“So can you tell me more about Lucy. To be precise, I want to know her backstory as to why she's too much of a pacifist to the point she will sacrifice her own happiness. It's like she's scared of picking a fight with others even if it's to defend herself.”

“Um..”

Binary is reluctant. Obviously, I'm asking a personal question. At the moment, I'm still just a stranger. There's no way she trusts me. Besides, she's the timid type.

“There's no need to force yourself to reveal such information to me.”

“It's okay po..”

“Hm. Thank you li'l Binary.”

“Ehe..,” she just giggled but stopped herself.

Oh hell. Cuteness overload.

“Err.. When we were young.. uhm.. ate Lucy wasn't like she is now... Ate was fierce and.. assertive to the point nanay dislikes her...”

Eh? Really? What? Bloody hell. That woman was like that? I can't imagine it at all.

“I... I can see her from our house being punished in their yard by nanay... She.. un.. was disciplining her to act more feminine and.. and modest... Nanay was quite scary before...”

I feel like something is strange from that statement. I guess there's more story to it— Hm? Arrgh. Wrong timing you douchebag.

“But when—”

*Bam!*

“!”

“I'm here!”

Douche barged into my room again. He scared Binary. She's holding her head while shaking.

“Fuck you.”

“.............”

Douche is obviously surprised for that blunt taunting.

“Haha. Can you finally no longer take it?” He looks so smug. Even though he looks like a mess with those bandages around his jaw and neck. But I guess he's pretty fine now. The damage wasn't that much after all.

“I should be asking you that question. I mean, how's those guys you sent?”

“Grrrt... Right. Haha. Don't worry about them. They're doing pretty well.”

“Your girlfriend's parents sure are playful for naming their daughter ‘Pretty Well’ fufufufu..”

“What? —! Y-You brat— That's a good one. That might cost you your life though!” I got him. “Whatever. I'm not here for you but Lucy.”

I know. And I have a fun event for you.

“She hates you. You keep bothering her, and she's always stressed and under pressure because of you.”

“!” Binary reacted. Now she is looking at Douche from curiosity and wariness to hostility.

“What are you looking huh?!”

“?” Binary flinches but she never took her eyes off Douche. She's very unlike her older sister.

“Oh hell. Don't scare her. She's Lucy's little sister you know. If you want Lucy to date you, you must get her family's approval first. She's family oriented after all.”

“Oh.” His expression towards Binary changed from annoyance to gentleness. “Hi, I'm Lucy's boyfriend. Where's your sister?”

When did you become her boyfriend?

“.............” Binary doesn't believe him in the slightest. She looks angry this time actually.

“Tsk.”

“You're angering her. You should just leave. If you're looking for Lucy, she's in the ER with her grandmother. She's busy so don't bother her.”

“!— Er? .........I see. I won't be thanking you. Nor I'll spare you for this. It's too late to be kissing my ass Mark. I'm killing you!”

“.............”

Douche left my room without closing the door. Finally, he stopped trying to break them.

“Alright Binary. Calm your eyes down.” I pat her head.

“Eh?” Binary is surprised. She then covers her face with her hand out of embarrassment.

She is pretty cute as well. As expected of the two sisters. They sure have good genes fufufufu...

The next day, as I lay here in my hospital bed, I watch the sun peek through the window, casting a warm glow across the room. It's a beautiful morning outside, I can tell by the gentle breeze that carries the scent of fresh flowers and damp earth through the open window. The birds are chirping their morning songs, and I can hear the distant hum of traffic as people start their day. It's a beautiful morning. No clouds nor rain. It's nice weather today. The weatherman said it will also be sunny skies for days ahead. Great. The day would be perfect to do some stuff and play.

Yet Lucy looks so gloomy and burnt out.

“Lucy, you look terrible. How's your grandmother?”

“S-She's fine... I hope... She'll have her operation... but.. I... I hope she can handle it...”

“.............” Well I didn't expect to get a response. I think she's too tired and forgot about that. “Nanay Maria is a stubborn woman. She'll go through this successfully.”

“?” She looks surprised. Of course she never told me about her grandmother.

“Binary told me. But I also met your grandmother one-time when I was visiting my girlfriend. She lives in the same subdivision as you do.”

“Oh...” She's in daze. “Ah. Aaaaah!”

She looks so shocked when she understood.

“The world is small fufufufufufu. Or maybe we're fated to meet.”

“.............” She's silent again.

“I really hope you get comfortable with me one day...”

“....I'm sorry. I just wanted to protect you..”

“I understand...”

「August 07, 2021 | Sat」

「12:12」

“K-K'ya Mark... May I... May I come in?”

‘K'ya’? That's Binary. She's so cute.

“Yes of course.” I sounded a little excited.

*Creak~*

Binary comes inside rather shyly. It's like as if she's trying to not make a sound. She's like an adorable abandoned puppy that is worried she'll annoy her owner by making a noise.

For some reason, Lucy looks anxious and... guilty I guess.

“Um... Binary—”

*Swoosh*

Lucy tried to talk to Binary but she ignored her. She walks passing by Lucy and going straight towards me.

“Binary,” Lucy sounds very soft and gentle.

“.............”

But Binary still ignored her. She is sitting on the chair beside my bed. Even though she's the timid type, and I'm a mere stranger, she's not acting anxious at all.

Hmm. These two obviously got into an argument. Maybe the past few days that nothing happened actually had something that happened. At least behind the scenes— off screen rather fufufufu.

I have an idea but let me confirm it.

“Are you two fighting?”

““!””

Uwaahh..

“Please don't get involved with this mister Re—” Ohh. Something has changed with Lucy.

“Don't!” Binary is glaring at Lucy. That made her stop speaking. Then she becomes upset and sad. Lucy has her head lowered.

I don't remember us being close enough to the point she'll get angry at her older sister— that she loves, for my sake though. Hmm. That anger is coming from somewhere else.

“Binary... Please... You have to understand... You love nanay Maria as well right?”

“.............” Binary looks like she wanna say something but held herself back. “Hmmp.”

Cute. Her pouting is cute. Fufu.

“I'm sorry...” Lucy is very apologetic.

“...............”

“...............”

The two didn't say anything so we are all left with a weird silence. Lucy chooses to leave. She looks at me, and Binary before she closes the door.

“.............”

“So... May I be briefed about the current situation?”

“.............” Binary looks at me. And she continued looking at me for an awkward amount of time. She didn't even blink hence her eyes reddened. Oh, she's tearing up.

“...sniff...”

She starts crying. She keeps wiping her eyes but it doesn't dry up no matter what she does. She isn't wailing though.

“....Good girl. Your sister did something reckless didn't she? Maybe she sold her soul to the devil.” I pat her head.

“!”

She looks surprised.

“Fufu. I'm intelligent enough to figure that out. Though I don't know the details.”

“...sniff... h—” Binary is choking. “P-please help...”

“Fu— fufufufufufu. Fufufufufufufu!” I can't help but chuckle.

“Oh...” Binary looks offended.

“Fufu. Don't misunderstand. It's because you're very different to your sister. I'm just a stranger... and You're supposed to be timid... Yet... Fuhahahahahaha! Incredible. You're a brave one.” But I feel like Lucy garnered some resolve as well. Awakened it rather. It's not enough though. I mean, she's still unstable and hasn't gotten out of her shell completely. One wrong thing can easily shove her back into her shell which will harden and tighten even more.

“K'ya Mark...”

“Well, in honor of you calling me ‘kuya’, of course I should help. But there's a condition.”

“!” Binary suddenly looks worried.

“Fufu. You will have to sacrifice a bit of yourself. Will you do it?” I stare down at her with my squinted eyes.

“.............” Binary looks scared. She's shaking fufufufufu. “I...”

“.............” I squint my eyes. I am amplifying the risk of agreeing.

“I'll do it... Please help me!”

“Fufu. Then let's teach your sister a lesson.”

“?” She looks confused. I will help you but let's help your sister as well. She is in a critical point of personal development. Let's push her a bit more till she breaks her shell.... That or she will be the one to break fufufu.

‘When the tower moment comes, it is up to the will of oneself to rise from the ashes, or remain dead’.