The Tyrant

I: The Deck

"H- Hello!" A blonde girl said as she stood in front of a married couple, a sheepish smile on the face of the light brunette girl standing beside her. "It's nice to meet you! I- I am Asia Argento, and I'll be living here starting today! Pleased to make your acquaintance!"

"Oh, a cute young foreigner!" The man laughed lightly. "She's so cute! A foreign exchange student from Italy, staying with us! It's like having a second daughter!"

"You're right, dear," the mother said with a smile. "Asia, do feel free to call me mother, okay?"

"Eh? I- I couldn't-!"

"Nonsense!" She dismissed it. "I insist, call me mother! I've always wanted another daughter, you're the closest thing I'll likely ever get to it!"

"Mom!" The daughter exclaimed. "Could you not embarrass Asia like that?"

"Ara, so protective," she grinned a little. "Is this girl important to you, Rei?"

"Eh?" The now named Rei blushed. "She- she's..."

"R- Rei-san is my first friend!" Asia said, making the occupants of the house look at her. "I- I never had any friends growing up. I was always alone... But then I met Rei-san! And she was so kind to me, she treated me like family! S- So I'm honoured to be staying in this house, and living with her!"

The blonde bowed. "Please take care of me! Mother, Father!"

"Oh!" The father cheered. "You're too sweet, Asia-Chan! You are more than welcome in this house, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise, you hear!? A second daughter, I never thought the day would come!"

"Ara," the mother blushed, putting a hand on her cheek. "If you say something like that, how can we refuse? Of course, we'll take care of you Asia-Chan!"

"Thank you very much!" Asia said.

"Jeez, you two are so embarrassing," Rei mumbled, scratching her cheek with a light smile.

From an outside perspective, the Hyoudou Family was a happy one.

... Save for one dark spot.

My name is Issei Hyoudou, an outcast in my own family.

Am I a troubled kid?

Yeah, that's putting it lightly.

For a long time, I've been an outcast not just in my family, but in the town, I live in.

You see, my sister is everything I'm not. She's popular, she's smart, she's approachable, she's likeable and, loathe as I am to admit it, she's very attractive.

I, on the other hand, am not those things. I'm an open pervert, which means everyone hates me. I'm average in looks, average in knowledge, unapproachable due to my perverse nature...

Not that anyone approached me in the first place.

My sister, Rei, hated me. I didn't know why or what I'd done to deserve her hatred or ire. All I knew was that my sister detested me, loathed me with a fierce passion that couldn't be described. And so, she spread false rumours about me.

Rumours about how I peeked on girls in locker rooms, stole their clothes, rumours about how I was essentially a borderline rapist just waiting to happen.

At one point, the police got involved due to the spread of rumours, but there was such a lack of evidence- of course there was, I hadn't done anything bad- that they had to drop it. Of course, the damage was done and everything believed I was guilty and had gotten off on a technicality.

My parents believed everything my sister told them, and believed I was a good for nothing pervert in exchange. They preferred to dote on Rei and have nothing at all to do with me at all, taking their 'perfect' daughter's word as gospel.