“Older brother I want that yummy treat over there! Can you please get me some?”

“I can but  stay here where I can see you easily ok?” I nodded at him.

I stared at the retreating back of my brother to make sure there’s a good distance between us before I started to look for that brat who would blow away my imouto-cover at any moment. I spotted him making a staring contest at the food placed on the table.

There’s no Tomaru guy around so I silently approached him and tug the lower part of his tuxedo to gain his attention. He looked at me in surprise and I whispered.

“Please don’t tell my brother what I told you and I’m sorry for my actions earlier, please forgive me” I put up my apologetic face.  I’ve done this several times already and they all went smoothly so there shouldn’t be a problem this time.

“What if I would?”

I look him straightaway in disbelief. Oh come on! This guy isn’t falling for my angelic*cough* apologetic face?! Yuji grinned at my reaction.

“I thought it would be fun to tell your brother how you called me a pillar and a caterpillar, Isn’t that right? Sa-ku-ra-chan?” I got creep out when he mentioned my name in syllables.

 

One hour earlier…

I was busily looking at this huge mansion. Rich people indeed. It’s obvious why my parents had connection with them. When I first learned that I’m being sheltered in a rich man’s roof, I could not hold back my curiosity and got excited to have a feel being bathed in luxury. That was me years ago, now I understand how troublesome to be a child born from a rich family. It does give privileges, but also a lot of disadvantages.

A week ago, my parents received a letter of invitation coming from the patriarch of another powerful family, the Kouji Clan who controlled 50% of Japanese Public Airlines in the whole of Japan.

“Ah, the Nishitta family is finally here, welcome!” One of the adults exclaimed optimistically.

 The night is starting to set after we arrived fifteen minutes ago, now my parents are busy talking to other prominent figures. My brother left earlier since he was asked by his social circle of friends. While my mother is busy chatting, I took the opportunity to slip my hands off my mom’s grasp. Finally free from the boring conversation, I wandered around the venue. I wasn’t afraid to be lost because of my status. If I ask someone to help me and mention my surname, they’ll know immediately where to find my parents. This is something that I’ve learned when I got lost once. It was really ridiculous but it was true.

*Thug* Ouch! I think I bump into something. I touch the hindrance in my path while I rub my eyes with my palm.

“A pillar?” It moved. It doesn’t seem so.

“I’m too handsome to be a pillar” The wall spoke. Just kidding.

I finally regained my sight and saw the face of someone wearing a displeased look. I don’t know why but I wanted to wipe off his cocky attitude so I responded.

“Oh, did the pillar just spoke?” I saw how he frowned much deeper as he bent down to level my height.

“Little girl, can you repeat what you just said?” He said in a dangerous tone as if looking for a fight.

Even though his face was close to me I wasn’t scared. Bring it on kid. I suddenly remembered that I had to find someone so I took a step back and walk pass him.

“Forget what I said, I’ll just pretend I met a talking caterpillar along my way” I said in uninterested tone and blended myself in the crowd.

“Hey! You…”

“Kouji-sama your father is looking for you, please come this way” He wasn’t able to chase after me because he got called out by another person. I continued to stroll. Now, where to find my older brother?

 

Present…

And now here I am, asking for the mercy of this brat. Tch.

“Please Yuji-san, no, Yuji-senpai. Don’t tell it to my brother I beg you” I used my ‘puppy look’ and ‘almost-gonna-cry’ combo.

Take that kid! This is my ultimate trump card! Surely you would fall to my----

Yuji’s grin can’t get anymore wider.

.

.

.

I was dumbfounded.

 Seriously what the hell is wrong with this guy?!!

“Senpai…Say that again. I might change my mind”

“…Yuji..senpai?” I don’t know why he seems satisfied. Now that I think about it, if I got called out by a beautiful girl with that address I would also feel happy. But that and this situation right now is totally different.

“I didn’t hear you, speak louder” Oh he’s having fun indeed. I wish I could just smack his face away and call it a day.

“Yu-…Yuji-senpai!” I finally said it out loud.

“Yuji-senpai?” Someone at my back repeated what I previously stated.

I look at my older brother in horror. Did he hear all what I just said to Yuji?

“I didn’t notice you came here Mahiro-kun” Yuji said while still grinning like a mad dog.

Did he made me say it just for this cause?

I started to synchronize myself in a little sister manner.

“Onii-sama you came back! Where’s my food?” I tried to hide my nervousness from my tone when I reach out the plate full of delicacies from my brother’s hand.

“Sa-chan, just now you called Yuji-kun ‘senpai’. Where did you learn that seniority address?”

Hm? I quickly stuff my mouth with sweets hoping these would calm me down. I cant just say I learned it even before I got born so I look for safe words.

“Yuji..senpai thought me how to use it” I said blankly. There won’t be any problem with that right?

I suddenly felt the increase of tension near me.

“…Is that so.”

Yuji suddenly poked me behind my back. I look at him and saw his nervous eyes. We made eye contact and it seems like he is trying to say ‘change what you said right now’ I got confuse and turned my attention to my brother…Then finally understood what’s going on.

“I-I meant to say I heard it from the girl who came here earlier and called him senpai”

This is the first time I get to see my brother looking pissed for something trivial.

“That girl and I have the same height so I thought I could call him Yuji-senpai too” I added just to make my lie more believable. I could feel the tension finally disappearing. How did the ‘senpai’ addressing became such a big deal this day?

“*sigh* I see. But, calling him senpai before me…” I can faintly hear what he said at the end.

“What did you say Onii-sama?”

“No, it’s nothing”

Before I could finally feel my body as light as feather, my brother unexpectedly dropped a bombshell.

“Come to think of it, how did you meet my little sister Yuji-kun?”

Once again, I look at Yuji and he met my gaze. I tried to relay my ‘Don’t say anything stupid’ look using the legendary eye-to-eye conversation. I don’t know if I got it right but he seems to reply ‘I got this’ and returned his goofy grin he had a while ago.

The time passes after Yuji explained how we met each other. Yuji was amazing. I could even label him as a professional liar at such a young age. After listening to his story complete with details and good foundation of the story, even I, who had witnessed what actually happened couldn’t help but believe his words.

Eventually I got caught by one of Mother’s underlings and brought me to her. After a few scolding, we finally went home. It was very late of me to know that Yuji is the first son of Sir Kouji Takamura. Well, I’m hoping that I won’t meet that kid in the future. He reeks trouble as far as I'm concern.