Chapter 44. A Date? (8/13)

“Go away, sis. Please leave me alone.” To no one’s surprise, it was no doubt her little brother’s voice.

Seeing how uncooperative he was, I took a more underhanded approach to get him to open the door. I spoke out the following lie in a solemn tone filled with authority, “This is an emergency. Your sister was hit by a car out front on her way home. Her condition is unstable, reaching critical levels, and an ambulance is currently on route to bring her to the hospital.”

I heard frantic steps from behind the door. A boy with short blond hair, who I could only imagine was in his first year of middle school with his height a foot shorter than me, suddenly flung the door open wide with insuppressible panic in his steel-blue eyes.

Seeing his extreme reaction, it immediately became clear with a single glance that he truly loved his elder sister dearly.

“What do you mean she’s in critical condition! She’s not going to die, is she?” He cried out desperately while grabbing onto my arms tightly.

Not willing to let the lie continue any further after I’d successfully confirmed his affection for his sister, I immediately revealed the truth to him, “Sorry, that was all a big lie.” I narrowed my eyes and let out an evil grin.

He blinked once and asked, “Really? She’s really… fine?”

“Yes. I apologize for telling you such a terrible lie, but I had to confirm something.”

“Then… it was really... just a lie after all?”

“Listen carefully. Do you not hear the TV coming from the living room down below?”

Listening closely, there was a rather catchy song that had just started playing from the TV downstairs. If I recalled correctly, the name of the song was Bad Habits by Ed Sheeran.

And as if that song marked the start of my little charade, I continued, “Now why would a stranger like me enter the house and turn on the TV before coming up here to tell you your sister was hit by a car? You should naturally be aware your mother is still out at work, so if you think about it from a logical perspective like that, you could only really conclude once seeing me up here that your sister must have turned it on to entertain a visitor, right?”

“Ah! Now that you mention it…”

“So, yes, as you can see, I’m a terribly evil man who takes pleasure in deceiving young children.”

“Who even are you? Are you one of big sister’s stalkers or something?” He suddenly put up his guard on high alert when he heard my description of myself.

“Not at all, quite the contrary actually. If anyone is being stalked by someone here, that would no doubt be the pitiful me.”

“Huh? What do you mean? Why would big sis stalk a guy? Aren’t you really just one of her friends who she sent to talk to me or something?”

“No. In fact, we’re quite a far distance away from being friends. If I were to describe our relationship… it would be one of... mortal enemies.” A wide nefarious smile formed on my face as I stared at the clueless child before me.

“Mortal… enemies? My big sister doesn’t have any enemies. You must just be one of those creepy guys trying to get close to her after all. Were you thinking of using me to get closer to her or something?”

“Child, getting closer to her is the exact opposite of what I want.” I waved my index finger in the air from side to side then continued, “I’d like to stay as far away from her as possible. If I could move to the other side of the world, that would be much preferable, but my finances do not allow for such an ideal solution.”

The boy looked at me strangely.

“Why would you want to go so far as to move to the other side of the world just because of my sister?”

“Well, you see… your sister actually has a hold of a weakness of mine and has been trying to blackmail me into becoming her friend which I’m completely against. It’s probably impossible for you to believe a reason like that with how nice she is though.”

“It’s definitely impossible.”

“Haaaah. She really is pushy and doesn’t take no for an answer. No matter how many times I refuse to be her friend, it just doesn’t get through that thick friend-happy skull of hers. I simply want to be left alone to my own devices. I am a loner, a man who takes great pleasure in living a solitary life of isolation removed from societal pressures. I’d like nothing more than peace and quiet in my life, but sadly, I was unfortunate enough to get involved with your troublesome big sister. Being friends with her would make living the way I most enjoy impossible.”

“You’re really… being serious?” He was still doubtful of my words.

“Yes, and I have a feeling that you are a bit similar to me, in a sense that you want your own space and independence from her.”

“How… could you tell that?” Surprised, the child questioned back.

“A single glance is all I need to figure out quite a bit of your situation. You have an amazing elder sister who everyone looks up to and adores. She’s pretty, has the best grades in her class, has countless friends, and has a bright future ahead of her. Your existence is completely overshadowed by hers. You’re likely always being compared to her if my analysis isn’t wrong. However… you do not hate your elder sister for being who she is. You love her quite a bit, but you just want to remove the stigma that is being known as ‘just Alicia’s little brother.’”

His eyes opened wide in shock as he asked, fully convinced, “A single glance is all it took for you to figure all that out?”

“Yes. It’s rather easy to understand. The brighter the sun, the more it overshadows the things closest to it. You, child, are the unfortunate one closest to that blazing sun, and are the one who has things the hardest as a result.”

His steel-blue eyes, proof of his status as his big sister’s little brother, rippled with emotion when he heard my words. It was like he’d just found a comrade of sorts who shared a somewhat similar objective to one of his own.

“It may seem like we’re fellows with a few similar troubles, perhaps even comrades to a certain degree. But you should not blindly trust someone fully whom you‘ve only just met. I am nothing more than a suspicious person you should be wary of. And… it would do you well to remember that I consider myself your beloved big sister’s mortal enemy.”

“Now, that being the case, I’d like to make a proposition to you, child. You can think of me as the devil if you like and ignore my words. But my objective in coming here to meet you is quite simple. It is to drag you out of whatever darkness you are sinking in. Don’t misunderstand though, I’m not doing it for you, or your sister, or anyone else for that matter.”

“It is all for myself. You see, I only do things that benefit me. I am not a selfless man by any means. I simply wish for my life to return to peace and quiet. If I want to ensure your sister will leave me alone, the most effective way is to make her owe me through a debt of great gratitude. With her nature, she will have no other choice but to accept my request to keep from blabbing my secret and leave me alone in the future.”

“But... there is one more thing you should know as well, child. The price for refusing the offer I’m extending to you is steep. Should you not accept my offer, the easiest means to achieving my objective will disappear. If that should turn out to be the case… well… let’s just say I’ll have to implement more… drastic measures. Put in simple terms… I will have to completely crush that beloved sister of yours into the dirt.” I closed my hand into a fist, looked deep into his eyes while instilling a sense of fear and dread deep in his still young and immature feeble heart.

With this, I was really only giving him one option. He didn’t actually have the choice to refuse at all. Why? Because he actually truly cared for his big sister. I told her from the very beginning that I’d manipulate him and turn him into a tool I could use at my disposal. I had been dead serious.

The boy in front of me gulped nervously as he looked back at me understanding just how serious I was.

“You’ll help me… and what you want is for my sister to keep your secret and leave you alone?”

“Yes. That is all my heart desires.”

“Uh… can I… have some time to think about it?”

I took out a card I’d prepared in advance after considering the possibility he might be unable to immediately resolve himself to sell his soul to the devil. It had my phone number written on it.

“Take this card with my number. You can have some time, but only until midnight tonight.”

“So little ti-“

I cut him off, “I am a busy man with many things to do. If I do not receive a text by then, I will consider your answer to be a no and that you’ve rejected the olive branch I’ve so gracefully extended to you. From that point on, I will make arrangements to completely crush your elder sister. Your sister’s fate is in your hands. Only you can save her, boy.” I snapped my finger, turned my back to him, and descended the stairs leaving him standing there staring at my back as it disappeared beyond the edge of the stairs.