Playtime Paradox

Lyrasia was having a tough time adjusting to her new life—especially when it came to her so-called "little sister." Ever since Felix had brought her home, Lyrasia couldn't shake the suspicion that something was very, very off about this child. She was too perfect, too cute, too... mysterious. It was as if the universe itself had crafted the perfect little sister to haunt her every waking moment.

The worst part? Every time Lyrasia tried to act tough, the little girl would either laugh it off or give her the most innocent look, complete with a wink that could only mean one thing: she knew something Lyrasia didn't.

"I'm telling you, you're not fooling me, you little trickster," Lyrasia said, narrowing her eyes at the girl, who was busy playing with her doll like the picture of innocence.

The little girl, who couldn't have been older than five, looked up with a mischievous smile, her large eyes glimmering with hidden knowledge. "I'm just a baby! How could I trick anyone?" she replied with an exaggerated, saccharine sweetness that made Lyrasia's eye twitch.

"You're just so scary, big sister," she teased, and before Lyrasia could respond, the little girl bounded over to her and wrapped her tiny arms around her waist, hugging her tightly. It was the kind of clingy, heart-melting hug that made Lyrasia's brain go haywire.

"Stop that! You're not fooling anyone!" Lyrasia snapped, feeling an overwhelming sense of discomfort as the child refused to let go, clinging to her like a koala. The weight of the hug was a mix of odd affection and strange unease.

It was then that Lyrasia's system dinged with a new mission.

System Notification:

Objective: Playtime with New Sister.

Lyrasia blinked. Her jaw dropped in exasperation. "Seriously? Playtime? This is the kind of mission you're giving me? PLAYTIME?!" Her voice hit an incredulous note, but the system was nothing if not relentless. And, of course, there was no escaping it—if she didn't do it, well... something bad might happen. Probably.

The little sister's face lit up in pure joy. "Yay, playtime!" she squealed, oblivious to Lyrasia's internal struggle. She grabbed Lyrasia's hand and pulled her toward the playroom, all while bouncing around with the kind of energy only a child on a sugar high could muster. "We're going to have so much fun, big sis!"

Lyrasia's head was already throbbing with the impending doom of this mission. This was going to be a disaster, wasn't it?

The first activity of the day was a game of hide and seek. Lyrasia figured this was her chance to finally outsmart the little girl. After all, how could someone as obviously innocent as this child ever win against her superior wit and strategy? She made it her mission to hide in the most ridiculous, complex places. Behind curtains? Check. In the closet? Check. Under the table? Check. She even crawled inside a cupboard—that was dedication.

When she was finally hidden, she waited. And waited. And waited.

The little girl came trotting into the room, looking around. Lyrasia grinned, already mentally calculating the number of times she'd be able to say "I told you so." But then...

The little girl's eyes locked onto her from the doorway, her grin widening. "You're sooo scary, big sis! I couldn't even tell you were there!" she said, making it clear that she'd known where Lyrasia was the entire time.

Lyrasia's eye twitched. "How did you even—" She couldn't even finish the sentence before the little sister was back in front of her, wrapping her arms around her again. "You hid so good, big sis, but I'm too smart for you!"

Lyrasia was completely flabbergasted.

Next came "tea time," a game that was supposed to be simple and elegant. Tea, sandwiches, maybe some polite conversation, right? Wrong.

Lyrasia, who was completely useless in the kitchen, had to figure out what she could offer for tea. She found a random cup, filled it with water, and grabbed some crackers, pretending it was all part of the "tea experience." Her pride, however, could not prepare her for what came next.

The little sister took her seat, acting like this was the grandest banquet to ever grace the world. She clapped her hands with delight. "Ooooh, I love tea! Thank you so much, big sis!" The way she said it made it sound like Lyrasia had just cooked a Michelin-starred meal for the Queen herself.

"Oh, it's no problem," Lyrasia muttered, setting the cup of water down and reaching for a cracker. The whole situation was beyond absurd, but she couldn't help but crack a small smile at the little girl's enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, the little sister just wouldn't stop showering her with affection. "Big sis is the best! You're so smart, and so pretty, and so kind!" She rested her tiny head on Lyrasia's shoulder, completely oblivious to the awkwardness of the situation.

Lyrasia, overwhelmed and completely done with the situation, tried to escape. "Alright, that's enough! You've had your tea. Go play with your toys or something!"

But the little girl wasn't having it. She latched onto Lyrasia's arm like a koala again. "Big sis, stay with me forever! Please, please, please!"

Lyrasia could feel herself cracking. She tried to maintain some distance, but something about the little girl's relentless clinginess made her want to just... give in. She was cute, wasn't she? Ugh. Why was this so difficult?

"Alright, alright," Lyrasia grumbled, "I'll stay for a little longer..."

But the mission wasn't over yet.

"You know," the little girl said after a long pause, "You're not as scary as you look, big sis. I think I like you."

Lyrasia could barely keep a straight face. "I'm not scary at all!"

The little girl just winked, an exaggerated, innocent wink that sent a shiver down Lyrasia's spine. "You'll never know, big sis. You'll never know."

By the end of the playtime, Lyrasia was exhausted. But, strangely enough, she felt... good? There was a warmth in her chest, something she hadn't expected. She couldn't deny it—she had enjoyed herself, just a little bit. Even though she'd been thoroughly tricked, emotionally manipulated, and bombarded with affection, she kind of... liked it?

Lyrasia sighed, rubbing her temples. "This little gremlin is going to be the end of me…"

But deep down, she knew—she was getting attached. And that thought alone was terrifying.