Chapter 1

On the eve of his enrollment, Yuan Yuyuan was having a private conversation with his father. "Yuyuan, you'll be going to Advanced Nurturing High School tomorrow. I probably won't see you for the next three years. Make sure you listen to Uncle Sakayanagi while you're there. In three years, I'll personally come to the school gates to welcome you home and celebrate your return."

"...Yes, Father. Is there anything else you need to tell me?" Yuan Yuyuan looked at his father, who was trying his best to appear sad but couldn't hide his delight. He didn't know what to make of it.

"Don't look so glum. You've been entrusted with scouting ahead and protecting Yuye. If I were a few decades younger, do you think you'd have gotten such a good opportunity?" His father paid no heed to his eldest son's displeasure, voicing his shamelessly doting-on-his-daughter sentiments without a hint of embarrassment.

He really was an adult, all right. He could ignore someone else's discomfort with a perfectly straight face, then impose his own preferences on his son as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Was this some unusual way of hoping his son would become a success?

Though he thought all this, Yuan Yuyuan didn't dare question his father. Instead, he solemnly promised, "Yes, Father. I guarantee I'll complete the mission perfectly. I won't let anyone bully Yuye after she enrolls."

Only then did the man smile with satisfaction for the first time, patting Yuan Yuyuan on the shoulder. "Good. Protecting your little sister is your foremost duty as her big brother. You must carry this mission with you all the way to your grave."

"Yes, Father. Then I'll go back to my room and get ready."

Was this man to be pitied? He held a high position, yet he was nothing but a daughter-doting fool. The only reason he was sending his only son to Advanced Nurturing High School was that his daughter had suddenly decided she might apply there in the future. He wanted his daughter to have an older brother at the school who could look after her once she enrolled. Would a father like this really let his son inherit the family business?

A bead of cold sweat slid down Yuan Yuyuan's forehead at the thought. That man would probably hand everything he owned over to his daughter. The daughter-doting type really was something else—

"Go on, go on. Sending you to Advanced Nurturing High School was a last-minute decision. Sakayanagi let a few things slip before, so don't disappoint me." With that, the man waved his son away impatiently, as if he were some kind of filthy thing.

"'The daughter-doting type,' huh? Where did you even come from? You're destined to live a rather unsuccessful life. Did you realize I was a boy when I was born and consider strangling me?" After closing the door, the person standing outside gestured wildly as he grumbled and pointed accusingly at the room. When he got to that last thought, the corner of his mouth twitched.

"Haha, what a cold joke. I'd better go warm up in my room."

"Brother, what did Father say to you?" On his way back, Yuan Yuyuan spotted his little sister, Yuan Yuye, sneaking around in front of her own room.

Wait, could he really call their behavior the same? He'd been right outside the head of the family's room, raging at him for discriminating against men just because he was a daughter-doting fool, and posing the profound question: "When will men truly stand up?"

"Why are you giving your own little sister that creepy smile, Brother? What kind of pervert are you?"

"You know it couldn't possibly be anything like that. I was just happy thinking that when my precious little sister enrolls next year, she'll get to see her big brother being a force to be reckoned with."

Yuan Yuyuan quickly put away his creepy grin after his sister caught him, smoothly fooling his innocent little sister.

"Really? But would thinking about that make you smile like that?"

"Of course. Anyway, Yuye, did you come to see me about something? Please feel free to entrust everything to me, your big brother, just like Father does!"

Yuan Yuye frowned and looked at him suspiciously, so Yuan Yuyuan quickly tried to change the subject by playing the victim.

"Yuye came to cheer you on, Brother. You have to become a dependable upperclassman next year! (??????)??"

"Of course. I'll protect you once you enroll, too."

"But are you sure it's okay? You don't even need to go to school, but I couldn't talk Father out of it once he'd made up his mind."

"How could it not be? You're my only little sister, Yuye. Striving for your sake is the greatest honor I have as your big brother."

Boo-hoo-hoo. His adorable little sister was still so young. There was no way that daughter-doting fool would listen to her—or rather, he was probably eager to send Yuan Yuyuan away. After all, he was just an insignificant son, and keeping him at home would only waste food.

"All right, it's getting late. Yuye should go to bed, too. I'll head back to my room and collect myself. After all, I won't get to see my adorable little Yuye for an entire year."

"Okay. Make sure you go to bed early, Brother. Good night."

"Good night, Yuye."

Only after seeing Yuan Yuye off did Yuan Yuyuan stand there and sigh.

"Sigh. My little sister is so adorable, yet our parents treat their son like a piece of trash. What were they thinking when they raised me?"

Chapter 2 ### Though he was on fairly close terms with the Sakayanagi Family, Yuan Yuyuan's knowledge was limited to the fact that Class A enjoyed special privileges and that Class Points determined the class rankings. He had no idea how to earn Class Points.

He'd turned down the butler's offer of a ride in a luxury car. Now, as Yuan Yuyuan rode the bus to Advanced Nurturing High School, he watched the pretty girl sitting beside him, with her long strawberry-blond hair and her ample assets, and suddenly realized school wasn't all about fighting!

Speaking of the butler's offer, he had to mention that his parents hadn't even considered seeing their son off on the day he started school. The only ones who'd come to the door to send him off were the butler and his little sister. What devoted parents they were.

"I guess I must have caught some kind of misfortune, and that's why I'm doomed to a miserable old age," Yuan Yuyuan muttered under his breath as he thought about his tragic life.

"Why do you say that? Did something upsetting happen?"

"Huh? No, it's nothing. Please don't worry about it." Yuan Yuyuan hadn't expected the girl beside him to suddenly speak up, and he was flustered. He could only deny it three times.

"Um, classmate..."

"I'm Ichinose Honami from Class 1-B. You can call me Ichinose or Honami. It's nice to meet you."

Ichinose introduced herself with a bright smile. Yuan Yuyuan looked at her, and it seemed as if she had a pair of wings growing from her back. This girl really was so kind.

"Yes, I'm Yuan Yuyuan, also from Class 1-B. It's nice to meet you."

"Mm-hmm. We're classmates, then. Is something bothering you, Yuyuan?" Ichinose tilted her head cutely. "If you don't mind, tell me about it. Talking about it might make you feel better."

She was saying something so considerate to someone she'd only just met. This girl really had to be an angel!

"It's just that my parents won't see me for three years, but they didn't even say goodbye before heading straight back to the office. It's nothing important."

"I see. You seem used to it, Yuyuan. Could it be that your parents... I'm sorry, that was out of line."