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Chapter 9 – When I tried to lend a light novel to my stepsister, it exceeded my expectations
.
「Lend me your computer」(Momoi)
Suddenly Momoi came to my room.
Momoi looked like she had just come out of the bath, her hair was a little wet and there was a slight blush on her cheeks.
More than that, she was dressed in her adult-like black pyjamas.
I’m suddenly conscious of her figure.
The current Momoi was very sexy and cute.
No matter how much I hate this girl, I can’t ignore her looks.
However if I stare at her too much, she might glare at me like the night before.
「Etto, why so suddenly?」(Kaito)
When I ask that–
「I have some things I have to get ready by tomorrow, but I ran out of time at school so I brought back the data to finish at home. So, please give me your computer」(Momoi)
「You don’t have one?」(Momoi)
「If I had one, I wouldn’t be here right? How can you not get that?」(Momoi)
Although what Momoi said was true
is this the attitude you take when trying to borrow something from someone?
「Then, use dad’s. It should be in his room」(Dad)
I replied like that because it’s awkward to obediently do whatever Momoi says.
But Momoi–
「Dad isn’t home right now right? Since I can’t contact him, it’s impossible for me to borrow it without permission. Or do you use other people’s things without asking?」(Momoi)
Momoi who says that, looks at me and squints.
What’s with that
Momoi is right, but still I’m angry!
But even if I keep fighting, I won’t be able to beat Momoi.
Then what do I do?
Will this person have to be in my room
.?
Or rather, does she have no sense of danger?
Don’t you know what it means to be alone in a guy’s room?
「You’re
going to be in my room
.?」(Kaito)
「I don’t want to stay in your room if possible, but your computer isn’t a laptop right?」(Momoi)
「
.how do you know?」(Kaito)
「I heard it from Sakura before
you’re okay with Sakura in your room, so you’re not going to say I can’t enter are you? If you say that, I’ll call you a siscon from now on okay?」(Momoi) (TLN: Siscon = Sister Complex, someone with an obsession for their sister)
What a threat

Did she misunderstand the meaning of sister complex to mean your favourite sister?
Doesn’t that make you a siscon too?
In other words, you’re just like me right?
—I won’t say that, because it’ll just start an argument.
Maybe
.I do have a sister complex
.
I don’t really like Momoi.
Sakura-chan is too cute.
If such a child becomes your younger sister, then 10 out of 10 people would develop a sister complex.
It’s exactly this type of person that overturns the saying “ten people, ten colors” (TLN: Japanese idiom, basically means “each to their own”)

why am I thinking of something so stupid?
When I stay silent for a while, the yuki-onna in front of me suddenly starts glaring.
「Haa
.got it, don’t stare at me like that. Also, don’t touch things in my room without permission, ok?」(Kaito)
「I won’t touch anything, it’s gross」(Momoi)
To my words, Momoi offered a scathing reply.
If it’s gross, then don’t enter the room.
「Hee
」(Momoi)
Momoi who had entered my room, made an impressed noise for some reason.
Her line of sight was focused on my bookshelf.
However she was looking at the shelf with lots of light novels on it, not the shelf with programming books.
「Are you interested in light novels?」(Kaito)
When I ask that–
「Lanobu? What’s that? I’ve never heard of such a thing. Please lend me your computer quickly」(Momoi) (TLN: She pronounces it incorrectly in katakana)
She spoke those words quickly, like a machine-gun.
「A, I see」(Kaito)
Her words jolted me to my senses and I quickly started up my computer.
That’s right, there’s no way this person would like light novels

Sakura-chan said that she borrowed a light novel from a friend and read it once, so I thought that maybe Momoi might have read it, but there’s no way this honour student would read such a thing.
But–Momoi’s gaze, which should have been focused on her work, kept drifting to the bookshelf filled with light novels.

.are they interesting to her?
If I word it poorly, I would be in for a storm of abusive words, so I just silently watch Momoi.

..this girl
.is really cute
.I should keep silent
.
「What should I do
.」(Momoi)
As I waited for Momoi to finish her work, she suddenly muttered these words.
What’s she talking about I wonder?
「What’s wrong?」(Kaito)
When I asked that, Momoi glared at me.
「It’s nothing, so can you not get so close to me?」(Momoi)
「Haa
.why do you have to say it like that?」(Kaito)
「Shut up
.leave me alone」(Momoi)
「Yes yes, I get it」(Kaito)
I turn my back to Momoi and sit on the bed.
Momoi glanced at me and turned the screen away.
However her hands suddenly stop.
She seemed to be stuck and unsure of what to do.
I saw the screen a while ago, so I already know what she’s doing. But I can’t be bothered to help because her attitude is irritating.

Yet even after one hour, Momoi’s hands did not move.
This girl is too stubborn

I won’t be able to sleep in peace at this rate, so I decide to help.
「Momoi, move out the way for a moment」(Momoi)
When I say that to Momoi–
「I told you not to get close to me」(Momoi)
She said as much and glared at me.
But I can’t be bothered to fight anymore.
「Don’t you have to finish it by tomorrow? I’ll be quick, so shift a little to the side」(Kaito)
To my words, Momoi reluctantly slides to the side.
Now–
I open the command prompt and see if the computer is connected to the router.
So it’s like that, the connection to the router has been broken

It disconnected while Momoi was using it.
I immediately reconnect the router.
「Just now
.what did you do?」(Momoi)
Momoi was looking at me with interested eyes.
「Router
.even if I say that, I’m sure you don’t know what it is. Well basically I just reconnected it to the internet」(Kaito)
When I say that, Momoi looks a little impressed.
It’s somewhat embarrassing for Momoi to act that way to me.
I open my mouth to dissuade those thoughts.
「After this, how long will it take?」(Kaito)
Momoi look away from me at my words–
「After
just this
」(Momoi)
With that said, she showed me 4 handwritten A4 pieces of paper.
「Are you trying to summarize the data? What are you trying to figure out?」(Kaito)
「Etto, I wanted to make a graph
.but it didn’t come out the way I expected
」(Momoi)
「In that case, why were you on your smartphone
」(Kaito)
At my reply, Momoi looked down.
「That’s because
.I thought I broke your computer and would have to fix it
」(Momoi)
Ah, so she was trying to do it herself

Then you should say so honestly from the start

「Move aside, I’ll do it」(Kaito)
「Ha? I can’t let you do it, you’re not part of the student council」(Momoi)
Saying that she glares at me.
This girl, can’t she get rid of her habit of glaring already
.?
「Can you continue saying that when you see this?」(Kaito)
I say so and show her the screen of my smartphone.
The time on the LCD screen was reaching midnight.
「Eh
before I even realized it
?」(Momoi)
「Well you were absorbed in your work
if you understand, then move aside and let me help」(Kaito)
With that said, I steal the paper from Momoi.
In response she sat quietly without saying anything.
I immediately start typing in the data.
I’ll finish this quickly.
10 minutes later–
「I’ve finished, Momoi」(Kaito)
I save the data onto a USB stick and hand it over to her.
「Eh, already!?」(Momoi)
She looked at me in surprise.
The reason why Momoi, who should have been sitting next to me, was so surprised was that she wasn’t looking at the screen, but at my bookshelf containing the light novels.
「Th, thank you」(Momoi)
Momoi who had received the USB said thank you obediently.
To such a Momoi–
「Hey, are you interested in light novels?」(Kaito)
I asked.
Then–
「Haa!? I’m not interested in the light novels otakus read!」(Momoi)
Momoi’s face turned bright red as she yelled.
She denied it, but I wasn’t convinced.
「I thought you didn’t know what light novels were? How do you know what otakus read?」(Kaito)
Momoi was stuck by my words.
Just as I thought, she knows what light novels are.
「Th, that’s because
.yes that’s right! It’s because you own it! I thought it must be something otakus read!」(Momoi)
What a painful excuse

However I suddenly thought of something interesting.
「You’re an otaku but never read a light novel, then why not borrow one to read?」(Kaito)
「Eh
.?」(Momoi)
「Isn’t it strange to bash light novels when you’ve never read one? If you read one and still find it’s boring, you can make fun of it then」(Kaito)
I worded it in such a way to make Momoi seem like an idiot.
This is because Momoi would definitely not accept that and try to come out on top.
「
.I see, what you say is true. Then I’ll choose a light novel now」(Momoi)
When Momoi turned her back to me, I couldn’t help but grin.
That’s right, she was looking on the shelves for a light novel.
If you can’t make a good excuse then don’t bother.
—but it’s not like I wanted to get Momoi interested in light novels.
I just wanted to increase the amount of fans for my favourite light novel series.
Momoi tilted her head in front of the bookshelf.
「You can take whichever one you like」(Kaito)
「Even though you say that, there are so many
」(Momoi)
Momoi’s expression looking at the light novels couldn’t contain her joy.
This expression was different from the usual cold Momoi. It was like a kid looking at a new toy.
I feel like recently I’ve been seeing more and more of Momoi’s expressions that she never shows at school
.
But which one will Momoi choose?
Momoi had been repeatedly taking out and putting back light novels since a while ago.
Eventually–
「Ah!」(Momoi)
Momoi made a sound as if she had found something.
What on earth did you find?

.eh?
「I will borrow this! Then it’s late, so I’ll be going back to my room! Good night!」(Momoi)
Momoi quickly left my room with a bunch of light novels of a certain title.
I was only going to lend one volume, but she took all the volumes
?
No more than that
is she really going to read that
?

(TLN: Momoi’s POV)
「I did it
.!」(Momoi)
When I returned to my room, I jumped into bed.
I actually regretted my actions earlier
.
I get out of a bed a little and look at the book I borrowed from him.
On the cover was the title–『She is too interested in the eroge I have
』
When I saw the cover, I knew I had to get it
.
That’s because someone like me could never buy this book.
I don’t have the courage to buy this because of the word “eroge” in the title.
However umi-kun highly recommended this novel on his blog, so I have to read it.
If I had known he had this book on his bookshelf, I would have snuck in and borrowed it without asking

He probably only intended to lend me one book, but I likely only had one chance to choose, so I took all the volumes

What should I do
.
I remember his expression from earlier–
—he had a completely disgusted face
.
How am I supposed to show my face to him tomorrow

I was so embarrassed that I had returned to my middle-school personality that I couldn’t sleep all night–