Vampire Princess & the Otaku Queen 1

When I returned home I found Naruko waiting in the entryway. She was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. Did I do something to piss her off?

"Come with me."

"Why?" I asked. Naruko continued to glance at me from the corner of her eye.

"Life counseling. Part two," she muttered this thickly.

I know what she wanted to say, but why does she have to say it with such frank hostility? Is that really the proper attitude of someone asking someone else for advice?

"Part two, you say… ?"

"J-Just come." Without even letting me properly take off my shoes, Naruko began pulling at my sleeve. I might be overreacting, but her inability to actually directly take my hand is a bit irritating.

"Geez, as always there's probably no point in arguing, is there…" Being friendly, I didn't try to fight against Naruko's threatening attitude, and limply went up the stairs.

I was forcibly taken to my sister's room. As always, the room emitted a sweet smell. Incidentally, whenever I went to Erza's room, I could always smell nothing other than incense. That's so like a grandmother, isn't it? Well, to each his own.

Naruko, who entered the room first, pulled out a chair in front of her PC, and beckoned me over with her index finger. What the hell is she trying to say? Was this not an advice session? Not knowing what my sister really wanted, I was bewildered.

"Sit here."

"Alright."

Naruko came to my side, and leaned one hand on the table, putting her weight on it. Naruko turned on her computer, and I soon found myself looking at the Windows startup screen. Soon, that screen was gone, and replaced by the desktop screen. A number of cat-eared girls relaxing in a living room adorned Naruko's desktop one corner of that cute desktop, there was an icon of a deformed cat peeking out from behind a wastebasket. There was a calendar in the upper left. In the upper portion, there was a messenger window open that was shaped like an oblong set of cat ears. Browser and other icons were also lined up in an organized way.

"You're really into this stuff, aren't you?"

"Sure. I changed the skin, and used a cute launcher to dress everything up. It's pretty basic stuff, isn't it?" She let out a proud laugh.

Using a launcher and skin to dress something up? What the hell. Why is she using all these technical terms? There wasn't a single thing she said that I understood, but I think all she means is that she customized her desktop. Really, this type of showing off was pretty consistent with both her sides, as an otaku and as a famous girl in high school.

"Well? What's the point of showing me this?"

"I'm shocked. You still don't know?"

"As if I could know!"

From right beside me, Naruko gave me a scornful look. Taking the computer mouse, she spoke, "It's the game, the game. We're going to play it together."

"Wha—? That ero game… you mean, you and me? Together? you want to play an ero game with your brother?"

"Y-Yeah," she answered without looking at me. She probably became a bit self-conscious that she was saying some pretty weird things, so this was hard for her to say.

Honestly, I don't know at all. Why do I, a guy who isn't even that friendly with his sister, have to stand here and play a game with her? Whether this was a competitive game or not, I was getting an unpleasant feeling about it…

Maybe she realized how puzzled I was, but Naruko tried to smooth things over.

"You said it yourself, didn't you? That you would help me as much as you could, or something… "

"Well, I meant that I would give you my advice whenever you have a trouble with your hobby… I thought that was the main point, why do I have to play this game so suddenly?"

"I-it's necessary! It's okay, so come on, hold this."

I was forcibly given the mouse by Naruko. She was covering my own hand with hers, manipulating the mouse. She maneuvered it to the icon in the corner and double clicked.

Man, she's suddenly so tense… where was the usual cool attitude that she usually had? If I thought about it, maybe this was her real personality. She became so animated when she was doing this stuff. I only recently came to understand this though, and normally she blends into her surroundings and feigns innocence.

Cooling down, she casually looked at me with a cynical glint, slightly defiant. Wearing the latest clothing, talking about the latest gossip, going out with her friends to do karaoke or whatever… she was embodiment of the "trendy high school girl" do people say that anymore, or is just me? Whether that was a good lifestyle or not, I wasn't really in a position to judge. But seriously, Naruko… regardless of all that, don't you want to play these kind of games alone?

"What are you staring at?"

"Nothing."

Oh well, I guess there's no helping it. I'll hang out with her for a bit, I guess.

Exuding the spirit of a big brother, I watched as the game booted up and displayed on the screen.

Ping!

A lively title screen showed up, and I was greeted by the voices of young girls.

"Little Sister Maker EX! Voluuume Four! Welcome home, Onii-chan! Let's love each other!"

"NARUKO! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TRYING TO GET ME TO DO?!"

"K-Keep your voice quiet, idiot!"

I should get out of here. I should get out of here right away. I should have known when she led me to into her room instead of into the living room to play. This damn girl, where in the world is there a brother who would play games like this with his sister? Am I a pervert or something?!

"You probably already knooow, buuut… Onii-chan? All the little sisters who appear in this game… they're all eighteen or older, okaaaaaay?"

Eighteen my ass. Rubbing my temples to dull my headache, I turned to Naruko.

"Y-You… "

"Don't get so close."

Her words stabbed me like a poisoned knife. I wanted to say something, but seeing her face darken, I stopped in my tracks.

"Hey… what's wrong?"

"As I thought, you're making fun of me."

"Huh? What?"

"I guess you're all talk. You think it's a bad thing and you haven't even tried it… you say sweet things, but in your heart you think I'm weird… " She glared at me, obviously annoyed.

"No no, it's not like that… " I gloomily played with the head of the mouse in my hand. "I'm not making fun of you. Playing this kind of stuff in front of you just makes me feel awkward. You understand, don't you? You know, this isn't exactly the same as two people watching a kissing scene in a movie in the living room, right?"

"What the hell does that mean? I have no idea what you're talking about."

Could it be… that she really has no idea what I mean? Or rather, did I say something awkward? No, but I definitely had a point. Pointing to the screen, I spoke.

"I don't know the particulars, but in this game, you probably get close to a virtual little sister, and then do this and that, right? And what's more, it's a game for guys above 18, right? So I mean, the natural conclusion is that during the story's climax, certain things would happen… " While Naruko put on an angry expression, I started up again. "You… watching those kinds of scenes with me, you don't think anything of it?"

"Ah!" having finally realized what I was insinuating, Naruko's face flushed a brilliant red. "F-For me, I mean… I didn't realize what you meant before… don't say pointless things. And, the way you put it, you make me sound like some pervert."

Ah, I see, I know my mistake now. She's not playing these games because they're 18, or because they include those kinds of scenes. When she says that she loves little sister characters, she doesn't really mean anything perverted by that.

Well, that should have been obvious, considering she's a girl… for now, that was my conclusion.

"Okay… I understand now, Naruko. I think I know where you're coming from now. Let's talk now, okay? It's alright… that is—"

"Click the screen, but gently, won't you?"

"Shut up Idiot! Don't interrupt at bad times!"

Geez, I'm yelling at a computer screen. I must be going crazy. This isn't good… I have to calm down.

"Hey, don't bully Orange-chan!"

"You also, return to the real world. It's just a drawing."

"Don't call her a drawing!"

What are you shouting for? Ahh, dammit. What the hell. What should I do? Someone tell me. Man, this is getting out of hand… I exhaustedly collected myself, and tried to explain myself.

"It was my bad. I spoke without really knowing the situation. I'm not trying to say that what you're doing is bad, or trying to make fun of you, not in the slightest. That is the definite truth. Please believe me."

Pursing her lips, Naruko looked at me with tear-filled eyes.

"But… I think this game is a bit too high of a hurdle for me right now. See, I'm still underage. I'm not trying to make fun of you, but playing this is impossible for me… I mean, do you see what I'm saying? I mean, this is probably a really interesting game, right? It's a game you recommended to me, right? That I understand all too well. So, I'm sticking my neck out here and asking you to please let me go this time. I know you're reluctant to, but I mean, playing this 18 game not alone, but with my little sister next to me… unfortunately I just don't have the courage for that."

"Coward." My sister threw that scornful word at me.

You can get through this… you can get through this, Haruto! If I stop now, things will just get much more complicated.

Naruko gave a huge sigh. Hey, hey, I'm the one who should be sighing here.

Naruko began talking as if nothing had happened. "Well… let's make it homework then."

"Homework?"

"Yes. After all, you don't want to play this next to me, right? So, let's call it homework. I'll lend you my laptop along with everything, and you can play the game by next week."

If I refuse her now, she'll get angry again and think I'm making fun of her, won't she? Feeling my cheeks cramping, I knew that in the end, I couldn't resist the oppressive aggression of my sister.

"Alright… So should I play this then? I should… play this?"

"Yes, exactly." Naruko moved the mouse with a triumphant look.

When she clicked to exit the application, the girl who was on the title screen, she must have been only two heads tall appeared again, and quickly bowed. Waving her hands energetically, she said a sorrowful goodbye.

"Onii-chan. Promise you'll come back to play, okay? Bai-baiii." Orange-chan said with her cute voice

"Yeah, yeah… bai-bai… " You're quite something, aren't you? It's not like my sister has ever once called out to me like that.