After the two upperclassmen left, Horikita entered the private room.
Her expression was neither good nor bad, but she looked like she was disappointed in him. "What exactly are you doing? Who told you to actually befriend them?"
He calmly picked up the glass of red wine on the table and took a sip. "We weren't going to get anything else out of that situation. They wouldn't tell us."
"Then get them drunk with wine! Do I have to repeat myself?"
"I think they're nice people. I didn't want to do that."
"Huh?"
Horikita stepped closer, her face clouding over. "If you like them that much, go cling to them, then."
"That's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?"
"Actually, I have an idea..."
So he told her about his plan to plant informants in the second-year classes.
After hearing him out, Horikita finally calmed down. "Aren't you worried they'll turn around and sell you out?"
"So what if they do? I haven't done anything. Besides, you're the one pulling the strings, right?"
"...That works."
He added, "Horikita, we didn't get any especially valuable information, but what she said just now about Class A and Class D—you..."
"Yeah, I know." Horikita's face had gone a little pale. "I'd sensed something over the last few days, though I didn't know why at first. Now I finally understand why students from other classes look at us that way."
"Horikita, I didn't know you cared what other people thought."
"If you hadn't told me at the start of the school year that there was something strange about this school, I wouldn't have paid any attention to them."
So this was what they called the butterfly effect. His warning had made Horikita more cautious ahead of time.
"If you're feeling down, want to have a drink with me?" Bai Ye patted the spot beside him, inviting her over.
"No need. I don't like drinking... Let's go back."
Seeing that Horikita really was in a bad mood, he didn't say anything more.
They parted at the elevator. He headed for his room, number 402.
As soon as he looked up, he saw Wang Meiyu waiting in the hallway.
When she spotted him, she ran over happily, called out, "Big Brother Bai Ye!" and threw herself at him, clinging to him.
He could only wrap his arms around her slender waist to keep her from falling.
Wang Meiyu rubbed against him in his arms, sniffed, then suddenly looked up. A hint of confusion shone in her bright eyes.
"Big Brother Bai Ye, why do you smell like perfume?"
"...Do I?"
"Could it be... a woman?"
He felt a pang of guilt, as if his wife had just caught him cheating.
He shook his head, driving the ridiculous thought from his mind.
If Wang Meiyu really were his girlfriend, that would be one thing. But she wasn't, so he had no reason to explain himself.
After all, she was just his little sister.
Still, looking into her misty eyes, he held back the urge to lecture her.
"Let's go inside, and I'll explain everything..."
Once they were in the room, he gave her a general rundown of what had happened.
Wang Meiyu listened, then asked in surprise, "Should I tell the other students in our class?"
She probably meant well and didn't want her classmates to suffer, but he still said, "And then what? Setting aside whether they'd believe you, what would you say if they asked where you got the information? Would you expose me?"
"...I'm sorry."
"It's fine. Let Horikita decide. I don't mind either way."
"Big Brother treats her so well," Wang Meiyu said, pouting with a hint of jealousy.
"Don't I treat you well? I even let you sleep in my bed. She doesn't get that privilege." Bai Ye gave her head an exasperated pat.
"Even so, Big Brother... if she wanted to sleep with you too, would you kick me out?"
Bai Ye smiled and stroked her little head. "Of course not. You're my little sister."
"Ehehe~" Wang Meiyu smiled happily, looking blissful.
But the next second, he added, "At most, I'd make you sleep on the floor. I wouldn't kick you out."
"Huh?"
Little Meiyu's smile froze. She stared at him with a faintly aggrieved look.
"What, you want the three of us to sleep together?"
"Big Brother, you're a pervert!"
"The person who climbs into my bed every night has no business calling someone else a pervert."
"..."
Wang Meiyu's little face flushed bright red. She couldn't manage a word.
He gave a small shake of his head. "Treasure this while you can. Once I get a girlfriend, you won't be able to sleep in my bed anymore."
"I see..." Wang Meiyu puffed out her cheeks, lost in thought. "Then when will you get a girlfriend, Big Brother?"
"I don't know."
It depended on when he managed to win Horikita Suzune over. He had no idea how long that would take.
"We'll talk about it when the time comes." Wang Meiyu patted her cheeks and rallied herself. "Let's go to sleep first... Oh, I haven't showered yet."
"Go ahead."
"Okay."
Wang Meiyu answered, but didn't move an inch. He couldn't help asking, "What's wrong?"
"Big Brother... um..." Wang Meiyu lowered her head, gripping the hem of her shirt and fidgeting with it. "Could you help me wash...?"
"???"
"Ah! I'm sorry! I'll go shower now. Bye!"
She squealed, grabbed her clothes, and dashed into the bathroom.
Bai Ye could only rub his head with a wry smile. "This little sister of mine is getting bolder and bolder..."
The next morning.
Bai Ye opened his eyes and looked down at the little cutie curled up in his arms, her whole body tucked against him. He let out a helpless sigh.
She'd been perfectly fine when they went to sleep, but by morning, she'd crawled back into his arms again.
And this was the third time.
He didn't dare scold her too harshly, or he'd be met with a pair of pitiful eyes.
The first time he'd scolded her, she'd cried, and it had taken him ages to comfort her. Since then, he'd never dared do it again.
This "little sister" of his must have been his nemesis in a past life, come back to get revenge.
He gently shifted her and set her aside, then climbed out from under the covers.
At the slightest movement, Wang Meiyu woke up.
She rubbed her sleepy eyes, then her face immediately lit up when she saw him.
"Up already, silly girl?"
"Big Brother... hug..."
She spread her arms, looking up at him expectantly with watery eyes.
With another sigh, he wrapped an arm around her waist, let her put her arms around his neck, and gently pulled her close.
At such close range, with the girl wearing only thin pajamas, her soft, alluring body pressed against his.
She said she didn't have much of a figure, but she was actually quite well-endowed—not flat at all.
He carried her into the bathroom and set her down. Wang Meiyu reluctantly pulled away from his arms, giving him another chance to feel her soft little body.
After they'd washed up, the two of them left the dormitory.
Since they didn't want anyone else to notice, they usually got up very early. Wang Meiyu said goodbye to him and returned to her own dorm.
He left the dorm building alone and took a stroll around campus.
Before you continue