"You're awfully close don't you think Komachi?" She gave me a rather victorious smirk as her arms wrapped around mine. I let out a frustrated sigh as several pieces of the yukata stuck to the loose fabrics of my jacket. "You're going to ruin your yukata Komachi." I forcefully pull away my arm to prove it. Separated she feels her left arm noticing the small pieces of velcro and jacket strings glued to its surface.

"No wonder you're still single idiot brother." Is it the sinister attitude or the house husband thing. I still want the house husband thing. "Like, you're in your third year of highschool!" We stopped walking. Cringing slightly I put away my phone knowing this routine conversation is about to happen. "You could at least put some effort into finding a girl right? Or are you so hopeless you can't even show the necessary confidence to-." I place my hand on her mouth. A slightly different response than usual but it'll suffice.

"Look Komachi." I dropped the sinister act. "Does it really matter to you who I date?" Well if I'm dating or not would of been more accurate. She remained silent yet I could sense a twinge of anger coming out from her. Did I actually win this or did I make it worse. It's totally questionable. "It's because I'm scared." What? What in the world does she mean 'because I'm scared.' This must be one of those defense mechanisms women use. I'll have to note this for future encounters.

""Scared of what?" She looked down, her face barely visible at this point. "It's nothing lets just go home." I looked at her in disbelief. Maybe a twinge of happiness as I usually always want to go home on days like these. A majority of the emotion however had placed itself in worry somehow which didn't do much to compliment my usual personality. Komachi usually never wanted to go home early on new years. So that question I just asked not only put a nail in the coffin. The nail literally screwed a nail into the coffin. That makes two….

Whatever seemed to be the cause in her mind was unknown. Women can be distrustful, enigmatic, and evil but I can at least trust my sister. That familial care of hers is what keeps me close to her. The walk home was uneventful and awfully silent. The booming sound of fireworks could be heard in the distance accompanied by the combined cheers of the crowds. "You know we could of stayed for the fireworks." She didn't respond. Letting out an audible sigh we turn into our little block.

Opening the door she flies past me up the stairs. What in the world did I do. Before I could make my way into the house I heard a knock. "Who the hell?" I make my way back to the door and open it. "Who is it?" It was Iroha in all her devious glory. She looked at me silently. "Look it's been a long night if have anything to say. Make it quick."

"I like you!" What!

"What!"

"I said I-."

"I heard you. Look I'm sorry I can't go out with you."

"What what why!" Her expression changed from one of nervousness to one of disbelief. "Look Iroha I just don't know that much about you." I was panicking trying to get out of the situation. But half assed excuses, I can do better than that at a time like this. "So you don't know what I'm capable of right?" Iroha's expression shifted from disbelief to a grim one. I could see her eyes were closed to tears. "Look I'm sorry but-."

"FINE!" I fall back. "I'll show you what I'm capable of. If I can't have you." Her pupils disappeared what the hell. Her pupils disappeared. Flying forward I closed the door and locked it. "No one can!" A flurry of footsteps could be heard outside getting lighter which each second. "Why did you reject her? She was pretty cute." Komachi said walking behind me, still slightly shaken from my yelling. "Well her reaction really says a lot about her as a person Komachi. If you ever date a guy, make sure he's not that possessive."

She gave me an absent nod and walked back upstairs. "Good night." I heard the door bang indicating she was mad at me. I let out a barely audible sigh. "Like hell I'm making any more mistakes." I say to myself lying down in the middle of the hallway. Her reaction is slightly unnerving. "If I can't have you, no one can!" Now I know what that means but the exact nature of that comment and whether or not she was serious is the real question. I may of possible found myself in a catch twenty-two.

"Wake up it's the new year." I felt a poking sensation on my face. "Alright, Alright I'm getting up." Pushing Komachi off my stomach I sat up grogrilly taking in the morning atmosphere. "Mom and Dad sent us new years gifts and food money. It's downstairs on the table." Not home as usual. It seemed negligent and oddly cliche of my parents. My usual dismissal of this had become routine given my more extensive range of freedoms.

"What about breakfast?" I know you made breakfast. "I made it now come downstairs." She rolled away from the bed. Standing up with the now cleared space, I made my way over to Komachi who was still on the floor. Her reaction last night made me feel guilty as frustration as that may be. I wasn't even sure why I felt guilty. "Oh right you left your phone on the dining room table last night. Yui called like thirty times." Well that wasn't very surprising.

"Couldn't she just message you the info so you can carry it to me?"

"She could but she didn't now answer the phone while I set the table." We made our way downstairs into the living room. Komachi heading for the kitchen while I grabbed my phone neatly placing myself on the couch.

Finding Yui's number on my very small list of contacts, I give it a light tap. Gesturing for Komachi to quiet down with the placement of the silverware. She picks up. "It's me Hachiman, what are you doing calling me at seve-."

"There's a rumor!"

"What? That's normal stop making a big deal out of-."

"No it's serious." Stop cutting me out Yui. "There are photos going around. I'll send it to you and Komachi now. The call cuts out with a beep as I look to Komachi. "She says it's a rumor." I suddenly felt a vibration prompting me and Komachi to check our phones. The image loaded up revealing a photo. Me and Komachi in bed naked and under the covers. I heard her phone hit the floor as I stared at the photo silently.

"This never happened right?" The young girl said in a shaky tone. "I'm sure…" How crazed could a girl be to doctor a photo like this. The worst society has to offer has somehow made it's way into my home. Not only pestering me but my sister as well. "Komachi! I yelled for her but no response. She was frantically calling her friends trying to clear things out.

Had I known this would of happened. I would of dated her to minimize the collateral damage. But it's too late, I'm not sure anything I can say to her let alone anyone could clear this. Hitting Yui's contact again I call her. "Beep...beep...beeep" She picks up. "It's not true. I swear Yui-.."

"The mage is right there Hachiman! What do you expect me to believe!? That it was doctored?"

"But it is. I had this run in with Iroha and-."

"Yui I think he's right." I heard Yukino's voice in the distance. It seemed like they were together. "I know what's under that facade of hers and that idiot would never do anything like that to his sister. He's not that lonely."

"Hey!" But she's right. "This rumor will not only tarnish the club name but the consequences is the equivalent of social suicide. We have to do something."

"Me and sensei will think of something. For now keep an eye on Komachi." Yukino demanded with a sense of urgency. The phone call ended in silence. I laid back on the couch, my arm covering my eyes as I faced the ceiling. This degree of stress hasn't tortured me since middle school. I always believed I wouldnt feel this again. The thought of strength was like an elaborate ruse.

Any consequence that came from this would be worse than my experiences in middle school. Which was fine, if I could handle it once I could handle it again. The burden of society shows it's true colors like it had before. But this time it had also taken my sister. Every fine strand of society could batter me as much as the wanted and I'd show little care. But Komachi, no she wasn't capable of that. Her entire life had been spent yearning and receiving happiness.

Well endowed friend groups, a stable social life, most things a girl could ever want. This could all disappear and it may of already disappeared. My heart rate increased exponentially as I stood up from the couch. Seeing Komachi staring at the kitchen floor, I walked towards her. My arms were shaking and so was my resolve but I had to do something.

So with the best effort I could make. I wrap my sister with my arms and push her face into my chest. "None of my friends will talk to me. No one believes me…" Her voice was muffled and broken. "Everything is going to be ok. The service club will pulling something out and it'll work just fine."

"Really?"

"Mhm. Don't worry I'll protect you." Jesus this is harder than I thought.

Meh nothing to say lemme just try and catch back up to ten chapters however long that takes. Don't read the old story I'll be closing it down soon. This one will be taking a slightly different direction but I've slowed the pacing and made more characters involved. I'm gonna go rewatch Toradora now or something till I figured out what to do next chapter. Oh right just so you're wondering about the message I put on the old story prior to the revamp. I'm going to Nova Southeastern University. So I'll be in the Ft Lauderdale area now.