Don't Say Any More

Gradually, Fubuki and Runo began chatting about Baicang.

Fubuki wanted to learn more about Baicang, while Runo showed off how wonderful her big brother was like a little girl.

Perhaps Fubuki saw something of her former self in Runo's eyes, or perhaps Runo's little stories about her and Baicang reminded her of something.

Fubuki also began telling stories about a certain "friend" of hers and her older sister.

For a while, the two exchanged stories about their lives like real sisters.

When Baicang came out wearing an apron and carrying a plate, he saw the two sitting together on the tatami, as close as could be.

"Did something happen?"

What's going on? Why has this started here too?

"Okay, coming!" Runo, who had been telling Fubuki about Baicang's embarrassing past, ducked her head in fright, then stood and looked at Fubuki beside her.

Runo didn't know why she was having so much fun chatting with Fubuki either. Perhaps it was the trace of envy and loneliness she saw in Fubuki's eyes when she talked about the things she and her brother had done together.

It was the same look she had worn before meeting Baicang at the Orphanage, when she gazed out the window at children her age with their families beside them.

Fubuki stood with a smile and looked at Runo beside her as well.

Both of them found themselves thinking the same thing. She's so much like the old me~

Watching the two gaze affectionately at each other, Baicang said rather helplessly, "Ladies, if you don't come over soon, the food will get cold."

At the dining table, Runo picked up food for Fubuki, and Fubuki smiled as she placed a piece of fish in Runo's bowl. Baicang felt a little glum, as though he had fallen out of favor.

"Fubuki, did you hypnotize Runo while I was gone?"

No matter how hard Baicang thought, he couldn't figure out what had happened to turn them into such close friends so quickly.

"You get some too, big brother~" Runo said in exasperation, placing a piece of meat in his bowl as well.

Baicang nodded in satisfaction. That was more like it.

Fubuki gained a whole new understanding of just how shameless Baicang was. Bang had praised him so highly, and yet he was the sort of person who got jealous over his little sister?

"Why did you turn down Silver Fang, Bang? He's ranked third in S-Class. With his guidance, your strength should improve tremendously, shouldn't it?"

Even now, Fubuki couldn't understand why Baicang had turned Bang down. To her, it made no sense at all.

"It's nothing, really. I don't like hardship, so I don't want to practice martial arts."

Baicang looked utterly unconcerned as he tossed out an excuse.

Fubuki narrowed her eyes at him, clearly unconvinced, but didn't press the matter.

Baicang had actually considered the matter himself, but martial arts weren't something he could learn overnight. Since Vaccine Man had already appeared, it probably wouldn't be long before Boros, the overlord of the universe, descended upon Earth.

He didn't have time to slowly learn martial arts under Bang. Unlike Saitama, Bang wouldn't leave Baicang to his own devices.

Once he became Bang's disciple, strict instruction would await him. He would probably have to spend every day grunting and shouting through drills!

Asking Bang for advice on combat now and then was fine, but becoming his disciple was out of the question.

Besides, he had discovered that his body wasn't as simple as he had thought. Were his steadily growing strength and his refreshing psychic powers really just perks of being a transmigrator?

He had too many questions.

"Oh, right. I saw that you listed yourself as an esper when you applied for the hero assessment. What's your ability?"

Fubuki asked another question she was very curious about. There were only a handful of espers in the Hero Association. Aside from her and her sister Tatsumaki, there seemed to be only one or two others.

I don't want to answer this painful question...

Seeing Baicang's expression suddenly turn sour, Fubuki wondered what she had said wrong.

"Big brother, you have psychic powers!" Runo trembled, staring at Baicang in shock.

"Yeah. What's wrong?"

Baicang looked at Runo in surprise as well, unsure why she had reacted so strongly.

"N-nothing."

Runo forced herself to stay calm. Realizing how exaggerated her reaction had been, she pressed her lips together and said, "I'm just a little curious. What are your psychic powers, big brother...?"

Can we not talk about this? Let's move on to the next question.

With both Fubuki and Runo looking at him, Baicang truly couldn't bring himself to say it. He could only tell them it was a secret he couldn't casually share.

At that, Runo pouted and glared at Baicang, puffing out her cheeks. She stopped putting food in his bowl, too.

Baicang could only give a couple of awkward chuckles and shrug helplessly.

Resting her cheek on one hand, Fubuki watched the siblings with interest, a faint smile on her lips.

She remembered how, long ago, when her sister Tatsumaki was still at home, they had often played and roughhoused together. Whenever Fubuki got sulky, Tatsumaki would smile without saying anything and simply watch her quietly.

But after Tatsumaki disappeared for a while, she never smiled again when she returned, nor did she spend time with Fubuki anymore. Once they grew up, everything changed even more.

At that thought, the softness in Fubuki's eyes turned cold and sharp.

After dinner.

Fubuki received an urgent message from Lily and decided to leave first. Before going, she told Runo she would come visit whenever she had time.

Once she stepped outside, the smile Fubuki had worn while chatting with Runo vanished, replaced by her usual arrogance and indifference.

She had lost her composure a little at Baicang's home. Remembering her childhood had left her somewhat dazed.

Baicang was a pawn she intended to use against her sister Tatsumaki. To control him better, she needed to learn everything she could about him. Now, his little sister seemed like a good option.

As for those childhood memories... she couldn't return to the past, could she?

Now, all she wanted was to prove to everyone that she was stronger than her sister Tatsumaki. She refused to live in her shadow for the rest of her life.

She, Hellish Fubuki, could do more than Tatsumaki, and do it better!

Baicang rested at home for a while, then prepared to visit a branch of the Hero Association.

Only now did he realize that he didn't carry any weapons at all. In the past, he had only picked on enemies weaker than himself, restraining them directly with his psychic powers before going over and pummeling them with his fists. He hadn't needed anything else.

When he encountered the Sunflower Monster today, his fists couldn't even break through its defenses. He had to pick up a steel reinforcing bar from the ground and fly up to stab it, which was both dangerous and embarrassing.

Mizuki's medals could transform into weapons, and Baicang had been terribly envious. He planned to get some high-tech gear from the Hero Association to protect himself.

There was also the matter of transportation. Just thinking about it made Baicang furious!

He had parked the Pink Tank by the roadside and taken Mizuki's car to D City. When he came back to find Fenfen, lo and behold, its battery was gone! Baicang had been so furious that he knocked down a nearby tree on the spot.

Now he had no choice but to buy a new one.

As for a combat outfit, Baicang planned to find Saitama and ask where the shopkeeper who had made his clothes was now, so he could have one made for himself too.

Saitama had fought so many monsters, yet his outfit had barely suffered any damage. Quality like that was an absolute steal.