A/N: Yah-hah! Sorry for the wait. Guess that no school means that I don't think as much, lol.

-Hiyori's brother will be referred to as 'Tamura-nii' by the others.

Oh, and Happy Earth Day! In advance, yeah~ ^^

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

****

This is bad.. I looked at myself in the mirror.

"Oi, whatever happened to 'just be good kids and watch a DVD'? Hey, nii-chan!"

I don't even think he's listening.. He was busy doing a rough sketch of Patty in her seventh costume. She didn't seem to mind, though. Well, I mind! We were supposed to be alone toget- I mean-

"Aah, Hiyorin, you don't need to be so shy! That super mini-skirt looks hot on you!" Patty said.

"I don't really remember agreeing to this in the last ch- More like, how many costumes are you going to make us wear, nii-chan?"

He stopped drawing, and turned to me with a serious expression. "It's okay, dear sister."

"Huh?"

"You don't need to hold back," he whispered. "You know what you want.."

What I want.. "Well, yeah, I want to draw too.." I mumbled.

"Heh?! With that sort of cuteness," he pointed at Patty. "You're telling me you'd rather draw than glomp her- But that's good too!"

"Which one is it?" G-glomp her..? True, in that outfit, it's hard to resist that.. But..

"Geez, fine, you win. We're not going anywhere with this."

"Huh?"

"Thanks for your hard work, Martin-san!"

"Eh, so soon? I still want to see Hiyorin in all sorts of outfits!" Patty put on a face.

Darn, that's the whine with the sparkle effects! I can see them, too! "Well, maybe a few more-"

"Oh! Is that so, Tamura-nii?"

"Yeah, definitely! Be gentle with my not-so-pure sis, okay?"

Huh? What were they talking about? "Hey, Patty-chan, nii-chan, what were you-"

"I'll be in my room if you need anything!" The costumes and my brother's drawing materials were gone. Nii-chan was walking out with everything in a huge box.

"Mou, Hiyorin. If you wanted that, you could have told me.." Patty was back in the clothes I lent her. What did I miss?

"Huh? That? What just happened? What were you guys talking about?"

"Pretending that you don't know won't help. Then.. Should I show you, then..?"

I found myself getting dragged to my bedroom. This is..

****

This is.. We were on a one-person futon. Very, very close to each other. Each time Patty would move.. doki! My heart would beat a little faster. Yeah, this is.. How should I put it..? Awkward..?

"Uwah~ He's so cool! The way he solves the case just like that is pretty over the top though, don't you think so, Hiyorin?"

What did nii-chan tell her..? She seemed like she was having fun, so why the sudden change..?

"Hiyorin?"

Hmm.. In this sort of situation, what do I have the characters do..?

"Hello? Earth to Hiyori?"

Normally, this setting would be.. Hmm.. Two teenagers, alone in a room, at night..

"I'll just watch this episode of Shin-kun and Kid making out, then."

That caught my attention. "Wait, what? That stuff never happens!" Uh, which am I referring to..?

"Yeah, he's too straight.. Us fans could always dream, right?"

"Ah.. Oh! I see.." That is way too impossible.. That scenario and that make-out session between those guys..

"Right?"

I nodded, having nothing to say. Well, it'd never happen.. Since I'm pretty sure that Patty-chan is..

Heh?! Wha- Why am I even considering that stuff? It's not like-

"What's up?"

Patty. Right in front of me. Way too close. Close! Close what? In this type of scenario, the distance, of course! When? Now? Now!

"I-" Nah, can't! It's weird enough that I'm basing stuff on Minami and Yutaka, but to test a scene..

"Yeah?"

"-need to go and say something really, really important to my brother. Just, ah, keep watching."

"If you say so.."

****

"That was tactless! And you, of all people should so know that.." Nii-chan seemed worked up. He was pacing back and forth, just like when a plan of his would fail.

"I know! I can't exactly say 'going to the bathroom', right? That's too cliché!"

He took a deep breath, and sat down. "Fine, sis. Spill."

"Actually.." I said everything in one breath, as fast as I could.

"Hah?! Testing a scene? That's the saddest excuse, ever."

"Saddest excuse? What do you mean?"

"Do you really think that's the reason why? Well, let's make it simple, then. You're a P*yduck."

"Well, yeah. What other reason would ther- I'm a P*yduck?!"

"Late as ever, sis. It's basic Pok*mon knowledge. You, as a P*yduck, are very confused. You have a headache, let's say. Just let it all out. Start from square one."

"Huh? You're making the readers confused, as well. Talk normally."

"Explain everything from square one! And once that's all out, you'll feel fine."

"Okay.. Then, it's like this.. She was suddenly in front of me, and then, because of what I was thinking of, and what she was saying, I had this weird impulse to.. to.."

"Uh-huh. Heads up, Hiyori. Let's play twenty questions. Think of them as drawing guidelines."

"Okay." I had to agree. I was pretty much confused, and I couldn't exactly organize my thoughts well enough.

And so began the awkward questioning.

****

I gulped the water down, after splashing my entire face with some. My face was probably hot enough to cook an egg on, and redder than a tomato. The questions were embarrassing, but in the end, I got there. I finally understood.

"You better say it nicely," Nii-chan said. "So you can make up for being a total airhead."

"Yeah. And nii-chan?"

"Ah?"

"Thanks."

"...Sure," he sighed. "Man, I thought you'd never get it.. To think I'd have to use such a direct approach.. How much air has filled your head since then, eh?"

"Nii-chan!"

"Kidding.."

****

I opened the door carefully. No save points in real life, no eraser if I ever get this wrong..

"Patty-chan?"

A drowsy, "Hmm..?"

Okay, this isn't the best time.. Nor the place.. So..

"Are you okay..? Wanna get some sleep?"

"No way! Do you know the awesome eps that you've missed? Here, here, let's play it back!"

"Okay, then." Tomorrow after school, it is.

"By the way, what did you guys talk about?"

"Matters of absolute importance, Watson-kun." I grinned and winked.

"Sweet normalcy.."

"Hmm?"

"Nothing! Look, it's starting! Seriously, why can't he- Oh, wait, no spoilers!"

****

"Hey, Hiyori! Get up!" nii-chan's frantic tone rang clear in my ears. "Now!"

I got up, still groggy from the all-night anime marathon. "Hwla? Sup? Ah?"

"Monday. Seven a.m. Hello?" he pulled me up, and steered me downstairs. "Oh, and Martin-san's making your bento."

"Heh..? Huh?! Wait a sec!" I went back to my room and checked. My bed was untouched. Which means.. We.. slept together in that one-person futon..?!

"Yeah, good morning to you, too."

"Too early for that.." My knees buckled. Together.. In such a small space..

"Hey, hey! Wake up, already! Did I mention that Martin-san's also making breakfast? Now go get ready, and greet your waifu!"

"Nii-chan!"

"No, really. You look like a mess."

"Fine, fine.. Anyway, why are you still here?"

"Aah. Afternoon lectures~.. I think."

I stared at him. "I'm sure!" he yelled, and continued steering me to the kitchen.

****

"Hey, Patty-chan." I said. Due to another brilliant suggestion from my brother, we were biking to school, and by biking, I mean Patty pedaling, and me riding at the back.

"Hmm? Was the food not good..?"

"No! It was great... Umm.. I'm sorry. I guess I got carried away last night... And now, you're going to get tired when we get to school.."

"Nah, don't blame ya. Anyone would want to keep watching. Besides.. being able to do this kind of thing.. It's a wonderful one-of-a-kind experience!"

"One of a kind..?"

"We have two-seaters at home."

"Ah. Oh, and.. Umm.. Are you going to do anything after school?"

"Nope, still off the hook from work.. Why?"

"I.. There's a great place I'd like to take you to.. Though, I'm not sure you'd like it, or-"

"It's okay. I'll go anywhere, if it's with you."

****

A/N: So it's not exactly the best way to let Hiyori to know, but, ah. I'd been wondering on how she should know, and -poof- what better way than the direct one?

Next chapter, she's finally 'fessing up. XD