"No Marriage, Please! vs. Marry Me or Die: The Ultimate Love Showdown" - Episode 23

“Hmm? You’re going shopping with your little sister?”

“Uh, yeah.”

Ria’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Would you like to come along too…?”

That had to be the right answer! I offered with confidence—but Ria shook her head.

“No, it’s fine. You’re going shopping with your sister, right? I’d just get in the way, so I’ll pass.”

“It’s not like you’d be a bother or anything…”

Wait—did I just say the wrong thing? Her reaction caught me off guard.

“Well, don’t worry about me. I’ve got things to do anyway. Oh, and are you going to need dinner tonight? If not, let me know.”

“Yeah, I think Eve and I will probably eat out.”

“Got it. Then I guess we’re both off duty tomorrow.”

“Right.”

To be honest, I felt relieved that she let it go so easily. Maybe I was just overthinking everything.

Ria returned to her room, and I decided to get an early night to prepare for tomorrow.

________________________________________

The next day.

I got ready quickly and headed to the place where I was meeting Eve.

“It’s a beautiful day again.”

The main street of the capital was as lively as ever. Sunlight reflected brightly off the stone walls, and a cat lay fast asleep in the shadows, blending perfectly into its surroundings.

I arrived at the fountain—a popular meeting spot—a full thirty minutes early. As expected, there were others also waiting around. But one person was already there—Eve.

“Good afternoon, Brother.”

“Hey. You’re early.”

“Not really, I just got here.”

“…You sure about that?”

“Yes.”

I knew for a fact she didn’t just get here—but I let it slide. Her outfit was refreshingly different from her usual adventuring gear.

She wore a sheer silk blouse in a soft pale blue, perfectly matching the season’s cool tones. Her skirt flowed elegantly from the waist, layered with fine, sheer fabric embroidered with butterflies. A pair of silver earrings sparkled, and a bracelet adorned her left wrist.

“You look beautiful today. That outfit suits you really well.”

“U-uh…!”

The moment I complimented her, Eve let out a small gasp and lowered her gaze, flustered.

“What’s wrong?”

“N-nothing. It’s just… my mother picked this outfit for me. It wasn’t my choice.”

“Your mother, huh… Ah, I see.”

I remembered her mother. She had worked as one of the maids in our mansion—though she eventually left for various reasons.

“Alright then, shall we go?”

“Yes.”

Eve and I walked together through the bustling capital. Being a holiday, the streets were packed. Vendors lined both sides, loudly advertising their wares.

Suddenly, Eve came to a stop in front of one of the stalls.

“Hm…!”

“What is it?”

“Apparently, this is a sweet from the eastern lands. It’s shaped like a fish, but it’s a dessert. How curious.”

“Oh… that’s taiyaki.”

“You’ve had it before?”

“Yeah. I think you’ll like it.”

“Then let’s buy some. It’s already noon, and I need something sweet or I won’t make it through the day. Yes.”

She was unusually talkative when it came to desserts—some things never change.

“I’ll get them.”

“Huh? But—”

“It’s fine. I’m the older brother. I can’t let my little sister pay.”

“…Very well. I’ll leave it to you then, Brother.”

“Good.”

I bought two taiyaki—one filled with red bean paste for myself, and one with both red bean and cream for Eve, since her eyes had sparkled at both.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

“There’s a park nearby. Want to sit and eat there?”

“Yes.”

Though she responded as calmly as ever, her eyes were locked onto the taiyaki in her hands. She really did have a weakness for sweets.

We sat side by side on a bench in the small park and took a bite.

“Mmm…! Delicious! The sweetness is just right, and the outer shell is wonderfully crispy. The batter itself isn’t too sweet, letting the filling stand out. It’s as if they’ve balanced the flavors to avoid overpowering sweetness. Though personally, I wouldn’t mind if it were even sweeter. This one’s going on my favorites list.”

I’d never seen her this animated—she went on and on about the taiyaki.

“Favorites list?”

“My mental list of favorite sweets. This taiyaki just made it to the top tier.”

“I see.”

Eve quietly polished off both of her taiyaki almost in sync with me, even though she had two.

That’s when I noticed a bit of filling left at the corner of her mouth.

“You’ve got something there.”

“Huh…?”

“Right there. Honestly, there’s no need to eat in such a rush.”

I wiped it off with my hand and popped it into my mouth. Eve immediately turned bright red and looked down.

“Hey, you okay? Your face is red.”

“It’s nothing. Just… a little warm today.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Feels like summer’s already here.”

“It does.”

We sat in silence for a while, just watching the peaceful scene before us. Then, Eve murmured softly:

“Brother… why are you so kind to me?”

“Well… you know, our family’s complicated.”

I answered seriously. It was something I knew I’d have to talk to her about eventually.

“…Yes, that’s true.”

“Back when we lived at the estate, I didn’t know how to treat you. But we’ve both left that place behind. There may still be ties that bind us, but I believe family is important. Even if we’re only half-related by bl00d, you’re still my sister—and I’m your brother. That’s something that won’t change.”

That was the honest truth. Back then, I didn’t know how to interact with her—especially since I hadn’t yet regained my memories from my previous life. But when I met her again, I could see the loneliness in her eyes. I felt that, even now, it wasn’t too late to act like family. Sure, part of it was for my own survival—but more than that, I was genuinely concerned for her.

Eve seemed to understand my sincerity and shared her feelings in return.

“I see… I didn’t know how to approach you either, Brother. Actually, I still don’t. I’m sure you’ve noticed, but I’m not very good at talking to people. My emotions don’t show easily, and I always worried that maybe… being around me made you uncomfortable.”

“Uncomfortable? Not at all.”

So, she’d been carrying that worry all along. I never realized—but I was grateful she told me.

“You’re right. Unless we put things into words, we’ll never truly understand each other. I’m realizing that now more than ever.”

“Exactly. Some things only get through when we say them aloud.”

“Yes. So, from now on… I want to try harder to be close with you. I may not be good at expressing myself, but… will you still be my brother?”

Eve looked at me with a mix of nervousness and hope. The answer was obvious.

“Of course. I want to get closer to you too, Eve.”

“Thank you… Brother.”

We’d always lived separate lives, never really connecting. But now that we’ve reunited, it’s only natural that I’d want to get along with my sister.

“Alright, shall we go?”

I held out my hand to her. She blinked in surprise, but then smiled ever so faintly and took it.

It was the first time I’d seen her smile. It was awkward, but beautiful and genuine.

“Yes, Brother.”

The day was still just beginning. Hand in hand, we started walking back toward the busy shopping district—when I suddenly felt someone’s gaze and turned around.

“Brother? What is it?”

“Ah… it’s nothing. Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

And so, we disappeared once more into the crowd.