The Seventh Case

Chapter 5

"My apologies, Aniki?", Kazuto questioned Kouichirou with slit eyes, hoping his ears had betrayed him. Kouichirou stared at him with a childlike expression before his usual smile returned.

"Was I unclear?", he grumbled softly, helping Suguha back up. The information was obviously far too overwhelming for the 17 year old girl which resulted in her comical collapse.

"N...N...N...No", Suguha stated waving her hands all over, shaking her head so fast Kazuto was afraid her head might slip out of the socket of her neck.

"Why?", he whined dragging the last syllable and Suguha avoided his eyes. Yuuki Kouichirou was extremely handsome, and an aura of joy almost always seemed to be around him. He was kind to her, they tried to play pranks on her brother - all of which failed in legendary levels. She had a major crush on him - she would not deny that, and perhaps the idea of marrying him was not off the cards. But at her age? She was not even of legal age!

"If you want to do so, I have many conditions", her brother stated and Suguha shot him a surprised glance. She dragged his cuffs shifting his focus towards herself.

"W..What are you saying, Nii-sama?", she growled and as usual, she expected to receive the same response - "It is for your own good".

Thankfully, it was different - at least in the term of words.

"Aniki would be a good match for you, and it would be some sort of a shield. A message to the other men saying that you have been spoken for - that would take a huge chunk of my plate", he explained patting her head, and Suguha stubbornly stomped her foot on the ground.

"But...But..."

"It is just a formality, is it not? I am pretty sure he does not want to steal my little sister away from me already", he continued with a gentle smile which unsurprisingly melted her heart. Her brother's eyes expression suddenly grew dark. "Does he?"

"Well, well, is that the way you are supposed to look at your big brother, Kazucchi?", Kouichirou responded with a similar facial expression, and Suguha butted in between them, to avoid an unnecessary altercation.

The two of them surprisingly broke into smiles and Kouichirou turned back.

"See you soon, Kazucchi and you as well, Sugu-chan", he waved and walked away from them. The siblings stood staring at his retreating form.

"We should head back. Whenever he had that look, I do NOT trust that man. I guess he has another ace up his sleeve", Kazuto mumbled and smiled at his blushing sister.

"What just happened?", she groaned, clutching the sides of her head as she plodded away with her brother.

Later

Kazuto was not one to spend a lot of time dressing up. He decided to spend the rest of the time training in his grandfather's dojo.

"Do I...Do I look good?", Suguha squeaked through the door, as she wore a traditional yukata. Kazuto stared at her for a few moments and chuckled softly. Suguha puffed her cheeks and looked away.

"I am sorry, Sugu. You look nice. Aniki might be surprised", he stated with a smile before continuing his meditation. Suguha was mildly satisfied with her brother's expression but at the same time, remembered his words.

"I will be training, Sugu. Do not disturb me. I will come and meet them when I am done with my training and after I have a bath"

His words were always short - almost reserved. A part of her was afraid the HIGHLY respected and recognised Yuuki family might leave assuming her brother was arrogant and condescending.