Conquering Villains and Capturing Targets Is Harder in Real Life than in Games

35: Would you do something like this with your brother?

Despite the two older girls' kind helping intentions, as lower-rung employees, there wasn't much information they could access in the store's system. Thus, when Shizuka and Madoka finally left Teasers, all they had learned about the culprit was exactly two things. Firstly, the culprit had paid for the order sent to their school online at 3:02 pm, with a credit card, and secondly, the culprit might've had a letter "T" in their initials.

On their walk to the subway station, Shizuka quietly mused, "T...What could the numbers 105 and the initial T have in correlation?" Is it Mikoshiba Touko, after all? She's the only T that I can think of at the top of my head.

"Madoka, what do you think?" Shizuka turned towards Madoka who had been giving off a dark and brooding vibes since earlier.

Madoka's eyes met hers for a second before he turned away. "I'm not sure what to think, i-mou-to-chan."

He's still mad over the fact that I introduced him as my brother, huh?

"Aw c'mon, Madoka, don't be mad at me for that," wheedled Shizuka as she cutely clung onto his arm. "The situation called for it! You're nothing like a brother to me!" At most you'd be like a second mother.

Madoka shook Shizuka off with a sulky expression on his face. "Tch, can your explanation can even be trusted at this point?" Striding off ahead he added, "Lying is a strength of yours, after all."

Shizuka sighed inwardly before jogging over to catch up with him. "It was obvious that those onee-chans would be more likely to assist us if they knew you were single! They clearly took a liking to you, after all!"

"Then why didn't you say we were just friends?"

"I couldn't!" protested Shizuka. "Physically, we look too well-matched for anyone to believe that. That's why I made up that sibling nonsense on the spot."

"Hmm.."

"Think about it, if I had really thought of you as my brother, I'd have introduced myself as your onee-chan since if we went by date of birth, I'm older!"

Shizuka paused as she entertained this thought. "Actually, if I had been born just a couple of days earlier, I'd be an entire grade ahead. Then, I'd definitely be your senpai and your onee-chan."

Shizuka grinned playfully as she began to poke Madoka's cheek. "Try saying it, Madoka. Shizuka-senpai~~ Shizuka onee-chan~~ Come on try it, my cute otouto~"

Suddenly, Madoka grabbed Shizuka's hand that had been poking him and held onto it as he pierced her with a smoldering gaze.

Shizuka froze.

In a low voice he declared, "From now on the words "onii-chan", "onee-chan" and "otouto" are interdicted between the two of us. Whether it's as someone older or someone younger, I forbid you from treating me like your brother."

"You forbid it...?"

Madoka moved closer to Shizuka and lightly rubbed her bottom lip with his thumb. "That's right. I forbid it."

After he finished speaking, he leaned in closer to Shizuka, so close that the tips of their noses were almost touching.

What is happening right now?!?!?!?!?! WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?!!!!!

Shizuka's heart pounded as Madoka's impossibly beautiful lips inched closer to her own.

In a captivating voice she heard him say, "Would you do something like this with your brother?"

Shizuka involuntarily squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself for impact. However, the anticipated impact never occurred.

After a long moment, Shizuka hesitantly lifted her eyes open and saw that Madoka had already backed away and was regarding her with an amused expression. "What are you doing standing there blankly with your eyes closed in the middle of the street, Shizuka?"