breaking my promise to accompany you during the Spring Festival, I booked a fully paid trip to Osaka for you."

"Osaka?!" Both Saiki parents exclaimed in unison.

From the doorway, Suguru, following an expressionless Kusuo, finally arrived, and was immediately barreled into by a tiny blue rocket which started clinging on his leg before he realized what happened.

"Nii-san, you're late!" The little rocket spoke with puffed cheeks, pulling on his pants like an aggrieved kitten.

Looking down on such a cutie, Suguru couldn't help but playfully poke at the puffed cheeks with a relaxed smile. "Well, I'm back. Have you been good?"

"Hmph! Of course!" With his nose proudly lifted to the air, Shimizu boldly said so. "I am always good!"

Silently standing to the side, Kusuo gave no comment. "Yare-yare."

"There are five tickets in total so Shimizu-chan can come with his rat- I mean, brother too." Upon hearing his name being called, Shimizu reluctantly set his attention back to the big screen in the living room, causing his own older brother to finally notice it too.